Pick 10: Reasons I Love Visiting NYC.

sI’m posting two days later than I usually do each week, because I wanted to drop this article to align with my travels! It’s one of my favorite times of year, because I know I’ll get to enjoy one of my favorite US cities; New York City. Growing up, I was that kid watching Home Alone, Harriet the Spy, Cousin Skeeter, and Taina, looking forward to the day I would be able to roam the bustling streets of New York, that they always said never sleeps, on my own!

As a professional Tennis player, It’s been a blessing to have been afforded the luxury of traveling through my work. I’ve been around the world and back, yet and still, the place that I most look forward to playing in, is New York City. With the US Open right around the corner, I had to do the obvious, and celebrate the concrete jungle where dreams are made of.

For this pick 10, I want to share 10 reasons why I love love love New York City.

1.The vibe of the city. As an athlete who is always on the go, NYC doesn’t make me feel like I’m the only one constantly moving at a fast pace, chasing my dreams/goals. Every visit, I see eager people of all ages, in a hurry to get to where they need to go. Gritty, strong, and filled with personality. Even when I people watch and see others who look exhausted and worked to the bone, they still have this light beaming out of them. I know that specifically comes from the love they have for this city. I always feel like something amazing is around the corner when I'm in New York. It’s truly a unique feeling. There’s not one person I know who doesn’t speak to that aspect of what makes New York City so special, it’s the intangible part that you can always feel, but may never be able to explain completely.

2. The food options. I have a very strong statement to make; this is the only place in the world where I feel I transport with the food I eat. As a frequent traveler, I’ve been able to taste the best and most authentic cuisines from all over the world. New York, will make you feel like you’re in Italy, Cuba, China, Colombia, Jamaica, Haiti, Ghana, anywhere, with the right bite from the right restaurant. In a two-mile radius, you could feel like you’ve traveled the whole world. No other place offers that experience. What makes the food even better than how it tastes, is that you can pretty much get it at any time (pre-pandemic).

3. The convenience. This is the thing that makes NYC such an addictive destination, for me. I love that I can live 24/7. Whatever I’m looking for is right around the corner, whatever I need can be delivered to my doorstep, wherever I want to go is within train reach. The access to retail, food, entertainment, and fun is never far and few.

4. The spirit of the people. There are no prouder people than New Yorkers! I’ve met so many beautiful strangers and friends in New York City. As a visitor, it feels like there’s so much to learn from the people I end up interacting with. I naturally have a welcoming personality, but I also have this tendency to keep to myself. While in the city, I'm met with music blasting from cars, personal speakers, and restaurants/stores. I see smiling faces, mean mugs, frowns, and people who prefer to stay in their own head. I never go without encountering dancing on my trips. I hear laughing, yelling, and cussing; all of the sounds that let us know that life exists. It's these ever present and always on display elements of New York that make me more inclined to engage with strangers, more than I would when I’m roaming around and exploring other cities I travel to throughout my work-year.

5. The art & culture. This cannot be overstated! There are so many phenomenal theaters, museums, pop-up exhibits, live-music performances, cultural parades, murals, galleries, and many other spaces/places; all year-round! I love getting to experience Broadway shows, hearing live-music in the park, taking pictures in front of street art, and (like the food) getting to experience so many different cultures, from all corners of the world, in one place! There’re no shortage of talent or people willing to share it, in New York City.

6. The transportation. Although you’ll hear gripes from the people who use the subway as their main source of travel, ME, a visitor, loves that the train system is an option. I never feel stuck when I’m in New York. If Uber prices are too high (they’ve been out of their minds lately) or I can’t hail a cab, it feels good knowing, at every corner, is the option to get where I need to go. Also, the talent I come across in the subway, for me, makes up for the delays and crowding I only experience by choice.

7. The endless opportunities. It doesn’t matter the industry or career field you’re interested in; New York City will have something that aligns with your passions. I’m in no way implying that you can come to the city and get your dream job right off the bat, but there is so much room to blaze a trail right to the destination you desire. With the right amount of ambition, planning, and hustle New York City is really a dreamer’s playground.

8. Harlem. The Black Mecca. Harlem, to me, feels just like everything that we read, when we were learning about the Harlem Renaissance in history class. Although people from many other backgrounds and ethnic groups reside in Harlem, the Black experience, influence, tradition, and identity are ever-present. There’s still such a heavy remanence of the spirit of the people who were there many years before we existed, even with all of the pushing out and gentrification that’s taking place. The rich culture that makes Harlem sparkle, still shines through. There’s so much that is offered Uptown.

9. The fact that you don’t ever have to plan anything. You can literally go to New York City without an itinerary and still have a full day of activities present themselves to you. As someone who likes to plan, so that I’m able to maximize my time, I love that New York City takes that responsibility off of my plate!

10. The way I feel when it's time to leave. After a New York trip I always feel reenergized and re-centered. Leaving a place that forces me to be present, with or without my permission, has a way of grounding me. I'm humbled every time I leave. I'm reminded to appreciate all that's around me and all that I have access to. New York City is a sweet lesson on the duality of life. It owes me nothing!

Have you been to New York City? Do you feel some or all of the things I feel for the city? If you were born, raised, or live in New York City, are my feelings just a tourist/visitor takeaway? What’s your favorite food spots in NYC?

Check out the amazing photographers responsible for all of the images in this weeks post.*