Name: Ernie Anastos
Age: I feel like a kid.
Occupation: FOX 5 News Anchor
Neighborhood: East Side
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Ed Koch is my favorite New Yorker. A giant, and the Fiorello La Guardia of our time.
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
My best meal is at a fabulous annual charity event, “Feast with Famous Faces,” where New York’s top restaurants serve up fabulous food
and it’s all for a good cause.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
My job consists of watching, listening, reading, learning, and talking a lot.
Would you live here on a $35,000 salary?
Absolutely. I love New York and I’ve done it.
What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
I saw Billy Elliot. It was really sensational.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes I do.
What’s your drink?
I usually drink seltzer and cranberry juice, but on occasion I’ll have a mojito. I remember my first mojito in Havana at the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba. ¡Muy bien!
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Not too often, except on weekends when I whip up a batch of lamb chops with potatoes … Greek style, of course. Yiasou!
What’s your favorite medication?
Nothing like a walk on the beach and soaking up that salt air — it cures everything.
What’s hanging above your sofa?
A painting of a ship on the open sea. I feel the excitement of my grandparents who sailed to America to begin a new life.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
$300. I did it once and they cut my hair too short.
When’s bedtime?
Around 1:30 a.m., unless there’s a Yankee game on and I have to do a late newscast. But it’s worth the wait.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
I like the new Times Square — it’s bursting with excitement and new sights everywhere. It’s New York.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
I’ve known Donald Trump and his family for 30 years. His parents were wonderful and have had dinner in my home. A unique family, and Donald is an amazing success.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
The traffic and potholes. Can’t tell you how many tires I’ve had to replace.
Who is your mortal enemy?
Time! I never have enough of it.
When’s the last time you drove a car?
I drive every day and love it, except for traffic and potholes.
How has the economic downturn affected your life?
As a news anchor, the downward economy fills my newscast with more negative stories than I care to report. Being an optimist, I’m hoping that will soon change for all of us.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
I read them all, and more. It’s part of my job, but I love knowing what’s going on everywhere.
Where do you go to be alone?
Any place of worship. It’s where I go for quiet privacy and renewal.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
When you know this is the greatest city in the world, with all the good and not so good — even potholes — and you don’t want to live anywhere else.
