Project Travel : Times in New York City - Day 3

Day 3 begins with breakfast at Animo! I savor my breakfast enchiladas with a side of avocado, it is fanned out, nestled against the chicken-filled soft corn tortillas, smothered in tomatillo sauce, with white lines of crema artfully danced on top. I happily note that there is no cheese, I rejoice at the authenticity. I order a side of turmeric ginger tea; the earthiness warms me against the chilly weather.

We sadly wrap up breakfast and split out. I head back to the hotel for a zoom meeting discussing our newest venture… Shop Human… stay tuned. The rest of the team head to a design consultation with a client.

Once my meeting ends, I head to the Upper West Side where I meet an old friend. Her Caribbean accent is full of warmth and kindness. We embrace and reminisce of the olden days pushing strollers around the city together as nannies. We have known each other for almost 10 years. We endure the biting wind as we share fried rice on a park bench. After an hour or so we say our goodbyes, and I am happy to have the privilege to be able to continue our long distance friendship. Friends are hard to come by, but this friend’s genuine and gentle spirit are unique and I cherish what we’ve managed to build and maintain over the last years.

I walk through the streets and pop into a hardware shop. Hardware shops in NYC are one of a kind, this is the place where New Yorkers find random supplies: tools, office supplies, toys, art supplies etc. It’s a treasure trove to a magpie like me. I buy some pins to add to my collection; I also manage to buy a couple of gifts for Stacey. Her birthday is approaching, and I know how much she enjoys the city. I place them in my basket, resisting the urge to grab Asian inspired Knick knacks.

I hustle to the lunch spot where I meet up with the rest of the team. They’ve just returned from a client on W. 86th St. They’re wrapping up their discussions of progress made and to do lists. After checking in, I hop to the bagel shop next door and grab a few bagels. I buy a few them, planning to eat one in the city and stuff the rest into my already full carryon. Good bagels are hard to find in FL, let alone gluten free ones. I regroup with the team, and we walk over to W. 79th St.

One of our team members’ father’s family is from NY and we stand outside of what were her grandparents’ apartment. They lived on the first floor, the unit next to them was a doctor’s office, where her grandfather practiced for years. We stop to snap a few pics and enjoy this special moment as I envision her father as a small child climbing up and down the steps.

We stop to debate how we’re going to cross town. Joe is never one to turn down an opportunity to walk the streets of his beloved city, votes to walk and the team agrees. We enjoy our last day in NYC as a team, we walk along the streets bracing ourselves against the wind and gloomy skies, yet we savor the last moments of the bustling city.

At the hotel, I hurriedly pack my bags, managing to shove my bagels in at the last moment. We say goodbye to Joe in the lobby, as he’s made a last-minute decision to extend his stay. He’s been invited to view apartments with a possible client. Prospecting is a never-ending endeavor, but without it, the business shrivels. Such a tricky thing to be managing a full plate of projects and clients now, but having to think 6, 9,12 months down the line. Such is life with a business, we wave goodbye through the cab and race towards the airport.

At the airport the girls and I stop at a restaurant. I am thankful that LGA managed to pull off such an expansive new addition, one filled with many new and clean restaurants. We grab a booth and share a plate of fries. Our discussions turn non-business. I try to not interject too much, not sure how to be a leader and a peer within our business. I make a few comments but double guess my words. The conversation turns to families and different childhoods. I have a hard time with conversation, I grew up quite differently than my peers. I grew up in a small town, I was only one of 2 Hispanic children in my class, we celebrated holidays differently, my families’ religious affiliations were different than my friends, we prized extended family over everything else. I can recognize the “outsider” insecurity creeping in, I resist the urge to shut down and do my best to participate, continually attempting to shed old poor habits and push to better attributes. I know that if I don’t try to connect with and understand people with different perspectives, then I shall prepare myself for a lonely life. The truth of the matter is that I’ve prided myself in a vast variety of friends and acquaintances, though they may be trying at times, it’s been a path that has led to wonderful conversations and relationships.

Our flight time nears as we pay and move towards our gates… Until again, NYC.