Sometimes you travel to discover a city. Sometimes, unexpectedly, you discover that a little piece of you is already there.
New York introduced itself through family. A relative met us at the airport, handed us OMNY (One Metro New York) cards, and taught us to navigate the subway. Then she took us home and fed us. By the end of our trip, another relative picked us up and shared a meal featuring food from her garden. Those two family dinners became perfect bookends to our New York experience.
Between those meals, we traveled above ground, underground, and on the water. My Miami-born husband roamed New York like a kid in a candy shop. I bought fabric, learned to navigate the subway alone, and walked into a great repository of Black history—only to discover a piece of my own history already there.
First, See the City
On our first full day, we took Circle Line’s Best of NYC Cruise. From the water, New York unfolded before us: Lady Liberty, the skyline, bridge after bridge—and there are so many bridges. We learned about neighborhoods and history while taking in the water, shoreline, and sky. But seeing New York and experiencing it are two different things. Soon, we were in the middle of it.
A Miami City Boy in New York
My husband is from Miami, and watching a Miami city boy discover New York was an experience all its own. He wanted to roam. New York seemed to awaken something familiar in him: the energy of city life, people moving everywhere, something happening around every corner. New York did it on a scale all its own. I didn’t need to roam as much, so I let him have at it. He loved it.
Finding Our Place in Harlem
Harlem became one of the most meaningful parts of our trip because its history didn’t feel distant. It felt alive. At the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a reception for dignitaries connected with the 57th Annual African American Day Parade was underway. Ms. New York was among those present. So, naturally, we joyfully crashed it. Some of the best travel experiences are the ones you can’t schedule.
I spoke with Kevin C. Matthews, the Schomburg’s Deputy Director of Operations & External Engagement, about the archives. Then came the surprise: they had a copy of my book (African Americans of Tampa) in their archives. Staff asked me to sign it. I had come to see history and unexpectedly found myself connected to it.
That feeling persisted throughout Harlem. We had watched a documentary about some of Harlem’s wealthiest Black residents. Then we visited Red Rooster Harlem, where a notice said guests might be filmed. Maybe I’ll end up in that footage, too.
At Sylvia’s Restaurant, I looked from the woman behind the counter to Sylvia’s photograph. “Which are you, daughter or granddaughter?” I asked. “Granddaughter,” she replied. I told her she was the spitting image of Sylvia. She smiled broadly, and that was the end of the conversation. History was standing right in front of me, continuing through another generation.
Learning the Freedom of the Subway
One day, I met my daughter in Harlem at a restaurant where we’d had brunch. I knew where I was. We took the train to the Garment District and found a fabric store still open. I left with a big bag. My daughter took the train home, and I headed to the hotel by myself.
On my train, one passenger began acting in a way that made people uncomfortable, and half the car seemed to clear out. I got off at the next stop and waited for another train. Several other people did the same. As we passed a later stop, I noticed about five or six police officers at the station. That experience taught me something important about public transportation. The subway didn’t make me feel trapped; knowing how to use it gave me choices. If something didn’t feel right, I could move. Another train would come. To me, that is independence.
Watching a City Live
We stopped to listen to a street performer singing old-time tunes so well that we had to stay a while. You’re headed somewhere, and suddenly the city gives you a reason to stop. New York interrupts you in the best ways.
Bringing a Little New York Home
I bought my husband a hat, and man, did I get that right. He loves it. It has New York style and fits the way a Florida man can put himself together. That hat just looks like money, so a little bit of New York came home with us.
The Perfect Bookend
On our last day, we took the train to Resorts World New York City. A nearby relative picked us up afterward and took us home for a meal featuring food from her garden. The circle closed. We had arrived in New York, been welcomed by family, taught how to move through the city, and fed. We left much the same way: with family and food.
In between, New York gave us Lady Liberty, bridges, subways, Harlem, fabric, music, restaurants, and relatives. My husband found a city big enough to roam. I learned that knowing how to move through a city can give you independence.
And at the Schomburg, I discovered my own book waiting for me.
We didn’t make it to a Broadway show, but that’s all right. Every good trip should leave something unfinished, something that calls you back. New York gave us enough to remember and just enough for another adventure.
Broadway, we’ll see you next time.
Question of the Day
What city has surprised you by making you feel at home—and what moment made it feel that way?
Stay in the Mood
Explore more stories about New York’s culture, travel, food, and neighborhood life at Mood Magazine NYC.
Mind. Body. Spirit. Culture. Harlem to the world.
