After a long hiatus from blogging I have returned only to say goodbye. Tomorrow marks a new chapter in my life and thus my life as an eater. For the past three almost four years, I have called Brooklyn my home. In these years I made the difficult transition from manhatanite to brooklynite and foodie guppy to full blown foodie.
I watched as my neighborhood gentrified. I saw the faces of my neighbors, Caribbean families who had lived in the area for decades, morph into young white kids freshly transplanted from the farms of the Mid West. I witnessed the death of small businesses and the birth of new family and eco-friendly coffee shops. I scorned them and loved them at the same time. I felt loathing for them because after all they represented urban sprawl, yet secretly I was excited that my beloved cheddar scallion scone was just across the street.
New bars opened and filled with tight pants, plaid shirts, and bearded kids with big ideas, big hopes, and bigger agendas. Hipster hybrids I call them, people who are tired of the “ironic” Williamsburg vibe but remain loyal to their pretentious roots.
Many things changed and many things stayed the same. Through it all, I have fallen in love with my neighborhood.
Just the other day I was sitting in a bar waiting for my friends to arrive when I started up a conversation with a stranger. She asked me where I lived, not by way of “So how you doin?” but in the hometown way that still exists in Brooklyn. Prospect Heights I said. Fort Greene she replied. I was on her turf but we proceeded to compare lists of places we loved in our respected hoods. It was civil and yet cut throat, the way one talks when they truly believe they come from the best place on earth. We’ll have you been to the General Green she asked? Yes, but have you tried Brooklyn Larder I rebutted. Every remark was but an added attempt to showcase one’s neighborhood. It’s a loyalty I intend to keep with me even after I leave.
On the eve of my departure I can’t help but think how these three years have defined who I am as a foodie. It was with Gen's veggie tempura roll that I first learned to love sushi. It was here that I understood the phenomenon of brunch’ing with Beast, Tom’s, Farm, and more. I will miss my Friday burger- rare with onions and beer at James, counter seat and sodoku in hand. I will miss Tea Lounge and the couches I would every so often dissolve into whilst studying. Saturday mornings will not be the same without my over priced but perfectly buttered croissant at Joyce’s after an apple cider donut with sugar from the Saturday Farmer’s Market run in Grand Army Plaza. There are things I’m sad to leave and go without for the next year. These weekly rituals are much like the rituals of love. We invest ourselves in them and in return ask that they be there for us when we need them. While these foods are in fact amazing, it is my emotional attachment and loyalty to them that lets me know it's love. Because sushi places may come and go, but Gen is forever. :)
As I finished packing and prepared for my inevitable last meal I took great care in my decision of where I should eat. Would it be something I’d miss while I was away or something I never got the opportunity to try? Would I go savory, or sweet? Should I get a smorgasbord or a hefty meal? More importantly, can Blue Marble Ice Cream be considered dinner? I thought and thought until I could not wait any longer. Hunger over came me and it was clear, my answer was City Subs. A place close by and had never tried but I had it on a reliable source that it was a great sub place, which is just what I wanted on a hot day. I had a classic turkey with swiss and the works. With my first bite I knew I made the right decision. It tasted of nostalgia. As I ate my sandwich I recalled the satisfaction of childhood. It tasted just like it did the first time when I was a kid and that is almost an impossible feat. Because how do you make it like the first time every time? Now I realize it wasn’t just my own neighborhood that I fell in love with, it was all of Brooklyn. Like a first love, Brooklyn has made a lasting imprint on my heart. But don’t feel too sad for me, because did I mention I’m moving to SPAIN?
Next stop- Hawaii (my brother is getting maui’ed) :) Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment