Friday, February 29, 2008

Snow Day at Central Park

The evening news is reporting a snow storm approaching the city late tonight. So in anticipation of the storm, here is a photo of Central Park covered in snow. This photo was taken a couple months ago after a huge snow storm.

Aside from snow angels and snow men, what else can you do with snow on the floor?

N.B.: My friend, Brien showed me this YouTube video on Frozen Grand Central Station. It is an awesome stunt. Check it out!

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Parking Garage

This type of outdoor parking garage is quite common in the city where space is a premium. To maximize the number of cars stored in the area, there are elevated parking spaces that are meant for longer term parking while short term parking are located on the street level.

So how many cars do you have? What kind of car do you drive?

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Korean BBQ & Wine Bar

This new Korean BBQ and wine bar on 32nd Street between 5th and Madison Avenue, otherwise known as Koreatown, has an interesting structural design for its wall. It definitely caught my attention and I had to stop to take some photos. I also love the subtle colors from the back lit bar inside the restaurant.

So how has your week been so far?

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Tables & Chairs

These tables and chairs are located at Bryant Park behind the New York City Public Library where many locals and tourists alike come to relax and enjoy the scenery or simply to access the free wi-fi connections available here. During the winter season, the park is converted into an ice skating rink and twice a year, giant tents are erected to host the New York Fashion Week.

Even though this is one of the more beautiful parks in the city, I rarely come here because it is not on my regular commuting route or near any place where I would normally shop or eat dinner.

Do you have a favorite park near your city? How often do you visit it?

Monday, February 25, 2008

Brooklyn Bridge After A Snow Storm II

Apparently, we weren't the only crazy ones to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge during a snow storm on Friday afternoon. After having the right side of our faces frozen by the howling wind, we stopped in at Ferrara in Little Italy for some cappuccino (me), hot chocolate (Carl & Emeline) and cookies.

So what is your favorite way to stay warm during a cold winter's day?

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Brooklyn Bridge After A Snow Storm

We had a huge snow storm on Friday morning and as a result, my office was closed. So a couple of out-of-town friends and I decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Why you ask? Because we could! This photo was taken as we got on the bridge from Brooklyn Heights. You can see the skyline of Manhattan in the background.

So what was the craziest thing you ever did during a snow storm?

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Chinese Chess

I saw these old men playing Chinese chess at the Columbus Park in Chinatown last weekend. It resembles Western chess but is played on a different type of board. I remember playing this when I was a kid but I don't know how to play it now.

What kind of board games did you play as a kid?

Friday, February 22, 2008

Steam & Taxi

I thought this was a perfect New York City scene because of the steam coming off the pipe from beneath the street and the yellow cab driving by. The steam is a result of warm air from the underground shafts meeting the cold air above ground. The pipe was installed to help reduce pressure build-up underground, which can cause the manhole covers to explode up in the air and create serious damages.

No question today.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Thorn in Lion's Paw

This statue of a lion is one of two giant structures that sits in front of the New York City Public Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. Instead of taking the regular head-on shot or side profile of the lion, I decided to take the photo from beneath the pedestal it was sitting on. When I got home and looked at the photo, it reminded me of the fairy tale of the lion with a thorn in his paw.

So what is your favorite fairy tale?

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Filipino Dinner

Last Friday, I stopped in Woodside, Queens for a taste of some Filipino cuisine. Woodside, which is located on Roosevelt Avenue between 51st and 69th Street, has one of the largest Filipino populations in New York City and home to some wonderful ethnic restaurants.

This photo shows a giant appetizer of sweet potato fries with shrimp (left) and a wonderful tamarind stew of veggies and meat (right). The stew is served with rice.

So have you had Filipino cuisine before? What is the oddest food you've ever eaten?

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Sunset in Queens

I took this photo when I was waiting for the bus to go home a couple weeks ago. The sky, for some reason, turned the most brilliant colors that day and it stretched for miles.

So how was your weekend?

Monday, February 18, 2008

The Savoy in SoHo

I have read wonderful things about The Savoy in London and dreamed of enjoying high tea there one day. In the meantime, I will have to content myself with drinking tea at The Savoy in SoHo.

So do you have a place you want to go for lunch that isn't necessarily convenient right now?

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Fashionable Bike

This photo was taken a couple weeks ago during New York Fashion Week. It was one of a number of bikes that have been spray painted in neon orange and parked all over the city. What ai love about this one is that someone added a fringed scarf around the handle. How cute is that?

Do you remember your first bike?

Saturday, February 16, 2008

These Little Piggies Went Wee Wee Wee...

I saw this delivery truck parked on the curb in Chinatown where dozens of restaurants line the street. Kitchen staff from different restaurants as well as a few of the delivery truck guys began to unload the merchandises and if you look closely enough, you will notice that the little suckling pigs were hung in the back of the truck.

So what is your your type of meat and how do you like it cooked?

Friday, February 15, 2008

Mid-Month Theme: Subway Day

It's February 15, which means we are having another mid-month subway day. This photo was taken awhile ago and it shows the #7 train (above ground subway) from Flushing, Queens approaching the 40th Street Stataion enroute to Times Square, Manhattan.

Subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:

Please stop by the other sites and say HI.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day

This photo of a rose bouquet was taken sometime last summer when the weather was warn and beautiful. So here's wishing everyone a great Valentine's Day.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Hastens Mattress

Hasten, the Swedish maker of luxurious mattresses, opened its first free standing store in NYC recently. The store, located in the middle of trendy SoHo, sells mattresses that are all hand stitched, using all-natural materials like horse hair, cotton and wool. It also has a 25-year warrantee but prices start at $4,475.

I wonder if our Swedish friends/bloggers all have Hasten mattresses. What about you?

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Chinatown Street Scene

This photo was taken two weekends ago when I was in Chinatown to meet my friends for brunch. The street was especially busy because it was a couple of days before the Lunar New Year. After brunch, we went to see Mama Mia, the Broadway show that is based on songs by the Swedish pop group, ABBA.

So who is your favorite singer? Who have you been listening to lately?

Monday, February 11, 2008

Apple Store in SoHo

The first Apple Store in NYC was this SoHo branch. Architecturally, it is a beautiful store. But I remember feeling a little queasy navigating the translucent staircase for the first time because I have a mild fear of height. The newer stores have similar designs and the staircases are supposedly even more transparent than this one.

So do you have a phobia?

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Windows in SoHo

This new mural was being installed when I took a photo of it in SoHo a couple days ago. The workers, who are below the photo and out of sight, were putting final touches on it.

So how many real windows do you see?

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Artist In Training

I was in SoHo yesterday afternoon for an appointment and I came upon this young fellow doing a chalk drawing outside a retail store next to the Sunrise Mart on Broome Street and West Broadway. The last time I saw such an elaborate chalk drawing on the street was in Paris, outside the Louvre.

So when was the last time you saw a chalk drawing?

Friday, February 8, 2008

Godivas & Lindts

Look what I've got on my kitchen table? Two big boxes of Godiva's chocolates, two boxes of Lindt's chocolate truffles and a can of Godiva's hot chocolate. They are gifts from my friends for the Lunar New Year and my birthday, which was a couple weeks ago. I also received a few magazine subscriptions from my brother.

So who wants to come over and help me eat the chocolates? What kind of gifts did you receive at your last birthday?

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Tangerines for the Lunar New Year

Today is the Lunar New Year and one of the traditional practices is offering friends even number of tangerines with stems and leaves still on them.

Since I cannot offer you REAL tangerines, here is my digital gift to all you readers out there. May the Year of the Rat bring you and your love ones plenty of good health and happiness.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Red Hair Is The New Black

This beautiful lady was handing out free stockings to guests at the New York Fashion Week. When I asked for permission to take her photo, she graciously posed for me. And NO, I didn't get a free pair of stockings.

So do you know anyone with red hair?

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

The Sartorialist 2008

So guess who I saw at the New York Fashion Week on Sunday afternoon? It was Scott Schuman or The Sartorialist. He was gracious enough to let me take his photo. And he has a really nice camera with him.

So what kind of camera do you have? How long have you had it?

Monday, February 4, 2008

New York Fashion Week vs. Super Bowl

New York Fashion Week is here again. The twice annual event at Bryant Park showcases the latest fashion by over 100 designers for Fall 2008. Here is a photo of the entrance to the show tents.

I apologize for the tardiness of today's post. After spending the afternoon shooting photos outside the tents of New York Fashion Week followed by a Super Bowl party in Brooklyn, I finally got home after midnight. When I tried to post a photo, blogspot was acting up so I gave up and went to bed instead.

So if you had to choice of attending the New York Fashion Week at Bryant Park or the Super Bowl game in Arizona, which would you pick?

Sunday, February 3, 2008

New Apple Store in Chelsea

This photo was taken at the new and third Apple Store in New York City. Located in Chelsea, on 14th Street and 10th Avenue just north of the Meatpacking District, the store is one of the many new arrivals in this recently gentrified neighborhood. The staircase structure is made of plexiglass (I think) giving it that floating imagary as shoppers navigate from the one floor to another.

So what are you doing this weekend?

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Old Police Station

This magnificent looking building, on the corner of Centre and Grand Street, used to be the city's police headquarters. Now it is a luxury co-op building with a 24-hour doorman service.

Fenix of Bostonscapes Daily Photo found a website with more information of the building.

Have a good weekend.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Theme Photo: When People Think Of My City...

When people think of my city, they think of Times Square and the lights, the shopping and the crowds. This photo was taken about two years ago at around 9 PM in the evening during the Christmas holiday season.

This month, 135 daily photo bloggers are participating in the theme photo. Here are their sites: Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA