Community-based, locally driven content about Manhattan life is what Morgan Hertzan and then partner Joseph Varet had in mind when they founded LX.TV in 2006. “There was a huge gap in the marketplace,” says Morgan, the current senior vice president and general manager of LX.TV. “Nobody was doing stories on what New Yorkers like to talk about. We’re really about social connectivity and the things that friends do together.”

After three years and a merger with NBC Local Media, LX.TV is now the Big Apple’s essential go-to guide, airing in taxicabs and on WNBC. Here, Sara Gore, who hosts the network’s Openhouse NYC and 1st Look New York shows, dishes on what it’s like to work for this burgeoning media powerhouse.

GOTHAM: Tell us a little about the programs you host.
SARA GORE: 1st Look New York is about finding the hottest places to eat, shop, and entertain yourself in New York. It’s about sharing the inside culture of the city and showing people things they might not know are out there. Openhouse NYC was the first show we did, and I think its success has really helped get us where we are today. It’s such a fun show to do because I’m able to go inside these amazing places—it’s always surprising to see what’s behind the door of any apartment in New York City.

G: Since you’re an expert, what restaurants do you recommend?
SG: Well, it’s really hard to pick just one! I tend to like really quaint little restaurants, and I love the Little Owl and Degustation. But if you’re going for an all-out-fancy, special evening, you can’t go wrong with Daniel.

G: And boutiques?
SG: I just found this new place called Beyond 7. It’s part of a showroom with a bunch of different designers; the retail boutique recently opened on 27th Street and 11th Avenue.

G: Aside from eating and shopping, what are some of the other exciting things you’ve done on the job?
SG: I did a transportation segment where I got to drive a Ferrari from the Classic Car Club around Manhattan, and hang out on a sailboat and a private jet. That was one of my favorite segments, because who gets to drive a Ferrari around Manhattan? We also did a destination episode in Puerto Rico, where I got to learn how to surf and afterwards went horseback riding on the beach. I kept thinking, I can’t believe I’m getting paid for this! I really feel like I have a backstage pass to the coolest places in New York.

G: And you’re granting that access to your viewers. Who could ask for a better gig?
SG: I love coming to work because it’s never the same, which is all you can ask for in a great job—that it’s never monotonous. Whether I’m talking about a great new restaurant or a great new boutique, it’s always something new and exciting.

G: All right, now you’re just making us jealous.
SG: It’s really been a great ride.