Last year, many of you know that I went to New York. It was amazing and life changing and everything I expected it to be! I couldn't believe it took me almost 24 years to visit for the first time. Since I went, I had been dying to go back but although my husband is always a good sport, he in no way feels the same warm fuzzies towards the Big Apple that I do. I knew he would go back if I really asked, but I also knew that he had no desire to do so.
My friend Chelsea texted me just a few weeks ago - she had an invite to the big launch of Aisle Society at New York Bridal Week and had a plus one for someone else. I thought about the expense and inconvenience of going to New York on a whim for one day and almost said no. But then I asked the one question I always ask myself (you can read on that here) and sent her a text the next morning that said, "So...wanna go to New York?" And thus, the adventure began.
We left on Friday morning with lattes in hand and made our way up the Eastern Shore towards New Jersey. Traffic was pretty nasty on the way so it took awhile to get there, but being with a friend made the drive not so bad. Once we got there, we had a few minutes to change before we hopped on the ferry across the water to the Big Apple. Of course we forgot to check the weather, and it was pouring all during our walk through the city. Thankfully Chelsea had a few umbrellas, but that didn't stop the sideways rain from soaking us. We stopped in at the Skylight Diner for their famous chili then headed to the party.
Y'all, the party. Aisle Society went big on this one! They reserved the space at 404 10th Avenue and completely decked it out. There were mini cupcakes and cake pops, mini hors d'oeuvres delivered by servers, and an amazing photo booth. Bloggers from ALL over the country were there - the ladies behind Fab You Bliss, Glamour and Grace, Budget Savvy Bride, Every Last Detail, OFD Consulting, and of course our very own Tidewater and Tulle, just to name a few!
It was a blast. Chelsea and I got to meet some amazing people (the incredibly talented Sasha of Olivia headpieces! the sweet and generous ladies behind Honeybook!) and made some great connections. The food was amazing and the swag bag we were sent home with was out of this WORLD. From mugs to a mini s'mores kit to the cutest little business cards, each vendor went above and beyond.
We headed back into the hotel and fell into bed, Instagramming our little hearts away. The next morning we woke up early, grabbed lattes, and hit the road - thankfully avoiding all the traffic. I'm here now just a few hours later, in awe of the whirlwind adventure I just went on. In a little over 24 hours we drove to New Jersey, spent time in New York, and started heading back to Hampton Roads.
At times like this, I just step back and smile. My life has times of incredible excitement and loads of fun, and this was one of them. Just a few quick words of thanks are in order before I finish. 1) To my husband, who talked me into this whole crazy trip. 2) The best of friends, my sweet Chelsea, who is the one who asked me to go and was beyond generous to me. 3) Chelsea of Tidewater and Tulle, who is always so encouraging and supportive. 4) The generous ladies at Honeybook, who have gone above and beyond over the last week especially. 5) ALL the vendors, bloggers, organizers, administrators, and helpers who launched Aisle Society and made an amazing party. It was worth all the hours in the car, and it was truly a once in a lifetime event! Many, many thanks to you all.
Side note: this girl had to pack light and not carry a huge bag of camera equipment around New York, so check out #aislesocietydebut on Instagram to see more of the party!
