9/11

Last Friday, I found out that the company where I used to work in New York had just gone through a second round of layoffs. This time, a former immediate colleague of mine was given the boot. We used to keep in touch constantly right after I left especially during the December CFA days, which we both failed.

During lunch break, sometime last year, we talked about 9/11 and I was surprised to discover a previous work experience of his. He had stints at smaller hedge funds before joining our former company including one at had an office on the 80-something floor of one of the World Trade Center towers. He told me the story how he was slightly late for work on that fateful Tuesday morning. Had he came in earlier, he said he could have been stuck inside the elevator when the airplane struck. He became a witness to a tragedy that included desperate office workers who chose death by jumping off from the buildings instead of death by fire. He was reluctant to talk more about it although I was pressing for details.

Here are some photographs of the WTC site which I had taken from the PATH train station situated right inside Ground Zero. The photos within these photos are lined against the wall of the station. The site continues to evolve. When I was there in December 2003, you could still tell that it was a site of collapsed buildings once. In May 2007, it looked like any other construction site.





I wish JY well in these tough times. Hopefully he'll secure a job somewhere else soon.

Layoffs

We received an internal memo informing that layoffs will be carried out this week. The firm has a solid reputation on the street but nevertheless, this is an entire economy on a downturn - not a particular company not a sector. I am blessed to not be affected but the experience was a first and very surreal for me. I no longer see colleagues' names that were there on the company's directory last week. I saw empty desks as I walked around the floor. Teams were called to conference rooms and briefed by their MDs.

Wall Street layoff/firing typically goes like this:

- HR calls you to a conference room
- They tell you that you have to be let go and the severance pay that you'll get
- You can't get back to your desk. Not even to pick your jacket or personal belongings.

Moving on

I've done arguably the boldest thing in my life today.

Brother left for the UK after spending a month in NYC with me. Feel sad.

Newcomers Adjust, Eventually, to New York (NYTimes)

I find some truth in this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/nyregion/27arrival.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Look Who's in Town

Two Sundays ago, I came to me that my brother's rent in Aber for the next five weeks of doing nothing would cost more than a return flight to New York. So I bought him a ticket to fly in on this past Sunday.

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.

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.

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.