I live not far from the city and go there often. Some advice – when eating in a restaurant, don’t put your pocketbook on the floor – keep it on your lap, or use a shoulder strap pocketbook and keep it on. Always be aware of your wallet or pocketbook – there are pickpockets so be careful. Also, don’t dress like a tourist. Tourists in NYC stand out like sore thumbs. They wear colored pants, goofy looking sweaters, they stand around and laugh, they scream “tourist.” Wear jeans or black, no colored pants, no goofy looking sweaters.