It is 3:30 a.m. and we're about to throw the bags into the car and head for New York City for several days. Early for you? We have a 10:30 appointment in Manhattan and by the time we drive the four hours to get there, buck the morning traffic, get to our hotel and get settled, and then head to our appointment, we'll just about make it.
"Why bother?" some of our friends might say. Or, "Why would you even want to think about going to New York City for Christmas?" In our minds, it is a great idea...so here we go.
I've never thought about it until preparing this blog post, but I wondered why New York City is called "the Big Apple." So, I looked it up. It turns out that it's a term from the jazz world of the 1930's. A city with a good "gig" is called an "apple." This was especially true if the city was located in the North.
So...naturally, New York City...the monsterously larger city than others at the time, was called "The BIG Apple." The term relays the feeling many people (my family included) have for New York. It's not just a term which describes the size of The City; it has to do with the feelings we have about it. It ranks "big" in our minds and our hearts.
Today is our older daughter's birthday. She lived in New York City for several years, and has a natural affinity for it. Being in The Big Apple with her is always an adventure. Out of the way restaurants, sites that most tourists miss, and an incredible ability to make the most ordinary moment into an event.
I'm one of those people who gets a real rush in New York. The bustle of crowds, the smell of restaurant food wafting out onto the sidewalks, the cacophany of languages, the sometimes bizarre everyday fashions, and, of course, Broadway. My bucket list has included living in The Big Apple. I somehow doubt that I will achieve that bucket list dream, but living this close to The City makes it almost possible to get the thrill of living there while actually living a few hours away.
Time is wasting. I have to run. More tomorrow, Christmas Day, from the festive Big Apple.
Photo Credit: FreeFoto.com
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