Welcome back to my feature, My First Apartment! In this piece, I interview New Yorkers on their experiences in their very first apartment here in NYC. They give the lowdown on the good and the bad plus some tips to help you along with your own home search.

Now let’s introduce our next interviewee…

Leah Weinberg

Event Planner and Founder of Color Pop Events, featured in
publications like Martha Stewart, the Knot, Vogue, Bravo & BuzzFeed
Follow her on Instagram – @colorpopevents

In what neighborhood was your first apartment located?
My first apartment was in Chelsea, right on 6th Avenue. Having moved here from Atlanta, I had NO idea how busy that area was going to be!

What size was it? (i.e. studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, etc)
It was a one-bedroom that checked off my laundry list of requirements — doorman building, dog-friendly, close to the subway, washer/dryer in the apartment, and gym in the building.

What did you absolutely love and/or hate about your first apartment?
I loved that the apartment was brand new and had everything that I was looking for. It was one of those buildings that also had a spa on-site so I could get massages and facials without having to go outside. Obviously I paid a ridiculous amount of money for that comfort. (Side note, I was an attorney at the time.) I absolutely hated how noisy my neighbors were.

What did you love about your first neighborhood?
Amazing restaurants, lots of subway options, and close to Madison Square Park. It was great having a dog run nearby for Spike!

Any words of wisdom to share with first timers looking in the city?
Be prepared to move quickly! When looking at apartments, be ready to put down a deposit on the spot. Real estate moves so quickly here that you usually don’t have a lot of time to mull things over before someone else comes in and snatches up the apartment of your dreams!