THE Big Apple may be full of glittery skyscrapers, but don't let that fool you into thinking that the city is like the snobbish, Botoxed world of Los Angeles. So says ESPN Star Sports presenter Erin Ade, who has lived in New York all her life.

'They appreciate real people there, and not the pretentious kinds you find in LA,' the 23-year-old adds.

She hosts a weekly international tennis show called ACE. She came to Singapore last July for a holiday and decided to audition for the ESPN job for fun, and got it.

Ade says New York's rich don't buy flashy cars to show off, and prefer taking the subway to work instead.

'You can stand in the street in flip-flops and a bathing suit' and nobody will look twice at you.

Here are her six tips to having a good time in New York.

1. Take the subway instead of a cab

Hardly anyone in New York drives a car - everyone takes public transport instead. The subway is convenient because you do not have to deal with traffic jams, and there's even this feeling of antiquity when you take the train.

New York cab rides are expensive, so take them only if you have cash to spare.

You'll see the richest people sitting next to those with purple hair on the subway, and nobody will blink an eye. People don't show off by buying big flashy cars.

But try not to go in with overly high expectations, because the trains can be dirty and aren't always on time.

Price: US$2 (S$3.10) for a subway ride.

2. Watch horse racing at Saratoga Race Course in summer

Saratoga is a county in upstate New York where horse-racing fans come from all over the world to watch races in the summer. The track is more than a hundred years old, and is a three-hour drive from New York City.

You'll love Saratoga itself - it's a gorgeous place with plenty of fields, lakes and waterfalls.

Tobey Maguire shot his horse-racing film Seabiscuit at Saratoga too.

Price: US$35 to US$155 for admission.

3. Watch a play in a theatre off Broadway

There are tiny theatres off Broadway where small drama productions are staged almost every day. They can be small 20-seater venues or larger 200-seater ones.

Sometimes you get really bad performances but sometimes you're floored by how incredible the performance is. Check out Time Out New York's theatre reviews to see what's good.

They're definitely worth a visit, and it's a fun experience especially if you're on a budget because they usually cost about US$20.

4. Get an affordable manicure

Most New York women get manicures because they are so cheap over there. It costs just US$17 for a manicure and pedicure - never more than US$20. The manicurists are usually Korean women and they're really quick too. A manicure and pedicure takes just 45 minutes.

5. Stay in a funky boutique hotel in the old meat-packing district

This area used to contain only warehouses, but in the past few years, it has become very chic. I'd recommend the Hudson Hotel or the Hotel Gansevoort. They have the greatest bars - you'll find anyone famous there, and they are where New Yorkers go to see and be seen.

The hotel rooms are all really funky and very colourful too - definitely a change from the usual four- or five-star ones.

Where: Hotel Gansevoort, 18 9th Avenue (at 13th Street); Hudson Hotel, 356 West 58th Street

Cost: US$199 to US$5,000

6. Eat New York bagels

New York's water tastes the best in the world, and that's why our pizzas and bagels are also the best. I think it makes the dough fluffier than those found elsewhere.

There's a bagel shop on almost every corner in New York - that's how popular they are. You can look out for Pick A Bagel, which is a bagel chain in Manhattan you can find anywhere. I think the bagel's best eaten toasted with cream cheese and with a cup of black coffee. Prices at Pick A Bagel range between US$0.85 for a plain bagel and US$3.50 for a fat-free vegetable and cream cheese one.