GROUNDED IN GOTHAM

As she acclimatises to life under lockdown in her adopted city, model Victoria Lee reflects on fear, family and the fortitude of New Yorkers.

the city that never sleeps is on pause. Shops are closed, streets are empty and shopfronts are boarded up. From our windows in Brooklyn, my boyfriend, Matt, and I can see that traffic on Williamsburg Bridge is all but non-existent. Cars on FDR Drive have large gaps between them and the number of people going on their daily walks, runs or bike rides at East River Park has dwindled. It is quiet.

These subtle changes are both a relief and an unsettling reminder of the time we are living in. On one hand, people are respecting the new lockdown rules. On the other, it is a visual representation of the disruption to daily life we are all experiencing. There is undoubtedly fear, concern and uncertainty. With the news delivering constant updates on heartbreaking realities, it’s a very peculiar feeling to be comfortably sitting at home while all this is going on so close by. There’s a feeling of idleness that just doesn’t feel right, even though staying inside and respecting social distancing rules is the one thing we can do to help flatten the curve and protect the most vulnerable.