New York is a Great Place to Vist

“New York is a great place to visit…” the tourist saying goes, “but I would never want to live there.”

This phrase has been repeated by many and derided by many more. I actually heard someone say it on my airplane, who then proceed to talk about their experience staying in a hotel in Times Square. GURL. Of course you can’t imagine living there.

Well, after spending most of last week in New York I would like to submit my own version:

New York is a great place to live, then leave, and then come visit.

A few months ago I got an email from a friend I lived with at Menno House asking if I would have any interest in an April or May visit to NYC. I had been seriously thinking about a spring visit and this was exactly the push I needed. We got another friend involved and booked a room in the guest part of Menno House.

It was a perfect setup. We were all familiar enough with the city to be comfortable navigating the subways and the neighborhoods, and since we had already visited many of the sites there was no pressure to pack in everything. But we were still tourists, and so had fun doing new things and splurging on activities when we felt like it. If you want to have a wonderful time in New York you should definitely live there for a couple years and then come back for the visit.

Some highlights:

Mad Men exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image

Pretty good over all although smaller than I expected and some of the objects weren't labelled or didn't have much information. They assumed every viewer was a huge fan of the show and would recognize each piece. But, for example, there was an outfit in the “Betty” section that was totally unfamiliar to me. When did Betty wear velour hot pants?? Or was it actually a Sally outfit on an adult mannequin?? I would post a picture, but photography wasn’t allowed and I am nothing if not a museum rule-follower. So here is a gif of Bob Benson in his short shorts:

The rest of the museum was loads of fun and perhaps better than the Mad Men exhibit. I usually skip interactives but they several which were very clever and enjoyable.

Ate a mind-blowing wrap in a chair swing 

Falafel, pickled red onion, toasted sun­flower seeds, pick­les, and sesame sauce all wrapped in a fig dough tortilla which was cooked fresh in front of me. WHUT. The weird chairs suspended from the ceiling actually weren't that comfortable but we sat in them anyway.

Went to the Museum at FIT and was reminded that I am not universally against mannequins with heads

#BaldandFabulous

Also: YSL. Chicken Print. Realness.

Saw Kinky Boots on Broadway

There were multiple times when my brain was screaming I AM SO ENTERTAINED RIGHT NOW. Also, I was doubly entertained with the men who were sitting behind us who were very vocal about their enjoyment. When the main drag queen character would appear onstage in something fabulous they would audibly emote things like "YESSSS" and "SHUT. UP." 

Which we were all thinking anyway

So Much Fun Time with Friends

What I miss most about NYC is the people. Great classmates, great coworkers, great housemates, great mentors. Why you all gotta be so far away? Oh wait, I guess I was the one that moved...