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October 11, 2021

New Beginnings: Move to The Finger Lakes

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So much has happened since March of 2020.

If you’ve been following me since, you know that my family and I secluded ourselves in our half-renovated, barely furnished cottage, nestled between a vineyard and a flowing glen, near Keuka Lake in the countryside of Finger Lakes, NY.

The house has since been completed and you can check out our reno journey on Instagram at @TheFLXCottage. (We purchased this home as a getaway from our busy lives in NJ, but it became much more.)

2020 had us like so many others studying and working from home, with nowhere to go and no idea what the next day would bring.

We were fortunate in that we both had our work, pay, health, and safe haven for ourselves and our children. At some point in reflecting on those worst-case scenarios, and the steps we would take to overcome them, we started realizing that some of the things we were too afraid to even think about, or allow ourselves to imagine, didn’t seem so scary the more we contemplated on them.

We braced for the worse, but the worse never came. My husband’s incredible job remained incredible and has kept him busy, employed, and us, taken care of.

My Brave World Media clients, albeit experiencing budget cuts, never paused our contracts or dropped me. Instead, I got busier, not only an exciting thing but one I am so grateful for as it kept me busy and creative during some of the worst, most stressful days of what has been over a year of a global pandemic.

THEN SOMETHING CHANGED

This whole past year, well into the new year, we had every intention of going back to normal as everything else went back to normal. I don’t remember at what stage in all of this I turned to my husband and asked, “What if we pursued our dreams together now?”

This initial suggestion surfaced all the insecurities and doubts and fears that come with a major life change. As a couple, we have done some incredible things together – taken plenty of chances, but the idea of quitting a job – one that my husband loves and that has been good to our family – seemed, unnerving at first.

But during many long walks and even hours together, we found joy in working with each other and being creative. When he would finish work, he would sit with me and help me through campaign ideas. I would share with him a vision that I might have for a pitch to a client, and he would use his creative talent to bring it to life. It felt – feels, amazing.

View from our morning walks in our new neighborhood.

I don’t want to gloss over the stressful moments – or that first time we worked on an RFP together and had such a fight that we needed to just walk away from each other for a bit. We are, after all, human, and normal.

THE LEAP

Once we said yes to the dream things started moving fast. We sold our beautiful home in NJ. My husband has given notice at his job. My kids have started a new school in Corning, NY. And we have moved to the Finger Lakes full-time. Our vacation home is home and we are both excited, terrified, and thrilled.

This journey is a lot less intimidating because of the incredible confidence this guy has in me, in our agency, and in all my crazy ideas and the incredible support he gives me daily. From buying the house in the Finger Lakes to moving full-time here, he has put all his faith in me and in our ability to continue to succeed in all we do together. Words can’t describe the love and appreciation I have for this man.
We said goodbye to our New Jersey house, a house we dreamt of, couldn’t believe when we got it, then renovated from inside out, and have now left behind for someone else to enjoy.
Our new home in the Finger Lakes. We also couldn’t believe when we got it – we saved our pennies for it. Lived through the first year of this pandemic in it, then gutted and renovated it, not realizing this would be our fulltime home in the end.

For some people with whom we have shared the news, it all sounds like a dream or insanity.

We read often about people quitting their jobs to travel or do something new. And though I have not gotten on a plane since the pandemic started, I am excited to be working full-time with my partner in life and love on our little agency that could.

Entrepreneurship in The Finger Lakes

My long-term contractual clients are in the Finger Lakes. I have been working with them for years now. They are all amazing and I am so grateful for their support and faith in me and my team. I am lucky to work with some pretty great people.

But, in general, creative work is tough because it is so undervalued.

I am putting my faith in our work, our agency, our talent, in the strong support system we have built here, in the reputation I have worked so hard to establish, and in the many opportunities living in the Finger Lakes can bring. There are tons of others who have made the same choice. Chefs, brewers, winemakers, other creatives, and independent professionals. We’ve met a lot of people who have left the hustle and bustle of the big city in pursuit of a better balance, life, lifestyle, and experience here.

A lot of us newcomers believe in the potential this region has for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Like anywhere, you have to work at finding those willing to pay what your work is worth and to build those long-lasting partnerships.

LIFE IN THE FINGER LAKES

Life in the Finger Lakes for a Dominican Puerto Rican from Brooklyn is different from life in Sunset Park, or Santo Domingo, or even Maplewood, NJ, but I truly love it. After more than a decade of visiting, it has never grown old for me. For us.

We are choosing a better quality of life, in a stunning region, where I have met many beautiful humans and made friends.

Watching the sunrise from the FLX cottage.

These past few months – pretty much all summer up to now, have been insane and we haven’t enjoyed it as much as we normally would. Who knew uprooting and changing the course of your life would be so much work?

We hope to spend more time in nature, watching sunrises and sunsets, continuing to connect with our kids on a more personal level, something we have really enjoyed throughout this whole process. I want to hike more and be in the lake more and make more friends and really grow to be a part of this community.

In a world of so much uncertainty, with so much still left to the unpredictable, we chose to embrace the path that made us feel happiest, putting our faith in this region we have fallen so deeply in love with.

Many people ask me how I am adjusting, as a woman of color specifically in an area which in their mind, lacks diversity. And my response is always the same – I find my community. I regularly make an effort to connect with the diverse communities that live here. It is true that I, more often than not, enter a room and can be the only POC. But that isn’t exclusive to my life here. It is true that coming from a larger city such as NYC, where the sounds and flavors and colors of the world are everywhere, visiting any rural destination in America can seem like a major shift. However, I have also learned that if one walks away from here with the impression that there are no communities of color, that it is simply because they have not really looked. We are everywhere, and in some places, pretty prominently. My hope is that through my work, whether through my agency or personal platforms, I can help highlight those faces, voices, and stories more.

So, dear reader, I salute you from beautiful Finger Lakes, NY, and am excited to share our adventures from this wonderful region, and as we get ready to travel, from the road.

Hope you will stick around for the ride.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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8 Comments
  • Diana
    October 12, 2021

    Yayyyy I am not surprised and I am so excited for you… i was revelry there and it really is beautiful. I hope to go back one day w my family. I am so happy for you!!!

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Diana
      October 12, 2021

      Now you have someone to visit when you do come back!

      Reply
    • Liz
      Diana
      October 12, 2021

      I know how much (and how very hard) you and your family have worked to get here. You deserve all the happiness and success, always. Congratulations, my friend!

      Reply
  • Nnenna Fakoya-Smith
    October 12, 2021

    Congratulations Carol 👏🏾 Taking the bold steps to fulfil a dream is usually a tough decision but as long as you have that inner peace, then why not! Really happy for you and your family. I dream of owning a home like yours – surrounded by the beauties of nature – one day soo . So thanks for inspiring us to believe we can surly have that home we dream of. Enjoy your new home and journey, Carol 😊

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Nnenna Fakoya-Smith
      October 12, 2021

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  • 2cupsoftravel
    February 28, 2022

    Stunning shots, I can see why you have moved there!

    Reply
    • caincarol
      2cupsoftravel
      April 28, 2022

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Carol Cain
      2cupsoftravel
      April 28, 2022

      Thank you!

      Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR! @travisjcain will be painting MARK YOUR CALENDAR! @travisjcain will be painting a beautiful new mural at Elmira’s Mural Fest this year (weather permitting on Saturday, if not on a less rainy day)! Last year he painted this board which was recently on display still at @communityartselmira. 

Hopefully we have a sunny day and you can come out to support Travis and all the muralists that day! See you there!

#elmirany #painter #artist #communityarts
Sometimes it’s like I never left. #newyork Sometimes it’s like I never left. 

#newyork
SHOUT OUT to our oldest, @davidacain_, who carries SHOUT OUT to our oldest, @davidacain_, who carries with him the entrepreneurial spirit he’s inherited from his parents. 

While successfully working in supply chain management for a global corporation based in NYC, he continues to manage and operate his own product, @getcalma, a comforting heated eye mask that is currently on the Amazon top seller list for two years in a row and has a growing consumer following! 

We are so incredibly proud of David and his growing success as an entrepreneur and in his career, and know the future will continue to be bright for him!

To learn more about Calma and make a purchase, visit his website at GetCalma.com. 

#proudmomma #getcalma #entreprenuer #smallbusiness
The time has come to move on from my role as a bar The time has come to move on from my role as a barista at @the_garage_at_rye and towards my next adventure. 

I started this journey with a curiosity for a craft I admired and wanted to learn more about. It turned into a job. Then a serious passion. And now here I am, launching Café Cómodo (KOH-moh-doh), which means “Comfortable/cozy” in Spanish, a pop-up café serving espresso and seasonal drinks at local farmers markets and private events! (@cafecomodony)

Starting yet another business was never my intent…and yet, I fell further in love with the craft, the industry, and the culture.

I owe so much of what I have learned to @seschieber, who took me under her wings and taught me so much (and still does) and who embraced my nerdiness and eagerness with patience and kindness….and in the process became one of my dearest friends. Working alongside her has felt like winning the golden ticket. She further instilled in me a respect for the craft, the industry, and a commitment to always strive for a quality product, even in a world of Dunkins and Starbucks. 

Grateful for @abbdawes, @hannahmariee93, and Amanda who tolerated my clumsiness at the start while I fumbled my way through the register and the various drink recipes!

I wasn’t sure where this journey would lead, and as I look back at these clips I realize how much I have changed in the process. It’s not always a place that impacts you, but rather the people in it.

I will miss the regulars I’ve gotten to know whose names and drink orders I memorized and who I looked forward to serving. 

I’m so grateful for everything I learned, beyond just making coffee, because I know it will help me to further grow as a leader, an entrepreneur, and a team member wherever I go and in everything I do next.

I won’t miss the dark morning wake ups and long drives before sunrise though! 

I’m proudest of myself for wanting to develop a new skill and ✨DOING IT✨ even when it felt awkward, nerving, and impossible. I hope you will follow me on this next chapter and come say hi at the market (and hire me for your next event)!

Thank you to Charlie Hunter, owner of The Garage for this opportunity.

#coffee #cafe #popupcafe
Recently took a moment to slow down and enjoy the Recently took a moment to slow down and enjoy the sounds of this beautiful place I call home. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #upstateny
Barista training = Trial by fire. 🔥 This is the Barista training = Trial by fire. 🔥 This is the way. 

@shellyk_025

#baristalife #barista #coffeeislife

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