A New York Minute: Back in My Old NYC

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Frank Sinatra, New York, New York

In April, I made a quick trip to New York, my old stomping grounds from 2012-2018, to visit a dear friend. She gets her own special post tomorrow.

Springtime in NYC is my favorite! The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, the farmer’s markets are open, and the snow and cold, gray weather are gone.

I lived in Brooklyn for all six years of my stay – this is unusual, people move around a lot in NYC. It was a great time in my life…and the neighborhood, Park Slope, where I lived, was magical. Not to mention, Andrew, my landlord, was a prince – the exact opposite of the slumlords everyone speaks of – and made living in NYC easy.

Even though I was staying in Manhattan on this trip at a brand new hotel, Now Now NoHo, for solo travelers – think tiny private room, twin bed, and shared bathrooms – I visited my old block. 7th Avenue and St. John’s Place. Two blocks from Prospect Park, where I would take my morning walks.

I had a tiny studio apartment with at least 14-foot ceilings and big windows facing the backyard in the beautiful brownstone pictured below. Ahhh, this place was so adorable – it was like a movie set – and the neighbors were wonderful. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it and happily lived there for five and a half of the six years I lived in NYC before becoming a nomad. Oh, the memories that were made here. ❤️

Speaking of movie sets. Our street was picturesque, and several movies and TV shows were filmed on it…which made parking the car annoying. Yes, my boyfriend at the time owned a car – people are always fascinated by that fact, but it was perfect for weekend getaways which counterbalancd the annoyance during the week when we had to move it for the production companies and street sweepers.

One morning, I walked out the front door and heard a man yell, “Cut! Get her out of here.” I looked around and all the cars parked on the street were from the 1960s-70s eras, as well as the clothing on all the pedestrians who froze in place on the sidewalk when he yelled. It was a weird moment. I had forgotten that they had notified us that they would be filming the TV show The Americans that morning, and I had just interrupted their scene. Oooops! A police officer escorted me to the end of the block, I assume to make sure I wouldn’t bum-rush the actors or steal food from the craft services tent.

Our block was well known for the churches on the corners. They are beautiful old buildings, and some have gorgeous gardens.

Another reason I loved my neighborhood so much was because of the woman in the photos below. Michell was the mail carrier on my block, and she is hands down the most delightful, caring person you’ll ever meet. While I was in town, we met up for pizza, wine, and to discuss the old neighborhood days. I haven’t seen her since 2019 (although we still text and connect on social media), and she still remembers everything about me – she has a memory like a steel trap. She asked about my family (by name) and my former boyfriend (by name). She asked about the places I’ve traveled, and we even called my former landlord, Andrew, to catch up with him, which made his day, he said. We laughed about how we tracked her steps one time because I figured she walked at least 100,000 a day, up and down the stairs of all the brownstones. Being in her presence brings a sense of peace, joy, and laughter. I always loved seeing her on the block…and she was ALWAYS the same, no matter the weather – smiling with a positive attitude. She is retired now, but she walked the streets in my neighborhood delivering the mail (rain, shine, or snow) for 34 years, and she knows everyone’s name and their story…and even their pets! She was a gift to all of us in Park Slope, and I am so honored to call her my friend. Photos: Now and Then.

I was only in NYC for four days but I was able to catch up with a few friends for lunches, to walk The High Line, shop in one of my favorite stores (with questionable or inappropriate signage to some people), Fishs Eddy, for some snarky gifts…and I even made it to Jersey to meet my former boss from Barclays Center for dinner. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see everyone I would have liked to, but I guess that just means I need to go back sooner rather than later.

Fishs Eddy: I own the Good Morning A**hole cup. I don’t know why, but it’s my favorite mug. 😉

I made a quick stop in St. Patrick’s Cathedral just before they closed to light a candle (after my sin of purchasing mildly offensive gifts), and to my surprise, they had a lovely tribute on the altar for Pope Francis, who had died the week before my visit.

The other big highlight of this trip besides visiting my friend who you will learn about in the next post, was scoring a ticket to see my celebrity husband, George Clooney (I’ve loved him since he was on The Facts of Life and sported a mullet – Google it) at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway in Good Night, and Good Luck. I showed up at the box office when it opened on the only day I would be able to attend – it was a risky move. There was already a line when I arrived. When it was my turn to speak to the woman at the box office behind the glass, she told me they were out of rush seats but still had a few standing room only tickets (SROs) in the back. I told her that I didn’t care if I had to hang upside down from a chandelier, I just wanted to be in the building. She laughed, handed me my ticket, and said, “Enjoy the show.” And I did. I enjoyed every last minute of it until he and the cast walked off stage after their bows.

The answer is “No” to your next question. I did not wait around to meet George at the stage door with all the other crazed fans. I’ve learned firsthand never to meet your heroes. He will forever be an enigma to me – I prefer it that way.

Instead, I opted to stroll through Times Square (total maheim), then jog over to 6th Ave and stop for some street meat for dinner along the way to Bryant Park. I caught a glimpse of the Empire State Building lit up in all its glory on my walk before heading back to the hotel. Nothing beats a Nathan’s street vendor’s hot dog (mustard and saurkraut only – I’m not going to lie, the price for a hot dog has become outrageous $9 – but I did it for the nostalgia) and the hustle and bustle of the city after dark. It never gets old.

I would love to show you every little thing I did, like going to “The World’s Largest” Macy’s on 34th Street to see the flower show and the windows that were decorated for Easter and ride the wooden escalators, or eating an out-of-this-world lobster roll at Luke’s Lobster, or devouring lox on a sesame bagle with the perfect schmear of green onion cream cheese and capers from Russ & Daughters along with some NY famous black and white cookies to haul back to KC to snack on later but the blog doesn’t have much room left for all of those photos and it might even end up in Spam as it is now. So I’ll leave you with this…

People always ask me for recommendations since I lived there. I have a two-page Google document filled with recommendations which I’m happy to send to anyone who asks but below are ten things that I enjoyed while living there that aren’t always on the top of everyone’s list.

The Staten Island Ferry – great views of the city from the boat and a free (closer) view of the Statue of Liberty. And if you are overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city, this is a great way to get some space for an hour.
Happy hour or dinner on Stone Street in the financial district. It’s buzzing with people during that time. It is also fun on days when major International sports are being played. You can also swing by and see the Charging Bull statue near Wall Street and The Fearless Girl just a few blocks away.
NY Public Library tour and free exhibits. Plus, if you purchase a book in the gift shop, they will stamp it with the official library stamp with the lion. It’s a perfect souvenir.
Grab some gelato, a slice of pizza, or an espresso from Eataly and walk across the street and enjoy it in Madison Square Park. Don’t forget to snap a photo of the Flatiron Building on your way.
Walk the High Line (the old rail line above the city) and pop into Chelsea Market for some shopping and food.
Grand Central Terminal: take a photo of the constellations on the ceiling of the main hall, then grab lunch at the Oyster Bar, and lastly pick up a piece of unique subway art from the NY Transit museum gift shop. They sell art designed by local artists that hangs in the subway cars – buy it here. Super cool souvenir. I have a few.
Speaking of transportation. Head out to Brooklyn to the NYTransit Museum, which is underground in one of the old 1936 subway stations. They have cool vintage subway cars and buses that you can sit inside and climb all over. It’s great fun if you have kids.
Art: of course, everyone visits The Met, the MoMA, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney, but I enjoy the Neue Galerie New York that houses the famous painting that was stolen by the Nazis in 1941 and returned to the family (Maria Altmann) in 2006, The Woman In Gold. Watch the movie with the same title before you go.
Treat yourself to High (afternoon) Tea at The Palm Court inside The Plaza Hotel and then take a stroll in Central Park.
Grab a fancy drink (or a Shirley Temple if you don’t partake in alcoholic beverages) and hang out, people watch (better yet, strike up a conversation), and enjoy the incredible mural on the wall at the King Cole Bar, or listen to some live music and look at the funky sketch art at Café Carlyle.
And one for good luck. Grab some Gramaldi’s pizza and sit under the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoy the city view – at night – and then walk the bridge. You won’t be disappointed.

Whew, I’m out of breath. This trip literally went by in a New York minute, and I was extremely sad to see it end. New York City will always hold a special place in my heart. It gave me the confidence and courage to be myself and to go for my dream of traveling the world. Because if you can make it in here, you can make it anywhere.

Good Things List

Everything. All of it. Love it. 🍎

Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏

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My funky little hotel room in Now Now NoHo. It was less than a month old when I stayed, so everything was new and clean, but super small – if you’re claustrophobic, this place is not for you. 100 bucks a night. Bonkers.

They have nice goodies to use and keep.

Gotta include a restaurant/bar bathroom mirror selfie.

Dogs!

If you don’t see a rat drinking milk from a carton on the subway tracks, I’m sorry, but you didn’t see the real NYC.