How to Wander New York City Without Looking Like a Tourist
Find a friend in the city., Read up on best locales for eating, walking, and tourism., Wander., Dress your best., Try to contribute to the household you're in., Don't be afraid to speak your mind to your rooming buddy (or buddies)., Accept the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a friend in the city.
If you know someone there, you will more than likely be able to crash with them for a week or two, which is enough time to let you get to know both the neighborhood in which they live and your prospective next neighborhood.
If they're nice, they'll provide you a place room-and-board free, but be careful, there may be other prices (work for them in exchange for stay, sleep in small quarters, you get the picture).
If they are good friends they'll do all of these things cost-free. -
Step 2: Read up on best locales for eating
Do all the things you'd do, or at least plan to do all the things you'd do, if you were a tourist in the city as well as the things you'd do as a local.
Finding great reviews is easy, just gravitate towards the people who you think would give you worthy advice on sites like yelp.com, nytimes.com, or independent reviews. , Nothing beats wandering for getting the feel for the city; a place like New York is very diverse, and you'll get your fair share of cross-cultural immersion if you're in a place like Chinatown or Spanish Harlem--but those are only a few of the places offering multi-cultural eats, scenes, and businesses.
Explore.
In the words of a friend I went abroad with years ago, "somos conquistadors," we are conquistadors.
Take steps, make moves, and explore. , You never know who you're going to run into.
Don't let anyone think you aren't a gold star. , That means doing things like the dishes, sweeping, walking the dog, and helping even when you don't see a direct benefit to yourself.
Or, if you have it, leaving chunks of cash around.
You never know how far an act of kindness, especially in the limited square footage of NYC, can go in keeping roommate relations civil, fluid, and productive.
So much of the process is an act of symbiosis; you give while I take, you rest while I work; we both work and contribute.
It's a beautiful thing, so don't let it go sour. , Speak out if you need fewer parties, want to go hang out, need more of your own friends over, etc.
It's better to let it out then keep it in. , Move into a new place; hopefully by step 7 you've adjusted well-enough and quickly enough to know the kinds of neighborhoods you'd enjoy living in or around, and try to indicate to your roommate, family, and friends nearby, who might be able to have your back, where you'll be staying.
You may need them to cosign for you in your first place. , Be wary of people trying to scam you into putting first and last months rent down, especially if you have no ownership rights to the place.
If you do eventually get to own, then watch out, it's loan time. , Be cool.
Insecurity is unattractive. , You'll be glad you did. -
Step 3: walking
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Step 4: and tourism.
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Step 5: Wander.
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Step 6: Dress your best.
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Step 7: Try to contribute to the household you're in.
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Step 8: Don't be afraid to speak your mind to your rooming buddy (or buddies).
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Step 9: Accept the possibility of potentially having to let go.
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Step 10: Look for no fee apartments.
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Step 11: Dressing to impress?
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Step 12: Find your own local hangs and write about them.
Detailed Guide
If you know someone there, you will more than likely be able to crash with them for a week or two, which is enough time to let you get to know both the neighborhood in which they live and your prospective next neighborhood.
If they're nice, they'll provide you a place room-and-board free, but be careful, there may be other prices (work for them in exchange for stay, sleep in small quarters, you get the picture).
If they are good friends they'll do all of these things cost-free.
Do all the things you'd do, or at least plan to do all the things you'd do, if you were a tourist in the city as well as the things you'd do as a local.
Finding great reviews is easy, just gravitate towards the people who you think would give you worthy advice on sites like yelp.com, nytimes.com, or independent reviews. , Nothing beats wandering for getting the feel for the city; a place like New York is very diverse, and you'll get your fair share of cross-cultural immersion if you're in a place like Chinatown or Spanish Harlem--but those are only a few of the places offering multi-cultural eats, scenes, and businesses.
Explore.
In the words of a friend I went abroad with years ago, "somos conquistadors," we are conquistadors.
Take steps, make moves, and explore. , You never know who you're going to run into.
Don't let anyone think you aren't a gold star. , That means doing things like the dishes, sweeping, walking the dog, and helping even when you don't see a direct benefit to yourself.
Or, if you have it, leaving chunks of cash around.
You never know how far an act of kindness, especially in the limited square footage of NYC, can go in keeping roommate relations civil, fluid, and productive.
So much of the process is an act of symbiosis; you give while I take, you rest while I work; we both work and contribute.
It's a beautiful thing, so don't let it go sour. , Speak out if you need fewer parties, want to go hang out, need more of your own friends over, etc.
It's better to let it out then keep it in. , Move into a new place; hopefully by step 7 you've adjusted well-enough and quickly enough to know the kinds of neighborhoods you'd enjoy living in or around, and try to indicate to your roommate, family, and friends nearby, who might be able to have your back, where you'll be staying.
You may need them to cosign for you in your first place. , Be wary of people trying to scam you into putting first and last months rent down, especially if you have no ownership rights to the place.
If you do eventually get to own, then watch out, it's loan time. , Be cool.
Insecurity is unattractive. , You'll be glad you did.
About the Author
Adam Ramirez
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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