Spent a lot of time this weekend just talking to people in the city organically.
Had a wonderful time with the volunteers at the Merchant House Museum by NYU. They care so much about the place and spent around 30 minutes talking to me and the mrs. about the museum and everything from gardening to the laws of thermodynamics. Even gave us some merch for free and we can't recommend the place enough. Quote of the conversation when they asked where we're from and we said Texas was, "Well that's certainly a place."
Talked to a bus boy at an Argentinian Restaurant (Estancia Piola) in Brooklyn who is from Puebla in for a bit about his commute from Queens and the struggle to survive in the city. On the opposite side of the spectrum we talked to the owner of the restaurant who was really trying very hard and had fantastic food if your ever in the neighborhood. Her husband owns the dive next door.
Finally on the drive to EWR today we talked to a Dominican who lives in Yonkers with a good union construction job that drives for uber/Lyft 7 days a week just to keep it going. He loves the city, but still makes it a point to go back to Santo Domingo every few months for some vacation.
The people in the city are so much friendlier than they get credit for.