Jamaica is my playground. I stay in 'West End' near Negril, slightly up the hill in a small cabin; I cook for myself and I walk to a tiny beach. I drink Sorrel, eat Sweet Sop, Sour Sop, Aki, Starapple, Mango, Guava and Tamarind, but I rarely seek a fancy Jamaican restaurant; i save that for the city.
Here’s why: Sisters Caribbean Cuisine in Harlem will serve me more sophisticated food, and still give me a nice, tall glass of icy Sorrel, the thing I most crave. It’s made from flower petals for God’s sake---how can one resist? It’s tart, sweet, dark purple, quenches and dries my slippery, hot mouth on first gulp.
In New York most of my getting to Harlem is done via CitiBike so by the time I get there I’m thirsty. Outside, Sisters has a bench, Marcus Garvey Park (with its SummerStage concert series) kitty-corner, and a hot breeze in the summer. Sorrell in hand, I’m in ‘Jamaica’, but only 25 minutes from home.
Inside, there’s Trinidadian chicken, curry flavoured rotis, jerk chicken (which everywhere is only an imitation of the Jamaican thing), salt cod, dirty rice, yams, greens with okra and many other, west African temptations, very reasonably priced. Highly recommended: oxtail stew. My sorrell costs about the same as coffee in my neighbourhood.
While you’re reading, please read further---this charming, prize-winning, sweet short story about sweet sop. You’ll smile, which is very, very good for you.
You may bring your own wine.
Find your way with 304 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
I stumbled across a store about which I had read but never visited—the very inviting and colourful playground of Dawn Harris-Martine), retired teacher, now famous—named Grandma’s Place.
by
"Sisters Uptown Bookstore" in NYC is a hidden shop/cultural center w/ an eye-opening trove of books by African diaspora authors. A true neighborhood spot!
by
Take a sip of history with a classic cocktail at Campbell Bar, right by Grand Central — once an office, then a jail, now an elegant jazz venue worth a visit.
by
Look behind the grey steel doors and find El Sabroso! A satisfying wayback experience rewarded with good-tasting Ecuadorian food, lovingly prepared.
by
Color World sets up on the corner of 116th and 2nd Avenue, rain or shine. There they serve beef, pork, goat, oxtail, and chicken for $10 a plate.
by
Their prices are in keeping with the neighborhood: a plate of two eggs, two pancakes, 'home' fried potatoes and your choice of sausages or bacon, is $12.
by
There are three houses not far from each other in NYC of three icons: James Dean, James Baldwin, and Dorothy Parker...
by
"Heckscher Field" in Central Park, New York, is used for softball. Here you can see games played for the Broadway Show League. Celebrity stars may be seen.
by
Juilliard dazzles NYC with stunning free recitals, world-class talents, and a legacy that echoes through every note played within its storied halls.
by
Among its offerings are a $10 breakfast special and its enormous $15 lunchtime hamburger, a price unobtainable anywhere else within walking distance.
by
This sun soaked park bench is a destination neighborhood residents know, spending time there in observation. It’s one of the more fabulous NYC stages.
by
"Monumental Women" has erected this monument in Central Park, NYC to especially important figures in the United States women's equality movement...
by
304 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 304 Insider Tips