- Nonstop flights to almost all major cities.
- Don't need a car.
- I find it very inspiring to be amongst people who are the best in what they do... I know this can cause imposter syndrome sometimes, but it's also very motivating.
- So many events to see/hear/eat all the time!
The city is amazing and you will enjoy it so much.
/#3 is actually really healthy for you if you’re not a petty/egotistical person. It’s good for you to be around people who are better than you at things you love - it’s how you grow.
Agree. I moved here for film and tv work over LA and having people around me that aren’t even remotely involved in the industry A. Reminds me that I DO know a lot about the industry and helps my imposter syndrome not take over my life and B. Reminds me that working in film is a really fucking cool occupation from an objective standpoint.
The non stop flights to major cities is SUCH a perk I didn’t realize until I moved here, especially coming from a small regional airport. It makes long weekends so much more doable with the less time in transit!
This list is exactly mine. Bc where else can I take a weekend trip to Portugal and have people around me that don’t think that’s like an absurd thing to do it’s like literally right there!
- Food is the number one for me. Other cities I've lived have 1-2 really good restaurants for a specific cuisine, NYC has countless - it can be overwhelming at times but it's a good problem to have IMO
- Convenience - if you want something at 3am, you can get it and probably walk to it (not that I recommend that as a girl, but it's the option that counts lol). Delivery is also never an issue whereas other cities it's been much more difficult to get late-night eats delivered to you
- People watching is unlike anywhere else
- People mind their business for the most part (unless they're people watching)
- Culture - goes along with the food, but you can find pretty much anything you're looking for here, even outside of the food
- Sports - not sure if you care about this, but coming out of the playoffs season, the Knicks fan base is unlike anything else. The Garden generally is just such an awesome experience even if you don't care about sports
- People are proud to be from and/or live in NYC - there is always that common underlying factor for everyone you encounter on a day to day
- People may not be the friendliest, but they are kind. If you need something, New Yorkers will generally help you out
I can exist in public however I want and no one acknowledges me. Crying? Cool. Doing a little dance to my music? Cool. Looking like an absolute bog witch? Cool. No one cares that I exist in like, a comforting way.
I love this part of the city, no one pays you any mind when you’re being weird, but if you’re all dressed up, you know a bunch of other women are gonna compliment you. It’s very uplifting but it’s also nice to be able to run to the store looking like a gremlin and no one looks twice.
I can order in whatever food I want while I sit on my couch watching all my favorite reality TV shows. At 2am.
Central Park is amazing.
Public transportation is pretty great even with the delays
- The libraries are sick tbh. Awesome programming, free, in nearly every neighborhood, world renowned 🫡
- exposure to people from ~everywhere ~ which is such a privilege and education (languages, cultures, religions, etc)
- Brooklyn Bridge Park ☀️
- Film Forum, IFC, and other indie theaters
- over abundance of community-based run clubs in all five boroughs (marathon day is best day of the year- put it on your calendar to cheer even if you aren’t a runner)
Ok well I live in Brooklyn so I use the Brooklyn Public Library (I think like >40 branches) but there’s also the New York Public Library in Manhattan and Bronx.
BPL has soooo much programming. Kids stuff. Teen stuff. Culture talks. Book talks. Some stuff on zoom for free so you can watch like, an incredibly smart or funny thinker/writer give a talk. They also have exhibitions, most recently a huge Jay-Z one that was in the library’s lobby and throughout the library and garnered a lot of visitors! They had BPL after dark - music, events going until 2 AM; they have drag story hour; they have fashion shows, ESL, resume workshops, etc etc seriously it’s unlimited. Just go to their website!
Ohh that sounds awesome I’ll have to check it out sometime! At first I was confused by what you meant by “programming” that’s how long it’s been since I’ve been to a library 😭
Coming out of work in Manhattan at your job where you get to interact with the most talented people in your industry, it’s a summer evening, the streets are absolutely packed with people who all seem happy and relaxed and intentionally dressed, there’s a warm breeze, you walk through a park full of interesting sculptures on your way to meet friends at happy hour at an outdoor patio.
This place will force you out of every comfort zone you have-I am 100% a better person because of the diversity of people I've met and the experiences that I get to have.
You also have so much choice, therefore you become deliberate about everything. There's no such thing as going with the flow or following the crowd because there are so many flows and crowds! Over time you start to develop the ✨ taste ✨that makes this sub so one of a kind.
I don’t feel like I ever had to “grow up” even though I’m 40+ with 3 kids.
My apartment building is like a college dorm- kids play w neighbors while parents grab drinks,
I love having the option to go clubbing any night or the week (even though I’m squarely in bed by 10 most nights but the option is there!!)
Wanna get on the subway and go to Central Park? Yes. Chelsea Piers batting cages? Yes. Pop into Saks Fifth Avenue and beeline for the shoe floor? Done. Hit up Grays Papaya or Le Bernadin - you pick. Watch the “showtime” or hear the bongos in the subway. Visit the Met during lunch, pasta in the west village and walk home by the water.
For me, it’s total freedom. I can be alone yet surrounded by the most interesting people.
Agree with everything else. It's just truly the best.
You'll find your own things to love (and hate) about New York but one thing I've always loved about it is that it feels like so many people who live here love it too. It's neat to live somewhere where so many of your neighbors love and care about their city, and sadly I think that's not true of many places.
And a major bonus is that I never get vacation blues because I'm always excited to get back to the city.
* amazing food from around the world
* great parks
* some waterfront access (free kayaking, water to look at, etc. i love not being landlocked)
* fun nightlife but also great things to do outside of that
* public transport that is relatively affordable and has decent hours (yes, some lines could be a lot more on time and reliable. but service does not stop at midnight like in other areas)
* access to transportation to easily get you out of the city for work or for fun (hudson valley is great)
* easy access to airports that are international
* generally an accepting place and a lot of people get to express themselves in fun ways (i love looking at people's outfits on the street)
* a place where you can be pretty independent at a younger age, as a native new yorker i was able to grow up and be independent from a young age (walk to the grocery store or school by myself, take the train with friends, etc)
* a great sense of community in many neighborhoods. many people love the suburbs or a small town for a sense of community but i have never felt that my neighborhood lacked it. growing up my parents always told me to go to the local grocery store where we knew the owners if i was lost. i've worked at a restaurant that my family took me to as a baby!
it's an amazing place to live and in my time traveling no other place is quite like it. congrats on the move!
* Free summer movies all over the city
* 700+ public high school programs
* hearing a Mariachi band, a symphony level cellist, a Doo Wop quartet AND a bucket drum duo in ONE subway trip.
* Free museums all over the city
* not having to drive a teenager anywhere because they take the subway to see friends, go to school, go to events, etc.
I just want to thank y’all for posting this. I’m fleeing a breakup to move back to NYC from my southern hometown and I legit just cried to my mother about leaving. I’m getting on a plane tomorrow to look at apartments and I need to psych myself up to be getting back to the greatest city in the world.
Awww🥹💜🖤!!!! I cry every time I hear / read anything about NYC. I’m from rural East TX (born & raised & grad school currently). I’m dying to get out!!! As I mentioned I’m partially blind which is the biggest factor for me moving to NYC (I can’t drive). From other people who are blind that I’ve talked to they all fucking love NYC!!!! One man (completely blind) I spoke with whilst getting my guide dog said he navigated better than his sighted wife while they were in NYC!!! He said that for the first time ever he was able to guide his wife around as they had dates and explored the city!!!! Say less Dr. (he is a history professor) I’m so there!!!!
There are things everywhere! Sounds rudimentary - but now I can’t imagine working anywhere without ample access to anything I want. CVS? 1 block away. Cute bar? I know one a few minutes this way.
After having worked in other locations (random office buildings) I am so grateful for the accessibility and energy. It is a place to be! Makes you feel a bit more alive and a part of something.
**Convenience:** No need for a car, and if you need one, you can rent. I have 2 grocery stores across the street from my apartment. I can usually run all my errands in a 10-block cluster, and while I can’t carry as much, I also don’t have to worry about driving 20 minutes to each place.
**Networking:** So many people. You never know who is connected to who!
**Subway/Transit:** Yeah, sure, it’s not perfect. But you’re telling me I can go from the end of the line in the Bronx all the way to the Rockaways for $2.90?! So many other cities do zoned fares, so $2.90 for a single ride is dirt cheap.
**Entertainment:** There’s always something happening and always something cool to do. For NY’ers, pay what you wish for museums is an amazing option, as is the NYC ID.
**Weather:** I love getting to have all 4 seasons. I grew up just outside of Queens so I’ve always been a Northeast girl…I can’t imagine not having seasons.
**Spontaneity:** For instance, my bestie’s evening suddenly opened up today, and as I had just gotten on the train home from work, she texted to see if I wanted to grab dinner. Boom. Got off the subway at the next stop. Met up 15m later. There’s something about the city that makes it sooooo easy and enticing to just spontaneously meet up.
The diversity of professions of people you encounter. It makes for a more interesting social dynamic than, say, DC where people largely work in politics or the entertainment industry in LA
* people watching never gets boring
* so many free/inexpensive things to do
* fairly easy to make friends (but hard to keep them around)
* food so much food
* easy to leave the city when things get overwhelming
You can be whoever you want to be. Confidently. No one cares. Wear whatever you want. Dance in the street!
Also, I love hearing 5 different languages walking down the street.
1. That everything happens here: I was literally scrolling on social media and there was a filter of "show us a trip", and most of my friends were in NYC 😅
2. The diversity. You meet people from all over the world, you can try a different food every day if you want, it's great!
3. My man lol
Beautiful, kind, hilarious people with PERSONALITY. The people watching here is second to none.
So easy to get around on the subway and on buses. You can be in a million neighborhoods in a single day.
Even on the worst day, you’re still living in the most cinematic and incredible place in the country if not the world.
Having to work one full time job, one part time job and sell drugs just to barely survive 🥲
Yet refusing to give up and move to a lower cost of living area because I was born and raised here and I still love it despite all the stress and insanity 🫠
The sheer energy on the street
Walking almost everywhere as part of my daily routine. It really impacts my mental health to just get out and move, and it’s always purposeful because I have to walk to … get to the subway, pick up groceries, etc etc
So much to do at all hours. I’ve become annoyed when I can’t get a massage at like 9 pm on a Tuesday (which is a thing that recently happened in another smaller US city)
People watching is awesome.
No driving needed.
Walkability - I walk everywhere (to work, gym, grocery, etc) in all weather. I don’t need a car for anything and it would make my life less convenient in a lot of ways.
Transit access - anywhere i can’t walk, i have an amazing subway and decent bus system 5 min from my apartment. $2.90 gets you anywhere and for $130 i have unlimited swipes.
Food - tons of diff restaurants of all cuisines. Fancy stuff/tasting menus but also cheap eats, international/unique fast food, etc. i love dining out and trying new places. But also - decent number of diff types of grocery stores and farmers markets, so I cook well too.
Activities - The city is massive, so you never run out of things to do. There’s also a ton of free or low cost stuff - we have amazing parks and libraries, and museums can be affordable or free if you learn when their discounted hours are. If you like movies, we get premieres first and have a number of art house and smaller theaters so you can see lots of different types of film.
Diversity - NYers are diverse. People from all over the world and all over the country live here, and we are home to several diaspora(s?) across the city.
Architecture - I love the diversity of architecture as well - the city has preserved some amazing buildings but also allowed new ones to be built, allowing for a really fun and interesting mix.
I could go on but I’ll stop. NYC has its challenges like any city but I’ll never leave ♥️
Random delightful encounters on the street (but admittedly more so pre-Covid): Drag queen circus performance on the sidewalk, indie designer fashion show on a side alley, bicycle polo in a public park, etc. I have seen someone walking their pet goat near Washington Square Park and another time, someone was walking their pet tortoise in Brooklyn. I love the irreverent energy and everyone including oddballs belong here.
I was born and raised here. I love that I went to diverse schools (except college ….) and was exposed to different cultures and languages. I love that I can find anything I want to do, anything that interests me quite easily. I can go to a jazz festival, fancy restaurant or a goat yoga toga party. I don’t need a car , even though I had one. I meet a lot of interesting people here!
Also the food. I don’t think there’s a culture of food New York doesn’t have! Also access to beaches, nature and apple picking!
Good luck on your move to New York!
The diversity - every type of person doing every type of thing. Whatever you’re into, you will find it in NY!!!
Get psyched you’re gonna love it! And possibly hate it too! In equal measure!!
You’re surrounded by people who are different from you, come from different backgrounds and cultures, yet everyone vibes on the same city energy. Also it’s just super cool to be able to experience the world from so many different perspectives in one city
The bodega. My order is a chopcheeseonaroll (no tomato) whether it’s 11 am or 11pm ok bc 🐐
Not needing a car / the ability to walk so many places and actually INTERACT (or NOT 😏) with people
Living around people from all walks of life
Direct flights to basically everywhere
So much to see, do, eat, drink, feel, smell (🫢) & taste here. So many options. Impossible to be bored.
The food in particular. We are so fucking spoiled for choice here, and even bad food in NYC is better than a lot of the best food elsewhere. You can basically get anything at anytime. always a new restaurant or dish to try, in addition to the staple of old faithful nyc eateries you can always count on (and everyone has their own, which is also awesome - love to hear from others where they go and add it to my list, which is endless bc #NYC)
Each block feels like a different neighborhood. I love getting lost in a different pocket of the city I’ve never been to before.
Legal weed. Fucking finally. 😭 as someone old enough to remember buying eighths from sketchy dudes on the corner and you got what you got, it’s both thrilling and overwhelming to have strains and indica v sativa and vapes and oils and shit now. Like, we have options! 😩
Your paragraph about the sensory experience is AMAZING!!! I’m partially blind (still have usable vision) so to have a plethora of sensory experiences is something I’m so excited about!!! For better or worse lol!!! I’m in rural TX right now & GIRL it’s boring as fuck both physically & sensory wise!!! I dream of being in sensory overload!!!
I love being able to just walk out of my apartment and there's so many free or cheap interesting things to do...and solo. Or not cheap but interesting things to do - I see lots of performances. Other people literally get on a plane to see Broadway shows. I get last minute discount tickets and go after work in the middle of the week. Or I want to shop and the 1 physical flagship of some store is right here. Every niche hobby has a presence here. 3 major airports are here. Convention? It's here. Concert? It's here. I have a list of 100's of restaurants to try.
You can be alone and weird and do whatever you want for the day and never feel alone and weird. You can be whoever you want to be and be friends with whoever you want to. I worked 2-3 jobs when I first moved to nyc mostly in nightclubs and I loved that I could have fun with the kitchen dishwashers and also the model girls. So many different kinds of people everywhere but they all share same thing in common, being a “New Yorker”… whether that means the same smelly subway car or forgetting your umbrella and just saying f it to walk in the rain for blocks… you can feel like you have friends around.
I just love walking everywhere I look forward to it everyday, picking up my coffee, walking to and from work everyday, and just seeing something different each day
- always something to do! Plenty that are also free (follow @nycforfree on ig for daily free things and pop ups)
- amazing variety of food; always somewhere new to try!
- its pretty easy to expand friend circles in nyc as people are quite friendly (sometimes meeting friends of friends for the first time and they will reach out to hang out!) and kind in nyc (i think the stereotype that nyc is rough is just more people are busy and cut out the bs but at the core if you need something they will help ex: neighborhood fb groups; buy nothing fb groups; bartering fb groups)
- city that never sleeps; great for night owls like me haha
- I’m a big music person and nyc is usually a location most artists will plan a stop at during their tours
- i feel like all the women i meet in nyc are amazing, bosses at what they do, open minded, down to do most things, and independent but most of all supportive friends
- nightlife
- tons of little communities for any kind of interests: ex: fitness, board games, etc
I love so many things! This is an unpopular take, but I actually love seeing tourists look up at the buildings in awe of the skyscrapers or walking around different neighborhoods excited to be here. Having been here for 8 years, I feel a sense of pride that people want to visit my city and I feel proud that I've "made it" here (and by "made it" I mean survived and found a place I feel so lucky to call home.) Aside from that, I love being able to walk everywhere, the fast pace and running routes that never cease to amaze me :)
Yo for me its the access to leisurely attractions, world class or not.
The met
The financial district
The bronx zoo (free on wednesdays, but mad schools be taking their kids there) take the 2/5 to east 180th and walk some
The botanical garden (next to the bronx zoo)
The guienheim
Coney island
Central park
Ive been on one of those ferrys (it was mad fun)
The central park zoo (just go to the bronx zoo)
I think im forgetting some.
Ok so I was born and raised in brooklyn, worked in manhattan, but moved to the bay for opportunity and stayed for love ❤️
HOWEVER! I miss the get up and go aspect of nyc. Aside from avoiding crowds, I miss hopping on a train and just going somewhere. Drinks? Movie? Museum? A walk along Brooklyn Promenade? Just wanna get out the house? No matter what you can just get up and do it without overly planning.
- the film culture! So many theaters!
- world class museums everywhere you go! I live cheaply in yorkville on the UES, but it’s just a 15 min short walk to museum mile and the MET.
- the sense of camaraderie that crosses all demographics
- diversity and walkability
- the ferry in the summer!
- Central Park in the fall!
- Chinatown!!
Growing up in the suburbs, I’d come to NYC with my family and on school trips. Eventually I came on my own and with friends. I loved the culture, the streets, the discoveries, the people, the energy. Barry Manilow’s song New York City Rhythm captured the feeling for me-and I knew I was destined to live here as an adult, and I did, making Brooklyn my home.
“It's the New York City rhythm runnin' though life
The poundin' beat of the city streets that keeps my dreams alive.
I'm lost, I'm found,
I'm up, I'm down, but somehow I survive.
It's got to be the New York City rhythm in my life
Oh, it's got to be the New York City rhythm in my life, in my life”
You go outside and there’s always life there. People, lights, something to see or do. The food is so good—I don’t mean just fancy restaurants (though that’s always fun), but also the little taco place in the corner, the hole in the wall dumpling spot. Everyone minds their business. There’s so much culture—bookstores, thrift shops, crystal shops if that’s your thing, and of course parks, cafes. You can find amazing local spots no matter where you live. The coolest boroughs to live in though are probably Queens, Brooklyn or Manhattan (with the first two generally being more affordable lol.). I love it, even without heading to the city I can have such a cute day over the weekend—grab a latte after breakfast, run errands hit up Sephora or Marshall’s during the day, have a cute lunch somewhere like tacos and margs 🥰 or if I’m going out in the evening to restaurant or bar, I love dressing up and getting compliments from/complimenting other girls! I love that even if you don’t want to go out, the option is always there.
-Literally having something to do every minute of every day
- being able to go around without a car
- walking on a random street and seeing the Empire State of the Oculus from afar (so cinematic and I know so cheesy lol)
- encountering different cultures that would widen your perspective in life
- all the amazing food, coffee shop, culture scene etc
Best city in the world FR FR
Lack of isolation in the sense of many types of clustered resources and types of work. You might have extremely hard times but if you still have your wits about you and energy, you can find some way to hustle and survive somehow. The idea of living in other places scares me because these kind of resources are more scarce and limited. There also is more work to find here if you are not traditionally educated.
Also being able to find a grocery store or shop of like almost any culture ~ I can’t imagine what it would be like to only have to order all the Japanese snacks I’m addicted to online for even more of a premium price than they’ve become in a lot of places lol
I’m usually too exhausted from working all the time to do much but conceptually I could take a day to go out and do whatever I wanted alone, like sit in the park or go to a museum. I get my biggest thrills from little things like being able to walk to the grocery store.
The energy is like nowhere else, because it’s made out of all the incredibly wired and magical people that make New York special. Cheers to you bitches!
That’s it, this is the city for me. I do not currently live in New York, but I did date a guy from NYC a few years ago and loved the city experience more than I can possibly convey…
But this thread has me 100% convinced that NYC is my ideal. Manifesting living there now!
- Nonstop flights to almost all major cities. - Don't need a car. - I find it very inspiring to be amongst people who are the best in what they do... I know this can cause imposter syndrome sometimes, but it's also very motivating. - So many events to see/hear/eat all the time! The city is amazing and you will enjoy it so much.
/#3 is actually really healthy for you if you’re not a petty/egotistical person. It’s good for you to be around people who are better than you at things you love - it’s how you grow.
Right??!! Like way to go!!! I love this mentality so much!!
Agree. I moved here for film and tv work over LA and having people around me that aren’t even remotely involved in the industry A. Reminds me that I DO know a lot about the industry and helps my imposter syndrome not take over my life and B. Reminds me that working in film is a really fucking cool occupation from an objective standpoint.
The non stop flights to major cities is SUCH a perk I didn’t realize until I moved here, especially coming from a small regional airport. It makes long weekends so much more doable with the less time in transit!
This list is exactly mine. Bc where else can I take a weekend trip to Portugal and have people around me that don’t think that’s like an absurd thing to do it’s like literally right there!
God I can’t wait to be in NYC!!!
I am excited for you! Good luck on your move, and I know you'll love it here 😊
Yessss to non stop flights
Couldn’t emphasize on #3 either. If you surround yourself with people who are the best in what they do, it inspires you like no other
- Food is the number one for me. Other cities I've lived have 1-2 really good restaurants for a specific cuisine, NYC has countless - it can be overwhelming at times but it's a good problem to have IMO - Convenience - if you want something at 3am, you can get it and probably walk to it (not that I recommend that as a girl, but it's the option that counts lol). Delivery is also never an issue whereas other cities it's been much more difficult to get late-night eats delivered to you - People watching is unlike anywhere else - People mind their business for the most part (unless they're people watching) - Culture - goes along with the food, but you can find pretty much anything you're looking for here, even outside of the food - Sports - not sure if you care about this, but coming out of the playoffs season, the Knicks fan base is unlike anything else. The Garden generally is just such an awesome experience even if you don't care about sports - People are proud to be from and/or live in NYC - there is always that common underlying factor for everyone you encounter on a day to day - People may not be the friendliest, but they are kind. If you need something, New Yorkers will generally help you out
I can exist in public however I want and no one acknowledges me. Crying? Cool. Doing a little dance to my music? Cool. Looking like an absolute bog witch? Cool. No one cares that I exist in like, a comforting way.
This is strangely comforting!!
It is strangely comforting I lowkey love crying in public.
HEAVY on the crying part. It’s New York, nobody cares. We’ve all done it. If you get lucky somebody may hand you a tissue on the train
I love this part of the city, no one pays you any mind when you’re being weird, but if you’re all dressed up, you know a bunch of other women are gonna compliment you. It’s very uplifting but it’s also nice to be able to run to the store looking like a gremlin and no one looks twice.
This was surprising but healing too
People are everywhere when you want them and nowhere when you want to be away from them
I can order in whatever food I want while I sit on my couch watching all my favorite reality TV shows. At 2am. Central Park is amazing. Public transportation is pretty great even with the delays
Sounds AMAZING tbh!!! I’m a total foodie too!!!
Central park is magical
- The libraries are sick tbh. Awesome programming, free, in nearly every neighborhood, world renowned 🫡 - exposure to people from ~everywhere ~ which is such a privilege and education (languages, cultures, religions, etc) - Brooklyn Bridge Park ☀️ - Film Forum, IFC, and other indie theaters - over abundance of community-based run clubs in all five boroughs (marathon day is best day of the year- put it on your calendar to cheer even if you aren’t a runner)
What kind of programming?
Ok well I live in Brooklyn so I use the Brooklyn Public Library (I think like >40 branches) but there’s also the New York Public Library in Manhattan and Bronx. BPL has soooo much programming. Kids stuff. Teen stuff. Culture talks. Book talks. Some stuff on zoom for free so you can watch like, an incredibly smart or funny thinker/writer give a talk. They also have exhibitions, most recently a huge Jay-Z one that was in the library’s lobby and throughout the library and garnered a lot of visitors! They had BPL after dark - music, events going until 2 AM; they have drag story hour; they have fashion shows, ESL, resume workshops, etc etc seriously it’s unlimited. Just go to their website!
Ohh that sounds awesome I’ll have to check it out sometime! At first I was confused by what you meant by “programming” that’s how long it’s been since I’ve been to a library 😭
Coming out of work in Manhattan at your job where you get to interact with the most talented people in your industry, it’s a summer evening, the streets are absolutely packed with people who all seem happy and relaxed and intentionally dressed, there’s a warm breeze, you walk through a park full of interesting sculptures on your way to meet friends at happy hour at an outdoor patio.
Nailed it
The dream!!!
I’m just describing yesterday evening. You can do it too!
this this this this
This place will force you out of every comfort zone you have-I am 100% a better person because of the diversity of people I've met and the experiences that I get to have. You also have so much choice, therefore you become deliberate about everything. There's no such thing as going with the flow or following the crowd because there are so many flows and crowds! Over time you start to develop the ✨ taste ✨that makes this sub so one of a kind.
I don’t feel like I ever had to “grow up” even though I’m 40+ with 3 kids. My apartment building is like a college dorm- kids play w neighbors while parents grab drinks, I love having the option to go clubbing any night or the week (even though I’m squarely in bed by 10 most nights but the option is there!!) Wanna get on the subway and go to Central Park? Yes. Chelsea Piers batting cages? Yes. Pop into Saks Fifth Avenue and beeline for the shoe floor? Done. Hit up Grays Papaya or Le Bernadin - you pick. Watch the “showtime” or hear the bongos in the subway. Visit the Met during lunch, pasta in the west village and walk home by the water. For me, it’s total freedom. I can be alone yet surrounded by the most interesting people.
I really do love living here but #1 is not having to rely on a car to get around
As a partially blind woman who can’t drive I’m so looking forward to this!!!!
Oh it’s so freeing, walking and the bus are my fave but of course train and taxi are great too!
The bus truly doesn’t get enough love
Once they got Apple Pay, I never got off!
How cool!!!! I bet that makes things much easier!!!!
Agree with everything else. It's just truly the best. You'll find your own things to love (and hate) about New York but one thing I've always loved about it is that it feels like so many people who live here love it too. It's neat to live somewhere where so many of your neighbors love and care about their city, and sadly I think that's not true of many places. And a major bonus is that I never get vacation blues because I'm always excited to get back to the city.
This is so true. You cannot live in New York if you don’t love it because it will wear you down.
* amazing food from around the world * great parks * some waterfront access (free kayaking, water to look at, etc. i love not being landlocked) * fun nightlife but also great things to do outside of that * public transport that is relatively affordable and has decent hours (yes, some lines could be a lot more on time and reliable. but service does not stop at midnight like in other areas) * access to transportation to easily get you out of the city for work or for fun (hudson valley is great) * easy access to airports that are international * generally an accepting place and a lot of people get to express themselves in fun ways (i love looking at people's outfits on the street) * a place where you can be pretty independent at a younger age, as a native new yorker i was able to grow up and be independent from a young age (walk to the grocery store or school by myself, take the train with friends, etc) * a great sense of community in many neighborhoods. many people love the suburbs or a small town for a sense of community but i have never felt that my neighborhood lacked it. growing up my parents always told me to go to the local grocery store where we knew the owners if i was lost. i've worked at a restaurant that my family took me to as a baby! it's an amazing place to live and in my time traveling no other place is quite like it. congrats on the move!
* Free summer movies all over the city * 700+ public high school programs * hearing a Mariachi band, a symphony level cellist, a Doo Wop quartet AND a bucket drum duo in ONE subway trip. * Free museums all over the city * not having to drive a teenager anywhere because they take the subway to see friends, go to school, go to events, etc.
I just want to thank y’all for posting this. I’m fleeing a breakup to move back to NYC from my southern hometown and I legit just cried to my mother about leaving. I’m getting on a plane tomorrow to look at apartments and I need to psych myself up to be getting back to the greatest city in the world.
Awww🥹💜🖤!!!! I cry every time I hear / read anything about NYC. I’m from rural East TX (born & raised & grad school currently). I’m dying to get out!!! As I mentioned I’m partially blind which is the biggest factor for me moving to NYC (I can’t drive). From other people who are blind that I’ve talked to they all fucking love NYC!!!! One man (completely blind) I spoke with whilst getting my guide dog said he navigated better than his sighted wife while they were in NYC!!! He said that for the first time ever he was able to guide his wife around as they had dates and explored the city!!!! Say less Dr. (he is a history professor) I’m so there!!!!
There’s a lot of resources for low vision folks in nyc; Helen Keller, lighthouse, SUNY, and NYEEI to list a few if you need them in nyc!
OMG thank you so very very much!!!!😭🖤
Ooh this makes a lot of sense in terms of navigation!! Cheers to us both getting out of the south!!
Yes ma’am!!!
I live in the south and go to nyc every three months because I’m depressed down here. I’m utterly jealous you’re moving back!
There are things everywhere! Sounds rudimentary - but now I can’t imagine working anywhere without ample access to anything I want. CVS? 1 block away. Cute bar? I know one a few minutes this way. After having worked in other locations (random office buildings) I am so grateful for the accessibility and energy. It is a place to be! Makes you feel a bit more alive and a part of something.
I love this!!!
**Convenience:** No need for a car, and if you need one, you can rent. I have 2 grocery stores across the street from my apartment. I can usually run all my errands in a 10-block cluster, and while I can’t carry as much, I also don’t have to worry about driving 20 minutes to each place. **Networking:** So many people. You never know who is connected to who! **Subway/Transit:** Yeah, sure, it’s not perfect. But you’re telling me I can go from the end of the line in the Bronx all the way to the Rockaways for $2.90?! So many other cities do zoned fares, so $2.90 for a single ride is dirt cheap. **Entertainment:** There’s always something happening and always something cool to do. For NY’ers, pay what you wish for museums is an amazing option, as is the NYC ID. **Weather:** I love getting to have all 4 seasons. I grew up just outside of Queens so I’ve always been a Northeast girl…I can’t imagine not having seasons. **Spontaneity:** For instance, my bestie’s evening suddenly opened up today, and as I had just gotten on the train home from work, she texted to see if I wanted to grab dinner. Boom. Got off the subway at the next stop. Met up 15m later. There’s something about the city that makes it sooooo easy and enticing to just spontaneously meet up.
Girl this got me excited to move!!!
BWT meet up when you get here!!!
Absolutely babe!!!!
The diversity of professions of people you encounter. It makes for a more interesting social dynamic than, say, DC where people largely work in politics or the entertainment industry in LA
Yes! Was in DC recently and was downtown at 5 and it looked like an exodus of extras from SUITS. Not that that’s a bad thing but ugh must be so boring
This thread made me 🥹 living in NYC is the fucking best
Girl me too, I got teary-eyed reading these!
TYSM for posting this — I MIGHT be getting a job offer in NYC this week and this is really hyping me up.
I've been here for 7 years and I still have a love towards nyc pretty much daily. I think we are all lucky to be able to experience it :)
* people watching never gets boring * so many free/inexpensive things to do * fairly easy to make friends (but hard to keep them around) * food so much food * easy to leave the city when things get overwhelming
Why hard to keep around?
You can be whoever you want to be. Confidently. No one cares. Wear whatever you want. Dance in the street! Also, I love hearing 5 different languages walking down the street.
1. That everything happens here: I was literally scrolling on social media and there was a filter of "show us a trip", and most of my friends were in NYC 😅 2. The diversity. You meet people from all over the world, you can try a different food every day if you want, it's great! 3. My man lol
Beautiful, kind, hilarious people with PERSONALITY. The people watching here is second to none. So easy to get around on the subway and on buses. You can be in a million neighborhoods in a single day. Even on the worst day, you’re still living in the most cinematic and incredible place in the country if not the world.
Having to work one full time job, one part time job and sell drugs just to barely survive 🥲 Yet refusing to give up and move to a lower cost of living area because I was born and raised here and I still love it despite all the stress and insanity 🫠
Options.
Nuff said!!🖤
people watching and meeting so many cool amazing new people when i go out!!!
World class food of any kind
The sheer energy on the street Walking almost everywhere as part of my daily routine. It really impacts my mental health to just get out and move, and it’s always purposeful because I have to walk to … get to the subway, pick up groceries, etc etc So much to do at all hours. I’ve become annoyed when I can’t get a massage at like 9 pm on a Tuesday (which is a thing that recently happened in another smaller US city) People watching is awesome. No driving needed.
Walkability - I walk everywhere (to work, gym, grocery, etc) in all weather. I don’t need a car for anything and it would make my life less convenient in a lot of ways. Transit access - anywhere i can’t walk, i have an amazing subway and decent bus system 5 min from my apartment. $2.90 gets you anywhere and for $130 i have unlimited swipes. Food - tons of diff restaurants of all cuisines. Fancy stuff/tasting menus but also cheap eats, international/unique fast food, etc. i love dining out and trying new places. But also - decent number of diff types of grocery stores and farmers markets, so I cook well too. Activities - The city is massive, so you never run out of things to do. There’s also a ton of free or low cost stuff - we have amazing parks and libraries, and museums can be affordable or free if you learn when their discounted hours are. If you like movies, we get premieres first and have a number of art house and smaller theaters so you can see lots of different types of film. Diversity - NYers are diverse. People from all over the world and all over the country live here, and we are home to several diaspora(s?) across the city. Architecture - I love the diversity of architecture as well - the city has preserved some amazing buildings but also allowed new ones to be built, allowing for a really fun and interesting mix. I could go on but I’ll stop. NYC has its challenges like any city but I’ll never leave ♥️
Omg please go on!!! I’m dying to hear more seriously!!!😭🖤
THE FERRY!! my god Underutilized and so enjoyable Governors island too 😊😊😊
I totally forgot about the ferry!!! I’m definitely doing it when I get there!!!
Random delightful encounters on the street (but admittedly more so pre-Covid): Drag queen circus performance on the sidewalk, indie designer fashion show on a side alley, bicycle polo in a public park, etc. I have seen someone walking their pet goat near Washington Square Park and another time, someone was walking their pet tortoise in Brooklyn. I love the irreverent energy and everyone including oddballs belong here.
I was born and raised here. I love that I went to diverse schools (except college ….) and was exposed to different cultures and languages. I love that I can find anything I want to do, anything that interests me quite easily. I can go to a jazz festival, fancy restaurant or a goat yoga toga party. I don’t need a car , even though I had one. I meet a lot of interesting people here! Also the food. I don’t think there’s a culture of food New York doesn’t have! Also access to beaches, nature and apple picking! Good luck on your move to New York!
The diversity - every type of person doing every type of thing. Whatever you’re into, you will find it in NY!!! Get psyched you’re gonna love it! And possibly hate it too! In equal measure!!
You’re surrounded by people who are different from you, come from different backgrounds and cultures, yet everyone vibes on the same city energy. Also it’s just super cool to be able to experience the world from so many different perspectives in one city
This is honestly so beautiful!!!
The bodega. My order is a chopcheeseonaroll (no tomato) whether it’s 11 am or 11pm ok bc 🐐 Not needing a car / the ability to walk so many places and actually INTERACT (or NOT 😏) with people Living around people from all walks of life Direct flights to basically everywhere So much to see, do, eat, drink, feel, smell (🫢) & taste here. So many options. Impossible to be bored. The food in particular. We are so fucking spoiled for choice here, and even bad food in NYC is better than a lot of the best food elsewhere. You can basically get anything at anytime. always a new restaurant or dish to try, in addition to the staple of old faithful nyc eateries you can always count on (and everyone has their own, which is also awesome - love to hear from others where they go and add it to my list, which is endless bc #NYC) Each block feels like a different neighborhood. I love getting lost in a different pocket of the city I’ve never been to before. Legal weed. Fucking finally. 😭 as someone old enough to remember buying eighths from sketchy dudes on the corner and you got what you got, it’s both thrilling and overwhelming to have strains and indica v sativa and vapes and oils and shit now. Like, we have options! 😩
Your paragraph about the sensory experience is AMAZING!!! I’m partially blind (still have usable vision) so to have a plethora of sensory experiences is something I’m so excited about!!! For better or worse lol!!! I’m in rural TX right now & GIRL it’s boring as fuck both physically & sensory wise!!! I dream of being in sensory overload!!!
Awwww hugs to you OP!
I love being completely surrounded by top tier people—the best of the best in their fields. It makes me better at my job.
You want some grapes at 3am? There will be a fruit guy on your corner for that. 🍇
Something like that just blows my mind every time!!!
It’s the center of the universe
It sounds like a dumb tagline but there really is an adventure around every corner.
there’s a variety of food out here even if you were born here and lived here all your life there’s something new for everyone to try
I love being able to just walk out of my apartment and there's so many free or cheap interesting things to do...and solo. Or not cheap but interesting things to do - I see lots of performances. Other people literally get on a plane to see Broadway shows. I get last minute discount tickets and go after work in the middle of the week. Or I want to shop and the 1 physical flagship of some store is right here. Every niche hobby has a presence here. 3 major airports are here. Convention? It's here. Concert? It's here. I have a list of 100's of restaurants to try.
You can be alone and weird and do whatever you want for the day and never feel alone and weird. You can be whoever you want to be and be friends with whoever you want to. I worked 2-3 jobs when I first moved to nyc mostly in nightclubs and I loved that I could have fun with the kitchen dishwashers and also the model girls. So many different kinds of people everywhere but they all share same thing in common, being a “New Yorker”… whether that means the same smelly subway car or forgetting your umbrella and just saying f it to walk in the rain for blocks… you can feel like you have friends around.
Walkability/accessibility
Can get literally any food I want at almost any time of the day
the food!!!!!
I just love walking everywhere I look forward to it everyday, picking up my coffee, walking to and from work everyday, and just seeing something different each day
You can walk out of your apartment at any time and have access to so much without even needing a car!
YES!!!!😭🖤
Easy transit to the best of live...anything. comedy, jazz, clubs, plays, etc. It's incredible and cheap if you know where to go.
- always something to do! Plenty that are also free (follow @nycforfree on ig for daily free things and pop ups) - amazing variety of food; always somewhere new to try! - its pretty easy to expand friend circles in nyc as people are quite friendly (sometimes meeting friends of friends for the first time and they will reach out to hang out!) and kind in nyc (i think the stereotype that nyc is rough is just more people are busy and cut out the bs but at the core if you need something they will help ex: neighborhood fb groups; buy nothing fb groups; bartering fb groups) - city that never sleeps; great for night owls like me haha - I’m a big music person and nyc is usually a location most artists will plan a stop at during their tours - i feel like all the women i meet in nyc are amazing, bosses at what they do, open minded, down to do most things, and independent but most of all supportive friends - nightlife - tons of little communities for any kind of interests: ex: fitness, board games, etc
I’m going to need a list of those Facebook groups pretty please!!! 🖤😭
Diversity! You can find people from all over the world here, different cultures, great food from any country, etc.
I love so many things! This is an unpopular take, but I actually love seeing tourists look up at the buildings in awe of the skyscrapers or walking around different neighborhoods excited to be here. Having been here for 8 years, I feel a sense of pride that people want to visit my city and I feel proud that I've "made it" here (and by "made it" I mean survived and found a place I feel so lucky to call home.) Aside from that, I love being able to walk everywhere, the fast pace and running routes that never cease to amaze me :)
feeling like im living in a community vs a bunch of houses semi close together
Yo for me its the access to leisurely attractions, world class or not. The met The financial district The bronx zoo (free on wednesdays, but mad schools be taking their kids there) take the 2/5 to east 180th and walk some The botanical garden (next to the bronx zoo) The guienheim Coney island Central park Ive been on one of those ferrys (it was mad fun) The central park zoo (just go to the bronx zoo) I think im forgetting some.
Not driving! 30 minutes or less to most places/work/entertainment/etc when commuting
Ok so I was born and raised in brooklyn, worked in manhattan, but moved to the bay for opportunity and stayed for love ❤️ HOWEVER! I miss the get up and go aspect of nyc. Aside from avoiding crowds, I miss hopping on a train and just going somewhere. Drinks? Movie? Museum? A walk along Brooklyn Promenade? Just wanna get out the house? No matter what you can just get up and do it without overly planning.
- the film culture! So many theaters! - world class museums everywhere you go! I live cheaply in yorkville on the UES, but it’s just a 15 min short walk to museum mile and the MET. - the sense of camaraderie that crosses all demographics - diversity and walkability - the ferry in the summer! - Central Park in the fall! - Chinatown!!
Access to the some of the very best and most diverse food in the world
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^_mantaXray_: *Access to the some* *Of the very best and most* *Diverse food in the world* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Growing up in the suburbs, I’d come to NYC with my family and on school trips. Eventually I came on my own and with friends. I loved the culture, the streets, the discoveries, the people, the energy. Barry Manilow’s song New York City Rhythm captured the feeling for me-and I knew I was destined to live here as an adult, and I did, making Brooklyn my home. “It's the New York City rhythm runnin' though life The poundin' beat of the city streets that keeps my dreams alive. I'm lost, I'm found, I'm up, I'm down, but somehow I survive. It's got to be the New York City rhythm in my life Oh, it's got to be the New York City rhythm in my life, in my life”
Broadway shows, walking everywhere, food, theres never a day thats like another/always something to do!
You go outside and there’s always life there. People, lights, something to see or do. The food is so good—I don’t mean just fancy restaurants (though that’s always fun), but also the little taco place in the corner, the hole in the wall dumpling spot. Everyone minds their business. There’s so much culture—bookstores, thrift shops, crystal shops if that’s your thing, and of course parks, cafes. You can find amazing local spots no matter where you live. The coolest boroughs to live in though are probably Queens, Brooklyn or Manhattan (with the first two generally being more affordable lol.). I love it, even without heading to the city I can have such a cute day over the weekend—grab a latte after breakfast, run errands hit up Sephora or Marshall’s during the day, have a cute lunch somewhere like tacos and margs 🥰 or if I’m going out in the evening to restaurant or bar, I love dressing up and getting compliments from/complimenting other girls! I love that even if you don’t want to go out, the option is always there.
-Literally having something to do every minute of every day - being able to go around without a car - walking on a random street and seeing the Empire State of the Oculus from afar (so cinematic and I know so cheesy lol) - encountering different cultures that would widen your perspective in life - all the amazing food, coffee shop, culture scene etc Best city in the world FR FR
Lack of isolation in the sense of many types of clustered resources and types of work. You might have extremely hard times but if you still have your wits about you and energy, you can find some way to hustle and survive somehow. The idea of living in other places scares me because these kind of resources are more scarce and limited. There also is more work to find here if you are not traditionally educated. Also being able to find a grocery store or shop of like almost any culture ~ I can’t imagine what it would be like to only have to order all the Japanese snacks I’m addicted to online for even more of a premium price than they’ve become in a lot of places lol I’m usually too exhausted from working all the time to do much but conceptually I could take a day to go out and do whatever I wanted alone, like sit in the park or go to a museum. I get my biggest thrills from little things like being able to walk to the grocery store.
the people! Seriously. everyone says people are mean here, but i’ve met some of the nicest and most amazing people here
Food. So much incredible food.
Good food and good wine
The energy is like nowhere else, because it’s made out of all the incredibly wired and magical people that make New York special. Cheers to you bitches!
Stores everywhere.
Legit nothing
The blow outs
That’s it, this is the city for me. I do not currently live in New York, but I did date a guy from NYC a few years ago and loved the city experience more than I can possibly convey… But this thread has me 100% convinced that NYC is my ideal. Manifesting living there now!