What's it like living in Manhattan?

If you're rich - wonderful.

If you're poor - hell.

And poor can mean earning a 6-figure salary.

I LOVE it!

I've been here since I graduated HS in '81, and learned everything the hard way in the most exciting town on earth! I rarely make over 50-60G and do everything I want to do! Great people, fantastic history and I have always found reasonably priced apartments. Currently in an 80/20 affordable one-bedroom rental in an elevator/doorman building for $750!

Dreams do come true...mine anyway!

R3 - You're having fun.

What's an "80/20," Por Favor?

R3 = Helen Lawson

r4 it is a local federal/state sponsored rental program that grants building developers a real estate abatement if they rent apartments to people who aren't wealthy. There are lots of income levels, but the rents are matched to those incomes, and based not to exceed 30% of your income..

If you live south of Harlem it's like heaven, Harlem north is a shithole.

Looking forward to hearing a more CURRENT take on living in the city.

The usual responses about NYC 40 years ago are not helpful in this context.

It's great for the rich and the poor… middle income, not so much...

R7 respectfully disagree. I live on 129 in a 2 bedroom purchased in 06. Never regretted moving to Harlem. More services than ever before - good rise in our condo value. Easy access to subways, great commute to LGA & the GW and Triborough/RFK bridge. It’s getting harder to find horrible parts of Manhattan. If you want Thai food you’re out of luck, that’s 3 subway stops away. If you want great neighbors and a bigger apartment with better light Harlem is a contender.

Fantastic cultural offerings, restaurants, etc. etc. Never get tired of the museums. Energy. Lots of smart, ambitious people. Christmastime is really lovely. Easy to get direct flights almost anywhere you want to go. Expensive. Not a lot of space. The worst thing about it is the noise, but it was worse before they got rid of the car alarms. You need to be able to escape it from time to time to hear the birds sing or you lose your mind.

I still love it. If you have a career where you don't work 9 to 5, I think it is more enjoyable. I'm able to see a friend downtown, run an errand in midtown and have dinner in Chinatown easily in a day. When I live din the burbs all the driving made this type of day impossible.

OP, may I ask where are you?

Don’t come to Manhattan unless you already have a job. I was happy as a single but everything changed once I got married. We live in Tampa now, I enjoyed living in NYC 19 years. There were struggles, and I agree there are wonderful let’s of the city if you can afford or are being subsidized or some other hustle to be able to afford to live there.

There’s a saying that I heard when I first came to the city- “Everyone should live in NYC at least once in their lives, but move before they become bitter about it”.

This is a serious affliction to have because usually the victim is completely blind and unprepared until it’s too late to do anything about it, getting laid off or your rent doubled. My husband and I prepared an entire year for the move, though I’m wistful once I n awhile and would’ve stayed if I was still single,

I don’t miss it.

Anywhere I want to go or need to go I can walk. If I'm in a real hurry or feeling lazy, then I'll take public transportation, but that's not often.

agree, easy living car free, lots of incentive to walk everywhere

Where do NYC people go on winter vacation? My friend told me it’s dead in the winter because everyone is gone.

Subsidized Tony-winner Jan Maxwell coulda told you all about 80/20 housing and for years gaming the system meant for starving artists.

R17. Boca raton

R19, don't forget us.

It's extremely crowded in Manhattan these days. Ten years ago was much less congested. Honestly there's no need to live here if you are over 40.

If you are Asian, Jewish or homeless you'll LOVE it and make plenty of friends!

They all go to Boca Raton? Any other places?

NY is another city where people who never lived somewhere else claim, "it is the best city in the world." How do they know? They never been anywhere else.

People who have lived elsewhere are really just their for a job, and the larger job market there when their company starts acting up. You have to work all the time. People are burned out and mad. The cost of living is EXPENSIVE. There are more jobs than housing.

How is the area of Riverside Drive? There seems to be good deals lately on apartments.

If I was to move there from Dallas (I’m 48 gay male, and just came into a sizeable inheritance from dad passing) which section would you recommend? It’s so overwhelming - Chelsea, east village, meat packing? I guess I need to make a scouting visit. I need to keep rent under $5000/month. I have always wanted to try NYC for a couple years, but I know I probably wont retire there) I’m an X-ray tech so will work 20-30 hours a week to supplement my expenses. I’ve never been but heard all the guys look like models. I’m white and want to “sample” the Puerto Rican dishes. Help me !!

I've lived in Manhattan for about five years now and I consider myself and tried and true New Yorker. We New Yorkers are a tough and hearty lot, and in that we way are unique. We persevere and role with the punches in the face of adversity. We muddle through and never look back. If something bad happens, we pick ourselves, dust ourselves off, and move on. No time for tears.

Also, we speak fluent cliche.

R29 - LOL

It's not for everyone. You either love it or hate it. Once a month I spend a day or sometimes a weekend in the country, and also fly to a tropical place, either FL or the Caribbean islands once a year, or every other year, depending upon finances.

Role with the punches?

I'm a native too, I'm considering buying a co-op but hesitating. A lot of friends have moved, but family is still here. People who moved all say they miss things about NY, but life is easier elsewhere. So I'm a little torn yo make the commitment.

Where do you travel in the winter?

R34, Most people are still here in the winter, save for a vacation or two. People generally go away during the summer and holidays. I actually love the city when everyone heads out on the weekends.

It's a helluva town!

The Bronx is up, but the Battery's down

The people ride in a hole in the ground!

OP is a Manhattan resident looking for all of the brainwashed New Yorkers to proclaim it the new Shangri-la.

Expensive but grand. Next question?

People who say they love NY for the arts, never do anything related to the arts.

R33, you seem like good egg, though most Manhattanites are cut from the same cloth. The big Apple is no bed of roses, but I find they’re balls to the wall about going back to the drawing board when it’s uphill on foot. I’m caught red-handed with my dyed-in-the-wool love for Gotham. Eat, drink and be merry, New York, because if you’ve made it there, there’s no place like home.

There used to be parts of Manhattan that were slow and relaxed. Not any more. There used to be parts of Manhattan that were scary and crime ridden. Not any more. If you are rich, and have a newly built apartment, it's great. If you live in a rehabbed tenement, it's astonishingly tiny.

[quote]They never been anywhere else.

Oh, dear!

[quote]People who have lived elsewhere are really just their for a job,

Oh, DEAR!

If you can make it here, you'll make it anywhere.

Oh, my pussy just aches. I touched it too much thinking about Manhattan and now it is dripping and it ACHES.

Do you ever wonder if it might be better to live somewhere else and spend a weekend in Manhattan once a month? That would cost me roughly $1700 a month.

It's a good idea because of the property values. If you have to sell, you can. The other issue in heath care services in New York City. It will only get better. Op, it sounds you are a true born New Yorker. If you have family and support network there, then you are probably staying anyways.

As much as it’s been hypergentrified, if you have the money, have a decent cheap apartment or don’t mind living in an uglier neighborhood farther from downtown (Wash Heights/Inwood, Harlem), it’s hard to beat the vibe and the people. Nowhere else in America have I found the same openness and ability to interact with interesting and interested people. I also love he constant energy and excitement. But I think it’s important to get away from regularly and get breathing space/nature.

I could also see just coming every weekend and spending $600 x 4 =$2,400 on hotels. It can be a way to experience NYC without a long term commitment. But if you can afford an apartment in the West Village, it really is an ideal life - depending on the person. I totally understand people who want a house and quiet - or to be surrounded by nature. But I’ve found NYC keeps me engaged and excited about life even as I get older.

Oh brother ^

I'm moving to a new apartment in two weeks. Been living in a studio for the past year in Hell's Kitchen, and though it's been nice, I wanted more room, so I found a nice one-bedroom in Hamilton Heights. It's actually a little bit cheaper than the studio, so that makes it even better.

Manhattan, though expensive, is a great place to live if you can find a nice apartment for not too much money in a decent neighborhood. Once you get settled in, and if you don't have uber-expensive taste where it comes to cuisine, clothes, etc., you should do okay.

R49 how did you like HK? It’s one area of the city I can afford but I can’t handle the crowds or noise around the theater district. Are there any little enclaves that are quieter? I live in Bklyn now (where I grew up)

Have lived in the same Hells Kitchen apartment since 1997. Can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Is there a lot of DL thug dick to be found in Harlem? I went to the NYSC in Harlem a few times looking for BBC, but was very disappointed. Where can I find it at?

R50, it was fine but, as you can imagine, very crowded and noisy at night, particularly for me since my windows overlook the street and all the partiers (especially on Saturday night) always seem to be gathered beneath my window sill. (On NYE I heard them out there until well past 3 in the morning.) It was actually much more quiet when I lived on 47th Street, which is nowhere near as busy. Though I wanted a larger apartment, I did consider staying in Hell's Kitchen just because it's so easy to get everywhere so quickly from here (I rarely had to ride the trains anymore), but now that I'm older (53), I'm much more interested in quiet now than I used to be, plus I won't miss knifing my way through all of the visitors in Times Square just to get home.

By the way, if you do live in HK and want to get as far away from all of the crowds, try to find an apartment as far west of 9th Avenue as you can get. The farther you go, the less people you'll have to deal with.

R51, is your apartment rent-stabilized?

I wish the escorts in Manhattan were rent-stablized. $350/hour? Gurl please!

The guy I've been seeing lives in the city (in a Trump building no less. He got a good deal). I live in Brooklyn. It's nice to an extent (the view is spectacular), but you have to be really, really wealthy to avoid the noise by being far up in a building.

I just prefer waking up to birds.

To all those looking for cruising street dick, those days are gone. The black and Puerto Rican men must have either come out and settled down - or moved down south,

[quote]The worst thing about it is the noise,

I noticed that in the New York Times video interview with Lee fucking Radziwell. Sitting in her apartment with all the money in the world, and yet with a constant background of traffic noise. That would drive me totally nuts, and makes me understand why New Yorkers are so wired up. I need pindrop silence (apart from birds) to stay sane.

Wow thought DL looked down on government rental subsidies as welfare.Come to find out you bitches are the main recipients. ....so funny. An sad....DL is not as rich as it once claimed to be.

R59 are you responding to something specific or...

I think the rich DLers only show up in the retirement threads. In reality, I think most DLers are getting by somehow but nowhere near the proportion of millionaires who crowd into the retirement threads to brag about their wealth - now that they are old and wasted their prime chasing money so they can retire to their money obsessed lonely lives.

Noisy.

Yes R54 stabilized. And you pretty much get used to the traffic noise. Now I find it difficult to fall asleep in a quiet vacation spot

I’ve always said if I had more money than I knew what to do with, I would have to have an apartment in Manhattan. Wouldn’t live there full time, but definitely would want to part time.

I love going into “the City.”

It's a wondrous place to reside. The energy is unbeatable, and knowing you're living in the center of the universe that inspires envy in others is an amazing feeling, I have to say. You know that all eyes are on you. Getting up and going out every day realizing you're in the spotlight is a heady responsibility but it is also a thrill beyond compare.

I hate tourists in the winter. I hate tourists in the fall.

The possibilities are endless for entertainment. My matinee of the new Nathan Lane play was canceled yesterday, and all I had to do was go online to find a comp ticket to an alternative. Dollar Pizza right down the street then a 20-minute train ride to the West Village and hanging out with friends for 6 hours at a piano bar made it a full day.

R52 I find plenty of black cock in the Ramble still. It's hit and miss with cold weather, and mostly small dicked Mexicans. But I've had my share of good experiences with masculine black men who just love getting their cock sucked and know that thrusting it down your throat isn't always easy. I had one guy with 12" who massaged my head and shoulders and moaned in delight. He let me know he was going to cum and I jerked him off, causing him to shoot a foot. When I stood up, he began kissing me in gratitude. He told me that he wished he wasn't so big because it was impossible to fuck.

R68, the Rambles is still a thing?

I’ve gotta get into the city more.

R69 Yes, but like I said, hit or miss. I go once a month, weather depending (tonight is a definite possibility), and have met all types there. I wish more Puerto Rican and Dominican men went there, and I've been surprised by the number of masculine men who are either bottoms or into sucking. I met a Dominican black guy one time with a huge uncut dick who wanted to suck me off, and I had to manipulate the situation to convince him to let me chow down on his pinga. He enjoyed it and I could smell him on my hands all night when I went home. Now when I see him, we have makeout sessions. It's uncomplicated and drama free, although a few times, I've been tempted to invite them over for the night when I sense that they are decent.

I’m the person who bump this oldish thread because I wanted to know where NYCers go on winter vacation?

We all know they go to the Hamptons in the summer, but where is the winter ‘go to’ spot for manhattan types?

I've been tempted to go to the Rambles, but don't the cops conduct sting operations there? The last thing I need is to be arrested and my name and photo on some website or published in the paper.

I would say that the only section of Manhattan that is NOT gentrified is EAST HARLEM.

If I show up at age 65 with no money and no home will the city find shelter for me?

The thing with Manhattan now is that real estate is absurdly expensive and creates massive inequality even within the same building, which in some cases can create a good deal of diversity.

I live in a doorman building on the UWS. It's an ugly white brick postwar building, but the apartments are very big for postwar. I bought my apartment about 10 years ago (with help from my parents). And while we thought we were paying way too much, the apartment has almost doubled in value and people moving in are paying twice what I did.

At the same time, I'd say about a third of the people in the building are senior citizens, most of whom bought when the building went co-op in the 80s and bought they all bought their apartments for next to nothing--I think even the three bedrooms were under $200K back then.

So we have a decent amount of diversity in terms of age and income and the old people are hilarious, many of them are real old New York characters.

There's an energy in the city and all that, but it's changed dramatically in the past 20 years. Lots of chain stores, entire new neighborhoods that could be anywhere (Houston, Chicago, Boston) and most of the 20somethings are in Brooklyn.

That's a positive at one level--much less hipster attitude at restaurants and all, but there's also nothing that seems all that unique anymore.

Mostly it's convenient. My gym is across the street, I can walk to work in 20 minutes or take the subway and be there in 10. Everything can be delivered and there are a lot of great restaurants, cultural attractions (museums, galleries, theaters) and parks nearby

R74, sure, Pops. Take a chance.

Can anyone from Manhattan see an end to all the blight of scaffolding? This article from 2016 explains (kind of) why there is so much of it. But I think there has been much more of it still put up in the past 2 years. Also in regards to the noise coming from Lee Radziwell's building; I've stayed in hotels which had amazing soundproofing (triple glazed windows, that almost swoosh like a vacuum when you close them, and layer upon layer of noise-proof cladding everywhere) that you could literally hear a pin drop inside regardless of a jackhammer being used 10 feet outside the in the street. I suppose in very loud cities it does make sense to subsidize quality building materials for upgrades, helps keep the people happy.

I've been living in Manhattan for 7 years now. I love it. The energy of the city is so incredible. Everything is "alive". However, if you are on a tight budget... It might not be for you. Even groceries are expensive.....maybe that's why everyone eats out? If you have money....go for it! Otherwise...consider One of the cheaper burriugh to live in. Even Jersey City is a great option....it feels like you live in NYC when you look out your window....you just have to deal with the short commute.

[quote]The energy of the city is so incredible. Everything is "alive".

Go to Oklahoma or some flyover city and say that and they will look at you as if you have three heads. But it’s true. You (and I) get it! It really is like another character.

[quote] Honestly there's no need to live here if you are over 40.

Honestly, you're crazy.

I'm 61 and, as I crawl towards retirement, I can't wait to be able to do all the things I haven't been able to do because I work full time, such as museums, films, galleries, theater, open rehearsals, interesting neighborhoods to explore, parks, etc. As a retired person you can join TDF and see shows for a fraction of what the rest of us pay. Seat-filling services are $99 a year and let you see all sorts of interesting plays for $5 a ticket.

I live in a modest apartment with a doorman, elevator, and no stairs, and see no reason why I can't 'age in place'. If the weather is unpleasant, you can have anything you need delivered. Public transport is nearby (discount MetroCard!), and taxis are plentiful. Even if I tuck the paper under my arm, walk to Central Park, just read the paper, drink coffee, and watch the world go by, I'll be happy.

Go for the glory holes!

Why is R3 still renting, after all these years?

I no longer do but did for many years. I would leave my apartment building, turn right, and then, walking a few blocks straight west, would come upon this. I think that says it all.

I'd rather just visit.

See r84 I agree with you, too. I’m the one upthread who said if I was rich I would have one place in the city. I don’t think I could live there all the time, but I’d love to be a part-time resident.

What about the West 22nd Street ?

W22nd St. is overrun with whores and the aroma of PrEP.

I thought Chelsea was all straight people pushing double strollers now?

R80 is correct.

The fact that you can get anywhere without driving and the abundance of top level health care facilities actually make Manhattan an excellent location for seniors.

Manhatten has too many people, I couldn't stand living in a 5th floor walk up shoe box. I live in the midwest, with lots of space and breathing room. I pay less in mortgage than you loosers pay for your walkups. And we have plenty of cool cultural things to do here too and great restaurants. Breakig news: Manhatten is not the center of the universe.

It's EXACTLY how it was depicted on Sex And The City. Absolutely NOTHING has changed. You'd love it!

R78 Jersey City is not so cheap rents are close to what you would pay in Manhattan, condo prices are high but still 3/4 of what you would pay in Manhattan for similar spaces. People who were priced out of Manhattan and Brooklyn have moved to JC making it the hottest RE market in NJ. I was fortunate that I bought years ago the value of my condo has tripled. It's a 15 minute trip into the City.

You also have to be very careful about Jersey City. Some of it is as bad as Bed Stuy used to be.

It's super clean.

No one there speaks English anymore!

[Quote] Manhatten has too many people

Oh dear

The advantage to Manhattan over other boroughs, JC and Hoboken is that there is no real commuting. You can often walk to work or to wherever you are heading that evening. That's a huge convenience--you can go home after work, change and then go out again.

Neighboring Jersey cities are worse than most other places in the US, including the entire midwest and deep south.

[quote]I pay less in mortgage than you loosers pay for your walkups.

Oh, dear!

And we have plenty of cool cultural things to do here too and great restaurants. Breakig news: Manhatten is not the center of the universe.

I guess among those “cool cultural things to do,” an education is not one of them.

I couldn't live anywhere else, even though lately I've been hating it. The noise, the sorry state of the subway, the fact that there's no edgy subculture anymore. Blah, blah...

After about your 10th year here, it stops being this fantasia of culture and excitement, and simply becomes the place you happen to live. I know I take A LOT for granted. But it doesn't feel as awesome and singular as it once did, which is clearly a consequence of age. We still go out and engage with everything: museums, theater, restaurants. But more and more we stay in, cook, chill...and go upstate or out east on the weekends.

And yah - it's crazy expensive. My partner and I have a combined income of 350K and we won't even think of buying. We have a rent stabilized apartment and many of the people I know who bought are saying they will have to sell when they retire because their monthly fees are skyrocketing.

So yeah, love it but hate it - in equal measure.

Can thug trade still be found along 8th Avenue in the 30s and 40s? It used to be thug dick paradise.

Nah - all the thug dick disappeared. Not sure where it went. Maybe the same place as all the homeless. All the poor have been pushed out. Seems like the whole hustler scene is dead.

Manhattan is great if you have a rent controlled apartment from 1982.

If you don't, it sucks

New York is a state of mind.

It’s because of what R100 said that I said I’d like to be a part-time resident. I guess it could get old.

R100 already sounds over it even though he claims he couldn't live anywhere else.

The thing about apartments in Manhattan is, unless you have a whole lot of money to spend, you have to be willing to give up certain things that make you happy if you want to live in the city. I just rented an apartment in which I won't be able to have an air conditioner in my bedroom because there's only one window in there that connects to the fire escape (plus there's no electrical outlet along that wall anyway), so come summer, unless I get really creative, I will probably roast in there and have to spend most of my time sleeping on the living room sofa (where the air conditioner will be) instead of in my bed, which is where I'd prefer to be. (The bedroom is also pretty small, a box really, and I expect my full-sized bed will take up most of it.)

So why did I take the apartment? Well, first off, it's in a beautiful prewar building just two blocks from the train station, which will make access to other parts of the city very easy; it's on the top floor, so I will no longer have to put up with people stomping on my head every night (plus it's an elevator building, so no climbing stairs to get up there). I also have brand-new appliances, lots of sunlight, and a decent rent that won't break the bank, so it's all good. Not saying I'll stay there forever but will try to make a nice run of it.

IS ANYONE GOING TO ANSWER ME?????

[quote] New York is a state of mind.

I'm presuming you meant this tongue in cheek, but there is something to that.

I could sell my apartment, take the profits plus my 401(k) and retire in a place like Texas or Florida and never have to work again, but I would hate every second of that. I'm not talking just about the lack of amenities NY has to offer, I'm talking about the attitudes of the people who live there.

I'm fully aware that I live in my comfortable Upper West Side liberal bubble, but I like being able to walk the dog wearing my 'Gay Atheist' t-shirt and not have to worry about being accosted. I like being able to ride the elevator with my neighbors and talk about the latest Trump idiocy without having to think that they may have voted for him. I like having Jerrold Nadler as my congressman and knowing his views align with mine..

And I LOVE not having someone ask me 'What church do you belong to?'

MARY!

[quote] I’m the person who bump this oldish thread because I wanted to know where NYCers go on winter vacation?

We don't

At least not those of us who work for a living, and judging from the packed subways, most of us do work for a living.

I have a retired friend who spends time in Ft. Lauderdale, but he comes back after a couple of weeks complaining that there's nothing to do

But everybody on datalounge is a millionaire.

Really R111?

Gay people go to Florida--Miami (though less so these days) or Key West. Puerto Rico is coming back too, post-Maria. The problem with Florida is that you can hit a cold-ish spell in December-February. Or it can rain every day.

Heteros go to the various Caribbean islands-- there are vacations at various price points from all-inclusives in Jamaica to villas in St. Barths. Turks and Caicos is big right now and there are a number of direct flights from NYC. Bahamas and PR are convenient--flights are only 3 or 4 hours.

^^The problem with the islands for gays is that the formerly British islands--Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas--have reputations for being homophobic. Spanish, French or Dutch islands much less so.

Most people are aware of whether they are usually clocked as gay though and whether that's going to be a problem.

Now we’re getting somewhere.

We would like to see the nation run as a triumvirate by AOC, Omar, and Tlaib. At least for a time. It's the only way to get things back under control.

[Quote] I could sell my apartment, take the profits plus my 401(k) and retire in a place like Texas or Florida and never have to work again, but I would hate every second of that. I'm not talking just about the lack of amenities NY has to offer, I'm talking about the attitudes of the people who live there.

Oh brother! Have you ever BEEN anywhere outside the city?

R107 why don’t you get one of those portable AC units? You’re already doing better than a lot of people by even having a bedroom! I can only afford studios unless I go way uptown

One has to know Yiddish well enough to throw in an appropriate Yiddish word in one’s conversation. In New York it’s better than throwing in a Shakespeare reference—especially if it’s not one of the most common ones, like schlep, kvetch, or oy vey.

That's a great idea, R118. The only problem (as I stated in my post above) is that there's no electrical outlet on the wall beneath the window and I think a portable AC needs to be located by the window due to the exhaust tube. What I may do, however, is ask the super if he has any suggestions or, even better, if I could pay him to install an outlet there for me. If so, it would certainly be a big help and I would definitely get myself a portable for this summer.

And by the way, I'm just like you -- I can only afford studios if I live south of 96th Street on the west (which is what I've been living in in Hell's Kitchen) but decided I wanted more room, so took this place in the West 130s along Broadway, which is actually very nice (I lived in this neighborhood many years ago). After a while you just get tired of being all cramped up in a studio and want a little more room to move around (plus I just missed having a real bedroom, even if this one is so small). When all is said and done, I like to think I'll look upon it as being more cozy than tiny.

I found having a separate bedroom - no matter how small - makes a big difference psychologically. I only have 500 square feet but separate bedroom and it feels fine. Having 2 rooms makes it very liveable and home-like,

I totally agree, R121.

R98: Not Paulus Hook, Grove Street or Newport (the only places worth living in JC and the most expensive).

Is riverdale in Manhattan? Is it nice?

r124: The Bronx

[QUOTE]You have to work all the time. People are burned out and mad.

It's the same in every city in the U.S.

R109 sounds very provincial.

Manhattan...it's fast.

Manhattan is a fast, loose slut.

[quote] Oh brother! Have you ever BEEN anywhere outside the city?

Of course I have. For 15 years I had a job that took me around the entire country. I have been to all the states except Alaska, the Dakotas, Idaho, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The last time I was in Texas I agreed to accompany some friends to church because they assured me the new preacher was 'so open-minded and accepting.' Within the first five minutes of his weekly announcements, he was announcing a workshop for those 'who are struggling to overcome same-sex attraction'. To me, that's neither open-minded nor welcoming. Walking through the parking lot I lost track of the Trump/Pence bumper stickers (there were a few 'Hillary for Prison' ones thrown in for good measure). And this was Houston, not Waco.

R127 If wanting to live around like-minded liberals who think there is nothing to struggle with when it comes to being gay, and that Donald Trump is destroying our country makes me provincial, then I guess I'm provincial.

Ella will tell you all about it.

[quote][R124]: The Bronx

While that's true, let's remember that the Bronx is a big place and Riverdale is all the way in the North of the Bronx. It's very, VERY different from the South Bronx. Much of Riverdale is Irish in the most northerly part, and then very Jewish in the southerly part, of that neighborhood. Both parts are pretty safe and fairly nice. In fact some of the toniest neighborhoods in the city are in Riverdale, like Fieldston, where the prestigious Fieldston School is located, and many mansions are located (Carly Simon grew up there in a giant mansion in Fieldston).

... and the exceptionally lovely Wave Hill Public Gardens is in Riverdale as well.

Just one more thing -- the one place in Riverdale I might be reluctant to live in is Kingsbridge, as that's adjacent to some of the iffier neighborhoods in the Bronx. Some people don't even consider Kingsbridge to be part of Riverdale.

It has been stated that one can live a full life without ever leaving Greenwich Village. Having said that why would anyone every venture outside of NYC?

To see how much better their life is than the flyover philistines, r135.

Ah, I see now, R136.

R135 that’s me. The only time I leave the Village is to go to a doctor in midtown. It’s a whole world here all within a few minutes walk. It’s the reason I would never leave - you get used to having everything you could want within walking distance and often 24/7. I get why people prefer to live elsewhere and have tried it, but I always miss NYC.

Interestingly the Village used to be an actual, well, village to the north of New York City. It got gobbled up by expansion of the city northward, and was incorporated in. It's weird to think of the Village, which is very downtown in the modern world, as being a northern suburb of New York.

Riverdale is lovely and, as noted, has three of the top private schools in NYC (Horace Mann, Fieldston, Riverdale Country Day) and it's one of the hidden bargains right now--you can buy a one bedroom in a doorman building with a terrace and quite possibly other amenities (outdoor pool, parking spot, tennis courts, in-building gym) for under $500K

It does feel very suburban though, there is a sizable Orthodox community and unless you are near the one subway stop (most are not--it's not centrally located) you either need to drive, take a bus or take MetroNorth to get to Manhattan.

But the Fieldston section in particular looks no different than upscale towns in Westchester and you'd never know you were in NYC, let alone the Bronx.

To wit-- this 1BR in Riverdale is only $349K

How did we go from living in Manhattan to a discussion of Riverdale - which is basically the suburbs? You’re closer to downtown Manhattan in Jersey City or Hoboken. Riverdale is basically Yonkers.

Wow! $848. per month HOA. Ouch. It'd be hard for most to retire in their one bedroom with that kind of monthly expense.

Wow! $848. per month HOA. Ouch. It'd be hard for most to retire in their one bedroom with that kind of monthly expense.

One more Riverdale (because someone asked and because I am blown away by how cheap it is)

This is a 1BR in a doorman building with pool, river views, etc. Needs new kitchen and bathroom but it's only $179K

That's like Remote East Flyoverstan prices.

It's only a 20 minute non-rush hour drive from Hell's Kitchen. You "I am 50 years old and living with a roommate and no AC" gays should definitely investigate.

That’s why I never bought - my HOA/property taxes would be more than my rent.

R145 - search for property in Yonkers and you can find a rowhouse or 2-3BR for that. There are a lot of relatively affordable peripheral neighborhoods of NYC. You can have access to NYC without paying $1million median price in Manhattan. Most people do.

Of course R147-- I grew up in Scarsdale.

But Yonkers can be scary AF and is another 15 minutes further out.

Riverdale is a very nice, very safe neighborhood and that $179K apartment is about an 8 to10 minute walk to the Metro North stop at Spuyten Duyvil and less than a mile from the subway.

The only problem with Riverdale is there is NOTHING there. Just houses and apartment buildings. Maybe an Irish pub or two. That's it.

You would have to do everything in Manhattan. And if your single, forget about it. You will feel isolated and lonely.

Everything I ever needed to know in life I learned on Avenue A.

I lived in NYC from 1985 to 1995, I even bought my own apartment on the UES. But after 10 years I knew that to really have a great life in NYC I would need to be rich. So I packed up a U-Haul and moved to Chicago where my money goes much further, rented a HUGE 2500 square foot apartment. I sublet my place back in NYC and the money I make more than pays for rent here in Chicago, I have a much nicer life style, a car, a garage and some money to actually save for retirement.

I use to miss NYC and would go back frequently even renting a place for 1 month each summer, but as the years have gone by NY seems less exciting. In fact I haven't been back to NYC in 4 years and I no longer even miss it. Its less expensive to vacation in Europe and more interesting.

Riverdale has no nightlife available. It's very quiet, relaxed, and suburban. It's great for seniors and young families or someone with a car

It's a paradise for the non-CIS, gender indeterminates. Others not so much.

You can take guitar lessons from Dan Smith. And get your skin treated by Dr. Zizmor.

Funny, r141, I knew a couple who lived in that exact building. They lived in the back and pretty far up so they had a view of the Hudson River.

Certain pockets of the city — the most expensive parts of midtown, the goldcoast of the UES, basically all of the West Village— are now basically just the domain of the global 1%. The snoozy basic bro/bitch vibe of Murray Hill has now spread upto Yorkville and down to the parts of the LES that aren’t dominated by public housing. Greenwich and the East Village are all but officially NYU campus now. The Upper West Side is just geriatric Jews and the squarest of their grandchildren. Chelsea is now straight couples who can’t afford Tribeca and old gays. Hell’s Kitchen is youngish gays with roommates and is still one of the least attractive parts of the city. The Financial District still hasn’t turned into a viable neighborhood - despite great subway access and a mind-numbing amount of office-conversion rentals and condos that don’t get any natural light. Harlem and Washington Heights still might as well be another borough. Chinatown seems to grow by 3 streets a year.

Rents have skyrocketed in Harlem over the last few years, particularly in Morningside Heights* and Hamilton Heights**. The best deals now are found primarily in Central Harlem, which is not as bad as East Harlem but still not as aesthetically pleasing as what you see along Broadway and Riverside Drive.

(*There's an old joke about "Morningside Heights" just being a name white people came up with so they wouldn't have to tell their friends they live in Harlem.)

(**A broker told me about a year ago that the sudden popularity of Hamilton Heights is directly tied to the phenomena that is "Hamilton" the musical, which greatly renewed interest in the neighborhood. That doesn't, however, mean that LMM gets to share in any broker's fees.)

R156 - good summary. The lightless rentals of Wall Street are a strange phenomenon in that they don’t seem to have encouraged any nightlife. Would think it’s a perfect place for a Murray Hill, post-college bar scene. But it’s still dead after years and hundreds if not thousands of new apartments.

R39 We read TimeOut but don't have the money to go to anything.

R158 Money-laundering. Manhattan has tons of condos all dark at night due to money-laundering.

Hudson Yards will end up like those deserted cities in China unless low-income people are able to rent there. It is really freakishly windy there too.

R161 those buildings all have some low income apartments but you have to win the lottery to get them. I can’t see the market rate ones ever being cheaper, the buildings cost so much to construct.

Harlem below 123rd has gotten both expensive and looks just like the UWS. But above 125th, on St Nicholas is still dollar stores and the run down Chuck E Cheese. Probably won’t be long before that changes too. But the projects nearby aren’t going anywhere.

I’m wondering if Hudson Yards becomes the new Battery Park City. Pretty far from everything else it seems with only 1 subway to get you there. Master planned developments seem to never work out.

Battery Park City has been very successful.

But it was planned as a continuation of classic NYC architecture and urban design.

R 107 - how many sq feet is your apt total? Just get a window unit that’s big enough to cool off the whole place - you can use a small fan to direct cool air into the bedroom but that probably won’t evenp be necessary. Growing up we had a big window unit in the dining area that cooled off the whole floor of our house - AC’s are much more efficient now - so you should be able to get a unit that will work fine.

Speak of the devil...

[quote]And if your single, forget about it.

Oh, dear!

[quote]I can only afford studios unless I go way uptown

C’mon up, it’s beautiful here.

We are glad R165 grew up with a big unit.

There are some cheap studios on 105th St. off Columbus Ave. What is that area like?

[quote]There are some cheap studios on 105th St. off Columbus Ave. What is that area like?

Gentrified and pricy the studios you mention must be tiny.

"Most of us in New York City will never have the opportunity to live, work, shop and play within this provincial, hermetic, artificially constructed bubble of wealth that is now grafted on to the side of Manhattan. Hudson Yards is urban glamping. It provides you the skyline of NYC with none of the street. It is always a little sad to see what the people rich enough to have everything actually want. They do not want to participate in the world at all; they want to build their own simulacrum of it and float away forever, secure in the knowledge that none of the lesser people or things that populate the earth will ever be allowed to intrude. This is the promise of Hudson Yards – the same as the promise of the Titanic. So lie back and enjoy it, my friends. The good life always lasts forever"

That's interesting since LA tried it in the 70s with the Twin Arco buildings complex that included the Bonaventure Hotel (seen in the credits of It's a Living). The experiment happened, but nothing much came from it. The homeless camped at street level, but those who went inside the complex would have been there anyway because they were forced to, and no one flourished.

Actually, that was the first place where I saw all the workers were colonist immigrants who had no interest in assimilating, and the island stayed an island of declining population.

Another was Century City, which never became much of anything.

Your description of Hudson Yards, frankly, describes all of Manhattan. A bubble where people go to escape the rest of the world.

Native NY’r here, and I agree 100% with much of what has been said. Yes, rent and real estate prices have skyrocketed; yes, many neighborhood “mom n’ pop” type businesses have gone the way of the dodo for a variety of reasons; yes, the “rough around the edges” character of many neighborhoods has disappeared; etc., etc.. Yet, as much as I may bitch and moan about the subways, taxes, cost of things, the mayor, and all the rest, I still can’t imagine living anywhere else.

R172 - where is that from? Good summary of Hudson Yards.

I do feel like my neighborhood still has somewhat of a good mix of people between the old timers, tiny studios that are affordable to 20-somethings and rent stabilization - despite the flood of super-wealthy. The real problem has been street level retail. Pizza places, Chinese restaurants, delis, diners, laundry have all disappeared which really affects the living experience. High end restaurants and nail salons just don’t serve a purpose for a neighborhood of middle class people.

But with all I miss and am frustrated about, I don’t know anywhere else in the US where I can get the same living experience. A lot of it is just the sheer density, street energy and interesting/interested people. I like Philly, Houston and LA in a lot of ways but each one is missing elements of NYC that I would miss.

I passed by the Blue Store on 8th and Chelsea last night. There were two very hot black thugs standing outside. I assume they were trade. So there still is street cruising. I winked at them and walked by. If I hadn't been in a rush to meet friends for dinner, I would of entered the store with the hope that they'd follow me in there. I'm on PrEP btw.

[QUOTE]I passed by the Blue Store on 8th and Chelsea last night. There were two very hot black thugs standing outside. I assume they were trade. So there still is street cruising.

Not everything is lost...There's still hope!

For all those who whine that NYC is too expensive to live in San Jose, San Francisco, San Diego and Boston have a higher cost of housing.

[quote]For all those who whine that NYC is too expensive to live in San Jose,

Oh, dear!

San Jose prices are to rape the H1-Bs of their ill-gotten gains.

I don't think anyone is whining per se. It's a simple fact of life. Should we not acknowledge that it's expensive in NYC - simply because it may be expensive somewhere else?

How stupid.

R175 The quote is from the Guardian article posted at R166

Agreed R149--but for a married couple or someone older who was not interested in night life, those prices are amazing.

And R156--that's a spot on description. The only note I have is that those parts of GV that are not NYU-dorm-land (further west) are also the province of the global 1% (e.g. RM towers on the river)

R3 PLEASE what was your strategy ? Soo envious !

Washington Heights vs. Inwood:

Although it's undeniable that Manhattan has lost most of what made it unique, it's still the most interesting urban space in the U.S.

NYC named world's best city:

Climate change might flood out the whole island, so maybe, no fear.

[Quote] I like Philly, Houston and LA in a lot of ways but each one is missing elements of NYC that I would miss.

Philly is full of rude, low IQ people.

Unlike NYC. No rude, low IQ people there!

I once lived in NYC (1970s/early 80s) and had not been back in 20 years.

Some impressions:

I was shocked at how crowded it has become. Hordes of people everywhere.

The city once had a rather unified look: brick, limestone contrasting with sober well made modern glass & steel office buildings. Now there's so much reflective glass and showy contrasting architectural styles. It's now such a hodge-podge visually. There was a stately quality to mid-town, to 57th street, to CPS, that's gone now.

Enough as been said about Times Square. But I'll add that those huge TV-screen type signs all over the place are just a forgettable blur. Closing it to traffic, the bleachers and chairs just look so ...dumb.

The city does feel safe. I will say that. No looking over your shoulder now.

One word: pathetic

I have lived in NYC, MIami, Boston, and LA and would never move back to any of them , maybee... NYC if I was wealthy enough to live way up high and sheltered from the elements of everyday life smacking you in the face 24/7 .

Where are you now R193? Peoria?

Tell us about the airborne grit that gets into everything!

R195 I thought it was just mainly my radiator.

The toll even after a few years of living in NYC on my friends faces , aging significantly in a short period of time , and never leaving the city to experience other places with a varying degree of bitterness is completely evident with all of them.

[QUOTE] The toll even after a few years of living in NYC on my friends faces , aging significantly in a short period of time

No, that's just the effects of smoking, drinking and meth.

[QUOTE]No, that's just the effects of smoking, drinking and meth

And being size queens. Taking huge cocks up your ass also takes a toll on your face.

r65 NYC being the center of the universe is 40 years plus, it's London now, but you probably haven't left in that time to experience it.

Do people spend their lives moving from city to city, trying to catch the next in place to be?

Yes. Especially the crazy ones who blow through friendships and relationships. They alienate everyone and have to move.

For a lot of people, it’s hard to live somewhere else after being in NYC for a while. You get used to having so much available in all arenas (except nature). Not true for all people - everyone has different priorities and likes - but for me, I deal with the negatives because it gives me more than it takes.

[quote]NYC being the center of the universe is 40 years plus, it's London now,

But not for long.

R1 you just summed it all up , when I first moved there some described it as the best and worst of everything, sooo true even today.

It's fabulous. I hate driving. I've lived uptown for 20 years and it's getting better all the time. If you haven't been uptown lately, here's a few things that are improved. 1. Completely repaved streets and repainted crosswalks, walk lights with timers. 2. Trees on every block, thanks to Bloomberg's 1 million tree initiative. 3. The parks on both sides of the island have been upgraded. Inwood Hill park has new trails and landscaping, Highbridge Park, you can walk from Manhattan and the Bronx on the old aqueduct. It's a national landmark and has security 24/7. 4. Colombia Presbyterian has expanded, built new buildings. 5. Every week there are new cute places opening, reminds me of EV in the 80's. 6. Hot Dominicans everywhere 24/7. 7. I have every gay guys dream apartment. It's free, I just have to have sex with the super a couple of times a week, do his laundry, cook his meals, marry him.

A lot of people own vehicles in Manhattan now, so that they can commute to suburban jobs.

R206 = Ethel Mertz

R206 lives in a bodega.

It's just easier. Delivery. For anything. Also, the odd things that might be a pain in suburbia are easy here. Shoe repair. Getting an old sweater mended. Everything is within 5 blocks. It's easier here in many ways.

You feel briskly alive. There is more of a connection with other people. You can walk anywhere and take the subway. Lots of nightlife. The food choices are out of this world if you avoid the trendy, overrated places. And the art and theater .

Ok... really, how much money would you have to earn a year to live a comfortable life living in Manhattan. Rental studio apartment. Nice (but not fancy) neighborhood.

The best thing is being able to walk everywhere. It's very freeing. I can't imagine having to deal with a car. And there are different people everywhere. I love it but of course there are problems.

R212 - The prices are all over the map. You could live uptown for cheap but that's a haul to get to downtown which is where you'd probably want to hang out.

You can make it happen on $65-$75k. $20k for rent, $5k insurance, $1k phone/internet, $1k unlimited subway travel- everything else is flexible. You can eat pizza, Chinese, rice and beans. You can live without cable. Plenty of cheap drink special places for $3 drinks - or buy cheap and do house parties. The major difference from other cities is rent and size of apartment. Otherwise it doesn’t have to be that much more explained than most of US.

^expensive, not explained

Thanks R214

Can you still go out and find Chinese food at 3AM if you feel like it?

Depends where R217. The rich neighborhoods are the worst. Like in the West Village, all 3 Chinese places closed - as did the 24 hour delivery diner. I think the more affordable neighborhoods have better options. But you can always find a deli for a sandwich or snack.

If you live around 80th and Lexington, are you happy?

I've mostly lived in scrappy low-income neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Manhattan. (I now live in Washington Heights.). Yes, there are 24-hour delis and Chinese places open at 3 am.

Noisy, expensive and tons of fun

R219 Only if you are a mommy vlogger.

I lived through the 70s- early 80s in Brooklyn Heights, 2 blocks away was the Clark St. subway station---and don't tell me that's SO FAR AWAY from the city--the next subway stop was Wall Street. I had a one bedroom apartment but it was still too small, perfect view of lower Manhattan from most of my windows, the lovely brownstones, the authors and actors and wealthy bond traders were all my neighbors. Two blocks away was the lovely Promenade along the East River. Like anywhere else---NYC gets OLD and don't believe anyone who tells you differently. It is not exempt from the drudgery, the same thing night and day ennuie that attacks the spirit from most cities---and no number of Broadway shows, museums, dance clubs, bars or funky little restaurants will change that.

And then one time my friends dragged to the most exciting, wonderful city in the entire United States and its name is NEW ORLEANS.

Within a year, I was living on Chartres St. opposite the Richelieu Hotel on the top floor of a 150 year old two bedroom, 4 room apartment with working fireplaces in every room, 10 foot ceilings, ancient and gorgeous chandeliers in each room, a balcony from which my view down Chartres was the skyline of New Orleans--- and everything within walking distance. My neighbors were authors, actors, bartenders and law professors. My social life richer and more satisfying than ever before. I look now on those years in NY as valuable time pissed away. The money I was no longer spending living in NYC went into the stock market and now I'm close to having $2 million in stocks and mutual funds---I could never have done that in living in NYC.

I visit NYC often because I have family in Connecticut---but I would never live there again. I'll leave that for all the young farm boys and cowboys from Texas who, everyday, get off the bus in midtown thinking their lives are going to change and be better in NYC but most of that is illusion, marketing and sheer bullshit. There are very, very few things that NYC provides that New Orleans doesn't also provide, but much more importantly---there is so much more that New Orleans provides in my life than NYC ever could.

Doesn't New Orleans have stunning poverty and crime?

Your enthusiasm is refreshing, R223, and I'd move to New Orleans in a heartbeat. I've always thought it had many of the cultural and lifestyle attractions of NYC, and more, without the excruciating cost. But I work in public schools (and need to continue doing so in order to receive public service forgiveness of my student loans), and the system in NOLA is now completely charter. Perhaps after I retire...

You must be thinking of New York City, R224.

I lived in Hell's Kitchen for three years back in the 80's and all I remember is ROACHES everywhere!

r174 Don't get too close to that bubble as it might burst and frighten you enough to see what the world truly offers.

Perhaps, R174, is that your problem is that you have no imagination.

Murder and non negligent manslaughter per 100,000

New Orleans. 39.5

New York 3.39

A bit of a difference, don't you think R226?

And every New Yorker who claims they never have to leave their fabulous city defines an enlightening vacation to Jones Beach or somewhere in or off Long Island an amazing experience!

I'd feel a hell of a lot safer in New Orleans than these 30 American cities.

R230, you must have no understanding of the physical layout of the city of New Orleans. Most of those murders occur in the impoverished, black are called New Orleans East which is physically separated from New Orleans by a body of water and a very, very long and tall bridge. If you want to live where they are still recovering from Katrina, by all means, jump in. Many people born and bred in New Orleans have never even visited New Orleans East other than driving through it on I-10 to the sugar white beaches of Pensacola.

R233, NFL player Will Smith was shot and killed in the Garden District, not New Orleans East.

But the summers in New Orleans? And the hurricanes? Gurl, no.

Looks like the Seventh Ward, the French Quarter and Central City have plenty of murders, R233.

R223,

New Yorker here who recently visited New Orleans for a friend's destination birthday party. I'd been once in high school and once in college, and my oldest friend from middle school has lived there for more than two decades, but until a few weeks ago I'd not visited him there.

The good stuff: The food is amazing. I mean, really... It's so damn good I don't see how anyone keeps any semblance of a waistline. The combination of French, Creole and Southern cooking cultures is to die for. Also, the museums were impressive, as were a lot of the galleries.

And of course it's easily the biggest party city in the USA if not the planet. It is Louisiana, so it's Southern, and the people were incredibly friendly and fun.

But because it is the biggest party town, it seemed... How shall I put it? Bereft of any intellectual heft. There's no theater scene to speak of, not really, and how seriously can you take the local colleges when the drinking never ever ends? Yes, there's jazz, and damn, it is brilliant, but it should be noted that almost all the music is tied to... alcoholic beverage consumption.

The city seems to be fueled mainly by the dollars of tourists, and everyone I talked to seemed rather nostalgic for the good ole days of Tennessee Williams, Eudora Welty, Ernest Hemingway, etc., but those days are LONG gone.

Also, it's somewhat a walking city, but not like NYC. Much more spread out than I'd imagine, or at least it seemed that way.

But the segregation and race problems were in ample evidence, and the roads were in terrible disrepair. And in February it was already simmering with humidity. IN FEBRUARY. Who wants to live in that climate in the summer, and then face hurricane season?

I get why the city attracts authors and actors, at least for certain parts of the year, cause it's colorful, vibrant and unique. But if you're not into serious drinking and endless partying (which I am not), what does the city offer besides incredible cuisine? I'm afraid I'd be bored after a few weeks, but maybe that's because I've been in NYC for so long. You say that there very, very few things that New Orleans does not provide that NYC can, but that comment leaves me confused, cause I noticed many, many things that NO cannot provide that NYC does.

(Oh, and I loved the streetcar! What an amazing way to see the city.)

[quote]there is so much more that New Orleans provides in my life than NYC ever could.

You mean like crawdaddies?

I lived on Bourbon and Esplanade for two years and now I live in Chelsea. You can't even compare the two.

It’s amazing. Someone can truly enjoy a city and New Yorkers will swoop in to brag about the alleged greatest city in the world. It’s so juvenile.

As a NYer I could see the attraction to New Orelans. Or Philly. Or LA. I don’t think NYC is the only place to live. But the combo of people and activities keep me here and I have yet to feel as excited to live elsewhere. Visit a lot of other cities regularly and travel for work a lot - but always like to come home to NYC. But everyone is different.

[quote][R206] = Ethel Mertz

Ethel only liked Cuban cigars. She wouldn't touch a Dominican cigar if you paid her.

Yet, r240, you came into a thread ABOUT NYC and expected, what? People to shit on it?

No, but I do expect that New Yorkers should be able to appreciate that some people enjoy living in other areas. That has never been my experience.

[QUOTE] I'll leave that for all the young farm boys and cowboys from Texas who, everyday, get off the bus in midtown thinking their lives are going to change and be better in NYC

MARY!

Blocked for stupidity. Needs to go to the "What's it like living in a dirty, racist,( many HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN to E. N.O.), party town the size of Islip?" thread.

I'm not the person you're arguing with, but is it now racist because someone has never been to "ENO"?

If you are born and bred in a small city, smaller than Staten Island, and you eliminate an entire area of town that "many people born will never visit in their entire lives" for any reason, It's either racism or your town really is that shitty and dangerous. You decide. I don't have time for this.

I have to Iron my camouflage caftan, I'm going to the Ramble, to look for the first Robin of Spring, or the last dick of Winter.

[quote]and you eliminate an entire area of town that "many people born will never visit in their entire lives" for any reason, It's either racism or your town really is that shitty and dangerous.

That is true of many towns and cities in the USA. Including NYC.

@Breaking911

Meanwhile In New Jersey...

Lol, R250. Outstanding.

The best.

Which area is better: Greenwich village? East village? West village?

What is Strivers' Row like...have a friend who's thinking of moving there?

This is true as it was several years ago, you need to spend the majority of your money on rent, and create your own little oasis in the middle of this mad city. After that everything else is gravy, food , appliances , furniture, etc because there is so much competition for your dollar it just takes time to figure out where to shop for these bargains. Other cities like SF, Boston , San Jose have even higher rents and you pay more for amenities than NYC because a lack of competition on every street corner and less compact, making NYC less expensive a place to live in after you add it all up.

West, Greenwich, East Village - in that order.

Oh, Yes! R230! Everyone checks out the crime reports before moving to a city (eyeroll). What cowardly life you live!

R255, I doubt that. Look at the enormous state income tax living in New York. Look at your 8.9% sales tax. Look at the 3% tax you pay JUST FOR LIVING WITHIN THE CITY! It is absurd to believe NYC is a bargain---my God, look at the cities you are comparing it to! And speaking of bargains, what the hell do you mean? Have you not heard of the internet and Amazon? Or you are you scooping up junk on Canal Street and waving it around like the crazy Target Lady on Saturday Night Live?

Must be nice living in a city where you really don't need to own a vehicle, but who really wants to live that way? You know damn well every resident of NYC would prefer owning a vehicle if they could afford the parking space for it. And without it, without the absolute freedom a vehicle provides a man or woman in their lives on Earth, you may call it "enjoying NYC" on weekends---well, you'd better enjoy it because you are can't leave it. While the rest of us darting to beaches and mountainsides and festivals every weekend, we call what you are doomed to experience "stuck in NYC".

I would love to see New Orleans. I really enjoyed the book "New Orleans Mon Amour" by Andrei Codrescu who lives there. His writing was entertaining and reminded me of John Berendt's "Midnight in the Garden of Good Evil.'

"New Orleans: Elegance and Decadence" is one of my favorite design books. It shows the beautiful run down mansions and Creole cottages of New Orleans.

Here is the breathtaking view from Hudson Yards looking toward scenic New Jersey. It's certainly worth paying tens of millions of dollars just to gaze at NJ from your apartment windows.

What was at the Hudson yards and where did it go?

Did any of the old trains overshoot where they were supposed to stop and shoot into river? That would be a lot of fun to see. I'll bet hundreds of people would drown to death!

What do you think they are, R263, duckboats?

R258 - Excess taxes in NYC - maybe 10% - is generally made up for in salary plus some. A $50k job in another city easily pays $60k in NYC. If you balance taxes and salary out, rent is the big increased cost of living in NYC.

I can honestly say, I prefer not having a car. I even have a weekend house in a town where I don’t need a car. Driving is a hassle and anxiety producing for me. I prefer public transport and Uber. May occasionally take a little longer but it eliminates a stressor in my life. And on occasion when I want to go to the beach or way upstate, renting a car is easy.

I’m another Manhattan resident that doesn’t miss driving at all, nor do I feel trapped or not free or whatever.

I did keep a car in an outdoor lot for several years - over 10 years ago when it was much “cheaper” but still expensive - and maybe I’d use it twice in 3 months. And that was mostly to get to my parents outer boro place for Sunday dinner - accessible by public transit, but definitely much quicker by car - as long as there was no traffic.

It was really an easy decision to give it up, I just read when I commute out to family events, and with Zip Car the two times a year I REALLY need a car to get something done it costs around $130 for the day.

I know I’m a bit atypical, but I rarely have the desire to leave the city on weekends - especially in the summer when it actually empties out a bit. I’m not a country / hiking person at all, and you can get to rockaway beach by subway or a cheap charter bus.

No @R261

I (HEART) New York !

Oh GAWD R266--Rockaway Beach? You see, that is square root of your problem. You have no imagination. Rockaway Beach, indeed! You sound like a poor serf declaring the gruel is especially tasty today.

OLD CAPE COD "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air Quaint little villages here and there (You're sure)You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod (Cape Cod, that old Cape Cod)

If you like the taste of a lobster stew Served by a window with an ocean view (You're sure)You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod Winding roads that seem to beckon you

Miles of green beneath a sky of blue Church bells chimin' on a Sunday morn Remind you of the town where you were born If you spend an evening you'll want to stay Watching the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay You're sure…"

$130 a Day is a bit steep for a car daily rental. You could probably get one for about $40 plus tax for unlimited miles for 24 hours.

R266, yes, it it is R269 here again because I could only post one photo. Do me a favor, dear, send me postcard from your infrequent and joyous "Rockaway Beach Holidays" and don't forget to write and tell me all about the delightful mode of serfdom transport you chose to get there---- the "subway or cheap charter bus" (whatever the Hell that is!)---that you mentioned. I'll return the favor and tell you all about travelling through Connecticut and Rhode Island on I-95 in my Sebring convertible with the top down to the beaches and bars of my "Cape Cod Weekend".

Until then, dollface!

When they say Ptown, do they mean Providence, RI?

Question withdrawn @r272

I love the last words on R250's video of the guy trying to get on the NJ bus with a stolen ATM as the bus driver shuts the door on him, did you hear it? Go back and listen to it if you missed it!

"For real? We cudda made money togetha!"

[quote]West, Greenwich, East Village - in that order.

I've never really been able to figure out the difference between the West Village and Greenwich Village. I've always just thought of anything below 14th Street on the west side going down to about Chambers as the Village, period.

Sorry, meant to write down to Houston, not Chambers.

West Village is generally west of 6th Ave south of 14th and nort of Houston. East probably starts at 3rd/4th Ave. Greenwich would be the middle. Subject to debate but as a 30 year Villager, that’s my opinion.

So where do the up and coming artists live--the real ones, not the ones with trust funds who produce mixed media collage? Long Island City?

Bushwick in Brooklyn. Ridgewood in Queens. Washington Heights and Harlem in Manhattan.

I just came back from Austin, Texas. I must say, I really liked it. Gorgeous secenery, many lakes and rivers, happening downtown scene, great music, culture and food/drink. The people were great, you didn't feel rushed by sales personnel either. It feels very accessible and everyone seems equal, whereas in NY it often feels like a class system. Austin was also dog friendly and had some good looking men. While I do think I could live there or elsewhere, there might always be a longing for New York because as a native, it's my city and it is unique. One thing about Austin is that with such influx of new people moving there, their infrastructure can't keep pace. I was also shocked at the homeless there, but that's for another thread.

Manhattan is the center of the universe.

I'm too poor to live there. Where do the people who do the jobs you don't want to do live? Like maids and handymen and so on. How much does their rent cost?

R270 - you might be able to to a $40 rental at one of the airports - but they all take awhile to get to visa public transit / and then there is tax / gas / insurance & getting back from the airport when you return it. There are some hertz / enterprise / etc in manhattam but the base rental cost is higher, you still have the other charges and those places aren’t open 24 / 7 like the airport.

With zipcar you are definitely paying for the convenience, but that $13O includes taxes, gas and insurance, and the cars are gararged all over the city - you can pick one up a block or two away from your apartment.

You can rent by the hour - but after 5 or 6 hours the change is the same for 24 - so I usually reserve from 6am - 6am - then I can pickup & return the car at ant time within that window. You can pick up & return it at any time - those garages are always open, and you have a card or an app that unlocks the car during your reserved time, which you book online.

If you only need a car occasionally is insanely convieniebt - and again much less exoensive for me than garaging a car was considering how little I actually used the car all the years that I did do that.

No one has mentioned the accessibility. Planes, trains, buses 24/7, There are always cheap tickets to FL. I just got a rt ticket for 140 on JetBlue to FLL, 10 days in advance. From the brand new GWB terminal uptown, there are non stop buses to Phl, Was, Bos, all for less than 30 dollars. Outside the terminal there are Small vans that go to Providence, Hartford, Poconos for 20. You can catch the Metro North at 125th and be hiking along the Hudson in 90 min.

Good point R284. Didn’t know that - Penn Station buses have similar deals. NYC really does offer some of the best airport connections in the US. Lots of cheap airlines as well as easy Europe access. I used to go to London regularly for long weekends - only slightly longer than CA. Though it’s become more expensive lately, there are also a lot of new discount airlines like Norwegian, WOW, and soon Jet Blue to London.

R280 - I like Austin too but the complete car reliance and increasingly crazy traffic combined with the fact that it is still a kinda smallish would make it very hard to adapt to. I found Houston to be a little more dynamic and interesting - and a little less homegenously hipsterish. But again, the car thing is kind of a no-go.

[quote]I'll return the favor and tell you all about travelling through Connecticut and Rhode Island on I-95 in my Sebring convertible with the top down to the beaches and bars of my "Cape Cod Weekend".

You drive a Sebring? A Sebring?

Do they they let you park it next to the bars you go to during your "Cape Cod Weekend"?

R284 and R285, buses? Really?

Oh, how gauche!

[QUOTE] I like Austin too but the complete car reliance and increasingly crazy traffic combined with the fact that it is still a kinda smallish would make it very hard to adapt to. I found Houston to be a little more dynamic and interesting - and a little less homegenously hipsterish. But again, the car thing is kind of a no-go.

Uh, but that's how most people live.

Haha. Hard to adapt to. Most of the world loves that way, you clueless idiot. Step outside of your protective bubble every now and again.

Which is why I choose not to live in most of the US R288. And I think that’s a big dividing line for some people. A lot of Americans can’t imagine living without a car. I hate having a car. It’s one thing that keeps me in the Northeast US. It would be a major downgrade in my quality of life if I had to drive everywhere.

Yeah R290 - the weird “bubble Troll” doesn’t seem to understand that we know we don’t live like most people in the US, but we are totally fine with that.

Most people do need cars, and most of them probably love their cars & love driving - that’s great for them. I don’t need or want a car & that’s great for me. Live & let live. It ain’t that hard to do.

I love not having a car. LOVE. In fact, I moved to NYC so I would not have to drive everywhere to get anything done, or to have any fun.

So yes, R258, there are many of us who are thrilled not to have to drive to see a movie, or get food, or whatever. I love walking everywhere. My not having a car has NOTHING to do with the affordability of a parking space.

[quote] The fact that you can get anywhere without driving

Thank goodness for NYC public transport

I agree R292. I have owned a car since I was able to get my driver's license in 1970. I have been driving since then until a few months ago (my whole adult life) when my car needed so much work and I just sold it "As Is" and have not purchased another car. And don't plan too either. The freedom! Amazing.

I got sick and tired of everything involved in car ownership and nasty cops eager to hand out tickets for nothing and rising insurance rates. Fuck that. I am retired now anyway. I love walking everywhere. I also live in the city and didn't realize how much stress owning a car was causing me until I got rid of it.

I love being driven around by cabs, Uber ,etc. and if I need to get to the airport I can take the Town Car complete with personal driver or the shuttle and don't need to hassle with parking and worry about leaving my car there for a week. If I need to visit family in NJ, I can take the train from Penn Station or to take a drive to the countryside just rent a car for the day. Finally done with the hassle of owning a car.

I live in NYC and own a car. Many people do. Since it’s in a garage and i only use it in the summer and about 1x/month otherwise, it still looks brand new and has very little mileage after 7 years. Sure it would be cheaper to rent a car, but i enjoy the freedom of knowing I have a car.

NYC is great, but not for everyone. Kind of like caviar.

Once you own your apartment, the cost of living is very similar to other cities... except for taxes. Someone has to pay for political corruption and free services for the poor I suppose.

Just when you think you've seen it all.

Oops!

Last time I was in the city, my friend and I couldn't get over how much the streets reeked of piss. I told this to a mutual friend who also visits the city on a regular basis and he said the same thing. The place stinks of piss nowadays.

Is it like the movie The Wackness?

R298, that’s because it’s no longer a crime to piss in the streets. And I’m DEAD SERIOUS.

The BART is amazing too.

R300 Oh I know. I was waiting outside Penn Station for my cousin to show up and was witness to a crazy homeless guy not only run up to and scream at random women but also drop his pants and take a shit on the sidewalk in front of everyone.

I would think the air is filthy. How do you folks breathe and not get sick?

R303 the air is dirty. Many people here are sick more often then when not here.

Also I’m a NYC Native and even I am rolling my eyes at some of these over the top comments from white men that moved here. Reality is you’re from the states you trash daily. You’re not a product of NYC and will never be one of us in reality.

It smells like narcissism.

There's human poop all over the streets, and "campsites" everywhere. Aggressive panhandlers. People dressed in plastic bags, directing traffic.

My bitchy gay boss from Chicago lives in Manhattan cause he wouldn’t dare move here from Illinois to live in Brooklyn or somewhere not as worthy 🙄

R306 you're getting Manhattan confused with San Francisco.

R304... and we are all thankful that we are NOT one of you.

R309 yet you wanna live in my hometown.

Go back to your home “flyover” state

R210, I don't live in your hometown and have no desire to live anywhere near it. Can't stomach the putrid arrogance.

Tucker Carlson, is that you posting here? "THERE"S POOP EVERYWHERE!!!!!"

R299 Josh Peck is from HK born and raised, and nails the accent and all that “yo, yo” schtick. It still didn’t help that film any.

Getting worse, was better under Giuliani.

Just not that interesting anymore. You want diversity, you can find that these days in almost any major city and not spend 9/10th of your income on rent. Glad I experienced it but living there even a few months was all I needed to know it was so not for me.

I read a few months ago that it's now a buyers market in NYC and there's a ton of inventory. Apartments / condos are on the market for over 6 months, sometimes a year. Sellers can't get their asking price and have to come down in price quite a bit if they really want to sell. Wonder if that will improve soon or get progressively worse over the next year.

[quote]Your description of Hudson Yards, frankly, describes all of Manhattan. A bubble where people go to escape the rest of the world.

Unlike you, I suppose living in a barren cul-de-sac in 2500 square feet, without another human being in sight!? Gawd, the Manhattan bashers love to breathe sweet air of DataLounge. Of course living in Manhattan for the past thirty-eight years, I can attest to this not being true. I am more a part of the world and exposed to those from every culture and walk of life here more than almost anywhere in America, except for Queens, NY, which is also part of NYC and only a couple subway stops away.

Aren't you triumphant you don't have to live in a "shoebox"?