NOW I KNOW HOW COLUMBUS FELT

People think New York is a big city, but in reality, it is a bunch of small cities all connected though a couple of area codes. Each neighborhood is a city unto itself and traveling from the Upper West Side to Kips Bay is almost as much a culture shift as traveling from Miami to Juno. It’s also almost as big a production.

Sure, New York has once of the world’s most extensive public transportation systems and on nice nights, cabs cruise up and down the streets anxious for fares, but most people hate laving their neighborhoods and crossing from the west to east side is almost unheard of since it requires use of a bus. Sister and I have gotten into huge fights over which side of town we should have dinner (she lives East, I live West and less than a mile separates us, but this is a recurring issue) and generally, my entire world (home, work and social life) is comprised of places on the Eighth Avenue Subway Line.

But, I am breaking free of my little shell and exploring! Last night I met Law School Friend for a drink at a new bar in Murray Hill (29th and 3rd – most definitively the East side) and, empowered by my success (I not only survived but had a good time) I have decided I am ready to take the penultimate plunge off the map and head to Brooklyn. Yes, I am leaving the borough of Manhattan to grab drinks with Photogenic Friend and Fellow Law Clerk. And on a weeknight, no less. This is very impressive and a gigantic step in expanding my horizons. I feel like Magellan. Or Ernest Shackelton. Although hopefully I won’t get trapped on an iceberg while attempting to cross the Hudson or be killed during battle.

So, if you see me looking walking around looking a little wiser, it is merely because I have spent the last few nights exploring the far flung reaches of my New York map. Hopefully my passport and vaccinations are in order.