NYC Advice

[civil]

Barring any catastrophe I'll be starting school in Fall 2011 and the missus and I are packing our bags and moving to the Big Apple (our time frame is January - March 2011 depending on a lease extension at our current place). I used to know people that lived in the city, but my ex-wife kept that group of friends and so I'm heading into this somewhat blind. My fiancee knows some people as well but we're still asking the advice of everyone we know (IRL and IDL) that either lives or has lived in NYC.

Some relevant info: I'll be attending Columbia but know that realistically Manhattan is out of the question (unless we go to the Upper Upper Upper West Side). We're open to pretty much any of the boroughs, but frankly Staten Island and the Bronx seem like either a PITA or...well, a death wish (purely media experience though). That leaves Manhattan, Queens or Brooklyn as our three most likely boroughs. But as I said I have no personal experience with the Bronx. I threw out the idea of Jersey City (which I actually really like) early on, but her attitude is that if we're moving out there we're living in NYC and I agree.

All that said, we narrowed our billions of questions to these and I'm hoping some of you will have some good advice on any/all of them. As I stated, we're not moving for another 10-12 months but the planning is beginning so I'll be bumping this throughout the year as things come up. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer.


How far in advance do landlords tend to advertise for apartments?
Does this change in the winter when fewer people are moving?
What kinds of fees should we expect when renting (credit check, agency fees, etc)?
Where can we find cheap places to rent from other than Craig's List?
Which neighborhoods should we absolutely avoid?
Which neighborhoods are undiscovered gems?
Do we have choices with utilities?
If so, recommendations for electric, internet, etc?

[Ink Asylum]

I've only lived in one apartment in NYC, so I have limited input on a lot of these questions, but I'll answer what I can when I get home.

In the meantime, enjoy this gem. Nate Silver, famed stat junkie from fivethirtyeight.com, did some research helped put together an applet for New York magazine. (http://nymag.com/realestate/neighborhoods/2010/65355/) you can move around some sliders about what's important to you and it will rank recommended neighborhoods to fit those criteria.

Because it's for New York magazine it has a bit of a hipster bias, but I still find it useful. I'll likely be moving to a smaller place this fall and it's inspired me to check out Park Slope and the Lower East Side.

[DoctorFinger]

There's a train from Penn Station which will get you to Columbia in about 15-20 minutes. So theoretically anyplace which has a train which goes into Penn Station - and that includes all of Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island and much of North Jersey - is an easy commute. If you want suburban living, you have The Island and Jersey, both of which can be pricey to rent, but not as bad as Manhattan.

If you want urban, then there are two places I love. First is the lower east side. You won't get a ton of space, but there are some gems there, particularly in the area formerly known as Alphabet City. Second is the central part of Queens around Queens Blvd: Rego Park, Forest Hills, Corona, Woodside. A million different ethnic 'hoods all mashed together.

[Ink Asylum]

Since playing around with that applet I posted I've definitely started fantasizing about living in the Lower East Side for a couple years. I just need to see what the space/price ratio is before I start seriously looking. I don't need a ton of space but I don't want to pay $1500 for a shoebox.

[DoctorFinger]

The area around the South Street Seaport is one of my favorites, but I have no idea how much it costs.

[Ten19]

The area around the South Street Seaport is one of my favorites, but I have no idea how much it costs.

Some apartments near the Seaport run about $4000/mo for a one bedroom. YMMV, of course. I'll be living in that area in the Fall. :D

[civil]

Thanks Ink for the link - apparently despite my assertions I do belong in Manhattan. Oy. And yeah, any advice you can dole out will be much appreciated. Especially when it comes to renting apartments.

Doc, I'd love Lower East Side but...well, I think we'd need a miracle to find a great place there. Those neighborhoods you mentioned in Queens will be on my radar to investigate.


EDIT: Ten19, you're moving from Philly to NYC? Oddly, Philly was our other choice (I also got into Penn). In the end, NYC and Columbia won out.

[Ten19]

EDIT: Ten19, you're moving from Philly to NYC? Oddly, Philly was our other choice (I also got into Penn). In the end, NYC and Columbia won out.

You chose... wisely. I personally have grown to really hate Philadelphia and have been really falling in love with NYC (at least, the parts I've seen and stayed in, a list that grows every time I visit). Penn's campus is alright (I can speak from excessive personal experience), but the city surrounding it is dirty, apathetic, and lacks the wide diversity found in New York.

[civil]

Woo hoo! I love internet validation!

My fiancee was really into Philly. There were many discussions and pros/cons lists.

[TheManEatingCow]

Does your program not allow for graduate housing? Columbia has an off campus registry to look for sublets, but if you're still 10 months away from enrolling, then that may not be an option.

WRT the Nate Silver thing, let me sum up my feelings: Fuck Brooklyn and fuck Park Slope. If you want to live next to super annoying trust fund yuppies that walk around the neighborhood with their double barrel strollers who pat themselves on the back continuously for living in such a "diverse neighborhood", go for it. Brooklyn annoys me to no end. ;)

Anyway, cheap places can be found in Manhattan, you just need to make tradeoffs (i.e. living on the 5th floor of a 5 story walkup). You can check out citihabitats.com to start you off on getting ballpark figures for places, but I would avoid using a broker if you can manage it. Also, rents are creeping back up, so you probably wont be getting sweet deals anymore. You can throw curbed.com into your rss reader (where I get my NYC real estate news). We just moved into our current place and so I can try to answer the laundry list of questions you put down a little later. Just wanted to get my initial thoughts on paper before I forgot to respond to this.

[AntonThaGreat]

Come to Brooklyn, get a free beer from me! Case closed. Anywhere near a train and you're set really.

Also, craigslist is your friend around here. Just don't bring too much cash! ;)

[RandoM51]

I wouldn't cross the Bronx off your list. There are some nice neighborhoods in the Bronx. Riverdale is pretty nice, IMHO. Check this site (http://www.rent-direct.com/Bronx_Apartments/Bronx-apartments-riverdale.html) out to get an idea of Riverdale prices.

You'll be lucky to find a 1-bedroom for less than $1200/month anywhere nice. When I gave up my studio in the east village a few years back it was already up to $1750+ a month and it was rent-stabilized. I have a friend who has a rent-controlled 1-bedroom in the same area that is less than $800 a month and is very nice, but he inherited that place from his grandmother and has to keep an attorney who specializes in nyc housing law to keep it rent-controlled and at that price.

If you're going to Columbia I would cross Brooklyn off of your list. There are plenty of nice neighborhoods and you can get subway service but subways running through lower manhattan from brooklyn are usually really slow. Even in the Brooklyn neighborhoods close to Manhattan you can expect it to take 30-60 minutes each way to commute to Columbia.

Queens would be a much better choice if you look outside of Manhattan. You get to skip the downtown slowdown because you'll come in right beneath the park. Heck, you can even grab a crosstown bus from queens into midtown. Roosevelt Island might be an option too. That tram freaks me out, though, especially after Spiderman.

You might even consider Hoboken. NYC people give jersey people a bunch of shit, but still. The NJ transit trains between manhattan and hoboken run like clockwork. I had a roommate living in Astoria and working in Hoboken and he didn't mind the commute. :)

Try to rent/lease direct if you can, the brokers in nyc are brutal. Good if you absolutely, positively have to have something within a week, but otherwise to be avoided.

[Ink Asylum]

I can attest that Queens is a lot quicker commute into NYC than Brooklyn, unless you're commuting into downtown Manhattan, where they're pretty much even. I take the F train from Queens when I'm leaving my apartment and from Brooklyn when I'm leaving my girlfriend's. It's a 25 minute ride to my 45th St. office from Jackson Heights and a 45 minute ride from Park Slope. That extra 20 minutes both ways is a big consideration when I think about moving to Brooklyn.

[Hawkzombie]

God, tell me I'm not the only one to think this:

http://homerize.com/_framegrabs/4F22/fg_367.jpg

[TheManEatingCow]

The Queens suggestion is a good one. The N/R kind of sucks heading out to Astoria, but the 7 train is pretty zippy and stops at both GCS and Time Square. Our friend Nate liked Sunnyside in his rankings, but I'm not a fan. Speaking from experience, living on/near the campus is ideal if you're going to be a full time student. When I was in grad school there, I lived right near International House and was a 10 minute walk to the engineering building.

If you want to get away from campus or can't actually get grad student housing, then you can check out Manhattan Valley. The nabe was a real shithole when I was there, but it's really turned around (hell...nearly all of NYC was a shithole when I was in school at the end of Dinkens mayorship, and now you can find really nice places in nearly all neighborhoods...hooray gentrification) and prices are still relatively cheap by Manhattan standards.

On to your questions:

* How far in advance do landlords tend to advertise for apartments?

Most landlords demand 3 months notice for when you are leaving your apartment. That said, my experience has always been that you should not start looking until at the earliest 2 months before your move in. Most management companies just won't be ready to deal with you if your timeline is any further out than that....plus brokers tend to only deal with you if you're looking to move in in that same kind of timeline.

* Does this change in the winter when fewer people are moving?

Not really. If there are deals to be had though, winter is the time to get them.

* What kinds of fees should we expect when renting (credit check, agency fees, etc)?

When you find someplace that you like, be prepared to plunk down 50-100 bucks for the application fee. You should also have copies of your pay stubs, letters of recommendation from your previous landlord, and copies of bank statements. Also, be aware that most buildings will require you to have income of 40-50x the monthly rent. If you do not have that, you will need a guarantor who makes 100x the monthly rent (as well as all of the above documentation for the guarantor). Be warned, they may not like out-of-state guarantors. If you get a place, be ready to throw down a security deposit in the amount of the first months rent AND first months rent. Both will need to be in bank checks (or maybe money order....forget trying to do it with a personal check).

* Where can we find cheap places to rent from other than Craig's List?

If you use a broker, make sure you only look for no fee buildings/listings. That way you don't get the ass-rapery of the 15% broker commission.


* Which neighborhoods should we absolutely avoid?

I have a very deep distaste for Brooklyn, so I'd say avoid it at all costs. In Manhattan, I would avoid really isolated neighborhoods like Tribeca (place is a ghost town after work hours and on the weekends) or the ass end of Hell's Kitchen (though Daisy May's BBQ is there, so that is a plus). Spanish Harlem is rough in places, as is Harlem, but again, you can find nice pockets in either section. I haven't been up to the Bronx much other than to catch a Yankee game, so I have no firsthand knowledge of it. I've heard nice things about Riverdale and Inwood, but they always seemed so far away.

* Which neighborhoods are undiscovered gems?

As much as the N/R sucks, Astoria is really nice. Very neighborhoody. I personally love the Upper East Side but I would hardly call that an undiscovered gem. Another option would be to look up in Washington Heights if you are willing to commute on a train for 20 minutes (and can incur the cost of the 80 dollar monthly metro card).

* Do we have choices with utilities?

ConEd all the way. Though I have gotten phone calls saying I could switch, I never bothered to follow up.

* If so, recommendations for electric, internet, etc?

No choice with ConEd. Internet/cable: you will most likely be stuck with the evil asshats at Time Warner Cable, though I think DSL is an option through Verizon.


Hope that helps. If you have more questions, I'll be happy to try and help. Good luck.

[civil]

Holy shit everyone, this is a goldmine of information. Thanks very much, I'm going to go through this with a fine-toothed comb and will be back with more questions. This though did immediately stick out to me as a "Holy fuck!" thing:

Also, be aware that most buildings will require you to have income of 40-50x the monthly rent. If you do not have that, you will need a guarantor who makes 100x the monthly rent (as well as all of the above documentation for the guarantor).
I'll be an entering grad student and she's a musician. We scream poverty! :(

[civil]

Okay, I do have another question: Can someone explain the terms "rent stabilized" and "flexible 2 bedroom" to me? With the former, I would assume you need some sort of "in" to get this? With the latter...I don't know.

[DoctorFinger]

Okay, I do have another question: Can someone explain the terms "rent stabilized" and "flexible 2 bedroom" to me? With the former, I would assume you need some sort of "in" to get this? With the latter...I don't know.Rent stabilized means that rents can only go up every 2 years, and only as much as the rent stabilization board approves. Usually something like 2-5%.

As for the other. I've never heard it before, but it sounds like "was designed as 1 BR, but we put in a partition to make it into 2" to me.

[Purple Santa]

Woo hoo! I love internet validation!

My fiancee was really into Philly. There were many discussions and pros/cons lists.
You will be a perfect fit for NYC. Philly couldn't hold you :D
Rent stabilized means that rents can only go up every 2 years, and only as much as the rent stabilization board approves. Usually something like 2-5%.

As for the other. I've never heard it before, but it sounds like "was designed as 1 BR, but we put in a partition to make it into 2" to me.
The good doctor is correct. You would be amazed how partitions redefine an apartment in NYC :p

[TheManEatingCow]

Holy shit everyone, this is a goldmine of information. Thanks very much, I'm going to go through this with a fine-toothed comb and will be back with more questions. This though did immediately stick out to me as a "Holy fuck!" thing:


I'll be an entering grad student and she's a musician. We scream poverty! :(


As you get closer to your enrollment, you really should try and call up UAH (University Apartment Housing) and ask them for access to the off campus registry. You'll get students/professors/staff who are looking to sublet their apartments for a year because they're traveling/on leave/whatever and are looking for students to fill the apartment and pay the rent for the time that they are gone. It won't help you with your stuff (you'll probably have to put it all in storage most likely) until you can find an apartment for yourself, but it will at least keep you from living on the street and having to give hand jobs to Homeless Eddie in exchange for him sharing his spot inside the Citibank ATM bank.

[civil]

I wanted to pop in again and say thanks for the responses so far. We've gotten a lot of great info from here and from friends, so I'm trying to distill it all. We did take that neighborhood livability calculator and here were the results:

Me
1. Tribeca (Manhattan)
2. Park Slope (Brooklyn)
3. Brooklyn Heights (Brooklyn)
4. West Village/Meatpacking (Manhattan)
5. Murray Hill (Manhattan)
6. Carroll Gardens/Gowanus (Brooklyn)
7. East Village (Manhattan)
8. Lower East Side (Manhattan)
9. Greenpoint (Brooklyn)
10. Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill (Brooklyn)

Her
1. Brooklyn Heights (Brooklyn)
2. Park Slope (Brooklyn)
3. Cobble Hill/Boerrum Hill (Brooklyn)
4. DUMBO/Downtown Brooklyn (Brooklyn)
5. Lower East Side (Manhattan)
6. Murray Hill (Manhattan)
7. East Village (Manhattan)
8. Bay Ridge (Brooklyn)
9. Tribeca (Manhattan)
10. Sunnyside (Queens)

Fuck me. And we both put the affordability slider all the way to the "important" side. Sheeeeit.

[DoctorFinger]

Murray Hill? I;m pretty sure that's among the most expensive residential real estate in the world there. The only two 'hoods on either list which come even close to affordable are Sunnyside and (maybe) Carroll Gardens.

[Ink Asylum]

Yeah, playing around with the slider some more it has a broad range for what it considers "affordable." I was looking at actual apartment prices on Craigslist and ~$1500 for a studio in the East Village isn't affordable for me, though I'm sure it's a great deal for Manhattan.

If you ignore the top choices the applet gives you there are more affordable neighborhoods that you should still like lower down.

[amberella]

I live in Park Slope (yes, the neighborhood ranked #1 by Our Friend Nate Silver). I work in the Financial District and the commute is super fast to downtown. That said, I would personally not want to commute to Columbia from Brooklyn if it could be avoided at the outset.

There is nothing wrong with upper UPPER west side for a Columbia person because it's so near to the university. Both the A and 1 run express up the far upper west side and it's really not that big a deal if you need to watch your money. My brother and sister in law, who are both actors, lived in Washington Heights (196th St) and that is wayyy out there but was one of the only places they could afford a nice 2 bedroom for their baby. Put it this way - I think they were paying around $1000 a month for their place, I pay $2300 for similar space.

The Lower East Side (Alphabet City) has some great stuff if you don't mind living off the beaten path away from the major train lines. I'd check around there for a cool, artsy area that's still in the city. Queens is another option, but personally, I'm not a huge fan of the area (don't hate me!).

As for your other questions -
There are the standard utilities, cable, internet that most people use - Time Warner and ConEdison. There are other options with smaller companies, but usually those are for people that can't get service from the big guys. Cost is the same as everywhere else. Also check the FiOS map, it's available in some areas.

Craigslist is a pain in the ass, but still a really good bet for finding a place. Otherwise call every broker with an interesting listing and just pound the pavement. It's a bitch and all the listings are misleading. If you pick a neighborhood first and are really firm on your price range, that helps cut down the running around time. I've been standing in three different places where they were rented out from under me in a matter of minutes. There is no "slow month" for renting, just shittier months to move your stuff around in the snow. There's usually 2 weeks to 1 month notice ahead of time on when a place will be available.

I'm sure I left stuff out, but I hope that helps!

EDIT: I just saw your post putting Park Slope near the top of your list, so if you have specific questions let me know. I live in the "north slope" on Union Street between 7th & 8th ave.

[civil]

Hey, thanks for the added input amberella.

Doc, I sent my fiancee your response to our neighborhood tests, here's what happened:

She: Does this person know what he's talking about?
Me: Well, he's a New Yorker and I think he's a native one at that.
She: Oh, well...
Me: Oh! And he's a doctor!
She: Really? What kind of doctor?
Me: Er, I don't know. Well, his username on the forum says he's a doctor.
She: Huh?
Me: Well, he calls himself DoctorFinger.
She: Do they do background checks? How do you know he's really a doctor?
Me: Well, otherwise he'd be a liar.
She: ...
Me: (points at cat and says the first thing that comes to mind) Look, she's got a fork in her mouth! (runs away chasing cat)

[DoctorFinger]

Tell your fiancee I have PhDs in both Funktronomy and Funktology. And that I've lived in NYC all my life.

[Generation ABXY]

C'mon, with a name like DoctorFinger you can't figure out what kind of medicine he practices?

[axion]

Gynecology?

[civil]

Tell your fiancee I have PhDs in both Funktronomy and Funktology. And that I've lived in NYC all my life.
That might impress me, but with her you've got to try harder.

Gynecology?
Aaaand that'll do it.

[DoctorFinger]

Would you be shocked to know that with my screen name I want to do Pediatrics?

[civil]

No, but then I assume your name should be DoctorPullMyFinger.

Kids love that shit!

[Dorkandproudofit]

Why not try Forest Hills? I hear a certain web-slinger is from the area... :D

[civil]

Why not try Forest Hills? I hear a certain web-slinger is from the area... :D
I actually had to look that up. :o

But when I did, it's incredible who's come out of that area (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Hills,_Queens#Notable_residents).

The fucking Ramones!

[MagGnome]

My advice:

Get a 2 bedroom and have a certain Gnome move in with you. ;)

[DoctorFinger]

My advice:

Get a 2 bedroom and have a certain Gnome move in with you. ;)80s sitcom, here we come! Now all you need is a sassy Latina co-worker, the wealthy dowager neighbor and a sagacious black bartender to round out the cast.

[bstiff]

I guess I missed it but what are you going to school for civil?

I had a friend from med school that went to NYC to do anesthesia but the last I heard was her sister was a buyer for macy's and she was doing some modelling for one of the bigger stores (? nordstroms) so I doubt she's doing much medicine these days.

[RandoM51]

Hardly any of those neighborhoods qualify as affordable. I'll say it once more and a bit more explicitly, if you pick Brooklyn while attending class at Columbia you will be sorry. :) You're about 5-10 years too late for something both nice and affordable in Brooklyn anyway, the DINC hipsters took over and rents have skyrocketed.

You really should spend a week in the city exploring the neighborhoods and testing the commute times. If you haven't done so recently, that is. Be prepared to lay down first, last, and security while you're at it just in case you luck out and find something nice. Nobody will hold a place for you in this market.

DoctorFinger? Has to be proctology, I'd think.

[civil]

We're taking two recon trips - one within the next four months to essentially visit as many neighborhoods in NYC as we can and another to find a place early next year. For the first trip we really are going to grab a week pass and spend every daylight hour checking the city out.

Perhaps a NYC meet-up will be in order.

[TheManEatingCow]

FYI:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/realestate/25cov.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[Darkmatter]

Sorry I'm really not trying to hijack this thread but I was wondering if anyone ever finds themselves down by the NYSE? I need some pictures taken but I live to far away. :(

You don't need to have an expensive camera!

[civil]

Darkmatter, if no one's responded to you by the time I go I'll be glad to do that for you. But I'm not sure how pressing your need is (we'll be going out there within the next four months).

On another note, any of you living in NYC have T-Mobile service? If so, how would you rate it? I know it would probably vary by borough, so I guess specifically Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens (but I'd take any comments).

[Ink Asylum]

I had T-mobile until I switched to AT&T for my iPhone and I never had much trouble in my apartment in Queens or anywhere I went in Manhattan.

[DoctorFinger]

MY buddy Jay uses T-Mobile and while the coverage isn't quite as good as Verizon, it's pretty good overall.

[Darkmatter]

Thank-you for the offer Civil! Unfortunately you ARE the only person who responded. :( I sorta do need them before you'd be in NYC but theres nothing I can do about that if nobody responds. :) Actually, your offer being the only one makes it that much nicer. :)

BTW, if everyone else is still lurking, if its a matter or money for your time I'm sure something can be worked out.

[Purple Santa]

Thank-you for the offer Civil! Unfortunately you ARE the only person who responded. :( I sorta do need them before you'd be in NYC but theres nothing I can do about that if nobody responds. :) Actually, your offer being the only one makes it that much nicer. :)

BTW, if everyone else is still lurking, if its a matter or money for your time I'm sure something can be worked out.

Sent you a PM. I think I might know someone who can help you out.

[Banacek]

You chose... wisely. I personally have grown to really hate Philadelphia and have been really falling in love with NYC (at least, the parts I've seen and stayed in, a list that grows every time I visit). Penn's campus is alright (I can speak from excessive personal experience), but the city surrounding it is dirty, apathetic, and lacks the wide diversity found in New York.

As someone who grew up in South Philly I couldn't agree more. I wouldn't recommend that anyone move there.

[civil]

Resurrecting this thread now that the move is nigh:

1. I see there is a way to bike from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side that involves crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Is it very safe/biker friendly? The bridge, I mean.

2. How windy does it get in NYC? Our friends have given us answers ranging from very to not at all, so I'm looking for more input. I ask because I'm going to double my bike commute, but wind is fucking killing me here in Chicago and I hope to hell that it's nowhere near as bad in New York.

3. I'm wondering if there are any lesser-known museums people could suggest. I'm looking to get back into the museum world and I'm sure there are some that I'm not aware of (or haven't turned up in my searches). Funky stuff, and such. Even institutes are welcome. That's what I love about New York - if you dream it, someone has likely come up with it.

[AntonThaGreat]

1. Google Maps is your friend, you can get pedestrian/bike directions in NYC.

2. I generally don't notice the wind, so I wouldn't say it's an issue. I used to bike all over the place in NYC when I was younger, and have biked over the Brooklyn bridge multiple times. Never had any problems.

3. The Sex Museum. Also, if you haven't been yet, while not lesser-known, I still heavily suggest that you visit Museum of Natural History, MET and MoMa. The Brooklyn Museum is lesser known, but still a pretty good visit.

What were really known for is our theater, and there's a billion shows on and off broadway. I would really recommend hitting up Off-Broadway shows, I've had some really great and memorable experiences Off-Broadway and the tickets are generally very cheap in the 5-20 dollar range.

Also, if you love burgers, I would recommend visiting all of the places in this guide (http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2011/01/dear-aht-what-are-nycs-must-eat-burgers-here-are-our-favorites.html?ref=aht4). I've been to a few and yumyumyum.

[Ink Asylum]

2. I don't think it's much windier than most places, but when the wind does blow it feels worse in the city because of how it whips through the buildings. If you're coming from the Windy City I can't imagine it would be worse.

3. Subscribe to the e-mail newsletters for Time Out NYC and Flavorpill. They'll have a lot of listings for the exhibits at museums both big and small.

[Purple Santa]

Resurrecting this thread now that the move is nigh:

1. I see there is a way to bike from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side that involves crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Is it very safe/biker friendly? The bridge, I mean.

This should help-
http://www.transalt.org/files/resources/bridges/brooklyn.html

[DoctorFinger]

It's very windy in the spring/winter but most of the rest of the year it's not too bad, especially for someone coming from Chicago.

They've recently made a big deal of installing bike lanes in some of the busier parts of the city, so things are better. The Brooklyn bridge has a pedestrian walkway, but I'm not sure if it's bike friendly.

[civil]

Actually the link PS posted is pretty good. I had no idea the Brooklyn Bridge was so long, that's fucking intimidating. :o

Little known fact outside of Chicago: It's actually called the Windy City because of the politicians, not the wind. Though it is a fucking wind tunnel in lots of places, the name came from how much the politicians boasted.

[Ink Asylum]

The More You Know!

[Banacek]

Actually the link PS posted is pretty good. I had no idea the Brooklyn Bridge was so long, that's fucking intimidating. :o

Little known fact outside of Chicago: It's actually called the Windy City because of the politicians, not the wind. Though it is a fucking wind tunnel in lots of places, the name came from how much the politicians boasted.

I don't care if this sounds touristy, but walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is something everyone should do at least once. It's amazing the sense of history you get when you're up there.

[civil]

I don't care if this sounds touristy, but walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is something everyone should do at least once. It's amazing the sense of history you get when you're up there.
Whoa. Received just minutes ago from the wife:

...said that the most life-affirming thing to do in nyc is walk across the brooklyn bridge, preferably on the weekend. we should start making a list!

[MagGnome]

Actually the link PS posted is pretty good. I had no idea the Brooklyn Bridge was so long, that's fucking intimidating. :o

Little known fact outside of Chicago: It's actually called the Windy City because of the politicians, not the wind. Though it is a fucking wind tunnel in lots of places, the name came from how much the politicians boasted.

I told some of my friends that awhile back, and they didn't believe me.

I'm going to miss visiting you in Chicago. :(

[Purple Santa]

I don't care if this sounds touristy, but walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is something everyone should do at least once. It's amazing the sense of history you get when you're up there.

It seems civil will be biking it over during the work week. I don't think he's going to miss out on the amazing experience, which it is. I don't know if it is touristy since so many people who live in NYC do it everyday :D

[Banacek]

It seems civil will be biking it over during the work week. I don't think he's going to miss out on the amazing experience, which it is. I don't know if it is touristy since so many people who live in NYC do it everyday :D

I know, it's just that sometimes people can end up not doing something because it seems cliched, and that's a shame because you can miss out of some great things. Also, I miss NYC. Los Angeles pales in comparison.

[Ink Asylum]

Incidentally, Civil, if you need anything at all, especially during your transitional phase, don't hesitate to ask.

[Purple Santa]

I know, it's just that sometimes people can end up not doing something because it seems cliched, and that's a shame because you can miss out of some great things. Also, I miss NYC. Los Angeles pales in comparison.

You lived in NYC and now live in LA? My condolences :p

[civil]

Incidentally, Civil, if you need anything at all, especially during your transitional phase, don't hesitate to ask.
Wow, that's incredibly kind of you. Will do.

Er, know of any cool jobs I could have to work at until school starts? :o

Also, I miss NYC. Los Angeles pales in comparison.
Normally I'd be up in arms defending my hometown, but I have to agree with you. Though for the first time since I moved away moving back there seems...less unappealing, if that makes sense. I joked around with the Mrs about moving back last Christmas, but that quickly passed.

Still, the Los Angeles of today is not the Los Angeles of my youth. It's gotten much better, more cosmopolitan. So be grateful, punk.

[Ink Asylum]

Er, know of any cool jobs I could have to work at until school starts? :o

Probably not, but who know? What's your training? You can PM me if you'd like.

[Banacek]

Normally I'd be up in arms defending my hometown, but I have to agree with you. Though for the first time since I moved away moving back there seems...less unappealing, if that makes sense. I joked around with the Mrs about moving back last Christmas, but that quickly passed.

Still, the Los Angeles of today is not the Los Angeles of my youth. It's gotten much better, more cosmopolitan. So be grateful, punk.

I am grateful, career-wise. Things couldn't be better in that regard, and that's all because of the market out here. I'm pretty new out here (2008), so maybe it will grow on me. As long as I don't go near Hollywood. Any time I get near there I regret being out here.