Sinatra wasn’t kidding when he sang that if he could “make it” in New York he could make it anywhere. Its fast-moving, ever-changing character is why so many people dream of visiting. Whether window shopping in high-end department stores, walking over Brooklyn Bridge or taking a break in Central Park, it’s easy to feel like you’re on a film or TV set.
I was born in New York City; it’s my hometown. I became immune to the sound of incessant horn honks, and I learned to ignore the rats scuttling through the walls of my overpriced Brownstone studio apartment.
Now I live in another studio apartment, in Belgrade, Serbia. My friends think I’m foolish to have made the swap, but NYC’s appeal as a city break destination has declined. Even locals feel conflicted about its recent evolution.
A “new” New York came about during the pandemic. Those who could afford to vacated their high-rise apartments. Manhattan became a ghost town.
Legacy joints such as Gem Spa (a corner store in the East Village) and Alleva Deli (which had lasted 130 years) closed due to rent hikes and the impact of Covid. Meanwhile, niche outlets thrived, such as Julien Bakery, which sells cube croissants for $9.50, or Carriage House restaurant, where a posh peanut butter and jelly sandwich will set you back $16.
I recently spent $8 on a pistachio latte from my favourite cafe in Brooklyn. And that’s pre-tip.
Tipping is standard when servers can make as little as $10 an hour. But the tipping culture can be baffling for non-Americans. Last month, a NYC waitress posted a (now-deleted) scathing Twitter thread about a group of European diners who left a 10 per cent tip, despite having an American in their party. The thread clocked up millions of views.
Tips add to the cost of visiting what is, according to a 2022 study by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the world’s most expensive city – joint with Singapore.
The Metropolitan Museum has increased its general admission for adults (for those who don’t qualify for suggested admission) to $30. Visiting the first level of the Empire State Building is $44. Broadway show tickets easily hover around $130 or more for the “cheap seats”. Want to see a big Disney number? Get ready to spend $600 for a family of four.
When I leave the theatre, my attention is drawn away by the smell of cannabis. The scent, a result of the legalisation of recreational use in the city in 2021, may surprise British tourists.
They will be better acquainted with the idea that New York can be dangerous. As a local, I’d always found reassurance in its busyness and lighting.
But a year on from the subway shooting, I still feel and act differently on public transport. Concealed carry gun laws have gone into effect, after the Supreme Court overruled tighter rules on carrying a weapon that had been in force in the city since 1913. This was the most worrying recent development.
I’ll always be a New Yorker; I go back often. Yet its pandemic recovery efforts are wonky, strange and a bit more rat-infested (the city has recently appointed its first “rat tzar”).
The city also has a new “We love NYC” logo. I hate it. But I dole out tourist tips to friends making their way across the pond with a bittersweet fondness. If I ever move back to America, I’d still choose NYC.
