I’ve lived in New York City since my early 20s, and I may be biased, but New York City is one of the best cities in the world. It’s vibrant and energetic, but also dense, loud, and crowded. There is so much opportunity, and there is always something going on. It’s gritty. It can be dirty, but it is real and raw. New Yorkers have substance and authenticity, and the city gives you permission to be precisely who you are. We don’t play by the normal rules. We do our own thing; mind our business. Yes, we can be direct, but we are not “fake nice” or superficial.

The city is home to people of all walks of life. There are 8 million or more of us living here. It truly is a melting pot of cultures, and that’s one of the things that makes it so interesting. There is nowhere else like it in this country. We have so much diversity.

NYC often gets a reputation for being hard, but that could be further from the truth. We look out for each other. And in spite of what you hear, it is one of the safest cities in the country. Because we aren’t car-dependent, people are out and about, and everything is within walking distance. If you have to travel further, public transportation is great. It provides great energy, and you can get lost for hours watching everyone live their lives. It can be a big adventure.

We are spoiled for choice.

There are tons of free activities all over the city on any given day: concerts, dances, outdoor movies, food festivals, neighborhood fairs, and workshops. And then we have theater, nightlife, food, fashion, museums, and art galleries all on our doorstep. There is every cuisine that you can think of to be had here. You can find ethnic restaurants and groceries in just about every country in the world.

I do have a love-hate relationship with New York City. The winter months can be hell, and I would even go as far as saying that’s where the toughness comes into play, but during the winter, the city becomes almost magical in the lead up to Christmas. But come spring, summer, and fall, this city is undefeated for what it can offer you.

It is expensive to live here, and it is nothing like what you see in the movies or TV shows, but it is worth the hard work it takes to make it here. As Frank Sinatra sang, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,” and that couldn’t be anymore true. It’s not for everyone, but it is one place you should visit at least once in your lifetime to experience just how amazing New York City is!