'If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere!'

If you’ve been to New York before, you have probably taken a taxi up or down FDR along the waterfront. I know I haven’t been here very long, but I think this may be one of my favorite things to do here. It seems silly, but there’s nothing like being in the back of a speeding taxi with the windows down, hair blowing in the crisp fall air, and the whole city in view. It’s the most beautiful ride in New York.

Sometimes it takes moments like these to remind me why I’m here. It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day hustle, the worry involved in stepping out on your own, and the trivial things that can get you down. But sometimes it takes something so small to reinvigorate the drive that brought me here in the first place.

Like today, I had some time to kill so I walked through Union Square. There’s a little dog park in one corner of the square, and I just allowed myself to stop and watch the dogs run around and play together. It reminded me of when Hank was younger and would just belt from one side of the yard to another, run circles around our legs, and take off so fast that his front legs couldn’t keep up with his back legs. I found myself laughing out loud. It was such a small thing that infused so much joy into my day.

I’m starting to feel like this is my town. I know my way around the subways pretty well, and I’m finding new neighborhood spots that I love. I even have a Duane Reade Club Card (the equivalent to a Kroger Plus Card at home). I’ve found my place for Sunday football… a little Irish pub called McFadden’s on 42^nd and 2^nd (near Grand Central Station). You pay $20 to get in the door, and that gets you all the beer you can drink and chicken wings you can eat. The place is packed out with screaming fans, and the energy there is great. Half the time I could care less who wins. I’m just glad to be in the crowd. On commercial breaks they play songs and everybody sings along. Last week, they played ‘My Sharona’ which is my mother’s signature song. It was a beautiful moment.

I’ve walked this city from one end to the other…sometimes in the rain, sometimes in the wind, and sometimes under the bluest skies you’ve ever seen. And each time I do it, I discover something new that I didn’t see before. I can’t wait to share this jewel with all of you…and I expect each of you to show up on my doorstep at some point. Maybe I can even convince a few of you to make the jump.

But either way, the moral of this story is… you can’t make extraordinary things happen unless you are willing to take extraordinary risks. Do what you are passionate about, and the rest will fall into place.

I love you all…and I will keep you posted.

LAUREN

P.S. I am currently accepting tupperware shipments containing ‘real’ food (ie. food that does not come packaged in a microwaveable bowl with seasoning packets that have to be added after microwaving).