My Third Year as a New Yorker
When I moved to New York City—three years ago today!—I didn't consider myself new to the city. I had been here on vacation, to visit friends, to see plays and TV shows, to check out (wildly unaffordable) colleges, and on one particularly long and ridiculous AAA bus trip with my mom and grandma. I had more friends in New York than I had left in Ohio and I'd dreamed of living here so long that when my plane touched down at LaGuardia it felt like I was finally coming home.
Of course I soon found out that no matter how much I thought I knew New York, visiting a city is very different than really living in it. There were negatives that I had been aware of but hadn't really experienced as a tourist—every day tasks such as laundry, receiving packages or grocery shopping for more than one meal at a time are all vastly more complicated here than they had ever been in my car-and-home-reliant life in Ohio. Thankfully, however, the positive surprises far outweighed the negative, and I'm still discovering joys of city living that weren't necessarily a part of my original motivation to move, but without which my life would be significantly different.
The Diners
I'm sure I had always loved diners, but it wasn't until my two-month trial run as a New York City resident that I really fell in love. Diners are the perfect place to fill up on cheap breakfast (and where I really started to drink regular coffee for the first time) before a long day spent exploring the city. Searching out diners helped narrow the overwhelming restaurant world down to a reasonable amount of choices—with the comforting menu consistency of chain restaurants and the charm of an independent business. Every diner is different, but there is no fear of the unknown when ordering a waffle, an egg sandwich or an omelette. Diners are also the perfect place to dine alone—in fact, diner counters seem to have been made with the single diner in mind.
I've often lamented the loss of classic diners, in Manhattan especially, but three years later I'm still finding new (to me) places like the Goodfellas (aka Clinton) Diner, the very reflective Floridian, the wood-paneled Kane's and the small-but-mighty Pearl Diner. Although our credit cards were wrongly declined during our first visit to the Empire Diner, I loved it for its staying power as the last remaining dining car in Manhattan. Sadly the Empire closed (again) last December and its fate remains uncertain.
I think the loss of the Market Diner, however, hit me the hardest. Although I knew it was closing and was able to pay it a proper goodbye, I was still heartbroken when I walked by recently—hoping to catch a glimpse of its zigzag roof and large metal sign with curving script one last time—and saw only a hole in the ground. I can only hope that for every one this city loses, I find another authentic diner untouched by time —places with vinyl-covered swivel stools, flickering neon signs and a perfect cup of diner coffee.
The Cemeteries
A lot of people (and pets!) have lived in New York City over the years—and died here—which makes for an almost endless supply of cemeteries to explore. Like diners, I've always had an affinity for leisurely cemetery strolls, but it wasn't until I moved to New York that they became a priority destination for me. I love nothing more than to discover a new cemetery, and just when I think I've seen them all, I discover yet another one that is unlike any place I've seen before.
I've visited Harry Houdini, the Fox Sisters, Ed Koch, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Herman Mellvile, and Robert Moses and explored beautifully maintained spaces like Green-Wood (and became a member) and overgrown, nearly-neglected spots like Bayside. There is nothing more peaceful and restorative than a walk amongst New York City's past residents, most of which are thankfully much quieter and more respectful than a lot of their living counterparts.
The Parks
It seems a bit funny to me that I had to move to New York to really start appreciating nature, but somehow that happened. Maybe it's living in a tiny apartment, or the fact that I'm already outside walking wherever I have to go, but I find myself taking advantage of the city parks much more than I ever did in Ohio.
I used to walk to work every day through the northern part of Central Park, and although I love living in Brooklyn for many reasons, my park commute is the thing I miss most. I did, however, move very close to Prospect Park and it's equally as beautiful in the all of the seasons. For two years I was a member of the NYBG, and the BBG is comparably magical for their cherry blossoms, tulips, desert collection and bonsai museum.
The People
I mentioned that by the time I moved here, I already had friends in the city. Luckily I still have those friends and I've even managed to make more, including one very cute and incredibly kind boyfriend. Whenever I reflect on my favorite moments of the past three years, there is inevitably someone else to share in that memory. Without my friends to share in adventures, margaritas, obnoxious subway rides, strange happenings, funny anecdotes, delicious nachos, nerdy lectures, crematory tours and everything else this city has to offer, my life would not be nearly as full.
I am also thankful for the fruit man who sells me four bananas every Monday morning, and the coffee cart guy who thinks I'm from Russia, and the other coffee lady who knows my order by heart, and the kind gentlemen who say "good morning" when I pass them, and the people who compliment my hair or offer me a seat on the subway. New York City is home to 8.4 million people, and I am so grateful to have some of the very best ones in my life.
The Easy Access to Other Places
Maybe it seems strange to include "the ability to leave it" on a list of reasons I love New York, but I believe to truly appreciate this city, you have to leave it every so often. Since I've moved I've explored more of New York State including Lake George, Buffalo, Niagra Falls, Cold Spring, Hartsdale, East Hampton, Kerhonkson and Sleepy Hollow. I've traveled by train to Washington DC and through New Jersey, taken road trips to Newport, RI, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and flown to Ohio, Texas, New Orleans, Chicago and took my first trip abroad (Italy).
The "Welcome to ♥ New York" sign at LaGuardia still gets me, just like it got me when my plane arrived three years ago—the time I realized that I wasn't getting on a return flight to Ohio in a few days, a few weeks or ever if I didn't want to. The time I realized I was finally home.
