Sweet

©Hidemi Takagi

© Kevin C. Downs

These last couple of months in NY has been lots of catching up with old friends, eating lots of my favorite foods, seeing art, and some nice walking around. Three photographer friends took my portrait recently- wow! I almost felt like the most popular photographer around for a short spell. I've also had the opportunity to meet and talk to new people. One of the sweetest souls I met recently was photographer Abigail Smithson. She asked me out to tea and we spent hours talking about photography, travel and life. Much of it is on her blog The Photographer Discloses. It's very much in conversation format so it's not too formal sounding and I like that. I also like the thoughtful title she gave the conversation North, South, East, and Queens.

Tiny World

Legos, Stockholm, Sweden.

It's been a while since my Breathing In project with Ann.  I'm working on posting a portion of it on the new website.

We just watched Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture. Her sense of humor is great and her depiction of her generation of 20 somethings is spot on in many ways. I can't help but admire her parents' loft in that "I can't believe you live there" NY real estate envy sort of way. Looking forward to trying her tv series Girls.

Trick or Eat

I spent the first part of Halloween at the Jackson Heights Halloween Parade watching all the kids walk down 37th Ave. in the cutest costumes. Some of their parents were quite creative as well. The second part of the day was spent in Elmhurst going from restaurant to restaurant for Trick or Eat. It was a brilliant event organized by Jeffrey Tastes. It was a fun event and I got to try some places that I have not been to and would definitely go back to again for a full meal. Elmhurst is a gem in the rough for great food in New York City.

Ayada

This NYTimes review on Ayada made me reconsider the restaurant and go back. Service and food have improved since the first two tries a year or so ago. The place was packed, and had an interesting international crowd. I was wondering how Elmhurst had suddenly became so chic. I had drunken noodles with beef and it was fiery. Go for mild if you cannot take the heat! Geoff ordered a pork dish that had fresh tumeric in it, which was a first for both of us. That was a great touch though both dishes could have gone a tad easier on the salt. It is a different taste from Chao Thai so we've decided that we will now switch on and off between the two places.

Thanks for the link Crystal!

Thunder and Lightening

The rain pouring outside my window reminded me to upload my two cents worth of photos from last Thursday's tornado devastation in Queens. These were taken around the corner from my sister's place in Briarwood though plenty of trees fell in my own neighborhood. One block had three trees in a row that were struck by lightening. It was a humbling feeling, to hear the roar of the thunder and to see the skies darken and pour.

The Lobster Roll

This is the perfect summer story. Can't wait to meet the lobster guy come August.

Year of the Tiger

Happy Chinese New Year. It's the year of the Tiger, and my mom is turning 60. She's an amazing force who raised my sister and I without my father's help. She gave up her personal needs in order to provide for us. When we got older, and were less, um, needy, she set her own priorities. This past December, she finished her last grad school class and got her masters. She is one relieved and happy woman. It's been a hard journey for her and she feels truly free (she calls me up and invites us over to dinner all the time now). And really this whole path while not without struggle was made only possible by moving to America.

We were lucky enough to come to America in the 80's on a plane, not on a boat. I'll elaborate on this story another time. I was recently lent an amazing book titled, Snakehead, written by Patrick Radden Keefe, about the human smuggling trade. In particular, it speaks about the wave of Chinese from Fujian province to New York in the 80's. There are many twists and turns in the book that made me think about our past and the struggles of immigrants. My head has been wrapped around these journeys, hardships for a while now, and I hope to address it with my work in the near future. It's an important subject for me, so I will share more in the future.

And a happy valentines day to my darling, Ross, and to you, my dear friends.

The NYPL holiday party

It doesn't feel quite like Christmas time to me yet, I don't know if it's the odd weather or just that I've been so engrossed in renovations I haven't had a chance to think about it. I was invited to attend the New York Public Library's annual holiday open house party with my favorite little girls which made me get into the spirit of it all. Camile and Juiszelle, by the way, aren't so little any more (they will soon be taller than me). We had a blast attending the magic/ juggling show. They obviously enjoyed the face painting part, the multiple sword balloons they got and used to battle Ned (their neighbor), plus all the cookies and punch they wanted. The crafts tables were excellent as well. I really enjoyed seeing Mr. Scrooge, Mother Goose, Dorothy, the people walking around on stilts, and the Library completed decorated! To get invited, all you have to do is become a NYPL member. Totally worth it, especially if you have kids.

NYPL holiday party, originally uploaded by plumandlion.

My little shooting star, originally uploaded by plumandlion.

The other funky little star, originally uploaded by plumandlion.

Making Snowflakes, originally uploaded by plumandlion.

I had never seen this "modern" part of the building before. I love the staircase.

NYPL stairs, originally uploaded by plumandlion.

Musical entertainment, originally uploaded by plumandlion.

For Kia

This morning I said good-bye to my friend Kia from H.S. She was a beautiful person with a great smile. Sometimes life is really short, but Kia really brightened it up. The service was held at Saint John the Divine, where Kia worked. Paul Winter, the artist in residence at the Cathedral, performed and it was sooo touching. It was an amazing service and it reminded me of how special growing up in NY really is, the people you meet and the diversity of life here. We went to LaGuardia together and we're all still a closely knit group. Kia, we're all going to miss you.

Year end warmth

Here are some end of the year snapshots I wanted to share with you. I hope you had a wonderful time with your family and friends and all the best in the new year.

Some handmade ornaments.



The tree and the ice skaters at Rock Center.


The window displays on Fifth Ave.



Clyde was really excited about his gifts.



Ringing in the New Year with a blast at the Pratt Steam Engine Whistle Fest.

Apple picking

We've had the fortune of having a mild October so far and this weekend was no exception. The skies were bright blue and the leaves were changing. On Saturday I went apple picking with some friends at Wilkens Farm, on the Taconic Parkway. It's just about an hour north of NYC, so it's super easy to get to. We enjoyed an afternoon of taste testing apples as we we picked them, all the while breathing in the fragrantly fresh air. At the end of the day, we stood in line back at the farm store, as we waited for the fresh apple cider donuts and hot cider. These donuts were certainly worth the wait as they were hot, fresh, and absolutely delicious. I'm sorry I don't have a photo, my camera battery died. I had 3, so you have to trust me that they were that good because I never eat donuts. The cider was tart and perfect as the air around us cooled down at the end of the day. It was a really fun day.













Here's Lisa with a branch mustache.

A Pool in Queens- did someone hear my prayers?

I've been lamenting about the lack of pools in Queens for-like-ever. Now there is a brand new one! A super duper one opened up in Flushing Meadows Park last Friday. There's a write up in the NYTimes. There is just not enough parks and recreational space in Queens, and while Flushing Meadows is huge, it is quite over used. There isn't much free lawn space when you go there on the weekends. This is a huge step in the right direction, I have hope for my borough!

(Chester Higgins for the NYTimes)

Open House New York

Coming up this Saturday and Sunday is Open House New York, when architectural sites that are generally not open to the public swing their doors open to visitors. It's super fun and interesting but beware of the long lines!

Dia: Beacon

On Sunday I took another trip with Mom to Dia: Beacon. Dia:Beacon is a museum for Dia Art Foundation's renowned collection of art from the 1960s to the present. It's located along the Hudson River in Beacon, NY, about an hour and a half north of Grand Central . Located in a former factory, the ceilings are high, there is lots of daylight shining in, and the collection is amazing. It was our first visit. I have to say that it was a totally easy get-away from the city and well worth it. We walked around town for a bit afterwards but were't too entertained. There was an excellent ice cream parlor where Mom got an amazing scoop of pistachio ice cream.

New York's very own Chinatown

Good thing we have a Chinatown here in New York. Although it doesn't come close to my favorite foods in Asia, it helps curb my cravings. The above are desserts from a HK chain that specializes in mango goodness. Here's an article from the NYtimes that dishes out places to experience dim sum in the city.

Jellyfish fireworks

I went to the Macy's fourth of July fireworks on the East River in NYC, watched from a friend's rooftop in Brooklyn Heights. The new jellyfish fireworks were the best! The danced and skimmed on the surface of the water.