“Day to day, they struggle to do business against a host of challenges: byzantine city codes and regulations on street vending, exorbitant fines for small violations (like setting up an inch too close to the curb) and the occasional rage of brick-and-mortar businesses or residents. Not to mention the weather, the whims of transit and foot traffic, and the trials of standing for hours, often alone, with no real shelter or private space.” The NYT provides an interesting backstory on a group of people who are a integral part of the story of NYC: A Day in the Life of a Food Vendor. (This story is best read with the smell of grilling onions and peppers in the background.)