Everything is ‘totally awesome’ or ‘totally amazing’ and ‘You are kidding me?’
There are a plethora of fire hydrants in New York…you can’t park beside them (you must park 15 feet away) and there are at least two on every block, this can be inordinately frustrating when looking for a parking space…
The streets are on a grid system so it’s not easy to get lost…except if you’re The Man.
There are playgrounds for children on every other block, I think that’s great in a big city. There is always a sign at the parks that says, ‘no unaccompanied adults allowed’
The subway (underground) stations are hard to see, you could be forgiven for thinking they were an entrance to a public toilet…
Coffee ‘to go’ is the thing. Everyone picks up a coffee in a paper cup with a plastic lid on their way to work, to the park, to school, to go shopping or just to pick up a coffee on the way to nowhere. The choice of coffee is astounding (or ‘totally amazing’ to use my NYC speak…) Flat white, cappuccino, decaf soya latte, mocha, etc., too many to remember them all.
It is perfectly acceptable to have the radio/cd/stereo on in your car as loud as you can turn it up with the windows of the car wide open. Especially popular is heavy drum beat…
Clean up after your dog is written everywhere but many people don’t seem to bother.
Strollers not pushchairs.
They have elevators not lifts.
Honking horns…we call it tooting or beeping…constant – loud, unnecessary but essential…if you see what I mean, like… ‘It’s like, I don’t have time to wait for you man…’
Sirens blaring and the fire engine is the worst noise…it is loud and long.
The streets are dirty in Brooklyn in some parts.
There are many dogs – but I told you that before.
On the whole…people are friendly, drivers and cab drivers are not.
I’m glad to be back in Italy but I can’t speak the language as well as I can speak American… ☺
Please add your own thoughts about New York in the comments…
Standing on 6th Avenue in Manhattan yesterday in the blazing sun, shouting taxi, taxi whilst swerving oncoming traffic……. on my way to a very important meeting in a beautiful apartment overlooking the Hudson. I had a VERY rare and magical ‘New York I Love You’ moment.
Very pleased for you, appleketchup – I have yet to experience a ‘New York I Love You’ moment but I hope I do one day…
You see I do read your stuff. Even though you cannot be bothered reading mine. Would love a visit to New York. Convincing Jean is a problem. And of course the money. Love Stevex
I do read some of your stuff Steve, but if I read it all I would get nothing else done! 🙂 Next time we visit New York you’ll have to tag along. Maybe Jean would then come too? x