The city offers a symphony of sounds. Sometimes these sounds are welcoming – an impromptu jazz trio in the park, children laughing or the brisk sweeping of a storefront sidewalk.  Sometimes these sounds are unwelcoming – police sirens, garbage trucks or the screeching of brakes, avoiding a pedestrian.

We city dwellers accept the noise and chaos.  It seems a small price to pay for all the incredible benefits urban life can provide daily.  However, many city dwellers seek to find a balance between the calm and the crazy, to gain back a bit of serenity and to keep us even keeled within the urban landscape.

Here is a curated list of our team’s favorite five Urban Escapes:

1. Take a book, magazine or tablet to a park or street bench and pretend to read while actually people watch, being mesmerized by the un-rehearsed street theatre.
2. Visit a favorite neighborhood cinema to watch film after film, with cell phone off and imagination on.
3. Step into a yoga or meditation center for any class that focuses on deep breathing and relaxation.
4. Eat alone, in a quiet café or restaurant with no need to make any effort except to enjoy a complete meal, its smells, its texture and its tastes.
5. Go to any tall building with public access to the rooftop and take a macro view of the city as a whole, above the noise and distraction, simply appreciating the view.

 Photo Source for both images: unsplash.com