What makes you a true New Yorker?
We asked notable city dwellers to share their recommendations and advice.
Wed Mar 28 2012
Justin Vivian Bond
Justin Vivian Bond, singer, performance artist and author (justinbond.com)
“The first thing you have to think about is transportation. If you’re taking the subway, buy a MetroCard and hold onto it so you can use it for refills. If you’re taking a taxi, the first thing you do when you get in the cab is turn off the TV. If you’re walking and you’re hungry, don’t pay more than a dollar for a slice of pizza.”
“[I really felt like I was a New Yorker…] probably back when I was fresh out of school and living on the Upper West Side. Back then, I bought my weed from a guy named Ace who dealt [it] on 87th Street. One day he disappeared. The other guys on the street said he’d been arrested. Then, one day he was back. I realized I’d been around long enough for my dealer to be arrested, spend time in the pokey and get out. I was still there, and he was once again delivering the goods. That’s when I knew I was a real New Yorker.”

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