NYC 2026 - Week 2
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
MUSEUM & THE BEACH
Well, that’s it. Week two is OVER! And I’m finally feeling like I’m getting some kind of structure back into my days. To be completely honest with you, I didn’t do a lot of crazy stuff this week. The past few weeks—maybe even the past few months—have been crazy enough for my nervous system, and me, myself, and I still needed to recover from that. So, in the fastest city in the world, I slowed down as much as I could.
On Saturday, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my spontaneous ‘sun-date’. Something you should know: for NY residents, there is a ‘pay what you want’ fee to enter. So, for $1, we both entered the Met on a rainy, rainy April afternoon.
I cannot believe I haven’t visited this museum before! M., my date, showed me around his favorite parts of the museum (because the place is huge!). We saw ancient South American artifacts, the rebuilt quarters of Louis XIV, and old American arms and weapons. To think that back then, they crafted everything by hand! I felt SO inspired. It is truly amazing to be able to work with your hands and create something that impacts generations of society.
On Sunday, after a slow morning, I took myself to the beach. In just under an hour, I arrived at Coney Island, world-famous for its old amusement park on the boardwalk. The sky was clear and the sun was shining. While the wind blew through my hair, I approached the ocean to feel the sense of calm that only such a big body of water can provide. I sat down in the sand, watching the water. The only thing I needed to do was simply ‘be’.
RE-WIRE
Giving myself permission to slow down, to really arrive here, and to not be "on" all the time, has loosened up my nervous system. And that system needed a complete reset. That is why I love being in New York so much. I’ve stepped out of my own reality, my past. Every string to who I am back home is loose, and I’m in control now of which strings to keep and which ones to cut off completely. Even in a place that can seem so fake, I’m finding an even truer self. Maybe it’s the temporariness of being here that gives me this sense of freedom to just be who I want to be. Maybe it’s because here, I can see how many different options there are to exist. o many different cultures live together here. So many communities to be part of. So many creatives with amazing new ideas. If you feel a certain way or have certain needs, be sure that here, you’ll find what you're looking for. I love that life can be so nuanced here—and that everything seems within arm’s reach.
Being confronted with myself, I noticed that being alone and being an observer is my comfort zone. But I’ve also noticed there is a part of me that wishes to let go a bit more.
Going into week three, I feel steady and ready to dive deeper into the newness and weirdness I see and feel all around me. I want to be able to partake more. My young, shy self will need to step aside, while my adult, experienced self steps up her game and shows who she is in this concrete jungle. There are so many things to discover, and in doing so, I know I will discover even more about my new (York) self.
So for you (and I) to know myself a bit more. Here is a list of things I enjoyed the past few days.
Coney Island/Brighton Beach
MY ENJOYMENTS OF THE WEEK
A yoga class where I worked my abdominals by laughing my ass off with the instructor. The funniest class I’ve ever taken! (@AriseYogaBK)
The Met.
Sensing freedom because, literally, nobody cares.
A thick slice of Nutella-covered French toast at Court Square Diner.
Saying good morning to people on the street while walking to yoga.
Flirtatious conversations with Hinge matches and dates.
The unraveling of my ‘old’ self.
Discovering an organic supermarket that is even cheaper than back home (thanks to my Airbnb host!).
Thanks YOU for reading my blog. I really enjoy writing and putting my thoughts and experiences in words. If you enjoy this too, it’s always nice to receive a feedback on this. Or if you have questions, I’m open to start a conversation.
With love,
Naomi/Numi
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