My friend had just picked me up from the airport and already I was in a state of culture shock. There were more black people in the airport than I had seen in my entire 10 months living in Northern California and I didn’t realize how much I had missed them. It’s not like Vermont where African Americans are an anomaly, mostly because Northern California is full of other minorities, boring minorities like Indians, Asians and lame tech-geek middle easterners – but I really miss the black folks and I couldn’t help but stare and listen to the unique sounds that I had missed for so long.
My friend was driving erratically, or so I thought, she had just ran right through a crosswalk with people waiting to cross, used her horn several times and then swung into a lane without using her signal nor sticking an arm out the window to ask permission to enter the lane. She didn’t even look in her mirrors as she jumped from one lane to another in a never ending fight to beat the damned cabbies to the next light. I was horrified to tell the truth and mentioned that we Northern Californians were so peaceful when we drove and we stopped for pedestrians and cyclists wishing to cross the street.
Then I noticed the mobs of people everywhere, it appeared that everyone was running somewhere. I noticed all of the women had multiple bags and were trying to drink coffee, talk on the cell phone and check out the other fashionable ladies at the same time. It was a strange sight to see men in suits, besides for shabbos, I rarely see folks dressed up more than a polo shirt and khakis – yet here were dozens of men – all looking pissed off running somewhere in suits.
My friend dropped herself off on 17th and 8th and told me we would hang next week. I was honestly kind of scared, I wanted to scream at her that I didn’t think I could handle driving in this insane situation by myself, I had been gone too long yet she expected me to brave Manhattan traffic at 5:30pm on a Tuesday. So I hopped in and hopes for the best and within 20 minutes I was back to giving cabbies the finger, gunning her red Toyota Tacoma at innocent bystanders who thought about entering MY crosswalk and cursing everyone under my breath – it felt damned good to be rolling up 10th avenue at 3 miles per hour trying to beat out the cabbies and TLC guys and not be left in the box.
Like any native New Yorker I turned the radio to the traffic report, I wasn’t really headed anywhere – just to pick up a friend and get some pizza (I had been thinking about pizza for 2 months) but I love the New York City traffic reports only 880 or 1010 will do. I enjoyed the fact that the traffic report was so entertaining, I love hearing about all the slowdowns – such joy at knowing I would never have to deal with this mayhem again, except for a visit every half a year or so.
I went to shul this morning and saw frummies for the first time in ages and I looked at them with a tourists eyes. It was kind of abstract to actually see the people I write so much about, yet have nothing to do with and I just started feeling bad for them. I was having breakfast when it hit me on the head, it’s not that frummies like living in New York so much, it’s that they really don’t think about such things – ignorance is bliss or at least allows you to be content without knowing what lay beyond.
Everything on Central Ave in Cedarhurst was strange and I had this huge smile on my face, like oh now I can really make fun of this, now that I’m coming in as a visitor. For instance, I couldn’t constrain my laughter when I was in the seforim store and found Gey Shlufin Tea – I’m kidding folks – it was the yiddisher sleepy time.
Oh and I’ve been here less than 24 hours and I’m already sick of it and can’t wait to get back to California. I thought I could do 2 weeks, but already I’m thinking of leaving early…
give it time. once you get back into it you wont want to leave. and then when you do leave youll never want to come back again. ny is like that- kind of a love/hate thing
haha when I sas in Israel we always used to say how much we missed ny blacks, the Israelis think they have the same thing with ethiopians , its no shaichus , the ethiopians are meeker than asians
the last time i was in NY i changed my ticket to come back to california earlier than planned. it’s fun to visit but wouldn’t want to live there. much prefer the california lifestyle.
dude leave during chol hamoed and come sleep in my succah
Welcome to the jungle 😉
Awesome post. So true.
I suppose am kind of biased because I have always lived here. Yes, New York City and its immediate surrounding area is busy and crowded, but it is also full of great things. I think that some of us probably take having so many options for granted. We have such a large supply and variety of pretty much everything needed to be an Orthodox Jew. I can’t imagine finding myself unable to locate Kosher food, or going days without seeing another Orthodox Jew. New York is so large that in its different areas there are so many different kinds of Jews, which can only help those who are looking for their Basherts 😉 At this point in my life I could not imagine living anywhere else in America.
but I really miss the black folks
Spend more time in the East Bay.
East bay blows
if you live in the bay area and aren’t seeing black folks, you gotta go to oakland or east palo alto, also in the east bay there are a lot of gang shootings, thats the only signs of black people there are in silicon valley
Ugh.
As so many people I know like to say, “New York. It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”
Because Detroit is so hot.
My dad is a born and bred New Yorker. He only goes back when he has to. Says it’s been downhill since La Guardia
Was thinking of taking the Chinatown Bus from Wilmington for a day trip to NYC in October, then getting a one day transit pass and visiting my kids in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Or maybe go to museum instead of visiting the kids. Other than the museum, subways and kids, we have pretty much what NYC has but on a smaller scale: kosher food, shul with mechitza, NASCAR wannabes on I-95, ability to observe Kabbalat Shabbat with the Friday Night Knife & Gun Klub at a Level I Trauma Center. Maybe stay home instead.
Ya i dont like ny and never will. the only good thing is the easy shopping. but living there i will never be able to do. to noisy and busy and to closterfobic for my liking.
The only good thing about ny is its easy shopping but other than that i cant stand it. so cloterfobic and too noisy for my liking.
Oh yeah I forgot baltimore is great
new york sucks big balls !! grew up there and have many great memories. but going back to new york from “out of town” to look for parking forever, get parking tickets, sit in traffic, and deal with rude/ungrateful people just to get an awesome danish ?? screw that.
( see you at dunkin ) yes a parking lot. lol
what about the pizza? it kicks A%^!!! also, you spelled claustrophobic wrong, a heshy-esque move
So does Chicago. And San Francisco. And…
san francisco doesnt have kosher pizza, dumbass. believe me, I’ve lived there. Oh yeah sorry, you’ve renounced judaism so I guess kashrus doesnt matter to you
LMAO
New York is so large that in it’s different areas there are so many different kinds of Jews. At this point in my life I could not imagine living anywhere else in America.
I feel the same way when I visit San Francisco. I’m just anxious and itching to be back in New York.
NorCal is pretty narrow minded too, even more so if you ask me and I spent my idealist years out there (ages 0-18), but you’ll see that soon.
You need to be here to keep this blog relevant. Just sayin’…
no way, how can norcal be narrow minded, there all pluralistic and open and diverse there, i dont get you
The people make up the city. The lifestyle in northern California is without a doubt much more laid back than living in NY/ NJ/ PA. I grew up in the LES and recently moved to San Francisco 3 years ago and haven’t looked back since. The people make the city. The people in SanFrancisco, maybe all of California in general comprise of friendly people. Everyone seems to have a smile on their face while abiding the law, making friendly gestures, laughing at every joke imaginable, gay rights, animal rights, and organic rights and what not. It’s a great place to live but beware.. The majority of the population in California are phonies!