Gabrielle: I grew up mostly in New Jersey, but moved around a lot because my parents were in the Air Force. I moved to DC to go to college because it was close enough to my family, but far enough that I could be in a new environment.
Gabrielle: After college, I started working for Accenture, but from there decided I wanted to have my own business. I realized how much I loved working directly with clients so thought I could try real estate because that is all about working one-on-one with people. Having home be a sacred space has also always been so important to me, and I love helping other people find that for themselves. I enjoy helping people transition to a new chapter of their lives and it’s so fulfilling.
Gabrielle: I thought the state of panic we were experiencing would make real estate die down, but surprisingly it’s been thriving because interest rates are low and DC has a strong market. Since I’m not doing day-long showings or going into an office, I have more free time and have been trying to get more into YouTube and social media to build my business. I’ve also been trying to use some of this extra time to help people who are struggling. That’s how I got into meal drop offs.
Gabrielle: I was inspired by some real estate agent friends of mine in Denver who were delivering meals to local hospitals, and realized this is something I can do. One day, I just went online and ordered a ton of food from District Taco and dropped it off at a hospital near my house in Capitol Hill. The hospital staff were so appreciative and that motivated me to do this more. I have some friends who are ICU nurses at Sibley and Georgetown hospitals and have been coordinating dropping off meals to their staff.
If someone wants to get involved, you can reach out to me on Instagram to contribute towards the meal cost. Even $10 can give an ICU nurse a full meal and means so much to them. Or if you have a car – you can do it on your own. Reach out to your friend group and ask them to contribute a certain amount, order meals from a local restaurant and then bring it to a local hospital. You can coordinate with the hospital.
Gabrielle: We pushed off our big wedding party that was originally planned for this November, because our goal is really to have everyone we love in the same space to celebrate this big transition. If we couldn’t accomplish this, it didn’t seem worth the cost and effort. Our plan now is to try and get legally married on the same day our wedding was going to be, and then maybe have a big party later on.
Gabrielle: Just don’t stress about it. Releasing ourselves from the pressure of planning this perfect day during this craziness has been really helpful. It also might help to put things in perspective and realize you can still marry the person you love even if it looks different.
Gabrielle: It’s a weekly class for young adults who are already either Jewish and want to learn more or who are not Jewish, but interested in exploring it and maybe converting to Judaism. It sounds cliche but it has been really life-changing.
It’s been my first exposure to the Jewish religion and has made me question my behaviors and values in a way that I don’t think I ever have. It’s helped me think deeper about what’s important to me, and create my own unique rituals with myself and those I love – like meditating and trying to keep a Kosher diet. I’ve also started celebrating Shabbat, and making that day feel different for us has been a fun challenge during quarantine. One thing we’ve been doing is making a theme meal, like Italian or something, and picking a Spotify playlist that goes with that meal.
Gabrielle: My perfect day in DC – in quarantine – is starting with a dance workout with 305 Fitness, going for a walk in my neighborhood with my fiancé Barrett, and hanging out on the stoop with wine. I’d also order take out from a local restaurant like Stellina Pizzeria or Beuchert’s Saloon and hang out with my cats Poppy and Sebastian.
Gabrielle: We share!
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