The list, NYC.
Oh no no no, dear readers, this is not your typical list of tired, old, dog-eared travel books. No. This is the list… a must-read, must-watch, must-follow rundown of NYC. These people, books, music and movies will inspire your New York adventure – even if your mode of transportation is ‘armchair’.
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Watch the classics.
SO many scenes from movies have made venues and landmarks famous, starting with ‘that’ unforgettable scene of Meg Ryan in Katz’s Deli in When Harry Met Sally!
Coffee, croissants and a glamorous evening dress: Audrey Hepburn redefined the most important meal of the day as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s as she stared dreamily into Fifth Avenue’s Tiffany’s.
West Side Story is a classic. The opening sequence – with the classic, balletic duel scene between the Sharks and the Jets – was filmed in some neighbourhoods of New York that were empty of residents as they were due to be demolished… it’s an eery piece of history!
New York (female) ensembles.
Whether you’re a Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte or Miranda, the city of New York is the 5th (and least self-obsessed, perhaps) character in Sex and the City! We’re also big fans of the @everyoutfitonsatc feed on Instagram!
Seen Broad City yet? Get onto it! The hilarious, independently produced show stars Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer as 20-something best friends trying to navigate life in the big smoke.
Lena Dunham’s ground-breaking HBO show Girls defined for a (specific) generation what life (sort of) is like in the city… binge this for a great taste of Brooklyn-life!
On foot.
Plan on exploring the city on foot? You might want to pick up The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6,000 Miles in the City (2015) by William Helmreich. It chronicles the fascinating minutiae of New York’s many neighbourhoods.
Good mags.
The New Yorker is a great read in itself, but a strong New York flavour and plenty of event listings make it a guide while you’re there.
Go to New York Magazine for insights into the style, life and culture of the Big Apple.
Incredible NYC reads.
Patti Smith’s Just Kids is part memoir, part love letter to the New York City of the 1970s and ’80s.
Hanya Yanagihara’s second novel, A Little Life might be harrowing and bleak at times, but the Booker-shortlisted novel is a modern-day masterpiece. Plus, after you read it, you can follow ‘A Little Life: A Novel’ on Instagram, with scenes and moments inspired by the book.
Follow the food
Like food? Who doesn’t! @eatingnyc is what it sounds like: an account dedicated to everything delicious in NYC.
@newyorkslice is commitment: to pizza, and to the insta-feed. Sweet dreams are made of cheese.
Don’t visit @bestfoodny on an empty stomach. Their feed will have you dribbling into your lap and make you want to eat ALL the things.
Click for style
ManRepeller.com isn’t what it sounds like. Founded by Leandra Medine, it’s an independent fashion and lifestyle website that dispenses daily fashion world musings and humour-filled personal essays.
While you’re at it… follow the site’s witty founder Leandra Cohen for the ultimate current NYC life and style inspo.
An Aussie doing great things in the city is Margaret Zhang. The photographer, director, stylist and writer has worked with brands such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Matches and Louis Vuitton, and has been listed in Forbes Asia’s 30Under30, TimeOut’s 40Under40 lists, and her work has been recognised as shaping the international fashion industry by the Business of Fashion BoF500 Index.
The most absorbing.
If you like to read stories about people, seek out Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York. He has a knack for capturing the heartache, humour and idiosyncrasies of the people that live in New York City, and his photoblog and book of portraits and interviews collected on the streets is a fascinating project.
The most beautiful.
Finally, the Instagram feed of photographer Paola Franqui is quite possibly our hands-down favourite of the big apple (or perhaps of any place, full stop)… moody, real and stunningly shot street scenes, we find ourselves slowing down and examining each and every upload, and thinking about the lives being depicted.