We leave our charming host in the Upper West Side to move down to TriBeCa for the rest of our New York stay, only a few blocks away from the new World Trade Center. My Dutch friend Julie lives here with her adorable family. Her husband and her have kindly invited us to stay at their place while they are gone.
Julie and I met at Emory Law School 15 years ago as part of the same LL.M. program and took (and passed) the New York Bar Exam together. We have remained in touch ever since. Julie, today a mother of four, hasn’t changed and doesn’t change. I sure can’t say the same for myself…
Julie and her family have moved several times in the city. They had tried the Upper West Side for a while, but found that it was not lively enough for them and decided to return to the South of Manhattan. And what a place it is. In contrast to the Woody Allan charm of our Upper West Side accommodation, we are now in a modern and stylish New York loft with open space living, cooking, eating and working, and where the bicycle stands in the living room.
I have always admired our Dutch friends for their liveliness and can-do mentality. Life is full of beauty and they savor it. That does not mean that we do not talk serious stuff, but that the serious stuff does not obstruct the view on the beauty of life and all the possibilities life has to offer. The one just comes with the other.
julie
6 July 2017 at 6:51
We loved having you and your beautiful family over for a few days! It was great catching up again after our Berlin trip in 2014 and finally meeting Leo and Oda, both adorable! It was so nice to see how our kids found a way to interact and play without speaking each other’s language. Such a great and unforgettable experience this trip is for your kids and as a family. Enjoy, you only live once!!
Love, Julie&Bas