A Whole New World
- Samantha Hoback
- Sep 11, 2016
- 3 min read
Living in New York City fifteen years after that fateful day that rocked not only Manhattan but the entire country gives me a brand new perspective on how far we've come in less than two decades. Today we celebrate our unity and our strength and our city. We will never forget, we will only look forward and be proud to be Americans.
This week has felt like a love story for New York. I've checked things off my bucket list and done things I've never done and couldn't do in any other place. Where else but New York can you eat thin-crust Margherita pizza in a historic church turned renowned pizzeria steps away from Times Square? I was so happy to spend some time with my dear friend Terri over wine and pizza. Three hours and lots of laughs was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday evening.
On Thursday after work I met up with my friend Lindsay for happy hour at a wine bar in the Upper East Side that I've had my eye on for a while. It's called Vella and it's only a few blocks from my apartment. The wine was good, the cheese plate was even better, and I couldn't ask for better company. (We also made friends with the bartender, Stefan, from Prague. He's been in the city only two months and refilled our glasses a third time for free. Such a sweetheart...and easy on the eyes. Something tells me we'll be back.)
Yesterday (Saturday) I woke up early--the same time I wake up during the week--but for a very good reason. I had an appointment for an aromatherapy massage at the Equinox Printing House in the West Village, followed by a day pool-side at the rooftop pool. Gaining entry to a rooftop pool in the city is not easy. But after some research I discovered that you can use the rooftop pool at Printing House if you purchase any spa service. So I picked the cheapest one (yes, an aromatherapy massage was the cheapest service on the menu!) and brought along my bathing suit. I was not disappointed. The views from the tenth-story roof-top pool were well worth the hour trip from my neighborhood to the lower west side of the city. And while the massage wasn't the best I've ever had (though the aromatherapy portion was to die for), it was the perfect way to start a Saturday. I stayed in the shade for the majority of the four hours I was there, dipping into the pool (which was freezing) a couple of times just because. And had I not been starving for more than the granola bar I had with me, I would have stayed longer. It's not something I can do frequently, or even infrequently. But I plan on making a spa-and-pool day at Printing House a summer tradition. Until next year...
(I wasn't able to watch the Battle at Bristol football game on TV since I don't have ABC, but I proudly wore my Tennessee shirt and watched live updates online. Great game, boys. Go Vols! #GBO #RockyTop)
It's impossible to top Saturday's activities, but Sunday came in a close second. After church, I headed to the gym for a much-needed workout. Of course, the one open machine didn't have a working TV, so I couldn't watch Food Network or football during cardio (and I hadn't brought a book thinking I'd be watching TV) but five minutes in and I was so in the zone I didn't miss the TV. After the gym, I headed to 3rd Avenue, which had been taken over for the day by a miles-long street fair. Hundreds of venues as far as the eye could see up and down 3rd Avenue, including a stage near 75th Street with live performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, and other entertainment groups. I missed the Broadway acts (unfortunately), but I loved walking through the streets, checking out the food and craft vendors, listening to live music, and perusing the end-of-summer clearance bins.
For a late lunch I went to the newly opened sweetgreen on 1st Avenue. If you've never heard of sweetgreen, google it. Immediately. Even at 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon, the line was long. Not that it stopped me. As soon as I zoomed in on the Fall salad menu, I was hooked. I chose the Roast Chicken Brussels Sprout salad with Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry Dressing. Like pre-Thanksgiving in a bowl. (And we all know how much I love Thanksgiving.) Every ingredient is fresh, local, and seasonal. A little pricey, but a place I will visit often for a healthy, flavorful weekend lunch.
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