20 Adventures from my 20s: #9

Nothing made me feel more successful, grown-up, independent and everything else similar, like moving to New York City. That was a wild experience. I remember arriving on a warm May night. I remember how surreal Morningside Heights felt. I remember taking the subway the next morning down to the Penn Station stop to go to Kmart to buy a coffee maker, a rice cooker, and some utensils. I remember how surreal it was, and trying to remind myself, I live here now. But I was also set up in a room on behalf of my employer, and was anxious for my own space. So nothing felt more grown up than

SIGNING A LEASE IN MANHATTAN

I probably detailed this experience on my blog at the time. Looking for a place was no joke. The apartments in New York are no joke. It my first time going about the process totally solo, and the first time I ever had my own place totally solo. Amazing! And to think I had my very own corner location in Manhattan, in the Upper West Side! A block from Central Park! Exposed brick painted white... I loved that little place.

A little more lived-in here

I also regretted it, but I think that's part of the entire process. Not just with getting your own place, but with getting your place in New York. Well, I didn't totally regret it, but the amount of money I was paying, and for what I was getting, well, it wasn't a surprise I couldn't renew the lease after a year.

But the whole lifestyle was marvelous. I loved walking the entry door, and walking those stairs, and walking to the 1 train at the 103 St Station, or sometimes walking along Central Park West. I loved the Chinese food place on the corner, I had my laundry place on the block. It didn't look like the movies, but living in New York City and coming home to my little place in Manhattan made me so happy!

Gosh I miss that place more than ever now, looking at the pictures ahhhhhh the nostalgia hurts!!! Apartment 4B for life!