I heart nyc.

{Image via weheartit}

When I first visited New York City in 1998, I was 12. I came for a HUGE {and I mean HUGE} choral festival at Carnegie Hall. I'm not afraid to admit that I was what is now considered a "Gleek". I remember being so utterly amazed at all the people and the movement. I had been to London a few years prior to that visit, but there was something totally different about New York.


My second visit to NYC was in 2002. I was a senior in high school--and again, we made the trip to sing in Carnegie Hall. {I told you I was a "Gleek!"} We were there over Thanksgiving, so I got to experience the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade {a HUGE tradition for me} firsthand. 


Since then, I can't really count how many times I've been to New York. During my college days, there would be buses that would take us up and back for a day. One such bus ride {in 2004} helped to forge the bond with one of the best friends I'll be visiting this weekend. This will be my fourth visit to NYC this year, which I'd guess is probably my record.


I'll never be a New Yorker--and I'm fine with that. I have a 40-hour tolerance for the city, meaning I can handle just about a weekend. I love the hustle and bustle, the fire escapes, the taxis. I do. I love being able to eat Indian food for dinner and then grab a French crepe next door. I just know I need space...and that isn't necessarily something I'd ever be able to afford in New York. The cornfields of my youth are still close to my heart--and I'm more than ok with that.


Thankfully, my husband is in agreement. He's from the middle-of-nowhere Maine and, like me, appreciates what the city has to offer, but also has a certain threshold for it. One thing we identified very early on in our relationship was that we would never live in New York.


But for a weekend, especially during the holidays, NYC is perfect. It's cold. It's chaotic. And it also holds a few of my dearest friends, so I'm learning to love it in my own little way.


So, with that, off we go to explore! Enjoy your Saturday everyone...I'll make sure to take some pics to share of our adventures. xoxo {av}