THE PEOPLING OF NEW YORK: MHC @ Lehman

Well, I’m certainly looking forward to walking around the city and experiencing so many of the cultures and neighborhoods New York has to offer. It was great seeing everyone again and getting back to the seminar room (it’s a nice relaxed place to have classes), and it was also nice to meet Professor Lobel. Though having grown up in the city, I, like Mimi said before, and probably so many people who have grown up in New York, kind of take for granted what an amazing city we live in and the countless resources that are at our fingertips. I hope to learn more about the neighborhoods of the city this coming semester–and of course having this all in the backdrop of food is an awesome plus. Additionally, I like to cook, so it all kind of fits in very nicely. I’m really looking forward to walking around the city with people; it’s so easy to spend a whole day just wandering around the city, and you’ll still only get a little slice of a neighborhood. This semester, I hope that I can broaden my horizon and understanding of all the cultures in our magnificent city by learning about neighborhoods and foods, and in so doing be able to connect further with my classmates not only by understanding a little more of where they come from, but also by discovering in greater depth where I come from. Many traditions and values are so deeply rooted in culture that I think it’s very important for everyone to understand where he or she comes from. Also, I wish Prof. Lobel all the best with her new baby! 🙂

Well I have very high expectations for this class and am very excited. Macaulay has been great so far and I imagine it only getting better. I think this class in particular will help satisfy many of my curiosities. As everyone in the class already knows I am obsessed with languages, literature, and naturally cultures. I am hoping this class will help broaden my understanding of other cultures and help deepen my love of languages and increase the expressiveness of my poetry. As a new York City boy I have sampled many of the foods this melting pot has to offer, but I am always eager to try something new. I am confident this class will offer that new something. Living in Flushing my whole life I have seen a unique neighborhood change and grow. I have seen the interesting existence of many ethnic backgrounds living side by side. Flushing has been great; I can literally walk a few blocks in any direction and get any kind of food I desire. Flushing has an abundance of Mediterranean, Asian, and European restaurants, and stores. But again I am curios as to what different neighborhoods have to offer and how combining ethnic backgrounds affects these other neighborhoods. I am very excited for the walking tours and as a lover of food my stomach is equally excited.

Chris and Peter have already mentioned a lot of what I expect and look forward to this semester. It was nice meeting back at the seminar room because its such a relaxing atmosphere. Sam has already told us that Professor Lobel would be nice and would make the semester exciting, and Tuesday we finally got to meet her. Well, first I want to say that since Joseph Salvo’s presentation, I’ve been thinking about all the different mixtures of cultures in NYC. I realize now that I’ve never thought about how busy NYC is, with all the movement of its people. I am looking forward to learning more about the cultures (and their foods) that surround me every day. Just like Seminar 1, I know this class will give me the extra push to get out and learn more about life in NYC. I believe that learning about other people will help me connect with others. Exploring the life of NYC, I can’t wait!!!!!!!

I love New York City! Growing up in the suburbs, I always look forward to every opportunity I get to visit NYC. I am really excited about this semester, as I will probably get to explore different neighborhoods of the city and enjoy different foods. Like Chris said, I have high expectations from this seminar. I hope to augment my knowledge about different ethnic groups and cultures and I think that food is one of the easiest ways to “try” and experience a new culture. Mr. Salvo’s presentation at the common event was an eye widening experience for me. I was surprised to see how diverse NYC is and the rate at which this diversity is expanding. I really like that we are learning about different cultures and neighborhoods not only by reading or writing about them, but also visiting those places and having a first hand experience.
Professor Lobel, it was really nice to meet you and I can’t wait for all our exciting trips to NYC! ☺

I know Prof. Lobel began by saying how much less fun this was going to be than Seminar 1, and with 3 straight hours I can see how that is possible, but still… it sounds pretty exciting. I personally am a pretty big fan of food, and it sounds like we’ll be tasting and learning about a pretty substantial amount of food so it’s basically a no-brainer. Some older Macaulay students told me how they were focused on a particular neighbourhood and got to walk around there and explore the cultures within that neighbourhood, and it sounded pretty awesome. Those same people learned what we are doing this year, and now they’re jealous and borderline upset that we get to focus on the foods of the city. We saw in the common event that this is the most diverse city in the world, with people from literally every corner of the world, bringing their culture and values and especially their friends with them. I took the train from Bedford Park to Brighton Beach and let me tell you, this city is bigger than it looks. I’m just afraid a semester of exploration won’t be enough.

I am excited to see what this course has to offer in terms of familiarizing me with the Bronx and other parts of NYC. I haven’t concentrated on the subject of immigration in the city since middle school, and I remember it as being one of the most exciting topics I studied (I wrote a lot of fiction concerning the trip to Ellis Island.) I especially think the concentration on food will give this course a unique flavor (I love corny puns.) While I have lived in the city for much of my life, I feel that this course will help me better appreciate the diversity NYC has to offer, in the same way that Seminar 1 did. I agree with Anna’s comment about how learning about the city will help me as a resident, better communicate and connect with the people around me. I am also super psyched about the food tastings we’re going to have! I LOVEE good food 🙂

Hello Seminar 2! After the presentation at the Graduate Center with demographics and trends of immigration waves in various areas around the 5 boroughs, I became very interested in Seminar 2. The fact that we will look at communities with respect to food is certainly intriguing to me. I’m curious to learn more about the impacts and importance of food on culture, and see how fusion of cultures cause or correlate with fusion in cuisine. On a side note: I hope we can have a day when we can all bring in cultural foods to share as a class. My favorite part of Seminar 1 was the visits to performances and museums, so I desperately hope (though from the course schedule that doesn’t seem likely) that our visits are similar to those of Seminar 1. NYC is my home and I consider myself to be well familiar with most places around the boroughs (aside from Staten Island), but I have a feeling this seminar will prove to me otherwise.

the first class was a blast. It really got me interested in learning about the relationship between culture and food. I cant wait to begin! (Really I cant wait because I still need to buy the book D= hopefully Sunday =D but anyways) New York City is extremely diverse! We have the whole world in our backyard and there is so much to learn about each and everyone one of them. This seminar kind of gives me a sense of that lady on the Food network that goes around eating food( or is that a man =/) but seriously one of the most important aspects of identity is the food we eat. foods can be elaborate such as those gold ice cream or as plain as rice and beans but just a delicious. I hope this seminar gives me the ability to understand why cultures choose the foods they eat, and why some foods are special and others not. I dont eat a lot of food but I do love to at least experience new things XD as long as they dont have peanuts because Ill kind of have to go to the bathroom…for a long time D= And thats one thing That should always be avoided for me XD

Last semester Dr.Schwartz told me that in this class we’re going to be trying a lot of different food. I don’t know about you guys, but to me it sounds better than going to the ballet. I’ve been told that there is also a lot of research work that needs to be done in this course and I’m a little nervous about that bit excited at the same time. Initially when I heard this class had a lot to do with migration and immigration patterns I thought that it would be a boring class, but after Joe Salvo’s presentation I found that I actually quite liked it. Although that may have to do more with what a gifted presenter he is, I’m hoping to find this class as engaging.

I have the same to say about NYC as Rav does. When you live in the suburbs outside the city, you try to come as often as you can, whether it’s for getting chicken and rice from the Gyro guy on 53rd and 6th, shopping, or just wandering around people watching, there’s always something new and exciting that can be found around here.

The introduction in our first class helped me to freshen the theme of “food and immigration” such as how food kicks into place as different groups move in/out from an area. But most of all, I am surprised to find out that the class will be doing a tour of food tasting in Lower East Side in which I can’t wait to happen because I live in Lower East Side. Even in the common seminar I, Joseph Salvo had touched base on the immigration pattern in Lower East Side and explain how did this traditional Jewish area became more diversified. Because I do believe that food is one of the key factors that attract immigration/ emigration in places, I wish to learn more about the sociological impact and the cultural influences on food.

I have been very excited to finally take this class. I have heard many good and interesting things about it from students that have already taken it. When the professor began the class by saying it would be less fun than Seminar 1, i was a bit disappointed but at the same time excited. I was finally looking forward to a class where not only are we getting alot of work done, but we get to eat as well! I thought the first class was great and had me ecstatic for what was to come. I am looking forward to going on field trips to different neighborhoods in New York City, and taking part in all that they have to offer. During the common event i knew this was going to be a very exciting class, and when Professor Lobel announced that we would be focusing on food, that made it all the more better. What could possibly be better than looking at different foods and cultures in the most diverse city in the world where we have people coming from every end of the world. I am hoping to figure out the importance of food and culture in New York City and how that impacts the population.

As a resident of the Lower East Side, I have my hands full trying to explore my surroundings, let alone the rest of Manhattan. While taking an afternoon walk, I watch as traditional Jewish shops mingle with Little Italy and turn into Chinatown. Each time I think I’m familiar with my neighborhood, the waves of immigration (triggered by hard times in other countries and the pull of the U.S.) changes and I’m back again at Square One. Since I’ve started going to school in the Bronx, I’ve noticed the Jamaican and Arabic food, which is different from my neighborhood cuisines. I’m excited to learn about the different foods and their reflections on the people who eat them. I’m also curious to learn how much of a fine line one can draw by judging others by what they eat: I eat what I was brought up to eat, but does a distaste for spicy foods reflect a variance of taste buds or would some call it ethnocentricism? At the conclusion of this course, I’m curious to learn what my food habits reflect on my cultural upbringing, and what my “taste” says abut me.

What I found to be the most interesting about this class with Professor Lobel is that all Macaulay students from every campus will be doing this course, but we will be the only ones associating the food aspect to the New York life. From the common event we went to, I felt like the speaker told us everything we will be learning in class beforehand so the actual courses will just be repeating everything in more detail. On the first day of class, I learned that it will be a lot more than just that—we will be talking about (and tasting!) how the food found in NYC affects the lives of New Yorkers. Living in New York City, I can strongly say that food is one of the most important aspects of our lives and aside from reading graphs and charts, the next best way to learn about this city is through the cultural food combinations, etc. I look forward to going on the walking tours and EATING!!!

I am so excited to start exploring the city and all of it’s old and new eating establishments! I think it will be very interesting to learn about a neighborhood and the people who live in it, and then be able to explore how that affects what is sold and what is eaten. Gastropolis has impressed me so far, so I am also looking forward to reading more stories written by people of all different cultures. In our Macaulay class alone we have people from all over the world, so I love the idea of us each bringing in food every week. Any class that combines learning with food is a good one in my book- I’m ready to get started!