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Comments (97)
I saw NYC for the first time in 2006 and just HAD to move there. It took me until late 2007 to move to the city of dreams.
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
Favorite neighborhoods?
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
Have not lived there, but just off the most recent visits I really liked walking around the UWS, Nolita and Greenwich Village. In terms of places I think I would enjoy living in, those three are currently on the top of my list.
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Shit is literally the essence for new growth and fruitful ventures.
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
Chicago >
Chicago < NYC
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
if the main argument is that it's cheaper that's just a coping mechanism lol
chicago has no culture
Chicago is probably the most important city for the last century of American architecture.
If culture means living amongst piles of piss smelled garbage on every curb, I'll be ok with "no culture"
I know you love it - is the only reason you don't live there now due to family ties?
Yeah I'd be in NYC or LA if I wasn't tied down with family in the south. I'll be back in NYC eventually, even just having an apt there.
"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
One of my dad's close friends does this, where he lives in Alabama but loves NYC so much that he has a Pied-à-Terre on Park Ave. He probably goes once a quarter but loves it.
I'm also somewhat in the same boat where I live in a T2 to be near family. Miss the city so badly. My university friends often tell me "It's calling for me," and in a lot of ways I feel like this is true.
How long do you think it'll be until your back?
Glad to see some positivity on a board that is quite frankly too depressing / weirdly aggressive most of the time.
I loved my time living in NYC and it really defined what being in IB meant to me. Theres a bunch of great cities out there, but NYC hits different for that sort of lifestyle.
Neighborhoods, I honestly love wandering around LES, Astoria, Sunset Park, Greenpoint in the summer.
I lived in Washington heights and absolutely loved it, and Harlem I really enjoyed as well. The dating scene was incredible in both spots too, really fun women that I still count a few exs as lifelong friends to this day.
Special treat I loved taking out of towners to Brighton Beach for russian food than go to Coney Island, or going to Flushing for asian food. Or I would show them the real little italy on arthur avenue. I would try to go to different places in NYC on my time off, it was hard to pull off a lot of the time but I would pick some wild spots and just feel out the vibe with whatever friends I brought along.
Honestly the people in NYC are amazing and what make it such a cool place. I think the key is to find a great group of friends that aren't finance guys so your friend group isn't one dimensional. I hung out with a lot of artsy types, as well as some folks that did the move after HS and get a bartender job, as well as some born and raised nyers. That really made my time there so much better.
Weird stuff, but NYC enjoyment is really just about walking around and seeing random shit. I loved walking around the port authority bus terminal, at work breaks I loved to eat lunch at 60 Wall Street Atrium, I also had a hobby of going to beautiful train stations to take pictures and I loved fulton center, WTC, 81st Street Museum, Broadway, and especially grand central.
I also was a D1 tennis player so I had befriended wealthier colleagues and acquaintances that would take me to beautiful courts to play. Vanderbilt club was sick, Sutton east is unreal, I even played at the Atelier building ON THE ROOF! I was absolutely blown away.
The food is great in NYC but honestly what I miss the most is the sheer number of places to just stop and get relatively cheap food whether it is comfort food or exotic food. Also I loved the fact that everything is seemingly never closed, although I have heard covid put the nix on a lot of the 24 hr spots. Have a lot of good memories eating shitty food with homies at 4am at Washington Square Diner, I might be waking up super early, I had buddies that were leaving the clubs, and we had buddies that worked night shifts either in shitty jobs like bartending or in high profile jobs like the japanese equities desk. All of us would converge at washington square diner and talk shit and eat pancakes.
Also people complain about the price of NYC a lot but it is actually very do-able on a budget. If you have roommates, or if you live in spots that aren't absolutely untenable than it can be shockingly affordable, especially with lower priced tastes rather than if your just living in murray hill and chasing models & bottles.
So students browsing: if you have a chance to work in NYC I say take it! its honestly such a special and fun experience whether you are learning what you like, or learning what you dislike.
First person I've ever heard to say that they liked walking around the Port Authority.
Great writeup.
Haha thanks man yea I used to love getting coffee and just walking around watching the madhouse. Just walk around and ask various employees about all the crazy bullshit they have seen and they are usually ecstatic to talk to a normal person.
Such an amazing post! Agree with so much but just want to echo your point about something always being open. It seems obvious for a city with a "never sleeps" nickname but it's hard to impress upon my friends back home in the Southeast USA....they just don't understand how awesome it is to always have stuff stay open past 9pm. It just makes me feel so optimistic every night that I go out, because the possibilities are so endless.
That sounds incredible, thanks a lot for sharing. Am a student and hopefully would be able to go to NYU for an exchange semester after summer recruiting in my penultimate year too.
I visited NYC recently back in December 2022. I'm originally from there, but want to move there soon.
It's a gorgeous city.
Did a 2 year stint in NYC. One of the most important things is everyone takes the subway so you are literally rubbing elbows with every walk of life that exists. When I moved to different cities, Chicago being one of them, public transportation had a stigma.
But the food, the social scene (many are transplants and have a story to tell of how they got to NYC), the 26 hour days, highs, lows, and how you keep on rolling is something that I haven't found elsewhere after NYC.
Cheers!
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Not to disappoint anyone, but let me introduce myself. NYC is an overrated crime-ridden overpriced craphole. It was decent to visit and check it out, but I'll never live there because I actually want to respect where I live for what it is, not some undulated image of glory from times gone by.
People who say this don't understand statistics. Pick your chosen city in the US and it's almost guaranteed to have a higher crime rate than New York
Example source:
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-03-03/pandemic-murder-wave-has-crested-here-s-the-postmortem?srnd=premium
It's so sad I had to scroll and scroll to find my city on there. And it's down. Try harder. Also, you don't understand the statistics if you're pulling '21 data and not the latest. Yes, the latest are down, which is good. But why not show that data if you're all about stats?
You do know that tons of crimes in NYC go unreported, right? That's all thanks to the new DA and Eric Adams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbHA4dFSshQ
NYC is one of the safest big cities in the US. If you can't handle current NYC you probably couldn't handle any NYC outside of the late 2010s.
Very safe indeed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbHA4dFSshQ
You're silly and funny and cannot read (or rather comprehend) statistics: all in one message!
I just moved to NYC and I love it. Never been to such a dense and vibrant city.
Come from a major EU country, and now work in London. I have been to NYC multiple times and I can't get enough of that city.
I have always dreamed to live over there: the skyline, skyscrapers, food, culture, and overall the NYC vibe could make me c*m just by thinking about it. I have been lucky enough to work in the big apple a few months (analyst training) and it has been the best time of my life. Especially when working in Finance, I find it way more lucrative/attractive than EU counterparts.
Unfortunately, my heart is broken as my path to NYC is now probably dead. The visa is a huge pain in the ass and my current company does not have a huge NYC office (mostly Southern presence). I have been considering an MBA to move across but I just had a kid so probably too risky/expensive to pursue (also almost senior associate at my firm, and the more senior you get, the harder it will be to get transferred as they want me to stay here for my specific EU/multiple languages skillset).
Just fuck it and only do the MBA. When else would you get to build out a terrific east coast network. Also, new baby is a perfect time, the little guy can just be slung on your back. I think people overestimate the risk of an MBA. You're never going to bankrupt if it's a top school so why not , fuck it
that sounds like a 1 way ticket to a divorce
I like the NYC vibe, as there are lots of super smart people who share my values but the density of population is too intense for me. Prior to COVID, walking from semi uptown to Penn Station at rush hour was too stressful for me. It may not be as bad now, but it is still probably pretty bad. As an old dude, I need space.
On a another positive note and I am not sure when it started, but when I was travelling into city on a regular basis, I noticed a lot of improvements. First, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, now called the Hugh Carey Tunnel, was disgusting but now it is very nice looking and then when you go from the tunnel towards the upper east side on the FDR drive by the coast, you can see how vibrant that part of City has become. The City keeps spending money on improvements.
2 other big ones:
Miami easily.
Array
Miami is probably two leagues lower
Looking to move to NYC from ATL, have also lived in Chicago and love both cities... But NYC just seems like where it's at.
I just moved from ATL to NYC. Really enjoy it so far. Moved here for an opportunity in crypto though, so might be moving to Miami or the Caribbean soon lol.
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If you're into music you'll have to go to one of the many amazing jazz clubs in Greenwich Village / Harlem
The Tenement Museum and 9/11 Museum give you a great appreciation for parts of the city's history
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Walk the Brooklyn Bridge.
If you like Michael Jackson the Broadway show is good.
Go on the staten island ferry.
Look at top of the rock.
If you are interested in art (and not just going to the Met and MoMA because they're well known) then also check out the Frick and the Whitney.
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Would add outdoorsy people as well. Not in NY, but personally hate being in a place with no good hiking or outdoor presence (Central Park doesn't count). Living in the mountains or near a good beach is huge for me. Also enjoy the peace/serenity of just nature. Nowadays I can't get a single night without hearing club music or a bunch of idiots trying to do burnouts at 2am.
You can hike from NYC - there are trailheads off the Metro North, and there are parts of the Appalachian Trail that are close enough to see the skyline. It's definitely not ingrained into the culture like it is in some places out west, but you can absolutely do it
Edit, quick example from Bear Mountain:
As someone who also loves outdoor activities and live in NYC, this is a cop-out take that I've heard so many times. All-day hikes in Hudson Valley, some of the best beaches in the US around Hamptons, infinitely bike-accessible roads, and even some surfing are all here for <$20 in public transportation or $60-80 car rental. Quick ski trip to UT/CO/VT all available with frequent flights. Easy access to FL destinations in the winter.
I've spent time in the Pacific Northwest and California where people are supposedly so "outdoorsy". Yes, it is more in the culture because there isn't much of an alternative. You still have to drive out 2-3 hours to get to these destination outdoor activities. And everything else culturally is just so white bread and boring vs. NYC. No other city I've found has this blend of attractive cultural, gastronomical, commercial, and natural activities available at your fingertips like NYC. The types that cite "lack of outdoor activity" as a reason to hate on NYC just did it wrong only going drinking & eating or didn't have the creativity to participate because they ran in finance circles. This is by far the fittest city in the country with many different types of outdoor lovers if you know where to look.
Another person who wants to move to America and receive it's benefits but hates the people that live there and created them in the first place. This is one of the reasons Trumpism exists. Why should your "Johnny Football" crowd live with, tolerate, and provide for foreigners who come in and openly hate them? No one can ever provide a good response to this, other than to double down continue blaming this group of people and telling them to "get over it" or something of that nature. No doubt you fall into the "enlightened" individual bucket based off your passport and "ignore these people" comment, which is interesting, because if you were so smart, why do you have to leave wherever you are coming from and go to prole Johnny Football's land?
I like NYC too, but people like you.....
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Well, I think his point is that NYC is precisely not "Johnny Football" land.
One look at Japan and you can see why USA is actually great - everyone wants to come here and we (somewhat) let them. EB1 visas contribute so much to our economy, and I would rather them develop new technology in Palo Alto than London or South Africa or Hydrabad or Shanghai.
I'm not sure what you mean by "provide for immigrants" - immigrants do not qualify for any type of ongoing federal assistance. Perhaps there are programs in some states, but I highly doubt those are "Johnny Football" states, so what are you referring to here?
It's also a bit ridiculous that those who descended from immigrants look upon those new huddled masses and act like you are entitled to something they are not. Unless you are Mayflower stock, someone looked at your ancestors when they arrived the way you are looking at these people.
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Amazing that this guy starts off by asking everyone else to be polite and that he doesn't want to get into a pissing match. Then proceeds to write an absurdly impolite essay shitting on several groups of people who are different than him. Then when called out on it he goes on multiple unhinged tirades that are reflective of a spoiled 17 year old, while getting in pissing matches with everyone. Gotta love it.
The only part that's triggering people is the white working class portion. I took it out guys! Stop coming with the pitchforks lmao.
USA GREATEST EVER! In reality it is the greatest for making money hence why I'm here. I don't like the inland regions though.
What portion do you disagree with? Serious question btw. Inland americans, clueless foreigners, sheltered kids, and suburb lovers are the main category of NYC haters are they not?
Tone was indeed off. I'll do better next time.
Left the Sun Belt to come here and have never been happier. I thought this might be a temporary stop to benefit my career, but now I can't imagine leaving… I travel often, and when I go to visit friends I always find myself missing NYC
A lot of comments here already I won't rehash (esp. the person who said a diverse friend group will give you longevity in the city, holy crap is that true and I only just realized it).
For me, it comes to one idea: you can never do "all" of NYC. In almost every other city in the country, you can go to the 4 or 8 or dozen restaurants that everyone knows are the best. You can go to the same number of bars or clubs or events or museums or whatever, that everyone knows are the best. this is impossible in New York. There are so many best-in-the-world things to do, and it would take many lifetimes to do them all. You always have that optionality: want to go dance disco on wednesday? That's possible. Want to bring your kid to a bruce springsteen for babies concert? Every Monday. Want to get thai food at 3am? You get it.
Impossible almost anywhere else.
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For me LA>
NY is great in a lot of ways and both cities have pros and cons, but I'll take year-round great weather, some of the best weed in the world for cheap, and amazing beaches any day of the week. I'd also rather live in a house than an apartment.
Both cities are hugely influential and diverse in terms of culture. The things I think New York does better are public transit and just how easy it is to get from one end of Manhattan to the other (compared to going from Santa Monica to Downtown or the South Bay to Century City). Also the pizza is amazing.
I think one thing people aren't mentioning as a negative about New York is the weather. There are places out West with just much better weather and that is very important to many people. Bad weather / rainy days can often ruin plans that you had if you wanted to walk around in x neighborhood.
The other thing that jarred me was just the lack of greenery in the city itself. Sure you have Central Park but just walking around in the neighborhood, there were very little in the way of trees. You also had to strain your neck upwards to catch any glimpse of the sky.
For sure, Cali has much better whether than NY but there are really only a few months out of the year that the weather is bad in NYC. Winters can be rough in NYC but not compared to the upper mid west, which has temperatures below 0. The weather in NYC is kind of moderate. The fall and spring are very nice while winters and summer can be a little challenging but they are not too bad. In Florida, the summers are rough.
Weather is subjective. I like seasons, so NYC in Fall and Spring >>> LA in Fall and Spring. Winter's not ideal, no disagreement here, but you just dress accordingly; on a relative basis, it's a much milder winter than Boston or Chicago
Tree coverage varies by neighborhood. Midtown yes, but I live farther downtown surrounded by with midrise buildings and full tree coverage on each side of a narrow street
For me it's not so much the cold but the # of rainy days in NYC vs California. But you're absolutely right, it is a subjective thing
Ew, no
I have lived in NYC, Chicago, LA, so I have a pretty good perspective on the "Big 3" U.S. cities. No city is perfect, and there are pros and cons to each. Also depends a lot on your financial situation and whether you are married and have kids. My perspective is that of a single male professional in late 30s.
NYC
Pros: lot of career opportunities, amazing cultural amenities, nightlife, food, a truly global city with an energy that is hard to beat, beautiful smart successful women, dating scene is better for men
Cons: weather, increase in crime & homelessness over the last few years due to bad policies, rent, highly competitive so this can wear you down
Chicago
Pros: lot cheaper than NYC, nice midwestern people, chill vibes, amazing summer city, beautiful nice midwestern women
Cons: not as many good career opportunities, a bit "provincial," people get married young so not as good for singles in their 30s, brutal winters
L.A.
Pros: great year round weather, easy access to beaches, mountains, Vegas, etc., awesome Asian & Mexican food, laid back
Cons: have to drive everywhere, women are attractive but not as smart & successful, tough dating scene for men, very spread out and not a "real" city in any meaningful sense
These 3 cities are all very different, although NYC & Chicago have far more in common with each other than they do with L.A. (Miami is a totally different beast altogether). My preference has changed as I got older. I feel too old for the hustle & bustle of NYC and weather is extremely important to me now. Can't do cold winters anymore and love being able to go biking year-round. So I currently live in L.A. as a result and probably will stay here indefinitely. But ultimately everyone has his unique preferences and cost-benefit analysis calculation. There is no "right" city for everybody. Just gotta weigh your priorities and assess which city will optimize your happiness & growth.
Weird to flag crime and homelessness for NYC, when those are less of an issue there than in LA and Chicago (or Miami for that matter). That said I enjoy all of them for different reasons (though I live elsewhere)
very good!
I think NYC is good in doses but 365 days a year is too much. I think if you can afford a Hamptons house or something similar when you're say ~40+ that is actually something that is hugely important (particularly after you have kids). I realize that sounds elitist and that most people don't have country houses lol but this is a finance forum.
I love NYC but I feel like there wasn't much to do besides drink alcohol at brunch or spend money in a store on the weekends. That's my only issue with it but part time I think it's great -
Summer in Chicago, Winter in Miami. There is no other answer.
One place to see NY's dominance is metropolitan GDP. I always through NY and LA were neck and neck until I saw the BEA numbers. Manhattan alone has a larger GDP than all of Argentina. Chicago is absolutely not in the same league as LA/NY; it's very possible Boston takes over in the next few years.
Metropolitan GDPs:
As someone who grew up in the midwest and has lived in Chicago, LA and several other MCOL cities and spent considerable time in NYC, I just for the life of me can't find excitement about Chicago. There are obviously plenty of super intelligent, successful, and international folks there, but they are so outnumbered by the Big 10 crowd that it feels underwhelming. The proportion of people who live in Chicago that are top tier and gunning to do something special with their careers/lives versus those whose biggest dream is to get married before 30 and move to the suburbs to start a family is noticeably different in comparison to both LA or NYC. Adding to that that the winters are horrible (they are considerably more harsh and last longer than those in NYC) makes me feel like I don't see a scenario in which I'd really want to live there. If I want the big city life and all the action and hustle that comes with it, it's LA or NYC all day. If I want a more comfortable life, I'd rather live in a MCOL city that's easier to live in than Chicago. I had a good time living in Chicago when I was there, especially in the summer, but it's hard to see a scenario in which I'd rather be in Chicago than somewhere else.
im finna be couch surfing there pretty soon - enjoying life
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"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee