Can we have a Happy in my neighborhood? (New England mill town) That veggie/mezze plate with a big hunk of feta(?) in the middle looks wonderful. I would go even if the waitstaff were surly. I'm fine with surly or crusty, as long as they have some personality and don't slide into malevolence.
I've traveled some (more than most Americans and less than those who travel seriously). Yeah, America has some pathologically weird ideas about food and community. I share your gripe about sugar in weird places (although I don't get the side effects that you get). And agree about the virtues of public transportation in terms of maintaining public health. I almost feel guilty for finding so much to agree with in your writing. Perhaps I'll head off to more challenging reaches of the innertubes for awhile and then come back here to recharge.
Yes, try a Reddit thread about childless cat ladies perhaps, for a palate cleanser?
I wish I had a Happy in my neighborhood right smack in Brooklyn. You can get delicious food in Brooklyn, of any kind imaginable, sure, and if you're a health lunatic, you can easily eat vegan and vegetarian, even with take-out because there are so many Thai, Indian, Ethiopian places etc. The thing, though, is, you can set out on a blurry weekend morning, just looking to get a bagel and a coffee, and before you know it you've spent $19.
I love the feel of classic New York diners. I like writing in them actually, and sometimes I crave tuna melts. But the food is criminally poor quality and criminally expensive. A soggy piece of bread slathered in tuna with a slice of American cheese and a pile of fries can easily hit over $20.
On top of that, I eat like a shrimp and so cannot handle the insane portion sizes. I nibble, pay $20, and hope I can find a homeless person to give the leftovers to so it doesn't go in the trash. The more I think about it US food culture is insane. And, not just the "hicks" in "flyover country."
You can find the BEST food in New York, from all over the world, but who can afford it? A falafel at a street cart is, frankly, not a luxury a young kid from the projects can afford.
*The only downside to a Happy is that if you're dining alone and you whip out your computer to work, people look at you like you've pulled a severed head out of your bag.
The paradox of our national achievements is stark: while we have largely succeeded in reducing tobacco smoking, we have yet to make significant strides in addressing the crisis of poor nutrition and the pervasive influence of highly processed foods. In my personal experience, during a period of financial hardship, I found that maintaining a healthful diet was only feasible by frequenting salad bars—of which there were a mere three in a city of 500,000. This required the use of scarce and costly fuel, as I lacked access to refrigeration for storing perishable items such as leafy greens. It was only through the clear understanding between my healthcare providers and myself that adherence to this diet was a matter of life or death that I was compelled to take these measures. It is critical to acknowledge that many individuals struggling with obesity are aware of the detrimental effects of processed foods, yet the lack of accessible, healthier options limits their ability to make positive dietary choices. My advantage was the knowledge that recovery was possible and the presence of hope—a factor that is often absent in those with little expectation for the future. The interplay of income inequality, corporate consolidation, and the rise of hopelessness in the United States, exacerbated by the policies of the Republican Party, has created a self-reinforcing cycle that perpetuates these challenges.
It's all environment. It really is. The water you swim in. I exercise and eat healthy, because I have the privilege of access to healthy food and places where it's fun and pleasant to exercise, and also, I naturally enjoy these things—it has 0 to do with self-discipline or self-control. As anyone who's been to a bar with me would readily tell you, I have neither of these.
I didn't get into it because the post was too long and also, I have no idea what it would look like policy-wise. But we tend to focus on the big things: health care, income inequality, drug policy, etc, as we should. But it'd be cool if we also looked at "small" daily things that make life better for people. The Highline in New York didn't solve everything, but it's a nice place to walk. Things like that.
Be careful! You’re starting to suggest behavioral economic interventions. Which I adore, I’m just trying to figure out how to do away with (typically white supremacist) paternalism that imbues virtually everyone one of their ideas. The high line is great, so too are easily accessible bikes and bike lanes—though I don’t know if NYC’s program qualifies given how many people die every year in traffic accidents.
Can we have a Happy in my neighborhood? (New England mill town) That veggie/mezze plate with a big hunk of feta(?) in the middle looks wonderful. I would go even if the waitstaff were surly. I'm fine with surly or crusty, as long as they have some personality and don't slide into malevolence.
I've traveled some (more than most Americans and less than those who travel seriously). Yeah, America has some pathologically weird ideas about food and community. I share your gripe about sugar in weird places (although I don't get the side effects that you get). And agree about the virtues of public transportation in terms of maintaining public health. I almost feel guilty for finding so much to agree with in your writing. Perhaps I'll head off to more challenging reaches of the innertubes for awhile and then come back here to recharge.
Yes, try a Reddit thread about childless cat ladies perhaps, for a palate cleanser?
I wish I had a Happy in my neighborhood right smack in Brooklyn. You can get delicious food in Brooklyn, of any kind imaginable, sure, and if you're a health lunatic, you can easily eat vegan and vegetarian, even with take-out because there are so many Thai, Indian, Ethiopian places etc. The thing, though, is, you can set out on a blurry weekend morning, just looking to get a bagel and a coffee, and before you know it you've spent $19.
I love the feel of classic New York diners. I like writing in them actually, and sometimes I crave tuna melts. But the food is criminally poor quality and criminally expensive. A soggy piece of bread slathered in tuna with a slice of American cheese and a pile of fries can easily hit over $20.
On top of that, I eat like a shrimp and so cannot handle the insane portion sizes. I nibble, pay $20, and hope I can find a homeless person to give the leftovers to so it doesn't go in the trash. The more I think about it US food culture is insane. And, not just the "hicks" in "flyover country."
You can find the BEST food in New York, from all over the world, but who can afford it? A falafel at a street cart is, frankly, not a luxury a young kid from the projects can afford.
*The only downside to a Happy is that if you're dining alone and you whip out your computer to work, people look at you like you've pulled a severed head out of your bag.
The paradox of our national achievements is stark: while we have largely succeeded in reducing tobacco smoking, we have yet to make significant strides in addressing the crisis of poor nutrition and the pervasive influence of highly processed foods. In my personal experience, during a period of financial hardship, I found that maintaining a healthful diet was only feasible by frequenting salad bars—of which there were a mere three in a city of 500,000. This required the use of scarce and costly fuel, as I lacked access to refrigeration for storing perishable items such as leafy greens. It was only through the clear understanding between my healthcare providers and myself that adherence to this diet was a matter of life or death that I was compelled to take these measures. It is critical to acknowledge that many individuals struggling with obesity are aware of the detrimental effects of processed foods, yet the lack of accessible, healthier options limits their ability to make positive dietary choices. My advantage was the knowledge that recovery was possible and the presence of hope—a factor that is often absent in those with little expectation for the future. The interplay of income inequality, corporate consolidation, and the rise of hopelessness in the United States, exacerbated by the policies of the Republican Party, has created a self-reinforcing cycle that perpetuates these challenges.
It's all environment. It really is. The water you swim in. I exercise and eat healthy, because I have the privilege of access to healthy food and places where it's fun and pleasant to exercise, and also, I naturally enjoy these things—it has 0 to do with self-discipline or self-control. As anyone who's been to a bar with me would readily tell you, I have neither of these.
I didn't get into it because the post was too long and also, I have no idea what it would look like policy-wise. But we tend to focus on the big things: health care, income inequality, drug policy, etc, as we should. But it'd be cool if we also looked at "small" daily things that make life better for people. The Highline in New York didn't solve everything, but it's a nice place to walk. Things like that.
Be careful! You’re starting to suggest behavioral economic interventions. Which I adore, I’m just trying to figure out how to do away with (typically white supremacist) paternalism that imbues virtually everyone one of their ideas. The high line is great, so too are easily accessible bikes and bike lanes—though I don’t know if NYC’s program qualifies given how many people die every year in traffic accidents.