What would happen if Charlotte York moved to the Hudson Valley?

From the Upper east side, to Up-State

Born in New York, but raised outside of it, New York called to me like a pirate to a siren. I pretended to be Anna Wintour at a play pretend desk with a stack of 1999-2004 vogues as an eight year old. Fast forward to being 22 and moving into my apartment on the east side. It wasn’t my dream apartment, but the reality of rent in Manhattan in 2022 made it Versailles in my eyes. It was my little oasis, truly “ La Vie en Rose “, I was in love. Maybe it was that it represented freedom, a new life, a chance to feel like my own person. I did however still love those pre war french doors, the tiny little office space cove, and the quite street I got so blessed with. I moved in without any furniture, just a single settee from the 1700s, too small to lay on, just big enough to sit like a lady on. I would get a mattress tomorrow…

My first actual day in New York:

• Grabbed groceries at the corner store to make an at home matcha & get ready while listening to a show from my laptop, I didn’t own a tv.

• Walked to the Jackie Kennedy Reservoir, ( this became a staple for me ).

• Walked through the park, and all the way down 5th to 72nd st, grabbed Ralph’s coffee.

• Took horrendous self timer photos of my outfit somewhere on Madison ave.

• Went back to unpack my personal items.

• Made pasta in my tiny kitchen

Along the way, without even trying my future life began to unfold. I would say now, at 25, moving to New York was the best decision I ever made. Every good part of my life today, came directly from that decision. I learned a decades worth of life lessons every nine months or so. I made business ventures, and reached many of my career goals. I barley had a life outside of my work before, but I was forced to discover more about myself and grow my personality and character. New York City ushered me with a hand on my back through the crowd of life. Within my first month in the city, I made a small group of girl friends. I had never had a group of girl friends in my life and I always idolized it. To this day these girls are like sisters who have seen me get married, helped me read legal papers, joined me on my first day of work at a new job so I wasn’t scared, slept in the trunk of my car with me for a few days in the Hamptons, you name it. I also met my husband because I moved to New York. I was your typical “ I don’t need a man “, boss independent business woman type. My inner Miranda turned Charlotte overnight. Hopeless romantic with a hint of knight in shining armor coming to save me, kind of mindset. I had intimacy issues, trust issues, and honestly loved my solitude. I was 23 and never even had been on a date. No first kiss, no relationships, nothing, and I loved it that way. Through the love of my friendships, I think it awoken something within me, something softer. I no longer saw reliance on another as weakness. I no longer felt the trials of another as a forced burden to carry but as a caring decision to desire the load together. End of summer 2023 I went on my very first date, who ended up being my husband. I wasn’t hit by a taxi when I met him, thankfully. He was this 6’7 guy from up-state who had charmed me. The second date was planned on the first date and happened the very next day. It was clear I had met my prince charming, knowing this based of my divine spiritual sense of course. I knew we would eventually want to settle down and we would buy a house together. Wake up to coffee in my greenhouse he built for me in our garden type of life. Little did I know he would propose to me a month after our one year anniversary and I said yes! Thank God he loves my French country China patterns.

Visiting his family up-state occasionally or going up for dates was a freshness I didn’t know I needed. I quickly realized I needed a place that brings out the softness in me, not the harshness. I wanted to feel at peace with where I lived, not at war. New York had me in fight or flight mode everyday, walking with my hands clenched and head down. Upstate had me walking with my hands help and my head in the clouds thinking about gardening again, writing in the historic mansions on the river, farmers markets, and grand foyers. We were both in total agreement to buy a house upstate and live just close enough to the city to visit my friends or have date nights. Once again, the reality of the housing market in 2024 has us renting a cobblestone townhouse. The same way my apartment was Versailles, this place is my Rodin. Vintage chocolate wood bookshelves overflowing with my books, walls adorned with wedding pictures, a porch that sees the seasons, and my hand painted watercolors spilling over my desk. Charlotte fought long and hard for that brownstone, I went through war to create a true home for myself. At first, I was scared to trade my art galleries for whaling museums, and Carlyle lobster bisque for homemade mushroom soup. You can take a girl out of Manhattan, but she won’t stop being high maintenance and slightly pretentious. It’s a no brainer to be romantic at the Mark or the Met. It takes pure skill to do so high up here in the Valley. It’s brought back my art of romanticization, my whimsicality, my etherealness. Possibly it could be the air of being in love, it could also be the the fresh air of the Catskills.

Carrie may have hated visiting Aiden upstate, but I think Charlotte has the french country charm, english manor love, old world appreciation to fit right in. She also has the strong self confidence to be herself in a space where differences may not be as celebrated as on fifth ave. I adore my peace, and savor the fascination of visiting the city on my own free will, whenever I please. I view it as the peak of luxury, a true richness. To have the best city in the world at the palm of my hand, and choose of my own accord when and where to dive in. I may not be an adventurous person, but I have learned that venturing beyond your comfort zone in life always has a benefit. I have never regretted trying something new, going somewhere new, or learning something new. My stomach is full of local farm fresh produce, my body is still warmed by my vintage Chanel, my heart is full from my husband and bible, and my head always in a new book. I believe she would have thrived here in a little cottage with Harry. I’m in search for that little cottage myself, hopefully without the future of having my Vera Wang stained by little hands along the way…