New York City 
has more than 8.3 million residents. But did you know that a certain filmmaker was a former New York City cabbie? Or that your favorite outspoken talk show host has a gun license? Remy Stern, founder of Cityfile— the ultimate online encyclopedia of notable New Yorkers—does. Growing up in New York, Stern was endlessly intrigued by the city and its characters, especially their connections and relationships with each other. “There is this one percent of the population that the other 99 percent obsesses about and wants to know more about,” he says. “These are the people who make New York what it is.”
In Stern’s quest to learn everything about everyone, he Googled names and extensively researched. “One day while looking through an old Zagat guide, I realized that they have books for hotels, restaurants and shops. Why isn’t there one for people?” he says. So in 2006 (following stints at Sony and Radar), he set out to create Cityfile. After speaking with industry experts and culling information from previously reported magazine and newspaper articles, Stern (who also mans the Cityfile blog, Dailyfile, and wrote a book about the infomercial subculture called But Wait… There’s More!) and his staff compiled profiles of the 2,000 most influential New Yorkers, broken down by industry. Suffice it to say, he dug up the dirt. “We are social private investigators,” he explains. “We’ve revealed addresses, apartment prices and even outed people. Some might find it a little invasive, but I like to think we’re keeping people honest.”
NEW YORK FAVORITES
Resiliency: “So many people are concerned about how the city will fare in this economic downturn, but I’m not too worried. New Yorkers can endure just about anything.”
Hotel: André Balazs’ new Standard
Restaurants: Hasaki for sushi, Barney Greengrass
Store to Get Lost In: Pearl River Mart in Soho
