NY Autumn/Winter Guide 2010

Updated Jan 2011.

Winter Events
Bryant Park Pond [link]
Free ice skating rink (If you bring your skates and a lock). Otherwise you can rent their skates and purchase locks. I love outdoor ice skating rinks, and this one is in the middle of the city so you get nice city lights and swinging music. Also a bunch of holiday shops featuring interesting items.

Radio City Christmas Show

Nutcracker at Lincoln Center

Various Trees and Lightings 2010
//Rockefeller Center: Nov 30. The biggest tree in NYC. More lights than tree. Check out the new Lego store nearby too and all the XMas window decors on Fifth Ave!
//Bryant Park: Dec 2. Nice ornaments and usually a photo op by the sponsor.
//Lincoln Square: Nov 29.
//Metropolitan Museum of Art: If you like medieval stuff, this tree is filled with classy medieval ornaments and angels.
//Natural History Museum: Famous origami tree


All Year Indoor Happenings
B&N Readings (NY Store Listings)
Great authors. I saw Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, and David Sedaris this year.

Strand Books Readings (Calendar)
I love the Strand, more neighborhood friendly and awesome recommendations for all types of books, including philosophy, science, sociology, etc. I happened to catch a few events here which resulted in heated crowd discussion, much more in line with NYC than the family friendly B&N right?

Jazzy events at Lincoln Center http://www.jalc.org/jazzED/g_listening09.html
Space is beautiful and I attended a listening party that was particularly fun.

Autumn Events

Oyster Festival [link] EVENT PASSED
After trying more stuff at the festival, I have come to the conclusion that the only ones worth the trouble are raw oysters and soft shell crab. Two rounds of oysters and one round of soft shell is plenty. Lobster bisque was ok but still not that amazing.

Free Concerts in Bryant Park EVENT PASSED

NY Marathon [link] EVENT PASSED
I actually went to watch the marathon this year (2010) from several locations (viewing map pdf)! The Queens viewing area was neat because you can watch the runners go up the Queensboro bridge and as you take the subway into Manhattan, you can watch them run in the lane next to you. I also watched from Central Park near the end and thought it was very inspiring to see the runners still looking great at the end of the 26 mile. Amazing…I applaud all the athletes.

Farmers Market
Pick up apples, pumpkins, cider, and other yummies. Union Square Green Market is year round M/W/Sat. Madison Square Park also had a small market setup this year for a few months. I learned what "urban pumpkin picking" entails: picking a pumpkin out of the pumpkin house (shelves make up the walls and pumpkins of all sizes line the shelves)

Pickle Day [link] EVENT PASSED
Small event in the parking lot area LES (hard to find...). I like pickles but I didn't realize how ridiculous it is to eat so many pickles in one day. I picked up a jar of horseradish pickles from Horman's. Excellent with roast beef and other sandwiches! Tried the smoked okras from Rick's but wasn't too impressed. I think it's better as an ingredient in salad or sandwich as opposed to eaten by itself. Their other pickles are much better. If you like pickles and don't have to venture too far to LES, definitely check it out next year.

Chocolate Show [link] EVENT PASSED
I went to it once and thought it was fabulous (blog entry). Besides different venders selling chocolate and offering free samples, you will see chocolate art, sculptures, fashion, and cooking demonstrations. May not be feasible to go every year but if you haven't gone at least once, grab a friend and check it out next year!

Halloween Parade [link] EVENT PASSED
My favorite this year was the Walk/NO Walk sign by a couple and all the funny Chilean miner ones with signs. Too many Lady Gaga costumes that I just didn’t find them interesting anymore

Other Links

101 Fall Things by Time Out NY
http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/own-this-city/79341/101-things-to-do-in-new-york-city-in-the-fall

101 Winter Things by Time Out NY
http://newyork.timeout.com/things-to-do/57411/101-things-to-do-in-new-york-city-in-the-winter

Ice Skating in NYC
http://gonyc.about.com/od/iceskatinginnyc/Ice_Skating_in_New_York_City.htm

Rainy Day Ideas
http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/own-this-city/75734/40-things-to-do-when-its-raining

My 2009 entry
http://azuleteats.blogspot.com/2009/11/ny-autumnwinter-guide-2009.html

Travel Links

NYT Travel Tips
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10pracsave.html

Bidding Tips
http://www.betterbidding.com/
What the other bidders have paid for their priceline/hotwire rooms.

Amtrak
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage
Take trains to a nearby city, without all the hassles of airport security. Check specials. If you have AAA membership you can save on fare too.
Amtrak deals: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/Page/1237412457649/1237405732514


Bolt Bus
https://www.boltbus.com/
I heard good reviews from some friends.

Travelzoo
http://www.travelzoo.com/
Good website to browse for deals and ideas

Around the Metro Area:
NYC Go Offers http://www.nycgo.com/offers/ref=nav
MTA (NYC) http://mta.info/metrocard/tourism/mc_promotions.htm
LIRR (NYC, Long Island) http://www.mta.info/lirr/getaways/
MetroNorth (NYC, CT, Upstate) http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/getaways.htm
NJ Transit (NJ, look for summer beach passes too) http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=SpTo

Like travelling to large cities? Wiki has a list of 50 populated cities and photos here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

Tours
http://www.unclesamsnewyork.com/
http://bigonion.com/schedule/

NY Autumn/Winter Guide 2009

While I always try to update my summer fun guide, I want to stay motivated with my autumn/winter guide. The reason I combined them is that I always seem to miss Autumn in Central Park every year. The weather gets cold fast and the holidays are always so crowded. Once DST ends, you get 5pm sunsets if not earlier. So what is there to do? Some of these events already passed, but hopefully putting them here will make me remember them next year. Most events are annual.

Winter Events
Bryant Park Pond [link]
Free ice skating rink (If you bring your skates and a lock). Otherwise you can rent their skates and purchase locks. Try to catch it early because it gets really crowded around the holidays. I love outdoor ice skating rinks, and this one is in the middle of the city so you get nice city lights and swinging music. Also a bunch of holiday shops featuring interesting items.

Various Trees and Lightings
Rockefeller Center: The biggest. More lights than tree. Dec 2
Bryant Park: TBD. Nice ornaments and usually a photo op by the sponsor.
Lincoln Center: Nov 30. I only saw this tree once. It was blue that year.
Metropolitan Museum of Art: If you like medieval stuff, this tree is filled with classy medieval ornaments and angels.


New Find
Oyster Festival [link] EVENT PASSED
My cousin and I love oysters, especially ones from Tracks and Oyster Bar. I was browsing the LIRR trip deals when I found out about the Oyster Festival in Oyster Bay. While the festival is not what I imagined...I somehow imagined it to be a crazy showcase of million kind of oysters (kind of the chocolate show?). But it's more like a county fair (carnival type) with awesome seafood (and of course oysters). Some run-down of the seafood: Raw oysters from Oyster Bay (don't be scared of the line, so worth it!), soft shell crab sandwich (they take one whole crab, deep fry it, and put it between a bun, smells and tastes amazing), whole lobster dinners, chowder, gumbo, etc etc. Usually I don't expect fair food to include seafood, but these are amazing. If you take the LIRR and buy the LIRR Oyster Fair package, you get 3 oysters with your ticket. Sweet!

Free Concerts in Bryant Park EVENT PASSED
Two weeks in October Bryant Park set up a stage featuring performances and concerts. I happened to catch the Bargemusic one during a Wed and was surprised by all the


B&N Readings (NY Store Listings)
They are held indoors and you get pretty famous people in NYC. I saw Tracy Morgan and John Hodgman at the Union Square location. If you want to gift an autographed book to a friend or relative, this is a great place to check out. Otherwise the reading/discussion portion is free. I would advise you to go early and try for a front seat if you want to get your book signed earlier. The B&N near Lincoln Center has many performers passing through, probably right before a show in town.

Strand Books Readings (Calendar)
I haven't gone to any readings here but they have a lot of guests too!

Radio Stations

With ipod, itunes and xm radio, sometimes we forget there's real radio out there. I find that especially in metro areas like NY and DC, where people tend to take public transit without radio signal, people do not get to listen to the radio as much.

The good thing is, most of the regular radio stations today have an online radio program too. I want to share some of my favorites in the NY/NJ metro area. You can listen to them by turning to the dial or online:

//101.9 RXP. Rock/Alternative (web) Probably my favorite station. You can also call in for requests. Depending on the hour, you will hear great rock classics or new hits. I found out about many new rock acts through this station (Kings of Leon, Silversun Pickups, etc). Also one of the only channels that will reliably play Smashing Pumpkins. Go Pumpkins!

//93.9 WNYC. NPR/News/Classical Music (web) I almost wish I drive a car to work so I can listen to the morning news on this channel.
//105.9 WQXR. Classical Music (web)

//Alternate Side. Indie/Alternative/Local (online only) I found out about this channel through WFUV 90.3. Amazing music and features local bands too. More on the indie/college radio side. If you're not in touch with the local scene you'll probably feel lost listening to this channel. But it's also a good place to pick up new and music you won't hear anywhere else.

//100.3 Z100. Hits/Top 40. (web) Although people complain that Z100 is too repetitive, it's actually my first exposure to "pop". For that reason, it'll always be special. If you ever feel out of loop, tune to Z100 for a few hours, you'll be singing the Top40 in no time.
//103.5 KTU. More Upbeat/Dance Top40. (web) If you don't hear Britney and Lady Gaga within an hour, you should probably check your dial.
//92.3 NOW. More HipHop/R&B/Top 40. (web) 

Nowadays radio is getting too complicated. I actually use an oldschool radio where you have to turn a dial to scan the different channels. It's much more efficient. and trust me, I have the dials memorized by location (without digital displays). I also recommend a portable radio (maybe part of an old alarmclock that nobody uses) that you can move to various rooms with ease. You can listen at the dining table or while you cook. You can listen while you fold laundry. You can also listen while you're surfing the internet and blogging. (I'm listening to 101.9 rxp on my alarm radio as I write this. they played the new Weezer single so I'm happy).

NYC Summer 2009

updated July 9, 2009

Performance
Shakespeare in the Park (season started!)
http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/
This year they have Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) and Bacchae (by Euripidies).
The lines are INSANE. Bring ipod/chair/towel/water/food/book/hat/sunscreen/laptop....

Shakespeare on the Run (event passesd)
http://newyorkclassical.org/
If you don't want to wait in line for a free play (ahem see above), go check out this one. Central Park and Battery Park. They have King Lear (I read this senior year of high school. a rather serious play).

The Met Opera (black tie optional, jk, july-aug, hd festival is late aug-sept)
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/features/detail.aspx?id=8592
Free admission. Various dates/locations. I'm really excited about the Summer HD Festival too.

NY Phil in the Park (classical and/or romantic (era) music under the stars, july)
http://nyphil.org/attend/summer/index.cfm?page=parks

For first time goers, watch and learn from the pros. Bring an elaborate picnic, wine, and candles. Be sure to bring your whole entourage too (more is better). Oh, and it's crowded. (duh)

Concerts
brooklyn $3 concerts (suggested donation)
http://www.briconline.org/celebrate/schedule.asp

2009 schedule is up! I love the space and the Brooklyn energy is amazing. If you don't recognize the bands, don't fret. Myspace is your friend (yes, it can be used for good, especially for sampling music before you trek out to Brooklyn)

river to river free concerts (free, various locations)
http://www.rivertorivernyc.com/
A ton of offerings at various locations around NYC. this is a great way to check out various parks and spots that you've never been to. and we can always use more outdoor music, people! If you go early enough you can usually find a seat.

summer stage concerts (most free, inside central park)
http://www.summerstage.org/
central park offerings. while you probably recognize more people on the list, do keep in mind the space is limited and you're better off finding some lawn outside and listen to the music. Trust me, the fight for beer is not worth it and you're just going to spill it on some crazy kid anyway.

Good Morning America in Central Park (diff stage than summer stage)
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/SummerConcert/
If you are willing to wake up early, you can catch some nice acts. This year they have Green Day, Jonas Brothers, and Kelly Clarkson...

Today Show Concerts in Rockefeller Plaza
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3041478/

I honestly have never been to Rockefeller Plaza when it's not winter. I think I go there just for the tree. That said, the line up looks great: Black Eye Peas, Kings of Leon, Jason Mraz, Natasha Bedingfield, etc. and you know, at least it's close to a subway station (ahem, GMA).


Films
Asian Film Festival (late june-july) event passed
http://www.subwaycinema.com/
I missed Tribeca this year! (not like I made it any other years but that's besides the point...) Anyway, this looked interesting last year except I didn't get to catch it. (readers of this blog, I make great lists, but I don't always check them off...sigh). update: I actually recognize some of the Chinese films listed there, including If You are the One. Also want to see Taiwan's Cape No. 7, and Antique (how can you resist a movie about a bakery?)

Brooklyn Bridge Movies with a View, Thursdays in summer

http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/go/programs-/-events/movies-with-a-view

How creepy would it be to watch Edward Scissorhands next to the lights of Brooklyn Bridge...creepy....

Bryant Park Outdoor Films, Mondays in June-August

http://www.bryantpark.org/calendar/film-festival.php
Nice screen setup near the library. Bryant Park is the place to be during a NY summer. Even if you don't check out the movie, you should still check out the park.

Hudson River Park Films (Wed, Fri)
http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/events/eventpanel/riverFlicksGrownUps.html

http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/events/eventpanel/riverFlicksKids.html

Wednesdays' lineup includes Ironman, Dark Knight, and even Sex & the City. Damn...I'd love see all three again. Fridays' lineup includes Ghostbusters and Kung Fu Panda. By the way, they have a nice digital screen and a rather reasonable crowd (i.e. not crazy like Bryant Park).

Central Park Films (aug)
http://gonyc.about.com/od/summer/a/central_park_ff.htm
yet another place showing Sex & the City. everyone go vote for Goldfinger in July for the viewers' choice! I also noticed that they have a Twilight showing (hmm I still haven't seen it).

Food/Drinks

Big Apple BBQ (Madison Sq. Park near Flatiron) June 13-14 (passed)
http://www.bigapplebbq.org/
Yes, there are lines, but you get live music, a nice selection of local brew and bbq. If it's any consolation, the lines last year were not as bad as a normal lunch line at ShakeShack

Outdoor Bars (via Gothamist)
http://gothamist.com/2009/06/04/best_new_nyc_bars_and_restaurants_f.php

Museum Bars (via NewYorkology)

http://www.newyorkology.com/archives/2009/07/speakeasy_to_op.php

Summber Beers (via The L Magazine)
http://www.thelmagazine.com/newyork/10-summer-beers-in-and-around-the-city/Content?oid=1182127

Fun
Macy's Fireworks (Hudson River this year, 4th of July) event passed
Macy's site back up. 9pm 4th of July. If you don't make it you can also watch it on TV.
http://www.macys.com/campaign/sitelets/fireworks/index.jsp

Street Fairs
http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html

Big Onion Walking Tours
http://www.bigonion.com/schedule/
various themes and locations.

NY aquarium
http://www.nyaquarium.com/
sharks and rays! all in Brooklyn.

Coney Island Mermaid Parade June 20 Sat. (event passed)
http://www.coneyisland.com/mermaid.shtml
Embrace your inner fish. I STILL haven't been to Coney Island...I will make it this year, damn it, if not to the parade.

Beaches
http://nymag.com/guides/summer/beaches (beach guide from NYMag)

http://www.exploreli.com/entertainment/localguide/beaches/ (Long Island beaches)

Renaissance Faire (aug 1- sept 20)

http://www.renfair.com/NY/

for those of you without a car, there's info on bus/ticket combo here (leaves from port authority bus terminal):

https://www.coachusa.com/shortline/booking.asp?action=ProductDetail&productId=3167

Travel
MTA Deal Packages
http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/destinations.htm
Visit for MTA/LIRR/Metro North Trip Ideas! (NYC, Long Island, Upstate and Conn.!)

NJTransit Packages
http://www.njtransit.com/summer/
Cheesy and flashy site aside, this is a great guide to NJ beaches and fun!

Long Island Nassau County Parks
http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Parks/events.html

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/Parks/2009SummerSchedule.html

see also my free nyc list of museums and other summer guides:

http://gonyc.about.com/cs/music/a/summermusic.htm

http://www.thelmagazine.com/newyork/summer-music-preview/Content?oid=1188828 (L Magazine Music Guide)

http://www.thelmagazine.com/newyork/exploring-the-globe/Content?oid=1193985 (L Magazine NY Staycations)

Stolen Wallet

This happened to one of my friends from Cali who was interning in D.C. She had no ID and no money for a while, it was really bad. I always hear people say the process to replace your IDs is the worst, usually credit card/atm cards are easy to deal with.

Well, so of course it happened to me too. And since I document everything remotely useful. Here are some useful tips.

1. Call Credit Card Company and Bank right away. Luckily I had their numbers in my phone's contacts. They will ask you a few questions and you can check to make sure there were no charges on the cards yet. They will send you replacement cards.

//My credit card rep said 3-5 days. I will need to re-do my automatic bill-payment link

//ATM cards takes 7-10 days. Direct deposits are not affected since they go to your account, not your ATM card..

2. Call 911 to file a police report for stolen wallet. Before the police arrive, try to remember what was in the wallet and estimated values. When the police arrive, they will compile the list and ask when/where it happened. Keep in mind they may have other urgent business before visiting you. I think I waited 2 hours. They apologized by saying it was a busy night (including a shooting). Then you will be directed to call a number for the complaint report number in a few days. This number is important for insurance/etc.

3. Hopefully you have some important ID doc with you at home (I have my passport) and some cash at home. If not, bring your checkbook to your bank and withdraw money as needed.

4. Start the process to replace things:

1) credit card/atm card: call for mail replacement

2) insurance card: you can request mail replacement through their website (or call)

3) driver's license: yes, I have to go to the DMV again (groan...). Make sure you check with their ID rules. With my passport and bank statement I should be ok. Get in line, bring a book, pay the replacement fee. Be ready to be treated like a criminal just like everyone else, never mind your wallet was stolen and it was not your fault. Everywhere else people were sympathetic, here don't expect anyone to care.

4) library cards: While J. snickers that thieves do not read, I recommend locking your account to prevent people from borrowing CD/DVDs (late fees for those are outrageous!). Then pay the replacement fee for a new card. One library in the suburbs didn't even charge me because it was stolen. They were supernice!

5) subway card: Since I didn't buy the monthly (which had insurance if you pay with credit card), I probably won't get anything.

6) train tickets: Supposely I would get some refund if I provide them with the police report number. Train people are really bad. I need to investigate this in more detail. my credit card company said I may be able to dispute it. (update: yay got my credit card dispute done with most recent unused train ticket, other train tickets with some punches are probably gone arg.)

Lessons Learned:

1. put wallet in either front pocket of pants or in the big compartment of your backpack with a lot of other stuff on top of it.

2. carry less cash unless you're going out to eat etc. cash isn't recoverable. it's much easier to carry credit card/atm and cancel them quickly. I'm officially adopting the "a Twenty is Plenty" slogon. Especially if you pay most things with credit card, why would you need that much money?

3. put less money on transit subway cards unless you buy monthly. leave train tickets at home if you're only using it on weekends.

Other sites (just googlged)

http://www.onlineorganizing.com/ExpertAdviceToolboxTips.asp?tipsheet=64

Moving Tips Part 2 and 3: Move and Post-Move

Part 2: The Move

Timing:

In the summer, start as early as possible so the sun doesn't get too hot. After coffee and breakfast, start loading the vans with bigger and heavier items (bed frames, tables, etc). Try to finish all those big items before it gets dark out.

People:

Tell everyone to wear comfortable shoes and clothes (t shirt, hat, sunglasses if needed, shorts/jeans depending on weather). Gloves could help too since handling some furniture may hurt the hands after a while. Stretch often especially if you have to go up and down the stairs. Take breaks and shifts if you have many people around. Even if people can't lift a lot of weight, they can take a bag or two or small furniture pieces.

Food/Drinks:

Besides the snacks and drinks inside the fridge, be sure to make food runs for lunch (a must!) and dinner (if move is not complete). We had footlongs from subway for lunch which worked out well. Enough carb and protein for the afternoon. Water is great for drinks but Gatorade/soda are also good.

Moving Items:

Put furniture pieces close together against the wall of the van. When you unload, lean the pieces against the wall. Don't load fragile things too close to heavy planks just in case. Load fragile things in back seats of cars or hand carry them with you as you ride in the passenger side. Remember to drive carefully to minimize movement. We had two people in the U-haul van and also a car following the U-haul since it is difficult to see behind a U-haul. If your trip is not that far, you don't need to stuff the U-haul in one run.

Part 3: Post Move

Admin stuff: Return U-haul and old apt keys. Plug in lamps (necessarily for next step). Quick clean of the old apt.

Unpacking/Assembling: Be careful with opening U-haul doors since items probably shifted during the trip. If the new apt has dishwasher and washer/dyer units, wash the dishes and clothes/towels/sheets used in the move. Depending on your energy level, either put together the bed frame for the mattress or just wait until the next day. Don't fill the rooms too much since you'll need to move everything when you assemble furniture, etc. Figure out general room layout before assembling anything. Wire electronics as needed.

Dinner: Take out is simple and stress-free. be sure to ask for silverware/napkins if your silverware is nowhere to be found. Eat and relax.

Last note: Remember to thank all your volunteers and double check your new apt's faucets/tiles/windows/stove/fridge/etc. Write down any problems to bring up. Do something fun to reward yourself. Pop in a DVD since you probably don't have cable or internet yet.

Moving Tips Part 1: Before the Move

This past weekend I helped J. move from his old apt into a new one. The whole process gave me a new insight into moving (very different from moves in college since dorms had fixtures like beds and desks.) I used to know a coworker who always encouraged us to document tasks and come up with lessons learned and quick tips. We made great manuals and training materials. So in writing this entry, I hope to develop my own manual for any future moves. I'm sure there are many guides and tips for moving online but the best lessons are from real experience, right?

Part 1: Before Moving Day

Logistics/Admin Stuff:

Get keys. Call cable company to set up appointment for cable/internet installation for new place. Scope out new neighborhood for libraries (they have internet usually) and internet cafes and food. Reserve a U-Haul a few days in advance if needed. Call all your friends/relatives/classmates to help out with the move. Stress the point that even if they can help out for an hour, the whole process will be easier. Give them directions and instructions (packing, moving, assembling, food run). Don't forget to bribe them with food/cupcakes/whatever. Hopefully you'll have plenty of boxes/shopping bags to put things in.

Furniture: Most IKEA furniture comes apart and the small pieces/planks are manageable even for people who can't lift heavy weight (like me...). J. had the right idea about screws. He put associated screws in small half sandwich bags. I marked them all with permanent marker. (i.e. black book shelf or J's desk). We ended up taping the sandwich bags to a piece of the furniture but I think in the future I may just put all the sandwich bags in one central location (they're already labeled anyway. although one or two did tear through the bag so maybe get better bags or small boxes like altoid boxes?). Disassemble all but one small table before the move. you may need the table to put important things on. etc.

Electronics: Unplug everything and pack away. Leave internet/laptop/printer if you need last minute search for anything. Cover TV with sheet/padding. Leave a radio/boombox/ipod+speakers for music (it's great for morale)

Cleaning Items: You need to clean the apt for inspection so don't pack cleaning solutions/tools just yet. Leave one vacuum around too. A lot of paper towels. some rags for dusting. sponges/wipes for bathrooms.

Clothes: We just carried them on hangers. You can also put them in a box and/or suitcase.

Dishes: Wrap all dishes with sheets, towels, etc. This would have been easier if we had boxes, I think. You can store some spice bottles/light weight items inside empty pots.

Fridge: Empty it but do keep plenty of water/drinks inside and some emergency food/snacks.

Books: This is where my parents step in and yell at me for buying too many books. Books are really heavy so sell back any that you don't need for school. I would recommend boxes and dolly for this. Or if you're really stuck you can use a small suitcase with wheels (pushing/pulling books are much better than carrying books, especially if dictionaries and hard covers are concerned...and flights of stairs too)

Lessons learned:

1. Grab more people to help out. I cannot stress this enough.

2. Prepare more tools such as wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. this helps the entire disassembling process and the eventual assembling process too. Most people have a toolbox so tell them to bring some tools along.

3. Spring Cleaning: If you haven't done this yet, you should. What's worse than wasting energy to move stuff that you don't need? Sell/Recycle/Throw away stuff to make your life easier.

Madison Food Roundup

So what do you eat in the state known for dairy? Cheese, ice cream, milk, and more!

Breakfast

Marigold Kitchen (link)

118 S. Pinckney St.

608.661.5559

//scrambler (scrambled eggs) - special of the day was scallion, ham, and cheese scrambler. I picked rosemary toast since the scrambler also comes with toast. Coffee was good as well but I wasn't crazy about the grapefruit juice (should have gotten fresh OJ instead)

Lunch

Zander's Capitol Grill (link)

118 State St.

608.280.9999

//blackened tilapia sandwich with mango and pineapple salsa

//1/2 sandwich (eggplant parmesan) and soup (cheese and beer soup). the eggplant parmesan also had amazing basil and tomato bits. yays. not sure if I liked the soup. it was good, just a bit strange.

Buffalo Wings (link)

ok, so this is a national chain. still enjoyed the food though.

//Wings: Caribbean Jerk, Asian Zing.

//Ribs: decent, esp. good with the Rib+Wing combo.

Dinner

Great Dane downtown location (link)

123 E. Doty St.

608.284.0000

//Devils Lake Red Lager

//Great Dane Pub Wings - we got burned by habanero hellfire, but it gave us an excuse to order milk from the bar (milk from the dairy state sure is tasty). I'm going to stay away from this one. will probably try less suicidal flavors next time.

// Dane Burger - while I enjoyed it, the artichoke dip was a bit much for me. Medium rare was perfect though.

Dessert

Daily Scoop (link)

//blue moon (strange blue ice cream....). badger blast (chocolate overdose)

Inside Memorial Union of UWisc. This place has ice cream, coffee, and more. I had originally wanted to check out the Babcock Hall Dairy store for their specialty ice cream, but my cousin noted that Daily Scoop sold their ice cream too.

Paciugo (link)

//three scoop: coconut, oreo, and rose (yes rose!). I loved the coconut one the best.

I found this in some random mall....what a surprise. They also have other locations in town.

Madison Roundup

Food

see Madison food entry

Fun 

Wisconsin.gov - - Capitol Tour

[free] we caught a huge group of school children so opted to walk around ourselves instead. go to the 4th floor and up some steps and you'll reach the observation deck (Madison is not that tall but it's nice to look at the lake from there)

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center - Madison, Wisconsin

[free] great view of the lake from the top level. otherwise you can walk around the main level and admire their huge half circle windows. Frank Lloyd Wright really had a thing for round structure in buildings huh? (thinks back to Guggenheim in NYC)

Henry Vilas Zoo : Home Page

[free] while this zoo is not that big, it's free and has some interesting animals (including a polar bear). 

U of Wisc Madison Memorial Union Terrace

[free] If you are visiting campus you have to catch this place on a sunny day. I recommend getting coffee or ice cream inside, then walk outside for a spectacular view of the lake. Afterwards if you're feeling adventurous, you should walk along the lake (there's a long path) for a bit. I love this place. 

Betty Lou Cruises

[prices varies] every city with any body of water has a cruise. This one has various themes. go out and enjoy the view! We went on the Pizza & Beer one on Monona which served unlimited Capitol Brewery beer and Ian's Pizza. I was impressed since I bought the ticket thinking it'll be cheap booze and cheese pizza, turned out to be microbrew and decent flavors (mac n cheese pizza anyone? haha)

Olbrich Botanical Garden

[outside free, tropical $1] We got there and didn't have time for the tropical conservatory section of the garden. the outside garden area had many flowering trees and tulips (much later than blooming season in the east coast). a nice little stroll and on the way to the airport. 

References

Some Things to Do In and Around Madison

http://www.visitmadison.com/

Cookbooks

The public library near me has a food corner where they show off the latest seasonal cookbooks or inspired recipes. When I feel the urge, I always take a look at the books there. The non-fiction section around 641.5 also has shelves of books on food. Some of them focus on a specific cuisine (Italian, Japanese, Southwestern), some on a special dietary need (diabetes, atkins, vegan), some on a special ingredient (eggs! yes, I saw a book on eggs alone, it was cool), and of course some on how to eat on the go, eat healthy, cook for parties, and so on.

When it comes to cookbooks, pictures are everything! Although some old cooking reference books are great for howto lessons, there's nothing more enjoyable than flipping through pages filled with gorgeous food pictures. I remember Borders had a series of cookbooks where the author visited various region (China, Italy, France) and came back with recipes and photos of dishes and sites. Those were somewhat unwieldy but who wouldn't want to get that for their coffee table? 

My parents always rattled off the three categories to judge a good dish when I was younger. I'm sure they work for all dishes, not just Chinese food.

1. 色 Appearance (pleasing to the eye, presentation) 

2. 香 Fragrance (pleasing to the nose, well...maybe stinky cheese and stinky tofu are exceptions)

3. 味 Taste (pleasing to the tongue, including flavors, combination of ingredients, textures)

For those reasons, I think cookbooks with vibrant colors and presentations really attract the most attention. Fragrance and taste cannot be condensed into book form for consumption and what we have left is really appearance. Which reminds me of another thing, why is FoodNetwork so addictive? Besides the dishes they cook up, the chefs are friendly and smiling, with a cozy kitchen set in the background (even the fridges and cabinets are well stocked). They also make a point to smell and taste the finished product, letting you know that they really enjoyed the dishes. HD FoodNetwork makes the food look even better, no wonder people (including me) watch that channel obsessively. 

Although a lot of recipes can be found online nowadays, I still like to browse through cookbooks. This is probably similiar to the shopping experience. While we can find clothes for sale online, we enjoy going window-shopping, or walk through stores or the mall. Before I figure out what to cook or make, I like to explore the cookbooks for ideas. 

Free NYC Stuff 2009

special days:

//Brooklyn Botanical Garden (Tuesdays, weekdays during winter are free, Saturdays from 10-noon unless there's a special event)

//Bronx Botanical Garden (Wednesdays, Saturdays from 10-noon unless there's a special event, grounds only, doesn't include special exhibits)

//MOMA (Fridays 4-8pm)

//South Street Seaport Museum (Third Friday of every moth 6pm-closing)

//Brooklyn Museum (First Saturday of every month)

//Jewish Museum (Saturdays)

note: I didn't include "suggested donation" museums like the Met because I never seem to be able to pay less than suggested price there. Maybe the people there are good at guilt-trip me into paying. Some other museums also have special days where you can pay a "suggested donation".

always free:

//Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology (small but well put together exhibits)

//Brooklyn Bridge (I usually make fun of the tourists for walking across this, but really, it is awesome. try it, and do help the tourists out by taking their group photos. put a smile on someone's face, and they can take a pic for you too)

//Governor's Island (Summer only. biking, walking, they even have plays in the summer. oh, did I also mention it's a great place for photos?)

//NY Public Libraries (Always free, you should check out their exihibit schedules)

//Central Park (probably the best place for those warm sunny days, keep an eye out for free summer symphony concerts)

//Forbes Galleries (awesome collection of toy ships and toy soldiers. convieniently located near union square too!)

//Nicholas Roerich Museum (free classical concerts, check listing)

//Natural Museum of American Indians (also check out Bowling Green and Battery Park nearby)

//Brooklyn Heights Promenade (haven't been there but sure looks nice)

//Astor Wines & Spirits Wine Tasting Calendar (the list always look great but I have yet to go!)

//More Parks: http://gonyc.about.com/od/outdooractivities/tp/nyc_parks.htm

tours:

well they're free but please tip the tour guide!

//Central Park Tours (Various dates/times, see link)

//Grand Central (Fridays 12:30pm, not for working people I guess)

//Flatiron Tour (Sundays 11AM). and you can pick up something from the Shake Shack afterwards!

//Union Square Tour (Saturdays 2pm)

//Wall Street Tour (Th/Sat noon)

//Lower East Side (Sun at 11am)

//Brooklyn Brewery Tour (Saturday)

//Chelsea Brewery Tour (Saturday, check website for details)

//Columbia University Tours (link) Well, the campus is quite famous and worth the time for photos. Also you can walk across Broadway to Barnard College which is even more scenic.

music:

mostly during the summer, keep an eye out for the following sites for updates

//brooklyn $3 concerts. prospect park. very very energetic venue. I liked it much better than central park summer stage. probably your best bet for getting someone who you first heard from SXSW or wfuv alternate side or your friend who can't stop gushing about the indie scene.

http://www.briconline.org/celebrate/

//river to river free concerts. well organized. utilizes variouis locations in the city. a great chance to hike to parks you've never visited before. I didn't always know the band but you can't beat a free live performance in the summer!

http://www.rivertorivernyc.com/home.php

//summer stage concerts. inside central park. mad crowded. must remember to bring towel and forget going into the venue. You can still hear plenty outside.

http://www.summerstage.org

//Hudson River Park. good view of skyline. summer concerts/outdoor screenings.

http://www.hudsonriverpark.org/index.asp

//South Street Seaport. yes, it's touristy but I still like the ships as a backdrop to any summer outing. some concerts too. good happy hour specials for the selected restaurants.

http://www.southstreetseaport.com/html/index.asp

links:

GO NYC Deal Listing http://gonyc.about.com/cs/museums/a/museumdeals.htm

GO NYC Summer Concerts http://gonyc.about.com/cs/music/a/summermusic.htm

Free NYC Events Listing http://freenyc.net/

NYC Citywide Events (mayor's office) Calendar (includes parades, music, etc)

NY Arts Listing http://www.nyc-arts.org/
Woody Allen tour http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/own-this-city/80697/woody-allens-manhattan

Calculating those drinks

On a totally random topic, the other day K. and I were debating how much calories bailey's actually has. I found the answer (is it for real though? shocking). The not-so-shocking fact is that hard liquors are not that bad (in shotglass quantities less than 100 calories) compared to beers (12 oz. blue moon is 171 calories! damn). So if you're watching your weight, you should drink more hard liquor and less beer. Yea. and absolutely no girly drinks (you know, the sweet and pretty stuff). Referenced site here.

Another alcohol calculator here.

Barley Love?

Beer Menus (website)
Saw this from gothamist, just wow....what a great resource.

Ever since I got back from Boston (and the Sam Adams tasting tour) I've been very selective about my beers. As in, why drink bottles when there are microbreweries and quality draft stuff? and I finally agree with W. that Corona is really not that amazing. The lime fizz at San Loco, though...that's one fine quality non-alcoholic drink!

Getting the Sam Adams Boston Lager and Brooklyn Lager on draft at my recent sports events were definitely highlights too. One at Madison Square Garden (great venue for music and beer, not for the Knicks, no offense). Another at Shea Stadium (Mets won...it's the last season before Citifield, how sad). So glad we didn't have to settle for aluminum bottled budweiser though. The carvel chocolate/vanilla softserve ice cream inside Mets caps were also amazing, but nearly beer prices, what gives?

Two places the Beer Menu page inspired me to try:
Ginger Man (36th St btw Madison and 5th Ave, Beermenu): Blue Point Berry sounds good.
Village Pourhouse (11th at 3nd ave, Website, Beermenu): Chimay Cinq Cents (pricey though)

Since we're on the topic of alcohol, I want to also mention that clearly I've been spoiled by decent wines and expensive liquors by B., K., among others. We went to the 5 shots for $10 place near St. Marks and I could only stand the Red Label (we have Blue Label at home, sick, yes) although Southern Comfort was interesting (sour and sweet). I'm disappointed to say that while Jameson has great subway ads and Dewar's has great magazine ads, they do not taste that great.

Aged tequila is meant to be savored.

10th Anniversary Chocolate Show (NYC)

10th Chocolate Show (NYC)


NYC Chocolate Show
web

I found out about this event when I saw a girl using the brochure as a bookmark on the subway. I was curious and asked her if I could see the brochure. She gave it to me and I checked out the website for details. Basically, it was a chocolate lover's convention. The convention space would feature vendors, chefs, demos, and even activities for kids. I was sold. It took me some effort to convince T. to go with me. The line outside the door nearly turned us away but after stopping at the B&N for some coffee, we chatted and waited for the line to move. Luckily for us, we were admitted quickly. I had some issues with handing them a check to pay (I should use cash next time, or better yet, buy on ticketmaster so I can skip the line).

We first checked out the Chocolate fashion featuring some dresses (see below) made with chocolate pieces or even chocolate jewelry. Then we walked over to some booths featuring rockstar caricatures on chocolate (Cosmic Chocolate was the name of the company, I believe). Many of the booths offered free samples, much more than I had expected. Needless to say, we tried almost everything. In the chocolate lounge I did not find chocolate martinis or even Kahlua or Bailey based drinks. However, a sip of the Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb was refreshing. I almost bought a bottle there but the rep said I had to go to a nearby liquor store. Oh well.



Some honorable mentions (or business cards I actually took back)

//Chuao [web]
Best tasting spicy chocolate bar. Their Spicy Maya (with cayenne and chile) won out after I had literately 10+ different variations at the 70+ booths.

//Mary's Chocolatier
website in Japanese : link
Based in Tokyo, this booth not only had a white chocolate statue of liberty, they had generous samples too. I was skeptical about the green tea chocolate at first, but after a sampling I decided to buy a box for B. and I to try. Their catalogue was tantalizing but alas, I don't want to think about buying chocolates from Japan and paying for the international shipping charges! Perhaps I'll just pick up more of their stuff at next year's chocolate show.

//Gold Star
no website listed, only email info@goldstarusa.com
I tried the website but it didn't have the chocolate we bought. Just a general food site. This place was giving out samples outside the show, to people waiting in line. The rep then repeated the name and booth number for all to check out. T. and I loved the samples and did purchase some truffles at the booth. It's amazing in my opinion because we must have tried at least 20+ booths before we even found Gold Star. And when we had a second helping of the free sample there, we were still happy with what we tasted. That's when you know the chocolate is good I guess? According to the show program (lists all participants and websites), this company is new this year. Let's hope it's still here next year!

//Chez Pascal [web]
The chef Matt Gennuso gave a food demo at one of the stages. T. and I used the opportunity to sit down and relax a bit. We loved the sample they gave out for the recipe. It may sound strange to cook with chocolate but the chocolate black bean soup and the sausage in chile worked out really well. Needless to say, one of the stops we will make next time we visit Rhode Island.

//Modern Art Chocolates [web]
Christopher Norman Chocolates. White bricks and artistically done finishes. After looking at the map directions for their store, I realized the place was maybe two blocks from work...Clearly I need to get out more.






//Christina Stahr [web]

T. and I couldn't quite afford her art yet. But it's amazing what people could do with chocolate packaging. I really liked the pieces where she use music paper collaged with golden sheets used to wrap chocolates.

//Divalicious Chocolate Fountain Rentals [web]
The giant three or four layered fondue tower made quite a scene. They sold many fondue items at the show. T. and I loved the chocolate that they melted to create fondue. Sigh, if I can get people to shell out enough money for one...In the meantime I'll settle on going to their cafe on Broome St.

Other curiosities photographed: