Ibuprofen: My Best Friend after a Full Day of Football Games

"MY HERO"
photo created by Susan Lee with her iphone 3Gs

After a long day of football, ibuprofen is going to be my best friend today. But it was all worth it! (so long as the soreness goes away tomorrow! ha ha) For those that do not know, I am the quarterback on a girls church football team. My team has been practicing on the weekends for the last two months and yesterday was one of the first times we played competitively against another football team. We looked forward to yesterday's tournament and as we went in, win or lose, we were first and foremost a team. As the day came, all of my girls played with their hearts and we ended the day with a victory, winning 4-0! Yahoo!

And as expected, our bodies paid the price for the success... and today, ibuprofen will aide me as I go about my day. :D thank you ibuprofen, i heart you today!

MTA finding ways to fine people

I saw this sign while sitting on the M15 bus... It says "if you enter a bus lane, your car may be photographed" by video cameras. guess how much your fine will be? $115. Doesn't that sound like a lot? This isn't the only new initiative to raise funds for the MTA.

Anyone who pumps gas, takes a taxi, rents a car or has to pay for car registration, are already subsidizing the MTA.

The way the MTA has gotten more creative at raising funds seems like the MTA's budget gap is like the abyss! And as we already know fare hikes are on their way! For drivers, bridge and tunnel toll hikes are increasing by at least 5% if you have an ez-pass (and more if you don't have one), both subway and LIRR fares are going up and more fines are on the way! Yes, more fines! The new M15 Select buses have a fine of $100 if you are caught on the bus without your receipt.

So watch out people, don't accidentally get into a bus only lane and be careful not to lose your receipt - or else you'll be fined! And, if you drive into new York, consider taking public transport because your commute will get more expensive December 30!

Photos from NYC Comic Con 2010 Event at Javitz Center

Here are some of my photos from NYC Comic Con 2010!

For more, check my FLICKR photostream

News: 15 Major Fast Food Failures

I saw this on CNBC and found it interesting that big fast food chains have had some interesting food product blunders -- McDonalds surprisingly has had a few -- ever hear of a Hula Burger created to cater to Catholics (probably not since most of us weren't born yet) or the McDLT sandwich - a lettuce and tomato sandwich with NO patty? or what about the Arch Deluxe, a burger created for adults with a special bun and peppered bacon?; or what about the possibility of ordering a 100x100 at Inn-N-Out? Too bad we can only order a max of a 4x4 (still huge!); or what about the Noid, the mascot at Dominoes, that created the trademarked phrase, "Avoid the Noid" or, should I say avoid Dominoe's altogether?

Anyhow, have fun reviewing some of these previous fast food campaigns by clicking here and see if you recognize any of them!

Happy Eating!

Grub Street Food Festival this Saturday: October 16th

Grub Street pairing with the Hester Street Fair and hosting their fourth annual block party food festival this Saturday on the intersection of Essex and Hester from 10 am to 6 pm, rain or shine.

There are a lot of good restaurants there too! The list is below...

An Choi
Arancini Bros.
BaconMarmalade
Bao Bing

Brown Café
Cascabel
Char No. 4
Cheeky Sandwiches
Ditch Plains
Employees Only
Georgia’s Eastside BBQ
Gloria's In & Out
Grandaisy Bakery
Hot Blondies
Il Buco
Kelvin Slushy Truck
Kickstand Coffee
La Newyorkina
La Sonrisa
Luke's Lobster
Macaron Parlour
Malbon Brothers BBQ
Melt Bakery
Mexicue
Mile End Delicatessen
Moo Life
Naya & Mila's Organic Dog Treats
Nijiya Market
P&H Soda
Pain D'Avignon
PAKO TACO
Patacon Pisao
Pies N Thighs
Purple Yam
Rhong - Tiam
Sigmund Pretzelshop
Skim Kim
The Smile
Wafels & Dinges

Reminder: Check out the Malaysia Kitchen Tour!

The Malaysia Truck will be at Bryant Park today from 11:00 - 3:00 -- so get your free sampling of Malaysian cuisine... food from the West Village Fatty Crab will be made available today!

The address for today's food truck: Bryant Park at 40th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Recall, the Malaysia Food Truck will be in select Manhattan locations from Oct. 11 - Nov. 6, 2010 and in select Queens locations from Nov. 8 - Nov. 19, 2010.

For more info about their truck locations, check out their website.

Enjoy!

Google is testing Cars that can Drive on their own in San Francisco!

Google is no longer that small little search engine that helps you find anything you want... Google has created a software program that allows technology to drive a car. What?!?! Yes, remember the cool cars in i.Robot and Minority Report that drove themselves? well, that may soon become a reality. Who knows, maybe the idea isn't so new -- considering GM's EN-V concept car is designed to avoid accidents by automatically swerving around other cars by communicating with them.

Ongoing car tests at Google have shown that their software program is working -- but don't get too excited yet -- it won't move along as fast as you would like... according to the New York Times, under current law, a human must be in control of the car at all times, so laws must be changed before robot driven cars will be on the road -- (wait, does that mean the test cars were already in violation? tangent. :D )

Wow, first the Internet and now Robot drivers - we are an advanced civilization for sure!

For more information, read the New York Times article by clicking here.

A cool excerpt from the article:

"Robot drivers react faster than humans, have 360-degree perception and do not get distracted, sleepy or intoxicated, the engineers argue. They speak in terms of lives saved and injuries avoided — more than 37,000 people died in car accidents in the United States in 2008. The engineers say the technology could double the capacity of roads by allowing cars to drive more safely while closer together. Because the robot cars would eventually be less likely to crash, they could be built lighter, reducing fuel consumption. But of course, to be truly safer, the cars must be far more reliable than, say, today’s personal computers, which crash on occasion and are frequently infected."

Halloween is right around the corner!

Where did the time go? Halloween is a few weeks away and before you know it thanksgiving, Christmas and then new years! Whew... Time is flying right by...so make the most of it!

So what costume do you think the costume is from? My guess, Alice in wonderland ...

Why Living in the City Sucks... You miss the night sky

Just saw this posting on my friend's blog (John Duarte)... and thought it was sad, but true!

Mark Your Calendars: Clinton Kelly book signing next week - featuring Steve Giralt's photographs!

Ok, this is the book everyone should check out. I had a chance to review this book today and I found it hilarious. The photos by Steve Giralt are "over-the-top" and Clinton Kelly's commentary is -- well, shocking and entertaining!

Clinton Kelly will appear at Borders Columbus Circle store on Tuesday, October 12 and 7:00 pm. And I think Steve Giralt should also make a guest appearance (ahem, hope you're reading this!) ... So make sure to get your copy and then find a place to people watch and see common clothing faux pas around NYC like the one I saw this afternoon

Ok, if you're into book signings and celebrity sightings, you may also enjoy Hillary Duff's new book. -- Elixir.

Hillary's book signing is on Monday, October 11 at 5:00 pm at the Borders Columbus Circle Bookstore.

The book is about Clea Raymond who has been in the spotlight her entire life, as she is the daughter of a renowned surgeon and prominent Washington DC politican. Clea is a photojournalist, who meets who I suppose will be her true love, and he helps her unravel the mystery behind her father's disappearance.

If you're interested in her tour schedule, click here.

M.T.A Approves Transit Fare Hike

According to the NY Times, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority approved a package of fare increases for its subways, buses and commuter railroads. These prices increases is the third of its kind in three years and is at a bad time considering the curtailment of services this past year as the MTA attempts to close its budget gap.

A sampling of the fare hikes for the subway and bus system include: the 30-day unlimited card will increase to $104, up from $89, while the unlimited weekly pass will increase to $29, up from $27. Single rides will rise 25 cents to $2.50. According to the article, "The pricing regime places the biggest burden of the increases on the system’s most frequent riders, the third of straphangers who use 30-day passes.Transit officials said this action was fair, because that group also tends to be more affluent than other riders, according to the authority’s survey data."

The authority railroad price hikes for the Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road will rise anywhere from 7 to 14 percent, depending on the distance. An additional $1 surcharge will be implemented for riders who buy a new MetroCard vs. adding money on an old card.

The price increases will take effect on Dec. 30.

For more information, read the NY Times article.

If you missed the Malaysian Food festival in Meatpacking a few weeks ago, this is your chance to get your Malaysian food sampling again!

Malaysia Kitchen for the World will launch the first-ever Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck in Manhattan and in Queens where they will be offering free samples of Malaysian Street Food. The food is catered by local restaurants such as Café Asean, Penang (UWS ), Laut, Nyonya (Chinatown), Fatty Crab, and New Malaysia from Manhattan, Bentara from New Haven, Connecticut, and Malay Restaurant Inc. from Queens.

The event will be kicked off on Oct. 12th at Bryant Park, with a sampling of Malaysian breakfast foods at 7:00 a.m and then with lunch offerings at 11:00 a.m. After this kick-off event, the truck will be appearing in high trafficked areas in Manhattan and in Queens. The locations will be revealed on Oct. 11th on their website -- www.MalaysiaKitchenNYC.com

Food Truck Details - offering food from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm:

Manhattan: Oct. 12 - Nov. 6, 2010 / Queens: Nov. 8 - Nov. 19, 2010

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Press-Release Below:

Catch the Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck

October 11 - November 19 in Manhattan and Queens, NY

Local Restaurants Offer Free Samples of Delicious Malaysian Street Food

Weekdays from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Grand Launch Event at Bryant Park, October 12

October 4, 2010, New York - In an effort to drive consumers to experience the exotic flavors of Malaysian cuisine, Malaysia Kitchen for the World will host a food truck offering free samples of delicious food from local Malaysian restaurants. From October 11 to November 6 in Manhattan and from November 8 to 19 in Queens, the Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck will offer free portions of Malaysian delicacies weekdays from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Stationed at different, high-traffic locations in Manhattan and Queens, the Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck will feature food from restaurants such as Café Asean, Penang (Upper West Side), Laut, Nyonya (Chinatown), Fatty Crab, and New Malaysia from Manhattan, Bentara from New Haven, Connecticut, and Malay Restaurant Inc. (Restorant Malaysia) from Queens.

On Tuesday, October 12, the Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck will officially launch at Bryant Park (40^th St. between 5^th and 6^th Aves). On that day, sampling will commence at 7:00 am with Malaysian breakfast dishes and continue with lunch offerings at 11:00 am. Samples available while supplies last. Chef Zak Pelaccio from Fatty Crab and Fatty ‘Cue restaurants in New York, and Chef Hasni Ghazali from Bentara restaurant in New Haven, will be on hand Tuesday morning to discuss their culinary contributions to the truck. In addition, Chef Ghazali will demonstrate his dramatic cooking technique for Roti Jala, the signature Malaysian flat bread. Bentara will provide samples for the Malaysia Kitchen Food Truck November 5 and 6 to complement the "Eat| Drink| Explore Malaysia Kitchen" celebration at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal.

A schedule of truck sampling locations, dates, restaurants and dishes will appear on the Malaysia Kitchen for the World web site (www.MalaysiaKitchenNYC.com) on October 11. Updates will also be available via Twitter by following @malaysiakitchen.

"We're delighted to give New Yorkers the opportunity to sample the flavors of Malaysia by bringing our food directly to them," said Wan Latiff, MATRADE Commissioner. "We think the truck will be an effective and fun way to promote Malaysian cuisine and entice consumers to visit their local Malaysian restaurants."

At the truck, consumers can enjoy a free sample of some Malaysian signature dishes ranging from Beef Rendang, a dry beef curry, to Chicken Satay, chicken meat on skewers served with a tasty peanut sauce, and Nasi Lemak, a coconut rice dish traditionally served with chicken curry and spicy chili sauce called Sambal. Menus from restaurants sampling food on the truck as well as a restaurant guide of local Malaysian restaurants and restaurants serving Malaysian dishes will be available for patrons.

Chinatown wins again for offering cheap meals!

Photos from iphone

This is no gourmet meal, but if you have $4.50, you can have a five item entree with soup (taxes included) at this Chinatown establishment located on Hester and Centre street. I don't even think this place has a name other than $4.50 Combinations!

So what do you get? Just about everything you can order at a Panda Express and more. It's Chinese food on steroids with some good ole authentic dishes that Chinese American-born won't think about eating (well except me of course). Though the food is mass produced (think buffet line), the food is not lacking in flavor... There is however some dishes that have too much oil (some vegetable dishes). But overall, for the price - the quantity can't be beat!

You will see a lot of street vendors (aka people selling "designer" bags) taking a break from their work and eating here... Or just tourists getting their taste buds satisfied with the variety of chinese food here... Or someone like me who found this convenient spot to grab a quick bite before I went into work.

So if you happen to exit canal street on the 6 or n/r trains, this Chinese Combination food place is A few steps away (go north on Hester street) an if you don't have that extra 50 cents with you, take it to go and pay only $4!

Happy eating!

Le Da Nang at 75 2nd Ave in East Village; Vietnamese Food

Shrimp summer spring roll with iced coffee; Vietnamese sandwich with spicy shrimp

Rice and bbq pork chop; bun w/ tofu ; shrimp entree with soup/salad/appetizer

photos with the iphone camera

Finally, good and cheap Vietnamese food has made its way outside of Chinatown and into the East Village. Le Da Nang is on 2nd avenue between 5th and 4th street at the old Sea Thai restaurant.

This place has a variety of lunch special options starting at $5.99 for a Vietnamese sandwich with iced/hot Vietnamese coffee or $9.99 for a entree, appetizer, salad, soup and free drink. I ordered a main dish, appetizer and a iced coffee all for the price of $8.50. Wow! What a deal! You can get this deal everyday of the week from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm. This is definitely a food steal -- check out part of the menu here.

Overall it was a great place. Only comments are:

- watch the step as you walk into this establishment
- the menu is a bit confusing and on the verge of "daunting", but if you can navigate a NYC subway map, you can handle this
- if you order the pork chops and don't like the spicy Ginger sauce, you can ask for the typical fish sauce that you eat with the pork chops
- if you want the traditional Banh Mi sandwich, this is not the place to go -- they have some "fancy" options such as Spicy Shrimp, BBQ Pork Chops and more
- definitely get the iced coffee ... If it's not sweet enough ask for more condensed milk
- decor seems a bit upscale for the low priced meals, but that just ups the value of this place
- for the price you can't beat the convenience of the location and for the decent to good food!
- happy hour from 5-7 pm and it's $3 beer and wines, or 50% off on cocktails.

Alright that's enough... Happy eating!

About Le Da Nang from their website:

Da Nang is the largest city in central Vietnam and one of the country´s most important ports. Ringed by mountains on one side and the East Sea on the other, Da Nang has numerous cuisine with seafoods and mountain vegetables with the touch of French and Spanish influence.

Le Da Nang represents the taste of Vietnam, mixture of cultural crossover, as well as dishes from northern Vietnam and bordering country of Thailand.

The modern yet authentic flavors of Vietnamese cuisine.

John D's first portrait shoot wearing his Teddy Ruxpin Halloween costume!

Photos by Natacha P.

What do you do when you have a free studio all to yourself? "Its PORTRAIT time!" Yes, John took it upon himself to use this free studio to practice some of his lighting techniques.. and I was there to assist and support him through the way -- offering small suggestions and making the models feel comfortable.

John D. aka Film Director aka Moonlighting Photographer (haha, i know you're reading this!) decided to wear his Halloween costume - Teddy Ruxpin - for his portrait shoot. Knowing that he asked his two models (Joanna and Natacha) to wear "costume-y" outfits, he wanted to "fit" in so he brought along his own costume. :D ha ha. ok, he was being a good sport about it. :D

John's lighting set-up: 5.0' octabank as key light; two strip banks on the side to light the background.