"That's SO new york"

Walking by familiar faces in your neighborhood....
-the dry cleaner guy
-one of the cooks from Bite Me Best (local pizza shop), walking with a buddy & dressed up to go out
-'John' (the cash register guy) from Bite Me Best, barbequing some corn-on-the-cob on the sidewalk in front of Louis - ostensibly to 'beat the heat'
-one of the cash register women from the neighborhood grocery store
-the guy who takes orders at The Bagel Shop
-the nail girl at JinSoon

Standing on the corner of Ave C and 9th street to watch fourth of july fireworks, with a crowd of cheering people blocking traffic.

Going to the local cuban cafe to get 'Cafe con Leche' (ordered just like that, not espresso or cappucino, but 'cafe con leche'), and ending up reading for several hours at the counter, drinking coffee, eating, and listening to the cuban band that happens randomly to be playing there.

Fleeing my sweltering 'no air con in the living room' apartment into the cool recesses of the neighborhood jazz bar to read, write and have a cold beer - but mostly to enjoy the cold air.

Wandering to Thompkins Square Park to read on a bench and people-watch, and having music on the side from a random cuban (or puerto rican?) band playing nearby.

Looking at art by local up-and-coming 'street' art, having beers & people-watching in an 'urban beach' setting, listening to DJs spin hip hop, funk, then house and trance - all in one day, all in one place - PS1, which used to be an elementary school.

$1 oysters and $5 martinis at Five Points Restaurant - named after the actual intersection (of Park, Worth & Baxter) & historic 'center' of vice and debauchery in the early 1900's - all the "vices" of new york society came together Tammany Hall, The Bowery Boys, Irish thugs, Jewish racketeers, and Italian hit men.

Being able to appreciate the art of a good martini and have people get it, without them thinking you are an alcoholic.

Smelling ode' de garbage, ode' de urine, and ode' de just-plain-nastiness while walking to the subway station in the relatively-speaking fresh & quiet summer mornings in the east village.

Going for a run in Central Park when it's 98 degrees and 98% humidity, and not be the only crazy one running.

Running across the Williamsburg Bridge at dusk, and every time still, gaze in awe at the twinkling lights across the east river.

Having an $8 Corona on the only rooftop deck in the Lower East Side, with ironic 20 somethings who are trying too hard, as opposed to a $14 key lime martini on the rooftop bar of a chichi mid-town hotel with bankers.

Partying with co-workers, drinking the bar empty (until the waiter had to kick us out), then hopping from street party to street party during the big blackout of 2003.

Making a picnic out of waiting in line for free 'Shakespeare in the Park' free tickets, it's almost as much about the tradition & process of waiting in line as it is about the play itself.

Doing late brunch (at 3 pm), then drinking the rest of the day away since you've already wasted most of the day already anyway.

Escaping the oppressive humidity of a summer heat wave by having a good 'dirtee' martini at a cute little neighborhood bistro.