Curiosities in New York City

I escaped the clutches of the Princeton world this weekend, which feels good. Despite the fact that I really love Princeton, getting away every once in a while is a healthy thing to do. It makes me (re-)realize that there is a world outside of academics/public policy where people care about other things and where many of my friends still reside :).

Quite a few things made me smile today... in a way that I think only things in NYC can make you smile. It all began when I was walking with a friend and I was engrossed in sharing a funny story. When all of a sudden I was stopped mid-sentence by a "curious" sight heading towards us. A woman - in her 60s or 70s - was hobbling slowly on the sidewalk towards us and she was pushing a stroller. You may be imagining a cute baby right now, but I will have to disappoint you. Happily sitting in the stroller and observing the scenery was a.... toy dog! It took me a few seconds to realize that this was for real, after which I barely stifled my laughter until she had passed us. My only regret is that I did not have a camera on me to snap a picture. It would have been truly priceless.

New York fashion is also something that can impress or amuse you. A young woman in Central Park today was sporting the following outfit: black, pretty revealing tank top, black synthetic sweatpants, and... black Crocs. Sometimes I really have to wonder whether people look in the mirror before they make their appearance in public. Obviously, you can wear whatever you want, but some things just cannot be mixed together in the same "outfit", I think. (On a related note, another fashion "favorite" is the evening dress with black flip flops during the summer... why oh why?)

If you have seen anything amusing lately (or even less recently), please share. I want to continue smiling.