Sidewalks of New York...

earlier today, a guy i know from the world of message boards emailed me and told me he had just moved to Manhattan from Connecticut, and and asked if i had some keys for surviving the City.

this is what i came up with:

finding cheap places to eat, if you like food. if you need suggestions, ask me.

learning where some good, reasonably clean, public restrooms are.

learning the subway.

accepting that, really, i swear, sometimes the bus is the best route.

pay attention to when the subways aren't running, as they often announce service changes weeks in advance.

being smart. wearing headphones at 3:30 in the morning while walking home in the dark does not qualify as smart.

i don't care if the sign says "walk". look both ways anyway.

carry a little cash on you, but use your atm/debit/credit card as often as possible.

buy an umbrella.

don't be afraid of queens. in fact, from murray hill, it's probably quicker to Queens than it is to the west side of manhattan.

wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in.

if you carry a bag with you, think about carrying a bottle of water with you. aside from the fact water is good for you, when i had to walk home over six miles two summers ago in the blackout, i was glad i had water with me.

don't eat out every day. bring your lunch to work sometimes, or you'll go broke.

if you use the subway every day, unlimited ride metrocards are your friend.