For this assignment we were asked to use ethnographic methods of research such as observation, photography and videography while walking through a neighbourhood of our choice. The two walks I planned were in different settings as one was on Thursday (weekday) and the other on Saturday (weekend) around 3pm after lunchtime.
ROUTE 1
The route started from the Talented Unlimited high school in Lennox Hill on 68th street and 2st Avenue and went onto 75th street on 1nd avenue. When I walked up the avenue I saw construction of the Second Avenue subway as well as rubbish thrown on the roads. However the subway station looked incredibly modern and futuristic.
Videos – IMG_1382-13kuzep
There were multiple shoe repair shops that seemed like they had been built years ago. The owner of dry cleaning shop said that his great grandfather opened the shop and it has been passed on from generation to generation. Restaurant joints of various ethnic cuisines were in abundance. I also noticed beauty parlours and fancy contemporary nail salons among large grocery stores. There were several hospitals on every corner as well as multiple high schools. It seemed like a very well equipped area.
ROUTE 2
The second walk was from 77th street on 3rd Avenue up until 90th street towards central Yorkville. At this time I saw multiple dog owners walking their pets as well as parents with their children. I came across go to places such as Starbucks and Sweetgreen as well as old retro diners and printing places. There were artsy coffee shops scattered among old red brick buildings with black stairwell fire escapes.
There was also a large number of underground parking lots to accommodate the growing number of residents. To get a grasp on the pricing of the area I got my eyebrows threaded at a parlour that costed me $7, the same as it does in midtown Manhattan on 5th Avenue. As I spoke to the Indian ladies in the parlour they said it was a posh and extremely safe neighbourhood. They hadn’t had a bad experience in terms of safety since they moved here 8 years ago.
I noticed a lot of trash on the roads that hadn’t been cleared up. There were signs for cycles to Central Park due to it’s close proximity to the large park as well as other community green spaces. There was light traffic, however overall the mood was relaxed and calm.
All in all, the street trees and fresh air surprised me. I expected the Upper East Side to be bustling with work crowd on the weekday however it was a well balanced between lively and relaxed. The amount of construction that resulted in noise and accumulation of trash was disturbing however the juxtaposition of old architecture with contemporary coffee joints was the highlight of both the walking routes.
Voice recording of my observations –
Recording myself as I observed my surroundings was challenging as I had to assess as well as spell out what I was seeing as I was seeing it. Even though it diverted my focus, it made me pay closer attention to detail.
