Guest post by @SpencerSpellman
Photo by Smoovey via Flickr
I recently made my long-awaited return to the Big Apple. In many ways I feel like it’s become a second home as it’s the city I’ve visited more than anywhere else in the world. As soon as the wheels hit the ground, I announced my arrival to the world (via Twitter), expecting that when I stepped off the plane, someone in a black suit and top hat would be holding a sign that said: “Spellman”. Much to my dismay, no limo driver was holding a sign with my name and what awaited me was a 45-minute delay at baggage claim. All that didn’t matter anymore, because I had finally arrived.
A few weeks ago, leading up to my trip to NYC, I wrote a post about the things from the Carolinas that I wasn’t likely to find in New York City. This included Cheerwine, mullets and
jorts (the term that affectionately known as a hybrid between jeans and shorts) and gem mines. As many southern things I can think of that I wouldn’t typically find in New York City, I came to realize that there are also many things about NYC that can’t be found in the Carolinas.
Although you’ll find street food in a rare number of metros in the south, it’s got nothing on New York City. I actually planned my first day around being able to have street food for lunch (well that, and watching the World Cup). People complain about the high prices in New York, but where else can you have a hot, fresh lunch for a couple of bucks?! Not only that, but if you find that the kebob just didn’t quite fill you, then you’re likely to walk past any number of various street carts that will do the trick.
Of course surprisingly, New York City and the south share many things in common. I fit right in at the Mason Dixon, a southern style bar that is known for its mechanical bull, which you’ll find in some southern metros. Other notable commonalities include BBQ (though not North Carolina BBQ), no shortage of Starbucks, fanny pack wearers (probably who are from the south) and thick accents.
It should be noted that although there are many things that I experienced in New York City that I don’t typically experience in the south, the street food took the cake. Honorable mentions that I experienced first-hand include: men walking down the middle of the street in nothing but their whitey tighties, reggae bands playing on public transportation, taxi cab races and people passing out tracts to the “boom boom room”.
Just a few short days after arriving, I boarded my plane back to the south, fully satisfied at another trip to NYC that was far from uneventful. As I got on the plane, I again announced my departure to the world (via Twitter of course), though something tells me that life will continue on as it has in the Big Apple until my return.
Spencer Spellman
Spencer Spellman is a Freelance Travel Writer, who since flying by himself for the first time at age 8, just hasn’t been able to kick his travel addiction. His globetrots around the world has included vienna sausage eating contests in South Africa, eating alligator tail in Florida and cannonballing into the Irish Sea in the middle of the winter. Growing up in the deep south, Spencer’s southern drawl is his most distinguishing characteristic, no matter how hard he tries to mask it on Twitter. You can find him on Twitter at @SpencerSpellman.
