From The Center Of The Country To The Center Of The Universe…
I love New York City for so many reasons. What’s not to love about a place where a person can move to from anywhere and literally transform themselves? Sure there’s dirt and grime, and hipsters popping up from behind you on every corner, but there’s also so much fabulousness contained in such a small area that for many, it’s too overwhelming. Every single day has the potential for containing more excitement than my friend’s from home may see in a year. Today it’s the tents at Bryant Park, a stroll down 5th avenue, and a pastry from Bouchon Bakery. Tonight, the options will be limitless…and it’s only a Wednesday.
Living here has definitely changed me. I remember the first time I ordered take out from a non-pizza establishment at 1 am and thought it was the most magical thing I had ever experienced. I thought Duane Reade was a person, had no idea how to hail a taxi, or how “Houston Street” or “Greenwich” were pronounced. My first time in Midtown surrounded by the tall buildings made me feel like I was disconnected from reality.
Jeff Bridges once stated that “There’s a certain power to naiveté. You don’t know what can be done and can’t be done. You just go for it.”
It was years ago, but I remember my first months here like a fond dream. I didn’t get the streets down for weeks because I was too busy being swept away by every corner bodega selling fresh flowers, every new smell that changed with each block, the people all so unique, and the fashion choices they picked to distinguish themselves.
Having been here now for 3 years, I am nostalgic for that period of childlike fascination and naiveness, but content on where I’ve come.
Now I know these things and so much more. Things like which floors at Barney’s are “mine”, where the best ravioli is located, (Barolo in Soho), how much money it costs to get to Tribeca from my apartment, where the best book stores are located, who Matt Drudge is, and how much the china costs at Bergdorf’s. I’ve learned that not everyone is fascinating to talk to just because they are successful in this city (as I did when I first moved here), that people are a lot of times feeding you bullshit, and even more times disinterested in you unless you have money, come from money, or are attractive (discounting the up and coming struggling artists and writers because they’re ‘hip’). I’ve also learned that in spite of all of this, there is more good than bad here, more engaging minds and open dialogues than anything I could have ever imagined. Preconceived opinions are thrown out daily as the people here continually surprise me.
When I moved to NYC I didn’t know anything outside of what I had read in books, seen in films, or absorbed via the multitude of other media outlets that people get bombarded with around the world that play a part in creating what New York means to them. For most, it comes off as sounding like an uninhibited, scum-infested, left of center, scary, lonely, curt, money-driven, romantically witty, encompassing, and captivating city all in one. Most people from home tell me that they can’t wait to “visit”, then later on throw in that they don’t know how I do it “out there” or that they couldn’t imagine living “there” for long. They honest to god make it sound like I’m living in Disney World or something-a place to visit but never stay for too long.
I find myself luckier than some, coming here from the “outside” means that I have been able to truly appreciate things about this city that natives may never get. I hope that no matter how long I’m here for, I will continue to be impressed walking into the new hip restaurant or driving across the Queensboro bridge, that I will still get excited from the sound of Cristal champagne being popped at Cipriani’s, and continue to think of my possibilities as endless-truly endless not seemingly. This may be seen as a weakness to some, but like Jeff Bridges, I think it is a tool for me. If I only KNEW about half the things I was doing, maybe I would be too scared to try them in the first place. Being naive to me means that I don’t know what “can’t be done” and so maybe I will take more risks- risks that may turn out unrewarding, but taken nonetheless….nothing good ever comes without taking risks.
So, here I am living “out there.” But to me it feels more like a “here,” and there’s no turning back…
[All Posts by Holly Golightly]
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Wow, I’m impressed by this girl. Excited to read more of her writing.
And cheers on the shout out.
Thanks, I’m flattered.
I want to do an article about what happens when Holly Golightly goes out with Holly Gonightly……not kidding.
HollyGoLightly, in your paltry two years in Manhattan, have you ever crossed the bridge into any other borough? The Manhattan-centric nature of your commentary, as well as your generally pathetic elitist ill-spirit, belies the philistine sensibilities of the typical faux-”New Yorker”; it’s clear that you\’re a relatively nouveau-arrivée, who has spent her meager amount of time on the Island attempting to dissimulate her suburban bourgeois roots by masquerading as some smug cosmopolitan , unaware that you\’re living belatedly amid the ruins of a Manhattan that has become virtually obsolete. Sort of like Romulus Augustus’ Rome. Jejune, my dear, positively jejune. Mr. Capote would scoff disdainfully in his velvet smoking-jacket.
Frivolity, obviously you are as silly as you are linguistically pretentious. HollyGoLightyly is a persona that is supposed to be Manhattan-centric, is supposed to appeal to those who dream of Tiffany’s and 5th Avenue, and supposed to be a bumpkin embracing the glamour of New York. A little research would show that GofaG has a diverse group of personas to appeal to the interests of many different people (i.e. “the undergraduate,” “brooklyn rah rah, etc.”)
Your judgement of Holly centers on the facts that she was not born in New York and only arrived her 2 years ago. “paltry two years,” “nouveau-arrivee,” “meager amount of time.” None of these facts are related to merit, they provide no chracter insight save for your own, and lead me to conclude that you judge others on things they cannot change. Such lines of reasoning have been the justification of every human rights violation since the beginning of time.
I don’t think anyone in any borough appreciates the sheer arrogance and cruelty that you display in defining what it is to be a New Yorker. By casting aspersions of what it is to be a “faux ‘New Yorker’,” you implicitly admit that you have concluded that only certain behavior is acceptable of a “New Yorker.” To try to limit what is acceptable behavior, again, only points to a disturbing behavior and line of reasoning. Just because someone is different than you, or does not fit into your paradigm, does not give you the right to judge, a true New Yorker would celebrate.
“Masquerading”? Did you read Holly’s bio? Holly has made it explicitly clear that she is from the country and has fallen in love with the glamour of New York. I find it difficult to imagine how Holly could have been more forthcoming. “dissimulate her suburban bourgois,” duh, thats the point of Holly, looks like somebody missed the memo, or the novella, or the Oscar winning movie.
“Ruins of a Manhattan that has become virtually obsolete.” Thank goodness, did you see “Gangs of New York?” Oh wait, you wouldn’t be talking about that Manhattan, you would only be referencing the Manhattan that those people who recently moved here were not present during, but which you were. This way you can continue to hold over their heads the fact that they weren’t here, but you were, and conveniently conclude that’s why you’re better. Again, a “high-gound” not based on merit, logic or reasoning. Scary.
“Sort of like Romulus Augustus’ Rome.” This statement does not provide any value other than to make sure all of us know you remember a Latin name from a classics course you took or perhaps know how to use Wikipedia. Thanks for letting us know.
“Mr. Capote would scoff disdainfully.” Again, you show unbelievable arrogance in that you contend that you can read the mind of Truman Capote. The only thing that has been established is that you missed the entire essence of his character. If Mr. Capote is going to be scoffing at anybody, the arrows point to you.
Frivolity, New York is a wonderful city and it is so because of people from everyone like Holly, the captains of industry, the immigrant dishwashers, the village poets, the musicians, etc., and to even people like you. That’s right, you. Don’t rebell against this, revell in it.
After only 2 years in the city, Holly is an editor of a blog that provides nourishment and enjoyment for many and all types of New Yorkers. After admittedly more years in the city, what can you say for yourself? Maybe if what you said was right about the health of our city, maybe this city needs more Hollys.
Hello Holly: I would like to submit an article I have written titled: “A question for us all.” As of now, it sits upon my desk top and wishes to be read by the nation; one individual at a time. The subject matter of this article pertains to what is and has been transpiring in the U.S. under this president’s reign. It is an article that pushed its way through another I was writing and now wishes to be heard. If you are curious and your publication can withstand the onslaught that will come to view regarding those who are feeding upon the populous and the ramifications it is having plus what we are going to inherit after he leaves office than I wish to have you take a look at what wrote to me. This article pushed its way out of another with no intention of what came through. All I know is that we stand upon the brink of a reality whose future does not look as bright as the media paints. Thank you for being here for the masses to discover what lies within the matrix and what we should be focusing on at this time in our history. Thank you for the opportunity to potentially bring forth an article that will curl the tails of the oppressors, the greedy, unconscious ones who are feeding upon the masses with little regard for the ramifications that accompany such ignorance…
What’s eating Mark Grape?
I like Holly! I used to work in NY but now I am in Moscow and I often think about differences and similarities between the 2.
My hint to all spam robots out there, for the next minute the anti-spam word will be BETTER (case insensitive):P
haha I came across Holly GoNightly’s blog once. You guys would make a great blogging team!
Hello again,
You don’t even have to consider posting the above comment anymore. I’ve done some research… I completely respect and admire your goals and values. Here’s to the future!
Marissa