The Big Apple (and other assorted big cities)
Oct 24th 2008
Nicole JordanGoddess Readers Speak Out
Last week I finally got to play tourist in New York City. I’d visited there three times before, but always for business. This time I got to mingle business and pleasure, and it turned out to be a great trip.
I admit in the past I’ve always been a little intimidated by NYC, but now it’s so much cleaner, both physically and in terms of crime, that the atmosphere seemed totally different. Plus a friend whose been there dozens of times and knows the ropes went with me, and she proved to be a wonderful travel guide.
We stayed right next to Times Square, so now I know exactly where the ball drops on New Years Eve. We ate fabulous dinners out for three nights (Mediterranean, French, and Cuban). And we saw three Broadway plays (The Thirty-nine Steps, a comedy based on a Alfred Hitchcock movie, which was lots of fun; Mary Poppins, a musical which I found a bit disappointing; and Billy Elliot, which I thought was spectacular and well worth the expensive ticket prices.)
I spent nearly a full day in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and another 
morning in the Frick Collection, both of which were great for my soul. And I walked home through Central Park both times. (CP is much lovely in person than it looks on Law and Order, even though I felt a little sorry for the carriage horses having to work that hard!)
But there is sooooo much more that I missed this time. New York City has it’s own electric vibe, and while I’d don’t think I could live at that frenetic pace all the time, it’s now on my list of cities I would love to visit regularly if I could (San Francisco and New Orleans are my fave U.S. cities to visit; London, Paris, and Athens outside of the U.S.)
42 Comments »
42 Responses to “The Big Apple (and other assorted big cities)”
Marie on 24 Oct 2008 at 11:22 pm #
No, I hate cities. I hate crowds. I like rural areas.
I’m a country girl and feel completely uncomfortable in cities.
Kay on 25 Oct 2008 at 12:59 am #
It depends on the city. I love DC, Baltimore, Chicago, SF, Tucson, Minneapolis and Boston. I haven’t been to NYC since I was a kid, so I guess I need to get there soon.
Cities I don’t like: Atlanta, LA, Miami, Denver, and Dallas. I know very nice people who live in these places, but I just didn’t enjoy the “feel” of the city.
Cities in the US I want to visit: New York, Philly, Seattle, Portland, and Anchorage.
I like to eat local food, go to the museums, meet local people, read the local newspaper, find an independent bookstore, do a local outdoor activity (fishing, kayaking, sailing) and get out to the areas surrounding the cities.
evlqn on 25 Oct 2008 at 1:59 am #
I don’t get to travel much anymore but I do love big cities. Years ago I was in NYC and parts of it were wonderful. Central Park was great, and I saw the UN and was so very empressed! Rode the Staten Island Ferry and got to see my first garbage shark, scared the stuffing out of me. Nearly got robbed in the subway but I caught the guy with his hand in my purse. And I danced in the spotlight made by a sculture in a plaza down by the water.
I lived in LA for years and still miss the LA Museum and live theater at the Shubert and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. And I miss the beach especially at sunset.
Chinatown and the Rose Garden in Portland are fun. But my favorite place in Portland is Powells Books. You could spend days in Powells.
PJane1031 on 25 Oct 2008 at 4:41 am #
I enjoy visiting big cities, but similar to Marie, I’m a country girl at heart and prefer living more ’small’ town.
Washington D.C. is probably my favorite place to visit. Been there four times, and I’m sure there will be more! On the most recent trip I got to play tour guide for my mom, which was a lot of fun. There are so many great places to visit. Love the Smithsonian Museums, Kennedy Center, and the various memorials. On my third trip out, I was lucky enough to get a White House tour as well, which was pretty cool.
And like Kay, I agree that Minneapolis/St. Paul are enjoyable. There’s so much to do and see there, though I hesitate to admit that I only live 45 minutes south, and haven’t been able to check out a lot of the cool things the Cities have to offer!!
I’ve been to some other big cites as well, but mostly for conferences for work, and really didn’t get out to be able to sight-see. For myself, I like to find the little ‘gems’ that might be off the beaten path, but unique to the area I’m visiting.
Freshechelle on 25 Oct 2008 at 5:43 am #
I hate New York with the white hot intensity of 1000 suns.
And soon the busy season, between the NYC Marathon till the tree is taken down in Rock Center, it’s an awful crush and a minimum $12 very slow cab ride that normally is $8 and slow (2x a day, 5 days a week, do the math and feel my gripe).
I’m Fresh E and I’m a curmudgeon who would move to a quieter life in the country in a heartbeat.
LisaK on 25 Oct 2008 at 6:44 am #
Count me to the country girl among you. I don’t have problems visiting a big city for one day or two, but then, it’s enough again. I always feel like I have no room to breath and move and I absolutely hate crowds – so many people, it’s hot and sticky and loud and you always have to be careful not to run into somebody. *shudder*
Michelle B on 25 Oct 2008 at 8:08 am #
Big cities are in the “nice place to visit, wouldn’t want to live there” catagory for me. I love Chicago and it’s people. Maybe I still have my little girl rose colored glasses on because I grew up on a farm in Nebraska and my Mom was raised in Chicago. All her family were there so at least twice a year we would travel there and get taken to the coolest places.
I got to visit New York City once while I did a week training class for the Girl Scouts. It was north of the city in a more country like setting, however, we got one day in the city. Rode the train, saw the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park (not enough time to go to it), drove past the UN building, ate pizza from a little corner place (excellent), rode in a taxi (they really do disappear in the rain!), saw the Broadway play “How to Succed in Business Without Really Trying” starring Matthew Brodrick (it was fab!), ate a hotdog from a cart on a corner, then walked through some scarry streets to catch the last train back. Some day I want to go back and see more of what I didn’t have time for.
Would also love to see Seattle.
Gidget on 25 Oct 2008 at 8:32 am #
I’m glad you enjoyed your trip to NYC! Just wanted to let you know that our carriage horses don’t work too hard, and that they are well-cared for and loved. Go to Youtube and you can see how they are cared for in the city, and even one of the places they vacation in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQQ4i0DC9k
or just go to Youtube and type in “Our Beautiful NYC Carriage Horses”
Hope to see you again soon!
Jessie on 25 Oct 2008 at 8:50 am #
NYC is my favorite place in the entire world! I’m so glad you liked your visit. I went there for my birthday last year and fell in love. When I graduate next May, I hope to be moving up there. It’ll be a big change from living in a suburb of Atlanta. I’m a little scared, though, because things move a lot more slowly down here. Everyone I met up there, was incredibly nice, though. Not what they teach you to expect in pop culture. So that eases my mind a bit.
I also love Chicago. I visited when they had the World Cup games there. I was pretty young, so I don’t remember a lot of it, but I do remember having a really great time. We went to a bunch of museums.
Besides Atlanta, those are the only big cities I’ve been to. And even though I love Atlanta because it’s near my home, I agree with Kay–the feel of it just isn’t as good as some other big cities. I think they are working to make it a more vibrant place instead of a dirty, dangerous one, but they’re not there yet.
elsiehogarth on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:03 am #
Nicole, that’s wonderful that you got to visit NYC. Don’t you just love MMA? Isn’t it an all day place? I use to take the godsons there during breaks and vacation time. You know trying to give them a little culture. The other day Stephen(29), my oldest godson, who’s an NYPD officer was sent down that area for patrol and told me that when he was done working he went in and stayed until it closed and remembered how much he enjoyed the Armory, the African art section, the Egyptian etc. and that next he was going to hit the Guggenheim on another day. I was so proud….dragging them into culture does work.
I LOVE NEW YORK!!!! I am a born and breed New Yorker that lives in the suburbs of New Jersey but luckily, for me, I am only a 30 minute train ride away. I go 2 weekends a month to the city. I just need my NY fix either visiting relatives, China Town, Little Italy, going to a play, a museum, SOHO, a book signing, shopping etc. There’s just so much to do. I love the fact that the “Daily News” tells you every day things that are happening, in the city, that you can go to that are sometimes free and also the Channel 1 tells you even more places and things to do. I LOVE NYC.
Louisa Cornell on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:04 am #
I love to visit big cities, but don’t want to live in them. I enjoyed New York when I visited. Saw Porgy and Bess at the Met. Loved it.
London is probably my favorite big city. There is just so much to see and areas where you can just get lost. I spent two days in the British Museum and didn’t get to see it all. The National Gallery was terrific as well.
Salzburg is another favorite as I went to school and worked there for a number of years. The old city is on one side of the river and the new city is on the other. The old city is amazing and again you can get lost in it.
Amsterdam was fun and intriguing. The Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, the Rembrandt House, the Holocaust Museum and Anne Frank’s house. Plus there is a museum dedicated to the history of sex. Talk about the sublime to the ridiculous.
New Orleans is a piece of Europe here in the States and I go back to it as often as I can. IF I had to live in a big city, New Orleans would be my choice, hurricanes and all.
And I LOVED San Francisco! I want to go back when I have time to play tourist as my only visit was for Nationals.
Sweet Jane on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:14 am #
I definitely want to go to NYC too. As a matter of fact, I’m thinking of moving there for a while next year if I get to (which hopefully will happen)… I have to say that I’m either for big (capital) cities or for countryside, but anything in the middle freezes me. I’ve lived in a middle-size town (180 thousand inhabitants) for 11 years of my life and while I get nostalgic when I go back there now, it used to be hell. I never really knew why it was hell, but after my life changed so radically when I went and studied in Paris, and got even better since I’m in Warsaw, I’m thinking it’s a matter of size… People in smaller cities have a different mentality. If you don’t fit in a certain category, which most apparently was my case, you’ll have one hell of a hard time finding any like-minded people and you’re going to be very lonely. That kind of thing doesn’t happen in capital cities, where so many people are just as crazy as you, everyone’s coming from different parts of the world and is anxious to meet new people and mix with different crowds.
Still for having lived 3 years in Paris I’ve developed an aversion towards this particular city, which to my mind is just dirty, stinky, crowded, grey, polluted, packed, aggressive and altogether oppressive. Of course I do feel a pang of pride in my heart when I walk across the Place du Carrousel in front the Louvre, and the flag of my country’s flapping up there… I always think: Jeez, I could’ve been born anything in the world, and chance had it I should be born French! But that’s all really. I mostly don’t like French people or French reality; I don’t think that what the country is now is up to its History or its reputation.
I’ve been in Berlin and in London once, and was quite conquered. I like capital cities, I told ya. But I’ll have a house in the mountains when I have money, that’s also a promise. I couldn’t live in a big city all year long. Or I could but I wouldn’t be happy.
Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:29 am #
Note from Nicole–she’s showing a horse this morning, so she’s not going to be able to comment until later.
Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:39 am #
I love cities myself. I’m a city girl through and through, like my dad, who was a city boy. My mom was the ultimate country girl–she ate pizza for the first time on a date with my dad (back when pizza was a city thing) and got sick! She picked cotton as a girl, and they had chickens (and rattlesnakes).
But Dad was from St. Louis. He loved the bright lights, and so do I. I lived in little South Louisiana towns until I was 7, and we moved to Bangkok. Since then, I’ve lived in New Orleans, Houston, and Raleigh/Durham (I don’t know if it counts as a city–but it’s certainly not a small town). I’ve visited Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Jerusalem, Zurich, Chicago, L.A., NYC, Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, Denver, Reno, Orlando, Detroit, and St. Louis, and probably more that I can’t remember. I would live in Chicago or NYC in a heartbeat. I still miss living in New Orleans. There’s so much energy in a big city, so much to see and do.
I recently went to New York myself, and wished I had a longer visit. I never get tired of visiting NY.
Nicole, did you get to see the Turner exhibit at the museum? Or was it already gone by then?
Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:41 am #
Sweet Jane, I have a cousin by marriage who lives in France. I forgot what part though. She’s married to a French pastry chef. Next to having a librarian for a husband (which I do), I can’t imagine anything better!
Sabrina Jeffries on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:43 am #
Louisa, I forgot about San Francisco! I loved it! It moved to the top of the list as far as favorite cities.
And I’m with you on New Orleans. We moved to North Carolina for my son, and I don’t regret it, but I miss New Orleans, too.
amy1242 on 25 Oct 2008 at 10:22 am #
San Diego and Austin are probably my favorites. I loved NYC, except for the exhaust from all the cars, I had a problem breathing there, particularily during the evening hours walking on the streets, taking in the nightime vibe. I lived in Minneapolis years ago and absolutely loved it when it snowed. Summertime, not so much. Out of the country, I loved Edinburgh! Awesome during the day and oh, so much fun at night! Still, I love the small town feel of where I live and wouldn’t want to raise my kids anywhere else. This is home, cozy and comfy, even in the harshest Wisconsin winter.
TinaLouiseF on 25 Oct 2008 at 10:31 am #
I prefer the country, but I love to be a tourist.
I haven’t been to many big cities: Minneapolis (I went shopping at Mall of America), Seattle (never left the train station or airport), Portland, OR (saw the Spruce Goose), San Francisco (saw Alcatraz, Angel Island and the Japanese Tea Gardens), Las Vegas (saw many hotels along LV Blvd) Phoenix (tried to tour a few places, but they were closed because tourist season had not started yet) and Tucson (saw the old Tucson Studios and the Air Museum).
cheryl c. on 25 Oct 2008 at 10:51 am #
I love visiting big cities. I love seeing all the touristy sites and going to museums. My faves have been NYC, San Fran, San Diego, Chicago, Vancouver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, and Washington, DC.
Julia London on 25 Oct 2008 at 10:59 am #
I love NYC, too. My sister and I try and go about once a year for shopping, etc. But I’m like you Nicole — I love being there, but I couldn’t live there. The noise alone is culture shock if you live out west, right?
Suzanne Enoch on 25 Oct 2008 at 11:01 am #
I tend to judge a city by its museums, so I have to rank DC and London WAY up there. I avoid going into LA whenever I can, though there are parts of it that I like. Mostly I detest all the one-way streets. That drives me crazy. Literally. *g*
Margaret on 25 Oct 2008 at 11:21 am #
I was born in a big city that wasn’t so big at the time. Houston, TX. I loved all the big cities I’ve ever been too and that’s quite a few USA one and Mexico City. Each one has it’s own unique flavor that no amount of franchising can kill. I love the excitement that NYC creates in me. I would like to see more of the museums. The Guggenheim was fascinating. The mall in CD. So much to see of our country’s heritage there. The Smithsonian could take the rest of your life to see. Philadelphia I love. The Italian market, Chinatown, the art museum of Rocky fame, the Rodin museum and other places.
San Antonio is like going to Mexico. New Orleans is/was so suave and laid back. Miami glitters. Chicago has the energy of NYC. Great museums there also. SF if very cosmopolitan and accepting. Seattle gleams with Puget Sound and Pike’s Place Market. The Underground is awesome.
There’s others, but those are the 1st to my mind. I wish I could travel as I used to. I’d hop in the car and go in a heartbeat. The only way to see anywhere.
Margaret on 25 Oct 2008 at 11:22 am #
Sheesh! I meant the mall in Washington DC, of course. Darn wandering fingers!
Karen Hawkins on 25 Oct 2008 at 11:33 am #
Oh, I love them all — cities, country places, hiking, shopping, museums, mom ‘n pop diners — just give me some time away from Work and Responsibilities and (in the country) I’m as happy as a pig in mud or (in the city) as satisfied as a debutante with a Coach Purse.
I love NYC best of all, San Fran being a close second. I judge a city by 1) food, 2) museums, and 3) entertainment. I’m not a huge shopper so … shrug.
For country places, gimme the North Carolina mountains or Utah’s Bryce Canyon, toss in a hiking day pack, and I’ll be grinning ear to ear.
Claudia Dain on 25 Oct 2008 at 11:56 am #
I love visiting big cities, especially if they have a specific personality. LA is so spread out that it’s hard to feel the vibe if you’re a visitor, but as a native who has still lived most of my life there, I miss it. I’d never move back, but I miss it.
NYC is a favorite of mine, SF for sure, and London. Boston.
dbrown3400 on 25 Oct 2008 at 1:21 pm #
I heart NYC. It was my home base for years and my ex’s for many more. We enjoyed all the pleasures the city offers and had an inside track since my husbands partner lived in the city and took us to restaurants only known to locals and got us the best tickets to plays. As others have said, the museums are fantastic. One event I’ll never forget was solving a computer virus at the UN. But the most poignant memory of all was dinner at Windows on the World at the World Trade Center.
Like Elsie, I live in NJ, but have access to the train for rides into Manhattan. I can also get to Philadelphia and DC–two other great cities. Another favorite not mentioned before is Toronto, one of the cleanest cities I’ve ever visited. There are many cities I would spend more time in again if I had the chance, esp. London, DC and San Fransisco since each requires more than a few visits.
Meg on 25 Oct 2008 at 2:16 pm #
I do like to visit big cities — as long as I don’t have to drive while there. When my sister and I went to Atlanta in 06 (for RWA) driving in the little bit of downtown that I did scared the crap out of me! Once we got there all we did was walk. As a tourist, I have also been to New York City, Washington DC, Savannah, and Boston. All are great places to visit and I can’t wait to go back.
In New York I did a few museums, saw Miss Saigon (which was wonderful) and a show off broadway.
In DC I went to the Holocaust Museum (another must see) and spent a day at the Smithsonian. A day is not enough, btw.
In Boston and Savannah I did the trolley tours. They have now become my favorite thing to do. The drivers are very informative. The haunted tours are really fun too! I am also a picture fanatic so I always have my camera out.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 2:19 pm #
Sorry I’m late, y’all! At the last minute I decided to take the last day of my vacation to ride my young mare in a little charity show. She was great… and it was her first time jumping in a show. Oh, and she got to talk to a pet pshyic, which I’ll tell you all about next blog. Lots of fun!
Any, back to cities and travel…. You’ve mentioned so many great ones to visit. I forgot all about DC, which I adore. And Amsterdam is another fav place. The Dutch painters can’t be beat! And there are so many others, some of which are on my wish list. I really wanted to go to Portland this year but never could find the time. But that’s a high priortiy.
I’ve never been to Hawaii, either, probabably bc I lived so close to FL for so longe.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 2:27 pm #
Marie, my dh feels just the same way about big cities!
Kay, I haven’t been to Minneapolis, but a lot of people think it’s wonderful. Haven’t been to Tuscon or Anchorage either.
Evlqn, I love visiting LA, too. Lots to do there, and you sure can’t beat the climate. And Powells in Portland sounds heavenly.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 2:38 pm #
Michelle, my dh had a client in Seattle for a could of years, so I got to visit several times. Loved the moisture in the air! Here in Utah it’s so dry my skin feels like its cracking off.
Gidget, I had to smile at your pride in NYC carriage horses. See, I have show horses who are totally spoiled and pampered and who don’t have to work much, so I have a very distorted view. My dh is appalled at how I easy I treat my horses.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 2:46 pm #
Jessie, what a huge change that’s going to be for you! You’ll have to let you know how it goes. And maybe Fresh and Elsie and Cail can give you tips.
Louisa, I forgot about Salzburg. And Vienna, too. I went to high school in Germany, so my mom would regularly pile us in the car and go somewhere. Everything seems to be so close compared to the States!
And Sweet Jane, I can how Paris would get old if you had to live there. I haven’t been to Berlin since the Wall came down, but I here it’s beautiful now.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 2:55 pm #
Wow, Sabrina, I think you take the prize for best travelled goddess! And no, sadly the Turner exhibit wasn’t still there. I would have loved to see that.
Cheryl, I thought Vegas was fun to visit once… but a little too touristy for my tastes. My fave was the Star Trek museum.
I have to tell you, this is a fun way to blog! I’m sitting beside the show ring while kids and horses dressed up in costumes ride around doing tricks to pop music! Much more fun than my office… and it’s a gorgeous day. So I hope you’ll forgive me for being so late today.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 3:04 pm #
Julia, I’m with you about not caring for shopping. I coudn’t believe how many expensive stores there are in NYC. I didn’t see too many customers, and I’m wondering about how they’re going to survive with this economy.
Suzanne, I’m also with you on the museums! Have you gotten to see the Vegas Star Trek museum yet?
Margaret, I haven’t seen Philadelphia yet. I’ll have to put that on my list!
And boy, I agree, KarenH, about the Smokie Mountains. Gorgeous. And love the trees and greenery. Wish I still lived close to there!
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 3:08 pm #
Cluadia, I’ve only been to Boston once on business and never got to play tourist. That sounds like fun!
And Donna, that is so cool that you used your tech skills to help the UN. Very impressive!
Meg, I forgot about Savannah, too! Lovely city with lots of personality.
Thanks, y’all, for reminding me of a lot of great memories, and for filling out my wish list of places to visit.
Margaret on 25 Oct 2008 at 3:10 pm #
I forgot about Boston. My late DH was from that area & there are still relatives around there. Houston is such a new city in comparison to the older cities like Boston & Philadelphia. I never knew people could live right smack downtown any place other than NYC. Boston Common is lovely although the Swan boats weren’t exactly what I’d imagined, we road them anyway. A visit to Filene’s basement was definitely an experience. Women were undressing right in the aisle to try on clothes! My 16-yr old son was all eyes. LOL
Now I need either some clams with bellies or a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Or, possibly, just a road trip. I love New England and all it’s rich history.
Margaret on 25 Oct 2008 at 5:53 pm #
I wonder if I got kicked off? I can’t believe mine is the only reply in almost 4 hours!
Nicole, I really look forward to hearing about your show today. Many, many years ago, I use go to Houston’s Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. I loved then and now the beauty of a sleek, healthy horse. It was a very nice show and probably still is. I haven’t been back home but once since my mother died in 1988.
Deb Marlowe on 25 Oct 2008 at 6:24 pm #
Hey Nicole,
Sounds like you’re having a great day!
I’m a country girl too, but I like to visit! I need an experienced guide for NYC, like you had, to ensure a great experience!
Yaya on 25 Oct 2008 at 7:11 pm #
I love big cities. I grew up in L.A. Now I live in Merced and am used to it but not really liking it.
When I go down to L.A. I like going places I used to go and see what has changed.
Karen W. on 25 Oct 2008 at 9:24 pm #
NYC is my favorite place in the world. Followed by London and San Francisco. If I could afford to live in NYC, I would move there in a heartbeat. I’m glad you enjoyed your visit so much, Nicole.
Nicole Jordan on 25 Oct 2008 at 11:16 pm #
Deb, I did have a lovely day, thanks! It’s back to the grind tomorrow, but I sure needed the break.
Margaret, I agree about Houston. When I first moved to Atlanta many years ago, I thought it had a lot of the bad things about bigs cities, but not much culture or personality. But it’s grown tremendously since then.
Yaya, I’ll be if you loved living in a big city, going to a much smaller one is hard. I think I must be a medium sized city person *G*. I like having lots of variety that small towns don’t have, but without the frenzy and expense of the really giant ones.
KarenW, I hope you get your chance someday!
One really good thing about Salt Lake City is that it has excellent theater. Their productions rival some of the best in the country, possibly because they hire a lot of actors who’ve played Broadway, off-Broadway, and TV shows. And the tickets are much better priced!
cail on 26 Oct 2008 at 6:30 pm #
AHH! Nicole, you wrote your NYC post on the day that I didn’t check the blogs *was out of town.
I miss NYC. Definitely my favorite city. Glad you had fun.
Nicole Jordan on 27 Oct 2008 at 2:08 pm #
Thanks, Cail! If I’d had more time to spend there, I would have picked your brain about fun things to do. As it was, every minute was packed. But next time I’ll definitely give you a holler.
And I hope you had fun on your out-of-town trip!