Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Joe Ades - my all time favorite street vendor

I passed by a Halal vendor cart on Water Street yesterday and noticed sign it bore saying that it was a finalist for a 2007 Vendy award. Heck, I never knew there was such a thing - that led me this morning to the Street Vendor Project and browsing there I saw the article Don't Cry for Me and it's link out to New York Daily Photo's December 6, 2006 shot of Joe Ades. I find myself mentioning Joe Ades (but not by name - I didn't know his name until just now) to people all the time, and I'm amazed when I speak to long-time New Yorkers who've never seen him. I saw him last only a month ago, outside the courts downtown Brooklyn, near where I lock up 'ittle Bikey.

None of the pics there show the amazing star thing he sometimes does with carrots.

2 comments:

Fred Farkle said...

I used to see him on Nassau Street a few years ago during lunch hour, and bought 5 peelers. They are fantastic. I seem to recall a few of his lines:

"Only the Swiss can make a blade that never needs sharpening!"

"I'm not going to cheat you -- I've never been to prison and I don't want to go back again!"

(about vegetables:) "Cut 'em up this way, and kids will eat them like candy!"

Dante Oblimov said...

A couple of weeks ago I heard him pull out the old chestnut, "You can use it left handed, right handed, or - like a politician - underhanded."