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| Home > NYC > Nice Place to Visit, but who can afford to live here? |
| Nice Place to Visit, but who can afford to live here? | | Date Created: Feb 20, 2005, 09:36 AM |
 During my recent scramble to find an appropriate venue for My Dearest and I to spend Valentine's Evening out somewhere, I came to the sad conclusion that life has become exceedingly expensive.
Just a couple of years ago, we would frequent many stage productions, go to movies, and eat out regularly. Though those things were all expensive at the time, they have each gone up in price so much that it's difficult to plan doing any one of them, let alone any combination of the two.
Take movies, for instance. Years ago, Ten dollars would have gotten two people into the viewing, along with a full set of popcorn, candy and crackerjack. Now the best price available (at a good quality theater -- if I'm going to go through the trouble of seeing a movie, I'd rather see it on a big screen with great sound in a good quality theater that doesn't have sticky floors or creepy crawlers in it!) is somewhere in the $10.50 a person range for NYC. And this does not include anything from the concession stand. That would cost another $20 dollars or so, should you not take advantage of the big gigantic Combo deals. (I kid you not. Popcorn alone is about $7.50 for the "small", with the ludicrous "small" drink going for the low price of $3.75!!!)
I have been to the movies recently, where my sudden thirst and need for popcorn ended up costing more than the price of the ticket itself! No wonder my family used to pack tuna sandwiches in our coat pockets when we were kids! Danged food is expensive!
Dining out is just as fun. At the very minimum, meals cost around 7-8 dollars a person. IF you are dining at a fast food establishment anywhere out of NY. Ad another Three dollars or more for Manhattan. The erroneous consensus that people have is that if they "catch something quick" at McDonald's, they are saving money. They are wrong. Not only are they gaining weight and calories doing this, but for just a few bucks more, there are places you can sit down and eat properly at (Like my new favorite Cosi's for example. Real food. Not fast food. Not THAT expensive). But if you are looking to sit down and talk at a proper dinner table, then it's just a few bucks more. That is, just a few bucks over a few bucks more.
One of My Dearest's favorite stops is The Olive Garden. When we visit the local ones, in Long Island or in New Jersey, meals for two can be had for roughly a total price of 24-34 dollars, depending on what is ordered. In Manhattan, each meal at this same restaurant automatically costs 10 dollars more. Meaning, 50 bucks are gone instantly, along with all of that unlimited salad and bread you get, before you even do anything else for the evening.
And sadly, Broadway prices have risen again. I understand that performers must be paid, that shows cost a lot to produce, and that high quality entertainment does cost a lot of money. But since when is if fair that "discount" tickets are now hovering in the range of the price it used to be to buy TWO tickets ?( Most discounts are in the $67 - $76 dollar range. Yes, those are the DISCOUNTED prices). Most Broadway shows cost $100 dollars a person. (Unless of course you want to be banished to the back row of the uppermost rear mezzanine. That will only cost you about $30 bucks. But did you go all the way to Broadway to sit all the way up there?)
So for 150 dollars, two of you can sit and clap and laugh for two hours. That's at a discount. I dunno, think I can do that at home for a whole lot less.
For two hundred you can each catch a show and dinner. I suppose there is value in that.
But for 250 dollars, you can get an iPod mini.
Now THAT seems more worthwhile. At least you get to take it home.
(Photo: Bway lights ©2005 by Tony Gonzalez)
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