Monday, July 30, 2007

L'ecole

Imagine a restaurant where you can dine on a 5-course meal, get exquisite service and admire the stylish decor without the hefty price it usual comes with. The answer is L'ecole, Voila!

We had always wanted to experience some fine dining in nyc, but we missed restaurant week and couldn't really afford the prices. So I found L'ecole, a restaurant within the french culinary institute in SoHo, where the food is prepared by students from the school. Thought it sounded brilliant, then the price...$39.95 for a 5-course dinner, quite a bargain! So we booked for dinner at 8.30pm.

Don't underestimate these future chefs, these people can cook! You could tell they had skills by just looking at the food. And the taste was well worth the money. Add in informative servers, and well lit decor, it was a pleasant experience.











L'ecole is located on 462 Broadway in SoHo

Monday, July 16, 2007

Ferrero Rocher



Well not quite ferrero rocher...found this in an asian supermarket in Jackson heights, Queens. Looks exactly like the ferrero rocher chocolates we see but a different name...Jinnuo chocher. This really takes fake to another level doesn't it...after the pirated dvds and fake LV bags and perfume. Wonder how its tastes....

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Museums

Coming to New York made me realize how much of a museum geek i was! I never had the opportunity to see that "side" of me in Auckland since theres just a hand few of of them here (i only know one...) and wellington? Well there is Te Papa museum which I always enjoy going to but its pretty much limited also. So New York kicks New Zealand's behind when it comes to museums, with over 80 of them.....it really has it all.

I visited about 6 museums during my two and a half months stay... and I've realize that you don't have to just go for the "pursuit of greater knowledge"...so to speak. Its actually a great place for a date, or to catch up with someone...or a meeting ground for new found friends and stuff. I remember coming out of the museum of Natural History not knowing one thing about dinosaurs but chatting with a friend and getting an education of the different types of American accents and slangs. So i guess weird/interesting conversations happens in less interesting museums also! Oh and some of the food in there is amazing!

Skyscraper Museum






cool interiors huh

Museum of Natural History



Maori stuff!

Museum of Modern Art (my fav!)

classic Andy Worhol




doesn't it seem so ancient?


goodness i can still remember how good that tasted



I've also been to the Museum of sex which i don't really recommend unless you'd like to see the Paris Hilton Sex tape. Museum of Folk art was interesting also especially since I had a friend who works there and offered a personal tour...very cool!

Also you can refer to an earlier post on Metropolitan Museum of Art!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

photo dump: san francisco

I now understand why Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco! Where cable cars "climb halfway to the stars!", where "fog may chill the air, but I don't care!"...its gloriousness, its blue and windy sea and its golden sun will always have some place in my heart.

It was unfortunate that our baggage got delayed and I couldn't charge my camera for the first few days. Even more unfortunate was the only few days we had planned to be here, little did we know this small piece of land had so much to offer. For me, this was the epitome of the American dream; sunny skies, liberal and peaceful, good food, diversity...this was it! I was mesmerized by the grandioseness of the bridge and the hills, the stretch of sea. And the food was sooooo amazing, I've never been excited about vegetarian and food court meals looked so gourmet!

I could say a thousand things more about this place! But let these selection of photos speak for themselves!

The first thing we did was experience the mission burrito, Jlo was spoilt for choices


chinatown, we had really really cheap dim sum here!


aussies domination with their westfield malls


cable cars make me a happy boy =)


golden gate bridge, great on photographs even better when seen with you own eyes



Japan Town!




Golden Gate Park, w/ botanical garden and Japanese tea garden
its nicer than central park (i still love u nyc!=P)


most crooked street: lombard hill....not at its most colorful


surf and sand = california!


California Palace of the legion of honour

let me out of this beautiful museum....


Palace of fine arts...my favourite!


On top of coit tower, hm...its a bit overrated


Fishermans wharf and Ghirardelli Square, prepare for very long lines
for good chocolates and excellent seafood grub

Grilled tofu steak....yuck! I wish i had photo of the REAL good food
that we ate, but we were probably too busy eating it...heh

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Central Park Zoo

I remember the day we went to the zoo it was soooooooo freaking cold, my friend promised me that he'd either take me to the cloisters or the zoo. It was a weekend and surely one of those days where you'd just like be cozy on your couch with a hot mug and read a book or watch a movie....or rather just sleep in. So thanks heaps to him for bracing the cold with me, it was lovely too hehe...

The main reason i wanted to go because i heard that they had snow monkeys and I've always wanted to see a snow monkey ever since I saw pictures of them relaxing in hot springs in Japan (+ I had an obsession of everything Japanese back in high school)...they're soooo cute! Unfortunately this photo below is all i can show....mainly because they were also soooo cold that they went into hiding! I had a glimpse of them tho.....but still that wasn't satisfactory!


why can't u guys be more brave and come out for me...=(

Oh well, it was a small zoo, but very nice nonetheless! Plus there is a zoo in every borough in NYC so thats really awsome! I really loved the indoor rain forest, so nice and warm, it really is a where a south east asian boy like me belongs to instead of the harsh new york winter. brrrr


I belong to the warmness of the rain forest!!!

My favorite was definitely the sea lions!


who's cuter? me or that sea lion with the fish in his mouth! hahaa

Saturday, May 26, 2007

chinatown 2: some pics


McDonald's asian cheesiness =P


durian stall (just like malaysia...)


yay under 5bux IS possible!


pearl river mart, its not really in chinatown..
but pretty close by in the very cool Soho and very cool store!