May I introduce you to Skylar and Rrita? We became very good friends at Manhattaville College in Purchase, NY. Rrita now lives in Manhattan and Skylar and I live together in Philly. Just three creative ladies trying to figure it out together! Their impact on my life is immeasurable and I am so happy that I have them. We complain, cry, drink, laugh, love and learn together.
It's a rare occasion that we can all be together because we have very hectic schedules. I travel with American Babies, Skylar works on her graphic design work and for an art company called Starry Night (check out their website here: http://starrynightprograms.com and hers: http://skylarcarfi.wixsite.com/artist), and Rrita is going to school for acting and is always looking for auditions as well as working (check out her website here: http://www.rritatoka.com). I think they are so talented, so please give their work a glance.
Rrita woke up early that morning to go to an appointment, but being the lovely hostess that she is, she made us crêpes! I've never had homemade crêpes before and they were so yummy. They are incredibly easy to make, so if you're interested just google a recipe! It was so nice to drink my tea and be in a different city with my best friends. I was on a high the two days we were there. Being around the people you love is the ultimate pick me up. I was also really happy because I had a different environment to photograph and practice my skills. They need a lot of work, but I really enjoy taking photos and I'm more than happy to be behind the lens than in front of it, haha.
We got to hang out and drink wine with Rrita's roommates, Emma and Laura. Emma and I went to summer camp together, she was a counselor and I was a camper. ~ (Check out www.ypicamp.org) It was the best summer camp experience and I highly recommend it if your child or someone you know is interested in the creative arts. It's where I wrote my first song! ~ Because I knew Emma I actually helped Rrita find a place to live before she graduated. It's a small world, indeed! When Rrita was out for her appointment Skylar and I walked through Central Park a little bit and enjoyed the winter snow.
That night we went and ate greek food with Rrita's roomies and Will after going to check out a couple shops near Union Square. (Namaste Bookstore is a place I fell in love with when my sister Ashley showed it to me a few months ago. Check it out if you are around the area) The greek food was so good! I wish I had pictures but I didn't bring my camera out for the rest of the day. After that we went to a performance in a chapel that Will was a part of. He is a composer attending Juilliard and a Schubert piece he arranged was being performed. It was wonderful! After the performance we managed to text some more of our college buddies and meet up at a bar called Joe's. The vibe there was awesome and catching up with people I haven't seen in such a long time was truly special.
The three of us only got together only once last year, which makes it difficult to keep in contact with each other, but when we get together we make the most of it and try to be as present as possible. The following morning we went to a little crêpe cafe in the Upper West Side and indulged ourselves with amazing breakfast bagels and café au laits. We went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for about an hour after that and it was lovely beyond belief.
There is nothing more inspiring or energizing than getting together with your best friends. I had an incredible time with the both of them while we drank tea, ate delicious foods, and talked about all things life. I hope that we can get together more than once this year, haha. May 2017 be the year of love and best friends.
Thanks for reading! With love, Raina.