New York in the Fall

Hey Neighbor

Welcome back to THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  This week’s story is about my favorite season here in my favorite city.  

“Don’t you just love New York in the fall?  It makes me want to buy school supplies!”

Ahhh.  That quote. 

It perfectly encapsulates one of my favorite sentiments.  I LOVE fall.  And I love Nora Ephron’s movies.  Most importantly, I love New York.  

New York in the fall is a special type of magic. 

There’s that back to school feeling in the air.  The weather gets a little cooler and that smell.  Mmmmmm. That New York smell.  It’s not the stinky trash that means summer.  It’s “fally.”  It’s more special.  

The pumpkin bread is back and the trees start to put on those costumes of colorful leaves. 

What show offs! 

I put on my costume of scarves and cozy sweaters.  I sip hot chocolate and hot cups of coffee.  I make stews and lots of comforting meals.  I breathe in a little more because I love the smells.  Again...the smells.  Fall definitely has the best smell.  

I dream of living a Meg Ryan “You’ve Got Mail” existence. 

I walk through Verdi Square with my nose sticking up just like she does. 

I eat a hot dog at Gray’s Papaya. 

I go to the Starbucks on 81st and Broadway and order a coffee with some pumpkin in it.  That’s my favorite.

I also go to Zabar’s where I meet my friend Paula for a chat.  She gives me the run down on what’s going on.  We discuss everything.  She’s a dear friend in the middle of this crazy city.  Our time together is a moment of quiet and serenity for me.  She reminds me to slow down and enjoy the simple things.   Much like the soup that’s in front of me when I eat there. 

It’s simple, comforting and feels like a hug.  

I listen to music as I walk through Central Park.  The cool breeze hits my face and I love that little chill as I watch the trees put on their show with those colorful leaf costumes. I put on my “inspiration station” playlist. It’s filled with songs that I just love.  No One is Alone comes on and I start to get choked up a bit. 

Memories flood my mind and I instantly slow down. 

I’m not alone.  I live in this beautiful city.  I get to work with people I adore. I have “regulars” who feel like family. 

I have an artistic community that I discovered over quarantine and my life has forever been changed.  They are my family now and I have literally met most of them only in a zoom room. 

I get to dance.  I take my PopTap class and am surrounded by the most loving group of girls and we get to dance and jam to these brilliant songs.  Some are fun pop classics.  Some are what we call “conTAPorary” style.  I especially love those combinations.  My teacher talks about how most of us in class are artists so we get to be artists with this combo.  We get to jam and dance what we feel.  I tear up a bit because I know that she is right. 

I am an artist.  I live and work in New York City.  I create.  I live and dream and look at life in New York just like Nora.  It’s a magical place.  I refuse to see it any other way...especially in the fall.

Hey Neighbor, I’ve got a question for you.  What are your favorite things about fall?  What is something that you love to do for YOU?  Tell me about it all!

I look forward to hearing your stories.  

I’ve Got You in My Pocket,

Jackie Ostick 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Have you heard this song?

 Hey Neighbor! Welcome back to THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  This week’s story is about a song that I discovered in dance class a few years ago.  I’m going to share the lyrics to We’re All In This Together by Ben Lee.  Woke up this morning I suddenly realized We're all in this together I started smiling 'Cause you were smiling And we're all in this together I'm made of atoms You're made of atoms And we're all in this together And long division Just doesn't matter 'Cause we're all in this together, yeah I saw you walking In the city We're all in this together The city's changing 'Cause we are changing And we're all in this together Every twelve seconds Someone remembers That we're all in this together In the kitchen Of your rent-control apartment We're all in this together Come on, baby I don't mean to rush you I only wanted to reach out and touch you I've gotta start to open my heart I know you think About jumping ship before it ...
Read more

Welcome to The Neighborhood

  Hey Neighbor!          Welcome to THE NEIGHBORHOOD.  I’m Jackie Ostick, your neighborhood guide.  (Just so you know - the deli around the corner has the best sandwiches, but the one across the street has really good coffee.)  Let me tell you why I’m here.   I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and immediately stood out from the crowd. At 6’1,” I am always head and shoulders above everyone else. That can be difficult in any setting, but especially musical theatre! I didn’t know if I quite belonged.   In high school, I saw the touring production of Contact and I was immediately captivated by the Girl in the Yellow Dress. She was just as tall as me and commanded the stage.  She wasn’t afraid or ashamed of her height! I suddenly saw someone who looked like me on that stage.  I made the decision to study theatre in college and then made the big move to NYC to pursue my professional acting career....
Read more

Music, Scents and Memories

Hey Neighbor! Welcome back to THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  This week’s story is about memories and what makes them come to forefronts of our minds. I am working my morning shift at Levain Bakery and a song from my childhood comes on the radio.   It’s a Backstreet Boys hit and I can still remember every lyric, as well as all of the music video choreography.  It amazes me how things can be tucked into memory and it all comes rushing back in an instant.  Music and scents are memory triggers for me.   Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  A classic childhood lunch item.  The second I smell it now, I’m instantly transported back to my preschool.  I can picture the playground equipment that we would play on after lunch.  I remember my Dad picking me up after school and taking me to the gas station across the street for a push-up pop.   Cold brew.  I make it everyday at work.  The second I smell it, my memory triggers the early days at...
Read more