Friday Five: What I Love about NYC

this week’s Friday Five linkup makes my lil heart so happy, because i get to gush about one of my favorite things in the whole wide world: my city. which, in my biased view of the world, happens to be the very best city of all the cities that ever were. (okay, so i haven’t been to all of them, but mine’s pretty darn wonderful!)

ONE: Everything.

annnnnd we’re done here.

sike. (or is it psych? i’m going with the first.) but seriously, that’s one of the best things about NYC: it has something for everyone. and if you’re the outdoorsy type and don’t like being stuck in the city, we have beaches an hour away by train and mountains to hike an hour the other way. you’d be hard pressed to want something here that you can’t find: any type of food, any type of clothing, any type of theater, any type of job, any type of bar, any type of person. i really love that about my city: if you can imagine it, you can find it. (except maybe unicorns. i’m still on the hunt.)

TWO: Diversity. i grew up in a rather non-diverse part of NY state, and i feel soooooo blessed to live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. i mean, my friend group alone is a testament to that: we’re Irish-American, Canadian, Russian Jewish, Thai, Vietnamese, and as Southern Belle as they come. as someone who values people and relationships over everything else in my world, i feel so incredibly fortunate to meet so many people from all over the world and country and hear their stories and learn about different cultures first-hand. it’s incredible.

two Asians, a Jew and an Irish girl walked into a wine bar…
have i mentioned that i’m surrounded by Canadians at all times? & how much i love them, eh?
THREE: Speakeasies. if you’ve been reading RTA for a bit, then you might know that i am a huge fan of these Prohibition-style bars and am on a mission to hit as many as i can. i love the cozy, dim-lit atmospheres; the oft-clandestine entrances; the “mixologist” drink menus; the throwback vibes.

some great speakeasys (or sort-of speakeasys, with the same type of vibe) i’ve been to, in case you’re in NYC and into this scene:

Apoteke
Employees Only
Bathtub Gin
Death & Co
Little Branch
Lantern’s Keep (drinks pictured above)
The Back Room
PDT
The Dead Rabbit (not really a speakeasy, but similar historical concept & awesome place so i’m adding it)

there are a bunch i haven’t been to that i really want to hit, like Raines Law Room and Dear Irving and Milk & Honey and Angel’s Share…good to have things to work toward, amiright? 🙂

FOUR: Theater. i don’t go as often as i’d like, but when i see a show, i love it. i did musical theater in high school and college and so often wish i’d pursued theater with a dogged passion, because i love it so, so much. i live right in the theater district and really would like to make more of a point to see shows, especially when there are so many ways to get discounted tickets. i made it to a record two shows in December — Fuerza Bruta Wayra and Once — and both were absolutely amazing and gave me that “transcending my every day life” feeling, which i just love.

FIVE: The different neighborhoods. i can only speak for Manhattan, as i’m not very familiar with the other boroughs, but i just love how the different neighborhoods of Manhattan each have their own personalities and vibes (i totally overuse that word but it’s the one i want). the West Village is my fave, with its quaint little streets and lovely brunch places and wine bars and tucked-away-out-of-the-craziness feel; then there’s the gritty, hipster-ish sceney vibe of the Lower East Side and all its late-night glory; the lovely brownstone-and-blossom streets of Chelsea, and the hip “scene” of the Meatpacking District, with its clubs and high-end shops and boozy brunches; the grungier, so-many-little-places-to-go-all-squished-together feel of Hell’s Kitchen; the cleaner, wider-streeted, stroll-around-and-enjoy-yourself atmosphere of the Upper West Side; the hustle-and-bustle, wait-is-that-a-celebrity, i-think-they’re-filming-a-movie-down-that-street electricity in the air in SoHo; the cool, raw, darkish casualness of the Bowery.

every neighborhood has a distinct look and feel, and i love how there are always so many things to catch your eye and places to stumble upon and drop into on a whim. i can’t imagine ever getting bored here, or tired of this city i feel so utterly blessed to call home.

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