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Put Down Your Nanowrimo And Leave The House
Photo by Benjy Lipsman
This is why it's always wise to carry some form of camera . Benjy saw some graffiti on the corner of a Chipotle billboard on Clybourn that merited both a closer look and reaching for the iPhone. Scope what some budding young Dzine tagged on the ad.
For those of you still focusing, the tagger said Chipotle is "white people's food," although it currently doesn't make the cut at Stuff White People Like. Now, if # 63 ("expensive sandwiches"), were expanded to include wraps and burritos, maybe. Besides, we're too busy drinking our afternoon coffee (#1 on the list, btw) to give it further thought.
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Chipolte is expensive? And, second, EVERYBODY likes an unhealthy burrito. The guys from India on my staff are pretty picky about food here, but they love them some Chipot.
but you've given it so much thought already,
why not fire those synapses a few more times?
after all, isn't the truly "white" thing to do
is use your expensive cellphone to snap
a quick photograph or two and take it
back to your expensive laptop, then
upload them to the internet so you
can make a clever blog about it,
then cross-link it with other
internet largess and post it
onto reddit & digg so that
everyone knows how clever
you are?
is that why it's always wise to carry some form of camera?
thank white jesus for white people!
how would we silly Latins know what to do with cameras?
Marcos
I've heard way too many people refer to Chipolte as being "authentic Mexican food, unlike Taco Bell" (lol) so maybe there's a point to be made there? Most Latino people I know (as well as people living in areas where they have access to decent and reasonable Mexican restaurants) wouldn't be caught DEAD in one, much less claim that "It's Mexican dining!"
Well MY mexican friend likes Chipotle, so there! Regardless, one person's mexican friend does not speak for all mexicans. Good god.
In the world of burritos Chipotle is not bad. In the world of fast food Chipotle is superior. But it's not an authentic taqueria and hardly pretends to be.
If there are people who go to Chipotle & think it is authentic, it just means they have a general lack of understanding of that genre of cuisine. In other words, who cares what they think?
Marcos/anasshole.
I CONCUR!
Dig I agree. Its definately not authentic Mexican but I was unware it claimed to be. People who think it is are probably just ignorant. Its kind of like saying Panda Express is authentic Chinese food or McDonalds is an authentic hamburger. (its not even meat for crying out loud!)
What I want to know is, why is this even news?
@ lamgray:
Chipotle is definitely expensive! Compare it to taco bell's bean burrito, the ultimate in burrito value. You could also get two boxes of cereal for that price! I cut Chipotle out of my life after realizing how much money I was spending to feel mildly sick after eating that much food.
shit is too damn salty just like mikki d's!
Chipotle has good food (especially if you want to compare it to Taco Hell) but is overpriced. It is definitely a yuppie joint, hence the "White People" thing. Yuppies are dumb and usually white; they talk about the Cubs and iPhones and Chipotle and then wonder why they get made fun of. They get ripped off on all three. I'm white and from Chicago and live on the North side where this is located and can vouch on all points being true.
BTW, as a former graffiti artist from the late 80s - early 90s...That style is completely whack. I'm awed by the cleverness but disappointed in the lack of skill by this generation's taggers.
Poptart: As far as I know, Chipotle has never claimed to be authentic. I was referring to the idiots who seem to think that it is in my post. Even worse, they will tell a Latino "I've eaten Mexican food before. I've eaten at Chipotle lots of times!" And they will say this WITH A STRAIGHT FACE. It stops being funny after a while.
Kaonashi, I understand what you're saying. And while I may not be Latino I think I can understand you're frustration. Its truly amazing how many idiots there are in the world. I guess at least they're trying to expand their horizins no matter how misguided they obviously are? But I'll be honest, I grew up in a really small town in Michigan which was somewhat less than diverse so this whole "white people" thing is new to me. I guess I just didn't realize something like Chipotle could inspire such heated racial debate. (and I don't mean that in a sarcastic way)
I'm white and from Chicago and live on the North side where this is located and can vouch on all points being true.
Good for you. Must make you feel so superior to be so streetwise and real in Chicago. I hope you put that on your resume. You will go far. As well, your vandalism--uh, sorry, street art--has certainly taken the world by storm, hasn't it, causing untold scores of people to see the world in a deeper way, hasn't it? Or, did the sandblasters get to your vandalism--uh, street art--too quickly?
It never stops making me laugh at all the tribal tendencies of all the people everywhere, all the people fighting over stupid little shit like food or music or fashion or technology or consumer choices or sports teams. And it's even funnier when such superficial struggle is done with a tone of superiority, whether it is working-class loyalty or some stupid shit like that, or yuppie pride, or whatever.
Meanwhile, the people perched at the top laugh, too, knowing we are too busy fighting ourselves here at the bottom to ever really threaten those in power. Humanity is pathetic and humanity rarely learns.
And it always makes me laugh when you, Matilda, go on your little tirades about the downfall of humanity on a BLOG about Chicago.
You are right, Mary. We should just judge these comments in a vacuum, and ignore the stupidity of them. And then we should just talk about beer and TV and burritos.
Arturo's owns that title more than Chipotle because people there actually think they're getting the real deal.
matilda, since you're so "above" these conversations, why bother coming back? I would think it would get incredibly frustrating for you. It doesn't seem there are too many people learning from the valuable lessons you keep trying to teach.
Mary: I doubt most people learn anything here. You are right about that.
Never said I was "above" it. Only that some comments speak to bigger things, including the comments that try to create a false sense of class credibility or similar crap. And be honest: The original post was in the spirit of this class credibility crap.
But hey, back to regulary scheduled programming. Boy, those burritos sure/aren't good, aren't/are they?
If I were white, I'd probably enjoy 'em. ;)
@ Matilda:
You once said on a post on 7/22/09 at 1:55pm, "Mepps: No one forces you to read this."
There are about a half dozen other times you said the same thing to people posting.
I say to you fine citizen!!!
"No one forces you to read this."
While you never said you were "above" these conversations, you sure do have a different level of standards for yourself compared to other posters.
Irish: Perhaps you missed it in your indignation, but I merely responded to some BS class warfare/real Chicagoan comment from a fellow poster, not the thread itself, or the reason for the thread, as Mepps did in your example. In fact, my comment speaks to the larger point of the thread and the photo at top. Therin lies the difference. Seriously, try harder next time.
Thus endeth the lesson.
@ matilda:
Well put. Although, I think you missed a word.
"Hypocrite"
Irish: Uh, no. No double-standard here. Just the reality of the situation. But hey, when you have no argument, a one-word smear attempt will do, I guess.
One more time: Did not question Chicagoist coverage levels or the reason for the threat, as did Mepps. I responded to another poster in the general spirit of this post. I engaged in debate.
Sooner or later I will have to start charging you for these educational sevices, and though I usually work cheaper than a Tuesday-night hooker in Uptown, inflation has hit me, too ....
@ Matilda
I tell ya what, I'll pay you in advice.
If you have to respond using words like "Therin" and "endeth", then the hypocrite-B/S light usually turns on at that point. Might as well quit typing.
Also, were you repeating your "out" to try and convince yourself? Now that's a jagged little pill. :-)
With that advice, consider my bill paid for your educational services.
Irish: That's a pretty low standard in detecting bullshit. Granted, I have spewed much here, but you really should try reading next time instead of trying to get somebody and prove how smart you are. Don't worry, I know how smart you are. In fact, I am sending you a gold star right now from my personal collection.
And, hey, Irish: Your freaking check bounced. Don't worry: They all do :)
@ Matilda
"And, hey, Irish: Your freaking check bounced. Don't worry: They all do :)"
That's pretty funny. :-)
I also liked the Uptown hooker comment...pretty good.
Feel free debating the other posters. I have zero problem with that.
But dude, since you are defending that to the bone, please lay off us who may challenge the Chicagoist directly every now and then.
You HAVE to see that makes you come off a bit hypocritical.
Irish: Respectfully, I do not see the double standard on my part here. I am guilty of it at times, I am certain, but not here. May I suggest we simply quit this--we are merely talking around each other--and move on? I can certainly see the perception, but not the reality, so if you want to take that as confirmation of your point, please do.
Thanks for the good humor, though. And joking around with a stubborn poster.
So, Irish and Matilda will be meeting for a Lunch Discussion at Chipotle's then, right?
matilda-
Why are you forcing people to play the devil's advocate?
You have used slung the words 'intelligence' and 'stupid' so many times that you have failed to provide any sort of evidence to back up what _you_ stand for. Please chill with the ad hominem attacks because calling somebody stupid never won a point.
So to the point...where did I say I was a class above everybody? I would consider myself lower-middle class or upper-lower class...I never claimed to drive a BMW. All I claimed was that I was white and from Chicago. Therefore, I do understand the humor when (_usually_ yuppies) make the claim that Chipotle is real Mexican food. I'm sorry I find the billboard comment funny. If you want to call me a street urchin because I find the 'art style' of the phrase is lacking then so be it.
I'm surprised that you have turned this into a 'we are all arguing while the big guys in politics have pulled the wool over our eyes' type of debate. The politics in this city and country do indeed mightily suck. Daley sucks, Blago sucks, Stroger sucks, Bush sucks, etc. etc. etc. Let's keep perspective here and not turn a one-line graffiti statement debate into FUD bringing on the end of the world. If there is one thing I have been most proud of Chicagoans it is that we have voted for what we believe in so that I'm glad none of the shite involving the Iraq invasion, deficit economy, erosion of rights, loss of the middle-class, mortgage crisis, torturing, lack of stem-cell research, funding put into theological institutions, health care funding crisis, wire-tapping of citizens or any other number of epic failures is on our hands.
Please re-read that last run-on sentence and you will realize that one line of graffiti means _nothing_ in the long run.
Davy:
BMW? Huh?
Street Urchin? Huh?
Calling people stupid? Huh?
"f there is one thing I have been most proud of Chicagoans it is that we have voted for what we believe in so that I'm glad none of the shite involving the Iraq invasion, deficit economy, erosion of rights, loss of the middle-class, mortgage crisis, torturing, lack of stem-cell research, funding put into theological institutions, health care funding crisis, wire-tapping of citizens or any other number of epic failures is on our hands." Again, Huh?
Are you sure you are in the right reality at this point?
I said-
"Please chill with the ad hominem attacks because calling somebody stupid never won a point."
matilda's reply was-
"Are you sure you are in the right reality at this point?"
-->Thanks for making my point. Since you would rather sling personal attacks instead of debate the points, might I suggest you change your name to "Matrollda"?
Davy: Honestly, if you think that is an ad hominem attack, I would suggest you get out more. Or read some of the racism discussions at this fine site.
Ooops--did I do it again?
Serioiusly, dude/dudette, your last argument seemed more like a drug-fueled rambling than anything resembling reality. The BMW thing, for instance, had no relation to anything I said or even pretended to say. You were defending yourself against something that did not exist. I find that a bit odd and impossible to engage.
By the way, me calling you stupid--which I did not do, and am not doing, and will not do because I have no reason--is an ad hominem attack. Me calling an idea stupid is a bit different, even if the two things are in the same neighborhood.
I don't think you are stupid. I just have a hard time understanding you right now.
That graffiti is possibly not meant to make white people feel ostracized (God knows the reactions here sound touchy-touchy). The graffiti may be suggesting that the success of Chipotle indicates that certain white people would rather give their millions to a corporation that co-opted a culture as opposed to giving their money to people who are the actual owners and purveyors of that culture. Just as I'm sure many hispanic Americans would rather see someone other than Rick Bayless teaching Americans how to make Mexican food.
I like Chipotle because they have chipotle Tabasco sauce available at their condiment stations. They also have both black beans and red beans for your order. I like my nearby Mexican restaurant because they have a great variety of beer and a larger menu. Both types of restaurants have merit for me.
Lastly, tacos and burritos are not authentic Mexican food no matter where you order it. Behind your back, tacos and burritos are referred to as 'street food'. Cheese and/or sour cream don't belong on most Mexican dishes as well.
Jaws, just to be devils advocate here, but you're assuming that the graffiti "artist" had a social agenda and was not just some dumb ass trying to do something he/she thought was funny. I could be wrong of course, but I doubt they were thinking "maybe this will make white people consider their consumer decisions/question their reactions to latino culture." It was probably some stupid kid trying to look cool for his/her friends. Granted it has provided some intersting debate for us here but I think we're all reading more into the artist's intentions than was probably present in reality.
Also, I agree with you. Both have merits in their own right. Its all about what you have a taste for, whether its authetic or not. I'll admit, some days I really feel like taco bell even though I know its made with dog food grade meat and in no way resembles real food, let alone real Mexican food. :)
matilda-
Fair enough, I apologize if I misunderstood what you were saying and took it out of context. I'm a dude BTW.
My whole point to this is that it is funny and not a big deal. It could have been a white dude who did it for all we know ala the "Stuff White People Like" website that was founded and run by a white dude. Whether it was or not is moot, it _is_ funny and contains some truth to it plus the fact that there is a 'smiley' preceding it tells me it was meant as a joke and not a rant.