Wandering and Wondering in NYC

Just another week of playing “house as a squatter” in our New York apartment. Our personal travel went extremely well, we are past our two weeks of self-quarantine…we are healthy, we are happy, we are well.

Our personal belongings are still on their way from California. They were scheduled to be here “at the latest” on Monday, two and a half weeks after they packed it and shipped it. But alas…it’s Wednesday, and we still don’t have a definitive date.

Our furniture has all been delayed due to the pandemic. So, even though we ordered it all June 1st, most of it has still not arrived.

Two mattresses on the floor…40 plastic plates…three wooden spoons…three skillets…four plastic cups…two mugs…a kettle…10-days of clothing…a projector…three computers…four smartphones. Three and a half weeks and counting…We’ve got this.

The bratty cats are still doing well (#BrattyCatsNYC – Social handle coming soon- they’ll be more famous than all of us, just wait). They lounge around the various windowsills, mattresses and closet shelving. They love playing with the laser light on the bamboo floors, and they are enjoying being able to be in the kitchen for the first time in their lives.

Should I Visit New York This Year?

New York is still doing well as the number of COVID cases are sky-rocketing elsewhere around the country. New Yorkers are cautious, mask-wearing, and staying outdoors and in their own apartments.

Many of you have asked me about theater, events, museums, sight seeing, etc. Nope…Nope…Nope.

Broadway has announced that it will be closed until January 3, 2021. Museums such as MoMA, The Met, and The Guggenheim are all closed until further notice. The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, The Empire State Building, and One World Observatory are all closed as well.

Theaters, concerts, expos, and festivals have all been cancelled. Many public beaches also remain closed.

So, what CAN you do in New York this summer?

As a tourist? Not much. If you have a trip planned, I would try to postpone it. New York is requesting 14-day quarantines for travelers from sixteen states. Further, as mentioned, activities are extremely limited.

However, New York is typically eager to take care of their own. To make the pandemic a little more bearable, New York started a cocktails to-go initiative, allowing patrons to legally social-distance imbibe on the streets.

Further, the subways are open once again. However, they shut down every evening between 1 a.m. – 5 a.m. for thorough cleaning.

The ferry service (which we tried for the first time last weekend) is amazing! You can get from Midtown East to Wall Street in 18 minutes for $2.75 a person. It’s nice to enjoy some time on the East River – fun in the sun with awe-inspiring city views. The ferries also run to Queens and Brooklyn, including some beaches – like the Rockaways.

Many stores are open. Noah enjoyed having a stylist from Hugo Boss pair him with two new suits for when the world goes back to a semi-normal state. And, I’ve enjoyed plant shopping for our terrace. It seems that people CAN have tropical plants in New York! Who knew?

I’ve taken long strolls to find secret parks, restaurants that have created outdoor gardens, and stores off of the beaten path.

Noah and I went to the Ramble to escape it all on Saturday and got lost in the sea of plants and wildlife — without a soul in sight.

Central Park is quiet…eerily quiet…but, it’s open. And, it’s always a beautiful way to escape the concrete jungle.

Manhattanhenge

Lastly, this week was the last Manhattanhenge of 2020. It happens four times a year, twice for sunrise and twice for sunsets, where the sun is perfectly centered between the buildings for a glorious view of the city and the moment in time. The clouds put a little bit of a damper on our view of our first Manhattanhenge, but we still saw a pretty amazing sight!

This week was also the public launch of Music As Language 2.0! Please check it out – support it – and stay tuned for more. This work is literally my blood, sweat, and tears.

I’ve signed up for a business mentor in New York City who is showing me the ropes and introducing me to amazing people. And, I’ve written a guest blog post for Piano Addict that should be publishing today (Wednesday, July 15th) on building musical resumes during COVID-19.

It’s a crazy time – a busy time – a time for all of us to consider rebuilding who we are, what we do, what we want to do, and who we want to be. New York is certainly taking this time to pivot and consider its future goals. As am I.

What are you up to this summer? Traveling close to home? Staycationing? We’d love to hear about your plans for #SummerFriday and how you are staying healthy and well.

Until we meet again –

Cheers,

Noah and Majhon