Hello and thank you for being a DL contributor. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. Please click here to update your account with a username and password.

Hello. Some features on this site require registration. Please click here to register for free.

Hello and thank you for registering. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. If you can't find the email you can resend it here.

Hello. Some features on this site require a subscription. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month.

New York Is Really Over!

I was there recently and am sooooooo disappointed. It was dead air. Even Brooklyn was dead.

Everybody has moved to LA. I can explain it. There was people everywhere but it was like a ghost town. It felt just like any other city.

I've been going there for years but it finally hit me. The average age for a NYer these days is 65 where is in LA it's 25.

Not to mention the Dicksonian divide between the residents of manhattan and the workers. When you are shining shoes that cost more than your year's earnings, it just has to be very damaging to the soul.

I have never felt so poor in my life. I visited a friend who is a lawyer and makes a ton of money but lives in a studio apartment. It's always been expensive, but he is literally a millionaire and he lives in a shoe box. Subway rides are now $5.50 round trip and it costs about $20 to enter the city from the bridges and tunnels.

The people are cold and aloof and would not bat an eye if they passed you while you were bleeding to death in the streets.

I won't be going back to NYC. There's just too many more places that are much more exciting.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 352August 5, 2019 12:49 PM

Oh sweetie NYC has been over for 15 years. The real talent, is to identify what city is fabulous and getting better.

by Anonymousreply 1January 1, 2017 9:42 PM

Oh God, the monthly threads have become weekly.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 2January 1, 2017 9:44 PM

It must be that time of the the month for DL.

by Anonymousreply 3January 1, 2017 9:45 PM

Monthlies are a thing of the last millennium for most on here, R3.

by Anonymousreply 4January 1, 2017 9:54 PM

Dicksonian? How delightful!

by Anonymousreply 5January 1, 2017 9:59 PM

The Janice Dickensonian Institute is still a crowd-pleasing attraction for tourists and New Yorkers alike.

by Anonymousreply 6January 1, 2017 10:03 PM

New York's been over since the mid-90s.

by Anonymousreply 7January 1, 2017 10:06 PM

LOL R5, yes OP - I think you're looking for Dickensian.

by Anonymousreply 8January 1, 2017 10:07 PM

I would push it back to the 80s.

A comparatively wonderful affordable time no matter your income.

I was a book store clerk and fellow clerks could afford Park Slope.

And I could afford cheap seats for Broadway and Lincoln Center.

Now I'm staggered at prices at TKTS.

by Anonymousreply 9January 1, 2017 10:13 PM

What city would that be, miss thang @r1.

I was able to eek out some fun the last few visits, but this thread was primarily about the shock of realizing that my beloved NYC really is now a ghost town. You hear that, but to experience the shock is another thing.

I mean it really, really is over. Even for the rich it's boring. How many times can you eat a Per Se?

The buzz is gone.

LA is really buzzing these days. I'm going in the spring so we'll see.

These LA threads on DL are dreadful. They're full of advice from like 10 years ago, and everyone seems so out of the loop with their LA comments. so I won't bother starting one.

But it would be nice to get a report from the ground over there...

I think the hype has a lot to do with the downtown area coming back. And there's a lot of young energy out there. Hollywood is undergoing its own transformation so it will be interesting to check it all out.

by Anonymousreply 10January 1, 2017 10:16 PM

Lovely.

Yet another resentful Poor People's thread [...stifles yawn]

Please turn the lights out when you lock up.

by Anonymousreply 11January 1, 2017 10:16 PM

you don't just have to be wealthy there, you ha e to be mega rich.

Nobody got time for all that.

by Anonymousreply 12January 1, 2017 10:17 PM

Everything is a ripoff in NYC.

The whole town is one big ripoff.

And soon it will be NASCAR north once all the deplorables make pilgrimages to trump tower.

by Anonymousreply 13January 1, 2017 10:21 PM

LA? All the people who have been priced out of New York can afford the fabulous and happening LA, which no matter how you slice it, is still vacuous LA?

by Anonymousreply 14January 1, 2017 10:22 PM

R5, r7: I never claimed to be a Rhodes Scholar.

by Anonymousreply 15January 1, 2017 10:23 PM

I'm not mega rich, R12 and I do quite well here in NY. And if Per Se is anyone's idea of fine dining then you are hopeless with zero taste.

by Anonymousreply 16January 1, 2017 10:23 PM

I'm glad that I grew up in the city, and that I was able to live there as young adult, OP. New York was fabulous back then, and I had a blast. I went everywhere, and met tons of people from all over the world.

When I moved to LA, I missed it terribly, but I'm not sure that I would live there now. It's ridiculously expensive, and I visit often enough. I have tons of family there, so I never worry about accommodations.

by Anonymousreply 17January 1, 2017 10:25 PM

Well, if you live there then you know what I mean.

No need to split hairs.

by Anonymousreply 18January 1, 2017 10:26 PM

That everyone in NYC has supposedly moved to LA is news to me. There's not a lot going on in Los Angeles culturally, or professionally if you're not in creative/acting/modeling circles.

by Anonymousreply 19January 1, 2017 10:28 PM

I can't tell if Op is a joke or not. If not, I don't see how he holds down a job.

by Anonymousreply 20January 1, 2017 10:29 PM

Oh, the monthly bashing NYC threads are tiring, r3?

Try seeing how I feel when I mention I live in Philadelphia on Datalounge and all the fucking snooty NYC queens tell me what a horrible city I live in.

Cunt, I can be door to door my house to Manhattan in two hours (sometimes less), and the best part is I can LEAVE Manhattan at the end of the day and come back home to my inexpensive apartment near great restaurants and incredible museums.

by Anonymousreply 21January 1, 2017 10:29 PM

Op has to be a troll post. Median age for both cities is 35 years.

by Anonymousreply 22January 1, 2017 10:30 PM

R21, maybe it's not the fact you are from Philly but more your shitty attitude.

by Anonymousreply 23January 1, 2017 10:32 PM

Well except to bash NY at every opportunity what else is there to discuss about it?

It's like going through a Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue and laughing about it and being horrified by it at the same time.

by Anonymousreply 24January 1, 2017 10:33 PM

This was not meant to bash NYC. I'm not a poet so please forgive my writing.

I'm just saying what a shock it is to be walking around manhattan like WTF happened to the magic. It all seemed so ordinary. if anything NYC deserves props for its history.

Please somebody tell me where I should visit instead. I don't like Chicago or Texas but am open to the rest.

by Anonymousreply 25January 1, 2017 10:38 PM

r23 Right back atcha sweetie poops.

by Anonymousreply 26January 1, 2017 10:39 PM

Folks are telling me this is the future.

by Anonymousreply 27January 1, 2017 10:46 PM

The cost is truly outrageous. You have to be more than even mega-rich to get by. I heard the other day that Yoko applied for food stamps.

by Anonymousreply 28January 1, 2017 10:47 PM

You must be from one of the low class areas of Philly, R26.

by Anonymousreply 29January 1, 2017 10:49 PM

OP sounds like his circle of acquaintance in NYC is limited to poor, resentful, unimaginative souls like himself. I'd be bored hanging out with some sad little lawyer in his studio apartment, too.

The city has and always will attract young, bright, beautiful, energetic, creative people of all stripes from every corner of the globe.

It's a shame OP will probably never encounter them.

by Anonymousreply 30January 1, 2017 10:54 PM

We don't want you in Chicago, numbnuts. St Louis sounds more your speed.

by Anonymousreply 31January 1, 2017 10:56 PM

Of course, it's easy to make such broad generalizations about a megatropolis, but I couldn't agree more with OP. I lived there in the 90s for ten years, moved away and now have to go back every month now for work. Beyond the ludicrous cost of everything (whether you're just visiting or not), there's a palpable unhappiness present everywhere that is NOT so visibly present in other US cities. It's seen in the way people treat each other at every minute around every corner. Yes, they are creative, energetic, blah blah blah people, but they're not making it a great place to live that's for sure. For those New Yorkers who disagree, get out of dodge for awhile you'll see.

by Anonymousreply 32January 1, 2017 11:06 PM

[quote]I'm just saying what a shock it is to be walking around manhattan like WTF happened to the magic. It all seemed so ordinary.

The same thing has happened to London. I was shocked.

All the quirk has gone. The same chain places on every corner.

I think this is just the way of the modern international city.

There are all these London groups on Facebook - Save This Street! Save That! - sad little videos on YT.

I leave messages saying "Gurl, the horse has bolted". - they love me.

by Anonymousreply 33January 1, 2017 11:07 PM

Having lived in NYC for 25 years, I watched it change and become a playground for the wealthy. Bway show prices hover around $200-300 for shitty shows. They don't care about cultivating a NY client base anymore--it's all about tourists.

The chain restaurants like Olive Garden have moved in. To a restaurant, the NYC versions are plain awful.

The place just isn't interesting any more. I'm excited to have the opportunity to move to another part of the country soon. I am really considering it

by Anonymousreply 34January 1, 2017 11:08 PM

I live part time in Pittsburgh, R32. Give me NYC any day.

by Anonymousreply 35January 1, 2017 11:08 PM

I grew up in NYC (it was the best in the mid-90's, IMO) but now live in Nj. Every time I go back I'm amazed at what barbarians people have become over crossing the street. Sure, people have always jaywalked but mow people blatantly walk in front of cars. What the heck!

by Anonymousreply 36January 1, 2017 11:11 PM

Oh, God - everything's so awful.

I lived in NY in the 80s (hardly a high point) & left in 88. Went back in '96 and was stunned how many of my old haunts had vanished.

This decline had been going on a loooooong time.

by Anonymousreply 37January 1, 2017 11:12 PM

[quote]There's not a lot going on in Los Angeles culturally, or professionally if you're not in creative/acting/modeling circles.

Ding. ding. ding.

If you aren't in the entertain industry, there is no real comparison between the professional economies of New York and LA.

by Anonymousreply 38January 1, 2017 11:12 PM

Meanin what R38? Whats the comparison?

Sad but I agree with OP. I just GOT here and it seems over.

Better in the imagination and on tv

I fear R37 is right

by Anonymousreply 39January 1, 2017 11:14 PM

I think LA is the new New York, in that it's becoming exorbitant, overpopulated, and rich people have sucked the life out of it. Nearly all of my friends have moved there and many are suffering financially and mentally (the traffic really is as nad as they say it is). The new thing is medium sized cities like Seattle, Portland, Austin, Nashville, etc (though some of those are becoming too expensive as well, they're far more liveable)

by Anonymousreply 40January 1, 2017 11:14 PM

*bad not nad 🙄

by Anonymousreply 41January 1, 2017 11:19 PM

I prefer LA nads to NYC nads.

by Anonymousreply 42January 1, 2017 11:23 PM

The United States is really over.

by Anonymousreply 43January 1, 2017 11:27 PM

R19, you must be a fossil, a shut-in of the era of '70s Woody Allen, if you still believe "there is not a lot going on culturally in LA." Even your beloved NYT disagrees with that.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 44January 1, 2017 11:28 PM

DLers, where would you advise someone who is hoping to move to England, aside from London?

by Anonymousreply 45January 1, 2017 11:36 PM

The Low Line lab looks exciting. I've actually been following this because the concept of an underground Eden is utterly fascinating:

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 46January 1, 2017 11:39 PM

Aye carumba, I mean, where else besides London would you advise someone to move?

by Anonymousreply 47January 1, 2017 11:39 PM

Lowline lab

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 48January 1, 2017 11:41 PM

The world is really over.

by Anonymousreply 49January 1, 2017 11:42 PM

I'm really excited for the season finale of America.

by Anonymousreply 50January 1, 2017 11:42 PM

Lowline park concept

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 51January 1, 2017 11:42 PM

More Lowline lab

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 52January 1, 2017 11:44 PM

Well it will be over in a little less than 3 weeks.

Looks like the Polynesian Resort in Disneyworld.

by Anonymousreply 53January 1, 2017 11:44 PM

The human race is really over.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 54January 1, 2017 11:45 PM

Ok we're getting carried away. The world is not over.

All that energy went somewhere. We just have to find it.

by Anonymousreply 55January 1, 2017 11:46 PM

R53 You think underground tree orchids in NYC is a bad thing?

by Anonymousreply 56January 1, 2017 11:46 PM

Um what the hell is that crap. ^^

Any comments on Montreal, or San Diego?

by Anonymousreply 57January 1, 2017 11:49 PM

R55 We need to redirect it to The Lowline! Imagine the underground clubs in a Henri Rousseau painting brought to life.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 58January 1, 2017 11:50 PM

Has anyone ever thought of moving to a place like Roanoke VA and live like a king? Then you could just go to NYC or Europe a couple times a year with all the money you'd save.

by Anonymousreply 59January 1, 2017 11:50 PM

Haven't been since August 2001, right before you know what...

by Anonymousreply 60January 1, 2017 11:50 PM

It really brings a whole, new meaning to the phrase "concrete jungle". I really love this concept. It opens up a world of possibility in art and public spaces:

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 61January 1, 2017 11:55 PM

where is the hot new city?

I hear Charlotte is a hot new but I just can't get my head around that.

Nashville is another one that sounds great in theory but actually living in Tennessee is quite another.

Seattle is fun and quirky but really far from everything.

Miami/Ft Lauderdale are hit and miss. Just depends when you visit. Could never live there in a million years.

Everywhere else is flyover.

by Anonymousreply 62January 1, 2017 11:57 PM

Anybody been to Atlanta lately?

by Anonymousreply 63January 1, 2017 11:58 PM

I'm not saying it's a bad thing.

I'm just saying I can see the same thing if I become a member of the Disney Vacation Club.

by Anonymousreply 64January 1, 2017 11:59 PM

Nashville is dire.

I knew friends in NYC who moved there about a decade ago (wasn't that it's peak of hipness?) and fled within a couple of years. Outside of the music industry (a far harder nut to crack than is commonly perceived), there is no "there" there. Certainly not for queens from NYC.

Ironically, they settled in L.A.

by Anonymousreply 65January 2, 2017 12:00 AM

[quote]The people are cold and aloof and would not bat an eye if they passed you while you were bleeding to death in the streets.

That's nothing new. Seen the intro to Midnight Cowboy (1969)?

by Anonymousreply 66January 2, 2017 12:01 AM

Philadelphia...I know of several people who work in NYC but live in Philly and don't mind taking Acela for their daily commute.

by Anonymousreply 67January 2, 2017 12:01 AM

Imagine productions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in an underground Eden?

by Anonymousreply 68January 2, 2017 12:03 AM

"Gay Seattle" is an oxymoron, like "military intelligence" or "jumbo shrimp."

Nothing "gay" about that grim, grey town.

by Anonymousreply 69January 2, 2017 12:04 AM

Vancouver darlings, because it's difficult for you all to get visas.

by Anonymousreply 70January 2, 2017 12:07 AM

Denver, Austin, Seattle and Portland have long been "cool" mid-tier cities people have been moving to.

[quote]Has anyone ever thought of moving to a place like Roanoke VA and live like a king?

Most people have careers y'know. The big reason people move to cities are that the professional jobs are there.

by Anonymousreply 71January 2, 2017 12:07 AM

R64 That's only a concept lab for display. The actual park would operate like any other. But because it's more insulated underground and deep enough below the frostline, some interesting things can be growing in a park in a zone that normally couldn't support them above ground. Technically, I guess you could call it indoors but it is still parkland.

by Anonymousreply 72January 2, 2017 12:08 AM

i remember the old threads about Atlanta that were so full of nostalgia but haven't heard much lately about the city.

by Anonymousreply 73January 2, 2017 12:10 AM

Err r69, Seattle is among the cities with the highest percentage of gay people.

by Anonymousreply 74January 2, 2017 12:10 AM

If you all just want "affordable," I suggest you find a nice red state trailer park, where you can live like royalty.

Some of us have higher priorities: art, culture, intelligence, achievement. Civilization. Beauty.

To each his own.

by Anonymousreply 75January 2, 2017 12:10 AM

To each his cunt.

by Anonymousreply 76January 2, 2017 12:12 AM

R75 A trailer park in The Lowline would actually be fantastic!

by Anonymousreply 77January 2, 2017 12:14 AM

[quote] I can be door to door my house to Manhattan in two hours

Your bragging about that? That's 2 hours each way -- 4 hours of your life every day spent commuting.

by Anonymousreply 78January 2, 2017 12:17 AM

R75, you're so right. Everyone has their preferences. There's no where else I'd rather live. I'm 36 and have lived in NYC since 1998. Sure, bars close and new ones open. Prices go up. It's reality. The city really hasn't changed that much in the past 18 years as far as I'm concerned. I'm not "filthy rich" and I can afford to own my own place in midtown and rent an indoor parkIng spot, all while contributing every month to savings. My apartment is not as large as I can afford in Atlanta, but it's perfect for me and it's in my favorite city.

If you don't want to live in NYC, don't. If you don't want to visit NYC, don't. I'm happy here and don't really give a fuck what anyone has to say about it.

by Anonymousreply 79January 2, 2017 12:25 AM

R79 >>

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 80January 2, 2017 12:32 AM

NYC was over in the 70's.

by Anonymousreply 81January 2, 2017 12:35 AM

Hear, hear, r79. I don't get all this bitching about how NYC is only for the super-rich. I'm hardly wealthy, but I make a comfortable living (low six figures...very low six figures) and am able to afford rent on my UWS 1BR apartment and maintain a parking spot in a garage for my car. I can also afford to go out to eat, take in a show now and then, and travel, all the while still contributing generously to my 401K. Yes, I could live like a king elsewhere, but I love NYC and could never conceive of moving anywhere else. I spent Christmas with my relatives some soulless, culturally barren suburb, and it was torture. I would curl up and die if I had to live in the suburbs. Couldn't wait to get back to MY city.

by Anonymousreply 82January 2, 2017 12:35 AM

DL threads about anywhere are negative.

You've got to learn to roll with the punches. And, believe me, on DL, they come left, right and below the belt.

by Anonymousreply 83January 2, 2017 12:39 AM

I visited Manhattan from Miami last summer for the first time and I was really blown away, in a good way. I felt very podunk being there, hahaha. Maybe that energy is only apparent to those of us who still find it new. That said, I did have to wonder about the people working as cashiers and sales assistants. Where do they live, how much did they pay for commutes, etc? Calling low six figures merely "comfortable" is beyond me, for instance. Miami is absurdly overpriced but an income of $100,000 still puts you firmly above 85% of the population.

by Anonymousreply 84January 2, 2017 12:43 AM

Yes R82 - because that is what everyone is suggesting - moving to some soulless suburbs. That really is the only option.

by Anonymousreply 85January 2, 2017 12:56 AM

R70 Eeeeeeeeewwwwww, Canadians.

by Anonymousreply 86January 2, 2017 1:01 AM

I am moving to London next summer - I have been going there frequently for work and have fallen in love with this city. I am originally from LA and lived in NYC for 10 years and just got tired of it. For the person who wants to move to the UK but not London, perhaps try Manchester. Much cheaper, but has a great music/bar/art scene.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 87January 2, 2017 1:10 AM

Most flyover gays have sworn off porn for the thing that excites them more...."NYC is Dead" threads!

by Anonymousreply 88January 2, 2017 1:18 AM

[quote]I am moving to London next summer - I have been going there frequently for work and have fallen in love with this city.

What do you like about it? Where will you live?

by Anonymousreply 89January 2, 2017 1:19 AM

That underground "orchard" will be hell on Earth and ripe for WorldStar videos once the homeless, buskers, pickpockets, crazies, and thugs set up shop.

by Anonymousreply 90January 2, 2017 1:23 AM

There's really no place more magical and energetic than NYC. The entire city teems with wonder and vitality. I'm so happy to be living here. And we New Yorkers are strong-willed. We're a hearty lot that have continually overcome adversity. Steadfast and determined, we're survivors. In that regard, we New Yorkers are a breed apart.

by Anonymousreply 91January 2, 2017 1:24 AM

R91 >>

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 92January 2, 2017 1:27 AM

Omfg.

by Anonymousreply 93January 2, 2017 1:35 AM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 94January 2, 2017 1:42 AM

People who rave about living in New York, go to walmart and target whilst on their vacation, I've notice. It is a shit city. People just live their bc their job is there. Also, I notice that New Yorkers who rave about the arts and humanities never go to plays or musical ever. Right now, new yorkers are bragging about their charcuterie board, which is just cheese, deli meat and cracker spread that has been around forever. It's like they're decades behind everyone else in the world, except for rural Nebraska. Rural Nebraskan aren't trendy fuckers, so they are better.

by Anonymousreply 95January 2, 2017 1:45 AM

R91 - you keep telling yourself that. No one else believes an ounce of what you say - anywhere. Just more New York self-congratulating and inflated ego.

by Anonymousreply 96January 2, 2017 1:47 AM

The people are priced out of Queens and real estate is bought en masses by Chinese and Arab billionaires who do not live there.

by Anonymousreply 97January 2, 2017 1:49 AM

R82 - Thank you. You get it. All of these people posting here do not. I guess you have to live here to understand. I can't imagine living anywhere else but Manhattan.

by Anonymousreply 98January 2, 2017 1:50 AM

R57, I live in San Diego and it's over too. A paradise lost.

by Anonymousreply 99January 2, 2017 1:59 AM

If New York is over why doesn't everyone leave?

Just git!

by Anonymousreply 100January 2, 2017 2:05 AM

NYC has like 2 decent months a year and the rest is freezing or a boiling swamp.

by Anonymousreply 101January 2, 2017 2:21 AM

That town will do anything for a buck.

by Anonymousreply 102January 2, 2017 2:22 AM

LA?

Don't make me laugh.

by Anonymousreply 103January 2, 2017 2:24 AM

Too bad Montreal can't have a comeback.

by Anonymousreply 104January 2, 2017 2:24 AM

You're so right...It's overpriced, dirty, tacky, full of self-absorbed, self-centered people.

It's glory days are over.

Please...don't move here. Don't visit.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 105January 2, 2017 2:29 AM

R98 - Many of us HAVE lived in NYC - I did for 15 years off and on and my mom's born and raised in New York.

Some of us have perspective - which you don't have.

by Anonymousreply 106January 2, 2017 2:35 AM

R99 LOLOLOLOLOLOL -- SAN DIEGO -- LOLOLOLOLOLOL

by Anonymousreply 107January 2, 2017 2:36 AM

One sad fact about NYC right now is the loss of all of the mom-n-pop businesses that give each neighborhood charm and a local feel. Every time you see a local business close, you can bet it will become a bank, a duane reade or a yogurt shop. Hardware store have become Basic Plus, which are good but pricey. The shoe repair place right by me closed, and this week it's becoming a Caffe Bene.

by Anonymousreply 108January 2, 2017 2:46 AM

Great. More coffee. That what NYC is missing.

by Anonymousreply 109January 2, 2017 3:04 AM

I'm a New Yorker, and have been living in the city for three years. I posted above how I could never imagine living anywhere else. I for one am happy about the influx of chain stores. Those old mom and pop stores were dinosaurs which didn't offer the variety or customer service that the chain stores offer. I love love love my Starbuck's because of the variety of drinks available and because the servers/baristas move fast on their feet. They know their customer base. There was a mom and pop diner-ish place down the block that closed up last year. They lacked variety, and the service was so slow. On top of that, the elderly owner liked to make chit chat as we waited for service. We New Yorkers move at a fast pace (literally and figuratively), pretty much at a pace unparalleled in other big cities, and we do not have the time for wait for some old guy to take the time serve us or attempt to make small talk.

by Anonymousreply 110January 2, 2017 3:17 AM

LOL R110 - good one. I hope that was a parody.

by Anonymousreply 111January 2, 2017 3:25 AM

Gee r110, three whole years! Please, step right up to the mic!

by Anonymousreply 112January 2, 2017 3:31 AM

Lol r111/r112

I was going to post the same thing but decided to refrain I lived in New York 10 years and didn't consider myself a New Yorker for a very long time -certainly longer than 3 years! I no longer live in the city, but work there.

What's with all these "New Yorkers" renting parking spaces? Wtf? Real New Yorkers would hate having a car in the city - parking space or not. Just sayin'

Where do you take this car to? Walmart on the weekends in jersey? Where? The Woodbury common outlets? The hamptons (just take the jitney or the LIRR like everyone else)?

Seems like a total waste of renting a parking space.

by Anonymousreply 113January 2, 2017 3:39 AM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 114January 2, 2017 3:58 AM

R110 is a Mary on the go!

by Anonymousreply 115January 2, 2017 4:00 AM

R113, I am R79.

I have a car in the city because sometimes it's nice to drive up to Boston or down to Philly or DC to visit family/friends. I mostly use it in the summer to go to the beach and not have to carry my shit on the LIRR or worry about train schedules. It's not cheap, but to me it's a luxury I enjoy. Who the fuck are you to judge me for having a car? I have a monthly metro card and use that for most of my travels.

There are many great cities, but none that I personally prefer over NYC. Maybe you prefer LA's sunshine, Chicago's deep dish pizza, or miami's beautiful beaches. Great. Live there. I would never tell you that your city sucks. I love my city- i even like the weather. I take advantage of the shows, the food, etc... but that's not why I live here. I love the small things- like my favorite bagel shop, a small Italian restaurant that visitors would never go to, walking in Central Park early in the morning before all the BATP come to town. The city also has an energy that I love and haven't been able to find anywhere else.

FYI I can work anywhere in the world. I choose to live where I do.

Anyone who feels the need to say someone else's home city sucks is just a lame ass motherfucker who needs to get over himself.

by Anonymousreply 116January 2, 2017 4:40 AM

The NY bashing troll is rivaling Poo with her venom.

by Anonymousreply 117January 2, 2017 4:46 AM

Marry me, R116. I'm a life long NYer and I also own a car. It's more convenient than a Jitney and I can afford the monthly parking. I'm also middle class and not uber rich.

by Anonymousreply 118January 2, 2017 4:46 AM

r110 is literally why DL is the greatest. Its a parody post alright. Thanks.

by Anonymousreply 119January 2, 2017 4:48 AM

'Some of us have higher priorities: art, culture, intelligence, achievement. Civilization. Beauty.'

by Anonymousreply 120January 2, 2017 5:03 AM

R59, but what jobs are there ?

by Anonymousreply 121January 2, 2017 5:07 AM

R116, may I ask what job you have or industry you're in?

I wish I could buy a car too. My neighbor owns a home in jersey city which her grown children live in, she has a car w/ NJ plates but she rents an apt in my building so she can walk to work.

by Anonymousreply 122January 2, 2017 5:10 AM

R116

I lived in NYC for over a decade. I work in Manhattan (don't live there now) but I've also lived in many cities besides NYC.

I'm more of a New Yorker than you are, dear. So pipe down.

Most people here don't want a car. I can tell you're a very new to the city... Hanging on to your car you had before moving here. A saftey net from your suburban past. Ahhh trips to jersey or Boston driving that little Miata that's costing you 8k a year just to garage it. (That's before insurance - I assume you own the car flat out, if not add another $$$$ if youre financing)

Fly to Boston like the rest of us do. Take the Train to jersey or do zip car like most New Yorkers.

If you're only making low 6 figures AND are living in a decent 1 bedroom in midtown (doorman? Elevator?) you can't really afford a car garage space. Just saying. Low 6 figures is pretty middle class in the city.

Then again... You like chain stores so....

You've lived there 3 years - it's not your home city.. How old are you?

by Anonymousreply 123January 2, 2017 5:30 AM

The median age for a New Yorker is 35.8 years and the median age for an Angelino is 34.6. Not to different. The median age nationally is 37.7

Chicago has a median age of 32, Houston a median age of 32.6, Philadelphia a median age of 34.4 and Phoenix a median age of 32.2.

So as you can see the median average age has little to do with the vitality of a city. NY and LA would have higher ages as those cities are less family friendly while Phoenix and Chicago have lower median ages as they are cheaper to live and raise a family

by Anonymousreply 124January 2, 2017 5:36 AM

I realize that median age shit is irrelevant when you have a ton of areas with low income people procreating like rats. That shit skews stuff, but there not going to enter your circle.

by Anonymousreply 125January 2, 2017 5:40 AM

Lifelong NYer who lives in a co-op where almost everyone owns a car, R123. Garages are big business in neighborhoods like midtown east and the UES and they ain't for tourists! So as somebody who has lived in NYC far longer than you....you should pipe down.

by Anonymousreply 126January 2, 2017 5:42 AM

I live just outside the city and have a car. Just visiting the city with it is an ordeal and it has become fairly infrequent for me.

Isn't driving out of and into the city an ordeal?

Like if you are taking daytrips or going away for the weekend don't you have major traffic jam nightmares?

Wouldn't you have to carefully plan when you are coming and going?

Like maybe always in the middle of the night?

by Anonymousreply 127January 2, 2017 5:55 AM

NYC is the Dubai of America where it has become a playground for the rich people.

by Anonymousreply 128January 2, 2017 6:09 AM

[quote]I visited a friend who is a lawyer and makes a ton of money but lives in a studio apartment.

That's bullshit. I was in NYC and you can get a one bed room apartment that IS nice and in a nice area for $2,500. Which is a lot but not to a NY lawyer or anyone making money.

There's no shortage of apartments anywhere nor houses. It's affordable and that term is strictly limited to those working the minimum wage jobs.

by Anonymousreply 129January 2, 2017 6:51 AM

The people everywhere were most likely tourists op. did you not go to the new Whitney or the High Line?

by Anonymousreply 130January 2, 2017 6:58 AM

It's R79 / R 116 again.

R123, Please don't call me dear or tell me to pipe down. I think you're confused and are mixing me with R82. Maybe English isn't your first language, so I won't criticize you for your error.

I don't care if you're "more of a New Yorker" that I am. Based on what you've written, I think I've lived here longer than you have though. If you refer to my initial post, you will see that I have l lived in NYC for 18 years and I am 36 years old. I don't rent my place (although I am not passing judgement on those who do) and it's a 2 bedroom/ 2bath in a doorman/elevator building. I love my building.

I never posted my salary, but it's comfortable. I worked hard to get where I am.

The reason I have a car (not a Mazda- it's German and excellent quality) is because when I visit family and friends in the suburbs of nearby cities, they would have to pick me up from the train and that is inconvenient. Who would fly to philly or DC? Maybe it's better to fly to Boston- but if I'm going to Boston without my partner, I take Amtrak. If we're going together, we drive.

It's not an ordeal to drive out to the beach. I leave the city by 10 am on a Saturday and never run into heavy traffic.

I can't believe I'm wasting my time explaining this bullshit. Why do you even care?

by Anonymousreply 131January 2, 2017 1:03 PM

the Q Line Extension is GREAT!

by Anonymousreply 132January 2, 2017 1:08 PM

LA is now and always will be provincial. There is no comparison between LA and NYC. Period.

by Anonymousreply 133January 2, 2017 1:27 PM

[quote][R123], Please don't call me dear or tell me to pipe down. I think you're confused and are mixing me with [R82]. Maybe English isn't your first language, so I won't criticize you for your error.

I LOVE you, dear. You is funny, gurl.

by Anonymousreply 134January 2, 2017 1:39 PM

PLUS - what a wonderful luxury to have a car in Manhattan! Fantastic. I used to rent one by the week once in a while when I lived there and it was the best fun.

What's amazing to remember, there were some dirty streets round the back of Varick Street (mid80s) which were so beat up and forgotten, there were no parking restrictions (FREE PARKING).

Can't imagine it's like that now.

by Anonymousreply 135January 2, 2017 1:44 PM

Many people (not least of whom gays) could write the same post about Atlanta almost verbatim, R37. There is this video on YouTube - filmed in 1989 - in which RuPaul and his buddies ride up to Lenox Square Mall. While riding on a portion of Peachtree Street that goes through Midtown Atlanta, RuPaul sounds like he is aghast at the disappearance of a number of his old haunts. Midtown had been (and still was, to an ever-dwindling extent) an organic, grass-roots haven for gays and for various types of quirky, creative people - but by 1989, the process of soul-scrubbing had begun. These days, amid the gleaming corporate towers and apartment buildings that replaced the old haunts - sits a weaker, less-authentic approximation of what made Midtown such an attractive home/hangout for gays and the bohemians.

Midtown still purports itself to be a gay mecca - but that is only if you can afford it. And the club scene seems to be a tiny, overly-controlled shadow of what it once was.

by Anonymousreply 136January 2, 2017 2:04 PM

We New Yorkers perservere. Whether it's making it home on a steamroom of a subway car in the dead of summer, or enduring the wind-swept rain while walking to work, we New Yorkers muddle through without complaint. We just suck it up and move on with our lives. Some might label us as hard or cynical, and there is some truth to that. Because of all the adversity we face on a daily basis, we New Yorkers have had to effect a tough exterior. Sometimes the struggle becomes overbearing, but we keep the tears to ourselves. We dust ourselves up and move on with our vibrant lives.

by Anonymousreply 137January 2, 2017 2:17 PM

R137 rooooolls with the punches > >

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 138January 2, 2017 2:56 PM

NYC has become so insanely expensive in every way, you really have to be wealthy to have a comfortable standard of living. If you're not wealthy, I just don't see why it's worth it. Living somewhere out in Queens with two or three roommates in a two-bedroom apartment sounds like hell on earth to me.

by Anonymousreply 139January 2, 2017 3:09 PM

r62 straight people love charlotte, and they can have it.

by Anonymousreply 140January 2, 2017 3:10 PM

[quote]Vancouver darlings, because it's difficult for you all to get visas.

Vancouver? Isn't that what East Beijing used to be called? No thanks.

by Anonymousreply 141January 2, 2017 3:11 PM

r116 what do you do for a living?

by Anonymousreply 142January 2, 2017 3:18 PM

R30 I'm not sure about that. I sure wish you were right.

NYC got boring when the young and talented couldn't afford to come anymore. And not enough to form critical mass to create culture movements.

There is very little room for exploration and failure so necessary for creativity anymore. Only rich kids could afford it. The first to suffer were the avant garde and cutting edge arts which are where new ideas that enter the mainstream are first tested. Most arts professionals will tell you that.

by Anonymousreply 143January 2, 2017 3:24 PM

THIS is what NY is all about.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 144January 2, 2017 3:26 PM

What r143 said. Unfortunately, NYC is not attracting real creative types anymore because it's so damn expensive. NYC used to be the creative capital of the US (if not the world) and now the young creative people who for generations flocked to the city can't come here unless they have a trust fund. It's a terrible shame.

What we're left with are trust fund brats who fancy themselves "artists" who really have no talent. They're not very good, but they're rich and connected and they're what the current "creative" class in NYC is. Lena Dunham is a perfect example of this.

by Anonymousreply 145January 2, 2017 3:31 PM

You still find some of that old New York off in Brooklyn r145, Bushwick is a bit of creative-types haven.

But yes, Manhattan no longer has any of that grit or energy. And while a lot of the professional class remains, it is true that a lot of creative class has left the city.

by Anonymousreply 146January 2, 2017 4:04 PM

Andy Warhol and Keith Haring were two blue-collar kids from the sticks (among many, many others) who were able to move to NYC and flourish in their respective time periods. It's so damn depressing to think that in today's NYC that would be nearly impossible.

by Anonymousreply 147January 2, 2017 4:40 PM

Other than NYC, which places have a thriving arts scene? I'm interested in visual arts and theater more than music. In just the last decade, the cost of a Broadway ticket seems to have almost doubled. As someone said earlier on this thread, even new shows with no-name casts and no awards are unaffordable to the vast majority of would-be theater goers. Tickets for Dear Evan Hanson are $175 each, for example, even in the mezzanine. I believe London's West End theatre is much more affordable but is there any equivalent US city?

by Anonymousreply 148January 2, 2017 4:55 PM

$2500 figure is from about 10 years ago, toots.

Try $3500 minimum unluess you live above 125th or somewhere equally inconvenient.

Besides, ou have a partner and that means all you expenses are SPLIT IN HALF dummy.

I wouldn't pay 3500 a month to live there. It's waaaay to boring now.

by Anonymousreply 149January 2, 2017 4:57 PM

I think a major barometer of creativity in NY is the theater.

Musicals are made purely for tourists when they were once made for NYers and if they were a hit the tourists would follow.

Those that are not are dreary dead Sondheim imitations put on by non profits.

Any major drama or comedy needs a star with a huge following.

There was so much I wanted to see.

I saw the revival of the sure fire proven On the Town which was nice.

A great musical comedy like that should be exhilarating not nice.

The audience should go into a frenzy.

It sure didn't when I was there.

by Anonymousreply 150January 2, 2017 5:00 PM

The wish for affordable cities far from brown people rich and poor.

by Anonymousreply 151January 2, 2017 5:06 PM

That should be "brown cultures"

by Anonymousreply 152January 2, 2017 5:07 PM

I think people need to realise it's not a 'creative era'.

It's not what the last 10 or 15 years have been about. It's ALL about MONEY.

Films, music etc...they're all commercial trash. The famous faces of this time - there are no Beatles, no Picasso...no nuthin'. It's the era of The Kardashians.

by Anonymousreply 153January 2, 2017 5:09 PM

I have noticed the cash grab nature of culture these days too. They just throw any shit out there and sit back and count the coins.

by Anonymousreply 154January 2, 2017 5:12 PM

[quote]$2500 figure is from about 10 years ago, toots. Try $3500 minimum unluess you live above 125th or somewhere equally inconvenient.

You can still find one-bedrooms for 2500 in the LES, UES and parts of midtown. Won't be in a doorman building and it will be a walk-up, but it can be done.

by Anonymousreply 155January 2, 2017 5:18 PM

One acre of artificial trees is hardly "the world's first underground park." We had a below grade atrium in an office park I worked at in Michigan that was filled with trees and fountains, birds, and chamber music and that was almost thirty years ago.

by Anonymousreply 156January 2, 2017 5:20 PM

[quote]There's not a lot going on in Los Angeles culturally,

You could not be more uninformed.

by Anonymousreply 157January 2, 2017 5:22 PM

Seriously, R139/r145, you should check out Streeteasy.com, zillow.com or cityrealty.com. Many in the last NY bashing thread, which was only a week ago, were suprised that rents were more affordable than you think. Is it Atlanta affordable? No. but NY is not Atlanta and salaries are higher here.

Real NYers don't eat at Per Se, we know the good neighborhood places to eat, which are affordable. In fact, dining in NYC is on par price wise with Pittsburgh except the food is better in both quality and taste in NY....I live in both citities and have dined out in both. Grocery shopping was an eye opener for me in Pittsburgh. There were items that were actually more expensive than in NY. Wine...more expensive in Pitts. Public transportation...it sucks in Pitts and is the same price in NY. Gasoline...not that big of a difference between the two. Culture...Pitts has a tiny "cultural district" and theater "season" with touring companies -- in other words, it can't hold a candle to NY when it comes to culture. Both have a thriving gay culture, but I prefer NY -- a lot of twinks in Pitts probably do to Pitts being a small city with a LARGE college presence.

by Anonymousreply 158January 2, 2017 5:26 PM

The fast nyer. Blah blah blah blah R110 NYers are not the fastest movers. Not even in the top ten. Zurichers are clocked the fastest city walkers in the world.

by Anonymousreply 159January 2, 2017 5:27 PM

LA arts - white people pasting garbage together and charging high prices from their galleries which took the place of a little Mexican business.

by Anonymousreply 160January 2, 2017 5:41 PM

R142,

It's R116- you asked what I do for a living. It's nothing all that interesting- but have a PhD in an engineering field and do some consulting. Engineers in my discipline tend to earn more in middle America. The industry justifies lower starting salaries in metropolitan areas because these are considered "more desirable" locations. I'm not suggesting that NYC is more desireable for everyone. This is just what the companies say.

To the haters on this thread:

I agree that NYC probably has lost a lot of what gave the city it's appeal was in the 70s and 80s. When I talk to people who were living here during those years, I get a little jealous to have missed it. That said, there are still many places that have managed to retain the grittiness and artistic vibe though. I have friends who came from nothing who have made it huge in the art scene. They have had amazing exposure in galleries and I have been fortunate to go to several of their openings. I also have been to quite a few shows by friends who have managed to become successful in the performing arts. None of the performing artists are names you would recognize, but I still consider them to be very successful. You probably can't come in for a weekend and expect to walk into a great unknown known show for $20, but i promise you there's a lot going on here. If you live here (and have an interest), you will find what you're looking for. The world is changing. NYC is changing. Maybe it's not all for the better, but there is still no where else I'd rather call home. If it's not for you, I totally get it. What I don't get is why you feel the need to trash this fantastic city. I don't know any New Yorker who would deride anyone else's home.

And also- those chain restaurants are for tourists who don't know where else to go. Same for Starbucks- every neighborhood has a bunch mom and pop coffee shops/bakeries. There's no need to go to the chains. I do miss Big Cup, but have found several substitutes.

by Anonymousreply 161January 2, 2017 5:42 PM

r161 no offense, but I can't tell you how many people I know or have known who can only maintain their NYC lifestyle because of a spouse/partner or funding from their parents. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but all of these people act like they do it all on their own when the only reason they can afford it is because of being generously subsidized.

by Anonymousreply 162January 2, 2017 5:52 PM

Haters gonna hate. So few NYC haters on DL have endless positive attributes to list about LA, just vagaries about "the weather, the arts scene (this could mean ANYTHING, and nothing), the expense (or not)." By contrast, their issues with NYC are endlessly, pettily detailed and heavily embroidered with "Dickensonian" detail (fact: the only people sharing "crowded houses in Queens" are the ambitious, hard-working immigrant families who continue to come here and contribute to our diversity and economy).

The cultural life of NYC speaks for itself, and is hardly limited to "expensive Broadway musicals." NYC is America's international city and showcases our intellectual, cultural, and artistic achievements to the world (and makes us a target for both terrorists and resentful outsiders of all kinds). Love it or don't: we don't especially need your love or approval. We have our own.

If LA (or anywhere else) is so stellar, tell us why--if you are capable--without shitting all over NYC.

by Anonymousreply 163January 2, 2017 5:54 PM

[quote]That said, I did have to wonder about the people working as cashiers and sales assistants.

They have roommates (and more than one). So much of the discussion centers on the idea of people living alone. Lots of people don't live alone, they rent a room in properties. They also don't live in Manhattan, they live in the outer areas.

You can find affordable room rentals (I mean actually affordable like 600-700) if you are looking for room rentals in Harlem/Queens/Brooklyn/Jersey.

by Anonymousreply 164January 2, 2017 5:59 PM

Little Five Points in Atlanta has some of that old vibe.

by Anonymousreply 165January 2, 2017 6:01 PM

I have to wonder about the cashiers etc, in other cities, R164. NYC has a higher minimum wage than most of the country. Its all relative.

by Anonymousreply 166January 2, 2017 6:06 PM

I've lived in NYC since 2003. 14 years. Never lived outside of Manhattan. Me nor any of my group of friends have any desire to move anywhere else. And none of us are millionaires. No other city has this city's energy. None.

by Anonymousreply 167January 2, 2017 6:14 PM

It depends when you arrive. For many of us, what drew us here, what held and nurtured us here have vanished. What's replaced it we find anemic if not corrupted.

We all have a different set of aspirations and expectations resulting in unique experiences of the city. But I don't think the boredom I feel today is purely subjective.

I think most people would agree that there's been a huge transformation towards corporatized homogeneity. Fewer corner flower shops. Fewer unpretentious diners and family restaurants. Fewer ethnic neighborhoods. The quirks and individualities have been ironed out.

The city is less grassroots up Jane Jacobs and more top down Business Improvement Districts every day. As she once said: “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” Many feel more is provided by a small group of people for fewer city dwellers now.

This dampens the vibrancy that comes from variety. Because the greater the variety the richer, more numerous and complex the network of interactions.

Maybe New York is going through a spell. Maybe is dying or dead. Great cities have come and gone in the past. Maybe it's just me.

by Anonymousreply 168January 2, 2017 6:21 PM

The little people (e.g. cashiers, retail, servers) bus in to Manhattan from Bronx, Staten Island, Queens, and distant points in Brooklyn. Some do live in Manhattan, but above 125th Street on the east side, which is hardly a choice area and not a place I would actually deem as my Manhattan Proper. These people are very polite and courteous blah blah blah. Maybe this sounds a bit harsh, but it must be stated... I'm glad they're not part of the residential framework of my Manhattan Proper.

by Anonymousreply 169January 2, 2017 6:23 PM

R168, what you said holds true for any major metropolitan area both in the U.S. and abroad. Just look at the changes in London, SF LA etc. Cities that haven't changed over time are the ones that are dying.

by Anonymousreply 170January 2, 2017 6:29 PM

Vancouver is expensive and there is no culture and not a single intelligent, interesting or fun person to talk to.

by Anonymousreply 171January 2, 2017 6:30 PM

[quote](fact: the only people sharing "crowded houses in Queens" are the ambitious, hard-working immigrant families who continue to come here and contribute to our diversity and economy).

Are you fucking for real? There are lots of Americans there too, living three, four and five together because of the outrageous cost of housing.

by Anonymousreply 172January 2, 2017 6:33 PM

R170 Everything changes. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for worse. Decline is change. Dying is change.

by Anonymousreply 173January 2, 2017 6:34 PM

Wealthy Russian Heiresses are living in former art and writer studios in New York. Please the city is dead. People only live their because their job is there. If people are transferred out of New York, they are so fucking thrilled.

by Anonymousreply 174January 2, 2017 6:41 PM

r169, die in a grease fire you racist.

by Anonymousreply 175January 2, 2017 6:45 PM

This is true, R173. But you seem to lament the fact that things change.

R172, seriously, it's not that bad. As said up thread, on last week's NY bashing thread, people were surprised that housing wasn't as bad as they thought. Many had over estimated housing costs by 1 - 2 grand..

by Anonymousreply 176January 2, 2017 6:47 PM

Let Fran Lebowitz explain what's wrong with NYC today. Starts at 1:17

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 177January 2, 2017 6:53 PM

More Fran....

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 178January 2, 2017 6:56 PM

Yes, NY is so over that DL has to devote weekly threads about it. I'll believe it is over when DL no longer cares that it is over.

by Anonymousreply 179January 2, 2017 6:58 PM

R176 Not at all. I lament the kind of change. Not change itself. Growth is also change. Variegation is change. Improvement is change.

Thanks for the posts R177. I'm a Fran fan.

by Anonymousreply 180January 2, 2017 7:04 PM

R169 - define "distant points in Brooklyn". Has Bed Stuy undergone gentrification? I'm aware that Spike Lee's old neighborhood (Fort Greene) has.

by Anonymousreply 181January 2, 2017 7:04 PM

I remember being blown away and in awe of the people, the fashions, the night life.

Where did it all go?

by Anonymousreply 182January 2, 2017 7:04 PM

When the police stopped this young African American lady after she had made a LEGITIMATE purchase at Barneys - and asked her "What are you doing in Manhattan?" - this seems to be emblematic of how exclusive Manhattan has become. So these days, certain people don't look like they belong in Manhattan - and are assumed to have no business being there.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 183January 2, 2017 7:06 PM

Yes bedstuy is gentrifying R181. I started seeing white skateboarders along Stuyvesant avenue a couple of years ago. Now Brownsville is next.

by Anonymousreply 184January 2, 2017 7:13 PM

Where are you supposed to go when you leave NY? To some place where no one has read a book and they make homophobic remarks every five seconds? And some of those stupid places are getting expensive, too.

by Anonymousreply 185January 2, 2017 7:42 PM

[quote] To some place where no one has read a book and they make homophobic remarks every five seconds?

It's this kind of mindset why people don't like New Yorkers. Wake up, there are tons of cities out there full of educated progressive type and have plenty of cultural amenities. These things are no longer strictly a New York thing (really they never were) and haven't been for decades.

by Anonymousreply 186January 2, 2017 7:46 PM

And those places have become just as expensive as NY, R186.

by Anonymousreply 187January 2, 2017 8:06 PM

I used to joke that in the not-too-distant future, sections of Manhattan would be turned into exclusive, gated communities for the ultra-wealthy. The way things seem to be going, I don't know if that's really a joke anymore.

by Anonymousreply 188January 2, 2017 8:11 PM

R188, What's your definition of ultra wealthy? I do not consider myself to be ultra wealthy and I have a great life and live in a very nice place in a desirable neighborhood in Manhattan.

by Anonymousreply 189January 2, 2017 8:34 PM

r189 you just don't get it.

by Anonymousreply 190January 2, 2017 8:39 PM

R189, most of this thread is populated by people like R190, who have either never been here or who have come here as a tourist from flyover country and have no idea what LIVING here or any big city is like.

by Anonymousreply 191January 2, 2017 8:45 PM

I've lived in NYC since '97 r191. I also have a house in CT. What I meant by my post is that NYC is becoming so segregated that I half-jokingly say the ultra-wealthy are going to wall off parts of it for a gated community. I wasn't specifically talking about people like you r189.

by Anonymousreply 192January 2, 2017 8:56 PM

I don't get it either. I make low 6-figures and was able to buy a one bedroom in the village and cover my mortgage fine while continuing to save. I would not suggest trying to live in Manhattan or most of Brooklyn if you have a service job or are making minimum wage. But for people with professional careers and "ok" salaries, you can live comfortably here while not being a mega-millionaire. I'm trying to wrap my head around some of these comments in this thread and they don't ring true for me or anyone I know in NYC.

by Anonymousreply 193January 2, 2017 9:12 PM

[quote]Anyone who feels the need to say someone else's home city sucks is just a lame ass motherfucker who needs to get over himself.

Agreed.

[quote]walking in Central Park early in the morning before all the BATP come to town.

Sounds like you think the outer boroughs suck, and are just as much of a "lame ass motherfucker" who needs to get over himself as well.

by Anonymousreply 194January 2, 2017 9:23 PM

R192 and R193 Please remember that most of these bitches complaining about NYC are greeters at Walmart and don't have the skills to get a high paying job in NYC that would allow them to live in The City.

by Anonymousreply 195January 2, 2017 9:41 PM

I saw a Heimat style apartment with art nouveau stained glass and iron work, balcony, original parquet floor, 12 foot ceilings, pantry, kitchen with french tiles, vast entry, living, dining, 2 bedrooms, cave, attic, laundry, for 1600 month in La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Jura Mountains in Switzerland.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 196January 2, 2017 9:53 PM

[quote]NYC has a higher minimum wage than most of the country. Its all relative.

I live here and had NO IDEA this was true! Apparently, it went from $9.00 to $9.60 as of today. I thought it was still $7.25 which is/was the minimum wage federally. Two shitty red states have a LOWER than federal minimum wage! Georgia and Wyoming. How awful!

by Anonymousreply 197January 2, 2017 9:55 PM

New York will never be "over." Please. Just. Stop.

by Anonymousreply 198January 2, 2017 9:57 PM

r193, I think a lot of non new yorkers and those didn't grow up in the city get caught up on the space. They just can't fathom how professional people making 6 digits could live in such little space even when they're owning. I have friends to this day who love the city aspects but could never live there full time because they couldn't afford a normal sized apartment on there income.

by Anonymousreply 199January 2, 2017 9:59 PM

Yeah, certain people can never get over the space thing. If you are used to non-urban living where you have spacious houses with giant yards, paying so much money to live in a small apartment is just hard for some types to accept.

by Anonymousreply 200January 2, 2017 10:02 PM

Well r74 gave me a reason never to move to Seattle.

by Anonymousreply 201January 2, 2017 10:03 PM

Ok, you know what? I've been on Datalounge for over 10 years, and this is a New York-centric board, I get that.

But ANY time there's any thread about any other city, especially any city in the USA, insufferable New Yorkers flock to that thread and attack, like some internal alarm goes off and you have to flock to Datalounge to attack and counter any nice comments about LA, Chicago, Philadelphia etc.

So you New Yorkers who are crying foul that DL is bashing your city, when the truth is that the rest of the world realizes that New York is not the great city it once was, sit down, shut up and take it like a "true New Yorker" who brags about takin' the punches left, right and below the belt, like you always claim you do, makes you so fucking superior. Tough my ass. Try living in flyover country as a gay person - THAT's tough. Ooh, you're so tough for being on a crowded subway car in the summer - try being the only gay person at your company in Topeka and being terrified that you'll get fired because of your sexuality. Ooh, you got some snow and the city is extra cold? Try living in Buffalo and shoveling out 8 feet of snow around your car at 6am so you can make it to work at 7.

You're not tough.

You're not special.

You're just humans like the rest of it, and you chose to move to New York. Anyone in the world can move anywhere they want to. Moving to a new city is something you can change about yourself, and it doesn't make you special.

These threads really just prove that some of you are so goddamned fragile for being the self-proclaimed toughest people in the world.

by Anonymousreply 202January 2, 2017 10:15 PM

Great comment 202. I lived in Buffalo for a while and the winters there are truly horrifying.

by Anonymousreply 203January 2, 2017 10:18 PM

R194, you quoted me and said that I must think the outer boroughs suck. I don't see how you can jump to that conclusion because I was very careful not to write anything negative about any other borough or city. One of my favorite things about living in NYC is that quiet time on weekend mornings when the sun is shining and the streets are empty. I don't venture to the outer boroughs often, but there are some great restaurants in Queens and Brooklyn that I enjoy. I also like Long Island beaches. If you're offended by my use of the term BATB, I don't include people from the other boroughs in that group. Does anyone?

by Anonymousreply 204January 2, 2017 10:21 PM

R202, no one is whining. There are legitimate complaints about New York that are very valid. I have my own list. It's that most of the things being said are not even remotely true or relevant to someone who actually lives here. Most of these people don't have a fucking clue what they are talking about.

by Anonymousreply 205January 2, 2017 10:26 PM

What is the famous "energy" of New York City? Can someone define and describe it?

by Anonymousreply 206January 2, 2017 10:27 PM

R197, WTF are you talking about. Depending on number of employees, minimum wage in NYC is 10 and 11 dollars and going up again next year.

by Anonymousreply 207January 2, 2017 10:27 PM

It's bouncy and electric, R206

by Anonymousreply 208January 2, 2017 10:30 PM

What do you mean? It is the biggest and most dense city in America. Being in it is unlike other places in the US. Very urban, people everywhere, massive skylines.

by Anonymousreply 209January 2, 2017 10:32 PM

R202,

As a gay New Yorker, i totally get you. I would never want to live in Topeka or buffalo because of the very reasons you mentioned. I don't think I'm tougher or more special because I live in NYC. I do feel responsible to defend the city i love when people who have no idea what they're talking about say stupid things.

I've spent a lot of time in LA, SF, chicago, Miami, philadelphia and DC. I think they're all great places. I love spending time in each of those cities. If I *had* to live in any of those places, I would probably be very happy there. However, I choose to live in NYC because it's the best fit for me. No New Yorker I know ever has anything negative to say about those cities, yet people on this site seem to believe all New Yorkers have this feeling of superiority.

by Anonymousreply 210January 2, 2017 10:35 PM

r202 = MARY

by Anonymousreply 211January 2, 2017 10:44 PM

R202, you willing choose to live in a city that measures snow in feet. I willingly choose to live in NYC (and reluctantly in Pittsburgh for part of the year). So I'm not sure what point you are trying to make when you say, "try living in Buffalo...8 feet of snow...6am." That's YOUR choice, not mine.

by Anonymousreply 212January 2, 2017 10:44 PM

Same stuff people have been saying about San Francisco for the past 30 years: the techies have taken over, it's too expensive for "artists" and poor black people, gentrification of brown neighborhoods, chain stores coming in, nowhere to park, greedy landlords, aggressive homeless people, etc.

Are cities really "done" or is it just the usual lamenting of people who are routinely "priced out" because they can't afford to live a suburban lifestyle (house, yard, two cars) in the city?

by Anonymousreply 213January 2, 2017 10:55 PM

There's just some weird fascination on DL with NYC. It's some sort of deep seeded resentment that they aren't able to live in the city themselves. And so they tell themselves it's horrible, overrated, etc. to make themselves feel better. It's either a truly weird obsession or straight up trolling.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 214January 2, 2017 11:20 PM

Here's what living in NYC costs: Transportation - 0 ( You can walk. You just saved $50,000 on a car and gas) Food - Prepared chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes - $20 and enough for lunch and dinner Utilities, internet, etc - Same as anywhere else Clothes - Same as anywhere else Bath products - Same as anywhere else. Etc. Yes, rent is higher but you get a lot in return for living in a city most people would kill to live in. If you can't figure out how to live here, we don't want you.

by Anonymousreply 215January 2, 2017 11:28 PM

R87 - are you British or American? I would love to move back to London.

by Anonymousreply 216January 3, 2017 12:09 AM

me, too, R216

by Anonymousreply 217January 3, 2017 12:10 AM

This is from the things that you miss thread.

Somebody mentioned the Regency.

A great NY revival house and I miss it and Frank Rowley's programming.

Always double features and good prints.

One of the best things about NY and certainly one of the reasons I was living(I still am)in the area.

I liked the very middle class-lower middle class feel much of the city had.

Remember such a thing as 'Popular Prices!'?

Now to use that for anything would be ludicrous.

by Anonymousreply 218January 3, 2017 12:33 AM

[quote]Ok, you know what? I've been on Datalounge for over 10 years, and this is a New York-centric board, I get that.

Gee, I wonder why? New York has the largest gay population of any city in the world. Glad I cleared that up. I moved to New York in 1983 and lived there thru the height (or depth, rather) of AIDS and there was nowhere in the world as a young gay man I could have felt as comfortable and accepted (& I came from and was raised in the middle of London, England).

Secondly, the people who say it has a terrible climate. No. There are times it is too hot or too cold - but generally it has a wonderful climate. Long warm springs and long warm fall. The sun shines through most of the year. You have to wear sunglasses in the winter, it's so bright. It used to make me laugh that people would say "It's so beautiful today, so overcast!"

by Anonymousreply 219January 3, 2017 12:53 AM

Try living in Halifax r171. Same thing as Vancouver (no culture, no one interesting or fun to talk to etc), but made worse because no one wants to move here so it's a city that is dying as the population is aging, people are migrating from rural areas to die. Crime is about the worst in Canada too.

I've been to Vancouver...it reminded me of a nice jewellery store (metaphorically-speaking), a place you go in to have a look around, don't touch, everything looks nice, don't ask how much anything costs, you're there for a transaction, look around, then leave. Deal is done. It was soul suckingly (new word) banal and dreary.

The hospitals in Halifax are 3rd world. My neighbour and I are considering leaving the Province when we retire as we are very worried about the dismal state of medical care as seen in the dwindling numbers of doctors and pitiful state of health infrastructure (flooding in hospitals and contaminated medical equipment in ORs). The list goes on.......

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 220January 3, 2017 2:45 AM

R87 here - I am American. Luckily, I am what was formerly called a "skilled migrant" (medical field) and can easily get a work visa. Then I am going to apply for UK residency/citizenship and/or marry my partner who is a British citizen...

by Anonymousreply 221January 3, 2017 3:14 AM

I live in NYC posted some pro-NYC comments above...

I get the impression that many of the NYC-bashers feel that New Yorkers consider other cities - and those who live in them - to be inferior. I couldn't disagree more. Although I personally feel that the suburbs/small cities are no place for gays, i am extremely grateful that some gays choose to live in such places. If they didn't live there, none of the "small town" heteros would ever form relationships with gays. Said heteros would be less inclined to support gay rights. We all benefit from those who deal with homophobia and discrimination in their daily lives. When I've traveled to some of these smaller cities, I've the local gays - sometimes business owners or just some other guys at a local bar. Fundamentally, they are the same as my NYC friends. Some are like the broadway queens, others like the Chelsea muscle queens, and some just the easy going "regular guys." Every city has its own vibe and every person has his own preferences... some of us will choose NYC, others won't.

I'm glad that some people hate New York or the cost of living would be even higher than it already is!

by Anonymousreply 222January 3, 2017 3:19 AM

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 223January 3, 2017 3:25 AM

Manchester City is a shit hole!!!

by Anonymousreply 224January 3, 2017 3:32 AM

For me, New York was over when the Meat Packing a District became a giant shopping mall for yuppies and tourists. This all started in the 90's, and then the High Line became yet another tourist trap.

by Anonymousreply 225January 3, 2017 3:36 AM

And Brooklyn gentrification- talk about losing all your character.

by Anonymousreply 226January 3, 2017 3:38 AM

There are some aspects of New York that can't be found anywhere else, and obviously hold enough appeal to draw worldwide masses, but I don't agree that someone needs to live there for years to "get it" or call themselves a New Yorker.

I lived there for five years, but had friends who knew within weeks it wasn't for them, and there was no convincing them otherwise.

by Anonymousreply 227January 3, 2017 3:42 AM

Is there still at least one flickering, buzzing neon sign outside the window of a 2nd floor cheap apartment above a business?

And at least one bar like in that painting "Nighthawks?"

And at least one grand dame in the Kitty Carlisle mold?

And at least one tiny Italian restaurant with red checkered tablecloths?

And at least one Woody Allen type muttering to himself as he crosses the street?

by Anonymousreply 228January 3, 2017 3:45 AM

r222's smugness just made my asshole clench.

by Anonymousreply 229January 3, 2017 3:46 AM

I love you r222.

by Anonymousreply 230January 3, 2017 3:55 AM

Take your pick from the above, R222.

by Anonymousreply 231January 3, 2017 3:57 AM

R229,

After all those fists you take, even my smugness can't make your asshole clench. If you ever come to NYC, please buy some depends first. I don't want to smell ya on the subway.

Besides, I think you mistake genuine feelings for smugness.

-R222

by Anonymousreply 232January 3, 2017 4:32 AM

Wait! It's not over until it's over! Look over there!

by Anonymousreply 233January 3, 2017 4:42 AM

She ded.

by Anonymousreply 234January 3, 2017 4:55 AM

OK. Yeah, now it's over.

by Anonymousreply 235January 3, 2017 4:55 AM

r232 I've probably lived here longer than you have.

by Anonymousreply 236January 3, 2017 4:56 AM

What was on Lady Liberty's iPod when she died?

NY,NY by Frank Sinatra

by Anonymousreply 237January 3, 2017 4:56 AM

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, r222. The small town gays must be so grateful that you think of them from time to time and respect their struggle even though small towns and suburbs "are no place for gays." Perhaps the next time you travel from your lofty perch to the hinterlands to mingle with them, you can remind them of this again.

Jesus. H. Christ.

by Anonymousreply 238January 3, 2017 4:59 AM

Well, I'm a New Yorker who thinks the city is still great BUT I'm ready to leave. I'm 51 and moved here after college. I lived in Manhattan till 2012 then moved to Brooklyn when I got priced out. I live in a nice sized 1 bedroom in an older walkup building. I'm in Prospect Heights/Crown Heights area. It's not fashionable but definitely improving. I pay $1300 in rent but now the going rate is $1800. I make about $100K with my bonus but it doesn't feel like much. Most of my friends make less than $100K and are struggling.

In the last few years my closest friends left the city. They moved to Nashville, Tacoma, Tampa and Portland (Maine). They all have no regrets. One thing they all say is that they started to like where they lived once they stopped comparing it to NYC and began to appreciate what their new city offers. All but one owns their own home, something I want to do but can only dream of.

New York is best for the young and/or rich/comfortable ($150K+). I'm neither so it's time to go. My company has offices in every major city so I'm looking to transfer. Theater, museums etc are nice to have but, to be honest, I don't really take advantage of them. I've been to great restaurants outside of NYC. All I want is a nice small house with a decent yard. I want to entertain at home and do some gardening. I don't need New York for that!

by Anonymousreply 239January 3, 2017 5:40 AM

R198 Never say never.

by Anonymousreply 240January 3, 2017 6:00 AM

R239, do you have any savings? how much?

I managed only to save about 50k in all my years in nyc. i partied a lot, wasted lots of money, and started saving late in life.

3 yrs ago, the company I worked for went out of biz overnight and I was jobless for a long time, working only part time. During the 3 years, it was hand to mouth. My work has improved a bit but I'm in hospitality so getting older doesn't help.

I don't intend to stay in nyc forever. I need to save more money which is hard to do in this expensive city.

by Anonymousreply 241January 3, 2017 7:54 AM

[quote] All I want is a nice small house with a decent yard. I want to entertain at home and do some gardening.

Me too. I also would like a SWIMMING POOL. There are some places where this really isn't a magnificent luxury.

& I want a beach nearby.

& I want a palm tree.

by Anonymousreply 242January 3, 2017 8:44 AM

when the most popular thing New York theater has to offer is Lin and Hamilton you KNOW its time to move !

by Anonymousreply 243January 3, 2017 9:34 AM

Where will you, gurl?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 244January 3, 2017 10:35 AM

R220 I DID live in Halifax! I have experienced the hell of NS and the hell of Vancouver (don't forget the drug addicts everywhere, discussed all the time). I am leaving NS in a matter of weeks for M O N T R E A L !

by Anonymousreply 245January 3, 2017 11:07 AM

[quite] I am leaving NS in a matter of weeks for M O N T R E A L !

I'm sure a cluster of DLers will be here in a while to shit all over Montreal - but in the meantime, best of luck with your new life there. Sounds exciting.

by Anonymousreply 246January 3, 2017 11:15 AM

Thanks, R246!

by Anonymousreply 247January 3, 2017 11:20 AM

r26 Hah! Philly. You leave your 'inexpensive' apartment and the the Dragon Pearl Chinese take-out is right across the street. Face it queen, unless you live in Rittenhouse Square or Old City (and only certain sections), you'll living in a hellhole.

by Anonymousreply 248January 3, 2017 12:07 PM

Montreal is a very interesting place. Good luck with your move there r246.

by Anonymousreply 249January 3, 2017 12:32 PM

[quote]Face it queen, unless you live in Rittenhouse Square or Old City (and only certain sections), you'll living in a hellhole.

Face it queen? Horrible expression.

by Anonymousreply 250January 3, 2017 1:39 PM

My partner and I live in the West Village, and we couldn't imagine living anywhere else. However, we realize that the city is just not affordable for certain types of people. We have a girl come in twice a week to clean. She takes the bus all the way down from the Bronx. Does anyone actually LIVE in the Bronx? LOL.

by Anonymousreply 251January 3, 2017 1:49 PM

[quote] We have a girl come in twice a week to clean. She takes the bus all the way down from the Bronx. Does anyone actually LIVE in the Bronx? LOL.

You just said that she does, so that answers your own question.

by Anonymousreply 252January 3, 2017 1:54 PM

The Bronx is the real America.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 253January 3, 2017 2:41 PM

R223 -the average yearly income for London is £48,000. Many people - especially those with families - commute from outer suburbs into the city. Housing close to the city is very expensive, and many cannot afford it. Brighton has become a "cool" place to live for London workers who don't have children ( it has lots of music venues/clubs/bars). I have a friend who takes a 1 1/2 hour trip twice a day to commute from Surrey. Under Cameron, the Tories instituted austerity measures that have created hardship for many in the UK. This extends to transport, which used to be more subsidized. Now the workers share more of the cost burden.

I will be making quite a bit more than the average income, and I will be living fairly close to the hospital where I will be working. I do not have children, and do not need to worry about space/schools. I do not recommend moving to London if you will not be making at least $100,000/year plus. By the way, I am a medieval English history buff and I enjoy attending medieval festivals - all over Europe. I have participated in some reenactment groups. This is one of the reasons I want to make London my home base.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 254January 3, 2017 2:52 PM

"Does anyone actually LIVE in the Bronx? LOL."

I know! It's super-funny when you're poor and live in these godawful places!

but then again, your cleaning woman is probably an illegal immigrant. so hopefully she'll be deported soon.

I love the west village. such interesting, successful people live there.

by Anonymousreply 255January 3, 2017 3:10 PM

You stuck us with Drumpf so fuck you.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 256January 3, 2017 3:13 PM

Oh, and just for sticking us with Drumpf, I'm glad the movie [italic]Annie[/italic] got rid of that awful NYC song. I always hated it.

by Anonymousreply 257January 3, 2017 3:13 PM

You didn't hear Laurie Screecham sing it in the original production.

Then you would have been homicidal.

by Anonymousreply 258January 3, 2017 3:22 PM

"I'm in Prospect Heights/Crown Heights area. It's not fashionable but definitely improving."

You're nuts. That area is definitely "fashionable." In the Brooklyn sense. Especially Prospect Heights, where one-bedroom apartments are hardly going for $1800. Try more like $2200 at least.

I still love NYC but when the price of admission is at minimum a six-figure salary, it filters out all of the interesting, creative people. Which is what used to make living here so dynamic. The vibe they brought affected the nightlife, the restaurants, the galleries. Now everything is simply high-end...and brutally boring.

That includes the people who are waxing on and on and on about how awesome it is here. Yes, you are beyond boring.

If I wasn't from here and if I was burned out from my career (which I'm not) I'd hightail it out of this city. It's a steaming bowl of cunt soup.

by Anonymousreply 259January 3, 2017 3:24 PM

R239 does a much better job at articulating my point. I wasn't making this post because I was trashing NYC. I was trying to say that I didn't notice it was really dead till this last trip. I feel like the last to know.

Everybody had on the same exact coat....if you've been recently, you know what I mean. And the women's boots are all the same. Cookie cutter fashions and no originality.

You get the feeling now if you make ONE false move in that town, you will be washed out with the tide.

The Midtown vibe has spread all the way downtown so now everybody's a banker or some other soul sucking job. So much for the "cutting edge".

But if you're a boring 9-5er, then NYC is the place for you.

by Anonymousreply 260January 3, 2017 4:05 PM

R259 - I'm closer to Crown Heights, Franklin Ave/Crown Street. It's definitely NOT fashionable! But it's relatively cheap...so far.

by Anonymousreply 261January 3, 2017 4:07 PM

And so many of the women look like the Real Housewives and other trash reality celebs. It's such a low-class look. No style or chicness.

by Anonymousreply 262January 3, 2017 4:09 PM

Yes - all the culture has been moved out of the city to make way for olive gardens and JP Morgan offices. ...And OMG. Did you see her boots? They. Are. So. 20016. Like OMG.... Those of you who believe that are just boring or too lazy to get out there. Or maybe you wear ugly clothes and are self conscious about it.

Time Out NY, which is probably as cookie cutter and banal as it comes, even has some suggestions for you.

If you're too good to enjoy the exhibits in the link, maybe you're the smug one.

If you can't afford to live here, just admit it to yourself and move on. No one wants your sour grapes.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 263January 3, 2017 4:16 PM

Women and their boots are going to be the end of me! They wear them in the summer too. What kind of fashion statement are they trying to make? They look ridiculous.

by Anonymousreply 264January 3, 2017 4:21 PM

[quote]You didn't hear Laurie Screecham sing it in the original production. Then you would have been homicidal.

NYC,

NYC,

Bless my hometown forever.

by Anonymousreply 265January 3, 2017 4:23 PM

r250 Philly is a horrible city.

by Anonymousreply 266January 3, 2017 4:24 PM

What kind of boots are they wearing, R264?

by Anonymousreply 267January 3, 2017 4:25 PM

Ugly boots

by Anonymousreply 268January 3, 2017 4:28 PM

r222 is one of those who didn't walk away from Omelas.

by Anonymousreply 269January 3, 2017 4:28 PM

It's globalism, the new feudalism. What they are killing is the middle class, the dignified working class, and artists that are not from the ultra-rich. This shows up most in the the cities that were renowned for a positive mix and flourishing arts - NY and London. Now it's shoppers and real estate. And people and vibrant society vanishing - extinguished.

by Anonymousreply 270January 3, 2017 4:28 PM

R269, Whose misery does NYC depend on?

by Anonymousreply 271January 3, 2017 4:35 PM

R271, from r222:

[quote]Although I personally feel that the suburbs/small cities are no place for gays, i am extremely grateful that some gays choose to live in such places. If they didn't live there, none of the "small town" heteros would ever form relationships with gays. Said heteros would be less inclined to support gay rights. We all benefit from those who deal with homophobia and discrimination in their daily lives.

Basically, r222 implies that gay rights continue to progress - and are most enjoyed in the happy liberal enclave of NYC - due to the misery of gays living in bigoted small towns.

by Anonymousreply 272January 3, 2017 4:54 PM

r251, what do you and your lover do?

by Anonymousreply 273January 3, 2017 5:01 PM

[quote][R251], what do you and your lover do?

Hate to tell you but 'lover' for gay men, went out with 1980s - thank God!

by Anonymousreply 274January 3, 2017 5:07 PM

I just want to be excited about something. It's the whole reason I went. I'm in a terrible rut and usually a trip to NYC will motivate and inspire me.

So I guess my question is where should I visit to get a rush of excitement and inspiration? The world is changing so fast and I can't think straight.

All the advice in the world is totally obsolete. Everything has changed so much and so fast. I used to go to NYC to recalibrate and get with the times.

But it was just like any other town. I'm so restless and lost. I have always lived in flyover but would spend a decent amount of time traveling (job) so it was cool.

But I am in such a strange place in my mind and none of my usual tricks or sources of inspiration are working. I am desperate and lost. Everything has changed. And I'm not even old.

This is the first time in my life that I could actually leave flyover. I am not bound here anymore. I have been freed and I was sure that after a week in NYC I would know what to do with myself.

But now I'm even more lost. I don't know where to go or what to do. I'm even a little scared because I have always had a clear sense of what to do next.

But everything is changing so fast that there is no way to plan or hang your hat on a 5 year plan. Whatever it is could be obsolete by then.

by Anonymousreply 275January 3, 2017 5:12 PM

This used to be the most exciting city in the world, and now it's nothing but smoking near a fucking open window. New York is over. O-V-E-R. Over. No one's fun anymore! Whatever happened to fun? God, I'm so bored I could die.

by Anonymousreply 276January 3, 2017 5:33 PM

R272,

I don't think my message implies that gay rights continue to progress BECAUSE of the gays who live in small towns. I think that we owe most of our freedoms to the generations before us who endured so much and fought for equality. People from major cities continue the work.

I was merely expressing my gratitude to those who are constantly surrounded by the insufferable homophobes at work, at the supermarket, etc. ALL gays benefit from their strength. In NYC, I never interact with those types. I'm sure people are going to tell me that homophobes are everywhere. I don't care about those comments. It's really my experience that those people don't exist where I work/hang out in manhattan. When I visit family in the suburbs I do interact with homophobic people and it's irritating. I couldn't imagine putting up with it every day.

by Anonymousreply 277January 3, 2017 5:59 PM

Beihai China, Surat India, Kabul Afghanistan, Bamako Mali, Lagos Nigeriat

Enjoy!

by Anonymousreply 278January 3, 2017 6:48 PM

Sorry but nowhere but in NYC can you find so many insatiable hot gay sluts. For that reason alone, I would never leave. I may live in a 350 sq ft 4th floor walk-studio and I may shop in consignment shops, but I get so much hot tail.

by Anonymousreply 279January 3, 2017 6:52 PM

R279 >

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 280January 3, 2017 7:54 PM

If you are young, and want to save money, I would look at teaching english or art or whatever in UAE, like Dubai. I heard they pay big, big bucks for english teachers, they give you some money for housing as well, lots of perks.

However, their economy has slowed down a bit due to the low price of oil so not as lucrative but still good pay. A friend of mine moved her whole family there, her spouse was also offered a job in the medical field but his contract was not renewed and she decided to move back after over 5 years.

It's good for a young person to save money or pay off student loan debt etc.

by Anonymousreply 281January 3, 2017 9:15 PM

Those are violent plutocraties where the penalty for gays is death. What the fuck is wrong iwth you R281?

by Anonymousreply 282January 3, 2017 9:23 PM

I love LA, but LA is slowly but surely changing too.

These hideous, awful, disgusting looking "mixed use" apartment buildings are springing up everywhere. Los Feliz and Silverlake (and that's definitely where the "scene" is these days) are so far unaffected. But yeah, I'm watching the things I loved about LA slowly disappear.

by Anonymousreply 283January 3, 2017 9:43 PM

What makes a city great or at least did was that it could cater to people of all different income levels including the middle class.

So you had the culturally avante garde Village and more recently alphabet city, middle class affordable Broadway and arts at City Center and then the overfed high end types of the upper east side and Central Park West.

This now has all changed and those of you saying if you can't afford it quit your whining and get out are what has made NY just another 3rd world city dressed in haute couture.

by Anonymousreply 284January 3, 2017 10:05 PM

r219, DC is now the "gayest city in America."

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 285January 3, 2017 11:07 PM

....though possibly not for long :(

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 286January 3, 2017 11:08 PM

This thread should beNew York is really overrated and not like the rom-com version portrayed on TV.

Daily life is more like Law & Order and NYPD Blue than Friends and Sex and the City.

by Anonymousreply 287January 4, 2017 4:50 AM

The people and places that made it special are gone, now it just a high end mall. It's so fucking obvious.

by Anonymousreply 288January 4, 2017 6:01 AM

R251 - Are you sure that you are a "sophisticated" West Villager? Your last sentence sounds like it's straight from the mouth of a proud resident of Trumpland.

I guess you are an example of what this thread is about. Old-time West Villagers a.) probably didn't have "cleaning ladies", and b.) had more of a clue.

by Anonymousreply 289January 4, 2017 12:36 PM

R289, I'm fairly sure that R251 was trying to be funny.

by Anonymousreply 290January 4, 2017 12:53 PM

Too bad then, r290, that r251 was so woefully unsuccessful.

by Anonymousreply 291January 4, 2017 12:59 PM

I lived in NY 1976-2003 before moving to Boston and, then, DC. I'm in NYC every month for one week and that's perfect for me. I get to see friends and go everywhere I want to go. But I love DC and Boston because the people are, on average, better educated. Also DC, although it has a high cost of living, has much higher salaries in my field and even DC's minimum wage is higher than NY's. The quality of life in DC may change dramatically under Trump and, if so, I'll move back to NYC. But if it remains great here, my monthly trip to Manhattan will be just enough.

by Anonymousreply 292January 4, 2017 1:28 PM

FWIW, I know a lot of people my age (late 20s) who have abandoned New York (Brooklyn, to be exact) for LA. Mostly all people in some media/entertainment related field (including actors, singers, artists), but also a lot of techies and even 2 lawyers.

People are being pushed out to Bushwick or Ridgewood and the feeling is that at that point you might as well not be in NYC anyway. And while the city being super safe is great for tourists and the families that live there, there's not much edge.

LA, or the East Side in particular, isn't some supercheap Detroit, but you get a lot more for you money, including some outdoor space a lot of the time. Uber makes having a car less of a necessity, the weather is pretty fucking awesome and there are a lot more jobs that aren't tied to acting/entertainment, e.g. the whole Silicon Beach scene.

And whatever hipness points NY has lost, LA seems to have gained as things are not as sterile as they used to be. And younger kids are picking up from people my age and heading out here first, without even trying NYC

Wouldn't say NYC is over, just that it's not "all that" anymore.

by Anonymousreply 293January 4, 2017 1:56 PM

I love the idiot who links "Time Out" to rebut the arguments being made here.

If that's your comprehension of the debate, do yourself a favor and back away from the keyboard.

by Anonymousreply 294January 4, 2017 2:13 PM

That poster was saying that New York has the biggest gay population r285, which it does, because it is the biggest city.

DC has the highest by percentage which is a different thing.

New York has never had the highest percentage of gay people, that was San Francisco.

by Anonymousreply 295January 4, 2017 2:39 PM

I posted the TONY link for those who say there's no art scene in NY. It was the quickest link I found that showed a wide range of exhibits. If read my post, I admitted that TONY is as cookie cutter as it gets. Nice try though.

by Anonymousreply 296January 4, 2017 3:17 PM

"I posted the TONY link for those who say there's no art scene in NY."

Nobody is saying there is no art scene. Of course there are galleries and museums. (big "DUH" there).

The argument - which is clearly lost on you - has been that the city is not hospitable to the creative class. A vibrant city has a vibrant creative class, without which we are stuck with flaccid dicks like you - for whom money is the absolute measure of all things.

NYC used to be a refuge from people like you. Funny how the pendulum has swung in the extreme opposite direction.

by Anonymousreply 297January 4, 2017 4:19 PM

I adore NYC and I'm happy my partner and I can afford to live here. We have a doorman apartment in the West Village. We can't live without our cupcakes, so there are always plenty of spots to get our cupcake "fix." Hello! Magnonia Bakery is a couple of blocks away. That's a good and bad thing lol. My partner is a huge Shake Shack fanatic, so we go there from time to time. He likes the one on 8th Avenue. We both loved Hamilton, probably our favorite musical since Mamma Mia. We still do the bar thing from time to time, with the Hangar being our go-to place. All in love, we don't think NY is over. It's a fun place to live. And it's quite affordable for my partner and me.

by Anonymousreply 298January 4, 2017 4:38 PM

I don't buy what you're selling, 297.

I don't pretend to be an artist or an art critic. My job is 180-degrees from anything artistic. However, without ever intending to meet artists, I would consider at least 7 of my friends to be very succesful artists (sculpture, painting, drawing, mixed media, music all included). It's not only my opinion that they're great... most of them have presented internationally and at pristiguous institutions around the US. They're a mix of men, women, straight, and gay. They're all older than I am- ranging ~40 to late 60s and have shows every year at various places in the city. The ones who make big pieces have studios and hire several "up and coming" artists. This younger generation of artists display their pieces in NYC, so we certainly have a "fresh" art scene.

Movies? Check. Good restaurants? Check. Theater? Check. Tennis, the beach, interesting people, access to great nearby cities, walkable, decent weather, extremely multicultural, gay friendly..... check, check, chec.k... The BAM in Brooklyn is very cheap and has great shows. There are also small theaters throughout manhattan that have plays and are very affordable (quality varies). Churches are venues for less known singers who perform on week nights. What more do you want?

Like I've said before- whatever you're looking for, you can find it in NYC. maybe you can find it other places too.

- R296

by Anonymousreply 299January 4, 2017 5:07 PM

Ok girls, you're both painfully dreadful.

by Anonymousreply 300January 4, 2017 5:16 PM

NYC died on 9/11. It just takes a long time for the zombie to finally fall over. It's essentially Geneva surrounded by Massapequa now. Gross.

by Anonymousreply 301January 4, 2017 5:18 PM

[quote] They're all older than I am- ranging ~40 to late 60s and have shows every year at various places in the city.

NSS

The problem is that younger artists can't afford to live in NYC

No one is saying that older successful artists have abandoned the city. But the people starting out are like "why would I want to live in freaking outer Bushwick, 45 minutes by subway from Manhattan?"

Still plenty of 20somethings flocking to NYC, but not in the way they used to.

by Anonymousreply 302January 4, 2017 5:32 PM

I scored a lottery apartment on the 20th floor of a brand new luxury building in Brooklyn with a gym, two outdoor terraces, a movie theater, and a lounge for $1k a month that I split with my husband. It's changed our lives. I've been struggling in a creative field in NYC for 9 years, and over the past year NOW I see what everyone else with money has been doing all this time now that I can afford to actually do things. And the bonus is now that I'm all moved in my career is finally starting to pick up.

We talk all the time about how lucky we are and what a shit town this is to be broke in. Apartments in this building start at $3k/month. So yeah, never leaving.

by Anonymousreply 303January 4, 2017 6:45 PM

So basically someone else is subsidizing a lifestyle you can't actually afford, R303. Congratulations, someone is basically handing you $2K a month and it has changed your life. Imagine that!

by Anonymousreply 304January 4, 2017 8:11 PM

"So basically someone else is subsidizing a lifestyle you can't actually afford, [R303]. "

Well since this fucking city won't properly tax all of its wealthy, foreign property owners I'd say this turnabout is fair play. I mean, it's because of them that the housing market is inflated as it is.

by Anonymousreply 305January 4, 2017 8:22 PM

I miss Six in the City.

This thread filled that aching need.

by Anonymousreply 306January 4, 2017 8:55 PM

For r306

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 307January 4, 2017 8:59 PM

New York is the place where you are owned by your employer. Even on Vacation their employers call them yelling at them, and they think they are so important. It's funny because New Yorker's smugly brag about how they are suit slaves. On vacation, an acquaintance had to be on the phone all day bc her boss refused to talk directly to the IT guy. She told me she was very important. At my work, the IT guy can come on and fix whatever remotely, if you authorize them. OR you just get a new laptop assigned. New York is falling behide in the dark ages actually.

by Anonymousreply 308January 4, 2017 9:38 PM

NYC used to be peppered with white working class neighborhoods that were affordable and relatively safe. Now, affordable areas are non existent or criminal.

by Anonymousreply 309January 4, 2017 9:42 PM

R309 That's when NY was really a great city with all cities having great vibrant downtowns.

White flight killed that but now there is a white gentrification which is unfortunately swinging it too far in the other direction.

We have greater diversity but at a high cost.

I was hoping for at this point better diversity but also in terms of income levels.

It is totally out of whack.

by Anonymousreply 310January 4, 2017 10:02 PM

....yes r304. That is the whole point.

Those who have a lot help those who don't have much. You say it like it is a bad thing.

by Anonymousreply 311January 4, 2017 10:13 PM

It's a bad thing when it's my money they're taking!

They can make their own or they can hit the улица!

by Anonymousreply 312January 4, 2017 10:26 PM

all I can say R299......Check please!

Agree R288

by Anonymousreply 313January 5, 2017 3:47 PM

R307 I think you have Six in the City confused with Sex and the City.

Six in the City was a blog by an idiot who moved to NYC with her husband and kids. She believed that eating cupcakes and living in an apartment far too small for her brood made her fabulous. Her husband worked for a possibly fake charity called Charity: Water.

Her racist blog about going to a Target in the Bronx was a classic.

But neither of the two sites that housed her blog are there any more.

by Anonymousreply 314January 5, 2017 4:25 PM

I'm jealous r87. I want to move back to London.

by Anonymousreply 315January 5, 2017 11:55 PM

I wish we still had NYC for the New Yorkers.

Then they would leave LA alone.

by Anonymousreply 316January 7, 2017 8:51 PM

We knew you were in town and we ignored you.

by Anonymousreply 317January 7, 2017 8:55 PM

What r21 fails to note is that Philadelphia closes up shop at night.

by Anonymousreply 318January 7, 2017 9:31 PM

Most people i know in NY say it is becoming impossible to live there. When people find a job outside, they leave.

by Anonymousreply 319January 7, 2017 9:35 PM

West village here for 27 years. Rent stabilized. Wouldn’t / couldn’t live anywhere else. At market rate - maybe. But I’d rather pay $2,500/ month to live in Washington heights than $1,500 to live in Houston. Excitement is over. But still more interesting and interested people than anywhere else in US - and possibly world. That’s why I live here.

by Anonymousreply 320January 16, 2018 7:02 PM

I HATE to say it but you are right. Grew up there. It is now a consumers haven with no soul left.

Tampa, Miami and a lot of Florida towns (no joke) are where its at. I know, sounds crazy, but true. SW Florida is growing by the day-young stay and keep coming.

Truth.

by Anonymousreply 321January 16, 2018 7:08 PM

We have a maximum price for kindergartens here in Norway, it's usually like 3000 kroner a month, aka 36k a year. In American dollars that's 4500 a year. 16k in New York?! Holy shit you'd have to be rich to have a kid ffs!

by Anonymousreply 322January 16, 2018 7:11 PM

If you are an artist, you cannot afford to live there. If you are starting anything, you cannot afford to live there. So, now.....all of the fresh minds go other places. NYC is for the old and for the elders that think they are in a cool place. But...they arent anymore.

oh well

by Anonymousreply 323January 16, 2018 7:16 PM

R320 I hate to break it to you, but you are wrong. The interesting ppl have moved TF out of NY at least ten years ago.

by Anonymousreply 324January 16, 2018 7:17 PM

It's all happening in Seville! ?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 325January 16, 2018 7:20 PM

Feels like gays in other places (ex., LA) know how to be interesting via Instagram or acting like reality stars, but I rarely find people who are unique, interesting, experienced and aware like NYC who are ALSO interested in learning about new things and places. Like poster above said, I don’t judge other people for not wanting to live in NYC - I understand it’s not for everyone and there are a lot of good things about other place (prettier, warmer, cheaper, easier) -but I find the people I meet in NYC much more engaging, intelligent and interesting to talk to than anyplace else.

by Anonymousreply 326January 16, 2018 7:41 PM

..when they WILL talk to you.

by Anonymousreply 327January 16, 2018 7:44 PM

Having lived both in NYC and LA I concur with R326.

by Anonymousreply 328January 16, 2018 7:53 PM

LA is literally the nadir of humanity and NYC remains the cultural center of the English-speaking world. Few who know anything at all would disagree. There's just no comparison, now or ever.

by Anonymousreply 329January 16, 2018 10:46 PM

London never lost its position as the cultural centre of the English-speaking world. "Cultural" is a vague word. Maybe that's a silly category anyway. The OP wasn't referencing that specifically as the criteria.

by Anonymousreply 330January 16, 2018 10:49 PM

Grew up in Manhattan and still live here but sadly the OP is 100% correct (and I'll assume you all flamed the fuck out of "Dicksonian"without reading the 330 posts)

Most all of my friends with a creative bent--gay or straight--are moving to LA. No one can afford Manhattan unless their parents are paying and it's gotten old and boring and generic.

Brooklyn has some cool spots, but even places like Crown Heights are out of control rent wise and they are a good 45 minutes from Manhattan.

LA is affordable compared to NYC, has great weather and much better housing options, many more young people and more opportunities in the "gig economy."

I hear you Eldergays though-- if you compare guys over 45 or 50, then NYC Eldergays are much more interesting and somewhat less superficial. But until you die and give up your rent controlled apartments, we're all heading out to Echo Park.

by Anonymousreply 331January 16, 2018 10:58 PM

"moving to LA"

Then they deserve it. Anyone who has moved to L.A. from New York regrets it within a week. Have you met the people there?

by Anonymousreply 332January 17, 2018 11:00 PM

OP is a pathetically striving, parochial wannabe.

by Anonymousreply 333January 17, 2018 11:25 PM

OP, it doesn't take a Rhodes scholar to express an idea. Just use images for which you have a familiarity. What about imagery from Annie instead, for example?

by Anonymousreply 334January 17, 2018 11:34 PM

Haven't heard about the fabled Brooklyn to Detroit exodus for a while.

by Anonymousreply 335January 17, 2018 11:41 PM

Our loss, OP. But we'll soldier on, somehow.

by Anonymousreply 336January 17, 2018 11:44 PM

People from New York spend at least 6 months telling anyone in LA who'll listen that they're from New York, as if they're the very first to experience this strange new land.

by Anonymousreply 337January 17, 2018 11:47 PM

I sat down with some popcorn early on in this thread. As they scrolled into the 200’s my eyes were glazed over. There’s kernels on my shirt, ground up popcorn on the carpet, and pouring rubbing alcohol into my nose won’t make the shit smell any better from these walls. When you’re done, someone else turn out the lights. I’m shuffling off to get laid.

by Anonymousreply 338January 18, 2018 12:03 AM

R338. Thinks he's Jack Kerouac.

by Anonymousreply 339January 18, 2018 12:14 AM

So glad I have the resources to do whatever I want, and not be tied down to any one city.

by Anonymousreply 340January 18, 2018 12:39 AM

You're all welcome to take my apartment in SF, because I'm retired and leaving for a much smaller city later this year.

The influx of white collar entitled folks from NYC and other major cities in the past few years has radically changed SF's casual and friendly ambience into a tension-filled city where "I don't care about you, POS", and "Get the hell out of my way" now reflect the norm.

Oh BTW, my monthly rent of $1,750 will be going up. You'll pay almost $4K per month, if it isn't snapped up before you even see the "For Rent" notice.

by Anonymousreply 341January 18, 2018 12:46 AM

R341 clearly doesn't know New Yorkers.

by Anonymousreply 342January 18, 2018 10:50 PM

NYC last weekend. Hockney Exhibit. Michelangelo exhibit. Huge gay parties in Midtown, Downtown and Brooklyn on the holiday weekend. If you think New York is over, you don't deserve it. There's plenty going on. If you can't find it, you're pretty fucking incompetent.

by Anonymousreply 343January 18, 2018 10:54 PM

Hi, Lexi!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 344January 18, 2018 10:58 PM

I want a house, not to big, but with a huge very modern kitchen. I don't care about the other rooms. I just needs storage, like lots of closets. I want it far enough away from other houses so no noise or smells get to me. I want a nice little garden to grow organic produce. An attached garage would be nice and an all weather car. I want it somewhere where there is never snow. It can get cold, just not cold enough to snow. Also not too hot too often would be nice and with low humidity. I'm not interested in making friends or doing too much shopping, just groceries. I just want some peace, away from people. I'm alone so a safe area is a must but not a wealthy area by any means. Just decent people around when I do leave the house to get supplies. A good car mechanic, honest and fair would be nice. Oh and fairly near some good doctors and a good hospital.

So basically I'm looking for someplace that doesn't exist.

by Anonymousreply 345January 19, 2018 12:13 AM

I love NYC. Been here 20 years and will never leave.

I mean, it sucks. Everyone cool is moving from NYC to LA. You should definitely move to LA. Especially if you’re my neighbor across the hall.

by Anonymousreply 346January 19, 2018 12:35 AM

New York was over a looong time ago. Culturally, anything creative and exciting more often either happens in LA, or moved to LA ( explaining the migration of all the cool kids.) The food in NYC sucks in comparison to what it was 15 years ago. The subway is an intolerable swamp pit. Money-obsessed Wall Street bros wishing they were Silicon Valley bros. And Brooklyn has become this incestuous bubble of helicopter parents where befriending their toddlers' future teacher is considered standard behavior. What's really left? At least Londoners are still in love with NYC though, but they're also from a city infected with bland, rich and boring types with a silly preoccupation with what school you attended.

by Anonymousreply 347August 5, 2019 9:01 AM

[quote] There was people everywhere

Oh my dear. No, just no.

by Anonymousreply 348August 5, 2019 9:52 AM

Gotten worse since OP started this thread two years ago..

by Anonymousreply 349August 5, 2019 12:24 PM

[quote] I'm hardly wealthy, but I make a comfortable living (low six figures...very low six figures) and am able to afford rent on my UWS 1BR apartment and maintain a parking spot in a garage for my car. I can also afford to go out to eat, take in a show now and then, and travel, all the while still contributing generously to my 401K. Yes, I could live like a king elsewhere, but I love NYC and could never conceive of moving anywhere else. I spent Christmas with my relatives some soulless, culturally barren suburb, and it was torture. I would curl up and die if I had to live in the suburbs.

Like OMGAWD, I totally know the feeling!!

by Anonymousreply 350August 5, 2019 12:37 PM

New Yorkers are the best people!

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 351August 5, 2019 12:45 PM

[quote]Not to mention the Dicksonian divide between the residents of manhattan and the workers

Well, hello!

by Anonymousreply 352August 5, 2019 12:49 PM
Loading
Need more help? Click Here.

Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.

×

Become a contributor - post when you want with no ads!