NYC – The Extended Tourist Stay

It’s been one month since I’ve left NYC and although while I was there, I loathed every moment of it, I’ve now had time to reflect on my life there and truly, it wasn’t all that bad.

Although I’m still ecstatic to be back in <3ATX, I’m glad I had the opportunity to live and work in NYC.  I’m grateful for the friends I made there, the memories, and both the personal and professional experiences I gained.  Some may say I didn’t really give it a shot as I was there less than a year but while I was there, I really tried to enjoy the NYC lifestyle.  When I realized it just wasn’t for me I began looking at my time in NY as an “extended stay,” living slightly as a tourist – experiencing all that NY had to offer so I could say “I did it all!”  And I do believe, I completed a great deal on the NYC Bucket List.

In no particular order, here’s a list of what I accomplished

– Navigating the subway (sometimes with the help of Google)
– Picking out jewelry at Tiffany’s
– Shopping on 5th Ave
– Eating true NY pizza (Artichoke’s)
– Eating at Mamoun’s (NYC’s first falafel house!)
– Touring NY’s famous cupcakeries
– Eating “chicken & rice” from a food cart (falafel & rice for me)
– Dining at Blossom (amazing vegetarian restaurant)
– Shopping at Chelsea Market
– Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the City
– Drinking at McSorley’s, one of the nation’s oldest bars
– Shopping at Macy’s
– Visiting Seaport market district
– Purse Shopping in ChinaTown
– Dining in Little Itatly & eating Gelato
– Time Square and Rockefeller Center Madness
– Views from the Empire State Building
– Circus de Soleil at Radio City Music Hall
– Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes (with Champagne in plastic cups!)
– Eating & Shopping at Mario Batali’s Eataly
– Visiting the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
– Rooftop parties with NYC skyline views

– Shopping on SoHo
– Flagging my own cab
– Working out in Central Park
– Running a 5K in Brooklyn
– Visiting Williamsburg & the Brooklyn Brewery
– Rats on the Subway & Leaping over cockroaches
– Cursing at, then acting like the rude, stereotypical NY-r
– Feeding the homeless
– Exquisite dining experience (Beauty & Essex, St8)
– Getting my first Blow Out (at Drybar on the Upper East Side)
– Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
– Visiting Dumbo
– 4th of July Fireworks over-top the city
– Enjoying the NYC nighttime skyline from NJ’s Hudson River
– Taking the ferry across the river
– Visiting the WTC Memorial
– Fruit Carts
– NY Coffee
– NY Nail Salons for Manis & Pedis
– Seeing Carrie’s Sex & the City Apartment
– Visiting Monica’s apartment (from Friends)

Looking back, I feel a bit nostalgic about NY.  I miss certain areas, I miss knowing I can hop on a train and be in the middle of SoHo, surrounded by tons of unique little shops or high end fashion.  I’ll miss the amazing sushi and the best cup of coffee. And of course, I’ll miss a few specific friends (<3) but overall, I’m happy to have left with the memories.