Growing up in Connecticut in the 80’s NYC was magical, Broadway, the Bronx Zoo, museums. But step off the tourist path? Rough. Dirty. Dangerous.

Living outside of the US for decades, I was stunned when I took my wife and young son to visit NYC in the summer of 2012. It was clean, crisp even, and safe. I couldn’t believe the vibe change. My wife commented that it felt like visiting Disneyland.

Now it looks like the pendulum is swinging back to the grungey NYC of my childhood.

Sad to see, but these pendulums tend to swing.