This article is presented in both Chinese and English, with the Chinese version followed by the English translation.
作者：Prince John王国权
"After losing all those matriarchal figures in my life, I wanted to try to recreate that — grandma in the kitchen cooking."
—— Joe Scaravella
从未想到，一部围绕一群老奶奶展开的温情故事，会如此打动我。前前后后，这部影片我居然看了约莫七八遍。
这是Netflix网飞2025年5月推出的美国影片，由Fifth Season、1Community等多家制片公司联合打造，取材于纽约史坦顿岛一家真实餐厅的真人故事。导演是Stephen Chbosky（《壁花少年》），主演Vince Vaughn饰演一位在MTA（纽约公共交通系统）工作的普通公务员Joe。母亲与祖母相继离世后，他用母亲留下的保险金，在史坦顿岛开了一家小小的意大利餐厅，取名Enoteca Maria——Maria，正是他母亲的名字。
Joe不会做菜。他的"秘方"，是母亲和祖母传给他的关于"家"的味道。于是，他请来了几位性格迥异的意大利裔奶奶：妈妈最好的朋友Roberta、退休修女Teresa、来自西西里的硬核奶奶Antonella、还有妈妈当年的发型师Gia。起初厨房里鸡飞狗跳，博洛尼亚派和西西里派为了"正宗"争得面红耳赤。但慢慢地，在油烟、笑声和眼泪中，她们找到了彼此的节奏，也找到了新的家人。
没有激烈的冲突，也没有刻意制造戏剧反转。它就像一锅慢炖的Sunday Gravy——不刺激，却暖胃；不华丽，却暖心。
我第一次看到这部片子，是去年七月飞往欧洲的长途航班上。浏览机上片单，看到故事发生在史坦顿岛，立刻抓住了我的注意力。
我最早知道史坦顿岛，是在去往自由女神像的码头，才了解纽约还有这么一个行政区，有轮渡直通那里。后来多次去布鲁克林演出，路上总能望见横跨海湾的韦拉札诺大桥（Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge），大桥的另一端，就是史坦顿岛。这片土地对我而言，早就有熟悉的画面感。影片里也出现不少曼哈顿的实景镜头，这些我无比熟悉的城市景象，很容易引发内心的共鸣。
自那之后，去年往返欧洲，今年往返美国、再赴欧洲，就连往返新加坡的飞行途中，我都会把这部电影拿出来重看。平实的人间烟火，消解着长途飞行的枯燥。
反复回看同一部电影，于我而言是很难得的体验。回想童年，我在电影院一共看了六遍《少林寺》，当年可以把整部影片的对白熟记于心。几十年过去，《Nonnas》带来同等的触动，成为我成年之后重复观看最多的一部电影。
作为长期关注女性议题、被誉为"国际妇女之友"的联合国代表，我看这部电影时，看到的远不止是一个"开餐厅"的故事。
我看到的是女性力量的传承。这些奶奶们，平均年龄七十多岁，有的来自意大利，有的来自西西里，有的曾是修女，有的曾是发型师。她们的人生轨迹各不相同，却在Joe的厨房里，把各自母亲教给她们的"秘方"，变成了连接社区、治愈人心的力量。
这让我想到，在联合国妇女地位委员会的大会上，我们讨论的是政策、数据、性别平等指标。但《Nonnas》告诉我：真正的女性力量，往往不在会议室里，而在厨房里、在餐桌上、在一代代母亲传给女儿的秘方里。
那些奶奶们争吵、和解、互相扶持的过程，不就是一个微型社区的缩影吗？她们用食物打破了隔阂，用味道建立了信任。这恰恰是我一直在倡导的——女性之间的联结，不需要宏大的叙事，一道菜、一顿饭，就足以让人成为家人。
因一部电影，登上一座岛
也正是这部影片，让我对史坦顿岛生出强烈的实地探访意愿。
今年四月，我特意抽了一天，独自坐上那趟免费的史坦顿岛轮渡，想去看看电影里那间厨房、那片海湾、那座桥。没想到，踏上岛不久，就听见远处传来爵士乐的声响——原来，岛上正在举行史坦顿岛爵士音乐节。
我循着乐声走去，在演出场地遇见了音乐节的总监。一聊之下，竟十分投缘。他热情地邀请我留下来欣赏演出。
演出开始前，我又认识了一位叫Florence的女士。她年纪稍长，面容慈祥，爱笑，话不多，却让人觉得很亲近。那场演出很精彩。更让我惊喜的是，其中一场设在Snug Harbor内一座刚刚整修完毕的历史建筑中。总监告诉我，这是该建筑修缮后的首次演出——古老的希腊复兴式厅堂，崭新的音响与灯光，百年石柱第一次迎接爵士乐的即兴音符。那种历史与当下交融的感觉，格外动人。
演出结束后，Florence顺路把我带到了回曼哈顿的轮渡码头。简单道别，我便登船返回。萍水相逢，却真心相待，那种自然的善意，让我想起了电影里的那些奶奶们。
再访史坦顿岛
那次之后，我对史坦顿岛有了更深的牵挂。今年又先后去了三四次。
再去时，Florence像一位熟悉的老朋友，开车带我环岛游览。她熟稔地驶过一条条街巷，指给我看电影里出现过的角度，也带我去那些游客不会知道的地方。轮渡甲板上的海风、海鸥追着船尾翻飞的画面、从岛上远眺曼哈顿天际线的壮阔——这些电影里的场景，一一变成了我自己的视角。
25分钟的航程，从曼哈顿南端的Whitehall Terminal出发，穿过纽约港。站在甲板上，右侧，自由女神像越来越近；前方，世贸中心、布鲁克林大桥、远处的帝国大厦缓缓展开，像一幅流动的画卷。
航程中，还能看到那座雄伟的韦拉札诺海峡大桥。这座连接布鲁克林与史坦顿岛的悬索桥，塔高693英尺，1964年通车时曾是世界上最长的悬索桥。从轮渡上看去，它像一道灰色的拱门，守护着纽约港的入口。
纽约是喧嚣的，但史坦顿岛是安静的。纽约是昂贵的，但这里的轮渡是免费的。纽约是追逐梦想的地方，但史坦顿岛是安放记忆的地方。闹中取静，有时候只需要一趟25分钟的免费轮渡。
1,800+ Staten Island Bridge Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock
Snug Harbor：百年建筑里的第一声爵士
我第一次去史坦顿岛时，爵士音乐节的演出场地就在Snug Harbor。那片由废弃海员退休之家旧址改造而成的文化公园，让我印象深刻。
这里曾是Sailors' Snug Harbor——美国最早的海员退休之家之一。1801年由船主Robert Richard Randall创立，1833年在史坦顿岛北岸建成，近两百年来庇护了无数年迈疲惫的海员。那些希腊复兴式的白色建筑群面朝海湾，庄严而宁静，曾是世界上最豪华的养老院之一。
如今，这里已变身为Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden——一个83英亩的文化公园，有植物园、博物馆、音乐厅和艺术展览。但当你漫步在那些古老的回廊间，依然能感受到一种独特的气质：这里曾是漂泊者的港湾，如今是艺术家的乐园。
那天，阳光正好。海风从海湾吹来，带着淡淡的咸味。远处是纽约港的波光，近处是百年老建筑的阴影。那一刻，我突然理解了为什么Joe选择留在史坦顿岛——这里有一种曼哈顿给不了的安静，一种被大海和公园环抱的从容。
从银幕到现实：那间没有开门的餐厅
当然，我最期待的，还是找到那家餐厅的原型——Enoteca Maria。
它就在Hyatt Street 27号，从史坦顿岛轮渡站步行只需五分钟。门面并不起眼。不巧的是，那天餐厅并未营业——它只在周五至周日开放，我去的那天正好不在营业日。但站在门前，看着那块写着"Nonnas of the World Community"的招牌，我依然能感受到故事发生地的真实氛围。
创始人Joe Scaravella今年已经69岁了。真实的他，依然每天在吧台后面招呼客人。墙上挂着他母亲、祖母和姐姐的画像——那是他开这家店的全部理由。
"After losing all those matriarchal figures in my life, I wanted to try to recreate that, you know, grandma in the kitchen cooking."
如今的Enoteca Maria早已不止有意大利奶奶。从2015年起，Joe把"Nonnas"的概念扩展到了全世界——孟加拉、埃及、日本、秘鲁、波兰、叙利亚……每天晚上，不同的奶奶掌勺，带来她们家乡最地道的味道。
推门虽不得入，但想象中那温暖拥挤的厨房、墙上三代女性的画像、来自埃及的奶奶Helena端着Baba Ganoush的样子，都已因这部电影而在脑海中无比清晰。有些地方的抵达，未必需要推门进去；当你因一部电影而对它心生向往时，你们就已经相遇了。
从万米高空机舱里偶然刷到的影像，到亲身踏上故事发生的海岸。
银幕中的情节，落地成为眼前真实的山海与城市。轮渡上的海风、Snug Harbor百年建筑里的第一声爵士、Florence开车带我环岛时的安静陪伴、餐厅门前那块安静的招牌，都变成了我自己的记忆。
这种跨越光影的亲历，是远行给予我的一份珍贵收获。
如果你也在某个航班上、某个深夜、某个想家的时刻，需要一点温暖——我推荐你看《Nonnas》。
它不只是一部关于美食的电影，它是关于记忆如何延续、悲伤如何转化为爱、陌生人如何成为家人的故事。
而如果你有机会去纽约，不妨花25分钟，坐一趟免费的史坦顿岛轮渡。去看看自由女神像，去看看那座守护海港的大桥，去Snug Harbor感受一下海员旧居的宁静，再去Hyatt Street 27号，看看那块写着"Nonnas"的招牌。
你会发现，世界上最珍贵的秘方，从来不在米其林餐厅里，而在一位奶奶的记忆中。
而史坦顿岛，这座被大多数人忽略的岛，恰恰是纽约最温柔的秘密。
这是《纽约的另一面》的第一篇。
作为联合国妇女地位委员会的代表，这些年我在纽约走了不少地方。曼哈顿的摩天大楼人人都见过，但我想写的，是那些地图上没有标注的温度——联合国走廊里的艺术品、布鲁克林大桥下的爵士乐、中央公园里四季流转的陌生人……
作者：Prince John王国权在联合国妇女地位委员会大会讲台上
如果你愿意，接下来的日子，我想一张一张，把我私藏的这张纽约地图，慢慢展开给你看。
"Your table is waiting."
——《Nonnas》
Nonnas: A Film That Led Me to New York's Gentlest Island
"After losing all those matriarchal figures in my life, I wanted to try to recreate that — grandma in the kitchen cooking."
—— Joe Scaravella
I never imagined that a warm-hearted story about a group of grandmothers would move me so deeply. In total, I must have watched it about seven or eight times.
This is a 2025 Netflix film, produced by Fifth Season, 1Community, and other studios. It is based on the true story of a real restaurant on Staten Island. Directed by Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), it stars Vince Vaughn as Joe, an ordinary civil servant working for the MTA (New York's public transit system). After the passing of his mother and grandmother, Joe uses his mother's savings to open a small Italian restaurant on Staten Island, naming itEnoteca Maria— Maria being his mother's name.
Joe cannot cook. His "secret recipe" is the taste of "home" passed down by his mother and grandmother. So he invites several Italian-American grandmothers —Nonnas— to his kitchen: Roberta, his mother's best friend; Teresa, a retired nun; Antonella, a hardcore grandmother from Sicily; and Gia, his mother's former hairstylist. At first, the kitchen is chaos. The Bologna faction and the Sicily faction argue fiercely over what is "authentic." But slowly, through grease, laughter, and tears, they find their rhythm and become a new family.
There are no dramatic conflicts, no forced plot twists. It is like a slow-simmered Sunday Gravy — not thrilling, but heartwarming; not glamorous, but soul-nourishing.
I first discovered this film on a long-haul flight to Europe last July. Browsing the in-flight entertainment, I was immediately drawn to a story set on Staten Island.
I had first learned of Staten Island at the pier for the Statue of Liberty, where I discovered that New York had this borough, accessible by ferry. Later, on many drives to Brooklyn for performances, I would see the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge stretching across the bay. The other end of that bridge is Staten Island — a place that already felt familiar. The film also features many real Manhattan locations, scenes I know intimately, which made it easy to connect with.
Since then, on every long flight — to and from Europe last year, to and from the United States this year, back to Europe, and even to and from Singapore — I would pull up this film again. Its quiet, everyday warmth made the hours in the air pass more gently.
Re-watching the same film so many times is rare for me. As a child, I watchedThe Shaolin Templesix times in the cinema, memorizing every line. Decades later,Nonnashas given me that same feeling, becoming the film I have re-watched most as an adult.
As a long-time advocate for women's issues and someone honored as a "Friend of International Women," I see far more than a restaurant-opening story in this film.
I see thetransmission of women's strength. These grandmothers, most in their seventies, come from different backgrounds — Italy, Sicily, some former nuns, some former hairstylists. Yet in Joe's kitchen, they transform the "secret recipes" passed from mother to daughter into a force that heals and connects the community.
It reminds me that at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, we discuss policies, data, and gender equality indicators. ButNonnastells me:True women's strength is often not in conference rooms, but in kitchens, at dining tables, in the secret recipes handed down through generations.
Their arguments, reconciliations, and mutual support are a microcosm of community itself. They break down barriers with food and build trust through flavor. This is what I have always believed —the bond between women does not need grand narratives; a single dish, a single meal, is enough to make strangers family.
Following a Film to an Island
This film gave me a strong desire to visit Staten Island in person.
This April, I took a day to ride the free Staten Island Ferry alone, wanting to see the kitchen, the bay, and the bridge from the film. To my surprise, shortly after stepping onto the island, I heard jazz music in the distance — theStaten Island Jazz Festivalwas underway.
I followed the sound and met the festival's director. We hit it off immediately, and he warmly invited me to stay for the performances.
Before the show, I met a woman namedFlorence. She was older, with a kind, gentle face. She smiled often and spoke little, yet her presence felt warm and comforting. The performance was wonderful. To my delight, one concert was held inside a newly restored historic building atSnug Harbor. The director told me this was the building'sfirst performance since renovation— ancient Greek Revival columns meeting jazz improvisation for the very first time. The fusion of history and present was deeply moving.
After the concert, Florence offered to give me a ride to the ferry terminal back to Manhattan. A brief goodbye, and I was on my way. A chance encounter, yet genuine kindness — it reminded me of the grandmothers in the film.
Returning to Staten Island
That visit left me with a deeper connection to the island. I have returned three or four more times since.
On later visits, Florence, now like an old friend, drove me around the island. She navigated the streets with ease, pointing out angles from the film and taking me to places tourists never find. The sea breeze on the ferry deck, seagulls trailing the boat, the sweeping view of the Manhattan skyline from the island — these scenes from the film became my own.
The 25-minute crossing from Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan cuts through New York Harbor. Standing on the deck, the Statue of Liberty draws closer on the right; ahead, the World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, and the distant Empire State Building unfold like a living scroll.
Along the way, you see the majesticVerrazzano-Narrows Bridge. This suspension bridge, connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island, stands 693 feet tall and was the world's longest suspension bridge when it opened in 1964. From the ferry, it looks like a gray arch guarding the entrance to the harbor.
New York is loud, but Staten Island is quiet. New York is expensive, but this ferry is free. New York is where you chase dreams, but Staten Island is where you keep memories.Sometimes, all it takes to find peace is a free 25-minute ferry ride.
1,800+ Staten Island Bridge Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock
Snug Harbor: The First Notes of Jazz in a Century-Old Hall
On my first visit to Staten Island, the jazz festival was held atSnug Harbor, a cultural park converted from a former sailors' retirement home that left a deep impression on me.
This was onceSailors' Snug Harbor— one of America's first homes for retired seamen. Founded by shipowner Robert Richard Randall in 1801 and built on Staten Island's north shore in 1833, it sheltered countless weary, aged sailors for nearly two centuries. Its Greek Revival white buildings, facing the bay, were once among the world's most luxurious retirement homes.
Today, it is theSnug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden— an 83-acre cultural park with gardens, museums, concert halls, and art exhibitions. Yet walking through those ancient corridors, you still feel a unique spirit:this was once a harbor for the wandering, and now it is a paradise for artists.
That day, the sun was perfect. A sea breeze carried a faint saltiness from the bay. In the distance, the shimmer of New York Harbor; nearby, the shadows of century-old buildings. In that moment, I understood why Joe chose to stay on Staten Island —there is a calm here that Manhattan cannot offer, a serenity wrapped by sea and park.
From Screen to Reality: The Restaurant That Was Closed
Of course, what I looked forward to most was finding the real restaurant —Enoteca Maria.
It sits at 27 Hyatt Street, a five-minute walk from the Staten Island ferry terminal. The storefront is unassuming. Unfortunately, it was closed that day — it only opens Friday through Sunday, and I had come on an off day. Yet standing before the sign that reads "Nonnas of the World Community," I could still feel the atmosphere of the place where the story happened.
The real Joe Scaravella is now 69. He still greets guests from behind the bar every day. On the wall hang portraits of his mother, grandmother, and sister — the very reason he opened this place.
"After losing all those matriarchal figures in my life, I wanted to try to recreate that, you know, grandma in the kitchen cooking."
Today, Enoteca Maria is no longer limited to Italian grandmothers. Since 2015, Joe has expanded the "Nonnas" concept worldwide — Bangladesh, Egypt, Japan, Peru, Poland, Syria... Each night, a different grandmother cooks, bringing the most authentic flavors of her homeland.
Though I could not step inside, I could already picture the warm, crowded kitchen, the three generations of women's portraits on the wall, and Helena from Egypt holding a plate of Baba Ganoush.Some places, you do not need to enter to have arrived; when a film makes you long for a place, you have already met.
A Final Word
From an image casually discovered at 30,000 feet, to standing on the shore where the story takes place.
The scenes on screen became real mountains, seas, and city streets. The sea breeze on the ferry, the first notes of jazz in Snug Harbor's century-old hall, Florence's quiet companionship as she drove me around the island, the stillness of the restaurant sign — all have become my own memories.
This journey across light and shadow is one of the most precious gifts that travel has given me.
If you, too, are on a flight, in the late night, or in a homesick moment, needing a little warmth — I recommend watchingNonnas.
It is not just a film about food. It is abouthow memory continues, how grief transforms into love, and how strangers become family.
And if you ever find yourself in New York, take 25 minutes and ride the free Staten Island Ferry. Go see the Statue of Liberty, go see the bridge that guards the harbor, go feel the quiet of the old sailors' home at Snug Harbor, and go stand before the sign at 27 Hyatt Street that says "Nonnas."
You will find thatthe world's most precious secret recipes are never in Michelin-starred restaurants, but in a grandmother's memory.
And Staten Island, this borough that most people overlook, is precisely New York's gentlest secret.
This is the first piece inThe Other Side of New York.
As a representative to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, I have walked many corners of New York over the years. Everyone has seen Manhattan's skyscrapers. But what I want to write about are the temperatures not marked on any map — the art in the UN corridors, the jazz beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, the strangers passing through Central Park in the turning seasons...
If you are willing, in the days to come, I would like to unfold this private map of New York, one piece at a time, for you to see.
"Your table is waiting."
—— Nonnas
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