To be a New Yorker....

[judy]

Only those who grew up in New York will understand this:

THERE IS NO NORTH AND SOUTH.

IT'S 'UPTOWN' OR 'DOWNTOWN'.

AND EAST OR WEST IS 'CROSS-TOWN'.

YOU RIDE IN A SUBWAY CAR WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE.

YOU TAKE THE TRAIN HOME AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE ON THE PLATFORM THE DOORS WILL OPEN THAT WILL LEAVE YOU RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE EXIT STAIRWAY.

YOU KNOW WHAT A 'REGULAR' COFFEE IS..

IT'S NOT MANHATTAN ... IT'S "THE CITY "

YOU CROSS THE STREET ANYWHERE BUT ON THE CORNERS AND YOU YELL AT CARS FOR NOT RESPECTING YOUR RIGHT TO DO IT.

YOU MOVE 3,000 MILES AWAY, SPEND 10 YEARS LEARNING THE LOCAL LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE STILL KNOW YOU'RE FROM BROOKLYN, LONG ISLAND OR THE BRONX THE MINUTE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH.

YOU RETURN AFTER 10 YEARS AND THE FIRST FOODS YOU WANT ARE A 'REAL' PIZZA , A 'REAL' BAGEL, AND 'REAL' CHINESE FOOD.

YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT ANY HUMAN BEING WOULD BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND A PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SUBWAY.

YOU'RE NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN GOING TO TIMES SQUARE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.

YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK IS PERMANENTLY SET TO KNOW WHEN ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING REGULATIONS ARE IN EFFECT.

YOU KNOW WHAT A BODEGA IS.

SOMEONE BUMPS INTO YOU AND YOU CHECK FOR YOUR WALLET.

YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE THE LADY WALKING DOWN THE STREET HAVING A PERFECTLY NORMAL CONVERSATION WITH HERSELF.

YOU CRINGE AT HEARING PEOPLE PRONOUNCE 'HOUSTON' STREET LIKE THE CITY IN TEXAS..

THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT IS A MAJOR TRAFFIC JAM, NOT AN HONOR.

YOU CAN NAP ON THE SUBWAY AND NEVER MISS YOUR STOP.

THAT'S NEW YORK, BABY! YA GOTTA LOVE IT.

[Blueyes]

That's very interesting, Judy! Do you know all of this stuff, lol???

[judy]

I do Betsi. I bet Gina does too!

[paula1961]

It is very interesting stuff Judy! Wow being from the country, I would be the first one robbed if I went to New York lol!
I guess living in New York teaches you to be very street smart from a very young age. I would love to visit there someday! I'd love to see New York City:)

[Janet]

I would love to visit NY someday. It all sounds so 'happening.' By the way....what is a Bodega?

[judy]

Funny you should ask, Janet! I call the country stores up here "bodegas." (I don't say it out loud though).

They sell the same things, essentially. They are both quickie convenience stores, sell sandwiches, coffee, condoms, chips, sugar and beer. Plus staples like milk and oj because lots of times the beer run involves somebody yelling out the door after you, "don't forget milk for the kids, honey!" Orange juice has multiple uses....it can be used for both breakfast drinks and scewdriver ingredients.

Country stores are bigger, cleaner, have the mandatory hot junk food like hot dogs in buns rolling around on warmers in their little silver bags, pizza, chicken wings, chicken popcorn, chicken tenders, fill in the rest, and they have parking lots and sell gas, water, propane, mulch, fresh fertilizer, and sometimes Christmas trees. Country stores also have a couple of tables, and they say "is this to eat in, or take out?"

Bodegas do not sell any of the good obligatory country store hot junk food, and they used to be run almost always by Hispanic people, but now that rule has been revoked, and can be run by any nationality. They are small, usually not too clean, sell cut up fruit in containers and bouquets of flowers, have mirrors all over to check for shoplifters, have 1/4 of their inventory outside, have no parking, gas, and definitely no fertilizer. Nobody in their right mind would ever dream of sitting down and eating inside a bodega because cockroaches and city mice have rights, and would kick you right out!

They both charge whatever they feel like at any given moment, and it is not unusual to pay $4.99 for a loaf of white bread, and $22.99 for a 6 pack.

Bodegas sell cigarettes, lottery tickets, doo rags, ipod headphones, condoms and knives by the register. Country stores sell cigarettes, lottery tickets, condoms, fishing lures, live worms, and deer call thingies by the register.

Oh....they both sell ice, something I never understood. Ice should be free. It is water, only frozen, and you can just bring your own bag!

[Gina]

I do Betsi. I bet Gina does too!

You got that right G/F !!! LOL


Janet a bodega is what Judy explained but I always remember them as a spanish owned grocery store.

[gja1000]

LOL at both Judy and Gina! I always learn a lot here, that's for sure!

I don't even know how to pronounce bodega!!! LOL!!!

I would like to visit NYC though!

[Lindsey]

"SOMEONE BUMPS INTO YOU AND YOU CHECK FOR YOUR WALLET."

Lol, the first thing I asked my friends before we went out our first night in NYC was "Which of these purses is the least pick-pockety?"

[DianaB]

What I want to know is how you pronounce "Houston"? I thought that there was only one way!!

[Lindsey]

What I want to know is how you pronounce "Houston"? I thought that there was only one way!!

I think it's more like HOW-ston as opposed to HEW-ston... am I right?

[judy]

I think it's more like HOW-ston as opposed to HEW-ston... am I right?

Exactly! Saying "Howston Street" is a very strict NY rule!

[DianaB]

I've never heard of Houston being pronounced that way!!! I guess you'd definitely know that I don't know anything about NYC!!!

[judy]

I've never heard of Houston being pronounced that way!!! I guess you'd definitely know that I don't know anything about NYC!!!


Now, you can go to NYC and sound like a native!