Dear New Yorkers: You’re lookin’ good.

Since I came back to NYC, it’s been about 75 degrees every day with light humidity and clear skies. Everyone looks in particularly good health. The trees are riotously green, though starting to look a little on the wilted side, it being the end of the summer and all. Compared to Beirut, things feel quiet, and smooth-running.

I went down to a park on a pier near Chelsea piers today, sunbathed and people-watched. (That’s the view above, thanks to Llima, who licensed her work on Creativecommons.org; I neglected to take a picture.) I put on my headphones and listened to Sly and the Family Stone sing “It’s a Family Affair” as three New York kids to my left argued over whether the very real grass was fake or not.

And I have to say, with me and NYC, it is now a family affair. Thanks for having me back, city.