Destination - NYC

We are here! And we LOOOOOVE it here. So good to be back! It's been long 7 years, and - oh-so-good-to-be-back! Kids are absolutely in love with the city, and so are we. This feels like being home : the life-style, the looks, people... Ah...

There are a few new angles that I saw , now that I am here with the FAMILY , not by myself.

First - people. Wow, they are nice. I NEVER have anyone help me with the stroller , or open the door for me in Utah, even though I AM the only one who walks to everything there. You'd think that people would help out more, since EVERYONE comments that they see me all over all the time. Yeah... They just comment as they slam the door behind them in my face ( well, into the stroller "face" actually). Here.... Oh, where to begin... Opening doors, helping to lift the stroller on the curb, helping to push if stuck, letting me go first on the small street, DOUBLE bagging the groceries... Those are just a few things. Wow, THANK YOU.

Second - people again. Nice again. Smiles, suggestions, comments, HELP. Wow and thank you again. Yesterday we got stuck in the rain ( I KNOW now where Utah weather got it craziness from :) ) - and , first, a very nice couple , that was hiding under this tiny canopy waved us in, even though there was barely space for 2, they moved so that "THE BABY would be out of the rain". Then , as the downpour was increasing, we decided to make it for a cramped McDonalds just a few steps across. Believe me , there was NOT enough space for ONE person there. BUT. As I was running, THE DOOR OPENED FROM THE INSIDE, and people were shouting - "come on in, come on in, get the baby inside! ". So , where the was not enough space for ONE, they made space for FIVE of us ( two sitting in a huge stroller). In Utah... Let's just say, I walked soaked more then ones, with cars signaling and hands waving "hello" to me. Get the difference?

Third - downtown apartment. I LOOOOOOOOOVE living in apartment. It is TINY, but we have everything we need, and the best thing : we are close to everything! I don't feel I need a big place here, since we are gone ALL day long, but having a place that is NEXT door to a supermarket ( TWO actually) , and health food stores are ALL OVER WITHIN 2 minutes. Which brings me to the next point : FOOD. I've never realized HOW MUCH EASIER it would be eating Healthy in NYC then in Utah, OR LA. Crazy, isn't it ? But true. It is so much easier and CHEAPER to eat in NY then anywhere else where we've been. Organic food is the same price in the health food stores, with minor differences. BUT! Where you pay a little more for a produce, you pay A LOT LESS for packaged raw foods. Like $2-3 difference in favor of NYC.

I LOOOOVE farmer's markets ALL OVER THE PLACE. I mean - ALL OVER. Two steps one way - there is a market, two steps the other - there is another. CHEAP. And FRESH. Wow. Blessing and blessing for ME. Oh, and did I mention NO WASTED PRODUCE? You buy what you need WHEN you need it! Awesome!

A couple of things that surprised me : I forgot what humidity feels like. The first two days we were constantly sticky. But now, as we adjusted , I LOOOOOVE it. My ( all our skin) is amazingly supple and soft. And another : THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO HERE! I LOOOOOOOVE that ! Kids are loving everything! In a couple of days that we were situating and discovering, they kept asking if we were going to stay here for longer :) You bet we will.

Well, all and all, we are IN LOOOOVE with NYC , people and LIFE itself. And... stay tuned!