Leslie’s 5-star review:
*This entry commemorates my 400th review. Three years ago, my life was completely different. I had no reviews. No Yelp friends. No idea what UYE stood for or why I couldn't post a review from my outdated iPhone. I had just graduated from UCLA and moved across the country to live in New York. Everyone has their story; here's a little bit of mine. The rest you have to get in person.*
Whenever people inquire this Texan transplant "how do you feel about NYC," it feels like I am being demanded to solve a riddle with no right answer. Sure, there's been a lot of laughs. A lot of anger. A lot of heartache but also oodles (and oodles) of fun on this island. Manhattan is not JUST a city anymore- it's its own entity. It's a giant, living, breathing organism filled with people and cars and subways and critters and bright lights and fluids and perpetual energy. We humans are hopelessly entangled in a symbiotic relationship with this organism, some more than most.
Now let's pretend that this organism was in fact a person and I met with them at a bar. Oh Manhattan, I've missed you so much sweetling. How have you been since I saw you yesterday? Why don't you sit down with me for a chat and have a drink. Whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters, you say? I'm buying. Now let's reminisce over the past... I'm feeling a tad nostalgic and this drink is kicking in.
My dear Manhattan, where would I be now without the countless funny, embarrassing, sad, mind blowing and life changing memories that I have come to possess over the course of my life while on your 13 mile long body? I don't want to even entertain the thought. Speaking of embarrassing memories, do you remember that one time on the subway car (the C train, if I recall correctly) during my spring break of freshman year of college? Remember that four year old asking her mother "mommy, what's wrong with that girl?" and the mom calmly replying "she's very sick baby...."? What an observant child. Luckily, that was the first and only time that ever happened to me. And luckily, I learned an important lesson: never drink and ride the subway. Well more specifically, never ride the C train.
Oh Manhattan, I love you and hate you so much sometimes. Still, I have to say this has probably been one of my more healthier relationships thus far. You give. I give. You take. I take. It's constant. Don't ever change.
Texas is my state. Brooklyn is my borough. Manhattan is and will always be my playground.