Ode to the City

There’s something special about cities. The self-organization of humans that turns into economic powerhouses and centers of cultural and social innovation. Opportunities abound—if you’re not afraid to take a chance.

This hasn’t always been my sentiment. My first time visiting NYC (at which time I was already an adult), I’ll openly admit that I was nervous, if not borderline reluctant. The town I grew up in has 12,000 people. I was about to be one of over 8 million.

Before my first visit, I had ignorantly echoed many of the clichés heard before: “There are too many people,” “It’s too busy, noisy, dirty, etc.” and “It’s just not for me.” I had pictured cities, especially of this size, as overcrowded, fast-paced, unfriendly, and potentially unsafe. Places where one could easily be overwhelmed and get lost in the crowd. A contrast to the easy-going life of small towns and suburbia that I was used to with wide lawns, spacious homes, familiar neighbors, and predictable cadence of days—a haven for an introvert like myself. And while it turned out to be true, the city is crowded and busy in comparison, I found it alive in a way that suburbs can never replicate.

My first encounter held no grand epiphany, as much as I wished it felt like something out of the movies. Rather, it’s been a series of small awakenings with each subsequent visit and each new experience that has shown me the allure of the city. Yes, there were unforgettable first experiences, like a visit to the Met Opera, a Broadway show with Daniel Craig as Macbeth, and the world-class museums never more than a short subway ride away. But the simple moments—otherwise mundane, but exciting given the surroundings—won me over.

Here are a few examples from our recent trips.

Arriving in NYC for my birthday weekend, we checked in early and witnessed the end of our hotel’s “Power Breakfast.” The lobby and adjacent restaurant/bar were already a hive of activity with people about to embark on their day. While we couldn’t linger—V’s an expert at crafting perfectly planned itineraries—it was enough to be infected by the buzz of energy.

We set off on our stroll to breakfast at Sant Ambroeus, down the tulip-lined streets of the Upper East Side, their vibrant colors set beautifully against the facades of elegant townhomes and apartments. On our left, we had Central Park. On our right, a plethora of stores to check out later, from high-end fashion to small coffee shops, and even the place where we bought our wedding rings. Following an exceptional breakfast and a few more blocks, we were at the Met soaking in a fraction of the half a million pieces of artwork.

The contrast between suburban and city life was already striking in just the hours before noon. Back home, a walk is just a walk—a way to stretch the legs or get some exercise, rarely more. Before long, it becomes predictably monotonous. It’s the richness of city life and the unpredictability that I find alluring. There’s always a chance, even when out for just a walk, that I’ll do something more than I initially intended. 

When we visited the city for the 4th of July weekend, our favorite dinner was at The Nines—a swanky bar with live piano, old-school supper club ambiance, and a dress code baked right into the name. They were not overcompensating for anything with the vibes, the food was just as amazing. While that could have been the end and highlight of the night, we pulled up Google Maps to see what subway we needed to take back and realized we were next to an iconic jazz club we’d visited before. The final showing was coming up in 30 minutes, and they had a few more tickets left. It was an easy decision to continue the night, and we witnessed a Grammy-winning keyboardist alongside a saxophone player from V’s hometown. These chains of events just don’t happen in placid suburbia.

It’s not only NYC. Many a metropolis that I’ve visited with V have provided the same atmosphere of opportunity. Our recent trip to LA for her birthday held similar experiences. In a single day, for all the effort of putting on some clothes and continually asking, What’s next?, we can pack in great food, relaxation at the beach, and some of the best art collections we’ve seen at the Norton Simon Museum and The Getty.

If you’re not convinced yet, there are many good reads on the subject. I highly recommend Triumph of the City by Edward Glaeser, but there’s no substitute for first-hand experience. There’s unparalleled access to some of the best that we humans have to offer. Artwork and history spanning hundreds if not thousands of years, expressions of human creativity and storytelling through music and theater, and indulgence-worthy food all right at your fingertips.

This level of opportunity, coupled with high degrees of social interaction, are two building blocks that allow ideas to proliferate throughout a city—much like viruses, but hopefully without the side effects. More important than the sheer volume and density of population in major cities is the fact that people spend more time away from home, creating the opportunity for socialization. Even more critical is the diversity of thought and corresponding open-mindedness that comes with being surrounded by people from all walks of life.

It’s not difficult to see the importance of this social structure for the progress of humanity. These conditions allowed the automobile to prosper in Detroit, tech to triumph in Silicon Valley, and the arts and fashion to flourish in Paris. Sure, the internet does help bridge these gaps, but there is a difference between a photo of art, a recording of an opera, or the transcript of a lecture, and actually immersing yourself in the experience. Even the barstool debates at the local watering hole can’t easily be replicated.

This brings me back to the beginning of this musing, to the sentiments of the uninitiated. Cities are not the scary, impersonal entities I imagined. And while I have literally gotten lost in the crowd on multiple occasions (V navigates a crowded city sidewalk like a soccer pro on the pitch), I have found cities to be dynamic canvases that portray the very best of human achievement. Nowhere do ideas and cultures converge more dramatically. Nowhere else have I found such an endless source of inspiration for the hungry mind.