Gotham, New York NOT Batman

I think New York is a good place to write in general because it’s a grid. It’s organized. You know where you are on the map. That centers you, and your imagination is perhaps freer to roam. ~Alex Turner 

 

When you live in a city it is hard to play tourist. If people gave me money for the amount of times I have been asked if I have done this tourist attraction or that one, I would be rich. In fact I should start charging for the question.

Kidding aside, nine times out of ten, I haven’t done it. Most New Yorkers haven’t.

Even when I would visit family and friends in the city, I never did the typical “touristy” stuff. I always wanted to experience the city as a New Yorker. With all the grit and caffeinated hecticness that makes a person a local.

There is something engaging and exciting about visiting tourist attractions, just as long as you have time and keep your sanity and pedestrian road rage in check.

I think that is why I love having people visit me. I am able to do those touristy excursions, and rediscover my city from the eyes of an out of towner.

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Grand Central Station.

It shakes up the perspective and gives new insight. Seeing my friends and family visit, is like seeing a child discover Santa or the Easter Bunny for the first time. It is magical. And it reminds me of why I love this city, even when I get frustrated with it (see pedestrian rage)

It is all about balance. I always try to infuse touristy sites as well as the hidden gems of an insider’s knowledge into peoples visits, from French coffee shops to the lesser known parks. It is a balance beam of eclectic as well as tradition.

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Maison Kayser.

It embodies what New York is. Their is something for everyone, you just need to seek and ye shall find.

What is a hidden gem you want to visit? Touristy or locale?

 

 

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