New York City is a tough nut to crack; it is not a city that offers up its pearls casually. It took me some time to find my calling, my life’s work; it was sitting right under my nose. Could my random ramblings through the city be made a livelihood? And as it turned out, they have.
NYC is one of the world’s capital cities, but physically it’s small. Only 14 miles long and 2.5 miles at its widest, it is a perfect home for a wanderer. Walking has sustained me from my apartment in Hell’s Kitchen on West 43rd Street down to the tip of Manhattan, up through Central Park, or over Brooklyn Bridge. “Walking is also an ambulation of mind.” says Gretel Ehrlich, noted author. I know it to be true. We conduct private New York City tours in all conditions, including rain, snow, cold, or occasional nor’easter. We are undaunted; you can choose any time of the day or night. It’s so nice to select a day when we feel the first gentle kiss of spring. Only the heat beats me; on those unbearable days of August, I revert to the indoors, camped inside my chill little crib, venturing out only to lead well-hydrated tours.
I walked last Sunday, the first mild day after an endless stream of cold, brutal ones. Down five flights of stairs from my tenement roost and out into the warm sun, coat opened, walking west toward the High Line. Along the way, I’ll see what’s happening at Hudson Yards. I love watching large-scale construction. The Yard has transformed the last undeveloped portion of Manhattan. Its beauty and scale, mirrored in steel and glass, reflect the enormous willpower and energy of those who conceive and get these projects done.
