Sometimes you just need a place to find a little bit of peace in this crazy city - to read, have a coffee, people watch, or even just scroll on your phone... With that in mind, and as my time is wrapping up in this amazing place, here are my favorite places in the city to hide out:

1. Elizabeth St Garden

This is a quirky 1-acre community sculpture garden in the Nolita (which stands for North of Little Italy) neighborhood of Manhattan, located on Elizabeth Street between Prince and Spring Streets.

Unfortunately, it is set to be redeveloped into a senior’s village - but there is a lawsuit on foot to stop this. Get there soon, and fingers crossed the suit succeeds because this place is a true gem.

2. La Lanterna Caffe, Greenwich Village

Amazing gem of a restaurant/café right across the road from NYU Law School. It’s very non-descript from the front, but opens up to this gorgeous back patio. The perfect spot for an aperol spritz, coffee, or pasta!

3. Conservatory Garden, Central Park

And even though it’s hardly groundbreaking - just Central Park in general through the seasons! 

I saw the fall leaves in November 🍁

... the cherry blossoms in April 🌸

...and the lush summer greenery

4. Brooklyn Bridge Park 

You can walk over the Brooklyn Bridge (like I did in the picture below last August) or get the subway to Dumbo or Brooklyn Heights. There’re plenty of basketball courts in that blue structure over the water, that stellar view of the skyline, and lots of grass to kick back and read. 

5. Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Now this is one of my favorite places in the city - especially since I moved to Brooklyn Heights in March and can sit and take in this skyline view on the benches with lunch or coffee! As you can see, it’s located just above Brooklyn Bridge Park, and there are cute dogs and babies on walks all down the promenade. This is the perfect place to relax in the sun, or take a romantic sunset stroll before dinner in Dumbo. 

This was last night at around 7pm 🙌

Spring tulips along the promenade in April:

6. West Side Highway/Hudson River Park

When I lived in Soho near NYU, this was my go-to running/exercise spot. There are grassy piers and boardwalks, these cool wooden swings, wooden benches overlooking New Jersey, tennis courts, summery bars and restaurants, and even mini-golf!

Hard to complain about running in fall with this view:

...or even in December with that biting winter cold when I got to see this sunset!

7. Wandering around Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

This is a little bit off the beaten path, but you could make a day of heading to Brooklyn Heights Promenade/Brooklyn Bridge Park and then wandering around these nearby neighborhoods. 

There are plenty of good cafes and restaurants nearby, and the well-kept brownstones and incredible care put into gardening just puts me in a good mood!

8. Vanderbilt Hall Courtyard, NYU

Last but certainly not least is NYU Law’s very own courtyard at Vanderbilt Hall. It’s pretty all year round, but especially in Spring when the magnolias, cherry blossoms and daffodils are out.

It’s a great spot to sit with a coffee and start all those readings you’re behind on, or to eat lunch with some of your LLM friends.

Here are some other places I’m hoping to get to in my last few weeks here:

Pier 35, Lower East Side

Fort Tryon, Met Cloisters

Up past the Bronx

Prospect Park, Brooklyn

“I’m feeling overwhelmed by my emotions, so much that I feel tired the entire day…When does this stop and how do I get better.”

“But my emotions were everywhere. I’m exhausted. I napped before young adults and I’m still tired…Can’t turn on…Present but not present.”

“…Starting to wonder if my bad days are outweighing my good days.”

Two years ago, I committed one of the greatest acts of self-love when I sought help. ^These were from my phone memos back when I was asked to journal what I was thinking and feeling when I was “in it.”

During that time, some peace of advice that was given to me (or what I like to think of as “homework”) was to take a break and focus on the senses I’d encounter while in New York. 

Visual: The villages, signaling street lights, K&R’s high ceilings and open windows.

Audio: ‘Expectations’

Tactile: Perspiration from New York summers ..or from nervousness - I really can’t tell anymore

Oral: Local coffee

Smell: Omnipresent gas..as if the city could easily go up in flames

While being keen to these senses, memories began to wholesomely form. Because what better way to learn than to make sense of it all.

Brooklyn is beautiful, and we took it slow from every neighbor’s direction and perspective to simply admire and respect the space as well as the community we were in. And I took almost every chance to be mindfull.

And when I reported back, I stated, “I failed my homework.” 

I was actually self conscious most of the time, so much that it prohibited me from all interactions or doing simple things like adding more sugar to my coffee without the fear of being judged. My confidence was shot and I intermittently had flights of hypersensitivity. 

Then in the following year, it was a car accident and depression.

I now realize there’s something about this time of year that exacerbates my anxiety. Although 2020 is on another level of its own, my anxiety has begun to manifest itself more physically ..and with a little more anger than I’m used to.