The Final Countdown: 9

Yesterday I had a little farewell dinner and strategy meeting with the publisher and the editor-in-chief at Edible Columbus, both wonderful ladies and former New Yorkers! They surprised me with a nice little gift: The Little Black Book of New York! It's a pocket-sized guidebook filled with pull-out maps of each Manhattan neighborhood, a full subway map, and a ton of suggestions for cool things to do in the city. I've pulled it out of my purse to look up certain things all day today, so I can already tell that I'm going to be using it to plan lots of my future adventures.

I know the city is constantly changing, so piecing together this New York puzzle will be a nearly impossible feat. Once I feel like I've got it all figured out, I'll realize that I'm still missing pieces, or that ones formerly in place will have changed shape. Then I may just feel like Frank Sinatra in this scene from On The Town! But it's definitely better to have a guidebook and goals than none at all. Thanks so much, Tricia and Colleen! I will use my new Little Black Book well!

P.S. Watch a handsome young sailor and a very forward (for the 1940s, anyway) lady cab driver on their ill-fated sightseeing tour On the Town in this video! 9 days!!