Photos: 50 reasons why NYC is the greatest city in the world (slide show)

Because we have the most iconic skyline

Because of Manhattan’s grid

Because our bars are open until 4am

Because the Manhattan cocktail was invented here, and we’d like to see someone try to make it better than we do

Because New Yorkers live longer than almost anyone else

Because, believe it or not, you can still find a rent-stabilized apartment in NYC

Because we invented hip-hop and still do it better than any other city

Because our LGBT scene is actually an LGBT scene

Because bands blow up after playing here

Because New York is the home of the musical—which we still do better than anyone else in the world

Because in the summer, you can see tons of world-class music and performance art without spending a dime

Because of bodega cats

Because it’s impossible to feel nerdy here

Because unlike other metros, our subway runs 24/7

Because even though some cities claim to have better coffee, New York has the most coffee

Because NYC is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world—and we’re working to keep it that way

Because space constraints mean we get creative with our cultural hot spots

Because you can eat pretty much anything at any time

Because NYC inspired Bob Dylan—and some downtown movement called punk

Because Sesame Street was invented and takes place here

Because there’s room for innovation and tradition to coexist

Because the power of our pizza draws in thousands—including former heads of state—to sample both classic and innovative pies

Because, for as little as $50, you can own a piece of New York City. Sort of

Because you can see A-list comics for cheap in intimate spaces nearly every night of the week

Our warhorses take a licking and keep on ticking

Because we have both a publishing capital (Manhattan) and a writers’ residential capital (Brooklyn)

Because the city is in the throes of an independent-bookstore renaissance

Because, for most New Yorkers, Jean-Luc Picard is just another dude who lives in Park Slope

Because New York City is responsible for some of the world’s most useful—and, okay, frivolous—inventions

Because other cities often copy projects that started or were perfected here—look at the High Line

Because the city’s water supply gives New York some of the best-tasting tap water around

Because you can travel the world without leaving the boroughs

Because we have the most theaters in the world—by a long shot

Because New York City is the most recognizable pop-culture reference point

Because NYC has the second-largest Jewish population in the world—a massive influence on the city’s identity

Because our lack of space promotes a creatively willful ignorance

Because New York is truly a 24-hour city

Because countless songwriters created their masterpieces here

Because of the breadth of our movie screenings—NYC has an array of venues catering to every different taste

Because you can hear first-rate jazz performers—both seasoned veterans and hot contenders—playing live every day of the week, 365 days a year

Because NYC has the best menswear designers

Because you can visit independent shops, high-end designers and legendary department stores in one day

Because the absurd and the mundane coexist harmoniously here

Because New York was a pioneer in modern engineering

Because NYC is the media epicenter of the world, with enough room for both staid institutions and innovative publications

Because indie and public radio still have a place here

Because we have a gay funplex in midtown

Because we have more culture than anyone could possibly see in one week—maybe even one lifetime

Because New Yorkers come together—in ways small and large—after crises

Because we’re arrogant enough to do this list in the first place