When City Living Gets You Down

Some days I get in a funk where I start asking one of the following questions: When will things get easier? Is all the sacrifice worth it? When will this hard work pay off? Will I ever catch up? Would life be better if I left New York?

Well today was one of those days....

Now, I'm quite certain I'm not the only New Yorker sitting at my desk at work asking this very question, but that doesn't make it easier. Living in the city is hard, and that's a part of what makes it build such strong people. I've lived so much life in the 4 years I've been a resident of Manhattan, and done so many things some people will never come close to experiencing. So, in the moments I question if I made the right move, I like to remind myself of the reasons I'm so lucky.

Oddly enough, one of the things I do when I get in these moods is read lists. Maybe it helps me relate to other people and not feel so bizarre for having these crazy thoughts. It could be anything-- from "30 Things to do before you turn 30" to "25 Things not to say on a first Date." (ThoughtCatalog.com is great for this, by the way.)  But I think my favorite list, and one I needed to read again today, is a list from the Village Voice: "50 Reasons to be Pretty Damn Euphoric You Live in New York."

Check it out:
50 Reasons to be Pretty Damn Euphoric You Live in New York City

Some of these reasons aren't ones I think about every day, and sometimes they're things that really don't apply to my life at all at the moment. It does, however, remind me how lucky I am to have these opportunities at my fingertips. I can hop on the Jitney to the Hamptons for a weekend. I can have Chinese food delivered at 3am from my iPhone. I get to walk through Times Square every morning on my way to work. The next time I say "Ugh, my life sucks," I will try to remind myself of the these little gems.

I love knowing that every time I go to the deli the cashier will call me Jenny instead of Jenna, and that my wine-guy across the street will question when I don't buy a magnum bottle of red. In a city where you can feel so annonymous, it's funny how often you can feel connected just the same. And anyone who lives in New York City should know that they are lucky, and while it may be really tough, and you may struggle, it's always worth it. Even if it may only be for a short time.

What do you do when the city brings you down?

Endless Brunch at Regional

When you're living on a budget, having a social life can be a challenge. You also learn to add the words unlimited, endless and bottomless into your vocabulary. After 4 years of living here, I've discovered hundreds of deals and specials throughout the city, but I've fallen in love with brunch most of all. So yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to a sunny morning, and immediately made brunch plans with my friend Katlyn.  

Our destination was Regional, an Italian cucina on the Upper West Side. I've been here a handful of times for their popular brunch, and it is always a good experience.Their brunch includes bottomless refills after purchasing one mimosa. Tip: In the summertime, they have a great outdoor seating section, which is perfect for people watching. 

RegionalNYC.com

2607 Broadway (btwn. 98th and 99th St.)

I'm not usually a burger kind of girl,  but I've been craving one, and Regional's angus burger with melted fresh mozzarella did not disappoint! Katlyn opted for the egg pizza, which looked DELICIOUS, but I didn't try it for myself. Also, unlike many unlimited brunch spots, they let us sit at the table, sipping on mimosas and catching up, for nearly 4 hours. (We spent the afternoon watching "Like Crazy" and napping in bed.)

Total bill: $24 with tax and tip! For 4 hours of mimosas, a yummy burger, and good conversation with a friend, Regional was worth every penny.