Have you ever had a dream come true that you didn’t know you even had?
This is happening to me… To us.
Okay, so that’s obviously not it… I already have my Associate Degree in Culinary Arts – I’ve always known I want to do something with food/restaurants.. However next year, after Zack has graduated and I finish my program with the Institute of integrative Nutrition – I am going to finish my bachelor degree, in Food journalism and media.
What did come as a huge surprise to both of us, is how overwhelmingly excited we are about where the school is.
The International Culinary Center is in NEW YORK CITY!!!!! I never knew I wanted to live in NYC, until Zack & I got to seriously talking & realized its the best of the best when it comes to both of our career goals. His degree being in film/editing and mine being in culinary.
The funny thing is, when I say that I’m from New York most people assume that means NYC. I’m told time and time again “oh you don’t have an accent” or “wow that must have been amazing” no.. No it wasn’t. That’s because I grew up in the South-Western tier of NY state. (for those not familiar with NY, this is what you typically refer to as “Upstate NY”) So my perspective of New York living is nothing like the city. Jamestown has a population of 31,146, is a 10 minute drive to the Pennsylvania state line, and 5 minute drive from “Amish Country” as the WNYers call it. Because of this I swore off ever living in NY state again… But I hadn’t really ever considered the NYC.
Now that we’ve made this decision it’s all I want. It’s as if any other city/state was never even an option!
I remember my first trip to NYC. One of my best friends, Lindsey and I took a train leaving Buffalo at 1am and pulled into Grand Central Station around 7am. As soon as you come into the city you can tell – the walls all around you are more and more covered I graffiti (some people hate this. I find it to be part of the city’s charm) I remember getting out of the train like I had arrived in any other city, completely underwhelmed. The station was massive – but it was just that, a bus/train station.
Then we walked out into the heart of midtown manhattan. I don’t even know how to describe that feeling…. It was suddenly very apparent we were in another world. I was Beaming and in complete awh. That first moment that I looked up and up and up at the buildings surrounding us… I felt an electric charge tingling all through my body.
The second time I went to NYC was with my sister and my ex-brother-in-law. This time I explored NYC in style and was able to enjoy the culinary side of the city. We went to Mr Chow, Nobu, The View. We went to Brooklyn for pizza, walked Crentral Park, and sipped mimosas at the Plaza before our flight home.
Since then I’ve been several times in short spurts and each trip is more and more incredible. To say I will be a New Yorker (again) after our wedding, is incredible and strange!!!!
To really kick things off, I registered for my first NYRR event. The Mini 10k in manhattan/Central Park on June 9, 2012.. We’ll obviously still be Baltimore residents, but the weekend will really make it all stick. Also it’s practically exactly one year before we make the big move!
Also, do you see what I’m writing people? Central park! I never dreamed of living in NYC – but since starting to run I have constantly wished I could run in central park. Soon, this will be somewhere close enough to run daily!
have you ever had a dream you didn’t know you had, come true?
Oh this sounds so wonderful. I SO want to run in Central Park..: something awesome for you to look forward to. Very Happy for you!
“have you ever had a dream you didn’t know you had, come true?” First, congrats! Second, I love that last line! It was a reminder that we have have dreams that we may have buried or forgotten that are still there. And we have aspects of us that we may not think is “us” but are revealed when we’re open to new opportunities, not closed off in pre-judgement. xoxo
I love this post for so many reasons…I’m a NYC gal from birth so I’m slightly biased but NYC is a wonderfully amazing place to live…My hubby and I lived on the UWS for a while, but when I got pregnant, we decided it was time to move to the burbs (Staten Island). I still miss the excitement and beauty of the city…I am SO SO SO excited you are going to be in NYC! Lots of opportunities for you both – and opportunities for us to meet up (esp after the mini 10k). So happy and excited for you!
Eeee! All these comments are getting me even more excited! Can it a least be June so it can be race time?! Haha
Still working on my dream of living a Caribbean lifestyle!
NYC sounds so interesting. I’ll be heading there for BlogWorld in June so I’m pretty excited and maybe a little intimidated by the big city. When I was young, I spent a lot of time in Washington D.C but I imagine NYC is nothing like it.
Awesome opportunities ahead for you! Congrats
In my opinion.. I feel way safer I NYC than I do in downtown DC.
i LOVE hearing other people’s reactions to NYC…i live here and go to school here, and although I say I’m sick of it and want to move far away, it RELLY is the greatest city in the whole wide world! haha…and i love that you’re so excited for it….you’re going. to. love. it. !! and running in central park is just as wonderful as you think
good luck!!
Wee! Now I’m over the moon to run in central park. Talking about it is getting me SO. flipping. Excited
Wow… him in film media and you in culinary. Perfect combo.
That is very exciting! Yay. Onward to making dreams a reality.
C ongrats!!!
My teen wants to visit NYC, one of her brothers lives there with his wife…
I don’t deal well with chaos…but I’m up for the challenge of a visit to NYC!
Ohhh you should do take her to see her brother in the city! It’s a blast.. & over a weekend or extended weekend it really doesn’t have to be chaotic. The better you plan the less insane it will be.
Plus if you stay in the outskirts of the city it’s a lot less overwhelming.
Congratulations! That’s super exciting. I moved to NYC for college. I never thought that I would stay afterwards let alone raise a family here but I fell fast and hard in love with the city. It’s an amazing place to be. I used to live a block away from Central Park and loved running there. I still miss if even thought Prospect Park in Brooklyn isn’t a bad substitute. Good on you for making your dreams come true!
After living in the heart of Los Angeles for 8 years, the thought of moving to Kansas City terrified me – but the husband took a job and here we are. And I realized – I LOVE SMALLER TOWN LIFE. Who knew I had a dream to live in a town that has midwestern values, down-to-earth people, and a slower pace of life? NOT ME – but like you said, It’s a dream I never knew I had.
I guess as you get older and change (as we are constantly doing), our dreams change. Best of luck and enjoy this time!!
Thank you! Crazy how the human mind can adapt!!!