I Love New York: The Easiest Love Letter I've Ever Written



I love the amazing New York skyline. Looking east from the Time Warner Center

 at Columbus Circle. 

I also love the street carts and the color they add to the street scene.

 

I love the blend of old and new buildings. This is in Lower Manhattan. St. Paul's Chapel is celebrating it's 250th anniversary, with the newly rebuilt Trade Center in the background. Just a few blocks separate the two buildings and several centuries.
 

I love the public art of Ballerina Hippo, who greets me upon exiting the subway at West 65th Street. 

I also love the flowers in infinite bouquets at my local markets. 

I moved to New York in 1975 and expected to stay just a few years. I had a job in publishing, a teeny apartment and a few friends from college. New York, you were too big for me, too crowded for me and too noisy for me -- but I fell in love with you. I didn't expect to, but I did. I came to see that your noise and size reflected your energy and excitement, even in some of the darkest times I've lived here. When people ask me why I stayed here I usually reply "I made friends and got jobs." All true, but I made friends and got jobs in a city I loved.

New York, we've been together over forty years now. There's a little less excitement, but I like our calmer and easier relationship. I don't miss the subway at rush hour and I love lingering over coffee and the New York Times in a newly discovered coffee shop even more than I liked late nights listening to piano music thirty years ago. Despite your quirks, you were just so easy to love.

 If anyone is keeping track of my A to Z Blogging Challenge posts, you will notice that "H" is missing.  It's not for any lack of interest in Hamilton, but I've gone a little overboard with photographs and need a little more editing time. There will be an H, though our next post will most like be J.

As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a bright and beautiful Easter weekend!