I live on the West Coast. I was born and raised here. I live in a big city with lots of traffic and lots of people. I hate the density. I would love to move somewhere with better public transport, less cars, less people and more community so I'm figuring on a smaller town somewhere out yonder.
However, sometimes one finds that there are exceptions. Take New York for instance. My first visit to the Big Apple was a couple of years ago. I actually found that I enjoyed it. This was a HUGE surprise to me.
Two years go by and the memory still hangs on.
My most recent trip to NYC was two weeks ago (for the afternoon; making our way to a smaller town in NY later in the day). My husband and I were going to meet some friends for lunch at City Hall Restaurant. We first made a trip to the Empire State Building. We were limited on time so we figured this would be a fun extra thing to fit into our afternoon.
Besides I'd never been before and I really just wanted the opportunity to say that I'd made it to the top of the Empire State Building (important site in "Sleepless in Seattle"; yep, I'm a romantic and proud of it!).
Umm, it wasn't bad. Might've been more exciting if we didn't have to go through such a long line. When we did finally make it to the top I saw that it was filled with people, requiring us to squeeze between them to enjoy the breathtaking view. In all fairness it was lovely and people were having a good time.
We made our way back down to the street and walked the few miles it takes to City Hall Restaurant.
THIS was the part I enjoyed. Walking in Manhattan is quite an experience for a West Coast gal. Despite the traffic and many rambling feet I loved the hubbub of the city. It's a feeling like no other. Like being part of some magical secret. The energy was light, friendly and inviting. I love the people of New York. They somehow live and work well together.
On we went for several miles. We passed stores that got my blood pumping - Kate Spade, Coach - a thrill for any red-blooded American girl. Retail galore.
A gentleman stopped to help my hubby and I with directions as we took a confused momentary pause. Then another man - a young, African American man with great energy and a great smile - going the opposite way, conveyed a witty, friendly quip as he pointed us in the right direction. With so much attention I felt like I was in one of those New York movies.
Along the way we "bumped" into William Seward Park. Very cool! My hubby is distantly related (on his mother's side) to Mr. Seward. We definitely had to pull out the camera for this one! Say cheese! I got a great picture of my hubby in front of Seward's statue. A family portrait [smile].
The weather was PERFECT. Warm and mild. It made the walk that much more enjoyable. We finally made it to the restaurant, had a yummy lunch, and a delightful visit with friends. Before we made our way back to Penn Station we had to decide what means of transport to take. My husband suggested a cab, I voted for the subway. My argument was that cabs can be expensive and they can get stuck in traffic. We opted for the subway. Tickets were easy to get, we hopped on the next train, and a few minutes later we're at our destination. Eeea-sy! Gotta love their underground!
I told my husband that if we ever needed to transfer to NYC for work (or whatever) I would not be disappointed. This is one city I definitely fell in love with!
My most recent trip to NYC was two weeks ago (for the afternoon; making our way to a smaller town in NY later in the day). My husband and I were going to meet some friends for lunch at City Hall Restaurant. We first made a trip to the Empire State Building. We were limited on time so we figured this would be a fun extra thing to fit into our afternoon.
Besides I'd never been before and I really just wanted the opportunity to say that I'd made it to the top of the Empire State Building (important site in "Sleepless in Seattle"; yep, I'm a romantic and proud of it!).
Umm, it wasn't bad. Might've been more exciting if we didn't have to go through such a long line. When we did finally make it to the top I saw that it was filled with people, requiring us to squeeze between them to enjoy the breathtaking view. In all fairness it was lovely and people were having a good time.
We made our way back down to the street and walked the few miles it takes to City Hall Restaurant.
THIS was the part I enjoyed. Walking in Manhattan is quite an experience for a West Coast gal. Despite the traffic and many rambling feet I loved the hubbub of the city. It's a feeling like no other. Like being part of some magical secret. The energy was light, friendly and inviting. I love the people of New York. They somehow live and work well together.
On we went for several miles. We passed stores that got my blood pumping - Kate Spade, Coach - a thrill for any red-blooded American girl. Retail galore.
A gentleman stopped to help my hubby and I with directions as we took a confused momentary pause. Then another man - a young, African American man with great energy and a great smile - going the opposite way, conveyed a witty, friendly quip as he pointed us in the right direction. With so much attention I felt like I was in one of those New York movies.
Along the way we "bumped" into William Seward Park. Very cool! My hubby is distantly related (on his mother's side) to Mr. Seward. We definitely had to pull out the camera for this one! Say cheese! I got a great picture of my hubby in front of Seward's statue. A family portrait [smile].
The weather was PERFECT. Warm and mild. It made the walk that much more enjoyable. We finally made it to the restaurant, had a yummy lunch, and a delightful visit with friends. Before we made our way back to Penn Station we had to decide what means of transport to take. My husband suggested a cab, I voted for the subway. My argument was that cabs can be expensive and they can get stuck in traffic. We opted for the subway. Tickets were easy to get, we hopped on the next train, and a few minutes later we're at our destination. Eeea-sy! Gotta love their underground!
I told my husband that if we ever needed to transfer to NYC for work (or whatever) I would not be disappointed. This is one city I definitely fell in love with!
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