New York City isnt xpensive its just Manhattan..

[Guest RushNY]

As a spin off from the "Escort Prices"thread i thought i'd stick my thoughts down on what people had been saying about my hometown.The first thing is people are making the classic mistake of equating New York with Manhattan-there are 4 other boroughs as well that make up the great city of NY.

 

U see Manhattan is the glamorous bit(!!!!!) i know but its where everyone wants to live,work,party,fuck etc thats why its one of the most expensive places to live on the PLANET.The great god Capitalism is alive and well and has Manhattan under his grasp,thats why people will pay $3,000 a month for a cupboard with no a/c thats 110 in July and 35 in January but because its in Manhattan its ok Puhleeze....Talk about theres one born every minute.

Your only hope in Manhattan of finding something half decent for less than a queens ransom is to have the magic words "rent-controlled"on your lease.

 

I live in a 3 bed-2 bath detached house in the 'burbs which is plenty big enough for me and the BF and all the junk,but if i sold it tomorrow i couldnt buy ANYTHING IN manhattan remotely habitable so im glad im in the suburbs away from the hustle and bustle,i spent 16 great years working in Manhattan but im glad im gone.

 

It does make me slightly pissed to think that because u live in Brooklyn,Bronx, Queens or SI you aint considered to be as glam but thems the breaks......end of rant back to normal now,thanks ;-)

[trilingual]

Even Manhattan doesn't have to be expensive. Real estate, of course, is ridiculous (just like here in San Francisco), but other things don't cost more than elsewhere. Obviously, Manhattan is a place to go shopping and/or dining out if cost is no object, but there are also endless places to shop and eat for prices that would be normal in Kansas City. Getting around is also relatively cheap. Bus/subway fares are reasonable, especially using the transit card, and you can walk easily to so many places (try doing that in Kansas City or L.A.). Taxi fares are also not excessive. As long as you don't want to buy or rent in Manhattan, it's perfectly manageable.

[Rod Hagen]

I gotta agree with Tri on the cheap transportation thing. It is interesting, however, how many New Yorkers, rich and poor, I know who refuse to take the train. My boyfriend lived in NYC for almost 40 years, Brooklyn and then Manhattan. Now when we go back he almost always refuses to take the train, opting instead to walk . In fact we once walked from Colombia University to Tribeca, it took 4Ever. Of course I bitched the entire trek. He says "only tourists, transients, and housekeepers ride the subway". Did I mention he's a snob? I have many other NY friends who opt to walk instead of take the train, all the while I'm protesting "But we could get on the 1 or the 2 right here and take it all the way up!???"

 

Then there are those New Yorkers who are too well-to-do, in their own minds, to even take Cabs, saying "I don't take public transportation" and instead choose to be carted around in private cars all the time. I know many people who aren't even particularly wealthy, but pretend to be terrified of the sticky backseats of Taxis. I'll admit that we take private cars to the airport (it's not much more expensive than a cab, and you don't have to "find one" the private cars come to you), and we also take a private car to the 21 Club, but only because we stop there on the way to the airport in anticipation of once again NOT being upgraded. It is illogical to order a private car, for $60, to pick you up at your place on 64th and 8th to go to dinner at DB. Walk. Or take a cab, just put a scarf under your ass.

[+ Hoover42]

That reminds me of a young co-worker of mine. He makes less than half my salary but drives a new BMW M3.

 

I live in the DC area, and public transportation here is quite good. At times, I actually prefer to take the bus or metro rather than deal with the traffic. For some reason, this annoys the hell out of him. He has told me more than once that only students and Salvadoran maids take the bus.

 

Actually, one of the reasons I like taking public transportation is that I often get to see some very hot looking guys along with the maids.

[+ Charlie]

I'm sorry, but "New York" really is Manhattan as far as even many New Yorkers are concerned. Have you never wondered why postal addresses in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens or Staten Island always use those names rather than New York? Try sending a letter to Back Bay, MA, or South Philadelphia, PA--the P.O. doesn't recognize them, but they will be very confused if you send something to someone on Flatbush Ave. in New York, NY. The consolidated city is simply an administrative convenience, not a real place.

[CT Dick]

To get back to the point, are there many escorts in the outer boroughs not charging Manhattan rates? I sure would like to see some names (other than Will St. John, who truly fits the bill).

 

Dick

[Guest Thunderbuns]

>That reminds me of a young co-worker of mine. He makes less

>than half my salary but drives a new BMW M3.

 

We all establish our own priorities, many of which are difficult if not impossible for others to understand.

 

By the way - Hoover42, are you J. Edgar's love child ? :-)

 

Thunderbuns

[Guest Thunderbuns]

>I live in a 3 bed-2 bath detached house in the 'burbs which

>is plenty big enough for me and the BF and all the junk,but

>if i sold it tomorrow i couldnt buy ANYTHING IN manhattan

>remotely habitable so im glad im in the suburbs away from

>the hustle and bustle,i spent 16 great years working in

>Manhattan but im glad im gone.

 

A friend of mine, with whom I always stay when I'm in "New York" lives in a rather exceptional "floor-through" (at least I think that's what he calls it) apartment in a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights, which he claims is every bit as expensive as Manhattan. Could this be true?

 

He says he prefers the Heights as it has more of a feel of neighborhood.

 

Thunderbuns

[+ Hoover42]

>>That reminds me of a young co-worker of mine. He makes less

>>than half my salary but drives a new BMW M3.

>

>We all establish our own priorities, many of which are

>difficult if not impossible for others to understand.

>

>By the way - Hoover42, are you J. Edgar's love child ? :-)

>

>Thunderbuns

 

Well, I was adopted, and I don't know who my real parents were. I suppose J.E. could be my real dad. Although, he would have been almost 61 years old at the time.

 

Wasn't he messing around with guys at that point?

[Guest RushNY]

There are places in some of the other boroughs Brooklyn Heights is one that are becoming fashionable and therefore more expensive simply because Manhattan is SOO expensive to rent/buy and people need to find other options personally i think Brooklyn will be the next place to get the Manhattan treatment as the transport links are good and people wont mind travelling a bit further.

 

With regards to the trains,actually they are one of the safest ways to travel now in NYC,i dunno about only trasients,maids etc there are plenty of commuters,pin stripes and all most mornings as i remember.

With regard to Hagen's trek from Harlem to Tribeca wow im surprised you didnt get mugged on the street-only joking- next time insist on the train its quicker and safer IMHO.

[ad rian]

>To get back to the point, are there many escorts in the

>outer boroughs not charging Manhattan rates? I sure would

>like to see some names (other than Will St. John, who truly

>fits the bill).

>

I think you hit the nail on the head, but of course I think the other side would reply that the outer borough guys have increased transportation costs etc. I am not sure I buy that though. As for the general issue though, yes Manhattan is expensive, but less so than when I moved here 18 months ago. Housing prices and rent prices have come down especially in the wake of 9/11 in response to increased supply and decreased demand. That being the case, once again, I don't see the basis for the increase in the costs of escorts in Manhattan (20 percent in the case of Campus) unless somebody wants to make the case for decreased supply and/or increased demand for escorts. I would have thought that the slackness in the general Manhattan economy would induce more not less escorts at lower not higher prices.

[Guest Musclebearshare]

I've lived in Manhattan on & off for 21 years - came here for college in 1980 - and steadily since 1986. In those mid-to-late '80s years when my salary was pathetic, I lived in a shares and sublets, moving three times before I could finally afford my own apartment. Each and every time I was perfectly open to living in Brooklyn, which I knew pretty well because a lot of friends lived there. And each time I ended up finding a cheaper, better deal in Manhattan. Of course, sharing & subletting is somewhat different from renting on your own, and both are very different from buying; nevertheless, you shouldn't assume that the outer boroughs always offer a better deal than Manhattan.

 

That aside, and accepting that Manhattan is on the whole much more expensive than the rest of the city, keep in mind that it's a lifestyle choice, and not one just for suckers. Frankly, at this point I'm pretty sure that if I wasn't living in Manhattan I'd have left NYC altogether. Manhattan is why I'm here, and I believe that's the case for tens of thousands of others as well. The suburbs, the region, even the East Coast (Maine excepted), have no particular hold on me - I'm a Westerner at heart and usually go west for vacations. There is so much you can do here so easily that you can't do if you don't live in the thick of it. And I'm not talking about Manhattan being "glamorous" or anything like that - it's more a question of where you fall on the spectrum of urban to rural in your preferences. I could get twice the space for less money in the Bronx, but why? The only reason would be if that was my priority. It isn't, not now, and when it is I'll move (but most likely somewhere like Portland, where I could get three times the space for half the money and still be in the city).

 

Besides, I walk EVERYWHERE...how could I do that in the outer boroughs? I put $30 on my transit card 9 months ago and still have around $5 left, and not because I take cabs or stick close to the neighborhood! (Granted, it was a mild winter...)

 

Anyway, Rush, you and your beau are always welcome to crash here if the need arises ... cramped, but cozy! And maybe you'll store a few boxes of books I'm struggling to find a place for? :7

 

Michael

[Guest Bitchboy]

Musclebearshare is correct. I choose to live in a shoebox because being in Manhattan is important to me. It's all a matter of priorities. My siblings live way out in the suburbs, own big homes, two or three cars, a couple of VCR's and watch Rambo movies constantly. I'd rather be in my "closet" than in the closet if you get my drift.

[foxy]

Walking is one of the great joys of Manhattan. Aside from being great exercise and free, it can be fast too, if you do that "NY walk" which I like to think is a block per minute. But best of all is that it's NEVER boring. I've seen more fun stuff going on in this town, the scenery changes costantly and given the right weather conditions, it's incredibly beautiful. It may be expensive to live here but you get a lot of bang for your buck. I have friends who live in upstate New York. It's very beautiful. When I visit, 3 days is all I can take. Trees, trees, trees. I really start to miss concrete. Actually it's the people on the street I miss. People in the country scare me. And they all seem to weigh 300 pounds! Whenever I meet people who say "how can you live in NY? I would never live there", I just smile and think "good, we don't really need you". You have to be brave and strong and a little twisted to live here. I like that.

[+ deej]

Walking is indeed a joy of Manhattan, but it can also be a joy in other cities.

 

When I was living/working in NJ, many of our clients were in Manhattan. I'd take a bus or train into the city, but walk the last haul from the station. I've also been in a Taxi stuck in traffic, paid him off, and hopped out to walk. It can be faster.

 

If you really want to get to know the "feel" of a city, walk.

 

I know a lot of people who are "car-bound", but I haven't had a car in over 10 years. People who are highly reliant on cars cannot imagine living without one, but it really isn't difficult in most cities. I laugh at my friend who drives the six blocks to his gym and then circles the block several times looking for parking. He probably ends up walking as far from the car as he would if he just walked to the gym in the first place.

 

But that's another lifestyle decision. If I owned a car right now, I'd spend more time looking for parking than actually going somewhere. And think of the money available to hire companions when you haven't had car payments, insurance, tags/taxes, or maintenance for 10 years! :o

 

A friend who lives in Manhattan had people amazed when he told them he only paid 750/month in rent. People were astounded because he has 5 kids and a very large apartment. He responded "Oh no! I own the condo! The rent is for my parking space!"

[Guest JON1265]

I lived in NYC last year and it was my goal to live in Manhattan. I went through a gay roommate referral service and found a place on E. 14th Street in Stuyvesant Town.

 

It was a one bedroom place and I got the bedroom, and my roomie set up shop in the living room. I paid 800 bucks a month for this set-up. It was ok for what it was.

 

NYC has a lot to offer, of course, but it also takes a lot out of a person.

 

You need a lot of travel time in NYC to get somewhere - whether you walk, taxi it, or take a subway. That can be very frustrating. And if there is traffic, the weather sucks,. or the subway breaks down - forget it.

 

NYC is a city of chaos. It attacks the five senses simultaneous and doesn't let up.

 

Everything in NYC seems to be marked up 25% - from movie tickets to groceries.

 

I have a good friend who lives on Staten Island and loves it. He is 5 minutes from the ferry and he loves that ride (nice cruisy bathrooms, too). He was paying $990 for a HUGE one bedroom apt with a gorgeous view of downtown Manahttan - the Twin Towers were visible from every window in his apt. He moved around the corner to a smaller place for $500 a month now.

 

I moved to NYC too late in life. If I was in my early 20's I could've dealt with all the chaos a lot easier I think. I was also teaching and making shit money. They are desperate for teachers up there - yet pay them wages impossible to live on in NYC.

 

NYC - for me a great place to visit and play for a few days - but I have no desire to live there again.

[Guest RushNY]

Staten Island ROCKS !!!-The guys at City Hall are finally spending money here in the 'burbs the tourists venture over on the ferry to Saint George we've even had high rises going up (boo).

 

On a different point an earlier post about us folks in the 'burbs i found shocking when someone mentioned their family the large house 2 cars etc i thought he knew me til he got to the part about watching Rambo movies-phew never watched one ,never want to :+

My secret identity is safe LOL !!!!