My blog would be incomplete without a post dedicated to Manhattan! NYC has changed me as a person. It has made me more aware of the design world and my affinity towards it. I feel fortunate to have landed in New York and have lived in the NY/NJ region for ten long but meaningful years of my life.
We lived in Long Island, NY and those early days whenever we spoke to our friends and family they asked if we had been to Manhattan, I was intrigued. I did notice the cluster of tall buildings on passing and was mesmerized by the skyline and the lights but felt very intimidated. Then we started doing the touristy things like visiting the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge et al. My initial impression of the city was lively, happening and a lot of people.
We moved to NJ after two years and were fifteen minutes drive away from NYC, on good days anyway. The proximity helped and we started exploring the city. We were in for an awesome culinary journey. We loved going to Greenwich Village to grab a late night bite at the Kati Roll Company. Vatan was another favorite we kept going back to. We also stumbled on absolute gems like Nyonya and Penang for Malaysian, Its Greek to Me, Le Pain Quotidien, Dos Caminos, Magnolia Bakery, Waffles and Dinges and the list is never ending.
I started volunteering at the American Cancer Society which was in Midtown close to 5th Avenue. My work there involved generating reports about the philanthropic efforts and causes the multinational companies who had a presence in NYC were supporting. It felt very rewarding to be associated with such a prestigious non-profit organization and encouraging to see the effort they were putting in to raise awareness. After work I would walk down 5th avenue window shopping. Watching reruns of the Sex and the City helped identifying brands like Fendi, Louis Vitton, Saks Fifth Ave and so on.
After having my first son, I wanted to do something that was interesting yet not interfere with the precious time with my baby. I enrolled at FIT for a Color Theory class and it opened up a new world to me.I went on to study Interior Design at NYU and it was the best learning experience I had and worth a post of its own!
Every weekend we took a trip into the city exploring The Natural History Museum, the MET, The Children's Museum, Bronx Zoo, Central Park, the carrousel at Bryant Park, the Toys'r'us at Times Square and many more with our sons. After a kid we worried we wouldn't fit into the crowd at the city but the city opened its wide arms to us and there was a different world that opened up to us, a world we were not willing to explore pre-kid.
New York City will continue to hold a special place in my heart and even though we moved I know we will keep going back to enjoy that adrenaline rush of being in the Best City Ever!!
We lived in Long Island, NY and those early days whenever we spoke to our friends and family they asked if we had been to Manhattan, I was intrigued. I did notice the cluster of tall buildings on passing and was mesmerized by the skyline and the lights but felt very intimidated. Then we started doing the touristy things like visiting the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge et al. My initial impression of the city was lively, happening and a lot of people.
We moved to NJ after two years and were fifteen minutes drive away from NYC, on good days anyway. The proximity helped and we started exploring the city. We were in for an awesome culinary journey. We loved going to Greenwich Village to grab a late night bite at the Kati Roll Company. Vatan was another favorite we kept going back to. We also stumbled on absolute gems like Nyonya and Penang for Malaysian, Its Greek to Me, Le Pain Quotidien, Dos Caminos, Magnolia Bakery, Waffles and Dinges and the list is never ending.
I started volunteering at the American Cancer Society which was in Midtown close to 5th Avenue. My work there involved generating reports about the philanthropic efforts and causes the multinational companies who had a presence in NYC were supporting. It felt very rewarding to be associated with such a prestigious non-profit organization and encouraging to see the effort they were putting in to raise awareness. After work I would walk down 5th avenue window shopping. Watching reruns of the Sex and the City helped identifying brands like Fendi, Louis Vitton, Saks Fifth Ave and so on.
After having my first son, I wanted to do something that was interesting yet not interfere with the precious time with my baby. I enrolled at FIT for a Color Theory class and it opened up a new world to me.I went on to study Interior Design at NYU and it was the best learning experience I had and worth a post of its own!
Every weekend we took a trip into the city exploring The Natural History Museum, the MET, The Children's Museum, Bronx Zoo, Central Park, the carrousel at Bryant Park, the Toys'r'us at Times Square and many more with our sons. After a kid we worried we wouldn't fit into the crowd at the city but the city opened its wide arms to us and there was a different world that opened up to us, a world we were not willing to explore pre-kid.
New York City will continue to hold a special place in my heart and even though we moved I know we will keep going back to enjoy that adrenaline rush of being in the Best City Ever!!
did you ever go and see a Yankees baseball game?
ReplyDeleteHey Michael, I've never been but its high up on my list!! Thanks for reading.
DeleteI've only been to New York City once so far, but had a great time exploring!Central Park, a Broadway show, the food...
ReplyDelete(I just don't want to drive in that city, EVER!)
Haha driving is indeed a nightmare there! glad you got to visit the city!
DeleteI live in CT. NYC has and will always be my favorite place in the world. I tell everyone it is my Disney World. My parents used to fight a lot as a kid, so my little brother and I would hop a night train and head to the city. The ballrooms in The Park Plaza would be unlocked and we would hide in a corner and sleep there. Now it is just a place I visit, but it will always feel like home to me. I am drawn to it like a moth on a flame.
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear that NYC was a place of comfort for you in testing times! Thanks for reading!
DeleteIt totally is! I lived in Brooklyn for a year and it was the best year of my life. The energy is what hooked me and so many different people and somehow everyone had a place, I still miss it. I am too far away now.
ReplyDeleteSo exciting to hear that you lived in Brooklyn! I miss it way too much too! This summer we went back to visit and it was the best trip in recent times!
DeleteThat sounds like an awesome experience! I used to live I need NJ and my mom worked in Manhattan and I thought it was such a great place!
ReplyDeleteWe lived in NJ too and felt like we were getting the best of both worlds, affordable living while taking fancy day trips into the city!
DeleteI am glad that you have had the opportunity to experience New York City, and it's wonders. I am a New York native, and reading this made me miss it very much. I hope you and your family continue to enjoy the fast-life.
ReplyDeleteWe had the best time there and now we live in California! I know that feeling of missing it, like I were missing a person haha thanks for the comment
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