Gratitude for The Neighborhood

 Hey Neighbor!

Welcome back to THE NEIGHBORHOOD!  This week’s story is a message of gratitude, one of my favorite things.  

One of my favorite writers is Nora Ephron. I fell in love with her writing style as I watched You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally. Julie and Julia is a foodie’s Heaven. She knows how to pull at your heartstrings and she’s brutally honest. I also relate to her love of the city. 

In the You’ve Got Mail dvd special features (remember those?!), Nora talks about each of the iconic Upper West Side spots visited in the movie. She talks about the idea of a third place.

“You’ve got your apartment, your office and then you have a third place. Another place that you visit all the time.” 

I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea. It’s another place that is just as familiar as your home and workplace. 

At the beginning of all of my tours, I talk about how New York City can feel like this massive place where you’re one in a million. Yes, in the middle of Times Square, that’s exactly how it feels.

“But if you really look at it, New York is just a bunch of these neighborhoods that make up their own little communities, that you feel like you’re in a small town right in the middle of New York City.” 

As we close out 2021, I want to say thank you to all of these people that help me feel like this big city is really my own little neighborhood. 

To Marcos at Zabars. He butters my baguette for my soup so beautifully. And I love his smile and how he says hello to me everytime I go there. 

To Katrina at the 99 cent store. Listen. I LOVE a dollar store. There’s one a few blocks away from me that I frequented quite a lot. Earlier this year, one opened up AROUND THE CORNER!  My day was made. I was so excited when I walked in that the owner was chuckling. Her name is Katrina and we are now on a first name basis. One time I saw her at the bodega and we chatted for a bit. She’s my new friend right in the neighborhood. 

To Nick, the mailman down in Chelsea, thank you for always being a friend when I’m in the neighborhood. I miss seeing you daily when I worked in the market.  But I love our surprise visits when I give a tour and we run into each other.  

To all my regular customers at Levain.  Gosh, you make my days so special. I’m honored to know even a little bit about your lives. 

I honestly could go on and on. 

I am so grateful to call this place home. 

Thank YOU for being a part of my neighborhood. I am so grateful. Here’s to a new year of new stories and new connections. 

Okay, Neighbor, it’s your turn.  Who are you grateful for this year?  What makes your neighborhood feel a little smaller?  

I look forward to hearing your stories.  

I’ve Got You in My Pocket,

Jackie 

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