The literary downtown cousin of The New Yorker who went out for one Negroni and came back with a podcast, a play review, a ghost story, and a gossip column.

Smart but scrappy

Cultural but cutting

Entertaining but insightful

A platform for New York voices, especially those slightly off-center (artists, historians, indie performers, eccentrics, etc.)

Tawk of New Yawk is committed to accuracy and transparency. If we publish an error, we correct it promptly and note the change. Our reporting is independent, and contributors disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to their work.

the crew

The Tawk of New Yawk crew is made up of the lease serious writers imaginable.

  • Stephanie A.

    CO-FOUNDER

    Since entering her 30s, Stephanie has largely stopped giving a shit what anybody thinks.

    She’s a writer, playwright, graduate student of history, teacher, and all around over achiever. Basically, excelling in all of the things that don’t make any money.

    Stephanie longs to be a Bohemian, but she’s too type-A and rigid.

    A fierce advocate for the autism community and women’s mental health.

  • Joe Thristino

    STAFF WRITER

    Joe is a writer who lives in New York. Which makes sense for this publication. He writes all kinds of things. He hopes you're having a good day and that things are well. As a polished creative writer, Joe's experience includes screenplays, stage plays, web series, literary fiction, and script coverage. We've learned that Joe is a fan of random pubs, which in addition to his incredible experience as both a writer and New Yawka, makes him a perfect fit for the team.

  • Scott Brooks

    STAFF WRITER / COLUMNIST: Broadway Outsider

    Born and raised in a small town in Massachusetts, Scott has lived in New York City for more than twenty years. A degree in theater led down many paths from a gig as a top 40 DJ, to film and television production. He also managed to write several plays and get some of those on stage. He has had a handful of screenplays optioned or produced along the way as well. Most recently, Reality Sets In – a comedy web series about being newly single in the city. His proclivity for the arts led to a slew of survival jobs from tour guide to the inevitable years in hospitality where he prefers to bartend in fancy restaurants and five-star hotels, if he must do it at all. His first novel, based on his experiences at the intersection of hospitality and show business, And There We Were and Here We Are is available on Amazon Kindle and in paperback. He also just finished the travel tip book; 50 Things to Know Before You Go to the Theatre in NYC, which is also available on Amazon. He is an avid reader and proud father.

  • Lydia "Dia" Griffiths

    STAFF WRITER / COLUMNIST: Bygone History

    Lydia loves all things stories. She moved to NYC to be in the film-making industry but realized she liked stories more than film so she went back to school to study mythology. When not immersed in dusty old tomes and writing, she wanders around NYC, gazing and imagining all the people and stories that have happened. She lives in Brooklyn with her very needy and chatty cat Coco.

  • Emma Baxter

    STAFF WRITER; COMEDY COLUMNIST

    Combining a passion for New York City's vibrant lifestyle scene with a knack for comedy, Emma brings a unique blend of humor and insight to the page. As a seasoned writer and comedian, Emma offers a fresh perspective on navigating the urban jungle while finding the laughter in life's everyday adventures.

Stephanie:

founder and Editor

Stephanie founded Tawk of New Yawk in 2020 and has been figuring this shit out on the fly ever since. She’s a writer, mother of two, and wife living in Brooklyn. Her debut play, Method’s Abyss, debuted in April 2025 to multiple sold out crowds and has thus received an award reflecting such. She is a NYC public school educator who recently was awarded the Fund for Teachers Grant. In addition, she has returned to graduate school for a second Master’s degree in history.  Not that she has free time, but when she does, she likes reading and spiraling in existential crises,

Scott Brooks:

THEATER EDITOR

Columnist: broadway outsider

Born and raised in a small town in Massachusetts, Scott has lived in New York City for more than twenty years. A degree in theater led down many paths from a gig as a top 40 DJ, to film and television production. He also managed to write several plays and get some of those on stage. He has had a handful of screenplays optioned or produced along the way as well. Most recently, Reality Sets In – a comedy web series about being newly single in the city. His proclivity for the arts led to a slew of survival jobs from tour guide to the inevitable years in hospitality where he prefers to bartend in fancy restaurants and five-star hotels, if he must do it at all. His first novel, based on his experiences at the intersection of hospitality and show business, And There We Were and Here We Are is available on Amazon Kindle and in paperback. He also just finished the travel tip book; 50 Things to Know Before You Go to the Theatre in NYC, which is also available on Amazon. He is an avid reader and proud father.

He was recently made Tawk of New Yawk’s theater editor.

emma baxter:

staff writer

Columnist: comedy

Combining a passion for New York City's vibrant lifestyle scene with a knack for comedy, Emma brings a unique blend of humor and insight to the page. As a seasoned writer and comedian, Emma offers a fresh perspective on navigating the urban jungle while finding the laughter in life's everyday adventures.

Joe Thristino:

Staff Writer

Joe is a writer who lives in New York. Which makes sense for this publication. He writes all kinds of things. He hopes you're having a good day and that things are well. As a polished creative writer, Joe's experience includes screenplays, stage plays, web series, literary fiction, and script coverage. We've learned that Joe is a fan of random pubs, which in addition to his incredible experience as both a writer and New Yawka, makes him a perfect fit for the team.

Lydia "Dia" Griffiths:

HISTORY Staff Writer

Columnist: Bygone NYC

Lydia loves all things stories. She moved to NYC to be in the film-making industry but realized she liked stories more than film so she went back to school to study mythology. When not immersed in dusty old tomes and writing, she wanders around NYC, gazing and imagining all the people and stories that have happened. She lives in Brooklyn with her very needy and chatty cat Coco.  

Cohavit Gil:

Contributing Writer

Cohavit (pseudonym Cece) is a writer, among other more boring things. She perceives herself to be a little naive, a lot impulsive, and a total Pisces-as-an-artist cliché. Her current literary obsessions include: Hunter S. Thompson, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., and Oscar Wilde. When she’s not entrapped in a writing stint, you might find her binging “escapist reality” TV shows or dancing at a Phish show. She wants to leave you with her favorite Vonnegut quote, “I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around and don’t let anybody tell you different.”

drop us a line.

The Tawk team loves hearing your feedback, comments, or suggestions.

Feel free to reach out for collaborations and guest articles. We want to share what you know and what you love about NYC!