Stepping out onto the balcony of our penthouse suite, look to the left and you will see the beautifully framed Empire State Building. This is possibly the most recognizable landmark of New York City, next to the Chrysler Building, which you can see from the very same balcony.
There are many of us that feel a flood of emotion while laying eyes on sights like these. Regardless of the beauty, there is something to be said about the connection between emotion and New York City.
Perhaps it is because New York is a city of dreams. People migrate to this metropolis with hopes and aspirations that only a city like New York could hold. More often than not, one of those very dreams is that of falling in love.
Love at first sight, being swept off your feet, unrequited love blossoming into unexpected love, all of these ideals have been found in the nooks of this great city. The very sidewalks are saturated with the emotions of everyone who has walked here.
Romance may be one of the greatest themes of NYC, and that is due in large part to the reality of the love that so many people have found here. Many famous love stories were inspired by this incredible place, whether in cinema or literature.
Some of the biggest film titles, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), to Sleepless in Seattle (1993) have had two lead actors, but there is a defining theme of New York playing the third most important character of these films.
Find solace with a loved one in Central Park, as was done on Wollman Ice Skating Rink in Serendipity (2001). Explore the ballrooms at the Puck Building on Lafayette and Houston, as several scenes were shot in When Harry Met Sally (1989). No matter your adventure, New York City inspires and ignites romance.
There are many aspects of New York that lend themselves to falling in love. Any one of these facets tend to lean towards one of two polar opposites: places to be seen, and places to hide away. New York creates a balance between the two. There is a sense of anonymity among millions of people, and yet there is the ever-present energy of ‘making it big’. As with any love story, there is pull to show off, and a pull to stay hidden. New York City gives everyone innumerable opportunities for both.
In The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald, though set in Long Island, stands as an example of the amount of love that New York City possesses.
“He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.”
As a smile is described in this novel, New York is also explained. The clear and unadulterated reality of love emanates from the streets of the City, beckoning you to be consumed by energy and emotion. And perhaps that is the greatest intensity of the City, the ability be anonymous and true to yourself, and to find love because of this energy you portray.
Another incredible example of love in the City comes from the motion picture Brooklyn (2015) (originally written by Colm Tóibín, 2009). This is the story of a young Irish immigrant in the 1950’s who started a new life in New York City despite the anxiety and isolation of a brand new and massive place.
“You’ll feel so homesick that you’ll want to die, and there’s nothing you can do about it apart from endure it. But you will, and it won’t kill you. And one day the sun will come out – you might not even notice straight away, it’ll be that faint. And then you’ll catch yourself thinking about something or someone who has no connection with the past. Someone who’s only yours. And you’ll realize that this is where your life is.”
What beautiful magic this quote evokes, telling the story of so many who at first anticipate loneliness, are greeted by fate, and soon met by elation in this wondrous place.
Nestled within the East Coast of the US, but often regarded as the center of the world, New York City is a bustling metropolis of business – but also that of love and pleasure. Many come here to seek not just love, but the most pure and intense forms of adoration and excitement. It is only natural to be drawn to its beauty and energy at this time of year when love is on the minds of many.
Whether you stand breathless atop a skyscraper with your heart ready to burst with love, or sit quietly in a cafe watching with hope and patience as people pass by, it is a guarantee that you will find love here within New York City. After all, you can be sure that you are already in love with the City itself.
