Oh, and pictures, too.
Again, writing from Philly, but this time after an extravagant tour of the headquarters of the famous brand empire of UO, Anthropologie, Terrain, and Free People.
So, my aunt pretty much knows everybody who's anybody, and as it turns out, she's friends with the creator of Urban Outfitters. So I met Judy (aforementioned creator), just a few days ago when we were walking down the street. I didn't know at the time that I was meeting a god, until we walked away and my aunt explained. Needless to say, I went bonkers. There was screaming, jumping in the air, and tripping over a flowerbed (ouch). Then, to top off the highlight of my day, I find out that the empire's lair is located here in Philadelphia. WHAT? And we get to go.
Skip forward to today, and you see me getting ready this morning, which took like an hour and about 20 wardrobe changes.
We hop in my aunt's Prius and drive to the Naval Yard, which used to actually be an active base, but isn't anymore.
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Boat in back, and glimpse of UO Cafeteria. Side note: Those floating planters spell out URBAN which that plane landing in the back can see from the air. WOAH. |
We're waiting to meet up with Sarah, who incidentally is the girlfriend of one of my aunt's employees and also a graphic designer for the company. So, we walk into building 543 (the buildings are numbered in order of the date when they were built, so they make absolutely no sense; 300 could be next to 12). We wait in the lobby while I absolutely drool at the hanging ferns draping from the ceiling and the gym on the second floor that employees use to work out.
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| Treadmills and machinery from when this was an active naval base building. |
So, I'm having fun posing with fun things in the lobby and snapping pictures like some Urban Outfitter's groupie (which, let's be honest, I totally am).
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| Me being a nerd |
Finally, Sarah walks up. Needless to say, absolutely everyone that works for Urban Outfitters is a female in her mid to upper 20s. Most of them have small dogs, and they're pretty much THE most stylish people you will ever see in your life. Everyone looks like they just stepped out of a catalogue. Sarah's no exception. She has a light denim washed tunic, with white lace thigh leggings, cafe colored leather sandals, and jewelry that's totally to die for. I feel like I just stepped out of Oscar the Grouch's trash can. She's friendly, though, and eager to tell me about the company.
By the way, at this point I feel I should mention I brought my 23 month-old cousin. Yikes. He's obsessed with hoses for whatever reason, and when we walked into this building,
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| Kai making a dash for the hose. Yikes! |
there was a hose on the ground, which he promptly picked up and would have sprayed inside the place if I hadn't nearly slow motion tackled him. It was dramatic, and Sarah looked like she might pass out right then and there.
The buildings are old, but with super modern touches, just like the Urban Outfitter's brand. Also, it's like being in a spy movie, walking around the buildings. You can't get in unless you have a top secret card to swipe in front of a sensor to unlock the doors. I felt so exclusive.
There's so many dogs strolling around inside, people eating in the cafe, and employees working out, it feels like there's hardly any work done at all.
Eventually we sit and eat (me feeling even more like a bum in a whole room of uber style gurus), and the food was amazing. I got a Buddha bowl, which was fried tofu with edamame, chives, and brown rice in a teriyaki sauce.
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| P.S., this is our goddess of a tour guide, Sarah |
An internship offer? Yes, please.
I've concluded I need to make more friends in high places.
lucky.
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