NYC Aerial No.2, Image by Kaitlin Rebesco

Turn just about any corner in New York and there’s a significant possibility of happening across a film crew or photo shoot. At this moment, in fact, the trailers for a primetime TV show are camped out on the street where we live. As a child of the 80s my fingers are crossed for a Tom Selleck (Magnum PI, anyone?) or Donnie Walhberg (New Kids!) sighting during my evening walk with Maddie…

Only Google knows for sure, but I’d wager that NYC is the most photographed and filmed city in the world. Certainly it’s got to be in the Top 5, right? Backdrops galore: cobble stone streets in the Meatpacking District, serene lakes in Central Park, bustling taxis and tourists in Midtown – and I haven’t even mentioned the iconic Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, or Statue of Liberty. I can’t blame the film directors, Instagram-ers (guilty as charged), and fashion photographers either – it’s just so darn picturesque!

With all of these images floating in the back of my mind I usually feel like I’m in the middle of a movie even when I'm just running errands or riding the subway. This being the Upper West Side, 90% of the time it’s probably something of Woody Allen or Nora Ephron variety, which is about my speed. Give me brownstones, coffee shops, and the menagerie of strollers and dogs. No Taking of Pelham 123 or Goodfellas for this girl, thank you very much.

I’m curious to see as time goes on and we put down roots here whether that feeling of discovery will change or dissipate. Will I stop noticing the details? The angels in the architecture? In my heart of hearts I hope it doesn’t. I hope I never get complacent about all that New York has to offer. I hope I never lose that sense of wonder that this amazing city is where life has taken us.