New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took his first vacation since assuming office, traveling just over two hours to the Coxsackie, N. Y. area. Despite campaigning on staying relentlessly in the city, Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, spent time upstate, visiting local grocery stores and restaurants like Casa Susanna.

Patrick Pacheco, a local theater journalist, was surprised to see the mayor buying roast chickens at his Tops grocery store. Mamdani joked that the trip was about ensuring every New Yorker gets time to step away from day-to-day responsibilities, contrasting his choice with predecessors like Michael R. Bloomberg, who vacationed in Bermuda, and Eric Adams, known for jet-setting.

A recent interview revealed Mamdani planned to read "Gods of New York" during his break. Back in Queens, the mayor faced reporters, emphasizing that the vacation highlighted the importance of downtime for all citizens.