What makes you a true New Yorker?

We asked notable city dwellers to share their recommendations and advice.

By Lauren Levinson Wed Mar 28 2012

The expert's guide to NYC

Julie Klausner

Julie Klausner Photograph: Mindy Tucker


Julie Klausner (julieklausner.com), comedian and host of the podcast How Was Your Week?
“It’s sort of impossible to be bored when you [walk around New York City], since neighborhoods change all the time—restaurants close, people wear crazy shit, there’s always something to see, even when the weather is lousy. Not every city has that built into its design.”

“See a movie in the middle of the day by yourself, because you can. I remember when Pecker came out [in 1998], and it was the first new John Waters film in a while. The Angelika Film Center (18 W Houston St at Mercer St; 212-995-2000, angelikafilmcenter.com) was packed on its first night, which was really cool.”

“There’s Jew stuff to do, which is nice. Russ & Daughters (179 E Houston St between Allen and Orchard Sts; 212-475-4880, russanddaughters.com) and Katz’s Delicatessen (205 E Houston St at Ludlow St; 212-254-2246, katzsdelicatessen.com) are pretty unchanged downtown institutions that I’m proud of. I’m excited about the Whitney Biennial and the Cindy Sherman exhibit at MoMA (11 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves; 212-708-9400, moma.org). I like going to Film Forum (209 W Houston St between Sixth Ave and Varick St; 212-727-8110, filmforum.org) and the Walter Reade Theater (Lincoln Center, 165 W 65th St between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave; 212-875-5600, lincolncenter.org). The UCB Theatre (307 W 26th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves; 212-366-9176, ucbtheatre.com) is great; the new one in the East Village (153 E 3rd St between Aves A and B; 212-366-9231, east.ucbtheatre.com) is worth visiting. I recommend eating as much pizza as you possibly can when you’re here. I’d recommend that to anyone.”

“I’m what Grammy Hall [from Annie Hall] calls a real New York Jew. My mom is from Brooklyn, my dad is from the Bronx, I went to NYU and I’ve lived in the city ever since. I don’t think being a New Yorker is a something as simple as having lived her for X amount of years, figuring out which trains to take without looking at a map, or knowing when to avoid Times Square (which is all the time, unless you have theater tickets and a Klonopin prescription for the purpose of bracing yourself prior). I really do think it’s a disposition you gain with experience. You’re more guarded and cynical, but you’re also intelligent and curious. You’ve seen and heard everything so you really are genuinely ravenous for something new and fascinating—something truly great that breaks through all of the jabber. New Yorkers have friends with different kinds of jobs they’re passionate about, and they have absolutely no time for bullshit, which includes anything boring or time-sucking. When I’m away from New Yorkers or former New Yorkers for too long, I lose my mind.”

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 5/5 (1 rating)

  • <a href="http://chinastudygroup.net/2011/03/o-grada-review-of-dikotter/"> Your idea is magnificent</a>

    icon download Wed Oct 3 2012
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • Seriously TONY?

    Christine JO Fri Mar 30 2012
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  • Seriously TONY?

    Christine JO Fri Mar 30 2012
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  • Seriously TONY?

    Christine JO Fri Mar 30 2012
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  • Right. Of course, you're not going to publish that comment about fact checking the racial demographics of NYC. Great to be white and rich in NYC.

    nicnere Fri Mar 30 2012
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  • So, I suppose TONY now censors comments that do not agree with this offensive article. You'll just leave the one from the one profiled here to make this article palatable. That's ok, I have the screenshot of the unpublished comment. You're not the only one who has access to the internet and a blog.Welcome to Syria.

    occupy TONY Thu Mar 29 2012
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  • Hey guys, I'd like to jump in here to quickly thank the TIME OUT crew - who did an amazing job working with those who were interviewed. Lauren and their copy editing staff were professional throughout the wrangling process. Thank you to them for reaching out in the first place, for coordinating several busy schedules, and especially for taking the time to fact check. @Midwester Transplant Poster - Not that it matters (much) but I was born in Harlem and lived there until age 6, across from The Cotton Club. My father kept his NYC apartment until I was 14. He drove an NYC taxi cab - 1A57 - for over 25 years. I spent every Summer in the city until the age of 21, when I moved back permanently the day after college ended. AND, the best part of Minnesota is that locals are welcoming. I promise if you visited a friend there for a week and wanted to call yourself a Minnesotan, they'd let you.

    Soraya Darabi Wed Mar 28 2012
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  • I think this is an interesting list. However, as a native New Yorker, I am offended that there is not even one person of African descent on this list. This is not the first time I have experienced feeling excluded from Time Out. The selections you make are repeatedly geared towards white, middle and upper middle class New Yorkers(many of which are not "native New Yorkers". I suggest that Time Out reconsiders the demographic of New York City. It's a majority minority city. However, when people come to your website, they would think it is a predominately white city. It's not and it would be greatly appreciated if you represented and also catered to the tastes of NY's diverse population.

    OC Wed Mar 28 2012
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  • @ Peter even if Lauren gets fired, she'll just land another "journalistic writing " gig at either The Awl, Village Voice, or GothamShit -- blogs/publications about NYC written by non-new yorkers. Good to be white and beautiful in the insular world of NYC media. Kin Ying Lee said “Visit Brooklyn. You can’t call yourself a New Yorker if you have only seen Manhattan and not explored the other boroughs. This neighborhood is especially important to me because I live there with my family. Uhmm. have you explored other boroughs aside from Brooklyn? and "It is where we landed after moving here from Ohio." O.hi.o -- that.is. all How are the people profiled here notable city dwellers and true New Yorkers? You need to give yourself a timeout, time out New York.

    JOR Wed Mar 28 2012
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  • "I spent junior high and school in Minnesota, and I went to college in Washington, D.C. I moved back to New York six years ago." If I were to say this same thing about having attended college somewhere else and then moving back to Minnesota, does not make me a Minnesotan. Definitely written by a New York transplant who thinks NYC is comprised of only rich white trustafarian yunnies transplants, and most likely Lauren is one.

    not a mid westerner transplant Wed Mar 28 2012
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