Hello, friend.

What pleasure it brings me to return to the chair. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed you. I took a year off – to focus on my life and work here in New York. Things have changed. Allow me a moment to debrief.

I am still blessed to call the tiny island of Manhattan home. But I’ve since moved downtown. As much as I miss life uptown, I’ve adapted well to the culture south of Central Park. My apartment is bigger, I’ve now upgraded to having an elevator (I do not miss you, fifth floor walkups!), and everything I need is a 5-10 minute walk from my doorstep. Though, I still make frequent appearances to the Upper West Side. After all, she is my first love.

I now run a private medical practice! It’s been a whirlwind experience, one I am profoundly grateful for. Thus, I have been a bit of a busier bee. But you know me – I am nothing if not dedicated. Now that the dust of all this lovely chaos has finally begun to settle, I am able to have time to give to you, dear reader.

Here we are in the bursting month of June. Mother Nature is in bloom, her radiance shining from each petal and hilltop. Summer’s reign has just begun, and I honestly welcome her. Quite a rare occasion indeed. Winter was long and it was blue. I am ready for sunshine, warmth, sundresses, crystal shores, and wine spritzers.

Aren’t you?

Over the past two years, I’ve built a newfound appreciation for summer. Unlike her sister, Spring, Summer brings with her a blaring presence. She’s intense and she’s unabashed. She’s the friend that blusters into your home, unsolicited, margaritas in hand. She demands your time, and she demands that it be worth hers.

Summer in New York City is a doozy of a motherfucker. It’s incredibly hot and humid, for starters. While it can be fun to admire all the towering skyscrapers, these concrete mammoths are what trap summer heat – thus turning the city into a sticky, stinky, sweaty jungle. In summer, New York City really does live up to her nickname as The American Melting Pot (emphasis on melting). The rubbish bags are like beach bums, basking in the streets. Their distinctly unpleasant odor follows you down the avenues until you’re left wondering: Am I running to work or running away from that awful smell? I have many friends who fantasize about visiting the city in the summer. I am always the first to steer them away from the notion. Not that summer here isn’t dreamy – we’ll get to that in a second. But most of these sweet tourists of mine come from a land where they can drive hours in ungodly heat with their A/C units on blast. Technology sometimes fools us into thinking we are immune to summer heat. This is not so in New York City. What my out-of-town friends don’t realize is that when they visit the city, they will be subjected to walking. In the heat. And by walking, I mean averaging about 30k-50k steps a day (at the very least). Sound dreamy?

No?

Shocking.

Now that I’ve addressed the not-so pleasant aspects of summer in New York, let’s focus on what makes her sparkle. Like Lazarus, the city comes back to life. Restaurants and cafes woo their patrons with outdoor dining, residents venture out of their apartments like bears weary of winter’s slumber, the streets buzz with chatter and movement. The parks glow, with their colors chromatic and their fountains aflow.

Life here feels cinematic in the summer. While the rich and privileged jet off to Fire Island/the Hamptons for the season, young people run amuck. NYU students fill the bars with their post-semester groaning and pre-vacation cheers, 20-something women can be observed sporting either an Aperol Spritz or an iced matcha (or both, because efficiency is key!). And while the finance bros have ditched the Patagonia vests, they can be observed sauntering to and from the office in their dress pants and button downs (my boyfriend included). My heart always goes out to those poor fellas, they must regret their work attire when faced with the summer sun. Hubbubs like Washington Square Park, Central Park, Times Square, the West Side Highway (and the entirety of the East and West Villages) are ablaze with excitement, opportunity, and tourism.

In summertime, the unique qualities of each neighborhood are put on full display. The inherent romance that paints the West Village is magnified, the Upper East Side sings a serenade of lush and leisure, the sights and scenes of DUMBO shimmer, the green spaces of Park Slope brim with picnicking families, etc. There is much to relish in each neighborhood – what with their own parades, bazaars, and celebrations.

I am thankful to be spending another summer in the city. Unlike last year however, I will be wise by getting out of the city for a bit. New Yorkers know good and well that the best way to appreciate our home is to be away from it. But not for too long. We know better. And frankly, we pay too much damn money to live here.*

So, cheers to summer! Cheers to New York! And cheers (and a mild flip of the bird) to summer in New York! I love and I loathe you.

For now, this author bids you adieu.

But I’ll be back very soon.

M’wah!

*As the saying goes, “We pay for access, not space”.