I ♥ NYC - Central Park

John and I were laying in bed late last night, talking about....whatever.  You know how it goes. It must have been midnight when he leaned in close and said to me, "I love you, honey."   I thought for a few seconds then responded with, "Oh sweetie, I really love.....New York City."

It's true.

I really said that.

So that posed the question - Why am I so in love with New York City?  Why is it that can I go there over and over and never get tired of it?  Why is it that I was just there last week and I already can't wait to go back again? 

You would think that 4 trips there in the past 4 years would be enough for, say, the average Joe. Well, I may be average but my name is not Joe and apparently 4 in 4 is not enough for me.

John was a good sport about my "love" answer and so he helped me compose my list of What Maryanne loves about NYC:

   

* Endless exploring - I can walk and walk and walk, day after day after day, just exploring the city.  There is so much to see and so much I haven't seen!  The architecture.  The museums.  The bridges.   The little secluded bakeries and antique shops.  The neighborhoods full of Brownstones and flea markets full of vintage loveliness.  I love just going to some random area of town and seeing what is there.  I always end up finding something magical.

* The diversity - I. Love. Diversity!  I come from a place where there isn't a heckuvalot of it.  I love that, in New York City, there are so many different kinds of people, with different colors of skin, who speak different languages with all sorts of accents.  I love that people can just be who they are and not conform to any one "look."  I LOVE that I don't see "Utah hair" on top of every woman's head!  Oh boy, do I ever love that.

* The Metro - I find The Metro absolutely fascinating.  How in the HELLO did they dig all those tunnels under that ginormous city?!  Where did they put all the dirt?  How many rats really live down there?  Holy cow.  It's unfathomable.  It's genius.  And I have found The Metro is the best way to see the diversity that I love.  I could sit and ride The Metro for hours on end, just watching....people.

And the entertainment on The Metro - top notch!  On this trip alone we were serenaded on one train by some Spanish guys with guitars and sombreros -"Eyyye-yie-yie-yie," and all that good stuff.  While on another train we had some "Harlem-looking homies" who turned up the rap on their boom-box, and then cleared the isle so that they could jam, spin, and twist on their heads.  AND for the finale one kid flipped over the hand rail that hangs from the ceiling!  It was awesome.  Got that one on video. :)  

Another beautiful man played his saxophone on the platform so that we could have some lovely music to listen to as we waited for the M train.  Oh, and there was the guy on the other platform with the accordion. I LOVE the accordion.  My dad used to play the accordion.  Yes, fine artists there in those NYC subways.
(Isn't that where Billy Joel started out his career?  I swear I read that somewhere.....) 

* Broadway - I love stage theater.  Always have, always will.  And can I just say...Spiderman was THE BOMB!

* Church - Yes, church!   I adore going to church in New York City.  We go to the same one every time we visit - the Morningside Heights Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (125 Columbus Ave., Metro stop - Lincoln Center).   It's like our little adopted ward.  They meet in the same building as the temple and I can honestly say that there HAS NOT BEEN ONE TIME that we have attended that we didn't walk out of there saying, "Wow.  Wow.  And Wow."   Just amazingly spiritual and uplifting.

* Central Park - Three of these four times that I've been to NYC has been in the winter.  However, when I went with my sister's-in-law (year before last) we went in May.  I remember going to Central Park with them and saying, "Oh my!  Central Park is GREEN?!  I always thought it was gray," (since it's always gray when we go in the deep dark depths of winter).   I can honestly say that I love it gray.   And I love it green.  And when we went last week it was WHITE.  I'll take it in any color.  I just love Central Park.

* Food - Okay, here goes.  The food.  THE FOOD, PEOPLE!   In my conversation with John last night,  I think we spent the longest time talking about the food.  It sounds lame.  It sounds shallow.  It sounds petty. But I will admit that possibly the biggest reason I love New York City is the FOOD!   Oh. My. Cow.   Where, oh where, do I begin?
Let me just say there is no bad food in New York City.
And, we discovered a new eating joint this time - The Shake Shack.   They are rated to have the best burger in the entire city.  And it's a big city!  The burgers were awesome.  Along with burgers they have fantastic crispy crinkle fries, shakes and custard.  Yes, custard!  I will shout it from the rooftops that eating burgers and fries and custard from The Shake Shack is like being in a brief, yet sublime, state of Utopia.  It's insane. Srsly.
Then there's Pommes Frites.  We can't ever leave NYC feeling "fulfilled" unless we have eaten the frites at Pommes Frites.  Good golly.  A little bit of authentic Belgian Frite heaven plopped right in middle of New York City.  Served in a traditional cone with any and every kind of dipping sauce imaginable.

Okay, so that's as far as we got with my "list," then someone fell asleep.   I think it was me.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I took a lot (A LOT!) of pictures on this trip to happiness.  I've decided if I wait to post them until I've poured over all of them, then they will never get posted.  So I'm going to take a chunk at a time, choosing one "love" for each post.

Today I am starting with Central Park.  The day we went to Central Park, the city had just received 15-18 inches of new snow overnight.  It was a winter wonderland.  The schools were closed due to the snow and people were off of work.  There were people sledding, joining in on random snowball fights (which John did), ice skating at Wollman Rink, and snowmen being built everywhere!