Is This List of What New Yorkers Like Realistic?

Trying to make sweeping generalizations about the personalities of New Yorkers is never a good idea, but the Daily News thinks it's narrowed down "50 Things That Make New Yorkers Smile." Some of the schadenfreude is spot on ("Seeing the tourists actually stand and wait at the corner till the Walk signal lights up") while other points seem really neighborhood specific ("Going to the Gee Whiz Diner for waffles at 4 a.m."). And is getting a t-shirt from Ollie's Noodle Shop a thing? Because that just seems one step away from "Wearing the 'Hard Rock Cafe' shirt I bought on my high school field trip."

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By Jaya Saxena in News on July 26, 2010 5:28 PM

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Billiamsburg

Nothing about New York makes me smile anymore. It all just fills me with rage and hatred for my fellow man and a wish to see entire races and cultures destroyed.

But if I had to pick from this asinine list I'd saying '#91: blowing a fart in Johnny's Baseball Bar in Shitting Meadows, Bronx while enjoying the New York specialty a Triple Grandaddy Old Timer" IS pretty awesome.

wobbleSmith

OK gothamist, time for some counter programming. get going with a Gothamist Presents 50 Things that Actually Make New Yorkers Smile. it has to be closer to reality than this daily news shit show.

i humbly suggest a few (just to get you started):

- When the livery car who blew through the crosswalk against your right of way gets into a fender bender at the next intersection

- Getting your delicious General Tso's Combination Plate delivered in 10 minutes

- Seeing tourists in a safe part of the city with a glimmer of fear in their eye anyway

- Actually catching the UPS man and avoiding three days of stickers and note-writing on your building's door

- Coming across a talented musician toiling away in the steamy subway passage (actually talented...)

and so on...

WorksInDUMBO

That was truly the lamest list ever.

Ragingsemi

"Going to a Starbucks where they know you want a Tall Black Eye without asking."

I too would like to give the person that wrote this a black eye.

Victrola

This is a list of things I do not enjoy.

skinna

List makers totally out of touch.

julienne

Koreans do that do? I would have immediately guessed Chinese. (Not that any country should have a monopoly on wetting the weeds or the call of nature)

Mizuki

It's not exclusive to nationality, but more a symptom of a country/peasant background in their home country.

julienne

perhaps in some countries this is country/peasant behavior, but not in China where it's acceptable for both country and city dwellers. It's for convenience sake and not a big deal to let children do this.

smackbunny

Seeing a Korean mom help her 3 year old pee on the corner at 2nd ave and 8th st in the middle of the day makes me smile.

Laura

An under-the-radar secret that thousands of New Yorkers know about and savor....

David Ippolito -- a folk-rock singer/songwriter best known and beloved for his free, barefoot, Saturday afternoon, outdoor concerts on a sweet little hill near the romantic rowboat lake.

Charismatic, very funny, open-hearted, and a damn excellent musician, David creates a magical, powerful, peaceful "It's Just Us" vibe. And he's been doing it for 19 years. Unique and amazing. Truly one of the very best things about New York City. He's influenced and changed so many lives through his music.

He writes a daily blog on his site, so you can catch one of his concerts: Thatguitarman [dot] com

himynameis

"Watching commuters pack the front car of the A train and then dash like fifth graders through the aligned turnstile."

WTF does this mean??

nycbrent

I assume they're referring to the front car of the downtown A train (and the C and E) at the 34th Street Station, offering the quickest exit to Penn Station and the LIRR. However, the turnstiles are down a stairway, so it doesn't make complete sense...

Kelles

seeing tourists trying to play 3-card monte makes me smile a little

Cannibal

Where are they still playing 3 card Monte?

Wza

Hot weather = girl watching...err...I mean people watching.

HBHB

#1 Watching the sunset from the Frying Pan dock cafe over crabcakes and beer.

This explains why I'm leaving NYC after 31 years. It's just not worth it anymore.

Cannibal

I think if you are too jaded to find anything worth doing in NYC, then yes, it is time for you to leave.

jles

Hah....the picture of that little girl made this New Yorker smile.

Cannibal

Me too!! the prairie dogs are the best

nicemarmot

I hate it when tourists do that - they always stand right in the middle of the curb cut.

What DOES give me pleasure is seeing them getting wet inside those open roof double decker buses when it rains.

Okay, now that I've actually read the list, I see they LIKE those buses. WTF?

grizzzly

A friend booked a whole one of those recently to get a whole wedding party from one end of manhattan to the other - it was actually an awesome ride. You see a lot of architectural detail that you don't notice from the street.