Long story short, I somehow got staffed in NYC.
Yes, I’m only at the firm for a couple of months, but the project in question was having trouble finding someone “skilled technically, client-facing and unassailably handsome” and said they would “take [me] until [I] left the firm”. I won’t go into further details about the project except it’s in Manhattan and the team is a great group of folks.
Anywho, some thoughts on the big apple juice that never sleeps:
Pros
- Restaurant choices everywhere, in every variety, footsteps from your door (hats off to the chicken and rice cart on 53rd and 6th , right next to my hotel)
- Incredibly diverse culturally. I’ve never seen such a mixture of people in one place
- Lots of attractive people, but frighteningly-thin women. Free brownies in the office often go uneaten!
- You can shove the elderly in public and no one will bat an eye
Cons
- Rat racers seem to be constantly trying to keep up with themselves. Getting vibes of jealousy, pretention and unnecessary ruthlessness all at once
- Worst regional accent ever; “Jaayyrrrreeee, come and see the baaayyybeee!”
- Longer work hours than other cities (Madison seems to check out at 4:30, Chicago around 6, NYC anywhere from 7 to ???)
- Slow moving tourists (see elderly shoving comment above)
Neutral
- Suspiciously few homeless…
- Nobody says “please”, “thank you” or “excuse me” but then again, nobody expects it
- Wearing all black to work means you’re fashionable, not a goth




