This article provides an overview of autism. Over the last decade, autism has has increased visibility in the media and the general public, and as such, it is very important to understand what it is. Because autism is so variable, it is somewhat difficult to define and describe; I am very careful to emphasize that not each of these characteristics affects every autistic person.

What causes autism?

The exact cause of autism is not precisely understood and continues to be researched. As with many things, the symptoms of autism can be traced to the brain. We know that an autistic brain, compared to a neurotypical brain, has a different arrangement of the synapses – connections and pathways. This leads to processing information differently. Additionally, other sections of the brain are formed differently – such as a larger sensory processing center and a weaker balance and coordination center. But, take all this with a grain of salt, because none of this is definitive yet.

It is usually thought that the origin of autism is a mix of genetic and environmental factors. Autism usually runs in families, and it is common for autistic parents to have autistic children.

How is autism diagnosed?

Autism is diagnosed by observation of behavior. A person might receive an autism diagnosis if their behavior closely matches the actions and symptoms associated with autism. The testing materials vary by age. A test usually includes a formal IQ test, an autism-specific test, and/or a developmental interview. In the autism-specific test, it can involve creative activities, play, or a verbal or written interview about how the client responds to situations and interactions. The developmental interview is meant for the parents to discuss early childhood milestones and development.

Because it is based on observation, autism diagnoses are subjective. Some people self-diagnose with autism if they believe the autism symptoms describe them. Autism can be diagnosed as early as 18 months, and has been diagnosed as late as 50s and 60s. The age at which symptoms emerge varies by person.

What are the core symptoms of autism?

First, autism is difficult to pin down. There are core symptoms experienced by nearly every autistic, and other symptoms that are common but not universal. Any of these symptoms, and the intensity, varies greatly from person to person. I can speak with some generalities, but every person is different.

One of the core symptoms, and probably the most well-known aspect of autism, is social interaction. Autistics usually do not know how to instinctively carry and hold conversations and social activities. Neurotypical people (non-autistics) intuitively learn the unspoken rules and norms of social interaction, but autistics do not. Autistics will find it difficult to engage in small talk, nonverbal communication, and group settings. They can find it challenging to form and keep friendships, and usually need to prepare scripts for social interactions. The meaning and purpose of the rules for social interaction need to be explicitly explained and might feel unnatural to an autistic. It is relatively common that an autistic person will hold values, opinions, goals, preferences, and interests that differ from that of the general population. Sometimes an autistic is indifferent to ongoing social interaction, and other times they feel lonely in a world that is confusing.

Another core symptom is sensory needs. Sensual elements will be either too strong or too weak. This can mean that sensory stimulation—visuals, audio, smells, tastes, and touch—will be overwhelming and more intense than for the average person. Autistics will commonly have specific preferences for the things they like or don’t like. Loud sounds, harsh smells, particular fabrics and human touch are often disliked. Due to these acute senses, autistics might be adept at detecting nuances in flavors, sounds, aesthetic patterns, and the like.

The last core symptom is self-stimulation, or “stimming”. Everyone stims to some extent – these are the self-soothing behaviors such as biting your nails, tapping your fingers or feet, crossing your arms, or brushing your face. Autistics are more prone to stimming as a natural reaction to overwhelming external or internal stimuli, serving to provide or negate sensory input, or evoke pleasure through motion. Autistic stimming is characteristically hand flapping or shaking, moving the head, rocking the body, or fidgeting. Stimming can also be verbal tics, like noises, laughter or crying. But it can be anything! Small plush toys or devices such as the fidget spinner or the fidget cube are very helpful in assisting the stimming response. As long as stimming isn’t harmful to the body, it is very important that an autistic be permitted to stim. Stimming is a physical feature of processing input and emotions differently.

What is meant by “autism spectrum”?

Autism is referred to as a “spectrum”, meaning that it has much variation. Our understanding of this has changed over the years. We used to describe people as high, medium or low-functioning. Additionally, the diagnosis Asperger’s Syndrome described a very high-functioning condition related to autism, but that has now been collapsed into the autism spectrum (some people choose to still use the term). We’ve been phasing out of these terms, because they don’t accurately reflect the autistic experience. It would imply that the severity of all autism symptoms was directly correlated with where you fell on the spectrum and your behavior and personality would be predictable. In reality, the mixture of symptoms and their severity is unique to each autistic. That is the true spectrum.

What are the other symptoms of autism?

These other symptoms are common to autism, but not universal. An autistic might experience these to a great degree, or not at all.

Autistics range in intelligence—some can be highly intelligent, others will have intellectual disability, and everything in between. Autistics have been noted for cognitive tendencies to observe and analyze patterns and fine details, owing to their sensorial processing. Sometimes they can be visual learners and think more in pictures than words (but I have met many who do not). Similarly, they can have an exceptional capacity for memory. They use these features toward their interests, which are commonly obscure or unusual. Autistics become passionate about their “special interests”, a source of satisfaction and fulfillment for them.

Some autistics are non-verbal, in that they cannot speak. It is important to note that this does not mean they have low intelligence or cognitive abilities necessarily—they can write, for example. These autistics use means to communicate such as technology aids, sign languages, or a system known as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). While non-verbal means they don’t use words, they can use sounds and noises.

Autistics often have a blunt communication style, and struggle with telling lies or dishonesty. They are described as “literal-minded”. This “literal-mindedness” is more complicated than it might sound. It is portrayed as taking statements meant sarcastically or tongue-in-cheek seriously, or figures of speech as their literal meaning. It can mean that. But more specifically, it refers to defaulting to literal over symbolic descriptions. Example: I was in a circle where for an introduction, we were asked to use one word to describe our feelings. Some of the participants used words such as “elevation” or “receptive”. I said tired. I was thinking about how I had been feeling that day and my activities for the day.

This also means speech will be direct about perceptions and emotions, with less implied or idiomatic meanings. If an autistic learns symbolic speech, it can very well be understood or even used, especially if metaphors are helpful for visualizing what is difficult to describe. Likewise, autistics struggle with communication layered with hidden meaning or statements that express the opposite of the speaker’s real intent (e.g., “I’d love to hang out with you!” when you have no such desire).

Autistics usually prefer to have routines and structure in their lives, and expectations about what will happen or what they will do. Interruptions in those routines and unexpected changes can cause distress and overwhelm the brain. While autistics do not know most rules of social interaction naturally, they can be learned and applied well with practice. However, all this learning, methodical planning, and focus required of autistics to function, is very energy-consuming.

As stated before, autism usually comes with various behavioral quirks and perceptions. Some examples of how this can manifest: an autistic person might prefer friendships and relationships outside of their expected gender or age range. Young autistic children might display specific and unusual play patterns, such as repeated activities (lining up the same toys over and over), more solitary play and less imaginative play. Autistics usually struggle greatly with making and maintaining eye contact. The rhythm of speech and body movement might flow differently. They might struggle with understanding social concepts such as keeping obligations or maintaining cultural traditions, and motivated more by their interests than by social bonding.

Autism can sometimes affect physical health and physiology, too. This can mean poor motor coordination and muscle tone and low stamina. They are more prone to food allergies and intolerances such as gluten or casein. Autism very often co-exists with mental health or developmental issues such as depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, or selective mutism.

How do autistics live?

Autistics are very diverse, and some people go their whole lives without knowing they are autistic! Some autistics will always need care and supervision, either with a live-in aid, from their family members, or living in a group home. They need assistance with activities of daily living and communicate very minimally. In the past, this type of autism was the best-known, but this only represents some autistics.

Many autistics are capable of graduating high school and attending college, including earning doctoral degrees. They can live independently, or with roommates, and care for themselves. They can hold driver’s licenses and own cars. They can be employed. They can be married and have children. They can travel, including overseas and solo. However, I will note that while all these things are possible for autistics, they are still often challenging: many autistics do not drive, struggle with dating and sex, have difficulty with school, are unemployed or underemployed.

Having autism also means a greater degree of adjustment for daily living, such as clothing selection, food preferences, planning for social interactions, and devices for managing stimuli like loud sounds (e.g., noise-cancelling headphones) and the tendency to stim (e.g., fidget spinners, fidget cubes, stuffed animals). It is common for them to refrain from alcohol or other drugs and to avoid crowded and loud gatherings like parties, nightclubs, and concerts.

Demographically, autistics come from all backgrounds. They can be of any ethnic background, male or female, LGBT, and the whole range of political or religious affiliations.

How is autism treated clinically?

Not all autistics receive clinical therapy. For those that do, especially if they are young children, the most common has been Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). ABA takes place in one-on-one sessions with a clinician and in simplest terms, involves the repetition and performance of tasks by the autistic client through direct instruction and reinforcement to encourage compliance. For most autistic children who undergo ABA, it is frequent and intensive. ABA is very controversial in the autism community.

Alternatives to ABA available include the floortime method of play therapy developed by Stanley Greenspan. They attend social skills training classes or vocational training. They often have Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) in school. They also use traditional therapeutic methods of CBT-based talk therapy or medications. The little-known Davis Autism Approach, the first autism therapy developed by an autistic man, will hopefully gain more traction in the coming years.

I am excited to announce what I will be bringing to you on this blog – reviews of autism portrayals in the media. I am regularly asked what I think of this book, or that TV show, or that movie featuring an autistic character (or those speculated to have autism), as well as for my recommendations. That inspired me to create this series of posts. I am hoping to not only inform my audience about depictions of autism, but also to discover new ideas and stories.

A few reviews are already on their way, and I welcome any suggestions for books, film, and television that you would like me to review.

As a disclaimer, all opinions expressed in my reviews are my own and will not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of all autistic people.

Many people pick up souvenirs when they visit new places. Souvenirs help us remember where we have gone and to start a collection. The process of finding new objects, and having a range and variety of different objects can be a lot of fun.

My family are frequent travelers. On our family trips growing up, each of us had our favorite type of souvenir. I liked teddy bears. I would get small stuffed bears from gift shops and hoped to have one from each state. I expanded to other types of stuffed animals, such as an Alaska moose or a platypus from Australia. During a trip to Europe in 2006, I got a keychain from most cities. My mom always liked to get refrigerator magnets, my dad would get coffee mugs, and my sister liked to sometimes get snow globes.

These days, my mom reportedly buys pairs of earrings where she can. My dad often gets t-shirts. I like to send postcards. I started the postcard habit about two years ago on a whim when going to Japan and found I loved it so much that I’ve done it copiously at this point. I particularly like sending postcards because they’re often inexpensive, represent the country, include a message that is a piece of you, a postage stamp that is like its own work of art, and supports the local postal system. There’s something really fun about feeling like your mail travelled all the way around the world to reach you!

I decided to ask Facebook friends through a status what types of souvenirs they like to get. It was a casual post but I got many comments and responses. I’ve piled those responses in this list, with the number of responses for that specific type of souvenir. The rest listed without a number was one mention each. Christmas tree ornaments and refrigerator magnets were some of the most popular.

• Christmas tree ornaments (7)
• Refrigerator magnets (4)
• Flags (4)
• Coins and money (3) (Also something I did a lot!)
• Nature: rocks, shells, sticks, moss, pine cones (3)
• Stickers, patches, decals (2)
• Artworks (2)
• Coffee mugs (2)
• Earrings (2)
• Keychains (2)
• Spoons (decorative spoons were something my great-grandmother collected, my family says)
• Books
• Coin purses
• Lapel pins
• Local honey
• Maps
• Penny presses
• Postcards
• Ticket stubs
• Salad tongs
• Scarves
• Shot glasses

Do you have a unique souvenir not included on this list? Add it in the comments!

Yesterday I went to New Haven. It was my first time really seeing New Haven. The only other time I had been in the city proper was to wait for a train. Going into the city I didn’t have any definite plans, which is not the autistic way of doing things. I went alone, and I was wanting to have a day that was just relaxing and not rushed. Before I got there I was feeling a little anxious—maybe that comes from not having plans?

I took the train there. New Haven has two train stations: State Street Station and Union Station. State Street is a little unmanned stop. Union Station is their bigger train station. On the ticket I was listed for getting off at State Street. The conductor told me that’s where I would want to get off if I’m going to Yale, which was my sort-of plan. So note that: If you take the train to New Haven and want to see Yale, get off at State Street! You can walk from there.

One factor of the day meant adaptive travel for me: the weather. It was very cold out, and I had not prepared for it. It was in the low 30s, lower than I expected. There was plenty of wind which increased the wind chill. It would have been nice to see things like parks, but the cold meant I was bound for indoor activities. Good that not having plans meant I didn’t need to cancel anything, and just tell myself I can come back to New Haven in a warmer month.

I arrived during the 8am hour, at a time when most of the main museums and attractions would be closed. Of course all I really wanted was somewhere to be inside. As I was walking down the street toward what would be Yale, I came across Elm City Market. It’s like one of those combined grocery stores with a café. Thinking “they probably have heat and food,” I went inside and got myself some breakfast: a granola yogurt parfait and an apple cream cheese Danish. I probably sat in there for an hour just on my phone. As I inched closer to 10am, I looked up things to do. I found out about Yale’s Center for British Art that opened at 10am and decided I would go there next.

Once I got to the museum I learned that it was free, which did not disappoint me. I then explored the museum. As you might have guessed, all the artwork was by British artists. They have a mix of contemporary and classical art and sculptures. I go to art museums pretty much anywhere I can find them. I love art and I don’t necessarily remember all the pieces I look at, but I love having the experience at least.

In this museum I took time to look at the descriptions next to each of the works. I don’t always do that, instead I usually think about my own interpretation of the work. The descriptions the museum provided were really good and I got an insight into the artist’s mind and the background of what inspired their art. It was actually really nice to take in the art slowly, instead of zooming through it to get to my next visit on time. I would highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting New Haven!

When I was ready to leave the next item on my list was lunch. I used Google Maps to search for restaurants close to me. I chose the Cask Republic, your typical “American with new twists” place. To my surprise there was hardly anyone in there when I arrived or the entire time I was there—on a Sunday afternoon! Maybe the cold kept people from venturing out. This place has an extensive beer and drinks menu, if that’s your thing. As for me, I just got their burger and fries, as I like to try that everywhere. It was pretty good. The portion size of fries was generous. They had some very good ice cream on order.

My next stop was the Yale Art Gallery, conveniently directly across the street from the British Art Museum and also free! This museum has more diversity of exhibits: ancient American art, African art, Indo-Pacific art, European religious icons, contemporary art, and American decorative art. I was very pleased at the variety of cultural art in this museum! This is no doubt a top-quality art museum, and I would highly recommend it as well.

I saw close to the art gallery was the Yale School of Architecture, which has its own architectural exhibits. They were advertising an exhibit in Japanese houses. Intrigued, I also went there. They had two exhibits going on: the other was in “sacred spaces”, i.e. religious houses of worship. What luck! I checked it out, but I didn’t really understand the architectural models they were presenting. They had Buddhist and Hindu structures, a mosque, a synagogue, and an Orthodox church. They even had sound samples where you could listen to traditional religious singing/chanting. The Japanese houses exhibit was super cool. They showcased some of the traditional architecture from around the islands, and then they had photos and videos of some newer, funky house designs. It featured pictures of people living and playing in the houses, and they seemed to love it.

When I was ready to leave, I had a bit of time to kill before my train would leave. I walked back in the direction of the train station. I kept my eyes open for any places where I could get a nibble. I saw a Five Guys where I could get a milkshake, and I did. The staff in the Five Guys were great and enthusiastic, so shout out to them. Then I was on my way to get back to Hartford.

Some of the things I liked/learned on this little day trip included:

The slow and leisurely pace was nice and refreshing. I took my time, discovered new things, and didn’t feel the need to rush or be disappointed with missing something. I could just take it all in and experience something new. It’s so tempting to want to go into everything with a plan, but you don’t always need to, even if you’re autistic! There will always be something to do.

Let the unexpected shape your plans. I wasn’t prepared for the cold, and that was okay—I simply chose activities that didn’t depend on the weather, which you can also do it if it rains. If it helps, have in the back of your mind that things like the weather can change your plans and it doesn’t need to ruin your trip! Just find different things to do. And remember, nothing is going away, you can always come back and do different things or try again!

Taking the train around Connecticut is so quick and easy. The train was actually super comfortable, relaxing and cheap. Getting around, it felt like no time at all. Now I’m looking to discover all the other places I can go on the train and get in more day trips to love.

Remember what travel is about: fun, discovery and exploration! Anxiety very easily follows with travel, whether you prepare or not. One of the things I’ve learned with travel is so many things will be unexpected, but that’s part of the lessons of growth, adaptation and flexibility. Life can never be fully predictable, and traveling is one way to practice that. In that process, you learn how much you’re able to take. On this visit to New Haven, I saw how much fun I could have when I lived in the moment and didn’t think about what I was doing next. Be open to new things, and simply enjoy the adventure of being in a new city, seeing new places, and challenging yourself.

The next morning we went off to find breakfast and I knew just the place: Baked. I loved this place and cannot recommend it enough. They’re rated as having some of the best cinnamon rolls in New York, and I can believe it. The cinnamon roll was warm, melty, delicious, and oh so gooey. We liked the atmosphere of it: the service was great, there was free water and Wi-Fi, everything was served in reusable plates and cups, and it felt like the perfect spot to just hang out. Most of their other baked goods made my mouth water.

From Baked, we went on to Brooklyn to start our day. I don’t remember if I’ve been to Brooklyn before, and Amber told me the vibe is very different. I could sense that almost immediately from stepping out of the subway. Brooklyn feels more like a suburban city, minus the skyscrapers, noise and pace of Manhattan. It feels like New York, but not Manhattan. I’d love to go back and explore it more!

Our first stop was the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Be prepared: there is an entrance fee. Because some of their attractions were closed, we were given vouchers to come back before the end of the year to see them again. Unfortunately, this is another one of those parks that would probably look much better during the spring. But that didn’t make our visit a waste. Like Central Park, it was peaceful to walk through and there were pretty flowers blooming. But that wasn’t the best part for us. The garden had greenhouses and we absolutely loved them. They had five or six different greenhouses, each with their own theme. We went wandering through them like delighted children. Suddenly it was bursts of HEAT and GREEN in the middle of the city in winter. We saw tropical forests, cactuses, and even bonsai trees!

For lunch we decided to eat at the BBG restaurant, Yellow Magnolia Cafe. It was weekend brunch time, and the dishes were rather creative. I wasn’t expecting much, because of my experience with museum restaurants, but it was actually quite good. The space was designed as a sun room with windows overlooking the gardens, and we sat on these nifty high-top stools. We shared the biscuits (very yummy), which came with molasses butter and a cherry-apple compote (not really a jam, it was pieces of fruit in some syrup), which was an interesting flavor. I ordered the burger which came with chips made with purple sweet potatoes, which was a refreshing complement. Amber ordered the chicken and enjoyed her dish.

After eating we chose to leave the botanical gardens to carry on with our day. We walked to Four and Twenty Blackbirds, a pie shop. This is another place where you never know what you will get. This place has a great customer experience. You can sit at a bar and they’ll bring you your pie, any drinks, and take your payment there. Some people were treating it like a coffee shop atmosphere and doing their homework. I got a slice of salted caramel apple and Amber got lemon curd. I wouldn’t say it was the best slice of pie I’ve ever eaten, but it was definitely very good. It was light on the caramel, so I’d just call it an apple pie. The apples were tender and creamy and the crust flaky. Amber’s pie was very lemony.

Close by was our next stop, Ample Hills Creamery. I like this place’s concept—they not only make their own ice cream, but they also make all their own baked goods that go into their ice cream. They feature creative flavors next to traditional ones, but nothing peculiar like bleu cheese or pickle (which have been real ice cream flavors), it’s all sweet. There was a bit of a line, which is always a sign the product is good! I already knew what I wanted to get—peanut butter cup and the ooey gooey butter cake (based on St. Louis butter cake). The ice cream was good, but not bold—the vanilla base wasn’t very intense. I really liked the ice cream mix-ins.

Our next stop was the Museum of Food and Drink. This museum is set in a small warehouse with a single rotating exhibit. Their mission is to educate on the importance of food in culture, and has an active kitchen to engage all the senses related to food (food IS about tasting, right?). The current exhibit is on the history of American Chinese food. I only found out that this was the exhibit right before we got there, so “Museum of Food and Drink” was the draw for me and not this specific exhibit, but I was still very intrigued.

Amber and I had a ton of fun there (Dad, you would enjoy this). We were greeted by a wall of Chinese takeout boxes (is this art?). We learned about the history of Chinese restaurants in the United States and how the unjust Chinese Exclusion Act led to Chinese immigrants opening their own restaurants, and how that has since led to their ubiquity. They had an assortment of restaurant menus to survey and all the fortune cookies you want. If you don’t want to keep your fortunes you can pin them to the wall. One panel explained some of the science behind Chinese cooking, such as how the sauces are made and the cooking techniques.

Then it was on to the tasty portion of the visit, sitting at the bar where they will make samples of food right in front of you. Chinese food isn’t my cuisine of choice, but they prepared us something so simple it worked for me. It was rice with a ginger soy sauce and Chinese onions. It was pretty good. Probably the best part was watching them make it in the wok. You could even test your wok skills at a nearby sink with plastic food, providing you instructions on how to work (or wok) it.

We headed back to the City (hint: what New Yorkers call Manhattan) to meet up with Benoni, our roommate from last year. She’s currently studying in New York. We got to see her dorm and hang out, and tour her campus. Then we went to dinner. The first few places we tried had long waits, but we got to settle on a place where we were seated immediately, Community Food and Juice. This is another one of those local food joints with creative offerings. I got a roast chicken dish that came with a side of lemony couscous and root vegetables. The chicken was just okay, not seasoned much and I didn’t like the skin. I did like the side and I lapped that up.

They featured interesting desserts. An “award-winning” dessert was a pear upside-down cake. It’s a butter pound cake with the sliced pear, pecan ice cream, and salted caramel sauce. I was intrigued enough to try it and it was so worth it! The cake was yummy and the pear was an interesting pearing (yes, that is a pun). The ice cream tasted like it had a little alcohol in it, which was a bit annoying for me. I would go back to this place, and probably sample other dishes.

We called it a night, and headed back to our hotel via the subway. We were going through quickly to get to the subway, and the subway turnstile rammed into me! Oooooouch. Yes it hurt. It left a big bruise. But I lived.

The next morning we went to church at Trinity Church Wall Street. Trinity’s main church is currently undergoing construction maintenance (as things always are in this city), so instead they’re holding church services in a separate building they also own about a block away. We didn’t exactly realize this until we got to the main building, and kept going. Fortunately we made it there on time. It might have been the first church I needed to go through a security check to get into.

I really liked this church. Amber even picked up on that, she said “this is an Amy kind of church.” The liturgy was more on the high church end and their music was great. The experience of going to church in New York was interesting—we must have been right above a subway line, because the building rattled from the impact a lot. The church body was very diverse which is something I want in a church. But the best part was of course the sumptuous coffee hour afterwards, with Danishes, bagels, and donuts—all you could want!

We went on to brunch at Le Pain Quotidien. I liked the ambiance of this place, it felt perfect for a relaxing Sunday brunch. I got a Belgian waffle with berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, I liked the variety!), a croissant and a blueberry muffin. Both the waffle and the croissant were very good, the blueberry muffin had a bran base and I didn’t like it as much. I ordered a mint lemonade which was so so good.

Before we had to leave for the bus station, we stopped by Levain Bakery for their world famous cookies. Note that if you go here, there might be a bit of a line. But they get you in and out quickly! If you come in knowing what you want you can simply order it, you pay very fast (if you pay with card), and you’re out. And it IS worth it because these cookies might be the very best. They are big, and the doughiest, meltiest, chocolatiest goodness.

Well that’s a wrap folks. We had a fantastic time with non-stop fun. I always love finding new places to eat at and explore and I’m excited to go to New York again to find even more! My favorite part of the trip though was that I got to do it with Amber, one of my best friends! We’ve created some great memories and now I can look forward to our next adventures!

One of the nice things about living where I do is it’s not far from several interesting places. One such interesting place is New York City. New York is only about 2-2.5 hours from Hartford, and my roommate/friend Amber and I knew that at some point, we should take a weekend getaway to New York. We went this past weekend and had the most fabulous time!

If you’ve never been to New York, there’s probably a few things you already know about it, such as its many world-class attractions, densely packed high-rise buildings and skyscrapers seemingly everywhere you turn (at least in Manhattan), and the non-stop flurry of people and activity. I planned out our whole itinerary, and I’ll make a blog post later about how to plan these types of weekend getaways. There’s so much to do in New York, you really need to narrow down your choices, especially with such a short time frame like ours. For us, the theme of the trip was food, which should not surprise anyone who knows me. We skirted out the great restaurants and bakeries. Like everything else in New York, the food is top of the line.

When we arrived in New York around noon on Friday, our first stop was our hotel, the DoubleTree in the Financial District. We expected that check-in wasn’t until later in the afternoon, but we hoped that we could at least leave our things with the concierge. To our surprise, they already had a room available for us! At DoubleTree they give each guest a free chocolate chip cookie at check-in (something Amber didn’t know and was promptly ecstatic about). Our hotel room was small, but so is all space in New York! The bed was super comfortable and the room had everything we needed.

Shortly after that, we were scheduled to meet one of our friends who is now based in New York–the amazing Emily Barger, who I can recommend for any of your photography or film needs. We went to the Brookfield Place, a mall close to the World Trade Center which was conveniently near us. I had already decided before going there where I wanted to eat in the food court: Skinny Pizza. This is one of those “natural” and organic specialty pizza counters. I don’t love pizza as much as many people do, and I’m very particular about what kind of pizza I like. I do really enjoy margherita pizza, and knew that’s what I would get here.

It was worth it. This pizza is made with multiple cheeses, marinara, and basil, and had a thin cracker crust, all just how I like my pizza. It was so so good that I was moaning a little. It hit the spot to tide me over until dinner and washed down really well with lemonade. Unfortunately they only have a few locations—I hope to scout them out wherever they pop up or when I’m next in the city.

Following pizza was Sprinkles Cupcakes, a cupcake bakery founded in Beverly Hills that has expanded to elsewhere. They bake all of their own cupcakes and frost them a special way, toping them with a large sprinkle “button”. They also sell cookies and ice cream—I was hoping to try their ice cream, but their NYC location does not carry it. I chose a red velvet cupcake, their signature. It was very good, to be sure, and I can recommend stopping by.

From there we went on to Central Park. Amber says she likes to go there whenever she’s in New York. Central Park is a rather interesting place. It’s a large rectangle of green, surrounded by tall skyscrapers and the fast pace of New York. You can see them all around from within the park—how many parks are like that? The park is also surprisingly quiet, given its location. While you can hear some New York activity going on outside, the noise level definitely goes down a couple notches. It’s a relaxing way to get away from the city without leaving the city.

There is not much grass this time of year and, what of it there is, visitors need to stay off it to keep it clean. The experience is probably best during other seasons, but there are still plenty of things to see, and it’s a well-organized and planned park. Free park maps are available (which are more recommended then your phone) and conspicuous signage keep you on the paths. Ponds, buildings, bridges, and fountains are scattered throughout. They’re great for photo ops—find them all! You can even eat at in-park restaurants, although they are expensive. One of the most interesting and popular structures might be Belvedere Castle, which unfortunately is closed for renovations until May. The path is closed, and we can’t even see it from a distance. All the more reason to come back!

After we left the park we started on our food hunt. Two of the places I wanted to go were Billy’s Bakery and the Doughnuttery, both located near the south entrance to Central Park. They’re both inside a food hall, only steps apart from each other. Billy’s is a bake shop specializing in homemade sweets. I didn’t know what they would have available today, but that’s part of the adventure! Both Amber and I got confetti cupcakes, which we love and were very excited to see there. Yes, it was scrumptious and I would highly recommend Billy’s!

The Doughnuttery is a unique concept. They make mini donuts and they actually make them right in front of you, sending them through the machine and then hand-rolling them in the mixture of your choice. I got cinnamon sugar and the apple cider. The apple cider was better; I found the cinnamon sugar just okay. The donuts had a light and airy, almost funnel cake-like texture. I could say I liked the experience of ordering and watching them make the donuts more than I liked eating the donuts.

We met with a few of Amber’s NYC-based friends that night (they were super cool and I loved meeting and speaking with them). First we stopped by a site of New York University that appeared to have multiple religious prayer rooms in one location. We went to the Islamic prayer room where Amber got to pray and we rendezvoused with her friends. They took us to an eatery they liked, Honest Chops. They serve halal burgers and fries, the usual fixings. My burger was pretty good, it came with a lemon aioli sauce I really liked. The fries were standard, they might have been better if I ordered the parmesan fries.

Amber’s friends took us on to dessert at La Newyorkina. This is a Mexican-themed dessert shop featuring ice cream, ice pops, and baked goods like churros and brownies. They source many of their ingredients from Mexico. I wasn’t hungry enough to try the denser items, so I settled on a mango sorbet. They actually had two variations of the mango sorbet, and I got to pick the one with the texture I liked. The service here was excellent! I love the concept and I would happily be back to try out their other products.

More to come!

About two months ago on a trip, I heard someone say, “I can’t grasp packing light.” It’s true, some people have difficulty packing light. But for me, packing light tends to be my MO. Even on long trips, but especially on short ones I can’t think of much that I need to bring. Recently I went on a weekend trip where I didn’t even pack in my suitcase—I packed into one of my cotton shopping bags. When I came in, the guestmaster didn’t immediately realize I was staying there because of how little I had packed!

On my trips, I either pack in this bag (which I have used for a long time and has served me well) or in my suitcase, a fairly small suitcase but I love it. My suitcase fits FAA regulations, which means that it is small enough that I can take it on a plane without needing to check it (but it’s large enough that it sometimes doesn’t fit into the overhead bins on the plane, so then I would need to “check it at the gate”).

Whenever you’re about to leave on a trip, one of the first things on your mind will be “what to pack.” This can sometimes make you feel anxious, because you don’t want to forget anything important. What I have included here is a basic packing list that covers most of the types of things I bring with me on short trips. This can get you started, and then you can add things that aren’t on this list as you’re thinking about it. Creating a list or inventory of your items can be good for ensuring you have packed everything, and then you can refer to the list as your trip is ending to not leave anything behind.

This list includes things I either pack in my luggage or carry on my person. I curated this list from the items I brought on my weekend trip.

Packing List

• Winter clothes: Coat, gloves, scarf
• Footwear: Boots, socks
• Clothes: Shirts, jeans, jacket, underwear, hats
• Nightgown and eye mask for sleeping
• Accessories: Sunglasses, belt, bra, jewelry, makeup
• Personal care items: dental hygiene, sunscreen (in summer), feminine hygiene, brush/comb
• Debit cards, health insurance card, ID card, cash
• Phone, charger, earbuds
• Books
• Stimming toys
• Medication, including daily and less frequent (such as ibuprofen for headaches)
• House keys
• Postage stamps for sending postcards
• Pen/pencil

The primary items I use for autism-related coping are: my earbuds to pipe in music or ambient noise from my phone, and stimming toys. I don’t use noise-cancelling headphones, as my earbuds work better for me. If you use noise-cancelling headphones, you probably know to take them on your trip. Sometimes I have also used scented lotions or body scrubs when I want to smell something good, but I haven’t regularly carried that around in a while. Also consider if you need to bring dietary supplements, snacks, or additional food if you have dietary limitations due to autism (I don’t, so I don’t have that on my own packing list).

One packing tip to remember: consider how much you might acquire on your trip and bring back with you! When I went to Switzerland for three weeks, I packed light, and at the time I had an even smaller suitcase than I do now. I wasn’t prepared for just how much stuff I brought back. There was no way it would fit in my suitcase, and the only reason I didn’t need to leave most of it behind was because one of the gifts to me was a carrying bag, and I simply used that to carry all the papers and trinkets I got. Still, it was a pain to lug around when I went to the UK afterward, and that might also be another topic on deciding what you really want as souvenirs.

Also note that packing light is made easier when you fold clothes the right way. If you throw clothes into suitcase like you would on the floor, they’ll take up more space. Folding clothes neatly and tightly keeps it organized and takes up less space.