A guide to the best food trucks in Manhattan

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A guide to the best food trucks in Manhattan http://ow.ly/565IS

Notes:

A mentor who decided to build his businesses using his knowledge about European culture (he was born and raised in Italy) once remarked to me that I could very well get into the food truck business here in NYC. The business is dominated mainly by Arabs and of course, the Chinese people. But then he thought I may not really like it, which is truthful. I actually don’t like being in and running the business as I gained very practical experiences on it back in the Philippines – it actually entails so much work than what it seems to most of its customers who think they’re paying so much from the food they decide they like to buy from these food trucks. Some of them would even have the gall to point out that profits are derived from charging 200% from costs, & voila, the owner pockets the money! And seldom you’ll see food trucks owned by people from the Philippines; I think most Filipinos know it better that the business is not at all glamorous as some people may think of it when looking at the surface.

But we have to agree that part of being in NYC is to experience having food from food trucks; they certainly offer the best food you’ll have here in NYC. Coffee, hotdogs, shawarma, ice cream, yogurt, pancakes – name it, you’ll see it offered in one of these food trucks and presented lovingly by the entrepreneur and/or his helpers. I’d even see the mayor having hotdogs with some top ranking officials with their pictures splashed on the tabloids, which can be very amusing. What’s so unusual with that? It’s not because you have much cash in your bank account that you won’t consider having food from food trucks. The issue of ‘cleanliness and hygiene’ can be valid for some, but I can see that most who have issues against buying food from food trucks are merely projecting their own uncleanliness in their personal lives – I can say this because I’ve observed it a lot of times with the people I’ve meet here. They behave as if you look ‘dirty’ but you go take a closer look and you’ll see they’re slobs as well in the privacy of their homes. And I’ve got lots of stories to tell about this, which is all together a different topic.

And going back to the topic of food trucks here in NYC, consider exploring them as there is more to be learned from them other than the food. They’ve been built by great entrepreneurs who actually serve as the backbone of the very strong food industry (and industries further in the business and commerce industries) here in NYC. They’re committed and hardworking, and most of them love what they’re doing, which is something you’ll seldom catch a sight of from countless workers who are employed by small/medium/large sized companies alike in NYC. You’ll see the results with the food they offer as you can get an excellent feeling in your guts of their usual happiness, enthusiasm and thrill over preparing, selling, and making profits from meeting the needs of hungry New Yorkers!

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My Manhattan Pied-A-Terre

My Manhattan Pied-A-Terre 

Notes on the link above:

You may have been trying to open a dead link previously, so I edited this posting now, which I hope will be helpful in your reading experience. The original posting is found in my blogger.com account, which I still keep for practical purposes. The posting’s about my tiny space that I kept in Chinatown along East Broadway that’s a few steps away from the East Broadway stop of the ‘F’ train before it crosses to Brooklyn. It’s in a tenement of an existence that you must have read or heard about in old movies or pictures depicting the East Side of Manhattan as ridden with squatters.

Honestly, I’m not bothered at all with the idea of having lived in such environmental conditions – I’ve seen worst conditions in many more places (in terms of material wealth and/or the lack of spiritual wealth in posh-looking surroundings) and I don’t take it against anyone who will think otherwise.

My pied-a-terre‘s a private one where I had my own tiny room in a converted space made to accommodate at least 5 people, with at least 2 of them working full time stay-in-jobs in other parts of the city. Most days, I’d be left by myself with another boarder who would be doing part-time service oriented jobs. She was from Malaysia and who’s ethnically Chinese. It’s a strange experience, so to speak, sharing all these common-sounding immigrant experiences with other Asians who were helpful to and curious about me, too. I got the space mainly on the strength of recommendation of another friend who’s Malaysian himself. The space’s very convenient to public transportation and very close to hip places in the East Village, West Village, Alphabet City, Soho,  and practically downtown Manhattan. Food’s abundant and very affordable but my living quarters were chaotic yet fun looking. You gotta have to be possessed with more than enough confidence to endure living in these types of quarters. But then again, you will soon realize there are always others who live in worst conditions than what you have.

Anything you may want me to share and discuss here about this place? Give some feedback and I may just go about sharing more. I’ve read some recent articles on how people go about their living quarters in this side of Chinatown in Manhattan from the New York Times – and I could only just reminisce. I’m always surprised as to how certain writers (or journalists) tend to focus and highlight on what’s obvious – I think most of them don’t dig that deep enough to know more about the many facets of truths on how it is to make a meaningful living here in Manhattan. In any case, ‘Thanks a lot!’

blog: the Manhattan Bridge of my BMW series of NYC bridges

Eerily quiet. And people still throw their trash into the can. Wow!

blog: the Manhattan Bridge of my BMW series of NYC bridges – http://ow.ly/3Eina

Shown here are some of the photos I took when I crossed Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The main article’s available by clicking on the link above; I remember this bridge and the experience of its cold character despite the warmth at that time of the day. And it was a such a solitary walk that I had. I soon understood that people actually don’t cross usually to Manhattan or Brooklyn on foot via this bridge. You’ll expect to be disturbed by the noise coming from the many vehicles and the subway trains crossing the bridge. The trip, however, provides an abundance of views normally not enjoyed by residents or visitors unless they cross the bridge on foot===Chinatown, as approached from this bridge, looks more elegant because of the arch

I forgot what these designs are...pls update me if you have the chance to be walking on the bridge one of these days...Portions of the Arch in Chinatown, Manhattan, heading to Canal StreetA view of Manhattan Bridge while walking on it; I was practically alone walking considering that it's a warm weekday at that.

(a view of which is shown in one of the photos here); there’s that beach that you never thought can be located just across Manhattan. Plus a lot more to explore and check out for yourself.  Take time to do this trip one of these days.

I would have wanted to cross the bridge in the evening after someone I know described his experience of crossing this bridge to his place in Brooklyn late in the evening. He only had delivery guys on their bikes as company, which was understandable, as Chinatown’s just across the bridge. I could just imagine how peaceful that crossing was…but I’m not sure if it was that safe a trip to make late in the evening.

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Brooklyn to Manhattan on Foot (with additional pictures)

Williamsburg Bridge and the Empire State Building from some distance where I paused to note how close these known structures are, actually.Manhattan skyline, another take.Manhattan skyline, another take.Darkness soon crept in and lights went on in seconds.

One time I had to buy my medicines from Cumberland Hospital in Ft. Greene in Brooklyn, I realized I could actually walk and cross over to Manhattan via the famed Brooklyn Bridge. I was then walking towards Jay Street, and I asked one black fellow I met on the street if the bridge that we were looking at from our distance happened to be Brooklyn Bridge. He didn’t answer my question, but he volunteered to tell me that I could just go strait, and the road will indeed lead to Brooklyn Bridge. But along the way, I noticed some posted signs that read “Manhattan Bridge” so I decided to ask a policeman who happened to be standing on a corner doing his traffic chores that time when it was getting into the rush hours. He gave me instructions that would get me to streets leading to the Brooklyn Bridge. Honestly, I didn’t really understand him as much, but I thought to myself, I could do this, and I would have fun doing this. I didn’t anymore ask for additional instructions and proceeded with my last-minute adventure.

The postings on the street have been fairly easy to pick up, and I followed my intuition. I then found myself at the foot of Brooklyn Bridge. People were coming back and forth in opposite directions, and the sun was soon ready to set. I saw the painted drawings on the very ground of the street showing “bikers” who would be ready to hit pedestrians anytime soon if they didn’t keep alert. Very soon enough, someone on her bike coming opposite my direction was shouting herself out: “Fucking stupid moron!” and I realized she was heading my way as she’s got herself fastened to her bike in such swift rate of pedaling motions. That was indeed a close call! I told myself: “I pray the great Lord’s gonna fetch you soon, even before you become aware of it.” I just laughed to myself at the automatic revengeful stance I got towards her.

Crossing Brooklyn Bridge’s an easy 10-minute walk, more or less. But I got myself distracted by all the people who were doing their walk that time. The clouds were greyish, dark, and lonesome to focus at during this first time Brooklyn Bridge walk. I happened to have brought my camera with me, so I took pictures, but I realized this camera’s failing me already. There were others who were having the time of their lives being up there; it’s not the most touristy place to visit especially if one is not on tip-top shape (but it surely will provide much needed exercises for those who would venture by crossing the bridge). But it’s a must-see, I would say, for those who have been to great bridges in other parts of the world. You’d see a lot from not so far distance. The statue of Lady Liberty, Manhattan Bridge, Manhattan’s skyline, Dumbo, the East River, Chinatown, Empire State Building, etc.

I was happy to make it to Manhattan island. I was trying also to reach a friend by making several calls to confirm a schedule to eat out somewhere, but my calls were not returned soon. I was glad and grateful I got to do my exercise for the day, at least. I soon found myself close to City Hall, where I then proceeded to take a bus that passed by East Broadway. I got out again, and decided I’d have dinner in a noodle house I’ve visited twice before. But I saw another food outlet, where regular Chinese who spoke exclusively Chinese were around to have their supper on their way home from work, either to stay or to go in that unpretentious small food space from a row of food shops. I got myself in, and joined them, and had the most filling meal I enjoyed that early night.