I think my infatuation with New York City started with my first visit to the "Big Apple" in 1995 on my high school senior trip. I was enamored with the beautiful city...the vastness...the diversity...the amazing buzz of the daily grind. So Awesome!! We took the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty. It was so beautiful. Now, I will say this...I am not sure I would ever go back up in it...step by step...at one point I believe it was a single file staircase...all just to walk over what seemed like about four feet of crown just to head back down those steps! (NOTE: I had just broken my foot about a week or two prior to my senior trip...that could have put some influence on that experience!)
I remember standing outside the World Trade Center and trying to look up to the top without falling over backwards. Couldn't be done!! I will always remember the beauty of the World Trade Center...the enormity of those buildings left me speechless. We went to the observation deck and looked over the city...people were tiny specs...lots of little yellow dots properly known as taxis...and the sea of skyscraper rooftops at what seemed like inches apart. It was incredible. The view from the top of that massive skyscraper will forever be etched into the picture bank of my mind, and I remember when 9/11 unfolded before the whole world, all I could think about while I watched the horror of those moments was that view and how unbelievably high those buildings were. May God bless every should affected by that terrible day...WE WILL NEVER FORGET! R.I.P. every single innocent victim of that senseless act of terrorism.
After my senior trip, I visited my favorite city so many times. While I was in college, I traveled on a music singing group....and every single year I would get the East Coast tour. I will admit, I was a bit bummed about my third year when I just really wanted to see the West Coast and experience California...however, knowing that I would more than likely get to visit my first love again, I was easily consoled and didn't mind so much! After college, I visited my favorite city many more times...experience Broadway (I did see "Phantom of the Opera" about three times while in college and at least two to three more times after college)...I was whisked away on a really awesome first date (I lived in DC at the time) and was treated to the romantic nightlife of Little Italy, the Broadway Musical Aida, and some really awesome 50's diner after the show to have some yummy cheesecake...ahhhh, it is just my absolute favorite city!
So, I say all of that just to give you a little background on how much NYC has meant to me over the past many years...I have always dreamed about living in NYC...I have put it on my "bucket list" of things that I wanted to do in my life...even if I only lived in NYC for 6 months, I would be soooo happy! I have always joked about the fact that NYC is so extremely expensive...and well, if I did in fact make it to NYC, I would more than likely be living out of a cardboard box because I would just be too poor to afford rent there!!
Well...as I continue to share mycardboardbox adventure with you I will reveal what may just be that particular "cardboard box" that will get me into the very city I love so much! It's an exciting adventure and I hope you will join me!
