Summer in NYC by Barbare Sturua ('24)

As usual summer days always pass slowly and monotonously, but not this one, not in New York.

During summer New York continues to be an unstoppable force, racing towards development and perfection. The only time I remember it slowed down was in mid-July when we had a heat wave! Terrible humidity and 100 degrees were unbearable. So I went to Grand Central, bought a ticket, and hopped on a train towards Greenwich, CN. A friend of mine lives there and I decided to visit him. Suddenly less than an hour away from the craziness, I ended up in the most peaceful place. My friend’s house is located on a posh street where private houses stand in complete silence and only birds chirping is heard. Then we went to a private beach in the neighborhood and surprisingly enough it was almost completely empty… next to the beach were woods which lead from a lake to another lake. I stayed there for 3 days and I realized it was too quiet, too slow, and too monochromatic; I needed to go back to New York. I came back to my hell. When I say hell I mean it because I live in an area called “Hell’s Kitchen.” The name comes from the agenda of the neighborhood, as there are a variety of cuisines from all around the world. I finally had time to explore my area and try all kinds of different food: Thai, Nepalese, Turkish, and even Georgian, where I am from. I felt like I was traveling the world.

Summer in New York is adventurous and spontaneous…so many times did I end up at random beach parties and bonfires, in random parties at people’s apartments, concerts and performances I didn’t plan, comedy shows, night walks, and meditation sessions. So many sleepless nights and late mornings. 

Sometimes when feeling overwhelmed I would get on a train and go to Manhattan Beach, with friends or alone. 

I found a little hidden gem in East Village, a cafe called Mud. It is Timothee Chalamet’s favorite coffee shop and also a place where a lot of artists gather around, so that was another getaway with my friends. 

I did end up reading a couple of books and one of them was an autobiography of Ingmar Bergman called A Magic Lantern. He was a Swedish film director who I believe was a genius. This autobiography shaped my vision of summer and made me appreciate little details I wouldn’t pay attention to without reading this book.

Above all my favorite place was Film at Lincoln Center, where they showcase modern European films. With a student ID tickets cost $10 and most of the time there is nobody there so you can laugh or cry as loud as you want. 

Finally, my ideal place during this summer was Fotografiska, a photography center located at 281 Park Avenue. Throughout July they hosted an Andy Warhol exhibition along with masterclasses by the most influential photographers around the world.