I was never a stranger to New York City. My dad was a firefighter in Midtown Manhattan, and my family and I would make trips to visit him and go to any events the firehouse was hosting. My mom LOVES Broadway shows, so she was always finding us ticket deals and taking me to see Broadway shows with her. She always made sure we went somewhere fun for dinner before the show too, and by doing so, our evenings in the city would always feel special. Thanks to her planning, we always had fun and memorable night in Manhattan.
Through these countless trips into midtown with my mom and by visiting my dad, the city was a very normal and comfortable place for me. Being an ignorant kid, I never experienced a huge “wow factor” when exploring the metropolis. New York City was just a place to go. It was as typical a place to visit for me, as your hometown is for you.
Years later, I started working as an accountant in New York City right after college. At which point, I completely fell in love with the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. Being an adult with one’s own interests and income opens the eyes to just how much the concrete jungle has to offer. I grew up in a very insulated town on Long Island. There was minimal exposure to any cultures and religions that were different from my own. I only knew that which existed in my small-town bubble.
New York City gave me a chance to grow into who I am today. It expanded my previously limited views in so many ways. Living and working in the city opened up my world to the inexhaustible variety of people living around me through food, language, dress, basically, everything I wasn’t seeing on my small day trips when I was a kid.
I absolutely adore exploring and experiencing the cultures of new places, especially in the food & booze department. When I can’t do that through international travel, New York City is the place for me to go to fill that desire. I am excited to share experiences, stories, and reviews that are all about New York City.
xx
Nina
Tawk of New Yawk Co-Founder
Food, Booze, & Body Art Editor, Writer
