About Me

 

My unique tours & projects have been featured in the NY Times, NY1 TV News, CBS TV, ABC World News with Charlie Gibson, 1010 WINS Radio, WOR Radio  Joan Hamburg, Arthur Schwartz, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, New York Magazine, Time Out Magazine, The New York Press, and The Village Voice.

Born and bred in Greenwich Village, I’m a third generation New York native, descendant from Ellis Island Immigrants.

I gave my first tours way back in the mid 70‘s. Twice a week I would accompany small groups of Italian business executives from Milan around the five boros exposing them to American culture and neighborhoods.

In 1979 I began publication of The Official Map & Guide, the first tourism publication covering Greenwich Village & Soho.

In the mid 1990’s Mathilda Cuomo, First Lady Of the State of New York asked me to supervise several all volunteer Mentoring Programs in NY City Public Schools on the Lower East Side.

As a consultant to the Giuliani administration I worked on projects that included expansion of film production in NYC, street festivals, and tourism for the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

My own political career included two runs for the NY State Legislature and one for the NY City Council.

In addition to my extensive political, publishing and tourism experience I produced over 90 Documentary style TV Food Shows and commercial segments for various products, chefs, and even the Canadian, Greek & Italian governments under the title of Joe Mauriello’s NYFOODSHOW! This rapidly expanded into classes and Food Tours that took advantage of the rich culinary traditions of New York City.

In 2000 I began supplying unique and one of a kind Shore Excursions to Cruise Lines visiting the port of NY.

Today over half the Cruise Lines that visit NYC feature tours from my exclusive catalog of Shore Excursions which provide American and International visitors with unique concepts and itineraries that were unavailable before. 

I have been accused of leading tours  that lack political correctness. Some might say I’m a bit sarcastic, but I always  insist on historically accurate and in depth tours as only a true native New Yorker can deliver.

Travel is one of the most important things in my life and I’ve spent time in England, Gibraltar, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Italy, Panama, Costa Rico, Mexico, Tunisia and Libya.

Currently I’m working on an uncensored view of the Greenwich Village & Soho I grew up in. This first hand history, the characters, criminals and interestingly enough the culinary scene, nightclubs & restaurants, should make a good read!