Ryan GrimVerified account

The food we got was pretty basic (and cheap, we didnt have much $) -- American cheese, french bread pizza, campbell's soup etc. (3)

Don't get me wrong -- I was in NY. I ate Chinese food. I remember my 1st meal at an Indian restaurant. But I didn't see this as fancy.(4)

In the 80s, the neighborhood began to change. Fancy cheese and muffin shops opened up. People began to buy weird vegetables (arugula!) (5)

I was a teenager and I remember feeling that something wasnt right. Hey, what's wrong w the American cheese I buy at the local shop?! (6)

Whats w these fancy restaurants rather than the Chinese place or the pizzeria or McDonalds? There's nothing wrong w how my family lives! (7)

It's comical looking back becuz I might qualify as a foodie now. I seek out obscure ethnic food, occasionally buy fancy cheese etc (8)

But I still remember feeling defensive in the face of the sophistication and superiority that those 1980s yuppies places projected. (9)

It's not surprising to me Brooks' friend had that reaction. (Also wouldn't surprise me if she began to talk abt fancy Italian food.) (10)