Congtratulations Betty!!
Ask a New Yorker.... who is more New York then Betty Cohn??!! No one. A remarkable friend who knows this city like the back of her hand. She is a passionate,caring, native New Yorker who will share the city like no one else. Ask a New Yorker highly recomends this tour.Please read review below.
Side note: Betty has been a constant contributor to AANY from its beginnings. Search 'Oracle' and see a treasure trove of insightful answers.


[ontimenewyork.com]

Carolyn F

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom


“A very special New York guide”

Reviewed May 18, 2012


One of the highlights of my visit to New York City was the delightful afternoon I spent in the company of Betty Cohn, whose knowledge of, and love for, the city of her birth is utterly infectious and made for a very special experience.

I was tagging along on my husband’s business trip, meaning I would be spending most of the daytime on my own, so the opportunity to be shown around by a native New Yorker was too tempting to resist.

It was the first full day of our trip and I was already feeling somewhat overwhelmed, having arrived very late the night before after a long journey from the UK, and been immediately dragged to Times Square which was near our hotel, and which, in my exhaustion, I was totally unable to appreciate at the time!

I arranged to meet Betty under the clock at Grand Central Terminal (I never can resist a good cliché!) …and before we had even left the station I was already learning things about its history and architecture.

The brief I gave Betty was to show me somewhere I wouldn’t necessarily see as a ‘one-time’ tourist and she really came up trumps with the Greenwich Village area, as she knew from her own research about me that I liked to explore ‘neighbourhoods’. Armed with a Metrocard we hopped on the subway (which I would have been much more nervous about doing by myself in a strange city) and headed over to Astor Place. During the ride Betty explained the main points of the subway system, which stood me in good stead for the rest of the visit. Emerging from the station we made our way through the NYU district to Washington Square Park and from then on we spent the afternoon exploring the streets, nooks and crannies of ‘the Village’ with Betty pointing out interesting and unusual buildings, shops and anything else she thought would intrigue me…which was pretty much everything!

Later we hopped another subway back towards Midtown and before depositing me back near my hotel, we visited Madison Square Park in the Flatiron District and Herald Square. I arrived back at my hotel exhilarated by what I had seen and heard and dying to tell some of Betty’s anecdotes to my husband, who I knew would really love to have also had this great afternoon.

Now, I know that Greenwich Village is not exactly a secret, and I could easily have spent the time wandering there by myself with a guide book or with a bigger tour group, but having a personal guide meant I got so much more out of the time. Betty is a mine of information, and not just the stuff you get in guide books and from the internet. She knows her subject inside out and clearly delights in sharing the little details and hidden gems, like tucked away historic houses, gardens etc. that someone like me on a general stroll would have passed by and never known they existed.

One of the consequences of spending part of my first full day with Betty was that for the rest of the time I spent in New York I had much more confidence about things like taking the subway (which I did a couple of times on my own), stopping people to ask for directions and just generally engaging personally with New York and its inhabitants. I learned that New Yorkers for the most part are incredibly friendly people who are more than happy to help and are delighted to share their city with you. I learned that I didn’t need to be defensive about marking myself out as a tourist (within reason of course – one takes sensible precautions and there are times and places in any city, even the one you might live in, that you need to keep your wits about you). I learned that stopping to pet a cute dog (or three..or four…or more ;- ) is a great conversation starter. For all this, and so much more that helped me to get the most out of an all-too-short first visit, I will be forever grateful and without hesitation I recommend Betty’s services to anyone who wants to have a more personal experience of New York.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2012 11:57AM by askanewyorker.

<Blushing!>

Thanks, Kennedy. You're the BEST!

I missed this! Betty has given me more tours than I can count and most all are off the beaten path. Betty is New York City and so much fun to be with.

Aw, shucks!

Can't wait to see you, Salsa....and Kennedy and Kelly.

Betty is the best!!!

Betty you're the best!!!

<blushing!>