i'd live in nolita | new york

Were I to move to New York, and had I the money, I've rent an apartment in Nolita. I'd have a fire escape slanting down the side of my building, just the way they do in Manhattan, with a ledge outside built just for me to sit and people-watch with a glass of wine and a good book. I'd take pictures far too often of the Little Italy sign and the adjoining streets with their string lights hanging, but I'd tire of the crowds and probably not eat or drink there. I'd get lost in Nolita's crisscrossed streets, avoiding the trash bags on one street and admiring the ivy growing up the brick buildings on another. I'd own too many kitchen gadgets I rarely use but buy for "just in case!" on Bowery Street on Saturday mornings. I'd befriend the bartenders at those tucked away bars that the tourists haven't found. I'd sip on sangria at open-air, 20-seat restaurants that I don't bother to look up on Yelp! I'd learn the best spots for hummus, if you're craving that, or for Prosecco specials, or even dinner on the cheap. I'd have a go-to carryout Chinese place and find the best hole-in-the-wall food joint around. I'd like Nolita, I think, with its boutique clothing stores and little known shops. I'd find a corner of Nolita to make my own, that feels like home. If I were to move to New York, I think that neighborhood could be mine.

Here are some additional photos that don't quite fit one single post from my weekend in New York, taken from all over Manhattan. I thoroughly enjoyed meandering from one hub in Manhattan to another, learning the neighborhood names, and wondering, "Which one would be me?" New York is a world of possibilities.

Thanks to my friends Ellie, Andy, and Noelle for housing me and/or showing me around and for an incredible weekend!