Things I Love Thursday
Well, I’m leaving New York City on Monday for at least a month, but possibly up to 6 months. I am very, very sad to be leaving, but I am also so thankful to this city for turning it on for me. I have had the most amazing time ever. Ever ever ever. & so, as a way to say thank you, I decided to make this TiLT entirely New York themed.
My apartment — I adore it & don’t want to give it up at all. Yes, it’s up five flights of stairs, & yes, the toilet is in a tiny little room outside my front door, but it’s these little idiosyncrasies that make me love it even more. Traversing all those stairs every day has done wonders for my legs, booty & general fitness, & I always find sending people out into the hallway to pee hilarious! I love the space I’m inhabiting — the bed is so comfortable, the wardrobe space is so ample, the furniture is so stylish — & so much has happened within these walls that it seems downright weird to leave it all behind. This place has been good to me.
Taking full advantage of my rooftop access — Oh my rooftop. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways! Clomping up the stairs in heels; lying down with my back to the Empire State building as I swig iced tea; realising how many people I know have a fear of heights!; lugging my tripod around; staring up at the full moon; getting black marks on my limbs from clambering over obstacles; staring down at the fountain below; trying to spy on people in other buildings; clinging onto Nubby as we sit on a ledge; pacing around it as I talk on my phone; staring out over the city as I make plans for the evening; stretching & planning & laughing & whispering & feeling violently happy.
The West Village — It’s so beautiful, it has treated me so well for these past two & a half months, & there is no place I would rather have stayed. I love its leafy streets & crazy cobblestone madness (even if it is dangerous for those of us who like to clip about the place in stilettos). It is full of good people; I’ve made friends with everyone from the pizza guy to the women in the convenience store & the guy at the bar who always tells me to come down & hang out. Don’t make me leave! Don’t maaaaaake meeeeee!
New York cuisine — Not always the most healthy, admittedly, but the food here is mind-blowing. It’s just so good. I very rarely eat an average meal here. Most of the time it makes my eyes bug out of my head & causes me to exclaim about how delicious it is. I don’t know why everything is so tasty, it just is. It’s incredible.
The green spaces — There is nothing quite as relaxing as walking through Central Park on a beautiful summer day. The trees keep the sun off your face & cool the air down, there are dancing roller-skaters & plenty of other things to look at, & there is all the junk food you could ever possibly want. There are lovely little parks all over the city, though, you don’t need to go all the way up to Central Park for your dose of nature. Most of them are perfect for stopping to sit down & eat a cupcake on a bench. Bliss!
Strange events — NYC is totally the place to be if you want to do weird things. From book signings where girls flash their boobs (I did that last night) to watching little people have entire bottles of champagne poured over their heads (Saturday), this place has what you’re looking for (even if you don’t know it beforehand). I love the fact that as soon as you step outside the house, anything could happen — it adds to the overwhelming feeling of excitement & glee that is what NYC is all about. It keeps life interesting, believe me!
All the amazing people I’ve met — Definitely too many to name them all off, one by one, but those of you who have spent time with me since I’ve been here know who you are. Cities are wonderful & full of possibility but ultimately it is the people you meet who enrich your life & make a place worth staying in. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to show me their version of the city, met me for coffee, taken me to dinner, run through the streets with me or otherwise. I love ya, truly!
Honourable mentions: Listening to Atmosphere (always, always, always… Now he’s got a best friend instead of a wife, but he feels like he stole the best years of her life); not having a fever (unlike last weekend — not so much fun!); the Billboard Top 100 from 1990 (best ever album for bedtime singalongs!); miniature desserts; Yankee Stadium (& hearing Yankees fans openly mock anyone in opposing team regalia); thunderstorms; watching pieces of my life slide into place; Heath Ledger as The Joker; two shows in a row at The Box; speaking about blogging at Fashion 2.0 (lots of fun!); walking 20 blocks in my licorice strap platforms (it brings me joy); uncanny connections; daytime naps; sugar energy; my Willy Wonka-esque sunglasses; ticking off things on my to do list; spending time with people who make me smile; laughing & singing along to really old, bad songs!
“There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born there, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size, its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter — the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something… Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness, natives give it solidity and continuity, but the settlers give it passion.” — E.B. White
Okay, gorgeous! Tell me what’s making you happy this week. It doesn’t matter how small it is; a flower growing in a crack in the pavement is a perfectly acceptable entry! Let us know, we love to hear it!