1. Because this dog I saw in the West Village is nailing his impersonation of the nearby mailbox.
2. ... and sometimes the neon bleeds onto the sky.
3. Because every time I take a photo someone is taking a photo of me
4. Because when traffic is stopped on the Brooklyn Bridge, it turns the city into Tim Burton-era Gotham
5. And another time Tompkins Square turned into Narnia
6. ...because of this memorable graffiti conversation I saw in SoHo
7. Because I love Central Park in the fall
8. ......but I also I love Fort Greene Park in the fall
9. Because this dog is learning to read
10. Because when they put the spire on One World Trade Center, it looked like something from a sci-fi film
11. Because I can get anything I want to eat here at this KFC
12. Because of designer footprints in the snow
13. Because of this happy dog I saw on 8th
14. And this sad dog I saw on 25th
15. ...and this dog who was obsessed with squirrels in Washington Square Park
16. Because pigeon footprints look like a fleet of fighter jets
17. Because Central Park cleared out during a snowstorm
18. ...except for a few of us traipsing about
19. Because of everything this sign represents
20. ...and all the new words I learn living here
21. Because of this clever ad
22. Because of spooky mist-fog that obscured Manhattan
23. Because of New York's participation in the "Little Free Library" program
24. Because this man with a bagel-colored coat walked past the bagel cart
25. Because of the view of Lower Manhattan from the Brooklyn Promenade
26. Because this is how the NYPD saves money on multi-car pursuits
27. Because a few days out of the year, the sun lines up pretty well with the grid in Manhattan
28. Because the snakes here are not very dangerous
29. Because the Irish Hunger Memorial looks like a real Irish hillside in the middle of Lower Manhattan
30. Because one time I turned and saw this guy stealthily sneaking up on me
31. ...and another time the unlicensed Cookie Monster was staring at me as I came up out of the subway
32. Because of the free car washes
33. Because after Hurricane Sandy I lost power and walked north toward the light
34. Because you can buy fruit (and other groceries) without ever leaving the sidewalk
35. Because Midtown looks so big from Chelsea
36. ...and so small from Williamsburg
37. Because there are a dozen breakfast-all-day spots within walking distance
38. Because some buildings change their skin seasonally, like this one in SoHo
39. ...and occasionally you catch a glimpse of greatness through the scaffolding
40. Because once a year I get to see this
41. ...and once a week I get to see this
42. Because of this tattoo parlor in SoHo
43. ...and Tristan Eaton's "Audrey of Mulberry"
44. Because of this phenomenal work in Brooklyn
45. ...and this work under the Williamsburg Bridge
46. Because at some point, I stopped fighting it and just accepted that there are legs in the shrubbery
47. And because it's the most competitive city in the world...