Tripperbus to Maryland - How does it compare to Megabus or the Boltbus?

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"First time riding the Tripperbus to Bethesda, Maryland... Will it be the same, worse or better than the BoltBus or Megabus? We shall see, so stay tuned..."

Update: Tripper Bus is a great transportation option if you're going to Maryland/VA and want to avoid heading into Washington, DC.  As for the amenities, not many differentiators from other buses -- Wi-Fi was a bit slow, bathrooms were on par (though, people have to learn how to flush them), comfort of seats were on par ... I will note that the outlets were working!  Ah, I thought of one differentiator -- they provide you with one bottle of water, which I think is a nice touch.

Price is about the same, however, if you book your ticket early enough, you may be able to score $1.00 seat. 

Other Notes about stops and traffic: 

NYC -> Bethesda - no stops, took about 4.5 hours (leaving NYC around 2 p.m.)

Bethesda --> NYC - had one 15 minute stop, took about 5.5 hours getting back (leaving Bethesda around 11 am)

Departure Times:  Not as frequent as MegaBus or the BoltBus.

Meet Hani the Sidewalk Street Artist

You can see more of Hani's sidewalk street work at his website.

I can't get enough of the Excellent Pork Chop House

What can I say, this is Excellent! I personally like this type of pan fried pork chops (unfortunately loaded with MSG) that is served with a meat sauce (pickled cabbage with ground pork) over rice (~$5)

Other items that may interest you:

- pork chop noodle soup (I prefer the thin noodles)

- bean curd (tofu, it's in the background)

- seaweed is good, but it's an acquired taste and many people may not like it

- cucumber

- herbal soup - if you're not feeling well, you may want to consider this (but beware this taste medicinal)

- shaved ice - taro, red bean, jelly and condensed milk

Location: 3 Doyer Street (between Bowery and Pell street, across the way from the post office) in Chinatown, NYC

Note: if you like the deep fried pork chops, like many of my Taiwanese friends, you will not like this place. maybe try May Wah's on Hester street between Mulberry and Centre street)

You must try Brick Lane restaurant in the east village

Lamb Chops

A friend took me to Brick Lane Curry House (Indian food) and it was delicious. I ordered the lamb chops (medium) and it was juicy and tender. I highly recommend sharing this dish with a friend and ordering a curry of sorts (there are a lot of options). If you don't like lamb (just try it! It's not gamey here), and if you must have another type of meat, you can try the Tandoori Chicken. 

Pricing: Expect to pay at least $14 for curries and chicken and $20 for the lamb (it's good - you get 4 chops).

Location:  306-308 E 6th St in the East Village

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How would you like taking a ride in this cab?

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I wonder if anyone took a ride in this cab...

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New York Summer Streets Returns!

Previously I've written about New York's Summer Streets and its back again.  For the uninitiated, Summer Streets is an event that allows people to embrace healthy living and encourages individuals to use environment friendly modes of transportation (i.e. your legs or your bike)... The event occurs on three consecutive Saturdays starting August 4 and ending August 18 (yes, it started yesterday) from 7 am to 1 pm and stretches from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park.   If you're a runner, its a truly remarkable experience to glide through the empty streets (if you go in the morning) as you witness the morning light caressing the Park Avenue buildings (see left photo)... If you're not a runner, or biker, you can walk the streets and experience it like a  street fair... there are a multitude of things you can try along the route - be a new yogi and practice yoga with other fellow new yorkers, or learn the fancy footwork and the sweet seduction of salsa, learn how to change a flat on your bike and so much more.  If you don't have a bike, there are places along the route you can rent one for FREE, yes, FREE (just get there early)... In past years they had rock climbing (thanks to REI), art stations that allow you to express your creative mojo, swimming pools to let you cool off during the sweltering hot summer days and vendors handing out free samples of their delectable ice creams, teas, etc. There is a little something for everyone at New York Summer Streets - so make sure you mark your calendar to try it out on one of the remaining Saturdays -- August 11 or August 18th.

Enjoy all that New York City has to offer