falling in love (with new york city)

Musicians in Union Square Station

Lounging at the Guggenheim. Photo Credit: Sarah

Now back home in Toronto, after having a whirlwind weekend with the parents of moving me out of my apartment into a storage unit. I'd be lying if I said it was easy to leave. In fact, of all the times, it was by far the most difficult. I've really fallen in love with New York City. I feel my heartbeat changed to match that of the city, that I woke up in the morning feeling I was in the right place at that moment. After almost a year of living in one of the most intense, superficial cities, I actually feel remarkably wonderful in my own skin there.

While I was packing up and saying goodbye to my favourite places, I thought about what were some of my favourite small, but wonderful things about living in the city this past year. These are things that I did regularly, that became part of my "life" that I really value.

• Every Thursday when I would take the N train to 23rd street at 1:00 pm, the same troupe of acapella male singers would get on my train and sing amazing renditions of doo-wop songs. Their "You Send Me" was magnificent. 
• The fact that  almost every bagel and cream cheese in NY is so much better than bagels and cream cheese everywhere else.
• Eating dosas and samosas from the Dosa Truck in Washington Square Park in the sunshine
• Shopping for big bunches of kale and broccoli at the Union Square Greenmarket
• Wandering around the cute boutiques in the East Village as a "study break"
• The walk I would do every Monday from my internship at Columbus Circle to my class near Bryant Park, waking by Rockefeller Center, Carnegie Hall and Radio City.
• Getting an iced coffee from the Mud Truck (my absolute favourite coffee) every day of finals on the way to the library. 

But as many of you know, I really can't complain. In less than 2 weeks, I will departing Toronto for Paris (!!!) where I will be taking a three week course. Many people have requested I blog from Paris, and as I already have this one set up, I will continue to update it from France. Yes, I know that the title won't exactly apply, but you can get over it. A New York Michelle in Paris. There we go.