The City Life vs. The Other Life

So it's been a while since I've written.

What's been going on with me? I've been super busy with work so I had to put these posts on hold.

Recently I had a discussion, which turned into a debate, with someone very near and dear to my heart who feels that NYC is overrated and not at all what it seems to be. So I thought this would make a perfect interactive blog post.

As a proud New Yorker my position was of course on the side of NYC. I love New York, granted it isn't for everybody. Everybody has their own interests and tastes. However, I love the fast pace. I love the busy life and never feeling bored. I love that I can WALK to a corner store AKA "bodega" or deli and get something to eat at any time of the day. I love that there are always events some free and some that you have to pay for to keep you busy and entertained. I love that you can walk, bus it, subway it, if you don't want to drive. Everything is accessible and within arms reach. I love the trends, the neighborhoods in each and every borough. The diversity of the people, restaurants, cultures, etc. There is something for everyone here.

Yes, there are very exclusive high end areas of NYC which aren't for the average person. But on the other hand, there are just as many places for the average person. If you want to shop high end you can find it, if you want to shop low end you can find it.

On the more negative side, there is a lot of traffic. When you go certain places at certain times of day or year you can't avoid the crowd. It's difficult finding parking unless you are lucky enough to have a lot that reserves you a parking spot in your apartment building or a garage. Mortgage and rent are high and you are usually not getting what you pay for. So you get a smaller house and a higher mortgage, higher rent for a whole in the wall space. There is pollution and when it's summer it is the equivalent of living in an oven with an occasional sewer breeze. This is all true. And like Drake says "I get it, I get it."

But I personally feel it's all relative. In NYC, there is always work, ALWAYS! If you hustle you will find a job and make ends meet. Is it competitive? Yes! Is it easy? HELL NO!  If you have a career or a good business you can definitely make more than just ends meet. Sure there are bills but because the expense of NYC is higher you get paid more. Which is what makes me feel it is all relative. If you are already a NYorker born and raised, it's hard but much easier for you to adjust to the lifestyle than someone who comes from another state. The traffic won't change and neither will the crowd but for the most part I feel you can find an area that you like and do your thing. And I do believe what Frank Sinatra says, "If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere." It's because it is that hard to start but once you establish and stabilize yourself you can make it. My experience as a college graduate has been nothing but good. It was definitely challenging, I was very broke all through college but I made it!

So of course the city life isn't for everyone. It's busy and crowded. Some people just don't like it. I would rather take some stress and have everything accessible. I'll take the traffic over being bored. I'll take the fast pace over having to live in a state where I have to drive everywhere.

And like every New Yorker you get tired of it and then you go on vacation. A break from the craziness, relieve some stress, and then you go back home with plenty of RnR and you feel rejuvenated. I've traveled to many other great states and cities which are beautiful!!! The calm and quiet is nice. The fresh air is great! But  I always miss New York when I leave. For me it is home. But that's me. Some people hate it. They hate New York, they hate New Yorkers, they think we are rude. They think NYC smells. They hate the stress, the fast pace. EVERYTHING! I get it but I wouldn't trade it for any other place...but I would maybe take Cali as my second place home.

What do you think? Is it overrated? If you live out of NYC have you ever considered or wanted to move here? If not why? What is it about NYC that makes some of you want to come here so bad?

Let me know, I would love to here from you. I want to hear all of your opinions.

Love,
Miss_NYCity

An Out-of-New York Experience

Hi everyone!

I spent my Columbus Day Weekend getting into the Halloween and Fall Spirit.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've pretty much experienced most of what New York has to offer as far as Halloween/Fall festivities. I've done the corn mazes and haunted houses. I've done the parades and Halloween parties. So this year I decided to switch it up a bit and get out of NYC. I wanted a different kind of Halloween experience so I drove to Salem, MA.

It's a 4 hour drive from NYC to Salem, Ma. We headed out around 8:30am. I made a stop in Connecticut to pick up my cousin and then from there headed straight to Salem. Just like any other road trip we hit a few bumps in the road. Minor traffic, stop for gas, restroom, and snacks so we actually didn't arrive till 3pm. The ride was long but we got there with just enough time to walk around, grab something to eat and visit a few museums. The weather gave us the perfect ambiance, it was cool, cloudy, and began to drizzle.

For those of you who don't know, Salem is known historically for the Salem Witch Trials which began in 1692. At this time, many women were wrongfully accused of being witches and were hung or stoned to death. Regardless of how you look at it, whether you believe these women really participated in witchcraft or not, you can easily understand what makes this town so creepy. If the women did in fact participate in witchcraft, the town can be perceived as having a supernatural ambiance (either good or bad). For those who were wrongfully accused (or believed to be) they were tortured and innocently murdered over strict, religious beliefs. As I said, either way it gives the town a very creepy feel. 

The Witch Dungeon --- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

When we arrived, the first place we went was The Witch Dungeon. They began with a 10-minute play that re-enacted the Salem Witch Trials. They then took us down into the basement where there was a recreation of what the prison cells looked like for the women accused of witchcraft. All I can say was it was wrong on so many levels. The cells were only big enough to fit one person standing. There was no way you could lay or even sit down. They explained that when it rained, the water would flood the area. They would crowd the women in there and there were no bathrooms or no lights. So you can imagine how terrible the conditions were...it was really crazy.

The Witch House --- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

After we went to The Witch House. This was the actual house that belonged to Jonathan Corwin who was one of the judges responsible for investigating the witchcraft claims. This house, with direct ties to the witch trials, was preserved and you can tell immediately when you enter it. The house is small. The uneven floors creak when you walk on them. It smells old and feels moist. As you walk the house you can imagine how these people lived, cooked, slept, etc. It literally was a walk back in time. The house overall creeped me out. It had some witchcraft artifacts including a voodoo doll that was kept behind glass. There was a list with the names of the victims of the witch trials hung on a wall. I could imagine how cold the house would've been in winter and how creepy it would be at night.

Salem, MA --- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

The next stop was the oddities store. OMG! All I will say is I won't be going into an oddities store again. It had the weirdest things from bones to the skin of an anaconda. This store gave me the goosebumps so I definitely didn't stay long. Once we left we walked further into town. Everyone walked around in witch hats, witch outfits or other costumes (real or not). We saw a man with horns and the creepiest eyes. All I can say is, they take Halloween really serious in Salem! The irony came when a very religious man began ranting about how everyone should "repent" for participating in these activities. It reminded me of the movie Elvira. We went into a witch shop which was fully equipped with all things witchcraft. From candles, to sage, to stones, Egyptian relics, and other things I had no idea the purpose of....maybe it was best that I didn't know. We entered a mall and were followed by a copper colored witch, dressed from head to toe. She didn't talk, she just stared and walked behind us. CREEPY! People took part in tarot card readings and other similar activities. I couldn't get myself to do all of that. Being in the town was enough. There was more that could be experienced in this town. Hocus Pocus Night tours, seances, cemetery visits, and even a magic show in the famously haunted Hawthorne Hotel. But I had to pass, because I personally have a limit when it comes to the "experience" and the town itself was enough.

I will say that it was definitely an interesting experience. Everyone in that town claims to have no idea where the actual hangings and stoning of the witches occurred. I personally think they know but refuse to share. I wouldn't want to know anyway. I think if you like Halloween and want to get into the spirit this is definitely an experience.  The town has a lot of history, just remember and be prepared for how real it is. 

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Stuarts Farm, Upstate NY--- All pictures posted were taken by @Miss_NYCity   

My next fall experience was my traditional upstate apple picking. This year we headed to Stuarts Farm which was in a town upstate called Granite Hills. It took about an hour to get there. It was a beautiful, relaxing ride. The fall foliage was visible as you drove. There were red, orange, yellow, and green trees. It was beautiful. This farm was huge. It was uphill so the view of the rest of the town could be seen. They had a bakery which baked fresh pies and the best donuts EVER!! They were freshly made and came out warm from the oven. So delicious!!!! The apples were great also. If you happen to be in the area or want a good place to go apple picking definitely go there! And don't forget to try their donuts you won't regret it!

Happy Fall and Happy Hauntings!!

Love,

Miss_NYCity

Tell me more... Share, comment, and leave your questions below.

October in NYC

It's finally Autumn in the Big Apple!

I absolutely love Fall. The weather is cool, the leaves are falling everywhere. The colors are gorgeous. Many people love the pumpkin flavored everything. I prefer my "cawfee" or hot chocolate. So what's happening in NYC. I'll share with you some of the things I like to do.

1. Apple Picking- Tis' the season for apple picking!!! Who wouldn't want to take a ride and grab some fresh apples right off the tree? I can guarantee that if you haven't done this you are missing out. The apples from the tree taste so much better that the ones you get at the supermarket. I usually take an hour ride to Upstate, NY. The ride is not too long and very relaxing. The scenery heading Upstate is gorgeous and the fresh air is a perfect break from the city air. You'll come home with a 10lb bag of apples to eat, share, and cook apple everything. Most apple farms have pumpkins too!

2. Central Park- If you are a fan of Fall and the leafy scenery head over to Central Park. It's simply gorgeous. You can ride your bike (don't worry if you don't have one you can rent one check out citibikenyc.com for locations all over NYC), have a horse carriage ride, rent one of the canoes, have a picnic, or just walk. The scenery is gorgeous, the weather is perfect, and I promise you won't regret it! Don't forget to take pictures!!

3. New York Botanical Gardens- When you live in the city, your daily views consist of people, buildings, and streets. If you're lucky you can look out your apartment window and see the skyline, if-you-are-lucky! So it's always nice to take a break from the usual scenery and get a bit of nature. Thankfully, every borough in New York City has a "Botanical Garden." The NY Botanical Gardens is a huge area dedicated to flower and plant life exhibitions. Every season they showcase the plants and flowers of that season. It's so relaxing to walk around, smell the fresh air, and look at the beautiful plants and flowers. I like to go every season but fall is my favorite! Visit nybg.org for more information.

4. Columbus Day Parade- The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria!! As a native New Yorker, I vividly remember this being one of the most important holidays taught in school.  If you don't mind a crowd, want to celebrate the Italian culture and the discovery of America,  find a spot on 5th Avenue (between 44th St to 79th St). This year it starts at 11:45, pack a lunch and get there 3-4 hours earlier for a perfect spot to watch the parade.

5. Halloween- I left Halloween for last because not everyone celebrates or enjoys this holiday. If you are a fan of Halloween like I am, there a so many things to do in NY. If you want to go on a haunted hay ride or walk through a haunted corn maze you can head either Upstate or Long Island. As for haunted houses, there are so many everywhere. One of the most popular being Blood Manor on 163 Varick Street. You can visit  bloodmanor.com  for more information. And ofcourse, who can forget the very famous Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village. Once again if you don't mind a large crowd and enjoy dressing up in costumes you will enjoy this. You will see a variety of costumes store bought or home-made. You will see literally every thing imaginable as a costume. People are usually friendly and don't mind if you take pictures with them or of them in their costumes. So tweet, IG, and fb those pics away! Tweet me your costumes @Miss_NYCity.

So what are my plans for this fall?
Well... I will be going to Salem, MA. I've done many of the NYC events so I want to get out of the city and see something different. I will also be going apple picking  because it's tradition and one of my favorite fall activities. I will be at a concert on October 28th. Last, I will spend the first weekend in November at the Botanical Gardens to enjoy the fall scene and take pictures of the beauty of nature. Don't worry I will share via pictures and posts. You won't be left out!!!

So what are some of the things you like to do in Fall in your town? I would love to know. Share, comment, and leave your questions below.

Love,
Miss_NYCity