Last weekend marked a very notable first for me. In my biggest act of spontaneity to date, I made a last minute trip to New York City booked the weekend beforehand. It seems to be the unfortunate events in life that inspire us to live in the moment, and perhaps this is why the bad is a necessary compliment to the good. Nonetheless, after the joy of this weekend I’ve resolved to embrace my more impulsive tendencies.
NYC during Christmas is just special. The extravagant lengths storefronts go to with their decor is spectacular. Of course, one of my favorites was the bejeweled Harry Winston.
One of the best things about New York is the little surprises you find going from one place to the next. For me, the subway is one of the best and worst aspects of the city. While sometimes it’s a difficult pain in the ass, it also forces you to interact with your surroundings more so than transportation via car.
During one of my days exploring, I went to the High Line – a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the West Side. Next time you’re in NYC, you should make it a point to visit. They’ve done a great job integrating original aspects of the rail line with nature in an extremely well-designed manner.
Another plus to the High Line: gorgeous views of the city. Great use of materials and providing creative ways to sit and take everything in.
I’m so glad I finally got to see Bushwick, the Brooklyn neighborhood my friends have been residing in. They’ve taken graffiti there to a new level, and it adds so much to the area. Full of creativity and delicious food and drinks, I fell in love with all of the places we managed to find despite the prevalent lack of exterior signage.
And the icing on the cake: finally seeing George Balanchine’s Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. Courtesy of my sweet friend who knows me too well. As you can see, we walked away inspired. Thanks again to my amazing hosts and tour guides for making my most spontaneous weekend unforgettable!
As a family photo connoisseur myself, I love to see how much (or little) my friends and family look like they did when they were younger. Like this guy above – I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone look so much like their baby self! Creepy.
It’s also interesting to see the subtle changes in the backgrounds as the years have gone by. Or not so subtle, in the case of the Berlin Wall. It was really hard to choose my favorites, so I recommend making a visit to the site to view them all.
