New York Dearest

New York Dearest

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New York Dearest
New York Dearest
The 10 Things I’d Do If I Ever Had to Leave New York (My Personal Bucket List)

The 10 Things I’d Do If I Ever Had to Leave New York (My Personal Bucket List)

From the things I love most to the New York I’d want my daughter to remember

Antonina Pattiz's avatar
Antonina Pattiz
Jun 27, 2025
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New York Dearest
New York Dearest
The 10 Things I’d Do If I Ever Had to Leave New York (My Personal Bucket List)
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On Monday, I mentioned that I’d recently caught up with a friend who left New York. What I didn’t share was that she asked me a question that stuck with me: “What would be on your NYC bucket list if you were in my shoes and had to leave?”

I have to admit, her question made me uneasy. I don’t want to think about that!! There’s something strange about imagining the end of a life in New York. Even though I’m not planning a move (heck, if it were up to me I’d say “ever”), people do leave all the time.

We’ve been incredibly lucky in this city. Over the past five years, we’ve had the time and freedom to explore it slowly, on our own terms. Most of our weekends have been spent discovering new neighborhoods, trying iconic restaurants, and falling in love with corners of the city we hadn’t noticed before. (One of our closest friends has lived here for 15 years, and we’re still giving him recommendations on a weekly basis!)

My friend’s question got me thinking about what I’d want to do one last time (or maybe for the first time) before saying goodbye to this special place. After five years of intense exploration, this is no easy task.

But, after some thoughtful consideration, I came up with my own personal list. It’s a mix of things I’ve done, things I meant to do (like trying a particular Indian restaurant in our neighborhood), and things I want my daughter to remember about the place she was born.

So, without further ado…

If I Ever Left New York: Here’s The 10 Things I’d Absolutely Do

Friday’s musings and photos are for paid subscribers.

P.S. Will is out on another work trip (I dare you to tell me you’re surprised!!), sorry in advance for any typos. My little barnacle keeps me on a tight schedule.

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