La Manzana Grande

I have been in New York city for six days now and I am never going back to Worcester.

Since Friday night I have been to four out of five boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx and Brooklyn. I've seen one good high school friend, two good college ones and a spunky cousin who's an M.D. I've had brunches in quaint cafes, lunches in all-vegetarian and funky fusion Asian restaurants and legendary NY street food for pre-show dinners-on-the-run. I've enjoyed free housing in a fabulous 10th story Manhattan penthouse (with a breathtaking skyline view) and a gorgeously rennovated apartment in Queens. The best part? The arts. I've seen three Woody Allen films, three outstanding documentaries, a cutting edge modern dance performance, an off-Broadway musical (Evil Dead: The Musical!) and a Defjam talent-search R&B/Hip-Hop showcase in the Bronx---all either for free or at seriously discounted "friend of an employee" prices.

No packaged tour could beat the fun and richness of experience I've had in the past week. Though I'm afraid that I lack the tolerance, fashion sense and overall "hard edge" to live in this city (I totally gave my midwestern myself away in the subway the other day when I stopped to help some German tourists figure out a revolving door while others violently pushed past them), I am tempted to step up the job search in this town. I can see why many young people willingly embrace short-term destitution and squalor just to live here for a few months...

Don't worry Mom, it was a joke. Sort of.

I heart NY,
TKP