David Bowie’s favourite spot in New York City
When David Bowie moved to New York City in 1974, it was like a match made in heaven. Embracing the city’s energy and diversity, he immersed himself in its pulsating rhythm, drawing inspiration from its bustling streets and eclectic mix of cultures.
From 1974 to the early 1980s, Bowie called New York home, and during this time, he not only produced some of his most memorable work but also became an integral part of the city’s vibrant artistic landscape. According to the man himself, the city became his muse, just as he had become central to its innovative and forward-thinking vision.
In the beginning, however, Bowie noticed he started falling into a specific pattern, one that exposed him to the different sides of the city. “When I first came to New York, I was in my early twenties, discovering a city I had fantasised over since my teens,” he wrote in an essay for New York magazine. “I saw it with multicoloured glasses, to say the least. Also, I rarely got up before noon and hit the sack again around four or five in the morning. Two New Yorks, really.”
Later, Bowie would share an appreciation for the city that he maintained throughout his life. “I still love this town. I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” he said in 2003. “We’ve been here now, my wife and I, for 10 years. I realised the other day that I’ve lived in New York longer than I’ve lived anywhere else. It’s amazing: I am a New Yorker. It’s strange; I never thought I would be.”
Although born in Brixton, London, Bowie became at one with New York, mostly for reasons he even found difficult to put his finger on. “I think there’s a new awareness in New York about our isolationist stance in the rest of the world,” he explained. “There is a realisation that even though this is one of the most important cities in the world, others are watching us. I don’t think we ever felt that before. There’s a slight unease. We really felt freewheeling and that ‘tomorrow belongs to us’; anything can happen.”
His immense love for the city led him to purchase a property in downtown Manhattan. There, he crafted the perfect world based on his tastes and interests, with some of his ultimate favourite spots located on the same street as his residence. One of which was McNally Jackson Books, where he would often unexpectedly stumble across his favourite books.
The Strand on Broadway was also a choice destination for the star when searching for good reads. “It’s impossible to find the book you want, but you always find the book you didn’t know you wanted,” he once said. In fact, the singer was quite a significant bookworm, especially considering the fact that he once compiled a list of 100 of his favourite books for his website.
Bowie’s top New York City spot, however – one that nothing else matches up to – was Washington Square Park. According to Bowie, it is “the emotional history of New York in a quick walk.” A place inundated with trees, Washington Square Park became a hub of creativity, particularly in summer, where people would enjoy playing on a piano that had been put out. It’s not difficult to imagine Bowie’s electrifying presence frequenting such an area, especially when it held such a profound bohemian essence, becoming the epitome of his vibrant New York experience.
