sugar Sweet sunshine cupcakes photo by Flickr user lunchboxandgirl
In today's New York Times Op-Ed "Walk This Way," David Rakoff writes:
In other words, New York City is about to get interesting again. Those who regret having moved here too late, having witnessed only her metastasized proliferation of glass-walled condos and cupcake purveyors, can take heart at the prospect of shuttered libraries, underfinanced schools and grimy hospitals. Those bygone days of “Midnight Cowboy” grit might soon be upon us once more. Why, if you squint just a little bit, you can almost see Verdi Square changing back into “needle park.”
This is not the first time I've seen cupcakes written off as some annoying symbol of gentrification. But why? Why are they so often seen as negative?
Yes, there are upscale and expensive cupcake shops, but there are plenty of down-home ones too. You can still get a cupcake for $1.50 at sugar Sweet sunshine or a mini cupcake for $1 from Kumquat Cupcakery.
Okay, cupcakes aren't "gritty," perhaps, but they are part of the city's landscape. Don't like Magnolia Bakery? Fine, but there is more to New York's cupcakes than that, and there is a cupcake community, here and elsewhere. I'm a New Yorker too. I love it here. To me, cupcakes are fun, happy, wholesome (though they can be sensual too). But must we always hate on cupcakes? They're too easy of a target.
I have met so many amazing people through this blog, both in New York at our meetups and bakery owners, and on my travels. Cupcakes bring people together, and are a simple treat that I think hold special powers to make people smile. I am always trying to figure out just how to describe what's so special about them, because that's what every reporter or curious newcomer to this site wants to know. I don't have one conclusion, because they are special to people for different reasons. No, not everyone loves or even likes cupcakes, and that's okay, but let's live and let live, mmkay?
I'll conclude by getting all Chris Crocker on you and say "Leave cupcakes alone!"
Comments
I recently enjoyed a whirlwind weekend in NYC, my very first time there, did all of the usual touristy attractions as well as a few off the beaten path, ended my visit with a trip to Magnolia Bakery. They were worth the wait, and a sweet ending to a wonderful vacation in the Big Apple.