“We need never be ashamed of our tears,” Charles Dickens wrote in Great Expectations, and that maxim is never truer than on Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re newly dumped, perennially single, mired in a meh relationship, or just not feeling all the commercialized fuss, the advent of February 14 can precipitate the occasional mini existential crisis. (Congrats to those of you who look upon Valentine’s Day with nothing but excitement; I’m sure even my searing contempt doesn’t put a dent in your joy.)

New York is a great place for the heartbroken, thanks to the simple fact that it contains upwards of 8 million people and endless hidden-in-plain-sight spots for a little private reflection. Sure, the city may be short on Thoreau-esque cabins in which to heal your troubled soul, but whoever said solitude was the key to emotional health? Being just another face in the crowd, even if that face is weeping unattractively, can be a much-needed reminder that you’re actually not alone, no matter what chaos is transpiring in your personal life.

Inspired in part by the NYC Crying Guide Tumblr that helped define the New York of the late aughts, Vogue spoke to a veritable smorgasbord of notable New Yorkers about where and how they put the city to use for a good cry. Some are traditional; designers Prabal Gurung and Susan Alexandra favor parks, while actress Judith Light seeks out solace in theater and comedian Catherine Cohen prefers to weep at MoMA PS1. Some are more off the beaten path; musician King Princess does her crying at the Hare Krishna drum circle in Union Square, and actor Alex Newell is a proponent of sobbing at HomeGoods. Play around with the interactive map above, and don’t forget; it’s always okay to cry in New York, even—maybe especially—on Valentine’s Day.

Photo: Pauline de Roussy de Sales

Original article: https://www.vogue.com/article/valentines-day-cry-map-2020