NYC myths that are totally false (plus some that are surprisingly true)

It’s Saturday night in the city that never sleeps. I’ve moved into a fancy doorman building on the Upper East Side of New York for a daring summer adventure inspired by Carrie Bradshaw and co. It’s 2009, back when it was possible to find a great two-bedroom sublet on Craigslist, wire several thousand dollars from Sydney to a stranger on the other side of the world, and find nothing bad happened.

Ordering a Cosmopolitan is a giveaway.Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Eager to toast our real estate luck, two single-and-ready-to-mingle Aussie ladies get dolled up in their best outfits and head out to the local bars. The only problem is, the bars are in snooze mode, deserted except for a few guys from Jersey, who are knocking back bottles of Bud Light at an alarming pace. Where is everyone?

Rookie error, No.1: We’re unaware that many residents of the bougie Upper East Side head out of town to the Hamptons on steamy summer weekends, and that nightlife in the area grinds to a halt. No. 2: Ordering a round of Cosmos instantly marks us as tourists.

More than a decade on, I’m no longer a New York rookie. I dress down to go out, and I’m more likely to drink a glass of wine or mineral water than a sugary cocktail. I’ve heard it all, from the one about alligators living in the sewers (not true), to the wildest dating stories (mostly true), to the perception that the city is outrageously expensive and unliveable (definitely untrue).

Locals congregate around a 99 Cent Pizzeria in Midtown Manhattan.Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

Yes, the Big Apple is home to the ultra-rich who can easily afford to spend $US750 a person (that’s $1200 and doesn’t include drinks or tax) on a “dining experience” at renowned Japanese restaurant, Masa. It’s also home to millions of working-class and middle-class New Yorkers on modest budgets. You’ll bump into them at the dollar-slice pizza shops or doing their grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s.

Head out of the tourist trap areas of midtown Manhattan in search of delicious, affordable food and you will certainly find it. Last night, I feasted on excellent Malaysian roti canai, satay and char kway teow for less than $US20, including gratuity.

Eating out in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – it won’t cost the earth here.Credit: iStock

Wealth doesn’t dictate access to culture in New York, with exceptional free entry to everything from concerts in Central Park to fascinating lectures, world-class museums and art galleries. The subway is a fast and convenient way to zip around the five boroughs, for a bargain flat fare ($US2.90). Affordable apartments and hotel stays can still be found, especially outside Manhattan.

Another persistent rumour I’ve heard many times is that New Yorkers are rude. They’re not, generally speaking. They’re busy, in a rush to hustle their way around a pulsating metropolis that waits for nobody. But they are willing to help. Ask for directions on the subway or advice on where to eat, and they’ve got your back.

Fifteen years have whizzed by in a New York minute, and I’ve learnt that even in the city that never sleeps, I can (and really should) get my zzzs. Somewhere out there, 20-somethings are still dancing until dawn at raves in Bushwick and Ridgewood, stopping at the bodega on the way home for a Gatorade and a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.

Not for me, not any more. I’m up early at the farmers’ market or going for a long walk in the neighbourhood before heading to a Broadway matinee. I’m on the same page now as former first lady Michelle Obama, who told a podcast host that bedtime is the best time of the day. Asked to nominate the ideal hour to call it a night, she replied: “Any time after dinner.”