Thank you Van. I was born and raised NYC. I lived in every borough. I really thought NY was everything until I traveled in my 40's. I felt like I had been swindled for the 1st 40 years of my life. I bought into NYC being the greatest city in the world, but slowly the veils were removed from my eyes and I saw NYC for what is was, a dirty, angry, corrupt city teaming with disenfranchised people scrambling for existence. Seeing cities like Lisbon, Prague, Budapest, Buenos Aires etc. gave me a whole new vision of what city life could be. You are right NYC is great if you have a lot of money, it always amazed me that I could feel poor making over 100K a year. Not long after reaching my mid fifties I had enough, I left and moved to the country in PA. Best move of my life. Also congrats on your sobriety, I am celebrating each day since 1996 without drugs or alcohol. I wish you continued success in life.
Would love to know how you shifted in terms of making a living. One of the things that keeps people going around in circles in NYC even when wanting out is their job. For certain specific fields there’s opportunity in NYC that is unparalleled in the rest of the country. Get tired of your job you can find a new one “relatively” quickly. Remote work has changed this to some degree and hopefully will continue to on some level.
As a tourist , idyllic NYC is awesome during that stretch going from Halloween to New Years Eve. It's all what the movies want you to believe it always is. However , for many , commuting from the Bronx each day during a 100F day to make ends meet is more what reality is.
The people who think NYC isn’t the greatest city in the world, people like you, do not understand NYC and all that it gives to the world. People from every corner of the world come here to think and discuss ideas with each other Those ideas sometimes change the world. That never happens in the woods in PA.
@@johnottr That’s a silly comment. You’re talking about abstracts. Yes a lot of summits and stuff happen in NYC. So? That has little to with most peoples DAILY quality of life, their DAILY experience of living and working and trying to find some happiness. How dare you tell someone who was BORN AND RAISED in NYC and lived in every borough that they “don’t understand NYC.” That’s a load of bullcrap. Calling it the “greatest city in the world” is a greeting card epithet. I cant stand ignorance about NYC from people who don’t live here and describe it only by its worst features, but I also cant stand the arrogance of people who call it the “greatest city in the world” as though no other perspectives are valid. Yes it has a lot to offer but it simply isn’t for everyone and has plenty of negatives. Some people decide the good things don’t justify the extremely high costs and the negatives. It’s a personal choice for each individual. It doesn’t make them wrong. It just makes them value different things than you. Also you sound young and a bit naive. Give the city a couple decades and as you get older and what you value shifts a bit (as it usually does), you may change your tune.
It is an incredible post. Van knows how to tell a story at a deep human level and makes it all look easy. If you have ever edited a video before, you know the hours and hours it takes to put together. The clips from NYC alone would have taken a long time to collect and trim down to fit this story.
My favorite part about the way you and Casey tell stories is that you always have archival footage of your own to show exactly what you’re talking about. It’s insane. To be able to document my life like that is what I dream about. But the way cell phones and social media have changed the way we consume media it makes it hard to
If you always have a phone with you, it’s actually easier to. Cameras are great, you can store everything in a cloud straight away. Make what you want to
I lived in LA and its hardly a reward. In fact, one can be just as lonely in LA as they can be in any large American city. They lack real warmth, connection and pathos. Several folks I knew in in LA ended up marrying someone they met while traveling abroad. American big city life is like life in Sex and the City. It;s way too competitive and contrived. If LA works for Van, good for him. That's all that matters in the end.
Only having visited both, I'd go back to NYC today and consider living there but I'll never go back to LA. Nothing really happened, it's just a shit hole.
I’ve lived in LA for 15 years and visit NYC quite a bit. An NY>LA transplant once said, people in NY struggle together and people in LA struggle alone. There’s definitely camaraderie in NYC that is lacking in LA. But another take away is, in NYC things can happen to you where in LA you have to make things happen. You can have a weird and wonderful time in both places but in LA you have to seek it out, nobody cares about you and there’s no street culture that sucks you into random situations. Food is far surperior in NYC per capita. Living and doing your errands is far more appealing in LA. Both places require hustle if you don’t earn a ton of money.
Newer you make money in New York, or you get a good salary if you needs to pay till 4 or 5000 dollars for a shitty little Apartement….New York is nothing just a bad movie, raining, cold, stinky a lots of rats…..oh man
I arrived in NYC in the 80s. I always found New Yorkers to be very friendly and very helpful people. I still feel that way today. Having in lived in various European cities, I can speak from experience. NYC is what you make of it. I would agree that the city has become out of reach financially for many people. It wasn't this way in the 80s or 90s. NYC has become a very expensive city to live in but so have most major cities in the world. London, Paris, Madrid etc. What I miss most from NYC in the 80s and 90s, was the vibe the city had. You would go out at night and the city was electric. There were so many great clubs, that weren't that expensive to enter. You could stay out all night and still have a few dollars left over for an early breakfast special in a diner.
I agree. I was a teen/young adult in the 90’s and I grew up kinda poor and had a ball! It wasn’t until 2005’ish that things got super expensive. All the free stuff in the city, the cool independent craftsmen and designers who could have a store, and one of a kind street merchants all ended. Giuliani played a big role in killing that electric vibe the city had
I live in South Florida, you can recognize Nyers with their impatience, honking while the light is till red , ect. Their presence has made the area I live in fast paced and that's a good thing.
I totally agree that if you decide to live in NYC to be sure you have a reason or purpose for being there. I always wanted to live there, and I moved there in my mid 20s. Had a cafe job in NoHo and a CD warehouse gig in Brooklyn. I was constantly commuting and tired and broke, and very soon after moving there, I had that thought myself, “Why am I here? I’m not an actor. Not a singer or dancer or aspiring media mogul. Not a Wall Street wannabe. So why? For the sake of saying, “Yes - I’m a NY’r” ? It’s not enough. I left promptly after that realization. I love visiting though, so I decided to keep my relationship with NYC casual and occasional.
I was 34 when I moved to NYC. I landed just at the right time - too old to act stupid, but young enough to still learn a lot. There are many great cities in the world, but I can't think of any other hostile place that has ever felt so welcoming.
The guy in the video seems to have some bad experiences and attributing to living in NY. He seems very angry. NY is a great place to live . It is expensive but most people live there for the experience and have a great time. I have travelled all over the world and every city has it's bad points and it's good points; including NYC.
Same Tom, moved at 36, completely changed my career and become a filmmaker. It’s been a wild ride but it does feel much like a playground for the rich these days, but then maybe it’s also just me getting older (just hit 47). I do love this place still, even though it’s a challenge but I’m thinking more and more to try and be elsewhere for 3-6 months a year
As a lifelong New Yorker I wholeheartedly agree with everything in this video, it really is a love hate relationship living here, it's not for the faint hearted.
Just to illustrate the opposite truth, Unlike most, I moved to New York at 42. Like many, I came broke. I had a very seasonal job at Radio City and vague ideas on art spaces. I took my tame and let New York help me. I did what interested me, the free stuff like art shows and beautiful walks and window shopping. I wasn’t lazy but did not buy into the idea that you must be on fire at all times. this helped me meet real people, who I really liked. Yes, most of the sharp ones are long time New Yorkers. I feel that the vibe of actually living in the city and not just coming here to squeeze the juice out of it made all the difference. With 8 million people you will meet any type of person you can dream up here. 15 years later Still kinda broke but having done things I could never have anywhere else. The subway is pretty rough but what other city can you go to as many disparate corners of a city all the time? As a broke person buying that monthly metro meant I could do anything anywhere in the city with a 2hour window. I lived through Covid, this was horrible but also we the leftovers were very good to each other. Reminding me that, yes we have to walk past lots of the world biggest assholes young and old but just keep it moving and you find whatever you like…except nature…not too much of that.
"The subway is pretty rough but what other city can you go to as many disparate corners of a city all the time?" Many big cities round the world. There are inherently only so many cities on the scale of New York but the likes of London, Paris, Hong Kong, Berlin, Tokyo all spring to mind as place with better underground and public transport infrastructure.
I'm with you! You can make it, and even love NYC without being wealthy. I love it here and make my modest living as a musician and educator. It's great here.
Thank you so much for sharing this perspective. I am about to move to New York City and also in my 40s. I am terrified but I am ready for a new adventure.
I visited NYC in my 20's and quickly figured out it was not the place for me. It was fun being a tourist and seeing things I had seen on TV, but my favorite part of the city was Central Park. I found a spot where you couldn't see any buildings or hear any of the traffic or construction. I enjoyed the solitude. That's probably why I now live in Colorado.
I would feel exactly the same. The high buildings, the constant noise, all blocking out any beauty there might be. Living like that every day would feel like torture. I’m actually from the west coast coastal community where we have beauty around us, outdoor space and very little noise. It’s not perfect, but a far far cry from a dirty, busy, noisy city devoid of nature.
5th year here. Moved here at 22 like you. The parallels between our experiences are interesting particularly the maturity gained being here. I haven’t reached the point of disillusion yet since I’m still in the trenches of building something for myself, but I’m glad to see that you can leave this place and be happy for it.
The NYC affected both Van's and Cassey's lives differently. They had the same experiences there, but the result was totally opposite. Great video, Van!
The story of friends in their 20's=30's sharing their struggles in the city and then gradually one by one moving away as their lives developed: that happens all the time, in many cities. For me it was Vancouver. But I bet there are people who could wax nostalgic about their youth in Cincinnati and how they just had to get away eventually.
I moved to Vancouver when I was 18 for university. I have the same story. The only friends still there grew up there. I think part of this is the extreme housing cost in a place like Vancouver and NY. It is very hard to justify staying in such a place, especially as you get older.
Philadelphia for me. Loved living downtown working in advertising. NY a couple weekends a year as a treat. Now Sapporo. Muuuuuch slower pace. But spending my 20s & 30s in the city is one of the best decisions I ever made. So was leaving at 36 (to Japan).
@@Phillyprnc That touches on one of my smaller regrets in life, really. These days I have no desire to live in London (the obvious big place for me to move to and make my name/career) but I almost did and wished I had for a while when back in my late 20s. Lived close and worked there but I never had the true central living experience.
@@Phillyprnc is it Sapporo that as a city is one of the slow ones in Japan?? (Bc in Tokyo and Osaka, Yokomaha,Kyoto were really fun, to go out late at night. My sis lived there for 7years. One of the craziest countries ive ever been. It was a like a lucid dream....oh oh lol sorry for the rambling. Or 2) do you think your age now at 36 has something to do with it?
The prescence of Nyers in Nyc is 100% spot on. The lines are everywhere but they move efficiently. The best way to experience NYC is to have no plans and just allow the city to open up to you. My favorite thing is to just take the train in with a credit card and just be present in the moment.
The NYC experience is very much dependent on your mindset. As someone who lived there with only $100 to spend for fun a month, including eating, you have to be willing to adventure alone. So many fun memories there. Would live there again in a heartbeat.
@@castorchua Yeah, it's more doable if you're a woman because you eat less. I spend on average $150 on groceries in L.A. but I buy in bulk and make most things from scratch. If I eat out once a month that can cost from $8 to $30 depending on the place and meal.
I'm 52 and I moved to New York when I was 39. My only regret is that I didn't move here sooner. I can't never imagine myself living anywhere else. In the words of Sandra Bernhard, "if you can make it there, you'll fail everywhere else." I have a totally chill life here that I never could have created in my home state of Texas.
As a born new Yorker, lived there for my first 43 years and moved to the Philly suburbs I can tell you the energy is amazing, it keeps you moving, working, aspiring, feeling but not in
Excellent breakdown from the experiences Van has had. I think it is super important to point out that Van came here to pursue a very particular kind of career in film and art. Both those scenes have a highly biased focus on on money and fame and his experiences in those scenes created a particular kind of perspective about the city. There are many other scenes in the city that are less focussed on wealth and influence; the academic world, the queer communities, the radical political communities etc. There are many broke people in this city living rich lives.
@@WindsongSoundBathsome of the happiest people you meet are poor people who live in either the projects or the outer boroughs because of the life that the cities have.
As someone that’s from NYC it’s amazing to see how on point you are, what’s even crazier is 3 decades later nothing has changed, it’s just as bad.. Trains, traffic, garbage, crazy people.. why people think nyc is some amazing place is beyond me.. between June and September it’s ok, the rest of the time it is a complete shithole!
The funny thing is, as a New Yorker (I'm upstate, but I was born in and visit the city) I can totally relate with both you and Casey on this. While Casey shows the romantic side of Manhattan, your perspective is totally practical and illustrates the grit. When I visit, it's for very short periods because, for me, the progression from the romance of the city to the grit happens pretty fast!
Try southern Virginia, eating wings at a restaurant and having a stranger whisper in your ear about eating their a**hole. Stay away from Virginia Beach… unless you like the ghetto. Coming to a suburb near you under the guise of justice
Well that's the beauty of my home as I am a Chelsea Manhattan resident and originally from Rye New York which they consider upstate I love my city grit and all. Just because somebody else can't handle it doesn't mean the rest of us can't.
Love your true and direct opinion of the Big Apple- I’m originally from the UK- lived and worked in the city for 10yrs, 2yrs ago moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Miss NYC a lot and visit regularly, the trick to living in NYC is to pick the bones out of it! The whirlwind that is NY will always be in my heart! Love ya channel!❤
Emotional reflector!! THIS! It's like London. It's insane how much these cities intensify your emotions. If you're not rich enough to leave for at least a month three times a year you're at the mercy of this energy vortex.
Loved living in New York and would live there again if I could. But the rain was definitely a problem and underappreciated by anyone who hasn’t lived there. I still miss the city though - but I totally respect the perspective in this video.
Everyone I've heard that left New York can't tell you why they stayed so long. Most talk about it as being in an abusive relationship and not realizing how bad you have it because you've never had a loving relationship.
@@WindsongSoundBath You really need to ask yourself...Do you really want to leave permanently? I left NYC and came back twice. The third time I left, I knew it was for good. You need to ask yourself why you want to leave. There are certain things about NYC that will not change. Also, review the pragmatics. Is your job (or way to make a living) based in NYC? How easy is it for you to leave and continue to generate an income? I really planned a lot because leaving and potentially coming back to NYC is a lot of time and energy. I questioned myself constantly for three years previous to leaving and finally left for good in 2015. I lived in Sacramento for 4 years (which I loved) and now I live in Philadelphia (which I also love). I would also recommend the book Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York, which is a collection of stories about writers who have left NYC (pre-COVDI) and where they ended up. (Of course there are multiple RU-vid Channels as well). I wish you all the best in making your decision. I know it's not easy.
@@WindsongSoundBath I was born and raised in Philly. Was away for 29 years and returned in 2019. I love living in Philly! It's so much better than NYC (IMO). All the best to you in making your decision. I know it's not easy when you've been there for a while but when you know, you know. Go with your gut.
Van, thank you for creating this video. 🙏 The struggle : you display it, explain it, show your solutions to it. All while painting an emotional edit. Wow
Intro had me rolling. "Like the draft." Going to Manhattan for the first time next week. This got me super pumped to capture the experience and really watch the people and energy of the city. Great video as usual Van!
New York was fun for me in 87 to 91. This was the time of AIDS. I graduated high school 87 and dreamed of living in NY and finally got it out of my system and now I never need to live there again. Haven’t been back since. You hit the nail on the head. It is no longer the dream of the show “FAME”, the high school of the arts. That was the heartbeat of NY for me. That vibe died with the AIDS crisis and it’s never been the same.
I'd love to see a video with you and Casey, maybe traveling somewhere, but mainly just interacting with each other. Two crafty and creative souls, that just happens to be brothers.
Lived in NYC for 3 years. Ecstatic to be out. Great place to visit, but to live, never again. I do agree that everyone should try to live there for at least a year. They’d learn so much. The odd thing is I left in 2020, but I still talk about my experiences I had there . It’s like the city has a hold on you even after you leave.
Idk how old you are but sounds young because if your young you only have so many experiences to think of. Living in nyc is a big one for a youth so that makes sense that you talk a lot about it ‘now’
@@Dondillilochevroletnot sure how or why you assumed my age based on my comment, but the better connection would just be that I didn’t live there long so my experience would be more limited than someone who lived there longer. But again, this is only my experience. Also this comment was 8 months ago so i don’t even remember what this video was about…
I’m an Aussie in my 40s who moved to NY for ex gf. This is exactly how I’ve always felt about the city. Gonna need a Why I Moved To LA one next to gives me something to hold onto, now
Really, really great video. I’m from Alabama, so you can imagine the culture shock of visiting my daughter when she moved to NYC. She embraced the life right away, but I could not get used to the constant noise, rush that everyone was in, not so pleasant odors, small spaces, subways, etc. I would spend weeks at a time with her, living the daily life of a New Yorker. I came to understand why she loved it, but I never got used to it.
Spotted my old friend Kate Spade in your video. Worked with her when she was a magazine editor and later on our daughters attended the same schools. She lived the New York dream. I’m not sure the kids coming here now have the same passion to create as they did then. Maybe I’m wrong. We then lived in a three dimensional analog world. Miss her spirit and warmth.
Love it. The story telling, the vintage footage, everything. Thank you! Personally, you couldn't pay me enough to live in either NYC or LA, but to each their own 🤎
Can't really say for NY as I've only been there once but I live in OC just south of LA. I would NEVER in a million years move to LA unless I was rich af. That place is a shit hole.
Really enjoyed this video and I totally believe it. Casey's vlogs are what made me want to visit NYC so much. I really had an amazing time while there for a week in late November -> early December 2016 and I believe that every American would be better for visiting NYC to experience the diversity of cultures, languages, religion and people. But, I was exhausted after that week and knew there would be no way that I would want to live there full time. I could see all the hustle and go go go every day of the commuters and I tried my best to stay out of their way. I witnessed what I consider "the quintessential NYC moment" first hand of someone crossing the street in front of a car having to slam on the brakes and the honking and cussing and the back and forth. There was also the poignancy of seeing a Jamaican man rolling around in a wheelchair in tattered clothes with his leg up with a rotting wound visible through his ripped jeans asking for help... so many vivid memories from that trip.
I love your archive footage, Van. Your honest, brutal review made it look even better... hehe Thanks for your commitment to this channel, mate. I sincerely appreciate it. 👌
We finally left Philly for Kentucky. My only regret was staying in the hellhole so long when I could have been living in a Hallmark movie neighborhood in KY.
I share your brother’s enthusiasm for New York-I lived there briefly, visit often, and want to move back-but the alternate perspective you’re offering is still a breath of fresh air. Like Bob Dylan, the book store clerk, and yourself, NYC’s trick is that it believes it is amazing. If enough New Yorkers go around claiming Best City In The World status, people who don’t necessarily know the difference will tend to believe them, purely on the basis of that confidence. Even if I’m not dissuaded from moving there on the basis of this (well-articulated and reasonable) rant, tempering sky-high expectations is never a bad exercise. Love what you’re putting out!
I was born and raised in New York. I currently live in Brooklyn and love it love it. I have lived in LA, Washington DC, Seoul and Paris. I enjoyed those cities but my heart is in New York. I can not live in the suburbs. I went to boarding school and college in a small town and hated the slowness. I am from New York and will never be of anywhere else.
Hi Mr. Neistat: I just discovered your channel this week, and I've been gobbling up your movies like there's no tomorrow. Your voice, thoughts and storytelling are just compelling. Keep it up, sir!
I love how incredibly fair this video is. It talks not only of the struggles, but also the unexpected fullness that NY offers to many. I love that there is no glorifying, just an honest opinion.
Lived in NY from the 90s on then lived in LA for a decade. I am happy to be back in NY. Glad my LA chapter is over. I missed the highly intelligent and present people. The culture, the diversity, the overwhelming amount of excellent food spots, the swag, the fashion, the four seasons. I love how everything is in closer proximity. The resource. The access. And yes, even the noise, the subway system, and the grouchy people. I love it all.
The only reason to visit New York is experience my beautiful Gay community, or what is left of it. But why go there fearing for your life trying to use the subway, fearing for someone to push you on the train tracks OR dealing with race riots by militant blaqs ????? Girrrrrrllllll, im staying in NJ where my gay ass is safe from homophobic blacks.
Took the words out of my mouth. I'm so happy the environment is so extreme that attracts the energy but also pushes out those who don't really want it; it's best for everyone!
This was so cool Van. I would love to see a video of you and Casey having a deep dive about the city, your different experiences, stories, opinions and all. As someone that’s never been to NYC but wants to badly, that would be an awesome watch.
There is something magical about NYC, even if you don’t have money. The spirit of the people of New York supports dreamers, that is its magic. Lived there 8 years and worked all the time, suffered, but still think it’s special. Everyone there has a dream, that is why they put up with how hard you have to work to survive. I agree it’s a grind. The city does attract an endlessly interesting variety of people with their own drive to compete learn and grow. That part I love.
remember. new york city is very addictive. its like being married to someone you cant leave. many who overcome their addictions need to list all the reasons not to relapse(more back to nyc).
If life was a game, living in NYC would be starting the game on expert difficulty without the tutorial, you mess up you learn real quick. Transplants struggle in NYC, natives call it life. Every time I heard someone talk about how hard it is for them to live in NYC it was from a transplant. I didn't realize how much easier everyone else had it until i went out west for college, and I have to agree, I couldn't wait to come back to NYC after living out of state for 5 years. This is coming from a NYer from the projects, Van struggled in the upper west side, that's where the other half of "privilege" lived.
“Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.” - Mary Schmich Featured in: Mary Schmich Quotes, Quotes About New York
Sounds exactly like my rant about living in central Florida, which ironically has been bombarded by disgruntled NYers for the past 40 years to only make it just like NY but hot. I left back in 2007 after living there my whole life.
I noticed that Van makes the same mistake when talking about Berlin that tourists make when they visit NYC ant that he describes in this video. He kind of romanticizes Berlin. As a person living here nearly my whole life you start to notice all the dirt, the disfunction, the angry and unfriendly people etc.
Berlin is nowhere near as dirty, dysfunctional, and aggressive as NYC. Berlin is quite neat and orderly (they don’t even have turnstiles at the train station), people park their cars in neatly marked spaces. NYC is filthy and rat infested, the mentally and homeless are everywhere, the noise is deafening.
@@latsm9362 I disagree, I've lived both in Berlin and New York, I'm sharing the exact same feelings as Van. It's just not worth the hype. My angle is too many people and the system can't handle it anymore. Plus the opportunities, we have the internet now. It's just not worth it. Also it definitely has lost it's vibe, it feels a little bit soulless and so many cloud chasers.
Thank you for this. It is so good to hear people being honest about what a place is really like to live there: the details of the noise, roads, weather, socialising, subway, etc. We had optimistic expectations of what London would be like and were sorely disappointed when we arrived to live here - and for a lot of the same reasons you give in this video. About to go to New York for the first time next month, so glad to have my expectations set realistically.
Yeah, this was good for me to hear. I have thought a lot about living in New York. I live in (and am from) Portland, Maine. While things have changed a lot here, there is a lot of good here in Maine. Slow pace of life. Beautiful nature. Climate crisis haven’t been too bad so far. Parts of the state are still more affordable. I think I’ll stay.
The first scene here REALLY‼️ reminded me of the Baz Luhrman song "sunscreen song" as he says: "live in NYC once, but leave before it makes you hard" 👌👌👌
I was born and raised in NYC in the 50 through the 90s.....it was magical...all my experiences ...student at Hunter College, museums, ice skating in central park, the discos, the latin clubs, the gay parades, the hippies running naked, stoned in central park, the apartment parties, even as a classroom teacher in the south bronx...but it really sucks for senior citizens with poor bladder control. During the pandemic, I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom in a nyc hospital without an appointment. Let me not start with the subways...and lack of bathrooms.
I think there's a stigma around criticising the magic (or lack thereof) with NYC and I'm glad this video is here to provide the alternative view... I've only ever visited NYC as a tourist, but it was such a far cry from what I expected when I considered the rhetoric that's thrown around about how incredible it is. It's so complicated, but I've never loved and hated somewhere so much in my life. There is an aura and a vibe to the place that is unmatched, and the scenery around (particularly) Manhattan and Brooklyn is stunning... But it is such an expensive, intense, wild, overwhelming experience that it is a total sensory overload. I find myself not wanting to go back to NYC but also reluctant to want to say it out loud because I would love to go back one day. Once you travel to some of the world's great cities, it's very apparent that NYC is NOT the greatest city in the world. Not even close. But it's unabashedly itself and makes no apologies for it - which gives it its own sense of "greatness".
Yup...i agree. I lived a princess life when there. Spent 18 months in Tarrytown and worked in T town. My hubby traveled by train most days to Grand Central..then to Wall st. His wallet stolen twice..but sweat in the summers...froze or drenched in winter and other times. He worked for biggest bank. Travel to West Coast every week. Worked long hours. I traveled by car..ours or town cars in the City. Ate at only high end restaurants for free...symphony and Broadway tickets for free..Yankee tickets for free. Never had a bad experience. I could never survive two days by myself. I know this. My husband loved NY LA and SF. He ate it all up. I was intimidated by big cities. Denver was the only little big city i could and did live in. I have the biggest respect for any man or woman who makes a life themselves...not trust fund money...on their own in NYC. There are many of them.
I moved to Minneapolis when I was 20 and stayed for nine years. It was wonderful. I knew better than to move to a place like New York City. Not sure why anyone still falls for it.
Im British, I lived there for 3 years while I studied art at FIT, 2006-2009. I was 25, and it was the best time of my life. I dont have a lot of moeny, but I made it work. I lived in the lower east side for 2 years, and a year in Brooklyn.
Hello from Mexico City! Loved this video! Hope one day I could go on vacation to NYC. I´d love to know more about your trips to Mexico City or Oaxaca. I love to hear stories about my country from the visitors.
he's right about two things -- everyone should spend a year in nyc, and the city is a reflection of your mood. clearly, he was grumpy a lot when he lived there.
"There's nothing to do in New York about from hang out in rooms"... this is how I felt about London the moment I moved here 5 years ago. And all the rooms, residential or commercial, are really expensive and a bit shit.
This fulfilled man recalls Casey saying that you come to NYC if you're pursuing a career or a dream or to make money. Nobody stays there to slow down in life, the city will tear you apart. But I do agree with this spirited man that you should at least experience living in the city because it changes your perspective of life, of the hustle and the grind. Being able to travel to different cities let alone other countries changes your mindset to greater things and I'm excited to experience the city for myself whether it'll be good or bad. Amazing and honest work on this video Van!
I did my service after college by living in LA for a year and then the village in NYC for 9 months until my girlfriends boyfriend kicked me out of their apartment. I realized that both are great places to visit or come for meetings, but terrible to live.
Had the opportunity to be in Manhattan for a week once. My wallet bled, everything was loud and I woke up to police sirens in my first two nights. Nowhere else have I struggled harder to eat healthy and affordably when traveling. Constantly encountered trash, threats, rain, smoke and people who lived there too long to tolerate your slow, tourist ways. The museums were nice though .
I remember I spent a week downtown on a class trip, and when I came back home I couldn't sleep for the first four or five nights because my brain was too used to the constant sirens and horns after just one visit.
Hey Van, vanilla & chocolate. I have lived in Manhattan since 1975, I am def not rich, and I enjoy each and every day with rare exception. The wonders never cease to amaze me, beauty is everywhere, the mass transit is terrific and 20s 30s 40s. 50s 60s ANY AGE there is so much LIFE here. The weather is very nice in LA.
THANK YOU for this. As much as I love Casey's content (he's also the reason I found your channel) but I can't watch another video where Candice cries about not being in NYC.
Hm the subways are way better now, there are the occasional delays but for the most part its good. Its actually one of the things I like best about the city, the fact that you can pop in at any station and get to almost anywhere you want in a few mins is wonderful. Biking is also great, I agree.
NYC goes through cycles. I went in the 1980's and was shocked about all the trash littered all over the place. It was the dirtiest city I had ever seen. We also got our entire car robbed too, right outside Radio City Music Hall. I went again in my 20's around 1999 in the summer and it was much much better. I really enjoyed the trip and found the city very electric...in a good way. I hope to go back soon, as I haven't been in 23 years!
I did the exact same, 20 years when I was 22- the best years of my young adult life. I wouldn’t go back there now if you paid me. It was fabulous and for me, it’s over. I have little nostalgia for it now. I don’t even visit anymore. So glad I had those years and loving my life now, in Europe.
