I haven’t really felt as though I’m missing out by not living in a massive metropolis. In fact, the slower pace and simpler life has been, dare I say it for fear of sounding like an old-bag, a refreshing change. There is only one thing I truly miss and that's my friends. But hello, this is 2010 and with the aid of modern technology we’re able to sit and chat face-to-face without a painful subway ride or melting hot commute by foot in a billion percent humidity. Now I can simply enjoy the experience from the comfort of my home with a perfectly unhindered view the mountains and a breeze wafting through the windows. And if by chance I’ve neglected to shave my legs lately, who’s to judge if they can’t be seen – perfect scenario.
Obviously, there are other things I miss but I’ve managed to work through them. Upon arriving in New York several years ago, I’d taken a long time to establish a list of places that produce great coffee.
I rejoiced in my daily ritual of entering Joe’s Art of Coffee. The uber-trendy staff could take up to fifteen minutes to make my simple order. The waiting was part of the pleasure I discovered and not at all a test in patience - who am I kidding. The longer it took the more one appreciated the skill and time taken. My coffee was always lovingly decorated with foam artistry, well worth the wait and the money, that's what I told myself anyway. With this pleasure also came the mental battle over whether or not to treat myself to a Donut Plant donut. I firmly believe those round (sometimes square) baked goodies are actually laced with some addictive element that made them completely irresistible. But the fact that the skinny twenty-something behind the counter would always say “go on treat yourself’ every single day as if she’d never seen me before kind of annoyed me. Were these really experiences to be missed?
The issue here is that I was apprehensive about my return to the city. I’m now, for the first time in my life, a small-town girl. I feared that perhaps the busy streets of NYC and what they held would no longer excite me but exhaust me. On arrival the heat was hideous, causing my already thin hair to look anorexic but surprisingly this didn’t seem to faze me, neither did the fact that no one else on the street seemed to be experiencing the perspiration problems that I was (perhaps purchasing a hot coffee from Café Grumpy - no. 2 on the list of coffeehouse greats – wasn’t a great idea in 100 degree heat with 100% humidity or maybe I was adjusting after living in a humidity free high-desert for so long). I found the smell and the booming street sounds welcoming and not at all deafening as anticipated. The stroll through Chelsea, one of my favorite parts of town, was made even better with a celeb spotting, Ethan Hawke. I have to say here that celeb spottings are rare in the mountains of NM; although, I do expect to see Julia Roberts in Taos at least once in my lifetime.
Thankfully the early evening was kinder to me, I no longer looked like I’d just stepped out of the sea. We took the High Line towards the West Village. This brilliant concept has undoubtedly become the best people watching in the world and I don’t mean watching those exhibitionists who choose to fornicate in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Standard Hotel, I’m talking about the cross section of locals and tourists who come to experience outdoor New York above street level while watching the sun set over that foreign land known as New Jersey.
The High Line led us directly to Barbutto, currently one of my favorite New York eateries. The one-time garage now operates as a market-fresh Italian restaurant and a rather cool one if I can say that without sounding uncool. I embraced the crowded bar, straining my voice to be heard and sipping my chilled rose before it was spilt all over me by the increasing crowd.
Many may see this as torture but I liken this to the coffee experience, the wait makes the end product that much more enjoyable. Once you arrive at your table and you’re greeted by excellent service and superb food you’ve won the grand prize. And at the end of all this there was the Other Room, a quaint little bar on a quiet West Village street waiting for our party to continue to solve the worlds problems while blanketed in the warm night air. It hit me on our stroll back to the hotel that this is what I miss, the ease of an evening full of events where you know that getting home is not a problem, be it by foot, cab or subway.
The following morning, after a quick trip to Bob’s Bagels, I elected to visit MoMA to see The Original Copy photography exhibition. Also on at the same time was Bruce Nauman’s interactive piece, Days. The work itself allowed me to sit and relax on a stool while it transported my mind with sound. While I listened to the voices articulate the days of the week in this chilled airy room the crowd seemed to diminish, I was cocooned in a bubble of voices that said nothing meaningful but induced a state of relaxation. I like MoMA, even when it’s crowded there's always something that makes me feel alone – in a good way. I was ready for lunch.
The Tuck Shop is the only place in the United States where you can experience a terribly tasty Australian meat-pie. They never ceases to please and there are no crowded waits to experience this pleasure. I arrived, seated myself and savored the taste of home. The only thing that could top off this meal was a trip to Donut Plant – I just can’t help myself. Walking back towards the throngs of Soho I felt the need to escape and the wonderful thing I’d forgotten about Manhattan is that there's always a place to provide solace; you just need to know where they are. Mine is the Angelika Film Centre, a home of independent film. Within moments I’m air-conditioned and removed from the city entering into another world on screen. Once back out in the daylight, I was ready to rejoin the crowded streets. It was time to feast again and Brooklyn was my destination.
As Brooklyn extends away from Manhattan it becomes increasingly laidback and if I were to return I think I might like to live there. The rendezvous point was Jake Walk, located in Carroll Gardens. It's cosy and has a superb cheese menu featuring local and foreign selections or you could choose from a selection of small plates, add wine and this is my idea of heaven on a hot night.
This pattern of friends, feasting and culture continued and I was surprised at myself, I was becoming more relaxed and this isn’t what I’d predicted. I believe now, that perhaps I feared sensory over-load. I’d forgotten my appreciation for this multifaceted town that houses the best of the best and at times, requires a sense of humor to cope with it. Within blocks you can indulge any whim and I did. I think I might make plans for another visit – winter of course so my hair looks better.
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