February and March have been non-stop for me, not just because of work, but because it feels like everyone decided it was the perfect time to come visit. Once I finally settled into the city and made my apartment feel like a proper home, I gave everyone the green light to come. And they definitely took me up on that offer!
It’s been so funny seeing myself step into the role of a local giving little tours, planning days around cool spots, and lowkey trying to prove that living here is 100% worth the experience. I’ve honestly loved getting to show the city off. It’s also pushed me to finally do all the things I kept putting off. You know, the stuff you always say you’ll get around to but never do — like visiting museums or taking the ferry to Staten Island. Having people here gave me the perfect excuse to check things off my list.
Everyone who’s visited has stayed for about a week, which has been the perfect amount of time to explore and really soak in the city. Even though I’ve been working during the day, my friends and family have been super understanding about it. It’s been so refreshing to log off at 6 PM and actually have plans rather than just heading home, cooking something quick, and crashing. There’s something really energizing about having people around and doing something different every night.
We’ve been spending a lot of time in Brooklyn — especially Williamsburg — and I think I might have found the best bagels in the city so far at Leon’s Bagels. No joke, one bagel kept me full from breakfast all the way through lunch. And their coffee? So good. Highly recommend if you’re ever in the area.
One of the perks of being a local is that I can go to a bunch of museums for free and bring up to 10 friends with me, it’s honestly the best deal. It made the trip more budget-friendly for everyone, and we got to check out more than one museum, which was awesome. The weather has also been so nice lately. We’ve had sunny days perfect for walking through Central Park, along the riverside, and visiting spots like Little Island. We even went up to The Edge, and I promise it’s the best lookout in all of New York. You get an amzing view of all the iconic buildings.
I won’t lie, having so many people in and out has been a little overwhelming at times. But it’s absolutely been worth the change of pace and energy. I’m honestly so happy I got to share this chapter with the people I love. Playing tour guide for once has been surprisingly fun — who knows, maybe I’ll pivot into travel planning or tourism one day?
Until next time!
