That's how I felt looking at the city framed in the rearview of my cousin's pickup the day he helped me move. NYC and I could have worked something out. But it was too late. I was off to another town. The city kept the cat.  So, when I recently returned to New York, courtesy of a TV show, I was especially giddy. OK, I wasn't financing the trip myself, and, yes, I was staying in the storage room of my friend's apartment in the West Village. But New York didn't know that.  Here's what New York saw when I landed: A guy in a suit holding a card with my name on it. Now this is not a common occurrence for me, it was just a fringe benefit of the aforementioned TV appearance. For a moment I pretended that I was waiting for my luggage so the city could take it all in and see how far I'd come. Kind of a "How ya like me now?" moment directed at my ex.  But NYC's too cool to care. And if I'm honest with myself, that's why I love it. After a few minutes I admitted to the driver that I didn't have any checked luggage. Unsmiling, he stared at me for a moment and then turned and started walking to the car.  And then there she was. Is there another city in the world where a glimpse of it makes you feel like you're hang gliding while sipping a martini?  And that's the paradox at the heart of visiting New York. The most expensive city in the United States provides the cheapest thrill: You just need to arrive and look up.  Of course you also have to eat, but that can be done on the cheap, too. Yes, NYC is rightfully famous for its upscale restaurants (Ai Fiori and Recette are two buzzy new comers), but it also has a host of handsome, not-insanely priced options like Momofuku and ABC Kitchen. And it's home to my favorite eatery: The closest bodega.
New York City and I broke up almost 10 years ago. I said it was my fault, but I lied. Money drove us apart. The city was happy to take, but unwilling to give. At least to me. Finally, I left. But I