Monday, January 27, 2014

The 1920s Guide To NYC Tourist Etiquette


Valentine's City of New York guide book was published in 1920. This post at Gothamist explores the ins and outs of tourist etiquette according to the guide. Here are a few helpful tips:
  • Don't ask a pedestrian where a certain street is. He is usually too busy to stop... and won't know. 
  • Don't cross the street in the middle of the block. In Paris they arrest you for that, in New York they simply run you down. 
  • Don't buy the Woolworth Building, Brooklyn Bridge, the Metropolitan Tower, the City Hall or any prominent structure. 
  • Don't hand your baggage to a porter outside Grand Central unless he wears a red hat. 
  • Don't gape at women smoking cigarettes in restaurants. They are harmless and respectable. They are also "smart."
I'll try to remember not to buy the Empire State Building next time I visit the Big Apple.

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