a color story: NYC chinatown

NYC Chinatown. Different city but the smell. The seafood stands on the sidewalks seemed to be universal. It must be the mix of old fish and car pollution after a rainy day. I was not saying the fish wasn’t fresh in the stands; the eyes weren’t dull. The distinct smell lingered in both the present and my past. Nostalgia. I wondered if there was legitimacy to the seafood stand because I haven’t seen one of these in Toronto. But, it doesn’t stop the black market from the hustle and bustle.

Regardless, the smell reminded me of my childhood in Hong Kong, my birth city. As a toddler grabbing my mom’s hand to find the best deals on fresh produce, vegetables, and fruits, I always asked for the lychee. Now, seeing the relative price points, as I walked through the sidewalk stalls, I couldn’t believe how fussy I must have been in order for my lychee demands to be met. It was a soft no for the lychee/longan — it wasn’t an ideal fruit to consume while walking.

Maybe it wasn’t the smell nor the imported fruits, it could have just been the demographics. I was surrounded by Asians. Congested amounts of Asians on tight sidewalks. Even in the daylight, there was a Night Market appeal- a different kind of hustle and bustle. What I appreciated was that they didn’t make any aggressive or cold attempts. They only approached whether you made the first verbal action — eye contact wasn’t enough. In that sense, I didn’t feel like a tourist, I had the opportunity to wander around their world.

Up the hill, the realization that my whole Manhattan experience was flat. Let’s just say that the real estate here wasn’t the most ideal. My attention flared up and I noticed the stringed colored lanterns floating on this driveway with more businesses. The lanterns were a good enough reason to stop climbing up the hill. Meters in, the picturesque shot felt more familiar as many youtube videos used it — it was quite the romantic corner. Could I be entering a particular segment of Chinatown or was it just a distraction to diverge the pedestrian traffic?

Feeling congested, I found myself walking right through the center of the streets. Empty space. I just wanted to have this special moment without the constant pedestrian rules. The lanterns. The empty street excluding the sidewalk. The subtle smell. Nostalgia. I entered a different wavelength with a slower pace of walking. My arms swung wide and long like the tall ape from Attack on Titan or for those who don’t know that reference, my arms swung like prime confident Conor McGregor in the ring.

Asian. Nostalgia. American. Present.

A car turned into my street. I re-emerged back into the sidewalk and still kept up with the swinging. Then, there was an awkward hand-to-hand moment from a big fellow. From my first impressions, I thought he would have overreacted. But, he, too, fell into the beauty of the streets. He caught me to the chase and apologized first. He out Canadian me. I smiled along and told him, “that’s on me”- I wondered if he knew the reference from the new Kendrick Lamar Album. Regardless, the witty response got a good chuckle from both parties.

My stomach started to growl and I was in pursuit of food. Woah. Conveniently, I saw the James Beard award at a basement shop with people going in. This was the sign. I was a sucker for any special recognition. The James Beard award for a fly-in-a-wall… Don’t say any more. I was sold. Down the steps, I went.