You Look Good.
Put that mirror down. You look good.
There’s a new restaurant here in Grand Rapids that’s quickly becoming one of my favorite spots. Any local friends should make their way there ASAP and any non-local friends should come visit me so that I can take you there for lunch.
The eatery is called Hancock and the name of the game is hot chicken. Hot tip: while the chicken is delish, you should probably go for the pimento cheese and chips alone. Or the pickles. I’m getting distracted.
Whoever did the design for this place needs a solid high five. It’s fun, clean, and colorful with a playful touches and a minimal vibe. Great tile? Red barstools? Gobs of natural light? I’m all in for each of those. One of my favorite elements is in the hallway on your way to the bathroom (which by the way are adorable in their own right…love when places carry their design vision into the this area as well).
There’s a sink outside of the bathrooms with a white tile wall and the words “YOU LOOK GOOD.” Instead of a mirror, they opted for this message to hang above their sink. It stopped me in my tracks as I left the bathroom to head back to my table. Do I think that all mirrors in the world are evil? No. However, do I think that there are men and women who have difficult, frustrating relationships with them? 100%.
We live in a world that’s constantly mirror-ing. We even use our phones when we aren’t by a mirror to look at ourselves. How about that phone teeth check after a meal or for applying lipstick? Been there. It’s easy to become obsessed with what’s staring back at us whether we like what we see or we are unhappy with it. Three simple words in red were a refreshing statement that the mirror doesn’t tell the whole story. That this reflective glass doesn’t get to hold the power of us feeling good/bad/not enough/better than someone else/ugly/perfect. The person that the mirror doesn’t know matters. Kindness matters. What you give to the world from your heart matters. Mental and physical wellness matters.
Listen, does this mean that I think you should stop looking in a mirror f o r e v e r? Stop going to the gym? Quit doing your hair? Not taking pride in what you’re wearing? Uh, no. But, I do hope that this tile reminder can help you remember the power of loving who you are and what you look like beyond what any mirror says. Give yourself some love because…
YOU LOOK GOOD.
Sincerely,
Ashley