New York had been near the top of my travel wish list since forever and I don't think it'll ever come off that list. I left a bit of my soul there, as a home from home, New York completely seduced me.
We all know New York, even if you've never visited, it's as familiar as your own backyard. We pounded the streets with Travis Bickle, Vito Corleone, Gordon Gekko and Sarah Jessica Parker. And it is exactly how it is in the movies with steam rising the grates in the road, the constant wailing of sirens and that glorious Nu-Yoik accent.
The biggest thing that struck me and the main thing I took away was the gap between rich and poor. It was so unexpected. I thought NY had shed its troubled, crime-riddled, poverty-stricken shackles to become a gentrified city full of boho artists, go-getting businessmen and film crews. I was wrong, the culture of broken windows is still alive and well and the divide is enormous. Midtown boasts Fifth Avenue and Plaza Hotel, with designer-clad ladies carrying small ornamental dogs in their extortionately priced handbags. In stark contrast, head uptown and be prepared to be plunged into the poorest neighbourhoods I'd ever seen - mostly crazy and full of spirit. The art-deco buildings decrease in grandeur and maintenance, but the bustle remains at fever-pitch.
I found myself comparing every corner to London. Similarly, the tourist parts are impressive, dull and overrated; and the gems are hidden. However the parallels are undeniable; Tribeca (Old Street), Greenwich Village (Camden), SoHo (Islington), Midtown (West End), Financial District (Square Mile), Uptown (any London suburb... Hammersmith?).
Another expectation was bucked when I realised New Yorkers weren't far more cosmopolitan and knowledgeable. Some people are just as ignorant as the Americans you see on the TV - shocking given its diverse population. However, I loved the spirit of nearly everyone. The homeless wore signs stating 'money needed for pot' and street vendors yelled 'stolen gold'. Nowhere else in the world would you find this.
The sights, sounds and smells abuse your sense. Everything is bigger; Times Square (Piccadilly Circus) alone can be blamed for the fossil fuel shortage. And with so much to see and do before the cliche of Empire State, Liberty and Central Park, it's easy to get confused and lose your mind.
From the Guggenheim to Coney Island, Arthur's Tavern - a 1930s jazz club, to Chumley's - a speakeasy. The CBGBs to Bowery Ballroom, no matter how long you spend here, it will never be long enough.
I didn't get to go to a lot of places I wanted and marked in my guidebook. NY doesn't just have culture vultures like me foaming at the mouth. My sentiments can be echoed by shopaholics, mainstreamers and party animals alike.
I missed out on Gramercy Park, a late 19th Century affluent and perfectly preserved neighbourhood, still using gaslights. I missed hanging out on the meatpacking district and the Village during the day. Not to mention the plethora museums and galleries I was desperate to see. I didn't visit Harlem, the birthplace of skiffle and hip hop.
I did see and was so impressed by Brooklyn's rugged beauty and quirky counterculture. It's homely working class feel tolerated no bullshit. I fear it will one day become a Mecca for hipsters and wannabe Champagne bohemians. I hope not, I love its gritty realism.
If you can excuse America's stupidity (on arrival, the front page of the New York Tribune read 'Midgets Fight Bigoted Neighbors' - the Iraq war obviously not a priority), they lack the British stiff upper lip and it's very entertaining.
Next time, I'll be with a boy so I can achieve all I can in a relaxed way that isn't dominated by shopping. New York is romantic, edgy, cool, exciting and inspiring. Somewhere you can get lost together in all the beauty and chaos. It's somewhere my soul can just be and my mind can feel alive.
And if you're in town, head to Xing's Chinese on 9th at 52nd and 53rd. It'll be the best you will ever eat.
First published April 2004. (April 2004)(April 2004)
