Black Friday & The Phantom of the Opera

Instead of camping outside Best Buy for 18 hours or getting trampled to death at the doors of Wal-Mart and the likes, we spent the day after Thanksgiving far away from obsessed shoppers and the madness of Black Friday.

Here we were in the comfort of Bubba Gump, once again, just before our afternoon matinee of Phantom of the Opera. After all these years, I finally made it to the most widely acclaimed musical on earth. Phantom is now the longest running show on Broadway. It celebrates its 20th year this year and what a treat! We found very good seats (Front Center Mezzanine) in spite of the last minute purchase. I won't vouch the same for Equus though. Lines for Equus snaked outside Broadway & 8th. Avenue. Yes, throngs of people lining up to see Daniel Radcliffe baring all on stage. Would have also been interesting but Phantom is still won me over.

The Theater District

Majestic Theater

Broadhurst Theater

Shubert Theater

Rebecca Judd (Madame Giry) & I after the show

Some of the casts were selling CDs and other merchandise to raise funds for charitable causes. Unfortunately, the Phantom, Christine and Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny didn't come out to meet the fans.

I did my part for charity and bought a piece of Phantom memorabilia.

The 20th. Anniversary Poster

What's good and bad? Being such an old theater - 80 years, the seating in the Majestic is extremely crammed and the slope of the stair case is quite extreme. However, the superb performance from the casts and amazing theatrical effects made up for it. Was it worth every $$$? YES!!! After all these years, I am still entranced by the music and story.

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving 2008 - The Empire State Building in happy, fall colors

Another year, another Thanksgiving. This year, I gave my apron the day off. While my apron hung quietly at home, we headed over to Pointin Still at Main Street, Hackensack for an Irish Thanksgiving dinner.

Also, we thought we might as well do something different and lay off turkey-lurkey until we go home for X'mas this year. So, who made our Thanksgiving meal instead? Chicken Little and Porky ;)

Chicken Kilarney - the Jalapeno, whiskey cream sauce was perfect

Broiled Virginia Ham with glaced fruits - very delicious! Highly recommended.

The down side: I think these 2 dishes are only available on Thanksgiving Day :(

For dessert, we shared a slice of Bailey's Irish Cream Cake :) To our surprise, the sweetness was just right!

Overall, Pointin Still was an excellent choice for our Thanksgiving Dinner.

Malaysian Cuisine at Penang in Lodi, NJ


After not being home for almost 2 years, my supply of spices and pastes are running extremely low. I'm out of Sarawak laksa paste and my once filled to the brim curry powder bottle will soon be a distant memory. Thank goodness, I'm going back to Malaysia in 4 weeks :) Time to restock!

All right, back to Penang. When Penang opened up in Lodi earlier this year, it was a dream come true. We had heard rumblings of Penang from a fellow Malaysian we met at a local eatery. At least, we don't have to drive all the way to Hoboken or Edison to satisfy our satay, roti canai, nasi lemak, etc. cravings.

Several weeks ago, we went to Penang for a nice Sunday night dinner before heading back to our usual work day routine. Adrian is more of a regular than I in Penang because his office is only 5 minutes away from the restaurant. Did I mention that Penang is also a good place to eat if you are looking for an express lunch? Anyway, back to dinner...

Doesn't this look like kampua mee? The dish is called BBQ roasted pork lo mee* (dry).

*Mee = mein = noodles.

Hint: Could have been better if the soy sauce doesn't have a slight bitter after taste.

Steaming hot Bak Kut Teh

Our favorite dessert - peanut pancake with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream *yum*

Colonial Williamsburg & Yorktown Battlefield State Park

With very little leisure time in my hands these days, I'm struggling to keep an up-to-date blog *sigh*. However, I'm glad to have completed our Virginia road trip photo album. I hope our photos will inspire you to visit this "Old Dominion" that Sir Walter Raleigh named after Elizabeth I.

Scenic Drive

More fall foliage adventures this weekend! This time we started off nearby at Hackensack River and then, drove further north on the Palisades Parkway to Sunnyside in Irvington, New York. For those who are not familiar with Sunnyside, it was the home of Washington Irving - author of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, etc.

Sunnyside was the only home owned by Washington Irving. He bought the house (then a neglected cottage) when he was 52 years old and added extensions to it over the years. Irving never married but came close once. Unfortunately, his intended fell ill with tuberculosis and passed away. Although Irving remained a bachelor until his death on the eve of the American Civil War, Sunnyside was never empty. He had many nieces that stayed in the house and the kitchen was one of the most modern during the classical/romantic eras, with running hot water and a kitchen stove.

It's a Small Word After All


Somebody went to Disneyland for work and still found time to have fun. Yup! Adrian recently spent 5 days in Anaheim, California. Apparently, he attended a Market Research event. Yeah, yeah. Adrian isn't exactly a Disney virgin having been there twice and to Disney World in Florida. I believe he once told me that he went to all these exciting places, even before he started college back in the 90s. What would Daddy have said, huh?! Well, it's always good to get the distraction out of the way before diving into some serious studies ;)

You know that you're in Disneyland when your hotel toiletries have Mickey ears

Check out these photos from Adrian's brief adventure in Anaheim.

Halloween Fever

Earlier this evening, we went for a drive around Hackensack and found a street of houses that were dead serious about Halloween! If you pass by Clinton Place and Prospect Avenue, you'll find curious people like us enjoying these over-the-top Halloween decorations.

This is our favorite house

Love the sign!

Zombie mannequins

Monsters by the window

Brilliant name for a ghoulish band - Dead Beats :)

Cemetery theme + skulls and bones on the front lawn

Another cemetery

Something more kid-friendly

Take a look at this house and the orbs surrounding it! I bet the spirits are loving it, too.

Back to Blogging

Guilty! I've not completed the road trip to Williamsburg posts and have been absent for more than a month from blogging. Work has been hectic and year end demands are looming. There are 2 more events that need to be worked out and coordinated before I can take my long awaited vacation back to Malaysia.

Oh, about that, MAS air fares to Malaysia has increased significantly. Well, by a freaking $600 smackaroos. When I looked at the breakdown, I was surprised that we have to pay fees for passing by Guam. Guam?! We're not even flying that direction! Of course, that's not the chunk of it. The biggest goes to - MISCELLANEOUS charges. This universal term used by businesses everywhere to gouge prices at the expense of customers e.g. fuel/gas charges, more $ into the pockets of crony suppliers, etc.

By the way, did you know that MAS also charge customers "passenger service" fees? If we are already paying tax on the ticket, does this mean that the $15 are tips for the flight attendants? Do their employees really get a cut out of it or is this another quick buck for the airline executives? In short, there are too many shady charges. Unfortunately, MAS still has the best flight connection to Kuching, so our hands are tied. *sigh*

Anyway, back to more interesting things in Serenity's Jersey Life...

First of all - "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADRIAN!"

The lovely Fraisier birthday cake from Financier - with a hint of Grand Marnier!

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Celebrated Adrian's 35th. birthday last weekend with a brunch at Blue Smoke's, 27th. Street, New York City

Blue Smoke is a barbecue joint/jazz bar. They are live jazz bands on Mondays and whenever they feel like it. Sunday is the antithesis, just perfect for families and burnt-out-from-work folks like us. Hmm...

The interior

Bar sitting section for the lonesome

Dining area for those who brought company

Humongous stars - definitely won't be caught underneath it unless you wanna risk getting stabbed by those pointed tips!

Appetizer - BBQ Mussels. Tangy, lots of zing to it. Sauce has BBQ bits ;)

Table and meal

Host with beefed up muscles and accentuated southern drawl sat us next to the little garden by the window. Nice but look at the condiments and sauces below.

I love the one which read "Magic Dust". My favorite is Kansas City BBQ Sauce. Magic Dust is a Texan rub. It's ok, but I'm not partial towards the drier type BBQ. Saucy is my style.

Adrian's choice: Rib Sampler for one - Memphis Baby Backs, Kansas City Spareribs and Texas Beef Ribs

Serenity's choice: Breaded toast with fresh berries and maple syrup.

Let's just say, ribs for brunch is just too much for me. Anyway, the day isn't about me. It's Adrian's birthday. He can have his cake and ribs and eat them to his heart's content!

Short note: Road trip posts will take a break today.


In the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, you can read this on one of it's walls...

"May your strength give us strength
May your faith, give us faith
May your hope, give us hope
May your love, give us love"
- "Into the fire", Bruce Springsteen

Japanese Tribute

Cranes

Why cranes? Here's the explanation:


Want to see more? Or, visit the Museum? Click here.

Virginia Road Trip - Part 2


Colonial Williamsburg, 18th. Century Fare


Lesley, our very charming and friendly Front Desk Staff at Governor's Inn recommended that we dine at one of the taverns in Colonial Williamsburg. She made dinner reservations for us at Christiana Campbell's - a local favorite among the Williamsburg Burgesses and General Washington. Washington according to Mrs. Campbell seemed to have a preference for hoecakes. The name has a vulgar ring to it but it's all innocent ;)


Christiana Campbell's Tavern

Back in the days, Mrs. Campbell would serve weary travelers and customers her special seafood dishes while balladeers entertained guests with dreamy, melancholy tunes. At Christiana's, Molly Campbell gave us an interesting overview of her mother's business. We were immediately transported back to 1771 with costumed servers, custom-designed silverware, salt and pepper shakers and simple candle-stands surrounding us. Yes, we dined by candlelight just like the old days ;)

Salt & pepper shaker and an 18th century squirrel pattern dinnerware at Christiana's

Warm honey muffins and wheat bread

Adrian's choice - Christiana's Seafood Platter

My choice - Sherried Shrimp, Scallops & Lobster. Simply delicious!

King's Arms Tavern

Earlier for lunch, we decided to try the King's Arms Tavern since we're on Duke of Gloucester Street. We were tired, thirsty and hungry after all the walking we had done in the morning. The sun was out in full force that day and it was one of the hottest and most humid days in August. Summer wasn't ready to call it quits yet.

I had to order the peanut soup which is a Virginian specialty. Sounds yucky? Well, it didn't taste that bad :)

King's Arms isn't a seafood place like Christiana's. I chose the East India Company Fried Chicken which was so-so.

Adrian made a better selection in "A Made Dish of Beef". A tender and moist stew dish.

For dessert, we ordered a special English dessert of baked meringue with ice-cream and strawberries, and syllabub. Fyi, the syllabub had a strong hint of rum ;) The perfect perk-me-up!

Virginia Road Trip - Part 1


Jamestown Settlement

Jamestown Settlement is the perfect living museum for anyone who is interested in the history and lives of the first colonists in the New World. Prior to my visit to Jamestown, the only knowledge I had of the area was through pop culture i.e. Pocahontas and The New World. Although the two films were historically inaccurate, both were a great introduction to Jamestown and both told of severe hardships faced by the colonists and their volatile relationship with the Powhatan Indians.

Here, we saw a recreated Powhatan Indian Village, three replica ships - Susan Constant, The Discovery and Godspeed who brought the first group of colonists to America, and the famed James Fort, named after King James I.


Powhatan Indian Village

I supposed this is what Pocahontas' village would look like

Fact: Pocahontas' father - Chief Wahunsunacock had many, many children but none as well-known as Pocahontas. She was around 9-12 years old when she met Captain John Smith. She didn't have a romantic relationship with John Smith. If she did, John Smith would have been a paedophile.


Susan Constant

Susan Constant was the largest ship of the two that set sail from England for the New World on December 20, 1606. She brought along 71 male colonists and other vital supplies.


The Discovery and Godspeed

The Discovery (left) was the smallest of the three ships and the "fly-boat" of the British East India Company. Next to The Discovery is Godspeed, another ship belonging to the English Virginia Company that transported about 39 males to the New World.


James Fort

The original James Fort is located in Jamestown Island. This recreated fort is built to closely resemble the original based on archaeological findings and historical research.

Going up into the Fort, we were met by two female colonists selling their produce and other items. Like other colonists, they were trying to "survive" in the New World.

The colonists tried to make their fortune through iron ore, silk production (see cocoons), panning for gold (unfortunately, only fool's gold was found) and tobacco. I think we all know by now which of the above became a lucrative business for Virginia.

Life at Fort James...

Fire arm demonstration, armory and a couple of new recruits :)

Coming up: Colonial Williamsburg