postcards from new york city, summer 2022

i wanted to jot a few notes from my june weeks in new york city — which i experienced like a jolt of electricity through my water-clogged psychic system — (more on this in my newsletter) — because something i’ve been realizing is that in order to be happy here in istanbul (in a city and country in such economic turmoil) i must stay connected to the version of me that also exists elsewhere… (though perhaps this is true for all places, no matter where i live).

east village, friday night

i was craving ramen, and so i went with my friend jessica to the east village. and perhaps, what i was really craving was eating in japan. much of the time, new york feels like an expensive, bougie shortcut to the world.

midtown, tuesday evening

i think i walked twenty blocks to eat chicken and rice from a food stand, then I sat on a rock in central park while it almost drizzled, watching joggers pass by in brightly colored garments, and walked to dance tango for two hours at a practica. the buildings here look like sheathed knives.

long island city, wednesday morning

bridges of a city always feel distinctly recognizable. here’s manhattan skyline from my morning walk.

jamaica, queens — saturday morning

artifacts of new york city: i missed two trains and bought some mango (with lemon juice, spicy chili sauce, salt) from a hispanic lady selling it from a cart for $5. unfortunately, they were not ripe.

jamaica station, saturday morning

where i sat waiting for the train eating mango and a lunch my friend <3 packed me

midtown, wednesday evening

this is how we walk in new york city - at right angles with a lot of forward propulsion.

upper west side, friday morning

near the 72nd subway station stop; a place which instantly takes me back to those days when i was nineteen, visiting my then boyfriend’s apartment, close to lincoln center, feeling enamored with new york.

east harlem, friday morning

on a walk with my friend martha and her dog ooula. brownstones = another artifact of nyc life.

washington square park - greenwich village, monday evening

a hot, loud, and electric place i used to visit often when i was in college, and wanted to remind myself why i moved to nyc. i sat here waiting for my friend yulia. there was: the heat from the stone fountain, the fifty different sounds coming from all directions (drumming, yelling, music, guitars), spritz of the water, a barely seen rainbow.