A Tale of Two Cities

So it seems like every time I tell someone where I grew up and lived before moving to New York, there is always follow up question along the lines of "where do you like living most/do you like NYC more than the others?" So here is a tale of the two three cities that I have lived in:

Los Angeles, CA

Growing up outside of Los Angeles, I never considered LA my big city. We would often go to LA for fun, visiting friends, etc. so whenever someone asks where I lived I always say about an hour east of LA. LA is so spread out with all of its suburbs that it has and always will be confusing for me to know what people actually consider to be LA. Perks about LA is that it is close to the ocean, big venues and different types of food to name a few. Biggest annoyance about LA is having to drive and the traffic that is there. Working for 9 months in LA after moving home from San Francisco, driving to and from LA for work at NBC was the worst part.

San Francisco, CA

Moving to San Francisco for college was terrifying yet exciting since I had never moved before. Once I made friends, joined Phi Sigma Sigma and found a job, San Francisco really felt like my new home. It was a change in the sense that San Francisco was more condensed than Los Angeles which made exploration easier. Having a car helped at times, especially since public transportation did not run 24 hours (except one bus and the occasional subway). Having friends that were born and raised in San Francisco and the Bay Area also helped in finding/knowing things about the city that I would have never come upon myself. Turning 21 in San Francisco was also a huge bonus as the nightlife in San Francisco is always happening in all neighborhoods of the city. In addition, the variety of cuisine to choose from in San Francisco was amazing. Being a person who is not picky, I was in love with the options to choose from.

New York, NY

Given the opportunity to work for NBC in New York City was the greatest opportunity I could have been given. Although really scared and anxious to be moving from California and the West Coast, I was excited to start a new chapter in my life. Making friends and finding a place to live was tough but finally by the end of the summer I had a place to live, activities to do outside of work and a great group of friends. Even though this is the largest city by far in which I have lived, I feel at home here. Although I don't make it to every neighborhood in the city, I try my best to try new things as much as I can especially since a majority of the public transportation here runs 24/7. New restaurants, neighborhoods and things to do are always on my plate which makes for a different day everyday, my preference. Here's to many more years in New York City.