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The first time I saw Harlem was as a teenager in the mid 90s, mostly from the car. I thought it was bad then. I bought a book of old photos from the worst of the bankruptcy in the 70s and the crack epidemic. Same building I lived in 2010-11 was shown and the interior was almost completely burned out, only a skeleton of the structure remained, covered in weeds and debris, over half the windows missing. It literally looked so bad my jaw dropped. And I was born in Detroit so I don't shock easily!
The places people are touring now are nowhere near as bad as they were back in the day. I think if you go as part of a group and are contributing money to a place that really needs it, that's great. It helps create jobs that are much-needed in those communities. And gives people a true feel for the city which IMO is much better than them just staying in Times Square or something. I never understood people who visit and go to the M & M store and Olive Garden. I am starting to believe they just don't know better, they really think that's the real New York.
Some of the most amazing foods, culture, and arts are in the 'hood and are served up by immigrants that are just like anyone else, minus the language barrier. Just the thought is making me hungry for the pastelitos, empanaditas, and pica pollo Dominicano served up on my old block. Slow-cooked chicken and rice with the most wonderful spices, an entire plate for less than 5 bucks. I could spend all day trying to replicate those recipes but no one makes a dish like someone who was raised on it. Now that I'm back in the Midwest I realize how truly spoiled I was with regard to cuisine there. We have diversity in restaurants here, authenticity... but nowhere near on that level.
Last edited by EastBoundandDownChick; 12-12-2017 at 01:26 PM..
Funny how the same people who were flaming me in the "Chop Cheese" thread
SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THESE 'TOURS'.
They are hipsters in DENIAL or just straight up dont even know it ! Aha
U wanna see 'street art'?
Hit the 2,4 and 5 subway lines and look at the rooftops. Those are real graffiti writers..
(Cope, Serg, Since, iZm, Punch, etc.)
who risked their lives climbing those buildings and caught cases with NYPD 'Vandal Squad'.
Not some dude who got paid by the building manager to draw what he wanted cuz he didnt have the skills to do it himself and got permission from the city. Pfffffft !
That's not even Vandal-izm so how in the F*** can that be considered 'street art'?
Their scheming these people.
Lemme guess...this is not a non-profit organization right ? Of course not.
This is some straight up hipster / gentrification tour.
I dont care how they try to spin it or defend it.
I know a hustle when i see one.
I was on the circle line tour with an out of town visitor and the tour guy pointed out NYCHA buildings as we went up the east river. He said ''those brown buildings are, well, projects or subsidized government housing.'' I could not believe that he used that word and that people actually looked at the buildings like it was so amazing.
Most people are shocked to find out ghetto people live in prime NYC real estate and that it is difficult to isolate crime in NYC, because there is NYCHA all over the city.
Most people are shocked to find out ghetto people live in prime NYC real estate and that it is difficult to isolate crime in NYC, because there is NYCHA all over the city.
Yup, my so-called "ghetto" friends live in luxury penthouses in Manhattan. Maybe they share rent and don't have kids but you still wouldn't expect it if you saw the amenities and the view. People have very misconstrued notions about how people live here. It isn't all rich white trust fund kids. In fact, I think the rich white trust fund kids live below their means more than anyone.
No where in NYC is really that ghetto as in the 70's and 80's of basically the entire city. I say these venture capitalist go find their fortune in Chicago's south side instead, and hope no one gets hit by a bullet. (Consent form signing would be a good idea while they're at it).
Chicago hoods aren't gritty enough. The high-rise Projects are all gone..... tore down. The North side is the denser side. The South and West... true gangland hoods. As is all Chicago's street-grid, has BY FAR - Detached housing with green-frontage to front lawns. A good portion is in the bungalow-belt... actually 1/3 the city built 1915-1940. 50s neighborhoods were new and where White-Flight moved to.
Even its apartment buildings are detached and NYC-style tenements were basically banned. Add the city removed the worst blight in the 90s leaving empty lots , even nearly whole blocks .... it's not the TOP URBAN GRITTINESS TOURIST WANT TO SEE.
Heck, gentrified hoods in NYC ..... look as gritty as before they were renewed inside and hip now. In Chicago ..... Tourist rather see AL Capone hideouts and places of that the movie "Chicago" evokes or "The Untouchables".... era.
THANKS TO NYC - Chicago was SENT AL CAPONE. NYC born and bred..... the rest became its history.
Many years ago, my grandparents went to visit NYC. This was during the late 1940's. They didn't have GreyLine Tours then, but the thing to do was get a personalized taxi tour. Part of their tour included a drive through The Bowery Grandpa asked if it was safe there. The driver assured him it was safe before noon, all the bums were sleeping it off! Grandpa said the bums hanging out the windows, sleeping in doorways, was quite a sight. As a strong, working man, Grandpa held such in contempt, but Grandma said its not right, to make such into a tourist attraction, and asked the driver to cut short that part of the tour. GP said "by the sweat of the brow you shall earn your bread" GM said "There but for the Grace of God go I"
Funny how the same people who were flaming me in the "Chop Cheese" thread
SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THESE 'TOURS'.
They are hipsters in DENIAL or just straight up dont even know it ! Aha
U wanna see 'street art'?
Hit the 2,4 and 5 subway lines and look at the rooftops. Those are real graffiti writers..
Or the pedestrian side of the Manhattan Bridge. Although, now that location is being spoiled from all the hipsters and tourists who saw shots of those buildings on Instagram.
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Grandpa asked if it was safe there. The driver assured him it was safe before noon, all the bums were sleeping it off! Grandpa said the bums hanging out the windows, sleeping in doorways, was quite a sight. As a strong, working man, Grandpa held such in contempt, but Grandma said its not right, to make such into a tourist attraction, and asked the driver to cut short that part of the tour. GP said "by the sweat of the brow you shall earn your bread" GM said "There but for the Grace of God go I" 
