We snapped this stunning shot of Manhattan from the rooftop of our new development 93 Worth.  We have shared some other photos from this project but this incredible and pristine view seems endless. Spanning almost the entire width of Manhattan, this shot captures many iconic NYC buildings including the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.

Continuing a theme from my previous appearance on Selling New York, in the April 22nd episode I had a chance to focus on identifying and addressing the inherent “energy” of the apartment that I was tasked to sell. An apartment, house or any kind of home acquires its energy not only from its own history, but from the histories—the experiences, goals, aspirations, obstacles and anxieties—of the people who live in it,  as well as of their guests, their neighbors and, dare I say, their brokers. I was educated in the existence and power of this type of energy by my friend and colleague Reginald Arthur, who for years has studied the energies of individuals, their homes and their environments. Almost as soon as I took over the listing of an apartment at 50 Gramercy Park North, I brought Reggie in to help promote the residence’s positive energies. Similar to the penthouse (at 350 West 23rd Street) featured in my previous episode, the one at 50 Gramercy is a relatively new construction and its current occupants have lived there for less than three years. Reggie and I have come to understand that new developments often attract and absorb negative forces that accompany the building process: the stresses of financing, the convulsions of construction, the uncertainties of the marketplace in which the apartments are sold. Furthermore, the 50 Gramercy project incorporates an old New York hotel that has hosted many unusual guests over the years, each of whom contributes his or her own energy to the bones of the building. All of these factors, if sufficiently negative, can create a pall that, on a certain level, deters buyers. Reggie identified this immediately and took measures to reverse its effects. He tries to help homes release negative energies from dark periods in their histories by assisting their owners and brokers in doing the same. In other words, if the people who live and pass through an apartment are able to expel their negative energies, so too will those energies be expelled from the apartment itself, resulting in a space that is brighter and more attractive to prospective buyers. Whether or not they believe in the veracity of Reggie’s methods, my sellers (and I) are always filled with confidence by his presence and charisma. And, after all, isn’t confidence  just another form of positive energy?

Over the years I have logged a lot of miles on foot throughout New York City. One task I set for myself was to walk across all bridges connecting Manhattan to other parts of the world. Some days I have crossed more than one to return back to Manhattan from an outer borough. This list of river crossings is a long one and an undertaking sure to occupy many more afternoon ambles.

Here is the list of those bridges I have crossed on foot: Brooklyn, Manhattan, Willliamsburgh, Queensborough, Roosevelt, George Washington,  and Wards Island.

Those still on the list awaiting exploration are: Triborough, Willis Avenue, Third Avenue, Park Avenue Railroad, Madison Avenue, 145th Street, Macombs Dam, High, Alexander Hamilton, Washington, University Heights, Broadway, Henry Hudson, Hell’s Gate and Spuyten Duyvil Railroad.

Obviously, some are not accessible by foot, but who knew there were so many ways to get to the rest of the world?