But, how are people in Philly eating more bagels than us? The infographic also notes that Sunday is the unhealthiest of eating days, when those in their study were shown to eat 1.4x more croissants, and 1.5x more cupcakes. more ›

If it's the third week of January, it's time for media outlets to regurgitate Travel & Leisure's annual reader survey of America's "favorite" cities. Bite-size tabloid AM New York was quick to cough up a cover story today about how we're just not that friendly, and the Daily News also reports that "out-of-towners have ranked New York as the No. 1 city — in rudeness." But as we pointed out last time this bullshit survey resurfaced, the word "rude" isn't part of Travel & Leisure's survey, which ranks cities by how friendly its residents are. And just because you're not perceived as "friendly" doesn't mean you're rude! For instance, it might mean you're simply busy and don't have time to cheerfully pour iced tea for every needy hayseed tourist blocking the tourist lane. more ›

So, American Idol returned for its eleven billionth season this week, and many millions of (older) people watched! Which is nice, and not just for Fox—because three New Yorkers were on this week and are now heading to Hollywood. more ›

Seeing as there are no actual jobs available any more, New Yorkers have turned to the tried and true method of enriching themselves using the sheer brilliance of the city: real estate. Specifically, renting out their apartments as illegal hotels to tourists. "I'm an entrepreneur, and I saw this as another opportunity," a woman who rents out her Brooklyn apartment for $100/night tells the Post. "I've been booked for the past month and a half, save for a few nights." We'd like to take this opportunity to announce that a lovely broom closet in the Lower East Side that is available for $30/hour. more ›

This week Funny or Die posted a map of the United States, noting, "New Yorkers have no sense of geography, which is fair, considering the world revolves around their city. As a New Yorker myself, I attempted to draw the map of the United States. As far as I know, it's 100% accurate." It's just that... it could have been so much better! (Like The New Yorker's View of the World cover.) So below we've provided a blank map, separating New York from the rest of the states. How would you have filled it out? Send yours in, or tell us your thoughts in the comments, and we'll post a finished product (or a few) later today. more ›

This past week, Time Out London published their newest list of 'Lies to Tell Tourists', a backhanded love letter from residents to visitors, filled with misdirection and miseducation. And while we mostly try to play nice with tourists, even when they ask us where Central Perk is, we can't help but have some fun now and again, like with the Tourist Lane. In that spirit, what are some lies that you tell tourists? Here are our favorites: more ›

Marist released the results of a massive poll yesterday (below), in which they surveyed 4,500 New York state residents about government consolidation and the state of the state. But inside are some interesting facts about city residents, including that we have the longest tenure than any other region; NYCers live here an average of 28 years. You'll have to drag us out of our tiny, rent-controlled apartments, transplants! more ›

Recently, TruTV came out with a list of the "12 Dumbest Things New Yorkers Do," and while they have some valid points, we'd like to know where they're getting their information. We'll admit that waiting over an hour on line for brunch can be a pretty dumb idea, but eating Burger King's NY Pizza burger? Who does that? (Besides us.) more ›

A new national analysis of cell phone usage based on wireless bills has revealed that New Yorkers talk for a lot less time on the phone than you'd imagine. New York ranks 15th in the nation for total number of calls, but is nearly last for the duration of its conversations. "The data support the idea that we have a lot to say, but we say it in a very efficient manner," Jonathan Carson, CEO of Nielsen's telecom branch, told The Post. more ›

There are a lot of things that annoy New Yorkers, though maybe nothing more than seeing such a complex group of people being reduced to a pie chart. Nevertheless, the Post compiled this chart of things that piss off New Yorkers. So, are they right? more ›

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." more ›

Is the tourist sidewalk line that suddenly showed up earlier this week actually a work of Banksy? A tipster pointed us to Banksy's book Wall and Piece, which has several examples of his text work, which bear some resemblance to the sidewalk lane (you can see some of those examples above). Banksy pieces have been popping up all over the city during the past week since his arrival in NY, and the sidewalk line has simultaneously become the "talk of the internet." more ›

Yesterday Mayor Bloomberg finally weighed in on "the talk of the Internet"—the line chalked onto a Fifth Avenue sidewalk that tries to keep tourists out of the way of busy, important New Yorkers as they go about their big shot, world-turning business. The mayor's sunshine-and-daffodils spin on the tourist lane would have made Pollyanna roll her eyes: more ›

The line painted onto a Fifth Avenue sidewalk dividing pedestrian traffic into "Tourists" and "New Yorkers" was "the talk of the Internet" yesterday, reports the New York Post, which paid a professional journalist and photographer to go do actual reporting from the scene of the prank. (They even edited together a video segment.) The Daily News dispatched journalists, too! Both tabloids report divided opinions on the dividing line. more ›

If city residents drove as often as the rest of America (or, let's face it, if as many of them had drivers licenses), we'd need a 25 sq. mile parking lot to fit all the cars. According to a new city commissioned study, there would be 4.5 million more cars clogging up rush hour traffic if New Yorkers drove the same amount as folks in other metropolitan centers. Well, maybe it's high time we put that giant useless space in the middle of Manhattan to good use? more ›

We are just furious about being dubbed the unhappiest people in the nation. Not sad... just really really angry. Because we're totally effing happy, but you guys added up the scores wrong or something. Right? Today the NY Times takes on the unwanted title, and even gets an apology out of one of the professors who published the study in Science magazine. more ›

With jobs getting cut, budgets on the chopping block and an economic crisis that has everyone tightening the pursestrings, you can be sure to expect many an article penned about New Yorkers fleeing their expensive rents for new out-of-city digs (there's at least one writer looking for such subjects right now). TONY recently asked some deserters why they left New York after years of calling it home (marriage, bigger apartment, etc etc), and they all seem so...happy. While they're not living in their own versions of Galt's Gulch just yet, some are recreating New York in their new stomping grounds. One 26-year-old says she left the Astral in Greenpoint, which was infested with bedbugs and giant cockroaches, and moved into a palatial palace in Kansas City, where they even have Critical Mass, Bloody Mary brunches...and 3-bedroom apartments for $750 a month. Sigh. more ›

The Department of Health has issued 682 violations to local restaurants since a new law took effect in April requiring eateries with more than fifteen locations nationwide to prominently display calorie information. Fines range between $200 and $2,000, and McDonald’s has the highest number of violations with 103. (Dunkin Donuts is second with 89.) Some restaurants are still refusing to comply, while others were busted for not posting the info as the law requires. For instance, the calorie stats can't be smaller than the text describing the food. And while the restaurant industry is still appealing the law, at least one consumer has found the information enlightening: Dr. Mary Bassett, deputy commissioner of health promotion, tells Crain's, "I’ve given up tuna fish and chicken salad. Without that information [on the menu], I wouldn’t have guessed, and I’m a medical doctor." more ›

Chain restaurants that haven’t been complying with the city’s new law requiring them to display calorie information for all their food and beverages can be fined by the Health Department starting at midnight. But some establishments like Olive Garden remain defiant; they’re refusing to cooperate in hopes that a Restaurant Association appeal succeeds in court. Over 252 violations have already been reported, but not until tonight can fines be levied. Other places are scrambling to display the calorie stats and avoid a possible $2,000 fine. “We waited quite late in the day,” Hale & Hearty’s Simon Jacobs told Crain’s. “And at some point we just realized we were running out of time.” more ›

As local franchises start complying with the city’s new calorie law – which requires establishments with over 15 locations nationwide to prominently display caloric info – there are bound to be some bumps in the road. But this snafu is hard to top: Blog about town “Cellar Door” spotted an interesting discrepancy at two different Dunkin' Donuts purveyors located next to each other inside Penn Station. more ›

When we took note of the Health Department’s crackdown on chain restaurants that refuse to display their calorie information, some commenters wondered how movie theaters would be affected. Since the rule applies to any New York City food server with at least 15 locations nationwide, are chains like Regal Cinemas now required to confront moviegoers with the bad news about their concession products (which are, technically, food)? more ›

The city’s Health Department has been schooling restaurants on the new law that requires any eatery with over 15 locations nationwide to display calorie information on all food and beverages. After numerous lawsuits from the New York State Restaurant Association, a judge ruled that the city could impose the new law, and it went into affect May 5th. more ›

In a lawsuit that’s had more back and forth than John Goodman at an all-you-can-eat Marriott breakfast buffet, a federal appeals court has ruled that, yes, city restaurants with 15 or more establishments nationwide must start displaying calorie information for all foods and beverages. In the meantime, the city has agreed not to issue any fines for non-compliance until July 18th, by which time judges are expected to rule on the National Restaurant Association’s appeal. more ›

A federal appeals judge has issued a delay on enforcement of the new law that would require NYC restaurants with 15 or more establishments nationwide to prominently display calorie information for all foods and beverages. The rules had been scheduled to take effect on Saturday; the new delay will last until Tuesday, when the three-member appeals court will formally consider an even longer delay. more ›

The New York State Restaurant Association [NYSRA] is still fighting a law requiring chain restaurants operating in New York City to prominently display calorie information on all food and beverages, but the new rules go into effect today anyway, and some establishments – such as Starbucks, Subway, Chipotle, Auntie Anne’s, Jamba Juice and Chevys – are already complying. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg may have failed with his plan to ease New York City congestion, but at least he can claim victory when it comes to New Yorkers’ digestion. (Sorry.) U.S. District Judge Richard Holwell has ruled that the city can require restaurants with more than 15 locations nationwide to prominently display their calorie information in “the same font and format used to display the name or price of the menu item.” more ›

A law that would require city restaurants with more than 15 locations nationwide to prominently display calorie information was supposed to go into effect last week, but a lawsuit brought by the restaurant industry has it choked up in court. Restaurateurs say the rules would violate their First Amendment right to say whatever they want on their menus, while the city points to a Health Department study suggesting diners choose healthier food when forced to acknowledge that their Big Mac cheeseburger is loaded with 43.7 grams of fat. more ›