SENSORY JOURNAL 012: Travel
•Posted on July 09 2025
This June I officially closed my brick + mortar flagship, moved into a small office studio to transition the business (mostly) online, and took a much needed two week vacation out of country. Traveling, especially international travel, always offers me welcome time to reflect, and this trip certainly did just that. After running a brick + mortar business solo for seven years amidst greater domestic chaos and sorrow, and taking an additional external full time job this year, I realized upon reflection what I had been needing most really was just a BREAK. Time to clock out. Time to breathe. Time to reset. Time to reflect. This time around, achieving a real break required letting go of my physical store. It wasn't my first choice of what had to go, but it was ultimately the one the universe was showing me was the right choice at the time.
My vacation came around with serendipitous timing in this transition, and allowed me to reflect as usual, but I was also really able to clock out and unplug in a new way on this trip not having to worry about my shop back home. What this unplugged travel time in Norway and Iceland taught me was what fuels me, what I'm yearning for more of, what I find essential and valuable. It also gave me new inspiration by reminding me of my passions I tend to forget about in the day-to-day. Much of this inspiration will play out in how I reshape approaching Burke as a business going forward. It's not in me to detach completely from IRL business, but I am committed to approaching this online focus in renewed ways. More to come on this as I slowly ease into new routines over the coming months, but for now, enjoy a little travelogue reflecting on my vacation takeaways!
My focus on vacations tend to center around art, design, architecture, history, culture, and nature. In large enough cities I always try to visit an art or history museum and botanical garden. My favorite trips are those that visit both notable cities ANDenvironmental wonders of nature. I've learned that it is natural and built environments that really move me the most. Architecture gives space and tells stories, it offers identity and purpose, it holds us safe and creates shelter. And really, nature does the same in her own way. Encountering either in their historically preserved or natural state always impacts me greatly, and architecture and nature are the two things that have managed to move me to tears while traveling.
Only this bottom photo of the three above was from this recent trip, but I'm including this trio here because these are the three places in all my travels that have moved me to tears. All quite different from one another, yet all some form of a built environment preserved by locals, and all with great stories to tell. Each one offered me a sense of not knowing their kind of existence was possible. Appreciating the care that goes into keeping them in tact for the public to enjoy and experience. All three offered me the opportunity to feel something greater outside of myself and dream about new possibilities. I'd love to know if you have places you've traveled to that have moved you to tears?
Nature of course is the greatest inspiration. Being able to see places like Norway and Iceland with such grand natural environments, many of them nearly untouched, many of them uninhabitable even for parts of the year, is a reminder of how small we are and how little control we have. I feel so lucky to be able to have seen these parts of the earth in her natural state. The blues and greens of Iceland and Norway from moss and forests, glacier water and invasive lupin flowers, to sky and grassy meadows, offered a color palette I can't stop thinking about. So much beauty to be protected at all costs! Another reminder of one of the values of Burke - to always keep environment top of mind.
It's with these reflections and inspirations that I find renewed excitement in returning from my break. Focusing in on form and function, natural and built design and environments, conscious details and unique beauty. These are the things I notice and am moved by, and these are ultimately the same things that helped give Burke its direction and identity, and will continue to do so. I hope to study and celebrate these ideas with you more closely through Burke's brand and product offerings. I also felt really restored after two weeks mostly off social media and will be working toward more intentional content through this email newsletter as well as this Blog. Thank you for coming along as I explore this new phase and bring you all you love about Burke in hopefully new and improved ways!
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