High Holy days in a magical CITY!🍎🍯

To catch you up, finally catching up to current day here. Not the norm in my travel writing to be behind ….just can’t keep up when SO busy living, lol! Work has never been better and it is keeping me very busy, in the best way. I have found my groove with navigating the subways and all my different We Work locations. Thank goodness for Apps….CityMapper is how I get from A – Z so easily, I love my subways. And my peaceful quiet neighborhood on the Upper East side. I have met many people in the neighborhood and enjoyed some cute wine bars, outdoor sidewalk cafes, french, italian, sushi….you name it- the food is endless. I got to have a weekday home cooked dinner with my cousin Julie at her brand new, beautiful huge 1-bedroom apt in Chelsea. Congrats Jules….she has made it big on her own in this city. So proud of her, and so thankful for a yummy healthy dinner after a long workday. We relaxed on her couch with lil Darla Doo and some wine. I subway home…..we can’t live farther apart. On opposite sides of the city and top to bottom.

The next day started with a lovely morning walk along the East river, then across town to Central Park, with a stroll down Madison Ave to go across town home to get ready for another work day. I have managed to create my own morning trail through these hustling bustling streets in the early hours. They are filled with tons of kids heading to school, families, and other exercise peeps. I start at 7/730am. Its become my routine. Today was a work from home day, as I have another Broadway show tonight w/ Vince from home. He’s in town to visit a family member. Crazy how many AZ people have been in town to see while I’m here. We had a lovely italian dinner in Midtown, loving the sidewalk dining style. Dinner was at Serafina’s and walked to our show,…..Beautiful Noise….the Neil Diamond show. The story about his life told through his therapist analyzing all his song lyrics. I enjoyed it, as Im a Neil Diamond music fan…..a sing and bop in your chair type of show. We walked after by Rockefeller Center and all the action of Times Square. It was a real treat to spend quality time together in this city.

Okay, next starts the high holidays in NYC, sooooo many celebrate here. If you have not subscribed, checkout my first public article in JEWDICIOUS…….

https://jewdicious.substack.com/p/the-sound-of-the-shofar-on-the-staten

Super psyched to share my travel adventures publicly and honored to be one of the 18 writers for this online publication. I attended UES Chabad the first night of Rosh Hashanah for services and a friendly dinner with new friends. My table was SO entertaining. A newlywed young east coast couple, he just graduated from NY medical college (same as my dad)💫🧚🏻‍♀️, and a fellow social worker who worked in the jail system, along with some israeli woman. We had great conversations. The social worker had brought her own bottle of wine and was an absolute hoot. It was also shabbat so no pictures allowed. I met a sweet older white-haired israeli lady that shared her prayer book with me during the services. She was friendly & kind. It was a lovely night.

Saturday- my first full solo day with no true plans except to do what I wanted with me, myself, and I. To start I walked 18 miles this day, 43K steps, a true record for me. I know, a bit nuts! I started from home and walked all the way down to Little Italy for the infamous San Gennaro food festival. What a scene……sooo many food tents, people, music, kids, families, food, drinks, games, etc. It was like out of the movie, ‘Little Italy’….and the best was a fat guy on the corner performing the song “My Way”. I was in my own heaven and sipped an Aperol Spritz while trying the BEST soft yummy meatballs. I walked up and down the main drag twice. Snapped a lot of photos and truly felt like Dora today. The people watching and taking this scene in, was a treat. Made my way back up through Union Square’s farmers market, Washington square park, and stopped in to a salon for a quick relaxing manicure. Then to the High Line and made my way to a restaurant/bar in Hudson Yards. This is the bar I wrote last weeks blog while staring out the window to the Hudson River with NJ in the distance while sipping a cocktail, not a bad life. Feeling blessed!! Walked home to get ready for the second night of Rosh Hashanah. Ventured to the Midtown Chabad with a friend for their services and a meal. This table was not as lively, yet a lot more people at this much larger chabad. Again, always an experience…..not as exciting. Home by midnight after the longest walking day of the 18+ mile day.

I gave myself a well deserved relaxing Sunday. A massage I will never forget by a man named Peter, he was more X-rated than the reflexology place in AZ. And a pedicure after the massage, followed by one last holiday gathering. On the East River promenade 3 different rabbis from the temples in the area all met to blow the shofar. With the holiday being on shabbat they were unable to blow until Sunday. I was mesmerized by the crowds of jews( photo above) that came to share this beautiful experience. Tashlich on the river as well…..where you cast away all your sins to start the new year. Everyone threw crumbs of Challah into the river while listening to the sounds of the shofar in this gorgeous setting. I went home for my house chores ie: laundry day. After I found a cute italian spot(Arturo’s) in my hood for a quick healthy salad with salmon before walking to the movie- My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. A cute sequel all about family…..my kind of movie. Such a perfect weekend spent in the City. I do LOVE it here, so much!! Quite surprised by how much I do love it! One month is okay for my bank account, living here like this forever would not suit my budget. Not sure how people do it.

Monday started another week…..Here is when life is normal…..work followed by a sushi dinner date with new friends. Its raining and Im walking with umbrellas, wearing my tall boots, and a rain coat. Tuesday was a work from home day, I had my largest wk support group to date, so thrilled by the turn out. There were 10 states represented with 12 in attendance. PairTree keeps growing and making a huge difference in the adoption space, so proud to be a part of this mission.

Tonight was an evening I had been looking forward to since I arrived to NYC. If you recall the girls I met on the Staten Island ferry with Tracy from Crown Heights……well tonight was my personal tour. I boarded the Brooklyn bound subway, it blows my mind that for $2.90 I can have transportation across town, over the river and see out the window the views of Manhattan in the distance as we venture to another borough . Im also amazed at the silence of a subway packed with people. No one speaks and the silence is bizarre to me. Subways are a brilliant invention and there is no need for a car here. Holy Moly……I felt like I arrived into a foreign country when I climbed out of the Subway in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Many signs in Hebrew. With it being the holiest time of the year, so many come to spend the week near the 770 synagogue, where the original Lubavitcher Rebbe prayed. The streets were filled with orthodox men & woman. Many from Israel and other areas….all speaking Hebrew or Yiddish. I had a personal tour!

My guides Shayna & Etta are both 19, spending 1 year here to study, learn, and work. They both just completed 1 year of study in Israel and are thrilled to be here. They were so knowledgable and connected through their families. One from Baltimore the other from PA. They took me to a wig store(fancy), a modest clothing store, a hat/coat store for men, to a kosher bakery, and the Judaica store filled with books, toys, candles, art, everything you could imagine. I was in Awe! We walked down President Ave where the million$ homes are located. This is prime real estate, we passed by a huge sukkah ready for the next holiday of Sukkot. My mitzvah tank rabbi had invited me to his home, we stopped by to meet his family. Everyone is beyond friendly, welcoming, and accepting. The wig store was truly unreal….the pictures don’t do it justice. The owner opened up the store for us, as it was already closed. He was so kind….it was his wife’s store and she was away. He let my friends and I wander around, so kind. They call it virgin hair because it is real hair, hence why they are so expensive and beautiful. I need one! 😉 We went to 770 to the woman’s section to read a psalm and pray. They explained why it is so special and powerful to pray here on a spiritual g-dly level. After buying desserts at the bakery we made our way to the yummy restaurant they chose for dinner. I got to ask ALL my questions. The modest clothing is not to show knees, elbows or collar bones. I didn’t know the collar bone rule. They shared so much information about their upbringings and educated me about being jewish. They are preparing their resumes for a husband. Fascinating conversations shared. I felt so grateful for the evening. It was filled with Emuna and many Hashem moments. The fact that I just randomly met them on the ferry and were now sharing these special moments together spoke volumes in my book. We all shared the views that Hashem is in charge of it all- good or bad. They described it as divine providence and is the way of life. So many more details…..I might write about this in my next Jewdicious article- stay tuned……Thank you Shayna & Etta! Baruch Hashem!✡️

What a night……next day I got to work with a fellow PairTree employee who lives in Jersey. He came to meet me in person for the first time and work together at We Work. So fun to have a playmate for the day. Vincent is a head engineer/developer. I ended the day with another trip to Brooklyn, but this time for family. A dinner with cousins Molly & Debbie. I had not seen cousin Debbie in years…it was such a treat to eat in their neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights outside. Best company, excellent conversation. Love my family time always. I can’t believe how many connections and people I have to spend such quality time with while living on the East coast. Another regular work day, had my fav SugarFish place solo with a Hagen Dazs cone while walking home. I love my 20K step days. The weather is glorious, the scenery beautiful, loving NYC. Its Friday…..I got to take advantage of my west coast time zone schedule…..when it works for me I do it. I know rain is in forecast and needed a big walk ……spent Fri am in Central Park, dogs, babies, strollers, runners, bikers, water, the beauty and sounds of the city around every corner. A We Work day before my fun Friday night begins.

Sari from LA is in town for a Jet’s game and to visit her parents. In the 12 years of our friendship I had never met her parents. It was so lovely to have dinner with them, I felt like I knew them for years, having heard so much throughout the years. A visit with her is always a treat. She is my friend who I met in Mexico on a singles trip 12 years ago (we were roommates for a long weekend) and then experienced Israel together. We have a tight bond, even though we don’t get together that often. It’s like no time has passed and we pick right back up. We laughed, chatted, and got caught up.. We met other friends out at a piano bar and I walked home when the night was over.

Wow…….if your still reading we made it to present day. Today is a rainy day Saturday. Aunt Marlene & CUJ came to the city to scoop up Jules and see a show. I got to spend an hour with them this morning. A vey wet day…..hats, umbrellas and rain coats. I had a yummy lunch with another old family friend…..Justin & Bonnie (Terri’s bff from college) he was like a brother to my sister, and they also live UES. A meaningful catch up…..easy and so fun. I have been under blankets resting & defrosting ever since. So there you have it…….only 1 more week in this City before heading back to Woodstock for 2 nights to get my car. Stay tuned for the last week of adventures in my fav CITY, before Chapter 4 starts in the Cape.

Hugs to you all!

love, Laurie Sue

aka Dora💕🥰💫🎉🧚🏻‍♀️❤️