This body of work is dedicated to CKK and MPK.

It started as a cure for post-holiday malaise. It became something much more. Into the early days of 2025, we meandered the streets of downtown, discovering that we shared taste in what to eat, where to wander, what was interesting. We took note of old signs, the best tacos (my friends knew), the skating rink, and architecture, architecture, architecture. They shared their downtown know-how with me. Along the way, we learned we all loved it in a way I find hard to express in words. Eternal youth is the phrase that comes to mind.

These nights we followed our noses, no set agenda — almost part of the rules — and found nooks and crannies you might miss. These places were repurposed … into night markets, cafes, galleries, clubs. This was an immortal time, for reasons well outside our control, marking the face of the city forever, and we found solace in its center. By the time M named our explorations, I was already deep down the well, steeped in our downtown dream. I found myself wanting to relive it, revisit it, night after night — the escape in our own city. So I dove into this work to lose myself in a downtown world we glimpsed, a vision of late nights, awash with color, unrecognizable / un-shazammable music, incredible smells, delicious tastes, and emerging style.

We have been friends for many years. We have seen each other through milestones, shared joy and delight, navigated confusion and despair. Our friendship has stood the test … and then some. We have had more laughs than anyone has the right to (but you might have to sign a waiver). This is a story of how friendship can save you. And it shows there is always more to discover — at home, in each other — if you only look.