New York City has so much to offer and so much history. I never dreamed that I would be living here, so I have been trying to soak up a city of this size in a few short months. I am now trying to pace myself realizing that I have at least two years to see the place.

So far my favorite spots have been Manhattan and Harlem. Manhattan is full of energy; shopping and I love all the people. It has an excitement that you have to experience in order to understand. I once heard a man say only "New Yorkers like New York." The reason for that is that you must come here before you judge it. It's an awesome town with a heartbeat all of its' own. You've got to come feel the beat to get it.

Just a few blocks from the power of Wall Street and the shopping of Madison Avenue is the smooth, historic mix of Harlem. I can stay here all day. The food and the music are so rich that you feel like you've arrived in the Caribbean without the water. The renewal going up here has energized the businesses, the people and the tourism. You can find some really great deals in Harlem. Many unique African American items are found in local shops and with each purchase you can chat with an older person who knew someone famous from back in the day. The place is full of stories of encounters with old greats and new hip-hop greats. There's nothing like Harlem.

Battery Park is another place of interest. To see the massive site of 9-11 saddens me but it also makes one reflective. People died here and we came together as a nation. What the devil used to destroy our sense of security actually united us as a nation. You can look out and see the Statue of Liberty and realize she means more than just a neat thing to visit. You don't look at her massiveness with awe because someone built her but because she stands for something. We all get it now. We are free and people hate that. Freedom is not always given nor understood. I look at her now and I think "Stand tall and proud girl- you symbolize what we stand for".

I have grown to love so many places, China Town, Little Italy, Broadway, Time Square and my apartment where I can look out my window and see the ice skaters on Rockefeller Center. New York is the best. I see why it's called New York, New York. You just have to it say twice.