New York City is a mall

A good mall really is designed to be like a city. It's an interesting comparison. I noticed the same thing when I moved to Manhattan from the suburbs. Not just the proximity to retail stores (I live a half a block away from a Lululemon), but the dedication to a shared public space, and being around so many other pedestrians.

That shit ain't New York, it's tourist traps.

To me for some reason New Jersey is one big mall (northern jersey) and a parking lot.

I have to say that I feel bad for New Yorkers. I live in the middle of the country, but I work for a company on the lower east-side. I’m often in Manhattan, so I think I have a feel for what it’s like there and there is such a poverty of what a global city could be there. I’ve seen quite a bit of the world and dense Spanish urban centers are much better than Manhattan. Barcelona has created super blocks, which are these dense areas where absolutely no cars are allowed. The result is nothing short of amazing. The first time I saw it, I realized I had never seen anything like it before. There such an abundance of life and the levity in the air is palpable. “This is what it must have been like to live in an ancient city“ is often what I found myself thinking. Your really need to experience it before you die. It’s what human life should look like. New York ain’t it. Not even close.