New York City - Want to visit a suburban town on a NYC visit

hi!

i'm visiting nyc (manhattan) with a 12 year old boy who never has been to the us before. i would like to show him the typical suburbian neighbourhoods like this

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/li-iStock-neighbourhood584.jpg

and the typical shopping malls and walmarts etc.

is there any chance to visit one ot those in manhattan or on the way from the airport to manhanttan?

i would like to give him the feeling i had as an exchange student.

thank you :cool:

Suburban communities exist all around NYC, but most New Yorkers don't even own cars. There are neighborhoods in parts of Brooklyn and Queens with single-family homes, but you don't pass them on the highway in from the airport. Unless you're renting a car (which you don't need or want in New York!), you might take the Metro-North Railroad up to a suburban community like Cold Spring, which is very pretty in the fall.

Or, even better, visit the lovely town of Millburn, New Jersey. The shows at their Paper Mill Playhouse are wonderful, and a great reason to go out there. You can take an early train out and spend time exploring the town. You can easily walk around from the train station. You can eat nearby, walk to the theater, and walk back to the train station. FYI, Paper Mill is very popular, and you'd have to buy tickets way in advance.

http://www.papermill.org/whats-playing/for-general-audience.html

For train schedules to Millburn, go to www.njtransit.com. Trains depart from New York Penn Station.

Here's a link to the Metro-North Railroad schedule. Trains depart from Grand Central, and Cold Spring is on the Hudson Line.

http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm

you might take the Metro-North Railroad up to a suburban community like Cold Spring, which is very pretty in the fall.


There aren't any malls in Cold Spring unless you take a taxi from the train station.

Happy, You can take Metro North express to White Plains (~32 minutes). You'll find a downtown that has local stores and restaurants + malls + Walmart. All within walking distance of the railroad. An off-peak return ticket (roundtrip) is $15.50.

That's true, dhammer53. I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking about that part of the query. Cold Spring came to mind because of its picturesque suburban houses. I was up there last fall, and it was gorgeous -- peak fall colors, pumpkins on all the porches, like a storybook town. And the train runs right along the river, which is also pretty. And I like that it's just a 45-minute ride from midtown Manhattan.

I'm pretty sure there's no mall walkable from Millburn, NJ either. Again, I had in mind cute shops in a suburban town.

Is there really a Walmart in White Plains? Too bad.

Take the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station to Mineola or Carle Place. One of the country's largest malls, Roosevelt Field, is between those two stations. You can walk between all of those things, although it's very suburban, and you will be walking along a busy road. There is a Walmart just a short walk from the Carle Place train station.

Why in the world do you want to do that?

If you want to go somewhere sort of suburban, but with more to offer, White Plains is much better, although there are 2 malls: one near the train station, which is kind of impoverished, and another, the Westchester, which is much nicer. There is also a Target downtown, directly across from the Walmart (which is a terrible Walmart- there are others that are much nicer). White Plains is a regular downtown- it's in the NYC suburbs, but it isn't really typical USA suburbia.

Whatever kinds of suburbs we would prefer to live in or visit, I think OP has a particular idea in mind which is more 1960's/1970's cul-de-sac subdivisions and a mall on the outskirts rather than 19th century railroad suburb with a vibrant main street.

OP, if you're trying to do this in a cab between JFK and Manhattan, the closest you can come would be to have the cabdriver take you through a couple of the single-family neighborhoods in Queens, but these are older and may not have the exact feel you are looking for; also the shopping areas will definitely not be what you are looking for. (In addition, the cabdriver may consider the request strange and not agree to it; there is a flat fare from JFK and Manhattan for a reason.)

If you are willing to rent a car you should be able to get the feel you are looking for in certain places on Long Island (leave the airport and go east rather than west); some such areas have already been mentioned. If you are coming into Newark rather than JFK you can do the same in New Jersey.

thank you for all the answers to this strange question. i think that those suburbs are the real america - and not manhattan. i want to give this special feeling from my exchange time to the boy. otherwise i think he will get a wrong view of the us (skyscrapers, subways like in europe).

sorry, can't explain it and have nice misty-eyed memories. :)

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

"(In addition, the cabdriver may consider the request strange and not agree to it; there is a flat fare from JFK and Manhattan for a reason.)"

The flat fare only applies to nonstop trips between Manhattan and Queens, in either direction. If you tell the driver that you want to make a stop in Queens, the driver cannot refuse, and must use the regular, time- and mileage-based meter rate (which might turn out to be less than the flat fare).

thank you for all the answers to this strange question. i think that those suburbs are the real america - and not manhattan. i want to give this special feeling from my exchange time to the boy. otherwise i think he will get a wrong view of the us (skyscrapers, subways like in europe).

sorry, can't explain it and have nice misty-eyed memories. :)

I don't think it's a strange request at all, as I also like to see how people live when visiting other countries.

While plenty of us take issue with the Sarah Palin "real America" dichotomy that implies that places like NY are somehow un-American, it's true that most Americans live in single family homes with lawns and drive EVERYWHERE. Manhattan (and NYC as a whole) is very, very unique among American cities and has much more in common with many European cities than it does with most American cities.

Will you be renting a car? Without renting a car, I think it's going to be hard to see the most stereotypical suburban strip malls and neighborhoods, as they're totally car-centric. Even if people take the train into the city for work, they usually still drive to the train station.

If you're not renting a car, the Carle Place station on the LIRR is a pretty good suggestion. Both a full size, suburban-style Walmart and a massive, fairly high end indoor shopping mall are within theoretical walking distance, although the area is emphatically NOT designed for walking. And the surrounding housing is pretty typical middle class suburbia. There are far more picturesque suburbs out there, but this is pretty typical of how a LOT of America lives. You can use Google Street View to do some virtual exploring if you want to see what the area looks like.

hi!

i'm visiting nyc (manhattan) with a 12 year old boy who never has been to the us before. i would like to show him the typical suburbian neighbourhoods like this

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/li-iStock-neighbourhood584.jpgThat looks like a private development. These aren't even separate houses; they're attached townhouses. Typical suburbs tend to have individual houses.

and the typical shopping malls and walmarts etc.

is there any chance to visit one ot those in manhattan or on the way from the airport to manhanttan?Are you planning on renting a car?

Or, even better, visit the lovely town of Millburn, New Jersey. The shows at their Paper Mill Playhouse are wonderful, and a great reason to go out there. You can take an early train out and spend time exploring the town. You can easily walk around from the train station. You can eat nearby, walk to the theater, and walk back to the train station. FYI, Paper Mill is very popular, and you'd have to buy tickets way in advance.

http://www.papermill.org/whats-playi...-audience.html

For train schedules to Millburn, go to www.njtransit.com. Trains depart from New York Penn Station.Millburn is an excellent idea. The OP won't need to rent a car. He'll see the town with its stores, suburban individual houses, and if he feels like taking a ~25 minute walk, he can go to the Target in the nearby town of Vauxhall. Target is just like a Walmart, OP; it's its competitor. The closest mall is the Short Hills Mall. The OP can take a quick taxi to it from Millburn as Short Hills is a part of Millburn Township.

I agree on Millburn offers good feel and walk able town. The Target and Whole Food is good sight.
I might also suggest Montclair (via train) which offers museum, walk able store fronts downtown, restaurant and variety of home styles.

Another alternate would be board the bus 162 (I think) from port authority to garden state plaza. The bus drops you off in rochelle park which is a more plain suburb vs. previous two and two mins from mall. The mall is massive but doesn't haven't a Walmart or target (they are close by) but offers Macy's, etc.

Perhaps, bus commute is better versus train due to more window watching and various neighborhoods.
You can also take a bus to willow brook mall also in NJ which 40 mins ride goes past stadium, multiple mall, and some neighborhoods and homes. Nearby target is Fairfield

Big malls I would say garden state but for regular town (without a car) I would suggest Montclair.

Keep in mind that NY-area suburbs such as at Carle Place are suburban, but the yards and houses are much smaller than elsewhere in the US. It's not standard Americana, but it is suburban, with malls and a Walmart.

You may also wish to try Woodbridge, NJ. New Jersey Transit from Penn Station in NY goes there; the train station is in downtown Woodbridge, but there is a decent (kind of working-class) mall there (Woodbridge Mall), with big-box stores around it. You can walk there in about 20-30 minutes from the train station, and there is also a NJ Transit bus that goes from the train station to the mall.

You could also try Menlo Park Mall, which is nicer than other malls, and the surrounding area is probably better, and more typically USA. New Jersey Transit goes near it- one of the stops near Metropark, and you can take a taxi or bus from the train station to the mall. There is a Target Greatland right across the street from it.

Stamford, Connecticut has a mall and a Target downtown, near the Metro-North/Amtrak train station.

Use Google Transit to map everything out.

None of these places are typical Americana, though, but Menlo Park Mall and the surrounding area are the closest. Keep in mind that in normal America, you don't take a train downtown to shop in the mall. You drive to a mall.

With all of these places, your 12 year old might think that the US is overcrowded, full of traffic and full of small houses. That's not how it really is, except around New York City.

. . .most New Yorkers don't even own cars.

Why is it so hard to find a parking space?



There are neighborhoods in parts of Brooklyn and Queens with single-family homes, but you don't pass them on the highway in from the airport.

What route are you taking that avoids Howard Beach, Ozone Park and Jamaica?


While plenty of us take issue with the Sarah Palin "real America" dichotomy that implies that places like NY are somehow un-American, it's true that most Americans live in single family homes with lawns and drive EVERYWHERE. Manhattan (and NYC as a whole) is very, very unique among American cities and has much more in common with many European cities than it does with most American cities.




Why pick on Palin? There are many others from both parties who spread that lie. In fact, the last jackass who told me "You are not a real American" (because I'm a New Yorker) was a German. From where did he get that nonsense?

Ironic timing of this thread. Just tonight my wife and I were walking around Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I turned to her and said, "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the suburbs."

That's true, dhammer53. I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking about that part of the query. Cold Spring came to mind because of its picturesque suburban houses. I was up there last fall, and it was gorgeous -- peak fall colors, pumpkins on all the porches, like a storybook town. And the train runs right along the river, which is also pretty. And I like that it's just a 45-minute ride from midtown Manhattan.


45 minutes didn't seem right, since it's a 55 minute ride from central Westchester to CS. The MTA shows Grand Central Terminal/Cold Springs to be between 70 - 77 minutes.

Spaghetti, welcome to the NY forum. :cool:

Why is it so hard to find a parking space?



I'm going to add this question to the 4 questions on Passover. ;) http://www.akhlah.com/holidays/pesach/4questions.php
I'd like to know the answer. :D

Take the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station to Mineola or Carle Place. One of the country's largest malls, Roosevelt Field, is between those two stations. You can walk between all of those things, although it's very suburban, and you will be walking along a busy road. There is a Walmart just a short walk from the Carle Place train station.

Why in the world do you want to do that?

If you want to go somewhere sort of suburban, but with more to offer, White Plains is much better, although there are 2 malls: one near the train station, which is kind of impoverished, and another, the Westchester, which is much nicer. There is also a Target downtown, directly across from the Walmart (which is a terrible Walmart- there are others that are much nicer). White Plains is a regular downtown- it's in the NYC suburbs, but it isn't really typical USA suburbia.

From Mineola LIRR sta. to Roosevelt Field and from RF to Walmart is NOT a "short" walk. Nassau County has an extensive bus system, you can get from the Mineola Bus Depot (a short walk from LIRR sta.) which has buses going to RF (which is also a major bus hub for that area of Nassau County).
The Village of Roslyn (with its "historic" clocktower) is much prettier IMHO than either Mineola or Carle Place.
I propose the following routing: take LIRR to Mineola, N24 bus (passing through Williston Park, and Albertson) north to Roslyn, N20 or N22 bus to Flushing (where one can see a larger mixture of Korean and Chinese than even Chinatown in Manhattan). [OR N20 east to Hicksville, IKEA and Sears and a large shopping mall are all near each other.]
[PS: For big chunks of Flushing, the store signs are all in Korean--if you can't read the language you have NO idea of what they sell.:D]

Anywhere the downtown is walkable from a train isn't a typical suburban US neighborhood. Doesn't mean they aren't worth visiting, but they are definitely not the traditional suburban sprawl lifestyle of the US IMO.

Anywhere the downtown is walkable from a train isn't a typical suburban US neighborhood.Hate to burst that bubble of yours, but of course these towns are examples of a typical suburban neighborhoods. Are you purposely trying to mess with the OP's mind? Whether the OP takes a NJ Transit train, the LIRR or MNR to the suburbs, he or she will be able to show the child much of what is suburbia including the train station located in town.

If you want to say that much of the US does not have good public transportation, ok, that's valid. But in the NYC suburbs, there are plenty of towns with direct public transportation available north/south/east/west of NYC.

45 minutes didn't seem right, since it's a 55 minute ride from central Westchester to CS. The MTA shows Grand Central Terminal/Cold Springs to be between 70 - 77 minutes.

Now there's a typical New Yorker mess-up. LI, not Westchester, from my read at least!

If you want to see a place without Walmarts and shopping malls, how about Manhattan? As far as I know, it has neither of those.

If you want to see a place without Walmarts and shopping malls, how about Manhattan? As far as I know, it has neither of those.Reread what the OP wrote. He/she WANTS to see stores like Walmart and a shopping mall.

hi!

i'm visiting nyc (manhattan) with a 12 year old boy who never has been to the us before. i would like to show him the typical suburbian neighbourhoods like this....and the typical shopping malls and walmarts etc.

If you want to see a shopping mall you can do that in NYC. Walmart is somewhat different - requires leaving the city - but I believe Target has shops inside the city limits and that's more or less the same thing.

Hate to burst that bubble of yours, but of course these towns are examples of a typical suburban neighborhoods.... But in the NYC suburbs, there are plenty of towns with direct public transportation available north/south/east/west of NYC.
They may be typical of NYC suburbs (and I think that is somewhat debatable) but they are not typical of US suburbia, which is what I wrote. It is more than just a lack of reasonable mass transit which makes them differ. Most suburban towns I've been in are much more broadly dispersed and have nothing resembling the downtown feel that the NYC (and some Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and DC) suburbs have. They are very different.

Just my experiences...feel free to continue insisting they aren't true. ;)

From Mineola LIRR sta. to Roosevelt Field and from RF to Walmart is NOT a "short" walk. Nassau County has an extensive bus system, you can get from the Mineola Bus Depot (a short walk from LIRR sta.) which has buses going to RF (which is also a major bus hub for that area of Nassau County).
The Village of Roslyn (with its "historic" clocktower) is much prettier IMHO than either Mineola or Carle Place.
I propose the following routing: take LIRR to Mineola, N24 bus (passing through Williston Park, and Albertson) north to Roslyn, N20 or N22 bus to Flushing (where one can see a larger mixture of Korean and Chinese than even Chinatown in Manhattan). [OR N20 east to Hicksville, IKEA and Sears and a large shopping mall are all near each other.]
[PS: For big chunks of Flushing, the store signs are all in Korean--if you can't read the language you have NO idea of what they sell.:D]

I've done the downtown Garden City through Mineola past Roosevelt Field to Carle Place walk many times. I spend a lot of weekends visiting NYC-area malls, Targets, etc. via train, so I think I can give some good guidance.

I would take the Long Island Rail Road to Mineola, walk along Old Country Road to Roosevelt Field Mall and then keep on walking to the Walmart on Old Country Road (and, better yet, there is a Target just behind it). Old Country Road has sidewalks along almost all of it. There is a highway exit between Roosevelt Field Mall and the area where the Walmart is, but I've never had a problem.

Roosevelt Field Mall is one of the larger malls in the US and has typical mall stores that Americans love, so I'd recommend it if you want a typical mall experience.

For a true US experience, I'd eat at the Grand Lux Cafe at Roosevelt Field or the Cheesecake Factory at the Mall at the Source, which is next to the Walmart and just a short walk almost directly in front of the Carle Place train station.

Broadway Mall in Hicksville, which is where the Ikea and Sears are, is not a nice mall and the area around it is not that nice. It is not what the original poster wants to see and is not a place I'd return to- look at the picture in the original post, and it's a picture of nice yet cookie-cutter houses. Some of the neighborhoods along Old Country Road are sort of like that, but with older and smaller houses.

I don't know the exact time frame for OP's visit, but if it is "soon", July, August, walking from Mineola to RF etc., might not be a "hot" idea.
[I've walked the route proposed, but in cooler weather--not everyone likes to walk long distances...]

Reread what the OP wrote. He/she WANTS to see stores like Walmart and a shopping mall.

Aha, I see you're right, sorry about that. What a reason to come to America!

In that case, maybe they can sort of see what they want by visiting the Costco/Target/whatever complex on the upper upper east side.

In that case, maybe they can sort of see what they want by visiting the Costco/Target/whatever complex on the upper upper east side.

Urban vertical big box stacks just don't have the same aesthetic as the parking lot oceans and horizontal behemoths of those that sit near major highway exits in the suburbs and exurbs, though. These days I think you can find somewhat similar hypermart aesthetics at Ikea, Walmart and Carrefour stores all over the world. But there's still something fairly unique about the endless, car-centric strip malls and vast, public-transit-free suburban neighborhoods of Middle America.

Heck, some would argue that it's not a real American shopping experience if you can walk between stores. REAL Americans drive EVERYWHERE, including from one big box store to the one next door. ;)

45 minutes didn't seem right, since it's a 55 minute ride from central Westchester to CS. The MTA shows Grand Central Terminal/Cold Springs to be between 70 - 77 minutes.

Spaghetti, welcome to the NY forum. :cool:



Now there's a typical New Yorker mess-up. LI, not Westchester, from my read at least!

Larry David would say Interesting. :D

The OP said Cold Spring, and Cold Spring is located on the Hudson River, north of New York City. Maybe the OP left off the s. ;)

dh

Two THoughts following big box theme

A. Staten island. Has a huge mall w/target and Kmart, can get there via ferry (great view of skyline and statue of liberty) and very low cost only bus fare in SI to veterans blvd and tour of suburb style homes on way there and back.
B. depending of day of the week rent a one way car from hertz to/from Newark airport for 19.99 and ability to drive to authentic destinations including Woodbury commons (Walmart across the highway) or other destination further out. E.g. Taking 78 west for 45 mins can show farmland which is more rural representing much more USA vs. most commuter towns easy to get to by train.

Return car either in manhattan or EWR within 24 hrs.

Ironic timing of this thread. Just tonight my wife and I were walking around Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I turned to her and said, "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the suburbs."

Funny.

My wife and I sit on our back deck and watch the neighborhood kids play in our backyard and say "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the city."

If you want to see a shopping mall you can do that in NYC. Walmart is somewhat different - requires leaving the city - but I believe Target has shops inside the city limits and that's more or less the same thing.


They may be typical of NYC suburbs (and I think that is somewhat debatable) but they are not typical of US suburbia, which is what I wrote. It is more than just a lack of reasonable mass transit which makes them differ. Most suburban towns I've been in are much more broadly dispersed and have nothing resembling the downtown feel that the NYC (and some Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and DC) suburbs have. They are very different.

Just my experiences...feel free to continue insisting they aren't true. ;)

Totally agree. Not much of suburban America looks like the "bedroom communities" of metro NYC. A handful of other cities have that hub and spoke look created by commuter railroad, but most of suburban America looks much different.

How about a historical suburb not too close from the city? Levittown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levittown,_New_York

When I was very young I remember some of my friends families moving out to the "island." They were close enough to the jobs in Manhattan, but still offered affordable homes for returning WWII GIs and their families.

There's also a Levittown in PA, not too far from Trenton.

If you want to see a shopping mall you can do that in NYC. Walmart is somewhat different - requires leaving the city - but I believe Target has shops inside the city limits and that's more or less the same thing.Yes, you're right. There's a Target on 116th and the East River. Just be careful of bored local teens who have nothing better to do than drop shopping carts over the ramps on to shoppers. In other words, look up. We do. :mad:

Most suburban towns I've been in are much more broadly dispersed and have nothing resembling the downtown feel that the NYC (and some Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and DC) suburbs have. They are very different.I see your point. Many of the suburbs here are very Stepford Wives. I doubt the suburbs of Des Moines or Sioux City, for example, embrace that stunted culture. But the OP wants to see suburbs and he's in NYC. So he'll see NYC suburbs which I agree look nothing like the suburbs of Las Vegas. :D

My wife and I sit on our back deck and watch the neighborhood kids play in our backyard and say "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the city."Sounds like a perfect world for you both. I'd trade it in a heartbeat as I can't believe people prefer the Stepford world of the suburbs. But many do. I love that my "backyard" is Manhattan. :)

I see your point. Many of the suburbs here are very Stepford Wives. I doubt the suburbs of Des Moines or Sioux City, for example, embrace that stunted culture. But the OP wants to see suburbs and he's in NYC. So he'll see NYC suburbs which I agree look nothing like the suburbs of Las Vegas. :D

The look and feel of American suburbs vary around a few key factors: decade when built, proximity to public transit (particularly commuter rail), socioeconomic class targeted by the developer, and climate/terrain.

Once you get away from the train stations in suburban NYC, the 1960s and later developments don't look different at all from contemporary neighborhoods in the midwest. I've spent spent plenty of time in suburban areas of Iowa, Illinois and New Jersey, for example, and mrsmicah's New Jersey childhood home (a 10-15 minute drive from the nearest NJ Transit train station) would fit in just fine in many neighborhoods in Northbrook, Naperville, Davenport or Des Moines.

Yes, you're right. There's a Target on 116th and the East River. Just be careful of bored local teens who have nothing better to do than drop shopping carts over the ramps on to shoppers. In other words, look up. We do. :mad:

I see your point. Many of the suburbs here are very Stepford Wives. I doubt the suburbs of Des Moines or Sioux City, for example, embrace that stunted culture. But the OP wants to see suburbs and he's in NYC. So he'll see NYC suburbs which I agree look nothing like the suburbs of Las Vegas. :D

Sounds like a perfect world for you both. I'd trade it in a heartbeat as I can't believe people prefer the Stepford world of the suburbs. But many do. I love that my "backyard" is Manhattan. :)

Seriously, you've gotta stop stereotyping what you don't know. It's really clouding your judgment.

Seriously, you've gotta stop stereotyping what you don't know. It's really clouding your judgment.You're incorrect on this one. I think she knows about suburbia. She grew up there.

You're incorrect on this one. I think she knows about suburbia. She grew up there.My teen years....the Stepford crap is real.

Seriously, you've gotta stop stereotyping what you don't know. It's really clouding your judgment.Next time you say something like this....

My wife and I sit on our back deck and watch the neighborhood kids play in our backyard and say "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the city."

....expect those of us who live in the city to respond in kind. You can believe MANY would trade that. Obviously, many won't. Like I said earlier, while you might like suburbia and your view as the ideal setting for you both, some of us loathe the cookie-cutter world and lack of diversity. We wouldn't trade our city apartment for such a void.

I lived in that void; it's not for me.

I lived in both, went to school and worked in the city for a looong time, even after I moved. I still consider it my home. I visit it often, but can't wait to get away.

To this day, if someone were to say "Mary, here's a brownstone in Gramercy Park" I would tell them to keep it - or I would just rent it out to some idiot willing to pay a king's ransom for living amid soot and exhaust, and in some cases inside a shoebox (I grew up in one which is considered large by Manhattan standards (1k sq ft).

All my friends feel the same way. We all moved away. I'm convinced the only people who like living in NYC are those from elsewhere. You can actually tell who they are walking the the street. And I don't mean tourists :D :D :D

At this point of my life, you can keep the dirt, noise, and congestion. I'm happy with my nice big yard, quite, space in the house, and clean air. Do you know it took me a few years to realize that when I dusted in my new house, it wasn't black, but actual, real dust, not soot? :D :D :D

So, if you like NYC, well, you can keep it :) :) :)

The point of this post is not to offend... perhaps just to point out that NYC is a big goal for many people who were born/lived elsewhere. Those of us who actually grew up here have run away :D


Analise - a few weeks ago you told Anonplz that you moved out of NY when you were 8, now you're saying teens. You've told me in the past "when you were a baby." So which is it? I'm confused, because you don't seem to be able to relate to the things that those of us who really lived here as children/teens do.

My teen years....the Stepford crap is real.





....expect those of us who live in the city to respond in kind. You can believe MANY would trade that. Obviously, many won't. Like I said earlier, while you might like suburbia and your view as the ideal setting for you both, some of us loathe the cookie-cutter world and lack of diversity. We wouldn't trade our city apartment for such a void.

I lived in that void; it's not for me.

Maybe the Stepford thing was true for your swanky suburb, but certainly not my/our swank suburb. ;)

I wouldn't trade my hood for Manhattan living if you paid me. I enjoy the peace and quiet. :o
If I'm craving Manhattan, my trip will take the same time that the subway will take from Chelsea to the upper east or west side or vice versa. ;)

Maybe the Stepford thing was true for your swanky suburb, but certainly not my/our swank suburb. ;)It was northern NJ. Parts of Somerset County, Morris County, Essex County, Bergen County, Union County....the Moms who went to the school games were from all of these counties....they were all alike. No diversity at all.

I wouldn't trade my hood for Manhattan living if you paid me. I enjoy the peace and quiet. :o
If I'm craving Manhattan, my trip will take the same time that the subway will take from Chelsea to the upper east or west side or vice versa. ;)10-15 minutes to the Apple Store on the 1 from 23rd and 7th. I like your commute!

I don't noise. It's completely normal.

Analise - a few weeks ago you told Anonplz that you moved out of NY when you were 8, now you're saying teens. You've told me in the past "when you were a baby." So which is it? I'm confused, because you don't seem to be able to relate to the things that those of us who really lived here as children/teens do.I never said when I was a baby. I do keep the ages varied as I have been threatened in FT and am purposely changing the specifics of when things have happened in my life. I didn't move when I was 8. We did move when I was a teen and you can research that if you like.

Would you like me to out you on personal things you've told me? There are plenty who feel the same about you as there are others who feel about me. I've read your threads too.

Seems to me that if FT is all about getting the specifics out of people's lives, then it's not worth it. I've already been threatened with assault. The specific year things happen don't matter in an online conversation. But if they do for you, I will participate in outing them on you as well.

Whoa.... I'm not outing anything you haven't said publicly on FT in the various forums we both frequent.

I just got very confused because you kept changing the age. I don't know how someone threatening you would change if you were 8 or a teen. But if that's what floats your boat, more power to you.

I certainly hope you reported whomever threatened you, and they are long gone from FT.

As for outing my personal information, I can't imagine why you would want to - particularly since I didn't out anything of yours that you hadn't already done so yourself. I don't understand a single word of the rest you are saying.

But if it makes you happy, go right ahead. I have nothing to hide, and many people here already have my personal information.

So calm yourself. I just got confused.

You can go back to your suburb bashing now. :rolleyes:

ETA: On futher thought, I'm a bit taken aback that you can accuse me of outing your personal information when you do so yourself, and even admitted such. I have plenty of info on lots of people here, and would cut off a limb before I would repeat it to anyone, much less post it publicly, and there is one person in particular I would love to out their B/S, but have integrity. I'm very careful about that. So perhaps you should consider not posting the general area you live, nor where you grew up, nor how old you were when you moved because someone just may repeat it, and it may be for an innocent reason, like being confused. It's not like you told anyone you were threatened, nor that you were shifting information around.

My teen years....the Stepford crap is real.

Next time you say something like this....



....expect those of us who live in the city to respond in kind. You can believe MANY would trade that. Obviously, many won't. Like I said earlier, while you might like suburbia and your view as the ideal setting for you both, some of us loathe the cookie-cutter world and lack of diversity. We wouldn't trade our city apartment for such a void.

I lived in that void; it's not for me.

I'm pretty sure you didn't understand that I was poking fun at Blumie.

But, I'll say that your sweeping generalizations ("cookie-cutter world and lack of diversity" "We wouldn't trade our city apartment for such a void." :rolleyes:) seems to reflect an uniformed view. Or perhaps you just lived in the wrong suburb. One experience doesn't reflect the world. I'm glad that you enjoy the city, but to think that you can't find identical "diversity" or experiences in the suburbs is out-of-touch with reality. There may have been a day when city life afforded a wider array of experiences, but not today.

All my friends feel the same way. We all moved away. I'm convinced the only people who like living in NYC are those from elsewhere. You can actually tell who they are walking the the street. And I don't mean tourists :D :D :D

At this point of my life, you can keep the dirt, noise, and congestion. I'm happy with my nice big yard, quite, space in the house, and clean air. Do you know it took me a few years to realize that when I dusted in my new house, it wasn't black, but actual, real dust, not soot? :D :D :D

So, if you like NYC, well, you can keep it :) :) :)

The point of this post is not to offend... perhaps just to point out that NYC is a big goal for many people who were born/lived elsewhere. Those of us who actually grew up here have run away :D

It is difficult to imagine the alternative universe where the above words are considered funny. The use of emoticons does not magically transform nasty and foolish words into humor.

That said, it's also difficult why anyone would choose to participate in a forum on New York City to promote the view that they don't like the city.


Analise - a few weeks ago you told Anonplz that you moved out of NY when you were 8, now you're saying teens. You've told me in the past "when you were a baby." So which is it? I'm confused, because you don't seem to be able to relate to the things that those of us who really lived here as children/teens do.

This is not a deposition. Analise gave a variety of reasons why she is concerned about her privacy. I respect that.

There have been plenty of other things said on Flyertalk that are downright lies, often done for personal or business gain. Let's start with those rather than an indvidual hurting no one and merely looking out for herself.

I'm pretty sure you didn't understand that I was poking fun at Blumie.

But, I'll say that your sweeping generalizations ("cookie-cutter world and lack of diversity" "We wouldn't trade our city apartment for such a void." :rolleyes:) seems to reflect an uniformed view. Or perhaps you just lived in the wrong suburb. One experience doesn't reflect the world. I'm glad that you enjoy the city, but to think that you can't find identical "diversity" or experiences in the suburbs is out-of-touch with reality. There may have been a day when city life afforded a wider array of experiences, but not today.

More to my point:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-07-18/diverse-suburbs-politics/56341900/1?csp=34news

It is difficult to imagine the alternative universe where the above words are considered funny. The use of emoticons does not magically transform nasty and foolish words into humor.

That said, it's also difficult why anyone would choose to participate in a forum on New York City to promote the view that they don't like the city.I see you have no issue when someone else says something nasty about the suburbs, nor betlittles people for their choices.

You are not the arbiter of what is acceptable to be posted in any forum on FT, nor the moderator of this forum.

Where I post, and what I say, is frankly, none of your business.

This is not a deposition. Analise gave a variety of reasons why she is concerned about her privacy. I respect that. There have been plenty of other things said on Flyertalk that are downright lies, often done for personal or business gain. Let's start with those rather than an indvidual hurting no one and merely looking out for herself.. Then she should not post things publicly. I was confused and simply asked a question. I got a threat in return. But I see you also have no problem with that. I also know plenty about Analise, as she does about me. Nothing personal was posted.

I see you have no issue when someone else says something nasty about the suburbs, nor betlittles people for their choices.

I don't comment on everything I read.

You are not the arbiter of what is acceptable to be posted in any forum on FT, nor the moderator of this forum.

Never said I was. What can be posted is determined by Flyertalk rules which I follow.

Where I post, and what I say, is frankly, none of your business.

Flyertalk and all its forums are member discussion boards. Everything posted by everyone may be commented on by everyone in compliance with the rules.

first, how about carrying on the flame war with "personal messages" or just get the thread closed, even if the flamers are heavy FT posters.

second, although this was started in the nyc forum, are there no cities other than nyc. i have lived a number years in suburban(?) downtown dc and boston.http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.flyertalk.com/get/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.flyertalk.com/get/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

how do you make those smiley faces?

I live less than a mile from Cold Spring. Sadly it take about 25 minutes to drive there 'cause I have to go all the way to the Bear Mountain Bridge to cross the Hudson and then come back up.

OP, I like the idea of Cold Spring. Beautiful train ride up the Hudson as well. This will give you and the youngster a more rural taste as well. Granted there are no malls, but really......

Another option is stay on the same train, ride up to Poughkeepsie an do the Walkway Over The Hudson. I recently took family visiting from Germany there and they loved it.

Can we get back on topic please. @:-)

Sorry guys. I ask an innocent question and get jumped all over.

I should have learned my lesson years ago, but apparently I didn't. Please accept my apologies.

You can continue to have this forum to yourselves.

Sorry guys. I ask an innocent question and get jumped all over.

I should have learned my lesson years ago, but apparently I didn't. Please accept my apologies.

You can continue to have this forum to yourselves.
That'll learn you to try to have an opinion on this board.

thanks for all the information. :)

Ironic timing of this thread. Just tonight my wife and I were walking around Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and I turned to her and said, "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the suburbs."

Funny.

My wife and I sit on our back deck and watch the neighborhood kids play in our backyard and say "I just can't believe that anyone would trade this to live in the city."

Well, I'd say "I can't believe that anyone would trade Manhattan to live in Williamsburg." :p

Here's another idea - slightly further away (which of course means more suburban), you can take the train to Princeton, New Jersey. Very quaint and pretty little college town walkable from the train station, and some of the back streets will have a bit of that feel of suburbia. Unfortunately (?) no malls/Wal-Marts within walking distance, but plenty of that stuff nearby via car.