Okay, so now that we've been away from NYC for about 4 weeks, we can finally sit back and appreciate all of the great things that New York has to offer. (But...still, we wouldn't go back....ever, ha ha)So, here's our ten things, in absolutely no significant order.
The public transit. San Francisco's transit is pretty good, but nothing beats NYC's 24 hour public transportation system, though it's a bit rusted. There's nothing like going out for drinks with friends and not having to worry about driving home. Or, spending $2.00 to go all the way from Queens to Coney Island.
The sights. There's no other place in America that has such a concentration of famous, historic stuff. The Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Greenwich Village, Coney Island, Rockefeller Plaza, Little Italy... The list keeps going, and we were able to see just about all of it.
The atmosphere. It's true what they say about Manhattan. We don't know if it's the bustle of people or the annoyingly big billboards, but there's just an energy in Manhattan that you don't find many other places. It's a very exciting place to be.
The pizza. Though Jess is a Chicago-style deep dish fan at heart, there's no denying that NYC has some of the greatest pizza in the country. John's Pizza and DiFara's are just a few of the greats we had the pleasure of eating.
The magazine. Though the folding of Plenty Magazine came somewhat abruptly, I'll miss the women of Plenty as well as the excitement of working at a national environmental publication. It was a great experience, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to work there.
The fame. People always think it's a big deal when you tell them that you live in New York City, and we must admit that we kind of enjoyed that. Plus, a ton of movies are based in NYC and now, because we lived there, we actually know exactly what Elaine is talking about when she says, "They say no one's ever beaten the Van Wyck, but gentlemen, I tell you this....I came as close as anyone ever has."
The location. To say that we can go to Boston, Philadelphia and DC in just a few hours is pretty cool. Though NYC has plenty to do, it's nice that we could visit other cities nearby with little effort.
The food. If you want authentic Thai, Bangladeshi, or just really good Italian food, New York has it and made by people actually from those countries.
The water. Since Manhattan is an island, you're pretty much going to be by water no matter where you go. In Brooklyn, Wes and I were lucky enough to live just a few minutes from the bay and during the spring it was very pretty. Plus, Coney Island was only three stops away.
The hub. Though we didn't have a ton of money to do everything possible in New York, it's nice to know that all the plays, musicals, concerts and movies will either hit NYC first or at least come through. You can't say that about Michigan (sorry Michiganders).
