The Backup Plan - SWEET BLOG OF MINE

Some of life’s best-laid plans are the ones we don’t plan at all. My best days have involved deviating from my original itinerary and doing something completely spontaneous. With a city as vast and exhilarating as New York, it’s easy to go through the motions of scheduling your whole life out in advance just so you can achieve everything your heart desires.

Sometimes, however, what you intend to do falls through the cracks. Instead of wallowing over a “ruined” day, cross off a bucket list item that you’ve been dying to do for months. In lieu of shopping for the umpteenth time, go to the library and read a book that catches your eye. Better yet, take a walk without any sort of direction, and just journey off into the unknown. No matter how you choose to spend your freedom, remember, there is always a backup plan, whether by accident or not. Sometimes, those backups can become the pick-me-up you needed all along.

After our initial vision of shooting in a magazine shop was thwarted by a not-so-friendly store owner, Jacob and I decided to relocate. On the way, we happened upon a charming little ice cream and sandwich shop tucked away in the East Village. A gasp and an “OMG YAAASS” were the verbal cues that solidified this destination as our shooting spot.

The shop’s exterior not only matched perfectly with my all-red ensemble, but it gave me ALL the retro vibes. I was literally fangirling over a store, friends. I’ve basically hit an all-time low. Jacob even went so far as to find out if the shop carried the old-fashioned Coca-Cola bottles. Alas, they did, and I was well on my way to becoming the next Selena Gomez (JK, never). The store manager was the sweetest and also let us shoot behind the counter! A true day-maker, I must say.

What made this shoot one of my favorites was the fact that it happened totally unexpectedly, and it ended up being one of the most fun times I’ve had in awhile. Jacob and I took a failed plan and spun it into gold. For me, those are the experiences that become the most memorable.