In a city as magical as New York, there are little things all around that inspire. Beautiful museums filled with masterpieces, gardens in the middle of concrete and buildings poking at clouds thrill like no other, but after being here for so long, don’t they almost lose their grandeur?
New York City can only feel like a vacation for so long. Working, studying and living here desensitizes you to the magic. The way to remedy this is simple. Inspiration is everywhere, even right on the street. NYC’s grid system is such a small privilege that you won’t even realize it until you travel to another major city and get lost going two blocks over. The street signs are like secret codes, just for you, waiting to be unlocked.
Navigating New York City as newcomer can be daunting. There are so many numbers. What’s the difference between a street and an avenue? Once you’ve gotten the hang of it all, however, throw a party. If you can travel here, you can make it anywhere! The street systems may not be as formulaic in older cities, like London, but you can handle it. How adult is the ability to land in any big city and know how to get around?
Anyone who lives at Lafayette sleeps in the middle of the nicest street signs. Grand Street, a few blocks uptown, always feels like a Gatsby party. Everything is grand on Grand. Worth Street, which corners a 7/11 that always has the best chips in stock, has your back when you’re feeling low. You are worth it! Indulge your feelings and don’t take no for an answer! Lafayette Street itself is ceremoniously named “Avenue of the Strongest”. So when you’re on Lafayette, you are the strongest! Carry that sentiment wherever you go.
Lower Manhattan is full of streets named after real people. Without getting too much into the history of them, streets like Ann, Duane, Elizabeth can be your streets. And if you have a street named after you, you basically run this town.
Many streets have little subtitle names that honor spectacular people. In the Civic Center, there’s an Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Corner. These little shout outs for amazing people resonate in many ways. For one, it’s nice to see the city you love show homage to these groundbreakers. Then, the places you cross every single day have much more meaning. It’s no longer the random corner, it’s the first wave feminism corner!
One of my favorite things about big cities is their past. History was made where I grocery shop. New York City does something special with their street signs that indicates which parts are particularly special. Brown signs signify that you are in a historical district of NYC. They chose that color so that the street signs wouldn’t offend the terracotta buildings. To be a historical district, the area needs to have a specific essence, a cohesive and historical architectural style and a “coherent streetscape”. NYU is right in the next to a Noho Historic District. Next time you’re walking to class, remember that history has been made here. And since you’re now part of this, you’re essentially making history right before your very eyes.