Hustle & Bustle in the Streets of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is the global city of Asia. The dense population describes it as the epitome of the city that never sleeps. From the street markets, malls, business areas, and the subway line know as the MTR, I always find myself squeezing my way through the crowd. I've spent a lot of time exploring the streets of Mong Kok so far. There's great food to try all over and amazing shopping deals to snag while trying not to get too lost in the exploration.  I've been documenting my travels as I go and always keep a smile at the friendly locals who constantly stare in curiosity. Although I have barley scraped the surface in my adventures, I'm excited to see where my travels throughout Hong Kong will take me.

Neighborhood Guide: Lower East Side (Ludlow - Centric) Part 1: Eats

As Vice writes in its guide to the neighborhoods of New York, “[Ludlow] used to be good and isn't really any more. But, stay the hell off of it and you can make LES work. Ludlow is now the sole purview of M.U.S.C.L.E.S.and human crepes”. I beg to differ.

While Ludlow may be the nucleus of the hard-partying, heavy-drinking, thai-mexican-southern-california fusion-eating crowd in the Lower East Side, it’s also home to some great restaurants and shops, and acts as a stepping stone to the rest of the wonderland that is the LES.

I live in a building that sits on the intersection of Ludlow and Delancey, the main street that continues over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn. From here, I’m within striking distance of Chinatown (it starts a mere four blocks away around Canal Street), the East Village (cross over East Houston and you’re in their territory), the West Village, and the amoeba that is Little Italy, Nolita, and shortly thereafter Soho. If you’re looking to get your kicks in any fashion, Ludlow and its surrounding playground of food, booze, art, and fashion, will rock your world.

EATS

Falafel

I’m a falafel fiend and if you aren’t, you need to reevaluate. If you’re in the LES and craving some crunchy, chickpea goodness, you’ve got a few options. The closest to Ludlow is The Falafel Shop, located just past the intersection of Essex and Rivington. This spot is not my favorite, but it serves up decent falafel and is open somewhat late (1am), catering to the bar crowd. I’ve only ever gotten the falafel salad, which is a slurry of greens, cucumbers, tomatoes and a little too much tahini dressing, topped with five falafel balls. It comes with hot pita, which is good for sopping up the overly-generous dose of dressing. The service can be somewhat spotty, but it’s super convenient and reasonably priced. The have the usual host of middle-eastern sandwich/platter options. If you’re up for a 10-15 minute walk, walk (if not run) over to spring street where Taim serves up some of the best falafel I’ve ever had. Run by the same owners as Balaboosta, the uber hip (and uber delicious) Mediteranean restaurant right around the corner. Taim is strictly vegetarian and markets itself as a “falafel and smoothie bar” and it delivers on both counts. It’s falafel, which come in three flavors: green (classic, cilantro), harissa (spicy), and red (bell peppers) are a revelation. Always super crispy with a fluffy flavorful center (and generously sized), they come served in a pita with hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini sauce, and it’s a serious sandwich. Their sabich is also amazing, and I’m working my way through the rest of their menu. My go-to is a green falafel sandwich on whole wheat pita with a strawberry-raspberry-thai basil smoothie (ah-may-zing), Take the walk. Do it.

Burgers

At the intersection of Ludlow and Rivington, you’ll come across Mikey’s Burgers. If you’re in the mood for a good burger and some always fresh fries, step right up. The small space can be a little confusing when you first walk in - do you sit at the counter? do you stand awkwardly and wait for someone to notice you? - but walk to the end of the counter and someone (hopefully) will be at the register to take your order. I’ve never been inside when it’s crazy busy, but since it’s open until 4am on the weekends, I bet it gets jammed when the booze starts flowing around town. They have a pretty standard menu of burgers, fries, and hot dogs, but their signature burger has corned beef (!) and they have some interesting options like a lamb burger and an avocado shake. Their burgers can tend towards the smaller side, but they’re tasty and the sweet potato fries and always super fresh (and you get three dipping sauces for free with your order). A couple blocks over on East Houston is Lucky’s Famous Burgers which also has killer fries, and a killer meal deal. Their burgers are slightly bigger, but it’s definitely more of a fastfood vibe than Mikey’s which feels more like a neighborhood joint. But, for only 11 dollars, you get one of their tasty sandwiches (burger, chicken sandwich, hot dogs, veggie burger), fries, and a 24oz fountain drink. Also open late night (5am) on the weekends, be assured you can get your burger fix any time of day.

Bodega

At the intersection of Ludlow and Broome you will find my favorite bodega/deli: Optimum Gourmet Deli. Ridiculous name? Yes. Delicious, pretty cheap food? Yes. The people who work here are good guys, the service is super quick, and they also have the usual host of drinks, snacks, ice cream, and toilet paper. Their menu is extensive (they always are) but I am a creature of habit and usually go for the lamb gyro or one of their huge create-your-own salads. You know a spot is good when you can’t even get in the door at breakfast, the line of students, people on their way to work, and hungover folks is so long. Ignore the tacky name and grungy exterior, this place is a gem.

Right across the intersection from my building is Green Star Foods, a sort of miniature Trader Joe’s combined with a run of the mill deli counter. One of my go-to spots for middle of the night groceries and on the go bagels, Green Star Foods is open 24/7 and the counter is usually pretty deserted. A little more pricey, and a little more health-oriented than Optimum, this spot is not my favorite but it serves its purpose.

Groceries

Again, Green Star Foods is a good option for (slightly nicer) stapes, and has some fresh fruits and veggies on offer. There’s a Whole Foods on East Houston that does a huge business (obviously) and if that’s your scene, it’s super convenient to Ludlow. But, it can easily be a wallet-buster and it gets extremely hectic most afternoons and weekend days. By far, my favorite grocery store/market is Essex Street Retail Market located one block over from Ludlow at the intersection of Essex and Delancey. An indoor open market of sorts, ESRM boasts a large main floor filled with fresh produce and an unlimited selection of dry goods, two seafood counters, and a butchery counter, along with a host of small specialty purveyors as well as two (tiny) restaurants. It’s cheap, the selection is enormous, and it’s a fun place to shop. Chances are you can find almost everything you were looking for at whole foods, and you can grab a bite and browse some specialty cheese and tasty sweet treats at the same time - all for much less. Long story short: go to Whole Foods if you want to, Green Star if it’s 3am, and ESRM from 8am - 7pm for whatever your heart and wallet desires.

Photo by Makeda Sandford

On Visiting Toxic Places

I’ve moved around a lot in my life and it seems that almost every time I’ve left, I end up with a bad taste in my mouth. There are too many places and people out there that just leave me sour, and because of that, I have a lot of places I’ve dubbed “no fly zones.”

Overcoming a bad experience is one way to allow growth happen and as I grow as a person, a friend, a daughter, a student, etc., I’m able to look back on those experiences and heal. One of the biggest mistakes I made last fall was getting too comfortable with thinking about a past place & situation and somehow convincing myself that I was okay enough to physically go back there. I went alone and ended up in a bad place for a couple weeks. It affected my mental health, my friendships, and my academics. I had spent months “growing” and that all seemed to be ruined by two days in a place that I didn’t know was still toxic for me. As I look back on this situation, I’m thinking of ways it could have been avoided or handled better. And with these revelations, I can only offer a suggestion to those who find themselves entertaining the idea of going back:

Don’t visit a toxic place alone. 

At least not the first time. Have something, a person or an object, that centers you. Bring a friend that you’ve made since leaving or a book that helped you get out of the headspace you were in when you were there. Have something or someone that will be a constant reminder of who you are now and the progress you’ve made to get to where you are. Looking back and going back is okay and maybe sometimes even necessary for your growth & healing processes. Going back to a once toxic place can either boost your growth or prevent it. Go back when you believe you are ready, and even then, bring reinforcements.

On Traveling Alone in Your 20's

The lug of 5 am motion is familiar to you. Ever since childhood we have been moving, if only begrudgingly, toward distant relative reunions and budget hotels. We are the generation of push and pull, sight seeing and sore eyes. I’m 20, and ever since I can remember, the only promise that’ll wake me up at hazy hours of the night is one of travel. At 4 years of age, Id take my mothers hand and get swept up in a big airplane, rubbing my morning tears to arrive quickly somewhere new. this is what I called the closest thing to magic. Now is no different, except the closest human comfort is an MBA candidate at university of Iowa gawking into his cellular device to who I picture is his tipsy mother, a proud Indian lady with a smidgen too much bottom eyeliner on. But the comfort is there, in the shared experience of our crappy driver, a giggly unapologetic black lady, or the sights outside of the majestic Greyhound windows, including picturesque projects and mysterious altercations.

There’s comfort in the fleeting quality of our simple interactions. Nothing is forced nor expected, it just kind of happens.

Earlier this year, I traveled to Mexico for the first time. All alone. Being an experienced traveler from my elementary days, my mother always taught me to look peeved, bothered, even, to detract people from approaching me. I wore sunglasses until the plane took off, and kept my sentences short and my hand on my cell phone. A tad too bothered, yes, but I aways connected it to being a woman, lacking the privilege of openness to interaction by birthright. It’s sad now that I was programmed to detract, condense, and look at every man as predator. But there are reasons.

I tried, coming back home, to do the opposite. Enjoy conversation in lines and with the workers, peppy younger guys with so much pride in wearing their periwinkle uniforms. I met Hugo at the door to the Cancun Airport, a Mexican college student my age. He greeted me with a hug and asked me why I would want to live his great country, which was honestly so nice to hear. Someone genuinely proud of their land. And Mexico, a country painted by stereotype as USA’s annoying foster child, cleaning up its mess and taking in their people. But no, Hugo had the decision to move to USA to study and he wanted to stay close to family, enjoy his culture.

When you travel alone at 20, you can use your curiosity maturely. You can revert gender standards and introduce yourself. You can do it. Although there are tragedies where the girls were coined “too friendly” or “open,” there’s a way you can be quite friendly and intelligent with your interactions.

Shhh...

I’ve learned that you can only learn when you listen. And really listen. I heard my third partner of my 20 hour travel lightly sing a Spanish prayer or lullaby under her breath, and it was beautiful. I heard Arabic spouting from a lovely little conversation behind me, and i heard snoring that reminded me to call my grandmother and say goodnight.

When you travel alone at 20, you can use the endearing quiet to listen to your own thoughts for once. You’re neither here nor there, so you don’t have anyone asking you to do anything or any demands to be listened to. You have yourself, at last. Take this time to write lists, practice breathing, think about the people in your life.

The moment of travel is perhaps one of the first things I’ve ever claimed as my own. A few hours in the air or a few high way signs down the road can be just what you needed to reset, reevaluate and listen. Take yourself out tonight, or this weekend, for a little getaway with you and the rest of the world. I think you should.