I've always liked New York. Maybe it's because of Billy Joel, Nora Ephron, and Shake Shack. Maybe it's something deeper. The City seems to symbolize so many different things to different people - dreams, achievement, progress. For whatever reason, New York has always remained in my line of vision and someday I hope to live there. Who doesn't have that dream? 

Over the next few months, we'll be having guest contributors here on the site and each will share a piece about life in New York for a series entitled 'Midwest to Manhattan.' First off is Erika Veurink, who recently moved back from Manhattan. Her thoughts are below....