eating out with others

Breakfast bagel spots. Lunch with co-workers. Late night dinners. 24-hour diners. Weekend brunch. Friends visiting from out of town. Get togethers with the usual crowd. Making new friends on Bumble BFF. MeetUp groups. Dating. This past week I’ve had farm-to-table American—trout and veggies (Wm Farmer & Sons), Korean bulgogi and seafood pancakes (Cho Dang Gol), Chinese dry hot pot (Mala House), Italian pizza and cacio e pepe (Vic’s), Japanese hand rolls (Nami Nori), and Nepalese momos (Momo Crave). And you know what? None of those meals I had alone. And all of them cut into my budget way more than I should allow.

New York City has options. Great options. Every cuisine under the sun. As I get older, it’s harder to make new friends and to keep existing connections strong since everyone is always so busy, but I try. And usually it all happens over food. But it certainly isn’t cheap. Any advice column about budgeting will mention cutting back on eating out as one of the strategies, because eating out is substantially more expensive than cooking for yourself. Especially in New York, because everything costs—the food itself, the service, the workers, the rent. Unlike in Asia, there’s no getting a 10-kuai ($1.50) bowl of noodles here. So yeah, eating out is a luxury and I’ve been splurging, but eating out is also a social activity which isn’t as easy to replicate at home unless you’re a good/adventurous cook (and I’m not) and are comfortable having people over (I only invite close friends).

Some people find cooking relaxing, but it’s always been a chore for me. Work is also stressful at the moment, so having people to talk to, eating good food, trying new things, and not having to cook myself is part of my self care. And as long as I balance the eating out with eating in, and don’t get in the habit of eating out all the time, I’ll be fine. I’m fortunate enough to be able to splurge once in a while, and while my bank account is taking a bit of a hit this summer, as long as I keep the big picture in mind and reign myself in when necessary, I’ll be just fine. Come winter I’ll probably turn into a hermit anyway.

Lox Sandwich & Iced Coffee – Semicolon

Semicolon Cafe
516a 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016
Murray Hill
https://semicoloncafe.com

Smoked Salmon Toast – Esme

Esme
999 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Greenpoint
https://www.esmebk.com

Double Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato Fries – The Gem Saloon

The Gem Saloon
375 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016
Murray Hill
https://www.thegemsaloonnyc.com

Sausage Gravy Smothered Chicken – Jacob’s Pickles

Jacob’s Pickles
509 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Upper West Side
https://www.jacobspickles.com

Temaki “Create Your Own” Set – Nami Nori

Nami Nori
33 Carmine Street, New York, NY 10014
West Village
https://naminori.nyc

fall is nyc’s best season

There is a decided chill in the air and voila … summer is definitely over. Yay! Fall is a breath of fresh air—literally and figuratively. Summer in the city certainly has its benefits, but after a while … all that humidity and hot trash smell and ugh … it just starts to get to you. So now that I can finally turn off my very noisy air conditioner, and either rely on the breeze through my window or *gasp* not even open the window without boiling to death, it’s a welcome moment. Very welcome.

Yay to spending significant periods of time outdoors! Outdoor brunch! Outdoor stroll! Exploring Central Park without wanting to stab myself in the eye (or escape extremely quickly)! But alas, fall in New York City is pretty short-lived and it’s already starting to turn just a tad too cold. My plants outside are no longer doing so well and the beans will probably need to get pulled in the next few weeks if this weather keeps up. Hopefully I can at least get a few radishes and greens before frost. And I’ll be sure to enjoy the nice fall weather while I can!

the new york brunch @ penelope

I’m trying to get back into the swing of regularly posting, but keep getting stalled when working on the longer posts, so here’s a quick one just to get me in the swing of things:

New York. Summer. Sunday. Brunch! It’s a thing. Especially when it’s “al fresco” a.k.a. outside. But … the sidewalk ain’t the most glamorous location for brunch. The street sheds that popped up during the pandemic are sticking around, so on the plus side, there’s a more seating options and usually less wait, as long as you don’t mind people constantly passing by. Now, if you haven’t heard of Penelope, it’s a pretty popular brunch spot in the city. Nothing super fancy, just solid classic American food. I pass by it regularly and it’s always pretty busy, especially weekend mornings when I’m usually headed to the grocery store, but this was the first time I actually ate there.

I had a blueberry lemonade—nice and refreshing!—and the croque madame—good, but on the heavy side. To be fair, the croque madame probably wasn’t my best choice considering I’m lactose intolerant (even though I had pills with me), I generally don’t eat much in the morning, and it was a bit warm out, so my appetite was a bit dampened. But I took half of it home and polished off those leftovers the next day. The service was good but a bit slow, which was understandable since it was a busy Sunday morning and it looked like there was only one server in our area (which was probably like eight tables). All in all, I’ll definitely return to Penelope, but next time I’ll opt for inside (to get a proper vibe of the place, to eat in peace, and for air conditioning) and I’d try one of their signature bowls … or maybe the blueberry pancakes. Mmm …

Penelope
159 Lexington Avenue
(at East 30th Street)
Murray Hill, New York, NY

update. this is now.

It has been a year since I last posted, and two years since I last posted regularly. And you know what? I almost feel guilty saying it, but I haven’t had a bad pandemic. People have lost their jobs, the world went/is going through a global crisis, Russia invaded Ukraine … but in my middle-class white-collar life? It’s been okay. And … it’s a bit surreal, but it’s actually been okay. I’m not saying this to brag. I know the world is different now. I acknowledge that I live a relatively privileged bubbled life. But this is my truth, and my truth isn’t all that bad, nor is it all that unique. And I can’t help feeling a bit guilty about that even though I know I’ve done nothing wrong.

I’m just saying that for a fairly large segment of the US population, of which I belong, there were challenges and strifes, but … at the end of the day, they were manageable. I didn’t lose my job; I was able to get a higher paying job. I didn’t lose shelter; I was able to live and work pretty comfortably in my place. I didn’t lose any family members; I gained a few—a cat (see photo below) and a niece. In fact, although I’ve had a few friends and multiple co-workers who got COVID, none of my family members or I have ever tested positive. Despite the travel advisories, I’ve traveled internationally twice and domestically multiple times. I don’t know what it is. It just is what it is.

So yes, life is different in March 2023 than it was March 2021, when shit hit the fan and what I thought would be one or two weeks of work from home became something so much different. But I’m also not going to pass value judgements on how much worse the world is now, because I don’t think that serves any purpose. The world is different, and the world is always going to be different from one day to the next, from one crisis to the next. And it’s cliché how often people say it, but we are getting to a “new normal.” It is what it is. It’s not right, it’s not wrong, it just is. And goodness knows I know that sounds pretentious as heck, but that’s how I approach it, how I stay sane. Nothing I say or do will change that larger picture. But at the same time, I’m not going to tell anyone to “get over it,” because people have had real challenges that need to be acknowledged. Just don’t worry about me. Because even if it seems like I’ve fallen off the face of this earth, chances are, I’ll be okay.

NOTE: For anyone wondering, I was able to find a new home for Earl where he has a companion cat to help him socialize, and he has been doing well. My new cat (who I adopted in June) is an older cat who is used to being an only cat, is lazy as heck, sheds like heck, and coughs up hairballs like heck, but who I adore.

eating. korean fried chicken sandwich

I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress lately. Between work (my team is understaffed), the cat (the cat is still with me for the time being), and the apartment (they’re doing construction on the building), I’ve been super stressed. And when I’m stressed, I tend to … not eat. Partially because I forget to eat, partially because I can’t be bothered to cook, and partially because anything I do make is not great.

So, in a bid to stimulate my appetite (and not continue to starve myself), I stopped by Shake Shack while I was out picking up more cat food for Earl. They’ve been doing some specials, so I shook up my normal order and tried their Korean-style fried chicken sandwich. White kimchi slaw and Gochuchang-glazed crispy chicken breast. Tasty.

Is it a sandwich worth the $9? Probably not. But did I finish it all? Yes. So … still a win? The chicken with the glaze was really nice, but the piece was so thick that the middle was a bit dry without the sauce. And pieces of the slaw were long which made it a bit difficult to eat in sandwich form. Overall tasty, but I probably won’t order it again.

The main question: Did it succeed in stimulating my appetite? Not really. Shake Shack was yesterday. Today I had … half a bagel, a quarter of a frittata, and a bowl of ice cream. Not great, but better than nothing. Basically I just need a vacation before I do more damage to myself. I don’t know.

the new moynihan train hall

So if you’re in New York (and not living under a rock), you’ve probably heard of a spiffy new thing called the Moynihan Train Hall which opened at the beginning of 2021. And yes, it is nice. But … it’s not really all that unless you’re an Amtrak or LIRR train rider—and I’m not. (I’m more likely to take a bus rather than Amtrak because I’m cheap.) However, even though its existence doesn’t really impact my life, I think it’s great. Definitely more befitting of New York City than Penn Station.

Moynihan Train Hall, February 2021

What a lot of people misunderstand is that the Moynihan Train Hall is not a new station; essentially it’s an extension of the much-reviled and much-in-need-of-renovations Penn Station. Moynihan is not a new stop and doesn’t impact the trains, though it does improve the hospitality/circulation aspect by creating new entry/access points to some of the platforms and providing new waiting spaces and (eventually) retail and a food hall. It’s hard to find fault with the nice open space and the really beautiful skylight (which was still partially covered with snow from the crazy snowstorm we had). I’m sure in normal times the place would’ve been hopping, but alas, there’s less travel due to the pandemic.

I remember visiting the James A. Farley Building when there was just the post office, back in 2012 during my first adventure in New York, and my reaction was: Wow this is a ridiculously nice post office. I mean … woah. It’s a really nice post office. And fear not, the post office is still there! It is landmarked after all. It’s just that the building is now split between the post office and the Moynihan Train Hall.

James A. Farley Post Office, April 2012

Now this is architecture that the city can be proud of! Not some of those ridiculous skyscrapers popping up. I mean seriously? SOM, the firm that designed the Moynihan Train Hall, is also designing an absolute monstrosity called The Commodore. Ick.

i am now surrounded by scaffolding

Well 2021 is going great so far, ain’t it? American democracy is under attack. COVID-19 is still spreading. And if that’s not enough—if it’s not enough that I already spend 95% of my time within my one-bedroom apartment—now I feel even more penned in. By scaffolding. Ah New York!

There is now scaffolding all up around my building. I’m thinking it’s for façade inspection/repairs as required by Local Law 11, and that’s all well and good, except wow I didn’t realize how annoying or creepy it could be! Normally I’d be at the office during construction hours, but now I’m working from home and having to deal with construction. Mostly noise. But now construction workers. Nothing against the workers themselves, but since they’re on the scaffolding working on my building …

So I’m working away, then I turn my head and BOOM. There’s a person standing outside my window. Sheer curtains, so I just see a human-shaped shadow. It’s kinda shocking. Then I go to the kitchen and BOOM. Person out the window. No curtains on that window and we awkwardly make brief eye contact. Then I go to the bathroom and BOOM. Person out the window. Only the bottom half of my windows are frosted, so they can still look in from above. Er … so I retreat and wait until they move around to the other side of the building before I can use the restroom. Why oh why do I not have more substantial window dressings? Because who the heck would’ve expected to see PEOPLE RIGHT THERE when you live on a high floor?

Anyway, of all the things going on in 2021, this is a trivial complaint. They’re doing their jobs, and it’s good that the building’s façade is getting checked. But I’m too tired to talk about anything serious, so this is what I shall latch onto. There’s too much serious going on, I just wanna get lost in a formulaic K-drama and go to sleep. Happy 2021!

that faraway land of brooklyn

I never quite understood the appeal of Brooklyn, but I venture out that way almost every weekend these days. Why? Because that’s where most of my friends live. And I can get bored with the island of Manhattan. After all, I’ve become very well acquainted with my neighborhood in the last few months.

I don’t mind going to what I jokingly refer to as “that faraway land.” The L train has improved massively, and the subway is a lot cleaner and not so crowded. Travel by car is more expensive since there are no more shared Lyfts or Ubers, but I’m traveling far less than previously anyway, so I don’t mind spending the extra. And going to Brooklyn, even though I keep being reminded that it’s “still New York,” feels like a trip. I mean, the East River is a pretty definite boundary, right?

Manhattan has been stifling. Not because it is, but because I’ve been here. Things are much more open and “normal” than they were, but I’m still pretty boxed into my apartment, neighborhood, borough. When this pandemic started, there was a period when I didn’t leave my apartment for almost two weeks, and didn’t leave my immediate neighborhood for almost two months. I didn’t go to the beach this summer. I haven’t taken any daytrips or vacations (other than to visit family). My passport even expired. So even though venturing out to Brooklyn is fairly minor, traveling across the river—to help a friend move or attend a park barbecue or spend Thanksgiving—is its own sort of adventure. It’s not really a faraway land, but it’s its own sort of triumph.

chilly chily april weather

What a great start to spring, eh? Technically the first day of spring was a few weeks ago on March 20, but if you’ve been in the Northeast, you’d never’ve guessed it. On the first day of April, the weather was beautiful (only a light jacket required). On the second day of April, it snowed (winter coat and snow boots). Since then, the weather’s ranged from the 30s to upper 50s, but it’s expected to hit 75F this weekend.

I know it’s boring to complain about the weather. I know it’s pointless to complain about something that no one has any control over. But it’s so frustrating! Mostly because I keep putting things away (like coats, sweaters, boots) only to have to take them out again, and my tomato plants are getting bigger and are starting to crowd me out of my own apartment.

possible union strike

I’ve lived in New York for over four years, so I feel like I know the city pretty well in the way that I have strong opinions on bagel shops and can rattle off subway routes and hate Times Square with a passion. But there are still quite a few signs that I’m not from the city—things that I’ve never experienced, that blow my mind and somewhat terrify me. One of those things? A union strike.

WHAT?!

Apparently my building’s staff (which amounts to less than a dozen people) have their own union. I didn’t know that. And apparently (according to a three-page letter every resident got from the management company today), that union might go on strike in a few weeks. The letter described what would happen in case of a strike: They’ll hire a security guard and we’ll all be issued security passes. Residents will volunteer to man the front desk. The trash compactor chute will be closed, so we’ll have to take trash out to the curb ourselves. And we can only receive deliveries if we’re home and able to collect it from the lobby (which basically means no one’s getting packages, unless they trek over to the distribution center).

So … um … WHAT?!

I don’t want to live in a building where the staff is on strike! That sounds totally unsafe and kind of scary, like a cross between being on lockdown (with guards out front and a single bottleneck entry point), and squatting somewhere (basic infrastructure but no services). I’d have to cross a picket line just to go home? As for what the issues are and why a strike is being threatened, I have no idea. Not a Scooby-Doo. But now I really, really want to know what’s going on.