When I first moved to New York, I thought one had to be south of 14th street to feel the rush of excitement in discovering something new every day. Be it frequenting a little noodle bar in the village, wandering down a hidden street to find a speakeasy cocktail apothecary, touring underground cheese caves, playing ping pong in a Biergarten or browsing the stacks of a book store known for housing 18 miles worth of books — I just couldn’t get enough of Manhattan and those experiences set off a spark in me.
These days, exploring a day in the city like that has become borderline impossible and while that deeply saddens me, I’ve come to realize that “downtown” is as much a feeling as it is a place. One can find their downtown in a turbine-powered glassblowing studio in Vermont en route to summer camp or wandering the streets of a “living” 18th century city in Virginia whilst visiting colleges, or in the pages of a book, listening to a favorite podcast, at the local farmer’s market, walking a dog on the beach and especially with family and socially distanced friends. Simple joys can be found anywhere and if you keep an open mind, they may find you!
On this site, you will find ideas, all centered around creativity and story. The “Do” category consists of suggested destinations (some may be virtual) that will hopefully spark your creativity as they do mine. The “Watch” category covers must-see viewing across all platform as suggested by me and my contributors. “Read” is, as it sounds, explores books and articles on various topics, all with an inspirational bend.
The Downtown Project (TDP) is filled with experiences and discoveries that have left their impressions on me and my close friends. I invite you to follow along as I share my simple pleasures + hidden gems and hope that you will share yours as well. I call this website my little passion project… You can call it The Downtown Project.
Alana is an award-winning television writer and producer who is a true Californian turned proud New Yorker. She lives with her family in the ‘burbs, just close enough to frequent her beloved Big Apple.