First Weekend Back in NYC
I'm back in NYC in time for spooky season!!! Here's how my first weekend went.
I returned to NYC on October 3 and while I’ve grown to appreciate aspects of Honduras, I can’t deny that it feels so good to be back in my hometown. I really did miss it, so much so that when my brother and I got out onto the sidewalk at Terminal 5 I got an immediate whiff of weed and smiled. We both agreed and laughed, “Smells like home.”
My lovely partner was the one to pick us up from the airport that morning, so my homecoming was already off to a great start. As the sun rose around us three, we decided on having our first meal back at one of our favorite haunts in Brooklyn, Neptune Diner 2. After a 45 minute drive and increasing hunger, the three of devoured our respective “Lumberjack” meals and chatted about Honduras, our plans, and cracked jokes at each other. We left to run a couple of immediate errands, grab some provisions, and headed to my aunt’s house where my brother and I are staying for the time being.
Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about staying with my aunt since my brother and I are taking over a whole room of her apartment. Her and my cousin however made us feel so welcome, and it’s nice to be back in our childhood neighborhood. Our old public school is still around, same with the mosque across the street and its timed prayers that play for all the street to hear. The Dominican restaurant ten minutes away and the Chinese restaurant that’s across from my brother and I’s childhood home still stand strong. Overall, we got comfortable rather quickly save for the family dog, Leo. He’s a small, wily, little beastie of a dog that did not care for my brother and I at first. As of today, he hasn’t attacked our extremities and seems to understand we’ll be here for some time.
This first day was a lax one, I spent it with my partner walking around Prospect Park and 7th avenue and my brother took a long nap at our aunt’s. By the time I went to bed, I had been awake for a total of 35 hours.
The following two days were a heck of a lot of fun to say the least, here are the highlights:
October 5: Attending the 2025 New York State YoYo Contest
My friend Sal invited me out to an event at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum taking place that Saturday afternoon. I didn’t know what we were about to witness until we met up nearby. And boy howdy, was I in for a treat. Walking into the museum and heading into the auditorium, Sal and I glanced and were thrilled at seeing people of all ages practicing their yoyo moves in the hallway. Once settled in the theater, Sal and I hooted and hollered with the enthusiasm of any other sports fanatic. The skills displayed, the showmanship, even the music choices had us hyped and I grew an immediate respect for the sport. Below are two performances from the competition, the second being from the host of the competition, Richard Pigkaso.
The highlight for me was the last division we saw perform, the under 10 division. The sheer joy and excitement these kids had for their peers’ performances gave me back years of my life. Every kid that went up to perform had a greek chorus of children gathered at the corner of the auditorium entrance screaming and cheering at every cool trick being done. One of the cutest performances came from the only girl competing, an adorable 5 year old named Hani, who sat in the row in front of Sal and I with her family. The whole atmosphere was so supportive and sweet and I couldn’t be happier to have bore witness to it. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum that day overall was popping off, on the roof alongside the sponsor booths for the YoYo competition was a kids circus performance. Sal and I spent the day in awe of everything going on around us, eventually declaring the museum as “New York’s Hottest Club”.
October 5: A lovely dinner with friends and family
My brother and I were invited by my best friend Phoebe’s mom, Heidi, to a delicious family dinner. Heidi, if you’re reading this, thank you again for the meal it was absolutely delightful. It was a joy getting to see my friends again and have my brother meet them as well. We ate, we laughed, and we joked around with the family dog, Princess Bear, for a good portion of the evening.
October 6: Open Movement workshop at Performance Space New York
Once again, Sal invited me to another event, this time a dance workshop at Performance Space in the Lower East Side. The workshop was interesting, it was probably the most collaborative one I’ve been a part of. The concept was water, letting yourself fill up the space like the element and also act as the container that would hold and support it. I found myself feeling incredibly awkward at times, it had been months since I last moved my body aside from walking and being around so many people again had me hyper aware of bumping into others and making sure I didn’t disrupt someone else’s flow. It’ll take a while to get back into the headspace needed to fully enjoy workshops like this, but I found it reflective and interesting enough to consider going back for another one. If you’ve ever expressed interest in taking a movement class and have time on a Sunday afternoon, I definitely recommend checking out Open Movement at Performance Space New York. Thank you Sal for putting me on to this.
October 6: Boiga time
Regrettably, I didn’t get a photo of this burger but trust me when I say it was one of the best burgers I’ve had in a very long time. For a moment, I thought Sal was upselling this burger from The Lions Bar & Grill a bit too much, but upon the first bite it proved itself to in fact be that fucking good. It was everything I like in a burger; no fuss accoutrements, just the thick medium-rare patty, melted cheese, and grilled onions on a sesame bun. We both enjoyed our respective burgers and $5 beers so much that for a solid 5 minutes we didn’t exchange a word or a look. All focus was on burger, nothing else mattered more than savoring the meaty, juicy bites of well seasoned beef, the sweetness of the onions, and the softness of the buns. That meal confirmed that I was truly back in my element, and I definitely was going to go back for that burger soon.
Overall
I’m happy to be back here and am looking forward to my time. I’m looking forward to local business’s silly Halloween decorations, pumpkin ales, ciders, apple cider donuts, and eventually the yellowing of the tree leaves. I’ve always appreciated Autumn as a season, but this time around I want to enjoy every moment of it possible. Truly, I am so back.