Having lived nearly all of my life on the island of Manhattan, there’s no place I’d rather call home. Despite minor woes, like subway delays and crowded streets, I’m acutely aware of how fortunate I am to be a small part of the living organism that is New York City.

Over the years I’ve watched as we become unified by our identity as New Yorkers in times of tragedy rather than letting hardship split us apart. I was 12 on September 11, 2001, and still remember how close that collective grief brought us. Everyone wanted to help; hospitals had to turn away blood donors because so many showed up in the days that followed. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, we rode it out together, checking on elderly neighbors to make sure we all made it through.

In a place like New York City, it’s never just about you. There’s a collective us that exists here.

At a time when I’m more grateful for New York City and its residents than ever before, here are a few things I’m especially thankful for.

The expansion of outdoor dining

COVID-19 forced restaurants to get creative, and as a result, there are now hundreds of decorated wooden structures dotting the city with al fresco dining options. I hope they’re allowed to stay in place forever.

The dogs of New York

New York City has more dogs than Cleveland has people, and that fact is from a documentary that was filmed before the pandemic pet boom. These fluffy-tailed, floppy-eared muppets have taken over Manhattan, and we’re a better town for it.

Independent bookstores

When it became clear that we were going to be in a pandemic for the long haul, I had a paralyzing fear that our independent bookstores wouldn’t survive. Thankfully they did, and The Strand, Shakespeare & Co., Cafe Con Libros, The Lit Bar, and several others continue to enrich our boroughs.

Subway art

The MTA can drive me nuts, but I’m a sucker for the mosaics that pop up in subway stations across the five boroughs. Among my favorites are the William Wegman dogs in the F/M station at 23rd Street and the animal mosaics at the B/C Natural History Museum station.

Food enclaves

New York’s cultural enclaves carry some of the most authentic food in this city or any other. One bite of a soup dumpling from Flushing, Queens, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Being able to walk everywhere

We are so fortunate to be able to traverse this city by foot, freeing us from spending half of our day in a car (take that, LA!). I’ll take schlepping my groceries home over sitting in traffic any time.