Pridefest is back for it’s 15th annual event, the LGBT is brining together local residents,  community leaders and business owners to celebrate in the streets. The location is new, @ Hudson St. between Abingdon Sq. & West 14th St.
Sunday, June 29th, 2008, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM 
 
So bring your pride and festive spirits. 

Open to all

For more info go to this link for more info: http://www.nycpride.org/
For tent and table rentals, please call 917-406-5363.
This event is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary.

Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks
Beginning at approximately 9 p.m., Macy's will have fireworks being released from 3 separate locations around the city. There will be a patriotic flyover at 8 p.m. courtesy of the U.S. Air Force. If you're not in the area, NBC will broadcast the fireworks live beginning at 9 p.m. EST.
East River in Midtown
Fireworks will be launched from the East River, just off 34th Street. The FDR will be closed from 14th-42nd beginning at 7 p.m. for viewing. Pedestrians can access the FDR from 23rd, 38th and 42nd streets. You can also view from areas in Western Queens and Brooklyn where you can see the East River.
South Street Seaport
FDR will be closed beginning at 7 p.m. from the ferry terminal to the Pearl Street ramp. The Pearl Street ramp will offer the only pedestrian access to the FDR. Downtown fireworks will be visible anywhere that offers unobstructed views of the sky south of the Brooklyn Bridge, particularly on the Brooklyn Promenade between Jermone and Cranberry Streets and on Furman between Atlantic and Cadman Plaza West.
Liberty State Park
Located in Jersey City, viewing is best from Liberty State Park. Consult their website for details and directions.

Waterfall in New York City urban seascape may seem impossible but artist Olafur Eliasson has been commissioned by the Public Art Fund, consistsing of four monumental, man-made waterfalls. The Waterfalls are going to be at four sites along the shores of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Governors Island, one by the Brooklyn anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge, one between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn, one in Lower Manhattan at Pier 35, and one on the north shore of Governors Island.

The official start date is June 26 and will run till October 13, 2008. One would be able see them flowing from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from any of the 4 locations but if you like to see all four in actions catch them all by the NY Water Taxi. The company will be offering boat tours of the four waterfalls, “…running a special edition of our 1 Hour Harbor Tour designed for optimal viewing of these magnificent works of art. Departing hourly from South Street Seaport's Pier 17.”  www.nywatertaxi.com
 


To learn about the Waterfalls and Artist go to this link:
http://publicartfund.org

- How long have you been a competitive eater?

 

The dumpling contest, August 5, 2007, was my first contest. So, almost a year now!

- What made you decide to become a competitive eater?

 

I was a fan of competitive eating LONG before I started to compete. I always loved watching it; IFOCE star Patrick Bertoletti gave me the inspiration I needed to make the leap from just a fan to a competitor. International Federation of Competitive Eating--Patrick Bertoletti

- How do you prepare for up coming events?

 

Eat large salads and drink plenty of water.

- Are you going to partake in the hot dog eating contest for 08?

 

No. I'm not in IFOCE. You have to be in IFOCE (and sign their contract) to compete in Nathan's. I'm with the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters

- If not what are some other events you have lined up?

 

I did two contests recently, including one where I ate 4.46 pounds of strawberries in 7minutes. As for the future: Who knows? I do contests when I see one that looks appealing.

- What is your best record?

 

Hard to say, since contests vary in food and in time length. Probably the strawberries, which I mentioned above, or the cannoli contest I won last year (I ate 5 full-size cannolis in 2 minutes).

- What pays the bills?

 

I'm a Senior Accounting Coordinator for a T-Mobile (phones & services) wholesale distribution company.

- Do you have group outings with other competitive eaters? if yes how do you split the bill?

 

Even though I live in Brooklyn, I'm part of the United Eaters of Pennsylvania (UEPa), which is a group of competitive eaters that go out and do restaurant eating challenges from time to time. We each pay for ourselves, or sometimes the restaurant gets enough publicity from the event that they don't charge us. The last get-together, at the Niner Diner in Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania made local TV stations and newspapers.

- Last questions do you think I have a chance at breaking my record of eating 8 dumplings for this years dumpling eating contest?

 

Absolutely! Just pick up the bowl and hold it close to your mouth to cut down on the time it takes to get the dumpling to your mouth.

- OK one more what do you recommend for people who maybe wanting to explore what you do?

 

Find out when are where eating contests are, then sign up and compete. It's best to just "dive right in", then figure out if it's something you want to continue doing. Or, try doing a restaurant challenge. Many restaurants have something where if you eat a certain amount of their food in a certain amount of time, you get the food for free (or even a prize).

 

 

 

For more info on Jill Stoler check out her blog: http://missgluttonsbliss.blogspot.com/

Ever dream of becoming the next competitive eating superstar, like 6 time winner of Nathan’s Famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest winner Takeru Kobayashi or last years Contest winner Joey Chestnut. I have dreamt that dream before myself and had a go at it, but with dumplings and found out that my life calling is to be a competitive eater. But the cards maybe in it for you, and there is no better time than now.

To meet the criteria for the Nathan's Famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest One must Qualify; here are all the info for the upcoming Qualifier at Shea Stadium.


Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
Date: 06/14/2008
Location: Corona, NY
Discipline: Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs
Total Prizes: Seat at the Nathan's Famous International 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest and a Year's Supply of Hot Dogs

Summary
Last year in a dramatic one minute overtime eat off, Erik the Red beat Pat from Moonachie to take the Shea Stadium qualifier. Each eater ate 26.5 HDBs in regulation, and then The Red pulled ahead in OT with 3.5 to Moonachie's 3. Both men made it to Coney Island.

Time and Location:
6:00pm
Shea Stadium
123-01 Roosevelt Avenue
Flushing, NY 11368

The 2008 Nathan’s Famous hot dog-eating circuit begins on May 8th in Las Vegas, NV. Other cities on the tour include Minneapolis, MN (May 10), Hartford, CT (May 17), Philadelphia, PA (May 24), Tempe, AZ (May 31), Norfolk, VA (June 7), Charlotte, NC (June 14), Queens, NY (June 14), Myrtle Beach, SC (June 21), Atlanta, GA (June 21), West Chester, PA (June 26), Camden, NJ (June 28), and Daly City, CA (June 28).

The winner of each qualifying round will receive the right to compete in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest which, according to archives, has occurred each July 4th in Coney Island, NY since 1916.

Qualifiers are open to those 18 years of age and older.
To register, visit www.nathansfamous.com.

June 9, 2008
7:00 - 10:00 PM
The Delancey
Free
New York

Want do something really good for Internet Week? Join Behance and alldaybuffet for a night to Make Good Ideas Happen. Three non-profits–City Year, StartingBloc and Sustainable South Bronx–will present ideas they are pursuing to change the world. Bring your idealism and leave Action Steps with resources, connections, and next steps to help make their ideas happen. Amazing people, great drinks, and a nice buzz from doing GOOD - what more could you ask for?

RSVP at: www.behance.com/events

Porkchop-Express sat down with Cesar Fuentes, Executive Director of the Red Hook Food Vendors Committee to discuss the upcoming Red Hook Soccer Fields Food season. Here are some of the key points:

• The Red Hook Soccer Field Food Tents will look very different: out with the tents, in with the city-mandated mobile food vending trucks.
• The Red Hook Soccer Field Food Tents will taste the same: as of our interview, each of last year's vendors is planning on returning.
• The Red Hook Soccer Field Food Tents might expand their days and months of operation: the new permits are valid year-round.
• The Red Hook Soccer Field Food Tents need your support more than ever: the new permits, fees and operating costs have more-than-quadrupled their expenses.
• The Red Hook Soccer Field Food Tents are still not open: we're hoping for mid-June, and we'll let you know ASAP.

To read the interview go to http://porkchop-express.blogspot.com

 “Brooklynites may no longer have to haul across the bridge and wait in endless lines for burgers, dogs, and concretes at the Shake Shack,” reported gothamist.com
The owner of the Madison Square Park stand, Danny Meyer is famous their burgers somewhat similar to the In and Out burger in the West Coast. While serving up their famed burgers and dogs the Brooklyn post will be going mobile, the truck is likely to be located around Downtown Brooklyn, possibly the MetroTech plaza for lunch by the end of the summer.

Fancy pants can be cheapass when hosted by a corporation and any self-respecting cheapass (who is willing to call them selves a cheapass) are going to take advantage of this year Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic.
It's been more than 70 years a polo match was played in NYC, and “who better to bring back this high-class recreational activity than a fancy champagne brand? Veuve Clicquot rallies the Hamptons' elite to Governors Island, where Ralph Lauren's team faces off against the sporting chaps of fellow polo-clothiers Asprey. Nacho Figueras, a star of his sport (and a serious hunk of man), heads Ralph's squad — and if the man-candy isn't appetizing, there's always the champagne bar or a home-packed picnic. We hear cucumber sandwiches are still all the rage.” (Leah Taylor, Flavorpill)

When: Saturday May 31 (3pm)

Price: FREE

 

Where: Governors Island

Note: Free ferries depart for Governors Island every 30 minutes from South Street Seaport. The match begins at 3pm, but the fields are open from noon-6pm.

Waking up 3 in the morning to eat raw fish is not on most people’s priority list, but if you’re a foodie and love free endless entertainment the Tsukiji Central Fish Market is a great way to spend the night, er I mean day. If you’re not a morning person a good idea is to go to the Tsukiji Central Fish Market the first night you arrive to Tokyo, suggested a new and good foodie friend luxuryeats.com, because of the 12-hour time difference it will be like you never left New York.
Once at the Market get ready to see a live auctions where the wholesalers battle it out ninja style, with hooks and blades. Well ok not so ninja style but the blades and hooks are true, often armed with hooks to maneuver the mammoth size of a fish, the wholesalers are able to dig into every tuna; checking for the clarity, fattiness, and the texture. After given some time to review the fish that’s when the live auctions begin 5:30am right on the dot, these men don’t mess around. The auctioneer calls out the bids gesturing to the bidders, all the auctioneers have their own little dance making them entertaining for the whole family.

Once you get out of the arctic air check out the outer market other wise know as jogai shijo, that’s where the wholesale and retail shops selling Japanese kitchen tools, fish, seaweed, and more.   “Handling more than 400 different types of seafood from tiny sardines to 300kg tuna, from cheap seaweed to the most expensive caviar. Overall, more than 700,000 metric tons of seafood are handled every year at the three seafood markets in Tokyo, with a total value in excess of 600 billion yen (approximately 5.5 billion US dollars). Tsukiji alone handles over 2000 metric tons of seafood per day. The number of registered employees varies from 60,000 to 65,000, including wholesalers, accountants, auctioneers, company officials, and distributors.” wikipedia.org

For more pictures go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheapassfood/ 

www.tsukiji-market.or.jp
Free admission
Sunday Closed
Arrive by 5:15am-6: 30 am
Note: please be courteous to all the venders and wholesalers, remember they are at work and most likely you will be in their way.