As a (somewhat) flaccid blogger, it’s easy to get discouraged by those with obviously better cameras, clothes, and more time to devote to the cause. I look at Chiara Ferragni, whom within two years of being an Italian blogger on the “Blonde Salad” became an even more wealthy Italian blogger, an entire company with her name as backing and like, what, 4 shoe lines now? I remember sitting on my bed, following her from her first post and just watching as if I was at a standstill. From my freshman year of high school, to graduation, to my freshman year of college, I had big dreams for myself. It seems now, as I’m about to be a senior, those dreams have flattened a little bit. My hair on the other hand has truly embraced Ohio summer humidity and I’m pretty sure the Dallas in me is coming out. My life is definitely a tossed salad if anything, it just doesn’t have the same ingredients as Chiara’s does. Figuring out that, that is okay has been hard.There have been countless ridiculous (and humorous) arguments with my mother, saying that if my sister gets a horse I should get a Birkin- for the sake of my career, obviously. In a world where people are given positions and power that they may or may not deserve because of their names, it’s definitely easy to feel anxious about the future. Luckily for me, I get random bursts of inspiration and feel empowered again. People like Joey DeSantis and his family help that cause. Joey, who has been my friend for about 7 years now, is like me in many ways. He too felt the need to get out of our beautiful (but slow) hometown in Central New York. I truly believe that a main reason we have been such close friends, not just because of our love for music, fashion, and culture; is because we both felt a need to get out. Frequent trips to the city and vacations were never really enough for us. Joey, even living right on the beach on Oneida Lake felt stuck in the sand more than ever. We would just sit there on his couch when it rained, sharing our dreams and aspirations like they were no problem, and the slightest glimmer of hope as the sun started to shine on the lake again. Now, Joey and his father have a different view overlooking the adorable brick buildings in Hudson, New York. A place I grew up in and am very fond of, the success that he has had there has made me the proudest of best friends. His father, David DeSantis, who is brilliant with iron molding, now has clients like John Varvatos and Genevieve Gorder buying and requesting his expertise. Joey has always been one to reach higher and higher, and for the work he has put into his family business I could not be more excited for. Both of us went through a time in the beginning of college where we just kind of felt like we were going through the motions, some experiences genuine, others not so much. I just had to share Joey and his family’s success with you all, it gives me so much hope for my future and it should for yours. On June 19, a bench that Mr. DeSantis created will be auctioned off at the Frederick E. Church Award Gala at the New York Public Library starting at $15,000. Dreams really do come true in small towns, you just have to think a little bigger than the geography to get there.
http://www.forgedartistry.com http://www.metalbydaviddesantis.com 608 warren street, Hudson, NY. Daviddesantis1@mac.com. Cell: (315) 264-4031. Shop: (518) 567-7354.
A link to an article about the bench/their business- http://m.chronogram.com/hudsonvalley/blogs/Post?basename=local-ironwork-auctioned-at-olana-gala&day=13&id=DailyDose&month=06&year=2014
Joey and I as seniors in high school, below.
Bootsie 