Last Call, Park Slope and 10 Things to Do in New York

Photo by myself in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

The sandwich board outside a neighborhood bar always has clever things on it.

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Well it dawned on me today that I haven't been outside of this apartment in (gulp) ten days!!! Aargh!!

Not a long time in the grand scheme of things, but not a short time, either. I am surprised I haven't gone nuts yet.

Already I've been fantasizing about what to do first. Is there a top 10 list, in the spirit of D. Letterman?

10. Stand in the middle of a crowd on a hot sidewalk in Midtown (or something equally annoying. A parade perhaps?).
Yes, I miss the city that much. I miss walking or not walking, and all the sights and sounds that come with it. I miss the different people and the traffic. I miss the bits of conversation floating past. I miss wondering why everyone's walking so slowly. Even that.

9. Be anywhere on Fifth Avenue. Flatiron District preferred.
One of my favorite neighborhoods has to be the stretch of Fifth Avenue between 12th Street and 23rd Street. Why? Well the buildings that line the street (and the shops in the buildings) make this area fun.

8. One word, Soho.
Whether it's sipping a drink in the afternoon at a sidewalk cafe, or browsing in one of the many precious little shops, it's hard not to feel like you're on vacation in this neighborhood.

7. Enjoying the sun in Washington Square Park.
I had such a good time the last time I was in this newly-renovated park, I am dying to go back. I couldn't get enough of the large fountain, a perfect summer spot.

6. Having a burger along the Hudson River.
I miss The Boat Basin, in Riverside Park. It's an informal restaurant/bar inside the park around 79th Street. Sitting there on a summer day near the water is like being on a big boat.

5. Oh dear, now that I mention burgers, how about a Chicago Dog?
Well first, you have to get through the line at the Shake Shack. Their shakes are thick and delicious, and to me, worth the wait.

4. Hanging out at the water's edge.
Manhattan is wonderful, but there's nothing like getting a good view of it. Whether it's walking across the Brooklyn Bridge or hanging out at the Brooklyn Promenade, the views of Manhattan from Brooklyn are stunning.

3. Watching the crowds in Union Square.
It's a continuous party in Union Square, or a political rally, or a farmer's market, or a shopper's paradise. You never know what you'll get in this large park, which is still under renovation, but it's bound to be good.

2. Discovering someplace new.
Even after all these years, I can still find spots I haven't noticed, and streets I haven't wandered down. One of the best feelings in the world to me is the sense of discovery. Buildings are also continually going up and going down. The city is always being reinvented.

1. Walking with Mark and Rupert, in Brooklyn.
There's nothing quite like walking with your sweetheart behind a small, trotting dog. Off leash times in Prospect Park are the best, when I can watch him interact freely in the landscape with dozens of other dogs.

Related posts: Visions of a Cheeseburger, Midtown, Signs of Hope and Reasons to be Pretty, Times Square.