Happy Japaneaster!

We made two new Yakitori Taisho inspired words today: Japaneaster which is what one celebrates when a patron of Yakitori Taisho on Easter, and Investigatori Taisho which is the activity one engages in when checking out alternatives on St. Marks while waiting in line for Yakitori Taisho.

Grindhouse Review

A pair of dudes walked out in the first 20 minutes complaining about wasting their money, a guy directly behind us was sent into an epileptic seizure, and there was frequent applause throughout. Flee, seize or celebrate. You draw your own conclusions.

Fun for a Buck

Next time you find a hot peso burning a hole in your bolsa, come on up to Broadway / 145th. Not since the early settlers traded smallpox for waterfront property has it been possible to get so much for so little! For one dollar you may choose between:

• a piping hot tamale sold fresh at the top of the subway stairs
• a refreshing glass of horchata (Mexican rice-milk spiced so nice)
• four pieces of artery-clogging fried dough powdered with sugar
• a cup of jello/pudding mix (choose from two flavours; vanilla and pink)
• a warm Jamaican beef or veggie patty
• or (and this is my personal favourite) a cup of Dominican-style oatmeal which is really more of a sticky, sweet, warm, thick drink than the usual pot of orphan's gruel.

Oh, and in the summer there's flavoured ice shaved right from the block, citrus fruits carved and mounted on pointy sticks, and, if you're white like some of us, you're guaranteed a refreshing fire hydrant shower if you walk past the children who rule 144th Street. The subway trip will be the most expensive part of your day!

Mighty Torso

Best pickup line overheard: In a crowded bar, Alice squeezed by a rather large fellow (think Asian version of Bloodsport's Ray Jackson) who looked her up and down and said "Feel that, oh yea, I have a mighty torso." Encouraged by her guffaw, he followed up by shouting the length of the bar: "Myspace! Jackson777... JackSUN like sun is shining!" By the end of the night he had a very red face. When we left, we had to again squeeze by him and I was worried he would resume his courtship, but at this point he was leaning on the bar, massaging his eyes with his fists, ready for bed.