When people ask me who I am, the first thing that comes to mind is my name. However, there is so much more than 6 letters followed by ethnicity, college, and/or anticipated major. I believe that there are so many things to know about me. Who I am, what makes me (pieces), and all those other good stuff are just too many to name that as I am writing this, my brain begins to cramp. With that in mind, I decided to look at New York City as a whole and carefully look at all the places I constantly go to. I believe that wherever I go, it seems as though a part of me connects to these places.
Broadway Dance Center (1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, S – 42nd Street)
It is safe to say that this is where I go most in the city. To get away from the stress of Brooklyn College, I run to this dance studio to just “live” and emote in an art form that just speaks to me more than books, pencils, and chemicals. This is where I turn to feel free, I guess one could say. Especially in Hip Hop and Street Jazz/Funk, I constantly strive to improve myself and push to be the best individual dancer I can be. It is here where I learned discipline and persistence as I was not the very best at the beginning. However, I did not quit and just kept pushing, eventually getting noticed and dancing with some amazing people. Sometimes classes are so good, that they tend to sell out fast. My love for dancing is so great, that I usually wake up early to sign in for class, go to school, and then come back 5 hours later for class. Whether that class be “swaged”out or punker feminine, I love the diversity that the studio brings out. I guess it somewhat reflects the people of NYC.
Union Square (3, 4, 5, N, Q, R, L – Union Square)
I guess one could say that this place is different (Like me). Despite being hammered smack in the middle of busy 14th St and the intersections of Broadway and 4th Ave., there seems to be a rustic and artistic feel that attracts me. From the gays(yay!) to the street drawers, the vibe is always a mix of opposites. Besides my usual Mango-a-go-go from Jamba Juice, I always like to sit in the dog play pen and pet them (I’m weird and want a dog). From there, I would usually take my books and study at Panera Bread, accompanied by a half Big Kid Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Mac/Cheese. It’s just one of those places that you have to experience for yourself to understand.
St. Mark’s Place (N, R – 8th Street or 6 – Astor Place)
I remember coming here to explore my rebellious, dark side by getting an ear piercing here (I’m such a “bad-ass” right?). Not one, but three. Two regular and a cartilage. Besides that faint memory which is still evident on my body, I can’t help but secretly live my small dream of becoming a chef on this small block. I can always count on Waffles and Dinges to be stationed on the street at 1 AM to satisfy my sweet tooth. If not, there’s always Pinkberry or JapaDog (Damn, I’m craving their ice cream on a fried piece of hot dog bun right now). If I just want that midnight craving, BonChon Korean fried chicken is the way to go. Although a little pricey, I fiend over the spicy style with pickled radish. And when I’m done getting my BonChon fix, I can always walk two stores over to Spot Bar for a Thai Tea Creme Brulee. The pattern here? I’m a fatass? Yes. But also that I love food. This place just makes my taste buds scream for more.
On a random day, I would probably take the subway to a random stop and just explore. But these are probably some of the place I go to most. Something about these places in NYC that’s just me.
