NEW YORK CITY BLONDE

I had a follower email me asking for advice for those young hopefuls looking to move to the greatest city in the world (New York, OB-VI-OUSLY). And while normally I discourage anyone from taking my advice, sometimes I kind of know what I'm talking about. She wanted opinions on the following:

How to deal with creepy roommates.
Never subject yourself to living with anyone who doesn't meet your standards. Come on, this is where you LIVE. My apartment is my "zen cave". I look forward to going home everyday and lounging on my couch with my roommates while we talk about how horribly long the work day was. Yeah, apartment hunting in NYC is one of the toughest things you'll ever do but you should never settle upon living with "creepy" people. With 8 million inhabitants in this city, look for people who are like-minded. Trust me, they're out there and when you meet roommates who are a good fit, you'll know.





How to deal with annoying homeless people.
There's no way to avoid bums, beggars, or scam artists in New York. And the worst part is, you can never tell which is which. I can understand that there are people out there who can't catch a break and need some help getting back on their feet. But I also know there are those that play on people's vulnerability. Use your best judgement. And if all else fails, do what every other New Yorker does and avoid eye contact.


How to deal with other daily struggles that come along with living in NYC.
Do people in New York struggle? Just kidding. This is probably the hardest to answer because my "daily struggles" change every day. Here are a few completely random tips (that I came up this just now)... 
1. Never trust the train schedule.
2. Always carry an emergency $20 bill (For those street vendors selling cool iPhone cases or cash-only bars. You know, real emergencies).
3. Be nice to doormen. Doormen at your apartment, doormen at restaurants and clubs, doormen everywhere. Just be really nice to them. You'll need their help one day.
4. Be wary about giving your number out to promoters.
5. Don't wear Uggs. Like, ever.
6. Be familiar with the "Three B's" (Bloomingdale's, Barney's, Bergdorf's).
7. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK.
8. Don't burn bridges. It's one thing to be bitchy on the Internet, it's another thing to be a bitch in real life.
9. Work hard. Work really really hard. This city wasn't built for people who wanted to be handed things. If you're not willing to work your ass off, be certain that the next person will be.
10. Follow @NYC_Blonde (duh).