Best NYC Subway Stations to Meet New People

New Yorkers spend an extraordinarily amount of time in subways and subway stations, going to and from work, going out at night, going to a friend's on the weekend, or going out to restaurants. Subway stations are the melting pot of every living soul coming into the city and every New Yorker trying to get somewhere. I personally spend an average of 1.5 hours to 2 hours a day underground, between waiting for the subway and taking it. That's 672 hours a year; in other words 28 days a year spent in an underground tin can, bunched up between two other smelly passengers, each silently cursing the other. So while I am not complaining that I spend the equivalent of the month of February in a brightly lit, overly air-conditioned (thank god) subway cart, I do wonder whether I can make better use of my time while underground.

Some people are adamant on getting on the subway 

We meet men and women in bars and clubs. We get to know new people at restaurants and coffee shops. But why not meet them somewhere we are forced to spend time in waiting. Because you would come off just as creepy as the guy secretly eyeing your purse, you say? Perhaps. But perhaps you are just looking in the wrong station, in the wrong setting. I took it upon myself to conduct an experiment or some research, if you will, by research I mean just riding around the subway in both directions and waiting at subway stops. For the purpose of this post, I will only deal with subway stops in Manhattan for two reasons. The first, is that I am unfamiliar with the outer borough stations and locales, and therefore would not be a very good judge of where to go. The second, is that Manhattan, specifically midtown and downtown is the melting pot of all the people coming in from the boroughs, New Jersey, and Upstate, thereby allowing a larger sample size for this experiment.

Before I begin, I just want to reiterate that these views and observations are exactly that, subjective views and observations I have had. They are by no means meant to be discriminatory, insulting, or condescending.

From my previous experiences on the subway, I know that Upper East Side stops tend to have an older or more couply crowd who have generally settled down. Similarly, Upper West Side stops, although have a generally younger crowd due to Columbia University, have many families passing through it on their way to and from Morningside and Washington Heights. So the stops will be crowded, and generally not a good environment for conversation. However, it has to be said that the 72nd st subway station has to be one of the most beautiful stations in New York. It also attracts some young and professional Upper West Siders who wouldn't be opposed to some light conversation here and there.

Morning commute to the 72nd St Station

On the southern extreme of the city, the Financial District and Battery Park subway stops have too few people in the stations past business hours. And, unless they have a certain inclination to getting kidnapped or mugged, people usually barely ever interact with other people in those stops past business hours.

Soho Stops (Spring St, Prince St): Good during the week when the area is not filled with weekend shoppers. Has many beautiful and stylish men and women, with a few models here and there. However, because of the sheer number of tourists and teens running around, the beautiful locals are less likely to engage in a conversation with you.

Fun in the Astor Place station

NYU Stops (8th st, Astor Place): Very good if you are younger and are looking for students, or into the East Village crowd. These two stops are usually more relaxed than others and feature more people willing to talk to you. The proximity to St Mark's means that you will also get a good mix of the Goth type in between.

Lower East Side Stops (2nd ave, Delancy, Essex): The population of homeless people in the stops are more than that of passengers. You are more likely to get breathed on by a homeless person, mugged by someone on crack, or get carried away by the giant rats than you are of finding someone willing to engage in a conversation with you here. Especially avoid at night. Essex stop... isn't that just water?

Canal St Station

Chinatown Stops (Canal St, Grand St, Bowery): Unless you like the smell of week-old fried chicken, mixed with diarrhea, rat poison, and fish, while you try to find someone to converse with, I would steer clear.

Times Sq/Herald Sq Stops (42nd/34th on West side): The number of tourists that pass by these stations is horrendous. Not only do you have to weed through the countless over-sized midwesterners, you also have to make sure the tiny old women with the small shopping carts don't run over your feet. If you managed to find a person worth talking to through the vast sea of people, good luck trying to have a conversation with them over the shirtless homeless person singing in the corner, or the occasional 'Get the F*** out of my way!'.

A typical day in the Times Square Subway Station

Midtown East Stops (51st St, 53rd St, & 59th St): Midtown east is my most promising location for during the week, since it's where most of the city culminates to go to their work place. You will have a good number of well dressed, professional men and women around these stations. However, if you are not into the corporate crowd, then it might be harder to meet someone new here. If you are looking for men, then your selection around the 51st & Lexington (E,6) stop will be a good one, since most of the good looking professional men get off/on there. If you are looking for a woman, I think the 59th & 5th (N,R) and the 53rd & 5th (E,M) stops will have a good number of women, who will usually be dressed very stylishly, elegantly, and professionally, due to the high end clothing stores, and boutiques around that stop.

Gramercy/Flatiron (E 23rd, 28th, 33rd): I personally think Gramercy stops have the most approachable people of any other stops. There are some very cute men and women at those subway stations who don't mind engaging in a conversation with a complete stranger. The thing about Gramercy stops is that they are usually cleaner and quieter than others, so people will naturally feel more at ease there, thus they will usually have their guard down. 23rd st & 28th st on the 6 line will have the cutest, most approachable women, and some good boyfriend-material guys.

Catching up on some news

Chelsea (W 23rd, 28th): Chelsea stops are usually dirtier and more crowded than their eastern counterparts. They are not as bad as the times sq and herald sq stops and will have interesting people willing to talk to you, however, they usually won't be as engaging as Gramercy, Soho, or meatpacking due to the big malls and shops in that area that attract a lot of families or shopping-minded people. Nevertheless, those Chelsea stops are good for drunken nights waiting in the stations, since you will never know what to expect from the Chelsea crowd.

West Village (W 4th): The west village would have seemed an obvious choice, however it has to be said that the W 4th st subway station is a bad place to approach people, especially women. The sheer size of the station not to mention the dirtiness, the suspicious bundle in the corner, and just the overall weirdness hanging around that station make it an unenjoyable location to meet people. Women will most certainly have their guard up, making it very difficult to approach them. Not to mention, you will be more preoccupied with the several cross-dressers, drag queens and just plain weird people that regularly pass through this station.

Meatpacking (14th & 8th): In my opinion, the meatpacking subway station (14th & 8th on the A, C, E, & L) will have the best looking, most beautiful, and most stylish men and women of any other subway stop. Meatpacking in general is a very trendy and stylish area, filled with good restaurants, crazy clubs, and good drunken memories. The people that attend these venues are usually copies of the clubs they are attending, whether they belong to the rock & roll, the European dance, or the posh and exclusive crowd. Men and women at this location will usually have their guard down since they are on their way to go out, so approaching them will be easy. However, be warned, these men and women will want to play games, so expect a long night of flirting, partying, and drinking.

One of the many fun sculptures on the 14th st & 8th ave (Meatpacking) subway stop

In conclusion, depending on what crowd your after, there are different subway stations that cater to your liking. Just like the different bars and clubs have different vibes, so do these underground melting pots. Pick a station that fits the type of person you're looking for, and you are more likely to spark up a conversation that can go somewhere... other than your subway destination that is.

Into the younger, more relaxed Student crowd: Astor pl & Bleecker stops
Into the cute, approachable crowd: 28th st & 23rd st Stops
Into the trendy outgoing crowd: 14th st & 8th ave (aka Meatpacking).
Into the professional refined crowd: 59th & 5th during the week.

The Matador

I have to admit, I was always peculiar about Bullfighting, but never really interested in it until I started reading The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. I have never seen a real bullfight in person, nor have I ever met a real Matador. To me, bullfighting was a beautiful yet dying art, that people this day and age didn't really care to understand.

Hemingway was an aficionado of bullfighting; he believed a real Matador was one of the bravest forms of human beings. To him, bullfighting was an art, a passion, a sensual and religious experience. He believed it was the purest form of living, the line between life and death so fine, a mere centimetres between the flesh of a person and the deathly horns of a bull. To him, the Matador was an artist, a performer. The way he moved in the bull ring was supposed to be pure and smooth, flowing around the bull rather than twisting to avoid it. Hemingway said 'Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honour.'

The more I read Hemingway's book, the more intrigued I became with this lost art form. So I took it upon myself to research bullfighting some more, to find out for myself why this man, whom many considered to be the man of men, was so infatuated with it. I read some articles, watched some clips, and researched Matadors like Sebastian Castella (who was gored twice by bulls), Juan Belmonte (considered by many to be the father of modern bullfighting), and Manolete (who was played by Adrien Brody in the 2006 Hollywood film A Matador's Mistress). The more clips I watched, the more I started to understand what Hemingway and the other aficionados (what bullfighting enthusiasts were called) described. Bullfighters were artists who crafted masterpieces through their courage and honor, their appreciation of competition and their celebration of death. Spanish culture, unlike the French and the English which 'lived for life', strived for an honorable death and celebrated it. I think a true Matador has to embrace this belief in death and engrave it into his soul when he takes up the arena against his worthy opponent, the Bull.

I will certainly try to look into Bullfighting some more, maybe even try to see a fight or two. But for now, I leave you with this beautiful clip Scott Schuman, aka The Sartorialist (a huge inspiration of mine), made about Bullfighters. Video Here.

Passion over Logic

If you don't already know, I'm an avid fan of motorcycles. Specifically cafe racers, vintage bikes, and naked sports bikes. I bought my first motorcycle 3 years ago, a 1987 Honda Rebel. My rebel, whom I called Liz, survived 2.5 years of city riding, some country escapes, 2 freezing winters, a couple of drops, one accident and a hurricane. It finally met its end when it decided to take on a street cleaning truck. The outcome wasn't pretty, my Liz was beyond repair.

Eager to get back on the horse ( well, bike actually), I went to the Ducati dealership in Soho, and instantly fell in love with a black 2013 Ducati Monster. Needless to say, I had to have it. 30min later, I walked out with with a few signed papers, a set of new keys, and a smile on my face.

Motorcycles are sexy. Ducatis are sexier.
 

Gorgeous Black Ducati Sport 1000

If you're a motorcycle enthusiast, you might be fidgeting in your seat screaming something about German and Japanese. I relate this argument to ones made about Hondas and BMWs being better than Alfa Romeos (to you Americans, Alfa Romeo is an Italian car manufacturer). Yes, if you want a practical, reasonable car, then you are better off with a Honda, Toyota, or Mercedes Benz. Similarly, if you want a logical, reliable motorcycle, then you should absolutely consider a BMW, Honda or Yamaha. If you want a car or motorcycle that will start every morning, not break down or explode, and get you to your destination every time, then you should certainly steer clear of Ducatis, Triumphs, Alfa Romeos and Jaguars (pre-Ford and pre-Tata).




Red 2012 Triumph Thruxton

But if you're like me and don't want your car to be reasonable and practical; if you're like me and don't want your motorcycle to be comfortable and reliable; if you want your vehicle to be unpredictable, to be illogical, to be imperfect, then German and Japanese are just too safe, too bland, too inhuman. In this digital and cost-effective age, where unpredictability and personal touch have gone out the window, one needs a little bit of passion, a little bit of a human touch. Cars and motorcycles are among those things for me, and I'm sure other people have their own interpretation of what they want some personal touch in. 

Classic Jaguar E-Type

These cars and motorcycles are built in a rudimentary and primitive fashion compared to today's standards, often built mostly or partly by hand. With this method of construction, every maker and designer develops a personal connection with what they're making, adding their own touch to make every piece they build unique. They add character. They add passion. This is what makes these cars special and give them a place in my heart, not the fact that they are illogical. But the fact that they were built with love and care, hoping the next owner will see them the same way their builders did.

I don't care that those cars and motorcycles might not start in the morning. I don't mind that I may only get to my destination 3 out of 10 times. But I do know, that the 3 times I will get there, boy will I have a smile on my face.

Shades of Brown

I love this video/advertisement campaign by Johnston Murphy, because it reminds me that we're in the Fall season, when the trees of central park turn all shades of brown and yellow, and people have this bright look on their faces because Fall brings a cooler side to New York, which makes everyone innately warmer on the inside and to their fellow New Yorkers. It also reminds us that the two of the three biggest holiday seasons are coming up, thanksgiving and Christmas, and, I don't know about you, but that puts a big fat smile on my face. Find the Video here

The 20 Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make In Your 20s

I recently came across this article and thought it would be interesting to share with you. Although the article is very career oriented and less 'enjoying life' focused, I still think it makes some good arguments we could all learn a thing or two from.

http://elitedaily.com/life/the-20-mistakes-you-dont-want-to-make-in-your-20s/

Why the idea of Coffee Shops is dead

The image of New York coffee shops, painted in movies, books and stories, is one of cultural meeting points, where the young, beautiful and intellectual, converge to exchange conversation, ideas, and eventually phone numbers. Now unless you live in the 'Friends' universe (and look like Joey), you will be sorely disappointed as you walk into the coffee shops of New York, to find that in fact, the young and beautiful do not reside here. In reality, their first shock would be finding out that the place is populated by people on their laptops, their heads buried in their screens, with the aura of 'please leave me alone' floating around them. Their second shock would be seeing the random homeless guy sitting on one of the tables, talking to what appears to his reflection, much like how Golem from Lord of the Rings would.

Sitting in this west village cafe, next to my apartment, as I write this blog post, I see this cute blonde (Blond? Blonde? I don't know the difference) sit next to me. She has a very pretty face with fine features, a few freckles scattered around her nose. The kind of girl you would want to be sitting next to a fireplace with, nursing a hot cup of cider on a cold winter day. Normally, in other circumstances, say a bar, or restaurant, I would go up, talk to this girl, make her laugh using my nice bag of jokes (always handy), and then take her number. But looking at her now, with her white headphones on, and her pre-occupation with her laptop screen, she would probably welcome me less than a New Yorker welcomes mice into his apartment. So why come to the coffee shop, you ask? Surely she must be longing for some good intellectual conversation from a handsome stranger.

But the truth is my friends, the day and age of meeting and befriending strangers in coffee shops has long gone. People are more likely to trust a complete stranger they met on an Internet dating site whom they've never seen, rather than get to know a fellow coffee shop dweller. As sad as that is, it's true. Men and women, alike, are now too pre-occupied with shaping their online and outward image, through Facebook, twitter, and blogs (oh deary me!), spending their 'offline' time doing things they can use for their 'online' time. Going to the park solely for the purpose of saying that they are at the park, or similarly going to a party, to say they are at the party. 

In truth, good spontaneous conversation is no more. Getting to know someone without any prior knowledge about them or their history is done for. Coffee shops are now just harborers of free wifi seekers, of coffee drinkers and Facebook updaters. Or in my case, a blogger sad about the blonde girl next to him.

Bienvenue a la joie de vivre

I cannot think of a proper way to introduce this blog, and pop my 'social-media blogging' cherry. I could give a paragraph-long shpeel about the several cities I've lived in, my insatiable curiosity for the new and exciting, or my love for vintage sports cars and motorcycles. I could mention my love of clothes, of personal style, of good craftsmanship. I could even mention my upbringing in a war-torn country which has forever shaped my unsympathetic and cold demeanor. I could have started this foolish escapade of mine into online blogging with any one of those informative yet boring facts about myself. However, I would rather let my future posts speak for themselves, hopefully forming an image of myself that corresponds correctly with who I really am, giving you an insight into my views, thoughts and musings.

So without further adieu, I introduce to you, my blog.