We’re officially back in New York for the foreseeable future and I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Yes, I love traveling and summer is always more fun outside of the city. But as soon as fall comes around, I love settling back into our groove and enjoying everything here in the city.
Fashion Week came and went and as tons of people flocked to New York for the festivities, it really got me thinking about how different it is to live here now vs. just be a visitor. I remember many moons ago when I too would come into town for NYFW and always wondered what it was like for those girls who lived here. For me, the things that used to be exciting about coming here are just the tip of the iceberg in what makes New York an incredible place to live.
Truth be told there are days when I love living in New York and plenty of days where I kind of hate living here. On the way back to the city from Martha’s Vineyard this summer we were chatting with some of our good friends about all of the reasons we love living here and getting to call this crazy place home. Some of these you really can’t experience unless you’re really in it for the long haul and some you can probably still feel even if you’re just visiting.
1. The Seasons
You get a real taste of all 4 seasons (whether you like it or not) and my favorite thing about living here might be fall in New York. It’s really one of the most beautiful times of year to be here and after long hot summers is a nice beautiful break before that dreaded word: winter.
2. FOOD (and variety of cuisines)
Between all of the different neighborhoods and restaurant turnover, there are enough restaurants here to keep you eating and trying new cuisines for 10, 20+ years. It’s quite literally an endless supply of delicious food surrounding you at all times.
3. Access to weekend trips
There are so many great places you can quickly and easily visit on the weekend – the Hamptons, upstate hiking or camping, trips to Newport, Maine, CT, Jersey Shore, etc. They’re all a short drive or train away and really make living here feel less entrapping, especially in the summer months when it’s scorching.
4. Diversity
Everyday I look around and see people of different ethnicities, shapes, sizes and colors. It’s one of the greatest melting pots in the world and one of the rare places I’ve ever lived where there’s so much diversity around you at all times. It’s one of the things I’m most grateful for about the city.
5. Sports
I have an always will be a huge sports fan. I grew up watching a lot of football (Texas forever) and I still enjoy it today. There are so many sports teams in the greater New York area that play in some of the most iconic of venues. My favorite sports memory here to date was the first New York Rangers game I went to at Madison Square Garden with MG for his birthday.
6. The energy of the city and how you can actually feel it
There’s a noticeable shift after Labor Day. All of a sudden you can feel the buzz of energy around the city pick up – it’s something I’ve never experienced anywhere else and is so palpable if you live here. For better or worse it’s easy to feed off of that energy here.
8. You’re surrounded by ambition
It doesn’t matter what industry you’re a part of – everyone here is driven and ambitious. It’s also contagious when you see and hear about people doing so much with what they have and making something out of nothing. Have you ever been to a workout class where the people on either side of you are focused and crushing it? It always makes me push myself harder and similarly I feel like that sense of ambition and will rubs off on those around you.
9. It’s always changing
I think one of the reasons that I love taking photos around the city and trying new places is because you never know how long they’ll be there. There are always new restaurants popping up, new places to go and things to see. Sure, there are the old faithfuls but after your first year or two here you’re usually looking for the niche places to call your own. Most recently we’ve loved exploring the Seaport and how much work they’ve put into it. It’s so different from the first time I went down in my first year of living here.
10. You can still do you own thing
As hectic and magnetic as New York can be, I’ve learned after 3 years here that you can make your own world within it. You definitely have to learn to set up some walls and boundaries in order to do so (i.e. planning out nights for yourself to relax or do things you enjoy), but it’s pretty crazy how different everyone’s lives here can be. In Chicago (more or less) I felt like we all had different jobs but so many people I met and knew for the most part lived very similar lives there. Here, there’s a tiny fraction of a percent of people who I think would fit my description of what my life here is like. There’s always the possibility of spontaneity, but it can be on your own terms.
For those of you who have lived here or visited, what are your favorite things about New York?