It’s been 10 years since I last visited New York City. I thought I was done with it.
Boy, was I wrong.
After taking in its towering sites over spring break with family, I realized that New York City — especially the pulsating heart of Manhattan — is the best of America and probably even the best of humanity.
New York is proof of what’s possible when we all look to the sky, dream big and intermingle instead of sticking to segregated tribes that unnecessarily divide us. This makes it the de facto capital of the world. With over 800 spoken languages, it’s the most melting pot city in the most melting pot country on Earth. It’s no coincidence that both are the richest on Earth, financially and culturally.
When my family stepped foot on top of the soaring Edge observatory at Hudson Yards, which many agree is better than either the Empire State or Rockefeller Center, I was in awe of just how big and sprawling the city is. They don’t call it the Big Apple for nuthin’!
Despite its bigness, New York is easier to navigate than I remember, thanks to its grid system, one of the largest subways in the world and a pedestrian culture that walks three times more than the average American. By the second day, my family had a pep in our step strutting alongside locals. “I’m goin’ places!” I joked with my kids. We all are!
New York has also visibly changed over the last decade. Most importantly, it’s cleaned up. Significantly more than when I last visited, something many others have echoed as the city tries to shed its grimy past. Your shoes will still get dirtier here than most cities. But it’s a refreshing and welcome change. So is all of the new construction, new buildings and new green spaces like The High Line and Little Island. In that way, New York is still “new,” still reinventing itself.
It’s also more brilliant than anywhere else. Times Square, for example, feels ten times brighter (and taller!) than even Las Vegas at night. Because it literally is. It’s so bright, it can even be seen from space. Who wouldn’t want to see that Earth-bound “star” at least once in life?
Of course, this so-called apple is still delicious and anything but ordinary. The best food city on Earth. Heck, even “mediocre” New York food is above average by other American (and world) standards.
My family and I gained several pounds over the week. Our favorite foods included the grilled salmon and bean burritos via singing servers at Ellen’s Stardust Diner; the classic roast chicken, matzo ball soup and “city’s best” cheesecake from Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery; and the bougie brunch salads, yogurt parfait and citrus olive oil cake from Barking Dog Hell’s Kitchen.
We didn’t stop there. I lost count of the many fresh bagels and fanciful cream cheeses we devoured from fast-growing Bagel Boss (walnut raisin on raisin bagels and everything lox bagels were our favorites). We ate an ungodly amount of amazing radicchio salad, fresh pasta and an entire dessert platter from Tony’s di Napoli.
But the best meal we savored was the Michelin star rated but surprisingly affordable one from Wayan NYC. Their signature lobster noodles were a revelation and their dressed up escargot — something I previously despised — even made me a fan.
In between all that, we saw the Statue of Liberty up close on a City Cruises tour and never grew tired of spotting American flags everywhere. We watched the otherwise winningest team in baseball lose to the Athletics on a sunny, lively and revered afternoon at Yankee Stadium. And we had a lot of fun watching The Play That Goes Wrong on Broadway, not to mention people-watching in Bryant, Washington Square and Central parks.
Would I ever live in this electric, iconic and dense city? No. But New York is an absolutely high-flying and sky-scrapping place to visit. In fact, “I Heart NY” is more than just a slogan. It’s how I really feel and suspect many of you might if visited with a fresh perspective.
Blake Snow contributes to fancy publications and Fortune 500 companies as a bodacious writer-for-hire and seasoned travel journalist to all seven continents. He lives in Provo, Utah, with his wife, five children and one ferocious chihuahua.
