I meant to post this a while ago, but it's even more relevant now, given my recent decision to stay in NYC for the foreseeable future. This city has really grown on me, and especially now, during my second autumn in the Village, it's starting to feel a bit like home. So without further ado:
1. Public Transportation
I can't emphasize this point enough. The public transportation options in New York City really are phenomenal, especially for somebody like me who hates driving, hates dealing with traffic, and hopes to never have to own a car. It was rough at first trying to learn how to navigate the city, particularly because I carried over expectations that the MTA would be like the London Tube, where everything connected to everything and one could just find a subway stop and go anywhere, but once I got lost a few times because of this assumption, I started to actually learn how to use the MTA. Turns out, it's not terribly hard to learn, and it is so, so convenient and accessible. I love being able to go all over Manhattan and Brooklyn at nearly all hours of the day, and better yet, I love the wait times. I joke that New Yorkers consider waiting 10 minutes for the next subway to be a long wait, where in Seattle, arriving at a bus stop coincidentally within 10 minutes of the next bus would have counted as a lucky day. I love not having to meticulous coordinate bus schedule, and just being able to figure out routes and leave at any time. It's also nice to avoid the above-ground traffic.
2. Bagel Shops
Pretty self-explanatory. I love bagels with lots of toppings. I didn't find that many bagel shops (with the toppings bar) in Seattle, aside from the Bean and Bagel on the Ave (my favorite there being a poppy seed with smoked salmon, avocado, and red onions). I love ordering a bagel sandwich with an array of toppings, and my current favorite shop is Bagels on the Square, which is only a five-minute walk from Vanderbilt Hall, where I can pick a bagel and opt to put goodies on it such as smoked salmon, banana peppers, teriyaki chicken, jalapeños, and the list of toppings goes on. When the weather was warmer, I enjoyed getting a bagel from Bagels on the Square and eating it in the park. Looking forward to doing that again (if) it ever gets warmer.
3. Late Night Food (and food delivery!)
When I was at UW, late-night food options were pretty scare. After 9:00, only a handful of restaurants were open. After 10 or 11, I was pretty much regulated to a few options, and I got pretty tired of them. In comparison, the number of restaurants and delis that stay open, and even deliver, past 9:00 PM astounds me. Even Starbucks here stays open until 11 PM! Particularly because I tend to be a night owl in terms of my sleep schedule, I love being able to walk out to get food late at night. Also, it's just so nice to be able to get actual food after evening movies, drinks, theater shows, wandering around, etc. I recently discovered that there is a Thai restaurant on St. Marks that stays open past midnight. Good to know for finals week. Good to know.
4. Museums
They're everywhere, and all very impressive. My favorite is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (and Medieval Cloisters). The amount of art in the Metropolitan collection is astounding. I'm blown away by how many famous pieces I find in there, my favorite being their collection of Degas ballerina paintings and Egyptian exhibit. When I went in 2012, I also enjoyed their fashion exhibit comparing/featuring the works of Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada. I also liked the MoMA and I still have plenty of museums left to explore.
5. Performing Arts
This city reigns supreme for the caliber of their performing arts. From rush tickets on Broadway, to student tickets at the Metropolitan opera, I love having so many options and world-class performances nearby. Also, so many different productions going on at once! It's also nice that NYU also gives out occasional discount tickets, so I get pretty frequent chances to take advantage of the performing arts here at fairly wallet-friendly prices. So far, I've gotten rush tickets to "Phantom of the Opera" and "Chicago", I've seen a handful of Met productions (The Enchanted Island, Wozzeck, Werther, La Boheme, The Magic Flute, and Carmen), and gone to Avery Fisher Hall for symphony concerts. I can't emphasize this point enough - in weighing the costs/benefits to staying in NYC, this was one of the biggest personal draws for me.
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