the good and the bad of NYC

if you haven't already figured it out from the title of my blog, i absolutely love New York City! i loved living here, and i miss it a lot.

i admit, there are both good and bad things about NYC.

the bad: the freezing winters with temperatures dropping to the single digits (farenheit). the winter windchill that hits you and chills you to the bone. walking through dirty gray slush after the sidewalk snow has been trampled on. the hot and humid summers. the disgustingly dirty and stuffy, non-ventilated subway stations complete with rodents scurrying around on the tracks. the abrupt and sometimes rude attitude of some people that i've encountered. rising safety and crime issues. the ridiculously expensive pricetag on everything from food to taxi to rent (NYC is one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. to live in).

the good: the beautiful skyline and architecture of the buildings and bridges throughout the city (my favorites are the Chrysler Building and the Brooklyn Bridge). the uniquely different character of each neighborhood (some of my favorite neighborhoods to stroll around are the West Village, East Village, SoHo, and Meatpacking District). the convenience of public transportation and being able to get around on my own anywhere in the 5 boroughs (gotta love the subway and bus system). the abundance and diversity of restaurants. the happening nightlife. the overall energy of the city even at 2am. Central Park (one of my favorite places in the city to hang out in). the trendiness and fashion-consciousness of people here (i like it because i can see what's stylish and it discourages me from dressing like a slob. haha). the many museums, art galleries, Broadway shows, dance and musical performances, live bands, and plays available throughout the year, especially the free outdoor summer events like Shakespeare in the Park. my relatives and friends who live here. NY is where i was born, and for me, that gives it a special place in my heart (sounds cheesy, but it's true).

some people have said to me that they would hate to live in NYC because it's too fast-paced or for other reasons similar to those that i have listed under "bad".
i guess for me, the "good" outweighs the "bad".