Category: New York City

New Mexican Restaurant in Harlem Features a $17 Tostada Appetizer, Because Why Not?

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“Oso: Our prices are not as minimalist as our decor”

Awww, the wonders of gentrification!

I remember when you could just go have a simple, no-frills, $1 taco around my neighborhood. But these days the Hamilton Heights-West Harlem area is rapidly filling up with posh, mostly unaffordable “ethnic” places, catering to a mostly non-ethnic crowd who has realized living uptown is not that awful after all.

Take Oso, a recently opened Mexican restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue, whose menu would be simply awesome (or should I say Ósom?) if the currency of its plates were in pesos and not dollars.

Take the “platos ligeros” or appetizers (below.) I mean, really? I don’t want to have to get a job in Wall Street to be able to afford a tostada. Give me a break, man.

tostada

Puerto Rico’s Super Woman Studies in Columbia, Not Colombia

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borinquena
La Borinqueña will be the guest of honor at this year’s Puerto Rican Day Parade.

I might have been sleeping but totally missed this week’s presentation of La Borinqueña, the first afroboricua Super Woman.

According to its creator, Puerto Rican illustrator Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, La Borinqueña’s real name is Marisol Ríos de la Luz; she is a young Puerto Rican studying a masters in Columbia (Not Colombia) and living in Brooklyn with her parents. (She also has a body well suited for Hispanic television, if you asked me.)

La Borinqueña will also be this year’s guest of honor at this year’s Puerto Rican Day Parade to take place June 12 in New York City.

Via: Univision

Donald Trump’s Taco Bowl Tweet Brouhaha Proves Humanity [and Very Likely this Blog] Is Doomed

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TheDonald

I seriously don’t know what’s worse, if Donald Trump tweeting a photo of himself on Cinco de Mayo eating a Taco Bowl (whatever that is) to say he loves Hispanics or the avalanche of serious, “investigative news pieces” from “real journalists” attempting to get to the bottom of things.

Seriously, what’s there to get to the bottom of? That the disgusting Walled-Taco-Thing was purchased in a cafe instead of restaurant? That Trump really didn’t tweet that thing today, because he’s in another city?

Man,I miss that time when stuff like this belonged to my stupid blog and not the realm of “investigative journalism.”

Hit them, Adam Weinstein

 

Have fun. Have sex. Beware of HIV — and faulty marketing in Spanish

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Prep

It’s always great to see New York City spend money in communicating useful stuff to Spanish-speaking New Yorkers (there are tons of us, you know?) but it should be well advised to work a little more on their Spanish-language marketing copy.

Take the print ad above (seen at a my local bar in West Harlem) talking about the all too important PrEP, a daily pill also known as Truvada, that helps high-risk individuals lower their chances of getting infected with the HIV virus. While the overall message is kind of understood (I hope) the NYC Health Department might want to work on its Esté VIH E ITS Seguro copy, which last time I checked meant absolutely nothing.

That said, stay safe neoyorquinos: Have fun BUT, more importantly, remember to protect yourselves from HIV and bad Spanish.

Photo: Laura Martínez, Harlem

BREAKING: I’m Moving to Mexico — Mexico, NY, that Is

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Welcome to Mexico, NY
Welcome to Mexico, NY

Go figure.

After all these years living in regular New York (i.e. Manhattan, what else?) I just learned there is a town called Mexico, located in the northeast part of Oswego County, New York.

According to the always-reliable Wikipedia, the Town of Mexico has a population of 5,197 and contains a village also named Mexico. What’s more, there’s a Mexico High School (once called Mexico Academy,) a Mexico Middle School and even a Mexico Elementary School.

¡Ajúa!
¡Ajúa!

 

This fact opens up amazing opportunities for this blogger, who can no longer afford to live in regular New York and misses the thrills of living in a place called Mexicou. After all, Mexico, NY officials claim, this town is “A great place to live, work and play.”

That might be so, but before making such a radical move, this blogger will be embarking on a serious investigation of Mexico’s taco-situation, which will ultimately make or break the deal.

Stay tuned.

When Pope Francis Came to East Harlem…

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bananas2

Pope Francis took time of his hectic agenda to visit the children of East Harlem. My people (i.e. The Latinos and the Harlemites) wasted no time in peddling all kinds of Pope and Vatican-themed merchandise, from flags and buttons to t-shirts and bananas.

I wish I had more time to document this historic day, but I was in a rush, riding a tiny bike and almost got killed by a Latino Pope enthusiast.

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Photos: Laura Martínez. Sept. 25, 2015. East Harlem

Yeah, Hispanic Scholarships Sound like a Swell Idea, but Right Now We Need a ‘Delibrero’

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delibrero

Attention, New York Hispanics!

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is offering help to “prepare, plan and pay for your children’s university,” which is, like, great, but let’s be honest: Chances are you’re going to end up in debt anyhow, and your children, cleaning toilets for Donald Trump.

But don’t despair. You might want to call the number above and get yourself a steady job as a “delibrero,” which I can assure you is an activity in high demand — at least in Hispanic Harlem.

Now, if being a “delibrero” is not your thing, you might want to consider this awesome sandwich opportunity, also in Harlem and — naturally — well paid. (NOTE: little to no English required. Yay!)

But hurry! the American Dream might not wait for you forever.

Photo: Laura Martínez, Harlem, August 2015

Mayor De Blasio Appoints Dora the Explorer Ambassador to NYC… Because Nueva York

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¡Bienvenidos a Nueva York!
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio has appointed a cartoon character as the city’s official ’embajadora

Remember when Dora the Explorer was on her way to become Dora the Stripper?

Well, worry no more. The adorable bilingual heroine Dora the Explorer has been appointed New York City’s “family ambassador,” as part of a new tourism campaign in both English and Spanish. (I guess she’ll be keeping her innocent looks for a while longer. No cleavage and miniskirts, OK, Dora?)

Per an agreement between NYC & Company and Nickelodeon, families will be encouraged by Dora the Explorer to travel around the city’s family-friendly attractions. And this is how Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the whole thing:

“From the Staten Island Ferry and Times Square to the amazing diversity of Queens, the views from the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the wonderful Bronx Zoo, it’s no surprise New York City has become a favorite family destination […] I’m very excited to have Dora as our official embajadora to show families from across the globe the countless recreational and cultural riches of the five boroughs.”

I hope Dora’s Spanish will be a little better than that of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission.

What do Jorge Ramos and John Oliver Have in Common? U.S. Machines Don’t Understand their Accent

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Screen Shot 2015-05-14 at 12.03.41 PMDuring a brief trip to New York for Upfronts Week, Univision host Jorge Ramos took some time to interview John Oliver.

They touched on many serious — and not so serious — topics, including Oliver’s memorable interview with Edward Snowden, which led to the following exchange:

Jorge Ramos: Why do you think [Snowden] picked you, and not a respected journalist?

John Oliver: [LAUGHTER] I’m not a respected journalist, because I’m not a journalist, I’m a comedian!

Yet, my favorite part has to be when the pair set out to discuss the subject of electronic imperialism and how bloody frustrating it is when when automatic operators simply cannot understand us, the Mexicans and the British.

See? That’s why the only electronic exchanges I can take are those involving super smart, Spanish-speaking ones that are even willing to sing La Cucaracha.

(Watch the full clip below.)

Via: Fusion

Ayotzinapa in New York III: Dozens Became Hundreds

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Tiny boy has huge demand
Tiny boy has huge demand

April 26 marked the seventh month since the disappearance of 43 students in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, Mexico. And while the Mexican government has declared the investigation as “case closed,” Mexicans around the world continue to demand one thing: Vivos se los llevaron, vivos los queremos (They were taken alive; we want them back alive.)

Mexicans and non-Mexicans in New York gathered today to pay homage to the 43, and we were lucky enough to be joined by six of the many parents who were left childless from this state-sanctioned murder.

I was there Sunday as people gathered in New York City’s iconic Washington Square Park before walking all the way up to the U.N. Building. I’ve been to all the Ayotzinapa events before in the city and this was — by far — the one that attracted the most people (around 500 by police estimates.)

I took some photos and wanted to share with y’all here:

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Empire State Building Goes Red to Honor Hispanics [Sort of]

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See the red? It's a Telemundo thing!
See the red? It’s a Telemundo thing!

If you still don’t believe me when I say Spanish-speakers rule New York, you might want to keep an eye on the Empire State building this coming Sunday, April 26, when it is set to go totally red in celebration of Telemundo 47 New York’s 50 year anniversary. Yes, and it’s not a joke, my friends.

Per a press release quoting the great Cristina Schwarz (a personal friend, mind you)…

“On the evening of Sunday, April 26, viewers from all across the New York Tri-State area will be able to look up to the beacon of our skyline as it beams in red, in honor of our station’s past and the promise of our future as we reaffirm our commitment to be the first informers our communities demand and deserve.”

I don’t know you, but as a proud Hispanic, I’ll be anxiously waiting for the red lights to go up and then tune in my TV set to … Mad Men.*

*It’s nothing against Telemundo, really. I just need to know what’s going to happen with Don Draper’s sombrero,

Sometimes I Think Marketers are Just Screwing with My Head

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Wait. What?!
Wait. What?!

So, there I was, minding my own business; walking the streets of Manhattan; thinking about a God whose naughtiness might have escaped me when, suddenly, out of the blue, boom! I bump into a 3-meter-high advertisement for Pito Rico, a seemingly real product hailing from Puerto Rico, promising a night-long fiesta.

At first I thought someone was just screwing with my head, putting things out there for the pure enjoyment of this blog’s readers.

But no. Not only this “Pito Rico” exists; this thing has its own Website and is coming to a liquor store near us!

Photo: Laura Martínez, Harlem, NY 2015