“They call New York City the APPLE because more than any other metropolis it is the core”

New York City is one of the must-see cities. No question. It’s a city that leaves no visitor indifferent. I was there for two days in September, 2005 and for a whole week in May, 2008. I hope my third visit is just around the corner. If any top honcho at Delta or Lufthansa is reading this … yes, I will gladly accept a free trip back.

To get an insider’s view of New York, we’ve asked a native New Yorker to answer a few of our questions.
Christopher is a new yorker and a close friend of Trourist who’s been living in Spain awhile, working in film and assorted other fields. He doesn’t forget the city where he was born and raised.

Q. What do you miss about New York? How’s it different from Spain?

A. New York City-style pizza, cheeburger deluxes at a greek diner (increasingly in danger of extinction), Central Park, its museums, its seemingly infinte variety of cool bars downtown, uptown, crosstown, in other boroughs, wherever. Also high on the list are Shea Stadium (yes, i’m a rabid Mets’ fan. I hate the Yankees!), the Garden (Madison Square Garden, to outsiders. And I know the Knicks suck, but I love them anyway). The list is too long to continue, so I’ll stop.

The main difference between the city and other places is THE ATTITUDE: fuck with me, i’ll fuck with you! That’s irreplaceable and inimitable. You’re born with it, you nurture it and, finally, you own it.

Q. For some, New York City is the city of syscrapers. For others, it’s the american dream. Then there are those who call it the city that never sleeps or the city of a thousand and one nights. What does New York mean to someone who was born there?

A. New York is a boot camp, a training ground that prepares you for whatever, wherever. Like Frankie (Sinatra) says in his song “New York, New York“: if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere …

I’ve been mugged, beaten up, insulted and threatened. Then, again, it’s only happened a few times, considering the amount of experiences you face daily. And i haven’t always been on the receiving end either. New York City toughens you, your reflexes become sharper and you learn to take no shit from no one. Ever.

On the other hand, I always call NYC the world’s second city. Everyone, of course, knows their town, but new york is the town they know second best. Why? Because no other city has been more written about, photographed, filmed. It’s the Mecca for media, finance, fashion, sports … Shall I go on?

Q. What NYC experiences do you feel fit in with the Trourist philosophy? What do you recommend for people to try out?

A. Like I said, New Yorkers tend to be on the tough side. They gotta be. They’re also inherently distrustful. This steel armor, however, doesn’t stop them from being open and helpful. New York has always welcomed visitors, we tend to be nicer with those people we feel can use a hand. So, I would say, if you’re looking for a great experience in New York, talk to people, all kinds of people and try to find the common denominator that unites them. After that, ask for some tips of where to go, what places to hit and, I’m sure, their suggestions will hit the mark.