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Feisty Foodie

Has hunger struck your zip code, or maybe just your belly? Don’t fret! The Feisty Foodie has your stomach’s best interests at heart. Yvo, aka the feisty foodie, uses her blog to keep every New Yorker’s inner gastronome alive and well fed. The Feisty Foodie features everything from “scrumtrulescent” home recipes to brutally honest restaurant reviews – her recommendations are a guaranteed win and will always leave you satisfied!

What brought you to New York?
I was actually born & raised in Forest Hills, Queens. After moving around NYC for a bit in my early-mid 20s, I found there really is no place like home, so I bought a place and moved back to Forest Hills.

What do you love about living in New York?
Gosh, what’s there not to love, as corny as that sounds. There’s the culture, the love, the people, the food, the energy… and best of all, where else can you decide at 2 am that you want pierogies and just go out and get them, no question? Seriously, though, the energy is just awesome, it keeps you pumped, excited, and ready to go for more. There’s a real hunger in the air for not just food, but for knowledge, for fun, for the next big thing…

What do you think makes a New Yorker?
The ability to walk nonchalantly across a busy New York street, narrowly get missed by a speeding cab, stop, shake your fist after it, and scream properly, “Hey! I’m WALKIN’ hea!” Honestly, I don’t know. It’s something innate that not everyone has, and some people never will.

When you leave New York, what do you miss the most?
Definitely the energy. There’s nothing like it in the whole world, not that I’ve discovered anyway. The city that never sleeps, the vibrant wakefulness you can feel at 3 am and how you just know there’s always an adventure just around the corner. On a more personal, specific level, though, I miss my own bed and my dog the most when I travel. Neither ever disappoints, a good comfy snuggle with both is just the best after a long flight. Or at the end of a roadtrip, yeah, I’m sad that another great trip is coming to an end, but that moment when the car or bus or whatever is coming close to the city, that first glimpse you get of the skyline – be it daytime or nighttime – that one always just makes me suck in my breath a little and go, “Oh,” and that’s why I will never move from NYC.

Best tips, tricks or insider info?
Be open minded to new experiences. Even if you think you hate a cuisine or type of food, spend some time figuring out why – is it the texture of a food? Maybe it’s better raw than cooked, or vice versa. Is it the combination of spices? If so, you probably really can’t get into that cuisine if you just flat out don’t like the taste of their spices, but try cuisines of their neighboring countries; it should be similar but not quite the same, and maybe ease your way back into the one that offended you in the first place. Try stuff you don’t like again, every so often, because tastebuds change and you may just find yourself suddenly loving that which you didn’t like originally. Seriously – be open minded. There’s a reason somewhere, people love what you hate. Food is enjoyed and savored in countries across the world, there isn’t one whole country or culture anywhere that completely views eating only as a necessity and not to be enjoyed. Try to find something new you like every day – it might be a challenge but what a fun one!

Best corny tourist attraction that you secretly love?
Central Park.

Best place to dine late night?
Anywhere in the East Village for a quick snack, or a diner in Queens for something more sit-down and drunken.

Last cultural thing that you did (movie, museum, theatre, etc…)
In the past month: cheese & wine tastings and classes; press events for various food-related items; the last baseball game at Shea Stadium; Target Free Friday nights at the MoMA.

Strangest/Coolest NY experience you have ever had?
Walking from Central Park starting at midnight, down to the Brooklyn Bridge and standing at the midway point, trying to watch the sunrise, on a chilly August night.

Best area or neighborhood for fine food on a budget?
Hmmm that depends on what you mean by “fine.” If you just mean good, then Queens, I would say Jackson Heights has a lot of good, inexpensive options depending on what your tastebuds like, though I haven’t fully explored the area yet. If you mean slightly upscale/trendy, that’s a harder call, but I think Forest Hills offers a lot in the way of options, though I’m still feeling out a few places to try to get a better idea of what they’re about. There are some solid options that I’ve stumbled on and seem to be very promising, while other places are surely best forgotten. Stay tuned…

Best way to spot a food trend?
Really, just keep your eyes peeled and tuned to the scene: go out and eat a lot, and often, at all the latest places, and keep up to date on the blogs and other online foodie information sources. I’m not that into trendy eating, so something has to be fairly obvious before I notice it…

Final Thoughts?
The most important thing, I think, is to never take yourself or your food too seriously, or it loses its fun. Just have fun and if it tastes good, eat it. If it doesn’t, be polite about it. NEVER say “EWWW” to anyone else’s food – that is the rudest thing a person can say to anyone. Just accept that not everything is for you, and move on… there is no need to insult other people or their food choices. Food is deeply personal, just like religion and politics. Seriously though – just have fun!

feistyfoodie.blogspot.com

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1 Comment

  • By Niko – 04-24-09 at 2:32 pm

    The Fiesty Foodie, unlike most bloggers (like myself) can actually write! She is also (like myself) not a transplant but a born and bred native New Yorker so her advice can be taken serriously. Feisty, if you ever need to get into MOMA free just let know.

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