Homeward Bound.
Also, we have a winner for the giveaway!
As I surrender to the final weeks of summer and look back at yet another year spent with limited travel I'm realizing how much more I appreciate this derelict city - and when I say derelict I mean it in the most endearing way.
I have had a semi-abusive relationship with New York all my life. I've cried on the train, I've puked on the train (these are two separate instances), I've dealt with disgruntled New Yorkers, have walked miles during random city power outages, have experienced my apartment burning down, and just about everything else that can happen in this city. If you're not careful this city will chew you up and spit you out.
As a native New Yorker, I've acquiesced to this city’s every whim. Living here ain't easy and most days, I want to throw my hands up in defeat and move out of state. Actually, I've moved out of state twice, once to Arizona and once to Washington, DC and both times somehow found myself moving back after a couple of years. Clearly, I'm a masochist and enjoy the soft punches to the gut New York so readily offers anytime I think living here really ain't so bad.
This summer I ventured out of the city to the greater parts of the state. As a bonified inner-city kid I had never traveled north in my home state. I spent time in Hudson Valley + Central New York and couldn't honestly believe my eyes. There's an abundance of abundance that I was completely blind to. An abundance of rolling hills, fresh air, sprawling space, and beauty that's hard to find in a city of 8 million.
Travel for me, like for most people, is an escape to the unknown, unfamiliar, and to some extent an inexplicable joy that releases endorphins that we just can't get at home. Little did I know I'd still be able to get that endorphin hit by just driving a couple of hours north. Becoming a tourist in my home state was one of the best decisions I made for my sanity this summer. It helped me get out of my head (somehow I'm always in there) and discover what’s been under my nose this whole time: peace + quiet.
Sleeping to the sounds of crickets instead of emergency sirens or buses letting people on + off was hard but worth it. Training my shoulders to ease up from their naturally hunched position was pretty hard too but easier as time went by. Being able to leave my city dwelling for a couple of days made me appreciate the hot sweaty madness that is New York City. I came back refreshed + ready to get mildly shoved by the busy streets, to be lightly spat on by the humming air conditioners that drip water on the sidewalks and to deal with the incessant traffic that breathes congested life into my favorite dirty city.
Last weekend I had the pleasure of giving a dear friend a mini food tour of one of my favorite places in the world: the borough of Queens. We started with empanadas from The Empanada Cafe then made our way to The Lemon Ice King of Corona (which is an NYC staple if you ask me!).
We drove over to the neighborhood of Jackson Heights to eat Nepalese momos from the Amdo food truck. We then walked over to MiraCali for Colombian pan de bono and pan con queso and quickly walked under the 90 degree sun to grab some street ceviche from La Esquina del Camaron Mexicano. Our food tour ended with delicious banh mi + boba tea from Joju in Elmhurst. Food is my definite love language. Sigh.
My feelings about home are probably shared with many near + far. Some of us get a pull to leave our place of origin to then be reeled back in time + time again no matter how bad the place treats us. What it ultimately brings us is a deep sense of belonging, sentimentality + know-how. We know how to navigate home. We know how to calibrate our internal compasses to lead us where we need to be. Sometimes being a foreigner in a familiar place is just what we need to satisfy our cravings of leaving home.
Last week I mentioned a giveaway for some cute stuff from the Ithaca Farmer’s Market.
Folks had to like my last newsletter + be a subscriber so I could know who was interested in being entered to win and so I could draw a random name. My first-ever giveaway winner is….Gayla M.! Congratulations on winning the Ithaca Farmer’s Market pack! Gayla feel free to email me at: thefftnewsletter@gmail.com.
Stay tuned for next week’s visit to Armenia!
Cook. Eat. Repeat.
Natalie
Loved the food tour. Off to Ozone Park tomorrow for some roti and other Caribbean delicacies. Any recs out there?
Oh, awesome, JH/Elmhurst is my neck of the woods! If you want someone to help share the entrees when you come back for Bangladeshi cuisine, let me know…🙂