so many things, including: the pleasure of walking and liberation from car dependence; regularly sharing public space with others, which helps people (mostly) remember they are part of a society; having vibrant cultural experiences almost constantly on offer

twofold - being able to walk or bike everywhere, getting to interact with different cultures and people (shops, restaurants, festivals, events, etc.)

All the cool stuff I love is here. In PDX there’s a ton of green space mixed in w urban features, and it’s great to walk down the sidewalk past a big park to cafes and restaurants and bars and fun little shops and say hi to 15 different dogs just to go mail a letter or pick up a book at the library

My favorite thing about every city I've lived in (NYC, LA, Oakland, Columbus, DC, and now Philly) is the people. Sitting in a park on a nice day and watching the variety of friends and families and couples enjoying each other, getting into a great convo with a random stranger--and then walking home

Which of those cities is your favorite?

Creativity. In chicago, we have a robust arts scene that includes a crazy amount of live music, theater productions in parks, storefronts & main stages; jaw dropping art by Kerry James Marshall & other visionaries, etc etc

I grew up there, so I’m biased, but Chicago has it all. Theater. Sports. Museums. Lake Michigan. Architecture. Not to mention the food.

I've been here over half my life and it still amazes me that I get to live in a city with some of the best music festivals anywhere

Walking and the sense of community.

Not needing a car ( most cities, not all)

Walkability, activity, culture, architecture, third spaces like plazas and parks

Being able to walk to a local coffee shop, comics shop, record store, indie theatre, taco stand, and grocery store.

Fast public transit, amazing museums, delicious international food & festivals, diverse community, fun crowds, big cycling culture, colleges and universities, parks, theater...

Sidewalks. I live some place now where some streets don’t even have sidewalks, and those that do exist are often empty. In a big city, sidewalks are places of life, where you say hello to a friend, or have a passing interaction with a stranger, or simply share space with others going somewhere.

I live in a little neighborhood in Baltimore with the highest population density in the city, and I love how many people are always walking around. Plus I can walk to everything! I literally live a mile from almost everything I need (workplace, farmers market, grocery store) #CharmCity

Walking around

I love the vitality - the combination of people all living their lives, interesting foods to eat, libraries, ways to stay active, and something new every day. Although now that I typed all that out, I think my truest answer is: lots of options for good coffee.

we live in Detroit. It's the *friendliest* city I've ever lived, everybody says hi on the sidewalk, everywhere. There's also TONS of free, city-run events for our kids.

I’m visiting Detroit in a couple weeks and really looking forward! I haven’t been in a decade but I remember loving how neighborly and proactive everyone was

I'm so happy you'll get to enjoy it!

I love Detroit. One of my favorite cities

Same here in Berkeley, we have only been here for 10 weeks and everyone is so friendly and kind. Our dog has playdates and a daily group he hangs out with. There are all sorts of little community events constantly.

Hello!

hi!

Y'all cute

Philly is the same -- when we lived there this spring, I talked to more people on the street in one day than in a year of Ann Arbor.

I did not have the same experience in Philly! It was rather like I had addressed someone without an introduction in Regency England.

where on earth did you live?

I was only there for a job interview. as always, I did not get it!

Story of my life lately 🫩

See ya tmr

ah, ok, that doesn't count. go live in Germantown for a month, you'll love it, I swear.

Hi neighbor! I'm just outside Chestnut Hill and can affirm that northwest Philly is great!

sadly had to return to Ann Arbor after end of sabbatical, but our Victorian faded palace on Walnut was fantastic and the people were so lovely and I miss Wyck garden.

UpNorth transplant to A2 here, since the 80s. I just assumed there's a high correlation between smart people and debilitating social anxiety. Or that they're NewYorker transplants themselves. Never stops me from giving them the chance to act like well adjusted adults. Few do.

it's not social anxiety. they're just worried I might not be a home-owner. also my poodle is incorrectly groomed.

As long as your poodle doesn't "menace" per A2 ordinance, I can't see individuality in appearance being an issue. Now you're making me think maybe I've been improperly groomed this whole time, since we've owned the same tiny neighborhood house for 31yrs.

well, do people on the street smile or frown upon you? Trotsky is the least menacing dog I have ever known.

Highest percentage A2 encounter is smiling at them first, and them desperately rushing past avoiding eye contact. Like only some psycho killer would engage a complete stranger. Maybe they're watching too much fear porn "news". Could be an age thing. Requires a controlled study design to know.

One thing I've been educated about over time is the extent to which women perceive threat from men. So I just try to look like a friendly helper and when its not reciprocal don't take it personal.

it’s def an Ann Arbor thing. people are so much less friendly, and hate small talk or pleasantries, compared to texas.

the great thing about Philly is that it's more than pleasantries, you can get into long discussions about pretty much anything on the sidewalk

Now technically I’m a city dweller, but … In any case, I’d simply say “options”

That comes from the perspective of someone who grew up in a small town, i.e. with precious few options, and has lived in various cities of various sizes - Prague, London, Copenhagen (v briefly), Shanghai and now Cambridge (which, as I say, is technically a city - and does have options, so…)

The spontaneous little (and big!) moments of kindness and joy. When the 2003 blackout happened in NYC, everyone held their breath for a moment and then it turned into a city-wide block party. Restaurants gave away food because their freezers were down. We should have made it an annual holiday.

I'm from the midwest and people don't realize the liberation you feel when you can walk or bus or metro to half a dozen neighborhoods in the course of an evening without ever having to think once about your car.

being able to be super visible or disappear as I choose (more appropriate for really big cities)

Walking! To the water’s edge, market(s), library, bank, restaurants, coffee shops, major park, museums, even my PCP/pharmacy (which I rarely see … probably bc of walking!) (Also lower car insurance bc my annual mileage is so low.)

I find that becoming a regular at various local venues is very rewarding, bar, coffeeshop or even a small store. Walking into a place and knowing the people that work there and building a relationship with them over time is great. I feel an instant contrast going into a big box store.

People watching!

bsky.app/profile/tedg...

food, diversity

Accessibility to various things. I can get all kinds of cuisines & experiences different cultures without having to plan ahead. I can walk a few blocks and get all of that with ease.

Public transportation

I think for me it's the music. I went for a walk the other day and I heard like five or ten different genres of music from various people hanging out with their bluetooth speakers. But obviously more generally, the fact that I can go anywhere and see anything/anyone for a subway fare.

Haven't lived in a city in a long time admittedly, but I miss it! Especially the public transportation in NYC

City dweller that moved to burbs during pandemic (bad choice). I miss the proper city crazies. Out here they’re plotting the destruction of the nation. Like, can’t you just pee on the sidewalk and scream nonsense like the rest of us. There is no need to strip people of their rights!

I love, deeply, stepping out of my home and hearing people speak other languages.

I find this to be so centering and a reminder of my small place in the great wide world as much as, say, birdsong

I love this so much whenever I visit big cities, and it warms my heart when I encounter it in my much smaller city

i love feeling like part of a big vibrant community! i love loving close to all my friends and a bunch of people who might be my friends. i love there always being more to discover!

i love that a City is a big tangled up braided rope made of millions of stories, big and small! i love being a part of that historical fabric

feeling of living in a community and among neighbors. Sharing spaces and learning from watching how others live. the freedom to step outside my front door and walk wherever I want/need. Art/culture/food that represents the best of everyone else who chooses to live here. Life happening all around.

Variety. I'd much rather buy most things in person than online, and cities have so many odd stores. When I lived in Dublin, there was a shop the specialised in fountain pens (I bought one for my future husband).

Short sight lines make it easier to run from cops.

The diversity, which comes with all the different food and cultures that entails, and feeling much safer being around/apart of that diversity.

the vibes u get when u step outside and see all the people crisscrossing and lookin cute and doin cool shit

Wholesome <3

i wanna be an old man sitting on a bench in nyc eating some dumplings and watching all the young people doing their thing

Bonus if they are pierogis, sold to you cheerfully.

Peoplewatching

You never know what or who you're gonna see. Someone will do something so unexpected, funny, or impressive, and you got to be there to see it.

Once I saw a guy in a tshirt that had lisa simpson smoking weed on it pulling a radio flyer wagon that held a pot bellied pig in a royal cape. I didn't know that was going to happen, but I got to see it.

I can walk to the store

I prefer rural but living with everything accessible w/in a 2 mile radius is convenient. I have groceries, restaurants, movie theater, retail, it's all here

For the first 15 years I lived in LA I told myself I was just putting up with it. Then one evening I sat at a long red light that gave me time to really look at the little shopping center across the street. Six businesses, with signs in six different languages. That's when I realized I love it here

🎯🎯🎯🎯

We are everyone, the melting pot, E Pluribus Unum. That's what they taught me to be proud of in middle school Now a POS wants me to be embarrassed of it. Nope.

E Pluribus Unum. That's the anti-MAGA, we should put that on a fucking hat.

And we should make them in America, unlike MAGA merch

i walk to the grocery store every morning with my coffee and get what I'm going to cook for dinner that night. Also, music.

Not being the only trans person

Didn’t see healthcare mentioned. Being a mile away from a good emergency room vs. dozens of miles can mean survival vs…

I don't think people in non-urban areas understand how much more access we have. When you might have 1-2 cardiologists in an hour drive, with a month lead time, and I have two dozen I can get into in the next two weeks. Ambulance access is also <10 min from call to ER.

Rural Americans are in for a rough time. Rural hospitals are barely holding on. Trump's new budget guts subsidies, I've seen estimates that half will close in 5 years with most being right after the bill hits right after midterms.

They really rigged the timing on that one. One thing they consider extremely unlikely is a popular uprising; that much seems certain.

I don't see an uprising happening. The last several years have shown the average American is gullible, and ok with getting hurt if they think it's hurting 'others' more, which they are going to just believe. See LBJ quote on "If you can convince the lowest white man...".

That and I can walk or take a brief public transit ride to my primary care doctor, the dentist, the eye doctor, physical therapy, and a whole bunch of other specialists I may someday need.

Oh my gosh, this is such an underrated plus. Not having to blow half a day to go to the doctor is huge.

not just proximity to healthcare but access, period. rural clinics are closing right & left because spreadsheet jockeys don’t see profit margins. the financial case for rural infrastructure is generally not great bc of low population density—okay fine, not everything worth doing makes a profit.

For real. I can walk to one emergency room because it’s only three blocks away and the better one is only five minutes away by car.

I can and have walked to the emergency room! There's also a free shuttle, it's three stops away.

My doctor's office here in LA is very very close to my house, and when I had my first appointment with her when I mentioned my hometown (which is 150 miles away) I ended up having to explain how bad the healthcare is there because she has patients from my hometown who drive the 150 miles to see her.

accessibility to everything; walking or taking public transportation to grocery stores, parks, restaurants.

You can be alone without ever feeling too alone

Not having to drive (bike or run to work, walk to grocery store, hardware store, restaurants)

The walking + public transportation @sfmuni.bsky.social the variety of people & culture = amazing food options & quality SF has the best parks @sfrecpark.bsky.social

Richness, breadth, and depth of (& proximity to) all the aspects of my life: work, food, entertainment, social integration, folly and discovery, etc.

**social interaction.

Being able to experience all the benefits of a multi-cultural society (food, etc.) and more cultural offerings (art, etc.). Yet at the same time, being a short drive away from nature as well (beach, mountains, desert). And most importantly, the people who make up these communities.

Lack of car dependency. Moved into a city with density, realized how much of a tax car dependency is. Also love hearing I’m not a real American from the president and his ilk of toothless yokels and klan protégés

Regularly, randomly encountering friends on the street

Walking to the store, and the local politicians are more accessible. I've actually spoken with my alderperson in Chicago whereas in rural Indiana I rarely if ever saw any council members, and they presented few if any opportunities to organize for a local cause.

so much: the easygoing, sesame street-like interactions with storekeepers, ppl on the subway... walking proximity to things i love... but most of all: THE SUBWAY

i love being able to walk to three different grocery stores or gas stations or convenience stores. weirdly i also love the sound of street traffic.

That every bike path traffic jam (invariably where bikes have to wait for traffic at on grade crossings) is a happy acknowledgment, or chat, session rather than the grim solitary nature of car jams.

Having less crime to deal with than country people.

Public transport. At all hours.

Maybe not exactly what you’re looking for but working in Manhattan vs working in a suburb it’s the diversity of food options outside of chain restaurants

the found beauty tbqh

Walking around happy and happy seeing others walking around. It's simple.

Having so many things that you can just walk to, and so many different types of people around.

Not in big city right now. But lived in NYC. Absolute best part is that if you want something to do, just go outside. Surrounded by interesting people and things.

I live in NYC. It's so easy to talk to people here. On the bus, at a concert, in the grocery store, on a subway platform, in the park, passing by on the street. People are closer here and we act like it!

They are actually conducive to adult friendships in a way the suburbs/exurbs are not. Multiple friends' homes are in walking distance, or at most a 15 minute drive, and it's rare that I don't see someone I know by happenstance if I'm going out somewhere.

Also, not having to own a vehicle.

Big one for me too

The walkability.

Loads of vegan options in every local supermarket. Tedious of me, but true. Also I’m within walking distance of TWO health-food stores with loose self-serve dry goods, which means I can stock up on oats, rice, coffee etc in BYO bags, significantly cutting down my plastic use.

Taking the train to a game without it being a "whole big thing." Deciding at 5 to go to a game and not having to do any other planning or driving or worrying about parking...

The sense of community. That doesn’t just happen in small towns. Millions of people can and do know that they’re all in this together.

Also, most cities take care to provide public spaces to foster community.

The Doof Warrior rocking out as the band of renegades marauded down my street. That or the ability to get amazing food.

I'm from Vermont, where I worry more about running into a bear than a mugger I've visited D.C. many times and I am not terrified to leave my hotel room. It's a beautiful city MAGA needs to grow a pair of ovaries

Nothing that I need is far away.

Love being able to decide what to make for dinner and then just walk over and get the ingredients from the store and walk home to make dinner.

The cultural opportnities & not needing to own a car.

In my tiny little city I think my favourite part is all the little artistic and creative places I can wander into. I can admire our ancient architecture that houses a contemporary artist studio, I can wander into an antique shop in a listed Tudor building and listen an hour about pottery

There's mosaics all about the place, some new, some ancient. I can even make a glass mosaic next to the town hall. I can wander into a random jewellery shop and treat it like a museum to Victorian jewels. Down a Victorian road I can nip into a games shop and paint minis or play near any game I fancy

i live a block or two away from buses that will take me just about anywhere i want in the city! i can walk to a grocery store in 5 minutes, the entire world is at my doorstep and i don’t even live in a busy part of town.

Having everything I could want or need at hand. Being able to walk to two different supermarkets, a park, a bunch of restaurants, pet shops, hospitals, stores of cute useless stuff, whatever.

Will be doing this again tomorrow too bsky.app/profile/benj...

No car. Kids walk to school; all the daily shops are walking distance, and the other ones bus/subway/bike away. Parks are also all over the place for the kids to play in. Freedom to think about other things, really.

Never using a car.

My neighborhood. I take walks every day, and everyone waves or says hi and pets dogs.

Food options!

Having things people make special once in a life time trips be something you do for a field trip every year and is common

Not everyone looks like us, sounds like us, eats like us.

Proximity to art galleries and museums

As someone who technically lives in a city, but in more of a suburban-looking part, I take the 20 min walk to the downtown several times a week. I don’t get that invigorating close interaction with diverse people when i stay in my neighborhood. Plus the food, drink, and shops.

Paradoxically, I have more day to day chances to connect to my body & to the natural world in a city than I did when I worked for a rural retreat center. I walk to work; I watch the hawks nesting in the tree next door; I help care for the green spaces & waterways in my neighborhood.

being able to walk to see my friends or go to the movies or the museum, just the general convenience of everything

also like... vibes? there's such a unique feeling in the air that you can only get in a big city and every city feels different

These would be my answers as well. Also as a sports fan in Philadelphia, I can get to just about any sporting venue, Pro, College, High School, etc, by public transportation and not have to deal with parking at sports complexes or on campuses. Plus, as a Senior in PA, those rides are free.

They are typically blue.

Endless surprises, not always good ones, but even the bad ones usually become great stories. And the food choices! When coming back from places where fast food chains are the only option after 8pm we feel truly blessed to have global cuisine a phone call away

Regular human contact, visible and audible community. Density. "Walking" is very good but "not driving" is equally important.

I’m so, so f-ing sick of driving in my car-bound environment

I live in the suburbs of a major city. It's the convenience of having everything I need close by. Grocery stores - there are more than 3 in a 2-mile radius. My doc is a block away, as is my dentist. The hospital is behind my house. Major shopping nearby. Interesting events to attend. Parks to walk.

I like the feeling of efficiency and reduced waste; when I order food delivery, it's a shorter distance away and often delivered by bike; or if I have something shipped, the shipping Co was probably going to be driving to my building w/ 500+ residents anyway; I walk most places or take the bus

I also like the sense of community or common purpose; we all need to chip-in one way or another to make living with this many people in one place work; we all need to be a tick more patient and understanding. There is no such social contract in the suburbs and it's noticeable in their behavior

Walking as my main mode of transportation

Tonight I get to go bar hopping with friends within a couple miles of my house for a birthday and tomorrow I get to volunteer on a nature clean up at a park in the morning and see a concert in the evening. And I get to do all this without owning a car.

I grew up feeling so smothered in a town of 9,445 people. I love the unknowable-ness of a city. Couldn't go to the store without some rando telling me they know my grandparents. So many overlapping scenes and groups and communities in a city. So much stuff going on that in no way concerns me.

I have that number memorized because the sign never changed in the 18 years I lived there

Not having to get in a car.

I got in someone's car last month. Made me glad I don't have to do that often

Honestly this. I own a car. It sits unused because I rarely need to use it. Definitely used it less than a dozen times last year.

The convenience! I can get any kind of cuisine, see any kind of music, and find anything I need very close to where I live. Not to mention the incredible variety of people who live here!

The sense of community. As a paleontologist, I love living near a big museum which other fossil scientists visit from around the world. Nearly every week there's new people to meet, new research presentations to attend, camaraderie with people who share my interests and passions. That's a big deal

I don’t currently live in a city but I loved the walkability of living in a city. Everything was so close together. The town I live in is surprisingly walkable (I live right off the town center) but that’s really rare for smaller towns.

Walkability (backed with mass transit being a warp zone between different parts of the city).

Within walking distance, I have: - a zoo - a NFL football stadium - a MLB baseball stadium - world class parks - world class museums - basically every restaurant - and more!

Being able to walk to do things: go to a park, take a yoga class, get dinner or meet up with a friend. I also love spontaneous connections and running into people I know!

disappearing, while still connected to the world

The unconscious solidarity that underlies all the little social miracles that make cities work every day

What a beautiful thought!

This!!!!

One of my very favorite things is when you're waiting for a light and something happens and you and the stranger next to you share a comment or a look.

Recently I passed a Gen X dad walking two little girls to school. He was saying to them, “… Throw Your Arms Around Me by Hunters and Collectors, classic song!” I started singing “Thro-o-o-o-o -ow you arms around me …” I looked back and he’d turned around too, with a huge grin on his face. Day. Made.

youtu.be/5-hDK76bIps?...

That happened to me one day in the west village and it was Sarah Gilbert aka DARLENE! that's a fun thing about cities!

Bonus: sometimes they are famous, or just drop dead good looking.

I like when you make eye contact with someone famous on the subway or wherever, and they clock you recognizing them, but when they realize you aren't going to bother them, they seem pleased. Eye-contact convos!

Me too! But every single person, including myself, who ever thought they were about to have that kind of interaction with Lou Reed found themselves suddenly getting flipped off by a snarling, bitter dude so that's another classic NYC moment!

Yeah, that's something i do miss about cities! Just randomely seeing outrageously stunning humans!

The options. There is so much to do/see/eat/watch etc. Cities are only boring if you aren’t trying hard enough

Yes!

This

!!!

Good cause to resurrect Samuel Johnson's line on London: "Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." www.samueljohnson.com/london.html#...

"He who is tired of London is tired of life" - Samuel Johnson, back when London was a hell of a lot smaller than it is now

I read this as Samuel Jackson and for a few seconds until I read it again, everything about it made total sense to me.

"He who is tired of motherfuckin' London is tired of motherfuckin' life!"

"The motherfucker who is tired of London is a motherfucker tired of life."

Valid

Wait, what? Douglas Adams stole that line? I did not know that, thank you!

Not having to own a car.

Ex NYC, but public transportation. Being able to get anywhere in the city for a few $ is magic that's hard to convey to people who haven't lived it. Subways feel like portals

As a day-tripper who's learned a little bit about the subway system, this all day. I haven't gotten to know the buses yet, but I'd be happy to!

Cities give you the most freedom (ways to get around, community to be a part of, food options, etc.). There are so many nosey busybodies in the suburbs you can't avoid them, while in the city you can wrap yourself in the sweet cloak of anonymity and walk around in it all day if you want, up to you.

Walking out my front door and feeling part of a big human continuum. In a good way.

Walkability, and the anonymity mixed with chosen community

being around people! the suburbs are so isolating.

I live in Queens and my parents are in the suburbs of the SF Bay Area. I might see the same number of people walk past my childhood home in a day that I’d see in 30 minutes in front of my house in Astoria.

A lot of those burbs do not even bother with sidewalks

Everybody knows my dog, Waffles (a pitbull), and is not afraid of her like dummies (like they are when I go visit my parents in the ‘burbs).

HI WAFFLES

She says hi

Baxter says hi back!!!

(Living in a city is just like this except real)

I love Baxter

Cutie. Woof

pitbulls are such sweeties

The best dogs

Waffles has some fantastic ears. Hi, puppy! 👋

Access! Access to various types of amazing food, amazing communities of people with different backgrounds than me, parks, concerts, and knowing I can drive 45-60 minutes to find myself in nature.

Getting repeatedly lectured by suburbanites afraid of stepping out of their own house or someone with skin slightly darker than their own how I'm lying about how safe and fun city life is.

I was recently told "you can't go anywhere in Chicago" by a guy who lives over an hour away. When I objected to this I was told I'm "brainwashed". About a city I've literally lived in for 25 years.

“You’re right, it’s terrible, don’t ever come here.”

I hope all MAGA is scared of San Francisco and stays the hell out. We get plenty of tourism without Republicans.

The funny thing about this is that I recognized Ted Cruz in tourist mode in SF last year. He realized that I knew who he was and he just looked at the ground like a kid who got caught.

No way. Was he at a fundraiser at some tech bro’s mansion?

Walking in Washington square park with his wife on a Saturday morning. Full middle aged suburban dad look, right down to the Hokas.

I sure as hell would recognize that guy if wandering in North Beach and be unable to keep my mouth shut.

I was a political staffer many years ago and my brain couldn’t let go of decorum.

Funny you say that. I just told a friend today that the Democrats had better let the hell go of decorum and fight like their lives depend on it, because they do.

never being stranded. wherever I want to go, there is a sidewalk, a bike lane, a bus or a train. from here to Poughkeepsie and beyond.

I feel more safe in NYC where there’s tons of people around at 3am than I do on a deserted street in my suburban home town at 7pm.

100%!!

haven't lived in the city for a bit but having like 20 incredible and disparate restaurant options in a five-minute radius was always a huge plus

Yeah, this

*walking radius, I should say

I love walking everywhere. There’s a change of scenery every few blocks. There’s life all around. Chance encounters…mostly good & interesting. All kinds of people from all kinds of places.

I’m so heartened to read all the comments saying the same thing.

There are always people outside. I could walk for blocks when I lived in the burbs and never encounter another person.

not being asked what church i go to

Growing up knowing you have to get along with your neighbors, no matter what they look or smell like.

It’s a lot of things — how independent I can be without a car, how many different types of people you can meet, the diversity in the people, the arts, the food. How fun it is to just walk! I see more random acts of kindness and joy here in an afternoon here than I would in a week in the suburbs

Walking distance to pretty much anything I need, including mass transit stations

Chicago is full of culture and possibility. So many neighborhoods, so much character, so much to do. I'm forever in love with this city. There's also a ton of good organizing here.

So true

Going outside at dusk and looking at and listening to the sounds of life all around. The constant roar of the interstate in the distance. A siren here and there. Bats overhead hunting bugs. Owls noisily trying to hook up. Planes overhead on final approach. So much energy all around.

Within walking distance: organic grocery store, more bakeries and coffee shops than I can eat at in a month, the train station, the old timey hardware store, space telescopes. And yet I still have so many wild critters in my garden that they eat half of the veggies I plant.

Lots of really good looking people 👯‍♀️

The thing that keeps me from leaving living in a city is the ease of access to healthcare, both primary (general practitioners, etc) and emergency. But what I love is there's always something going on. A festival, an event, a race, a conference, etc.

Our studio is basically in the middle of UCSF, a retired ICU nurse is my neighbor, and I live across the park from a hospital, so I really feel this.

I like it when every person I see on the street looks cooler than me

Access to museums, gardens, local music venues

walking, the availability of any kind of food i crave, and the exponential growth of sonder that comes with living/interacting/socializing with 100s of people every day and recognizing the humanity in all of them

the culture, for sure: live music, the festivals, the restaurants. could go all the country or the world in a day without even leaving your block

Every moment is a possibility for spontaneity. See something cool you like on a walk or a bike ride - stop and check it out

Walking everywhere. Knowing shopkeepers personally. Overhearing people’s conversations on the bus.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT6n...

Hearing unexpected noises from the building at night and knowing it was just regular people living their regular lives on other floors of the building, instead of whatever grim home invasion fantasies suburban homeowners terrorize themselves with

Being able to walk to the store and local restaurants.

Proximity to drs, stores, the basic necessities. Id rather live with more nature and space but with every year i age, convenient goes up in value 😂

Diversity. I'm friends with a much wider array of people because I live in NYC than I would be most anywhere else.

You start to really appreciate proximity to a good hospital once you reach age 60.

Living on the same electrical grid as several hospitals means our power is super reliable!

Please may I hope this isn't scooter-accident-related.

HA! No, but I'm glad both crashes were close to Legacy Emanuel - the trauma hospital.

bike lanes, public transit, easy access to artistic venues

Being able to see a huge variety of live music!

The POTENTIAL for so many things. Sure, day to day, I’m mostly just going to work and maybe out with friends, but just knowing that I could pop into a museum or a show on any day is a lovely way to live. A colleague who moved to the suburbs said once that this was what he missed the most.

💯

The architectural shape of the city, the many people living in, the presence of small cafes, bars or any king of little specialized stores or businesses, the amount of cultural activities, the little communities you can build around specific interests. And you don’t have to own a car.

I love walking around a city and coming upon an arts or cultural festival that I hadn't even heard about. These little surprises of social celebration make city living so fun.

It's genuinely inspiring and beautiful to experience thousands of people from different backgrounds living together peacefully and cooperatively.

The best thing about cities are the esoteric events. Once you have enough people in one place, even niche interests are popular enough to justify events that could never happen in areas with low population density.

Not living in a shitty exurb with shitty people.

Walking to the grocery store

Walking to stuff and making myself be around people but also having the freedom not take personally their presence or whatever they’re doing.

Riding home to Bklyn on the 2 train looking at people around me and imagining what they do: security guard, teacher, finance guy, nurse, window cleaner, Dr, or lawyer. A rich mix of ethnicities, skills, incomes and all of us just tired - quietly waiting to get home. I love that these are my people.

Being able to pop open Yelp in any city I’m visiting and finding so many cool coffee shops and restaurants I can easily walk to. Same applies to my home city, of course, but I don’t like in a part of town where that’s as easy.

200 feet from a grocery store, bar, good restaurant and large park.

independent bookstores and big ass public libraries

access to public transit so i don’t have to drive to work, the plethora of things to do at all times, seeing the same people walking around my neighborhood, walkability to nearly everything i need and the diversity of food options just to name a few!!

Just going on a walk and seeing what's going on in the neighborhood. A walk in nature is a nice change of pace but I wanna be where the people are at

An incredibly good public library system

In the city, I get to pet more dogs per day (DPD). City DPD is way higher than in the ‘burbs or rural areas.

People

The variety of EVERYTHING. I also, honestly, feel safer in the city. My neighbors are close and I know them, so if I needed help. or they did, they're right there.

walking everywhere + the immense variety of options

In Hollywood I loved that I could walk to ten movie theaters, several restaurants and some great clubs. Of course, I walked partly because it was easier than finding another parking space.

So many things, but the main reason we can’t leave is we have SO MANY friends and communities we’re plugged into.

having neighbors close by who know you and look out for you. meeting all kinds of people with so many stories and different backgrounds and cultures. museums and plays and culture. every time we went to the Smithsonian, my dad would say “kids, this is why we don’t live in Peoria”

Having neighbors I could be close with and build community with. Porch chats, giving people rides, grocery shopping together, etc.

The diversity, being around other people and cultures has really broadened my horizons and made me more tolerant and open minded. I have learned so much and am able to view things from other perspectives because of this. I feel pity for people who are only around people like themselves.

I don’t live in a city (SoCal suburbs), but when we vacationed in DC, Seattle and SF, we love that we can take public transit and walk most everywhere we want to go. We’d love to live in an area where that can be a part of our daily lives.

Randomly bumping into people I know while walking

Variety. Of food, culture, people.

I hate walking. It's mainly impatience more than laziness. I love east coast cities for having subways & trains. Gets me there so much faster without me having to pay attention other than getting off where I'm going. Wish they existed where I live. Otherwise, city diversity of foods & conveniences!

Popping out 2 blocks to the grocery store to get something I'm out of. Swinging the sushi joint to buy some rice for the stir fry I'll be cooking. Seeing well designed things, instead of endless stroads.

When I see other people, they don’t judge me by how well I fit into their idea of how a life should be lived.

Walkability! And being around other walkers … it just makes me hum

i can get pizza 24/7

See you get it

Well I'm in the wrong city.

Being able to live without a car, having a huge variety of affordable groceries close by, hearing languages and music from every continent, being part of all of the above.

(I’m in Montreal, Québec, Canada: originally from the UK, I arrived here more or less by accident in my late teens, and am 63 now. I didn’t particularly intend to spend my life here, but have no regrets that I have so far.)

Public transit, not having a car, good food options, diversity

I can leave my apartment and go for long walks and never take the same route. Always something to see.

saxophones

Or guitars, as the case may be.

Thanks for the alt Text, otherwise I may have spent some time figuring out WTF was happening and why the onions were there. 😂

It's a weird pic, no doubt. Our entire front yard is full of raised veggie beds and I was afraid if I tried to get closer our Shiba would move and the pic would be gone, so I just shot it through the clutter. 😆 It was a good onion harvest this year! 😂

Congratulations on the onions! Alt Text is always appreciated and can be fun.

Oh, yes! ALT text is a really neat tool for sharing extra info and there's all kinds of ways to be creative while doing it.

Riding my bike everywhere.

Walking and seeing others out walking as well. I love the energy of a walkable city.

Never having constipation bc the streets are SOOOO SKEEWEEEEE!

lol, i thought you were going for “not having constipation bc we walk everywhere”!

Not having to own a car hands down

Free museums, the food scene (STL has one of the best), Forest Park, and the multiculturalism.

Seconding all of this. It's great to be less than 15 minutes away from all sorts of different things to do.

Most underrated food scene in the country, probably the continent.

For working class eats, no doubt.

The sandwich and smash burger game here is world class. And bbq of course.

Meeting someone for the just time and realizing they know a couple of people you’re already friends with

Walking home from a bar and getting late night burritos

being able to not have a plan when going out. having to plan driving time, and what the parking situation is, kills impulsivity

I hate getting there and then having to figure out how to rid myself of my car.

Public transit, it's safer, people are nicer

you can read a book or play a game while you're commuting!

Smiling at a stranger on the subway after their kid says something outlandish and hilarious

I've got a thread about this. bsky.app/profile/russ...

there's shit to do

I can walk anywhere I need to be. I have a car, but rarely use it because driving is more of a hassle than walking or mass transit.

The ability to walk to what I need and want. I don't drive that much.

This is a big one for me too.

That you live in a bunch of different places that are near or on top of each other instead of just one or two places.

Variety and venues for celebration and practice of creativity

not owning a car

The money we invested instead of paying for a car helped us retire years before our suburban friends.

While I lived in a city I enjoyed just being able to walk 5 minutes and everything's right there: stores, parks, restaurants, cafes or just sitting on a bench and people-watch.

The kindness. I was on the bus & the lady sitting next to me had a 2 piece that smelled amazing. I said so, & she immediately offered me the thigh. I thanked her & said that I couldn't, but asked where she got it.