the city

There we were, on a roof deck bar on the 24th floor of a Manhattan hotel. The view of the city was absolutely stunning. It was the first time in years that I felt this kind of awe for the City. We were surrounded by friends. The weather was perfect and Robert and I just spent the afternoon admiring an incredible art exhibit. For the first time in years, I thought Wow, I totally get you New York.

When I was a Sophomore in college I was convinced I was a New Yorker at heart. I thought it was the only city worth living in and I could not wait to graduate from Maryland, move to Brooklyn (or Queens) and take the world by storm. I mean, the bagels and lox alone is reason enough right?

“So apparently there is a huge power outage that hit over 45000 people just a little north of here.” Ryan said as he read his news alert off of his phone.

No one seemed too concerned. The music was going. The drinks were flowing. We were totally content watching the sun go down, chatting and witnessing half of the city completely dark. It felt like nothing could touch us.

But then, all at once, the music stopped, the lights turned off, and we were sitting in darkness ourselves. The power outage finally hit our little bar oasis.

“So time to go, right?” Robert turned to me and smiled.

“Definitely!”

Robert grabbed my hand and we ran down the 24 flights of stairs, down to the street and headed to the parking garage. As we walked through the darkness, I was shocked. I felt giddy instead of overwhelmed. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I knew Philadelphia had power and as soon as we got to our car, we would be headed home. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was with Robert and there is no one else I would rather spend a power outage with. And maybe it had to do with the way the darkness seemed to bring New York together and everyone was lending a helping hand. Or maybe it was a combination of all three… whatever the reason is, I found myself thinking again, I totally get you New York.

The moment I heard Shifra’s laugh on the phone, a mix of comfort and happiness fell over me. Shifra is relatable, witty, smart, easy to talk to and hands down one of the coolest women I have ever met. Even over the phone, Shifra’s presence and personality shined through. The way she described her relationship with her husband, her family and her life, it was obvious that she was the kind of person that makes everyone feel warm and fuzzy inside. Within five seconds of meeting Yaakov, I completely understood why they worked so well together. Yaakov was just as sweet, funny and easy going as Shifra. Together, they make one hell of a team and it was truly an honor getting to photograph them as a couple.

The best way to describe our photo session at Gantry Plaza in the City is playful. Shifra and Yaakov are down right goofy. They show their love through making each other laugh, being silly and having a great time no matter what the situation is. It is evident that Shifra and Yaakov are ready to walk through life, hand in hand, enjoying every minute to the fullest. Together, they will be able to face any challenge and every obstacle that life hands them.

Shifra, Yaakov, your marriage is inspiring, your friendship to each other is beautiful and your love is one of a kind. Thank you for letting me be a part of your beautiful love story.

Cannot wait to continue watching you grow as people, as a couple and as a family : )

-YPP