Cruelty Free Life

Bonsai is a traditional Chinese art of training trees and shrubs into miniaturized version of adult plants. Tree species like maple, pine and elm are regularly pruned to stunt the growth and shape their foliage. Then wires are used to produce pronounced bends and curves in the brunches and trunks to mimic the appearance of age and growth.

This photo was taken on a street in Chinatown. The vendor had a cart full of bonsai trees in different sizes and shapes. Some of the bonsais are about the size of a cupcake while others are larger.

Do you find this practice barbaric or do you think it is an acceptable way to produce an aesthetically attractive plant?

Junior's Cheesecake

Almost everyone who has tasted Junior's cheesecake says it is the best cheesecake in world. The company, started by Harry Rosen, began as a humble diner in downtown Brooklyn in 1929. The name of the diner was changed to Junior's in 1950 after Harry's children, Walter and Marvin, took over the business. Today, Junior's is a successful mail order business selling cheesecakes and other pastries, in addition to its original diner in Brooklyn and two new restaurants in Times Square and Grand Central Station.

When I used to work in downtown Brooklyn, I would occasionally stop by the original Junior's diner to get some cheesecakes and coffee. The diner, in my opinion, has lost much of its appeal due to poor customer service and mediocre food, but the cheesecake is still king. I have not been to the other two Junior's restaurants in Times Square or Grand Central Station but I hear the food and service are better there.

During holiday seasons, it is not uncommon to see a line of people at the diner and restaurants. especially at the take-out bakery section. It seems like everyone is there to buy a cheesecake (or two) for their families or friends.

So do you have a favorite dessert?

The Namesake

Last year, I read an interesting collection of essays by award winning author, Jhumpur Lahiri called, Interpreter of Maladies. The author also wrote a wonderful novel called, The Namesake that was made into a movie earlier this year.

I saw the movie recently and loved it. The story revolves around a young Indian immigrant and his wife in New York City (in the early 1970's) and the subsequent struggles of their children as 1st generation Indian-Americans (in the 1990s) who had to reconcile their identities and culture in this country. If you want to watch a movie this weekend, this is a good one to see.

So what movies have you seen lately?

Dumpster Dive

This was what I saw behind the library on my way home this evening - a dumpster filled with old books, magazines, journals and microfilms that were leftover from yesterday's free giveaways. And now they are all wet from the rain.

I understand most libraries have to clear out old book shelves to open up floor space for computer terminals and other electronic information systems. I mean, most information are now available electronically and they do not take up as much physical space as books and microfilms. Nonetheless, it is a shame to see them all thrown away like that.

I still remember my father's treasured encyclopedia set from when I was a kid. There were over 15 volumes and they took up a whole shelf in our family room. Any time we had a question, we would turn to the encyclopedia for answers. Now, I use wikipedia.com and Merrian-Webster.com instead of the paper versions. I even read my news on NYTimes.com and CNN.com.

So do you still read the old newspapers everyday?

Free Books, Free Books, Come And Get It

On my way to a meeting this afternoon, I saw tables after tables of free books lined up in front of the library. Apparently, the library was giving away some of its old books to make room for new ones. There were also a lot of old magazines and journals stalked up on top of more tables on the side. I did not have a change to peruse through the stalks but I did stop to take a few photos.

Have you read any interesting books lately? Do you have any recommendations? The last books I read were Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris and I Feel Bad For My Neck by Nora Ephron.

Chinatown Souvenirs

These little statues of Buddha are some of the souvenirs that are commonly sold in Chinatown. Other popular souvenirs include I ♥ NYC t-shirts, key chains and baseball caps.

What souvenirs do you usually buy when you visit a new city?

Mange Al Fresco

The weather this weekend was absolutely gorgeous; we had 75˚F (24˚C) temperature, low humidity and plenty of sunshine. It was our first warm weekend of the season and everyone was outside enjoying the weather, including me. One of the most thrilling things about warm Spring weather in NYC is al fresco dining. Few restaurants have outdoor seatings but those that do, are always packed with a hungry crowd.

This photo, taken outside of Cipriani Downtown, shows the waiter spooning freshly cooked pasta onto individual serving plates for the diners at the table. Cipriani Downtown is one of the most popular and expensive restaurants in one of the most popular and expensive neighborhoods (SoHo) in Manhattan. Most of the diners, I assume, are wealthy European expatriates who can afford $25 for a plate of pasta. But then again, it only costs them €18.

Happy Earth Day

Today is Earth Day so I guess it is appropriate to talk about TIME Magazine's 51 Things We Can Do to Save the Environment, which I read about on Belinda of Bel's Fish Bowl blog. According to the magazine article, everyone of us can do a little bit to reduce carbon dioxide emission and consequently, slow down the rate of global warming on Earth.

Using public transportation (bus or subway) or walking and biking are two of the items listed in the magazine because transportation accounts for 30% of all carbon dioxide emission. Unfortunately, it is not always practical especially if you do not live in an urban city.

Other ways to reduce carbon dioxide emission include paying your bills online and signing up for e-notification, using energy saving compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL), washing the laundry in warm water instead of hot and washing one big load instead of multiple small loads, opening the window instead of switching on the air-conditioner, and eating less meat products.

So what are you doing to protect Mother Earth for our future generations?

Brooklyn Heights Vista

This is the skyline of the most expensive real estate properties in Brooklyn, otherwise known as Brooklyn Heights. The photo was taken from South Street Seaport on the lower east side of Manhattan.

A one-bedroom co-op apartment here goes for about $475,000 while a one-family townhouse can cost over $8,000,000. Despite the exorbitant prices, they are considered affordable compared to how much it costs to live in some desirable neighborhoods in Manhattan.

The only places where real estate is more expensive than New York City are London and Tokyo.

Making A Mountain Out Of A Mole Hill

Central Park has a variety of terrains including this rocky hill that overlooks the Upper East Side. Some of these hills can be 20 feet high and end with a steep drop onto the ground below. I have seen people sitting on top of these hills but I can never figure out how they get up there.

Since I'm not an adventurous climber, I have never tried to get up on the hills myself. To see some photos of someone trying to climb down from the rock, click here.

When I go to Central Park, I usually take a leisurely walk around or rent a bicycle at the Boathouse Restaurant parking lot.

Reflections

This photo was taken in front of the General Motors (GM) Building between 58th and 59th Street, and 5th Avenue, otherwise known as Central Park Southeast. The vertical lines on the top half of the photo are marble pillars or columns that hold up the three-storey tall lobby entrance. The smooth surface on the bottom half is actually a highly polish marble bench located on the promenade of the building. This photo was taken late in the evening, which make the lights and reflection so clear and visible. Here is another view of the lobby entrance to the GM Building.

Central Park Southeast boasts an enviable list of well-known attractions including the Apple Cube Store (you can see the GM Building in the background), the Statue of Victory, and the Statue of Pomona, the Plaza Hotel (now known as the Plaza Residence, and the Bergdorf Goodman Departmental Store.

Spring, Where Have You Been?

After a weekend of soaking rain and heavy wind that cause severe flooding and numerous train interruptions, I am ready for spring weather to arrive. I want to see sun shine and clear blue skies. I want to see flowers and green leaves. I want to see people jogging in the park.

These photos were taken one afternoon three weekends ago at the Green Market in Union Square. Hopefully, they will appease the Gods who will then grace us with beautiful spring weather for the rest of the season.

Which is flower or greenery is favorite?

Central Park: Benches III

I hope you guys are not tired of looking at park benches yet. I promise, this is the last one of the series for a long time. These benches are probably the newest batch in Central Park. Notice how they are ergonomically designed to support the backs of the sitters as they sit down to relax.

Older benches, like the ones I posted yesterday do not have any backings and are probably not as comfortable as these newer ones. I wasn't even thinking about comfort factor when I took these photos until Belinda of Perth, Australia and Angela of Nice (France) Daily Photo mentioned it. Thanks ladies, for alerting me to the issue.

The twin towers in the background are the new Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, which is located at the south west corner of Central Park.

Central Park: Benches II

Here is a photo of another type of benches found at Central Park. These are older and less aesthetically decorative, although just as beautiful. They are made of untreated (unpainted) wood planks secured together by steel bolts and simply decorated with wronght iron works.

Central Park: Benches

Central Park encompasses over 843 acres (3.41 sq km) of public space and stretches over 2.5 miles (4 km) long and 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide. The park was created in 1853 based on the same concept of public space as the Bois de Boulogne in Paris and the Hyde Park in London. Today is it one of the most beloved and expensive piece of land in New York City.

This photo was taken at the lower east sector of the Central Park. There are probably miles of benches scattered all over the park for visitors to sit and enjoy the outdoors.

Apartment Hunting

I have been helping a friend with her apartment hunt recently. She asked me to photograph some of the apartments so that she could e-mail the photos to her family. We saw 5 apartments in two days and all of them in Queens.

Finding an apartment to buy in New York City can be a daunting task due to the myriad of options like whether to buy a condo or a co-op; a pre-war or a post-war (as in built before or after WWII); uptown or downtown; Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island or the Bronx; high rise or low rise, close to work or close to subway, etc.

This photo shows a hallway that leads into the living room (left) of a one-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a low rise pre-war building. The double doors in the photo is the hallway closet.

Woof OR Ouch?

Prong (or pinch) collars like the one in this photo are common tools used in obedience training for dogs. Although banned in some countries, they are quite popular in the United States. Some dog trainers believe that prong collars are safer than choke collars, which tighten around the dogs' neck when pulled. The spikes on prong collars are not sharp but can be very uncomfortable for the dogs if they are pulled.

This contraption reminds me of a cilice, a metal chain with spikes that is supposedly used by Opus Dei members who practice corporal mortification. If you watched the movie, The Da Vinci Code, you might remember one of the characters wearing the cilice under his robe.

What is your opinion on the use of prong collars in obedience training for dogs?

Do You Know What This Is?

This photo was taken at the Patel Brothers, an Indian grocery store in Jackson Heights, Queens. The grocery store carries some of the most unique and interesting food items including this vegetable, which I have never seen before. I think I know what it is but I'm not 100% sure.

As you can see in the photo, each pod carries only one pea-looking seed. The pod is light and furry, green in color and is about the size of a small olive. Can you guess what it is?

Close Encounter of the Third Kind

I saw this horseshoe crab at the fish market last week. It was still alive even though it has been sitting on ice for hours on the display case. I have never seen one up close before so I was totally intrigued.

Horseshoe crabs, despite the name, are more closely related to scorpions and spiders than regular crabs. They have remained almost unchanged since 500 million BC and are therefore, considered living fossils. One reason these animals are so resilient is their ability to prevent bacteria infection in their bodies. Scientists are currently studying their immunity system to find ways to understand and hopefully, one day replicate its mechanism for human use.

Easter Fashion

In addition to the fancy Easter bonnets, some people were decked out from head to toe in retro fashion. Women wore gloves and carried granny purses. Men wore beautiful fedoras while carrying walking sticks.

This photo above is one of the more colorful costumes at the Easter parade. I especially love the Nana Mouskouri glasses on the lady in purple. My mom wore a pair of those when I was a kid.

Check out The Satorialist by Scott Schuman. He has two beautiful photos of people dressed like Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story. I think they look absolutely stunning.

Also, check out Rafe New York by Rafe Totengco. His mother took some spectacular photos from the Easter Bonnet Parade too. He's such a mama's boy!!