My favorite part of New York (this time)

I've only been to New York five  or six times, each time for business (and despite the sheer amount of mojito coursing through the veins at BlogHer, I shall still count it as business...minty lubricated business). This time, with flight delays and rushing to get in and out, I was only in the city a total of 14 hours. And that included five for sleeping, one for walking, and nearly two in a cab.

Even in that whirlwind, there was a pause that has not yet left me, even days later. It was this statue, that seemed to float rather than to be planted in the center of Madison Square Park. I paused to take it all in, to try to inhale the serenity set across this woman's face, the lovely fullness of her lips, head held high, braid loosely hanging at her neck. People sat on park benches, leaned forward across the gate outside of the statue, seemingly in as much awe as I was. Perhaps they see it every day or at least more regularly. But I imagine the same swell of calm I did seeing it for the first time.

I got back to my own city and read that this beauty was a combination of the Greek goddess Echo and a small child with a sweet braid that the artist, Jaume Plensa from Spain, knows. Installed only a few weeks before I breezed through NYC, it will be there through August 14 (what are the chances "Echo" gets a spot on my little balcony after that?). I hope you get to see yourself. If not, I hope you find a bit of this dreaminess wherever you find yourself this summer.