Kristen Perrone

Although there may be no other city that’s more ideal for solo adventures than New York, living here can be lonely if you don’t have people who will both tag along with your grand escapades and encourage you to leave your comfort zone. Making friends as an adult is tough, but luckily, New York’s everyday scenarios can help you form connections a little easier. Here are the types of friends you make in New York City with a little luck and happenstance. 1. The fitness friend Settling into a regular fitness routine at the same gym or studio will guarantee that you see the same faces several times a week. Sometimes you’re just not in the mood to exercise, but knowing the guy who’s always on the treadmill or the Pilates instructor whose classes you’re addicted is the ideal motivation to do it. A healthy dose of dopamine is a key ingredient in helping sweaty strangers bond. 2. The local bar friend If you’re more extroverted, chatting up the regulars at your go-to neighborhood bar or pub is second nature to you. Once you’ve become friendly with the bartenders, get comfortable in a prime seat and keep an eye out for the customers who are pals with the people behind the bar. Unlike other New York tropes perpetuated by TV shows, forming your own little gang at the local bar is totally possible. 3. The “mutual friend” friend This is the person that your mom or your college roommate connects you with when you first move to New York. They’re someone’s cousin or childhood neighbor with a c

New York City as seen on TV is a perpetually spotless, sunny paradise filled with 20-somethings in spacious apartments and romantic prospects on every other street corner. Sometimes this escapist fare isn’t quite what IRL New Yorkers want to see onscreen. Situations facing dysfunctional bodega staff, morning commuters at their usual subway platform, fervent apartment hunters, and more carry the true comedic moments that locals experience every day. The sitcom genre’s New York darlings, like Friends and Seinfeld, only skim the surface of the real city’s comedic potential. Although the classic sitcom format might be rare nowadays, there’s no doubt that any New Yorker can value the comedy of this lifestyle. RECOMMENDED: The 9 types of subway riders you see during rush hour in NYC Below are eight sitcoms that would be realistic to New Yorkers. 1. An aspiring musician playing at a different bar every week This series would introduce a down-on-their-luck performer forced to play wherever they’re allowed, ranging from the local dive bar to a Times Square pub to a secret speakeasy found in a subway tunnel. Their eclectic friend group would obviously have to tag along for each gig, dissecting their own artistic qualms in between sets and wishing for a big break to come along at the next bar. 2. A family running their own building management company The stressful process of finding a new apartment is usually only funny in hindsight for the clients, but what about the people causing all

As the melting pot of the city, the NYC subway promises unique people-watching every time you swipe through the turnstile. If you hop on during the morning or afternoon rush hours, the typical sights and sounds escalate to countless “you had to be there” moments. The next time you’re straphanging on a packed subway car, look out for these standout riders like tourists with poor timing, post-happy hour co-workers, and more who encapsulate New York rush hour. RECOMMENDED: 8 dating issues only New Yorkers understand 1. The students traveling in packs Who even knows what the school day’s typical hours are anymore? If you’re on the train any time throughout the afternoon, chances are that you’ll encounter groups of students ranging in age and causing mayhem with their enthusiasm. Nothing will make you feel more nostalgic for your high school years than forced proximity with teenagers gossiping about people or venting about homework. On the downside, they take up a lot of space, so fingers crossed that you manage to board before they descend upon the car. 2. The outer-borough commuters Rush hour crowds are starting to resemble pre-pandemic levels again, so long-haul commuters are popping up on the subway more regularly. You can catch these folks hunched over with multiple totes, a change of shoes, and a water bottle the size of their arm. They park themselves in a corner seat (or settle into an admirable stance against the doors), stick in their AirPods, and tune out the rest of th

The characters you encounter on a typical New York day are usually colorful enough for their own Emmy-winning sitcom. However, every now and then, you may spot a real star around the city who adds some glamour to a mundane Tuesday. If you’re a true city mouse, you’ve mastered the cool, nonchalant approach many locals have to these sightings, but deep down, nothing beats the delight of seeing a beloved star on the same old sidewalk you’re dodging garbage on. Here are the kinds of famous New Yorkers everyone has spotted before. 1. The morning show mainstays Morning show hosts keep odd hours, so they can be rare to spot in the wild. That’s why seeing Al Roker, Kelly Ripa, or George Stephanopoulos in your neck of the woods feels like a heartwarming run-in with a longtime friend. We spend years enjoying our morning coffee with their voices in the background, but nothing is better than seeing these familiar faces in the flesh.  2. The actors with their own restaurants or bars Many celebrity sightings are coincidences, but here, you have a decent chance of seeing New York-based stars like Nicholas Braun or Robert De Niro at the acclaimed bars and restaurants that they own. In 2020, Succession’s Braun and fellow actor Justin Theroux opened dive bar Ray’s on the Lower East Side, attracting a long list of famous visitors who regularly enjoy the ambiance alongside common folk who manage to snag a table. For a fancier evening of star searching, De Niro’s line of Nobu hotels and sushi res

On its best days, New York City practically writes its own love stories. Every coffee line, park bench, or crosswalk on a sunny afternoon feels like it could usher in your own modern fairy tale. Sadly, it can’t be like this in the city 24/7, especially when it comes to finding love. One of the biggest struggles about life here is a dating scene best summed up by a mantra of “so many people, so little time.” Whether you’ve barely dipped your toe into this dating pool or you consider yourself an experienced swimmer, you’ll likely recognize some of these dating issues New Yorkers know well. 1. People play coy about themselves on dating apps The complexities of dating apps are a whole other story, but let’s start small. Still believing in stranger danger on the internet nowadays can be charming, but skimping on the details is just inconvenient on an app in New York City. People may list their location as an entire borough, post nothing but the name of their highbrow alma mater, or just want a free tour guide for the weekend. In a city used to speed walkers and overbooked calendars, no one has time or energy to deal with the bare minimum. 2. Their job can define their personality a little too much People come to New York to broaden their lives, and that often entails an ambitious career path. Finance bros and PR girls are cliches for a reason, and a seasoned dater can’t help but anticipate that certain jobs mean certain behavior. 3. Dates get inevitably foiled by public transporta

It’s not a perfect Sunday morning in New York City until you stroll over to the deli or even a famous local joint to pick up the breakfast of champions—coffee and the expertly curated bagel order of your preference. Whether it’s a toasted everything or a BEC on a roll that fuels the rest of your day, sometimes what you notice on line at a New York bagel store is as worthwhile as thefood. These are some of the unique things you might overhear while waiting for a bagel order. 1. A tourist being unaccustomed to so many options A New Yorker’s three basic food groups are pizza, diner cuisine, and bagels. When it comes to these delicacies, other places rarely measure up, so it’s understandable if visitors are dumbfounded at the endless possibilities of what to order. Expect to be asked for recommendations if you end up behind these people in line and try to reserve judgment if they still stick with their buttered bagel. 2. Parents giving their toddler free range of what to order A plain bagel may satisfy a lot of children, but city kids are a different breed. Look out for the ones who will order a smoked salmon bagel without batting an eye before asking for a sip of a parent’s coffee. 3. A customer wanting to supervise what goes on their bagel Every bagel line has an old-school New Yorker who isn’t shy about knowing exactly what they like. They shuffle along the counter as their bagel is prepared, inform an employee if it has too much lox, and personally select the corner of the cr