why in the world did you decide to walk all the streets in nyc?

(written on september 4th, 2020)

this might be my last year living in this city (which some would call the greatest city in the world), and there are so many streets I have never set foot on. walking is a way to truly see the sights: the architecture, the history, the people, the food, and of course, the construction. it is also free and covid-friendly!

finally, my brain has been very full these days, and when i walk, my mind wanders and meditates on the thoughts deeper in the mush instead of spiraling into gloom or shutting off completely. walking brings me into contact with the humans who build and rebuild this city (and new york is certainly evolving as we speak), and impels me to think of the joys and sorrows of others instead of my own. hopefully these contemplations would inspire both me and you.

did you really walk all the streets in nyc?

yes.*

*almost. i only walked manhattan. i considered a street to be a place where cars could drive, and parks, bridges, and littler islands were explored but not charted. near the end, in order to finish before leaving new york, i biked a few streets. and there are inevitably little pieces of streets that i missed due to construction or mishaps. at the same time, i have crossed each intersection at least twice, and there are countless blocks that i have walked multiple times over. taking all this into consideration, i will confidently say that i have walked every street in manhattan.

are you the first person to walk all the streets in manhattan?

surely not! each of these people offer wonderful insights into walking manhattan, and in one brave case, walking nyc.

yet— i may be the youngest person and the first asian american and the second woman (but who really knows, it’s a strange thing to record).

so you just walked?

indeed. i listened to music sometimes, podcasts sporadically (mostly the anthropocene reviewed and this american life), and audiobooks rarely and never to completion. i always spent part of the walk simply walking, observing (i certainly did take an abundance of photos). it was often not until mile four that my brain would finally wander away from the quotidian todos and begin to walk.

how many photos did you take on your walks?

3,541. see them on a map if you’d like here.

what was your favorite street?

what a question. 3rd street was quite serendipitous, mott street is comforting, cabrini blvd was a pleasant surprise, barrow street is the most peaceful corner. harlem river drive and riverside drive are lovely waterfronts. and of course, if you are to walk but one street, walk broadway.

favorite neighborhood?

if i could live anywhere in new york city, i would live in the lower east side / chinatown. i love it.

what was the best discovery you made on your walks?

the one that most delighted me was library way, a series of sidewalk plaques on 41st street, stretching from fifth ave to park ave, devoted to writers writing about the written word. honorable mentions go to the little red lighthouse and the old print shop.

i’m in the city. where should i go?

see a collection of my favorite spots here.

why are you still blogging?

a great question. i started reading blogs in middle school and have yet to stop. it may be a dying art, but i think i’ll try to keep it up so long as i’m still reading…

what blogs do you read?

a few of my favorites:
Cup of Jo
600 Acres
Smitten Kitchen

hey i think you’re cool. can we chat?

wow, i think you’re cool, too. you can reach me at julietannlee@gmail.com.

…so is that it?

i no longer live in the most walkable city in america, alas. for one day only, i did attempt to walk where i am currently living: perhaps the least walkable city in america. i’m hiking a lot and thinking of writing more here, we’ll see what happens…