It's pretty common for celebrities, especially those based in Hollywood, to stroll around town after filming a scene or hosting a concert. Sometimes it's just a celebrity on their way to the grocery store, restaurant or one of the many boutiques. Then there are celebrities who were born in New York, fly to LA for work and live in New York. Here are some celebrities born in NYC and places in New York where you're most likely to spot a famous person.
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Celebrities born in New York
1. Jay-Z
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Born and raised in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
2.Robert DeNiro
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Born and raised in Greenwich Village.
3. Lady Gaga
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Born and raised in Manhattan.
4. Eddie Murphy
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Born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
5. Jennifer Lopez
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Born and raised in The Bronx.
6. 50 CENTS
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Born and raised in Queens.
7. Ben Stiller
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Born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
8. Scarlett Johansson
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Born and raised in Manhattan.
9. Cuba Gooding Jr.
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Born and raised in The Bronx.
DAY TRIPS - New York to Washington DC
10.Lucy Liu
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Born and raised in Queens.
11. Sarah Michelle Gellar
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Born and raised in Manhattan, on the Upper East Side.
The most important sights in New York
New York has numerous sights and it is difficult to see them all in one visit. However, it helps to know them all and choose the most beautiful or interesting ones. Below you will find all the important sights sorted by locations, parks, viewing platforms, museums and ferries.
12. Alicia Keys
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Born and raised in Manhattan, in Hell's Kitchen.
13. A$AP Rocky
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Born and raised in Manhattan, Harlem and Midtown.
14. Michel Trachtenberg
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Born and raised in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.
15. Lenny Kravitz
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Born and raised in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
16. Cynthia Nixon
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Born and raised in Manhattan.
17. Whoopi Goldberg
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Born and raised in Manhattan, Chelsea.
18. Rosaria Dawson
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Born and raised in Manhattan, Lower East Side.
19. Jane Fonda
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Born and raised in Manhattan.
20. Christopher Walken
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Born and raised in Astoria, Queens.
21. Christian Slater
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Born and raised in Manhattan.
22. Amanda Peet
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Born and raised in Manhattan.
Where can you meet stars and starlets in New York
Everyone knows that Hollywood is the land of stars. Movies are made here and the rich and famous usually live here. The ability to live in LA and work in your own backyard has established Los Angeles as the city of stars. Many of them have settled in the wealthiest and most famous areas such as Bel Air and Beverly Hills, but over the years there has been a shift to the East Coast.
With many directors and producers choosing to shoot on location instead of using green screens in recent years, a lot has changed in the film industry. So many of our films, both blockbuster hits and small independent films, are set in New York City.
Here are some places in New York where you're most likely to see a famous person.
Chelsea
Chelsea is located on the west side of Manhattan in the Midtown section of the island, north of Greenwich Village but south of Hell's Kitchen. A lot of famous people live here.
In an area with easy access to everything Midtown has to offer such as restaurants, Broadway shows and TV stations to the north and lots of green space to the south. There is also Chelsea Market, a farmers' market that the stars like to visit.
Be on the lookout as you are likely to spot those who live in Chelsea such as Cameron Diaz, Harrison Ford and Kate Winslet going about their daily lives.
East Village
Not nearly as well known as some of the similarly named neighborhoods like Greenwich Village and West Village, the East Village is a great neighborhood on the east side of Manhattan. The East Village is located on the East River and is flanked by Lower and Midtown Manhattan. It is an artistic part of the city with many apartment buildings inhabited by the city's wealthy.
If you stroll through this part of the city, you might run into some of the people who call this place home, including Britney Spears, Amanda Seyfried and Russell Simmons.
A restaurant owned by fashion designer Ralph Lauren, who made his fortune from his Polo brand, is pretty much a celebrity haven. One of the hardest restaurants to get a reservation, sometimes almost impossible, you have to reserve a table weeks in advance. Unless, of course, you guys are famous.
Otherwise, you'll have to wait in line like the rest of us for months. The restaurant has served Tom Hanks, Martha Stewart and Bradley Cooper, to name a few.
Madison Square Garden
Often referred to as the most famous arena in the world, Madison Square Garden is home to the New York Knicks as well as every major concert or entertainment show in NYC. It's a given that at almost every MSG event there will be a slew of celebrities on court getting up close and personal with athletes and musicians. Not only will you see the celebrities on the pitch or on stage, it's almost guaranteed you'll see them in the stands too.
Rao's
Famous for its exclusivity, Rao's is a restaurant with only 10 tables. This makes it one of the hardest establishments to get a table in all of New York, a city that already has a reputation for requiring VIP status to get to many of its landmarks.
Without even anticipating reservations in advance, Rao is more of a "who knows who?" Type of restaurant. Needless to say, many famous stars have eaten Rao here.
Rockefeller Center
Imagine the iconic Rockefeller Center building at 30 Rock Plaza and it won't be long before you see a celebrity. NBC Studios is home to filming for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night Starring Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live, Nightly News Starring Lester Holt, and even the Today Show across the street. You'll just have to camp near the building and hope for some luck. You can combine your visit with climbing Rockefeller. Tickets are available here .