New York City is so much like Melbourne

OPINION: After two years of living in New York, there’s one Australian city it reminds me of more and more. Sorry Sydney.

New York is pretty great, but Melbourne is even better than the big apple.

I’D BE lying if I told you that New York is my favourite city. Because it’s not, it’s my second favourite city — Melbourne is and always will be my number one (yes I’m a biased Melburnian who grew up in the inner northern suburbs).

Two years into living in NYC though and I can’t help but be reminded of home more and more. One person even designed a tea towel and called it ‘Melbhattan,’ renaming parts of New York with inner Melbourne suburbs.

Much like in Melbourne, everyone in NYC wears black, the Big Apple’s standard of coffee is becoming higher and higher, Nolita’s ‘Little Australia’ seems to be expanding by the day, and every time I’m trying to find some obscure speak-easy I’m reminded of stumbling around Chinatown desperately trying to locate the Croft Institute.

New York has Central Park ...

... Melbourne has the Royal Botanic Gardens. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Here is why I think Melbourne and New York are becoming more and more like each other every single day.

NEW YORK’S COFFEE STANDARD IS BECOMING MORE LIKE MELBOURNE’S

When I first came to New York six years ago there was barely anywhere to get a decent coffee — I ended up drinking drip as someone who strongly follows the motto of ‘death before Starbucks’.

But now there are so many incredible options and I’m proud to say, most of them Australian. Check out Bluestone Lane, Toby’s Estate, Sweatshop and plenty more for a Melbourne style latté or flat white that will teleport you straight back to Degraves, or Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.

Even Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull enjoyed a coffee at Bluestone Lane the last time they were in New York. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

But don’t be shocked when the barista tells you ‘that will be $5’ for your tiny cup of frothed milk with a dash of espresso.

THERE ARE PLACES A PLENTY NAMED AFTER MELBOURNE

Yes there’s a Little Collins, AND a Flinders Lane. At Sweatshop you can even order a ‘Toorak’ or a ‘Templestowe’ jaffle. Seriously.

THEY ARE THE CITIES THAT NEVER SLEEP

While Sydney is busy dubbing itself the second most boring city in the world, Melbourne is nudging first place as most fun (right behind Chicago) because unlike its northern sister, Melbourne actually celebrates night-life culture much like NYC.

Melbourne now even boasts 24 hour public transport on weekends so at 4am you can pretend you’re riding the NYC subway! Want to go 24 hour clubbing in Melbourne and pretend like it’s not Monday? Go to Revs!

In New York there are plenty of warehouse parties and after hours speak-easies to choose from. You just need to know where to go — sounds like another place I know …. Oh, and you will also have no problem finding a kebab at 3am in NYC or Melbourne.

New York at night is something to behold ...

... But Melbourne is pretty great too.

THERE’S MORE AUSTRALIANS IN NYC THAN IN MELBOURNE

OK well no, I lied about that first part, but there’s a LOT and many of them are from Melbourne. Expect to hear the nasal accent ordering coffee, on every corner of the subway, in Central Park and at the Top of the Rock. You’ll also more than likely run into your cousin, a visiting aunt or someone you went to school with.

Wandering around certain parts of the Lower East Side, Williamsburg and other parts of Brooklyn and there really is a distinctive ‘Melbourne-esque’ vibe. Whether it’s the gothic architecture in Fort Greene, the hipster parading down Bedford Avenue, or the sheer number of Melbourne establishments all over NYC, one thing for sure is that they are both becoming more and more like each other every single day and I really can’t complain.

Isabel Thomson-Officer is a journalist living in New York.

Follow Isabel on Twitter @missizzyofficer