New York's Not My Home

A 2025 report from LA

Jim Croce - New York’s Not My home 1972

Things were spinnin' 'round me
And all my thoughts were cloudy
And I had begun to doubt all the things that were me
Been in so many places
You know I've run so many races
I looked into the empty faces of the people of the night
Somethin' is just not right

He got that right, and that was more than 50 years ago.

Last week I was in New York for the first time since 2020. I’d heard all kinds of takes, positive and negative. The city had changed. But truthfully, my disappointment from my visit had little to do with the pandemic.

Let’s just skip over the part where the airline screwed up my itinerary for the 100th time. I won’t say which airline—it wouldn’t be fair. #Delta.

Nonetheless, my wife and I made it in time for dinner. We loved the hotel, the shows were great, and every restaurant was a win, especially our third visit to Sakagura and their $200 bottle of sake.

Okay, so what's your problem with New York?

The day we arrived happened to be my daughter’s 34th birthday. She was born in the city in 1991. That alone gave me a moment to reflect—not just on the passing of time, but on my New York life then, and how little I understood myself at the time.

I moved to New York from LA in 1988 to work on a late-night show, and later spent two years at Good Morning America. Between work and life, I ran on adrenaline. I got engaged, married, and became a father right after losing my own father to cancer, all in four years.

57th and Broadway (1991) - That kid could really sweat through my T-shirt.

Time has passed. Now I’m sixty, and I’ve been back in LA for a while. I’ve lived all over the country, but I’ve logged more time in LA than anywhere else. Our home is surrounded by hills, greenery, privacy, sunshine, birds, and hawks… also a bird, I know, but I just wanted to give them a shout-out.

So while I love the memories I have in New York, I couldn’t possibly fathom returning to concrete, glass, crowds, and rats. I mean, we have rats in LA too, but they don’t ride the subway; the LA subway is way too dangerous. After walking Midtown several times, I can say something has been lost. Honestly, Times Square was better when there were drug dealers and XXX theaters.

Once, I saw a woman lose her summer sandal in freshly poured blacktop on a street corner. She had to walk home with one bare foot.

The city felt like it was full of empty office buildings and tourists shopping. Yes, much of LA has also turned into an outdoor mall, so why subject ourselves to the eight-hour journey? Somethin' is just not right.

BTW I got back on IG after cancelling my account awhile back - still sucks.