Sips of NYC
not found in a travel guide
Last week, country mice (me and the muses) got to visit the city.
We saw many of the main attractions, including, but not limited to… Grand Central Station, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Chelsea Market, Times Square, Broadway, oomph! — my quads are cramping from just typing about it. 😁
Today we’re savoring (and documenting) a few of our favorite things.
Friendship: I traveled with a lifelong friend and got to meet a virtual friend (Zoom calls since 2020) in person. Technology is grand and has broadened my life, yet… there is nothing quite like breathing the same Central Station air together.
Nature: The morning we walked uptown on 5th Avenue toward Central Park, a flock of pigeons zoomed above and through the morning pedestrian commute. A scream-laugh of surprise escaped me unbidden and as I turned to watch the birds depart, I found several others smiling along with me.
Joy is truly found in the smallest moments.
Humans — We are nature, too.
On a subway trip I spied a white feather underneath the bench across from me.
How’d that get there?
Awareness: Exiting Central Park, we came across the famous restaurant Tavern on the Green. As we stood looking at the menu, deciding whether or not we’d like to lunch there, I listened to the muses chattering in my head. Urania exercised her frugal nature and noted the size of the crowd while Thalia begged for the experience. Calliope weighed both sides and cajoled Urania into stepping up to the hostess station. Overcoming and harmonizing with our rational thinker often yields delicious rewards!
Attention and Connection: The rooftop of our accommodations had a coffee machine and ample outside seating.
There I experienced:
a grandfather who whose grandson loves the theater.
That day they were planning to see their fourth Broadway show.
a retired NYC police officer who now lives in the Carolinas.
He graciously told me about his experience on 9/11.
a woman who appeared to be praying.
Her t-shirt referenced Romans 12:2, which I felt compelled to explore.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
For better or worse, our habits of thinking, being, and doing build the days of our lives.
A travel guide can be of great use, but gold is often found beyond.