Highline, Skyline, Stories of a Lifetime

I knew today would be a good day because when I woke up, I actually had an adequate amount of sleep for the first time in about month! I was definitely too excited and set out for breakfast at NussBaum Cafe across the street which was very delicious. I also went to the gym and really took advantage of my Sunday morning until the cohort headed out to the pier for a cruise halfway around the island.

We lucked out and made it on the 4:00 cruise. It was stunning and a lot of fun! We even passed the Staten Island Ferry on the way over which I rode my first week here. On the cruise, we were given an oral tour on the places we saw on the water and even got a close up look of the Statue of Liberty. I liked the cruise a lot and it was nice to be on the water on such a beautiful day.

The Statue of Liberty

The Financial District

After the cruise, the cohort did some exercise as we walked to HighLine Park, a previously abandoned railroad track converted into a park. It was very pretty even though a lot of people were there. We saw some street performers including a saxophone player playing jazz (my true weakness) and a man who could recite Shakespeare perfectly. It was a beautiful walk and I could not get tire of the view which consisted of pretty flowers, an elevated view of the New York grid, and amazing works of art. Pretty soon, I realized my hunger was becoming hard to ignore so we exited the park and made for Chelsea Market, a very trendy part of New York with a lot of stores and, most importantly, restaurants.

The trail running through the park

Art seen on our walk

We ended up choosing a restaurant called Scarpetta which had delicious food and great music. We ate a great dinner and the conversation flowed easily with food in our stomachs. Although previously tired from the walking, we all felt better and took the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge to finish the night. I am very scared of tardiness, especially at Columbia where breaking curfew can be detrimental in some cases, so I was definitely speed-walking. However, I didn't speed-walk enough to stop and take pictures. I was standing on the bridge in admiration at all the lights on the skyline. I felt so powerful! It was definitely a great experience and I'm glad we went there in addition to the cruise, the HighLine, and Chelsea Market.

New York is beautiful!

Now, I have to get ready for the week, including my paper which is due on Thursday. I hope it comes out well. This being my last week at Columbia, I intend to make every moment count. I also hope to keep in touch with my family because I have not been calling as often as I should be (whoops, mom). I am excited for the week, but dreading when it will be over.