Tips for NYC newcomers

I envy all NYC newcomers. To me, life is divided in two phases - before I've moved to New York, and after I've moved there. Life in Miami was great too (after all, unless you're living in a war-torn Bosnia or in North Korea, life is what you make of it), but still, I never knew the best was yet to come. New York is a city that will offer you a brand new, completely unexpected experience every time you walk its streets (even though you are always expecting something interesting to happen). I honestly mean it when I say that there's no better city on planet Earth than NYC.

#01 Have in mind that NYC apartment are usually very small

The moment you arrive in NYC, you might feel overwhelmed. A huge amount of people of all sorts, of different cultures and backgrounds, some normal, some eccentric, all running to get somewhere, all with an unique and interesting agenda on their mind. You choose one out of the many appealing apartments, after seeing all kinds of different architectural styles and design aesthetics. Maybe you've chosen a specific apartment because you like its view of another poetic street, or maybe because it fitted your budget perfectly.

Whatever the reason, once you're inside the apartment, you realize that there's not enough room in there for all of your things. Don't worry - this happens to NYC newcomers all the time. I used to live in a cozy apartment in Miami, but I always thought it was kind of small. I've accumulated a lot of things over the years, most of which I didn't have a practical use for, but they all had a story to tell. Every time I saw my little green lamp I'd... But, I digress. My apartment in Miami wasn't really small, I've realized after moving to NYC. Many people here have a problem with their apartments, as they are smaller than small.

For the first three weeks, I've lived in an over-cramped apartment, barely managing to walk around and cook. Then one night, at a gig held by the then up-and-coming young band Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, I met a girl called Nancy, who soon became a dear friend of mine. We started talking, and she soon shared a very useful tip with me: get rid of all the things you didn't use during the previous year! So, if you can bring yourself to do it, you can donate or sell all the things that are filling up your apartment. On the other hand, I couldn't, and ever since, I am renting a small storage unit filled with precious memories.

#02 Think about your budget, as NYC is very expensive

I used to be a bartender in Miami, but I needed a change of scenery. My brother, who had moved to NYC some five years prior, knew a guy who ran this shady little place in Brooklyn, so he got me a job there. To my unfortunate surprise, I soon realized that working as a bartender in New York wouldn't allow me to spend nearly as much as I could back in the Magic City. It's not that I was earning less, it's just that the cost of living in NYC is exceptionally high!

At the time, Nancy was working at a local Brooklyn gallery, connecting promising painters with the gallery owners. So, she got me a job working as her assistant. During daytime, I was looking at all sorts of weird paintings, while at night I was bartending at this joint. I did this for a month, and it was completely exhausting! I had to learn one harsh truth the hard way, which I will now share with you, dear NYC newcomers: think carefully about your budget! Don't indulge yourself and buy only what is necessary, at least until you get the hang of how things are priced here.

#03 There's usually no need for a car in New York

The next handy tip for NYC newcomers is: you don't need a car here. Most parts of the city aren't that car-friendly. It's hard and slow to move around the city in a car, and you're bound to lose a lot of nerves. You're probably expecting another story now on how I used to get around by car in Miami, but then I moved to NYC, and something bad happened, etc.

In reality, I never really learnt how to drive, but I do have a story for you. One hot July, Nancy was moving to New Jersey. Professional help when moving to NYC from NJ is always necessary, as moving is very hard to accomplish on your own (but that's a story for another time). She got in touch with the movers this painter had told her about. He was kind of a bizarre type (as most painters are), but he was very intelligent and what he said about this moving company made sense. So, Nancy set up a meeting at their offices to discuss her relocation.

Of course, as a life-long New Yorker, Nancy knew she didn't need a car, so we used the subway. NYC subways, as you may have heard, are a fascinating place to be in. You never know what's going to happen in an NYC subway, good or bad, funny or sad. We had been driving for some time now, and my eyes were already slowly beginning to shut thanks to the pleasant hypnotic urban bustle. Then, a door opened and in walked a man who was crying... no, that's the wrong word, the man who was screaming his heart out!

As Nancy, myself, and the rest of the car soon learned, this man had just been robbed of all of his possessions by the fraudulent New York movers, the very ones we were traveling to meet! These rogue movers pretend that they're qualified professionals (as qualified as the best companies, such as, for example, Bluebell Moving and Storage), and then they simply take off with all of your belongings! The moral of the story? You don't need a car in New York! Not only will you save time, money, and nerves if you ride the subway (or if you use a taxi), but you'll get to hear and experience all sorts of useful and interesting things. As to what happened to the rogue movers, I promise I'll tell you all about it - one day.