The hottest City life Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Notes on cities

Brain Pizza • 927 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🏝 Travel Urban Exploration City life Cultural Insights Travel experiences
  1. Cities are really fascinating places to explore and enjoy, often more appealing than the countryside. There's a lot of energy and life in urban areas that many people love.
  2. As more people move to cities, the populations keep increasing. For example, London's population grew 1.04% in just one year.
  3. Visiting iconic cities can bring back memories and highlight how they've changed over time. It's interesting to see what has remained the same and what is new.

Walking Phnom Penh

Chris Arnade Walks the World • 1311 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🏝 Travel City life Cultural Insights Personal reflections
  1. Phnom Penh is filled with children, which brings a joyful and optimistic vibe to the city. Their laughter and energy can lift people's spirits, making the environment feel more alive.
  2. Walking in Phnom Penh can be challenging due to busy roads and poor sidewalks, but drivers are generally considerate. This unique style of navigating through traffic is a skill learned in bustling cities.
  3. The city has a strong sense of community, as families together create small businesses. Even while facing struggles, like poverty, people still find fulfillment and meaning in having children and being part of a family.

your cares set up do not pluck my cares down

sweater weather • 3282 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Story City life Photography Novel writing Urban Exploration
  1. The day was filled with a sense of overall wrongness, from doctors to cameras to pharmacies, everything went slightly wrong.
  2. New York's unique city landscape blurs the lines between commercial and residential buildings.
  3. Humidity in the city can be unbearable, making even simple tasks challenging and uncomfortable.

Paid content: All cities are the same

Wood From Eden • 240 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🏝 Travel Cultural Exploration Road trips City life Travel Writing
  1. Cities often feel very similar to one another. It can be hard to tell them apart when visiting new places.
  2. Traveling can give a sense of familiarity, even in different locations. Many experiences repeat, making them feel comfortable.
  3. Understanding this can change how we view travel. Instead of seeking newness, we might focus on the connections we share, wherever we go.
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no. 83: like water

let them eat cake • 379 implied HN points • 01 Apr 24
🎭️ Culture Food City life Restaurants Urbanism Society
  1. Montreal showcases inventive urban design elements like recycling racks on trash cans and bike parking meters, enriching the city experience.
  2. Montreal's food scene offers genuine and unpretentious dining experiences that stand out for their simplicity and excellence.
  3. Contrasting Montreal's unassuming authenticity, New York's neo-bistrots exemplify a more staged, predictable dining trend, crafting a curated experience that may lack the same genuine warmth.

This Map Might Change Where You Live

The New Urban Order • 119 implied HN points • 01 May 24
🕹 Technology Urban planning Mapping City life Sustainability Data Analysis
  1. Close is an interactive map that helps people find neighborhoods with amenities important to them, like public schools, increasing personalized walkability.
  2. Close uses free spatial datasets and user feedback to build a detailed destinations roster, showing a commitment to accuracy and continuous improvement.
  3. Close differs from tools like Walkscore by focusing on transparency, user customization, and the 'time to furthest important destination' approach to assess walkability in cities.

Soundless

Desk Notes by Charles Schifano • 279 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Music Travel City life
  1. Living in a city means being surrounded by a constant cacophony of sounds, which can both be maddening and strangely comforting.
  2. Over time, distant sounds can fade into the background as your brain tunes them out to focus on specific noises.
  3. The noise of a city is like its heartbeat - a chaotic blend of various sounds that make up the urban symphony we experience daily.

What if Taylor Swift Never Moved to Nashville?

The New Urban Order • 99 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Music Career City life Opportunity Trends
  1. Taylor Swift's decision to move to Nashville at a young age had a significant impact on her career.
  2. The concept of moving to big cities for career opportunities has become less popular recently, with more people opting for remote work and online platforms for launching products.
  3. Industries that were once centralized in big cities are now becoming more dispersed, with cities like Austin, Miami, and Seattle attracting entrepreneurs.

Why Cities?

The New Urban Order • 79 implied HN points • 31 May 23
🎭️ Culture Urbanism City life Architecture Community History
  1. The narrative around cities and urban living is evolving, with a renewed focus on improving quality of life and addressing why people choose to live in cities today.
  2. Major cities are facing challenges as online cultural offerings and retail experiences compete with the unique aspects of city living, emphasizing the need for cities to enhance their distinct urban forms and community connections.
  3. Investing in public transit, affordable housing, historic architecture, and community spaces are vital for cities to attract and retain residents, especially essential workers, and maintain a sense of place and connection in a rapidly changing world.

Found in translation

Mindful Musings • 62 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Language Cuisine City life
  1. Learning new languages and phrases in a foreign country is fun and reveals unique cultural aspects.
  2. Accents, local phrases, and sayings are key to understanding local culture and history.
  3. Unique phrases like 'Fuhgeddaboudit' and expressions like 'You're so good' offer insights into language and community experiences.

Story Ten

Stories From The Rail • 99 implied HN points • 09 Jan 22
🏝 Travel Exploration City life Culture Public Transportation
  1. The author reflects on a day in Chicago, fascinated by the city's diverse bar culture and unique atmosphere.
  2. Trains hold a special allure for the author, symbolizing adventure and personal exploration.
  3. The city of Chicago is described as a place that both challenges and inspires joy, with its rugged beauty and sense of community.

The Greater London Project

The Greater London Project • 1 HN point • 18 Jul 24
🎭️ Culture City life Urban planning History Public spaces Innovation
  1. London is already great and has the potential to become even greater with its rich cultural scene, important companies, and global appeal.
  2. Challenges like housing shortages, infrastructure issues, and crime need to be addressed for London to reach its full potential.
  3. Proposals to improve London include creating more affordable housing, enhancing public transport, increasing safety measures, and embracing new technologies.

living in the city

the rohn report • 59 implied HN points • 18 Jan 21
🎭️ Culture City life History Society Architecture
  1. Cities have always been important centers of human activity and civilization, even in ancient times when structures like temples were located in cities.
  2. The evolution of cities has transformed human lifestyle from a hunter/gatherer existence to urban living, with concrete pathways and towering buildings replacing forests.
  3. The streets of modern cities host a diverse mix of people, from urban dwellers to street individuals, embodying distinct aspects of human adaptation and survival.

As I ride

the rohn report • 19 implied HN points • 26 Oct 20
🏝 Travel Outdoor Exploration City life People Experience
  1. Riding a bike can be a peaceful and focusing experience, but it's important to stay alert to stay safe. Being fully present enhances your perception of your surroundings.
  2. Our senses and cognition play a crucial role in helping us understand the world around us. When you quiet the mind, your receptors function optimally, reducing the chances of being caught off guard.
  3. Exploring familiar pathways can lead to unexpected encounters and meaningful interactions, adding richness to everyday experiences. Each outing can offer unique moments and connections.

Contemplating New York: In a City With Everything, What Do You Want?

Arjun’s Newsletter • 1 HN point • 22 Sep 23
📚 Literature Book review City life Character analysis Themes Narrative style
  1. Moving to New York can be overwhelming with temptations and responsibilities, especially for young adults.
  2. The novel 'Bright Lights, Big City' captures the essence of New York City through the protagonist's struggles and temptations.
  3. The book highlights the conflict between who the protagonist wants to be and who he really is, showcasing the allure, challenges, and self-discovery in the city.

city life

the rohn report • 0 implied HN points • 06 Mar 21
🎭️ Culture City life Society Urban living Community
  1. Living in the city is a modern tribal experience with sophisticated amenities, but it can be expensive with costs for everything, even parking.
  2. City life requires a complex infrastructure connecting homes through sewer and electricity systems, offering modern conveniences once unimaginable in earlier human history.
  3. As city dwellers, humans have forsaken their nomadic roots for organized community living, creating a bustling urban environment filled with diverse possibilities and challenges.