“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” 

-Proverbs 16:9

One of the perks of being a public school teacher comes from the frequent (or infrequent, depending on the attitude of the educator) breaks that come along during the school year. In New York City we are blessed with both a December break and mid February break (and if you’re a high school teacher you have a Regents week TWICE in January and June. No students for the win). Oftentimes I daydream of traversing across the globe to far off lands, mingling with the local folk, exploring ancient cities and then returning with tales of my adventures. 

Until I look at my bank account.  

The reality of my post Christmas holiday paycheck burst into the door of my travel dreams with a “not so fast sweetheart”. I remember there are spring and summer breaks to consider. Although we teachers are gifted with various breaks throughout the year, the breaks coincide with when EVERYONE ELSE has a break. Airline prices are more expensive during the summer and as a new teacher I do not want to risk my “sick days” disguise to be blown over an accidental Facebook post of me living it up in Jamaica in the middle of March. 

So what do you do when you are bitten by the travel bug, but need an affordable alternative to the hundreds of dollars traveling cross country or cross continent. 

*Cues drumroll* 

Staycation!  

During the week of Washington’s birthday, I decided to discover (and rediscover) places in New York City. I am blessed to call NYC home and with all the marvelous experiences at my fingertips, why not take advantage? Here were some highlights from my staycation on the Big Apple

1. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum & American Museum of Natural History

3. Greenpoint, Brooklyn 

4. Flushing Meadows Park-Queens, New York 

The photos depict the eclectic mixture of what New York City has to offer. The Guggenheim Museum and American Museum of Natural History are located in what is dubbed “Museum Mile”. Museum Mile stretches along 5th avenue, between 110th and 82nd streets (you’ll have to travel to the west side of Manhattan to get to the Natural History Museum, specifically West 80 street and Amsterdam).  The museums have incredible collections of paintings, sculptures, artifacts and Dinosaur bones! (where are all my Jurassic Park fans at?) 

If you’re looking to escape the inevitable frenetic energy of Manhattan, then the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn have their own unique vibe. I visited Greenpoint, Brooklyn, located in the Northern part of the borough (G train). There I savored  a fresh, sugary, red velvet donut at Peter Pan’s Donuts and ate a classic new york slice of pizza at the famed Paulie Gee’s. If you want authentic Asian cuisine, head to Flushing New York (located in Queens) to feast on dumplings, pork buns, and Peking duck. After, walk off those calories at Flushing Meadows Park, home of the 1939 and 1964 World Fairs. 

By the time the week was over my sense of wanderlust was quenched. I’d encourage everyone to stop and explore your surrounding area. There are  wonders all around us as long as we take the time to seek out our own unique adventure. 

Please excuse me while I plan my next one. 

Signed

The Bashful Butterfly