A few years ago, a colleague and I were at a medical conference in Brooklyn, NY. We stayed for 3 days. It was quite the cultural experience just being amongst the people and the city. (1) Things like "calling for a car". You have an app or two, call for your car, someone is right there within a few minutes. Folks living there have little need for owning a vehicle. (2) Sidewalk vendors with fresh fruit and veggies, magazines and newspapers, personal products, etc. and they leave them there overnight. Does anyone steal? NO they do not. The people living there "will take care of their own" if you catch my drift. The street gangs protect the vendors. There's a strong sense of community. (3) Fantastic service and large food portions at restaurants. I have never in my life had such great personal service when walking into any restaurant, and we at at quite a few. The owners are there to greet you at the door with a smile and talks you up like you're his/her best friend he/she hasn't seen in a while and you are visiting their home. Polite. The great food and huge portions. Well, plan on boxing up your leftovers because you won't be able to eat it all. (4) Redundancy in services. When I say this, every few blocks is a "mom and pop" neighborhood grocery, barber/hair salon, places where you buy clothing, flowers and plants, etc. No "big box" stores. We didn't travel into Manhattan or the Wall Street districts, this was Brooklyn, more the "everyday, middle-class and poor". I don't recall seeing any homeless on the streets in Brooklyn. Big apartment buildings with storefronts on the street level. Hotels were very nice, but tucked in on a side street, and were not of the popular chains like Hilton, Days Inn, Holiday Inn, etc., but were, again, more of the "mom and pop", small business owner type. Lots of people, 4 lanes of traffic going each way with a median in the middle. The city moves quickly. No time to stop. If you do, get yourself off to the side because people are walking in mass and quickly. Interesting thing, I felt completely safe. It was not quite what I had expected, but in a good way.
At any rate, have a great time.
