Hello, August
Hello again!
Since it has been about a month since we closed on our new house, I wanted to provide another update on where things are at in life. Spoiler alert - they are still very in flux!
THE HOUSE
For those who endured the recurring posts of wallpaper peeling on my social media, thank you for bearing with us! For three weekends straight, we peeled borders in each of the bedrooms and living room, a full bathroom, the entire kitchen, and three accent walls in the dining/family room. There were moments of pure aggravation but now that we are finished, it feels motivating to see the early but significant phases of transformation our home will go through. If you are embarking upon a similar project (godspeed), I recommend purchasing a wallpaper removal concentrate and using a handheld spray tool to apply it en masse to your walls.
Simultaneously, we have hired a landscaper to thin out our backyard, a general contractor to tackle the carpet removal and hardwood floor installation (shoutout to Tommy's buddy), as well as a painter to sand, spackle and paint the entire house - which for the record, is not going to be cheap due to the wallpaper residue and absurd amount of holes left from past decor. During our first weekend at the house, I made an exhaustive punch list of all the projects we would *ever* want to accomplish and we prioritized FLOORS, WALLS, and LANDSCAPING as the top 3 items to address first. It has been easy to get overwhelmed by all the little things that are "wrong" or not our preference, but breaking it down in a simple way was helpful and we will continue to do that as we chug along.
This process is tremendously exciting but also is costly and labor intensive. I don't want to sugarcoat this whole ~We GoT A BeAcH HoUsE~ moment as a dreamy, unrealistic experience that many people on the internet tend to do. With the work comes the reward, as do most things in life! As I wrote about in my previous post, every house that we considered had significant renovations involved so this was inevitable for us, but I am glad that we get to go watch the sun set over the Delaware Bay at the end of a long day’s work.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Since we are only about a month into shore life, I don't want to speak on it as if I am an expert, but here are my initial thoughts and observations:
The Villas is truly a quaint town with a lot of charm. People say it is a hidden gem and I can understand why. There are many classic establishments that have withstood the test of time - ice cream shops, seafood takeout, delis, and breakfast cafes seem to be the most popular. Robinson’s Deli and Bravado Coffee Cafe take the cake for places we have frequented the most often thus far, and we know we need to get to Fleck’s Ice Cream sooner rather than later! Additionally, the bay never seems too crowded and has been a great place to bring our dog for walks and socializing. Our neighbors have all been very welcoming and friendly to us, which we are thankful for. I am a little worried for how quiet it may feel in the winter since it already seems relatively quiet now, but that’s a blog post for another day and time.
We also are really enjoying exploring the areas of North & West Cape May, Cape May Point, and Town Bank. I have vacationed in Cape May for many years with my family, but we mostly stuck to Poverty Beach as well as the core part of town, so discovering these other pockets has been a delight. We tried popping over to Harpoons on the Bay last Friday night, but it was packed so we will revisit during an off peak time. At first glance, it seems like a really fun, relaxed place to grab drinks while overlooking great sunset views. We loved hanging at Behr Brewing - the beer is legit good and I love the story of the husband-wife startup behind it. I also had never been to Ostara’s Coffee House and thanks to a follower’s recommendation, we scoped it out the other weekend. Similar to the other places I have mentioned, you can tell that it is ran with care and brings a warm sentiment of community. Nearby, there is a French bakery (Chez Michel) and juice shop (Nikki’s Cafe & Juicery) that I briefly perused and will be sure to visit again.
Duckie’s Farm Market is another place that we have been to multiple times now. They have a big “Key Lime Pie” sign out front which encouraged us to pull over and check the spot out. We have been partial to the fresh plums but all of the produce looks wonderful and yes, we got the pie and it was definitely sign-worthy. In addition to produce, you can grab some interesting homemade BBQ spices and rubs as well. Heads up that it is cash only!
If you have anymore interesting recommendations of places we should check out in any of the shore towns, please let me know! Turtle Gut in Wildwood is on my list, as it seems like a fun, contemporary cafe with close ties back to Philly, which is awesome. Shout out to food writer and fellow shore resident, Adam Erace, for turning us onto it. I also would love to spend an afternoon in Historic Cold Spring Village - it looks beyond charming.
THE JOB
The last update I want to touch on is my career. This is probably the hardest but most important aspect for me to write about, because it feels emotionally charged. Through Spruce Lane, I have spent years writing about entrepreneurs in our community, specifically boutique owners. I admire their courage, their innate skills, and their passion in all that they do to run their businesses. Truthfully, it is my dream to become one of them one day. I have always wanted to have a space where I can create experiences and share my creativity with others. I love design and styling, and I also love community. I expressed it through my wedding and now I am eager to do so through my house. If I could express myself creatively through my work as well, I would feel beyond fulfilled.
Photo credit: Matt Genders Photography
Getting from point “A” of where I am now, to point “B” of realizing my goal of having my own business is quite daunting. Where to start? How to stay focused? What would make me successful and set me apart? Mentally, I have changed my approach in what I think I should do so many times, and then ultimately turn back to scanning LinkedIn for salaried jobs out of fear. It would certainly calm my nerves to maintain a source of income as I navigate this next chapter, but I want to do so in a way where I can still have energy to devote to Spruce Lane. Thus far, I have taken some baby steps by reaching out to peers who work independently for advice and encouragement. Those conversations already have been wonderful. I try to tell myself to do 1 thing each day to make progress in this realm, because like the house projects, it gets overwhelming. For me, the best way to combat anxiety and overthinking is to take action. Don’t just sit around and fret, which I know is easier said than done.
So to sum it up, I don’t really have concrete professional updates at this time but here are my affirmations and manifestations:
I am speaking my truth in what I want to do and am working hard to cultivate my confidence.
It’s OK if I don’t have it all figured out upfront. Things will naturally change and evolve as time goes on. Just start.
I will consider part time or freelance roles as ways to maintain income as I navigate this next chapter.
I will explore launching a small capsule collection and pop up at local businesses open to partnering with me to learn about buying and selling.
I will continue to network and put myself out there in a positive way to create opportunities as much as I can.
Again, any tips or words of encouragement are so greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read about these updates. I’ll check back again in a month to let you know what has happened between now and then!
Enjoy the rest of your summer!