Why Harlem Keeps Calling Me Back

Harlem is one of my favorite places on earth.

I know people usually think of Times Square, Broadway, the Rockettes and all the big New York attractions—and I’ve done all of those things. I’ve been all over Manhattan. But Harlem is music to my soul.

I didn’t visit New York until I was an adult, but after my first trip, I became completely obsessed and went back several times that same year.

There is just something about Harlem.

It feels quieter and more settled than other parts of the city, but it still has so much wonder, charm and life. The brownstones are some of my favorite buildings anywhere. The food is absolutely divine. The international restaurants, street shopping, performers and music make every walk feel like an experience.

And I love walking there.

One March, it was freezing cold and raining, and I barely even noticed because I was so in love with where I was. I would grab my coffee, walk to the end of the street, hop on the subway and feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

The subway is honestly the bee’s knees to me. I love the freedom of waking up in the city, opening the hotel window, running downstairs for coffee and knowing I can go anywhere.

Showman’s was one of my favorite places to visit. I’m not a big drinker, but give me a jazz club with incredible music and people who know how to have a good time, and I am happy. The performers didn’t just play for the crowd—they interacted with everyone, pulled people into the experience and made the entire room feel connected.

Music has always helped me understand myself.

I’ll find a song that puts words to something I’ve been feeling before I even know how to explain it. I love learning about the psychology behind why we think, feel and behave the way we do, and sometimes music helps me make sense of things better than words ever could.

Maybe that is why Harlem speaks to me the way it does.

It reminds me that peace does not always look like total silence. Sometimes peace is walking alone through a city neighborhood, listening to music, watching people live their lives and feeling completely present.

That is part of what yoga has taught me too.

Being present is not only something we practice on a mat. It is allowing yourself to fully experience where you are—the sounds, the people, the food, the weather and the feeling a place gives you.

Harlem has always made me feel welcome. I’ve visited with family, girlfriends and my daughters. We once took the train from Washington, D.C., to New York, and Regan still says she may end up living there one day.

Honestly, I understand why.

Go see Times Square. See a Broadway show. Watch the Rockettes. But then go experience a part of New York that has its own rhythm.

Listen to the music. Eat the food. Admire the brownstones. Support the local businesses. If you attend a church service, research it first and remember you are entering someone’s place of worship—not attending a tourist attraction.

And when in Harlem, allow yourself to truly experience Harlem.

Some places are fun to visit.

Some places make you feel more like yourself.

Harlem does that for me.