On a scale of a Fishs Eddy dinner party to the porcelain at the Frick, where does Laila Gohar fit? This is NYQ, a series in which we find out how “New York” notable New Yorkers really are.
How many years have you lived in New York? Fifteen years.
Someone bumps into you on the subway — what do you do? Give them a dirty look.
Your train line is down and you are running late — what do you do? Get out and run like a crazy person.
How often do you take public transportation to the airport? All the time. I live off the A train, and JFK is one shot, no transfer.
Someone tries to hand you a flyer on the street — what do you do? Say “thank you” and take a look at it, because someone’s paying them to stand there.
You’re in town for a long holiday weekend and know the city will empty out — where do you go? It’s not true that the city empties out …
You have family coming to town in 24 hours — what do you do with them on short notice? Take them to the farmers’ market, if it’s Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday. Union Square.
Would you rather transfer trains or walk farther? Walk farther, a hundred percent.
Someone you want to impress asks for restaurant advice — what neighborhood do you send them to for the best Egyptian food? Astoria, hands down.
Where do you go when you want to feel like home? Steinway definitely makes me feel like home. You hear people chattering, the cars, the cafés.
What grocery store do you go to for hard-to-find Egyptian or other SWANA ingredients? Damascus, downtown Brooklyn.
What’s the most iconic old New York Egyptian spot? This crazy place called Tut.
Someone says the rats are actually cute — what’s your honest response? Tell them to fuck off.
What’s your area code? Embarrassing. 305.
Do they still matter? Not anymore.
What’s the longest you’ve waited on a subway platform? Twenty minutes, and I left.
What’s the most you’ve ever paid for a coffee in New York City? Six bucks, probably. My coffee order is really simple.
What’s something a tourist does that you secretly still do? I like to eat from all the carts, and from the ladies that sell the churros on the train.
Have you ever gotten a piece of furniture off the street? Not in a long time.
Where do you go to cry? Everywhere. It’s New York.
What’s your go-to public bathroom? I sometimes go into restaurants and pretend to be pregnant and say I need to use the bathroom.
What about NYC still makes no sense to you? The fact that there are no trains in certain areas.
Name the fakest realtor-invented neighborhood. East Williamsburg.
I’m old enough to remember when … It wasn’t coined East Williamsburg.
You know you’re a New Yorker when … You don’t take shit from anyone.
What’s a place that closed that you wish you could bring back? Souen, on Sixth Avenue.
Every New Yorker should do what at least once? Visit every borough.
Last time you ate a hot dog from a hot-dog stand? I eat hot dogs all the time.
How much do you pay when you go to the Met? Thirty bucks.
Last time you hailed a yellow cab? All the time. I use yellow cabs all the time, and I prefer them to Uber.
Have you ever cried over a New York sports team? No.
How many times have you moved in New York? Probably around ten.
Which was the worst move? When I moved to Dumbo a long time ago, and the person that was my roommate had a gun.
What neighborhoods in New York have you lived in? I’ve lived in Alphabet City, Greenpoint, Dumbo, Tribeca, Upper West Side.
Where was your first apartment here? My first apartment was on 11th between B and C. It was a tiny shithole.