New York’s Finest – Natali Del Conte

New York’s Finest

I have had two quintessential New York experiences in the last 24 hours: a delayed subway and a man publicly urinating on my building.

I was heading for the afternoon sessions of the Tech:Money Conference but I missed them because there was a delay on the 6 train. All trains were stopped and the station was packed. Police offers were roaming around and I heard something about an investigation into a fire. I gave up and took a cab home after half an hour of waiting in a foul-smelling station. I’ll try the conference again tomorrow.

The public urination shocked me more than anything else. I have never seen that before – the homeless in San Francisco must have better manners. I told the doormen about it but the reliever in question was gone by the time they went out to investigate. I wasn’t all that offended, just a little dumbstruck. I can’t believe people really do that in the year 2008. When you gotta go, you gotta go!

So I’m being indoctrinated into NY culture quickly, like it or not! Nevertheless, I mostly like New York so far. It helps to have my furniture and my house together. Also, I’m so busy with the new show that I barely have time to think about whether or not I like this city. I don’t dare call myself a New Yorker though. Last night I called the F and V lines the “orange lines” and the New Yorker I was speaking to laughed and said, “We don’t call them that.”

This entry was written by Natali, posted on February 6, 2008 at 4:50 pm, filed under Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
  • Dennis
    ....strange... I'm urinating while I'm typing this...never though it would be deemed crude or inappropriate... ;)

    Don't worry Natali... when you stay too long on the west coast you become soft...when you stay too long on the east coast you become too hard... I'm sure you'll balance out somewhere hahaha
  • dana
    OMG! Have you ever been to a third world country? I was in Ecuador a couple months ago (I'm half Ecuadorian) and there were people (not homeless people -- anyone and everyone) just pissing on a building. My fiance, who's Indian, says that's nothing. In India, they do a lot worse in plain view. WTF?
  • Maurice
    LOL. That's what happens here. Give it some time, you'll be used to it in no time.
  • Nanda
    We have so much public urination in the UK that they actually installed these in parts of London: http://www.urinal.net/soho_outdoor/ . It shocked me the first time I saw them... This is in a very busy pedestrian part of the city.
  • Water Tiger
    I've never lived in SF, but have been there many times. There are way more bums pissing and shitting on the streets and in alleys there than in NYC because the weather is warmer. Hey if you live on the streets, where are you going to shit?

    NYC bums are a little more stuck-up, prudish I guess you would say. It's the drunks that piss on the streets. The bums usually find a quiet alley, trash bin or doorway, which is why you won't see them as much, especially during the winter.

    But you'll never get used to NYC. My brother has lived there since 1974 and he's still an "outsider".
  • Hay
    Welcome to New York!!!
  • Richard
    sounds like its been an interesting time for you in New York. Your new show "loaded" is great, and its good to hear a new voice and opinions on BOL podcast.

    And like what you said... when you have to go... you have to go.

    Keep on enjoying your New York!
  • Robert Redmond
    Niiiiice. It's been a long time since I've seen that in SF. Perhaps our homeless have more modesty and prefer public urination in private. Wait... would that still be in public if they're privately peeing? I digress. I did wave at your old pad today on my way through the city. It probably misses you.
  • Rob
    OMG, I love the comment from your Mom... way too funny!!!
  • stevo
    Everyone urinates anywhere in NYC because there are no public bathrooms and if there is one it is in the dirtiest starbucks or behind a security checkpoint.
  • Touché. I'll admit, I did live in a pretty charmed neighborhood in San Francisco. I'm not in the Marina anymore, which is a good lesson for "Princess" to learn, eh? I can handle that.
  • Your Nieve Natali my sister lives in San Francisco,the local government treats the homeless like animals. My sister seen people take a shit on the sidewalks,it just gross.
    she lived on judah st. , for many years,one block from the bay. Robert
  • Jeff in NYC
    hee hee... Orange lines... ;-)

    Yes, trains all color-coded by their relation from where start and where they end, going way back when they used to be related by their original company names: BMT, IND, etc. But they are not green, blue lines, or orange lines, as they often are in other cities like Boston. They are "the 4, 5, & 6, the A, C, & E, and F & V" and so on.

    And if you haven't run into your bedroom, screaming and pulling out your hair, ready to pack and give up on it all, you're liking New York. "We'll have you tawking like us in no time..."

    And yes, sorry, he really DID have to go. :-) Wasn't me... Promise.
  • Dave
    I was in San Francisco a few years ago on business and saw three bums urinating on the sidewalk in the two blocks between my hotel and the Moscone Center so trust me, it happens in San Francisco too.
  • Mom
    Just so you get it straight.....You are NOT A NEW YORKER.

    You are only there on loan.

    Mom
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