The time has come, people.
(Wait. Before reading, cue up this appropriate soundtrack
by Brooklyn band Pearl and the Beard)
The calendar is about to land on that day that at one point seemed
so far away … when I leave NYC.
As of next week, I will once again be a full-time resident
of CO, residing somewhere (TBD) in or near Denver, preferably within quick and
easy reach of the mountains.
Although I grew up in the Mile High City, it has changed a lot
in the last few years and is now
by many accounts (like this article),
among the top most desirable and fastest growing cities in America. There was a
time a few years ago when the prospect of living in Denver with its concrete
and crowds would not whatsoever show up anywhere on the radar of my mountain-loving
sensibilities. BUT. After three years here in the city (THE City), Denver
doesn’t even feel metropolitan.
For example, when my GF and I were in the heart of downtown for her job interview a few weeks ago, in spite of it being 7:30 a.m. on a
Monday with rush hour at its surliest, the space between lanes, the non-frantic
stride of bike commuters and utter lack of honking horns felt downright peaceful.
Then there’s
the Light Rail, which didn’t exist when I was a kid (when it was a long RTD ride from
the ‘burbs to Wax Trax for my Siouxsie and the Banshees bootlegs). I took it for the first time just last
month from south Denver to Union Station. I found its cleanliness, uncrowdedness,
efficiency, spaciousness and dearth of urine smell delightful.
I realize I’ve spent most of these blogs hating on NYC.
Although I was expressing myself honestly, I feel slightly ashamed of that (not
to mention it’s probably the reason Google hasn’t picked me up for
sponsorship). The truth is, there are many things I’ll truly miss about the Big
Apple.
What I’ll miss about
NYC:
- Incredible ethnic diversity (few places in the world could
have so many cultures represented as any four-story apartment building in
Queens. Cool to walk down the street and hear five languages).
- Delicious and authentic ethnic cuisine everywhere (I’ll
especially miss the Columbian, Indian and Greek)
- Pizza
- Late-night dining and drinking opportunities (not that we
indulged in 2 a.m. dinner very often with the 5 a.m. wake-up schedule, but it
was nice to know it was possible)
- At least three bands you love playing somewhere in the
city on any given night
- Broadway
- Produce markets (especially the one in Astoria)
- The sculpture garden
- The imminent possibility of seeing a celebrity or musician
casually hanging out somewhere
- The Bohemian Beer Garden
- Beautiful buildings and bridges
- Orange is the New Black scene shots in our ‘hood!
- Bodegas that sell everything from microwave
popcorn to drill bits
It might not be apparent by the last three years of sardonic posts,
but I do actually love NYC. There is no place in the world like it – its
talent, culture and energy are incomparable.
That said. there’s no question that I’m excited to peace
out. But I plan to live it up (in a non-residential sense) upon each future visit.
Stay tuned for more adventure stories in my new (old) city.
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