That place hasn’t changed much in one year, well at least passing through is almost the same. lol
- Thread starter NALs
- Start date
Passing through NYC’s “Little DR”
The first time I was there I was very disappointed. I was in NY for only a week, and wanted to practice my English. We get there and there´s this guy in front of a store yelling in Spanish that there´s panties at 1 peso each.
. Also, people asking me if I wanted chicken sweetbreads or rice and beans. I told my cousin that if I was there for only a week, why on earth would I want to go to NY, the capital of the world to have sweetbreads???Exactly!
But most Dominicans who live in NYC prefer lo mismito de siempre.
While I love me some sancocho, mofongo, and locrio de cerdo, if visiting NYC, I'd prefer pastrami on rye from Pastrami Queen in the Upper East Side, even if left with no cualto to get back on the subway.
I think for many it makes them feel closer to home. My spouse has a lot of family in New York, etc.... Some are not the adventurous types. They like the same food as they had in the DR, living in areas that are heavily populated with Dominicans. Makes them feel better they say. Then there are some who once they left the DR, wanted to try everything, see everything, just live a different lifestyle. When we bought a second home in the USA, in the Western US, some could not wrap their heads around the fact we would not be staying in the New York area.
Yes, I always urge friends and relatives in NYC and NJ to shop at places like Trader Joe's and or Sprouts, but some think I'm being pretentious, when in fact, TD has some extremely affordable goodies and stuff, and great wine for low-income earners such as yours truly.
First of all, I lived in the Bx and Heights prior to moving to the BR (with my Dom ex). The Dominicans don't have a palate for anything more than food cooked at blast furnace temps and include the following ingredients:
Oregano, red onion, green pepper, garlic, cilantro, Baldom sazon líquido, sazon completo, maggie or doña gallina sopita. "Some" use celery.
Next point, the Doms in the Heights or Bx mostly are on govt assist programs like caid, SNAP, Section 8, etc. These people are not shopping at Trader Joes (which is a tourist gimmick), whole foods, Eli's, D'Ag, etc. They go to the local bodegas that import the same products they can find in the ghettos of DR. They even sell hearts and pods of plantain tree (yes no part of this plant goes to waste folks). Or they shop at Associated (which smells eerily like the old meat section at Rosa in Cab). Now, that's aside from the rampid fritura culture on St Nicholas. 150s and Broadway you can go to any comedor and get a plate of reheated mangu and nasty picked onions for 1.50. If they travel down the 4/5 or 6 their destination is now the 3rd world 86th and Lex.
Oregano, red onion, green pepper, garlic, cilantro, Baldom sazon líquido, sazon completo, maggie or doña gallina sopita. "Some" use celery.
Next point, the Doms in the Heights or Bx mostly are on govt assist programs like caid, SNAP, Section 8, etc. These people are not shopping at Trader Joes (which is a tourist gimmick), whole foods, Eli's, D'Ag, etc. They go to the local bodegas that import the same products they can find in the ghettos of DR. They even sell hearts and pods of plantain tree (yes no part of this plant goes to waste folks). Or they shop at Associated (which smells eerily like the old meat section at Rosa in Cab). Now, that's aside from the rampid fritura culture on St Nicholas. 150s and Broadway you can go to any comedor and get a plate of reheated mangu and nasty picked onions for 1.50. If they travel down the 4/5 or 6 their destination is now the 3rd world 86th and Lex.
Hah!
When my Dominican better half and I talk about cooking with our Dominican relatives and/or friends, someone will invariably accuse us of being weird.
If eating quinoa, couscous, bok choy, salmon, tofu, sardines (for me), tuna (for her), Brussel sprouts, and fruit smoothies is weird, then we don't wanna be cool.
And my lady, she went downtown
She bought some ber-ra-ccoli
She brought it ho-ome...
She's chop' in broccoli
Chop'in brocco-li
Chop'in brocco-la
Chop'in brocco-laa-aa
She's Chop'in brocco-lay
Chop'in brocco-lay
She's chop-eah-un!
Chop'in brocco-loco-lay -eaa -eaa
When my Dominican better half and I talk about cooking with our Dominican relatives and/or friends, someone will invariably accuse us of being weird.
If eating quinoa, couscous, bok choy, salmon, tofu, sardines (for me), tuna (for her), Brussel sprouts, and fruit smoothies is weird, then we don't wanna be cool.
And my lady, she went downtown
She bought some ber-ra-ccoli
She brought it ho-ome...
She's chop' in broccoli
Chop'in brocco-li
Chop'in brocco-la
Chop'in brocco-laa-aa
She's Chop'in brocco-lay
Chop'in brocco-lay
She's chop-eah-un!
Chop'in brocco-loco-lay -eaa -eaa
Hijo, do you have a link showing that Dominicans in the Heights or Bronx are mostly on government assistance. If not, then it is a blanket generalization.
Ok normally I wouldn't respond. But I happened to see your comment the other night about "those of us that have been here for a few decades know" without any link. I grew up in the area and I lived in Upper Manhattan and the Bx in the Dominican neighborhoods. It's just the truth, but I will add that those areas are zoned for section 8 and there are areas of other low income demographics not just Dominicans. Anyways, it's Friday so I wish you an enjoyable weekend.
I hate Dominicans that like to shat on other Dominicans to believe they are better. Do you believe that you are the only Dominican that is educated, gets cheap wine at Trader Joe's or eats broccoli???
I'm guilty of defecating on other Dominicans, but mainly on celebrities/communicators and folks on the tube, and specifically when they shout their misguided opinions about anything and everything.
Yes, I sh¡t on those celebrities who don't know their anus from a hole in the ground, yet have a compelling need to address the masses with misinformation, relying on their gullibility in order to inflate their egos:
<<José Laluz es el que ma' sabe>>.
<<¡Diablo, Dios mío! El doctor Fadul es el mejor>>.
But I'm not even close to being educated. In fact, I have a hard time comprehending that concept: Educated in what and to what extent? I DO NOT understand that. And it's similar to the god concept. I just don't get it. But I digress.
I do drink cheap wine, but that is as a result of lacking the necessary funds to purchase the good stuff. At the close of day, a simple beer satisfies my needs for imbibing spirits (yeah, yeah, I know: wine is not a spirit). And NO vino La Fuerza for me.
So, ando1991, if remaining in the W. Heights and/or Grand Concourse/Jerome Ave/170th St. areas, and chowing down on Dominican food satisfies your nutritious urge, then more power to you. I'd rather walk around the West Village without a penny to my name.
Now, there's one thing in which I'm good, and berry, berry good, I might add: I could eat chicharrón or tostones immediately after being scooped out of the burning oil. And I do prefer my chai latte at 201 degrees. Few Dominicans come close to equaling that feat. So there!
Oh! Forgot this:
I can sing George Thorogood and the Destroyers' "Bad to the Bone" and/or imitate Joe Cocker better than ALL Dominicans habidos y por haber, to the detriment of my already-damaged vocal chords.
I love NYC, but it's too damn cold up there.
You have to give him a pass Ando. It's not the 'brocolis' that makes him feel special. I think it's the tofu and brussel sprouts and that he can espiki pani and ingle' and uses all of those apostrophes! -- Other than that, he's really just one of you.
You're "funny hah hah!" funny, sir... I think.
But I'd prefer to be ridiculed for attempting to write well--although I often fail miserably-- than live in Cabarete and spend all day ridiculing folks on DR1... DAY in and day out, 24/7. What a life you live. But, hey, whatever tickles your fancy.
You do know that I know what gets your panties in a twist, right?
The only thing that gets my goat is the traffic on the Cabarete one horse trail and the youngins on the motos. This ^^^, I enjoy, because Ando called it right. Just a regular Dominican living in Texarkana woohoo!
Wrong again, sir.
I've never visited Texarkana. In Miami currently, and in PC in mid-August, and will have plenty to do, rather than live in DR1 24/7.
Go kite-surfing, for crying out loud. Walk on the beach, at least. Goodness, gracious!
But you do realize I know exactly how to make you go all ape-sh¡t crazy and mad, and bring the Karen out of you.
I'd give you a hint, just to pique your curiosity, but I fear it may be too cryptic for you. Let's just leave it at that. You win again.
While you take pride on wanting to come across as a provocateur, you're actually a winner, and for there to be winners like you, losers like me are a necessity.
I actually thought it was the other way around! You see, I never have to report your posts or cry to a mod for you. It's just fun. I don't think I've even ever insulted you. I do see a pattern, as @ando1991 pointed out, where it "appears", by the tone of many of your posts, that you tend to put yourself above your fellow Dominicans. Other than that... These are just observations. Peace Lucy!
You are weird!
You living in a basement apartment in Washington Heights and faking it in the West Village with your hair dyed blonde and having a fake British accent. You know too much about the Heights and the Bronx to be from anywhere else but the barrio. You have to hide in the closet to eat your fried chicken wings with fried plantains. Then brush your teeth, so no one smells the plantains on your breath.
You are definitely weird.
Self hate is a disease.
