I live in Southern California, and people often ask me if I would ever consider relocating to New York City. The answer is: probably not! But I thought it would be fun to do a piece about some of the reasons that *could* entice a SoCal girl like me to live in the Big Apple.
#1: Snow on Christmas
Does a long, bitterly cold winter sound enticing to you? Think about that dirty, slushy mixture of motor oil, garbage, and something that used to be snow pushed up against the sidewalks, splashed on pedestrians by taxi drivers, and caked onto your best pair of Golden Goose sneakers. None of that sounds appealing to someone who can--and does--frequently go to the beach on Thanksgiving or sip wine in a sundress in December. But would a white Christmas be magical? Does Home Alone 2: Lost in New York bring on a certain nostalgia for something rarely experienced? Of course it does! Many people who live in cities where it doesn't snow during the winter feel a pang of "wouldn't it be nice" when they turn on the news and hear about another snowy holiday in NYC. It's just the months after December where it would get really old.
#2: All the World-Class Shopping
When many Southern California girls think of NYC, they think of shopping. We have plenty of great stores out west, but the thought of Fifth Avenue does make the heart beat a little faster. Our equivalent in the lower half of the Golden State would be Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills--you know, the street where Julia Roberts went shopping in Pretty Women. And who doesn't want to reenact the opening scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's where Audrey Hepburn gets out of the cab with a pastry and a cup of coffee in a paper bag? (Well, maybe it's not quite the same anymore, but it would still be nice to shop at the Tiffany & Co. flagship on Fifth Ave.)
#3: Top-Notch Medical Care
Southern California is blessed with amazingly advanced medical care facilities, so if a California girl had to move somewhere, it would need to be someplace with similar resources. Not to turn this piece into a name-dropping session, but look at this list: New York-Presbyterian Hospitals, the chain (is that what you would call it?) of Mount Sinai hospitals, NYU Langone Hospitals, and the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. The nice thing about a huge metropolitan city is that you know there will always be good medical care as you age, up to and including senior home care in New York.
#4: Some of the Best Restaurants in the World
Los Angeles can hold its own when it comes to world-class dining, but imagine having access to all of the brilliant restaurants in New York, all the time! First, there's the list of old-school classics, like Mario's in the Bronx, Patsy's Pizza on 1st Ave., Delmonico's, the 21 Club in Greenwich Village, or the Nom Wah Tea Parlor in Chinatown. And who wouldn't want to eat a pastrami on rye in Katz's Delicatessen or a steak at Peter Luger? And that's not even counting any of the modern restaurants, like Gramercy Tavern, Mokyo, Frenchette, or Oxomoco. As a food-lover, it could be downright blissful living in New York.
#5: New York City is Beautiful
Finally, you have to face it: NYC is beautiful. It's not the same as wide-open skies, rolling hills, Spanish architecture, palm trees, and sunsets over the Pacific Ocean; it's a different kind of beauty. Each of New York's neighborhoods has its distinctive character, and there's something thrilling about waking up and realizing you're in the Big Apple. It's a different feeling than you get waking up in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, or San Diego. This might not be enough of a reason to pack up the family and move to New York, but it makes it nice to visit on vacation.