BOB THE DRAG QUEEN

Proud New Yorker and purse owner Bob The Drag Queen — RuPaul’s season eight crownsnatcher — provides her pearls of wisdom on how best to take a chunk out of the Big Apple

Do you jump on the subway, purse first?

The subway is the one place where I don’t extend my purse. Someone will probably rob you [ laughs]! It’s MetroCard first.

We’re on the look- out for a new purse. Which shopping boutique should we hit?

I made my own purse out of cardboard and curtain, so I would head down to Garment District for nice grandma- looking fabric, then head over to Michaels on 675 [ 6th] Avenue to buy board and some glue. You’ve got yourself a nice purse, and no one else will have it.

Where would we find New York’s most exciting drag talent?

I’m a Manhattan queen, but there is a great place called Macri Park out in Brooklyn. The Look Queen is one of my favourite parties, too, in the badlands of the Lower East Side.

Which up- and- coming queen should we keep our peepers peeled for?

Sherry Pie. Sherry – like the booze – and Pie, like the food. She is amazing.

It’s 2am, we’re feeling rather tipsy, but want to carry on. Where should we stumble on to?

Start in the West Village, probably Stonewall, then cross to Duplex and Pieces. Hop on the 1 train up to 50th and stumble to Therapy and Industry. Finally, head to Hardware on 10th Avenue.

We’ve woken up with a monster hangover. Where can we eat the pain away?

Empanada Mama. It’s great. I don’t drink, but I see a lot of hungover people eating there [ laughs].

Where is your happy place?

My apartment, but I’m not telling y’all where that is [ laughs]! I also love going to Roosevelt Island, which lies between Queens and Manhattan. It’s really pretty. I used to go every day on my way to work.

Describe New Yorkers in five words.

Busy. Generous. Helpful. Kind. Direct. New Yorkers love giving directions – they will fight over the opportunity to give you directions. Their favourite thing to do is to help people out, believe it or not.

What is your top tip for virgin tourists popping their cherry and visiting for the first time?

You need to see a real- life, authentic, New York City apartment. Make friends with somebody and go to their place.

Complete this sentence for us: New York is the best place on earth because…

… the people who live there believe it is.

If you could change one thing about the city, what would it be and why?

I wouldn’t change anything because if you changed it, it wouldn’t be New York.

Do you have a memory that sums up the city?

The fact is, if you live in New York City, you have to earn it. When I was getting kicked out of my apartment and fired from my job, I still ended up somehow making it here. People are like, “Why would you love that?” but that is one of my fondest memories. I moved here with 700 bucks, which is not enough for anything and still made it.

Bet you have more than $ 700 in your bank account now...

Yes, $ 702 [ laughs].

Mama Ru is in town and wants to go clickclack her heels . Where do you take her?

I would ask Ru to take me somewhere! She knows New York probably better than I do.

Are there any queens you would still like to share the stage with?

I don’t do enough stuff with Monét X Change. She is my best friend in the world.

We assume you’re rooting for Monét in season four of

RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars? Team Monét and Team Naomi [ Smalls]. I call them Team Monaomi.

What are your big goals for 2019?

I’m trying to write a version of A Christmas Carol and a play about a little boy with a fairy “dragmother”.