So I have never spent any amount of time looking at a map of nyc in all my 31 years of life, so getting on Google maps and staring and studying and Realizing™️ some shit has been hilarious and surreal.

I did not know that their famous subway does not connect to Staten Island.

They were not kidding, that island is Long

The Statue of Liberty is technically in New Jersey waters???

The statue is way further inland (in-bay?) than I realized.

Hell’s Kitchen is larger than I gave it credit for

It’s also like. A block away from Times Square

It always fucks me up that Central Park is. So. Rectangular. Perfectly rectangular. I Know nyc is “a grid system mf” but the park still looks like that image of Colorado superimposed on a natural borders map of the us. It looks weird.

I am not, however, surprised at how fucking massive the park is. I Knew one (1) thing about the city, and it was that.

I truly did not understand that the City is on 3 separate fucking islands. Like I know I have no concept of anything and I know I’ve never had any special interest in nyc, but the more I look at it the more I feel like I’ve never absorbed any information about it ever in my life.

Yonkers.

[Personal rambling about my relationship with an event of recent history. This is not meant to reflect anyone else's feelings on the subject, just my own. If you reblog, please engage in good faith.]

[TW: discussions of 9/11 and its effects]

One of the side-effects of watching a lot of videos on the topic of architecture, especially in NYC, is getting really strong, complicated feelings rising back up about 9/11.

I was living in Queens when it happened, and not yet six years old. I was young, but a few moments of the day it happened is pretty clear in my memory. I was too young and not connected directly enough to the event to really understand what was going on at the time, but it was very nearby and had very strong impacts on my life both immediately, and going forward.

(After all, I had to fly inter-continentally just to see my grandparents, and I had younger siblings. Any family from Serbia needed to apply for a visa to come over to visit us, and most of them didn't speak English. Imagine how difficult airports are, right after that, if you hadn't experienced it yourself. This doesn't apply to just New York, but it does apply to me.)

Anyway, the memories are pretty shaky but definitely there for me. I was lucky enough to not have anyone who died in the event or the aftermath, but my surroundings were pretty heavily impacted due to proximity, and I imagine there's a lot that happened that I don't remember because my parents shielded me from it.

The thing is... I was still there. I still remember it, and I feel a sense of connection to the way NYC chose to rebuild after, the ways it worked to commemorate the dead, etc. I was too young to be involved and, for a time, too distant--I lived in Colorado for six years, starting '07.

It's still the city that's defined much of my life, either while living in it or living on LI, which isn't NYC but is in its shadow in all ways. I've lived in or near NYC for over half my life.

So when I look at New Yorkers reacting to the event or commemorations of it, I get it. New Yorkers erecting monuments and having strong feelings about 9/11 makes sense. Of course the people who live here and were directly hit by it have strong opinions! It was a major event! Of course city residents went feral with anger when a random luxury housing unity tried to build higher than One World Trade Center. You don't just... choose to be larger than a building that was designed to commemorate one of the greatest tragedies in the city's recent history, especially not when that building's height is already symbolic, being exactly 1776ft tall at the spire.

It might seem stupid, but I get it. I understand why NYC residents were furious at the idea, given how contentious the supertalls already are.

I understand why, over twenty years on, the rebuilding is still ongoing. I understand why 2, 5, and the Perelman Performing Arts Center have taken so long, and are still years away from completion. Nobody wants to get this wrong.

And the reason it gets so complicated is because there's this stark difference to my feelings on how the average American, and also some New Yorkers, it's true, might use 9/11 as a tragedy to fuel their racism and xenophobia and jingoistic warmongering.

This isn't my tragedy, for all that I was in its shadow, saw the smoke rising and felt the echoes of it across my childhood. I didn't lose anyone in the attack or the aftermath, and I wasn't part of a minority group targeted in its wake. I was only ever on the fringes... but it was still my city, you know?

When I was in high school, I lived in Colorado. We were discussing the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources in class. The teacher used 9/11 as an example, saying that everyone in the room was a secondary source, because we were alive and saw the events unfolding on television, but we weren't there, just getting the information secondhand from the news.

I raised my hand, and said I lived in New York at the time, just across the river, and the teacher acknowledged that I was significantly closer as a source than most of the class.

I don't call myself a primary source on this. I wasn't even six, yet. My memories have faded with time, and I wasn't as close as many were.

But there's still a pride in NYC and in the rebuilding, in the way that the city bounced back. It's not so much about the architecture and rebuilding, for all that its symbolism is important and meaningful in its own right. It's more about the smaller businesses that were impacted by the destruction of a large section of the financial district, the local delis and bodegas, the hot dog carts at Bowling Green, and the wider economy hit by the ripples of the event, which definitely did affect everything in the metro area, not just the immediate surroundings.

So it's not my tragedy, really, but it is New York's.

And there's a specific kind of distaste and rage in me when I see it co-opted. When I see the average American call it 'our' tragedy. 'The nation's' tragedy.

It's not. It's not yours to use for your violence and hate for what you call Other.

I don't feel suspicion when New Yorkers hold on to the symbolism of the event, and snap back at corporate interests that try to disrespect the memory of it. This is New York's tragedy, and it makes sense for New Yorkers to feel strongly about it.

I sure as hell suspect everyone else that tries to claim it, though.

both major airports in NYC are in Queens so that’ll be the view headed into Manhattan in a cab after landing / Yes, they appear to be in a taxi on the elevated road

Yes

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Zerfall - 7/14

Pairing: Bucky x named!Reader (Agent Andromeda) Summary: After Hydra drops virus bombs in 7 major American cities in the height of summer, the team is locked in their emergency bunker for weeks. The virus commonly called the Summer Poison successfully brought the infrastructure to a halt in all big cities. When the virus slowly starts burning itself out SHIELD Agents and Avengers are sent out to bring back order into the cities and the international relationships. Not without hurdles. Warnings for this chapter: Pandemic, Apocalypse, recon mission, flirting, picturing killing as a positive thing, weird grammar. Not beta read. **Image credit goes to Ubisoft.

Zerfall Masterlist || M a s t e r l i s t

After getting through a whole building of Vultures and picking up tons of ammunition, weapons, vests, food and soil you were finally relaxing in the settlement library. “God, what a day.” Bucky huffed while opening his vest up before taking the glass in front of him. Captain Davis, Bucky, you and all the civilian militia took the glasses filled with scotch and cheered. “The public library next so we have a triangle of relatively safe spaces?” You grinned at the two men after nipping on the alcohol. “Sounds good to me.” Bucky smirked back, downing the drink.

After the party part of the evening you went up to the roof, Bucky following you very far behind, to not interrupt you. You sat down on a bench someone had put up there and stared at Midtown and the skyline. “The view never gets old.” You heard behind you before he sat down next to you. “Yeah. I hope it gets back to normal fast. I miss all those random trips through Manhattan with the team.” You chuckled. “Yeah.” He looked at the dark skyline, “It’s beautiful though, without all the lights and the sky actually being visible.” There were no lights reflecting in his eyes, it was odd, you usually connected that visual of shimmering eyes to Manhattan. “It is.” A hologram popped up from your watch, interrupting the beautiful silence between you two. It blew up into a bigger scale and showed the Avengers and a few more people. An apocalypse conference call. “Atlanta looks like a mess. Only Midtown and Downtown seem like there are still enough people there. I sealed the entire Airport,” Tony said with a dampened mood, “You?”

“We are at the base in the White House and D.C. only had about 65% death rate. We’re leaving for a civilian settlement tomorrow.” Steve updated a little concerned but happy about the lower death rate.

“LA is a ghost town too. Found a civilian militia, 82% death rate.” Sam frowned with sad eyes. “Chicago looks relatively alive. But mostly enemy groups fighting each other. Still have yet to find friendly contact.” Clint updated. “Thanks to Wanda we have two blocks of Queens cleared out and helped build a few more shelters for the settlement we have here in Flush Meadows Corona Park.” Magnolia smiled proudly. Queens was one of the biggest population only parts and going that fast was fantastic. “I think New York will be the easiest with two of our biggest safe hubs here. The security of the tower has kept it clear but it’s hella dusty in there now. Gonna go back tomorrow before we start clearing up Midtown Manhattan into friendly area. Then down to meet Agent Bee in Brooklyn,” you explained.

“I’m in the Prospect Park settlement. I’m gonna work towards the bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island. It either needs good surveillance or a good explosion.” Agent Bee added. “We’ll supply you as soon as possible. Lower East Side is a Shadow Zone tho.” You made a face. “I’m trying to get more people into a theater near Crotona Park. There is a bridge between south Bronx and Manhattan too. Unless we penetrate Randalls Island from both sides as soon as you’re up there Andromeda. Then we don’t need to blow it up.” Agent Zeta from the Bronx chimed in. “I’ll write a game plan for Manhattan and let you know where it’s on the list. Gonna send you a map of the ideal NYC development of the next few weeks tomorrow morning,” you said making a little plan in your head before saying goodnight to everyone. “So we’re in the Midtown area and need to clear this perimeter first, after that we work our way through the upper east side into the Central Park. After that this settlement should be strong enough to slowly ruin the rest with a little help here and there.” You drew a plan in orange and got attentive eyes from Bucky. “Meanwhile Agent Bee makes his way towards Highland Park. Agent Zeta goes towards Queens to clear more space for her settlement. Agent Magnolia goes towards Jamaica Estates to get more room for her people. And when all of that is done we all clear towards Randalls Island to take it over from whoever has is. Probably Dark Task Force with the Police Station there. Sound good?” You drew on the map. “Sounds good to me. Let’s hope it works out as well as you hope,” he commented. “That’s all I can do,” you said clicking the pen. “I know, darling.” He sent a soft smile again. “Oh, and we need to explode some bridges in the near future as soon as we are there.” You scanned the map on the board with EADA and sent it to the other agents.

Here is Why 1 Million Clients In the US Are Statue Of Liberty

In all, the FAA has documented 16 accidents or incidents involving Liberty Helicopters since 1995. The 2009 crash was the one earlier incident with fatalities. The corporate has "a fleet of 10 state-of-the-art Airbus helicopters (previously American Eurocopter)," based on the web site. Liberty Helicopters posted a press release on its web site, saying it is "centered on supporting the families affected by this tragic accident and on totally cooperating with the FAA and NTSB investigations." It mentioned it was referring all press inquiries to federal businesses. As soon as they get by the galleries, visitors are lastly whisked into the air, where they're going to "soar" around NYC's landmarks (a rendering shows the Statue of Liberty) to a soundtrack with songs like Taylor Swift’s "Welcome to New York" and Frank Sinatra’s "Theme From New York." The full movement seats will dip, turn and soar while wind, mist and scents are blown at riders' faces. You'll most likely should make subway or bus transfers so this option is time consuming (up to 2 hours of travel), but it surely only prices $4.Seventy five whole. It’s a disgrace and mismanagement of available taxis, time, airport disruption as a consequence of interminable lines and disgruntled passengers and further gas since the driver needs to journey fighting visitors to reach the terminal Once more.

The Q70 runs between the airport and two Queens subway stations-Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street, and 61st Street-Woodside-providing connections to seven different subway traces. As soon as the pilot starts, you will be able to use Google Pay to board all Staten Island buses and subway stations along the 4-5-6 traces between Grand Central and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Heart. MetroCard merchants are close to entance/exit to stations of Jamica & Howard Seaside. After years of heavy-handed, ego-driven interference with MTA operations from Cuomo, New Yorkers are searching for indicators from Hochul that change is on the way, and so far, the brand new governor has been saying all the correct issues. Once more, she’s saying the suitable things. The oldest present theater in Minneapolis, Minn., has been many issues because it opened in 1910. It was a vaudeville stage that attracted the likes of Mae West and the Marx Brothers, a burlesque theater, a film theater and even an evangelistic auditorium. He could possibly be counted on to struggle even when others wouldn't. I put together a list of all the individuals to function both MTA head or New York City Transit President throughout the ten years, seven months and 23 days of Cuomo Administration, and you may see why leadership continuity and righting the MTA’s ship have typically felt inconceivable over the previous decade.

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They Were Requested 3 Questions About Passenger... It Is A Implausible Lesson

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It’s a question that’s often asked no matter who you’re talking with - New York City or Los Angeles? It’s especially true if you’re a person trying to decide which would be the more ideal travel destination for you. Both cities are indelibly embedded in American culture as well as two of the most desirable places for people to visit across the world. New York City, a buzzing metropolis that has long been the gateway to America for travelers and others around the globe. Los Angeles, a sun-kissed paradise that is home to the stars and a bevy of wonders. In this article, we’ll look to provide a breakdown of key things each city has to offer and what to look out for if you’re planning to travel there.

1. Getting Around

New York City (9/10)

Flying into New York City is a breeze for the most part - the two main airports are John. F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport, with many also opting to fly into Newark-Liberty Airport in Newark, New Jersey. Another smaller airport is out in the suburbs of Long Island, MacArthur Airport in the town of Islip. The first two however are in the main five boroughs of the city and are heavily serviced by taxis and on demand car services, and JFK Airport has a train connected to the city’s subways. With that, of course, comes moments of gridlock that can cause anyone to grit their teeth.

The New York City subways are a core part of the public transportation services and run on a 24/7 basis throughout four of the city’s boroughs, the exception being Staten Island which is accessible by the Staten Island Ferry and by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. It’s also the most convenient way for travelers to get around if they’re not driving. Driving in NYC can be tough at times, especially during rush hour. For those who are avid bikers, the city has undergone a major renaissance with their Citibike bicycle-sharing program and newly-established bike lanes over the past 5 years. Times Square and other parts of the city have also been modified to be more pedestrian-friendly. In addition, the city has boosted efforts when it comes to ferries on their waterways that serve the Brooklyn-Queens waterfront and the Rockaways section of Queens. With that in mind, NYC gets a score of 9 out of 10.

Los Angeles (5/10)

The Los Angeles area is mainly serviced by Los Angeles International Airport, also known as LAX. It ranks as the third busiest in the United States currently, and in the top ten worldwide. There’s also four other commercial airports within the area - Ontario Airport, Bob Hope Airport for San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys, John Wayne Airport which caters to Orange County and Long Beach Airport. L.A. is undoubtedly known transportation-wise for its abundant network of highways and freeways. And with that lies one major gripe with the city by locals and tourists - traffic. Some reports have detailed that those in Los Angeles traffic have lost up to 72 hours on an annual basis, making it the most congested in the nation. It also contributes to the smog levels the city is dubiously known for. These facts aside, Los Angeles does have an ample public transportation system in place, comprised of 170 bus lines, two subway lines, four light rail lines and two rapid transit lines. This network covers the area from the San Fernando Valley right to the border of Orange County. In terms of airport connections, there is only one and that’s the regional Metrolink rail line from Bob Hope Airport.

If you’re aiming to get around on foot, L.A. isn’t exactly the best city to do so. For one, the sheer amount of vehicular traffic can be a bit much to deal with although the city has a few areas that are more amenable to walking such as the downtown area with a number of public escalators and skyways to fit in with the terrain. Another district for walkers to enjoy is the Santa Monica pier area. Those opting to use bikes to get around with find there are stretches throughout the city, most notably the Los Angeles River bike path. This is in response to more Angelenos using bikes to get to work. If you have ride sharing apps like Uber or Lyft, they may be your best bet to get around if you’re not planning to rent a car. In terms of getting around, L.A. notches a 5 out of 10.

2. Safety

New York City (7/10)

Contrary to some past beliefs, visitors to New York City will find it to be one of the highest-ranked in the world when it comes to safety. According to recent analysis by travel safety brands, tourists in the city aren’t at risk if they take the proper precautions during their trip as long as they’re paying attention to their belongings in public. One thing that travelers have to be mindful of are scam artists who do haunt certain areas of NYC that attract tourists like Times Square and by Bryant Park. Another unfortunate element to arguably the most popular city in the world is the threat of terror attacks. In terms of places to steer clear of, there are pockets of trouble spots that are in a couple of Brooklyn neighborhoods and in some spots in the Bronx. However, there is a hefty police presence in and around the city, in particular on the subways. It also helps that while you’re walking around that you take stock of your surroundings and while crossing the busy streets because of the huge amount of human and vehicular traffic. For safety, the city gets a score of 7 on the scale.

Los Angeles (8/10)

In terms of L.A.’s safety, many do point to a couple of trouble spots that they say to avoid if possible. Those areas are South Los Angeles or South Central as it’s known colloquially, and Skid Row which is a part of downtown Los Angeles between Little Tokyo and the Arts District that stretches over four miles (6.43 km). The former area has been a notorious area due to gang violence that takes place there, and the latter is a focal point for a sizable amount of the city’s homeless population. While one can be cautious with heading through South Central to other areas to where they may not encounter trouble, with Skid Row’s proximity to some of the main sights to be seen, travelers do have to be more aware and guarded. These points aside, L.A. can be a relatively chill city to hang out in and when it comes to the highly popular areas, police aren’t too far away to lend a hand if needed. So out of 10, the City of Angels snags an 8.

3. Sights to see

New York City (10/10)

New York City doesn’t lack in attractions that you’ll want to visit. In fact, tourists can spend entire days looking around and engaging in activities in quite a few of the city’s neighborhoods and still not scratch the surface. There’s the sprawling Central Park, squarely in the middle of Manhattan with a zoo, walking trails, playgrounds and ponds throughout its 843 acres (341 hectare). The Empire State Building is a constant draw with its great views, lit up at night for everyone to see. Many also take time out to walk the length of the Brooklyn Bridge from either side, marveling at the 19th century structure. There’s a slew of museums throughout the city, from the American Museum of Natural History to the Museum of Modern Art and the MET.

There’s also countless historical sights from buildings to statues to be visited. Examples include the Statue of Liberty, the Flatiron Building and the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Park in the borough of Queens. And getting back to parks, aside from Central Park there’s other beautiful green spaces across the city such as the High Line on Manhattan’s west side to the Socrates Sculpture Park in the Long Island City area of Queens. The list goes on and for this reason, NYC scores a 10.

Read our article for a more information on the best things to do in NY and the best things to do in NY if you’re travelling with kids.

Los Angeles (9/10)

Being regarded as the entertainment capital of the world means that there won’t be a lack of sights to take in while you’re in Los Angeles. Many start with the TCL Chinese Theatre built in 1927 with its plaza of stars’ footprints in concrete right outside and the Walk of Fame containing the handprints of stars stretching over a mile on Hollywood Boulevard. Some take advantage of studio tours at Universal Studios, and also the drive along the iconic Sunset Boulevard leading up into the posh landscape of Beverly Hills. Those who love art will amble over to a variety of institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Wilshire Boulevard or the Getty Center over in the Brentwood area. If you want postcard-perfect places to hang out in, look no further than the Santa Monica Pier and the casual air of the Venice Beach Boardwalk.

Those who want to enjoy a bit of outdoor activity can check out Griffith Park, well known for its massive observatory but which also is home to Mount Hollywood and a 53-mile (85.3 km) trail great for walking or biking. If you want a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean, try a bike ride on the The Strand which runs from Santa Monica to Redondo. If sports is your thing, Dodger Stadium is a cool place to visit during a game - and it’s a bonus if you can get tickets in the All You Can Eat section. The Staples Center downtown where the Lakers and Clippers play basketball is a hot ticket and a buzzing center of activity with new shops and restaurants right around it. But for those who want a true California thrill, it’s hard to top driving down the scenic Pacific Coast Highway to really indulge in the beach life that so many associate with the state. There are also some great options for tours to experience L.A. if you feel like you want to fully immerse yourself in the city. In terms of things to do, L.A. gets a 9 on the scale.

4. Food

New York City (10/10)

NYC is a foodie’s dream come true. The city is rife with eateries both opulent and obscure, and all of the tastiness to be had in between. There’s a number of food staples that travelers here can indulge in. If you enjoy pizza, there’s Grimaldi’s which is right at the edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park or L&B Spumoni Gardens in the Bensonhurst district of that borough. There’s also an uptick in the number of food halls and weekend food festivals to be found around town like Smorgasburg which is held year-round in Brooklyn and The Pennsy in midtown. For those who like to rub shoulders with the upscale when dining, Ko and Le Bernardin rank among the best the city has to offer. Add to that a plethora of cafes and your palate won’t be disappointed. On top of that most of these places are open late with some being open 24 hours to serve any and everyone. New York gets a perfect 10 for food.

Learn more about NY’s amazing food options with our articles on the best brunch spots in NY, best delis around NY, best restaurants in the upper Manhattan and the best food tours in NY.

Los Angeles (10/10)

L.A. has been a prime birthplace to the food truck, and one can see why when traveling around the city. Taco trucks are king here, and it won’t be hard to spot one while out and about with each possessing their own flavor and clientele. But Kogi is seen as one that brought the food truck culture nationwide with their Korean short rib tacos, a fusion homage to two bustling communities in the city. In-N-Out Burger is the local burger chain that’s perfect for Angelenos with drive-up windows and a secret menu that’s now an open secret (read our guide to In-N-Out). Another L.A. food staple is Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles, serving up soul food since 1975. There’s the classic French dip sandwich which has been a part of local debate between Cole’s and Phillippe The Original in the downtown area. L.A. also boasts a bevy of restaurants specializing in ramen such as Tsujita and arguably has some of the best Thai restaurants in the nation. This variety nabs the city a 10 rating on the scale.

5. Nightlife

New York City (10/10)

If you get called “the city that never sleeps”, you’ve obviously proven it time and time again. For those who like to hit the clubs and nightspots, New York City more than fits the bill with most places open until 4 am. There’s a multitude of bars throughout the boroughs, some of them with quirky themes like the tiki-adorned Otto’s Shrunken Head or the mysterious & attractive Apotheke. Nightclubs here are world-renowned, with standouts such as celebrity hangout PH-D and Le Bain, atop the chic Standard Hotel. There’s also a heavy amount of music venues throughout the city to catch shows at like Warsaw and Webster Hall and the legendary Madison Square Garden. One popular destination for those with a love for jazz is the Blue Note Cafe in Greenwich Village. Chalk up a 10 on the scale.

Los Angeles (9/10)

Los Angeles is an undisputed hot spot when it comes to nightlife, glamorized in all art forms including many a music video. For those who want to catch concerts in unique settings, the first venue that obviously comes to mind is the expansive Hollywood Bowl, first built in 1920 and host to a wide array of concerts which include the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual residency. The Walt Disney Music Hall is a stunning Frank Gehry-designed theater structure that’s part of a larger complex in the downtown area. This also puts visitors within easy reach of some of the more esteemed eateries for dining after performances beginning with the Patina restaurant in the complex.

If you’re looking for evening entertainment with a bit more pep, many flock to the The Hotel Cafe which features a schedule of shows by up and coming singers and songwriters in the downtown area, and The Edison which also has intimate shows and at times burlesque performances held in a renovated former power plant.

For those who want to dance the night away, there’s the Conga Room and The Mayan Theater and also the infamous Viper Room in West Hollywood. Each neighborhood in L.A. has their own choice lounges and bars that draw in a multitude of people, like the The Dresden Room famed for being in the classic movie Swingers and La Descarga, a Cuban-themed club complete with stirring music and a required dress code. One note however - most places do tend to have last call at 1:30. For their eclectic nightlife scene, Los Angeles gets an 9 on the scale.

Some final words on New York City and Los Angeles

Final Scores:

New York City: 44 Los Angeles: 41

While NYC comes out on top, it doesn’t dull the shine of Los Angeles one bit. Quite honestly, both cities have more than earned their reputation for being fantastic destinations that can delight any and all who visit them. If ease of getting around is a priority of yours, then we would suggest picking NYC. Whether you like to be low key or if you like to be engaged in more outgoing and dynamic activities, the City of Angels and the Big Apple will more than satisfy those travelers with those desires.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

A Long Weekend in Santo Domingo, DR With Kids - Trip Report

Mother – Daughter 13th Birthday Getaway – Yes Trip to Santo Domingo

My eldest daughter and I enjoyed a mother – daughter 13th birthday Yes Trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and I’m ecstatic to share our trip report. It’s kid 1’s 13th year of life and I spent months planning a way to celebrate this milestone in a memorable and affirming way. Check out my two prior posts explaining what a Yes Trip is and the reasons why every parent should embark on one with their child - by clicking here and here. Now it’s time for me to report back on our trip and share more details about what we did while on the island. I traveled with over 22 letters from women in our lives and started sharing those letters with kid 1 as soon as we were sitting at the airport in NYC. Throughout our trip, I would hand her a letter, allow her to read and ponder the wisdom shared by so many amazing women in our lives. I’m so grateful for every amazing woman who took time out of their busy lives to speak into the life of my teen daughter.

How we got there?

We departed from New York City - JFK airport on a 5 am direct flight to Santo Domingo. This meant that we left CT at about 12:30 am and drove 2 hours to Queens, NY. I parked the car right at the terminal 5 parking and walked over to the departure area. Both kid 1 and I have TSA pre check (please note that children 13 and over are required to have their own TSA pre check number, but children 12 and under are covered by their parent’s). We encountered no traffic on our middle of the night drive into NYC and arrived at JFK prior to the TSA pre check lines even opening. We decided that it was worth waiting for TSA to open up and were the first in line at 3:15 am. We breezed through security and arrived at our gate to wait patiently for boarding. Who knew that a Jet Blue flight leaving NYC at 5 am would be this popular, but let me tell you, terminal 5 was packed with tourists and Dominicans taking advantage of the off-season deal!

Dominican travelers are the best. They get dressed up like they’re going to a fancy event in order to travel back home. They lack boundaries and are overly friendly to complete strangers and I soaked up every single part of this experience. I found myself being engaged in conversations with so many people at 4 am and you would have thought that we were family. This was the first of many signs for kid 1 of what her experience in Santo Domingo was going to be like. I always have an emotional response to landing in Quisquella and experiencing an entire plane full people cheering and clapping. Kid 1 was convinced that we Dominicans are “extra” and I’m more than happy to own that claim.

Customs in Santo Domingo

Our flight was uneventful and we arrived to Santo Domingo 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, there was still a plane using our arrival gate, so we were held off from taxing to our gate. Toward the end of our flight, we were given Dominican Customs forms to fill out. There are two different forms, one for foreigners and another for Dominicans. My daughter was considered American and I was considered Dominican, though I am a US citizen and travel with a US passport. I was born in the Dominican Republic and they recognize Dominican dual citizenship. Once we disembarked, I was so glad that I had the Dominican form, as the tourist line was incredibly long and the Dominican line was significantly shorter. We were allowed to go through customs together, even though my daughter had a tourist form. We traveled with carry ons and were through customs and outside looking for our ride within 15 minutes.

Transportation in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo SDQ – Las Americas International Airport is actually not located in the city proper, but rather 32 km or 20 miles east of the Dominican capital city of Santo Domingo. While on past trips, when on vacation with my entire family we have rented cars, on this trip I didn’t want to waste precious travel time dealing with the hard sales that happen at Santo Domingo rental car agencies. We’ve had some pretty bad experiences while arguing about rates and insurance with car rental agencies in Santo Domingo. I had arranged for family to pick us up at the airport and drop us off at our hotel and was planning to either walk, Uber or taxi around the city.  This is pretty safe to do, if you’re staying in touristy areas and have some street smarts.

Where we stayed

I’m a pretty brand loyal costumer and have spent time at various Marriott properties in Santo Domingo. On prior trips, we’ve stayed at the Renaissance Jaragua, the Courtyard Santo Domingo and for this trip decided to take advantage of the Marriott Bonvoy changes and booked the Sheraton Santo Domingo, located on the Malecon (road parallel to the ocean). My aunt and cousin picked us up at the airport and we were sitting in the conference room at their place of business enjoying breakfast by 10 AM. After breakfast, my aunt convinced me to take their extra car and kid 1 and I made our way alone to the Sheraton Santo Domingo - thanks to Waze. Wow, Waze really works in Santo Domingo, it will even give you directions through callejones (alley ways).

Check in is normally at 4 pm, but I was hopeful that my Marriott loyalty level would allow us to check in early in order to head out to La Zona Colonial (The Colonial Zone) and get our trip started. I had the currency converted app on my phone and used it to keep track of my dollars and pesos. At the time of our trip in March of 2019 $1 US Dollar = $50.59 Dominican pesos. Prior to our weekend trip, I had researched what we wanted to see and planned how many dollars I needed to convert. I took into consideration which restaurants and tourist locations would take American Express and attempted to minimize how much cash I traveled with.

What We Did

Day 1:

-          Arrived to Santo Domingo by 8:30 am via Jet Blue direct flight from JFK.

-          Checked into The Sheraton Santo Domingo by 10 AM.

-          Explored La Zona Colonial

o   We took a short drive from the Sheraton Santo Domingo – Malecon to the Zona Colonial, found parking a few blocks away and walked to the Calle de las Damas. We were headed to the Kahkow Experience, but I kept getting distracted by the amazing architecture, streets, windows and doors that date back to the colonial period. Check out my VLOGs below to see pictures of the colonial architecture.

o   We ran into a large group of school children entering La Fortaleza Ozama on a field trip and decided to join them and explore the historical site. Fort Ozama was built in 1502 by the Spanish at the entrance to Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone and overlooks the Ozama river, after which it was named. The castle which is also referred to as “La Fortaleza” is the oldest formal military construction of European origin in the Americas. It’s a Unesco World Heritage Site and a nice place to spend an hour while visiting Santo Domingo. Pro tip: pack water and a hat, as even in March it was incredibly hot and humid. The entry fee was $70 Dominican pesos, which is less than $1.50 US dollars per person. There are guides that you can pay for a formal tour, but I just wanted to take some pictures and explore on our own prior to heading to our next stop. You don’t have to use a guide in order to explore, so skip the non-affiliated people, walk right in, pay a few pesos and enjoy as long as you wish.

o   Next on our agenda was a tour of El Kahkow Experience. The Kahhow experience was the perfect way for my chocolate loving teen daughter to kick off her 13th birthday trip. We took part in the English language tour and make your own bar add on option. The building in which the Kahkow Experience is housed is an old colonial property which was architecturally preserved. The entire experience is well done and it was one of the highlights of our weekend trip to Santo Domingo. The tour started with a video explaining the history of chocolate, harvesting and the process of making chocolate from cacao farm to consumption. We visited on a Friday morning in late March and literally had the entire place to ourselves. We were the only two in the beginning part of our tour and then joined six others for the chocolate bar making portion. Cost: $672 Dominican Pesos for 2 for the initial tour (equals 13.28 US Dollars) and $1440 Dominican Pesos for 2 (equals 28.46 US Dollars) for the make your own chocolate portion.

o   We then headed to the square in front of the first cathedral in the New World: Catedral Primada de America and a stroll through the coffee shops, restaurants and stores of La Calle Conde. By then it was almost lunch time and we were melting, so we decided to head back to the El Malecon for lunch at Adrian Tropical.

-          Adrian Tropical is a typical Dominican Restaurant which benefits from its location on Avenida George Washington on the Malecon near major tourist hotels including the Sheraton. We always enjoy at least one meal at Adrian Tropical when visiting Santo Domingo, because nothing says I’ve arrived to Santo Domingo like enjoying a traditional meal of rice, beans, chicken, sancocho and mofongo while drinking a fria (Dominican’s call their Presidente beer “frias”) and taking in the view of the ocean and listening to the waves crash nearby. Service was slow and leaves a lot to be desired, but that pretty much was the theme of all of our eating experiences on this trip. You’re in the Caribbean, I highly recommend heading to any restaurant to order food about one hour prior to you being really hungry.

-          After lunch, we headed back to the hotel and put on our bathing suits. We live in Connecticut and it seemed like we hadn’t seen the sun in months. We laid out by the pool and enjoyed some vitamin D before heading back to our room to shower and change for dinner.

-          Dinner with family at my aunt’s house. I have a lot of extended family that lives in Santo Domingo, but 4 days on the island with the intended purpose of connecting with my teen daughter, did not leave any time for visiting family. My cousin had coordinated for any family members who wanted to see us to join us for dinner at my aunt’s house in Santo Domingo, thus kid 1 and I jumped into our borrowed car and I endured rush hour driving to arrive at my aunt’s house for dinner. Wow. That was an experience. I quickly learned that using my turning signals was just a sign of weakness and making eye contact led to people cutting me off and blocking us in. Public transportation cars and buses constantly stop for passengers on the right-hand side and would just block traffic flow. Driving in Santo Domingo is not for the faint of heart. I’m accustomed to driving in Boston, NYC, DC and LA and while it prepared me for the lack of common courtesy, I still arrived to dinner with a knot in my neck. Somehow my teenager slept through much of the driving madness and only woke up a few times while I jerked to avoid a huge pot hole or a motorist. I was proud of myself for driving in Santo Domingo, though the lack of driving rules really stressed me out, as I’m a type A, uptight rule follower. Waze did save the day, as it was extremely reliable and even navigated me out of heavy traffic. We ended up enjoying hours of Spanish language practice, food and sweetened coffee and tea at my aunt’s house with over 40 of my extended family. I finally had to tell my family that I didn’t drink sugar in my coffee and tea and it’s still a running joke in my family WhatsAPP group chat. If you’re like me and enjoy your coffee or tea without cream or sugar, be prepared to get weird looks and comments from Dominicans. They drink their milk and sugar with a little bit of coffee.

Day 2:

-          Traveling with a teen means that I got to enjoy lots of quiet time, because not once during our trip did my daughter wake up in time for breakfast. As a mother of four children ranging in ages from 6 – 13, It’s rare for me to enjoy a quiet breakfast, so on day 2 I got up and left kid 1 sleeping in our room while I enjoyed the included breakfast buffet at the Sheraton Santo Domingo. The buffet includes traditional Dominican breakfast items like mangu, queso frito, boiled yuca, salami and fresh fruit. After breakfast, I lounged by myself poolside while soaking up the morning sun. What a perfect start to what would prove to be an amazing day. Plans for day 2 included a road trip to Las Terrenas beach in Samana. My cousin, her husband and two kids picked us up in front of our hotel and off we went down the new highway to the Samana peninsula. My parents are originally from Samana and Sanchez and thus, I grew up taking long road trips to the Samana beaches, however with the toll road it only took us a little over 2 hours to arrive at a secluded and beautiful beach in Las Terrenas.

-          The beaches in the peninsula of Samana on the northeast coast of Dominican Republic are one of the reasons why I’m a total beach snob. The turquoise blue water is bath water temperature and perfect for a swim. The palm tree lined beach provide the perfect mix of sun and shade. It’s literally paradise. If you’re ever in the Samana area, ask a local how to get to Playa Marico near the piedras de las ballenas. You won’t be sorry and you can join me in the ranks of total beach snobs. Las Terrenas is known as a European settlement in Dominican Republic, but it seemed that all of the locals were recovering from a late night, because we enjoyed having the entire beach to ourselves for the morning, prior to heading to lunch.

-          Next, we headed to Restaurante Luis in Playa Coson. My cousin called ahead and reserved a table for 6 at the outdoor shack -restaurant, that was packed with locals and tourists. The restaurant consists of an outdoor kitchen – beach hut and outdoor plastic tables and chairs randomly placed on the sandy shores of Playa Coson. The kids literally played in the sand and swam while we waited for our meal. We hand-picked our fish and they cooked them for us while we sipped on pina coladas served in pineapples. I highly recommend eating fresh food while the ocean breeze cools you off and live musicians serenade you. Esa es la buena vida (that’s the good life)! Restaurante Luis is a must for anyone looking to experience Dominican Republic like a local. Just don’t tell too many people and spoil the exclusive vibe of this off the beaten path dive.

-          We had packed so much into our one-day road trip to Las Terrenas that we decided to stop by my grandmother’s country home (now owned by my uncle) in Las Garitas. I loved reminiscing with kid 1 about summer vacations running around the campo, eating mangoes right off the trees and spending hours playing outside with neighborhood kids. We drank coffee and ate snacks on the porch with my uncle and cousin while laughing hysterically about our shenanigans as young kids. We were off and back to Santo Domingo by 7 pm. We spent a total of 12 hours including travel time in Samana and were able to pack in a ton in that short period of time. On the way back to Santo Domingo we stopped at Helados Bon for ice cream, because one can’t visit DR and not eat their ice cream.

-          Our second day in Santo Domingo ended with what I call adventures in La Zona Colonial. Two of my cousins picked us up at 10 pm post a shower and nap and we headed to the Colonial Zone for a late dinner. Yes, I had my 13-daughter year old out at this time. This is DR and it’s Dominican time. In retrospect, we should have left their car at the Sheraton and taken an Uber to the restaurant, but our adventures in attempting to find a parking spot on a Saturday night in The Colonial Zone just gave us lots of opportunities for laughter. In true teen fashion, kid 1 fell asleep as soon as we got into the car and thank God she did. We drove around for over an hour prior to finding a government parking garage that was full, but the attendant agreed to allow us to park there as long as we were back by 2 am. We walked toward Calle Conde to Jalao Restaurant. Even though it was 11 pm, the Colonial Zone was packed and we quickly learned that there was not one available table inside the Jalao Restaurant, which had a live band and large groups celebrating birthday parties. We were able to score a table outside and ordered our dinner. Dominican Republic is not known for quick service, so we should have guessed that it was going to be a long night, when our waiter warned us that the kitchen was backed up and that we should order soon. It did take 1 hour for our food to come out and we did not make our way back to our car until 1 am. Thankfully, we were among family and we laughed and joked through dinner and loved people watching in the Zona Colonial.

Part 2 of my Mother – Daughter #yestrip will be forthcoming, but prior to signing off I wanted to share a couple pro tips about traveling to Dominican Republic with kids. Also, click here to see more pictures and lives posts from our Yes Trip to Santo Domingo. 

Check out my VLOG of Day 1 for many more pictures of our adventures in Santo Domingo.

Pro Tips:

-          Pack your patience. Americans, especially those of us from the Northeast cities are always in a rush and always have an agenda. Dominican culture is not like that. Even in a major city like Santo Domingo, people move at their own pace (unless you’re driving and then everyone seems to be in a rush).

-          Even in March, Santo Domingo is hot. Pack a hat, sunblock and a refillable water bottle like my extra-large hydroflask which helps keep bottled water cold longer in the hot DR sun.

-          Practice your Spanish Language skills. Santo Domingo is a bustling city and it’s helpful if you can speak some Spanish.

-          As aforementioned, Santo Domingo is a large city and as such I highly recommend that you leave your flashy jewelry and accessories at home. We were two women traveling alone and never felt unsafe. I travel with my favorite Ebag cross bag purse and leave my large wallet safely at home.

-          Unless you’re an aggressive driver and have a thirst for adventure, leave the driving to the Dominicans. Car seats and use of seat belts are not common. It may require you to take a deep breath and relax your expectations a bit on this issue.

-          Dominicans are friendly people and always ready to engage you in conversation. When traveling with kids, be prepared for total strangers to engage your family in dialogue. Everyone called us familia (family) or prima (cousin). Kid 1 is convinced that Santo Domingo is a city of extroverts.

-          Take time to slowly explore the cobble-stoned streets and architecture of the Colonial Zone. Take lots of pictures and make beautiful memories.

-          If you’re planning a trip to Samana, I highly recommend going in January and adding a whale watching trip to your itinerary.

-          Water is not safe to drink from the tap in Dominican Republic. The Sheraton provided 3 bottles of water per day, which I used to refill my hydroflask water bottle and we picked up bottled water whenever we were out. We had no issues with GI side effects and even ate street food. We travel often though, and as a Dominican I think my GI system is probably stronger than most. If you’re worried about illness, stick to bottled water, ice in hotels and major restaurants are safe to drink.

Day 2 VLOG with many more pictures:

Did you have a good childhood? Yes, I had a great childhood.

How long have you known your best girl friend? I don't have any close female friends.

Were you single in June 2010? No. My husband and I were dating back in 2010.

Has the last person you kissed ever treated you disrespectfully? No, he would never do that.

How much did your last grocery shopping trip cost? Around $65.

What pets did you have when you were growing up? A guinea pig, a hamster, and a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Would you rather live in San Francisco or New York City? Hm... I'd never want to actually live in a city... but I like San Fran better than NYC.

^^ Have you ever been to either of those cities? Yes, I've been to both.

Would you ever date someone who had issues with substance abuse? I don't date, I'm married, but assuming I were single? Nope. Substance abuse would be an absolute dealbreaker.

Do you try too hard to get people to like you? No. I don't really try at all to get people to like me.  :-P  I mean, I'm nice to people of course. But I don't *need* to be liked by others.

Has the last person you called ever been in your bedroom? Yep, it's his bedroom too.

Do you know anyone who's a hoarder? My father-in-law has some hoarding tendencies but he's not a full-on hoarder. Just extremely messy/cluttered.

Have you ever been on a vacation that ended up being ruined? What happened? No.

Do you know anyone who has had a miscarriage? Yes, a few people.

Is your washing machine really loud? Not really. No louder than normal?

What's your last ex's opinion of you? I don't have any exes.

Have you ever moved for a new job? No. Well, my husband and I moved for his previous job, but it wasn't a new job. He just transferred from one of the airline's base airports to a different base. And it's really good that we moved back then, because then we didn't have to move again when he got hired in 2016 at his end-goal airline.

Do you always rinse off in the shower after going swimming? Yes.

Have you ever felt an earthquake? Yes.

Do your dreams usually feel very realistic? Not really.

Are you a 'life of the party' type of person? Haaahah, no, not at all.

Would you ever want to meet the Queen? I suppose. I guess I'm indifferent.

List three jobs (other than the ones you've already had) that you think you'd really enjoy: Remote pilot operator, web developer, aircraft dispatcher.

What's the most likes you've ever gotten on a tweet? (if you use Twitter) I got around 10 on that one that I put the #childfree hashtag on. But most of my tweets have like 0-1 likes, haha.

Are there any major drama queens in your family? No.

What are some things you dislike about where you live? The climate/weather (summers are too hot, not enough cloudy days, not much mild weather), and there's not enough hiking/biking trails. But I grew up right outside a National Park, so most places don't have enough hiking/biking trails for my liking...

Do you know anyone who has lost their home in a natural disaster? No, I don't think so.

Are you prone to loneliness? Or do you enjoy being alone? I never experience loneliness, ever. I love solitude. Of course I'd rather spend time with my husband, but solitude is the next best thing.

What's the worst injury you've ever had? Maybe the concussion I got at my last job? Or a broken finger from playing football? I've never had an injury that was really serious.

What did you eat for breakfast today? A bagel with cream cheese.

Call (212) 421-0300 The Law Office of Richard M. Kenny 875 6th Ave Suite #805 New York, New York 10001 https://ift.tt/2zSy2Bz Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are growing ever more popular in a city once known because of its yellow taxis. In fact, in October 2017, Uber actually surpassed traditional cabs in the number of trips provided daily in NEW YORK. Uber is affordable, reliable, and simple to use. It�s also extremely convenient for many who stay in the exterior boroughs. Even if you exclude pickups at LaGuardia and JFK Airport in Queens, more than 50 percent of Uber trips in metropolis limits get started outside Manhattan. Regardless of the many features of ridesharing, though, Uber is not without a few major drawbacks. For instance, ridesharing remains relatively unregulated. Uber drivers around the united states don't need to undertake the same screenings and criminal background checks as taxi cab motorists, nor do they need to maintain their vehicles to the same standard. This puts both Uber riders and those on the road around them vulnerable to serious injury and even death. In the event that you were damage within an Uber incident, turn to REGULATIONS Office of Richard M. Kenny. Richard M. Kenny is a battle-tested compensation for injuries lawyer that has received more than 150 verdicts with respect to his clients. Call 212-421-0300 to agenda a free circumstance evaluation with a fresh York City car crash attorney. Listed below are the answers to three faqs about Uber car accident claims: MAY I Sue Uber Directly Carrying out a Collision with Among Its Motorists? People who drive for Uber aren't actually employees of the business; rather, they can be licensees. Since personal auto insurance does not typically cover collisions that take place as the policyholder is transporting riders for a fare, though, Uber provides its insurance coverage. That means generally in most says, mishap victims do not actually sue Uber or the driver directly for his or her incidents. Instead, they file a state with the company�s insurance carrier. Since NY operates under a no-fault system, though, you'll file a claim with your personal provider carrying out a wreck in the city-unless you sustained serious injuries. Incidents that are considered serious are the ones that cause fractured bones, significant disfigurement, full disability for at least 3 months, or the limitation of use of a body organ, function, or system. If these applies to your position, you would hold the right to data file a promise with Uber�s insurance carrier. Does the Coverage Uber Provides Connect with Pedestrians? Pedestrian accidents are common in NEW YORK because more and more people travel by walking. Fortunately, Uber�s insurance plan applies to nearly anyone whom their individuals might injure including pedestrians, travellers, and cyclists. Do I Have to Hire a vehicle accident Attorney to Record a Claim with Uber? Because Uber provides its individuals with coverage will not indicate it�s easy for claimants to secure compensation because of their losses. Navigating insurance proceedings is challenging, in particular when dealing with serious injury. Although you can officially file a claim without lawyer, it pays to hire legal counsel and that means you can concentrate on your health while your circumstance proceeds in your stead. Discuss Your Circumstance with a vehicle accident Lawyer in NEW YORK Today! If you were involved with a motor-vehicle collision with an Uber drivers, turn to The Law Office of Richard M. Kenny. Our personal harm attorneys will measure the circumstances of the crash to ascertain if you have grounds for a say. We've more than 100 blended years of experience in legal practice. Call 212-421-0300 or fill out our CONTACT PAGE to schedule a free of charge consultation with a personal injury attorney in NEW YORK. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG57-I-5IAapX_RBgI05JhHxr1LYfAptY Brooklyn & Manhattan NYC Uber, Lyft, Rideshare & Taxi Cab Crash Attorney Injury Litigation

Are Louise and Amanda in East Coast a few days before the concert in NY? From the last story it that looks like Long Island🤔🤔

both major airports in NYC are in Queens so that’ll be the view headed into Manhattan in a cab after landing

Corey Johnson Just Exposed NYC’s Leadership Gap on Transportation

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson just showed a lame duck mayor how to fly.

Johnson’s all-transportation “State of the City” speech on Tuesday hit all the right notes. Yes, he mapped out a pie-in-the-sky plan for city control over the subways, which is unlikely to happen in the immediate future, as Streetsblog reported today. But even discussing such an idea — not to mention the eminently doable sweeteners like safer street redesigns, more plazas, better bike lanes, improved bus service and even removing part of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway — shows just what can be accomplished by a New York City leader with persistent concern for, and consistent interest in, improving the city’s transportation system.

Simply put, in one short speech, Johnson closed the leadership gap that is plaguing the city in the waning years of an administration of a man who obviously has his eyes on his next job. More important, Johnson pushed the conversation about transportation policy further and more comprehensively than de Blasio has since his early and still-underappreciated Vision Zero days. Johnson didn’t pass the buck to the state — he pointedly argued that if the state won’t lead to make New York City more transit, bike and pedestrian-oriented, the city must.

Here’s where Johnson just served dessert on this lame duck administration:

Break the Car Culture

Johnson is far from the first City Council member to suggest the city needs to “break” its “car culture.” That distinction goes to his colleague, Antonio Reynoso.

But as speaker, Johnson has used the term, “break the car culture,” over and over again. He did again on Tuesday — and backed it up with proposals to make it happen: 50 new miles of protected bike lanes per year (up from Mayor de Blasio’s average of nearly 16 miles per year), 30 miles of new bus lanes per year, transit-signal priority on every bus route by 2030, increasing the number of “shared streets” in the city four-fold, reducing the size of the city’s vehicle fleet by 20 percent by 2025 — the list goes on and on.

He also called for pedestrianizing many areas of the city — something de Blasio has long resisted.

The City Council can do all of that through funding negotiations with the mayor — or through its discretionary funds.

Meanwhile, Mayor de Blasio continues to utter nonsense about how working New Yorkers get around and where their priorities are.

“We’re New Yorkers, we’re always concerned about parking,” he said last month. “It’s part of who we are.”

Johnson, who’s lived in the city for half as long as the mayor, showed what is possible when a mayor understands that New York is not, and should not be, a car-first city.

He’ll take matters into his own hands

With congestion pricing facing murky chances in Albany, Johnson re-upped his threat create a tolling system himself if the state fails to create what Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have both called an essential funding stream for public transit, yet seem powerless to actually get done.

“If Albany doesn’t pass congestion pricing this session, the City Council will,” he said. “We did it with speed cameras, and if we have to, we’ll do it again with congestion pricing.”

Johnson was referencing the council’s passage of its own speed camera program, which remains in place to this day. For years, common wisdom held that the city could not enact money-collecting speed cameras without state approval. Johnson and nearly every single council member rejected that argument, opting to exercise home rule authority to impose their own camera program.

Prominent legal scholar Frederick A.O. Schwarz Jr. has argued that the city can do the same with congestion pricing.

Compare that to de Blasio, who until last week refused to even back congestion pricing, deferring to the needs of a small number of people who drive into or through Manhattan’s central business zone. Given his long opposition, it’s unsurprising de Blasio proposed an alternative — a millionaire’s tax. But that alternative also passed the buck to Albany — where most observers agreed it was dead-on-arrival.

“This makes it a lot harder for [Albany] not to do [congestion pricing],” Council Member Brad Lander told Streetsblog after Johnson’s speech.

Since my post 20 months ago, 4 political changes point to passing c.p. in Albany: 1, @NYGovCuomo now a champion; 2, pro-c.p. insurgent Dems take Senate; 3, @NYCSpeakerCoJo brilliantly on board; 4, transit advocates are fierce and on-board. Fence-sitters: please take heed!

— Charles Komanoff (@Komanoff) March 5, 2019

Calling out the MTA’s broken oversight

Mayor de Blasio has said little to nothing about the MTA’s ineffectual board and excessive capital construction costs.

Johnson hit them head-on, calling attention to the organization’s structure, which he said was “designed to deflect accountability.”

“The MTA is an authority that’s controlled by the governor,” Johnson said. “But has its own budget, which is approved by a 17-member board with four mayoral appointee and seven suburban county appointees, but four of them only get a quarter of a vote, so technically it’s a 17-member board with 14 votes. And I’m not counting the six non-voting members, but if I did there would actually be 23 members. And the Mayor gets a veto, but not on everything — just capital projects, and only ones in the City.”

In place of that mess of supposed accountability, Johnson proposed a city takeover of the subways and buses — called Big Apple Transit — with a board made up of appointees of the mayor, borough presidents, and public advocate.

“All Big Apple Transit board members will be New Yorkers,” he said. “They will be required to use the system.”

The Johnson takeover acknowledges that the vast majority of the revenue for the subway system’s operation already comes from city riders, drivers and taxpayers. Yet the current MTA structure siphons off a disproportionate share of the money to other regional needs.

Questioning Cuomo’s commitment to NYC

Here’s how Johnson perfectly summed up the goal of his Big Apple Transit proposal: “It will never be in the best interests of any governor to put the needs of New York City above the needs of the rest of the state.”

Sadly, he’s probably right. Statewide elected officials can’t be bothered with meeting the narrow needs of the city’s whopping eight million residents when they also have to answer to voters in the suburbs and upstate.

For some reason, de Blasio never called that out. Until recently, de Blasio’s boilerplate response to questions about the city’s ailing transit system was that it wasn’t his problem or responsibility, since the MTA is a state agency. That was his response early in the L-train shutdown planning process. It was his response over and over again to pleas from advocates that the city fund the Fair Fares program. And it was his response to concerns about his cops blocking bus lanes and bike lanes all over the city.

Tackling the bike-lash monster

Streetsblog readers know the sequence well: Community members call attention to the need for better pedestrian and bike lane infrastructure. The city Department of Transportation proposes a street redesign providing it. Opponents come out of the woodwork. A few months later, neighbors are at each other’s throats. The bike lane gets installed — though sometimes if does not. And residents move on, resentful of their neighbors and the city, while the city has wasted valuable time and effort on something live-saving road safety strategies that should not even be debatable.

Johnson’s five-year master plan for city streets aims to disrupt that cycle of pain. As he sees it, the city’s street redesign efforts suffer from a lack of comprehensive planning.

“The master plan won’t eliminate all arguments over how we share our streets,” he said, “but it will allow us to understand how some neighborhood-specific changes fit into a larger plan for the greater good.”

Bike New York Advocacy Director Jon Orcutt, no stranger to bike lane and pedestrian plaza fights from his time as DOT policy director under Mayor Bloomberg, told Streetsblog that the master plan could help “take the temperature down” on the major spats that come up over relatively minor reallocations of parking spots for bike lanes.

“He’s right that we need to change that, and just change the conversation,” Orcutt said. “If you’re city DOT and you want to build a protected bike lane in a residential neighborhood, if you don’t have that kind of leadership backing you, it’s a million times worse.”

Needless to say, Orcutt thinks that leadership is severely lacking under Mayor de Blasio.

Taking on Robert Moses

On this particular topic, Johnson actually showed up Governor Cuomo, who often invokes Moses’s legacy as his inspiration for his desire to do big things like build a new Tappan Zee Bridge or renovate LaGuardia Airport.

But any student of urban history could tell you the dark side of Moses’s “master builder” legacy: destroyed neighborhoods, smog-filled highways cutting through the densest parts of the city, and the hundreds of miles of roads that created our present car-dependent mess.

“We have been living in Robert Moses’s New York for almost a century, and it is time to move on,” Johnson said.

He then proceeded to go where no NYC politician has gone before: He demanded a review of the de Blasio administration’s imagination-free plan to rebuild and replace the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in hopes of coming up with something on a human scale — or no superhighway at all.

How’s that for leadership?

Corey Johnson ‘Let’s Go’ Transit Plan by Gersh Kuntzman on Scribd

Source: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2019/03/05/corey-johnson-just-exposed-nycs-leadership-gap-on-transportation/

Amazon Names Two HQ2 Winners: NYC and Arlington, Va.

The rumors were true. In an official statement (over a year after the contest was announced), Amazon declared that its second headquarters will be split between two winning cities: New York City and Arlington, Va. Amazon will be investing $5 billion to create over 50,000 jobs for these two locations, both of which made the Top 20 list.

Arlington and Long Island City will each benefit from over 25,000 full-time, high-paying jobs (with an average salary of $150,000); an estimated $2.5 billion in Amazon investment; 4 million square feet of energy-efficient office space (with the opportunity to expand to 8 million square feet); and an incremental tax revenue of approximately $10 billion over the next 20 years due to Amazon’s investment and job creation.

“We are excited to build new headquarters in New York City and Northern Virginia,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. “These two locations will allow us to attract world-class talent that will help us to continue inventing for customers for years to come. The team did a great job selecting these sites, and we look forward to becoming an even bigger part of these communities.” 

New York City This headquarters will be placed in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens. Amazon chose it for its mixed-use community, an intersection of the arts and industry and a uniquely diverse blend of cultural institutions, arts organizations, new and converted housing, and restaurants and bars, as well as both small and large tech sectors. Additionally, transportation played a significant role in Amazon’s decision—Long Island City touts eight subway lines, 13 bus lines, a commuter rail, a bike-sharing service, ferries and two major airports in close vicinity.

Incentives* Amazon is due to receive performance-based direct incentives of $1.525 billion and a refundable tax credit through New York State’s Excelsior Program. Additionally, a cash grant from Empire State Development of $325 million based on the square footage of buildings occupied in the next 10 years.

“When I took office, I said we would build a new New York State—one that is fiscally responsible and fosters a business climate that is attractive to growing companies and the industries of tomorrow,” said New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in a statement. “We’ve delivered on those promises and more, and today, with Amazon committing to expand its headquarters in Long Island City, New York can proudly say that we have attracted one of the largest, most competitive economic development investments in U.S. history. With an average salary of $150,000 per year for the tens of thousands of new jobs Amazon is creating in Queens, economic opportunity and investment will flourish for the entire region. Amazon understands that New York has everything the company needs to continue its growth. The state’s more than $100 billion transportation infrastructure program—the most ambitious in our history—combined with our education initiatives, like K-12 tech education and the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarship program, will help ensure long-term success and an unrivaled talent pool for Amazon.”

“This is a giant step on our path to building an economy in New York City that leaves no one behind. We are thrilled that Amazon has selected New York City for its new headquarters,” said Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, in a statement. “New Yorkers will get tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs, and Amazon will get the best talent anywhere in the world. We’re going to use this opportunity to open up good careers in tech to thousands of people looking for their foothold in the new economy, including those in city colleges and public housing. The city and state are working closely together to make sure Amazon’s expansion is planned smartly, and to ensure this fast-growing neighborhood has the transportation, schools and infrastructure it needs.”

Arlington In the Arlington area, Amazon’s headquarters will be located at National Landing, an urban community just three miles from Downtown Washington, D.C., a location picked for its easy commuter rail access and proximity to Reagan National Airport, as well as abundant cultural events and downtown amenities, such as hotels, restaurants, high-rise apartments and retail and commercial offices.

Incentives* Amazon will receive performance-based direct incentives of $573 million, a workforce cash grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia of up to $550 million, and a cash grant from Arlington of $23 million over 15 years.

“This is a big win for Virginia—I’m proud Amazon recognizes the tremendous assets the Commonwealth has to offer and plans to deepen its roots here,” said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam in a statement. “Virginia put together a proposal for Amazon that we believe represents a new model of economic development for the 21st century, and I’m excited to say that our innovative approach was successful. The majority of Virginia’s partnership proposal consists of investments in our education and transportation infrastructure that will bolster the features that make Virginia so attractive: a strong and talented workforce, a stable and competitive business climate, and a world-class higher education system.”

“We are proud that Amazon has selected National Landing for a major new headquarters.” said Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol in a statement. “This is, above all, a validation of our community’s commitment to sustainability, transit-oriented development, affordable housing and diversity. The strength of our workforce coupled with our proximity to the nation’s capital makes us an attractive business location. But Arlington’s real strength is the decades of planning that have produced one of the most vibrant, civically engaged communities in the world. Those plans have paved the way for this investment, and we look forward to engaging the Arlington community about Amazon’s plans and how we can grow together.”

Here’s What the Industry Is Saying “The city and state of New York have committed to the improvement of infrastructure and transportation to facilitate this move. With the recent gentrification and because Manhattan is just one subway stop away, HQ2 ultimately makes sense in the Long Island City.” – Evan Metalios, Broker, RE/MAX TEAM, Jackson Heights, N.Y.

“Long Island City has been working to turn the area from a pure manufacturing town to a vibrant area with residential housing over the past 25 years. This is a big positive in NYC—the community is ready to adapt and make it even better than it is now. I think it will grow the need for jobs and housing, but I don’t think it’s too many people coming in. It will make it a more vibrant place to live and even help the surrounding areas, such as the Bronx, in facilitating jobs.” – Robb Saar, Broker and Office Advisor, Engel & Völkers New York City

“Amazon HQ2 coming to Northern Virginia will have a very positive impact the city’s residents. Amazon is spending around $2 billion to establish this headquarters, so this will greatly bolster our economy. Not only will this bring new jobs, but it will also impact other industries, including construction and real estate, in positive ways.” – Sherry Rahnama, Owner, RE/MAX Executives, Springfield, Va.

“I do not think this will have much impact on my market, as we are across the river. Just like a change in the administration, there are some sales, probably more rentals, but it will not be monumental to the real estate market in Northern Virginia. I think a lot of the hires will be local and the others who come here will spread themselves out between D.C., Virginia and a bit in Maryland. I certainly do not see this increasing prices in our area.” – Melinda Estridge, Founder, The Estridge Group, a Long & Foster Company, Md.

*These incentives will only be fulfilled if Amazon can meet the job growth and profit goals it has set for each headquarters. For more information, go to Amazon’s blog.

Stay tuned to RISMedia for more developments.  

Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s associate content editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at [email protected]. For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.

The post Amazon Names Two HQ2 Winners: NYC and Arlington, Va. appeared first on RISMedia.

Amazon Names Two HQ2 Winners: NYC and Arlington, Va. published first on https://thegardenresidences.tumblr.com/

Superstar Effect Wins Again as Amazon Chooses New York, Washington for HQ2/3

Photo Credit: Rober Scoble, CC BY 2.0

Amazon, obviously embarrassed at the way their HQ2 process has been received, leaked the results of the competition the night before Election Day, ensuring coverage will be largely muted.

Amazon has reportedly decided to split HQ2 between two locations, New York City (Long Island City, Queens) and Washington (Crystal City, VA).

I will have more analysis over the next several days, but this shows that the superstar effect is alive and well. Amazon chose note one but two elite coastal cities for its new headquarters.

There’s no other way to slice it: Amazon repudiated the heartland with this decision. This was probably the ideal case for a heartland choice. It was not just a small executive headquarters but a gigantic number of employees. And Amazon, having lower margins than say Google, has to be much more cost conscious. My own analysis turned on the question of whether or not Amazon would be concerned about costs. I thought they would be, but it turns out they didn’t care. No matter what subsides Amazon extracts from New York and Virginia, they certainly won’t offset the labor cost differentials in those locations.

A friend of mine who works at Google several months ago predicted NYC, saying he thought that Amazon was looking for the “upgrade HQ.” It will be interesting to see if the center of gravity in the company tilts away from Seattle. And where Bezos himself spends most of his time. Another correct prognosticator was Joe Cortright, who predicted Amazon would pick multiple cities so they could retain leverage over time to keep extracting more subsidies.

This choice is a profound challenge to much of America, and particularly to red state philosophies of economic growth. At the high end of the economy, where the most value is being generated and where much of the future of the country is determined, the critical factor is ability to hire top 1% type talent. These companies need the best of the best. And that talent is located disproportionately in the coastal elite cities.

As one person tweeted, “A friend is the founder of a fintech company. They want to hire more college graduates to their Austin office instead of NYC. New talented recruits have multiple offers & most want to be in NYC, not Austin. Austin isn’t exactly a horrible place to live.”

At this level, cost is essentially irrelevant at present. The ability to attract A+ caliber talent is all.

That’s not to say heartland places can’t be successful in many ways. But it won’t be at the elite tiers of the economy.

The Biggest Loser

The biggest loser in this is Chicago. Chicago had the urban location, transit, a great pipeline of talent from the Big Ten, and lower costs. It didn’t matter.  Real estate magnate Sam Zell attributed this to the city and state’s political and fiscal problems, saying, “On a pure competitive basis, Chicago is far and away the No. 1 place that Amazon should pick for their second headquarters—major international airport, major universities, talent, etc.—and yet if I were Amazon, that’d be the last place I’d consider because you’re taking on, excuse the expression, pre-existing conditions.”

This could well be true. Undoubtedly these items are a huge boat anchor on the city, no matter what local boosters might say.

But the talent issue shouldn’t be overlooked. Having lived in both Chicago and New York I can tell you that the caliber of talent is as different as night and day.  Chicago has a ton of solid Big Ten type recruits. They are drawing the top 10-20% type people. But Chicago is very weak in top 1-2% types, and that’s a huge handicap when you are trying to position yourself as an elite player. You can’t do it without elite talent, and Chicago doesn’t have nearly enough of it.

Dallas and Atlanta were the other heartland places that could have handled the job influx. But they can console themselves by saying that they weren’t urban enough. The Columbuses and Indys of the world can feel good just to be included on the final 20 list.

But regardless of where you are, this is a big negative indicator for heartland competitiveness at the high end of the economy across the board.

from Aaron M. Renn https://www.urbanophile.com/2018/11/06/superstar-effect-wins-again-as-amazon-chooses-new-york-washington-for-hq2-3/

Superstar Effect Wins Again as Amazon Chooses New York, Washington for HQ2/3

Photo Credit: Rober Scoble, CC BY 2.0

Amazon, obviously embarrassed at the way their HQ2 process has been received, leaked the results of the competition the night before Election Day, ensuring coverage will be largely muted.

Amazon has reportedly decided to split HQ2 between two locations, New York City (Long Island City, Queens) and Washington (Crystal City, VA).

I will have more analysis over the next several days, but this shows that the superstar effect is alive and well. Amazon chose note one but two elite coastal cities for its new headquarters.

There’s no other way to slice it: Amazon repudiated the heartland with this decision. This was probably the ideal case for a heartland choice. It was not just a small executive headquarters but a gigantic number of employees. And Amazon, having lower margins than say Google, has to be much more cost conscious. My own analysis turned on the question of whether or not Amazon would be concerned about costs. I thought they would be, but it turns out they didn’t care. No matter what subsides Amazon extracts from New York and Virginia, they certainly won’t offset the labor cost differentials in those locations.

A friend of mine who works at Google several months ago predicted NYC, saying he thought that Amazon was looking for the “upgrade HQ.” It will be interesting to see if the center of gravity in the company tilts away from Seattle. And where Bezos himself spends most of his time. Another correct prognosticator was Joe Cortright, who predicted Amazon would pick multiple cities so they could retain leverage over time to keep extracting more subsidies.

This choice is a profound challenge to much of America, and particularly to red state philosophies of economic growth. At the high end of the economy, where the most value is being generated and where much of the future of the country is determined, the critical factor is ability to hire top 1% type talent. These companies need the best of the best. And that talent is located disproportionately in the coastal elite cities.

As one person tweeted, “A friend is the founder of a fintech company. They want to hire more college graduates to their Austin office instead of NYC. New talented recruits have multiple offers & most want to be in NYC, not Austin. Austin isn’t exactly a horrible place to live.”

At this level, cost is essentially irrelevant at present. The ability to attract A+ caliber talent is all.

That’s not to say heartland places can’t be successful in many ways. But it won’t be at the elite tiers of the economy.

The Biggest Loser

The biggest loser in this is Chicago. Chicago had the urban location, transit, a great pipeline of talent from the Big Ten, and lower costs. It didn’t matter.  Real estate magnate Sam Zell attributed this to the city and state’s political and fiscal problems, saying, “On a pure competitive basis, Chicago is far and away the No. 1 place that Amazon should pick for their second headquarters—major international airport, major universities, talent, etc.—and yet if I were Amazon, that’d be the last place I’d consider because you’re taking on, excuse the expression, pre-existing conditions.”

This could well be true. Undoubtedly these items are a huge boat anchor on the city, no matter what local boosters might say.

But the talent issue shouldn’t be overlooked. Having lived in both Chicago and New York I can tell you that the caliber of talent is as different as night and day.  Chicago has a ton of solid Big Ten type recruits. They are drawing the top 10-20% type people. But Chicago is very weak in top 1-2% types, and that’s a huge handicap when you are trying to position yourself as an elite player. You can’t do it without elite talent, and Chicago doesn’t have nearly enough of it.

Dallas and Atlanta were the other heartland places that could have handled the job influx. But they can console themselves by saying that they weren’t urban enough. The Columbuses and Indys of the world can feel good just to be included on the final 20 list.

But regardless of where you are, this is a big negative indicator for heartland competitiveness at the high end of the economy across the board.

from Aaron M. Renn https://www.urbanophile.com/2018/11/06/superstar-effect-wins-again-as-amazon-chooses-new-york-washington-for-hq2-3/