You know the whole thing with “NYC is in trouble” and “NYC is doing great, look at me eating my sandwich in this park,” is that NYC is huge and it varies block by block. I just drove west on 3rd street from Ave B. It was...not good.

On Ave A there was a man with his pants down menacing people with a metal bar. I drove past him and pulled over to a police car closer to 1st Ave to tell them about it. As I was telling them, another guy came by to report a different guy acting violent.

But as I continued driving, the outdoor seating at Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria on Great Jones is packed and looks like it was dropped there from Italy. People drinking wine and enjoying life. Snap that picture, you don’t even know what’s happening 3 blocks away.

Anyway, I made this point about the UWS in this piece but NYC is vast and sometimes we have no idea what is happening a few blocks over. That’s why the stats matter more than your brunch pics. https://nypost.com/2020/08/29/compassion-doesnt-fix-homelessness-its-just-virtue-signaling/

Continued down 3rd. West Village looks normal except garbage in the street (like bags of garbage) and it’s so empty. Also random stores (incl bodegas) closed.

Turned on 6th ave. Looks ok but empty. A lot of homeless people but that was always the case by W.4th. Made a left on Greenwich Ave and it’s totally normal/amazing Manhattan over here. People strolling, eating, Citibiking. A model I recognize but can’t name just jogged past me.

West Village just perfect right now. Same vibe as always with fewer people. Extra Virgin restaurant outdoor seating gorgeous and packed.