We know everything we know about ancient civilizations through what they left behind. Monuments dedicated to their religious or cultural beliefs. Or important artifacts reflecting their societies as a whole. Then there are the writings. Nothing serves better in understanding an era than dispatches, of sorts, from its writers.
NY-AF! (pronounced ˈNyü or /No͞o/ ˈYȯrk as Fək) is more than a catchy name or cavalier proclamation. The intensifier isn’t meaningless, either. Some things do exuberate that much “New York.” It’s a pretty apt description, like, damn, that’s New York as fuck! NY-AF! is a blog that dares to define that statement. And who, what, when, where, why, and how it implies or applies.
Its meaning, value, and purpose could be different for everyone. For some, a ready reference for all things New York. For casual readers, armchairs, or genuine intellectuals alike, it’s excellent leisure material. As its creator—also a native New Yorker—I’m confirming that it’s intended to be these things. Unparalleled interesting New York-centric content encapsulated in the times we’re living.
But at its core, NY-AF! exists to honor the unprecedented heights endeavoring in reading and writing has taken us—meaning humanity. And how transformative the journey has been. New York doesn’t get the acknowledgment it deserves. At least not when we talk about Western civilization’s top contributors. Not like London, Paris, Dublin, or Buenos Aires. Among places known to be central in cultivating human knowledge, communication, and cultural development. Yet many of the world’s greatest writers and notable people sought inspiration here. There’s a heritage and identity worth celebrating and preserving. News, arts, entertainment, or politics. Fiction or non-fiction. After centuries, New York continues to enchant, inspire, and imbue.
In short, welcome to NY-AF! An invaluable compendium of great information. An in-depth guide to one of the most significant societies on Earth and the many cultures within it. Its readers. Its writers. Our story—dispatches of sorts—from us, the people that know it when we see it, hear it, touch, taste, or smell it. New Yorkers. The only ones qualified to determine whether something is or isn’t, in fact, “New York as fuck!”
