In Pursuit Of A Little Infatuation

Is there a place that you are inexplicably drawn to? Somewhere you've been before, or perhaps only seen in magazines or on TV, that you know you were meant to spend time in? For me, that place is New York City. I've been there before. When I was 18, my family and I attended my cousin's wedding in Toronto and drove a rental car down to visit a family friend in Wappingers Falls, NY. With her as our guide, we commuted in to the city by train and then traipsed all over on foot and subway, taking in everything we could in the one day we had allotted for that portion of our trip. Nothing mysterious or magical happened there that made me say one day I'd be back. In fact, other than remembering funny moments from the trip, I'd never put much thought in to going back there. But boy, that's changed in the last couple years.
I can't watch a movie set in New York City, or a TV show, or read a book that takes place in the Big Apple without getting antsy - like I need to be there. In fact, what spurred this blog was the last hour I spent in front of the TV, watching Sex and the City. The fashion, the art, the food, that...pulse, you know? I don't mean the fast-paced business sector of New York. It's not the hustle and bustle that attracts me. It's that underlying energy; there's some sort of raw beauty to the place.
It could simply be the romantic notion of what it must be like to be there as an artist, inspired in the same place where countless other artists created legendary works. And maybe because it's only been in the last couple of years that I've even acknowledged that I have an inner artist that I have only just let myself realize my infatuation with this city.
If you have read Julia Cameron's memoirs, floor sample, you will know that she has spent much of her creative life in New York City. Reading about those segments of her life was both thrilling and enticing to me. In fact, after reading about her experiences there, I would find myself staring off in to space, picturing myself strolling down a cafe-lined street, fashionably and casually dressed (yes, the two can go together...just ask Stacey and Clinton of TLC's What Not to Wear...my favourite show...and yes, it's set in NYC). In my daydreams, I grab a bagel and a seat at one of the cafes and then sit down to write a masterpiece. :)
Well, this year I plan to find out what it is about The City that is calling me. It's one of our family goals for 2010...go to New York. We've put the plan in motion and now we'll see what the Universe has in store for us.
In the meantime, if you've been to New York and want to post a suggestion about what we should do while there, keeping in mind (God willing) we'll have 2 kids in tow, that would be great!
Thanks for reading...