Meet your bloggers. Barbara Resident chocoholic & bargain queen Brian Resident Long Island expert, sans accent David Resident theatre buff Nicole Resident film aficionado & watering hole expert Valerie Resident sports fan & dog lover Yonathan Resident philanthropist

Barbara is crazy about chocolate and New York City is the absolute worst (read best) place for someone like her. There is chocolate – the good stuff – everywhere in this town. Chocolate has gotten Barbara through many years practicing law. Now she is a real estate closer…chocolate helps with that too. BARBARA BARBARA RECOMMENDS: A visit to Jacques Torres is a must and with two locations in the city, is reachable for all chocoholics. In addition, to the two Manhattan locations, Jacques Torres also has a Brooklyn shop. It is located in DUMBO, a neighborhood that was once an industrial Mecca in the 19 th century and is now home to many artists.

Brian is a native New Yorker, born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island and amazingly, has never developed the stereotypical New York accent. Previously living in Westchester County, Brian currently lives in Suffolk County with his wife and baby daughter. Although he hasn’t lived in Manhattan, Brian has spent considerable time riding the trains from the suburbs to partake of the many exciting opportunities that are available to those “in the know” in the city. Currently, he commutes into Manhattan twice a week to be a part of the Special Librarianship graduate program at the lower Manhattan Campus of St. John’s University. BRIAN RECOMMENDS: A summer visit to Washington Square Park. One of Brian’s favorite memories of growing up in New York is visiting Washington Square Park on Sunday afternoons with his Dad to enjoy free street performances on warm summer days. BRIAN

After working for many years in a variety of roles for a major New York City law library, most recently as a reference specialist, David found himself caught in the downsizing wave earlier this year. He is now a student currently attending the IMLS program at St. John’s University. David’s first love is the theater, and though his acting days are long behind him, in more flush times can be found in New York theaters as often as several times a week. DAVID

Nicole has lived in New York City for almost five years. She recently moved from the tony Upper West Side to a more urban suburban setting, also known as Sunnyside, Queens. Of all the things New York has to offer, Nicole enjoys spending her free time attending plays, both off Broadway and on; trying out new restaurants; shopping and exploring Central Park. NICOLE One of Nicole’s favorite restaurants in the city is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. Located in Harlem, it is a trek from midtown but the food and atmosphere is well worth the 30 minute subway ride. NICOLE RECOMMENDS: Visiting The Market on Mulberry Street in Little Italy to purchase up and coming designers’ works for little cash.

Valerie is a recovering family law litigator who just returned to New York City after a 10 year absence. Valerie looks forward to becoming reacquainted with NYC along with her faithful companion, Larry, a 10 year old black lab mix who was adopted on January 20, 1999 at the Northshore Animal League in Port Washington, NY. One of Valerie’s favorite things about New York City is that it truly seems to be the Great American Melting Pot -- out of all the New Yorkers that she’s met, very few are actually native New Yorkers. VALERIE VALERIE RECOMMENDS: Taking the Circle Line boat tours during the spring and summer. Larry, Valerie’s dog, is her companion when exploring NYC.

Yonathan was born in Ethiopia and moved to the U.S. with his family in the late 1980’s. He is proud to live in the most ethnically diverse country in the world. In his spare time, Yonathan enjoys cooking, reading, watching great films, and volunteering for just causes. These days, he volunteers with Healthcare-Now, an advocacy organization that is wrestling to get single-payer national health insurance recognized as the most viable, fiscally responsible solution to finance healthcare for all taxpayers. Another borough resident, Yonathan has lived in Queens, New York most of his life. YONATHAN