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Just for fun, here are 10 handy tips on how not look like a tourist (since my mom always asks:)…
From my friend Shoko:
1. Don’t stare. Even if a woman wearing a tiger costume sits down next to you on the subway (which happened to me once), act like nothing out of the ordinary is happening. Seasoned New Yorkers are always unfazed.
2. Beauty/hair: Less is more! Try a pop of bright lipstick on a bare face, or a low ponytail. Bedhead is totally acceptable.
3. Confidence is key. One thing I love about New York women is that they flaunt their quirks. Got a head full of curls? Let them fly free. Six feet tall without heels? Wear them anyway. Want to wear all electric blue? Go for it. In this city, it’ll only make you cooler.
4. One exception: the wrong footwear will give you away. You almost never see a New York woman walking around in actual running shoes when she’s not running, or tennis shoes when she’s not playing tennis. Stylish yet functional footwear (think: ballet flats) or basic sneakers (Bensimon, Converse) are a total New York must.
From my friend Nora:
5. New Yorkers imagine that there’s an invisible line down the middle if the sidewalk, and that to keep the flow going, you keep to the RIGHT. New Yorkers also walk at a brisk pace, and if they stop or even slow down, they step out of the way.
From my friend Sharon:
6. Tourists always get overwhelmed when swiping their metro card. There’s a lot of fumbling. Just be cool–get your card out while walking down the stairs, make sure the black strip is facing inward, and swipe it like a credit card.
7. Anytime I hear, “Oh, my, that’s so expensive!” I know it’s a tourist. Also, “You’ve got to be kidding me! It costs what?!” and “That’s all I get for XX amount of dollars?” New York is expensive! New Yorkers know this and have stopped talking about it. Or at least they pretend not to notice.
8. One thing tourists have on us: They look up! They noticed the grandness of the city. The skyscrapers! The churches! The bridges! If you want to look like a New Yorker, look down and keep moving. But you’ll miss out.
9. New Yorkers fold their pizza.
10. If you spot a celebrity, you’re not supposed to ask for their autograph. You’re also not supposed to ask for a picture with them. But it’s ok to smile as you pass them and then brag about it on Facebook, twitter AND your blog. :)
Something that is NOT faux pas in New York, from Quora: Talking about how much rent you pay. New Yorkers are obsessed with real estate and won’t think it rude if you ask personal questions about their apartment, their neighbors, their rent, their building, their realtor’s fee, etc. Isn’t that funny? But it’s so true.
What do you think? Obviously, this is all for fun–anything funny to add? I would love to hear!
P.S. Remember this? :)
(Photos from Annie Hall)
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