Alan Gerson's 'Struggling Immigrant Peasants'
In the random-but-noteworthy category, this, from Choire Sicha.
In this week's New Yorker, Alan Gerson—SoHo, Tribeca, Wall Street, Chinatown, et al—gave Ben McGrath a tour of the street vendors of downtown Manhattan. At one point in the story, Gerson took a business card from an artist and made the following comment about the phone number printed on it: "Six-three-one is a Long Island area code. It actually includes the Hamptons. So these are people who are clearly coming in from far and wide and using our streets. You're not a struggling immigrant peasant if you live in the 631 area."-- Josh BensonNassau County, carved out in 1899 and later given the area code 516, is the sixth richest county in the United States, according to the 2000 census. But Suffolk County, with its chic 631 area code, is only the sixth richest in New York State, ranking below Rockland and Putnam—and Manhattan, where the per capita income is more than $16,000 greater than Suffolk's.
As for the Hamptons: According to an AP story last month on class friction in the Hamptons, the Hispanic population in East Hampton's public schools has grown from 1% in 1990 to 35% now. The article also related how protesters show up outside a 7-11 in Southampton to voice their anger about the struggling immigrant peasants who arrive each morning, looking for day labor.
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"You're not a struggling immigrant peasant if you live in the 631 area."
Tell that to the residents of Wyandanch, Brentwood, Bay Shore, Central Islip.
718 is the area code of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Riverdale, but it's also the area code of Bedford Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Hunts Point, and South Jamaica.
You'd think this vendor could do enough business in the Hamptons that they would not have to travel all the way to SoHo.
It's really hard to walk on the sidewalks in SoHo on the weekends, so many vendors. I love a lot of the stuff they are selling, but can't they be in some central location (a vacant lot maybe?). I'd hate to think what would happen if there was a need to get people out of the area in a hurry some weekend.
I LOVE having all the vendors out in Soho and in other neighborhoods. I am disapointed that Gerson didn't know about the gap between the rich and poor in the Hamptons and the struggles of low income people in Long Island.
Anonymous 01:59 PM - you're dead on.
I think maybe Alan was making a joke. He's a very odd man, but he's also very bright. He also represents a very diverse district and knows that people at various income levels live side-by-side in many places.
"He's a very odd man, but he's also very bright." Funny, NYC, but that's also what some people say about *you!*
3:17 - do you live in SoHo or just visit? Local residents are not pleased to be the new sidewalk fleamarket for NYC. It would be nice to share the wealth and have vendors in smaller numbers in a greater diversity of neighborhoods.
Thanks Fonzie.
Although I consider myself eccentric, I don't live with my parents and have had an active sex life.
I think he's a tad odder than me.
"Have had," NYC? Don't give up on the future! Hope was the last and only thing Pandora managed to trap in her box, after all... Same goes for Gerson, too, by the way, although granted he's more likely to be starring in the sequel of the 40-Year-Old... well, you know what I mean.
"Have had," NYC? Don't give up on the future! Hope was the last and only thing Pandora managed to trap in her box, after all... Same goes for Gerson, too, by the way, although granted he's more likely to be starring in the sequel of the 40-Year-Old... well, you know what I mean.
I agree with anonymous #1s post. Dont forget Farmingville with one of the largest immigrant populations on Long Island. Gerson doesnt know what he's talking about and comes off sounding like a snob.