I Heart NY

There’s a new book out I saw on a morning news program – 101 Reasons to Leave New York.  I get it – most New Yorker’s do – that at one time or another we contemplate the notion of getting the hell out of here…away from the crowds, the noise, the constant barrage of life unfolding.

But my immediate response was the opposite – 101 Reasons to Stay in New York.  I scribbled notes.  I love this city – and want to defend her insanity.  I’m writing this book.

1.  It’s 3am and I need glue.
 Can you say that in Idaho?  Let’s say I’m working on building my kid’s dollhouse or my heel just broke off my favorite shoes and I want to wear them to work in the morning.  I can stroll out my door and find a store open with glue.  I can find a bar, a club, a deli, a gourmet restaurant and a train station all open at 3am.  It’s not the end of the night here…it’s the dawn of a new day.

2.  Raise your hand if you’re drunk.
You’re out for drinks with colleagues and some friends text you to meet them downtown.  You continue your night, fueling yourself with greasy bar snacks and one too many shots of Patron.  You’re tired and have to get up in the morning for a 9:30 conference call.  So what do you do?  Raise your hand, you’re drunk….and hail a cab.  Slur your words to the driver (he’s used to it) and find yourself tucked in bed in a jiffy. 

3.  Dress codes are for sissy’s.
When it comes to dressing the part, nobody does it like New York.  From tutu’s to tata’s, whatever you feel like baring gets bared.  Style is a matter of taste and culture.  One person’s fashion faux pas is another’s fashion trend.  And we’ve seen it all here – from the Naked Cowboy in his tightie whities in Times Square to Lady Gaga’s meat dress.  But I still don’t get the hip urban pants being held up by the belt around the knees look…I guess the penguin walk is in.

4.  You actually live here!
It is impressive.  When you tell someone outside of New York that you live here, it’s usually met with “Really, that’s cool.”  You ARE cool.  You live in one of the greatest cities in the world.  You walk down these streets, go to work, raise your kids, brave the seasons and come in contact with perhaps thousands of people every day.  Give yourself a pat on the back.

5.  Everywhere else is cheap
Happy hour prices are the like hitting the lottery – did you say only $5 for that beer?  $8 for that glass of wine?  Wow, when did I get so lucky?  The high cost of living in New York gives us a strong appreciation for everything cheap.  The mortgage on our studio apartment is equivalent to owning a small mansion in the midwest.  The cost of a can of PAM cooking spray in D’Agostino’s is the same as an all-you-can-eat buffet in Redding, Pennsylvania.  Taking your family out to dinner anywhere outside of New York is less than a full day’s pay.  When I go to Virginia, I have this strong urge to shout out at the diner, “Hey everyone, your grilled cheese is on me!”

More reasons to come….