Happy 6th Birthday!
Dear VTY girls,
Another leap day birthday come and gone. How is it that we can spend so much time building up to one day, cramming it in with as much expectation and opportunity as possible, only for it to pass just as quickly as any other day?
I have to start by saying that as far as birthdays go, this one was technically perfect. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, the day seemed covered in a thick sprinkling of magic.
I owe a huge amount of that magic to Sydney, who visited NYC for the weekend, and let me cart her around town throwing caution, and our wallets, to the wind. We started the day with coffee and pastries from my favorite cafe, Ground Central. A Nutella banana bread for me, chocolate chip bread for her, and iced americanos with a splash of oat milk for both. We then headed to KUR for decadent custom facials, where a nice lady named Lillian put my face through the ringer in the best way.
“Blackheads,” she said. It was the first of many comments made about my skin under the glow of the ultra-bright light. Safe to say the blackheads are gone, as I survived a very intensive extraction session, with bright red marks covering my nose for the rest of the day to show for it. Then we dropped a bag getting fabulous nails, followed by a delicious Thai lunch and a free cake from Milk Bar! I also met two other leap-day babies (ages 7 and 11) which was so special.
We prepped for dinner with a 30-minute Sculpt Society workout, followed by Sydney-given, Dyson Air Wrap blowouts, and full glam makeup. Once ready, we were joined by my closest NY friends at a slinky Soho supper club, Little Ways for the most memorable dinner. The night was capped off by a Leap Day viewing and the milk bar cake. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day.
While I will never forget how much fun I had, or the extra-sweet well-wishes I received from friends and acquaintances alike, I am always struck with a sense of impermanence after a leap day passes. Why is it that the biggest moments in life always pass us by the fastest? Maybe it’s because we pay better attention to them.
Looking back on all that has changed for me since my last leap day birthday, I am shocked at the view. One year seems fairly easy to quantify in changes, choices, and memories, but four? What a vast impact four years can have on a person. I always get the birthday blues that another year has gone by, and wonder what I have to show for it… but when I think of the next four years ahead? Now maybe that’s something to get excited about.
Very Truly Yours,
Avery
Dear Avery,
Your letter made me emotional! It was a perfect day by all accounts and I will treasure the memory for many leap days to come.
What you said about the most special days going quickly is so true. I’m currently helping my soon to be sister in law plan her June 2024 wedding and there’s so much anticipation and dreaming that goes into creating a special day like a wedding. Then when the actual day comes it passes as a euphoric blur - so full of joy but altogether too fleeting.
Your letter also sent me spiraling a bit about time - to think on your last leap year birthday we were basically entirely different people and our 16 year old selves 2 leap years ago might not be able to believe what we’re up to now (except maybe they would? Bc largely we are living true to our younger dreams <3)
Also what do you think the magic dust is? Is it as simple to conjure as a gathering of two dear friends and an awareness of the beauty all around us?
Or is it a rare and cosmic blessing that’s sudden appearance is made all the more special by it’s typical absence?
Hope someone has some ideas - maybe we can bottle and sell the stuff (;
Vty,
Sydney
