What I do year-round living in New York

A season by season guide from someone who has a lot of time to spare

When I first moved to New York it was in the middle of winter — the sky was gloomy, the wind was unbearable and everyone hid behind their dark colored jackets. My co-worker told me, “Just wait for spring, that’s when the city comes back alive.” He even said people start to smile more in the subways and are simply happier. I thought it was bizarre until I experienced it myself. So this year-round season guide has to start with spring, the beginning of the season.

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Spring (March - May)

This is the time of the year when it’s starting to warm back up and you can opt for lighter sweaters and trench coats. Flowers and leaves start to peak out of the bare branches that’s been naked all winter long and bunched tulips reemerge at grocery stores.

It is the perfect time to explore the city on foot, especially the villages, spend time by the water and picnic at Central Park (before every patch of grass is taken up by a picnic blanket). In fact, the cherry blossoms are usually putting on a show at this time, playing peekaboo and making you circle around the park looking for blossomed trees between those that are still deep in hibernation.

The sun is beaming for longer and you can finally see friends without immediately ducking into a restaurant or bar. My friends and I would go shopping for our spring wardrobes at SOHO and admire its architecture, then cross the bridge into Williamsburg for vintage finds.

If you have friends in their late 20s early 30s (especially without kids), there is a very good chance they will be running in a half or even full marathon at this time of the year. You can cheer them on with signs like “What are you running from?” or be a good friend and wait for them at the finish line with flowers and Gatorade.

I haven’t done this myself yet but this might also be the perfect time to walk the whole stretch of Broadway from Harlem all the way to FiDi, end to end. It’s something people do, I’m not lying, it’s about 10 miles (16 km) and can take the whole day. I’ll let you know when I try, in the meantime, you can watch this video on why it’s worth the adventure.

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Summer (June - August)

Into the summer season and with time you’ll realize you’re actually a xiao long bao in a bamboo steamer. Summer in New York is not just hot but humid hot. Do not take the subway, walk everywhere because at the very least there will be breeze. And you will not melt away on the platform waiting for a train that may or may not be air conditioned and may or may not even come.

Despite the heat, this is high time for rooftop bars, the sun is up early and doesn’t set until 9 pm. There is every type of rooftop bar sprinkled across the city to explore.

You can find rooftop bars sitting at the top of skyscrapers in FiDi and Midtown where the tallest buildings in the city live. My favorites are Overstory in FiDi, with a 360 view of the entire Manhattan, Brooklyn and even Jersey, and Refinery Rooftop in Midtown across from the iconic Empire State Building.

Unexpectedly, there are also many rooftop bars in East Village that are not as high up but since the whole area is covered by five-story tall buildings you can see all the way upwards to Midtown. My absolute favorite is Mr. Purple, it’s also my spring-loving co-workers’ favorite bar in the city and I even celebrated my birthday there one year.

And you might have guessed it, Williamsburg have the next best rooftop bars for its views of the city. Westlight has both indoor and outdoor seating for when it gets windy at night. The decor feels luxurious and you will be sitting on velvet sofas all night long, sipping cocktails and listening to your friends’ New York dating life updates.

But summer is honestly the best time to … not be in the city. Hence a great time to visit Upstate New York which is easily accessible by train from Grand Central Station. Beacon is a cute small town less than two hours train away, you can shop in boutiques, eat coal fired pizza with locally brewed beer at Hudson Valley Brewery, visit the famous Dia Beacon art gallery or paddle on the water with kayak rentals from Hudson River Expeditions.

And I mustn’t forget to mention the Fourth of July fireworks on the Hudson River. It’ll make you wonder if Macy’s is secretly a fireworks company.

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Autumn (September - November)

This is another favorite season of mine. The city is winding down and preparing for the colder months. Work usually starts to slow and people start making plans for the holidays.

The colors of the city begin to change again, another perfect time to visit Central Park or anywhere in the city with trees really. I love taking my bike up to the Palisades or take a cruise along the Hudson River to Bear Mountain.

Autumn is also when opera season starts and you’ll find me at the Rosetta Bakery across from Lincoln Center every other weekend before the curtains. I’ve dragged many friends to watch opera with me, playing dress up and using a handheld telescope to admire the performers’ costumes from our $40 seats at the very top. If I’m being honest, the love-triangle plots all get mixed up after a few shows but the stage and costumes truly set each performance apart.

If you love music like me, this is a great time for jazz bars as well. You may have noticed we are opting for indoor activities now but still staying social. Birdland Jazz is a classic with more well-known performers whereas Small Jazz is definitely small and in the basement (just like Soul), the performances are more spontaneous with skillful improvisations.

For those that celebrate the spooky season, don’t forget to catch the Halloween Parade and fashion shows in the subways.

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Winter (December - February)

We have finally arrived in the holiday season, when most of New York goes home and the tourists pour in. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a sardine? Walk around 5th Avenue and stand by the Rockefeller Christmas tree in December and you will be glad you are not a full-time fish.

I do love this season for the many Christmas markets around the city and outdoor skating rinks. Bryant Park is a classic but my favorite stalls are at Union Square, I’m a sucker for hand-made trinkets and the holiday markets get me every time. The lights go up all over the city and for a second you can forget the sad gloomy winter skies.

People have made it a mission to try all the different hot chocolates sold around the city and rate each out of 10 with two decimals. I’ve so far only tried two: the rich French hot chocolates with fresh whip cream at MarieBelle in SOHO and dark hot chocolate from The Chocolate Room in Cobble Hill Brooklyn.

This is, to be honest, the time of the year when I mostly stay home, visit other people’s sofas or pick back up the incomplete crochet projects from the winter before. The sun sets at 4PM and you leave the office in the dark, ducking into the subway stations while browsing delivery options for dinner.

For me, it’s a quiet time to reflect back on the year, review my budgeting excel sheets and make travel plans for the next year. And maybe that’s why I’m writing this article now … with a blanket on my lap and a warm cup of milk tea on the coffee table.

This is the perfect time to … just wait for spring to come. Have I told you about how I start smiling in the subways again?

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