NYC Dos and Don'ts

I think I can call myself a New Yorker now. I've been a resident for over a decade and I've moved 5 times. Yes? Is that how the equation goes?

If it is truly official, then I also am allowed to start complaining about people not being New York-y enough. There is a sixth sense that you acquire after some time residing in Gotham. It may sound a little obnoxious, but it is absolutely true. As a bona fide "New Yorker", you are able to avoid tripping on pot holes without ever glancing down, easily maneuver through thick crowds of white-tennis-shoe-clad families, and have sonar to locate all of the hidden, cleanest public bathrooms. It's like your reward for having to pay broker's fees and smell urine 24-7. Give and take, you see.

But when you live in a city filled with 8 million people, someone is going to rub someone the wrong way (literally). Recently, Nathan W. Pyle published 136 brilliantly illustrated tips on how to navigate NYC while being on your best behavior and blending in with the natives. Por ejemplo...

"The most important thing I learned was to stay out of everyone's way," the 31-year-old told Business Insider last year. "Assume everyone's trying to get somewhere important and have spatial awareness."  -Nathan W. Pyle

Check out some of the back story HERE and buy the book in various forms here:

NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette

A newbie or a tourist does not posess the above skills. Not that I have anything against this grouping. As long as you avoid Times Square pre/post showtimes, the 5th Avenue Apple store during the day, and Madison Square Park's Shake Shack anytime, NYC tourists aren't so bad. But to any of you looking to visit the Big Bad Apple in the near future, there is help and you should be open to receiving it. More specifically for tourists, one can turn to Johnny T, our very own Miss Manners of NYC. Here he is breaking down tourist behavior and subway Ps and Qs.

See more of Johnny T and friends HERE.

Being a classy visitor to a city really is a timeless art. You can turn back the clock almost a century, and the same rules apply. Just take a page from Valentine's City of New York: A Guide Book.

I'll leave you with one last tip from that vade mecum:

"New York is like your own hometown, only bigger and the vast majority of its people are decent, likeable citizens. But there are also others."

Yep, sounds about right. Some things never change. See you soon!