NYC: AN END TO 2016 AND STRONG START TO 2017

January 15, 2017

Surprise! I’ve never been to NYC. They say NYC is the “American version of Tokyo,” which is why I considered moving to NYC without even being here, and I’m extremely glad that I’ve visited. Out of all places I’ve traveled, this was the best vacation. I ate and drank an ungodly amount of food and drinks, walked at least 8 + miles every day, met some solid old and new friends/instagrammers, and also had my own solid time of solitude. Plus I slept like a fat baby.

2016 was hands down, the shittiest year of my life… was it yours too? I’m so relieved that I’ve made it to 2017. Although I’ve gotten fatter from NYC because I ate like a fat king who’s probably going to have major heart problems, I’m happier and stronger. Cheers to all of us and 2017 – a better, happier year of more opportunities and better friendships.

NYC HIGHLINE

Such a pleasant 1.45 mile long park to admire NYC’s skyline. We’ve all studied this through architecture at some point for landscape and furniture design inspiration.

My first 12 hours in NYC were quite disastrous. For dinner, I ate a lobster roll that my brother highly encouraged to try because I thought my lobster allergies were gone. On my walk back through Times Square a food delivery guy walked into me, dropping all his food down to the floor. I apologized and kept walking, but 2 blocks later, he demanded me to pay $28 and to cover the food. Stunned and hoping nothing worse would happen, I paid him $15 in cash because it’s also his responsibility as a food delivery man to get the food delivered safely and dodge me, right? Oh, then I was throwing up over the toilet from the lobster allergies until 2AM. Then on my way to brunch, a man was pushed into my train track… It only got exponentially better after this.

EN JAPANESE BRASSERIE

435 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014

I loved this restaurant so much that I ate here twice (dinner with my brother and his friends and lunch with my cousin) En Japanese Brasserie specializes in Kyoto cuisine with homemade silky tofu, sticky mochi, smooth miso cod, and blowfish sashimi. (yes, I did not die)  I love the interior ambience: the smooth leather seats, elegant menu, and soft background jazz / Ella Fitzgerald. This  comforting restaurant takes me back to Japan and adds a classy jazzy twist. We can easily spend 2 hours just lounging here. I highly recommend this restaurant for lunch/dinner.

FLATIRON, WORLD TRADER CENTER, 9/11 MEMORIAL, THE OCULUS

The Flatiron is a wedge situated architectural precedent that I’ve been studying for my current residential project in San Francisco…. and the 9/11 memorial was very emotional and leaves us all breathless. The oculus, a transportation hub and shopping center in the world trade center that cost a whopping $4 billion…opened this year.  I came to these sites three times as well for moments of reflection and solitude.

BLACK SEED BAGELS + MILE END DELI

Thanks to Addison O’Dea and Alex Ostroff, I was able to snap some photos of my first bagel and a few Canadian dishes. My first NYC bagel:  Smoked salmon with sliced beets and dill sandwiched between an everything bagel. As a food photographer, you have to avoid customers and for me it required me to wake up and come by 7AM.

(L) Poutine is this Canadian dish that consists of french fries with thick gravy and gooey cheese curds. But Mile End brought it up another level by adding beef chunks… imagine having this at 8AM…. Probably the deadliest/heaviest/amazing breakfast I’ve ever had.

(R) Latkes are Jewish potato pancakes that are traditionally served during the Hanukkah festival. The word latke, derived from Russian / Ukranians, simply means patch, but it’s still typically referred to as the potato pancake dish.

The MET and MOMA have such a crazy extensive collection of arts. I think I spent at least 2-3 hours in each. I highly recommend both.

DESSERTS AT DOMINIQUE ANSEL BAKERY, LADY M CAKE BOUTIQUE, 7 POINTS ESPRESSO, AND THE GOOD BATCH.

Alright. That’s it for now… Bring it on, 2017!