The biggest thing we get questioned about regarding living in NYC is getting by without a car (we haven't owned one for the past 9 years). It's un-American for sure but totally doable - and maybe even recommended - in this city.
Within our community, everything that isn't our jobs and can't be outsourced to Amazon is within walking distance: grocery stores, parks, church, Chipotle.
I used Google Maps to get a quick summary of the places we walk to frequently and their distances:
Favorite playground - .2 mi
Closest subway station - .3 mi
Closest Starbucks - .3 mi
Preferred grocery store - .4 mi
Two favorite bakeries - .7 and .9 mi
Church - 1.1 mi
I have a step tracker on my phone and it tells me I walk an average of 4-5 miles per day. And that's without any intentional exercise. New Yorkers own very comfortable shoes! Even when taking public transportation, a considerable amount of walking is unavoidable.
Tiger Cub's school is across the street from our complex, which was a major factor in choosing it. This is how we get there:
Bagels and coffee have become part of our Sunday morning church-going routine. Carb loading seems to be the best way to get us all there on time.
And when we can't walk to it, we ride to it by subway or bus. We're fortunate to have good subway access in our community.
New York likes to put the "mass" in mass transportation.
INSIDER TIP: New Yorkers looooove to flaunt their knowledge of the subway system. So if you're visiting and confused, just ask someone next to you. You'll immediately get opinions on the best way to your destination from several people within earshot.
Subways are like dishwashers. No matter how full they look, you can always fit more inside.
Seriously though, nobody moves here because it's comfortable.
Despite thousands of subway rides, I continue to maintain a healthy concern for being trapped in a tight space with hundreds of people I've never met. If someone appears a little "off," I do a quick scan of my fellow riders to make sure that collectively we have enough muscle and sense to bring down a situation if necessary.
And you know what I've become very aware of since having kids? NYC is ridiculously unfriendly to anyone with a set of wheels (i.e. wheelchairs, strollers, suitcases).
Because you constantly encounter situations like this:
We're hearty folk! With really strong quads.
And thank goodness for online shopping...
I'm at the point where I don't know how I would live without online shopping. My legs and my timetable gave up a long time ago trying to obtain all my family's needs on foot.
If it's not perishable (and sometimes even if it is) we buy it online. Some of our recent online purchases include diapers, running shoes, Vitamin C, dishwasher liquid, sunscreen, a suitcase, and quinoa. *Amazon is our Target/drugstore/bookstore/occasional grocery store/kids clothing store. As far as I'm concerned it's the best one stop shop EVER. And 2-day shipping? Yesss. Convenience and I can procrastinate.
Our UPS guy probably thinks we are addicted to online shopping and he would be RIGHT.
Randy has a fine tuned sense of hearing where he can pick up a delivery truck pulling up outside our building. And then we ponder whether or not he's coming to our apartment.
* Did you know that you can use the smile.Amazon.com website and donate to a charity of your choice with every purchase?
