Back in the Big Apple

It's been so wonderful seeing family and friends in NJ / NYC this past week! On Thursday I went with my mom and aunt to K-town for lunch, and met up with family to celebrate Heather's birthday at Texas Arizona in Hoboken, the biggest Steelers' bar in the country! When I saw everyone, it felt as if I hadn't been gone for 3 months and that I'd just seen them a week ago. On Friday I tagged along with my mom, aunt and my aunt's best friend to the Botanical Garden in the Bronx. It was SO cold, and obviously we didn't see much as far as 'gardens' go. There was a beautiful model city and train display indoors, which was neat to walk through and see. It really makes a difference when it's cold out, all I wanted to do was hide inside my jacket and get to the next warm destination. I didn't even want to stop for pictures! Note to self: I need take this into consideration when planning trips.

























































On a 'tram' of sorts, it was too cold to walk!














Look at those huge pine cones!














After the visit to the botanical garden I was supposed to meet up with a friend for dinner in the city. We drove around until we saw what looked like the subway stop, so I hopped out of the car. Of course, it was Metro North and not the subway, so I asked a security guard for directions and had to walk another 12 blocks or so until I got to the subway stop. It was then that I realized I'd never walked around in the Bronx by myself before.

Ahhh, I really missed the dining experience in NYC! We ate at Borough Food and Drinks, it is such a cute restaurant, and the food was delicious! We ordered the ribs and fried chicken, yum! Afterwards, we went to a wine bar, watched Notting Hill at her apartment, ate some ramen (haha!) and chatted, went to bed, woke up the next day and went out for the spiciest Thai food I've ever eaten. If you really like spicy food, go to Land. By the time we said good-bye, we had hung out for nearly 24 hours straight! It was such a nice way to catch up, doing girly things together :)

On Sunday I got to see so many familiar faces at Citylight, it was wonderful! What a blessing it is to worship God, hear the Word preached and fellowship with old friends and family :)

Being around so many people in the city is a bit overwhelming, although not unfamiliar. I find myself doing what I used to do, which is put on my headphones and ignore what's going on around me. Surrounded by a sea of pedestrians, I felt this strong sense that I was 'in' that crowd but not 'of' that crowd, like I was an outsider looking in. I understood why some people say that NYC could feel lonely at times, each day we pass by so many unfamiliar faces that will never become familiar to us, and it's so easy to just get lost in the routine of life in a big city. But on the other hand, the opportunity to reach out to people and meet someone new is huge in a place like NYC. I have realized that in a city like Phoenix where everyone drives and everything is spread out, the opportunity to 'run into' someone and strike up a conversation is smaller, whereas in NYC, you can't walk five feet without seeing another person! I guess it's not so much where we are, but whether or not we take the opportunity to reach out or minister to someone when it's presented to us.