CHAPTERS: Sandy Sanchez

Every (life) chapter has at least one memorable moment, sentence, or story.

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Jan 15, 2025

Every (life) chapter has at least one memorable moment, sentence, or story. What are yours? In Chapters, I ask creative people to reflect on the stories of their lives and respond to any of the below prompts (in whatever way they wish).

In the latest installment, we hear from

Sandy Sanchez

—writer, brand strategist, and creator of Small Pleasures—who shares dreams, intimate encounters, and travelogues.

Sandy’s Chapters

I. Slow Story

There is a recurring dream I’ve been having for the last ten years, and I still don’t know how it ends. The dream always centers around a big, multi-level house with a top-secret top floor. The house always looks different. One time, it was a luxurious, marble house with a spiral staircase. Another time, it was a rustic cabin made out of wood. I always explore the house and walk around, admiring the furniture and objects. The objective is to reach the top floor but I’ve never made it there. In some instances, I’m scared of the top floor because there’s something eerie. In others, I’m rushing to get there because something exciting is waiting for me. It has been the slowest build-up, and I’m determined to see how it ends.

II. Love Story

In the summer of 1994, my parents started exchanging letters with each other. My dad had already been living in the U.S. for eight years, but my mom was still living in a tiny village in El Salvador.

“You should talk to my brother,” my mom’s friend said. “He lives in the U.S. now and hasn’t gotten married yet. Here’s a picture of him.” My mom thought he was cute but had no interest in pursuing him. She eventually agreed, reluctantly.

My mom never learned how to write, so she would have her sister, a secretary at the local town hall, transcribe the letters for her. After a few months of happily exchanging letters, my dad wrote to my mom, asking her if she wanted to get married. She said yes. My dad hopped on a plane, and they met for the very first time. Their wedding was a few days later.

III. Short Story

I had been curious about Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s work for some time. Last year, I picked up Strange Pilgrims from the library. Published in 1992, it features a collection of twelve short stories he wrote in the seventies and eighties. The stories revolve around the theme of feeling like a stranger in a foreign land.

The story that particularly stood out to me is “I Only Came to Use the Phone.” It’s about a woman who needs to use the phone after her car breaks down. She finds herself in a mental institution by accident and tries to contact her husband. I won’t give any spoilers, but it’s stuck with me ever since. His novel One Hundred Years of Solitude is next on my reading list.

IV. Scary Story

When I first moved to New York City several years ago, I got mugged and had my tote bag stolen. Although that was scary, something else happened. A couple of weeks after the incident, I received a message on Facebook from a man.

“I just want to let you know that I found your journal by a bush near the train station, and I’ve been reading it non-stop. I’m sorry, but I can’t stop reading it. I can return it to you.”

The fact that my journal had somehow fallen into the hands of this stranger was terrifying to me. It was, at the time, my worst nightmare. This was 2017—I was new to the city, I had just graduated, and I was anxious about so many things. My journal was filled with insecurities and observations I thought were going to be for my eyes only. How my journal ended up tossed next to the train station entrance—who knows? In the end, we met up in Hell's Kitchen outside of the restaurant he worked at, and he gave me my journal back. It looked beat up, more tattered. But it was back where it belonged.

V. Autumn Story

We’re deep into winter, but I’m already thinking about fall. Strolling through Green-Wood Cemetery is a must, especially during the autumn.

One weekday afternoon, my boyfriend and I took a long walk through the cemetery during peak fall. We had just seen the movie Maestro, which is about the American composer Leonard Berstein, and we happened to pass his grave while there. The sky was cloudy, the leaves were crunchy, and it felt like we had the whole cemetery to ourselves. It’s the perfect autumn activity. They also host film events sometimes there, too, which I highly recommend attending.

VI. Color Story

If you ever find yourself planning a trip to Mexico City, book a tour (in advance) at one of Luis Barragan’s houses. While visiting Mexico City for a few months, I was able to tour his House and Studio, Casa Gilardi, and Casa Pedregal. They’re all exquisite but Casa Pedregal shocked me to my core. It’s a massive pink house built on top of volcanic rock.

Pink exterior, pink hallways, pink kitchen. All of his homes have the most beautiful pops of color, but the pink theme in this home was particularly special. The house was eerily beautiful, and I left the tour feeling inspired and even more in love with the color pink.

VII. Travel Story

I spent three months in Florence in early 2023. I had never been to Italy before, and since I was freelancing, I figured—why not? I put all my things in a storage unit and headed off. The great thing about staying somewhere long-term is that you fall into a new routine and get to know a city more slowly.

While there, I became a regular at Salumeria Pirgher Marzio, an amazing cheese and cured meat shop owned by the nicest man, Sandro. I went to S.forno almost every day to pick up bread, pastries, and butter. I ate dinner at L’Arte di Dory at least once a week. I had the best butter sage pasta at Osteria Cinghiale Bianco. I even had a mini staycation at Numeroventi, a boutique hotel in a historic palazzo. It was the most beautiful time, and I can’t wait to return.

VIII. Sandy’s Story

Sandy Sanchez is a Brooklyn-based writer, brand strategist, and content creator. Currently, she's a Senior Copywriter at Headspace. She writes a newsletter called Small Pleasures, which documents the little joys of living and leisure. Her writing focuses on interiors, style, art, and design and has been published in Architectural Digest and Clever.