I must say, May may be the best month of the year here in New York City. Sun rays fall between the towering sky scrappers, landing on my pale winter skin, I close my eyes and soak it in. My daily moisturizer is SPF 40, so let it shine, let it shine! A light breeze flutters my bangs, this is perfect weather. Not scorching, no one’s sweating yet, sundresses-with-a-jean-jacket-just-in-case weather: down-right pleasant.

May is the month when we want to be outside. All the time, please. When we must go inside to sleep, we keep our windows open and the sounds of the streets rock us city-dwellers to sleep. If I could spend this whole month wandering neighborhoods and parks, stopping only to drink at water fountains and to picnic on patches of grass, I would. Give me a day, any day in May, and I will make you feel like there’s no where else you’d rather be.

I moved to the city in May of 2008. Four years later, I find myself trying to capture some of that new to New York City magic. That accute feeling of I can’t believe I live here! The Big Apple is my home. Gone are the days when a walk through Central Park was an event, when a Broadway show was a breathtaking treat. Now it’s routine- I do those things every week. I fight against the jadedness I feel creeping in my bones. Give me exploration, give me excitement, give me that new New York. There are still, and always will be, countless things I haven’t done in this city. Like visiting the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Come with me!

Trading the urban forest for real trees. See that one in the distance, with low hanging branches? I climbed it. If I’m 25 years old, and I still love climbing trees, there’s no way I’m truly jaded.

On a city street, if you stop to smell the roses, you will get mowed down by a “Move it, @&^%!” No one’s yelling at me in the BBG. If I stopped to smell every flower, I’d never leave! Fortunately, there are so many, the sent sometimes floats in the air- no stopping necessary.

Watching people who are the opposite of jaded- kids. These little tykes were looking at pennies under water. Looking down at the surface, I noticed all the colors of my surroundings mirrored in the reflections. I wished I was a painter. No one who’s truly jaded EVER wishes that.

If I have to go inside, let there be floor to ceiling windows! The conservatory of the BBG has a great bonsai collection.

There’s something magical about these miniature, essential sculpted trees. I always wanted one as a kid, and I still get some of that longing. That said, now I know I’d kill the thing in less time than it takes me to sound out the species name written on the placard.

Look at that. Bet you’re wishing I was a painter too. Film is good too, though!

Say you’re circumnavigating the lake- it sounds like a much bigger adventure.

Wishing that I could run over that brigde. Alas, it’s fenced off.

If you have to fence something, fence it off with tulips!

Swinging from the limb of a cherry tree even though it hurt my hands. Had I not been wearing a skirt, I just might have hung from it by my legs! Next time, next tree.

My lovely photographer and roommate. She’s not jaded. She knows how joyous it can be to run around a field just for the hell of it (ok, and for the photo ops).

Brooklyn Botanical Garden. I can’t wait to go back in another season! There’s lovely rose garden, where nothing is yet in bloom, but in June…I will have to literally stop to smell the roses.

Hope you are enjoying this month like I am, wherever you are!