On a new blogger & New York
My friend Micah Trippe (Oxy alum!!) has entered the blogging world. Micah recently moved back to New York, and when I asked him how he was enjoying New York the second time around, he said,
“New York is (of course) very different the second time around, but I am really glad I’m here. I met a guy the other night from LA- Atwater Village- and I felt no desire to be there.”
I’m not sure if he was referring to Atwater Village in particular - not a place I’ve ever felt a desire to be - or to Los Angeles in general. But either way, check out his blog. As an artist, I anticpate Micah is going to uncover a lense on New York that I would probably not see.
Which reminds me, why is it that New Yorkers love New York soooo much? To be quite honest, of the major US cities that I’ve been to, New York wasn’t really one I’ve ever imagined myself in - whether as a guest or a resident. Now Boston, or Chicago, or Miami, or Atlanta… but just not New York. And I’m not just saying this because their baseball teams suffered disappointing playoff finishes this year, nor because their basketball team is a shame, a sham and in shambles (but did I just write that all out…)
Really, though, what is it about New York?
October 20th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
At the risk of sounding like an arrogant New Yorker …
There’s an energy that comes from stacking 8 million of the most diverse people in the world on top of each other in homes and workplaces and cultural centers and parks and playgrounds and schools and museums and concert halls and synagogues and churches and restaurants and cafes that cannot be imitated outside of that context. Small geography + art and culture + finance and media + unending streams of immigrants + 2 million young people 18 and under + the greatest professional sports franchise in the history of professional sports + everything else already mentioned = a place unlike any other.
There’s so much more to say, but since I’m typing this from a hotel in another city I’ll refrain from piling on.
October 20th, 2006 at 9:13 pm
I can buy that… except for the sports part (Go Lakers! Go Clippers!) Even if it doesn’t all work for me, I can see the draw. I think it is the “stacking 8 million” people part that turned me off to NY. Felt too claustrophobic, too crowded. But I could see how that’s also be a draw.
November 2nd, 2006 at 12:06 pm
Just saw this and am commenting way too late, but really Scott- LA better than New York? Not in a million years! I guess we’ll be content on our opposite sides of the fence. Jeremy hit the nail on the head, but maybe you do have to be an artist to see why NY is set apart from all the other American cities…