New York City Is the best city in the world.
View from Domino Park.
I’ve never been to Paris, I’ve never been to London, I’ve never even been to L.A. or Chicago. In my 27 years, I haven’t had the opportunity to see a lot of the world - and yes I plan to change that soon. But even if I never got to see a new city again, I know for a goddamn fact that New York City is the best city in the world.
Everything you’ve ever heard is true: It’s overcrowded, there’s crazy people, and every other corner smells like a bucket of ass. Everything is expensive, and if you want to live here, you will be in way over your head financially (unless you have someone paying for everything). Nothing about this city makes a whole lot of sense, and it’s harder than you think to come across people who understand why you would want to be here. But the magic comes when you meet someone else who gets it.
I haven’t been here that long, but this city has given me more than I could ever ask for. Opportunity, struggle, growth, good food, relationships, etc. (not so much in the love department tho).
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the city will give you back exactly how much you put into it… oh and that every f****ng cocktail is 20 dollars
My first Yankees game in YEARS
As much as I’m telling you I love this city, I spent a majority of this last week resenting it a bit. It’s tough to find work, getting an apartment is impossible, and I can’t walk outside without spending 100 dollars. The city made me feel really, REALLY small this week, and I questioned why I gave up everything to be in this damn place. But as soon as you start feeling beat up, questioning everything, this place will give you something back in return for your troubles.
After a shitty week, I had maybe one of the best weekends of my life. It started out with a casual night out with a friend, we just wanted to grab a drink and catch up a bit. The bar we wanted to go to was packed, so we went down the block and walked into the first empty bar we saw (spoiler: this is how every good night starts). It was an upscale looking place on Christopher Street called The Red Paper Clip, I’ve walked past this place like 100 times and never had a reason to go in until now. The night starts out with small talk with the bartender… and then we’re talking about our favorite drinks… and then we’re getting free drinks… and then we’re talking about life and hanging out with the staff, learning all about their lives and journeys… and then we all go out for drinks and I’m shitfaced with the head chef.
Will never get tired of how the city looks at night.
The next night, I decide to go back out to grab a beer and watch some football alone. It’s been a long day of fighting a hangover and melting into the couch, all I want to do is to sit down with a beer and overpriced chicken tenders and go nonverbal… therapeutic, I know. There’s a dive bar in The West Village that I’ve never been to, and I figured I would go and give it a shot. I walked in, found myself a seat at the bar and shut the hell up. Let me tell you this bar is straight out of The Twilight Zone, some of the craziest characters you will find anywhere, it felt like a shitty hometown bar from somewhere in the middle of Iowa was placed in Lower Manhattan. After some time, I’m trying to wrap up my last beer without spewing it right back at the bartender and get my ass home, and then this older guy comes and sits next to me at the bar.
We start the small talk, and then we get to having a proper chat. He’s a medical professional who was born and raised in NYC, turns out it was his first time at this bar as well: 30+ years of walking and driving past this bar, and this was the night he finally stopped in. Long story short, I felt like I was looking into the future talking to this guy, it was awesome, and exactly what I needed. We’re cracking jokes about the absolute nut jobs in this bar, talking about our experiences dating in NYC (overall not good), and he even turned out to be a watch enthusiast as well. He goes “let me know if you need a drink, I don’t mind… I’m rich” I go “you didn’t grow up with money did you?” To which he said no, he’s self made. It was somehow obvious that this guy was self made, we had a good talk about what it takes to make it in a city that constantly beats the shit out of you, and then finished up the night with a shot with one of the regulars who was drunk off her ass, and had a dog who wouldn't shut the hell up.
Sick G Wagon in SoHo
So yeah, that’s why I think NYC is the best city in the world. One week you’re questioning it all, and then all of a sudden you’re getting drinks with the exact person or people you needed to run into in that moment. Idk, it’s weird and I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the world where something like this can happen.
Didn't mean to make this article into a diary but who cares, a good story is a good story. Someone might enjoy it.