NYC

Summer vacation in New York sizzled with the energy of the city in all its sights, sounds, and smells as we battled a heat wave in mid-July. The last time we were here was over Christmas break several years ago when we replaced presents with a trip. There is so much to do in the five boroughs that each time we visit could be a completely different trip!

As returnees to the Big Apple, we didn’t feel the pressure to check off a list of tourist hotspots and spent a little more time experiencing the art, food, and culture of different neighborhoods that we hadn’t been to before. We also planned our activities around our foodie picks so that we could make the most of where we were throughout the day. The journey began with the first flight out of O’Hare after a delightful dinner date at Virtue in downtown Chicago where we savored a feast of chicken, rice, catfish, beans, and a mean mac n’ cheese before boarding a plane in the wee early-bird hours.

When the wheels hit LaGuardia, we were off in a flurry of excitement to get to Manhattan with a full day ahead of us! Our first obstacle came when the Metra machines were out of service and a lovely lady in the distinctive LGA red customer service jacket graciously guided us to photograph the machine and show the bus driver who let us ride to our next station for free where we could buy our subway tickets.

With our backpacks in tow, we trekked our way through Harlem to see the famous Holocombe Rucker Park where basketball greats like Julius Erving, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and streetball legends Pee Wee Kirkland and Earl Manigault used to play in tournaments. On a late Sunday morning in Rucker Park, we joined the locals in watching a kids’ summer league play the game!

While we packed light enough for us each to carry only a backpack, the weight of our bags in the heat was getting to us. So after lunch at Field Trip Harlem, we switched gears and headed downtown to drop off our bags at the hotel so we could make it to the pop-up Brooklyn Flea before it closed for the day. Located in Dumbo, humbly known as the “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass” the Brooklyn Flea market was a surprising burst of creativity with vintage odd’s and end’s from local artisans and designers. The dramatic architecture on cobblestone streets was enough for us just to browse through old books and knick knacks along the river.

Hey! I’m walkin’ here! Over the next three days we navigated the city in the extreme temperatures of 90-100°F degree weather. Walking over 10 miles a day, we had to balance our outdoor plans with opportunities to cool down in museums, libraries, restaurants, boat rides, and taking public transportation whenever possible to minimize the time on our feet in the thick of the heat. Finding water, restrooms, and shade was an endless cycle of life! While the subway trains and busses were air-conditioned, the maze of tunnels and stairs leading to those destinations felt like a sauna that wrapped around our skin in a thick blanket. New York was much different this time of year from our Christmas vacation years ago! When in a bind, we’d look for a coffee shop or library to pass the time. Thank goodness for libraries where books, electrical outlets, drinking fountains, and restrooms are free and open to the public!

And yet, we carried on making the most of our time knowing full well that it is hot everywhere and we would not let our uncomfortable circumstances put a dampener on the trip! Here are some of the highlights from our walking mileage that we managed to sneak in after seeking respite from the heat. So much to do in so little time!

Central Park– A vast open space in the middle of Manhattan that gives runners a place to breathe! We walked the perimeter of a section we hadn’t been to on our last visit before carrying on to the next adventure.

Japan Town: Nothing crazy, just a neighborhood of unique shops, groceries, and restaurants that is definitely worth the visit!

Strand Bookstore: Established in 1927, Strand famously advertises 18 miles of books as far as the eye can see! Huge shout-out to their #1 employee, Ben McFall (see photo below).