Surviving New York: The Incredible Journey of Belgian-American Patrick van Rosendaal

Alarm ! It’s a WhatsApp call. “Hello ! It’s Patrick van Rosendaal. I just finished my new book about New York. I have… a million things to tell!” This Belgian-American of Antwerp origin, stranded in New York about ten years ago, without a valid residence permit, managed the feat of surviving by managing restaurants, passing the tests to become a tourist guide in New York, to launch his own local tourism agency and… to obtain American citizenship. He overcame all the obstacles in this city where life is very expensive, managed to get his partner, Ineke, who came from Belgium, to marry him. With their two children, they went through the pandemic during which Patrick produced reports for Belgian media. Having become a Belg bekende with us, he showed the most incredible corners of the city to the elite of the Belgian political and artistic world. And normal people too.

New concept

Patrick van Rosendaal already has three books on New York to his credit. It notably offers walks that can be done in one day. “I’m not a big walker, far from it, but I’ve tried a few of these walks. And, frankly, I arrived at the end of each of them, without being on my knees, and having discovered places whose existence I did not imagine,” explains Jean-Louis, a Wavrian who visited New York solo, with one of Patrick van Rosendaal’s books.

The latest book by Patrick van Rosendaal ©DR

Why did he create this third work? To keep the attention of potential travelers on the services offered by his company Beny, but also because the city is constantly changing. So, in this edition, he has produced, with Hannah Soenens, very interesting practical sheets, accompanied by historical explanations and anecdotes from real life or rumors. It offers 99 activities for athletes, those less sporty, enthusiasts of everything, families with children and lovers of relaxation. All with omnipresent humor, revealing illustrations, typical cartoons. Each sheet is accompanied by the reference address and the opening hours of the places to visit. And each presentation is completed by a QR code which links to the visit’s website or to documentation about it.

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Developed sheets

To further immerse the reader and future visitor in the New York atmosphere, Patrick has sprinkled his book with areas containing insider advice, including how to use public transport or taxis. All the places mentioned, from the restaurant to the bike or boat tour in Central Parc, to “the” top sandwich shop in the neighborhood, he has surveyed and tested them. And New York is full of them, like the incredible Little Island, an exceptional place on stilts, offered to New Yorkers by the Belgian-American fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg and her husband Barry Diller. If the book theoretically has 99 cards, it certainly has nearly a million surprises.

New York’s must-sees2024, 81 pages, 19,90 euros. Editions Racine.

2024-02-05 14:34:00
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