A.D.D.

OMG is everyone as excited as me to watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey REUNION episode tonite?!?!?! I hope Teresa bites the horse nose off Danielle's face and someone slips a roofie in Dina's drink so she turns into the slut she really is!!!!!!

OK so I have a lot going on in my head today (which usually doesn't happen) and I figured what's a blog if you don't share with the Internet blogosphere things that they don't really want to read??!!??!!!


Topic 1. OK so did anyone else realize that Day 26 is actually the hodge podge group of boys that P Diddy was desperately try to form into a music group in Making the Band 3 and 4!??!? Because I totally missed that. Also, remind yourself to never Google-image "Day 26" because you are bound to see a picture of the inside of a cervix until Day 26 (the band) becomes more popular....

Anyways - not gonna lie, while watching Making the Band 3 and then falling off the bandwagon during Making the Band 4 - I didn't think P Diddy's band was going to make it far into the public spectrum. I'm especially proud of them because in their song "Imma Put it on Her" they mention TAIWAN!!!!!! I think this is the first time my home country has been mentioned in a hip hop/R&B song before!! I'm not a fan of their other All-4-One-esque tracks...but BIG UPS.


Topic 2. I rolled to Atlanta (where the players play) this past weekend. Below are my findings.

THE BEST THREE THINGS TO COME FROM THE SOUTH:


1. CHICK-FIL-A PEACH MILKSHAKES!!!!!!


2. FIRE FLY SWEET TEA VODKA!!!!!! Pure bliss in a bottle. Mix with a little lemonade and you have yourself a surprisingly strong beverage with seemingly no trace of alcohol.


Enjoying some sweet tea and lemonade vodkas with my sweet southern gals :o)

Photograph taken by Tanvi
Tanvi's camera is sooooo much better than mine.

3. WAFFLE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!! (Please note police activity in the background) OK, so you must all be super surprised but I have never been to the Waffle House until this weekend!!!! I made it a promise to myself that the next time (one of my first times) in the South, I would finally enter the ultimate diner. New Jersey, STEP ASIDE.


Is it sad that the only reason I wanted to go out was because I knew that AFTER THE PARTY IS THE WAFFLE HOUSE!?!? From the above picture, I am wondering why no one has yet thought to combine a club with a Waffle House??!? Grits, biscuits, scrambled eggs with tomato, and a DJ sounds like my new favorite club.


And the next best thing to come from the Waffle House - the check. Really, you don't need to get new contacts. That entire dish was a mere $3.79.

Topic 3. Speaking of new contacts - apparently I am an OPTOMETRIST now!!! Last week was the first time I used 1-800-CONTACTS. When you order contacts on 1-800-CONTACTS, you pick the type and prescription contacts that you want. I self-diagnosed myself as needing a new prescription and kind of guessed a new, stronger prescription for myself. You also provide them with the name and number of your optometrist so that they can confirm your prescription. I ordered the new prescription and then called my optometrist and asked them if this was OK. Of course they said it was NOT OK and that if I wanted a new prescription I would have to come in for an appointment - URGH. Who has time for that nowadays!?!?! So I told them that I screwed up my 1-800-CONTACTS order and that they would have to provide the correct prescription when they called. They said that was OK and these "mistakes" happened all the time

What did I find when I opened my box of contacts delivered from 1-800-CONTACTS today!?!?! Uhm HOW ABOUT the prescription that I had ORIGINALLY requested. MUAUAHAHAAHAHA - take that Mr. Optometrist!!!! Except now I'm scared that I actually ordered myself a bit too strong of a prescription....but maybe that means I will have SUPER-VISION now.

Peace out, A-town.

TAKE TWO.

This past Sunday happened to be the Puerto Rican festival in Manhattan. Which somehow made "escaping" to Newark for the Portuguese festival seem a little bit more enticing.

The day had already started off on a bad note because getting to Newark involves the PATH train - which just so happens to also be my MOST UNFAVORITE MODE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. It took us nearly an hour and a half to get to Newark...and when we got there we were greeted by hoards of slow-moving, half-naked, drunk amblers on the streets. WELCOME TO NEW JERSEY. Okay, so if you can get over the fact that lots of random people will be brushing all up on you, grabbing you, and whispering in your ear...then you might start to be able to loosen up and have a little fun.


Especially if you immediately begin sipping sangria - which basically covered the streets of Newark and was stored in huge tubs. Not so appetizing.


But when it is being handed out by girls like this...I guess most people don't mind.


Ate some food. Drank some sangria and caipirinhas. And danced a whole lot.


After suffering another PATH train ride back to the city, we stopped by Ditch Plains for dinner. I have been wanting to go to Ditch Plains to try their lobster roll for the past few months. But guess what dish they ran out of by the time we got there. THE LOBSTER ROLL. UARHSJENGH I was extremely ticked off but there were so many other things on the menu that I soon forgot why I was mad in the first place. For those of you who are carnivores, try their famous Ditch Dog - which is two hotdogs in a bun topped with a heaping pile of macaroni and cheese.


Oh. Good god. Little (expensive) pot of macaroni and cheese. Look at that gooey cheesiness. Loved the subtle flavors and breaking through that crispy, slightly burnt top layer.


I also ordered the fish tacos which LOOKED really appealing, but actually tasted extremely bland. Even the sauce was pretty much flavorless. Give me a little kick, anything. This was kind of an ongoing theme at the restaurant. When they initially set down your food, you are dumbfounded in amazement. But the flavor fails to match the presentation.



For dessert was the smores (yummmmmerrrzzz) and red velvet cupcake (also yummmerrzz - although the cupcake professors I was dining with all happened to dislike the cupcake).


In order to make up for my not having satisfied my lobster roll craving YESTERDAY, I decided to go to Mary's Fish Camp today!! Some of you might have heard of my previous romp to Mary's BITCH Camp...but today the host (same host as last time) was actually quite pleasant and we were seated within 30 minutes.


Began with the P.E.I. mussels with fennel and coriander. So delicious we couldn't help but sop up the remainder of the sauce with our bread.


And VOILAAAAAA the famous LOBSTER ROLL!!!!!!!! OMG it was so good, I wanted another one immediately after I was finished. This has got to be one of the best lobster rolls I have had in the city (I still think I love Ed's the best). I liked the fact that they didn't use celery, which I don't think enhances the flavor of lobster. The whole roll had an overall sweet taste, the bread was perfect, great chunks of lobster, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wish it was the size of a Subway foot-long.

YAMA-KING ME CRY.

Is it just me or is everyone I know moving out of New York?? AKA leaving me with nothing else to do except sit in my apartment cutting myself??

Note to everyone: STOP MOVING.


This lovely lady is leaving me for the sun and sand of South Beach in Miami. Although I'll miss our dinners together, I will at least have one more excuse to find myself in Miami throughout the upcoming year.


Please also note new Alexander McQueen scarf with LOBSTERS and SKULLS hanging on my neck. You know how much I love lobster. "It's one of my interests on Facebook."


Dinner was at Yama, 49th street location. Pretty good, flavorful sushi at a reasonable price. If you are a sushi snob, do not come here. If you are planning on taking a date here, be prepared to never be called back because the rolls are SO BIG that you either take a normal sized bite and have the remainder of the roll fall apart on your plate (a very indelicate look) OR stuff the entire piece into your mouth (and risk the need for the Heimlich maneuver...so maybe you should take a date here....).



Also, PS - speaking of sushi - what did everyone think of the SUSHI DRESS That Katy Perry wore during her performance in the MTV Music Video Awards in Japan!?!?!?! I think it is GENIUS.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.

The above Proenza Schouler slinkback sandals are the reason I was trapped in Bloomingdales last night, half an hour after stores closed. They would not remove themselves from my feet. So I had no other choice. Look at that heel, what a killer.

BK RENEGADE.

Sunday was the day that the Renegade Craft Fair took over Williamsburg. If you love websites like Etsy, think you understand the hipster style, love owls, and want to give money to artists/crafters rather than Urban Outfitters (U.O. - I still love you), this was where you needed to be on Sunday. Except you would have probably seen me running from stand to stand like a maniac screaming about robots, cupcakes, squids, and plexiglass.

It was also interesting to see the actual artists at each stand, some of which I have blogged about in the past!!! Like Erica Weiner!! Great to be able to finally support her without having to pay for shipping and handling!

Got this AMAZING necklace for a friend for his birthday. JON IF YOU ARE READING THIS BLOG, AVERT YOUR EYES, X OUT OF THIS PAGE, AND BLOCK THIS WEBSITE FROM YOUR INTERNET BROWSER.

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OK, I hope by now Jon isn't looking...

Check out this sweet harmonica necklace!!!! Is this a Jewish thing?!!? I had no idea..until I just read the description online..."Named for our favorite Jew from Hibbing, Minnesota. This tiny (1-3/8" long) Hohner harmonica has 4 single holes, 8 reeds, and plays a full octave in the key of C."


And I was finally able to get the handcuff necklace I have been dreaming of for about a year!!! I also REALLY REALLY want this gold letterpress necklace. Really want it. HINT. EVERYONE.


So delighted to find a few new cute pillows to add to my owl pillow collection!!! I LOVE pillows (especially decorative ones that have no use for anything except being ADORABLE) and have a ridiculous pile of pillows atop my bed. The two red-colored pillows with owls (farthest left in the forefront, and the farthest right) are from SlappHappie. I absolutely LOVE the one that has the owl with his head turned to the side because that is an owl pose that is rarely translated into art/crafts/etc.


And how could I be in Williamsburg without FINALLY going to the restaurant EGG. I have been talking about going to Egg for their famous brunch since I moved to the city. But who wants to traverse to Williamsburg hungover and starving on a Sunday morning??? THANK GOD Egg serves breakfast all day so that I could experience their highly acclaimed brunch items!!! And OOOOOMMMMMGGGGGGG, was their Eggs Rothko the most amazing thing I have ever eaten or not?!?!?! It is an easy-cooked egg magically covering a slice of Amy's brioche toast (YUMMM, AMY'S BREAD) topped with Grafton cheddar. Heavenly fluffy, gooey, runny deliciousness in every bite. Really.


And if the day couldn't end any better, it did. With vegan icecream from Penny Licks!!! Spoiled by a day of goodies and treats. Sigh.

WEEKEND TRIP ADVISORY.

OH HAI friends, I cannot believe it is already JUNE. I know it is now 9 days into June, but honestly I am FLOORED. This month marks the beginning of my THIRD YEAR in New York!!!! And yet, I still find myself discovering, exploring, falling in love all over again with this city.

Now that it is officially SUMMER, it is time to start hitting the beach to work on that TAN!!!! For those that cannot afford the $89 air brushing service at Color Tanning, there are other ways to get that shade you desire! For a mere $19, you can purchase a round way trip on the LIRR and a beach pass to LONG BEACH!!!! Pack some alcohol, some snacks, a towel, and some ball-like object and you will be set for the rest of the day.


This is how every day should be spent. The sand at Long Beach is super clean and soft! This is the way one should enjoy the sand.


This is NOT the way one should enjoy the sand. Yes. That is me. As a mermaid. Buried in the sand. Help.


Oh, LIRR. You bring us to so many wonderful places. The Hamptons. Long Beach. What other wondrous destinations will this chariot traverse!?!??!?!

RAIN DON'T STOP ME.

If you don't work for a company that advocates the concept of "Summer Fridays" aka Leave-Work-at-1pm-on-Friday, then you should probably consider finding a new company to work for. Having the entire afternoon at your disposal is a beautiful feeling and allows more time for play-dates!!!!!

This past Friday involved mobbin' the LES with Choz-Trillionaire and crossing state borders to Jersey City.


After donning the appropriately ridiculous rain gear and grabbing a cup of coffee from Falai, it was time to head to My Plastic Heart, a small store in the LES that sells designer toys, art toys, urban vinyl toys, etc. Zipper pulls are totally the new IT accessory now. Especially ones that are COLLECTIBLE. You can't help wanting to buy one of every collection. Be prepared, however, to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder afterwards - there is a HIGH POSSIBILITY that you will end up NOT getting the keychain you anticipated being in the blind box. It is best to go with friends so that there is at least a chance of being able to trade.


For example, I decided to SPLURGE on a $5 keychain from the Yummy Breakfast series. I had my heart set on getting the banana (so I could give it to my banana-loving friend) OR the egg (because I LOVE EGGS). Unfortunately I got the RIDICULOUS stack of waffles with a smiley-face and a slice of butter as its nose. I was really unhappy at first. But now that I see it hanging on my Gucci wallet, it's not so bad.


I got a pink heart from the Things That Hurt zipper pull series, which I traded for a little corn with a smiley-face and dancing arms from the Let's Hang series. I also got an adorable little black ghost/squid zipper pull from the Friends With You Luckies series. Obviously, I immediately hung all of them on my jacket.

Next, the Choz and I made our way over to the New Museum. The Younger than Jesus exhibit encompassed a collection of 145 pieces from 50 artists under the age of 33 hailing from 25 different countries.


I was especially touched by one piece by Katerine Seda, hailing from the Czech Republic. For her piece It Doesn't Matter, Seda asked her late grandmother to draw as many items as she could remember from the her last 33 years running a home supplies store as a way to challenge the apathetic state of her grandmother's mind. It showed video footage of her grandmother fervently yet deliberately drawing out item after item with a black marker on large sheets of paper. After two years, she had produced over 500 different rendering - some of which were displayed in the museum.


I noticed another fun piece on the ground of another floor. It was a banana peel!! Apparently one of the artists requested that an employee of the museum eat a banana and discard the peel somewhere on the floor of the exhibit once a day as a somewhat-live exhibition. Clever, but slightly dangerous!!!


Afterwards we had a craving for Asian sandwiches - but to our surprise, Kampachua was CLOSED!!!!! So we had the next best thing - warm Italian flat bread sandwiches from Piada. I ordered a breakfast piada and also a tuna ciabatta.

The rain continued into the evening, but it did not stop me from tromping all the way to Jersey City for First Fridays. Looking for free entrance to art galleries, music, dancing, and alcohol taking over the streets of Jersey??? Be sure to check out this event next month. Even worth it in the rain. The commute back on the Path train, on the other hand, needs to die.

UP-ROAR.

I watched the latest Disney Pixar animated film Up this evening and I am going to begin by saying I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and thought it was absolutely beautifully animated, humorous, and touching.


My one problem was with the character, Russell - an 8-year-old "wilderness explorer" that ends up following the main character, Mr. Fredrickson, on his journey to Paradise Falls in South America. The character was annoying in both his behavior and demeanor. But beyond simply actions, the part that I was probably most distressed about was the fact that the character was ASIAN. Were there any other Asian-Americans out there who were totally offended by this character or am I just being crazy and over-analyzing this situation???

Let me tell you. Being an Asian-American child is no easy task. We have had a bad enough rap as it is, and I don't need a Disney movie portraying me or any other Asian-American child as some nerdy, socially-inept loser with no street skills and the owner of a GPS device. The fact that Russell had earned all of these "wilderness" badges (if you have not seen the movie - think Boy Scouts) and yet had never actually camped OUTDOORS is a low blow to the fact that many people consider Asian-Americans to only be book-smart and to only be handy with a graphing calculator. I might not be an Asian-American activist, but I have definitely been a victim of stereotypes and have suffered as a result. To the point where I had to pretend to not know the answer in class, to the point where I had to purposely answer incorrectly on exams, to the point where I had to pretend to ask questions and display incomprehension because I did not want to be under the umbrella stereotype that all Asians are complete nerds. It made me want to refuse education. And it certainly has affected my adult life and my overall awareness. But as I grow older, I have come to realize that there is nothing wrong with being a nerd. I was hoping that by today, the severity of these stereotypes would have dwindled and at least been partially eradicated so that Asian-Americans can be as freely genius or stupid as they want. Asian-Americans should not be judged by I.Q. levels. But unfortunately, I think this film was a step in the wrong direction.

And the bad parenting??? Asian father not being supportive of Wilderness Troupe and not showing up to graduation??? Maybe this is actually just hitting a bit close to home. But the realities of having first generation Asian-American parents are enough to deal with internally and really do not have to be addressed and faintly mocked in a Disney animated feature. Furthermore, the stereotype of Asian-American parents only wanting their children to sit at home to study is yet another myth that needs to be busted. While my parents DID place an emphasis on education, they were also very insistent in my participation in sports, music, and the arts.

I'm not saying that you didn't find me laughing my head off in the theater. But this issue was a constant underlying bother during the entire film. Would this film have been the same if the character of Russell was played by a Caucasian, Native American, Hispanic, or African American boy????? I'm curious to hear your opinion.

ACCESOR-ZIP!!!!!!!

OMG. Everyone please drop what you are doing and run to your nearest urban designer toyshop and find me one of these ADORABLE Kat Leuzinger Zipits zipper pulls!!!!!!!! I OBVIOUSLY WANT THE ONE IN THE SHAPE OF AN OWL!!!njsnegljksenglsneg

TIP: They come in blind boxes (so you won't know which one you get until you purchase it), so you are better off getting the entire sealed case of 36 to ensure that I GET MY HANDS on that owl. It's only $136. And I promise I will find 36 pieces of apparel with zippers to hang them on. Thanks!