drewwolin.me

Check out this video about my CouchSurfing philosophy! A lot of the stuff I write below is covered in this video. https://youtu.be/43f0PNoo9to

If you want to CouchSurf with me...

Read my whole profile up to the "Random Things to Know about New York" section! You can skip that section for now, and read anytime before or during you're stay in NYC :)

If you're on mobile, click "Read More" under where it says "Accepting Guests" -- it's the same as the "My Home" section on desktop.

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About me...
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I am born and raised in New York.

I'd consider myself a social introvert. I love meeting new people… I love to "solo travel", but that's partially because I love to meet new people. How confusing! And it is one of my greatest joys to host people I meet abroad in NYC.

I work for a tech company. I'm a data analyst/digital advertising consultant. I used to work in finance.

I have been involved in CS since 2012, and have been hosting in NYC since 2014.

Read more about me in my references!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The CouchSurfing community means so much to me!

Since 2012 I have had many unique, enriching experiences thanks to CouchSurfing. These experiences come from going to meet ups, organizing meet ups, hosting travelers, surfing while traveling, asking/answering questions on CS message boards. CS is multi-faceted, and I'd recommend everybody experience all the different ways to use it.

I know firsthand how much a good host can influence someone's trip (and life). I aspire to help every surfer I meet have an amazing time in NYC. As a surfer, don't underestimate what an amazing impact you can have on your host too!

Interests

• Basketball
....○ Watching (Knicks fan, unfortunately)
....○ Playing (We can play in my neighborhood when the weather is nice)
....○ Scouting
....○ Coaching -- I used to run a youth basketball skills coaching business, and I volunteer coaching youth basketball.
• Photography
....○ Instagram: @keep_wolin
• Circus arts/balance/hand eye related things. Ask me for opportunities to do any of the below with others when you visit NYC!
....○ Juggling
....○ Slacklining
....○ Kendama
• Music
....○ Playing
.......§ Djembe -- When the weather is warm, join me at the Central Park drum circle. To play or dance!
.......§ Ukelele
.......§ Guitar (I have one, but don't play)
....○ Dancing
.......§ Latin / Afro Cuban
.......§ West African
• Outdoors
....○ Hiking
....○ Camping
• Language
....○ Spanish (kinda... :) )
• Board Games. Tell me if (and what) you'd like to play!

I love meeting other travelers, and generally open-minded, reasonable, witty, good-natured people.

Music, Movies, and Books

My preferred style is to do/feel rather than read/watch. I thoroughly enjoy writing; I find it therapeutic, and typically I learn a lot just from writing out my thoughts.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

CouchSurfing is an incredible thing. I think it's nice to take a step back every once in a while and appreciate that.

So, one amazing thing I've done (many times) is that I let strangers sleep in my home!

Let's talk about other amazing things each other has done in person :)

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Also, just found this video, and I love it!!! Check out fellow CS host (but across the world) talk about what he likes about hosting, and what he expects from surfers. Great video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snSvaX693Y8

Teach, Learn, Share

To give yourself the best chance of getting accepted, I recommend including this info in ALL CS requests!):

1. Write "I read your profile, including the 'My Home' section."
2. Write "I would like to surf with you starting on [date, time] until [date, time]." If you are flexible, then tell me that. The more detail, the better. 
3. If you have fewer than 5 references, or have not hosted, explain to me why. Also, please bring some gift for my apartment. I "require" this because I've found less experienced CouchSurfers often don't fully understand this community. They understand the 'take' aspect of CouchSurfing, but not the 'give.' If you'd like, we can discuss further. I care less about the gift (please have fun choosing it, be silly, whatever), and more about the mindset that it puts people in to understand that this is a great way to express gratitude for giving accommodation without exchanging money. It's a terrible feeling to feel used for free accommodation.

4. Tell me why you want to CouchSurf rather than stay in a hostel/airbnb/hotel/etc.

Feel free to keep your initial request brief. If your logistics (date/time/profile/etc) work for me, then we can work on starting up a more meaningful conversation over the phone.

If you are New to CouchSurfing, Please Read Below:

•I highly recommend you fill out your profile, and start going to local events/getting some references.
Why go to local events before hosting/surfing?
1) Talk to other CouchSurfers and learn about their experience with CS.
2) It is difficult to use CouchSurfing until you have some references (for good reason)! Imagine how hard it is to host someone you know nothing about. Befriend other CouchSurfers, who can get to know you and tell the CS community about you through references.
3) You have more to offer travelers than you may realize. Go to events and help travelers find their way. Help improve the CS community in your home city!

• To me, CouchSurfing is NOT a way to score free accommodation. When I surf, I will give gifts, buy my host dinner/drinks… I don't save any money vs. staying in a hostel. If free accommodation is the main reason why you are CouchSurfing, my opinion is that you should not be sending requests. For me, CouchSurfing is about sharing knowledge, culture, customs, new ideas, experiences, friendship, generosity, appreciation, learning, and more. If you send me a request, I will hope you show interest in getting to know my roommates and me!
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Random Things to Know about New York...
Even if you don't stay with me, read this section!!!

-For local food recommendations... actually, most of us just use Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Reviews to find good restaurants ;) Travelers often find it sexier when they meet someone who has a "hidden, hole in the wall place." In NYC, that hidden hole in the wall place will have many reviews already on Yelp, at least in Manhattan!

-CS is amazing, but one downside vs. staying in a hostel is that it can be harder to meet travelers. I recommend seeking out CS events, and downloading the CS app and using the Hangouts feature while in NYC to meet other travelers.

-Are New Yorkers rude? Read this article (summarized at the bottom of my profile): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/my-kind-of-town-new-york-37072818/

-For a true crowded "NYC at rush hour" subway experience, take the subway 7:45-9 AM on weekdays. Or don't!

- Google maps is usually ok for subway directions, but to be safe, you may want to reference Trip Planner (a service from the MTA which more accurately reflect subway service changes), particularly for trips > 45 minutes.

-Your Metrocard will allow you 1 free transfer from subway to bus within 2 hours of the initial swipe of your card (and vice versa).

-An "unlimited" Metro Card can be used once every 18 minutes (unless you are swiping again for a free transfer). So it is not really possible to share it with a friend with whom you are traveling.

-Your Metrocard works on the Roosevelt Island Tram (leaves Manhattan from E60th street). Take it for cool and unique view of Manhattan, especially at night. And speaking of cool and unique, Roosevelt Island is not quite like any other part of Manhattan! Once on the island you can walk around to the Southern tip, or Northern tip (where the lighthouse is).

-One of my favorite things to do is start around 225th street in Manhattan and then walk the entire island of Manhattan to the South Street Seaport or the Staten Island Ferry terminal. It's about 11 miles and, with stopping, will take about 8 hours. One of the many reasons I like it is because you get to see how quickly the "personality" of NYC changes, how different each neighborhood is. It is truly remarkable.

-For classic view of NYC, go to DUMBO under the Brooklyn Bridge. Spend a full evening here; it's particularly nice at sunset. Explore the area along the water. Good views exist all the way throughout. Over summers you can go to free kayaking here (specific days of the week), also you can pay for skating at the Pier 2 Roller Rink, or play basketball/soccer for free nearby. Some of the best pizza in the world is near there too -- Juliana's. They don't sell slices, they only sell full pies. There is also usually a long line, but if you go at an off-hour, like 4:00, there should not be a line. Don't sweat it if you miss Juliana's -- some of the best pizza in the world is also near my apartment at Patsy's in East Harlem.

-Saturdays and Sundays in Central Park over summer (from May/June until October starting around 4:00 PM near Bethesda Terrace (72nd Street) is my favorite place in all of nyc -- go to picnic in Sheep Meadow, visit the volleyball courts (with very competitive play) next to Sheep Meadow, roller blading and skating disco, African drum circle, and just wander around. Drinking is not technically legal in public in NYC, but it is common people will have a concealed bottle of wine or some beer. If nobody can see the label, then you shouldn't get in any trouble.

-Check out the underground shopping and food area at Columbus Circle (59th street on the west side, near the southwest corner of Central Park). It feels touristy, but actually it's mostly local New Yorkers who go. It's a cool vibe. There's some very good food down there! Then check out the area around it, between 55th to 80th (the Upper West Side).

-Walking the southern tip of Manhattan is really beautiful (Battery Park), near the World Trade Center.

-Kinda nearby Battery Park is the South Street Seaport -- a nice place to spend an afternoon/evening with restaurants/bars along the water.

-Take the New Jersey Path Train (about $5 round trip, you can use your Metro Card) to Grove Street, walk toward the water and get a great view of the Financial District. It's a similar view to what you get under the Brooklyn Bridge. I'd highly recommend one or the other, and you can even do both (Jersey City + Brooklyn Bridge for great, classic view of NYC). Then eat at one of the restaurants near Grove Street (check Yelp for recommendations).

Parks/Outdoors
-Central Park (spend 4+ hours walking the entire length of the park, and maybe plan for a picnic when the weather is nice on the Great Lawn or Sheeps Meadow). Bring a frisbee. You can even ask people to join their frisbee toss, just explain you are traveling to NYC, they should be pretty friendly and let you join. The part of Central Park north of 100th street is less-traveled and really different from other parts of the park, especially over Springtime when the Central Park Flower Conservatory is in full bloom. I'd recommend wandering around there.
-Riverside Park (Upper West Side) is also a great place to walk around. The traveling rings at 100th street on the west side is very cool, especially over summer when circus arts folks are practicing.
-Prospect Park (spend 3+ hours wandering around).
-Brooklyn Bridge Park is amazing at sunset. Then go to Juliana's or Grimaldi's for great pizza (at a sit-down restaurant, not a slice joint!) afterwards.
-Madison Square Park near Flatiron is in a great part of Manhattan and a great spot to spend an afternoon, eat lunch, get a burger and shake from Shake Shack.
-Check out Morningside Park (get ready to climb a mini-mountain, by NYC standards) and then climb upstairs to check out Columbia University's campus.
-Washington Square Park for the famous Arch and to hang with art and NYU students. I also love watching the dogs at the dog run at the South end of the park here.

Cheap eats:
-Most things in Chinatown :)
-Halal Guys around 53rd and 6th (beware of the red sauce, it is HOT!). Take out only.
-Brooklyn Bagels (near Flatiron).
-Tal Bagels (multiple locations around Upper East Side). Take out or eat in, no waiters.
-Pick a Bagel (multiple locations around NYC, generally is open late). Take out or eat in, no waiters.
-All over Manhattan there are $1 pizza places. Note that this is not "classic" NYC pizza, but has become a pretty popular option for fast, cheap eats! Take out or eat in, no waiters.
-Patsy's Pizza in East Harlem, by my apartment, for amazing take-out pizza ($2 per slice). Take out or eat in, waiter service.
-A Taste of Seafood in East Harlem by my apartment for fried fish, mac and cheese, fried okra, and corn bread. Take out or eat in, no waiters.
-Chopped Cheese sandwich from any deli in East Harlem. Hajji's (aka Blue Sky Deli) on 110th and 1st may have been home to the first chopped cheese sandwich! Take out only.

SPECIFIC bagel order recommendations:
Note: I never recommend getting the bagel toasted, but among New Yorkers, that is somewhat up for debate as to what is "right." If you trust me, you won't toast the bagel ;)
-Strong flavor:
~~Whole wheat everything with lox spread (lox spread = creamcheese with smoked salmon inside)
~~Poppy bagel with lox spread
-Medium flavor
~~Whole wheat everything with scallion spread
~~Poppy, sesame, or pumpernickel with scallion spread
-Other things to try at bagel shop
~~Baked k'nish (pronounce kuh-NISH) either spinach or plain (potato).

Standard Price Eats (Remember to tip your waiters 20%!!! If your food was $10, then you will get taxed $0.80, and you should tip $2, so really your total is $12.80. If you order at a counter and bring your own food to your seat, you do not need to tip)...:
-Get a group together for Hot Pot at Hometown Hot Pot and BBQ (they also have Korean BBQ here). About $30-35 per person. Eat in with waiter service.
-Eisenberg's Sandwich for a reuben... known to be "New York Jewish food"... better than Katz's in the opinion of many locals... located in Flatiron. Eat in or take out, no waiters.
-Sophie's Cuban Cuisine. Eat in or take out, some locations have waiters.
-Xi'an Famous Foods for incredible hand pulled noodles. Eat in or take out, no waiters.

When the weather is warm/nice many outdoor salsa/bachata dance sessions can be found around midtown Manhattan in the evenings.

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Easy tour of the Upper East Side:
1) Start at John Jay Park on 77th and as far east as you can go. Cool little park. If you want food use Yelp, there's a cafe with a lot of good reviews
2) Walk North to Carl Schurz Park. Gracie Mansion is here, where the mayor lives. This is one of my favorite spots in the city, this park. Check out the dog run too.
3) Walk West along 86th street. It's a major street with some cool NY eats like Tal Bagels, Shake Shack, etc.
4) Walk to roughly 97th and 5th. It's where the railroad that services Connecticut and Westchester County (suburb to the north of NYC) goes underground. It's a cool and unique view. Earl's Beer and Cheese is a good local restaurant/bar there.

If you like juggling/circus arts, join the Facebook Group Bryant Park Juggling
If you like slacklining, join the Facebook group NYC Slackliners
If you use a kendama, join Facebook group Kendama NYC

https://untappedcities.com/2017/11/07/20-must-visit-spots-in-east-harlem-nyc-an-untapped-cities-guide/

For those 21+
There are CouchSurfing meet ups at bars, usually on the Lower East Side, every Tuesday and Thursday. They are well attended and fun! Good way to meet locals and other travelers.

From Laguardia Airport, if you are staying in Manhattan, I highly recommend the shuttle bus "Newark Airport Express" which drops you in Manhattan near Grand Central Station (42nd street and Park Ave). For JFK Airport service to Manhattan, the Airtrain and Subway work well.

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Article and summary to better understand this amazing city:
“The majority of people who live in New York City were not born here. Indeed, more than a third were not born in the United States. New Yorkers, then, are people who left another place and came here, looking for something, which suggests that the population is preselected for higher energy and ambition.
…
I sometimes get into conversations with taxi drivers, and since most of them are new to the city, I often ask them what they miss about the place they came from. Almost always, they name very ordinary pleasures: a slower pace of life, a café where they could sit around and talk to friends, a street where they could play kickball without getting run over. Those who miss these things enough will go back home.
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While New Yorkers don’t mind correcting you, they also want to help you. In the subway or on the sidewalk, when someone asks a passerby for directions, other people, overhearing, may hover nearby, disappointed that they were not the ones asked, and waiting to see if maybe they can get a word in.
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When New Yorkers see a stranger, they don’t think, “I don’t know you.” They think, “I know you. I know your problems—they’re the same as mine—and furthermore we have the same handbag.” So that’s how they treat you.
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This belief in a shared plight may underlie the remarkable level of cooperation that New Yorkers can show in times of trouble. Every few years or so, we have a water shortage, and then the mayor goes on the radio and tells us that we can’t leave the water running in the sink while we’re brushing our teeth. Surprise! People obey, and the water table goes up again

What I Can Share with Hosts

Groceries, stories, good company (I hope!), a friend in NY, gratitude, photography help, basketball expertise... I never show up to a host's empty handed!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Grenada, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, North Korea, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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