Schnitzel & Things

This is not your Kosher schnitzel in a pita with hummus. The Schnitzel & Things truck rolls with chicken and pork schnitzel (no veal?) on a sandwich with a choice of 6 sauces (pesto mayo, house made sauerkraut, roasted red pepper coulis, ginger, scallion & garlic relish) or on a platter with 2 small sides (skinny fries, potato salad, roasted beets & feta salad, green lentil salad). The sides are well done (try the kraut) and the schnitzel is fried fresh to perfection. The lines are long, but move along quickly. It’s not cheap for a truck, but the food is definitely fresh and tasty. Check the site for locations.

The Ruins of New York City – Urban Explorers

Urban exploring is a skill I’ve always wanted to develop. Palladium Boots (interesting sponsor) has a short video about exploring the urban ruins of New York City. They investigate the Freedom Tunnel, the Glenwood Power Plant, and the Red Hook Grain Terminal.

From the website:

New York City’s skyline stands against a backdrop of congestion, fluorescent lights, cars, and a never-ending drone of noise. In the middle of Manhattan we found an opening that leads to a tunnel. Dark shadows are spliced with beams of light from above. Every hour a train goes by, shattering your ears with an ominous honk. Old cassettes litter the floor and the walls chronicle New York City’s graffiti history. We jumped fences to discover the massive, empty structures that have looked out on New York for decades. We didn’t know what was there, or who might find us. Climbing into these buildings that have been torn apart, gutted, and left a shell of their former selves, which is exactly why we wanted to go and find out the stories.

XV – Everybody’s Nobody Mixtape

I never heard of this kid (XV aka Vizzy) before, but he can flow. He’s definitely new school with a bouncy old school sensibility. The spacey production by Seven is tight and futuristic. And he’s from Kansas???  Download the mixtape gratis.

2009 Vendy Award Finalists Announced

The finalists for the 2009 Vendy Awards have been announced!

1. Biryani Cart  – 46th and 6th – Midtown. A modern classic.

2. The King of Falafel – 30th Street and Broadway – Astoria.  Never heard of this dude, but I am interested.

3. Rickshaw Dumpling – Midtown. Suspect.

4. Jamaican Dutchy – 51st and 7th – Midtown. Well deserved.

5. Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck- Red Hook Ballfields. Can’t go wrong in Red Hook.

Stirrer Ice Cubes

These are $2 from Ikea and are straight up class.

Austrian National Library Map Collection and Globe Museum

It’s such a shame that the  only public museum dedicated solely to globes is in Vienna. One can always dream. The collection contains more than 400 globes, 240 of which are on display, including an original by Mercator.

Counter Culture’s Kuta

Counter Culture’s Kuta is a particularly refined bean from Papua New Guinea. Similar to a fine Sumatra, the Kuta has a deep body, gentle chocolaty richness with a long and clean finish.

Mapping New York’s Shoreline, 1609-2009

The main branch of the New York Public Library has a new exhibit called Mapping New York’s Shoreline, 1609-2009, beginning on September 25, 2009. It’s worth going just for a visit to the library. The exhibit is in honor of the New York Harbor Quadricentennial displaying rare maps and atlases from the library’s archives. I am looking into accessing the archives under the guise of a wayward academic.

Taiwanese Fried Chicken – NYC Cravings Truck

Finally hit this new truck featuring Taiwanese fried chicken. I’m not that familiar with the cuisine, but I can say it makes for a tasty, savory and filling lunch. The chicken is fried fresh, but the line is long. The sauce reminds me of a lighter Tonkatsu sauce,with a little more curry influence. It’s the carpet that ties the room together. The tea egg is a nice bonus for a $1. Their website has the truck’s schedule. Midtown Lunch summarizes the phenomenon as follows: Fried pork chops over rice with pork sauce and pickles cabbage is a standard Chinese dish, popularized here in NYC by Chinatown spots like Excellent Pork Chop House and Hua Ji.

Wu-Tang Clan – Da Mystery Of Chessboxin

Watch simultaneously.

I miss ODB.