The Big Apple of My Eye
Week of October 13
Hello from New York, New York! 🍎
Y’all, it feels so good to be traveling again. August and September were unbelievably busy from trying to cram a year’s worth of doctor appointments into 6 weeks, not to mention a whole lot of unplanned things that happened like sick pups and major repair work on my 4Runner (when your sunroof starts leaking, you kind of have to fix it).
“Now, Alicia,” you might say, “you did get to go on local trips to the Smokey Mountains and to Chattanooga.” And you would be right - I did. I was so thankful for those mini-breaks. But two days in Chattanooga is just not the same as a month in NYC and Scotland. I got on the plane on Wednesday morning - with a surprise free upgrade to first class, the only time in the history of Delta Airlines that Silver Medallion led to any real perks - and I melted into my seat with a big sigh of relief to have 5 sweet days in the Big Apple.
NYC, ILY
My favorite part of New York City is the degree to which people do not give a flying you-know-what. It is not like this anywhere else on planet earth. Sign on the subway car says: do not lean on doors…? Blatantly ignored. Sign in the park says: no dogs in this area…? Dogs are only in this area. Crosswalks…? Suggestions. Bike lanes…? Fuhgeddaboutit.
I decided that this is the reason NYC fashion is what it is: people wear whatever they want, along with the attitude of IDGAF about any of youse - and it works. People can be wearing pajamas with a leather jacket to walk their dog, and it looks like New York Fashion Week. I never felt so much like I am from Tennessee as I did when I looked in the mirror after walking around all day in the city. T-shirt and jeans doesn’t cut it around here.
Simultaneously, and perhaps contradictorily, New Yorkers are extremely nice and friendly people. They get a bad rap for being rude, but they are way nicer than people from the South. I know this will probably be heresy for me to say, and may result in hate-mail, but: Southerners are fake-nice. Just because they are polite to your face does not mean they will not talk shit about you the millisecond after you leave the room. In fact, the nicer they are to your face, the more likely they are to bless your heart in your absence. They go to church every Sunday and they think that clears their behavior for the rest of the week.
In New York City, though, I have had so many people help me figure out the best places to eat and how to get around, going as far as to pull out their phone or computer and look up train times and walking routes. In DC, on the other hand, a place that prides itself on being a Southern City with a capital S and a capital C, if a tourist stands on the left side of the metro escalator, they are going to get run over by stampeding summer interns on Capitol Hill.
Something I found fascinating too is that a key component of the ‘fits around here is the ubiquitous tote bag. It doesn’t matter if people have a backpack, a suitcase, and a purse already, they are also carrying a canvas tote bag with some kind of printed statement on it to tell the world just who they are as a person: a farmer’s market gal, a New Yorker magazine reader, a local bookstore guy. The more obscure and vintage the better, with extra points if you found it at a yard sale or near a trash can.
All in all, I have had an amazing few days in NYC. I ate great food and walked everywhere in the perfect autumn weather, admiring all the architecture and the people rushing to and fro. I leave for Scotland on the day that this newsletter comes out (Sunday night) but will definitely have to come back here soon. I’ll be sure to put together a NYC travel guide sometime in the future to share all my tips & tricks and favorite bites.
Sabbatical Savvy
Don’t Stop the Party Bus
I spent two long, amazing, relaxing, refreshing, and soul-changing months in Europe this summer. I had no true schedule, just fresh pastries and the sea. I returned to the United States in a near-bliss state. It was scientifically impossible to not be happy while enjoying a croissant with this view:
But, by the time October rolled around, I felt just as tired and stressed as I did when I quit my full-time job in March. I got a few diagnoses and new meds that are helping, so from that perspective, I am glad I had all those appointments. But it was not a good idea to get off the party bus early and take a break in the middle of all the fun. I feel like I am starting over in a lot of ways. At least this time around, I know a lot more about solo traveling (and slow traveling!), so hopefully it won’t take very long to get back to zen.
Lesson: Don’t take a break in the middle of your super fun gap year for unfun stuff. Just don’t.
Packing Better
After living out of a suitcase for two months this summer, I made some tweaks to my packing list for this month-long trip to NYC and Scotland. It was pretty clear I brought way too much stuff to Europe in June. My tour in Scotland also limited me to one carry-on sized suitcase of less than 44 lbs, which was additional motivation. Here are the changes:
I brought my own laundry detergent this time. I use the sensitive skin / fragrance free soap, which is nearly impossible to find in Europe (and honestly doesn’t work). Plus hauling around a large bottle of laundry detergent for 2 months was not ideal. So I filled a small Nalgene travel bottle of my favorite stuff for this trip.
I went really bare bones on the clothes, and any outfits I was unsure about stayed behind. I wish I had brought one more sweater, but now I actually have room to do shopping. 😉
I also took out any toiletries & make-up I didn’t really need - bye bye, gua sha stone :(
I only took one set of jewelry this time - I worried a bit this summer about the extra jewelry getting lost or stolen.
I really missed having a backpack this summer, so this time around, I brought my Tumi backpack that is tiny enough to be considered a purse (museums, for example, really don’t like backpacks). A cross-body was okay this summer, but I had a lot of shoulder strain, and it didn’t hold very much. A backpack is especially great for Spring and Autumn when you tend to shed layers. I generally avoid backpacks on travel because of pickpockets, but the Tumi has a lot of hidden interior pockets, so it has felt pretty safe.
What stayed in my suitcase?
Travel umbrella
Cold meds just in case
Flip flops for showers (looking at you, hostels)
Tablet for streaming movies (and writing this Substack, of course!)
A few other tips:
I tried out vacuum-seal bags to compress my bulky sweaters and it worked great! Highly recommend.
I have been using a collapsible water bottle and really like how little room it takes up
Most electronic adapter sets come with one adapter for each region (EU, UK, Australia, etc.)…and you’re going to want more than one. Look for a set like this one that comes as a 3-pack.
The End
And that is this week’s update! I am going to head out now to search for dinner - I haven’t had NYC pizza yet so I think that I will grab a slice or two and walk down to Rockefeller Plaza to see the ice skaters. Next week I will be writing to you from Scotland, where I will try to work words like “lassie” and “bonnie” into every sentence.
Life is short - have fun! Xx
Alicia
Awesome as ever!!! Really a fantastic, fun read!! Glad you loved NYC!!!!