Say the words vegetarian and smoothie and think of…Ireland? Sure. Dublin is particularly famous for its soy, bananas and mangos. Well, maybe not, but for Irish immigrant Eugene, these heart-friendly foods have become his means to get him back to Dublin.
For the past two years, Eugene has sold smoothies from a cart on Astor Place between Fourth Avenue and Lafayette Street in the East Village. And while it has not always been the main profession in his life, recently he has decided to make the sale of smoothies, veggie burgers and veggie chicken wraps a steady business in order to earn enough to go home.
Lately Eugene has tired of New York because of “various reasons” and wants to return back to Ireland. However he has to stay to take care of his two children. His smoothies range from $3.50-$6.00 and do not always bring in steady money. “This business is weather dependent,” Eugene says. Especially now, fewer and fewer people are looking for ice-cold beverages. As a solution, Eugene recently started selling homemade soups like minestrone and corn chowder, in order to attract a winter crowd
From the land of lamb, fish, beef and potatoes, it is unusual to see a health-conscious Irishman. But Eugene has been a vegetarian for the past 30 years, due to religious reasons. At 19, he became a monk and traveled to India and America for preaching and missionary work. He arrived in New York 25 years ago and stayed. Since then, he has given up his monastic lifestyle, married and had two children, a daughter and son ages 16 and 12. But he still firmly believes in Eastern philosophy and has devoted his life to vegetarianism. In fact, to the outside of his cramped cart, he has taped a series of quotes from people like Linda McCartney, Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci, all praising the benefits of being a vegetarian. In a neighborhood like the East Village, with over thirty purely vegetarian restaurants, Eugene fits right in.
While once the number of Irish-born immigrants in New York was overwhelming, today, according to the 2000 census that number has dropped to less than 1 percent. During the 1990s, Ireland experienced what is known as the Celtic Tiger, a period of substantial economic growth. However, that success has taken an immediate plunge similar to the United States’. But for Eugene, it is better to be taking a hit at home than abroad.
For now, you can still find a fresh smoothie, delicious vegetarian food, and an interesting story from the Irish guy in the cart at Astor Place.
2 comments:
What impressed me most about Eugene is his discipline and sensibility. The fact that he continues his business, which is weather dependent, in order to provide for his children restores my hope that given the current economic catastrophe we will somehow manage to get through. Thank you Eugene!
The smoothie selling vendor was once a monk! So random and so interesting!
Post a Comment