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I am looking for a word that quickly describes someone who knows everything that is going on in the in the city they live in. This person does not engage in gossip concerning other people's personal lives, but rather is someone who knows what the weather is going to be like today, what sales are going on, what events are going on, and what happened in the news. They could tell you things like, "Store A is the best place to buy meat, but if you want vegetables is store B. If you want to buy dog supplies, you normally want to go to store Y but today there happens to be a sale on dog treats at store Z. There's a 5K going on tomorrow at 2:00, and there's a band concert at location X later that night." This person is not over dependent on technology for this information, as she gets most of it by "getting out there" and being involved with the community.

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    That person is really plugged in. She's in the know, and has her finger on the pulse of th city.
    – Dan Bron
    Jun 4, 2016 at 19:48
  • I do agree with your answer, but I want a word that doesn't make her sound like she's dependent on technology for her knowlege, rather she knows what's going on becauses she gets out of the house and gets involved.
    – kiseochan
    Jun 4, 2016 at 19:54
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    None of the phrases I suggested connotes relying on technology. "Plugged in" predates the internet by a long mile.
    – Dan Bron
    Jun 4, 2016 at 19:55
  • Plugged in has been around for quite some time. Long before the internet was around. @DanBron You should add your solution below.
    – Dale
    Jun 4, 2016 at 19:57
  • Thank you for talling me that. I didn't know that before, it just kind of felt that way to me. I should've looked that up.
    – kiseochan
    Jun 4, 2016 at 20:00

4 Answers 4

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au courant In your example: Jane is au courant on where to go and what to do in Boston.

Definition from Vocabulary.com

To be au courant is to be well-informed about something. If you're au courant with local politics, you follow your city's elections and political controversies closely.

This word means being up to date on a certain subject. If you're au courant with a TV show, you've watched all the episodes, especially the most recent ones. Lawyers need to stay au courant on legal matters, and doctors need to be au courant on the latest medical research. In French, au courant literally means "with the current," or "in the course." If you stay with the flow of current events, culture, or work, you'll always be au courant. (emphasis added)

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That person is "well-informed", socially "well-connected" or, as mentioned by Dan Bron in a comment, they are "plugged-in".

  • "well-informed" - having a lot of knowledge or information about a particular subject or things in general. e.g. How well-informed is the customer about the range, quality, and cost of the products on offer?

  • "plugged-in" - to be in the know of a certain subject. e.g. Yo dog, thanks for introducing me to that guy. He'll keep me plugged in on what's happening.

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Try know something like the back one's hand

Wiktionary

To be intimately knowledgeable about something, especially a place.

He knows the city like the back of his hand.

Also see alive to something

Cambridge dictionary

Familiar with something

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  • From a British perspective, I would have said that knowing somewhere like the back of your hand implies knowing your way around the place geographically, rather than necessarily knowing what events, etc. are currently going on in that place.
    – TrevorD
    Jun 4, 2016 at 23:14
  • @TrevorD What about the second suggestion? I only know the expression, never heard of it.
    – vickyace
    Jun 5, 2016 at 0:18
  • I think I've heard of "be alive to something" - but I certainly wouldn't have understood it in the required context.
    – TrevorD
    Jun 6, 2016 at 13:48
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Possibly

urbanite : a person who lives in a city

which, despite its bland definition, often has the colloquial association of someone who is an active consumer in an urban environment, is involved and enthusiastic about their city, and, depending on the context, could be considered 'hip'. For example, 'young urbanites' would give me the impression of millenials that frequent the hip parts of town, engage with their city, could give advice on what to do, and generally known to be in the know.

For an exaggerated context (not exactly what you're asking for, but it could be relevant), try

socialite : someone who is well-known in fashionable society and is often seen at parties and other social events for wealthy people

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