I didn't know that "Golden Girls" was filmed in London. Whodathunkit?
A big part of being a word-class city is measuring your cosmopolitan genitalia against other world-class cities. So it goes with New York, which is currently feeling the heat from London, where plenty of financial services are moving to and cultural street cred is building (and let's not forget the greatest television show ever made originates from there.)
Personally, I think most of these comparisons are an interesting but ultimately pointless exercise in vanity, though it's fun to see cities lower down the totem pole (like my current hometown) proclaim themselves to be in the big leagues.
Of course, everyone knows the only true high-end town is Edmonton. Heh.
I didn't know that "Golden Girls" was filmed in London. Whodathunkit?
Having barely traveled during my life, except to the barren desert of the American Southwest, I think I'm more than qualified to speak about world class cities.
And in my opinion, North America has a grand total of three (3) "world class cities". They are as follows :
- New York
- Montreal
- San Francisco
Only these cities are truly unique in comparison to each other and to everyone else. Every other city on this continent is a mass of box malls and manufactured nostalgia, divided by eight-lane freeways and unfulfilled dreams.
One simply must spend some quality time in San Francisco before an earthquake inevitably drop kicks it into the Pacific Ocean.
I've never spent time in San Francisco, but I agree with I am Steven - New York and Montreal are great North American cities. As the birthplace of jazz, home of North American Voodoo and Marti Gras, I would throw pre-Katrina New Orleans into the as well.
As far as New York and London go, I'll take London over NYC anyday. I've been to both, and London is far cooler for many reasons, but I think it's the palaces, museums and the fact you're not in North America that put it over the top.
I've never been to New York (though hopefully myself and the better half will cure that come the end of next month), but I was in San Francisco (at age 10) and I've briefly been to Montreal. I'd also put Tokyo on the list (been there twice), as it's a nerd's paradise of beeping lights and all things cool.
I think a city (not necessarily even a "world-class" one) needs distinctive neighbourhoods and a "vibe" of some sort. I get that with Vancouver, but Edmonton is just flat and sucks at your soul, despite it being the ol' hometown.
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