From NYC to FL…At Last
After almost three years of long-distance love with my new hubby Steve, I am finally a full-time Florida resident. I’ve been asked a lot whether it is bittersweet to leave New York. Thankfully, I can honestly say the answer is no.
I truly made the most of my many decades in NYC. Raised by a Bronx-born Mom and Brooklyn native Dad, I grew up fortunate to experience the city’s vast arts and entertainment offerings. Childhood outings to Broadway musicals and shows at Radio City fueled a passion that continues to this day. After spending most of my twenties working in TV news and living in small towns like Bangor, Maine and Dover, Delaware, I returned to the Big Apple determined to take advantage of everything I missed while I was gone. Which is exactly what I did.
At a black-tie Oscars Party. With Ricky Martin at the Hispanic Federation Awards.
With Jennifer Grey at a Dirty Dancing 25th anniversary screening.
Concerts, theater, only-in-New York events — I maintained a pretty full, action-packed schedule during my thirties. Because, well, that’s the whole point of living in New York. With so much going on all of the time, FOMO was a real thing long before it became a trendy acronym. Upon turning forty, though, I started to crave a less frenetic lifestyle. Visits to New Jersey and Long Island had me longing for a suburban hometown where the views are of greenery instead of tall buildings.
That yearning prompted an ill-fated move to L.A. in 2016. So I have been ready for a different zip code for quite a while now, a fact of which I was reminded during a visit to Rise NY in Times Square.
Billed as part ride and part museum, the recently opened attraction dazzles on both fronts. Rise NY begins inside a replica of the city’s very first subway station, with a short documentary narrated by actor Jeff Goldblum. The engrossing, well-curated exhibit takes you all the way back to when New York was founded, tracing the city’s rich history through the lenses of pop culture, finance and more. From the technology that made skyscrapers possible to iconic moments in music and fashion, Rise NY covers it all.
And the grand finale doesn’t disappoint. Giving Disney’s similar Soarin’ Around The World ride at Epcot a run for its money, the epic 4-D journey suspends you thirty feet in the air, flying over NYC’s majestic skyline. Highlights include the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, July 4th fireworks and Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloons. It culminates in a birds’ eye view of the Times Square ball drop on New Years’ Eve.
As Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” played, I found myself a little misty-eyed realizing it is the end of an era for me. The hometown that I love so dearly — and always will — is no longer home. But that’s okay. Love turned this city girl into a beach babe.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
