Back in the New York Groove

I've been back less than 48 hours and strangely enough, it almost feels like I never left. Brooklyn and I are starting over with a clean slate and new beginning.

When you leave New York and come back, it's like the honeymoon all over again. My first year living here kept me discovering something about the city or myself on a daily basis. Eventually, the annoyances begin to pile up and you see only flaws- the dirty subways, loud people, unabating traffic- and you lose that dazzled feeling that drew you together in the first place.

Now I'm looking around again, trying to really see things and not just walk around with a list of grievances and blinders on. We all need the chance to reinvent ourselves, or at least start over with a clean slate. I may be in the same city, but I'm definitely in a different place.

Yesterday, I spent some time with my friends Brandy and Coty doing Washington Square on the cheap. Real cheap. We found the Cheesesteak Factory for tasty pizza at rock bottom prices- two slices and a soda for $2.75. The three of us enjoyed dinner for, collectively, less than six bucks.

We took a walk towards the west village, stopping at a gallery called Charmingwall. I love peeking into gallery windows, but seldom feel drawn to go in at that moment. This small, intimate gallery was so warm and inviting (in a word, charming?) that we stopped in our tracks to look at the art. I instantly fell in love with the work of Evan B. Harris, a self-taught artist who uses scratching and sanding techniques to give his paintings an antique appearance.

After that, I was hungry again, so we found a funky coffeeshop laden with jumbo pastries. Coty got an elephant ear, Brandy had a linzer cookie, and I went all out with a giant carrot cupcake. There was no wheeling and dealing at this stop.

As hungry as I am, this city just may satisfy my appetite.