THE New York TOURIST

New York City:

Traded the corn fields for a sea of skyscrapers. New York is special in its own unique, inspiring, and beautiful way. They call it “the city that never sleeps” and I firmly believe that to be true. People rushing to your left and right all with dreams of their own, places to be, and stories to tell. Even though I spent a whole day flying solo in the city completely winging what I was doing and where I was going (#classic), I felt safe. I felt at home. Pretty sure I had a smile plastered on my face the entire day as I dodged getting hit by taxis (they don’t stop lol), hailing cabs, and adventuring into coffee shops within the heart and soul of The Big Apple. Although NY has a hardcore rep of people not being very friendly, I wholeheartedly felt welcomed into this wild city. My cab driver told me about how his father and grandma died recently and the influence they had on his life. He looked like he was right around my age and told me his father passed away while he was in college so he dropped out to run his dad’s cab company business. In the front of his car he had a photo of his 94 year old grandma before she died. Another New Yorker looked at me and said “you’re really happy aren’t you”. Well, yes sir, I am! 

This trip was filled with adventures; visiting Top of the Rock and getting the breathtaking view of the city from a billion floors up, having dinner at a rooftop bar, taking recommendations from locals and finding a new fave coffee shop downtown, dancing the night away with friends, and spending a day of rest at the Jersey Shore. The best part of the trip was spending five beautiful days with one of my most dear friends & cousin, Erica. Er and I go all the way back to freshman year of college. We were both education majors and over the four years at Purdue had countless classes together, nights out at Brothers, and coffee dates with a gluten free treat for her. We created our own Snap Chat “channel” making goofy videos of us singing Taylor Swift and watched each other ‘grow up” during our college years. 

I don’t know where the Lord will take Nick, Chaco, and I. But, I would be over the moon if we ever ended up living in the concrete jungle.

Places to go:

-City of Saints Coffee Roasters

-For Five Coffee Roasters

-Mills Tavern (Hoboken, NJ)

-Top of the Rock