In which I fall in love with New York City

I finally made it to New York City. It took a comic convention (more specifically, the presence of friends at said comic convention) to get me there. It won’t take much to get me to go back.

Within minutes of being in the city, I picked up a good vibe. The city beckoned with a siren call I’ve only felt in a handful of other places - Columbus, San Francisco, San Juan, Southern Utah – the call that says, “yes, you could live here and you know you'd move here in a heartbeat.” I love when places reach out and grab me because so few of them do. It’s the way I desperately wish Los Angeles would make me feel. I couldn’t get enough of walking around Manhattan and taking the streets in - even after being in a convention hall all day where all I did was walk around with a heavy bag. In its way, the city was just as enchanting as any of the sweeping vistas I’ve seen in national parks. Sure, these vistas were littered with trash and the air carried smells of cars, street food, cigarette smoke, and stale socks, but they were just as worthy. I literally put my feet to miles of sidewalk in the three days I was there.

I also walked miles on carpet at the Javits Center. I did spend most of my visit inside with my fellow geeks, but I played tourist as much as I could. I’m glad my legs were able to hold me up; I think my experience was better because the only cab I took was to the airport at the end of my trip (and I hailed it all by myself – though I probably shouldn’t admit to being proud of that). I gave in to crossing streets even when the crosswalk lights said not to. I marveled at the outside of St. Patrick’s cathedral. I ate greasy New York pizza in a fancy dress. Times Square rivaled only Vegas with its number of dazzling lights and only Disneyland with the number of people pushing through the streets. Central Park made me think of murder scenes because death seems to happen there not infrequently on movie and television screens. The fact that it was after midnight and rather deserted only reinforced those images.  I walked blocks in heels. Happily. I went to the top of the Empire State Building and had an epiphany. I guess stunning views that make you feel so insignificant but yet big have that effect. (For the record though, I’d rather not have them when freezing cold winds up my skirt and down my neck have made my nose run. Epiphanies just aren't as classy when you have snot on your upper lip).

I saw so much, yet missed so much. I feel like I could spend days wandering, getting lost, and finding my way again. I can't wait to go back.