Lana Del Rey inspired by New York: 'I begged diner waiters to let me stay all night with $5'

Sultry songstress Lana Del Rey has revealed that she was incredibly inspired by New York City when she lived there.

The beauty, who recently recorded two special tracks for the new Tim Burton movie 'Big Eyes', explained that now she's famous it's difficult to move around unnoticed, but loved wandering the city's streets and hanging out in diners while she worked:

"I loved New York. When I was there it was almost my sole source of inspiration, more than any other man, writer or rapper, but it's harder for me to get around now. I used to take late night walks over the Williamsburg Bridge, go to all the 24 hour diners with $5 and beg the waiters to let me stay all night in exchange for the purchase of one giant slice of chocolate cake."

"I would sit for hours and read about interesting people like Karl Lagerfeld and listen to books on tape by Tony Robins to keep me company. I would take the D train to Coney Island, take the D train back to the Bronx where I lived on Hughes Avenue."

The 'Young and Beautiful' star, meanwhile, recently announced that she plans to tour the U.S. with rocker Courtney Love and the jaunt is scheduled to kick off on May 7 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Texas.

Watch the lyric video for Del Rey's 'Big Eyes' below: