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Staten Island Advance/Bill Lyons

1. Oh, I'm sorry to hear you're from there.

Don't be. Staten Island may be crowded, but it's home to the most parkland in New York City. Plus, the borough has plenty of cultural institutions, top-notch restaurants, the best pizza anywhere, a mostly free Staten Island Railway, and the Staten Island Ferry.

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Robert Parsons

2. Does it smell? Isn't that where the world's largest dump is?

The Fresh Kills landfill closed in 2001 and the former dumping site will eventually be a park more than twice the size of Central Park -- and no, it doesn't smell here.

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Mark D. Stein | stein@siadvance.com

3. Does everyone there go tanning?

Um, no. Staten Island is often tied to having a population that's mostly orange-skinned, but that's because of stereotypical shows like "Mob Wives" and "Jersey Shore." That said, we do have our fair share of tanning salons.

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4. Do you know anyone in the mob?

No. Do you?

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Staten Island Advance/Anthony DePrimo

5. Is there anything to do there?

Shopping, dining, hiking trails, movies and parks are always nearby, as are lots of friends and family. Kayaking, ice skating and strolling the boardwalk are among favorite seasonal activities for Islanders. Historic Richmond Town, the Staten Island Children's Museum, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden are among the institutions that offer lots of cultural family fun. Simply put: There's plenty to do here.

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Staten Island Advance/Ryan Lavis

6. Have you ever met Big Ang/The Wu-Tang Clan?

Put it this way: Everyone has a story to tell about these folks. Most of them haven't met them in person.

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Mark D. Stein | stein@siadvance.com

7. If I come visit, will you reimburse my toll?

We're fortunate enough to have a special Staten Island discount on the MTA's eye-popping $16 cash toll for the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Sorry, we can't extend it to you.

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Video by Andrew Simontacchi

8. I've never been there, but I've been on the ferry.

Glad to hear it. Some of us ride that boat hundreds of times a year, so our enthusiasm may not match yours. But we agree it's cool. The Ferry has appeared in scores of TV shows and movies, including "Working Girl." The ride is only 25 minutes, the beer is cheap, and it's reliable.

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Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel

9. I drove through there once.

You mean tried to drive through there. The Staten Island Expressway is under construction, but work should be completed relatively soon, and we hope your ride will be better.

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AP Photo

10. Are you Italian?

Staten Italy, right? Right. Staten Island has more Italian Americans than any other New York City borough, and about a third of the population has Italian heritage.

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Staten Island Advance/Bill Lyons

11. That's part of New York City, right?

Absolutely. Staten Island has been part of New York City for more than 100 years. The NYPD, FDNY and other city agencies work on Staten Island, and the city Department of Education operates dozens of schools in the borough.