Hello AT,
As a recent New Yorker who just moved from the midwest (St Louis), how do people incorporate nature or relaxation into their daily lives.
Victor
Dear Victor, there's the Nature Channel, too much good wine and, of course, a late afternoon romp in the sack.... (more below)
But seriously, this is actually we asked ourselves years ago when we were starting our first job in NYC and we're really stressed out. When we asked our colleagues we got blank stares. It was sort of amazing.
What do we do now? Regular exercise is essential (we do the ashtanga yoga), as is getting out into nature, whether its a park, a house in the country or a walk down to the Battery to look at the ships.
Then there is the home. We find that many overworked New Yorkers neglect their homes and this contributes to their stress. So much of the stress you feel comes from overstimulation from people, work, noise, smells, cold, heat, concrete....
To get away from this daily, you need to have a good home base. We like to cook, clean and relax at home and the more we do it, the better it becomes. We like to make it nicer and be busy around the house - even though it's tiny. We find this very relaxing. When we stay at home night after night and cook and get in bed early we feel so good we wonder why don't do it more often. Anyone else?
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
A walk/jog along the westside highway bike path, cappucino and newspaper in a Greenwich Village cafe, a stroll along Smith Street in Brooklyn, the promenade in Bay Ridge, these all help me unwind,but I would agree with Maxwell, the best thing is making a nicer home(cooking, cleaning, decorating, etc) I look forward to cooking every weekend(this week its Lasagna), and don't forget:one can never have too much good wine!
I agree with Maxwell, but have some other favorite spaces for relaxation in the city. In the summer, Sundays are reserved for walking in the West Village and ending up on the Hudson River Park, lying in the sun and reading the Sunday Times. In winter, I like to escape to one of the many museums in the city, preferably with a book. One of my preferred places to read is the sculpture garden in the American Wing or the Astor Court Garden (?) in the Asian Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both are really wonderful and rejuvenating spaces.
Just as a note, when I was in grad school I used to write papers at the Met for a change of scenery. You are allowed to bring a laptop into the museum, or at least that was the case a year or so ago.
I would have to concur with the philosophy of making your home your temple. Less clutter is essential. It's no coincidence that city dwellers tend to be drawn to simple, clean lines, with less tchotkes, while our country cousins are more inclined to start collections and wear "louder" colors? I grew up in smalltown Texas, so I know from experience that my formerly-New Yorker parents gradually started collections of (crap) and have it sprawled throughout their 7,000 home.
But, this all makes sense. When one is constantly bombarded with noise, smells, lights, people, Visual and Mental peace is all that's needed when home. When one is surrounded by coyotes, grasslands, or even a small hamlet of a town, one tends to keep themselves stimulated through 'things'. Hence, my mom's The Cat's Meow collection. Ugh, and The Bedazzler. She's got 2 denim jackets with that shit....
Suggestion: Limit your in-home storage space, which ultimately houses back-issues of Time Out, and books you kinda forgot to read. (oh, wait, maybe that's just me)
Suggestion (pt.2): Paint your walls a soothing color. How many times are we pounded over the head with this morsel of advice? And yet none of my friends ever do it... and they wonder why my place "feels like a home".....
Just to echo maxwell, exercise was the big breakthrough for me when it came to coping with NYC stress. Regular yoga, rollerblading, and biking is my preferred combo. Central Park is second to none when it comes to rollerblading--the circuit is fabulous with great hills that are challenging for even advanced skaters. Plus, there are some superb bike paths that really allow you to explore the entire city, like the one that goes down under the Verrazano bridge and then with a little street riding, on through to Rockaway Park. The city offers free bike maps, btw.
And I do enjoy a glass of wine each night too--there are a lot of great, small wine shops in NY. It's great if you choose a favorite and go for free tastings. You can become familiar with a store's stock in about a year with regular visits and so you get a little lesson in wine along with the relaxation it can offer.
And, of course, a relaxing, uncluttered (as possible) apartment. I've always gardened in and around my apartment, even if it means raising a tomato plant illegally on my fire escape because caring for plants has always allowed me to unwind and keep in touch with nature just a little bit.
I agree that the importance of making your home your oasis is key. I love coming home. I light candles, open a bottle of wine, start dinner, kiss the cats. Soft lighting and great aromas give me a comfy feeling. On the outside, I recommend the Botanical Gardens in the winter, parks and piers in the summer (anything that puts you on or near the water)and strolls thru historic parts of the city are a way to get stress to melt away anytime of the year. This city is so full of history and beautiful landmarks! It brings another level of appreciation to an amazing city.
Another thing I do to take my mind off daily stress is volunteer. I concentrate on animal shelters but there are a million and one opportunities to help others - human and animal. At the end of a volunteer day I've totally put aside any stress.
My 2 cents:
All the suggestions above are great. I would add only that it's a good thing to escape from the noise. I use earplugs sometimes when I'm at home; that helps a great deal. Silence is truly relaxing--and golden.
The fact that NYC is a walking town makes it relaxing for me -- when I spend time at my partner's suburban condo, the forced driving just for milk et al is stressful. And mind you, I love a good drive at times (esp in a standard shift car!), but when it's my choosing, and when it doesn't involve strip malls on the gd'd Post Road!
My beloved West Side is wonderful because it has 2 major parks, but an after dinner walk down Broadway is the best: great people watching, the possibility of bumping into friends, window shopping, a stop at Barnes & Noble or Tower for some browsing, perhaps treating myself to coffee or dessert at Cafe Lalo, Cafe Edgar, or Cafe la Fortuna (esp the garden in good weather!)
Truth is, the list is endless: picnic in Riverside Park at sunset, drinks by the lake in Central Park (or at any rooftop bar!), bike rides everywhere in the city, or even up to the GW bridge and over to Palisades Park. A early evening ride on the Staten Island ferry timed so the sun sets during your journey.
And back to walking: a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge. As noisy as the traffic can seem (and it's much better than the days when the roadway was a metal deck, not paved) the beauty of bridge structure and the surrounding sights of the city are simply breathtaking.
A great, comfortable apartment is critical, but don't allow yourself to become homebound. Get out there and "pound the pavement" -- but do it at your own pace! All New Yorkers march to their own drummer, and still we get along. Go out and listen for your own special rhythm and let it take you where it will -- now that's relaxation!!!
You're probably new to the city and doing all those semi-tourist things [I must go to 5 museums in a row!] that take up a lot of time and are not very relaxing. I agree that nesting and knitting are my two favorite things, but I also like meeting up with friends in cafes and going out dancing at night. What did you like to do at home? I'm sure you can find people and places that fit your interests. If you're having a hard time finding people who do what ever it is you do, check out meetup.com or do a search for blogs or yahoo groups.
Every time I've moved to a new neighborhood in Manhattan, I've spent an afternoon wandering through it. Wait for a good crisp day, and wander around your 'hood window shopping and people watching...
Okay, non NYC'er here, but I was about to write what Frank said--that not having to drive is a big relaxer for me when I've visited NY or other big cities with good transit and good pedestrian amenities. I spent a month once living in London and found I spent MORE time outdoors there than I did in, say, my family's suburban house. I was going to say I'm never stressed in NYC, but that's because I'm always just there for the weekend visiting--vacation. :)
if you can have a pet, especially a dog or cat, you'll have a companion who will help you shake off stress, it's a medical fact,
my dog led me to nature, walks in central park and riverside park in through the four seasons gave us a bond and gave me an opportunity to see the beauty of nature. even without a pet a walk in central park is a wonderful escape from the city in the city.
A movie in the middle of the afternoon always does it for me.
A cocktail at the Bemelman Bar when it's not too crowded is another little heaven on earth.
I chose to live in the Murray Hill area because I love to walk. Mostly I head down Third Ave., make a right on 20th to go past Gramercy Park so I'm aware of the 4 seasons, then a stop for coffee and a sweet somewhere. Continue down lower Fifth through Washington Square Park and if I need to food shop, head over to the West Village and pop into Jefferson Market, Citarella, etc. Or if I don't need any provisions, head east to the lower Broadway area and walk down to Nolita. I always have a Metro Card for the return trip which must be by bus, not subway (too stressful). Buses are great for gawking, and I do like to Gawk. Finally back at home sweet home which I agree must always be shiny and change the color scheme a little as the seasons change (the bathroom is easiest, I have 4 shower curtains and a rainbow of towels, makes a difference!). Now if the price of that Sony flat-panel TV would only come down to earth! :)
i agree with so many posters above: a clean, uncluttered, comfy home environment is key for unwinding, and walking is great for shaking off what holly golightly aptly called the "mean reds"--that grumpy, frustrated, i-hate-the-world feeling. when i was on the upper west side, a long walk through riverside park always put me in a better mood, even on a gray, icky day.
little projects are also good. lately, i've been cooking dinner to relax. i really like coming up with a menu and gathering the ingredients. (i never use expensive ingredients, which takes a lot of the stress out of potential failure.) i especially like trying new techniques or recipes i haven't used before, because it demands enough creative attention that you have to ignore all the travails of the outside world. and, honestly, if it goes up in smoke or tastes awful, you can always get a good slice around the corner.
pour yourself some wine, put on a movie or some music, and the world will go away. and it's cheaper than a restaurant!