New York Discussion
 

While reading the "Clothes in New York" thread, I thought about this. What are the "everyday" differences(besides clothes) that people notice about New York as compared to your town.

You have way too much time on your hands.

New York *is* my town, but I'm a transplant from California, so I have been able to observe the differences. Things (and people) do move faster here; the "New York minute" didn't come from nowhere. People walk faster and talk faster, often. There is a certain impatience among some, the tendency to want to be there five minutes ago and have things done yesterday. People cross the streets based not on the lights, but based on the traffic--even little old ladies and moms with strollers (as my not-from-here friend put it, "In New York, jaywalking is a spectator sport"). Contrary to stereotype, New Yorkers are not short-tempered and rude; they will give you directions, tell you which train to take, make conversation, and hold the door for you. On the other hand, they don't suffer fools gladly and don't like their time wasted (and for that reason are notoriously curt with telemarketers). Part of the evolution of the New York temperment is the fact that there are 7.5 million of us crammed into relatively little space. There are plenty of cultural things unique ar special to New York, having to do with food, social customs, etc., but this is true of every region in the country. Oh yeah, another difference people may notice: New York--and Manhattan in particular--is extremely expensive (duh!), especially if you live here, for reasons having to do with real estate costs, politics, and a host of other things

I live in DC and there are often articles in the Post about "NY vs. DC." They do get tiresome. DC is smaller, very fast paced but in a self-important, self-absorbed, over committed way, not like NY where the density of people, buildings and stuff emanate a palpable energy you can feel to your bones. DC people are kind but snobby/shy...helpful to tourists but with a superior attitude. I love it here, but I enjoy my NY visits and when I need help or directions I get Truth -- either "leave me alone" or a sincerely helpful person. I have affection for NY's infamous rudeness which is really just cutting to the truth -- for example, when I asked the waiter, "Can I get a cup of coffee?" he barked back, "IT'S A COFFEE SHOP, AIN'T IT?!" Well, he was right.

And we wear more black.