The City So Nice They Named It Twice

I know he didn't invent the phrase, but that's how David Letterman always referred to his home city. I grew up on Letterman. (My parents raised me correctly.)

Summer after 7th grade, I was in a production of Annie (just like every other red-blooded, American musical theatre kid) and I've never been able to get this song out of my head since:

That moment where she sings, "NYC. Just got here this morning. Three bucks. Two bags. One me." I've always had a love affair with that line. I was never certain if it would actually be me though.

I didn't visit New York until Thanksgiving break my sophomore year of college. The King family either goes skiing or to Disney World. Those are your vacation options. (I have no issue with those options, by the way.) So I was 20, traveling alone for the first real time, going to see a best friend (thanks for choosing NYU, John). To say I was excited would be an understatement.

I was also able to visit the city again during my junior year where I got to see some of my Baylor Theatre professors perform off-Broadway in Craig Wright's newest play. 

Ok, so don't hate me, but when I visited New York City...

...I didn't fall in love with it.

There's this pressure on "theatre kids" in the US to be in love with New York. And I just...wasn't.

Then I studied abroad with Baylor Theatre one summer, spent five days in London, and immediately recognized that feeling I was supposed to have for NYC. That joy of just *being* in a city- reveling in its culture, its history- hell, even its public transport.

Why yes, I will mind the gap.

I felt all of that so strongly for London. Strong enough that studying, living, acting in London became a big time dream of mine.

(Even with the possibility of pedestrian death eater attacks)

Well, we all know how that went. (In case you're new here, may I present the last two years of my blog. Happy reading. Absolutely no apologies for all the dad jokes.)

So what do you do after fulfilling a lifetime dream? Where do you go when you have to leave your favorite city on earth?

New York City very quickly become the only contender. I had a showcase here that went well, my best friends from East 15 (and some from Baylor) are here, I was able to find an apartment in a great location with amazing roommates, I've now officially found a job that lets me still audition. Overall things have fallen into place pretty well. Honestly, it feels a lot like how London happened. Filled with grace. Providential. All those things.

Top of the Rock 😳 #nyc #nbc

A photo posted by Jenny King (@jkitsmejenny) on Nov 13, 2015 at 10:23am PST

Plus...I get to live here. (Well, not here, as in the top of 30 Rock, but hereish.)

Am I in love with New York yet? Talk to me after winter. For now, we're definitely in a monogamous relationship and it's even met half of my parents (my mom came up for a quick visit and to be reassured that my apartment is actually very safe). So I'd say we're on the road to a good, solid relationship. I'm playing the long game here.

To Liz Lemon and all the other empowered females in this city (fictional or otherwise),