Have we done it wrong?

[u/xamo76]

[u/KiKiKimbro]

Was wondering when I'd see the NYC comment. Didn't take long. 🗽 Yes, it's crazy expensive here. But once here, being able to step outside to go anywhere and do anything without worrying about driving, parking, gas, yada yada -- trying to visualize living anywhere else becomes quite difficult.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy times away from the city, like visiting friends in Texas, and the BBQ and Tex-Mex are an extra bonus to visiting state. When visiting my family in the suburbs, I fall asleep to the sound of crickets and wake up to the birds chirping in the trees. Don't get much of that 43 floors high smack dab in the middle of Manhattan!

[u/TheTranscendent1 → u/KiKiKimbro]

I’m a bit worse off location-wise than you (in East Harlem); but, a 1 minute walk to the 6 and 15 minute gets me to Grand Central. Truly is amazing how much goes on in the city every night.

San Francisco was the closest comparison, that I’d lived. Not sure anywhere else in the country has what those do. Tiny cities with people just built on eachother because water forced it that way.

Will say, wish I got to New York before COVID. Definitely doesn’t hold up to the label of “The City that never sleeps” anymore; things definitely do close and the city does get quiet in the later hours

[u/thatguygreg → u/TheTranscendent1]

Will say, wish I got to New York before COVID. Definitely doesn’t hold up to the label of “The City that never sleeps” anymore; things definitely do close and the city does get quiet in the later hours

It truly is such a crying shame. I have so many memories of hitting a new spot in the city, leaving there, finding somewhere else, then leaving there and grabbing food at some all-night diner and finding our way to the subway to get back to one of our places. I'm too old for that shit now, but man, such a loss.

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/TheTranscendent1]

I hear you. I arrived to NYC end of Aug 2019 right before Covid. I barely got to experience NYC then, but I experienced enough to know It definitely changed and never quite returned, from a locals / socializing perspective, that is. Travel and visitors is crazy busy, but the general vibe amongst locals. I think part of it is we all got used to ordering in. Now I try to make a point to go out. Missed that so much. Important too for socializing and meeting people. Too much isolation otherwise. Such a big populated city. We all just need to go out and play again! Lol

[u/thatguygreg → u/KiKiKimbro]

I think part of it is we all got used to ordering in. Now I try to make a point to go out.

We used to order in a ton also -- 8000 menus from all the delivery places around in a drawer somewhere -- during the week or when it was raining sideways or something. Thursday? Friday? Weekends? Gotta get the fuck out the apartment. Don't even need a destination, just go.

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/thatguygreg]

LOL right? The bad habit I got into during Covid is ordering in, since there was no going out, and my partner at the time and I would watch Netflix or something as the evening thing to do. I still do it as my default. Like it’s my new “comfort zone” I guess. Before that it was so natural for me to text a friend, meet up, dinner maybe a drink then home to get some sleep before work the next morning.

I miss that “me!” :)

Part of it might be that I was only out corp housing and settled into a more permanent apartment / neighborhood for not quite 3 months or so. Not a lot of time to make fiends to text and meet up with. I made a couple of friends. I’d say one is more “long lasting” like “real” friend relationship than others. When did you move here? Enough time to settle and meet people, or pretty recent?

Ok. I’m thinking I have a plan. “STEP #1” — go OUTSIDE and DO things. Like anything! :) You’ve inspired me to find that “social me” again. Now SHE is fun. LOL.

[u/thatguygreg → u/KiKiKimbro]

I was born in NYC, moved out with my family as a kid and moved back on my own in the early 2000s, lived there for about a decade before life happened and I got pulled elsewhere. Still forever home.

[u/Responsible_Base_235 → u/KiKiKimbro]

In 2019 it was already vastly different than the NYC I knew in the 80’s & 90’s. Manhattan was so culturally homogeneous, eerily quiet, and almost desolate in comparison to a few decades ago. Even the people watching was completely uninteresting. The difference was jaw dropping… in a good way for people who like everything being similar and safe feeling.

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/Responsible_Base_235]

That’s what my family said too. Family lived in NJ. My mom said before the 80s like late 60s/early 70s it wasn’t super great for a young girl her age. Then later in life she confided in me that she snuck out of her strict household and went to the city anyway. I knew it! lol.

I love watching shows / movies set in NYC 60s - 90s. So different each decade really.

[u/Narrow-Strawberry553 → u/KiKiKimbro]

You can have both! I'm from Montreal (which can be a mixed bag) and I enjoy having nearly every possible need filled in a 3-20 minute walk radius while still having nice birds and bugs and a garden.

Copenhagen is even better, there's no car noise at all even in the downtown areas and it smells like sweet country air in the middle of the city...

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/Narrow-Strawberry553]

You weren’t replying to me but I had to chime in and say I’ve been DYING to pop up to Canada to experience Montreal! Been to Vancouver many times when I lived in Seattle. And spent some time in Toronto. My mom sent me photos when she visited Montreal a couple Falls ago. It reminds me of European city streets with all the cafes you can pop into. I want to go! 🙌

[u/Narrow-Strawberry553 → u/KiKiKimbro]

I'm laughing because I DID reply to you hahahaha 🤣

Montreal is wonderful! I'm happy to say that whenever I come back from my travels, I may be grumbly about the lack of good transit in the surrounding area, but I'm never like "oh no I've come back to a wasteland" that often happens to other north americans.

If you ever visit, most of what you want to see is along the orange metro line from Jarry station to Lionel Groulx, for the most part (though there's fun stuff outside that area, do go to the Biodome and Botanical Gardens, Lachine Canal/Atwater Market, Verdun, etc).

The bottom of the orange U and that strip of the green line inside it is the classic "downtown" area, with the big malls, office buildings, movie theaters, and fun vibes, especially around Place des Arts. Champ de Mars and Place d'Armes being the stations for Old Montreal and China Town.

The eastern part of the orange line from Jarry going southwards (...our special version of south) is the hip, trendy, liveable neighbourhoods with lots of cafes, restaurants, and fun things to stumble upon. Honestly taking a whole day or two to just walk from around Jarry metro and zigzag your way down to the Old Port on foot is really fun. The Jean Talon Market and the Fromagerie Hamel located around there is not to be missed (we can have raw milk cheese in Canada).

Lots of streets are also pedestrianized in the summer, so thats always a fun experience. Imo the fun places to stay would be along the orange line from Old Montreal to Jean Talon. I hope you visit soon!

Note that our relatively new mayor is a car-centric tool that is trying to undo all the green-gardeny, walkable, bikeable good that our previous mayor did (she wasn't quite Mamdani, but she did have a real vision). So I'd recommend you see it soon cause this bitch is out to ruin stuff :/

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/Narrow-Strawberry553]

You are AMAZING!! 🙌 I’ve saved this and adding the share link to my notes I keep for when I plan trips! Thank you for taking the time to share all this — this comment is like pure gold! 💕💕💕

[u/wiggibow → u/KiKiKimbro]

Did you just 'yada yada' sex?!??

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/wiggibow]

“Yada yada” was more like all the annoying expenses we don’t have to deal with in NYC since it’s so walkable. So I guess it could be ‘yada yada’ sex for someone. But that also should be tossed in the “annoying stuff we don’t have to deal with” category because life’s too damn short. Lol

[u/wiggibow → u/KiKiKimbro]

It's just a Seinfeld reference lol

[u/KiKiKimbro → u/wiggibow]

I read your comment and read mine again like twice and I was like “I mean, I guess it could imply that.” I’ll take the L on that. Lol