I love NYC-who bloody doesn’t! It’s the bustle, the sharp edge, the fashion, the finance…the list goes on. It’s raw energy and steel and concrete. It’s electrifying and stimulating.
When Jay Z and Alicia Keys sang, “If you can’t sleep, better slip you an Ambien…” they weren’t kidding. My darling husband took more than 1 Ambien while we were in the big apple and I seriously considered it. Sleep is the last thing on your mind while lights flash right outside. “How can anyone live here and expect to do things like sleep or laundry or anything mundane?” Was a thought that often crossed my mind.
The usual big, flashy attractions caused my pupils to dilate and after I spat on trump tower (no, this wasn’t a typo, I purposefully left the “t’s” lowercase), I found that the small corners of NY intreagued me the most, particularly the hotdog and food carts.
Why? Ooodles of reasons.
Hotdog carts encapsulate the American Way. With little capital, you can have your own business that keeps on producing. You are your own boss. Most hotdog cart owners are immigrants, another great American concept despite current rhetoric. It’s a social class buster. Start off renting a hotdog cart, then own 1, then buy another and another…It’s the American Dream right there on every street corner, alive and well. Or rather, alive and packed full of cholesterol. But, that’s another blog.
Hotdog carts are a wealth of fabulousness-they are warm on frosty, NYC fall evenings. They are the perfect snack or meal. It’s a NY meal-fast, cheap and, on-the-go. Pick up a water or soda, or whatever else they may sell. Many food carts offer a variety of foods as well from gyros to falafels. The rich aroma of spices makes any food critic stop and take notice. Again, the mixture of cultures and ethnicities is coming full circle folks. Taste a myriad of flavors from around the world. Bam. Wonderful.
I particularly love how each stand is just slightly different than the next. I suppose that comes from years of love and care for the cart. Add an umbrella here, add a footstool there, string some lights around this corner. They are little pockets of wonder.
Travel well my loves.
XOXO
Danya Darling
danyadarling 