Some things will never change! Flying can still be really fun and really uncomfortable, seeing new places will always take my breath away, big cities always make me feel completely free, and nature always makes me feel more peaceful.
I got all of that over the past few days.
NYC is beautiful! DC reminded me of some European cities I have been to, but NYC is definitely all American.
Seeing the White House, and the monuments around DC was certainly a positive experience for me, but nothing like what I felt as I stood on the Brooklyn Bridge. I have wanted to see the Brooklyn Bridge since I was a kid, and obsessively reading anything I could find about it. The funny thing is that I couldn’t get a decent picture of it, but there’s no shortage of gorgeous photographs taken by photographers infinitely more talented than myself, so you aren’t really missing much.
I started in DC, and I am glad I went. Seeing the White House was a treat, even though the fence was very far from the building, and the monuments were beautiful. The Washington Monument was once the tallest structure in the world, and is still the tallest obelisk. It is very impressive, and beautiful.
That’s the Lincoln Memorial there. And lovely clouds reflected in the water.
I had to stop at Immigrant Food, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a great spot for lunch, and they can make any of their dishes vegetarian, which was good news for me.
It was just a 3 1/2 hour drive to NYC from where we were staying in Maryland, and I have to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed driving there (even though the rental car company gave me an SUV instead of the small car we had reserved). It’s so much more relaxing and less aggressive than what I am used to in the Bay Area. It was really enjoyable, not to mention all the gorgeous nature everywhere.
As long as I live, I will probably never forget the feeling of seeing New York City come into view as I drove into the city. It was overcast and rainy, but the quality of light created by the clouds overhead was beautiful, and I had a moment of complete awe. It took me so long, but here I am!
The apartment I booked in Brooklyn was adorable, and the view from the kitchen window was very NY.
I met a gorgeous lady named Giselle, owner of Known To Man on Graham Ave in Brooklyn. Her vintage shop is very similar to what I want to do in the Bay Area when VGV becomes a brick and mortar establishment. She gave me her number and offered up some great advice. I love when these lovely people pop into my life unexpectedly.
I was lucky enough to find free, unlimited parking right in front of the apartment, so of course I had no plans to move the car for the rest of my stay. Thankfully, NYC had a pretty good public transportation system, so getting around was pretty easy.
There were only a couple of delays, and for the most part the train was clean and comfortable. No complaints from me.
Around New York:
Breakfast at Sunday in Brooklyn was so good. Those pancakes are to die for, and the Bloody Mary was pretty good, too. I had the Shakshuka, which I sometimes make at home. The eggs were perfectly poached, and the spice was just right. I highly recommend this place if you find yourself in Brooklyn. It can be a but spendy, we paid around $140 for 3 people. But totally worth it.
The perfect end to the trip was to spend some time here:
This is the back yard of my sisters new house in Maryland. It’s perfect, and I am beyond thrilled for her, even if it means I won’t get to spend as much time with her, drinking Turkish coffee and talking about everything like we always do. There’s always FaceTime!
All in all, I am satisfied, tired and happily reminded of how much I love traveling.
Thankful that it’s Friday, tomorrow I will sleep in and wake up to a delicious cup of coffee.
Love,
Maca
