Really? I've grown up in NYC as well, and I've found thats its much easier to be friendly in Boston than in NYC, but that might just be a consequence of the fact that when I'm hanging out in boston, its generally over in the MIT area, which is certainly a very unique culture, combined with that fact that being in one's 20s in boston certainly very different from being in Boston and not being in one's 20s.
To clarify--I grew up in central new york and was a vistor to NYC, so you are more qualified to comment re:NYC. I just meant that NYC had had a reputation in that regard, and my personal experience in Boston was worse comparatively.
