Signs from the H1N1 (swine flu!) pandemic

I'm so looting this store now. Must find cure...

What becomes of Pork Village during the swine flu pandemic?

Back in December, the Times noted the following:

In the East Village, local cuisine is quickly whittling down to a single food: pig. With new pork-bun outlets and ramen shops, porchetta and hot dog specialists, plus bacon peanut brittle as a local bar snack (at The Redhead), the area is all bellied up.

On Tuesday, the Times had the following article titled "Pork Industry Fights Concerns Over Swine Flu." The lead: "The swine flu is producing global hesitation over eating pork."

The same article goes on the say:

Medical authorities say that people cannot contract the swine flu from eating properly cooked pork. There is no evidence so far that the people who are becoming sick were in contact with pigs. In fact, authorities are not even sure how susceptible pigs are to infection with the new flu.

Still, does pork sound good right now? One writer had this on his mind. At BlackBook.com, Ben Barna wrote a piece titled "Will Swine Flu Fears Affect New York’s Banh Mi Boom?"

He wrote:

Yesterday, amid fears of a global pandemic, I checked out the new East Village rendition of Baoguette — yet another entry in New York’s out-of-nowhere (but understandable) banh mi hysteria. But while normally I’d order their signature sandwich — a baguette stuffed with pork terrine, pate, and pulled pork, among other things — fears of sore throat, fever, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and possibly death overcame me. So I ordered the BBQ chicken. If swine flu paranoia is already stopping one New Yorker from porking out on a traditional banh mi, how long before the entire Saigon Sub industry feels the side effects of a possible pandemic?

Although he did go back the next day for the signature sandwich, he admitted.

Donning a mask, this intrepid reporter walked by Porchetta on Seventh Street (pictured, above, in a shot taken on another night) to see what was what. Three people were digging on swine inside. Another person was walking out with some pork to go.

To be continued....possibly.

For further reading:
Will Swine Flu Finally Kill the Pork-Belly Trend? (Grub Street)

P.S.
You no doubt already tested yourself to see whether you have swine flu.

P.S.S.
I'm wondering whether the business at Porky's may suffer too.

An EV Grieve PSA

(Via Buzzfeed)

You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you

From the Post today:

Going to college in New York City has never looked better. The city's 50 hottest college students -- vamping it up in steamy poses sure to distract even the most dedicated bookworm -- will soon appear on campus newsstands as a glossy magazine debuts May 4.

"We wanted to photograph interesting, hot people that make going to school in New York City so awesome," said Kane Sarhan, 22, a Pace University junior and publisher of the magazine, The College Gossip Chronicles, and its accompanying Website, thecgconline.com.

And the paper lets us meet a few of the 50:

Alex Casticas, 23

junior studying business administration at Fordham

Career Ambition: Working in biotechnology

Home: Switzerland

Sex Appeal: "My accent is what makes me stand out here," says Casticas, who admits he can play it up to seduce the ladies when he parties in SoHo or the Meatpacking District. He stays fit by doing martial arts, water-skiing and wakeboarding.

Ashton Fontana, 20 (pictured)

sophomore communications major at Fordham University

Home: Napa, California

Career Ambition: Fashion writer/magazine editor

Sex Appeal: "My Cali personality with my New York attitude. I know how to have a great time and look even greater doing it," says the beach beauty, who stays in shape by taking hip hop and lyrical dance classes.