Part of the Ask A New Yorker series.
What has been your biggest surprise living in the city?
How lonely it is, despite how many people there are. In my opinion, most people come here to accomplish some individual or personal goal, not really to meet others.
What is your favorite place to grab a late night beer?
Zum Schneider. Hands down.
What is your favorite free NYC activity?
Summerstage is great because it’s outside, in a park, free music, and during the summer.
Where is your favorite place to go for a run?
Along the West Side Highway. There is a paved path for runners and bikers
Where is your spot for the ‘best cup of coffee’ in NYC?
Macaron in mid-town has some great espresso as does Ninth Street Espresso
What are the best holidays to stick around the city?
Halloween. It’s a night that you can see New Yorkers really interact with each other. The city becomes a big outdoor party, with everyone in costume (some pretty great ones too) and enjoying the parade.
What is your least favorite part of the city and why?
The blocks surrounding Times Square – it’s packed and there’s nothing really for residents of the city to enjoy there.
Most memorable cab experience?
I took a cab ride from Chinatown to the Lower East Side with a friend visiting from out of town. Our cab driver was from Haiti and had some great music playing when we got into the car, so we started to dance and sing along; soon after we got the driver to join in. At traffic lights, he would roll down the windows and sing out to other cabbies or people on the sidewalks. It was a great way to pass the 10 minute drive, and a unique memory for my friend to take home with her.
Share your apartment hunting tips/stories
I’ve just recently moved to Brooklyn and wrote about it here on Become A New Yorker – there are some great tips there!
Which NYC park is your favorite?
The High Line near the Meatpacking District. It’s got some really interesting history (it used to be an elevated rail road) and is really beautiful in the spring.