All That Carmen San Diego Paid Off

So when I was younger I used to always play Carmen Sandiego...and not to brag but I was pretty good...the problem solving part of my brain always worked better than the creative side but that was probably the last time I had to do some detective work. Picking up on non-verbal cues has never been my forte (see all past relationships) but when a problem lies in plain sight I can usually get it figured out...

So first off let me back track a tad... when I'm out in Germany (6 hours ahead of NY) and I wake up to Crooked I's (LA rapper 3 hours behind NY) late night tweets like "glad we had such a good turnout at the impromptu show tonight" I started to learn that people will really give no word to where they're going to be except on Twitter...I never paid it any mind until the European Slaughterhouse Dates online conflicted to what these dudes had on their Twitter accounts...so after that, I started to base my knowledge of where they perform on their Twitter accounts.

So now all week they were being "Shady" Royce Da 59 was out in LA with Crooked I at the Lakers Game...Joell Ortiz was getting shows in Boston canceled...and Joe Buddens was just being Joe Buddens. But I started to hear the innanets buzzing about a show in NYC...so now I'm locked in to every tweet they make because the first time I saw them perform at Rock The Bells they killed it...but it was a small stage out back (because Wu-Tang was there...some of you may remember that). Anyway all I see is Slaughterhouse x Eminem NYC June 21st...so now I'm on Eminems Twitter, NYC shows' Twitter blah blah blah and no one is giving me a solid answer.

So I go online and find out about this Road to 8 Mile rap battle...but it's at the Bowery Ballroom (200 people maximum)...he can't be doing a show there...and then I see it...Eminem writes online that the first 50 people that email emonletterman@gmail.com get to see his performance live in NYC...album dropping the same day...the whole works...so I'm like that has to be it...but I can't get tickets for Letterman...I emailed anyway though. Ended up getting on the standby list for Letterman but also copped two tickets for this RedBull Road To 8 Mile show...just incase...

So now my best friend and I drive down to New York City and catch up...it's been awhile since we kicked it and he's working full time...finally got some time off and I told him about this Lupe styled Fiasco that was going on. He has not ventured off into the Twitter world and seemed lost when I tried explaining to him that I bought tickets because of rumors...but he's the kind of guy who respects real Hip-Hop and would've been fine with just seeing the Freestyle Battles.

So (yes I'm going to start every paragraph with "so") now we're down there at this quaint quiet little ballroom that can barely hold 300 people. Any more than that is a guaranteed fire hazard, but we're there early and we're standing right down by the stage and the DJ is on stage playing a ton of NY rappers keeping the crowd entertained (unlike the Drake concert a week back) and we're having a few drinks waiting for everything to get started. Then I see The Alchemist who is a judge later that night and I'm telling my boy that him and I used to go to the same barber back when I was in college so as he's walking by, I go "yo do you still get your haircut by Steve?" and he looked at me and said "I was just there" and from his crooked line up I figured he wasn't lying. But he was just on WorldStarHipHop with Eminem and Royce Da 59 drinking RedBulls wasn't he? We'll come back to that later..

So now the MC battle is about to begin...there are four white guys and four black guys and it just so happened, randomly of course, that in each of the first round battles a white guy was battling a black guy...now we all know black people can rap better (Vanilla Ice and Eminem cancel each other out) but of the four rappers that advanced...3 were black...and I'm just saying that to say that the judges were wrong...the one white guy that advanced shouldn't have and the two that didn't should have (the other guy got cooked pretty bad). Now I'm internalizing this like Eminem in 8 Mile...because rumors have it that he's showing up tonight...Bunny Rabbit...gotta beat the 3 black guys to advance...it's working out perfect...that was until round two where he choked and got booed off the stage.

So now we're waiting for the Final round and Bun-B rolls thru, Royce Da 59 is kicking it with the judges and I see Joell Ortiz walk in. I immediately shout YAOWA (ya'll actually one world away) which is his individual little ad-lib catchphrase and he immediately looked up and dapped me up...so now Royce and Joell are in the building...Joe BuddenEminem but I would have been FINE with just them...Finals are over...DNA wins over the crowd with a shoutout to the judges (something about my homies just blaze...) and then finished with a shoutout to the XM radio station (like Shade 45 I'm Dead Sirius...then something about being over for this Maxi Pad...Period) and with that...DNA took the title

So we're waiting for the DJ to make an announcement after the finals because now all four members of Slaughterhouse are present and accounted for. They finally come out one by one and kill their song Sound Off...they then pay a tribute to Hip Hop with their song Woodstock Hood Hop...have us all hold our one's up in the air and The One and finally finish with my favorite Slaughterhouse song... Microphone

 So...I'm all set...my favorite Hip Hop group did 2 of my favorite songs and I got to see a very good rap battle all for $20 (4 Jim Beam & Cokes cost more than two tickets)...then Slaughterhouse exits stage left and no one moves...the "Shady" chant starts and the DJ walks off the stage...hmmmm??? Come to find out the Alchemist is going to be on the 1's and 2's for this "special performance." If it wasn't obvious before it just became clear to everyone there that Eminem was going to be performing. But we were nervous all night because we were hearing that he was on a rooftop performing Renegade with Jay-Z and I know he was supposed to be on Letterman tonight...but who the hell else could upstage Slaughterhouse at this concert???

So I'm getting the vibe all night...especially looking at the crowd that most people weren't there to see the rap battle...you could just get that sense...they were there because of the fact that Eminem was rumored to show...so all of a sudden the Over beat by Drake comes on and people are looking around like...wtf??? Is Drake here? No way, he was just in LA pulling Kobe on stage wasn't he? Well his concert did get shut down? Wait a minute...then this big ass black dude runs out on stage and I'm like no way is that Ving Rhames? Turned out it was Mr. Porter (from D12) and Eminem came out spitting his Despicable Freestyle

He then goes into On Fire and Won't Back Down...I didn't expect him to give us a 10-song set for $20 so I was cool with the 3 he decided to do...he then got a little emotional thanking the fans from Day One...telling us that he wouldn't be where he was today if he didn't start out battling...gave a tribute to his boy Proof and then walked off stage...people started cheering Encore and part of me thought that that he was going to bring Slaughterhouse out and perform Session One aka My New Favorite Song with a mystery verse from Joe Budden...but that would have just been asking too much. Night was over and I went home...but definitely the highlight of my summer to date

You probably won't hear from me again until AFTER Vegas...things are bound to get a little craaaaazy but whatever I can remember/am allowed to blog about I will...

"Do What You Do" --blackhercules21

Chuckin' Up Them Deuces

With the new look of the blog you are well aware that I've "chucked the deuces" to the old format...I've also chucked em to blogging everyday...but there are other things in my life that also need the deuces chucked in their direction...

Because I have no vehicle and am not set to move into NYC until July I've had some time up here in the suburbs to think about a lot of stuff (as well as greatly expand my music collection but that's a blog for another day) and I just realized that I'm a person that has trouble moving on...I never thought I was but I really am. Whether it's personal relationships, professional relationships or sitting at the computer playing Spider Solitare...I can't remove myself from a situation unless I'm satisfied in the way it concluded...

Saying all of that to say that if I can show that kind of resilience in a lot of the stuff I do then I shouldn't have a problem chucking deuces to these three things this summer...first off...fast food and restaurant chains...I had a craving for the Outback Bloomin' Onion and some Buffalo Wild Wings but there are so many good (healthier) restaurants in NYC that for me to pay more money to eat bad food would just be pointless...so at no point this summer will you see me back in one of those fast-food/chain restaurants...

Second off...I'm chuckin the deuces to these NYC public transportation (minus emergencies) because every year...right around April or May I'm wishing that I could be enjoying nice weather walking around New York City...then I get here for two weeks and I'm underground on the Subway all the time or in a cab...this city has so many places to see for me to be flying past...let's also not act like I don't have a ton of new music and a new iPod to help keep me company on my NYC walks

And last but certainly not least...DRAMA...I'm home not even a week and I get the unfortunate reminder that life is short and anything can happen at any time and it's just not worth it to be stressed out over anything...so I"m gonna try to get through the whole summer with the same smile that Ron Artest had on his face when he was thanking his phychiatrist because that's the joy I want to feel everyday I get up at 10am...workout...and have the luxury to do whatever the hell else I want to do for the rest of the day...in short...I got the life...

"Do What You Do" --blackhercules21

Home (Sweet Home)

As I type the title of this blog, I question whether or not I really mean that. Follow me on this for a second. I love being around my family, I love spending time with my friends from America, and there's nothing I love more than my mother's cooking...but is this my home? I'll be moving into my beloved New York City in a few weeks (after a short west coast stint) but is NYC my home? In recent years, I always had a internal countdown until I got back to America. Partly the break from basketball, partly the taste of Angela  Boone's Fried Chicken, partly the chance to ride around in my younger brother's Toyota Scion and hear stories about his adventures in college...but this year it wasn't the same. I used a "rehabbing excuse" to stay an extra week and a half but the truth of the matter is I didn't want to "go home" because I was "at home." And having a chance to see how good "Winning It All" felt...I did not want to leave Gottingen.

For those of you that don't know how the season ended...I'll try my best to be descriptive but understand every word I type is a little more painful than the last...

So we do enough to secure home court advantage in the opening Best-Of-Five game series. We are a lock at the number 3 spot and are awaiting an opponent. Up until this point in the season we'd only lost two games at home (one in the Eurochallenge and one in the regular season) making us feel extremely confident that we could beat whoever we played. Turns out, due to a conflict of schedule, our home gym, the Lokhalle, was being used during the first day of the Leagues playoffs so we had to travel to a neutral site. Our nervousness was calmed by the fact that we'd bring our home court floor/baskets and 2000 fans. Game 1 was a blowout in our favor. Game 2 rolls around and we're sure that if we can get this W the series is just about over...to come back and beat us 3 in a row (with two of them at home) is a task that no team in the league could have possibly done but unfortunately we didn't come out ready to play and this time the blowout was in their favor. So game 3 rolls around, all knoted at one game apiece, it's back home, we're thinking about what happened last season (where we won the first game and then got beat 3x in a row) but we fought our way through a tough battle and ended up taking the 2-1 lead in the series. Closeout game...on the road, don't want to have to play a game 5 so we come out in game 4 ready to finish it up. Had a solid lead but they hit some big shots down the stretch (and also shot 50 fts as a team) so we're forced to come back home and play a fifth game. Although we blew a lead in game four, we were supremely confident going into game 5...I mean it was at home, the place was sold out, and we were watching the number 1 seed lose to the number 8 seed, the number 2 seed lose to the number 7 seed and the number 4 seed lose to the number 5 seed...meaning if we won game 5 we'd be the highest seed left and secure home court advantage throughout...but we weren't able to make that happen...and the worst part is that we were winning by 12 with 3 minutes to go...shortly after that I fouled out and was forced to watch our opponent come back more and more...it was a pretty helpless feeling and as I watched that last shot go up and fall in at the buzzer I was in complete shock that we had just been eliminated.

So being home is bittersweet because I'd give almost anything to still be in the hunt for a title...and I hadn't realized until I got back that nothing here is enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, the season wasn't all bad, we had a ton of success and even won the EuroChallenge championship but there's no feeling worse than feeling like you've left something undone...

Do What You Do      ...blackhercules21...     Hallelujah Hollaback

Leave Me Alone

I have a soft spot in my heart for any kid who was ever bullied. The first reason being, because as a child, I dealt with my fair share of bullies, and now I feel like I can protect anyone who is dealing with one. But I feel like, in all honesty, being a kid who got picked on a bit, has transformed me into the man I am today. That being said, I feel it's possible for me to snap and kill the next person that pisses me off...there's a lot of built up rage in here, so don't let it be you.

The majority of my "bullied years" came between 7th and 8th grade where I was too big to tell my parents, but not big enough to fight back. In the Bronx, we weren't allowed to ride the school bus after 6th grade and were forced to get on the NYC Public Bus with all the Highschool kids. It was fine if you didn't play basketball after-school or go to get pizza or hang out by the Ice Cream truck...but that was the fun of not having to catch the school-bus. You see, the middle school got out at 3pm and the highschool next door got out at 2pm, so they'd hang around the schoolyard for an hour or so and after the teachers got all the 5th and 6th graders on the schoolbus we were on our own.

Although my bullies looked like the guys who shot Ricky in Boyz N The Hood not the Home Improvement children, I think that if I saw this video as a child my "bullied years" would have ended up different.

And that difference would have been me getting my f*cking ass kicked EVERYDAY...view some of the comments on this video and die laughing

jboldery says Kids, this video will get your ass busted in 10 pieces before you can say, "I'm a dumbass!". Do not react that way!

bigsilky 85 says wow...running, hair-pulling, slapping and foot-stomping. These guys are masters of Nerdjitsu.

mclean84 says lmao @ 2:34; "don't roll over on your stomach, or the bully will grab your head and repeatedly bounce it off the sidewalk." wtf!?!?!

shaolin770 gave the best advice when he said I never have bully problems. When someone approaches me in an overly aggressive manner, I pull up my shirt and show them my 40 caliber Glock in my waist band. This diffuses the situation much faster than pulling hair and running.

thank you "COB"

Do What You Do      Hallelujah Hollaback      ...blackhercules21...

NY vs. LA Part 3

Ok after today, I'm done comparing NY to LA...I promise. But how could I forget to compare the cities by their sports teams? We all know the Yankees are the World Champs (beat the Angels on the path to champions), and would have beat the Dodgers if they made it to the World Series. Los Angeles doesn't have a professional football team, but if the Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49er's or San Diego Chargers are any indication, both of the New York teams would win those battles. The Rangers, Islanders and Kings all sucked last season, but the Rangers are showing the most improvement this season. And in the NBA, we all know the Knicks are patiently waiting for a miracle, but for as good as the Lakers are, and they are good, the Clippers are...

Fatal Staples Center Collapse Brings Merciful Early End To Clippers Game

...I think I'm going to go ahead and stay a New Yorker forever

Do What You Do      Hallelujah Hollaback      ...blackhercules21...

NY vs. LA Part 2

Yesterday I compared some aspects of New York to those of Los Angeles. Andrea Grant of Copious Magazine did the same thing and I thought it was worth the read,...

New York Versus L.A.


One night I met some friends for drinks at the Bowery Hotel in Manhattan.  Among the crew was a renowned young film director who had just wrapped up a major feature in Los Angeles.

Having just returned from a relaxing trip to L.A. myself, where I walked for hours along Venice Beach and shopped for trendy halter dresses on Melrose, I asked him which city he preferred—New York or L.A.
He considered his response for a moment.

“I see America as a huge carpet. One day a giant decided to shake out the carpet, and he grabbed it from the North East, right where New York is, and shook with all his might.  The really resilient people clung on for dear life and managed to stay in Manhattan.  The ones who couldn’t hold on went flying across the country and ended up in L.A.  It’s a higher quality lifestyle out there, and the beach is great, but I miss the toughness of New York.


It’s true that New Yorkers live fast and hard—we’re like warriors with our guard up. Constantly assaulted by jewelry vendors and sidewalk performers, we walk hurriedly through the noisy streets with our Bottega and Goyard bags stuffed full with things we’ll need to take day into night, including Cle De Peau concealer to hide the dark circles of our sleep deprivation.

Our clothes are our armor. We try to look attractive even as we bundle up to conquer artic winds and snow flurries in winter, or strip down with a calculated sleekness during the suffocating humidity of summer.   The downtown set favors layers: Mike & Chris or Philip Lim leather or tweed jackets underneath a heavy wool or down-filled coat.  Exquisitely tailored Valentino and Chanel jackets in both elongated and cropped lengths and calf-length minks dominate the Upper East side—perfect for a day of shopping at the boutiques along Madison Avenue.

Because New Yorkers don’t have cars, we are more exposed. We cannot walk through the city without becoming part of it. We must be deliberate in protecting ourselves from the black slush, the hard rain, the heat emanating from the subways and from the buildings—and from the army of briefcase-laden businesspeople, the wide-eyed tourists and the wayward teenagers haphazardly bumping into us on the streets.

Because we know that white will get dirty from all of this accidental human contact and our 12-hour workdays, we favor black, navy and dark grey.  Dark colors never look too morbid in the city that bred American punk rock.  Especially since we’re in Prada or Gucci.


We are ready for anything.  We have to be, because you never know who you will meet. Strangers talk to each other in bars in New York and models like Natalia Vodianova and Gemma Ward can be seen in Soho, wearing skinny jeans and carrying Balenciaga handbags, surrounded by hopeful suitors with ample trust funds.

Fashion Week is monumental, and we all celebrate by going to the after-parties for the open bar. We drink a ton without worrying about the carbs, because we know we’ll burn it off by walking everywhere.  In fact, we consider walking our primary form of exercise because the gym is rather boring, and if we can’t manage to walk around at night in our Manolo Blahnik stilettos because we’ve had one too many Patron shots, then we simply fling our arms out and hail a cab.

We pay insane amounts of money for tiny apartments that are beautifully decorated, and which only our closest friends and lovers will ever see, even though everyone will always ask us EXACTLY where we live, right down to the cross streets, because in New York we are judged by address.

The light quality in New York is unique:  bright sun muted by tall buildings, considered one of the best cities in the world for photographers. The light is flattering to the skin, and the women tend to wear less make-up, especially in summer because it will just sweat right off.  Overly bleached hair seems frivolous here somehow, and brunettes dominate.

But even the most die-hard New Yorker makes their way to California at some point or another, usually on business because when we vacation we tend to go South rather than West.

And even though we know the West Coast is far more relaxed than the East Coast, when we get there, we are still taken aback by people wearing their yoga pants and bare tops to lunch at trendy outdoor cafes, delicately picking at salads with avocado on the side, drinking water instead of wine.  Don’t these people have to work?  we wonder, with a pang of envy.

In Los Angeles, a New Yorker will have frequent flashes of self-consciousness.  Our clothes feel a bit too formal and hot once the morning smog evaporates.  Our skin looks alarmingly pale and tired, and although we try to blame jet lag, it’s really that we need a tan or more make-up to look healthy in the blazing bright light.
We become hypnotized by all the glitter.  We walk down Melrose, with its sparkly sidewalks, and are attracted to flashy clothes shining in the windows.  Silver lame tops and white sundresses fit here, and look good on these lean muscled bodies. Sex sells, and it sells hard in L.A.  Because of the warm climate, it’s natural to wear less clothing.  New York women tend to only show off one body part at a time, either the legs in a mini or their shoulders in a strapless gown, whereas L.A. women are comfortable showing all their assets in a bustier and very short shirt.

The Rockabilly/Punk style is signature, but it’s a softer, better tailored punk than the hard punk of metal studs and safety pins in New York.  Along with various shades of blonde hair, the two-tone look is common, especially dark with bleached out platinum or red.  Tattoos are abundant and proudly displayed with sleeveless shirts rather than hidden under sleeves.  The vintage is amazing, and costs a lot less than in New York—where authenticity is another commodity.

Having a car changes the way people construct their day, because they can carry a change of clothes or leave an extra jacket in the trunk for the evening.  Because the homes are more spacious, there is no hesitation in bringing friends back after a daytime activity and getting ready to go out for the evening together.  There are always rumors of parties and it takes a bit of work to find out where the good ones are on a Saturday night, and if there is a pool someone always has an extra bikini to lend.

The glamour of Hollywood also affects the tone of Los Angeles.  This is a city where it’s possible for starlets to become movie stars overnight, where hopeful actors and actresses frequent celebrity hotspots like the Green Door, hoping to be noticed.

Hollywood is a place of mythic proportions, where our favorite childhood stories and fantasies were brought to life. LA feeds off of that promise, that somewhere amidst the palm trees a fairy tale can come to life.
Even in New York, we are seduced by that promised glamour of Hollywood—by the beautiful people in long gowns, with megawatt smiles reflecting the bright California sky. No one knows how to create an epic red carpet event like Los Angeles. We hold Oscar-viewing parties in our tiny living rooms where only 4 or 5 friends can fit, enticed by the frenzy of Heidi Klum in Galliano or Cate Blanchett in Dries Van Noten as much as by the awards themselves.

People love to compare things:  a new lover to an ex, a quiet confidant versus the life of the party, New York versus L.A.

“Well are you going to live in L.A. and work on your film career or stay in New York?”  I asked the director.
“I’m going to do both,” he answered.  “Being bi-coastal is the solution.  I’ll live in my beach house and work hard during the winter months, and come back to New York in the spring before I lose too much of my edge.”

Perhaps that is the ultimate solution, the best of both worlds.

Do What You Do      Hallelujah Hollaback      ...blackhercules21...

NY vs. LA

One of my teammates is a New Yorker who went to Stanford, and I love to give him sh*t for it. As much as I like this dude Taj, everytime I hear him say "hella" it eats away at my soul. Luckily, he's never said "gnarly" or "rad" because I'd probably punch him in the face. In either case, he got me thinking about comparing and contrasting New York and California. I knew I'd lose the New York University/Stanford debate so I decided to just compare the cities of New York and Los Angeles.

Transportation and Housing

Californians say: You can't compare .... NY'ers ride around on old trains and live in small apartments, with humid , hot , overcast summers and frigid winters. Angelenos live in single family houses with palm tree lined streets, and rely on their own hard-earned vehicles to get around(more convenient) ... with mild winters and gorgeous summers , complete with sunshine

New Yorkers say: We don't ride on old trains. Yes Cars are more convenient sitting in long traffic, polluting your already polluted air, isolated from any socialization, can't really do anything but listen to the radio, having to worry about parking, accidents, insurance, paying for gas, etc.... during the summer all the plants look dry and winter is very boring. Those palm aren't doing much but look good. They don't provide enough shade and they don't help the environment. Here NY we ride new subways that are hard earned money goes into, we live in apartments that architecturally better, we great views many trees and parks, with our beautiful summers with our well nourished, lush plants and trees, clean air, beautiful winters for the holiday spirit with a white christmas season, etc.

Nightlife

Californians say:  LA's nightlife scene is legendary, and with good reason – from swanky cocktail lounges to frenetic dance clubs, from themed bars to laugh-out-loud comedy clubs, this city has it all. The vibe varies widely by neighborhood, so plan your night in advance. Hollywood traditionally supplies the hottest action, whether it's at über-trendy clubs like LAX and Mood or at the elegant, celebrity-riddled Chateau Marmont. Head west to Venice, Malibu, and Santa Monica, and a mellower atmosphere pervades neighborhoods by the beach. Catch an exceptional acoustic show at McCabe's Guitar Shop, or gaze at the sunset over cocktails at Moonshadows. Downtown and the Valley also have their fair share of hot spots; the Golden Gopher and Firefly make their homes here. With a seemingly endless variety of bars, clubs, and lounges, you'll have no trouble tailoring a night out to suit your taste. -- Kelly Sigmon, Senior Editor

New Yorkers say: Whoever decided that nightlife had to be confined to the darker hours of the day wasn't using their imagination. "Nightlife" in New York City is as much a state of mind as anything, and there are bars and restaurants open somewhere at all hours of the day. Want a beer with your morning bagel? You can do that here. Need a steak and a scotch at 10am? That can be arranged as well. Feeling the need to burn off some energy on the dance floor at 6am on a Saturday morning? No problem. No matter what your nightlife style is – laid-back neighborhood watering hole, swanky lounge, high octane dance club, old-fashioned Irish pub, posh pool hall, dive-y music club, sophisticated piano bar – New York's sheer variety is astounding. Add in all the Broadway and off-Broadway shows, art gallery receptions, free public concerts, and impromptu sidewalk entertainers, and you have a full 24-7 schedule of goings-on. Even the "regular" bars and clubs usually stay open until 3 or 4am. Let your hair down, have fun, and don't be afraid to call for a cab home. -- Kim Goodin, 10Best Editor

Dining and Restaurants

Californians say: For fine dining, Los Angeles once ranked among the world’s big city bargains, with stiff competition keeping a lid on costs at many upscale establishments. But waves of visitors from far-flung corners accustomed to higher prices have spawned significant cost creep on L.A. menus. Fortunately, first-class ethnic restaurants in abundant supply remain suitable for tighter budgets. Los Angeles also has a reputation for catapulting its top chefs like Wolfgang Puck onto the international culinary stage, assuring that innovation remains a standard on local menus. As a culinary melting pot, items from persimmons and wasabi are no longer limited to the ethnic or fusion cuisine scene. For that matter, just “going out for Mexican in L.A.” often leads to consideration of which region to choose -- Oaxacan to Yucatan.
New Yorkers say: It has all the eating options covered and you can find almost every type of food available and every cuisine of the world represented. There are literally tens of thousands of restaurants, ranging from dingy $2-a-slice pizza joints to the $500-a-plate prix fixe sushi at Masa. Thousands of delis, bodegas, and grocery stores dot every corner of the city and DIY meals are easy and cheap to find. Street food comes in various tastes, ranging from the ubiquitous New York hot dog vendors to the many middle eastern carts at street corners in mid-town. Fruit stalls appear at many intersections from Spring to Fall with ready to eat strawberries, bananas, apples, etc. available at very low cost. Vegetarians will find New York to be a paradise with hundreds of vegetarian-only restaurants and good veggie options in even the most expensive places.

I'm impartial but what do you think?

Do What You Do      Hallelujah Hollaback      ...blackhercules21...