Today in Central Park, after enjoying brunch on the Upper West Side.
Ohio and home became comfortable. Really comfortable. Packing again, boarding a bus, and going on an 8-hour trip with only my thoughts to keep me busy wasn’t exactly easy, but the second I set foot on the city pavement I left so much behind. There’s no room for past regrets or future fears when NYC jerks you into the present moment with so much stimulation. I really needed this.
My lovely friend and NYC lawyer Niki met me at the bus station and together we were whisked away by taxi to her Upper East Side pad where we freshened up for a late lunch at Gina La Fornarina, complimenting our meals with a carafe of sangria which put us in the perfect tipsy state for amateur comedy night at The Irish Exit. We continued into the night with a jaunt to the East Village for live music and drinks at the Red Lion followed by a late night pizza splurge and drunken antics at NYU Law School.
This morning Niki made us some much needed and desired coffee, and soon we were jogging three miles in Central Park, crossing another “must-do” off of my bucket list. It was a glorious, perfect morning; sunny with a nice breeze, and I couldn’t have asked for a better day.
Central Park with the New York City skyline in the background.
After our jog we freshened up back at Niki’s place, put on cute summer cotton dresses, and headed off (with her dog Flutie in tow) for our much anticipated brunch at the Upper West Side’s Good Enough to Eat. It turns out so did half the population of Manhattan: the line to eat was so long that we decided to settle for a nearby restraurant, Slightly Oliver, but our spirits were lifted when our meals turned out to be great.
The cutest NYC pup ever, Flutie, in her travel bag on our way to brunch!
During our walk back to Niki’s apartment we couldn’t help but stop and grab two huge chocolate chip cookies and iced coffees from Dean and Deluca. I would have snapped a photo if we didn’t devour them immediately! Sooo good! We then had to say our goodbyes as she had to study for a final and I had to get my butt to Brooklyn to relocate to my brother’s apartment where I’ll be staying for the rest of the week. I made a quick trip to the supermarket, and together my brother and I prepared a dinner of fresh guacamole and chicken burritos and now we’ve settled in for the night to the sounds of the nearby subway and howling winds (a chilly night is setting in) outside our windows.
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Whew. What a wonderful whirlwind these past couple days have been. It feels so good to once again be in the city where there’s so much going on. I had suspected this would be the perfect antidote for pain and heartache and I was right. There’s still so much to figure out in my life, and so much to put behind me, but there’s no better place to feel alive and optimistic than here in New York City, the city of dreams!