Yeah, I made up that festival name. I just needed a juicy, flavoured name in order to accompany my pictures, video and hunger (which I have in me as I write these lines).
"Are you a blogger?"
I went on the old Boulevard of my city, in order to feel the crazy tastes I knew these guys were going to bring since hour no. 1, on Thursday afternoon. They were not open in their vast majority so I tried whatever was open and willing to serve me something.
Smoke rising, flavours floating
They were totally busy, some trying to get their smokers fired up, while others were still having troubles with the electrical power intake. This kind of festivals is using diesel generators to provide electricity to the food trucks if you can believe it. I really don't know if this is a practice in general or only in my city, run by an idiot who came into position after another idiot. Maybe this is the case here, as we don't really have a place specially conceived to take in different stalls that would need power.
el Patron needs it to be WIDE OPEN
The question in the under title above ("Are you a blogger?") came as soon as I hit the cashier with my card in my hand. Having a dumb smile on my face that would translate to "Shut up and take my money!", I was ready to hand over my card to the guy taking the orders on my favourite burger truck around. He saw my camera hanging on my neck, he probably connected something in his head because it was the early stage of the festival and he popped the question.
Of course, I said "Yes!".
That, together with the fact that there was no POS connection yet, have brought me a free Royal Cheese. Delicious as ever.
el Patron burger - not my favourite, but still a really tasty concoction
The fact that I also knew some people from other trucks, including the guys making coffee at the "Coffee Bike", brought me also a great double espresso; free of charge of course. I'm a blogger after all :)
Every day, during that weekend, I've made a tradition to go back and eat (lunch and dinner) and though at first, I've re-tested the burgers in their almost vast numbers, I've taken my time to stop also on the squids being served by "The Drunken Squid" as popcorn in cardboard hats. The fact that the guys needed power in order to fry the squids didn't help with the line of people waiting to pick up their goods. As I've told you before, they had to rely on generators, which were constantly failing (probably due to the heat).
The Drunken Squid and the way too happy rabbit
Sure as hell I didn't neglect the deserts. Two are special for me (still waiting for a third truck to take me away with another mind-blowing desert): the waffles and the cannoli. Two different food trucks, both of them specialised on one of the two but both of them spectacular when it comes to delivering the tastiest of the products.
Cannoli by Zobuian...a miracle food truck where money transform into sweets
Strawberry, banana and a lot of Nutella of course...the WAFFLES
Not a lot of places to have a refreshment with the exception of the people below, machines that made lemonades. A very cool way of fundraising: they were raising money for a children hospital in Bucharest and the lemonades were practically donations. You could donate whatever amount you wanted to (not less than 10 lei/lemonade) and get to take a very good beverage that was much needed on that heat. They were also the only ones around selling that kind of refreshment so it was always a queue of people waiting to take the lemonade and donate.
The Lemonade Donation stand
There were also the very nice cases of the prosecco vans. A very nice idea that you can rent for your event. I loved this. Together with the very beautiful ladies serving the wine, this is a very cool idea to put in practice at a wedding or any kind of reception. Together with the beautiful ladies, of course. Still ice cold on that torrid day but with a touch of alcohol.
The prosecco motoretto
Bringing the city to life
I have to tell you. I haven't seen the old boulevard of my city so alive for a full 3 days since I don't know when. If I may think aloud, I guess I have never seen it so alive. I'm sure that there were people coming even from 30-40 kilometres away, from all the towns around. At a certain point on Saturday, it was close to impossible to cross the Boulevard from one truck to another.
the packed boulevard
What was even nicer was the fact that some of my friends were wrong: people were eating and consuming things. They were not only throwing their eyeballs around and considered going out of the house, just to look. It's almost impossible anyway, with all the groovy smells tempting you around and the coloured food that was showing you the porn 24/7. Even if you left the flat with the money for a pack of cigarettes, you would still use it for food instead of those damn things. On Thursday I met some people I know, almost ready to swear that they will not make money in Ploiești. Well, I'm happy to see it the other way around because I'm sure that at least during the evenings, there was a shitload of cash to be made.
Take it up with lemon
During the afternoons, there was a chill sensation, with all the lazy chairs lying around, waiting for you to stay on them. I think it was for the first time I saw the Boulevard, with its park on both of its sides, as a place to just hang out while having a coffee and something sweet. In the evening, the crazy pedestrian traffic was starting and the concerts were taking place. Each evening there was another pretty big name in Romania. Not the usual, bullshit, traditional music and 3 etno dance groups from Ploiești just participating. Nope! This time it was good music all the way around. Even during the day, the playlist (and the overall feeling) reminded me of UNTOLD Festival.
I also took some videos which I've made up into a small montage showing a little the mood of those days.
Hey guys, if you're reading this, please make this a regular - 2, 3 times per year at least, so the lazy bones of the oilmen in Ploiești can enjoy good food and quality time.