THE RUN-OFF

Today is an important day in the democratic primary. There is currently a run-off for the positions of Comptroller and Public Advocate.

Chinatown has been a place where politicians have been heavily soliciting votes. For Comptroller, Chinatown is almost whole heartedly supporting John Liu. I joke around that I see John more than any other person I know because his posters are EVERYWHERE!

For Public Advocate, it seems like most of the people I know in Chinatown are supporting Bill de Blasio. He has also been endorsed by Borough President Scott Stringer who I think is a super nice guy.

Remember that if you are a registered democrat, that your vote counts! Find your polling site today!

WHISKEY TAVERN

Friends were out of town so I extended my birthday festivities...

We decided to go to one of my neighborhood favorites. Whiskey Tavern is a cool bar down the block on Baxter. You can catch sporting events while enjoying good food and good drinks.

I like how the bartender/owner Robb knows me. It kinda feels like the Chinatown version of Cheers, you know? Everyone there remembers your name.

For my bday, I got a very cool Whiskey Tavern T shirt. I like how the back of the the shirt reps Chinatown. Super-cuteness! I also got a cupcake with a candle and a special shot. Happy Whiskey Tavern Birthday to Me!

WHISKEY TAVERN

79 Baxter St

New York, NY 10013-4462

(212) 374-9119

FAMILY DAY AT THE MOCA

Cake Decorating Workshop

Book Reading

MOCA Director Alcie and her Lil' Sis

(MOCA chicks Daria and Jenny with Christina at Red Egg after the MOCA)

GRAND OPENING AT MOCA

From Tuesday September 22nd- Saturday the 26th, the Museum of the Chinese In the America (MOCA) will be giving free admission!

The MOCA will be celebrating it's new location designed by Maya Lin. It's core exhibitions are “With a Single Step: Stories in the Making of America,” a history of the Chinese American experience, along with an art exhibition, “Here & Now: Chinese Artists in New York,” featuring contemporary artists of Chinese descent living in New York.

Saturday will also be Family Day. I will be there doing doing kids' cake decorating and storytime. My workshop times will be 10:30-11:15am, 11:30-12:15pm, 12:30-1:15pm.

MOCA

215 Centre Street

New York, NY 10012

www.mocanyc.org

JOE'S GINGER

Joe's Ginger is a big hit with the tourist and the non-Chinese crowd. It is a neighbor and a shoot off of the more well known Joe's Shanghai.

I must say that the food here is very tasty. It's considered a bit more expensive than the typical Chinatown restaurant but it's nothing that will break the bank. Their soup dumplings with crab meat were absolutely D E L I C I O U S!

The waitress recommended the Joe's Special Seafood Noodles and it was a delight! There were big chunks for seafood; including crab claws over yummy thick noodles.

The bill for two full people came out to be around $30+ including tip. That's still a steal in Manhattan if you ask me.

Joe's Ginger

25 Pell St

New York, NY 10013-5168

(212) 285-0333

WO HOP

I don't have much of a life outside of work. On a Saturday night, my buddies tried to kidnap me from work...

Dinner at Wo Hop is always a treat. We ate Peking Duck, snow peas, and wonton noodle soup. YUM!

We of course ended the night at CICF with ice cream! Saturday nights in Chinatown can be kinda awesome!

WO HOP

17 MOTT STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10002

COMPTROLLER THOMPSON IN CHINATOWN

In this picture Jan Lee (Chinatown Advocate, Owner of Sinotique) is walking with Comptroller Thompson. He will be running against Bloomberg for Mayor.

NAIL POLISH SELECTION IN EC

EC (AKA Elizabeth Center) has so many cute shops. I am convinced that I will never outgrow it.

Recently there has been a lot of new cute boutiques popping up. Among my favorite is a shop that sells a variety of nail polish. They carry the brand "Pa" there. I think it's a Japanese brand but don't quote me on that.

The quality of the cute little paint bottles rivals that of Opi and Essie. I like how they are less expensive because they are in smaller containers. It's more of a reason to try out a variety of colors. The shades are also more fresh and unique.

Perfect of our summer manis and pedis!

ELIZABETH CENTER

ELIZABETH STREET (btw Bayard and Canal Streets)

CHINATOWN FLOWERS

Like every other girl on the planet, I love flowers. I’ve gotten flowers from this shop a handful of times. More times than that, I’ve bought the flowers for myself. (It’s called being an Independent Woman. ) =)

I am a huge fan of their multicolor rose bouquets. They also do local deliveries in Chinatown. (So, if you want to send me flowers, please do so!)

They also have some small house plants for sale. Moms usually like those too.

CHINATOWN FLOWERS

35 Pell Street

New York, NY 10013

(212) 608-1811‎

HAPPY EXPRESS CAFÉ

Happy Express Café is a HK style eatery. It’s kinda like Komba or M Star Cafe. It’s a good breakfast joint because the food is yummy, fast, and cheap. I like their versions of breakfast sandwiches. The chicken over rice is also yummy.

They also have hot and cold drinks available. HK style coffee is a must.

HAPPY EXPRESS CAFÉ

6 ALLEN STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

NEW MALAYSIA RESTAURANT

I like to ask my friends what their favorites places to eat are. A common answer that I’ve been hearing is the New Malaysia Restaurant.

It’s a place that I love too. It’s no frills dining. The food is really fresh, yummy, and affordable.

Malay food is one of the more popular cuisines in our Chinatown. The New Malaysian Restaurant isn’t written up nearly as many times as it should be. It’s our local secret top pick.

Most of us just call it “the tunnel”. It’s one of a series of restaurants that lie within the tunnel that connects Elizabeth and Bowery streets in the middle of the block.

I recommend the seafood and chicken dishes here.

NEW MALAYSIAN RESTAURANT

46-49 BOWERY STREET

CHINATOWN ARCADE #28

WATCH REPAIR

When I go to work and put on my Tokidoki watch, it is a good day. I’m simple minded and it takes very little to make me happy...

Today I dropped it on the floor and shattered the band and thought…”crap today is going to be a shitty day.”

Lucky for me; CICF is right across from the “Watch Repair Man”. For $5 bucks, he pieced together my watch and saved the day. The Watch Man is definitely a superhero in my book!

WATCH REPAIR

The booth across the street from CICF

FOOT LONG LIVE

I do manual labor. In a nutshell that means everything hurts all the time. Massages for me are a small piece of heaven.

Foot and back spas have been popping up all over the place. On Bayard Street alone, there must be at least 4 places.

Foot Long Live is definitely a no frills place. It's a dark walk down which at first scared me. After going down, I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked the place. The decor isn't much but the massages are good and the prices are pretty low.

I noticed over the last few weeks, that a lot of hipsters have discovered this hidden parlor. It has started getting very busy there!

If you ask for a frequent massage card, after 10 massages, you can get a free session.

FOOT LONG LIVE

55 BAYARD STREET (BASEMENT)

CHINATOWN, NYC

212-240-9155

BANGKOK CENTER GROCERY

Mosco street is a cute little street that most people miss. I like this hidden grocery store there. Bangkok Center Grocery has a good selection of Thai items. If you're a foodie or love to cook, it's fun to explore these shops.

When I want to make a pat Thai or a pandan dessert, I usually stop by here.

BANGKOK CENTER GROCERY

104 MOSCO STREET

NEW YORK, NY 1oo13

US OPEN'S LI NA

The US Open is a huge deal every year in NYC. I've never been, but I experience the craze through the traffic coming into Manhattan.

China's Li Na has been spotted in Manhattan's Chinatown. In the New York Times article, she is spotted on Bayard Street!

She ate at Coluck and ordered Kimchi Bokumbop. I've eaten at Coluck a million times and have never eaten that. I will have to try it sometime. Li Na rated it as being 85 percent. I think she would have liked their mashed potatoes or chicken wings better. Coluck is a Chinese/American super fast food joint. Definitely not gourmet but fun to eat with friends.

I'm sad that she didn't come to CICF! Hope she kicks butt at the US Open! Chinatown loves Li Na!

COLUCK

located in the tunnel/alleyway btw Elizabeth and Mott Streets