Random Thoughts on NYC

[BobbyThompson]

So, I've been in NYC since Thursday and I figured I'd update some of my friends in one giant swoop of my goings-on.

 

*It is so loud in my apt. Like cliche loud, as if I were shooting a movie and needed to show exterior of a city street. There are birds directly outside my window chirping horrible songs to me, and a jackhammer shortly beyond them in the distance. The only thing that could be more annoying would be if the birds themselves took to using jackhammers so I could hear it in closer proximity.

 

I started listening to Liszt's Transcendental Etudes, and while beautiful, I transcended nothing. Today's list of errands now includes "earplugs" at the top of the pile.

 

*The boys here, I simply can't keep up. NYC bars are awake until 4am! I'm used to prudent old LA that closes at 1:30 and has no afterhours.

 

Also, they seem to have a bit too much attitude. I'm like, you live in NYC, yeah, but it's a city of six-million people, it's not a "secret club". Get over it. I made a few new friends yesterday but it's kind of trial and error when it comes to these things.

 

*I always thought NYC was a behemoth, but it's quite small now that I realize. People say they're 40 blocks from me, and I am like, "That's far!!!" but it's a two minute cab ride. Cabs are lovely. I wish they were as cheap and convenient in LA, but we have our cars.

 

There's a saying in LA...a few actually. "If you live in New York and have a nice car, you have $100,000 in the bank. If you have a nice car in LA, you gathered together $600 last week and lied on your loan application." Another favorite is "You can live in your car, but you can't drive your house."

 

*Freshdirect.com - An AMAZING delivery service!!! They have wonderful cuts of meat and seafood that they season or marinate for you. Oodles of delicious gourmet cheeses. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Not only that but they deliver next day, and the prices are cheaper than ANY grocery store I've been to.

 

Alright, if there's interest I'll update as things happen :-)

Bobby Thompson in NYC

310 497-5097

[Barry]

Thanx Bobby. Your's will be an interesting perspective being an LA guy living in NYC for a while. Keep the observations coming.

 

Barry

[eastbayguy]

Bobby,

 

Enjoy your time in New York. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

 

A few points: The jackhammer operators must have a very strong union. As a very frequent New York visitor for much of my working life, seems like every day of the week, including Sunday, I'm awakened in my hotel by jackhammering. Who knew jackhammer operators did wakeup calls in addition to making holes in the streets?

 

Someone took me to a store with an urban survival sort of theme. They carried everything you needed to survive in NYC. They even had books on developing the requisite NYC attitude if you were new in town. Find one.

 

Please keep us posted on your NYC adventures. I'm *SO* jealous, I no longer have excuses to travel to NYC, and I find I miss the city.

 

--EBG

[Rick Munroe]

>I started listening to Liszt's Transcendental Etudes, and

>while beautiful, I transcended nothing.

 

I find that "Connie Francis Sings Jewish Favorites," cranked up really loud as if it were "The Who Live at Leeds," works everytime. Track 8 ("My Yiddishe Momme") really rocks the temple. :+

 

>Also, they seem to have a bit too much attitude.

 

Really? Most visitors usually remark that we New Yorkers are friendly and down-to-earth. Maybe you've been meeting L.A. transplants...

[jackhammer91406]

But we got along so well....

 

Nothing like stating the obvious, but I got the impression you thought I was OK the few times we met in L.A. Imagine my disappointment when you declared you hated jackhammer. My feelings are SOOO hurt. heheh.

Sorry the noise is causing you problems. I will try to be more quiet.

 

I may be making a return visit to the Big Apple in July. so perhaps if you are still there, I can show you just how quiet a F__K I can be. :+

[BgMstr4u]

RE: But we got along so well....

 

Ahhhh, the noise, the noise!

 

After three years in New York City I notice the noise... when it stops. The other night I woke up at 3 am and there was absolutely nothing. For more than 30 minutes. No cars. No car alarms. No loud music from ghetto blasters. No sirens. No garbage trucks. No cackles from the crackheads sharing their wisdom, mutual regard and harmless levity at the tops of their voices in front of the dealer's apartment across the street. Nothing.

 

I was afraid. Very afraid. Like... did they evacuate the city and I was the only one who didn't get the message? I turned on the radio to see if something had happened, and I could only get to sleep after I had checked the Drudge Report to be sure -- if aliens had swept into Manhattan and left only those sleeping soundly in their beds, he would surely headline it.

 

Then some jerk parked outside the window and, in the timeless tribal fashion of his kind, began to scream at the top of his voice for whoever he was picking up for work at 4:00 am. Salvation. All was well. I could sleep again.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

NY versus LA

 

When I first visited New York City, I simply thought it was a great deal like San Francisco: only much more crowded, much expensive and much, much, much more dirtier. However, between Los Angeles and Manhattan (or, for that matter, the other borroughs), the differences are much greater, starting with the fact that people walk, take public transit, that there are very distinct and vibrant neighborhoods and that it is a far more urban environment.

 

One my trip last year, what I remember the most is the business open all night and the local grocery stores, often a number to each block. I tend to walk a lot in Los Angeles, which makes me unusual to my friends here, but I also remember walking a great deal in New York. The food was better, too, although it was hard to get certain low fat, low carb alternatives I had come to expect, such as brown rice rather than the more starchy white.

[Guest rohale]

RE: NY versus LA

 

When I was 22 yrs old I had lived in Los Angeles for two years to complete my junior and senior at university. When college was finally over, I had been under enormous pressure. Having to maintain good grades, having numerous jobs to pay for my education. Not liking the lifestyle that LA had to offer. Spending time in Europe was the perfect antedote. I was only supposed to stay for a short period of time. I ended spending nine months. Towards the end of my stay, I had to decide what direction I wanted my life to go in. To my father's disappointment, I decided to return to the States. I came back to California, stayed for two weeks and announced to my friends that it was time for me to move on. It came as a complete shock. Before anyone had the chance to talk me out of it. I left and decided to travel. A friend of mine who at the time was living in New York convinced myself to try spending a few days up in the big apple and see how I felt about it. He even convinced me that it was a lot like London. My first impression of NYC was mind boggling. I had never in my life seen so many tall buildings. I was astonished and in the process NYC captured an essence in my heart that has never gone away. I fell in love with the city almost instantly. Within two weeks I got a full time job for an investment firm. I left my friend's place. I decided to look for a place of my own. We even went to the building where we were told that David Letterman was living in. We were told that he even had a say in selecting tenants. I thought it was weird but who would argue otherwise. We found a really good three bedroom not too far from the world trade center was and it was also within walking distance of the company that I was working for. One of my roomates who I had known in college was a musician up in the big apple and in demand. He convinced me to work in his jazz band as his piano player. We worked in three different clubs average on a weekly basis. I had a regular 8-5 job and this gig to complete the evenings. I truly was having the time of my life. Some of my friends came to visit from California and they loved it. Especially my best buddy Mike who has spent his entire life by the Pacific Ocean. Even at one point he thought of moving, but then changed his mind. Surfing was a priority and he wasn't prepared to give it up. I perfectly understood his position. Another interesting aspect was that NYC was only a five hour flight from London and Paris. That was very cool and I took advantage of it whenever I could. I lived in the big apple for three years and I never really had a dull moment. There was always something to see and do. The nightlife was fantastic and going to some of those rave parties were awesome. The culture centers of New York are fantasic.

 

My life changed when I was offered a job in Chicago at the age of 26 and it was something I couldn't refuse. It was a very a tough decision to make to leave NYC and head in the direction of the windy city. As much as I liked Chicago, my passion for New York was still stronger. I met my last girlfriend in Chicago and the highlight of my time. In 2000, I was getting ready to return to NYC and suddenly there was intense pressure from some family members to come back to southern california. After sometime I reluctantly agreed but moved to Burbank for a short period of time. My girlfriend gave up her life in Chicago and accompanied me. We both hated it and I was glad to move to San Diego. In the process things fell apart and earlier this year I moved to a city that is on the coast and I'm quite happy where Iam. What's funny is that LA is the furthest thing from my mind. I may wan't a change of pace in my life later this year or sometime next year and one of the places that I'm toying with is going back to New York and perhaps spend more than three years up there. As Frank Sinatra's hit signature song " New York, New York, Start Spreading The News ". That song to me sums up what life in NYC is all about.

 

Rohale

[pierrot]

Bobby,

One of the secrets of living in NYC is that you MUST get an apartment on the back of the building, not the street side. I'm noise sensitive too, and I learned that the hard way many years ago.

[btmstudnyc]

Please keep updating. I love to hear Tourists' spin on the city.

 

As for the "attitude"

 

Most Natives or long timers are usually very friendly. The transplants and the tourists are usually the ones with attitude...Like I owe them something. I think its funny that people go into SPLASH (SBNY) and say...."those Chelsea boys have so much attitude." Meanwhile....back at the ranch....hardly anyone from Chelsea goes there...even the bartenders are from Jersey or Long Island...with a few from Manhattan.

 

New Yorkers love self-confidence. They will always talk to you if you approach them in the right way.

 

Come say HI to me....I'll give you some NY attitude....I'll pinch your ass and say...Damn! How is that for attitude.

JIM

[HooBoy]

Rick Munroe's response about New Yorkers:

 

<Most visitors usually remark that we New Yorkers are friendly and down-to-earth. Maybe you've been meeting L.A. transplants...>

 

Bobby,

 

New Yorkers are down-to-earth and they will mirror whatever attitude you exude -- when I first relocated there (in my 20's) I, too, was amazed that it *is* a very small town in a huge city.

 

Just go with the flow and ignore the assholes -- as you know, assholes are everywhere, but in my opinion, the people in New York are much more real than the assholes you left behind -- as Rick so simply and eloquently stated.

 

IMHO

[Candyman]

Bobby-if the noise is to much for you then just start doing incalls at your apartment. I'm sure that the moans will drown out the noise from the birds and for the jackhammer noise I don't need to tell you what to do.

It could be worse you could live below Rick and Derek. Just think of what those sounds must be like

 

}(

[LovesYng]

>Bobby-if the noise is to much for you then just start doing

>incalls at your apartment. I'm sure that the moans will drown

>out the noise from the birds and for the jackhammer noise I

>don't need to tell you what to do.

>It could be worse you could live below Rick and Derek. Just

>think of what those sounds must be like

>

>}(

 

I think that would be "DAMN HOT" living under Rick & Derek. I would have my tape recorder on so I have something to listen to on those long lonely nights :9

 

When in doubt I whip it out :+

[KY_TOP]

>

>Alright, if there's interest I'll update as things happen :-)

 

Bobby,

 

Please continue with your updates, cool to see your take on NYC. As someone from a Border/Southern State I also took note of the noise of NYC. In fact during last year's blackout the resulting unusual quiet of the city, even the infamous taxi horns were silent, is what still stands out in my mind.

 

Enjoy your stay.

[foxy]

I found that after the first two years of living in NYC you hardly notice the noise. Also running the air conditioning 24/7 helps.

It will be interesting to see if the Mayor's anti-noise crack down works. Hey, he stopped smoking in bars, so that must mean anything is possible.

[+ deej]

>Alright, if there's interest I'll update as things happen

 

There's definitely interest. NYC is one of my "homes away from home" so I always enjoy hearing how someone reacts to it.

 

As much as I love the raw energy of the city, there's always a measure of relief in leaving it while at the same time you can't wait to get back.

[Rick Munroe]

>the people in New

>York are much more real than the assholes you left behind --

>as Rick so simply and eloquently stated.

 

I was eloquent? Wow; thanks. I know my posts are usually simple but that's because I type with my two index fingers while staring at the keyboard. Anything longer than a paragraph and I need a nap.

[Rick Munroe]

>you could live below Rick and Derek. Just

>think of what those sounds must be like

 

It does get really noisy here, between Derek's primal grunts while he's thrusting it in, and my orgasmic moans and groans (I guess I'm a hairy, white masculine Donna Summer). But it's wasted on our downstairs neighbor, who is 80+ and very hard-of-hearing.

[Rick Munroe]

>I think that would be "DAMN HOT" living under Rick &

>Derek.

 

We love being on top of a guy so that would be fun for us, too. }(

[jimbeaux]

I'm proud to be a New York asshole. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[jimbeaux]

I'm proud to be a New York asshole. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Rick Munroe]

>I'm proud to be a New York asshole.

 

But I'll always think of you as an ass-eater (a talented one at that). }(

[Rick Munroe]

>I'm proud to be a New York asshole.

 

But I'll always think of you as an ass-eater (a talented one at that). }(

[jimbeaux]

Ah, Rick, some things just beg for attention, and who am I to ignore them. If one has talent, one must use it. Say hi to Derek for me! Two asses in one household are almost too much to ask for!;-)