New York, I love you...

But you're...well...I guess you can't be blamed for Hurricane Sandy. The storm blew right through my vacation, and instead of focusing on the bad, I will highlight the good things about my first New York trip.

1. FOOD! There were so many foody items on my wishlist that were checked off: Shake Shack, Levain bakery, four different pizza places, Halal cart, Gray's Papaya, Pies and Thighs fried chicken and fried apple pie.

2. Purl Soho. Though the store is modest in size, I spent about an hour there and was seriously considering taking up residence if not for the threats from my traveling companions.

3. The pace. It was weird at first to be in a place so fluid, movement and noise constantly around. The thrill of what might be around the corner. The anticipation was exciting. Also, I walk faster than the average person and I actually felt normal traipsing through the streets at my usual pace.

4. Buskers. In SF, panhandlers entertain you with silly songs about a person's attire/facial hair or by being covered head to toe in silver or gold. The ones in New York play Chopin and distribute their own cds. In Washington Square Park, a man played the Ghostbusters theme on his sax.

5. Being a tourist. I'll admit, it was exciting to go to the places I've only seen in movies/television or read about in books. This is the home to so many fictional and real life people I've never actually met that I felt a bit of the love they have for this place as I walked through it.

Walking through the various neighborhoods, there's a kind of diorama feel as you peek into other people's adventures. Not just on the street, one night we passed by Lincoln Center and saw into one of the dance studios where a whole group of people were freestyling. It felt simultaneously public and special.

ETA: I erroneously stated that the busker was playing the violin. It was clearly the sax.