welcome back, New York!
a guide to our favorite women-owned shops
In today’s newsletter: women-owned New York and supporting the dogs. This month, a portion of the profits from paid newsletter subscriptions will be donated to Refugio Animal Holbox. Previous organizations we’ve supported include CARE India, Womankind, Girls Write Now, Women for Women, Heart of Dinner & Black Mamas Matter. If you’ve found your way here but are not yet subscribed, let me help you with that:
Earlier this week I did something wild. I went to the movie theaters, pulled down my mask, and enjoyed some Crunch-a-Bunch-laced popcorn. Since getting fully inoculated against COVID last month, I’ve had a few of these “Holy shit, this feels like old times!” moments that are all at once nostalgic and exciting. It’s amazing how things we once did without a second thought can take on a whole new meaning after a year of quarantine.
The first time I truly felt a glimmer of my pre-pandemic life coming back, was at the local bar around the corner from my apartment. A group of vaccinated friends and I had gathered in Bar Dalia’s backyard for fancy cocktails and small tapas-inspired plates. Somewhere between my second and third mezcal Paloma, I looked up and realized how normal this hang-out felt. No one looked anxious while sitting shoulder-to-shoulder around a table, breathing in the same air. No one was fidgeting awkwardly at the prospect of a handshake or a hug. No one was pulling their mask up and down between bites. Instead, everyone looked relaxed and elated to be partaking in something as simple as one another’s company.
All around me New York City is beginning to look like itself again (thank you, science!). Central Park is abuzz with an eclectic mix of New Yorkers having picnics on the grass. Girlfriends strut down the sidewalk, arm-in-arm, without a mask insight. Couples sit at sidewalk cafes in the West Village, huddled over a carafe of red wine and a charcuterie board. Hole-in-the-wall cocktail lounges in the Lower East Side show the silhouettes of patrons sipping cocktails at the mahogany bars. After a year of silence, and separation, witnessing New York spring to life is a beautiful thing. Welcome back, New York! You’ve been sorely missed.
Save this quick guide for your next nyc visit
It doesn’t matter how many times you visit New York or pick up guidebooks to the city, if you don’t live here, you’ll always miss out on some hidden gems. New York is full of entrepreneurial women who own some pretty amazing small businesses. From bakeries to bookstores, here are just a few women-owned spots to check out on your next visit. Want the complete guide? Pick up a print or digital copy of Unearth Women’s Feminist City Guidebook to NYC for 2021.
Learn about the animal shelter we’ll be supporting this month
Anywhere my boyfriend and I travel, we always make a point to visit the local animal shelter or sanctuary. Whether volunteering with elephants in Thailand, supporting a cat sanctuary hidden beneath the ruins of Rome, or walking stray dogs in Belize — we have a shared passion for supporting animals wherever we go.
This mutual love of animals came to a head two years ago when we adopted our dog, Chico, while traveling in Belize. When we first met Chico, he was living in a local shelter with about 15 other dogs and 17 feral cats. Through our experience of adopting Chico, we came to truly appreciate the efforts of locals and ex-pats to care for stray dogs and cats.
Next week, we’ll be flying to Mexico and staying on Isla Holbox where we plan to visit the woman-founded Refugio Animal Holbox, which works to rehabilitate and rehome local animals. We’ll be bringing the animal shelter supplies from Chewy.com, as well as walking the dogs once we are on the island. In addition to that, I am going to be donating a portion of paid newsletter subscriptions to Refugio Animal Holbox for the month of June. Become a paid subscriber to support monthly nonprofits and unlock some cool perks:
Wild feminist t-shirts, boy smells, and saving new york’s lesbian bars
Infuse your space with Boy Smells, which is a limited-edition Pride Collection, benefiting the Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention work for LGBTQIA+ youth. Listen to this podcast from Women Who Travel about why America’s LGBTQIA+ spaces need our support right now, such as Cubbyhole, one of NYC’s three remaining lesbian bars. Check out this interview with Lee, an Israeli drag king who speaks candidly about their experiences traveling as a trans person. Shop Wildfang, a queer-owned and an inclusive feminist-leaning business. I am particularly loving their Wild Feminist t-shirt in merlot.
e-mail me | find me on twitter | follow me on instagram | send me your feedback
Next week, I’ll be traveling abroad for the first time in over a year! Because I plan to swap New York streets for pristine beaches and emails for sipping mojitos, I won’t be sending a newsletter next Friday. I look forward to sharing my travels with you all when I get back!