I love New York and I’m not the only one to feel this way.

Evidently I’m not the only one to Love New York.  A recent issue of New York Magazine reports that New York expects to hit 50 million tourists by the end of 2011.

This influx of travelers is the major reason the post-Lehman recession wasn’t much worse in New York.  In fact, a media program is in effect to encourage tourists to “Just ask the locals” and for the locals to be engaging, friendly and warm.   Apparently it is working.

Well, I don’t know why the 50 million who are traipsing about the Big Apple like the city but I know what what I like.

  First, New York is visually stimulating.   Whether looking at the wondrous windows of the holiday season, art deco ornamentation or city scenes, I am constantly enthralled with the visual marvels.

I also love the people.  This little girl ice skating with her mom caught my eye as did a lady with blue hair (alas, didn’t capture on my camera.)  I did get the woman walking down Fifth Avenue wearing gold antlers.  Wonder where she was going? And don’t you just love the little girl doing “the splits” on her class field trip to Chelsea Market?  

  While some things are constantly changing (see my blog on Soho), some things stay the same. For example I never get tired or less excited about the big tree at Rockefeller Center.  I suspect most of the 50 million tourists get to this landmark no matter what time they come to NYC.

I love the   creative  fireplace  made from boxes, fabric and thread  at Anthropologie,  fireplace at the Saks coffee shop/bar…….and how fun…..pink shoes in December.

It’s great to go into stores we don’t have at home…..or even in Chicago. This trip I was particularly entranced with the French Bakery store on Madison.  I am passionate about French Macaroons.  If I lived nearby,  I’d probably be stopping in for a simple luxury every day.

Wanted to get over to Dylans Candy Shop, but didn’t.  It’s always a “treat.”  In fact, I came home with a list for “Next Trip to New York” file in my Eveready notes that included this East side treasure.

Mostly I love New York because I get a sense that dreams come true in New York. People come to make it in theater, business, whatever.  Probably most interesting to me recently is the story of the High Line.

It’s a great success story and has provided millions a wonderful “walk in the park.”  I love the last sentence in the book written by Joshua David and Robert Hammond.   “We were inspired by others, and I hope the High Line will encourage people to pursue all kinds of crazy projects, even if they seem, as the High Line once did,  the most unlikely of dreams.”

If you don’t know what the High Line is, click here.  If you want to learn even more, here’s a great book about its development.  High Line The Inside Story of New York City’s Park in the Sky by Joshua David and Robert Hammond.

If you love New York, the way I love New York, please enter your thoughts about what you like in the comment section.   Thank you.

In case you don’t recognize this silhouette, it is the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero making its way towards the sky.