The Struggle of Living in NYC

[@casey]

well. i guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[@MindsetHalo]

Hey Casey, are you Familiar with a Photographer named Christian Lee?

[@hjayy0151]

Lol

[@Jean_villegas]

I think your brother right on this casey

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Unacceptable!!! We need a old fashioned dual ! 😂

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

@@MindsetHalo Pro tip. Casey doesn’t read comments.

[@space_1073]

7:00 I'm a massive fan of the weather. I need 4 seasons. I've lived in both LA and NYC and I hate constant endless sunny summer, it feels like I'm in purgatory. Rain is cozy and also keeps wildfires from happening every year.

[@hugomeyers7391]

We need a conversation between Van and Casey about living in NY. Fun to hear their opinions and them debating.

[@MultiTravellingman]

I'd say they'd be similar. Both are workaholics, have families, companies, employees etc, both super busy. made money, but limited free time.

[@imranvp]

Please do a podcast together Van & Casey!! Would absolutely love it!

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

@@MultiTravellingman They have a misconception of what wealth really is. Casey is better suited, he had nothing.

[@robbie154]

I mean he made it clear. Casey is loaded and wont be in NYC full time. Life for him is easy mode.

[@Lions7.62mm]

Right?! Would be AWESOME!!

[@underacheiver2000]

Thank you Van. I was born and raised NYC. I lived in every borough. I really thought NY was everything until I traveled in my 40's. I felt like I had been swindled for the 1st 40 years of my life. I bought into NYC being the greatest city in the world, but slowly the veils were removed from my eyes and I saw NYC for what is was, a dirty, angry, corrupt city teaming with disenfranchised people scrambling for existence. Seeing cities like Lisbon, Prague, Budapest, Buenos Aires etc. gave me a whole new vision of what city life could be. You are right NYC is great if you have a lot of money, it always amazed me that I could feel poor making over 100K a year. Not long after reaching my mid fifties I had enough, I left and moved to the country in PA. Best move of my life. Also congrats on your sobriety, I am celebrating each day since 1996 without drugs or alcohol. I wish you continued success in life.

[@Seeker0fTruth]

Very cool. Enjoyed your comment. What part of PA? Just curious.

[@EastSide-qc5oy]

Would love to know how you shifted in terms of making a living. One of the things that keeps people going around in circles in NYC even when wanting out is their job. For certain specific fields there’s opportunity in NYC that is unparalleled in the rest of the country. Get tired of your job you can find a new one “relatively” quickly. Remote work has changed this to some degree and hopefully will continue to on some level.

[@crBudgetWatches]

As a tourist , idyllic NYC is awesome during that stretch going from Halloween to New Years Eve. It's all what the movies want you to believe it always is. However , for many , commuting from the Bronx each day during a 100F day to make ends meet is more what reality is.

[@johnottr]

The people who think NYC isn’t the greatest city in the world, people like you, do not understand NYC and all that it gives to the world. People from every corner of the world come here to think and discuss ideas with each other Those ideas sometimes change the world. That never happens in the woods in PA.

[@EastSide-qc5oy]

@@johnottr That’s a silly comment. You’re talking about abstracts. Yes a lot of summits and stuff happen in NYC. So? That has little to with most peoples DAILY quality of life, their DAILY experience of living and working and trying to find some happiness. How dare you tell someone who was BORN AND RAISED in NYC and lived in every borough that they “don’t understand NYC.” That’s a load of bullcrap. Calling it the “greatest city in the world” is a greeting card epithet. I cant stand ignorance about NYC from people who don’t live here and describe it only by its worst features, but I also cant stand the arrogance of people who call it the “greatest city in the world” as though no other perspectives are valid. Yes it has a lot to offer but it simply isn’t for everyone and has plenty of negatives. Some people decide the good things don’t justify the extremely high costs and the negatives. It’s a personal choice for each individual. It doesn’t make them wrong. It just makes them value different things than you. Also you sound young and a bit naive. Give the city a couple decades and as you get older and what you value shifts a bit (as it usually does), you may change your tune.

[@romanhed]

This is probably one of the most succint, effective and emotionally engaging Van stories told to date. These are getting even better.

[@jp9211]

Yeah this guy is OP

[@thecarstudio9124]

The B roll, the story, the narrating, I can't help but watch this and be inspired to make videos.

[@canadude6401]

It is an incredible post. Van knows how to tell a story at a deep human level and makes it all look easy. If you have ever edited a video before, you know the hours and hours it takes to put together. The clips from NYC alone would have taken a long time to collect and trim down to fit this story.

[@nycexposed]

Finally a mainstream video exposing nyc for the sh!th0le it is!

[@blackguardunlimeted]

I cannot agree more! I lived in Manhattan for more than 2 years, wow!

[@fty-ys4ni]

My favorite part about the way you and Casey tell stories is that you always have archival footage of your own to show exactly what you’re talking about. It’s insane. To be able to document my life like that is what I dream about. But the way cell phones and social media have changed the way we consume media it makes it hard to

[@EmilyMarais]

If you always have a phone with you, it’s actually easier to. Cameras are great, you can store everything in a cloud straight away. Make what you want to

[@tejasjadhav5663]

It's crazy how Casey's and van's perspective of new York is completely opposite. These guys are legends.

[@daveSoupy]

Remember that Casey still left NYC and was fed up with it. He’s visiting it and waxing poetic but he hasn’t moved back

[@ryanm4319]

@@daveSoupy it’s funny though, even them both having left they settled similarly in completely opposite areas in California with Casey in LA because of Candice, and Van in the outskirts way beyond the city with a real driveway and house up North.

[@stevemuzak8526]

@@daveSoupy his wife hates LA. She want to move back to NYC

[@ingresswizard9044]

Money tends to fix a lot of the things you get aggravated about.

[@Rix317]

@@stevemuzak8526 LA scene is kinda harsh for women, with supermodels and actresses a plenty and in every restaurant waiting tables waiting for their break. With a lot of the social problems that New York has but less of that old charm. I mean fantastic weather though.

[@MIKEBORGIA]

I am surprised to hear anyone say that LA is their reward when leaving NYC, but that’s your journey and NY is definitely a career building place.

[@adifferenttake8351]

I lived in LA and its hardly a reward. In fact, one can be just as lonely in LA as they can be in any large American city. They lack real warmth, connection and pathos. Several folks I knew in in LA ended up marrying someone they met while traveling abroad. American big city life is like life in Sex and the City. It;s way too competitive and contrived. If LA works for Van, good for him. That's all that matters in the end.

[@AlexCab_49]

Me too, I was raised in LA and I hardly would call this place a reward.

[@CastorRabbit]

Only having visited both, I'd go back to NYC today and consider living there but I'll never go back to LA. Nothing really happened, it's just a shit hole.

[@travis-heaps]

I’ve lived in LA for 15 years and visit NYC quite a bit. An NY>LA transplant once said, people in NY struggle together and people in LA struggle alone. There’s definitely camaraderie in NYC that is lacking in LA. But another take away is, in NYC things can happen to you where in LA you have to make things happen. You can have a weird and wonderful time in both places but in LA you have to seek it out, nobody cares about you and there’s no street culture that sucks you into random situations. Food is far surperior in NYC per capita. Living and doing your errands is far more appealing in LA. Both places require hustle if you don’t earn a ton of money.

[@gabrielta1]

Newer you make money in New York, or you get a good salary if you needs to pay till 4 or 5000 dollars for a shitty little Apartement….New York is nothing just a bad movie, raining, cold, stinky a lots of rats…..oh man

[@canadude6401]

Van, Please NEVER stop doing these videos. You are one of a few authentic souls on the platform.

[@StremDubs]

So true! It's channels like his and Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan that keeps me on this web page.

[@dubsbridge]

Van really is some kind of oasis of insight and creativity that is the “palette cleanser” for my psyche.

[@peteralkhabout8920]

What other channels are like his ? I need some please

[@canadude6401]

@@peteralkhabout8920 Have you checked out Tom Sachs channel?. Van filmed most of them.

[@peteralkhabout8920]

@@canadude6401 oh yea bro. The great mentor. I need someone fresh😂

[@MrGweilo]

I just love this conclusion, it says so much about how the Spirited Man sees the hardship as a necessary evil for a better life. Inspiring.

[@CashJordan]

“You hang out in rooms”…. and If you’re lucky, there’s a window 🪟

[@lisadennisorourke797]

Sounds like an expensive prison cell

[@thomthum2000]

...and if you're _real_ lucky, a medicine cabinet! 🙌

[@brianlivingstonjr.7324]

HA HA pretty funny that you caught that, Cash. You've got a gift for making those rooms look appealing.

[@HereBeBarr]

The point at 11:50 about people moving away really hit home. So true.

[@cartmanschannel]

I'd love to watch you and Casey on the same table, just chilling, random conversations. Not memories or not personal stuff though, just basic stuff.

[@DanielFinton]

What a pod that would be. The Neistat brothers reboot?

[@MrNokiax201]

Podcast material

[@AboveAverageNPC]

The Neistat Brothers: The Podcast ......?

[@BoxersRealty]

I arrived in NYC in the 80s. I always found New Yorkers to be very friendly and very helpful people. I still feel that way today. Having in lived in various European cities, I can speak from experience. NYC is what you make of it. I would agree that the city has become out of reach financially for many people. It wasn't this way in the 80s or 90s. NYC has become a very expensive city to live in but so have most major cities in the world. London, Paris, Madrid etc. What I miss most from NYC in the 80s and 90s, was the vibe the city had. You would go out at night and the city was electric. There were so many great clubs, that weren't that expensive to enter. You could stay out all night and still have a few dollars left over for an early breakfast special in a diner.

[@transitionsnc]

Agree with you about the NYC vibe in the 80s and 90s...it was really special.

[@senoracheapee1864]

I agree. I was a teen/young adult in the 90’s and I grew up kinda poor and had a ball! It wasn’t until 2005’ish that things got super expensive. All the free stuff in the city, the cool independent craftsmen and designers who could have a store, and one of a kind street merchants all ended. Giuliani played a big role in killing that electric vibe the city had

[@michelledaniels9131]

Well said. I can identify with every word. I miss the old nyc

[@alluringbliss4165]

I live in South Florida, you can recognize Nyers with their impatience, honking while the light is till red , ect. Their presence has made the area I live in fast paced and that's a good thing.

[@compedium]

How much of this is just missing youth? I don't deny that it also sounds amazing

[@RamblinAround]

The honesty is refreshing.

[@marcioslsouza]

The NYC affected both Van's and Cassey's lives differently. They had the same experiences there, but the result was totally opposite. Great video, Van!

[@longmowervideo]

Yes. I have been in NYC 25 years now (moved from the west coast). The kind of day you are going to have is determined by your frame of mind when you step out the door.

[@feelinghealingfrequences7179]

examples plz

[@JustinSeara]

LMAO that is such bullshit hahahaha, where did you read that? Some self help book? Compared to California and other west coast places, New York City fucking blows.

[@sasha_nivar]

That’s is facts!

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

So interesting you say that. This really jives with my experience in NYC. If you aren’t on top of things, or aren’t under control in your mind, you are vulnerable to attack to from all sides in NYC. Under those conditions the city comes at you too fast and you get blow away.

[@timothyandrewnielsen]

bullshit. I've been in great spirits stepping out the door so many times just to have it stripped away 5minutes later by people pushing and shoving on the train.

[@gnosis7188]

As a lifelong New Yorker I wholeheartedly agree with everything in this video, it really is a love hate relationship living here, it's not for the faint hearted.

[@TomWilton]

I was 34 when I moved to NYC. I landed just at the right time - too old to act stupid, but young enough to still learn a lot. There are many great cities in the world, but I can't think of any other hostile place that has ever felt so welcoming.

[@pamgodsoe9076]

Totally agree, I moved to NYC in my 40’s

[@cabraonropes5622]

@@pamgodsoe9076nyc is a dumb now a days.

[@Bailemos888]

Cool.

[@earlr2992]

The guy in the video seems to have some bad experiences and attributing to living in NY. He seems very angry. NY is a great place to live . It is expensive but most people live there for the experience and have a great time. I have travelled all over the world and every city has it's bad points and it's good points; including NYC.

[@krosfyah4932]

Same Tom, moved at 36, completely changed my career and become a filmmaker. It’s been a wild ride but it does feel much like a playground for the rich these days, but then maybe it’s also just me getting older (just hit 47). I do love this place still, even though it’s a challenge but I’m thinking more and more to try and be elsewhere for 3-6 months a year

[@karenpower1643]

I guess you owe me one big kiss! I'm Canadian, accepted a job in Manhattan in 2018 and I was there for 4.5 years. I will NEVER live there again! Anyone who knows I lived there said "Oh that's so cool. I was there for a long weekend and it was the best". Without even thinking I said "You have no idea what it's really like. You have to live there to really know what really happens!" THANK YOU for this!

[@eileenhwalsh]

Just to illustrate the opposite truth, Unlike most, I moved to New York at 42. Like many, I came broke. I had a very seasonal job at Radio City and vague ideas on art spaces. I took my tame and let New York help me. I did what interested me, the free stuff like art shows and beautiful walks and window shopping. I wasn’t lazy but did not buy into the idea that you must be on fire at all times. this helped me meet real people, who I really liked. Yes, most of the sharp ones are long time New Yorkers. I feel that the vibe of actually living in the city and not just coming here to squeeze the juice out of it made all the difference. With 8 million people you will meet any type of person you can dream up here. 15 years later Still kinda broke but having done things I could never have anywhere else. The subway is pretty rough but what other city can you go to as many disparate corners of a city all the time? As a broke person buying that monthly metro meant I could do anything anywhere in the city with a 2hour window. I lived through Covid, this was horrible but also we the leftovers were very good to each other. Reminding me that, yes we have to walk past lots of the world biggest assholes young and old but just keep it moving and you find whatever you like…except nature…not too much of that.

[@gaigehardy3861]

I lived in long island for a summer. Although it is an island with 7 million people it really didn’t feel like it. Lots of nature in Long Island.

[@edwardchester1]

"The subway is pretty rough but what other city can you go to as many disparate corners of a city all the time?" Many big cities round the world. There are inherently only so many cities on the scale of New York but the likes of London, Paris, Hong Kong, Berlin, Tokyo all spring to mind as place with better underground and public transport infrastructure.

[@soporific881]

subways are trash, stop defending it

[@michael_harren]

I'm with you! You can make it, and even love NYC without being wealthy. I love it here and make my modest living as a musician and educator. It's great here.

[@NewYorkCity646]

Thank you so much for sharing this perspective. I am about to move to New York City and also in my 40s. I am terrified but I am ready for a new adventure.

[@wuzomed]

I'm from Chicago jewelry industry and i keep getting big offers to move to New York but everyone around me advices me against it. Thanks for putting it in this specific perspective. I think i owe it to my self to go give it a chance.

[@markdamstra]

chi is having problems too. major cities are in decline. will it get better

[@leoandriasyan4158]

My favorite creator right now and for the last year. Ur the man Van!

[@PaulHLowe]

I visited NYC in my 20's and quickly figured out it was not the place for me. It was fun being a tourist and seeing things I had seen on TV, but my favorite part of the city was Central Park. I found a spot where you couldn't see any buildings or hear any of the traffic or construction. I enjoyed the solitude. That's probably why I now live in Colorado.

[@kosmosbjm]

I would feel exactly the same. The high buildings, the constant noise, all blocking out any beauty there might be. Living like that every day would feel like torture. I’m actually from the west coast coastal community where we have beauty around us, outdoor space and very little noise. It’s not perfect, but a far far cry from a dirty, busy, noisy city devoid of nature.

[@abrown5526]

Please tell me where this spot is 🥹

[@MarkPermann]

@@abrown5526North Woods

[@Omster437]

As someone who lived in NYC my whole life in a first generation immigrant low income family, you nailed it you should only live in NYC if 1.born here 2. Have a higher income 3.or have a mission or aspiration that can be obtained in NYC. A lot of people never mention the borough where I believe in the life of the city flows.

[@michaellai4130]

Same with me

[@opart]

Best NYC borough is New Jersey! :)

[@cabraonropes5622]

@@opartNew Jersey is so diff it’s a lot more Spanish then new york

[@opart]

@@cabraonropes5622 Thats a blanket statement - there are all kinds of neighborhoods in NJ. Parts of Jersey city, and North Bergen, yeah, hispanic, then you have Japanese and Koreans further up north, and then all kinds of culture hotspots inland, indian, russian, you name it.

[@justincuffley2321]

I totally agree that if you decide to live in NYC to be sure you have a reason or purpose for being there. I always wanted to live there, and I moved there in my mid 20s. Had a cafe job in NoHo and a CD warehouse gig in Brooklyn. I was constantly commuting and tired and broke, and very soon after moving there, I had that thought myself, “Why am I here? I’m not an actor. Not a singer or dancer or aspiring media mogul. Not a Wall Street wannabe. So why? For the sake of saying, “Yes - I’m a NY’r” ? It’s not enough. I left promptly after that realization. I love visiting though, so I decided to keep my relationship with NYC casual and occasional.

[@jeffelstone]

This was beautiful. Thank you for articulating my complicated feelings about having lived in NYC for 16 years.

[@shodansmith]

Love your true and direct opinion of the Big Apple- I’m originally from the UK- lived and worked in the city for 10yrs, 2yrs ago moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Miss NYC a lot and visit regularly, the trick to living in NYC is to pick the bones out of it! The whirlwind that is NY will always be in my heart! Love ya channel!❤

[@davidhartley94]

As someone in their 20s, living in London, just about getting by but pushing for a dream - this is very inspiring! Thanks Van.

[@robertjosephs2629]

As a born new Yorker, lived there for my first 43 years and moved to the Philly suburbs I can tell you the energy is amazing, it keeps you moving, working, aspiring, feeling but not in

[@creator_yo]

After watching this video I still wish to live in NYC one day. Thanks for another amazing storytelling!

[@95ryanj]

I've watched this video over 50 times, and I currently live in New York. The way this video fills me with overwhelming nostalgia for a chapter that is not yet closed moves me each time. The way the music roars with the flashback videos brings tears to my eyes. I can't describe it

[@akgirlnyaussie1264]

The NYC experience is very much dependent on your mindset. As someone who lived there with only $100 to spend for fun a month, including eating, you have to be willing to adventure alone. So many fun memories there. Would live there again in a heartbeat.

[@kareta24]

I'd love to hear about your experience on tight budgeting!

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

$100/month for groceries ain’t gonna get you very far in NYC supermarkets these days.

[@silversurfermusicco5263]

@@icecreamforcrowhurst 2 bagels and coffee

[@CastorRabbit]

@@icecreamforcrowhurst A $100/month budget being do-able is very much dependent on you being a girl

[@V.E.R.O.]

@@CastorRabbit Yeah, it's more doable if you're a woman because you eat less. I spend on average $150 on groceries in L.A. but I buy in bulk and make most things from scratch. If I eat out once a month that can cost from $8 to $30 depending on the place and meal.

[@StandTallStudios]

Van, thank you for creating this video. 🙏 The struggle : you display it, explain it, show your solutions to it. All while painting an emotional edit. Wow

[@francobuhay9604]

5th year here. Moved here at 22 like you. The parallels between our experiences are interesting particularly the maturity gained being here. I haven’t reached the point of disillusion yet since I’m still in the trenches of building something for myself, but I’m glad to see that you can leave this place and be happy for it.

[@JackFate76]

You mature in your 20s regardless of where you are.

[@hannahnomme9217]

Emotional reflector!! THIS! It's like London. It's insane how much these cities intensify your emotions. If you're not rich enough to leave for at least a month three times a year you're at the mercy of this energy vortex.

[@mattslaboratory5996]

The story of friends in their 20's=30's sharing their struggles in the city and then gradually one by one moving away as their lives developed: that happens all the time, in many cities. For me it was Vancouver. But I bet there are people who could wax nostalgic about their youth in Cincinnati and how they just had to get away eventually.

[@LogicalWaste]

Yup. Ended up out in Surrey. Vancouver has obvious benefits, but the stress of trying to survive there was unbearable.

[@devoidbmx1]

I moved to Vancouver when I was 18 for university. I have the same story. The only friends still there grew up there. I think part of this is the extreme housing cost in a place like Vancouver and NY. It is very hard to justify staying in such a place, especially as you get older.

[@Phillyprnc]

Philadelphia for me. Loved living downtown working in advertising. NY a couple weekends a year as a treat. Now Sapporo. Muuuuuch slower pace. But spending my 20s & 30s in the city is one of the best decisions I ever made. So was leaving at 36 (to Japan).

[@edwardchester1]

@@Phillyprnc That touches on one of my smaller regrets in life, really. These days I have no desire to live in London (the obvious big place for me to move to and make my name/career) but I almost did and wished I had for a while when back in my late 20s. Lived close and worked there but I never had the true central living experience.

[@fungus_am0nguz644]

@@Phillyprnc is it Sapporo that as a city is one of the slow ones in Japan?? (Bc in Tokyo and Osaka, Yokomaha,Kyoto were really fun, to go out late at night. My sis lived there for 7years. One of the craziest countries ive ever been. It was a like a lucid dream....oh oh lol sorry for the rambling. Or 2) do you think your age now at 36 has something to do with it?

[@kaysha]

Your mileage will vary. This reminds me of my experience with 30 years in Paris vs now in Lisbon

[@tuzikdiachenko657]

The most honest review of NY city in history.

[@rafaelrocha266]

All the support from Portugal man, great videos!!!! 🇵🇹🇵🇹

[@seano1334]

The prescence of Nyers in Nyc is 100% spot on. The lines are everywhere but they move efficiently. The best way to experience NYC is to have no plans and just allow the city to open up to you. My favorite thing is to just take the train in with a credit card and just be present in the moment.

[@hennagal7360]

The way you curate your observations and present them feels like a kind of mental ikebana - opposing dynamics - a bewitching arrangement - thanks

[@mommyneedsatimeout9355]

4th generation native New Yorker here. And I'm here only because my husband forwarded this to me because his story is somewhat similar to yours. He's not as whiny as you though. There, the mean spirited NYer just came out. Really though, NY is so much more than not being rich enough to afford to eat at $$$$$ restaurants 7 or even 4 days a week. It's so much more than your diagram illustrating your lack of free time and money, etc....the scene from the Pizza shop was the most insightful part about NY and the very reason why I use my daughter as the most viable excuse to stay here while my husband begs me every fucking day to leave. We have 8 more years before she is what I would consider grown up in NY. Already showing her street smarts and alertness is absolute key to not just surviving but thriving above all others anywhere else. But I digress.....one of my pet peeves if you care to know is long term tourists. People who live here for a short time, drive the prices up for the natives and then leave the rest of us to deal with the higher cost of living. It's people who live here for a year that are the reason for a lot of the new construction. "If you build it they will (continue) to come." Or some shit like that. Now I'm not saying that people shouldn't live here, but the people that live here for a short time and complain about how expensive it is to live here are the VERY reason it's so fucking expensive....and we have to work overtime to afford it, and then have little free time. The irony is all but lost on the LTTs as I "affectionaly" call people who live in NYC for a year. Another thing, NYC is 5 boroughs. To say "outter boroughs" is unbelievably elitist and offensive. As a native who grew up NOT in Manhattan, I would actually never choose to live Manhattan because I see that borough as a place to work, shop and play only. But, as an LTT, of course you want to because that's what tourists do!! Funny thing, in 1995 I had an amazing job opportunity in Northern FL....was packed up and ready to go, and declined, because everything I hated about NYC...the subway, crowdedness...made me stay. For every one thing there is to hate about NYC, there are no less than 10 reasons to love it. I traveled extensive outside NY, and the US extensively and perhaps India was the only other place I can say the same of. I turned to my husband and said you sound like you're talking about an ex girlfriend through the entire video, an ex that you're not quite over because 20 years is actually a long time. So I get it. You're not really over her. She treated you like shit, but she had some very redeeming qualities that you won't find in anyone else. I hear you loud and clear. I see you. She will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's ok. You are better for the experience. But don't think we, the sharp NYers, don't see that you miss her terribly. She's always here for a visit.........be well.

[@scottjones8100]

Hi Mr. Neistat: I just discovered your channel this week, and I've been gobbling up your movies like there's no tomorrow. Your voice, thoughts and storytelling are just compelling. Keep it up, sir!

[@DanielGladstone]

Excellent breakdown from the experiences Van has had. I think it is super important to point out that Van came here to pursue a very particular kind of career in film and art. Both those scenes have a highly biased focus on on money and fame and his experiences in those scenes created a particular kind of perspective about the city. There are many other scenes in the city that are less focussed on wealth and influence; the academic world, the queer communities, the radical political communities etc. There are many broke people in this city living rich lives.

[@chrisdoesmusic]

Love this

[@ninjabeds7474]

That’s a great point

[@freethinker3083]

Wow. Great point.

[@WindsongSoundBath]

Can you maybe say more about broke people living rich lives in NYC? I'm truly interested to hear about that as in depth as you may want to talk about.

[@bruhbutwhytho]

​@@WindsongSoundBathsome of the happiest people you meet are poor people who live in either the projects or the outer boroughs because of the life that the cities have.

[@HughGuiney]

I share your brother’s enthusiasm for New York-I lived there briefly, visit often, and want to move back-but the alternate perspective you’re offering is still a breath of fresh air. Like Bob Dylan, the book store clerk, and yourself, NYC’s trick is that it believes it is amazing. If enough New Yorkers go around claiming Best City In The World status, people who don’t necessarily know the difference will tend to believe them, purely on the basis of that confidence. Even if I’m not dissuaded from moving there on the basis of this (well-articulated and reasonable) rant, tempering sky-high expectations is never a bad exercise. Love what you’re putting out!

[@derryXDINES]

The funny thing is, as a New Yorker (I'm upstate, but I was born in and visit the city) I can totally relate with both you and Casey on this. While Casey shows the romantic side of Manhattan, your perspective is totally practical and illustrates the grit. When I visit, it's for very short periods because, for me, the progression from the romance of the city to the grit happens pretty fast!

[@sasha_nivar]

Omg yes! It’s a ebb and flow of both for me

[@RisingRecluse]

Van seems more Martin Scorsese and Casey seems more Woody Allen about New York. It's the grit verse the romanticism.

[@DS-nw4eq]

Try southern Virginia, eating wings at a restaurant and having a stranger whisper in your ear about eating their a**hole. Stay away from Virginia Beach… unless you like the ghetto. Coming to a suburb near you under the guise of justice

[@SicilianStealth]

Well that's the beauty of my home as I am a Chelsea Manhattan resident and originally from Rye New York which they consider upstate I love my city grit and all. Just because somebody else can't handle it doesn't mean the rest of us can't.

[@jziskind]

@@SicilianStealthWell, you moved from one extremely rich place to another

[@rvsam4u]

Wow Van! You have a Wonderful ability to tell a story! Your honesty and take on New York was both fascinating and truly captivating.

[@JackCalvinRoss]

Intro had me rolling. "Like the draft." Going to Manhattan for the first time next week. This got me super pumped to capture the experience and really watch the people and energy of the city. Great video as usual Van!

[@jonaskessler326]

14:34 born and raised NYer here and I left when I was 18 and never looked back. The ones who are true “townies” tend to be folks with families who still live there and/or have family businesses they can join after college.

[@sebastianford8894]

the editing, the emotion. this is exceptional van

[@RollSoundRollcamera]

I don’t know who this guy is but I have a similar experience with growing up, living and eventually leaving NY. Although I never really romanticized it, despite experiencing moderate success. Seeing this video and the mid 2000’s footage is the first time I’ve felt nostalgic for a time in my life I didn’t give a shit about.

[@DW-xt7vz]

Loved living in New York and would live there again if I could. But the rain was definitely a problem and underappreciated by anyone who hasn’t lived there. I still miss the city though - but I totally respect the perspective in this video.

[@cabraonropes5622]

The city has gone to shit, homeless people everywhere and just pissing and shitting on the streets

[@garnettbrown]

You are so much on point, I couldn't have said it any better about New York City. I lived there for forty years before leaving.

[@michael_harren]

I'm 52 and I moved to New York when I was 39. My only regret is that I didn't move here sooner. I can't never imagine myself living anywhere else. In the words of Sandra Bernhard, "if you can make it there, you'll fail everywhere else." I have a totally chill life here that I never could have created in my home state of Texas.

[@streetstylefinds]

I moved back to NYC at 37 from my home state of TX too...I hope to say this at 52😁

[@christopher59]

Place is a shithole , each to their own

[@noway2836]

Sorry, you must have lived in Austin.

[@marcelrodriguez2067]

let me guess you dont live in the south bronx? cause if you did you would want to move out ASAP.

[@michael_harren]

@@noway2836 No, Houston. And in Tyler for a few dark years.

[@louisgoodall3562]

This is, for me, the best. Just your one on one monologue. Beautiful. The shots of New York emphasizing your experiences -- more please; you don't have to do anything else.

[@maxeav8275]

I'd love to see a video with you and Casey, maybe traveling somewhere, but mainly just interacting with each other. Two crafty and creative souls, that just happens to be brothers.

[@bryanparish7530]

Found you because of your brother. Love the channel!! Very individual style. Very refreshing

[@JewiMacca]

So interesting to see both Van and Casey have such different views of NY. You either love or hate NY, there is no in between. Fun place to visit but I could never live there. Like Van said, the people who enjoy it the most are rich not to say people who are doing ok don't enjoy it. It just makes it a hell of a lot easier. Without much money you are going to live in a tiny apartment or share one with other people. You pretty much have to go out unless you like feeling cramped. Going out will cost you money. Drinks, food, etc. Also when the weather isn't great, just being outside isn't really an option. I love Central Park, but that can get boring after a while. There isn't much escape from the hustle and bustle that is NY.

[@purplism4857]

i dunno man i grew up there and i love it endlessly and hate it with a deep passion at the same time. the problem with new york is that socially it's all about connections and if you go there as a tourist without really knowing a local who can take you out and show you a good time that isn't just a money trap, then yea it's gonna be a giant expenditure with no gain. but if you live there a while and get to know where the cool stuff is, you might end up in a disco party at a spa on a monday morning at 3am kicking it with Gordon Ramsay. happened to me in my early 20s hahaha. but i live in Utah now and i can recognize how new york was messing with my mental health. the noise is really what gets to you after a while. best place to be as a teenager/early 20s kid who loves music and art tho, for sure

[@novelaego2404]

its whatever to me honestly

[@JewiMacca]

@@purplism4857 I hear you. Yes, NY is great for young single people looking to party. Raising a family in Manhattan would be very difficult without a lot of money.

[@Lions7.62mm]

The first scene here REALLY‼️ reminded me of the Baz Luhrman song "sunscreen song" as he says: "live in NYC once, but leave before it makes you hard" 👌👌👌

[@GleNRG]

I love your archive footage, Van. Your honest, brutal review made it look even better... hehe Thanks for your commitment to this channel, mate. I sincerely appreciate it. 👌

[@georgemoscahlades7473]

Spotted my old friend Kate Spade in your video. Worked with her when she was a magazine editor and later on our daughters attended the same schools. She lived the New York dream. I’m not sure the kids coming here now have the same passion to create as they did then. Maybe I’m wrong. We then lived in a three dimensional analog world. Miss her spirit and warmth.

[@alex-um4bk]

This was so cool Van. I would love to see a video of you and Casey having a deep dive about the city, your different experiences, stories, opinions and all. As someone that’s never been to NYC but wants to badly, that would be an awesome watch.

[@TheBailiff2]

Van - I haven't watched you or a while, im am fussy about what I watch. This video made me happy, ponder, reflect, think, contemplate life. Thanks buddy

[@troytaylor5824]

Van, your vlogs are interesting and informative. I really like it when you edit in the oldie style clips. I see the excellence and understand why Casey wanted to support your return to vlogging. Good story.

[@tbaggs10]

This video started playing on my Home Screen tonight when I turned on KZbin. I watched the entire thing to the finish. I have no idea who this guy is. Great video. I’ll be looking at more of his stuff.

[@tyler951]

Really enjoyed this video and I totally believe it. Casey's vlogs are what made me want to visit NYC so much. I really had an amazing time while there for a week in late November -> early December 2016 and I believe that every American would be better for visiting NYC to experience the diversity of cultures, languages, religion and people. But, I was exhausted after that week and knew there would be no way that I would want to live there full time. I could see all the hustle and go go go every day of the commuters and I tried my best to stay out of their way. I witnessed what I consider "the quintessential NYC moment" first hand of someone crossing the street in front of a car having to slam on the brakes and the honking and cussing and the back and forth. There was also the poignancy of seeing a Jamaican man rolling around in a wheelchair in tattered clothes with his leg up with a rotting wound visible through his ripped jeans asking for help... so many vivid memories from that trip.

[@briancencula]

I’ve never heard my feelings put so succinctly. Thank you for this video.

[@marsgizmo]

remarkable episode 👏

[@pocketofmarbles]

oh my god, this is so spot-on and so incredibly cathartic.

[@kbd9765]

I’m an Aussie in my 40s who moved to NY for ex gf. This is exactly how I’ve always felt about the city. Gonna need a Why I Moved To LA one next to gives me something to hold onto, now

[@bryanpi6903]

Wow bro. Sorry you had such a rough time in New York. I’ve lived here pretty much my whole life and I love it here. Best of luck wherever makes you happy

[@audiovisualrangel]

Hello from Mexico City! Loved this video! Hope one day I could go on vacation to NYC. I´d love to know more about your trips to Mexico City or Oaxaca. I love to hear stories about my country from the visitors.

[@novelaego2404]

por que las mujeres de cdmx son tan feas?

[@HannahLorenc]

I’m so glad this popped up in my suggested videos. I had no idea Van was still making videos!

[@caryconover]

I spent my mid 20s to mid 30s in the Lower East Side 2000-2010 and it was the greatest time of my life. Met my wife at the bar at 288 Elizabeth, our son was born in NYC as well. Living and teaching in my hometown of Wichita now for 12 years but we still miss NYC dearly. In 2013 I flew from Atlanta to Boston and I was on the left side of the airplane as we flew up the east coast. A black and white aerial photo I took out the window, of the entire island of Manhattan, is printed large on my office wall.

[@BIMMERZEITT]

Why did you leave?

[@caryconover]

@@BIMMERZEITT I was terrible at freelancing

[@novelaego2404]

that was peak bro its not like that at all anymore

[@MagicAce101]

Thank you for this. It is so good to hear people being honest about what a place is really like to live there: the details of the noise, roads, weather, socialising, subway, etc. We had optimistic expectations of what London would be like and were sorely disappointed when we arrived to live here - and for a lot of the same reasons you give in this video. About to go to New York for the first time next month, so glad to have my expectations set realistically.

[@raysoamazing]

Lived in NYC for 3 years. Ecstatic to be out. Great place to visit, but to live, never again. I do agree that everyone should try to live there for at least a year. They’d learn so much. The odd thing is I left in 2020, but I still talk about my experiences I had there . It’s like the city has a hold on you even after you leave.

[@Dondillilochevrolet]

Idk how old you are but sounds young because if your young you only have so many experiences to think of. Living in nyc is a big one for a youth so that makes sense that you talk a lot about it ‘now’

[@raysoamazing]

@@Dondillilochevroletnot sure how or why you assumed my age based on my comment, but the better connection would just be that I didn’t live there long so my experience would be more limited than someone who lived there longer. But again, this is only my experience. Also this comment was 8 months ago so i don’t even remember what this video was about…

[@Jack27372]

As someone that’s from NYC it’s amazing to see how on point you are, what’s even crazier is 3 decades later nothing has changed, it’s just as bad.. Trains, traffic, garbage, crazy people.. why people think nyc is some amazing place is beyond me.. between June and September it’s ok, the rest of the time it is a complete shithole!

[@deesee6009]

As a 42 year old who has spent the last 16 years in New York and is on the cusp of leaving, this one hit hard - Bravo!

[@chadbaxter5578]

When and of the Neistat brothers post you know it’s gonna be a great day!

[@AdamM]

Everyone I've heard that left New York can't tell you why they stayed so long. Most talk about it as being in an abusive relationship and not realizing how bad you have it because you've never had a loving relationship.

[@transitionsnc]

I lived in NYC for 14 years and your comment is how I would describe it.

[@WindsongSoundBath]

@@transitionsnc I'm at 13 at the moment. Any tips for planning an escape?

[@transitionsnc]

@@WindsongSoundBath You really need to ask yourself...Do you really want to leave permanently? I left NYC and came back twice. The third time I left, I knew it was for good. You need to ask yourself why you want to leave. There are certain things about NYC that will not change. Also, review the pragmatics. Is your job (or way to make a living) based in NYC? How easy is it for you to leave and continue to generate an income? I really planned a lot because leaving and potentially coming back to NYC is a lot of time and energy. I questioned myself constantly for three years previous to leaving and finally left for good in 2015. I lived in Sacramento for 4 years (which I loved) and now I live in Philadelphia (which I also love). I would also recommend the book Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York, which is a collection of stories about writers who have left NYC (pre-COVDI) and where they ended up. (Of course there are multiple KZbin Channels as well). I wish you all the best in making your decision. I know it's not easy.

[@WindsongSoundBath]

@@transitionsnc good points. Thanks. I'm actually originally from Philly. If you see any good avant garde jazz music down there, say hi for me!

[@transitionsnc]

@@WindsongSoundBath I was born and raised in Philly. Was away for 29 years and returned in 2019. I love living in Philly! It's so much better than NYC (IMO). All the best to you in making your decision. I know it's not easy when you've been there for a while but when you know, you know. Go with your gut.

[@heyjude813]

Great video. I often wondered about this topic. I've been to New York a few times and the weather always sucked.

[@5ANDW1CHES]

Love it. The story telling, the vintage footage, everything. Thank you! Personally, you couldn't pay me enough to live in either NYC or LA, but to each their own 🤎

[@BoardWalkToke]

Can't really say for NY as I've only been there once but I live in OC just south of LA. I would NEVER in a million years move to LA unless I was rich af. That place is a shit hole.

[@novelaego2404]

the oc is trash

[@jeffdamitz8198]

Thank you spirited man Van. Your adventure in NYC should be made into a kILLERS song set to your video. Best story and analysis i have ever found on yt.

[@supersleepydude4]

as a 23 year old who moved to manhattan ten months ago, i couldn’t agree more

[@sunnyd6019]

LOL great video Van! Spot On Home Run........... NYC is awesome when you can leave it.

[@NightOfCrystals]

Yeah, this was good for me to hear. I have thought a lot about living in New York. I live in (and am from) Portland, Maine. While things have changed a lot here, there is a lot of good here in Maine. Slow pace of life. Beautiful nature. Climate crisis haven’t been too bad so far. Parts of the state are still more affordable. I think I’ll stay.

[@WindsongSoundBath]

Nice. If I was to move to Maine from NYC to live outside of a small town, do you maybe have any suggestions of places to look into?

[@Snoopy1817-y6w]

After I watched Casey introduce you, I subscribed. You’re the man!

[@maricarmenp.8820]

I love how incredibly fair this video is. It talks not only of the struggles, but also the unexpected fullness that NY offers to many. I love that there is no glorifying, just an honest opinion.

[@ameliasession8518]

Keep watching this, since having the brillant growing idea of trying the new york experimentation

[@latsm9362]

I noticed that Van makes the same mistake when talking about Berlin that tourists make when they visit NYC ant that he describes in this video. He kind of romanticizes Berlin. As a person living here nearly my whole life you start to notice all the dirt, the disfunction, the angry and unfriendly people etc.

[@grochabr]

Right. When you live in a big metropolis you get to know the problems of it

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

Berlin is nowhere near as dirty, dysfunctional, and aggressive as NYC. Berlin is quite neat and orderly (they don’t even have turnstiles at the train station), people park their cars in neatly marked spaces. NYC is filthy and rat infested, the mentally and homeless are everywhere, the noise is deafening.

[@latsm9362]

You are definitely right. I just wanted to point out that Van is romanticizing Berlin.

[@liesbethgreen6586]

@@latsm9362 I disagree, I've lived both in Berlin and New York, I'm sharing the exact same feelings as Van. It's just not worth the hype. My angle is too many people and the system can't handle it anymore. Plus the opportunities, we have the internet now. It's just not worth it. Also it definitely has lost it's vibe, it feels a little bit soulless and so many cloud chasers.

[@jean_s8888]

Beautiful video! This is a confirmation.... thank you!!

[@johnourso9846]

Now do Los Angeles please for those who have never lived there.

[@fabiobaser3415]

I love that the Thumbnail is the first frame and perfectly transitions into the Video

[@jabig1]

This is heartbreaking!! New york has been my dream destination

[@mochilacreative2732]

It’s all subjective. Come come

[@francisadomako-mensah3300]

I have been watching videos about moving to New York for the past week and debating whether to make the move. This video has motivated me to start packing my bags, iys gotta happen

[@PedroMachado]

When me, as a Brazilian, watch something like this, I totally get it. I was broke but I was broke in a suburb/favela in Rio de Janeiro. You complain about the subway broke all the time... You have subway, on Rio we have to get alternative transportation like illegal vans that is owned by traffic deallers and gangsters and sometimes they are competing and in the middle of the ride they start to shoot at each other. Just being superficial here. Rio de Janeiro is worse than that. I came to São Paulo. Everyone say the same thing about São Paulo: Big city, rude people, rough weather, and you know what? It's about perspective. In Rio de Janeiro I was nothing, poor, miserable, everyone want to enjoy life, drink beer and dance but no one give a fuck about your dreams. When I arrived in São Paulo, for couple days I slept on the subway, I slept for couple weeks in a friends house, after that I slept in a hostel. Today, 3 years later, I live in a fucking nice condo, built in 2020, with all amenities, I even have pool and grocerie/market inside the condo. I work remotelly to Google producing videos and lives and I knew so many amazing peoples and get so many opportunities that I will never be able to receive if i wasn't in sao paulo. Here, everyone is dreamming, but they care about each other dreams too because they feel empathy. They are not here for the joy of a sunset on the beach. Fuck the beach we are here to change our lives and that's matter. And here we have more than 14 millions people livings in the capital. And the weather is atually worse than NY I guess, even because the nickname of the city, directly translated is something like "land of drizzle" hahaha I understand your point, and I understand that it's ok to be bothered about the bad side of the big cities but is undeniable that in that kind of places is where the opportunities lives and be in that places can change our lives forever, so, for me, it's worth it. I just don't know for how long.

[@EB_1059]

THANK YOU for this. As much as I love Casey's content (he's also the reason I found your channel) but I can't watch another video where Candice cries about not being in NYC.

[@pepejjgl]

Fantastic Video Man, love it, (and yes I'm a fan of NYC). Please keep doing this, big fan.

[@Otter-Destruction]

If life was a game, living in NYC would be starting the game on expert difficulty without the tutorial, you mess up you learn real quick. Transplants struggle in NYC, natives call it life. Every time I heard someone talk about how hard it is for them to live in NYC it was from a transplant. I didn't realize how much easier everyone else had it until i went out west for college, and I have to agree, I couldn't wait to come back to NYC after living out of state for 5 years. This is coming from a NYer from the projects, Van struggled in the upper west side, that's where the other half of "privilege" lived.