A friend's last weekend in the USA

A friend of ours is returning home to Malaysia this Tuesday and the weekend was for her. We decided to step out of Manhattan and spend the Saturday in Flushing, an area in Queens which is mainly populated by Chinese people. Just like Stella and her yuppy expat friends in Hong Kong, the New Yorkers are also always in pursuit of good food.


Dim Sum in Flushing. The was variety but lack the quality compared to Jin Foong.






Cheap daytime Karaoke. $15 for 3pm - 8pm.

New IKEA in Brooklyn

The new Ikea store opened in Brooklyn last Wednesday with very much anticipation from New Yorkers. I had to look for the bolts for my bed which were lost during the move. Ikea has a FREE water taxi service that ferries shoppers from Wall Street to its water front store in Brooklyn. This is the smartest way to view downtown manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Come during the late afternoon and return during sunset.

Another thing we all like about Ikea is its fancy yet cheap food.


Salmon salad $4.99


Swedish meatballs $4.99


Swedish Dessert Sampler $1.49


So naturally, I overate.

Photo Albums from May Vacation

May Vacation 2008

iPhone Photos from May 2008 Vacation

New Apartment

I took these photos right after getting the keys to our new Stuyesant Town apartment. Since it's in quite a mess right now, I'd like to share how it was like when the place was still immaculate.

Chikalicious

I have been waiting for a long time to visit this famous dessert bar located 4 blocks down where I live. Chika is the Japanese pastry chef who runs the place. Perhaps her male assistant is called licious. I went there on a Sunday afternoon when it was empty. This bar has a 4-person party size limit and there's always a line at night.

The menu differs every day. For a prix fixe price of $12, you get a 3-course dessert "meal" where you get to choose the second course. The serving size is small but they were prepared elegantly in front of you by Chika herself. Add another $7 and you'll get the a glass of fortified wine selected to be paired with your main dessert.

One to note is the music being played. I asked the host for the title. It's actually a compilation of jazz pieces mainly from John Coltrane's rehearsal thus not available out there for purchase.

Such restaurants inspires one someday - a small kolok/kampua bar like ramen bars. It won't be a messy kitchen greased by lard.

Chika preparing my dessert - I have no recollection of the what the name was.

On Being Vulgar

I realized that everytime my computer goes slow on me, I'll blurt out "Come on, bitch!". So you can say that a computer is a female.

Brunch at Blathazar, New York

It's a French bistro located near Spring St. Food was okay but the bread basket was good. Took us a reservation made 3 weeks earlier and an hour-long wait to get tables.

Blessed be those groups of friends with more than 4 people for they will be find restaurants that will seat them easily.

SMK Bintulu Revisited

My brother and I was out in town working on various errands when we decided to drop by in our old school. The last time I was back here was when I was soliciting for recommendation letters from my teachers. I don't think I have been back since the new principal took over.

It was during the school holidays so no students were in sight except for the marching band practicing. The school now has a new computer lab building located between blocks B and C. The old canteen is now the second teacher's office. The new canteen is now between the transition block and the lower secondary science labs.

Once in a while, I'll dream of being back in school wearing a school uniform and waiting for class to start even when form 5 was 7 years back. I do not miss SMK Bintulu as much as Carnegie Mellon.

College was the best time of my life. I've not been back to Pittsburgh for a year. I should do soon.

Kayan Wedding

Uma Juman, Asap, Belaga

Ironically, I did not take the photos of my newly-wed cousins.

More of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Stella looking at her world outside.

A very comfortable bed. The hotel brands it as the "blissful" bed.

E-mail Posting

Test

--
Crispin

Vacation May 2008

Where?
Hong Kong, KL, Bintulu, Sibu, Asap and Miri

Highlights?

• A bottle of really good tuak slipped from my hand the night before I left for NY. The broken glasses cut a deep gash near my right toe which got me 8 stitches.
  
• Attended a funeral (ngesah ka urang parai) where I contributed to the carving of the number 8 (for 2008) on the victim's temporary wooden cross. The last time I was back I was around for a relative's funeral as well.
• Made two overnight stopovers in Hong Kong. Met up with Stella and made shirts. The awesomeness of the island got me contemplating of moving here.
  

Photos from my 2-week vacation.

Avoiding Stalkers

Moving to http://myworldoutside.blogspot.com