Growing up, all I ever wanted was to live in “the city”. I loved visiting New York City and would capitalize on every single chance I could get to go there, usually to see a Broadway show. In high school, as far as I was concerned, my friend Amanda had the coolest life. A dedicated dancer, she took dance classes in the city every day after school and eventually went on to study dance at college in New York City.
It’s funny how in college, Amanda was living my dream. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with the choices I made and my college friends and memories, but for someone who loved New York as much as I did, I don’t know why I never thought to go to the college in the city. I guess I thought going to school upstate was something I had to do because it was what everyone else did…well there or Westchester Community College, and I really didn’t want to go to the latter. I wanted to go away!!
Anyway, I lived for my college breaks because Amanda’s school didn’t have dorms; the students lived in apartments! Real, actual New York City apartments! They are pretty amazing, especially the ones over at Manhattan Miami. Amanda always seemed to be taking some kind of class and managed to have remained in her housing over the recesses, so I’d go stay with her for a few nights and we’d do things like go see Broadway shows, go to the MAC store in Soho so I could buy make-up, make quesadillas and just hang out. It was so much fun.
When I moved to the city after college, Amanda and I were roommates along with another friend of ours, Margaret, and we had the best time in our dear Hell’s Kitchen apartment. Amanda got me my waitressing job at Ruby Foo’s and if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think my career would have followed its same path and I wouldn’t be who I am today. I’m so grateful to her. Even though I have come along way since then and I love living in Milan (I feel like it’s where I should have been my whole life!), I think about my New York City days (especially the early ones) with fondness and am often nostalgic for them, even though I have more of a love-hate relationship with New York nowadays. I had hated it for a bit, but now I actually like it again…but only because I think I know I’m going to be leaving again after a few weeks.
At Musement (the company I work for), we decided to inaugurate a destination of the month feature on our blog and when we chose New York for December, I immediately contacted Amanda and asked her to write a few pieces for us because there is no one who is more to New York to me than her….except for maybe Donald Trump. š It means the world to me that she took us up on it and I wanted to share her great articles here. Please read them! Knowing her and knowing New York, they’re written like a true New Yorker…her words are sincere, genuine and from the heart. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, and if you know anyone visiting New York City, please feel free to share them.
- Musement’s Destination of the Month: New York City
- Christmas in New York
- Where to eat in New York
- Where to shop in New York
Cover photo: Anthony Delanoix
