Thanks for the comments, everyone. Too bad I wasnt there this weekend to get some high quality sinnin' in before it all goes down tomorrow, not that New York would skip a beat during a rapture!
What a great city, I love the way many people (natives) seem to me to be irritable, proud, loud, but deep down truly friendly and would rather bark at you so you actually know what the deal is than be cool, detached, or uncaring (which to me is what is offensive). As well, I appreciate the real, truly expansive, bedrock "liberality" in that it feels like there is room for everyone, and I love how it feels like you are entering a separate, unique universe when you enter the city - I've always had interesting experiences depending on how I've arrived. Yet, at the same time it's too vast of a city to be pegged like I'm attempting to do. Not to mention that every dive I went in I heard some semi-epic/epic story and a beer bought for me as an visiting aficionado of the city.
Also, people always focus on the hard urbanity and mix of people but there is a stellar alchemy of geography/geology/environment/climate and infrastructure that is sort of overshadowed.