Quality time around the City


This is Papa's last weekend before he heads home to Malaysia next week. We showed him Adrian's new work place at GfK, the Met, another round of Central Park and EAT, EAT, EAT! Yup! Fatten him up to ensure the rellies back home that he is indeed having a ball here in America. *winks*


Adrian's current office used to be the old Nabisco factory but these days it's the chic Chelsea Market.

Food Network's taking a breather...no shows in the summer *sigh*

Chelsea Market is filled with modern artsy stuff

Lunch time at Saigon Grill (corner of 90th. & Amsterdam)

Cha Gio (spring roll)

Bun with grilled beef - very well marinated & extremely delicious

Took a few turns at Central Park after the heavy lunch. Burp..! We really needed to walk it off. Below is Papa's show & tell at the Park.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met)

The Met entrance is always crowded with local & overseas tourists. They especially love to congregate at the steps which makes it hard to enter the Museum. It wasn't that crowded on Saturday but still... Farting as you walk past them or accidentally stepping on their hands oughta teach them a lesson.

Greek/Romans are such exhibitionists. Even their sarcophagus is carved with naked men and women and of scantily clad Gods and Goddesses. What a "novel" way to be buried. A far cry from the modest Egyptians. Tsk, tsk!

Hantu bangkit A Mummy minus the sarcophagus

The Met is NY's most visited museum. But, I was getting bored after an hour in there. In my opinion, the American Museum of Natural History is definitely far more interesting. Maybe I didn't appreciate art as much as I thought? Hmm...


Dinner at Bubba Gump, Times Square

Psst! This mango sparkler is really good :)

I blogged about Bubba Gump last year and haven't been back since then. So what's new at Bubba Gump? The decor is still the same but there was a slight change in the menu. Hey, Bubba! Where's Lt. Dan's Shrimp???

We waited 30 minutes for our table. People seemed to have an insatiable appetite for seafood that day; although the next table (from us) ordered a plate of fried chicken. Fried chicken at a seafood place?!

My Southern Fried Fishwich

Adrian's Mahi-mahi

What a day! But, best of all we got to spend quality time with Papa.

Small talk: I watched "A Room With A View" again after so many years. This time, on digitally remastered DVD. I can't believe how young Julian Sands, Daniel Day-Lewis & Helena Bonham Carter looked in this 1985 movie based on E.M. Forster's novel. *swoons* I'm giving you this six degrees of separation because Bonham Carter is engaged to Tim Burton & he directed Sleepy Hollow. We went to Sleepy Hollow today.


Heads Will Roll

No sign of Chris Walken here

Passed by the Headless Horseman Bridge. Passed by the Old Dutch Church. Passed by Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Didn't see any spirits. The cemetery is huge but well-spread out with tombstones dating back to the 17th century and mausoleums of various shapes and sizes. Cemetery euphoria again.

The Old Dutch Church as described in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Old Dutch Church and its burial ground

Washington Irving's grave at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, adjacent to the Old Dutch Church

Mausoleums for the wealthy

William Rockefeller's mausoleum (brother of JD Rockefeller Sr.)

Anyway, we're here because we bought tickets to Kykuit (pronounced "kai-quit"); the family estate to four generations of the Rockefeller family. We stopped by Philipsburg Manor for a short video presentation and then, waited for our shuttle bus.

A few years back, Adrian & I came here to celebrate Halloween. The Manor's setting was amazing with ghastly ghostly-looking actors wondering endlessly and pale spirits dancing in the barn. Well, I could have met some real ones for all I know. They're all the same and pretty scary come to think of it now. The Headless Horseman appeared and started riding furiously for a while but stopped short for visitors to take photos. No flash, of course. What an anti-climax!

A picturesque Philipsburg Manor

Anyway, back to Kykuit. Kykuit as we were told by the tour guide is a Dutch word meaning lookout or high point. True to its description, the Rockefeller family estate overlooks the Hudson River from a great height.

Kykuit

J.D. Rockefeller Sr. made his money in oil. He co-founded the Standard Oil Company which later became ESSO (pronounced S-O) and now Exxon, as we know it today. Funny, when Adrian was a gullible young boy, some smart-ass kid told him that ESSO stood for East Sarawak & Sabah Oil. Yeah, right!!! Creative but not correct.

This is a best legs competition the entrance to Kykuit

The raised platform was meant for ease when getting out & down from horse carriages, back in the days. Kykuit even boasts the first central vacuum system and we're talking turn of the 20th. century here! The system is still working and there's also a functioning Otis elevator in the house till today.

So one might say, even with all its functionality and hi-tech intercom system that Kykuit is rather small for a very rich man. It's not a mansion like the Vanderbilt's. Well, Rockefeller Sr. was a strict Baptist and extremely frugal. Although he was America's first billionaire, he also gave half of his wealth away. He was in his 70s when he moved to Kykuit and continued his many philanthrophies there until his death in 1937.

Unfortunately but understandably, photography isn't allowed inside Kykuit. Because of this restriction, I went crazy with my camera when we toured the gardens. Here's the condensed version. Thank God, did you say? I thought so. I'll spare you all the pain :)

We finished the tour at 2.15 p.m. After a quick toilet break at the Philipsburg Manor Visitors Center, we drove down to Tarrytown for some Greek fare. Time to eat!

My lamb gyro...

Sliced steak for Adrian

A bowl full of salad to go with the sliced steak

I wanted to squeeze in some baklava but the gyro was too much for me to handle. Maybe next time.

The End from Sleepy Hollow, NY.

The Yaizu Boys

I've a morbid fascination with historical cemeteries and shrines. I've just discovered an 18th Century French burial ground near my apartment here in New Milford, but I'll leave that to another time. Today, I would like to share some photos of the forgotten Japanese Cemetery located at Batu Lintang Road, a 5 minute drive from my grandparents' house in Kuching, Sarawak.

This cemetery is hardly mentioned in local history. Since Japanese soldiers committed many unmentionable war atrocities and crimes against humanity during World War II, it is understandable that the locals aren't too interested in these deceased Japanese boys from the fishing village of Yaizu.



However, this is their story...



And, their final resting place...

Related links: Batu Lintang POW Camp

I *heart* Jamba Juice


Jamba (not jamban*) Juice is just what everybody needs on this hot & muggy day in the East Coast.

I haven't had the chance to sample the entire Jamba menu of fruit juices and smoothies with their special health boosts. My latest conquest at the Jamba Juice counter? The Orange Dream Machine. A truly refreshing and rejuvenating drink; the perfect pick-me-up!

I'm holding two sixteens but one isn't mine. I'm not that greedy :p. The one on the left is Adrian's Jamba Classic in Caribbean Passion. A bit sour for his liking, though.

* In my hometown, jamban means toilet i.e. local Sarawak Malay dialect. So, marketing Jamba Juice there might require a new name so as not to confuse the people with Jamban Juice (toilet water)...Samba Juice perhaps??

(: NYC Gay Pride Parade 2007 :)

Greenwich Village is NYC's premier gayborhood but its residents brought their gayness to mid-town last Sunday. While we were strolling around Rockefeller Center, we heard a ruckus along 5th. Avenue. As we approached Saks, we learned that it was New York City's Gay Pride 2007. Unfortunately, we already missed half of the parade.

Anyway, we took our comfy spot along with a very jovial crowd while songs like "You're Simply the Best" and a certain famous youth hostel gay anthem blared down the avenue.

Here's a snippet of the Pride Parade:

Tina or Tony Turner?

Barry Z Show float

David Bromstad of HGTV Design Star? He said yes?!

MAOR, multi-talented pop artist from Tel-Aviv. Love underground electronic pop or dance music? Check out his new CD "Crazy/Maybe" here. It's really catchy.

Asian devils

An overflowing pair of cup in the Gaydar unit!

A float-load of gay construction workers or not? Check out the guy's improvised nail gun ;)

Ta-ta, my darlings...c'ya next year!

Goodies from the parade - KTU fan, personal lubricant & Nivea moisturizers

Too bad we got there a bit late. A bag full of condoms was seen leaving 5th. Avenue in the arms of a co-ed. Endless supply of rubber for her college use, I supposed?!

Last but not least...

Peru wants your vote for Machu Picchu to be the new 7th. Wonder of the World.

Around the City on a Sunday...

Papa had his $6 hair cut at NYC Chinatown today. Yup! It's straight to the barber shop after a satisfying Taiwanese lunch at our favorite Excellent Pork Chop House.

NYC Chinatown hair-do ;)

MoCA

After seeing a promo on NYC TV about all things $9.99, we made the effort to stop by MoCA. Not mocha, but the Museum of Chinese in the Americas.

MoCA @ 70 Mulberry Street

We paid $2 for an adult ticket & $1 per senior ticket to the Museum. To my shock & horror, the entire floor space was only as big as my apartment kitchen & living room. No wonder it's so dirt cheap!

Look left...

Look right....and that's it!

We walked around Chinatown for a bit and took some random photos before heading back to Times Square.

Imitating Master Kung @ Confucius Square

Those pigeons chose to hang out atop the American Legion Memorial Arch

But this pigeon love Lin Ze Xu's hat the most! I was waiting for it to fly away but it remained there forever.

Times Square

Freak with forked tongue @ Ripley's Believe It or Not!

At the cross road of the world & Rockefeller Center

These fellas enjoying their lunch break?

And finally, this photo is for Robin, tee...hee..hee!

NYC Gay Pride Parade 2007 coming soon...