Embracing Life in New York’s West Village

When we began planning our extended stay in New York City, I recall tossing and turning as to which neighbourhood we would choose to plant our roots. The options seemed endless and we weren't about to take the decision lightly — after all, this is the place we would be calling home for the months to come. Ultimately, our hearts lead us to West Village.

We took our first yellow cab trip from the airport and arrived feeling dazed and tired, yet all consumed by the new reality that would come to greet us. And just like that, West Village served up a scene of tree-lined streets, red bricked townhouses with iconic stoops and charming cafes in every nook and cranny. They say first impressions leave a lasting impression and those first moments for me will no doubt be long-lasting.

As the name may indicate, the West Village is located on the west side of lower Manhattan. Stepping out of our apartment located on Cornelia Street, we are able to see The Empire State Building to our left and The Freedom Tower to our right. Any traveller that's visited New York would know, proximity to a Subway station is key, and luckily for us, the West 4th Street station is a mere 30-second walk from our front door. This has allowed us to galavant every which way around the city without a bother. 

With all there is to see and do in New York, it's a telling sign that there's been many days where we have not felt compelled to leave this neighbourhood at all. There's been 30-degree plus days spent lying about in the nearby Washington Square Park, listening to local musicians, reading books on the grass and people watching the afternoon away. There's also been rainy nights spent ducking into basement bars like The Fat Cat listening to live jazz music, drinking cheap drinks and playing a myriad of table games.

When it comes to grabbing a bite to eat, the West Village dishes up everything from the famous Joe's Pizza, where we've grabbed many slices on-the-go, to the Instagram famous Jack's Wife Freda cafe, where I've admittedly taken so many photos of my food and coffee, they almost went cold. It would also be remiss of me not to mention a certain 24-hour diner around the corner of our home, the Washington Square Diner; the place that got us through our first jet-lagged days when our body-clocks were out of kink and we found ourselves having breakfast at 8pm at night.

Coming into this city, I knew there would be a lot of walking, exploring and stepping outside of my comfort zone. It's always been important for me to have a home where I can retreat to in order to recharge physically and emotionally — our home here in the West Village has been just that. Every morning for the past two months, I have taken great advantage of our rooftop which looks out to the rest of New York. This is the place I am able to really breath it all in, have a moment to myself and remember all that I came here for.