Apple Bottom Genes

I was planning on keeping my new hometown a secret.

At least that was the plan.

But with each day I walk around this amazing city, I think to myself...

...Self...

THAT’S A BLOG.  

AND THAT’S A BLOG.

AND THAT’S A BLOG TOO.

Through the first seven entries in my new journey, I’ve managed to make vague references to the greatest city in the world.

Well, enough is enough.

I AM A NEW YORKER.  

And proud of it.

If I want to write about yesterday’s journey through the subway system, where I took three different trains to go 17 blocks, then I’m going to write about it.

Just for fun, take a look at the map of the New York subway system and tell me it doesn’t look like Russell Crowe’s wall in A Beautiful Mind.

And if I want to write about the eight-cent tax on sliced bagels, but no tax on unsliced ones, I’m going to write about that too.

Why don’t they just call it the anti-Semetic tax?

Just because we own all of the banks on 5th avenue and all of the jewelry stores on 47th street doesn’t mean we can afford an extra eight cents on a sliced bagel.

And if I want to write about eating dinner from a street vendor near Times Square, I’m done with the secret code of...

... so I decided to have a meal from this place.

The truth is tonight after work, I enjoyed a beautiful lamb and chicken combo from a street vendor near Times Square.

Not just any street vendor, but KWIK MEAT.

Yep, that Kwik Meat.

The 2008 runner-up for the Vendy Award.

You know the Vendy Award, the annual award handed out for the most outstanding street meat.

Street meat, that’s what us New Yorkers call it.

Well tonight after work, I was told “you gotta go up to 45th and sixth to the get the best street meat in the city.”

I thought all the vendors were the same.

“Trust me," he said.

So I headed up to 45th and sixth... Yada Yada Yada... $8.50 later ($9.20 with the tax), I had a great dinner.

GREAT!

I can still remember my mom telling me that I couldn’t eat off the floor, so I can only imagine how she would feel about me eating off the street.

But she obviously never tried Kwik Meat.

Let me tell you, this stuff was good.   Real good.

Well, actually I won’t know how good until tomorrow.

My dad split many of his years between Los Angeles and New 

York.  

He always raved about the Big Apple, but I never really understood why.

Until now.

There is just something electric about this place.

The buildings.   The taxis.   The restaurants.

But that stuff about this being the city that never sleeps is a bunch of hogwash.

A friend of mine was in town this week and we met up for a late dinner.   

No problem, this is New York.

Plus she was staying in one of the busiest parts of town.

Well, so much for that theory.

One place stopped serving at 9:30, another at 10.

Is this Cleveland or New York?

We eventually found a place and had a great meal.

There are so many restaurants in this city that you better be great or you will be gone by breakfast.

Its no wonder why you try to walk so much in this place.   

Its to avoid having your belt buckle explode on you.

I guess that gets us back to Kwik Meat.

These vendors are on EVERY corner.

In the morning, you can get a muffin on one street.

Three bananas for a dollar on another.

Coffee on another.

Then later its a pretzel.

And a hot dog.

And wash that down with the lamb & chicken combo.

I would call that a perfect day.   

Actually, I would call it a normal day.

At least the pretzel part.   

My goal is to break Cal Ripken’s streak by eating a pretzel every day for the next 17 years.

I think I can do it.

It sure will be fun trying.