Darlin'. Love. Sweetie. All part of the warm and inviting market vocabulary. In a city which can simultaneously feel overwhelming and alienating, it helps to create a sense of community and establish a neighborhood. This is difficult in Soho because the population is so transient. Thousands of workers flee the end of the day, while even more people flood in looking for a night out. The streets can either feel like the set of a zombie film (9am on a Saturday morning) or like an outdoor rave (Shaftesbury Ave, 11pm on a Saturday night). Either way, it's difficult to get a true sense of of the 'hood.
It's now Day 4 in my buy local program and things are looking up on this front. Today I conducted my shopping at the deli entirely in Italian and was bestowed the wonderful compliment of the owner assuming I was from Milan. To him I am 'Cara.' After three consecutive days at the market, the vendors are beginning to know me, recommending veg and steering me away from less savory purchases. I don't think we'll ever get on a first name basis, but then - I wouldn't trade being 'Darling' for anything.
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