I’m desperate to live in New York City. To sit on a wooden bench and watch life travel by.
Actually in Brooklyn.
To dine at Junior’s and feast on an assortment of pickles, …..
……and a delicious combo Pastrami – Corned Beef Reuben!
And a slice of their world famous cheescake.
All in the original Juniors in Brooklyn…where apparently they own the building and where things are $5 – 8 cheaper than in Manhattan, where they pay rent!
I want to live in a brwonstone ….. in Park Slope (not featured in photo below!)
As far as I know there’s no Fontaine de Trevi where I can throw in copper coins to bring me back. For good!
Any suggestions please?
Maybe Lady Liberty will have mercy upon me and give me leave to remain here….not only on Liberty island.
For this city calls my name, comforts me and makes me feel so at home.
It’s streets, the lights, the Brooklyn bridge. They make my heart race and my feet dance with wonder. This is my home, I long to sleep on your streets and watch your face change, your eyes widen with surprise. Your arms widen in embrace.
I want to live in a place with boroughs. Don’t you? Not with regions or areas but Boroughs….. and Brooklyn precisely! Where men have mohawk helmets!
‘Can you liberty yourself’ my 6 year old son asks. Of the ‘brown-skin’ fame. Yes, I can liberty myself. Liberate me.
I will ride in a limousine from North Coast too and feel like I’m a star. After all, I am in New York…..
All suggestions welcome for how I can come live here. If you know fountains where I can throw in quarters, or parks where I can walk backwards….let me know! Thank you!!
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Here in Florida missing you!
We missed you too dearie but we’ll come back. Hope Florida was good.
oh oz just lost all that I wrote to you… Basically I know how you feel … its the way I feel about London and Paris to an extent.( I know how much yo love paris)
taxing and difficult as london can be I still feel light as a feather and happy when backxxxx you definitely should have it in your plans to go and live there even if for 3 months to do a course..
🙂 So sorry you lost the text. I wonder why.
I’ll find a way to move to NYC for a short while if nothing else. Oh you love London? Wow….I like it mostly because of the fact that everything’s in English! And so cosmopolitan!
Yep, compared to Port Harcourt, New York is tame. As I write this, I am just thinking of places like Trans Amadi junction, Garrison, and the craziness of Rumola junction…but it’s still fun in it’s own way (although to be honest, I think I am being kinder in retrospective).
And yes, guac (guacamole) is Mexican food 🙂
And if you are able to make it to Lincoln Center, your kids will love the fountain.
Loved meeting you and our ‘guac’ brunch. The Tres Leches cake was stunning and having guac made tableside was a real treat. Thank you!
Fun post — and wonderful photos (as usual).
Thanks Joan
I completely agree with this comment by Alla:
“New York City (or Brooklyn) is like Cinderella’s coach ride – it’s amazing, glittering, exciting… but when clock strikes midnight it turns into a PUMPKIN. ”
I went to grad school in NYC. It’s a hard hard city. but when its good, its so good. There is not much in between. But then, I’d do it again!
Ohhhh, I love Alla’s quote. I feel so at home here….. I’d love to come stay, even for a few months to get to know the city.
Hi there,
It’s your frequent lurker, the one who sent you the message after your banga soup post. I happen to live in New York and yes, yes, yes, I agree, it is a lovely city. Obviously as with any place one is visiting, one tends to eulogize and extoll the virtues of the place that the day to day residents never appreciate. Same thing happened to me when I visited London. I am still working on how I can move there for a few years.
I live in Manhattan and have never really been much of a Brooklyn lover. Not because I don’t think it’s cool but because I have just never taken the time to explore it.
Since you are a foodie, and you probably already know everything I am about to suggest. You have to go to Magnolia and try their banana pudding. Truth be told I don’t really like bananas in America but the banana pudding there is to die for. I don’t care too much for their cupcakes, in fact I don’t like them (sacrilege I know) but the banana pudding is worth the trip. For cupcakes, I would suggest Sprinkles or Crumbs (be warned the cupcakes here are the sizes of a baby’s head).
For brunch, you need to try Alice’s teacup and if you have your kids with you, they will love the whimsy and magic of the place. Mismatched tea cups, drawings of snippets from the story, all add to make a certain kind of magic that many kids will adore. Also for a lovely brunch, check our Norma’s. It is located in the Parker Meridien hotel and they open just to serve brunch and that is all they do (and they do it well). I don’t even like chocolate but I decided to try their chocolate French toast, LOVELY. Now don’t order it to eat by yourself, order it to share as it can be quite rich.
Also try Rosa Mexicana’s, if you are into quac, you will die eating this. For soul food, avoid Sylvia’s as I hear the food is pretty much repackaged slime (have never tried it myself but friends have advised avoidance) but Amy Ruth’s is quite nice. Unfortunately the last time I was there, I had to wait on line for an hour on a cold November day. The chicken and waffles were delightful but waiting an hour to get into the restaurant…hmmm, not sure how I feel about that.
As for places to see, check out Lincoln Center as it is a great amalgamation of so many art forms. Dance, theater, opera, music, etc. Many of the performing companies are out of season right now but you should definitely check it out even if just for the architecture. Oh and there is a reflecting pool. Throw in a few pennies, you never know what could happen 🙂
Oh and as to how you can move here, kid, as Carnegie said, “practice, practice, practice.”
And here ends my second epistle to the Romans…. 🙂
Hi lurker :-), thank you for your wonderful suggestions!
I eyed the banana pudding at the Magnolia Bakery stand in Grand Central but wasnt sure – ok, its on the cards to try!
My daughter’s birthday is Tuesday and plan to take us all to Alice’s Teacup = will have to figure out the best branch to visit. ASAP.
Like the Lincoln centre suggestion. I always have copper pennies handy 🙂 🙂
What a great, refreshing, enlightening and informative epistle. Well appreciated!
PS/I’ve also via you just learnt what quac is! Good mexican food, right?
Tell me and I will be your neighbour. I love NY.
Will do as soon as I find out how. Promise!!
I have no advice for you whatsoever, but I will dream and hope and cheer for you. 🙂
Lots of love and thanks Krista
If a move to New York is your dream I am sure you can begin making plans to achieve your goal! New York is so much fun! I love to visit but after a week find myself longing for open spaces with blue skies. Perhaps that is why I often dream of moving to New Mexico!
Oh I will, Deb. I like the pace……especially being on holiday and not having to worry about paying a mortgage here :-)!
New York City (or Brooklyn) is like Cinderella’s coach ride – it’s amazing, glittering, exciting… but when clock strikes midnight it turns into a PUMPKIN. That’s how NY is for me, I realize it’s wonderful to visit but you have to leave asap before it turns into a pumpkin on you! After a while you start noticing the depressed crowds of sad people in the subways, the smell of the piles of garbage on collection day, the pretentious wannabes from midwest that are in NYC to “find themselves”… It all get’s annoying very quickly. I have lived in Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan, and now I thank all my fairy godmothers that I don’t live there anymore! Find your NY/Brooklyn right in your city. Find those cozy places to eat, to watch the world to throw coins in… Sorry Sorry! this is your dream! I’m just a bitter new york hater don’t listen to me!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂
I’ll listen, because there is a thread of truth. I understand and I too have looked in shock and wonder at how there can be homeless people in NYC. Saying all that, there are many parts of this city that appeal to my ‘creative’ side (wink, wink). I think of the food and the opportunities for culinary growth and food photography and all the things I want to do and I’m in love.
And compared to Port Harcourt, Nigeria where I live……this is tame city!
Love the cinderella comparison.
I can’t think of somewhere I’d like to live that badly! Hope your wish comes true.
Thanks Sally. And really, you cant think of a place that you’d like to move to? You must be happy where you are, and thats pretty awesome too!