Buying a one-way ticket, no return guaranteed.
How do I try to capture the feelings and emotions that I feel right now? I'd say it's a bit of:
With a hint of:
Wrapped in this:
How do I move on from a place that I spent all of my adult years at? It's tough: this place was really the only place I ever knew as an adult. But, if I learned anything from living here, it's that you need to keep moving.
Don't stop.
Look for the next thing, don't settle, push through. Run after it, keep pace, or you'll be left behind.
New York, I thank you for everything you taught me. You threw me into the lowest of lows, but brought me to the highest of the high's. You taught me to be humble; taught me to be tough.
You taught me that you can have hundreds of friends but still feel like the loneliest person in the city. People let you down. I found out that it's important to spend your energy on the people that matter most. Don't waste your time and energy on those who you know won't support you the minute things go sour.
What came out of it? A profound appreciation to the people here I truly connected with and valued. It's hard to find good people as you get older. Hence, why I strove to see them as much as I could before I jetted west.
You taught me to embrace the new, don't just fall into what's comfortable. To stop being a Manhattanite or Brooklynite. Venture out, explore. I found the best fried chicken and barbecue was in Williamsburg, the best pizza in Bushwick, the most ridiculous ice cream in Prospect Heights.
Head north to Queens and you'll find the most amazing Thai food and Hot Pot. Japanese restaurants are prevalent, but want to find something awesome? Head to any of the spots owned by the TIC Group around Mahattan. Or Fukurou for izakaya stuff. Hakata Ton Ton or Takashi in West Village are great too.
If you're in for pickles head to the Upper West. Bagels in the upper east. Ever had tacos at the Rockaways? You should, even the tofu ones.
Bars come a plenty, but what about having a gin & tonic straight from the tap? Or at the Brewery across the river? Or from the crazy whiskey selection at Noorman's Kil? Drank out of a boot yet?
Ever been up north and rode the train along the Hudson? Or rented a car to check out Storm King? Or how about headed out east to get away from the city? Hamptons? Fire Island?
Have you run a race yet? The Corporate Challenge? What about done a sprint triathlon? Have you biked up the West Side Highway all the way from Battery Park to the Upper West Side? Had a barbecue with a friend on the roof in Brooklyn overlooking the Manhattan skyline?
These experiences should be the new normal. Going to Smorgasburg on a Saturday doesn't constitute to a "trek" to Brooklyn. I made sure I did that the last 36 months here, and I'm so glad I did. Because as a result of it I was able to take in such unique experiences I otherwise would have missed.
New York, over these eight years you taught me a lot about who I am, and my flaws. The good and bad. The toughest of times here brought the most insightful and introspective moments. There was magic in those moments. I come out of it better, much better, than I was entering.
So as I hop on this plane back to where I grew up, I can't help but always remember this place. Yes I was raised in California, but I grew into who I was in New York.
With that, I leave 12 pictures that best tell the story of my time here. No captions, just memories. Thank you, New York. Thank you friends. I leave New York with excitement with what lies ahead, but longing for a place that is undeniably the best city in the whole world. Yes, I said it.
New York, I'm going to miss your swagger, as vulgar and grotesque as it is sometimes.
Till next time,
K
