Top Ten {Tuesday}: 10 Ways New York City Stole My Heart

(for more Top Ten Tuesday posts, visit ohamanda.com)

I never thought I’d have the chance to explore New York City, so when I won the Mabel’s Labels BlogHer ’10 contest and knew I’d be heading to the Big Apple, I started wondering what to expect.  I thought I would be overwhelmed, thought I might feel scared or unsafe.  I thought I’d feel I didn’t belong – that I would be a fish out of water.  I was amazed to find that New York City is a very welcoming place, easy to get around, with a surprisingly safe feel.  I would come back here with my kids in a heartbeat.

And speaking of heart, here are the 10 Ways New York City Stole My Heart:

The sights. It seems like everywhere you look, there’s something worth seeing.  Here’s a peek of the Empire State Building from our cab.

The theatre. I was fortunate enough to see Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music during our trip.  It was fabulous!

The history. Looking at the  Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry, I couldn’t help but try to imagine what early emigrants thought seeing her for the first time.

The people. Honestly, everyone I met was so nice and had such enthusiasm for the city.  Here’s our darling Russian pedi-cab driver, who has only been in America for two months:

The food. Oh, the food!  So, so, so good!

The NYPD. They’re on the street corners, subway platforms, just about everywhere you look.  Here they are getting ready to supervise a Dominican Day parade that went by our hotel:

The cabs. Stepping into an New York City taxi is like stepping into another world.  You just put on your seat belt and let go of any desire to navigate or any fear of hitting something/someone else.  It’s quite a ride!

The subway. They are really, really, really easy to use!  And the platforms are really, really, really hot in the summer!  Yikes.

The parks. I love the pockets of serenity alongside the busy-ness of the city.  Here’s a glimpse of Bryant Park:

The energy. One day we realized it was 1pm and we hadn’t even started our adventures for the day.  Then it hit us:  time has no meaning in New York City!  You can walk outside any time – day or night – and tap into an amazing energy that buzzes through the streets.  Times Square is a perfect example of that:

You might also enjoy these related posts from Tree, Root, and Twig:

1. The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau
2. Top Ten {Tuesday}: 10 Reasons Why YOU ARE AWESOME
3. Mother’s Cookies Expands Market to Kansas City and the Midwest

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