urbanism

The only cool bodegas are the ones in Cuba that give people free rations of food

I've been to several cities of global importance and size. Moreover, I've spoke to people from dozens of countries asking them to compare NYC to the principle city of their country.

Among them all and from my observation there is agreement: NYC is both the dirtiest major city globally and has the most outdated mass transit system.

From a non American, this seems to be how all Americans talk about their local places lol

Everything in the store being dusty and expired is just culture, sweaty

I've had New Yorkers tell me they know my own culture better than I do because they lived in the Bronx. This one woman insisted I walk on the outside of a sidewalk because Latin men would hit on her. I had no idea what she was talking about because only old men do that where I live. But she insisted it was something we all did.

Anybody who cloaks themselves in the garb of "New Yorker" as their entire personality is a boring ass person. NYC is the best place to live in the United States since it's the only city where you can actually walk everywhere and that's why I love it but compared to any other city of similar or larger size it's embarrassing. We don't even have fucking glass on our metro platforms. Half of the island of Manhattan is a Disneyworld. A decent chunk of the iconic parts of NYC life have closed and are never coming back because landlords refuse to rent to businesses that aren't Starbucks or Planet Fitness. The roads are decaying, the parks are grassless wastelands, but fuck I don't know where else I could get a Tibetan momo, bomb ass al pastor tacos, xiao long bao, and fluffy bagels all on the same block.

I think a lot of the more obnoxious aspects of that discourse comes from transplants who are either trying really hard to be seen as a real and authentic NYer, or grew up in a suburb of a city whose downtown they barely visited, and now see common features of walkable urban cores as unique to New York.

What.... What do they think a corner store is?

Couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than New York!

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All the new yorkers moved down here during the pandemic and as a result rent has gone up like $400-$500 in the last 2 years :deeper-sadness:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: New Yorkers that need to tell strangers about their high standards and about how exceptional and unique and grounded and worldly and tough and cosmopolitan and sophisticated and cultured they are for being from New York are insufferably boorish.

If I watch a stand-up comedian and they mention New York within the first few minutes of their performance, I'm out. I don't want to hear it again.

As someone who lives in New York, let me just say Greatest city in the world only in NYC pizza pie go Mets

last time I was in NYC I met a guy who was slackjawed that other cities in America also have Chinatowns

It’s a place where you can buy gatorade, toilet paper, AND eggs.”

So... any gas station in the USA?

bodegas are hardly special. like, pretty much every 3rd or 4th street in London, even in the suburbs, has those too. in fact we have loads of specialist ones for different diasporas foods. as do like most British towns and cities, at least regular ones though maybe not afro or South Asian , and I would imagine is true for a lot of other places

“For you non-new yorkers, let me explain: a bodega is not a corner store. It’s a place where you can buy gatorade, toilet paper, AND eggs.”

Dollar General has all of those things. I don't see what's so magical about them.