New York City encompasses 300 square miles and is the home to over 7 million people. It is divided into five, uniquely distinct boroughs with completely different personalities. New Yorkers do not describe themselves as just New Yorkers. They are fiercely loyal to the borough and neighborhood in which they live, and describe themselves as “from the Bronx”, “Brooklyn.”
SO MANY NEIGHBORHOODS TO DISCOVER
Within Manhattan alone, there are dozens of residential neighborhoods offering an amazing variety of lifestyles. Each neighborhood is a self-contained community that operates like a small town, complete with a local police precinct, community board, firehouse, public library, public school, YMCA and local merchants providing all the essential services. In the past, a booming economy and extraordinary high rents have turned even once fringe areas into hot residential spots. There are almost no neighborhoods left in which you will find a deal unless you are willing to look in outer boroughs. But before you settle on an apartment, you’ll want to settle on your neighborhood.
With such an extraordinary variety of neighborhoods the priority is to find the one that truly feels like “home” before choosing the apartment. Look at each one for lifestyle, flavor, practicality and apartment budget. And there’s no substitute for walking them both during the day and at night so you can make an informed decision. You’ll know the right neighborhood for you when you see it. It may even be love at first sight.
Finding the right neighborhood is almost entirely a subjective exercise. It is less about cost of living and viability, and more about what area reflects your tastes, personal interests, needs and the quality of life issues most important to you. Just some of the questions you need to ask yourself:
- What is your ideal commute?
- How important is proximity to a major park?
- Do you prefer a more traditional, family-oriented community or a more offbeat alternative?
- What type of apartment living do you prefer?
- What type of apartment living do you prefer?
- And your price point, whether renting or buying, will certainly dictate at least some parameters.
GUUIDE TO LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY
FINDING YOUR WAY
New York was first settled by the Dutch in 1625, below what is now 14th street to the southern tip of Manhattan. From 14th and below, the streets reflect the layout of the original footpaths and therefore, meander and wind every which way and are mostly named, not numbered. Manhattan above 14th street is laid out on a simple grid system.
Manhattan above 14th St. is very easy to negotiate. It works on a grid system. All major avenues run north/south. Streets run east/west and increase numerically from 14th Street.
It’s very easy locating addresses on the East/West streets: On the East side, address numbers begin at the Fifth Avenue and increase as you head east. On the West Side, address numbers begin at Central Park West and increase as you head west.
For Example:
East 72nd Street will be located between Fifth and Madison Avenues. As you go further east, let’s say between Lexington and Third Avenues, you will be in the 100 block and find 155 East 72nd. Street. Between Third and Second, the 200 block, and so on.
It’s not as easy to locate addresses on the Avenues: You’d think that the building numbers on Park Avenue between 86th and 87th would be approximately the same as the addresses on Lexington Avenue between 86th and 87th. Wrong! Numbers can differ by as much as 300 digits.
GETTING AROUND USING SUBWAYS AND BUSES
Mass transit provides the fastest and by far, the cheapest way to get around NYC. For example, a subway train can get you from a matinee at a Broadway theatre to a night game at Shea Stadium in the Bronx in a half hour. If you tried making the trip by car, you'd be lucky to make it in an hour, and NYC is legendary for its traffic jams. For $2 per ride, you can take a subway ride throughout the boroughs. A taxi ride from Broadway to Shea would cost you approximately $30.
Bus and subway service run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Subways, which connect all the boroughs, stop at 469 stations, so in almost all cases, you are certain to find one near your destination. In Manhattan they run North/South on the East and West sides of Manhattan,
have shuttle services that run east/west, and go to all the boroughs. 3,700 buses operate throughout the boroughs along more than 200 routes that have bus stops and many bus shelters on designated street curbs. In Manhattan, they run both North to South and East to West. They also travel to all the boroughs. You are never more than a couple of blocks from a bus stop. In general, buses and trains run every two to five minutes during rush hour, 10 - l5 minutes during the day and every twenty minutes between midnight and 5am. Trains have express and local services, and buses have “limited” stop services as well as local service that stops every two or three blocks. Some of the express buses to other boroughs cost more.
Tip:
New Yorkers would not be able to afford to get around without mass transit; buses and subways are considered very safe and used by everyone - commuters, families, schools and theatre/restaurant goers. They are extremely well traveled well into the evening up until about 11pm. After that, it quiets down, and you may think twice about standing on an empty platform thus, making yourself a target for a crime. Just use your common sense and trust what your instincts are telling you.
Fares
A subway and bus ride costs $2.00. You can transfer to an intersecting route for free (within two hours of travel) from a subway to a bus, or from a bus to a bus, or subway-to-subway. You need a metro card to enter the subway or the bus. Buses will also accept the correct change (but only in coins). Purchase a metrocard at any subway station or even at many newsstands. If you are a daily commuter, metrocard offers monthly rates where you get several rides free per month.
Reduced Fares:
Senior citizens and people with disabilities are eligible for reduced fares if they have proper I.D. - either a Medicare card or a reduced-fare I.D. card. To ride the subway for a reduced fare, you need to show your I.D. to the token booth clerk. For information about getting a reduced-fare disability I.D. card, call 718-243-4999 . To get a senior-citizen I.D. card, call 212-577-0819 open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Traveling With Children:
Senior citizens and people with disabilities are eligible for reduced fares if they have proper I.D. - either a Medicare card or a reduced-fare I.D. card. To ride the subway for a reduced fare, you need to show your I.D. to the token booth clerk. For information about getting a reduced-fare disability I.D. card, call 718-243-4999 . To get a senior-citizen I.D. card, call 212-577-0819 open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
GUUIDE TO LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY
Access For People With Physical Disabilities:
More than 95% of our bus fleet is equipped with reardoor lifts for people in wheelchairs or anyone unable to climb the front steps of the bus. The buses also tilt down toward the curb to help people board. The subway system has about a dozen stations with.elevators for wheelchair accessibility. You can call the Disabled Passengers Hotline at
718.596.8585 . If you are hearing impaired, call
718.596.8273 for access to a teletypewriter.
Getting Information:
There are station managers who wear nametags and blue blazers in about 100 key subway stations. They are there to help you. Token booth clerks are also trained to help you. Subway maps are available free of charge at token booths. Most token booths also carry bus maps for that particular borough.
Maps, bus schedules and other information are available at Penn Station, upper level (near AMTRAK); Grand Central Station (main concourse near Met Life escalators); Port Authority Bus Terminal (near 40th St/Eighth Avenue entrance). To get maps by mail, write to Customer Information, 130 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
KEY TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Travel Information:
718.330.1234 from 6am-9pm, every day. All customers can speak to service representatives. Or get automated service and schedule information.
Customer Assistance:
7718.330.3322 from 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri. - Service representatives are available to respond to your comments.
General Information:
718.330.3000
Lost And Found:
212.712.4500
Tip:
METRO card information is available by calling 212.638.7622 or 800-METROCARD from outside NYC. Metro cards can be purchased at various places: subway stations, magazine shops, banks and by e commerce. There are two types of cards: a time based card or money based. There are three timebased cards, all allow unlimited rides. A one-day fun pass cost $7.00, a 7 day pass costs $24.00, and a 30 day pass costs $76.00. A money-based card allows you to put up to $80.00 on a card. Only a Metro card allows for free transfers.
GETTING AROUND BY TAXI
Easy to hail almost anywhere in Manhattan, these cabs are all the same bright taxi cab yellow, and they are licensed by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. You can tell if a taxi is for hire if its center roof light TAXI is lit, but not the off-duty sign. The meter starts at $2.00 and goes up 25¢ per 1/5 of a mile, or per 75 seconds of waiting/slow traffic time. There is a 50¢ surcharge on all yellow taxis from 8pm-6am. There is no additional charge for additional passengers. Drivers expect a 15% tip.
GYPSY TAXIS
There are dozens of gypsy cabs or unlicensed taxis that work for private car service companies. You’ll find them patrolling the streets looking for extra fares. Many New Yorkers hail them when they can’t find a yellow taxi, but the city does not officially permit street pickups.
CAR SERVICES
There are dozens of car services that work by appointment. You call up and reserve them in advance. The Limousine Commission licenses them as well. Rates will vary depending on the quality of their cars, how long you are reserving them for and what your destination is.
Tip:
If you have a headache of a shopping day or have to get to three important meetings in the space of two hours, it can save enormous amounts of time and stress to hire a car service. And a lot of them are no more expensive than a yellow taxi, and sometimes less. And they’ll wait for you, let you keep your coat and packages in the car and keep you high and dry on a rainy day. Two services: Delancey 212.228.3301 . New Family 212.749.7777 . The price is $35 per hour an hour within Manhattan, with a two-hour minimum.
GETTING AROUND BY DRIVING
Driving in New York City is challenging. New York drivers are notoriously aggressive, so you need to be alert at all times. There are also more traffic signs than people! There are plenty of rules for both driving and parking and you can get a ticket without knowing you did anything wrong. Bottom line, you have to pay attention, and you have to assume there is a sign telling you not to do something at every intersection and potential parking spot. Drivers also have to watch out for pedestrians and bicycle messengers who are also fighting for their segment of the road. Street parking is anything but plentiful. It is the topic of discussion amongst New Yorkers who insist on owning cars and parking them on the street instead of paying exorbitant fees for a garage space. The rules of the road can be obtained from the New York State Department of Vehicles, their web address is: www.nydmv.state.ny.us
RENTAL CAR SERVICES
Consumer Protection Regulation 501 requires that rental car firms that take reservations make available either the car reserved or similar car within 1/2 hour of the reserved time, either at the reserved location or at another location to which the consumer is transported without charge. In Manhattan it is not uncommon on a summer rush hour Friday to find a line around the block waiting for rental cars that don’t exist. If this happens to you, you demand to talk to the manager and tell him you know the law!
Tip:
Savvy New Yorkers who don’t want the hassle of expense of owning their own car look to innovative Zip Car for their transportation needs. Become a member at www.zipcar.com and you will have access to hundreds of cars, parked in your neighborhood, ready for you on an hourly rental basis or for the day.
GUUIDE TO LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY
DAY-TO-DAY LIVING IN NYC
FOOD SHOPPING
New Yorkers shop the way Europeans do. Unlike the rest of the country, we have very small supermarkets but they work fine for all staple goods. And all of them deliver, so you can stock up without having to drag the bags home. We love however, to pick up what we want for dinner on our way home from work. Almost all neighborhoods have a variety of gourmet food stores where you can buy the highest quality ingredients including meats, fish, baked goods, and imports of everything from cheeses, oils and veggies to desserts, breads and spices. Because so many New Yorkers don’t have time to cook, these stores also have extraordinary selections of ready-made foods to suit any hankering. If you don’t want to shop, we recommend keeping restaurant menus by the phone. New Yorkers can order up whenever we feel like it – just about every restaurant will deliver.
NEW YORK CITY DELIVERS!
This city’s services figured out long ago that because people walk everywhere and rarely use their cars to shop, they had to offer delivery services if they were going to stay in business. So, you can order up a light bulb, a bottle of wine or a month’s worth of paper towels for a nominal charge, if not for free!
Tip: FRESH DIRECT
Food shopping in New York City has evolved hand in hand with technology, thanks to Fresh Direct. Visit www.freshdirect.com and order fine fruits, vegetables, prepared meals and packaged goods delivered by truck to your front door. Just schedule a delivery on their website, and your groceries will arrive neatly organized in what is becoming the ubiquitous Fresh Direct brown box. Load up on bottled water, and other heavy items – and let Fresh Direct carry them for you.
OTHER EVERYDAY SHOPPING
New York City has, literally, every type of shopping venue and many different price points for the same or similar items, whether it be food to dry goods to furniture to clothes to house wares. You don’t have to ever pay full retail if you don’t want to. New York is the wholesale capital of the country! There are so many discounters and competition is fierce, you can price compare until you find the best deal for the same or similar item. There are two types of stores: specialty stores which are one of a kind and cater to the local community, and tend to provide higher quality service and guarantees, to national chain stores and super stores that offer all kinds of discounts but they neither offer high-end service, nor do they stand by their products. If you are concerned about service, free repairs and long-term warranties, you may want to go with a small, specialty store; if you are more concerned about saving money, you can shop until you find the best deal.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
POLLUTION
New York City has some of the nation’s best drinking water; which is pumped into the city from reservoirs located upstate. (It is rumored that this ingredient is the reason the fabled New York bagels and pizza taste so good.) Our City is not known for having the cleanest air, though it is not considered to be the worlds worst by any means. Noise pollution varies depending on where you live, avenues tend to be much louder than side streets, but apartments that face interior courtyards or gardens can be very tranquil and quiet. Most of the more modern buildings have soundproof windows that reduce noise dramatically.
PUBLIC SANITATION
New York City is respectably clean these days. Garbage is usually collected in buildings via a disposal chute, or in large garbage cans in sanitation vestibules. Recycling laws came into affect some years ago and its adherence fluctuate with the city economy, so you have to stay on top of the current policies. For further information on New York City’s sanitation, please visit www.nyc.gov/sanitation.
SECURITY
New Yorkers feel very safe overall. Common sense dictates that, in any large city, there is more opportunity to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Good judgment rules. You don’t ask for trouble by pushing your luck, whether it’s taking a subway in the wee hours of the night, or jogging in Central Park on lonely, isolated paths.
UNDERSTANDING THE PEOPLE
SOCIAL LIFE
Because there is so much to do in this city, New Yorkers meet people through their interests, whether its exercise, book clubs, special-interest classes, subscriptions, performing arts or volunteering. They often socialize with colleagues and friends after work. Bars and restaurants are popular during both the week and the weekends. Because they work so hard, New Yorkers like to relax over a beer and meal they didn’t have to cook themselves. There are over 17,000 restaurants in NYC and every nationality in the world has an eatery, and then some. And, because it’s the city the never sleeps, you can take your pick of literally hundreds of nightclubs and late-night cultural venues of every kind. Many dwellers pick a particular passion and then subscribe to it, whether it’s the philharmonic, ballet, wine tasting or experimental theatre. For more information about the social life in New York City, here are a few choice websites you may choose to view:
www.newyorksocialdiary.com, www.ourmedia.org
travel.nytimes.com, www.nysocialscene.com
GUUIDE TO LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY
PUBLICATIONS & WEB SITES YOU CAN'T DO WITH OUT
THE YELLOW PAGES
The NYC services and products directory. Plus city zip codes, public transportation maps, listings of museums and libraries, theatre and stadium seating charts, telephone hookup procedures, and more.
THE WHITE PAGES
The NYC residential and business directory. It also contains an emergency care guide and blue pages of government listings.
THE GREEN BOOK
This is the only book of its kind, put out by the City Of New York on all government agencies and services, listing whom to call depending on what particular assistance you need. You can find anything from how to apply for a permit, to finding foreign consulates, municipal parking lots, school boards, real estate information sources, pothole repair hotlines—you name it. Call City Books at 212.669.8246 or go there. The address is 1 Center Street N. Plaza Municipal Rm 2223. Check out www.a856- citystore.nyc.gov, www.a856-citystore.nyc.gov
TO FIND OUT WHAT’S GOING ON, OR WHERE TO GO IN NYC:
New York Magazine, The New Yorker Magazine, Time Out New York Magazine, The Village Voice Newspaper
ZAGAT GUIDE
Simply the best restaurant guide covering NYC. All major bookstores—also, club and nightlife editions now available.
DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS FACT SHEETS
212.487.4444
www.nyc.gov/consumer, www.nyc.gov/consumer
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU ADVISORIES
257 Park Ave. South, Fl. 4 NY, NY 10010
www.NewYork.bb.org, www.bosbbb.org
212.533.7500
WEB SITES
www.newyork.citysearch.com: A great over all New York site to get you the information that you need.
www.ci.nyc.ny.us: New York City’s official Web site tells you where to file complaints about daily problems of city life. Its mission is to provide the public with quick and easy access to information about NYC’s agencies, programs, and services. It also provides a guide to programs in city parks and recreation centers, as well as other sports and recreation events.
www.digitalcity.com: Digital City has listings of community events, as well as links that lead to information on dining, movies, news, sports, culture, employment, and real estate, to name just a few. www.newyork.org: Links you to many important New York web sites.
www.mta.nyc.ny.us: The transit sight for the best routes, maps, schedules and general transit information for getting in and out or around the city. It includes Metro North schedules and information about Connecticut. www.nytimes.com: The New York Times on line. This site includes archives, real estate, travel and tourist information, neighborhood guides and a complete entertainment section.
www.nypost.com: The New York Post online www.newyorkmetro.com: New York Magazine’s official website
www.dailycandy.com: Information on anything going on in the city that is hip and trendy!!