new york city biography

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New York City

By: History.com Editors

Updated: March 15, 2019 | Original: January 12, 2010

The first native New Yorkers were the Lenape, an Algonquin people who hunted, fished and farmed in the area between the Delaware and Hudson rivers. Europeans began to explore the region at the beginning of the 16th century–among the first was Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian who sailed up and down the Atlantic coast in search of a route to Asia–but none settled there until 1624. That year, the Dutch West India Company sent some 30 families to live and work in a tiny settlement on “Nutten Island” (today’s Governors Island) that they called New Amsterdam. In 1626, the settlement’s governor general, Peter Minuit, purchased the much larger Manhattan Island from the natives for 60 guilders in trade goods such as tools, farming equipment, cloth and wampum (shell beads). Fewer than 300 people lived in New Amsterdam when the settlement moved to Manhattan. But it grew quickly, and in 1760 the city (now called New York City; population 18,000) surpassed Boston to become the second-largest city in the American colonies. Fifty years later, with a population 202,589, it became the largest city in the Western hemisphere. Today, more than 8 million people live in the city’s five boroughs.

New York City in the 18th Century

In 1664, the British seized New Amsterdam from the Dutch and gave it a new name: New York City. For the next century, the population of New York City grew larger and more diverse: It included immigrants from the Netherlands, England, France and Germany; indentured servants; and African slaves.

Did you know? New York City served as the capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790.

During the 1760s and 1770s, the city was a center of anti-British activity–for instance, after the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765, New Yorkers closed their businesses in protest and burned the royal governor in effigy. However, the city was also strategically important, and the British tried to seize it almost as soon as the Revolutionary War began. In August 1776, despite the best efforts of George Washington’s Continental Army in Brooklyn and Harlem Heights, New York City fell to the British. It served as a British military base until 1783.

New York City in the 19th Century

The city recovered quickly from the war, and by 1810 it was one of the nation’s most important ports. It played a particularly significant role in the cotton economy: Southern planters sent their crop to the East River docks, where it was shipped to the mills of Manchester and other English industrial cities. Then, textile manufacturers shipped their finished goods back to New York.

But there was no easy way to carry goods back and forth from the growing agricultural hinterlands to the north and west until 1817, when work began on a 363-mile canal from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. The Erie Canal was completed in 1825. At last, New York City was the trading capital of the nation.

As the city grew, it made other infrastructural improvements. In 1811, the “Commissioner’s Plan” established an orderly grid of streets and avenues for the undeveloped parts of Manhattan north of Houston Street. In 1837, construction began on the Croton Aqueduct, which provided clean water for the city’s growing population. Eight years after that, the city established its first municipal agency: the New York City Police Department.

Meanwhile, increasing number of immigrants, first from Germany and Ireland during the 1840s and 50s and then from Southern and Eastern Europe, changed the face of the city. They settled in distinct ethnic neighborhoods, started businesses, joined trade unions and political organizations and built churches and social clubs. For example, the predominantly Irish-American Democratic club known as Tammany Hall became the city’s most powerful political machine by trading favors such as jobs, services and other kinds of aid for votes.

New York City in the 20th Century

At the turn of the 20th century, New York City became the city we know today. In 1895, residents of Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island and Brooklyn–all independent cities at that time–voted to “consolidate” with Manhattan to form a five-borough “Greater New York.” As a result, on December 31, 1897, New York City had an area of 60 square miles and a population of a little more than 2 million people; on January 1, 1898, when the consolidation plan took effect, New York City had an area of 360 square miles and a population of about 3,350,000 people.

The 20th century was an era of great struggle for American cities, and New York was no exception. The construction of interstate highways and suburbs after World War II encouraged affluent people to leave the city, which combined with deindustrialization and other economic changes to lower the tax base and diminish public services. This, in turn, led to more out-migration and “white flight.” However, the Hart-Cellar Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 made it possible for immigrants from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America to come to the United States. Many of these newcomers settled in New York City, revitalizing many neighborhoods.

New York City in the New Millennium

On September 11, 2001, New York City suffered the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the United States when a group of terrorists crashed two hijacked jets into the city’s tallest buildings: the twin towers of the World Trade Center . The buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,000 people were killed. In the wake of the disaster, the city remained a major financial capital and tourist magnet, with over 40 million tourists visiting the city each year.

Today, more than 8 million New Yorkers live in the five boroughs–more than one-third of whom were born outside the United States. Thanks to the city’s diversity and vibrant intellectual life, it remains the cultural capital of the United States.

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• 10 Must Read Biographies And...

10 Must-Read Biographies And Memoirs Of Famous New Yorkers

It is no secret that New York City has played a particular role in nurturing some of history’s most iconic movers and shakers. Global influence has been an integral part of its landscape, and the city’s culture would be nothing without the individuals who possess it. We profile ten must-read biographies and memoirs of some of New York’s most prominent figures.

The powerbroker: robert moses and the fall of new york by robert caro.

Robert Moses was arguably the most powerful man in New York City for four decades. In addition to his contributions of thousands of acres of public parks, hundreds of miles of roads, seven bridges, the UN Headquarters, and Lincoln Center , he at one time held so many government positions that without him, the city would have ceased to function. He often used this influence to bully mayors into fulfilling his wishes —many of which solidified the race and class segregation among New York’s neighborhoods. The Powerbroker is as much a story about power and its destructive nature as it is about the famous urban planner who physically shaped the city we know today. Though the book is a 1,300-page commitment, it’s so compelling that you won’t be able to put it down.

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable

This scrupulously researched biography digs beneath the surface of Malcolm X’s many personas, providing the most complete picture of the fiercely passionate activist to date. Malcolm X is presented as a complex and reflective figure who was a master of reinvention. Marable debunks some popular assumptions such as the exaggerated criminal activity of his youth (presented in his autobiography to make the narrative of his transformation more powerful), and he looks more deeply into Malcom X’s split with the Nation of Islam and the facts around his assassination. Malcolm X’s more controversial and contradictory qualities are discussed while chronicling what remained constant: his search for truth in his political and spiritual life.

Wishing on the Moon: The Life and Times of Billie Holiday By Donald Clarke

Though Billie Holiday’s autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues , is the best-known story of the iconic artist’s life, Wishing on the Moon serves as a thorough and accurate biography. Granted access to a large collection of interviews with people connected to Billie Holiday throughout her life, Clarke tells the story of a woman beat down by racism, sexism, and drug addiction until her untimely death. He sought to present her a hero as opposed to a troubled victim. While he falls short of this goal, he writes with a great deal of empathy and provides a critical review of her work and its place in both the pop and jazz world.

The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day

Socialist, pacifist, organizer, and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement , Dorothy Day was a spiritual and political force to be reckoned with. A journalist by trade, she documented many events of people working in solidarity to create a more just society. The Long Loneliness, written in 1952, delves deep into Day’s active inner world. She was constantly reflecting on the principals of her religion and using this inspiration to transform both herself and society. With the significant moments of her life as the backdrop — her childhood, her first job as a journalist with the New York Call , her imprisonment for demonstrating with women suffragists, her daughter’s birth, her founding the Catholic Worker Movement with Peter Maurin — The Long Loneliness is a deeply personal and engrossing story of one of the great social activists of the 20th century.

The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles

Whether you revere or revile him, Cornelius Vanderbilt, the man of steamships and railroads , was an undeniable force. From his humble beginnings on Staten Island to his reign as what T.J. Stiles calls ‘an unelected king that never pretended to rule for his people,’ his biography is as much a story of American economic history as it is of Vanderbilt’s life. He lived through the early formative years of the United States, from 20 years after the nation’s birth through the Civil War, and this book covers this history as well as his competition with John D. Rockefeller. Some would argue that he is the man responsible for our current version of American capitalism, including corporate consolidation and the widening chasm between the rich and the poor. Whether or not you agree with his ideas, his story is enlightening and remains relevant to contemporary society.

Eleanor Roosevelt Volume 1: 1884-1933 by Blanche Weisen Cook

The first in a set of three volumes documenting Eleanor Roosevelt’s life, Blanche Weisen Cook tells the story of a First Lady who redefined the role , publicly disagreeing with her husband’s policies and working tirelessly on behalf of the people. Eleanor Roosevelt Volume 1 covers the early years of Roosevelt’s life and the influences of her aristocratic family, which was ravaged by alcoholism and tragedy. Learn of the difficulties of her marriage, and follow her all the way until she reaches the White House. A woman who strove to fight against racism and advance opportunities for women and workers, Mrs. Roosevelt, a powerful and often misunderstood American figure, is demystified in Cook’s volumes.

Zami, a New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde

Zami is a study in truth-telling. In what the publisher calls a ‘biomythography, combining elements of history, biography and myth’, the prose reflects Audre Lorde’s poetic prowess (she was New York’s Poet Laureate from 1991-1993), while her characters serve as metaphors for the truths she uncovered in her life. The stories of women who shaped her give the reader a glimpse into lesbian life in the West Village during the McCarthy Era in the 1950s – what feels like a distant past to many of us growing up less than 50 years later. Lorde’s world was one where difference was assumed more than it was actually investigated. The result is her story which is firmly rooted in, as well as gracefully transcendent of, her multiple identities as a black lesbian writer. It is a tale of love, loneliness and self-definition that is not to be missed.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

More than ten years before the runaway success of the Broadway play written in the president’s name, there was an over 800-page biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. Hamilton was a man who grew from a young orphan into a central political figure. A rival of Thomas Jefferson, he was known for his propensity for conflict, which ultimately got him killed in a seemingly baseless duel with Aaron Burr. Chernow extends a sympathetic eye, though, reminding us that Hamilton lived during a time of vicious political attacks. He was also an outspoken abolitionist, a believer of meritocracy, and composed some of George Washington’s key correspondence. We also get to see his softer, private side: that of a gentle and loving father.

James Baldwin, A Biography by David Leeming

James Baldwin was born in Harlem in 1924. He famously fled New York and headed to Paris in 1948, fearing that he wouldn’t survive the racism of his home country. A prolific writer, his fiction, nonfiction, drama and poetry chronicle life amidst the backdrop of tumultuous social times. His searing intellect and beautiful prose made him one of the greatest American authors of all times. David Leeming chronicles Baldwin’s life in this biography, a respectful and loving portrait of a man who made you believe that no matter the depth of the struggle, you had the strength and resilience to survive it. Though this is not the first biography of Baldwin, it reads as the most true.

My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor

My Beloved World is Sonia Sotomayor’s moving and deftly written memoir of the journey from her childhood in the Bronx to her tenure as a federal district judge in New York. While veering away from explaining her legal philosophies, she gives the reader deep insight into the experiences that created the powerful and hardworking woman who went on to become the first Latina to sit on the Supreme Court . She describes her family and childhood with love and empathy, despite the fact that in many ways — with the exception of her grandmother — she was left alone to take care of herself. She also addresses her time at Yale and the repeated accusations that her admission was solely the result of affirmative action. Sotomayor’s sharp intellect and strong heart are present on the page, demonstrating the real reasons for her success in this inspiring story.

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Our immersive trips , led by Local Insiders, are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and an invitation to travel the world with like-minded explorers. Our Travel Experts are on hand to help you make perfect memories. All our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.?>

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Jane Jacobs, the writer who changed the face of the modern city

The journalist, activist and subject of a new biography believed cities should be haphazard and diverse, and prevented the destruction of the Village in New York

The Death and Life of Great American Cities , Jane Jacobs’ impassioned defense of city life, is often cited as one of the most important non-fiction books of the 20th century. For contemporary architects, civic planners and city dwellers, Jacobs’ book is a foundational text of humane urban planning. Her ideas, considered radical when the book was published in 1961, are now settled thought.

Jacobs was not a builder, but she was the architect of the modern city. Her ideas about density (a good thing) and modernist urban planning (a disaster) made her one of the few public critics of the post-war groupthink with regard to urban space. The well-ordered grid of a shiny metropolis was not for her; instead, Jacobs favored a haphazard juxtaposition of everything – industry, leisure time, ethnicity – that insured the vibrancy of the city.

This might sound a little familiar. “There are ‘Jane Jacobs pockets’ sprouting up in cities everywhere,” says Robert Kanigel , who has written a new biography of Jacobs out this month, Eyes on the Street . “There’s a change in the air, and much of it is attributable to her.”

Eyes on the Street traces Jacob’s intellectual development from New York-based freelance journalist to activist who not only wrote groundbreaking books but also took on 1960s political behemoths Carmine DeSapio and Robert Moses . DeSapio was a powerful New York assemblyman and head of the “Tammany Hall” machine that dominated local politics for nearly a century. Moses was the city’s master planner who built New York’s parkways and major bridges. Both were dead set on plowing an expressway through Washington Square Park in the heart of Manhattan’s West Village. Through the sheer power of her will and organizational skill, Jacobs stared them both down and effectuated the demise of the expressway plan – a victory that preserved one of New York’s iconic landmarks.

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania to a successful doctor and a nurse, Jacobs found her metier upon her move to New York during the depression. She studied zoology, geology and political science at Columbia University and scratched out a meager living as a stenographer and freelancer. It was her move to Washington DC to work for the influential Architectural Record that radicalized her on the subject of cities.

Having been assigned an article on Edmund Bacon ’s masterplan for a middle-income development in Philadelphia, Jacobs decried Bacon’s methods. Kanigel quotes Jacobs as remarking that, “Not only did (Bacon) and the people he directed … not know how to make an interesting or humane street, but they didn’t even notice such things and didn’t care.” Bacon’s masterplan – to create separate industrial and residential zones, and parcel out impractical and uninviting public space – ran counter to Jacobs’ notion of the city as messy incubator of culture and ideas.

Kanigel is a former professor of science writing at MIT and a frequent biographer, whose work includes The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan , about the Indian mathemetician Srinivasa Ramanujan (later turned into the theatre work A Disappearing Number ). He had long been fascinated by Jacobs as an outlier, as someone who was championing the city at a time when “white flight” to the suburbs was prevalent. “I felt a little out of place in the city, because everyone was leaving the city, and I loved it,” Kanigel, who has spent most of his adult life in Baltimore, says. “So Death and Life … spoke to me quite powerfully. She was a patron saint who said, ‘it’s OK to like this kind of life.’”

“Every chapter,” Kanigel writes of Jacobs’ book, “offered alternative ways to see: tottering old buildings could be sources of anarchic creativity … a factory near your house need not be unwholesome, but instead a nexus of economic and social renewal.

“The Death and Life of Great American Cities is also about death and life, period,” Kanigel says. “Of civilizations, institutions, economies. That’s what she was interested in. You think about a city like Detroit, basically making one thing forever and not changing. Jacobs found the wellspring of economic health in cities as a constant bubbling forth of ideas. We are of course now seeing that borne out in places like Brooklyn and Baltimore.”

When Jacobs published The Death and Life of Great American Cities in 1961, city planners were genuflecting to modernist architects like Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe , architects who wanted to level the pre-existing urban landscape with sleek, minimalist high-rises. Jacobs’ crusades didn’t lead to a total pushback. But 40 years after her book, it’s clear that the notion of the city as an economic and cultural locus has firmly taken root.

Jacobs was not content only to write about her ideas. She often took to the streets to fight back against civic encroachment of her beloved West Village neighborhood, as in the Washington Square Park incident. “She had a lot of guts, but there was a battle within her,” said Kanigel. “She primarily saw herself as a writer and thinker, and the activism got in the way of that, but she felt it was necessary to protect the soul of a place that she loved.”

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New York City, New York

Overall Score 6.1 /10

# 98 in Best Places to Live

# 6 in Best Places to Retire

Miriam Weiner | USN Staff

What’s it like to live in New York City, NY?

New York City is a place written about in songs, it has served as the backdrop for countless movies and it's inspired people worldwide with its grandiosity. Brimming with some of the nation's tallest buildings and historic landmarks, New York City is never short on spectacle. For centuries, New York City has been a leader in trade and culture, redefining everything from fashion trends to what a proper bagel with schmear should taste like.

The metro area is a place of opportunity, which is why – despite the crowds and costs – people keep coming. Some of the world's best theaters, restaurants, museums, parks and cultural activities can be found here. New York City's communities are as diverse as its people, from Greenwich Village in downtown to Harlem in uptown. Beyond Manhattan, the city is comprised of four additional boroughs: Queens, which has a long history of fabulous immigrant food; Brooklyn and its thriving literary and arts scene; the Bronx and its abundant green space and wildlife; and Staten Island with its coastline.

New York City is known for its fast-paced, around-the-clock lifestyle, which may be overwhelming for newcomers. Known as "the city that never sleeps," this relentless metropolis draws those seeking to advance their careers and push their limits. People come to New York City to pursue their dreams, achieve a better life and test the adage "if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere."

See all the best places to live in  New York .

What is there to do in New York City, NY?

It's often described as a concrete jungle, but there's plenty of green space in New York City. Local officials are dedicated to maintaining and improving access to green space across New York City's boroughs – there are more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities here. Central Park may be referred to as "New York City's backyard," but the High Line – an urban revitalization project in the Lower East Side – is fast becoming a favorite among residents and visitors.

New York City is also home to numerous world-class museums, a legendary theater scene and a dizzying array of nightlife venues. Outside Manhattan, nearby beaches lure sun-seeking residents in the summer, while the Coney Island amusement park has been entertaining New York City families for decades.

What’s the cost of living in New York City, NY?

Affordable housing is an ongoing problem in New York City, with one-bedroom apartments renting for several thousand dollars a month. Housing costs have risen throughout the boroughs – especially Brooklyn. Those looking to save on housing costs often look to communities in Connecticut and New Jersey, or on Long Island – though a hot market is driving up home prices in Long Island.

Best Local Services in New York City:

• Read: Best Mortgage Lenders in New York
• Read:  Best Internet Providers in New York City  
• Read:  Cheapest Car Insurance in New York  

Value Index

New York City offers a lower value than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income.

Housing Costs 2022

Housing costs over time.

Data sourced from Zillow median home sale price data series. Additional data provided by the Austin Board of Realtors, Houston Association of Realtors, Intermountain MLS, Omaha Area Board of Realtors, San Antonio Board of Realtors, and the Salt Lake Board of Realtors. Due to differences within the data source, home prices are not comparable across metro areas.

Buying or selling a home?

Find top real estate agents in New York City, NY

What’s the weather like in New York City, NY?

New York City has four distinct seasons. Every spring you'll see flowers growing in area parks, and every summer you'll see people enjoying the sun on the High Line. Autumn brings with it cooler temperatures and the new theater season. Winters are legendary, with the occasional nor'easter passing through and dumping several inches of snow, which often brings the region to a standstill.

Average Seasonal Temperature (°F)

Average seasonal rainfall (in).

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center.

Monthly High and Low Temperature (°F)

What's the best way to get around new york city, ny.

Comfortable shoes are a must in New York City, because getting around usually involves walking. But those who opt to get around on foot need to pay attention when crossing the street. Traffic congestion is a major problem in New York City, and pedestrian accidents are a growing public concern.

Other options include taking a taxi or riding the subway or bus. New York City's extensive subway system consists of about two dozen lines serving all five boroughs, while dozens of bus routes provide above-ground service. Regional buses and trains also connect the city to suburbs in New Jersey, Connecticut and New York state.

Traffic delays at surrounding bridges and tunnels are common, especially during peak rush hours. While street parking is available, it is often very difficult to find, and parking garages can be expensive. In short, a car simply isn't your best option here.

New York City is served by three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, and Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey. Amtrak train and various coach bus services are available at multiple points in and immediately outside the city proper.

Commuting in New York City, NY

9.6 minutes more than national average.

Public Transit

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Who lives in New York City, NY?

New York City houses people from all walks of life. More than one-third of New Yorkers are foreign-born, making the metro area a genuine melting pot of cultures. Moreover, New York City is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel and one of the largest Puerto Rican populations in the continental U.S. New York City is also home to a flourishing LGBTQ community; the annual Pride celebration welcomes a few million attendees each year.

Age Distribution

Marital status breakdown.

About the same number of single people in New York City as national average.

Lifestyle in New York City

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The lifestyle in New York City is vibrant, exciting and ever-changing. There is a plethora of restaurants, nightlife hotspots, shopping destinations and events to enjoy, not to mention an abundance of theatre, arts and culture venues, health and beauty centres, and sports facilities.

The melting pot of New York City has immense variety and people of all persuasions are sure to find something to suit their tastes in this dynamic city. 

Shopping in New York City

With a vast and varied calibre of shopping options, new arrivals in New York will have a hard time holding onto their purse strings. From never-ending shopping streets to packed flea markets, it's easy to while away the hours browsing.

The infamous Fifth Avenue is a must, even if only for window shopping, as is trendy Madison Avenue, lined with designer shops including the likes of Chanel and Prada. The cobblestone streets of SoHo also host many chic outlets. On the other hand, Chinatown and the Lower East Side have bargains aplenty for the price-conscious shopper.

Nightlife in New York City

As newcomers may imagine, nightlife in New York is as eclectic as the city itself. Whether in the mood for a chic jazz lounge, world-renowned DJs spinning mixes or a wild nightclub, New York really does have something to meet every reveller's expectations. This is, after all, the city that never sleeps. Each of the New York boroughs has a unique nightlife scene, so don't be afraid to explore new places.

Arts and culture in New York City

For arts and culture buffs, it doesn't get any better than New York. The city boasts internationally acclaimed art exhibitions and new productions pop up weekly in the Big Apple.

Galleries and museums in New York range from massive to tiny, and attract millions to the city each year. Along Fifth Avenue, the city's famous Museum Mile plays host to popular museums such the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim, as well as the lesser-known El Museo del Barrio and the Museum of the City of New York. New York's best art galleries are in Chelsea, but those looking to view something edgier should head to Queens.

Newcomers in New York City should be sure to catch a play or musical on Broadway during their time in the city. Wicked , a retelling of The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the wicked witch, has become a modern classic, won multiple Tony awards and has been running continuously since its debut in 2003.

Those hoping to spot a celebrity may also have some luck in the New York theatre scene – many famous musicians and actors have graced the Broadway stages. Some of Broadway's more recent famous residents include Hugh Jackman, Josh Groban and Jessica Chastain.

Eating out in New York City

While roadside vendors selling everything from hot dogs to bagels are a common sight in New York, there are also many excellent restaurants for newcomers to try. All kinds of cuisine can be found in New York, so new arrivals fond of dining out can have whatever their hearts (or stomachs) desire.

For the best variety head to Queens. Chinatown is good for all types of Asian fare; the East Village has Ukrainian, Indian and Japanese eateries; and a fantastic selection of African and soul food restaurants are based in Harlem. There are steakhouses, as well as Italian restaurants and pizzerias sprinkled throughout the city.

Sports and outdoor activities in New York City

With so much going on in terms of shopping, eating out, entertainment and nightlife, many new arrivals can't help but wonder when they will ever get time to keep fit in New York. New Yorkers are fairly image-conscious and new arrivals will soon get used to the sight of runners in Central Park, cyclists biking to work and people somehow finding the time to fit in the odd gym session or yoga class.

Those who prefer spectating rather than partaking will be pleased to learn that New York has a long sporting history. Baseball is the city's most closely followed sport and newcomers should be sure to head to a game to see the New York Yankees or the New York Mets take to the field. American football is also a popular sport and the city is home to both the New York Giants and the New York Jets.

See and do in New York City

New arrivals will find themselves with an extensive and ever-expanding list of things to see and do in New York – sightseeing in the city could take up nearly all of a person's free time on its own. Below is our selection of recommended sights to see in New York City. 

Statue of Liberty

With a history dating back to the 1800s, the Statue of Liberty has become a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, and is a must-see for newcomers to New York.

Empire State Building

Built in just 410 days, the famous Empire State Building is one of New York’s tallest structures, standing at 1,250 feet (381m) tall. The building's observation decks offer splendid views of the city.

Central Park

Largely thanks to film and television, Central Park has become internationally known and holds the distinction of being one of the most-filmed locations worldwide. Nevertheless, it remains a wonderful natural haven to escape to, with more than 800 acres of beautiful gardens and lakes to enjoy on a day off.

Times Square

Known by many illustrious nicknames such as 'the Centre of the Universe' and 'the Crossroads of the World', this famous intersection at the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street is a feast of sound and colour, with flashing advertisements and gigantic billboards all around.

Taking a trip down the Great White Way is a must for new arrivals in New York. This theatre district is home to the world's best plays and musicals, offering up something for everyone, ranging from time-tested classics such as  The Lion King to widely hailed contemporary shows like  Hamilton . A hub of creativity, there's always plenty to choose from on Broadway, with new plays and musicals constantly popping up.

9/11 Memorial and Museum

Constructed where the Twin Towers once stood, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is a sobering reminder of the terror attacks that destroyed the towers in 2001 and resulted in the deaths of close to 3,000 people. Outside the museum is the Memorial Plaza, where visitors can walk among the oak trees and sunken fountains in remembrance of those lost.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

With one of the largest art collections in the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (known simply as 'the Met') is an appealing stop for any newbie in New York. The museum houses more than two million artworks from all over the globe. The collection includes not just the paintings and sculptures one would expect at an art museum, but also ancient weapons and armour, antique musical instruments and authentic historical clothing and accessories.

What's on in New York City

A city full of things to keep all types of people busy, New York's buzzing energy can be felt as much during the day as it can at night. In summer, in particular, the energy is almost palpable, seemingly bouncing off the gleaming buildings and steaming-hot asphalt.

Picking just a few events is a difficult task, but here is a list of the best tried and tested annual events in New York City.

New York Restaurant Week (February and July)

Some of the city’s most famous and exclusive restaurants participate in New York’s biannual Restaurant Week. Participating eateries offer prix fixe meals, giving attendees a chance to sample some of the best kitchens in the city at bargain prices.

St Patrick’s Day Parade (March)

There's always been a strong Irish heritage in the New York area and St Patrick’s Day is the event of the year to witness it in all its intoxicating glory. On the day itself, there is a parade, complete with costumes and marching bands, that slowly snakes up to 5th Avenue.

NYC Pride March (June)

NYC Pride is a huge event in the city and usually lasts an entire week with a fair few smaller events all leading to the main parade on the Saturday of the festival. As the home of the first Pride March held in 1970, the event is of particular significance to NYC.

Feast of San Gennaro (September)

San Gennaro is a week-long festival that takes place in Little Italy every year. A highlight of the feast is the parade, where a statue of San Gennaro (the Patron Saint of Naples) is carried through the cobbled streets, followed by a large procession. The atmosphere is electric with music, vendors selling street food, and huge crowds slowly meandering through it all. Adventurous newcomers might enjoy trying their hand at the festival's famous cannoli-eating contest.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (November)

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a world-famous event with a procession of floats and entertainers celebrating this special occasion. Even the preparations can be captivating to watch. On the night before the parade, the famous huge balloons depicting animals or cartoon characters are inflated on the Upper West Side – a great spectacle to see after a dinner out with friends.

Further reading

►For sightseeing ideas with children, read Kids and family in New York City

Expat Experiences "My ideal day involves grabbing a coffee at my corner bodega, taking my dog for a long walk through Central Park, meeting up with a friend for lunch at a neighbourhood Greek restaurant, shopping at a mix of one-off boutiques and chain retailers, taking a fun Zumba or Soul Cycle class, happy hour drinks outdoors overlooking the Hudson River, and taking a cab home to my deliciously centrally located apartment." Read more of American repatriate Jessica's interview . "I really enjoy that you can do anything at any time you want; learning a new language, dancing Salsa, hitting up a party – it’s a madhouse sometimes! Getting to know people at a bar and going out by yourself. Sharing accommodation with singers and actors, who are trying to make it. Strolling down the streets of the West Village and taking in the gorgeous buildings." German expat Laura shares her thoughts on expat life in NYC .

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New York City: A Food Biography (Big City Food Biographies) Hardcover – November 26, 2013

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• Print length 210 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date November 26, 2013
• Dimensions 6.29 x 0.8 x 9.27 inches
• ISBN-10 1442227125
• ISBN-13 978-1442227125
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (November 26, 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 210 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1442227125
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1442227125
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.29 x 0.8 x 9.27 inches
• #2,346 in Mid Atlantic US Travel Books
• #3,178 in Culinary Biographies & Memoirs
• #3,467 in Food Science (Books)

About the author

Andrew f. smith.

Andrew F. Smith has taught food studies at the New School since 1996. His various courses have included food controversies, food history, food writing and culinary luminaries. He is the author or editor of twenty-eight books, including the award-winning Oxford Encyclopedia on Food and Drink in America (OUP, 2013), Sugar: A Global History (Reaktion, April 2015) and Savoring Gotham: A Food Lover's Companion to New York City (Oxford University Press, November 2015). He is currently under contract to write a three-volume reference work on food controversies related to the environment, health and the economy. He serves as the editor for the "Edible Series" and the "Food Controversies Series" at Reaktion Books in the United Kingdom. He has written more than five hundred articles in academic journals, popular magazines and newspapers, and has served as a consultant to several television series, including the six-episode series, "Eat: The Story of Food," that aired on the National Geographic Channel in the fall of 2014. Formerly, he directed the Center for Teaching International Relations at the University of Denver, and has directed several national and international non-for-profit organizations. For more about him, visit his website: www.andrewfsmith.com

Andrew F. Smith has delivered more than fifteen hundred presentations on various educational, historical, and international topics, and has organized seventy-three major conferences. He has been frequently interviewed by and quoted in newspapers, journals and magazines, such as the New York Times, New Yorker, Reader's Digest, Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Fortune Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. I have been regularly interviewed on radio and television, including National Public Radio and the Food Network.

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The 10 best things about living in NYC, according to New Yorkers

From serendipitous meetings to being able to get a chopped cheese just around the corner.

There's a lot of reasons we choose to live in New York City and it varies for everyone—job opportunities, family, the culture—but all of us can agree on certain things that make it worth being here.

New Yorkers took to Reddit last week to share the best parts of living in NYC after user foxyfox22  posed the question in r/NYC  and there were about 10 answers posted repeatedly, citing everything from serendipitous meetings with friends to the city's many restaurants.

Below are some of the best parts of living in NYC that'll make you long for the day when we're able to see everyone again.

1. It can be a fantastic place for introverts

It might go against our initial understanding of NYC, but the city is actually a great place to live for introverts because of its boisterous atmosphere and residents. Being surrounded by all these people and ongoing events keeps introverts from becoming hermits—it gets them out of their heads.

" I'm forced to see so many strange and interesting people on my commute or walking to the bodega, whether I make an effort or not," user AgentGravitas wrote. "That keeps me grounded and makes me feel connected to others. And if I do decide to go out and be social, I have a gazillion options when the mood strikes (non-COVID times)."

And, when we want to be alone, it's not hard because New Yorkers know how to leave each other alone. You won't find people butting into our business. In fact, NYC is a great place to have a good cry. Most times, people won't invade your space and if they do, it's to offer help.

2. Small interactions with the city’s 'cast of colorful characters'

NYC isn't the most famous city in the world because its residents are all the same and play by the same rules. No, our city is full of people who aren't afraid of letting their freak flag fly and give zero fucks about what others think of them. Speaking with our colorful characters makes our lives here more rich, even if some of them are a little off their rockers. We wouldn't have it any other way.

"There are definitely some crazies here, but I've met some of the most generous, open, welcoming, life-affirming, real, funny, smart people in this city," said square-grab-5644. "I'm from London, where everyone is apparently polite, and I will tell you hands down after nearly 15 years in NYC that New Yorkers are WAYYYY nicer!!! And that's why I'm never leaving :-) I love it more every day!"

3. Whatever our stomachs desire—we have!

NYC has just about every cuisine you could possibly want. What other city's culinary scene is as diverse as ours? Not many, that's for sure. It's a safe bet that we all live within a mile of anything we have an appetite for and we can just walk there.

"In downtown - within 2 miles there’s Chinese supermarkets, a Korean supermarket, Japanese grocery stores, an Italian marketplace, countless other specialty stores, and ofc Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s," said syunsquared. "Not just “Italian” or “Chinese”, but all kinds of Italian - Neapolitan pizza, Italian sandwiches, pasta, Roman, Tuscan, etc. There’s a Trapizzino on Orchard!! - and Chinese - dim sum, Chinese bbq, hot pot, Cantonese, Sichuan, etc. The list goes on. Whatever your stomach desires we have!"

4. It's a cultural capital with so much diversity

We also have much of the world's best museums, jazz clubs, DIY venues and art galleries as well as our incredible Broadway and Off Broadway scenes. There's no shortage of talent or ways to catch it. And people from different walks of life keep coming together to bring us incredible exhibits and shows that open our world to what's beyond our own experiences. And simply being able to interact with so many types of people is something not found in other cities.

"I truly had not seen diversity until I moved to New York years ago," wrote paul_lanes. "After moving here, I've had long-term or passing connections with the rich, the poor, with people of various ethnic backgrounds, with people who come from far away or native to New York, with people from all across the political spectrum including the right, with struggling drug addicts, etc."

5. Being able to drink and not drive (and get home safely)

It's a small thing, but when we've had too much to drink, most of us don't have to worry about how we'll get home or leaving our car behind. NYC's walkability (or access to taxis) makes going out for a boozy night on the town easy and safe and even allows us to enjoy ourselves more than we would if we had to think about logistics. And honestly, sometimes being a little buzzed on the train helps the ride home a little easier.

" Just please try to barf away from us commuters. I’ll hand a wet wipe to you later," lemonyhampeapasta wrote.

6. E veryone has one thing in common—they are the kind of person who lives in NYC

It takes " a certain mind, perseverance, culture, flexibility to live in any of the boroughs and it manifests itself in millions of unique ways," said okdokke. "But that lil’ nugget of ‘new yorker’ is always somewhere inside."

Whatever "making it" in NYC means, we're all doing it. New Yorkers have a certain grit, attitude and strength that is required of them to live here. Knowing that, we all have this unspoken appreciation and understanding that we share.

7. You don't have to plan a day out to have a day out

You can plan if you want to, but honestly, NYC has  so much going on that you could leave your apartment with nothing on your plate and not return home until late, having seen a performance, incredible art, and a few friends for tasty drinks and food. Even venturing to the next neighborhood over holds its own discoveries.

"There is always a new place popping up every month to visit or eat at," wrote lilac_skyyyy. "You can never run out of nearby new neighborhoods to explore which is like visiting different countries all in one city."

8. Hundreds of restaurants deliver to our apartments

We've definitely come to realize just how many restaurants deliver to our apartments during this pandemic. The list on our deliver apps is endless and we all have that deep drawer of takeout menus. We don't even have to put our pants on to get the best soup dumplings in all of NYC. We have so many options. What other town offers that?

"I travel a lot of work (or used to) and you won’t believe how shitty the options for food delivery are outside of major cities. You have max 5 options from major chains which all charge a delivery fee, and the food takes an hour to arrive," lmoe wrote.

9. S erendipitous meetings

One of the coolest things about living here is it's actually a small world. It's not uncommon to just happen to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes we'll see a friend get out of the exact train car we're getting on or meet new people who become our best friends just because we were in the same bar at the same time.

"T hese 3 minute chances you give to people can grow into awesome friendships (or, at least, memories!), and I feel impromptu social interaction is not natural nor polite in any other place/country I’ve lived in," user ktoanyone said.

10. It is a city of subcultures upon subcultures

The cliche saying that " there's something for everybody" rings the truest here. In terms of interests, no one is ever alone in NYC. Whatever your hobby, obsession, kink or fixation is, there's a group for it. That's not always true in other cities and towns, which can be a very lonely experience.

" Some nights I would dress up and enjoy the vanity crowd around meatpacking district, other nights I'd put on a decent hoodie and barhop around LES," jewboyfresh said. "One time I was on the bus and saw some people dressed as if they were going to a goth convention heading into a building, makes me wonder about all the lowkey stuff that goes on. I was in a bar in Bushwick one time and it was like stepping back in time. Every single person in that bar was wearing leather jackets, had long hair, and there was rock music playing."

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District 28

Adrienne e. adams.

South Ozone Park, Jamaica, South Jamaica, Baisley Park, Springfield Gardens (North)-Rochdale Village, Springfield Gardens (South)-Brookville

Under the leadership of Speaker Adams, the Council has been tackling long-standing inequities. She led the lawmaking body to advance women’s health by passing legislative packages to address persistent racial disparities in maternal health and expand access to abortion and reproductive healthcare. The Council, under Speaker Adams’ leadership, also directed the largest amount of municipal funding of any city in the nation to support direct access to abortion healthcare for those without an ability to pay.

Speaker Adams has expanded support for crime victims in communities that experience high levels of violence but are underserved by traditional victim services. She created a new $5.1 million budget initiative to fund community safety and victim services at the neighborhood level, and secured funding to establish New York State’s first four Trauma Recovery Centers.

Speaker Adams and the Council prioritized addressing inequities in the city’s workforce, passing legislative packages to confront the historic lack of diversity in the FDNY and gender- and race-based pay disparities that impact municipal workers. Speaker Adams also helped establish the CUNY Reconnect program that has helped thousands of working-age New Yorkers to return to college in pursuit of a degree after leaving school.

Speaker Adams’ leadership has set a new tone for the Council’s leadership in addressing the City’s housing crisis. Under her leadership, the Council approved over 40 land use projects in 2022, which will produce more than 12,000 units of housing, over 63% of which are affordable. Adams also put forward an aggressive Housing Agenda with a Fair Housing Framework to increase the equitable production of affordable housing development across the City, while prioritizing deeper affordability, housing preservation, and homeownership.

During her first term in the Council, Speaker Adams secured a record level of funding for her district, which had endured years of disparity and disinvestment, including investments in schools, parks, libraries, housing, and sanitation services. As a member of the Budget Negotiating Team, she championed funding for cultural institutions, health care, digital access, child and adult literacy, community-based food pantries, small business assistance, as well as Fair Futures, an initiative providing mentorship and services for foster care youth. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she fought to secure additional testing and vaccine sites in her district, which lacked equitable resources despite having one of the highest COVID-19 case rates in the entire City. While serving as Co-Chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus (BLAC) of the Council, Speaker Adams advocated for additional investments in foreclosure prevention programs, CUNY’s research institutions, and many other community support initiatives. Under her leadership, the City Council also funded the Education Equity Action Plan, an initiative to implement a comprehensive K-12 Black Studies Curriculum for all students in New York City’s public schools.

As Chair of the Committee on Public Safety, Speaker Adams shepherded passage of critical reform legislation to improve police accountability and transparency. These included bills to end qualified immunity (making New York City the first city in the nation to enact such a law); require NYPD to document and report on vehicle stops with demographic breakdowns (race, gender, etc.); and empower the Civilian Complaint Review Board to initiate investigations into police misconduct. During her tenure as Chair of the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings, and Dispositions, she played a key role in advancing the plan to close Rikers Island. Speaker Adams also passed legislation to reform the City’s tax lien sale to protect homeowners, extend protections for fast food workers, require transparency on the Administration for Children’s Services’ emergency removals of children, and return unused commissary funds to formerly incarcerated New Yorkers.

Speaker Adams was raised in Hollis, Queens, as the daughter of two proud union workers. She attended St. Pascal Baylon Elementary School and Bayside High School. After briefly studying at CUNY’s York College, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, minoring in Early Childhood Development. Prior to serving in the City Council, Speaker Adams worked professionally as a Corporate Trainer at several Fortune 500 companies, specializing in Executive Training, Telecommunications Management, and Human Capital Management, and worked as a Childhood Development Associate Instructor, training child care professionals to obtain their Child Development Associate credentials in accordance with the standards set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Speaker Adams first entered public service as a member of Queens Community Board 12, the second largest community board in the borough. She was appointed Chair of the Education Committee, advocating for education equity and opposing school closures and co-locations. In recognition of her leadership, Speaker Adams was elected to three consecutive terms as Chair of Community Board 12, serving from December 2012 to November 2017. She advocated for improved delivery of services, economic opportunities, and better quality of life in Southeast Queens.

As a community advocate, Speaker Adams served in leadership positions for community-based organizations and advisory committees. She was appointed by then Queens Borough President Melinda Katz to the Queens Public Library Board of Trustees, overseeing a 62-branch institution that maintained the highest circulation of any municipal library system in the country. Additionally, she was appointed to the Local Planning Committee for the Jamaica Downtown Revitalization Initiative and served as Co-Chair of the Jamaica NOW Leadership Council. In these roles, Speaker Adams guided more than $150 million in funding and investments for workforce and business development, education, health and wellness, housing, and transportation for the Downtown Jamaica area.

Speaker Adams is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority for Black college-educated women. She is also a longstanding member of the NAACP and the National Action Network.

Speaker Adams is a wife, mother, and grandmother (“cool Nona”) within her beloved blended family.

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22 Pros and Cons of Living in New York City In 2024

Thinking of moving to New York City but not quite sure what to expect from the city that never sleeps? Well, never fear because your friendly, 30+ year local New Yorker is here to answer all your most pressing questions about all the major pros and cons of living in New York City.

Yup, I’m about to give you the inside scoop on the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to the pros and cons of living in NYC.

This way, you can quickly and easily decide if New York is the perfect city for you. Because although this concrete jungle is awesome and has been my home for well over 30 years, it definitely isn’t for everyone.

So, use this handy guide now to uncover the hidden truth of living in NYC – realities of living in NYC that you just won’t find in most guide books on the market today.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more information. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

⏰ In a hurry and haven’t booked your accommodation yet? Book your stay at the Pod 39 . It is convenient, cheap and one of the best places to stay in the city. ?

Pros and Cons of Living in New York City – The PROS

Let’s start with the good stuff shall we? After all, I’ve been living in New York City for well over thirty years for a reason. So yeah, there’s clearly something extra about this iconic metropolis – especially since you can use some of the best hikes near NYC to escape it for a hot minute.

And we’ll figure out exactly what that is in this section about the pros and cons of living in NYC.

1. Diversity

One of the many pros and cons of living in New York City its insane diversity! Just walk around the not-so-mean-streets of NYC and you’ll see people from hundreds of different backgrounds all talking, working and hanging out together.

And that’s just the locals! Because, guess what? NYC gets an average of over 65 million visitors each year. That’s a lot of “I Love NY” t-shirts and baseball caps my friends!

There are also so many people from so many different places that over 800 languages are spoken in New York City every day.

And that’s not really all that surprising when you think about how New York City was once a hugely important place for immigrants arriving in the United States!

When you think NYC, I bet you think of food.

After all, anyone who’s ever traveled to this great city has brought with them the divine food of their super cool homeland.

Therefore, the amount of culinary choices you have as a New Yorker is truly jaw-dropping since there are tons of unique restaurants in NYC !

I mean, you’ve got pizzas, burgers, hotdogs, tacos, sushi, curry, noodles, sliders, cronuts, etc. – and yeah, now I’m hardcore drooling just thinking about all that decadent foodie goodness.

With all these imports, there are also some homegrown originals and perfected recipes that you can only sample in New York City. And there are plenty of locals who will fight you to the death to defend the honor of NYC cuisine!

Fun fact: The first ever American pizzeria, called Lombardi’s, opened in this city in 1905 – and it’s still open today! So yeah, food is just one of the many pros and cons of living in New York City.

3. It’s famous for a reason – landmarks!

Central Park . The Empire State Building. Coney Island. Grand Central Station. The Statue of freakin’ Liberty! C’mon people, you all know the list goes on and on!

I mean, almost everyone in the world who has seen a movie knows of at least one iconic New York City landmark. Because you can’t throw a rock without hitting something that was built here that is known throughout the world.

So yeah, these buildings are hella ICONIC, and they help put not just New York but the entire United States on the map. I mean, even the skyline of this incredible city is famous – making this one of the epic pros on this list of the pros and cons of living in New York City.

As far as the pros and cons of living in New York City go, one of the biggest things in its favor is the history.

Especially since this is one of the oldest settlements in the United States. So, yeah, she’s been around, people! And it has been an interesting couple of hundred years!

That’s why, you’ll find museums everywhere here, showcasing countless different aspects of New York, both the physical history and the social story of this great city.

From the styles of the buildings down to the names of the streets themselves, NYC proves its place among the most historically significant cities in the world.

5. Broadway

It’s almost impossible to go through life without having heard a famous song from a classic musical. And of these now iconic shows got their start in good old Manhattan.

That’s why, anyone and everyone who wants to make their mark on musical theatre wants to make it big on Broadway. I mean, the fact that “off-Broadway” is a popular term should tell you how prestigious the real thing is … and how fabulous – making this one of my fave pros on this list of the pros and cons of living in New York City.

And once you’re a success on Broadway, the sky’s the limit. Ever heard of Hamilton, anyone? No? Just me?

6. Shopping

Let’s be real, ya know ya girl enjoys the occasional retail therapy and one of the biggest pros on this list of the pros and cons of living in New York City is that I have access to said therapy year round.

However, it isn’t just the greatest city in the world for shopaholics feeling a little down. NYC has access to ANYTHING your little heart could desire, and it has access to some of the best of whatever that thing is in the world.

From runway fashion to obscure foodstuff to amazing bookstores in NYC you WILL find it all here! Oh and there is even budget shopping in NYC!

7. Public Transportation

One thing you learn when you travel the world is that when it comes to stellar public transportation, the USA as a whole isn’t winning any competitions.

BUT! New York City might stand a chance! After all, whenever I’m selling people on the pros and cons of living in NYC,I always mention that public transportion is one of the easiest to throw in the pro column.

After all, many of us here are done with ridiculous commutes or late buses that show up with too many passengers (So, you know, you can’t actually get on the darn thing).

That’s why, the NYC subway is like a blast of fresh air when it comes to public transportation. Now, is it perfect? Of course not! But it’s way better than what pretty much any other US city currently has!

Pro Tip: NEVER get in an empty subway car. I know you might feel like you just won the lottery but trust me on this. That subway car is empty for a reason (read, the AC is broken or someone got sick in there).

8. Amazing Parks

People often think NYC is all tall buildings and taxis, but there are over 1700 green spaces and parks in NYC for visitors to enjoy!

And one of the biggest pros on this list of the pros and cons of living in NYC is that this city is home to some of the most beautiful parks in the world, whether you live here or are just visiting!

Don’t get me wrong, I love the big city vibes, but it CAN be super nice to just escape to a quiet park for an afternoon from time to time. They’re also great for relaxing walks.

9. Brunch Spots & Cafes

I love brunch an unhealthy amount, and I can confidently say that living in New York City is almost entirely responsible for that love.

That’s why, I firmly believe that this is the greatest city in the world for brunch. Go on, fight me on this pro when it comes to the pros and cons of living in New York City.

Because whether you’re looking for boozy brunch spots in NYC , or more casual NYC brunch spot s you will NEVER run out of new places to try.

Anyway, BRB getting some avocado toast and eggs now that my mouth is watering!

10. Career opportunities

There is no place quite like New York when it comes to career opportunities and there is a reason why it is called the city of dreams.

You’ll find that the city has everything from the New York Stock exchange (the world famous Wall Street) to the headquarters of multinational companies.

In addition to this you will find that there is something for everyone, especially if the person is willing to put in the hard work to make it successful. I personally have found that the city is a great place to network with people from different fields mingling. 

The startup culture is another great thing. Have a dream? Want to start up something new? There will always be a way to achieve this, people who will join you and amazingly intelligent people to hire! New York city is the perfect incubator for businesses.

Oh and if you want to upskill, New York has so many opportunities to develop your own skills. The number of courses, workshops, networking portals etc that are available is insane. Worried that it will come at a high cost?

Contrary to expectation, if you do a bit of research you will find that many of the courses are actually affordable.

11. There’s Just Nowhere Else Quite Like It

It’s a vibe, y’all. There’s just something in the air when it comes to New York City.

I know, it sounds like a cop-out, but one of the biggest pros on this epic list of the pros and cons of living in New York City is simply that nowhere else in the world like it exists. The diversity, the angry taxis, the metro, the mind blowingly delicious food.I could literally go on all day.

And sure, other big cities might have similar THINGS, but they just don’t also have the same FEELING as NYC. It’s ineffable and that’s why there’s nowhere else quite like it. PERIOD. This is why you should spend at least 4 days in NYC .

Pros and Cons of Living in New York City – The CONS

I’ve lived in New York City for a LONG AF time. And let me tell you, this city is by no means perfect.

That’s why, I could not in good conscious create this list of the best pros and cons of living in NYC without mentioning some of the not-so-nice things about living up here in New York City.

12. Expensive Rent (understatement of the century)

That real estate don’t come cheap in NYC since we can’t all live like the cast of Friends. After all, New York City is one of the most expensive places to rent in the USA.

I mean, a one bedroom apartment in the main residential areas (aka Manhattan) costs an average of $3000 per month. And that goes up significantly if you need space for other family members as well.

And outside the city center, rentals can cost anywhere between $1600 per month for a one bedroom apartment- at the cheapest – and $3500 for a 3 bedroom apartment.

Yikes! No wonder New York City has over 100 billionaires living in it and why this one fo the biggest cons of this list of the pros and cons of living in New York City.

13. Expensive Everything Else

Honestly, it’s not just the rent that’s expensive in NYC – almost everything you can buy costs just a little bit more in the Big Apple, and sometimes a LOT more.

After all, living in the big city = big prices!

In fact, the cost of living in New York City is over 20% higher than the national average. So, looking for a glass of wine? Well, expect to pay upwards of $12 or more (for a GLASS, btw).

A dozen eggs? Yup, that could cost you an average of almost $5. And WiFi? Almost $50 per month in some cases. Yikes!

14. It gets hot, and it gets COLD

Hey Kelly, doesn’t it get hot and cold, like, everywhere? Why yes it does, but not like in NYC!

I mean, did you know that cities are on average around 10-15% hotter than other places? It’s because of all the people (and their cars and whatnot).

So, the bigger the city, the hotter it is, and NYC is pretty dang big!

But, NYC is also one of the coldest cities in America in the winter. In fact, temperatures can drop down to the single digits in January (New York’s coldest month of the year), and it once hit a record low of -15°F!

That’s why, New York City’s hella crazy weather is easily one of the many cons on this list of the pros and cons of living in New York City.

15. Getting Across Town Can Take a Long Time

Yes, NYC has one of the largest public transportation networks in the world, with plenty of cabs to boot.

But, the fact remains that getting from one place to another can take a deceptively long amount of time since those blocks are big!

Part of this also has to do with the shape of New York. After all, the city that never sleeps is made up of a ton of islands.

So, sometimes you can encounter a lot of traffic since there are only so many ways to get across large bodies of water.

That’s, if you have to go from one borough to another, make sure you plan ahead and leave yourself plenty of time as you do battle with one of the many pros and cons of living in New York City.

16. Very crowded

Around eight and a half million people live in New York, and they all work all the time. This means that people will be coming and going pretty much wherever you are.

So yeah, that makes it a little trickier to stop and check your phone when you’re in the flow of foot traffic!

Once you add in the millions of tourists that NYC gets every year, things start to go from tricky to crazy AF. So, if you’re looking to take a walk around and see the sights, you’re likely to be doing it in a crowd.

And what with NYC being “the city that never sleeps” that means you’ll be bumping into people both day AND night!

Pro Tip: People in NYC are busy and always on the go. Therefore, don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk abruptly because someone WILL bump into you. Instead, pull to the side (like you would in a car) to avoid any sidewalk related-collisions.

17. Traffic

With all those people come a whole lot of vehicles. So, if you’ve seen a movie set in New York, then you’ve probably seen one of the city’s legendary traffic jams.

That may be because there are over 2 million cars in NYC right now – that’s over 5000 miles of car if you parked them end to end!

So if you jump into a classic yellow NYC taxi, be prepared to spend some of your journey sitting still! Did you know: strictly speaking, it is illegal to honk your horn in NYC if it isn’t an emergency. But that doesn’t stop anyone in a jam!

Pro Tip : Don’t buy/rent a car in New York City. Parking regulations are insanely complex and the cost of a parking garage is absurd, especially when there is great public transportation available everywhere.

18. A Lot of People – A Lot of Dirt

Of the many pros and cons of living in New York, this one sounds the most harsh, but it’s true. It’s time for some tough love, NYC.

The city of New York is one of the dirtiest in the USA. But a big part of that is because it’s so big and popular! It’s hard enough to keep an apartment clean, let alone a city the size of NYC, amirite?

So, expect to find large piles of trash on many streets – heaps of garbage that really start to stink up the place during the warmer summer months.

19. Be Prepared for that NYC Attitude

“I’m walkin’ heeyaahhh!”

New Yorkers are nothing if not honest. If there’s something bothering them, or they’ve got something they wanna say, they WILL TELL YOU.

So be prepared for some opinions, y’all! I know it may come across as rude sometimes but don’t take in personally.

That’s just how it is here and one of the many pros and cons of living in New York City.

Part of this is because New Yorkers have got someplace to be. If you get in the way even for a second, it can throw off their vibe.

All I can say is that at least it will be short – time is money, and this is the home of Wall Street, after all!

Pro Tip: When paying for anything, have your cash/credit card in hand and ready to go. Also, quickly put your money back in your wallet and move to the side once you’re done with a transaction since New Yorkers are impatient AF and don’t have time to wait around for you to get your stuff together.

20. New York is Not Quiet

It’s the “city that never sleeps”, and if you’re not careful, neither will you!

It’s true that something is ALWAYS happening here, and it’s one of the biggest cons on this list of the pros and cons of living in NYC.

I’ll be the first to admit that I have been woken up more than once by wailing sirens, honking horns, and various other inexplicably loud noises.

But honestly, over time, you kinda get used to the noise and it all just becomes part of a constantly static background noise.

At least, for me it has. I barely notice now until friends visit and point it out.

21. The Rising Crime Rate

While New York is such an amazing place to live in, it is unfortunately not one of the safest. Major crimes in the city have spiked 60% in February if you compare it to 2021!

It seems like the stereotype of everyone getting mugged in New York is almost true. While the police department is working at improving the situation, it doesn’t change the issue at hand.

It is very important to know that if you live in New York, you really need to be cautious when you move about the city. 

On the other hand, seasoned New Yorkers are so used to dealing with it that caution becomes a second nature and if you spend enough time in the city, you will incorporate it too!

22. You’ll Never Be Able to See and Do it All

The FOMO is real, people. After all, one of the great pros and cons of living in New York City is that there is literally too much to do.

There’s too much food to eat, too many places to go, too many shows to see, too many parks to try out … This point might feel like a flex, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

The good news? Everyone who knows New York will have a different story to tell about it, which can sometimes be a drag when you forget how good of a time you had since people are discussing all the things they did on their trip that you just didn’t get to.

But if you’re living in New York, you’ll have plenty of time to try and do ALL the things.

Pros and Cons of Living in New York City FAQ

Is moving to nyc worth it.

I think NYC can either make you or break you. Be very aware of all the  pros and cons of living in New York City before you make such a big decision. If you’re looking for a quiet city then NYC is definitely not for you. It isn’t very easy to get by on a small budget either.

BUT… Here’s the thing. NYC is the land of opportunities. If you get a toe in the door, then the sky’s the limit. There are loads to do in the city and you will never get bored. 

Is It Stressful To Live In NYC?

NYC is stressful. How stressful however depends on individual to individual. The city is very fast paced. Everyone is involved in their own life, so if you have a demanding job then it can get very lonely in the big city. 

Aside from this, the bills in NYC do rack up so that does add to the stress a lot too. Once you manage to achieve a good work life balance, things settle down though. 

Is New York A Great Place For Immigrants?

New York is a hot pot of different cultures. Seriously, you will find people from all around the world living here. It is so diverse that when they say authentic cuisine in a restaurant, odds are that it is prepared by a local of that region!

So yes! It is a great place to be. You will definitely find people from your country around you and you will find a place that will make sure you don’t miss home too much!

Additional New York Travel Resources You’ll Love

• 19 Romantic Winter Getaways from NYC
• 20 Best Small Towns in New York
• Best things to do in Sleepy Hollow NY
• Best Happy Hour in NYC

There you have it! That just about concludes this guide to 20 of the pros and cons of living in NYC!

Tell me, did your favorite advantages of living in new york make the list if not then let me know in the comments below, and if you found this post useful, be sure to join our email list before pinning this post now so that you can read it again later.

Friday 9th of December 2022

I live in a big city the New York of Canada and I can so relate to NY just by living in Toronto you have the traffic on the streets people on every corner you go but the con of Toronto is that we aren’t as friendly as you think I get that people have to be at work at night too so you get the traffic the people who aren’t as happy as a Canadian would generally be I don’t know if you have been to Toronto if you have please let me know what you think of the 2 cities

travelnewyorknow

Saturday 7th of January 2023

I have actually never been to Toronto but think this is so interesting. Thanks so much for reading and sharing.

Tech workers tired of Silicon Valley are moving to New York City in droves for the social scene

• Silicon Valley tech workers are migrating to New York City for the social scene.
• Even with high rents, New York attracted the most tech talent from the Bay Area in 2022-2023.
• Some tech workers have said they want a life after working late, making New York appealing.

Young tech workers fed up with Silicon Valley are heading east for the ambiance and the dating scene, and they don't mind paying more for it.

New York City attracted more tech talent from the Bay Area than any other city between 2022 and 2023 despite having the highest rents in the country, according to a report from SignalFire , a venture capital firm.

The Big Apple is attracting tech investment as well. In 2022, Silicon Valley companies took in almost $75 billion from VC investors, according to The San Francisco Chronicle . Meanwhile, companies in New York secured nearly $30 billion, making it the country's second most lucrative tech hub.

Related stories

Millennials and Gen Z workers told the Chronicle that they saw more potential in New York's social scene, which became a factor in their decision to move east. San Mateo County, which includes part of Silicon Valley, declared loneliness a public health emergency earlier this year.

"I always thought New York could be a much more fun city than San Francisco," Sanchit Gupta told the Chronicle. "I also thought dating there would be a lot better."

A self-described "night-owl," Gupta told the Chronicle he was looking for something to do with his extra income. Kai Koerber echoed those thoughts, describing why he chose the city that never sleeps.

"Living in the Bay Area, things kind of shut down around 10 p.m.," Koerber told the Chronicle. "So, if you're in tech and want to kind of live a fun life in your 20s, while also building life-changing technology during the day, New York is kind of the place to be."

For Gupta, at least, it worked out. Later this year, he plans on marrying someone he reconnected with in New York, he told the Chronicle. Even so, he still thinks he'll head back west in the future.

Watch: Nearly 50,000 tech workers have been laid off — but there's a hack to avoid layoffs

• Main content

Public video portal linking New York and Dublin temporarily paused after lewd antics

Officials have hit a pause on a video screen called The Portal that lets people in New York and Dublin peer into life on opposite sides of the Atlantic in real time.

The Portal, which has been a source of whimsical delight for crowds in the two cities, turned out to be a magnet for boorish behaviour, with videos circulating on social media of people behaving badly.

From an OnlyFans model in New York baring her breasts, to Dubliners mooning, holding up swastikas and displaying images of New York's Twin Towers burning on 9/11, the insubordinate spectators caused officials to hit pause on the art project for now.

'Embrace the beauty of global interconnectedness'

The live streaming public art installation made its North American debut on May 8, with a circular screen set up below New York City's iconic Flatiron Building and a companion screen on Dublin, Ireland's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street, with city landmarks including the Spire in the backdrop.

Exhibit organisers touted the interactive display as a unique way to "embrace the beauty of global interconnectedness."

"Portals are an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is — united and one," said Benediktas Gylys, the Lithuanian artist who conceived the installation, when the screens were unveiled to fanfare.

But just days into a run that was to have continued into autumn, both portals were shut down on Monday night following the videos on social media showing people behaving badly. 

The screens, which only broadcast video with no audio, were back up on Tuesday morning but were to be powered down again on Tuesday evening, according to officials in New York and Dublin.

Michael Ryan, a spokesperson for the Dublin City Council, said exhibit organisers were looking into "possible technical solutions" to address the inappropriate behaviour. The displays were expected to return later in the week, he said.

"Dublin City Council had hoped to have a solution in place today, but unfortunately the preferred solution, which would have involved blurring, was not satisfactory," Ryan wrote, declining to elaborate. "The Portals.org team is now investigating other options."

'Overwhelming majority' behaved appropriately

Zac Roy, a spokesperson for the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, a local Manhattan business group, stressed the "overwhelming majority" of people interacting with the city's portal have behaved appropriately.

Mr Roy said there's been around-the-clock security and barriers in place at the New York location since the exhibit launched.

Mr Gylys, meanwhile, didn't respond to messages seeking comment on Tuesday, but his organisation Portals has said it encourages people to be respectful.

"Our goal is to open a window between faraway places and cultures that allows people to interact freely with one another," the group, which also has installed similar exhibits between Vilnius, Lithuania and Lubin, Poland, wrote.

'A middle finger doesn't hurt me' 

On Tuesday morning, before The Portal was shut down again, crowds on both sides of the portals were mostly behaved.

Some gave a friendly wave or made heart signs with their hands. Most took a selfie.

But on the Dublin side, a man stood behind a crowd of school children in uniform and extended two middle fingers.

Killian Sundermann, a 30-year-old from Dublin who was in New York on a visit, held his phone to his ear as he waved and spoke to his girlfriend watching from the Dublin side.

Mr Sundermann questioned the wisdom of placing the Dublin screen in such a busy stretch of that city's downtown.

"I don't think you could have picked a worse spot for late-night drinking crowds," he said. "I don't know what I would have done as a young lad walking past it after I've had a few too many pints."

Joe Perez, a 46-year-old Manhattan resident who held up his sizeable pit bull Virgil for the Dublin crowd to see, shrugged off the bad behaviour.

"No one is getting hurt. It's fine. It's all peace," he said. "A middle finger doesn't hurt me."

Nearby, Lynn Rakos waved and blew a kiss toward the screen.

"I think it's sweet, as long as we all behave," said the 60-year-old Brooklyn resident, who lived for a time in Dublin. "We have all these connections on our phone and Facebook, but here it's unscripted. You don't know who is there and you're just saying hi."

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Man sentenced to 23 years to life in new york avenue murder.

YOUNGSTOWN — Mekhi Venable apologized to the family of Jacob Moore on Thursday during his sentencing hearing in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Venable also told Judge Maureen Sweeney he is “just as lost as them,” because “I have been taken away from my daughter, my family. I’m lost. I can’t sleep.”

Venable, 20, killed Moore, 21, by shooting him Sept. 29, 2022, on New York Avenue on the city’s North Side in a conflict involving Moore and others. Venable argued he shot Moore in self-defense, but prosecutors said Moore had given his gun to someone else to hold and was unarmed when Venable shot Moore from inside Venable’s car.

Prosecutors during the hearing said Moore will never get to see his child, and Venable said, “I feel bad for that baby who has to grow up without a father, and I know what that is because I grew up without a father in my life.”

Venable added, “I did love Jacob, and that is what everybody failed to realize. I don’t know how to feel. That’s all.”

Sweeney then sentenced Venable to 23 years to life in prison, the maximum penalty. Ohio law required Sweeney to sentence Venable to at least 15 years to life in prison for his murder conviction. But the defense and prosecution argued in recent filings over whether Venable could get another eight years in prison on two gun specifications. The judge sentenced Venable on both. Venable was convicted at trial of murder and two gun specifications.

The judge gave Venable the sentence recommended by prosecutors.

Pat Fening, county assistant prosecutor, said Moore’s death “really broke their family. At the time Jacob was killed, his fiance was pregnant. Because of the defendant’s actions, he was never able to meet the child.”

Venable of Logan Avenue, Moore and others met up twice that day, once at Venable’s house and again later on New York Avenue. Several of Moore’s friends were there at both confrontations. Venable, who testified at his trial, argued he shot Moore in self-defense.

A woman who testified said Venable, Moore and others met up at Venable’s house on Logan Avenue first and talked about a conflict over money and marijuana.

Later, Moore, two other men, and the woman were on New York Avenue, and Venable was “not supposed to be” there, but he was, she said.

She said Venable’s car pulled up, “Words got exchanged between them. After that, they pretty much agreed to fight,” she said of Moore and Venable.

She said everyone agreed to put their guns down and fight. Moore gave his gun to another man with him and went over to Venable’s car and waited for Venable to get out of the car. He didn’t get out and “pretty much he pulls out his gun and shot him,” she said of Venable.

In opening statements in the trial, Venable’s attorney, John Juhasz, said the jurors would hear a different story also during the trial — that Moore and the others had weapons and Venable was in his car, but Moore “didn’t lay down his weapon, and (Moore) was coming at the car, not with the (pistol) laid aside but with (a pistol) in his hand and that he pointed it at Mekhi Venable telling him that he was going to kill him.”

Juhasz said Venable, “in those seconds, perhaps milliseconds, thinking he would be shot dead, reached down in the car, pulled out a gun and shot Jacob, not to kill him but to keep himself from being killed.”

GUN SPECIFICATIONS

In filings this week, the defense and prosecution weighed in on whether Venable should be eligible to be sentenced on both gun specifications or just one. Juhasz argued the double jeopardy guarantee in the due process clause in the U.S. Constitution guarantees no person “be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb.”

But Rob Andrews, county assistant prosector, argued that “clearly it is the legislature’s intent to take firearm specifications very seriously” and that the two firearm specifications in this case “are not to be treated as identical issues.”

The lesser of the two specifications — a three-year gun specification — is for having a firearm in his possession while committing another offense. The five-year gun specification is for discharging a firearm while in a motor vehicle other than a manufactured home.

Have an interesting story? Email Ed Runyan at [email protected]. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday.

Mekhi Venable

YOUNGSTOWN — Mekhi Venable, 20, who was convicted at trial of murder and two gun specifications in the Sept. 29, 2022, shooting death of Jacob Moore, 21, on New York Avenue on the city’s North Side, was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison today.

Venable, of Logan Avenue, was in a dispute with Moore and others the day of the killing, and it resulted in two confrontations, the second of which resulted in Venable shooting Moore, who claimed he acted in self defense. Several of Moore’s friends were there when it happened.

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Marc Jacobs

Who Is Marc Jacobs?

Marc Jacobs was born on April 9, 1963, in New York City. Jacobs' home life was turned upside-down at the age of 7, when his father died from ulcerative colitis — a condition that Jacobs also suffered from. According to Jacobs, his mother responded poorly to his father's death, embarking on a life of power dating and failed marriages that caused serious upheaval in the family. With each remarriage, Jacobs and his siblings would be forced to relocate to a new home, bouncing from New Jersey to Long Island and then the Bronx.

Feeling alienated from his mother and siblings, Jacobs moved in with his paternal grandmother on the Upper West Side of Manhattan when he was still a teenager. It was while living with his grandmother that Jacobs truly felt at home; well-traveled and educated, her love of aesthetically beautiful things and her appreciation for Jacobs' creative designs helped the grandmother and grandson forge a close relationship. "I always say I lived my life with my grandmother," Jacobs says. "She was emotionally stable, and she was very encouraging to me." Jacobs' grandmother also allowed Jacobs to enjoy a permissive adolescence full of self-exploration. "No one ever said 'no' to me about anything," he said. "No one ever told me anything was wrong. Never. No one ever said, 'You can't be a fashion designer.' No one ever said, 'You're a boy and you can't take tap-dancing lessons.' No one ever said, 'You're a boy and you can't have long hair.' No one ever said, 'You can't go out at night because you're 15 and 15-year-olds don't go to nightclubs.' No one said it was wrong to be gay or right to be straight."

Fashion Prodigy

Yet, for all his freedoms, Jacobs stayed focused on his dreams of becoming an important designer. By the age of 15, he was attending the High School of Art and Design during the day and, after school, working at the upscale clothing boutique Charivari. The staff of Charivari allowed their young stockboy to design sweaters for the store in between his tasks of folding clothes and dressing mannequins. The work helped Jacobs land a spot at the coveted Parsons School for Design, where he stood out among his classmates by winning both the Perry Ellis Gold Thimble Award and Design Student of the Year at graduation in 1984. Just after graduating, at the age of 21, he designed his first collection for the label Sketchbook for Reuben Thomas. He cited the visually rich films Amadeus and Purple Rain his inspirations for the line. In 1987, he became the youngest designer ever to win the Council of Fashion Designers of America Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent.

Jacobs took over as the women's-wear designer for Perry Ellis, where he won the prestigious 1992 CFDA prize for Womenswear Designer of the Year (an award he would win again in 1997). In 1993, after Perry Ellis shuttered its manufacturing operations—and after Jacobs sent out a "grunge" collection for the label that critics loved but the company hated — Jacobs struck out on his own. With financial backing from his former bosses, he started his own company with longtime business partner Robert Duffy. The Marc Jacobs label soon proved a success.

Struggles and Success

In 1997, Jacobs was named creative director of the Louis Vuitton house of luxury goods in Paris. The job was a professional triumph, but it brought new pressures that threw Jacobs's personal life into a tailspin. He began a period of heavy drug use, with near-nightly binges of cocaine, heroin and alcohol. "It's a cliché," Jacobs later said of his addiction, "but when I drank I was taller, funnier, smarter, cooler." Friends, including model Naomi Campbell and Vogue editor Anna Wintour , persuaded Jacobs to seek help. He checked into rehab in 1999.

After getting clean, Jacobs threw himself back into his work, launching Louis Vuitton's first ready-to-wear line while expanding his own label. His three Marc Jacobs collections — two for adults and one for children — are sold at dozens of Marc Jacobs boutiques worldwide. He has also licensed his name to perfumes and accessories. The Council of Fashion Designers of America named him the Menswear Designer of the Year in 2002, and Accessories Designer of the Year in 1998/99, 2003 and 2005.

Personal Life

In January 2010, Jacobs married boyfriend Lorenzo Martone, a Brazilian PR executive, at a friend's home in St. Barts in the French West Indies. Years after his debut as the "boy wonder" of the fashion world, Jacobs' work continues to turn heads. "For some reason, Marc's show is always the most important place to be seen," one fan said, "the one place where you know all the people who matter will be."

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Quick facts.

• Name: Marc Jacobs
• Birth Year: 1963
• Birth date: April 9, 1963
• Birth State: New York
• Birth City: New York
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Designer Marc Jacobs is powerhouse in the fashion world fueled by the success of his own eponymous label.
• Business and Industry
• Astrological Sign: Aries
• Parsons School of Design

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Marc Jacobs Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/history-culture/marc-jacobs
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: June 24, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
• I don't think, 'Gee, I'd like to dress this person.' There was a picture in Us magazine. It was a jersey dress, and Courtney Love was wearing it. I have this thing about Courtney Love, this funny worship.

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Sidewalk video ‘Portal’ linking New York, Dublin by livestream temporarily paused after lewd antics

The video screen “Portal” that let people in New York and Dublin peer into life on the other side of the pond in real time has been a source of whimsical delight for sidewalk crowds in the two cities, but also a magnet for boorish and lewd behavior that’s prompted officials to hit pause for now. (AP Video: Philip Marcelo)

People view the live stream portal between Dublin and New York, in Dublin, Ireland, on Monday May 13, 2024. (Niall Carson/PA via AP)

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A man holds up his dog so that pedestrians in Dublin, Ireland, can see them through a livestream portal as part of an art installation on the street in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

People wave and take pictures while looking at a livestreamed view in Dublin, Ireland, as part of an art installation on the street in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Children signal to pedestrians in Dublin, Ireland, through a livestream portal as part of an art installation on the street in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

A man signals to pedestrians in Dublin, Ireland through a livestream portal as part of an art installation on the street in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

People in both New York and Dublin, Ireland, wave and signal at each other while looking at a livestream view of one another as part of an art installation on the street in New York, Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

NEW YORK (AP) — The video screen “Portal” that lets people in New York and Dublin peer into life on opposite sides of the Atlantic in real time has been a source of whimsical delight for sidewalk crowds in the two cities, but also a magnet for boorish behavior that’s prompted officials to hit pause for now.

The livestreaming public art installation known as “ The Portal ” made its North American debut on May 8, with a circular screen set up below New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building and a companion screen on Dublin, Ireland’s main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street, with city landmarks including the Spire in the backdrop.

Exhibit organizers touted the interactive display as a unique way to “embrace the beauty of global interconnectedness.”

“Portals are an invitation to meet people above borders and differences and to experience our world as it really is —united and one,” said Benediktas Gylys, the Lithuanian artist who conceived the installation, when the screens were unveiled to fanfare.

But just days into a run that was to have continued into the fall, the portals were shut down Monday night after videos spread on social media of people behaving badly — from an OnlyFans model in New York baring her breasts to Dubliners holding up swastikas and displaying images of New York’s Twin Towers burning on 9/11.

The screens, which only broadcast video with no audio, were back up Tuesday morning but were to be powered down again Tuesday evening, according to officials in New York and Dublin.

Michael Ryan, a spokesperson for the Dublin City Council, said exhibit organizers are looking into “possible technical solutions” to address the inappropriate behavior. The displays are expected to return later in the week, he said.

“Dublin City Council had hoped to have a solution in place today, but unfortunately the preferred solution, which would have involved blurring, was not satisfactory,” Ryan wrote, declining to elaborate. “The Portals.org team is now investigating other options.”

Zac Roy, a spokesperson for the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, a local Manhattan business group, stressed the “overwhelming majority” of people interacting with the city’s portal have behaved appropriately. Roy said there’s been around-the-clock security and barriers in place at the New York location since the exhibit launched.

Gylys, meanwhile, didn’t respond to messages seeking comment on Tuesday, but his organization Portals has said it encourages people to be respectful.

“Our goal is to open a window between far away places and cultures that allows people to interact freely with one another,” the group, which also has installed similar exhibits between Vilnius, Lithuania and Lubin, Poland, wrote.

On Tuesday morning, crowds on both sides of the portals were mostly behaved. Some gave a friendly wave or made heart signs with their hands. Most took a selfie.

But on the Dublin side, a man stood behind a crowd of school children in uniform and extended two middle fingers.

Later, a woman on the New York side held up a sign imploring folks in Dublin to join her in a TikTok dance. When the crowd didn’t comply, she did the lighthearted dance anyway, while a friend recorded the routine on their phone.

Killian Sundermann, a 30-year-old from Dublin who was in New York on a visit, held his phone to his ear as he waved and spoke to his girlfriend watching from the Dublin side.

At one point, he approached the security barrier and jokingly attempted to impersonate someone going down an escalator. The Irish crowd didn’t seem amused, so he walked back into the crowd.

Sundermann said many of his countrymen have taken the kerfuffle over the on-camera antics to heart, even as he questioned the wisdom of placing the Dublin screen in such a busy stretch of that city’s downtown.

“I don’t think you could have picked a worse spot for late-night drinking crowds,” he said. “I don’t know what I would have done as a young lad walking past it after I’ve had a few too many pints.”

Joe Perez, a 46-year-old Manhattan resident who held up his sizeable pitbull Virgil for the Dublin crowd to see, shrugged off the bad behavior.

“No one is getting hurt. It’s fine. It’s all peace,” he said. “A middle finger doesn’t hurt me.”

Nearby, Lynn Rakos waved and blew a kiss toward the screen.

“I think it’s sweet, as long as we all behave,” said the 60-year-old Brooklyn resident, who lived for a time in Dublin. “We have all these connections on our phone and Facebook, but here it’s unscripted. You don’t know who is there and you’re just saying hi.”

Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo .

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She Wanted to Help Strangers. Would They Take Her Up on It?

Bianca Giaever wasn’t feeling very helpful in her daily life, so she tried to do small favors for passers-by in Union Square. It got complicated.

By James Yeh

On an overcast morning in April, Bianca Giaever was anxiously loitering outside the Union Square subway station. She scanned the New Yorkers rushing along on their weekday commutes and tried to psych herself up to go talk to them.

She was dressed rather noticeably, and perhaps slightly humiliatingly, in a red jumpsuit and a white sandwich board she had assembled the night before, writing the words “FREE HELP” in red marker.

It was the first day of a project by Ms. Giaever, 34, a filmmaker and radio producer whose work, inspired by performance artists like Sophie Calle and Tehching Hsieh , often involves personal journeys and interactions with strangers. She planned to offer no-strings-attached assistance to whomever she could, for about a month or so. No ask would be too small, thankless or absurd — “ANYTHING! (Except sex!)” she noted wryly on the business cards she printed up.

While seemingly straightforward, her mission had already opened up plenty of room for uncertainty. Would the strangers in this supposedly cold and impersonal city accept her help? And if they did, how much could she really help them? Over the course of the four days I spent with Ms. Giaever, things would get more complicated. But at the moment, she was focused only on finding her first client.

“Partly the motivation is not feeling helpful in my day-to-day life,” Ms. Giaever told me as she made a lap through Union Square. (Ms. Giaever was previously an employee of The New York Times.) Helping people, she said, was not her natural instinct: “I feel guilty about that. So I feel like I needed a project to push me to be more generous.”

At first, most passers-by ignored her. A few smirked or snapped furtive photos with their phones. That may have been because of the sandwich board — or because of the small camera crew following her around to document the project.

An hour in, Ms. Giaever had helped four Xavier High School teenagers who were shooting a student movie (she played the role of interviewer) and a 25-year-old single mother of two young daughters, whom Ms. Giaever babysat for 15 minutes while the camera rolled. But the mother, who said she was currently unhoused, became uneasy when asked to sign a release form for Ms. Giaever’s film. Apologizing, she declined.

Ms. Giaever had better luck with Miky Poch, 17, a student from Professional Performing Arts High School, who was seeking romantic advice. Ms. Poch said she dumped her girlfriend last year for a “hot girl summer.” Now she wanted to win her back.

“Why don’t you just lay it all out there?” Ms. Giaever suggested. “Write her a letter and say: ‘I want to get back together, and I will wait until this date. And then if I don’t hear back from you by this date, I’m going to move on.’”

“Actually that’s a really good idea,” Ms. Poch said. “I never put any risk out there for her. So it’s a risk for me.”

After noting the possibility of rejection, Ms. Giaever pressed her new client to nail down some specifics. “OK, so how are you going to tell her?” she asked.

“Probably a letter,” Ms. Poch replied. “I write music, and I produce songs, so I can always release a song about her.”

“If you need any help with the backup instruments or anything, I’m happy to help you,” Ms. Giaever said. She handed her a card.

Ms. Giaever was buoyed by her apparent success, but she wanted to go deeper with her clients. “I haven’t honed in on exactly what the theme is I’m talking to people about,” she said. “Is it their relationship to service? I mainly just want to know, like, legitimately, what their biggest struggles are in their lives.”

She was only a few days into the project, but that Friday, Ms. Giaever took a break from Union Square to make good on a favor she had promised the filmmaker Caveh Zahedi , a friend and mentor. Technically, it was part of the project because she was offering him her free labor. Mr. Zahedi had asked her to come over to his small south Brooklyn apartment to paint a fleur-de-lis pattern on a wall in the kitchen.

Things got off to a rocky start. Ms. Giaever, her film crew, Mr. Zahedi and his 12-year-old daughter, Scarlett, couldn’t quite agree on where to place the designs or what colors to use.

On one wall, Mr. Zahedi had taped a few dozen paint swatches from Benjamin Moore, with the store’s name, logo and other details at the bottom of each swatch.

“I don’t like the words,” Ms. Giaever said. She suggested cutting off the swatch bottoms.

Mr. Zahedi laughed. “Are you trying to help?” he asked. “Or are you trying to make it your own?”

“So you’re not asking for my interior design opinions,” Ms. Giaever said, summing it up. “You’re just asking me to execute.”

“Understood.”

Thirty minutes later, Mr. Zahedi’s Roman gray wall was decorated with a row of wonky, half-smudged fleur-de-lis. As the crew refined their technique, each successive fleur-de-lis less wonky and smudged, Scarlett, alarmed by the powerful fumes coming from cans of gold spray paint, piled on KN95 masks.

“I have so many mixed feelings,” Mr. Zahedi said. “Remorse. Regret. Joy. Gratitude.”

At last, the job was complete: seven rows of gold spray-painted fleur-de-lis, and a single, lightly smeared emblem on the front door. Mr. Zahedi described the look as “I imagine, like, a villa in Venice.”

For the camera, Ms. Giaever asked Mr. Zahedi what he thought of her project. “I think helping others is the center of life,” he said. He said he thought “Free Help” was “trying to explore the center, which is good.”

Ms. Giaever asked him to “rate your customer satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 10.”

“Well, just in terms of coolness and kindness, 10,” Mr. Zahedi answered. “In terms of design, perfection? Three.”

That night, however, he texted her an amendment. “I really love the wall,” he said. “It took a while but it is growing on me.”

The Heckler

After her afternoon with Mr. Zahedi, it began to dawn on Ms. Giaever that some people might question whether her desire to help was more self-serving than it was genuine, particularly with her film crew in tow. Back in Union Square, Ms. Giaever found herself tailed by a young man in a hoodie with an aggrieved expression.

“You have to gain attention to help people?” the man called out. “There’s a shelter two blocks down. There’s a lot of people who need help right there. You really want to help people, you don’t need a sign that says ‘FREE HELP.’”

The distressed young man claimed to have recently seen the gruesome sight of two dead bodies in public.

“His critique — your help is not altruistic because you’re doing this to make a film — is true,” Ms. Giaever admitted a few blocks away at a Mediterranean restaurant, where the crew sat down for lunch.

Her father, who lives in Seattle, where she grew up, had raised a similar point. “That’s exactly what my dad is like: ‘You’re drawing unnecessary attention to yourself. Just go volunteer like a normal person,’” she said. “He keeps sending me photos because he volunteered somewhere this morning, and he was like, ‘Gave some free help .’”

She said she had already tried to help several unhoused people in Union Square, but she was going to heed the heckler’s note, and go to Paul’s Place, a homeless shelter on 14th Street.

Still, Ms. Giaever remained undeterred from her original vision for the project. And she found that even within its constraints, she could get close to the raw material of another person’s life. But the closer she got, the more enormous their need for help became and meager her offerings seemed.

One day in Union Square, she was approached by an unemployed and undocumented 24-year-old young man from Ivory Coast who required an interpreter. So Ms. Giaever posted a note on Instagram, looking for a French speaker. Yadir Lakehal, 29, a scientist from Morocco, got wind of the request — his friend had seen Ms. Giaever and her sign on the train and mentioned it to him.

A few days later, at an outdoor table near Bryant Park, with Mr. Lakehal’s assistance, Ms. Giaever helped the undocumented man post a “service offered” listing on Craigslist. The three waded through a job-seeker questionnaire on the app TaskRabbit.

“Ask if he has any gardening experience,” Ms. Giaever said, reading aloud from the site. “One of the skills is ‘waiting in line.’”

When Mr. Lakehal translated it to the young man, he chuckled and covered his face with his hands.

“Why’s he laughing?” she asked.

“He’s, like, surprised that this is a thing,” Mr. Lakehal explained.

Ms. Giaever made plans to accompany her new client to a nonprofit program she had researched called African Communities Together, in Harlem, and offered him ad hoc English lessons.

After they parted, Ms. Giaever opened her MacBook to reveal her desktop background, the title screen of the 1985 film “ Sherman’s March: A Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love in the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation ” by Ross McElwee. “Free Help,” she said half-jokingly, was her own “meditation on the possibility of service in New York City during an era of staggering inequality and impending global catastrophe.”

“This project is kind of funny because I’m not that handy and I don’t have a lot of skills,” she said. “I’m not the best person when it comes to helping people, but it feels like in a lot of ways I’ve been helping people help themselves just through offering time, listening, talking, attention, just bringing a moment of serendipity into someone’s day, and some positivity, encouragement, surprise, enthusiasm. Working with them to finish or do something they’ve been meaning to do.”

Initially, she had set aside 40 hours a week for the project. But she quickly found herself putting in 100-hour weeks. She had barely been sleeping, she said.

Her work has been made lighter by other people. It turns out, a willingness to help others is contagious. Many who came across Ms. Giaever turned her offer back onto her.

In Union Square, a young man in an elegant blue ankle-length caftan offered her a $10 bill. He pointed at her board. During the wall-painting session, one of Ms. Giaever’s crew members, Sasha Whittle, 28, was helping to unbolt a bookshelf in Mr. Zahedi’s kitchen. She asked if anyone could help loosen one of the screws, and it seemed churlish to say no. Then, catching myself, I asked if Mr. Zahedi had a better screwdriver. He did, and I offered it to Ms. Whittle.

“I feel like living in New York, an element of it is being open to strangers and connecting to them,” Ms. Giaever said. “It happens in little ways all the time, so this is just kind of formalizing it.” Still, she said she found it moving: “Like, wow, those people were so open to a chance encounter.”

About a week into her project, Ms. Giaever found herself needing some serious help herself. Her hard drive, containing dozens of hours of shooting — including the video of these very scenes — crashed. She consulted some strangers on Reddit for help.

“Shout-out in particular to someone named Zorb,” she told me a few days later, over the phone, as she drove the crew to meet a 40-something man in Jersey City who asked for help power-washing his boat. She said she had accepted the possibility that the footage may be gone forever.

“It helped kill some ego,” she said. “Asking for help is really vulnerable, and it put me in a great space to empathize with people because a lot of the help tasks have been about loss in some way. People are literally getting rid of their stuff, or saying goodbye to a chapter of their life, or moving after a relationship ended, or if they’re older and they lost someone.”

She said she especially empathized with an 81-year-old man “whose storage unit was being cleared out and who had to say goodbye to a lifetime’s worth of objects and move on.”

“Often when people are asking for help, they regret how they did something in the past and they wish they had done something differently,” she said of the project, which ends May 16. “And so I could really relate to that sort of self-loathing, where you’re in a tricky position and you need help. It helps somewhat to commiserate.”

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