New York, New York

 

I live and raise kids in a big city. And much of my work in my job involves big cities. So what’s a guy to do to unwind from all that? Why, go to the biggest city of them all, at least here in the US, which is what I did twice in the past several weeks.

I suppose it’s ironic that what counts for fun and relaxation is to do more of what fills my crazy life. And equally ironic that what I like about tottering around in a big city is things like green space and water views. 

But maybe that’s not so strange: the combination of nature and urban can be pretty cool. Clearly this is my MO: I love cities, filled as they are with people and with things to do, but I can never be too far away from trees and flowers and being able to look out onto water.

I recently did two days off – one at the end of March and one at the end of April – where I skipped work and was free from kid responsibilities too. I chose to take both days in New York City.

Here’s my loose itinerary from my first trip:

1. Amtrak to New York Penn Station
2. Citi Bike to Roosevelt Tramway, tram onto Island, bike the roughly 4.5-mile loop around, tram back to Manhattan
3. Bike up John Finley Walk and over bridge into Randalls and Wards Islands, putter around there and then back into Harlem
4. Lunch at an amazing Jamaican place, then bike through Central Park and cut over to Hudson River Greenway
5. Hit Edge NYC, Museum of Sex, and Museum of Math, then race back to train station

And here’s my loose itinerary from my second trip:

1. Amtrak to New York Penn Station
2. Subway to Coney Island, walk the boardwalk, window shop the Russian stores on Brighton Beach Ave, breakfast at Clavel, subway to just north of Prospect Park
3. Pick up a Citi Bike near the northern entrance of Prospect Park and bike the roughly 3.5-mile loop through the park, detouring near the southern tip to visit my friend’s Caribbean marketplace on the corner of Flatbush and Caton
4. Bike to DeKalb Market to grab a bite, then bike across Manhattan Bridge into Manhattan, and down East River Greenway to South Street Seaport
5. Ferry to Governor’s Island, bike the roughly 2-mile loop around the island, ferry back to Manhattan
6. Up East River Greenway to Chinatown and then Russ & Daughters and then NYU
7. Bike, walk, and eat my way back to the train station

Baltimore and Washington are also cities I’ve enjoyed a free day in, where I can similarly get to and get around without a car and access green and blue in the process. All three I can easily get to and back in a day, without missing Asher’s bedtime or waking up insanely early. Another perk of being in Philly. For all the craziness in my life, these in-the-city me-days are an essential form of self-care, and I can’t wait to plan and execute the next one.