Every day in New York City, there are countless stories competing for attention. Some make national headlines, while others are tucked away in neighborhood bakeries, music venues, convention halls, and local events that many people never hear about. At the same time, the entertainment and political worlds are constantly changing, creating conversations that extend far beyond the city itself.
I’ve always enjoyed finding those stories and often felt I had a lot to say about them. After earning my bachelor’s degree in journalism, I spent some time away from writing regularly, but am now returning my focus and creating a place where I can bring together my interests and share a Brooklyn perspective on the stories, events, and culture that catch my attention.
That’s what The Hendog Take is.
This isn’t intended to be a traditional news website or a highly specialized blog devoted to a single topic. Instead, it’s a personal publication where I’ll share reporting, reviews, commentary, and observations on the things I find most interesting—from cookies and limited-edition snacks to EDM festivals, New York Comic Con, television, movies, local events, and issues shaping New York City and the world beyond it.
Some articles will be lighthearted reviews of desserts or concerts. Others will take a deeper look at current events or public policy. The common thread is simple: if I think it’s worth exploring and discussing, you’ll probably find it here.
So before the first reviews, festival recaps, and opinion pieces begin, I wanted to introduce both myself and the vision for this site—and explain what readers can expect from each section of The Hendog Take.
Food & Snacks
This section covers new, limited, or exclusive food items with a general focus on snacks and desserts, from chains like Crumbl and Insomnia Cookies to more local spots only found in New York City. Other snacks will also be discussed, such as limited edition flavors of Oreos or Mountain Dew. To be clear about a few points, while I’m not a particularly picky eater, there are some snacks and types of desserts I won’t be interested in; for example, I’m not a fan of cheese in desserts, so things like cheesecake or cookies with cream cheese frosting will be skipped. I’m also not really into pistachio and therefore the whole Dubai chocolate craze (although I have enjoyed some of the Dubai-style chocolates with ingredients other than pistachio, such as the angel hair cotton candy). Additionally, I am over 5 years sober as of June 8th, 2026, so alcoholic beverages won’t be covered either.
Music & Festivals
My passion for music began to take shape in middle school, when I discovered how much I loved rock and metal music, with bands like Linkin Park and Iron Maiden quickly becoming favorites. In high school, I began diving into the EDM scene, which was in its early stages of popularization at the time. I started with mostly bass music like dubstep and drum & bass, eventually branching out to other genres under the EDM umbrella including all types of house and trance. I wasn’t old enough to attend most events until I reached college, when I found myself regularly going to live events and clubs sometimes two to three times a week. In 2017, I spent time reviewing music for an EDM/hip-hop blog called Trapstyle, although they unfortunately no longer exist. Here I will talk about my experiences at live events and festivals, as well as review new and noteworthy music releases.
Entertainment & Pop Culture
A lot takes place in the entertainment industry, and there are many TV shows and movie franchises that I work to keep up with. I’m big on superhero shows and movies from the MCU and DCU, but follow all sorts of genres from drama and thriller to sci-fi and fantasy. I will be discussing my takes and thoughts, particularly on moments that led to controversy or divided fanbases. Additionally, as a yearly attendee of New York Comic Con for over a decade, I will go into detail on highlights from the convention each year.
NYC Events
In recent years, there have been a lot of exclusive pop-ups and local events taking place in the city. Here, I’ll talk about ones that caught my eye, and details on what to expect, from events only on for a limited time to permanent staples of the city that I’m checking out for the first time.
Politics & Issues
The world is a very complicated place, and though much of this blog is lighthearted, I feel certain issues, from NYC to the rest of the country to the world, are very important to address and talk about. I will offer analysis and commentary on news, from overviews to deep dives.
Looking Ahead
The first few articles on The Hendog Take are already in the works, including a look at public transit in America, reviews of local cookie shops and limited-edition snacks, and coverage of the We Belong Here festival in Brooklyn, with my thoughts on the final seasons of The Boys and Euphoria coming soon as well. Thanks for stopping by, and welcome to The Hendog Take.
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