Even New Jersey can't ruin a sunset

Where your MetroCard money goes

I took my first ride on a new R160 subway train today. Unlike most of the new trains (which are on the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and L lines), this was an N train, a welcome sight for many riders I'm sure. Overall, I would give the cars high marks, as the FIND system is a good upgrade over the previous electronic maps. However, I would still say that I prefer the maps on the cars in Hong Kong.

Petanque in the Park

A fun afternoon with the family on Friday, as we squared off in a game of Petanque (aka Boules) in Bryant Park. For the record, Dad and I won. Also, I came up with a marketing slogan if my Mom follows through on her idea to promote Petanque among women: You Don't Need Balls to Play Boules. These guys from La Boule New Yorkaise are nice enough to set up four courts every day (Monday-Friday from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM) for free. And unlike in France, where the old men are too intimidating to approach for a game, it's a little easier here. So if anyone wants to meet up with me and play during lunch time, let me know.

Lower Feast Side

This afternoon I discovered this wonderful Sunday street festival (all summer long) and ate myself silly for free while enjoying a great neighborhood atmosphere on Broome Street (between Orchard and Allen). My favorite part was interacting with Jeffrey, from Jeffrey's on Essex (a wonderful butcher shop normally in Essex Street Market). He is a 4th generation butcher, a first-rate New Yorker, and he knows his cuts of meat, even offering up things like rattlesnake and emu at the shop. On the street I got to try out a ton of nicely marinated Hanger steak, along with a delicious lamb chop. The pizza and bruschetta from Isabella's Oven were also nice. Check this place out if you have a chance over the rest of the summer. I know that I'll be back.

Manchu Wok re-born

So according to Midtown Lunch, Manchu Wok is back in business! Sadly, it will be with new owners though, so I'm not sure if you'll get to be called "young man" anymore...

My lip gloss be poppin'

Turns out that some people I know aren't quite as up on the music scene as I am. So, lemme drop this video on y'all. It is the ultimate pop rap song for kids. Brilliant.

Eat Richly!

Huge news out of the Berger Cave (aka my bedroom)! After a ton of Ctrl+T, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Tab, and many other keyboard shortcut operations, Phase One of the restaurant guide re-design is complete. Please enjoy my new web site, www.eatrichly.com. The maps are the best part probably. Also, please give me comments about design, structure, typos, and all that. Suggestions for improvements are encouraged.

Phase Two will begin soon. After it is complete, each restaurant will have its own post on Eat Richly: The Blog. Phase Three will involve me correcting all my mistakes.

Water Wars Heat Up

Last week, Beneficent Allah, ever the tastemaker, dropped this bit of aquatic knowledge on us, "I only drink Evian now. I've abandoned Fiji to the gays." Ever since then, my Gay-dar has been on high alert for signs of Feej. Now I hate to play the Isiah Washington role here, and we hardly have much evidence, but this photo that my crack staff of paparazzi snapped of Dan is highly suspicious...

Whatever happens, know that I love you unconditionally, bro.

A Good Day

Who cares if it's Friday the 13th...The Wire is the featured article on Wikipedia today.

Update

Sorry I haven't blogged for awhile. I've been busy with some stuff. There is some major blog news on the horizon (seriously), hopefully I will be able to post about it by early next week. In the meantime, I just played an extremely competitive game of Wii Tennis with my Mom. I won, but the game went to four deuces!

A Class Act

Al is a poker hero again, even without winning. The old Al might have written this for the kid:

Always trust Adan.
He's the best sandwich maker.
Or try #3.

Early Bird Special

Throughout my life, I've generally had a bit of a problem with getting places on time. I have been better about this in recent years, but I still make mistakes periodically. In the last couple of months though, as I have had numerous meetings and interviews, I have been playing things safe and have started showing up very early (15-20 minutes) for most of these events. If I'm supposed to meet someone at 11:00 AM, being there at 10:40 AM is sort of rude, right? But standing around outside and taking walks by myself until at least 10:50 AM feels sort of awkward too.

As if you needed more...

Here, dear readers, are the pictures from my most recent escapades. Enjoy.

If it didn't end well

Check out this "Ex-Boyfriend" knife holder (interestingly, it was being sold at a store targeted at gay men, who are even cattier than women scorned it seems):

Clerks

People who worked at video stores used to be cool (see Tarantino, Quentin), but do these people know what they are involved in these days? Are they self-aware? Their stores must constantly be on the verge of going out of business. Video stores are dinosaurs that are being destroyed by the meteor that is Netflix. The most interesting question might be if these clerks have Netflix accounts. What do you think?

Children of Blogs

Yesterday afternoon, I was watching a 4-year-old have the time of her little life. It got me thinking about what she was thinking about. At that moment, her thoughts were probably simple but seemingly important to her. But, despite the fact that she is in her so-called formative years, she will remember NOTHING of it. However, I bet that she could type...so my thought is that when I have kids, I'm gonna get them blogging as soon as they can type. That way, by the time they are in college, they will have an unbelievable history of their thought processes as they grew up.

Food on the Street

After a required romp through Flushing's Chinatown today, right before I got on the subway home, I noticed a restaurant selling Peking Duck through a window on the street. For 75 cents, I could get a little bun with a piece of duck, some scallions, and plum sauce. Naturally, I scooped up one of these tasty suckers right away. And it got me thinking that a cart with these would do dynamite business in midtown. Am I wrong dude?

Say it ain't so young man

My beloved Manchu Wok is no more! Where will I be able to get overpriced mediocre Chinese food (and get called a young man) in Midtown now?