Hot Dog Stand and Leafblowers.

Carneys on Sunset Blvd

Pinks on La Brea.

I was walking around Ealing the other day and I fancied a hot dog. Do you think I could find one? Of course not; there was a Maccy D's a load of Polish cafes and the usual terrible coffee shops like Costa selling their insipid dreaded Americano for about $3 – maybe more. £2.50 in UK money I paid the other day in one of those places.

So nowhere can you find street food – it has to come here; but when? In New York and Los Angeles street food is the best food you can buy. I wrote a post about the wonderful street food in Venice when all or most of the street food vendors go to Venice on a certain Friday each month and sell their food.

Here have a look at it - http://storytelleronamazon.blogspot.com/2011/05/roach-coach-night-in-venice-california.html

When I used to ride around on a motor bike, more years ago than I care to remember, there were hot dog stands all over the place. We could buy fleur de lis pies, hot dogs, roast chestnuts and the like at the side of the street; now they have been replaced by chains of coffee places so come on lets get with it.

London was here before Los Angeles and New York and the food is as good here as anywhere no matter what an American might say who hasn't even been here.

There is a big financial opportunity in Los Angeles when it comes to street food; prospective owners can get bank loans to buy a vehicle then they choose what kind of food they want to sell and sell it; as simple as that. The food trucks go to a certain place in LA, each day, fill up and go out.

If you want to know where the best street food is you go on Twitter and all is revealed. Of course there are permanent hot dog stand too in Los Angeles as above; they don't like the movable ones.

We have just moved to Eastcote; it's in Middlesex but capably served by the tube; I can be in Baker Street within half an hour so it's ideal.

One thing about Los Angeles which I was reminded of this morning was the infernal, noisy, dangerous bloody leaf blower. There were various movements to try to get them banned and propositions put to the vote. I think at one time they were banned but it didn't work.

We kind of didn't push things with them as they were largely used by Latino gardeners who would use them the whole year around – not just for leaves but dust and debris.

So what do I see this morning – a leaf blower opposite and a leaf blower next door.

It looks hilarious after seeing the poor Mexican wearing a mask whilst operating them and then see a couple of middle class middle aged men with their trendy leaf blowers blowing leaves all over the place; blowing them into next door or the middle of the road or anywhere where the man with the giant leaf blower – the 'man' upstairs – blows them back.