Big Cities

Living in big cities offers unquestionably numerous opportunities for “doing stuff”. And “doing stuff” means: visiting galleries and museums someone else wouldn’t have the chance to see in a small town, eating Thai food at 2 am in the morning, getting vintage Chanel at relatively affordable prices, seeing Chicago for the fourth time, taking any evening class you have ever imagined, getting guest passes for popular television shows and possibly walk on the same street or going to the same gym with top-notch celebrities.

Both NY and London offer those numerous opportunities. And I am taking advantage. At least I did for the first three years of my London residency. From wine tasting to screen writing classes, to entrepreneurial networking events, designers exhibitions, car shows, famous market visits, Christies auctions and West End musicals – I did them all. This trend is reiterating in NYC. Today I was an audience member at the Martha Stewart show, I attended a car launch party on Tuesday night (cocktails included for free), I am going to another gallery opening reception and plan to visit Annie Leibovich's photo exhibition.

But I can’t help wondering. Are big cities tremendous diverse and useful or they are just super markets of events, happenings and unnecessary information? If you have SO many things to choose from, so many events to go to, so many shows to see and so many restaurants to eat, you are definitely not exclusive. Big cities, I believe, promote mass culture and therefore, are for the masses. If you are looking for exclusivity, you choose a smaller and distinct area to live in. Where there will only be two movie theatres, less restaurants and definitely not West End or Broadway musicals.

After having lived in London for seven years, and two months in NYC, I am inclined to say that big cities feel very often like going down the cereal aisle in the supermarket. Which box will you pick up today? You look and choose. Corn flakes or All Bran? The same thing you are going to do tonight before you go out in New York or London. Movies or ballet? Thai or Italian?

On this note, I am closing for tonight saying that sometimes less is more. And if you want to see Chicago again, a flight just away.

And before I forget, here are more events you can attend in both cities:


Whisperings
For Londoners

Asian Dreams is delighted to introduce a new series of exciting workshops.
Covering key topics essential to every designer and retailer, this is an
opportunity you cannot afford to miss! For detailed information email info@asiandreams.org.uk.

The UK's largest coalition of environmental and development organizations is organizing the I Count event - the biggest ever climate change gathering in the UK with live music, film, inspirational speakers and celebrity guests.
Where: Trafalgar Square, LondonWhen: Saturday, 4 November, 1-3pm.
To find out more: http://www.wwf.org.uk/climatechange

For New Yorkers

Do you want to meet Joan Collins? She will be signing her new book The Art of Living Well: Looking Good, Feeling Great at Borders, Time Warner building on Monday, October 30, at 7pm.