My Love Story with New York
“I want to be a part of it, New York, New York” - Frank Sinatra
If you know me, you know how much I love this city. I get chills on my skin thinking about the magic I feel in the air when strolling through the streets of this city. Yes, Yes, I know it’s overcrowded, and the streets aren’t as clean as Disney, but I swear if you take the city for what it is you’ll feel it.
The first time I came to New York was one of those quick two-day trips in eighth grade. Coming from a small town, I remember being amazed by the size of the city, especially how tall the buildings were. The second time I returned was my sophomore year of college, visiting a friend in DC; we decided to take a 5-hour bus to the city. With little money or a clue to do, we walked until our feet ached, ate hot dogs, sang our hearts out to The Wicked Musical (we scored tickets on the very top row), and had the time of our lives. This time, exploring the city was different; it flipped a switch. I loved seeing all the different cultures, faces, and things you could do and felt the idea that you could be anyone you wanted to be there.
Two years later, we came back again post-graduation with a little more money in our pocket. Five days in New York at Christmas sealed the deal for me; I had fallen in love. I’ll never forget sitting with my friend at dinner and telling her I would pack my things and move up to NYC one day.
A year later, in December 2019, I made a move to the upper east side in a tiny little studio with a yellow bathtub that was the absolute best place ever. Many people didn’t understand my move, but I knew it to be right for me. My office at the time was on 5th Avenue, and it felt like a dream training to work every morning, strolling with the city slickers in black headed to our desk jobs. That Christmas season, I spent all my free time walking the city, seeing and experiencing as much of it as possible. Central Park became a second home to me, and after a few months, I walked almost every square foot of that magical park. Fun Fact: Central Park has a zoo and a Shakespeare Garden. By the time March strolled around, I felt like I was starting to gain momentum on building a life there, but the pandemic had other ideas, and eventually, I moved out of the city that summer to Austin, TX.
I look back on my time in New York and feel so grateful to have been there for even a minute. I learned so much about myself and the world that I can’t take for granted. My love affair with New York has never felt finished; I feel confident I’ll find my way back to her for good someday.
I still visit various times a year and have experienced just about every season in the city. This has given me a ton of recommendations and knowledge of the best areas to stay in, places to eat, etc. If you want recommendations, check out my Travel Guides or other blogs!
