I heart New York.

I went to New York City this weekend for the first time in my life. What a great adventure! We (Sam, her sister Al, and I) did all the touristy stuff and I immediately fell in love. New York way cooler than DC--older and newer at the same time, brighter and more exciting, and taller, much taller. Maybe I'm just forgetting that DC can be exciting, too, but not in the same way. New York was impressive.

The beginning and end of my Saturday in New York were my favorites--the Empire State Building and Times Square. The height and the neon brightness respectively made me feel so ALIVE. At the Empire State Building, I could see for miles and I was shocked at all the people I was seeing--the huge buildings that represented people and the cars that drove them and the figures that were them. At Times Square, I felt like the lights and the energy of the world were reaching out to grab me up and pull me close for an amazing ride.

I visited the Statue of Liberty and laughed at the funny pictures we took (with her crown on our heads, me grabbing the torch, Sam grabbing her head) and went to ground zero and cried. I saw Monet, Klimt, Warhol, Klein, Pollack and more at the Museum of Modern Art, we took a carriage ride through Central Park, and wandered through Soho, Union Square, and the Village. I ate lots of good food and saw lots of strange people (a 6 foot Jew who will freestyle rap for you! according to the sign he was carrying). (Sorry, Abby! no Chris Martin! But, possibly, way cooler dancing people in Union Square...)

I was sad to go and I'm still readjusting to the relative quiet in the streets of Arlington. But, my dear, dear New York, I will be back. You can count on that.