After spending my adolescence watching Friends, How I Met Your Mother, and Gossip Girl, I’ve always been drawn to the allure of New York City. I vowed that one day I would live there, and this past summer, I did. A few months living in the Big Apple crushed every idealistic expectation I had. Every street smells like garbage, the cost of living is outrageously expensive, and the people are snappy. But although there’s a lot to hate, there’s a lot more to love.
I love walking through the High Line and looking at all the “greenery.”
I love the Uptown 6 line because every subway car has air conditioning.
I love watching the migration of blue and white button down shirts down Madison Avenue.
I love the mysterious Halal white sauce that looks like mayo but most definitely isn’t.
I love the wrinkled grandmas that sit behind their fruit stands in Chinatown.
I love spending my weekends trying to Google Map my way to an elusive speakeasy.
I love the vegan Blue Planet ice cream at Van Leeuwen though I most definitely am not a vegan.
I love window shopping at the overpriced boutiques in Soho.
I love sipping cheap beer at the Yankees game while not paying attention to the game at all.
I love the savory crust of the Smith’s famous Mac and Cheese.
I love the letter grades posted outside of each restaurant so that I can safely avoid food poisoning.
I love gazing up at the ceiling zodiac mural in Grand Central Station until my neck hurts.
I love getting caught in the torrential summer downpours that make you feel like you’re Allie in the Notebook.
I love watching tourists make cheesy poses with their extended selfie sticks in Times Square.
I love Friday afternoon happy hours with friends at Rockefeller Plaza.
I love the numbered streets and avenues that make it easier for people like me to find their way around.
I love spending my Sundays sitting alone in Washington Square with coffee and a book.
I love not having to wait more than 5 minutes for an Uber.
I love breaking open a Levain cookie and watching the chocolate chunks ooze out.
I love the smell of the incense from the Buddhist colony permanently perched in Union Square Park.
I love freaking out to my friends after seeing celebrities in public.
I love wandering into a random pizza place at three in the morning and indulging in the oiliest pizza I’ve ever tasted.
I love the aerial view of Central Park from The Met’s outdoor terrace.
I love the dim sum carts at Golden Unicorn each stacked with a cornucopia of scrumptious foods.
I love New York City.