I don’t really feel like I have a New York personality.
I think a lot of people are surprised when I tell them that. It’s easy to hate on this city, of course. As a native New Yorker, our pastime has always been about knocking our city and its trash-laden sidewalks; the cacophony of car horns, fire trucks, and sirens; the unreliable and rat-ridden transit. A New Yorker will give you a hundred reasons to hate this city, but they’ll always follow it up by telling you they’ll never leave.
If I didn’t have so many personal ties here, I’d probably leave.
Of all the things I enjoyed about my short time staying in California, I loved how nature felt so close and attainable on a daily basis. The ability to stop by the beach after work, to take a quick hike, and to know that the weather would be, for the most part, pretty serviceable. No four-hour roundtrips to go upstate, no missed opportunities from weekend rain, no waiting for weeks on end to get the squad together for an outing.
It’s not easy enjoying the outdoors when you’re in New York City, but I try my best. When the weather cooperates; when schedules align; and when I’m able to get out of the city to spend time outdoors, these are my favorite places to go.
