New York Q&A

I've been walking past the same halal cart near my office for three years and it's always there, but I've only seen a queue maybe twice.

We're considering applying for financial aid for our child's pre-k program, but the application process seems onerous and invasive. We're a white, low-income family with high education backgrounds, and we're wondering if we'd be eligible for substantial financial aid. Is it worth the effort and potential risk of information leakage?

I'm a 30 year old living with my mom in NYC, and I'm grateful for the comfort and financial security it provides. I've noticed that some of my friends with great careers complain about the high cost of rent and living alone. I'm curious to know if there are others like me who are living with family in their 30s.

I recently moved to NYC and am interested in modeling nude for a figure drawing class, but I have no prior experience and am on a student visa, so I'm not officially allowed to work.

I've noticed that veggie slices in NYC often have broccoli on them, but in other places I've lived, like Connecticut, Boston, and South Florida, they usually just put onions, olives, peppers, etc. on veggie pizzas. Is there a reason for this?

I recently visited the PetSmart in NoMad and was unsettled by a customer who was bothering one of the adoptable cats.

I've been trying to recall if my kids would have paid for school lunch when they were in NYC public schools. I never saw anyone pay, but I'm not sure if that's because everyone qualified for free lunch or if it was just free for everyone.

I've been feeling unwell for over two weeks with a sore throat, congestion, cough, fever, and GI issues. I've taken Covid/Flu rapid tests and they came back negative. I'm curious to know what's causing this illness.

I'm having trouble getting my ADHD meds refilled in Manhattan. I've called over 20 pharmacies and none of them seem to have the meds in stock or know when they'll be restocked. I've been on these meds since I was 14 and I'm starting to make mistakes at work because I'm rationing them. I live in Manhattan and have insurance with Kaiser in CA, but the bigger chain pharmacies haven't given me any pushback on the script, just the supply.

I recently bought a fancy camera and want to practice portrait photography. I see a lot of tourists in Manhattan, and I figured some might be interested in getting a few free photos.

I visited the Queens ACC on Sunday and was turned away by someone who kept telling me 'there's a system, you need to follow the system' but wouldn't explain anything. I asked other volunteers but they all seemed really timid and kept directing me back to the guy who wouldn't explain anything so we ended up just leaving even though we drove almost an hour to get there. We're looking for a young cat but not a kitten, and we have a toddler who is respectful but makes things slightly more difficult. Can someone tell me how it works to go to the ACC to adopt?

I'm looking to buy 20 window guards for my home and the prices at Home Depot are too high. I'm hoping to find a local hardware store that can offer a better deal.

I'm a New York resident who's been away for a year, and I've received a jury duty subpoena after my mom never gave me or told me about the initial letters. I'm wondering if there's a way to handle this outside of court, possibly through emailing or calling someone, or if I have to attend the scheduled court date.

I recently moved to NYC from Ohio, and one thing I miss is regular workouts. I was a PhD student back in Ohio, so I could go to the gym while avoiding crowds. But I started a regular office job, so my only option on weekdays is after 6 PM. I had to cancel my Planet Fitness membership because I literally couldn't work out due to so many people in the gym. I think other gyms are no different. I'm thinking of trying Orangetheory; I know it's a bit expensive, but 1) can I work out peacefully, what if even Orangetheory is so packed, do they manage the crowd? 2) Is it worth the money? For those who don't have an apartment gym, how do you work out? I live in Queens, and my job is in Queens, too, so I hope it's something in the neighborhood.

I'm a teen from England and it's fascinating to think of the differences in lifestyle. I'm sure shows like Gossip Girl are unrealistic.

I came home to find small signs posted on neighbors' doors, as well as closed, hallway fire doors, asking people to cut out the excessive burning of incense in their apartment. I'm assuming that it would have to be outlined in a tenant's lease. We're RS and I'm pretty sure that I know which neighbor put up the small signs and they're RS as well.

I'm 38 and just found out that I'm pregnant, so I'm looking for recommendations for a great OB in NYC/LIC area. Since I'm considered advanced maternal age, I'd love to find a doctor with experience managing pregnancies like mine.

I'm looking for a classic honey bun, not one of those fancy artisanal versions. I've been walking around the city for a while and haven't found one yet.

I'm planning on attending college in the city as someone who has grown up in Long Island my whole life. I've been to the city enough that I know it's not like glamorized the way it's made out to be online or anything so I'm not entirely blue-eyed. However, when it comes to social rules here, I'm honestly completely out of my element and kind of want to kill myself.

I've noticed that you never hear bagpipers practicing outside of parades, but I've heard every other instrument being practiced at some point. What's up with that?