Trying something very different and living in a high rise condo for a few months.
Urban life pros:
* Convenient access to restaurants & entertainment
* Businesses are open longer / later
* Public transportation
Urban life cons:
* Public transportation
* Expensive AF
* Noisy AF
* Beggars
City dwellers, what should I do to maximize my enjoyment of this experience?
leave
Choose a city that's not too noisy, there are no beggars and public transport does not suck. Plenty of options that fulfill all these requirements still.
Not Antwerp
Get out of your apartment. The city is your new backyard. More nooks and crannies than you’ll ever imagine.
Seize the opportunity for human connection every elevator ride with a neighbor 🛗 
security in a high rise is also nice. when there is rioting in the streets it feels safer being able to look down at the chaos from several stories above
Walk.
To the grocery, to the entertainment, to the restaurants.
Try all the various cultures best restaurants, don’t get stuck in a few of the first ones you tried because they were good.
Socialize. Meet people, neighbors, bar patrons, engage.
Sight see. On your walks try and find the beautiful things, avoiding the trash, shit, and piss by seeing the light and shapes and colors.
Notice the hilarity. watching people be people and the humorous nuanced ways we live and exist.
Walk more. Whether it's down a busy street, or a trail / urban greenery, there's something for everyone.
1. Noise cancelling headphones, for when you're out and about. Takes care of multiple problems like street noises and ignoring anyone you don't want to talk to.
2. Get a bike. You'll be able to get anywhere the public transportation would take you and in many cases in about the same amount of time.
Addendum: don't use noise cancelling headphones while riding the bicycle 🚲
That could be quite dangerous.
staying at home
Meetups, museums/exhibitions and olympic weightlifting with serious trainers. Most probably you can grill and sear a ribeye better than most restaurants, but choose a condo with rooftop bbq.
First, I’m sorry for your loss. :)
Second, as a reformed but former city dweller, I would suggest taking advantage of the freedom to travel without concern for house maintenance etc. Condos are great for that. Plus you are hopefully within proximity of a more major airport which is nice for frequent travel purposes.
Now that I am much more remote, but still travel a shit ton, these are literally the only things I miss.
Oh, and Costco. :)
I should add that your point about restaurants, entertainment, etc is not entirely lost on me.
The problem that I found after a while though was that the cost of such experiences has really just become ridiculous (and I say that as someone who can afford most anything). It’s either like $2500+ for a mind blowing dinner or show or else it’s just meh.
Now I truly just prefer to cook really tasty stuff myself (I’ll invest in shipping stuff from all over the world if needed) and buy nice audio equipment etc. to have those experiences without a bunch of strangers around.
Granted, I’m not single and hate being around almost all people. :)
There's a lot of buzz around your post.
Added to the https://nostraco.in/hot feed
Avoid all those “pros” and you should be ok. 😂
City living is best once you learn the tricks. Secret routes around traffic, free parking, undiscovered spots that are still underpriced. Master the secrets of the city. Never make eye contact with street people. Don't look or act like a tourist--eyes down, always running late for an important meeting. Trains yes buses no.
Move to Seville
US cities are pretty bad when it comes to public transit, noise and homelessness. Try it for a few months. Then try Amsterdam (or Utrecht if you're feeling more adventurous). Then for more contrast, try Hong Kong.
Buy noise canceling headphones. They help, a lot.
ugh. jusr left that kind of noise. get Powerbeats earbuts, Loop earplugs, and a homedics sound machine to block out the noise.
if the beggars make eye contact too hard, they are pros. if they act like they don't want to make eye contact, throw 'em an act of kindness; they are legit. (mileage for men may vary).
Suggestions:
- Really experiment with public transit in a new place. In places with good taxi service, you can't get stranded, so it's reasonable to just yolo it and not do any route planning when taking the bus/tram/whatever. You'll often discover cool places and nice routes that way.
- Find the parks. People in cities do all sorts of cool things in parks that people with large houses and backyards only rarely do in public. There's something magical about being in a public space with thousands of people all having fun and living the best parts of their lives.
- Look for a public events calendar, check Meetup, and (if you are willing) Facebook. Lots of people means lots of things happening.
- Figure out how to do the things you love even if they seem foreign to the place you are. It's your chance to find amazing people who enjoy those things so much that they're willing to go against the local culture to do them.
- Oh, and if you can, go up the stairs and not an elevator. It's good exercise, gives you a sense of agency, and you'll feel awesome each time you reach your floor.
A note about public transportation: Exploit that time! The best part about not driving is doing something else while you travel. Bring a book and read. Bring a laptop and code. Don't just sit and look at the window (unless that's what you want to do).
This whole account was conceived on buses and trains.
become a regular at a fancy restaurant , a dive bar, and/or a standup comedy club
Move to the country asap
Additional urban life cons:
*substantially higher nnEMF exposure
*likely less convenient to electrically ground your body
Can you do the pros and cons of the opposite? Curious to know your thoughs as I'm leaning more towards not being 100% of the time in urban life. thoughts
build city stuff in the countryside
