life in the big apple

as you may recall, i spent three months living in new york city last summer.  while not necessarily a long period of time, it was certainly enough for me to reiterate to myself again that in general, i prefer larger cities to small towns.  i had a blast and i loved (almost) every second of it.

i’ve gone back to NYC three times since i left, and each time i was reminded of all the little quirky things i miss and DON’T MISS about being a big apple resident.

let’s have a look at the lists, shall we?

What I miss about New York City:

• The rush you feel when you get up to the street level after getting off the subway in a completely different part of the island.  There’s nothing like leaving the stupid insanity of Times Square and ending up on an eclectic, vibrant street of shops and cafes in the Village.
• The 7-foot-tall man who played saxophone Christmas carols outside my building into the wee hours of the night.
• The overwhelming abundance of CHOICES of what to do/see and where to walk/eat/shop, and people who actually have an opinion about what they want.
• Broadway shows.  And off-Broadway shows.  Enough said.
• Seeing where movies and tv shows are being filmed.  I’ve walked through the street sets of Remember Me (RPattz, obvi), Date Night (Tina Fey/Steve Carell) and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Nicolas Cage). This weekend we saw permit signs for The Adjustment Bureau (Emily Blunt/Matt Damon), Gossip Girl, Law and Order, and Rescue Me.
• Having the doorman greet you by name every morning and evening, and lending you an umbrella when you idiotically forget yours.
• Gerald, my most favorite person in New York EVER, who sadly was not at Starbucks when I went.
• Discovering new-to-you gems, like Eatery on 9th Ave and La Mela in Little Italy.
• Seeing tourists in any of the following situations: Gawking at buildings high in the air and bumping into people/poles/things that cause yelling or glares from everyone else; Not sliding their Metrocard properly which causes them to get their luggage stuck in the pass-through when attempting to get on the subway; Stepping in manure after finishing up a Central Park carriage ride and declaring their day (and shoes) ruined.
• Bars that don’t charge a cover that also play 80s classics and 90s pop hits with a smattering of the current top 20.  These are truly diamonds in the rough.

in the warmer days

What I don’t miss about New York City:

• The stanky steam that wafts up from the subway vents JUST as you step over it.
• The abundance of Target ads yet lack of actual Target stores (Brooklyn’s does NOT count…it’s shitty and always sold out of everything).
• Dudes in full suits at trashy dive bars at 3 am.  Seriously.  This is not a club.
• Clubs.  In general.
• Chain restaurants, i.e. Applebees, TGI Fridays.  Screw the tourists who need places they’re “comfortable” with.  Note: this does not include McDonalds/Dunkin Donuts. Those are necessary for drunk nights/hungover mornings.
• Mothers who bring giant strollers onto the subway in the middle of rush hour.
• Subway urinators/shitters/pukers/etc.
• When people think they’re better than you for working way longer hours than you and on the weekends, when really they HAVE to because they come in at 10 am and take 4-hour lunches.
• The humidity.  See all thirty days of June, 2009.  That is all.

at our diamond in the rough

ten versus nine.  positives outweigh the negatives here, people, though that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to be back for an extended period of time.  cross your fingers that I don’t end up there for a six-month stint.  i’d much rather visit and be able to leave when i please.  here’s hoping!

how were your weekends?