As any reader of this blog knows I’m not long back from New York. The whole reason for this trip was for New York x Design (aka New York
Design Week) and I’ve seen so many great things I feel extremely touched that Modenus gave me the opportunity. So whilst
my show and tell about the design I saw is still ongoing (watch out for future
posts) I thought I’d share just five reasons (because there are actually
countless reason’s) why I love New York.
New York is not a new city to me I’ve been there 19 times (I just counted
the stamps in my passports and am surprised it’s “only” that many). However it
is a city that just never ever stands still. It’s a city full of bustle, of highflying go-getters, tourists and traffic
and if you stick to the guidebooks you can feel like you’ve missed the mark and
wonder what all the fuss is about. Then suddenly out of the blue you’ll
discover a path in the park or a street you’ve never been on before and you fall in love with the city.
It’s
the city that never sleeps. Ever. You will always find
something to do in NYC, no matter what time of the day it is. There are always people around at every
minute of the day, some working, some partying and some jet lagged tourists. It
really doesn’t matter what the hour is, you will always find a place to eat and
even shop. Plus at night New York glows in neon.
Walking anywhere is a revelation
as there is always something that will capture your attention. New York bounces
from skyscraper to higgledy-piggledy streets, from designer stores to flea markets and the people watching is out
of this world (and the eavesdropping too). Walking also beats the traffic,
which can be breathtakingly bad. Look up and you might suddenly see some art
deco gem of architectural detail that you wouldn’t have seen in a cab (or in a
guidebook). JUST don’t be a meandering, slow distracted walker, just like in London
you’ll hear tuts and possibly some obsenities.
Golden hour on the Brooklyn Bridge or the
Highline or a rooftop bar pretty much can’t be beat. That last hour of sunlight during
the day gives off a warm light that makes any photo of new York look amazing
and quite frankly makes me slightly giddy. It’s why you need to get up high to
a rooftop bar or get to a view point of NYC like the Brooklyn Bridge or even
the Highline. Finding THE best place to watch the sunset over the Hudson River is still
on my bucket list.
You might see Brandon Stanton, who is the legend behind the
lens of HONY, Humans of New York. His lovely catalogue of street photography of
New Yorkers and a snippet of their lives is my favourite thing on
facebook. I always hope I’ll see him so that I can see what’s inspiring him, as
he sees the beauty in little things and all people.
Central Park, yes I know its clichéd
but head north in central park and you’ll be surprised by what you find. It’s
less crowded and more “local” and you’ll see everyday people doing everyday
things. Not spectacular necessarily but definitely a break from the bustle. Or
head to NorthWoods which I found a surprisingly rural natural setting in the heart of
NYC (well actually’s it’s up by 105th street).
It’s easy to think you know
New York as it has been the subject of so much pop-culture and plays
out nightly on TV shows and movies. But as I’ve come to realise even with
multiple visits, it’s an enigma, and I’ve not even scratched the surface of the
place.
