The last time I was in NYC was in 1977, when the Young Americans for Freedom held their annual conference at the Statler Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan (I think it’s now called the Hotel Pennsylvania). Times Square was lined with pornography shops and all of the subway cars were covered with graffiti. When the conference was over, I was glad to get out of there.
It doesn’t look like that anymore. Rudy really cleaned up the city. You should go back and visit.