London vs New York

I just got back from a week long trip to London and it was fabulous! I really do love London, but this was the first time I've been back after living in another big city. It was interesting to see the differences between NYC and London.

First, London is physically prettier. The streets are curvy and lined with older, more stately buildings in a mix of styles. There are parks and squares dotting the city, and pretty pubs dripping with potted plants (nice alliteration!). London just has a more romantic, gothic atmosphere. New York is all skyscrapers, angles and concrete, albeit you can find pockets of cobbled streets and elegant brownstones.

The downside of all these wavy streets and hidden alleys is that London is quite hard to negotiate. NYC is tons easier to get around with the grid system and the plethora of public transportation. The tube is more expensive and less efficient than the subway; in London you are better off sticking to the double decker buses.

NYC wins on nightlife- almost everything closes down in London around 11pm except for a few skeezy clubs. London social hour is right after work, while New Yorkers tend to go home, eat dinner and then come out to a bar around 9 or 10pm.

London wins on accents! Yay for Scottish, Welsh and Irish accents not to mention the English classic :)

London also wins on castles and palaces. Yes, NYC has great museums but does it have ancient castles where Queen Elizabeth once walked? or Shakespeare? or Jane Austen?

New York might win on food, simply because it has such variety and cheap options as well as gourmet. Although I love fattening pasties and steak and ale pies, it's great to be able to eat almost anything at any price.

The two cities have very different alcohol cultures. London is all beer. Great beer- fresh, sweet Guinness; Trappist and Abbey Belgian ales; Bavarian beer houses; Irish pubs.  NYC is about liquor. Rum and coke is the dominant and cheapest option but the city is also known for its cocktails (the Manhattan, the Cosmo) and mix-ology trend. This may be the reason for the different styles of nightlife.

So the solution? Visit Paris and see how it compares!