It’s been over a month since I last wrote a post, and since then I started a new marketing job and moved back into New York City! My new apartment is in Harlem, a few blocks south of my old neighborhood, Washington Heights, and so far I’m loving it. I am planning to blog more often now with my new routine and will be focusing on little glimpses of New York City life, especially north of 59th, as I work and live “uptown.” There are a few other posts up my sleeve about living abroad so stay tuned.
Since returning to New York, I’ve spent time reconnecting with my favorite things and I wanted to share them with you all.
The food
I have been reveling in New York food. From the simple bagel to cuisine from the corners of the globe, New York has been good to me.
The two cuisines that I did not experience in the Dominican Republic, but are two of my favorite cuisines are Ethiopian and Indian. I went to Tsion Cafe in Sugar Hill, Harlem and shared the Vegetarian Platter with a friend. We ate it all up. I’m definitely going back! And this week I met a friend in the Financial District for Indian at Bombay’s Indian Restaurant on Pearl Street.
And let’s not forget classic Italian diners… for example this beautiful spread of olives and deli sides as seen at the A C Superette in Staten Island, where I had a mouthwatering Eggplant Parmesan sub sandwich.
I went near Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem to my new favorite burgers and fries place, Harlem Shake. This restaurant has a retro feel and gives you all the goodness of Shake Shack without the wait. And delicious veggie burgers!
Friends and Family
I missed my friends and family a lot and was excited to share my birthday cake in June with family! It’s been great catching up with everyone.
New York Nature
What’s not to love about New York City Parks? Every borough has them… every neighborhood has them. They are diverse too, from plazas, to hiking trails, such as the Staten Island Greenbelt. I have been exploring the parks this summer and have been able to take advantage of the warm weather. Nature offers a respite from busy concrete city life.
The Culture
New York is known worldwide for its museums, theatre and international culture. While I saw plenty of live music in the Dominican Republic and went to a few museums, nothing matches the scope and diversity of New York City arts and culture. I was fortunate to score tickets to see Cymbeline, a Public Theater Production. Tickets to their annual Shakespeare in the Parks production are free, yet highly desirable. A longtime Shakespeare fan, I had not seen Cymbeline and was blown away by this production. Singing, dancing, costumes, incredible acting.
Coincidentally, the friend I invited to Cymbeline scored free tickets to Something Rotten, a Broadway musical based on the fictional life a Shakespeare rival. I was more than happy to accept one of the tickets. The main character pays a soothsayer to predict Shakespeare’s biggest play in order to compete with the popular playwright, and in a series of unfortunate events and miscommunication, ends up writing the musical “Omelette.” Recommended for the serious musical fan only, as many of the references would be lost on those who don’t follow the Broadway scene.
The Views
I took a trip to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building on a beautiful sunny day and saw my beloved city from up high. While incredibly windy (and certainly the most expensive elevator ride I’ve ever taken), it was a marvelous sight.
I also walked along Fort Washington Park’s riverfront to get a view of my favorite bridge, the George Washington Bridge.
And there was one sight I did not miss at all that I accidentally stumbled upon one Friday night… Time’s Square.
But of course…
My first night in my new apartment, I got Dominican food from La Nueva Flor de Broadway, right by City College. I had heard about it and craved some rice and beans. They also kindly made me fried eggs. I had maduros (they didn’t have fried plantains that night) and Jugo de Chinola (passionfruit juice). Home sweet home!
Lens by Sarah 