It began with friends and visitors constantly asking me to show them around—not just the big landmarks, but the real neighborhoods, the corner stores with stories, the spots where actual New Yorkers hang out.

With a degree in Urban Studies and classes at Columbia and Cooper Union, I don't just know NYC's history—I understand how the city actually works. I've lived in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, worked everything from Wall Street to nonprofit housing, and spent decades exploring every corner of this place.

When my wife finally said, "You should make this a business—you're clearly meant to do this," I realized she was right. This isn't just a job for me. It's sharing a city I genuinely love with people who are curious enough to see it through local eyes.