Thank You, New York City

I have a huge sense of wanderlust, to explore, to find new places, meet new people. Even in the areas I live in I am constantly exploring and trying to uncover new places and find little gems. A few weeks ago, I was toying with what to do with a few days off I had, and after a glass of wine I purchased a ticket to New York City.

New York City has always represented creativity and boldness to me ever since my first visit when I was 19 years old, when I announced to my family that one day I would be a resident of the city. Obviously, that has not happened, but visiting will have to do for now.

I flew in very early on Saturday morning to be greeted by the brisk chill of the air tickling my face as soon as I stepped out of the airport. Cold air makes my soul dance for joy, in a past life I must have resided in a cold climate. I began my adventures with a filling breakfast at Brickyard Gastropub NYC in the Hell's Kitchen area, overflowing with eatery's, bars, and bakery's. I selected a veggie burger with sauteed mushrooms, a side salad, and a mimosa (go big or go home NYC.) One of the best and most distinctly different veggie patties I have ever had, 10/10.

After another mimosa or two, we frolicked (literally) to Central Park to meet a couple of my college sorority sisters to join them for ice skating. The rink is located on the south side of the park, and boasts beautiful views of the trees in the park, the skyline, and the stunning Plaza Hotel. This was truly a dream come true for an ex-figure skater; I have had skating outside on my bucket list for years. Having not skated in over 2.5 years and wearing rental skates, I picked up where I left off and joyously glided around the rink with a giddy grin on my face.

Sunday morning began as all good mornings do, with incredible vegan breakfasts. We made our way to a vegetarian restaurant I had read about online, The Butchers Daughter (what a pun.) I opted for Tempeh Lettuce Tacos topped with avocado, and a Cacao smoothie. I really loved the communal seating and getting to talk to other tourists and locals about their plans and experiences for the day. 

Afterwards, we walked across the stunning Brooklyn Bridge, another dream of mine. The sights from the bridge were breathtaking and one of those moments that truly make you realize how massive the city is. We spent sometime at the Brooklyn Bridge Park and strolling the streets of the Dumbo area of Brooklyn.

After exploring the Chelsea Market and a few drinks in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan, we stopped by Too Boots Pizza and split a vegan pizza. You can't go to NYC without pizza, even as a vegan, and this pizza was pretty incredible. 

Even more incredible, was seeing my favorite musical and probably favorite story of all time, Les Miserables on Broadway. Tears were flowing the entire time as well as holding myself back from bursting in song along with the actors. This was a definite highlight of all my trips to the city and another check off my bucket list.

Central Park has always been a defining symbol of the city to me as well and how easily you can walk in and get lost in the many different areas of the park, and really forget you are in one of the biggest cities in the world. Another bucket list item in my running life was to run in the park, and that I did. Breathing in and out the energy of the other runners, the greenery, and the tops of the skyscrapers you can barely make out from inside the park fueled my run twisting and turning across the bridges and fields of the park. It is quite a wonderful place to run, with pedestrian lanes for safety as well as hills to get in a solid workout. Truly one of the most joyous runs in my book.

Visiting New York during Christmas is in my opinion, the best time to visit. From the glistening ice of the many open air ice rinks, the intricate window displays of stores like Lord & Taylor, resident's fire escape lights, and of course the Rockefeller Center Tree, there is no more beautiful a place in my mind. Living in Central Florida and without family, this year has been hard to get into the spirit of Christmas. The crisp air, the sounds of laughing, blades scraping ice, twinkling lights, and the smell of fresh Christmas trees finally got me into the excitement of the holidays. New York captured my happiness and the non-stop way of my spirit. Thank you New York, for an incredible visit. I will be back, and soon.