Experienced and expressive tour guide with a background in communications and the arts. I provide hospitality and history, information and entertainment to visitors from all around the world. My tours reference architecture, demographics, urban transformation, shopping and pop culture. Interactivity and humor are also important aspects of my tours. My routes include the iconic neighborhoods and highlights of Manhattan as well as excursions into the other boroughs. I speak English, but international visitors tell me that they appreciate my very basic knowledge of their languages. Whether a student or a senior, a family or on business, my informative and light-hearted narration will leave you with great memories of New York.
Deborah
Blau
NEW YORK
United States of America (USA)
Contact Options
About
Tours Offered & Destination Knowledge
Bus ToursFood & Drink ToursGeneral Walking ToursLarge Group ToursLocal GuideMulti-Day Tour Director/LeaderMuseum DocentPrivate ToursStudent Tour Director
Freelance New York City Guide (Walking, Step-On, Biking) 2007- Present
Provided step-on guide services on a freelance basis for assorted tour companies.
CLIENTS INCLUDE: EF Education First, Focus Travel, Metro New York Tours, Levy’s Unique New York, EMI International, Trafalgar Tours, Ray’s Food & Walking Tours, OpenTours, H.I.S International Tours Inc. Big Apple Network, Ghosts of New York, Allied TPro, Custom NY Tours, Harvest LAX, Kristin’s NY Tours, One If By Land Tours, Mid Atlantic Tours and Receptive Services.
TOURS INCLUDE: Manhattan Comprehensive, Five Borough Overview, World Trade Center site, Statue of Liberty, High Line, Wall Street, Harlem, Grand Central Terminal, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Heights/Dumbo, Greenwich Village, Brighton Beach, Williamsburg, Gospel Tours, Lower East Side, etc.
New York Adventure Club - 2020: Webinar in PowerPoint: Brighton Beach: From Old NYC Resort Neighborhood to Little Odessa
Gray Line New York Sightseeing 2004-2016: As the senior guide, in addition to the scheduled public double-decker tours, narrated customized private charters, escorted limo tours, as well as walking tours and step-on assignments. (Occasionally in my rudimentary French.)
Museum and Art Gallery Tours 2001-2003: Lead walking tours through the galleries of Chelsea. https://nygallerytours.com/ (designed the logo) as well as gallery tours for the 92nd Street Y, and a highlights tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My insightful narration made challenging artwork accessible and pleasurable to my audience.
Fun Fact!
I am related to Bonzo, the famous chimp.
Hobbies & Interests
Dance was my first love. Art my second (Pizza Painting is mine.)
Check out my Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/deborah_blau_nyc_tourguide/
Virtual Tour Experience
During the pandemic, I pivoted and employed my art background to create two visually rich webinars in PowerPoint. My images took nostalgic attendees back to their childhoods. They were also thrilled to gain new knowledge of their old neighborhood.
The "tours" have been scheduled for multiple screenings. The accompanying narration is live each time, followed by a Q&A session. These webinars for New York Adventure Club are on the LiveStorm platform. (See Testimonials)
Testimonials
Tours
- "Our visit to NYC has been so busy, but we had to take the time to praise Deborah of big mouth/big city tours - you can see her experience and knowledge was so evident... and she does her homework! She is never at a loss for words, but everything she is telling you is of great interest! If you have the chance and can find her as your tour guide - DO IT!!!" – Lisa
- "I totally enjoyed your tour. I love your humor and your enthusiasm very contagious.
I promised you City That Never Sleeps in Vietnamese: Thành phố không bao giờ ngũ (taan fo kong bow zo nou) Thanks for the awesome tour today. :)" – Vy Nguyen - My wife(Artemis) and i (Vasili) would like to thank and praise you for this morning complete and entertaining guidance in Harlem tour. Though we travel a lot for business, it is our first visit in the big Apple and we enjoy it very much. You completely changed my perception of the city - the apple now has much better seat in my memmory (sic) theatre." – Vasili
Webinars/Virtual Tours
- "Our host was engaging, informed, and shared with us with a really well planned and visually appealing presentation." -Claudia
- "Delightful, fast paced story telling at its best. Puns included." -Dr Arlene
- "Awesome story telling and information presented in an interesting engaging way" -David
- "So well researched and so much historic detail!" -Ann
Details
Gateway Airport(s)
JFK, LGA, EWR
Licenses
New York City (NYC)
Training
Language(s)
English
Additional Education
GANYC Certification 2017
General Availability
Just ask!
Photo Album
