Why New York City?

I flew into O’Hare yesterday from my trip to New York, and all I could think about is, why would anyone want to move to New York? Because of this, I wanted to reach out to the monkeys on here and hear why they would choose New York City over a city like Chicago, Houston, or San Francisco?

Hopefully I do not receive too much monkey shit for this post, but I am sincerely interested in hearing your answers. The bad parts I remember include, but are not limited to:

• High taxes (Federal, state, AND city income taxes)

• More expensive (Everything from food to apartments are more expensive. I have a lake view 50 floors up in Chicago for the same price as a dilapidated room my friend has in Brooklyn.)

• Smells and is dirty (Trash days are the worst, streets are filled shoulder high with trash bags.)

• Public transportation (Unlike Chicago, public transportation is super confusing in New York. With all the lines, lack of clarity in stations, IMO, and construction in the subways, it is difficult to figure your way around unless you have been there awhile.)

• People are rude (Unlike the Midwest or South, people here are generally not nice.)

• Way too many tourists

The parts about New York City which are nice and generally attract tourists include landmarks and shows. These are definitely great things in New York. But why is it necessary to live there to experience those? In fact, most of the greatest parts of New York City will be unavailable due to your lack of personal free time. Why not be stuck in an office in Houston with a larger apartment and less tax?

Monkeys, please help explain to me what is so great about this city.

 

Very true. But there's also something magic about New York. I've traveled to a lot of different states and a couple of different countries but never something that intrigued me, begged me to stay like NY does.

However, that being said I don't actually live there (yet) but will once I become a FT trader after I graduate from school.

Because when you're in a room full of smart people, smart suddenly doesn't matter—interesting is what matters.
 

Having been there, I say that I'm just used to the city. Lived in Tokyo, Singapore, and visited cities like HK, Seoul, etc. So, its like no brainer. NYC is the best for me. Hate living in places that have nothing to do late at night.

 
MangoBanker:
Having been there, I say that I'm just used to the city. Lived in Tokyo, Singapore, and visited cities like HK, Seoul, etc. So, its like no brainer. NYC is the best for me. Hate living in places that have nothing to do late at night.
What is there to do at night that you can't do in other major cities?
 
valuationGURU:
MangoBanker:
Having been there, I say that I'm just used to the city. Lived in Tokyo, Singapore, and visited cities like HK, Seoul, etc. So, its like no brainer. NYC is the best for me. Hate living in places that have nothing to do late at night.
What is there to do at night that you can't do in other major cities?

Tons of late night drinking places... based in SF Bay Area... everything closes earlier than NY....Tokyo tons of late night drinking establishments.... etc. its hard to explain...just the mix of culture at these big cities and the people help make it a fun place.

 

The high rate of success and the name makes it a place to live and work. It is the city which represents the American Dream and a place where anything is possible. I have only been to N.Y once and had similar experiences, but for many people this is home of Capitalism.

The Four E's of investment "The greatest Enemies of the Equity investor are Expenses and Emotions."- Warren Buffet
 
valuationGURU:

• People are rude (Unlike the Midwest or South, people here are generally not nice.)

Thus far living in NYC, I've sensed a dichotomy between the friendliness of the "natives" and the outgoingness of young professionals. It hasn't been hard, at least not relative to my midwest/southern hometown, to meet other young people and professionals when I go out. But during the day when walking the streets, ordering lunch, etc. the masses are an unfriendly zombie pile that doesn't give a shit about you whereas I can stop someone on the street in my hometown and get friendly directions.
 

I lived in NYC for over three years and just moved out to Chicago. While I think Chicago definitely has a number of competitive advantages, I still prefer New York for a number of reasons. As far as your criticisms go, I think a lot of it is due to the fact that NYC is a TERRIBLE place to visit. Midtown Manhattan is literally the hands-down worst part of the entire city, but unfortunately is the face that the city presents to most of its guests.

  • It is true it's more expensive, and I am enjoying most things being about 10-20% cheaper in Chicago. That said, NYC has simply unparalled variety and quality (bad bars/restaurants just can't afford to stick around too long because competition is too stiff). Also - if you are a local and get around there are always deals to be had
  • Dirty/smelly - see my point above about Midtown. Getting into Brooklyn, the UWS, the far west village, Tribeca, and things are much, much nicer
  • Public Transport - patently disagree - I found NYC transportation to be very intuitive and easy. Recently there's been lots of construction, but it's usually only mildly inconvenient. Also the sheer size of the MTA network is amazing - you can get almost anywhere at anytime of day/night
  • Rude people: People in Chicago are weirdly, strangely nice. It's really throwing me off, but it's kind of nice. I don't think people in NYC are rude, they are just busy - they put their head down and go. If you stop and ask someone for help, 9 times out of 10 you will get it NYC. It's just a slight cultural difference that people aren't tripping over themselves to be crazy nice like Chicago.
  • Too many tourists - see my above point about midtown.

I havent been in Chicago long enough to say decidedly that NYC > Chicago, but I think NYC gets a bad rap from people who have never lived there.

 

OP--to increase credibility, you should consider removing Houston from that list. Unless your job involves drinking lean and listening to DJ screw, that is among the top 5 worst cities in the USA if you enjoy "fun" and "cleanliness" and "thin people."

I was taught that the human brain was the crowning glory of evolution so far, but I think it's a very poor scheme for survival.
 
Tolland15:
OP--to increase credibility, you should consider removing Houston from that list. Unless your job involves drinking lean and listening to DJ screw, that is among the top 5 worst cities in the USA if you enjoy "fun" and "cleanliness" and "thin people."
Just including major cities with large investment banking presence.
 

OP:

I was raised in NYC and have worked a ton here. The first time I left the city was for college, and I left to a city that no one cares about. The difference is ridiculous, and I needed some serious re-socializing to say the least.

Yes, it stinks and the people are unfriendly at times. But if you're competitive and looking for opportunity, this is the only place to be. Life moves so quickly here that I can't imagine how difficult being an old fogey in this town must be.

I think that if you're between 20-40, this is the only place to be. Any younger and you should be at your nursery hometown, and older folk should be ready to leave before this place kills them.

in it 2 win it
 

NYC is the best place in the country if you are young, single and make decent money (or have parents willing to supplement your lifestyle as is the case with most people not in finance).

There is something going on every night of the week if you want to search it out. That works great if you are in banking and have no idea what nights you will be able to get out of the office at a decent hour.

10pm on a Monday? There are a hundred places that you can go to. In SF it's a ghost town on Monday night, Chicago is slightly better but not much (unless Monday night football is on).

Additionally, it is much easier to maintain a semi-normal social life in NYC, while working 80-100 hours/week. People there get that you work late, and it doesn't hinder relationships to the degree that it does in other cities. I used to meet my now wife for dinner dates at midnight, and the restaurants would still be busy. She didn't care that I was working so many hours because she was working just about as many in a creative industry.

 

It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

 
NYU:
It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

My answer to your question about why there isn't a large financial base in Miami would be likely lack of talent pool and an industry.

 
ladubs111:
NYU:
It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

My answer to your question about why there isn't a large financial base in Miami would be likely lack of talent pool and an industry.

pretty sure they filmed jersey shore season 2 there, so i just dont know why there isnt more finance there
 
ladubs111:
NYU:
It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

My answer to your question about why there isn't a large financial base in Miami would be likely lack of talent pool and an industry.

Exactly like SoCal before Milken made the move out there. So what I should have written was I cant understand why nobody relocates their firm down there. I doubt you would have many employees who pushed back about relocating South of Fifth

 
NYU:
Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

did you really just use prestige to describe the differences between two cities?

If your dreams don't scare you, then they are not big enough. "There are two types of people in this world: People who say they pee in the shower, and dirty fucking liars."-Louis C.K.
 
NYU:
It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

Wow I've always wondered this-why Miami doesn't have a finance background. History might make a difference (Miami didn't become a big city till after the 50's I believe and was viewed as more of a place to retire )-and the lack of quality schools (public education is very poor in Florida) down there might be a reason-as well as a lack of big names companies being headquartered there (these are all conjectures). I did notice they have a concentration of shops focused on Latin America-not surprising.

SoCal has a strong bond shop presence? This is news to me. Care to share some examples. Pretty interesting how one influential person can change change the direction of a city (or its businesses).

 
solb22:
NYU:
It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

Wow I've always wondered this-why Miami doesn't have a finance background. History might make a difference (Miami didn't become a big city till after the 50's I believe and was viewed as more of a place to retire )-and the lack of quality schools (public education is very poor in Florida) down there might be a reason-as well as a lack of big names companies being headquartered there (these are all conjectures). I did notice they have a concentration of shops focused on Latin America-not surprising.

SoCal has a strong bond shop presence? This is news to me. Care to share some examples. Pretty interesting how one influential person can change change the direction of a city (or its businesses).

PIMCO ring a bell???

 
NYU:
It really boils down to opportunity and there is a circular self-reinforcing phenomenon with jobs and resources that has been going on here since the inception of banking in this country. Only really powerful people will ever change that. For instance Michael Milken. There is a huge bond shop presence in SoCal that to the ordinary person makes zero sense. Why would you move 3 hours behind and still work East Coast hours? Because the King of HY said so and he made a lot of people very rich and its been that way ever since.

Chicago is awesome and very comparable to NY in some ways but in terms of opportunity and prestige it's NY's little brother.

I've never been able to figure out why there isn't a larger finance/banking presence in Miami, outside of PWM and small family offices. They have weather, women, food and fun all on the beach. If I could get into a firm down there with some job security I'd be out in a minute.

Good point. I personally prefer living in Chicago but admit that in finance there just aren't that many opportunities. And in terms of restaurants and bars, there is a lack of diversity. Here in Chicago if I want good ethnic food, such as korean, indian, thai, there are very few good places, or they are just really out of the way. And in terms of nightlife, I do think Chicago is too geared towards fratty sports bars.

My biggest beef with Chicago vs NYC, however, is that for a large city it's still a bit too provincial and midwestern. This inevitably has cultural and social consequences. Chicago is sitll mostly big 10 alums whose lives revolve around sports while NYC has so many accomplished interesting people from all walks of life.

 

1) New York is the financial capital of the world 2) The amount of hot women in this city is just off the charts (sorry dude - been to Chicago, and san fran and Houston, it doesn't even compare - LA has a case, but that is about all LA has a case for.) 3) The convenience of NYC is fantastic, i couldn't disagree more with you about public transportation in the city, it is amazing, i can go from the upper east side to the west village for $2.25, not to mention the greater area transportation, in a thirty minute train ride I can visit my family in Westchester, on a two-three hour bus, i can be in AC or out in Hamptons, I can get down to the jersey shore in an hour and a half or less, I have two great airports (relatively) within a 15 minute cab ride of my apartment. 4) The food in NYC is some of the best in the world, every kind you could ever want. 5) The night life is unrivaled, clubs, bars, comedy shows, live music, the amount of fun stuff to do at night here is exponentially more than any other city in the country, not to mention everything is open till 4-5 in the morning (depending on how strict the place) 6) Finally there is just no better place to be at this point in your life (20's), you are in the greatest city in the world (not really up for debate), the amount of money people making in this city, just the sheer opportunity you have here is way higher than anywhere else, its a diverse, hardworking crowd that really likes to party too, as a 20 something year old, what more could you really want than everything I just listed?

Segue.....

if you are a cheap ass and going to complain about the cost, get a better job. Last time i checked this was a wall street blog, so i mean any real complaint of cheapness doesn't belong.

enough procrastination from CFA studies...later

 
Bondarb:
...not another one of these NYC bashing threads....i am not biting on this one. Yes yes of course Houston, Texas is as good as New York City....having been on WSO for awhile I now rate all cities based on cheapness and proximity to hang gliding opportunities.
No one is bashing it bro, I am just missing the upside. It is obviously a great city, just trying to see what fellow monkeys feel are the advantages that outweigh the negatives. Also, I am not saying Houston is the same, but for many of the users on here, the job they are searching for in each is the same.
 

I hate this city in the summer, but all other times of year I think it is the greatest city on Earth. Those who don't like it generally can't be convinced otherwise, although if you live west of 11th ave or south of Vesey, you bring the frustration upon yourself.

EDIT: I am also a big foodie and should note that when I go home, I always eat at the same restaurant, and it is getting annoying. Outside of the staples in my diet like Tacqueria or Red Rooster I can't remember ever eating at a place twice even in the same year and that is how it should be.

 

Agree with the posters above. If your young, make good money, and wanna chase women, NYC is best city on Earth.

With regards to the smell. I think that the garbage smell gives the city character!!

 
Ron Paul:
Here's a question: what do you think is the best neighborhood in Manhattan for a 20s professional to live in, disregarding the need to be right by the office (i.e. in the case of a junior banker, obviously they don't have much choice)?

In Manhatten, I think the West Village is the best neighborhood. I loved the apartments/brownstones there and the nightlife was good. I felt like I wa actually in Manhatten, rather than a large tourist center like midtown. The only drawback is that it can be to pricey for a junior banker

During my internship, I lived in Brooklyn Heights and really enjoyed the area. If similar to the West Village but less busier. Also running every morning on the Pier and looking at the skyline of Lower Manhatten is pretty motivating. In the summer they have outdoor movie nights, and it's great place to meet people. The only drawback is the bar scene is somewhat lacking there, and you have to further into Brooklyn.

Checkout the area if your looking for a community feel. However the rents have been going up.

 
Ron Paul:
Here's a question: what do you think is the best neighborhood in Manhattan for a 20s professional to live in, disregarding the need to be right by the office (i.e. in the case of a junior banker, obviously they don't have much choice)?

Almost anywhere South of 14th St and North of Chambers. I personally lived in the E. Village and Tribeca...both were awesome for their own reasons. I'd say absolute top two are Soho and W. Village in terms of nightlife and cool places, assuming you can afford it.

 

I disagree with most of the people here. Working in NY sucks. Being rich in NY is great.

I'd rather start a career in Houston or Chicago, where I can stockpile my paycheck at a young age and watch the laws of compound interest in action. Unlike NY, where $100,000 per year impresses no one, and if you live in Manhattan, you're apartment is filled with cock roaches.

Competition is a sin. -John D. Rockefeller
 
Hooked on LEAPS:
I disagree with most of the people here. Working in NY sucks. Being rich in NY is great.

I'd rather start a career in Houston or Chicago, where I can stockpile my paycheck at a young age and watch the laws of compound interest in action. Unlike NY, where $100,000 per year impresses no one, and if you live in Manhattan, you're apartment is filled with cock roaches.

Compounding rates at 0% in houston is the nki I guess

 

Personally love being in Chicago, I think I would enjoy NY a ton as well. Chicago may not have the late night scene of NY but its still pretty damn awesome. I was a waiter at a fine dining steakhouse through college so I have a pretty deep understanding of the best restaurants, bar, and club scene. Service industry employees are the best people to ask where to drink/eat in a big city.

Boothorbust where are you living in Chicago? Also what spots have you been hitting up as regular hangouts, I can probably direct you to some pretty good spots depending on what your looking for.

 
Gmoney23:
Personally love being in Chicago, I think I would enjoy NY a ton as well. Chicago may not have the late night scene of NY but its still pretty damn awesome. I was a waiter at a fine dining steakhouse through college so I have a pretty deep understanding of the best restaurants, bar, and club scene. Service industry employees are the best people to ask where to drink/eat in a big city.

Boothorbust where are you living in Chicago? Also what spots have you been hitting up as regular hangouts, I can probably direct you to some pretty good spots depending on what your looking for.

I live in The Loop. I have been hitting Hubbard St downtown and Wells St further north, both pretty good spots with a plethora of watering wholes. Always open to finding more spots
 

I just relocated to Chicago with my firm from NYC and based on my limited time in Chicago, comparing them is almost irelevant as they are completely different. Yes, Chicago is cheaper which is the main attraction in my mind. You can make the same $ as NYC but live in a sick doorman apartment with a nice view, rooftop pool, valet garage, and own a nice car - all while actually $. That being said, there is no other place in the world that has the energy of NYC. NYC is a hustle everyday. That's what attracts people to it. If you are young, ambitious and willing to work your ass off to open up opportunities that aren't available elsewhere, NYC is the place to go. Again, with my limited experience with Chicago, it seems to me that the type of people that choose to tackle NYC are more aggressive, ambitious, type-a people than those who choose to start in Chicago. Maybe that's biased but it seems like I meet a lot of junior level guys in Chicago that are happy making $200k and are ready to settle down and shit (maybe bc you can afford more stuff in Chitown) vs. the people I know in NYC that are gunning for millions and want to run their own fund one day (myself included). Both cities have a ton of stuff to do, nice restaurants, and hot girls,but IMO Chitown's club scene doesn't come close to NYC and there's more talent in NYC. That's my two cents for what it's worth. Gmoney - let me know where your go-to spots are, I'm still getting my bearings and would welcome recommendations.

 

I would love to live somewhere other than New York, but it would mean I would have to travel to New York all the time, because this is where a most of the investable money is located. Otherwise, Florida or Texas here I come, since they are highly populated, no income tax states, either on or close to the eastern time zone. The other advantage to NY metro is that it is relatively diverse, which might be difficult to find elsewhere. I would give Chicago a shot as well because of the relatively low cost of living, but I would hate the winters. The x-factor is that I don't know the public school situation in these other areas, which is pretty important to me, to put it mildly.

 

Night Clubs - The Mid which is downtown has great shows, smoking bottle service girls, and the place is huge, besides for that boardroom, enclave, and bodi are okay

Young Professional Bars - Public House by Trump Tower and Bull n Bear in River North are decent

Happy Hour early drinking - Rooftop on top of the Wit hotel will be full of traders by 4pm and the highest concentration of smoking hott chicks looking to get railed by a young rich guy. South Branch is also a decent spot for this as well but more cougars comparatively.

Young Skanks - hit up Division and Rush St (to many bars to name) on the weekends, its all college kids mixed with suburbanites coming up to get smashed, if you cant get laid at one of these bars its time to consider paying for sex. Heading up to Lincoln Park and the Depaul neighborhood, for example Joes on Weed St you can find plenty of college girls puking in a bar near you as well.

Cougars and Sugar Mama's - head to Division and Rush then walk 2 blocks south on Rush to the Viagra Triangle, Tavern on Rush, Lux Bar, Carmines, Gibsons, definitely some young trim looking for a Sugar Daddy but also plenty of good looking 30+ chicks and a ton being pretty business successful. One big difference between the suburbs and the city is old ladies in the city are generally way hotter (usually cause they are not married and are still actively looking for the dik)

Cool Spots to hit up - Trump Towers 16th floor terrace, sick view up high in the sky looking straight down the river to the lake, Signature Room on the 95th floor of the hancock is a restaurant (food sucks) go for drinks at the bar and lounge up there, 360 degree view of the city, Chicago Cut Steakhouse, and South Branch (mentioned earlier) also have badass views on the river.

Neigborhood feel hit Wicker Park up on Division St, Wrigleyville up anywhere near the Cubs stadium both can be a fun time if you like chillin out in a more relaxed enviroment.

If you want more info shoot me a PM, I also have quite a few spots where I get hooked up on the bill massively, 400 dollar drinking tabs showing up with a bill of 30 bucks. I dont know if NYC is the same, but similar to Vegas Chicago's service industry is a tightknit circle, if you tip them well and get on your bartenders good side you can expect a pretty good hookup (at the right place on your first bill) at some places it might take the third time around but believe me its worth it.

 

Call me Insane but I'm a walking hard on in this city, that bullshit doesn't mess with my brain. The women, the buildings, and the fucking opportunity makes it all well worth it.

Cite your post next time.

"The higher up the mountain, the more treacherous the path" -Frank Underwood
 
barboon:
Call me Insane but I'm a walking hard on in this city, that bullshit doesn't mess with my brain. The women, the buildings, and the fucking opportunity makes it all well worth it.

Cite your post next time.

"the buildings"; I bet you call NY the Big Apple too.

Fact is, you live here long enough and you'll come to realize that this place is a borderline shithole and I think that will become the consensus in the future, if it's not already. Less yuppies dying to get here, population growth in the other 49 states.

In the '70s, people in my old country flocked to NYC and now that I think about it, the flock is still coming through but has decided to settle elsewhere over the past 5-10 years.

 

New York is the financial capital of the world and arguably the greatest city in the history of mankind. No other city in the United States even comes close...looking out my window on a night like this when lightning flashes over the skyline only underlines the point. Yes NYC is crowded and expensive but you get what you pay for. Have fun in whatever back-water you guys live in and keep telling yourself its better then New York and at some point you might actually start to believe it.

 
Bondarb:
New York is the financial capital of the world and arguably the greatest city in the history of mankind. No other city in the United States even comes close...looking out my window on a night like this when lightning flashes over the skyline only underlines the point. Yes NYC is crowded and expensive but you get what you pay for. Have fun in whatever back-water you guys live in and keep telling yourself its better then New York and at some point you might actually start to believe it.
Just because you were born and / or live in NYC doesn't make it the greatest city on the planet. What have you done to make it "worth what you pay for", "the financial capital of the world", and "the greatest city in the history of mankind?"
 
ibhopeful532:
^

"The Financial Capital of the World" -- what the hell does that even mean? Does it really affect you on a personal level? What, you get to be the grunt for the head honchos with the capital?.... Travel around a bit. Quality of life-wise, New York is definitely not outstanding in any way.

That means NYC is the IB hub of the world... You must be from a third world..."What, you get to be the grunt for the head honchos with the capital?...."

"The higher up the mountain, the more treacherous the path" -Frank Underwood
 

You really need somebody to explain to you what is great about New York City? It is the most diverse and vibrant city in America by far. The food, culture, nightlife, people, etc all reflect this diversity and therefore the range of experiences one can have in NYC in any of these areas is endless. I could go out every night for the rest of my life and not even scratch the surface. Everyplace else is like a one-traffic-light town by comparison. Yes it is crowded and expensive but you are paying for that cultural opportunity. The only reason I could see for not liking New york is if you are a home body that will not take advantage of these opportunities....if thats true then yes you are paying alot for something you arent using. but the problem is with you, not New York.

 

I'm so tired of people saying NYC is unequivocally the most amazing place on earth without really explaining why that is in comparison to tons of other major cities internationally (including some with absolutely beautiful surroundings). I don't find the rat race appealing and I'd much rather live in another city with a lower cost of living. I really like the sound of the Pacific Northwest, San Fran etc.

 

Maybe not the greatest city in the world, but the greatest in the US by a long shot. In the same bucket as London, Paris, Hong Kong or Tokyo imo. Some people actually like the sheer density and sprawl. I grew up in Paris and to be honest, smaller cities just feel a little weird. In NYC or Paris, you will never run out of excellent restaurants to try out, stuff to visit, experience or whatever. Not so in most other cities. Furthermore, the crazy stuff you see actually does have its charm but also reminds you how much human misery there is out there and that you should do something to help out. Finally, like everyone said, cite your sources buddy, even if the source appears obvious.

 

I have certainly heard "its the capital of the world" from friends in the city. I always ask why they think that and the answer usually is something like "what other city is better?" or "its got everything". I don't know the point of trying to label the city as the greatest because to me it is personal preference.

This thread reminds me of an article that was in either GQ or Maxim which used a quantitative method to rank the best party city by guy/girl population ratio, # of bars, last call time, age demographics, etc.

 

Saw a homeless black dude with no legs at a busy intersection in the Loop hop out of his wheelchair onto his stubs, hold the wheelchair with one arm, pull his chubby little cock out with the other, and start pissing right onto the sidewalk. All of the yuppies were too embarrassed or whatever to move away. Some ho’s heels got splashed.

You seen the Rats NFLX doc?

heister: Look at all these wannabe richies hating on an expensive salad. https://arthuxtable.com/
 

Some third world country residents would love a rat dinner. They huunngry....

"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
 

On second thought for all the forever single women that forced some poor cat to live with them, if they let their cat out in the city at night the problem would sort itself out

26 Broadway where's your sense of humor?
 
Best Response

I have a great story for this thread. First year working full time in NYC I had a very small, crappy, but amazingly cheap studio above a laundromat in a nice midtown east neighborhood.

One night after living there probably 18 months or so I start hearing a squeaking sound. I had no idea what it was, but it was coming from the kitchen area. I walked into the kitchen and it stopped, I'd sit down again and hear it more. I couldn't figure out wtf was going on.

I hear it get louder and I look up from my computer and there is a massive rat on top of the counter (think back of the fridge, facing living room area) starting at me. I shrieked like a girl and jumped up and it ran back down the side of the fridge (I saw it's huge tail follow it). I moved the garbage can and saw a huge rat hole it had eaten into through the wood paneling, it was January and about 10 degrees outside so it was likely looking for somewhere warm to go.

I flipped out and called the super and landlord, was told it was no big deal and exterminator would be there in 3 days. No way I was waiting, it was 11 PM so Home Depot was closed but I went to Duane Reade. The traps were too small for this thing so I settled on the rat poison. Next day I saw the bastard had eaten the poison and I got some wet cement and filled the hole in. I found someone to take over the lease 2 weeks later and moved close by to a much nicer building, realizing you get what you pay for. Hope he didn't die in the wall.

 

Granted NYC is not the nicest, but Chicago isn't either...if you really want a clean/nice city, try Portland, Minneapolis, Austin, Denver, etc.

I think a lot of people have this super-glamorous vision of NYC before they actually go there, which causes the city to be kind of disappointing upon seeing it for the first time. That being said, the opportunities available there more than make up for its appearance...

 
 

TheKing,

you ever been to chicago? i find your post especially hilarious, since you're a 3.3 grad from that overrated school, NYU, and is an excel spreadsheet monkey at an i-bank, living in a tiny cockroach infested apartment in manhattan.

 

you crack me up bro. first of all, i went to an ivy undergrad, live in an awesome apartment next to lake michigan, and hang out at clubs and bars that are way better than anything NYC has to offer. regarding women, you're out of your mind if you think NYC has hotter chicks than chicago. the hottest sorority girls from Big 10 schools come to chicago.

 
ChicagoRules:
you crack me up bro. first of all, i went to an ivy undergrad, live in an awesome apartment next to lake michigan, and hang out at clubs and bars that are way better than anything NYC has to offer. regarding women, you're out of your mind if you think NYC has hotter chicks than chicago. the hottest sorority girls from Big 10 schools come to chicago.

B&T trash > Farm girls who can't be trusted in the stables by themselves

Puddles of urine in the subway > The Cubs

Jeffrey Maier > Steve Bartman

 

lol

I can sympathize with the OP. I lived in NYC for several years, and, yes, in many ways, the city is a stinking pile of shit. Sure, it's the greatest city in the world, blah blah blah, etc. But sometimes you turn a corner and it's a stinking pile of shit. Like, literally, the place stinks of shit and looks like shit.

I now live in London, which is much more pleasant, even if doesn't have nearly as many restaurants and bars.

 

Chicago Rules - I don't for one moment believe that a guy who posts on random message boards to discuss his preference for various cities with his online "friends" would have been able to get into any venues worth going to... An aside, I'm from Chicago, grew up there and went to school there...and I love it dearly, but you are being a moron. New York is the cultural epicenter of the United States.

Also can't someone just shut down this moronic thread?

 

x35109,

this past weekend was not the first time i've been to NYC. i've been there many times since i have a lot of friends there. i'm not too worried about not working in NYC since you guys are getting laid off while my hedge fund is doing great.

regarding nightlife spots, yes, i've been to places that new york people rave about, such as bungalow 8, rose bar, socialista, gold bar, 1OAK, etc. And the quality of women at these places is inferior to Chicago. if you've actually partied in Chicago, you would know what i'm talking about.

 

Too bad the congestion pricing plan didn't pass, they could have done a lot with that money.

Anyways, I think Chicago is actually a better place to live than NYC. Beautiful summers, cleaner environment, less claustrophobic.

That being said, I think that NYC's superior nightlife and much more beautiful women is beyond debate. Add that with the abundant opportunities in the financial sector and we have a winner.

 

How is this beyond debate? having gone out to trendy venues in both chicago and NYC, it's pretty clear that chicago has hotter women. most of my friends agree as well.

at least we both agree that chicago is a better place to live than filthy new york.

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/0UjsXo9l6I8?rel=0

Just sing this when queued: "New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of There's nothin' you can't do Now you're in New York These streets will make you feel brand new Big lights will inspire you Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York" - make sure it's in a high pitched female voice

 
blackrainn:
These streets will make you feel brand new
I DO feel brand new, that song was playing on my way in for the first interview and it's true. Pretty much all of the reasons above.....best pizza, center of cultural universe, center of business, center of global decision making (note: not American, but GLOBAL decisions). Provided you apply yourself, you can create any life you want from here.

That having been said, get your shit in line and don't dick around, this place will kick your ass with a smile if you let it.

DAMN I LOVE NYC

Get busy living
 

Because I was born and raised in this great city. Because half of my family was born and raised here. Because I can't imagine living anywhere else. Because it's home. Because it's New York.

 

I would say because if you are in Finance this is the only place to be if you are serious about your career. Being raised in a small town in the Midwest was fun, but the energy of the city is something completely different that I would love to experience, this mixed with the fact that there is always something new to experience and the global melting pot is incredible!

I want a lady on the street, but a freak in the bed, Go Bucks!!
 
Ambition:
I would say because if you are in Finance this is the only place to be if you are serious about your career.

Hank Paulson spent his entire career in Chicago and only moved to NYC when he became CEO at GS. You're right though, he probably wasn't serious about his career.

 
Ambition:
I would say because if you are in Finance this is the only place to be if you are serious about your career. Being raised in a small town in the Midwest was fun, but the energy of the city is something completely different that I would love to experience, this mixed with the fact that there is always something new to experience and the global melting pot is incredible!

This statement is profoundly ignorant. If you want to do banking, i suppose this is somewhat true, but so many other cities offer a lot of great opportunities. Chicago for prop trading, SF for VC/tech PE, London for emerging markets and currencies trading, Boston for investment management, etc.

 
manbearpig:
I would much rather work in London than New York. London's a way nicer city.

I dont know, I live in London and I would move to NYC in a heartbeat. But vice versa for New Yorkers, I know several who drop everything to move to London. London's great but New York's is pretty fucking great. However, a strictly once-a-year-for-a-few-weeks-view, havent lived there for a prolonged period.

 

haha yea I know it is not true, but when interviewing for a job in NYC with a bank in NYC I would say that. Not saying that the statement is true SF, Chicago, Boston, Houston, NYC, CT and many others are all good cities.

I want a lady on the street, but a freak in the bed, Go Bucks!!
 
Ambition:
Well I just said that if I am interviewing in NYC then I would say that to a NYC interviewer. Maybe I am wrong.

You're missing the point entirely, the guys above realize you would say this in NYC.

What they are saying and you're not understanding, is that if you said this in NYC you would still look like a complete imbecile and hurt your candidacy. Just because someone works in NYC doesn't mean he doesn't recognize and appreciate the goings-on of the rest of the Financial industry.

You're giving shit advice and we're trying to rectify it. Stop.

“Millionaires don't use astrology, billionaires do”
 

I'm sure there are plenty of people in investment banking who share the same feelings towards clubs and bars... NY is just the main hub for investment banking, and if thats what you want to do, thats generally where youll end up.

With that said, there are other options. I believe Wachovia and BofA both have a presence in Charlotte... BB firms such as Goldman, ML, JPM have IB units in houston and some tech groups in Cali... regional presences in Chicago as well.

Boutiques such as Greehill have offices in Dallas... Suntrust in the Southeast.

I personally don't love New York, but I'm fine with doing an analyst stint here for 2 yrs. Realize that life as an analyst isn't supposed to be incredibly fun in the first place...

Think about whether you're interested in this type of work, and then find a place where you get along with the people. Life is better when you enjoy the people you're spending time with.

PLEASE DONT CHANGE EXCEL SHORTCUTS!!!
 

As a tennis player, NY has been pretty frustrating thus far. The nice tennis clubs charge obscene membership rates (1600 a year just to be a member...yea not even including court fees) and the public courts are fine but no one wants to wait an hour to play an hour. So for me, I'm waiting to pay my dues and once I really start getting paid (I'm about to become a 1st year), then Ill be able to play tennis as a I please but I admit, its been frustrating and it still is.

But with that in mind, there are a lot of things to do. I got into cycling because of NY and enhanced my soccer obsession. The great thing about NY is that if there is something you are truly passionate about, if theres a hobby you think you might want to dabble in, you will find people here who share your interests, no matter what they are and I think that is the biggest draw. You will also find the best of everything, the best food, the best shows, etc.

With that said, I've heard that satellite offices of the top firms pay very very well almost as well as their NY counterparts if you perform well so that is always an option if NY is not for you. I know plenty of people who are not into the bar/club scene though who thoroughly enjoy NY for reasons I think you'd appreciate. But yea, its not for everyone

 

Because it is the financial center of the US.

And yes, if you work in NYC, you won't have time to do anything other than work. Think about it: how many hours are there in a week? 168. How many of those will you spend working if your are a NYC Investment Banker? At least 100...sometimes 120. That is just time at the office, in front of your computer, grinding away. If you sleep for 4 hours per night, that's 28 hours, so we now have a range of 128 - 148 for just sleeping and working. This includes no time for brushing your teeth (required), showering (required), getting dressed in the morning (required), walking to work (required), shaving (required), calling your mother (optional), etc. So we need to add time for these things. Perhaps that doesn't total to 168 hours, but it may only leave a FEW hours each week. If you are like me and you sleep for four hours per night, when you get a few extra hours, you will take them to treat yourself to an extra few hours of sleep.

Investment banking could be like this in all cities, but some firms in some cities are more relaxed about face time. But I would wager that all IB firms in NYC require 100-120 hrs per week. I don't work in NYC, but it is just my take.

Throck

 
Throck:
Because it is the financial center of the US.

And yes, if you work in NYC, you won't have time to do anything other than work. Think about it: how many hours are there in a week? 168. How many of those will you spend working if your are a NYC Investment Banker? At least 100...sometimes 120.

Nobody works 100 hours a week consistently. 100 hour weeks are pretty far and few between. I was in a pretty hour-intensive group compared to the rest of the bank, I averaged probably 90. I only did 2 or 3 weeks that were anywhere near the 120 range. I was still able to go out both days of almost every weekend, and many of us would go out after work on Wednesdays and Thursdays, as well. There's definitely time to go out in NYC, even if its just for a few drinks.

 

Plenty of bankers don't like New York. There's plenty to do besides clubbing and drinking...you can find anything you can imagine here. That said, I don't like it here either. It's too noisy, too dirty, too cramped for my tastes. I don't like having to pay a ridiculous amount of rent for a tiny room in a shared apartment. That said, you answered your own question: you come to New York because it's where the jobs are at. I don't plan on living here for the rest of my life, so I bear it for a little while.

 

I absolutely hate NY and therefore took a banking position in another state. Best decision of my life. You don't have to be in the city to work at a good firm and land a good post-analyst job. The city really doesn't offer much to someone at the analyst level. Being in the "financial center of the U.S." is only important if you are out interacting with other finance professionals. The truth is, you aren't "relationship building" and therefore don't need to be within walking distance of your colleagues or clients. Unless you plan on job hopping, you don't need to be close to other banks. If your desire to work in the city is based off of professional goals, you're making a big mistake. If it is based off of personal interests, by all means live there.

As for the hours:

It is a huge misconception that bankers are consistently pulling 100 - 120 hour work weeks. While this is may be true for some workaholics or extremely intense groups, it just isn't the norm. In an ego driven industry, people have a huge tendency to over-inflate their efforts. Something in the 80 - 100 range is much more realistic, and you certainly get breaks. Bottom line: Don't believe all the hype. However, 80 - 100 isn't exactly a walk in the park ...

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

There are definitely some intangibles to working within the city as opposed to a satellite office. The only time I would recommend working in a satellite office given the choice is if it's a top 2 office in the city. Some of the advantages to being in NYC include access to business school presentations, additional training, and face to face contact with other product/industry groups. In addition to that, their staffers, group administrators, etc. will occasionally send out global emails with PE/HF positions to the analysts.

I know while I was in banking I was able to work on a big LBO that allowed me to get to know alot of the people within the sponsors group fairly well. This led to alot of emails with buyside opportunities coming into my inbox and a lot more recommendations from senior people that had close relationships with sponsors. In addition, when you meet with people from capital markets, it was face to face. I'm sure if I was ever interested in a career within ECM/DCM, converts, etc. I could talk to any of the managing directors I got to know pretty well.

 

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"I wanna Thank the Good Lord for Making me a Capitalist"
 

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------------ I'm making it up as I go along.
 

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Ad eligendi rerum saepe maxime. Nihil natus quisquam praesentium. Totam non quia nam non quisquam qui et.

 

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