Small Business Communications Strategist

When I lived in Harlem, l’d regularly see tour buses full of people taking pictures of the sites and the people. One day, a woman filmed me as I was walking across 125^th Street. I wasn’t doing magic tricks. I was walking. You know.. one foot in front of the other. I imagine she played the footage for her friends and family and offered the following narration:

“And then the black female, with items in what appear to be a carrying device of some sort, possibly a shopping bag, moved about the sidewalk as if she was trying to.. to… get to a different location.”

R-U-D-E

I know what it’s like to be inside the fishbowl so I’ve been a bit reluctant to take pictures of all of the people, places and things I’ve seen. You guys missed out on a lot of good photos. Sorry.

Below are pictures I’ve taken while shopping. When I took them, the workers and customers (and infants in shopping carts) watched me with a “What is wrong with you?” expression. I felt silly, but I still took the pics, because ….. tourist privilege is real.

Remember that $1 U.S. dollar is approximately 10 Moroccan dirhams.

Cat & dog food. We’re all mature here, right?

Cheese & eggs stored on shelves, not in coolers

Rice, beans, noodles and such. I didn't really care for this situation. — Rice, beans, noodles and such. I didn’t really care for this situation. I feel like there could’ve been some bugs in the bins. I was correct. And I was also too lazy to sift through the items to clean them like a normal person

I had two of the soap bars in my cart before I realized they were laundry soap, not body. Death by soap. — I had two of the soap bars in my cart before I realized they were laundry soap, not body. Death by soap (The ladies know what I mean)

Most of the frozen veggies suffered from freezer burn

I'm dignified now, but there was a time I'd put some butter and hot sauce on these and call it a meal. I think that was the 90's — I’m dignified now, but there was a time I’d put some butter and hot sauce on these and call it a meal. That was the 90’s. I’m grown now LOL

I'm not clear on who or what this used to be — I’m not clear on who or what this used to be. Someone bought both of them. Maybe there was a big celebration

I've never seen meat with a picture of the animal on it looking all precious and cute — I’ve never seen meat with a picture of the animal on it looking all precious and cute

I bought this and intended to eat it, but the lack of packaging made it suspect. It needed some more stickers or something. Is that bougie? — I bought this and intended to eat it, but the lack of packaging made me nervous. It needed some more stickers or something. Is that bougie? I mean.. come on. Is there anything you can tell me about the fish? Where is it from? What did it like to do? Was it single?

The chips in the back taste like pantry chips with cheap ketchup on them — The chips in the back taste like pantry chips (don’t act like you never had food from the pantry before) with cheap pantry ketchup on them. The cheese and onion ones were quite tasty

Banana juice, anyone? I shook it. It's the consistency of eggnog — Banana juice, anyone? I shook it. It’s the consistency of eggnog

Fish parts. The bottom right one looked very squishy

Teach a man to fish... — Teach a man to fish… I hear this fish is very good

A Curious Tourist Walks into a Store…