New York City

My friends are traveling to New York City today. Right about now, they are probably somewhere over the Midwest. I love NYC! Every time I visit, I think I leave a little part of myself there. So, in honor of my friends visiting, I decided to make a list of the things I love the most about the Big Apple.

Smells: I love the smell of the city! From the hot dog stands of a street vendor to exhaust from hundreds of taxis, there's just something about the way NYC smells.

Energy: People everywhere, bright lights, office buildings reaching up to the sky. The speed of subways, the excited cell phone conversations. Tourists, busienss executives, locals, theater goers...there's always something going on in the city. The energy gives new life to my soul!

History: From the Statue of Liberty to Ground Zero...NYC is full of history. I always have a heightened sense of patriotism, freedom, and pride when in the City.

Food: I'm salivating just thinking about the cheesecake, baklava, black and white cookies, paninis...I'm hungry.

Sights: There's nothing quite like the top of the Empire State Building at night. From this vantage point, you can see taxi tail lights lined up, city streets, the Statue of Liberty, New Jersey...just miles and miles of uninterrupted scenery. So peaceful, so serene.

I wish I were with my friends on this trip. But since I'm stuck in my office being a grown up, I guess I'll just have to be content with the memories.