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I like a shot of Times Square as much as the next person, but jetlag permitting, New York lends itself to a much more intimate vision of the city. That is, lensed in between mouthfuls of gluten and dairy-free pasta and pit-stops at Bergdorf Goodman’s.
What already seems like forever ago, especially with September’s abrupt entrance last week, was an extra sweet, sometimes sweaty July breaking ground in Soho’s finest. Seven weeks tomorrow into semester, (god knows how we got here), it’s high time I revisited the backlogged content set aside in the transition between America’s summer, Australia’s spring and the wrecking ball of assignments that came swinging at full force.
Whether you’re crafting photo-ready compositions around digital boxes or not, New York is one hell of a good looking city to any pair of open-minded eyes. Somehow, the skyscrapers grow taller, hummus looks more inviting, and weathered bricks appear romantic rather than the drawback they suggested one flight before.
Unlike many cities, New York does not fall prey to unflattering angles.
Is my bias kicking in?
A melting pot of people, and places, and assortments of different bagels, perhaps, but no bad sides similar to yours or mine.
Lox aside, the city is home to strange, juxtaposing buildings that protrude unevenly from one another, parks that continue alongside new construction sites and storied department stores guarded by handsome men and the potent smells of street-basted chicken, and rice, and food trucks. Of course, uptown maintains a safe distance from its counterpart, but where you find a tenement house, you’ll find a gluten-free, vegan pop-up store next door.
Which suits me just fine.
Even its bipolar weather can be redeemed, somewhat anyhow.
If nothing more, New York’s capacity to transform itself with each season proffers countless opportunities to catch the city under a different light. And as much as I enjoy the view through my 50mm lens, it’s easier trying on clothes when you’re alternating hangers with an iPhone 5S.
Somehow, having to fit everything into a square, you become forced to hone in on things that are really important, and you save yourself the ache of cropping out half of the Brooklyn Bridge come time to upload to Instagram.
You know the feeling.
Visiting in July doesn’t hurt either.
When you can afford to stop and stare down every exterior in Soho without losing any feelings in your fingers, forty degrees and counting is a blessing in disguise.
Polaroids and pretzels are optional, but ask the men working the tills between 49th to 51st Streets – they come highly recommended.
BEST EATS: 12 Chairs (for the hummus), Russ & Daughters (endless assortment of aforementioned lox and bagels)
BEST ARTS: Neue Gallery
BEST VIEWS: Whitney Museum (downtown), Top of the Rock (everywhere else), and Brooklyn’s Pier.
Most everything else you can find out through Instagram. The rest is best kept secret.
Needless to say, I’m not happy about Instagram’s recent induction of rectangles so late in the game.
Just as well, from any angle, at least we’ll always have New York.
Wearing T by ALEXANDER WANG t-shirt SAINT LAURENT belt
IRO shorts GIVENCHY Pandora bag / ARE YOU AM I t-shirt IRO shorts BADICHI belt
CHANEL sneakers / T by ALEXANDER WANG t-shirt IRO shorts MARNI shoes /
PERSOL and SAINT LAURENT sunglasses worn throughout
