Past Life in the City

It's been a little bit over two months since I moved out of New York City and I've been thinking about the things I miss, as well as the things I was happy to leave behind. I thought I'd make a little list and include some links here and there, as possible inspiration for certain family members who are moving there (my little brother is going to Columbia!!) and for those already there.


What I miss about New York:

1. The subways and buses--really! I found it liberating that I could pay $2.50, jump on a bus or train, and end up anywhere in the city I pleased
2. The reservoir (photo above) in Central Park which was a five-minute walk from my apartment
3. Jumping on the 6 train and ending up at Bloomingdales about 7 minutes later
4. The French restaurant in my old neighborhood
5. Everything at Lincoln Center
6. The fact that my sister-in-law lived 3 blocks away
7. This thrift shop and this one and this one and this one (this is for you, Addie!)
8. Walking two doors down every Sunday at 7 pm for church--the services always seemed to be geared to exactly what I needed that week
9. These yoga classes
10. The Hungarian Pastry Shop on the Upper West Side
11. My shoebox apartment--it was tiny but it was sweet and had character and I really loved it
12. The Turkish bodega on the corner of my blog which sold wonderful dried fruits, nuts, and fresh produce
13. Being closer to my family (a 4.5-hour bus ride away)
14. Attending interviews/performances by people like Laura Linney and Rosanne Cash at the 92nd Street Y
15. Christmastime in the city--there is nothing like it
16. The fact that you get a lot of out-of-town visitors when you live in New York--not so much when you live in Alabama!
17. This cafe where I spent many hours studying, writing, people-watching, and most importantly, drinking delicious coffee (which was also much cheaper than Starbucks!)
18. Walking everywhere
19. This soap shop, which offers a complimentary hand-washing at the big communal sink in the middle of the store. This felt SO good after a day walking around the city. I especially liked the Jasmine hand scrub
20. This rooftop bar where my husband and I went the night we got engaged and where we held my reception after my final graduate recital

What I don't miss about New York:

1. Number one, far and away, is being away from my husband
2. Commuting an hour and fifteen minutes to school three times a week
3. Lugging groceries and laundry through the streets without the help of a car
4. The amount of money it takes to survive
5. Getting to and fro LaGuardia Airport
6. The way the subways smell in the summertime
7. The crowds
8. Feeling nauseous in cabs because of the cab driver's reckless driving
9. The local post office (slowest post office in the world)
10. The lack of truly fresh-smelling air

Yes, I have twice as many things on my "miss" list than on my "don't miss" list, but this does not at all mean that I'm longing to move back to the city or that I'm not happy in our new lives--I think it just means that I look back on my time living in one of the greatest cities in the world with much fondness!