the urban jungle

i really love new york. 

well...sometimes. not times square. not particularly the metro.

and not the abundance of sweaty summer tourists. 

but...i do like new york. particularly, the markets...

union square market

i also really like the understood notion of not needing to have a purpose.

in my travels, there were multiple times when i decided i didn't

want to follow the same path, so i switched it up.
randomly.
sporadically.
...and that was okay.

sometimes, you don't always need to know where you're going,

you just need to go.

  in bryant park, i found an orchestra playing outside on a day that was perfect.

the sun was out, all of the benches and chairs were occupied...
and many an old men took the liberty of taking their shirts off. 

but no biggie, it was entertaining to say the least.

(don't worry, i won't show you those pics because nsfw.)

 

we finally headed to union square to grab some delicious shake shack goodness.

they have a shack shake in philadelphia and one of my close friends took

me there last summer, but this was my first time at the one in nyc.

little did we know that it was most likely many families' and tourists' first

time delving into the cheesy, gooey masterpieces, as the line had about a 30

minute wait on it!

regardless, it was worth it! i snagged a portobello mushroom burger because

1) i'm a poultritarian and 2) i thought i'd be healthy for once. 

however little did i know the sandwich would be fried :(

oh well. totes worth it!

my favorite attribute of new york is the sense of anonymity you have as an observer.

you could be a tourist or a resident, 

have the key to gramercy park or sit on the curb outside of it, 

famous or infamous.

whatever you are, it's not easily laid out for the world to see because 

you're one in a million. relish in that moment.

m.p.