New York City: An Overview
I love New York City. Let me tell you why.
I love how that this is "the city that never sleeps", which, I never truly understood what that meant until now. Seven months ago I would've interpretted that as having something to do with NYC's prolific nightlife, or maybe even the noise pollution. But now? I know for a fact that this city never sleeps because it is telling a million stories all at once. Sleeping would imply a break, a breather, a brief moment we use in order to process what's going on. New York does not take a break. It moves, changes, and adapts so skillfully that we are not allowed a moment to process.
I love how, despite the fact that this environment is all "go, go, go", people are still people. I had been given the impression that if you didn't keep up, if you weren't assertive and aggressive in your approach, you would drown. Thank the Lord that this is not true, because I come from the land of Minnesota Nice, therefore I refuse to shirk all the polite, kind-hearted bahvior I was instilled with. If anything, New York has taught me not to give a crap and be myself, so, if I want to take the time to ask my barista how her day has been, I will! I learned the hard way that it was unfair to assume that most people here are somewhat-uncaring.
Back in early November, I had decided to go get Subway after class. When I walked in, the teeny little store was packed with fellow AMDA students. It seemed like the man behind the counter was in a hurry to get through everyone, so instead of asking him to repeat whatever he said when he greeted me, I assumed it was something along the lines of 'what can I get for you'.
"Hi, can I get a footlong--" I began, but the man had reached up and tapped on the glass.
"No, no. How are you." he pressed.
Immediately I was very apologetic, told him I was fine, asked how his day was, etc. When I got down to the checkout, I tipped $2 in an attempt to make amends, I was so embarrassed and ashamed. I've had some experience in food service, so I understand that it is important to treat the people waiting on you with the utmost respect. They may get paid to do you a favor but that does not give you the right to be rude. I'm really glad that he had said something to me that day. Ever since then, I have never begun my order without first asking "How are you?", which, honestly, the fact that I even had to re-learn that lesson is a shame. As I'm writing about this experience, I'm realizing how bizarre it was to assume that someone didn't want to be treated like a person for the sake of saving time. Isn't that weird? That's another thing I love about the city, it's constantly proving me wrong. It's 2018 everyone, let's ditch stereotypes and allow ourselves to experience things with fresh eyes.
““To me, nothing beats the zen of sitting down with my bullet journal, a cup of coffee, and a little something to eat on the side.””
You know what else I love about this city? It's abundance of teeny coffee shops, cafe's, and bakeries. I practically live off of mocha's and muffins, and here you can find those everywhere. When I first came here, I went to each coffee shop within a 5 block radius. Joe Coffee Co., Aroma Espresso Bar and Cafe, The Muffins Place, and Pain D'Epices were some of my favorites. To me, nothing beats the zen of sitting down with my bullet journal, a cup of coffee, and a little something to eat on the side. My obsession with what I sarcastically refer to as 'Light-Breakfast-Chic Environments' has actually inspired me to write about my experiences in these cafes-- who I see around me, what I think of my drink, what life has been like leading up to my arrival in this new place, etc. I'm tempted to begin sharing some on here.
Other than all the fantastic food, I feel I should touch on what my experiences have been with some of New York's famous landmarks. Now, I'm gonna be honest: Times Square is cool for about five minutes at night, but unless I scored free tickets to a Broadway show (my show count thus far is 7), I stay the hell away. It's just such a tourist trap! It's littered with all the same clothing stores and restaurant chains that I could find back home in Minnesota, but they've hiked up the price. My college budget could not afford that stuff even if I wanted it to. If you've never been to New York, obviously, go see Times Square, because it is cool. But once you've been, the wow-factor wears off quick.
Other than Times Square, I've been to MoMA, Radio City Music Hall, and Madison Square Garden. I really enjoyed those places, however I feel their allure speaks for itself. I've yet to visit the Chrysler Building, or even the Empire State Building, despite how close it is. I'll make it happen eventually.
In my completely biased opinion, I have to say, the Upper West Side is probably my favorite part of NYC. I was always quick to assume that (because of Gossip Girl) the Upper East Side is the shit, but the West side has more to offer! There's Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle, Julliard, the Natural History Museum, and the Children's Museum. Also, for those of you who loved Gossip Girl as much as I do, remember the Empire Hotel that Chuck Bass owned? It's a real place. On the West side.
I love my neighborhood so much because it feels cleaner, and more residential. There's all sorts of elementary schools in the area, which means lots of cute families with their cute little babies and their cute little dogs. I also love it because Julliard and Lincoln Center provide a such a prominent performing arts community, which has been really helpful in my school work! I mean seriously, I could spend a whole day just hangin' around Lincoln Center, I'm kind of obsessed with that place. I didn't think much of it before I came here, but when I saw Josie Robertson Plaza with my own eyes I kind of fell in love. No shame. Also, Riverside Park is the BEST because the views off the pier are awesome.
The experiences I've had in this city deserve much more than one single blog post, and I know that in due time I'll share the rest of my stories with the world. But for now, I've said all I have to say.
I love New York City.
