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I'll usually take a few heavy duty green bags and purchase what is manageable to handle on the subway. For big stock ups I'll drive over to Jersey and make it worth my while to compensate the two bridge tolls. Even then, I'll drag my cart along because once I'm back in Bay Ridge I'm not likely to find a parking space close to my apartment.
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
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Originally Posted by Viralmd
In Manhattan all the supermarkets deliver and there's FreshDirect, as well. Not a problem at all.
Both are pretty expensive though. The grocery store by my former apartment had delivery, but I didn't want to pay the fee and tip. I don't think it's a big deal walking a couple blocks away, lol.
One time I toted home nearly 80 pounds of groceries, including cat litter and dry cat food. No matter how far away the store, that's a LOT to bring home. I decided it was worth the extra charge to have Fresh Direct bring those heavy loads right to my door.
How easy was it for you to adjust to the pedestrian lifestyle?
We left Houston where we had more cars than drivers and moved to Manhattan where we have no motorized vehicles of any kind. It's amazing and I'll never go back. It's funny how, what seemed like an insane walk before living here, seems like a short skip here. Honestly, if someone had suggested I walk 12 blocks to get from Point A to Point B where we came from, I would have ignored them as clearly unhinged. Here, 12 blocks is nothing. You wouldn't even blink.
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Do you like it more? If not, is it a change that you are willing to deal with for the rest of your life?
No gassing up. No oil changes. No dealing with the shop when someone dings my car. No dealing with the dealership when someone hits it a lot harder than a ding. No insurance. No sitting in traffic. No parking. What's to miss?
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I now may have another opportunity in the city and wonder if I could truly live without the freedom and convenience of a car.
Wait till you figure out that it's much more freeing and convenient to not have a car. When we did, it was a hell of a feeling.
This is all great information, everyone. Thank you!
I actually lived in the area for a while...but quite far from Manhattan and in a very suburban area. I always thought about moving closer in, but it was the idea of giving up the car that kept me from doing it.
I also lived in Europe for several years and never had a vehicle. I survived, but I'll be honest...I really found it to be a giant pain in the butt to go shopping and have to carry everything home. I really should have looked into getting one of the carts that you all referred me to. I dated a guy for much of the time I was there and when he or his family needed groceries, they would go to a neighborhood market on foot for little things or things that needed to be fresh like bread, but they used their car to go to a big grocery store like Auchan or Carrefour for the main shopping.
It wasn't just the issue of having to carry a ton of groceries that was difficult to get used to, either. As a girl who grew up in a car dependent city, I never got used to really having to deal with the weather. Right now, if it is raining, I walk into my garage, get in my car, drive to the store, park near the entrance and run for the doors. When I lived overseas in a pedestrian type city, there were days that I came home absolutely drenched with half my makeup sliding off my face. I'm not saying that this is something that people just shouldn't have to deal with. I'm just saying that it is something that takes a lot of getting used to if you don't already subscribe to the lifestyle. The same goes for the sun and humidity. I spent some time in SE Asia on business earlier this year and found it hard to get used to walking from my hotel to the building where I had business, which was only about a mile. It was hot and by the time I got to the office, I felt filthy. Is this pretty much how everyone feels when living in NY? Again, I'm not saying it is bad. I am just curious if it is a similar situation.
Also, for the ladies, what about shoes? With all the walking, do you normally trade the pumps in for comfy shoes? If so, how does it work in the office? Do you bring nice shoes along and change when you get the office? Or do you wear comfy shoes all day? Or do you just suffer and walk around the city in pumps? Seemingly stupid questions...but valid for someone who just isn't used to walking everywhere.
Then, what about going out? Say you are meeting a friend for dinner in an area that is far from where you live. I, again, would hop in my car and drive there. Easy. How does it work in NY? I ask because it seems as though it would take a lot longer to get somewhere. Walking to the subway, riding the subway, walking to the restaurant, eating dinner and having to think about doing the entire labor intensive commute back.
And what about cabs? There have been times where I felt as though I was competing with about fifty other people for a cab. That is pretty intimidating for someone who isn't used to it. That actually happened to me recently on a Saturday afternoon near Lincoln Center. It seemed that every cab that passed had people in it. So when one that was available passed, people were literally yelling and pushing each other out of the way to get it. I just decided that I wasn't in much of a position to play along. It was a horrible feeling! I felt as though I was a million miles from my hotel and no way to get there. I felt like I was stuck. I can't tell you how long it took me to get back that day...
One thing I have noticed about myself when in NY on business is that I am just exhausted at the end of the work day. A bad day in my current city gets a lot better when I can just sit in my car and be alone as I drive home in peace. In NY, I have found that I dread the evening commute all day long. All the walking and public transportation makes it tough for someone who isn't used to the lifestyle...and I wonder if this is something that would pass with time if I were to move.
It is funny, but I was visiting a good friend of mine in a very large European city a couple of months ago. Like NY, his city is very urban and mostly pedestrian. He lives on the top floor of a beautiful building in a residential area near a subway stop. One evening, I was at his apartment waiting for him to come home from work. I remember opening a window and looking down the street to see my friend emerge from the subway. It was a really hot day and he looked horrible! You could see how exhausted he was from all the way down the street. He was walking slowly and just looked miserable. When he got home, he was really sweaty and just looked as though he had been through the wringer. Just curious, but do many of you find this to be a familiar scenario in NY?
Despite all of my concerns, if things work out that I get an offer, I am really leaning toward giving it a shot. It sounds as though many of you who have made the transition really find it to be a better lifestyle, perhaps even to your surprise.
One other question...do most people try to live close to where they work in order to cut down on the commute? One of the companies I am interviewing with is located in the Meatpacking district. If things were to work out, would you look for an apartment in that area?
Both are pretty expensive though. The grocery store by my former apartment had delivery, but I didn't want to pay the fee and tip. I don't think it's a big deal walking a couple blocks away, lol.
No, FreshDirect is actually CHEAPER than the supermarkets in my neighborhood. You've never lived in Manhattan.
To the OP: most women have nice shoes at work. To commute, get on those Reeboks!
When going out after work, many leave right from work. Or go home first, if it's not too far, and then go out. Not a big deal.
There ARE peak times when everyone is looking for a cab and there are none, because a) it's rush hour and 2) the shifts are changing for the taxi drivers. Honestly, the subway is the fastest way from point A to point B, bar none.
Most women (and a few men, including myself) have a couple of pairs of shoes (or work boots) at work in case they need to be fancy, or go out on site.
I have wondered at the women who wear flip-flops in the city though.... That and open toe make me squeemish with some of the puddles and other trash on the ground out here....
But as for walking to the station, taking teh subway, and walking to the restaurant... This is NYC. ou just describes thousands of restaurants in dozens of different nationalities/styles that are all within 45 minutes of home (at most).
Many within a half hour, and, depending on where you are living, some only a short 15 minute walk away.
It is a bit to get used to, but be confident in the fact that when you go out and have a coctail or two, you do not have to worry about running yourself up a tree.
It feels so odd to me going to a bar/grill in the 'burbs and having to start counting..... (just being concious of it isn't fun, not necessarily in the restriction on the imbibement.....)
Though it is possible to live easily in most of New York City without a car, that is not a requirement. There are areas where parking is easier than others (and less expensive). There are also places where you can leave your car inexpensively (though you will need to take a subway or bus to get it). This works when your need for the car is only occasional or on weekends. You can also rent a Zip car by the hour when needed (they are located in many parking garages throughout the city.
The trick with groceries is to get the really heavy stuff, like bottles of seltzer or pet food, at the corner deli. It's slightly more expensive, but it's a lot easier.
Use the grocery store only for produce, meat, etc.
The only thing that is difficult is that, if you are coming from suburbia is that you will not have your Mall fix as easily. GETTING to some of these places is hard. You will find costs in NYC a little on the high side compared to some malls. Online shopping can help this, but clothes are hard to shop online for. (For women especially).
As always, there are exceptions. I do 95% of my shopping for clothing online, for the simple reason that, even in New York City, there are no brick-and-mortar clothing stores available for tall women. There was one up in midtown for a while, but I think it closed. The only way to get, for example, tall-size suits or other clothing suitable for an office is online (or through print catalogs).
Just had to put that out there. We're probably the most-discriminated-against group in the clothing industry. Maybe with Michelle Obama in the White House that could change...but I don't think she really has to worry about shopping for her own clothes and finding her size anymore.
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