When I was about to graduate college my mentor asked me where I wanted to go. I had just spent four years enduring the notorious awful Syracuse weather and what I really wanted to do was go home. Home to my city. She championed D.C. as the perfect choice for me, but I was adamant on returning and now some six years later, New York City has lost its charm, its appeal. The people were mean, too competitive, it was too much for my calm, gentle nature. I had been eaten alive and I wanted to run as far away as possible. Why didn't I go to D.C. when I had the chance? However, in the last few months my love for this great city has been slowly coming back to me, and I'll tell you why.
The Tribeca Film Festival
For the past three years I have been volunteering at the Festival. Yes, some may say that it is the 'red-headed step-child' of film festivals and in a city where 'limited release' always means it'll play in New York, its hard to get excited about the chance to see more obscure films. But that's the thing. It's New York. I can volunteer and work at a film festival. I can see as many films as I'd like. And this year there were many great ones. I saw About Alex with Jason Ritter, The Canal, Just Before I Go directed by Courteney Cox , 6, Loittering with Intent directed by Adam Rapp, and most of Venus in Fur directed by Roman Polanski. These films ranged from horror to a environmental documentary and some might not see the light at your average megaplex, not because they are not good, but because that is just the way the entertainment industry is. But I got to, because I live in New York.
Broadway
Recently, I saw two Broadway shows after a long stretch of not seeing anything. Of Mice and Men with Chris O'Dowd and James Franco and The Cripple of Inishmaan with Daniel Radcliffe. Now, the former wasn't the best performance I had ever seen, probably due to my last minute cheap and uncomfortable seats, while the latter was excellent and I got to actually meet and take a picture with Radcliffe, which excited my inner Gryiffindor like no other. Either way, I was able to go 'see a show' which I was reminded by the Texan I chatted with on line who wished she could just move here.
You might see me yet becoming a resident of a smaller and calmer paced city. But for now I'm quite happy being a New Yorker.
