Photo by Claudine Williams

Longtime Tribecan and artist Lisa Stefanelli (who also founded Barre TriBeCa, which closed in 2019) decamped from the neighborhood a couple of years ago, but she keeps in touch — largely because she still shows her work here in town. She wrote to invite me to her opening — she is in a group show now through Pierogi 30 at 394 Broadway through Dec. 22 and sent this reflection below. I thought it was a poem! But it turns out it was just an email to me. And I am reprinting it because I love how it reminds me why I live here.

Below, a few images from her digital series Crowd Pleaser.

i don’t miss having to take care of an apartment.
i don’t miss having to pick up my dog’s poop.
i don’t miss having to search for my keys and locking the door.
all of the time.
i don’t miss construction noises.
i don’t miss umbrellas.
i don’t miss shin splints.

i DO miss the romance of evening twilight when the sun sets, and the buildings’ lights glow.
i DO miss street fashion.
i DO miss walking 15,000 steps a day, at the very least.
i DO miss not having to get into a motor vehicle to run errands.
i DO miss Barre TriBeCa.
i DO miss Warren Street.
i DO miss seeing my friends randomly on the street.
a quick hello and dose of friendship.
love on the go.