It's a Helluva Town

[bobberboy]

Just got back from a couple of days in NYC. Every time I go I marvel at how people live there. There are so many people in the service industry, waiting tables for minimum wage and tips or opening doors for rich people. You have to wonder where and how they live. The biggest marvel of all is how the few weary plants living there manage to survive getting peed on about a hundred times a day by about a hundred fluffy little dogs.

Some observations from this recent trip:
• If your local area is out of black clothing, it's because most of it is is NYC
• Same is true of leather pants
• And hipsters
• Unless youre looking up at about 60° or on the 20th floor of a building there is no horizon

NYC is awesome for all those reasons plus the architecture and museums and the gillions of people rushing around doing whatever it is that they do. And the bookstores. And the restaurants. And the views. All of it, really.

The view from my hotel room


And lets not forget the famous dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History. Even the dead, stuffed residents of NYC are cool.

 

[overboard]

You would be surprised at what some of those people make that you think are working for minimum wage.
They had a program on about two garbage men in NYC awhile back, 120k+ a yr.

 

[Fire1386]

They have to make that much a year to afford to live there.... Nice pics!

 

[JMichael]

Between the military and my early work career, I've seen about half this planet and split 14 years between living in Dallas and Atlanta. I've had all the big city life I ever want to see in this lifetime. I'm sure there are lots of things there for lots of people, but I'm not sure you could pay me enough to get me to live in a place like NYC. Big cities to me seem dirty, cluttered, and noisy. I guess deep down in my core, I'm just a redneck country boy and the simple things hold more attraction to me these days. Hope you had a great time, sure sounds like you didn't collect any moss while you were there.

 

[KMixson]

When I joined the work force after high school I drove a truck for twenty years. NYC does not have the charm to me that other people see in it. I remember the garbage strike where the trash was piled high on the sidewalk and stunk to high heaven. From then on when I think of New York City, I think of garbage. I am even to the point of telling people when you hit the Virginia state line you can smell New York because the garbage strike is imprinted into my brain. Maneuver a tractor trailer though there enough and you will not be so awed at it. We used to deliver to Hunts Point a lot and were told not to park overnight there because on average two to three drivers a night would be killed while waiting to unload the next morning. It was not a pretty sight for truckers. It hurt to handed a load to New York City. It felt like punishment.

Now as for New York State, It has some awful pretty country in it. The Adirondacks are a sight to see. Upstate New York is a whole different world. It is gorgeous. Kind of like Vermont and New Hampshire.

 

[bobberboy]

I'm not saying that living there would be sweet. In fact part of what wows me is that people can and do. My partner and I were talking about that while we were there. Things take quite an effort from what I can see. I saw a delivery crew push things for two blocks because it was the nearest they could park to the delivery site. Watching the big trucks get around is kind of amazing and made us wonder how much time is spent just waiting in traffic. I'd hate to be UPS driver there for sure. I guess as a visitor I can see the difficulties but as I don't really have to live with them can focus on what an awesome place NYC is. Lots of energy. Lots of good people watching and so many things to see that simply aren't anywhere else. Like Wall Street on Sunday morning. It's eerily quiet and feels like being in a canyon.

On the other side of that, when I got home my legs hurt so much I could hardly walk. Taking a ten mile walk in the country is one thing but walking half that distance at NY speed and all the dodging of people and traffic played hell with my legs. I like to walk when I go places because I get to see a lot more that way but it really does take a lot of energy even just walking around there. Did I mention the food...

 

[Attwanl]

My niece lived there while going to school. $1750.00 for the smallest apartment. It was one room ,not one bedroom, one room. Two if you count the bathroom. Had sleeper sofa, kitchen was part of living room.
She did rav about the food there, all the little vendors. She said it wasn't too expensive ether, seasoned bagel w/ fixin's and cup of coffee about $2.00. Everything moves fast there.

 

[lovedr79]

Cool! i am headed up next saturday on a bus trip.......