This is New York

"A poem compresses much in a small space and adds music, thus heightening its meaning. The city is like poetry; it compresses all life, all races and breeds, into a small island and adds music and the accompaniment of internal engines.  The island of Manhattan is without any doubt the greatest human concentration on earth, the poem whose magic is comprehensible to millions of permanent residents but whose full meaning will always remain elusive."

-E.B. White, Here Is New York

I haven't written much about my love affair with New York these last couple of weeks, in part because of spotty internet service, but mostly because I've wanted to keep it all to myself.  Mine all mine.

New York has made me feel a little selfish about my relationship with it, although ironically, it has been generously giving me more than I'd dreamed of.  As White puts it in his compact ode to New York, "On any person who desires such queer prizes, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy . . ."

"New York blends the gift of privacy with the excitement of participation; and better than most dense communities it succeeds in insulating the individual (if he wants it, and almost everybody wants or needs it) against all enormous and violent and wonderful events that are taking place every minute."

We are on the third and final swap in our series of home-exchanges here in Manhattan.  Each of our temporary abodes has had its charms and challenges, but this last one has completely intensified my love affair with New York.  It's a beautiful pre-war, doorman building.  In it, I feel like I'm living a page of New York history.

I can picture the couples, or probably singles, that have graced this elegant studio over its many decades, with its rich, dark hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, and iron French-paned windows overloking the southern skyline of this exciting island.  I contemplate their lives here, and admire the elegance of their dress as I glimpse at sepia-toned photos of those past eras.  I feel connected to their world here, here in this apartment.

This month has just made me long for more.  I can't get enough of this beautiful, loud, smelly, stately, elegant, crowded, exciting city, that awakens all my senses and makes me feel more alive than I ever do back at home.  But I'm grateful to have been able to call it home for this month and can't wait for next time.

Comments

[morrison]

Sounds like you want to move, eh?

As a native New Yorker, I can understand your enthusiasm but trust me, after a few decades, you need to get out. Of here. Permanently.

I always solved this ambiguity by owning 2 homes. One in the city. The other either in the mountains or the beach. You can not spend ALL your time in this city. You'd go insane.

Just my 2 cent token.

[Retired Syd]

Well that's the great thing about retirement--I get to go immerse myself in a city for a chunk of time without worrying about getting back to work after a week or so.

At this point in my life, I'm just happy to go traipsing around to the different wonderful cities of the world and staying in each for awhile. Not sure which city will be next, but I'll plan on a good long stay just like this trip so I can really appreciate the texture of life there.

[Art]

what a great read..:)

[Laura @ mtp]

Lovely post Syd, your last paragraph puts into words exactly how I feel about NY.

We plan on a month in NY in the not too distant future, it's my dream :-)

[New York hotel]

i cant agree with you mire Morisson. as a former new yorker , the hardest thing in the world is to stay here more than 30 years. now i live in DC ' my boys stayed in NY ' when i want to visit them i book a flight through lastminute travel. good prices.

[Linda Fox]

A friend and I had always talked about "living" in NYC when we retired. She is in Florida, I'm in upstate NY. We both just recently retired and are just home from our NYC two week rental. Of course, we can't afford to really live there but our VRBO apartment in the East Village made us feel at home in one of our favorite cities. We prepared a spreadsheet before we went of all the things we wanted to see and do. We had done the touristy stuff earlier so this list included things like "walk the Highline", see the new 9/11 Memorial at night etc.We did plenty of activities but we also, from time to time, just sat in our apartment with our coffee and watch the people go by. I "heart" NY!

[Retired Syd]

Linda--that sounds like my kind of visit to NYC!