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The New York City thread


ScarletMacaw

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I haven't seen this thread, so I decided to start it. Let's talk about what we love/hate about NYC, whether we live here, have visited or are thinking about visiting:

I love living in an international city, with people from all over the world. I love the fact we're the US center of art, fashion, media and theater (sadly I would no longer call NYC a great music scene city--those days are long gone). We have great museums, film festivals and restaurants and there's a lot of entertainment that's free/low cost. However, there's a lot of truth in this satirical piece:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/84-million-new-yorkers-suddenly-realize-new-york-c,18003/

I'm lucky 'cause I bought my apartment 20 years ago when prices were cheap!

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Well Scarlet,let me say I love NYC! I visited first time in 1968 as my school had a field trip to the UN.Then on occasion just to drive down there and get the best pizza in-the-world! :thumbsup:

My last time was 8/2001 as I was on a business trip.I took in the view of the WTC,....

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I`ve only been to NYC once. It was a 5 day stay in Manhattan. It was incredible. I have not been too any other `World Class`` cities so i cannot compare but I can say the NYC was a really cool experience. I was there about 4 years ago. I happened on the Iridium Jazz CLub but unfortunatley was unable to be there to see Les Paul, but I did see a jazz band one night called `The Ether Jazz Band`who were from Boston I believe. They were great. I also went to a downstairs basement comedy club and had a blast there one night. I remember one comedian asking how many Canadians were in the crowd. Me and a handful of others scattered around the room cheered and put up our hands. The comedian then said, ``Americans like Canada although one day they`ll have to take over Canada to use it for a parking-lot.`....we and eveyone all laughed.....

Took a boat ride around the Statue of Liberty. Did the double decker bus tour. around lower Manhattan. Very informative and everywhere there is either a historical or trivial connection to something famous. People were so friendly. Since I have been back it is cool to see shows that have a NYC reference. After being there you will never watch Midnight Cowboy the same way......Saw Paul Schaffer leaving the Lettermna studio and saw Brendan Shanahan (Ranger hockey player) crossing a street.

I would go back in a heart beat over and over again.....loved it. Everyone should get there once......cheers

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Well Scarlet,let me say I love NYC! I visited first time in 1968 as my school had a field trip to the UN.Then on occasion just to drive down there and get the best pizza in-the-world! :thumbsup:

My last time was 8/2001 as I was on a business trip.I took in the view of the WTC,....

The WTC definitely had a better observation view than the Empire State Building does...I should tell you that the "Freedom Tower" that they are building to replace the WTC is almost finished--perhaps I'll post a link to a pic if I find one...although one of my favorite views of Manhattan is from an airplane heading to the W. Coast on a morning flight...I was in Manhattan on Sept. 11; it was a surreal and terrifying experience.

I love seeing all the people and the different places, the crowds. What I hate is getting there. It takes forever to get there, but once I'm there, I really enjoy it.

Can't you just take the LIRR? That's how I usually get to Long Island...it is kind of a hassle, though, you're right...if I'm going to Jones Beach it will usually only be if I'm getting a ride with someone--since I don't have a car.

I`ve only been to NYC once. It was a 5 day stay in Manhattan. It was incredible. I have not been too any other `World Class`` cities so i cannot compare but I can say the NYC was a really cool experience. I was there about 4 years ago. I happened on the Iridium Jazz CLub but unfortunatley was unable to be there to see Les Paul, but I did see a jazz band one night called `The Ether Jazz Band`who were from Boston I believe. They were great. I also went to a downstairs basement comedy club and had a blast there one night. I remember one comedian asking how many Canadians were in the crowd. Me and a handful of others scattered around the room cheered and put up our hands. The comedian then said, ``Americans like Canada although one day they`ll have to take over Canada to use it for a parking-lot.`....we and eveyone all laughed.....

Took a boat ride around the Statue of Liberty. Did the double decker bus tour. around lower Manhattan. Very informative and everywhere there is either a historical or trivial connection to something famous. People were so friendly. Since I have been back it is cool to see shows that have a NYC reference. After being there you will never watch Midnight Cowboy the same way......Saw Paul Schaffer leaving the Lettermna studio and saw Brendan Shanahan (Ranger hockey player) crossing a street.

I would go back in a heart beat over and over again.....loved it. Everyone should get there once......cheers

Maybe I haven't been keeping up with the music scene...I guess in my mind I'm comparing it to what happened in the 60s, when Jimi Hendrix might play in a club, or the punk era when CBGB's was in its heyday...There is a lot of history here and I definitely recommend the boat rides. It's amazing how many movies/tv shows are shot here; we constantly have trailers on the streets--although, I only see celebs in restaurants, never when they're working...

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Can't you just take the LIRR? That's how I usually get to Long Island...it is kind of a hassle, though, you're right...if I'm going to Jones Beach it will usually only be if I'm getting a ride with someone--since I don't have a car.

I do take the LIRR. From where I live, its an hour and a half to get into the city. Boring ride.

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Back in the mid to late nineties I asked a colleague if everyone's aspiration was to live in New York, he said no, he said comedy shows like Friends were giving people the wrong impression, that in fact New York was a crowded place and few people would want to really live there, with all its problems.

I've been to New York City dozens of times, some on business, some on vacation, and I've made my own mind, I don't need people to tell me about it. I've met people who are really happy living there, wouldn't imagine living anywhere else in the world.

I think the place can be very unfriendly and cold to first time visitors for example, I remember an occasion my father and I got into the SUbway and got lost in the myriad of connecting and interconnecting lines and were simply lost for a couple of hours. Then just moving from Queens or Manhattan to, say, Long Island or New Jersey also seemed to consume most of our day in long commutings.

These are not New York problems I must admit, I've been to larger cities like Mexico, Sao Paulo, and I've been stuck in traffic my point is I'm really not a person of large cities, I have always avoided living in huge metropolitan areas I think the quality of life decreases as one has to cope with pollution, high prices for everything (a parking ticket in New York costed I believe $70) and in general having to compete for things as simple as a table in a diner.

New York is a wonderful place, no doubt about it, the museums,the many different neighbourhoods with their own identity, the restaurants from all over the world, my brother likes Broadway theater and stuff, I personally don't, but these days I wouldn't even imagine taking a vacation in New York, it's a great place for business on the other hand, I attended a few conventions in the nineties and I simple loved the opportunity of working and having all that city to explore for myself, but as I said I value the quiet and the cities which have a human size, places like maybe Montréal, Curitiba, Portland, Copenhagen. New York will remain this essential place that one must visit at least once in a lifetime, I guess I was lucky to still see the Twin Towers in place when I visited,

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I LOVED NYC! Went there with a friend in 2004 and stayed about six days (2-3 days staying down the street from the Chrysler Building in Manhattan and 2-3 days staying in Hoboken, NJ with a friend of a friend). It was surreal! I enjoyed the open market they had on the weekend and got a knock off purse there really cheap! Highlights for me were getting to go in the Chelsea Hotel, taking my picture outside of CBGB's (the guy inside was super groutchy and wouldn't let me come in, which blew), eating at Katz' Deli, all of the interesting bars (one was decorated like a grandma's house with 70's decor; another one showed horror movies with no sound), seeing China Town, Brooklyn, Central Park, and the lower East side, going on a boat ride around the statue of liberty, riding on the subway and seeing Time's Square at night (hey I'm from Missouri; you don't see shit like that here-lol). The culture of the city itself was also awesome. One day, they had a parade celebrating Indian culture. I am definitely going back again someday so I can go in the Empire State Building; when I went, they wouldn't let anyone in, due to the fallout after 911. There was still a big hole in the ground from where the twin towers went down in 2004 and it was very depressing to see. Sorry to babble so much....

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I've had nothing but disasters every time I've gone to the place. When I was 13 my parents took us on a trip to New York with our trailer. To make a long story short, you can't take propane thru the Lincoln Tunnel. Ever drive around Manhattan pulling a trailer ?

Went to New York when I was 19 with a friend. After driving 12 hours to get there, we came to the George Washington bridge and my car suddenly quit with vapor lock. We were stalled for 2 hours on the bridge in rush hour traffic. I was called every name in the book as cars tried to work around us. Once we got the pig going, we ended up driving around Rockaway Blvd. for about 5 hours totally lost. When we saw Coney Island for a second time, we knew we were screwed. It was at this point that my friend went nuts and insisted I stop to get him some beer. I did....in Flatbush. After he went in the store, my car was surrounded by about 20 guys that all looked like Fonzie's brother...."Where are you from ?...What the fuck are you doing here ?.....I can still remember the look on my friend's face when he came out of that store and saw that crowd around my car. We found a seedy motel that night on Long Island. The next morning we ate breakfast at a greasy spoon. When I pulled out of the parking lot, I drove over a huge curb and tore my muffler system off all the way up to the manifold. We rumbled back to the city and parked under an abandoned freeway by the financial district. After checking out the World Trade Center (a whole 'nother post), we hopped on the subway to head to Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty......except we were going the wrong way into Harlem. The subway stopped at a couple stations, and things were getting shadier and shadier. At the next stop, we saw the train conductor making his way back thru the subway car. I looked at my friend and said, "I think he's coming to talk to us." He was. He leaned over and looked me right in the eye and said, "Where are you boys headed ?". When I told him the Statue of Liberty, he got a disgusted look and said, "Trust me....you want that train over there."....pointing to the subway train heading the other way. Needless to say, we took his advice. By the time we got on the Liberty ferry, it was ungodly hot out. The line to get up the statue elevator was huge. After waiting a bit, we decided screw this. We ended up burning one in the bushes right under the dear ladies feet. Disrespectful ?.....nah....it was the best moment of the trip. When we got back to the car, we both decided we needed to get the hell out of the city. We looked at a map and decided that going up Broadway was the best route. It wasn't. We ended up driving thru the same Harlem neighborhoods the subway would have went. It was so hot out that the locals decided to open up all the fire hydrants to cool off. I was literally driving up Broadway thru rivers that were cascading down the street with hundreds of people on every corner. It was pretty fitting since my muffler-less car sounded like a boat anyway. I was never so happy to reach the serenity of Connecticut....where we stopped at a local pub where I proceeded to lock my keys inside my car. Got a hanger anybody ?

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Wow Bongman, not a good place to break down, the George Washington bridge. I was driving out one night just before a Yankee game and the traffic was nuts going towards the stadium. I got lucky and excaped. Dropped my daughter off at the Colombia dorms. She works in Manhattan and when we go to see her in Hoboken she is going to give up the full tour. No driving. All transit. I may want to hit china town?

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Bongman, you were on the GW Bridge (which connects New Jersey to Manhattan for those who don't know) and next thing you knew, you were lost on Rockaway Blvd which is across Manhattan, the East River and into another borough?? It might be time to take a break from the bong!

Also, you can ask anyone for help in NYC...it's true that often you will end up asking another tourist or someone who doesn't speak English, but if you ask a few people, you will get the correct answer. If you ask anyone on the subway for directions, usually at least three people will respond. Also there are subway maps posted in every station!

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As I often say, if I had all the money in the world, I'd live at The Dakota. I looooove NYC. Started making monthly trips up in the mid 70's (when Amtrak was $25 round trip!). And it's all because I'm in love with theatre. I'm so lucky to have been traveling up there when tickets were relatively affordable. I've seen hundreds of shows...and also managed to see most of the iconic sights and lesser known attractions in the last 35 years. We make at least 2 trips a year up now and try to see as many shows as possible, but it's soooo expensive that we have to choose carefully and can't just see everything. We have several friends in the city and I love nothing better than just hanging out with them over a good meal and some wine. And, of course, there's baseball. The fans stink ( :) ) but the stadiums are fabulous - both of them. It's so easy to get around...the subway goes everywhere. And if it doesn't, walking a wonderful way to see the city. I could go on and on and on.........

As David Letterman says, it's the Greatest City in the World!

I love NY!

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Wow Bongman, not a good place to break down, the George Washington bridge. I was driving out one night just before a Yankee game and the traffic was nuts going towards the stadium. I got lucky and excaped. Dropped my daughter off at the Colombia dorms. She works in Manhattan and when we go to see her in Hoboken she is going to give up the full tour. No driving. All transit. I may want to hit china town?

When we were kids, we would score fireworks in china town every summer, but then Giuliani put an end to that. The city was real fun during the Kock and Dinkins administrations. .....breaking down on the GW can't be fun. Washington heights is not the safest place in town, better to go to the NJ side of the Hudson.

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  • 11 months later...

I've had nothing but disasters every time I've gone to the place. When I was 13 my parents took us on a trip to New York with our trailer. To make a long story short, you can't take propane thru the Lincoln Tunnel. Ever drive around Manhattan pulling a trailer ?

Went to New York when I was 19 with a friend. After driving 12 hours to get there, we came to the George Washington bridge and my car suddenly quit with vapor lock. We were stalled for 2 hours on the bridge in rush hour traffic. I was called every name in the book as cars tried to work around us. Once we got the pig going, we ended up driving around Rockaway Blvd. for about 5 hours totally lost. When we saw Coney Island for a second time, we knew we were screwed. It was at this point that my friend went nuts and insisted I stop to get him some beer. I did....in Flatbush. After he went in the store, my car was surrounded by about 20 guys that all looked like Fonzie's brother...."Where are you from ?...What the fuck are you doing here ?.....I can still remember the look on my friend's face when he came out of that store and saw that crowd around my car. We found a seedy motel that night on Long Island. The next morning we ate breakfast at a greasy spoon. When I pulled out of the parking lot, I drove over a huge curb and tore my muffler system off all the way up to the manifold. We rumbled back to the city and parked under an abandoned freeway by the financial district. After checking out the World Trade Center (a whole 'nother post), we hopped on the subway to head to Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty......except we were going the wrong way into Harlem. The subway stopped at a couple stations, and things were getting shadier and shadier. At the next stop, we saw the train conductor making his way back thru the subway car. I looked at my friend and said, "I think he's coming to talk to us." He was. He leaned over and looked me right in the eye and said, "Where are you boys headed ?". When I told him the Statue of Liberty, he got a disgusted look and said, "Trust me....you want that train over there."....pointing to the subway train heading the other way. Needless to say, we took his advice. By the time we got on the Liberty ferry, it was ungodly hot out. The line to get up the statue elevator was huge. After waiting a bit, we decided screw this. We ended up burning one in the bushes right under the dear ladies feet. Disrespectful ?.....nah....it was the best moment of the trip. When we got back to the car, we both decided we needed to get the hell out of the city. We looked at a map and decided that going up Broadway was the best route. It wasn't. We ended up driving thru the same Harlem neighborhoods the subway would have went. It was so hot out that the locals decided to open up all the fire hydrants to cool off. I was literally driving up Broadway thru rivers that were cascading down the street with hundreds of people on every corner. It was pretty fitting since my muffler-less car sounded like a boat anyway. I was never so happy to reach the serenity of Connecticut....where we stopped at a local pub where I proceeded to lock my keys inside my car. Got a hanger anybody ?

Dude...this made me laugh so hard. How the f*ck do you get lost so easily? It's not that hard even for tourists to navigate the subway system. I guess you either like looking for trouble or just are entirely unlucky. If that was in the 70s it might have been rougher.

Funny story, the other day abouut ten people were waiting for the subway but couldn't get in - they were obvious tourists. They ask the guy next to me if he could "let us in, our metro cards won't swipe" but they had no cards whatsoever. He proceeds and sets off the alarm in the process, which scares the group nearly to death. The guy probably didn't know he just let $100s slide but whatever. Times square subs are a tourist deathtrap.

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Love to visit, it is just like your brain is on mega over-stimulation! people and cars and sellers and cabs and just everything...EVERYWHERE! And def some of the best food in the world, even the little dives have great food.

that being said I live in a little itty bitty town of about 3,000 people and love it. Love to visit NYC, but would not want to live there.

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Love to visit, it is just like your brain is on mega over-stimulation! people and cars and sellers and cabs and just everything...EVERYWHERE! And def some of the best food in the world, even the little dives have great food.

that being said I live in a little itty bitty town of about 3,000 people and love it. Love to visit NYC, but would not want to live there.

I live in Brooklyn but commute to Manhattan on a daily basis. You get used to it and ignore all the excesses. You come to appreciate the convienences on every block and I really can't say you get that anywhere else. Annoying? Perhaps, but I'm ok with it. You just gotta dress well for the weather, don't take shit from anybody (you probably won't get any) and know what you're doing and it's the place to be.

But it's probably different I believe if you weren't raised in the area. Some might think the size of the city is intimidating and thus, more isolating. That's valid but if you know people, you will be just fine. Ive always loved it here.

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I've had nothing but disasters every time I've gone to the place. When I was 13 my parents took us on a trip to New York with our trailer. To make a long story short, you can't take propane thru the Lincoln Tunnel. Ever drive around Manhattan pulling a trailer ?

Went to New York when I was 19 with a friend. After driving 12 hours to get there, we came to the George Washington bridge and my car suddenly quit with vapor lock. We were stalled for 2 hours on the bridge in rush hour traffic. I was called every name in the book as cars tried to work around us. Once we got the pig going, we ended up driving around Rockaway Blvd. for about 5 hours totally lost. When we saw Coney Island for a second time, we knew we were screwed. It was at this point that my friend went nuts and insisted I stop to get him some beer. I did....in Flatbush. After he went in the store, my car was surrounded by about 20 guys that all looked like Fonzie's brother...."Where are you from ?...What the fuck are you doing here ?.....I can still remember the look on my friend's face when he came out of that store and saw that crowd around my car. We found a seedy motel that night on Long Island. The next morning we ate breakfast at a greasy spoon. When I pulled out of the parking lot, I drove over a huge curb and tore my muffler system off all the way up to the manifold. We rumbled back to the city and parked under an abandoned freeway by the financial district. After checking out the World Trade Center (a whole 'nother post), we hopped on the subway to head to Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty......except we were going the wrong way into Harlem. The subway stopped at a couple stations, and things were getting shadier and shadier. At the next stop, we saw the train conductor making his way back thru the subway car. I looked at my friend and said, "I think he's coming to talk to us." He was. He leaned over and looked me right in the eye and said, "Where are you boys headed ?". When I told him the Statue of Liberty, he got a disgusted look and said, "Trust me....you want that train over there."....pointing to the subway train heading the other way. Needless to say, we took his advice. By the time we got on the Liberty ferry, it was ungodly hot out. The line to get up the statue elevator was huge. After waiting a bit, we decided screw this. We ended up burning one in the bushes right under the dear ladies feet. Disrespectful ?.....nah....it was the best moment of the trip. When we got back to the car, we both decided we needed to get the hell out of the city. We looked at a map and decided that going up Broadway was the best route. It wasn't. We ended up driving thru the same Harlem neighborhoods the subway would have went. It was so hot out that the locals decided to open up all the fire hydrants to cool off. I was literally driving up Broadway thru rivers that were cascading down the street with hundreds of people on every corner. It was pretty fitting since my muffler-less car sounded like a boat anyway. I was never so happy to reach the serenity of Connecticut....where we stopped at a local pub where I proceeded to lock my keys inside my car. Got a hanger anybody ?

Other than that how'd you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

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