Cleo Bergman

Being broke is second nature for most New Yorkers, yet our desire to keep spending knows no boundaries. That's why it’s imperative to build habits like making lunch at home or shopping in thrift stores to save money. That way, by the time we’re ready to treat ourselves, we can. Here are some recommendations on how to achieve that balance as painlessly possible. 1. Swallow your pride and pick up a stray Metrocard from the ground to save you the insulting $1 fee to buy a new card. 2. Don’t stick your nose up at the frozen food section or store brand foods when grocery shopping. You know you can’t argue with that $0.99 bags of frozen Brussels Sprouts at Trader Joe’s. 3. If you love getting work done in cafés, only buy a $5 coffee if it’s made from the beans of a unicorn’s butthole. In other words, just spend money on food or drinks that you wouldn’t be able to make at home. 4. Make lunch at your apartment and bring it to work instead of buying it every day. In fact, make a week’s worth of lunch and freeze them in packs (Note: Fried rice and stir fry are easy to make in big quantities.) Treat yourself occasionally with a fancy burrito. 5. Pre-gaming = not racking up a giant tab at the bar. 6. See also: Free wine and snacks at gallery openings in Chelsea and Soho. 7. If you’re itching to go on a shopping spree, ask your friends if they’re cleaning out their closets. We all have a fabulous shirt that's been collecting dust for over a year that would make at least one of our friends

There are few things in life people think about more than sex. But for New Yorkers, it’s just as normal (though probably not as healthy) to think more about things like subway delays or our elaborate fantasies of upgrading to a swanky highrise instead of our dilapidated apartments. Sometimes that’s sexier than thinking about the weird ways New Yorkers have sex! Below are just some of the many thoughts to cross New Yorkers’ minds before sex.   1. Wondering when your roommate will finally Venmo you her half of the rent.   2. Fantasizing about living in a penthouse overlooking the city.   3. All the ways the subway could be better.   4. Worrying that this may be the day you get hit by a wild car.   5. How badly you need a drink.   6. Planning your next getaway out of the city.   7. Wondering where that person got that cool article of clothing that you secretly (desperately) want.   8. Finding ways to take naps throughout the day.   9. Your next cup of coffee. And the next one after that.   10. How man-spreaders and pole-leaners should be eradicated from earth.   11. Worrying about who our next president is going to be.   12. Marveling at how quickly the city is changing before your very eyes.   13. Wondering why exactly the Empire State Building is fuchsia and orange tonight.     14. Wondering how your life would turn out if you spoke to that beautiful person sitting across from you in the subway/park/cafe.   15. Wondering where the nearest bathroom is.   16. Imagining the day y

New York is a hotbed of exhausted, overly stressed people who can feel like a beaten-down rag doll on the best of days. However, even the most jaded New Yorkers can feel like royalty when they treat themselves to a little something special. Here are some small splurges New Yorkers can try out to hone their inner princess.   1. Order extra guacamole with your burrito even though you KNOW it costs extra.   2. Buy an unlimited MetroCard for the week and feel like Aladdin traveling the world on a magic carpet. Sort of.   3. Get a free exfoliating treatment for your hands at Sabon—then actually buy something! No one’s ever complained about smelling nice or having incredibly soft skin.   4. Invest in a night mask and some lavender oils to pamper yourself as you drift off into a royal slumber.   5. Order a Trenta at Starbucks for once.   6. Go to a luxury movie theater—it’s much fancier than your local AMC.   7. Have your cake and eat it too: Order dessert after dinner and don’t even think about sharing!   8. Order another drink past happy hour, because you deserve to be happy outside of happy hour.   9. Forgo the subway and take an Uber or a taxi. Your carriage awaits!   10. Buy something you want (and certainly don’t need) right next to the register as you’re checking out.   11. Buy a beautiful bouquet of flowers for yourself.   12. Use your lunch break at work to sneak to a nail salon for a manicure.   13. Wear your fanciest pair of underwear—it’s the next best thing to wearing a

The rules are simple: if you live in New York, do as instructed. Where this game takes place is under your discretion. We do not take responsibility for any foolishness that goes down. Stay safe and have fun! Take a swig any time... Someone complains about the subway. A car drives by with music blaring. Someone says how much they want to see Hamilton. Someone mentions how broke they are. A fire truck or a police car blasts their sirens. You spot someone wearing flannel and a beanie in a cafe. When you get asked for directions by tourists. Someone suggests getting pizza. Someone talks about how much they love Stranger Things. You spot a rat in the subway. You’re forced to walk through a construction tunnel or around construction. You're stuck behind slow walkers. Take two swigs any time… Your Uber pulls up next to a taxi. You see three people in a row wearing all black. Someone is playing Pokemon Go. You meet someone from New Jersey at a party. Someone is screaming randomly in the middle of the street. You can’t tell if they’re screaming with joy or out of fear. You spot an officer on a horse. Someone starts talking about a vegan/gluten-free place they found. You go on a tinder date with someone who isn't from NYC. You hear more than two foreign languages being spoken at once. You spot someone openly smoking a joint outside. Someone says, “I was at Trader Joe’s the other day…” Someone starts performing on the train. You spot someone reading a newspaper on the subway. Finis

Bullshit comes in many forms, and New Yorkers are familiar with most, if not all of them. From impossibly long lines at Shake Shack, to subway delays caused by an onslaught of crickets, New York simply isn’t built for the average human being. While outsiders may look on in horror, New Yorkers are resigned to (and sometimes comforted by) the chaos that can only be found in the city. 1. Having rats be part of your daily commute. 2. Tourist groups who think they can get in formation in the middle of the sidewalk. 3. “It’s Show Time!” guys whose swinging legs may be the last thing you see alive. 4. Car alarms, sirens and dump trucks singing the songs of their people in the middle of the night. 5. Squirrels invading your personal space. 6. One of the only public bathroom options being the inevitably long line of a Starbucks. 7. New Jersey people claiming they’re from New York. 8. Almost getting hit by a car and a bicycle at least once a day. 9. Construction everywhere. Everywhere. 10. Those damn fare hikes. 11. Neighborhoods changing faster than you can say “gentrification.” 12. The likelihood of never getting a chance to see Hamilton in your lifetime despite living in New York. 13. 8.4 million people live in New York City, yet somehow you always manage to run into someone you vaguely know and desperately don’t want to engage with. 14. Out of that same population, you’ve never run into your favorite celebrity. 15. The only uncrowded place in New York City are the subway cars with

By now, we should all know to expect delays on any given subway ride. A broken rail, ongoing construction and general mishaps can turn a morning commute into an unbearable mess. While delays may bring our days to a halt, nothing will stop us from complaining like true New Yorkers. Here are some thoughts that have gone through all New Yorkers' heads when the MTA gods are against us. 1. “I might as well memorize these ads since we’ll be here forever.” 2. “Who would I partner with if we were to start a colony in this car?” 3. "How many days of my life have I spent being stuck in the subway?” 4. “I could've learned another language by now.” 5. “Should I take a nap?” 6. “I am NOT in the mood for another emergency walk out.” 7. “Why didn't you stay home, sick passenger?” 8. “If I had known I was going to be late to work anyway, I wouldn't have rushed.” 9. “C’mon, MTA! If Apple can put out a new iPhone every year, we can figure out how to fix these ‘signal malfunctions.'” 10. “How come I'm never lucky enough to be in the same car as a Broadway musical cast whenever I get stuck on the train?” 11. “I should've brought a book. I always say that, but I never do.” 12. “Thank goodness I have a seat.” 13. “I wish I had a seat…” 14. “I can’t tell if I’m falling asleep or dying of boredom.” 15. “I should’ve used the bathroom before getting on the train.” Recommended feature See the 13 slang words every New Yorker should know

That’s right, Pepsi is setting up shop—and surprisingly, it has little to do with the beverage itself. At the soda company's first restaurant, to be called Kola House, the star of the show is the kola nut, the caffeinated fruit from which Pepsi Cola derives its flavor and name, according to the New York Times. Rather than cover the space with the Pepsi brand, Kola House will feature food and beverages inspired by the kola nut, along with a musical platform called "Live at Kola House" for live entertainment. While Pepsi has yet to decide on an executive chef or menu, they have cocktail “alchemist” Alex Ott brainstorming possible beverages to feature on the drinks menu, such as kola extract infused cocktails. It appears that Pepsi is attempting to separate itself from its usual sugary image to bolster up their new "Kola" brand. Kola House will open a pop-up in San Francisco before the Super Bowl. At that “Modular Kola House” (or as everyone else in the world will call it: the Pepsi pop-up), they will be serving experimental dishes such as wagyu beef “kola” sliders, beef tartare with kola truffle aioli and cocktails with kola bitters.  The New York flagship will open in the Meatpacking district sometime this spring.  

Whether it's a generous barista at our local coffee shop or a total stranger with a big heart (and the best of manners), some New Yorkers simply make the city a better place. There are thousands of people around town who go above and beyond to help out their fellow city dwellers, often without receiving or expecting any credit. Here are 10 of New York's unsung heroes who warrant your appreciation.  The halal and pizza guys who are still open at 3AM: Thank these brave food soldiers for always supplying our insatiable appetite for everything good and carb-ridden after a drunken night out. Thank them especially for never judging you. People who help carry strollers up and down subway stairs: While this could be chalked up to simple common courtesy, it’s still wonderful to see someone take a pause in the bustling city to help a parent out. The workers who keep Bryant Park’s public bathrooms among the cleanest in the city: “What is this sorcery?” we ask ourselves time and time again whenever we enter Bryant Park’s citrus-scented, marble-tiled bathrooms with tasteful flower decorations. There is magic in the city, and the park’s workers use it to defy all expectations of public bathrooms. Strangers who let you go first: It’s easy to get wrapped up in ourselves when we’re constantly moving, but when someone lets you go ahead of them in line for coffee or opens a door for you, we are humbly reminded of how chivalry is alive and well in a city that hardly stops for anyone. The person

It might be hard to believe, but there is more to New York's animal kingdom than pigeons and dogs. From a species of owls that were once endangered to a majestic type of hawk, the city's wildlife is surprisingly diverse. Here is a list of animals that you may or may not have known to be your spirit animal of NYC. Pizza rat Photograph: YouTube You can't just go home after a night of partying without something to eat. This is the moment when New Yorkers most resemble the city's best meme of 2015: pizza rat. Who hasn't staggered down the subway steps at 4am with a slice in hand? The hungry rodent speaks volumes about our nightlife choices. Red-tailed hawk Photograph: Wikimedia Commons We all strive to be this elegant and imposing. If you’re the type that sits on a stoop openly smoking a joint, or the straphanger that (rightfully) forces a fellow train rider to stop manspreading, then this spirit animal is calling your name. They're even known to build nests on expensive pieces of property (including the famous co-op on 5th avenue). These hawks couldn't give a damn about your life—unless you make it their business. Great horned owl Photograph: Wikimedia Commons Did you know that New York is home to these proud-looking owls? If not, it's probably because they’re very good at hiding by day and being active at night. Sound familiar? That's pretty much the same as watching Netflix all day and then going out at 11pm, right? Black Squirrel Photograph: Wikimedia Commons We know t