SUNSET CINEMA SERIES

There's going to be a series of films that are going to be put up in Columbus Park. Sunset Cinema Series is going to start Saturday, June 7th at 6:30-8 pm, and continue on each Saturday till the end of the month. The series consists of a series of different Asian American films from the last decade.


It's a spinoff of what Lunar Stages had done in previous years. It's a great event to attend to enjoy the summer in Chinatown. All the movies are free, and they will be accompanied by a variety of performances and free events.

It's great for a family event, a group of friends, or a cheap date! Columbus Park is located on 67 Mulberry Street.

Check out http://www.aaari.info/2008sunsetchinatown.htm for more info!

RICE INCREASES IN PRICE

I really don't know how these businesses in Chinatown survive. Today I bought duck over rice and it was $3.75. Right now rice is at a super high price and they say there's a shortage. The other day I went to Costco, and I noticed that they limited all the shoppers to 3 bags max for their purchase of rice.

The food is really really good in Chinatown. I think the marketing of some of the restaurants here is too old school. I had this conversation with someone and we came to the conclusion that maybe back in certain areas in China, food was valued more than marketing.

Competition in Asia is also fierce. In my opinion the Chinatown businesses should charge what their meals are worth because they are just cheating themselves. Often the customers just see the food as being low quality because of their low prices.

I would easily pay $10-$15 for that meal.

THE SKADDEN ARPS SIGNING

I thought I was pretty prepared for the signing at Skadden, but I was actually much more nervous there than I was at Macy's. I felt slightly out of my element.

The kids were great of course; but I guess I wasn't used to being in the presence of so many prestigious lawyers who were there to hear me speak. I'm great around kids and demoing food but when it comes to speaking in front of these super lawyers, I get the jitters in my knees. Oh well...did my best.

Overall it went very well. Glad that big companies like Skadden are not only recognizing but celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I'm glad that I could introduce them and their children to my book and introduce them to Chinatown. Everyone knows how I love C-Town!

One of the lawyers there was actually studying and practicing speaking, reading, and writing Chinese in Chinatown. She was just as excited as the kids about my new book! Glad I could make their days.

I really love being in the food industry. Food is a very comfortable medium to introduce someone to your culture because everyone has to eat. And everyone eats ice cream! In the end, whether you're a big shot lawyer or a young child, ice cream can always bring a smile to your face.

SATURDAY AT MACY'S

So today is Sunday and I'm still pooped from Saturday. Some days, I have to pinch myself that I'm alive. I really love my job and what I do varies from one day to the next. Very exciting...

So yesterday was the second time where I was invited to do a demonstration in Macy's at Herald Square. For me it's one of the most nerve racking experiences. Not only are you demonstrating in front of a crowd of 50 people, but they also have 3 plasma televisions in the store showing your demo.


The last time I was invited, my Father and I demonstrated how to make red bean ice cream. Yesterday since we were short handed at the shop, I had to go alone and demo our ice cream sheet cake.

Everything turned out really well. The audience was very shy when I asked for participants, not many people wanted to come up. I thought that meant that my demo was a flop.

To my surprise, after my demo was over, I was mobbed by people who wanted to talk to me in person. The crowd even wanted me all to autograph their Macy's recipes.

One woman was so cute. She gave me a hug and she told me that I was special and to marry wealthy. hahaha...words of wisdom, I guess.

So I went back to my shop after the Macy's demo and my kids (my workers) told me that I just missed Tyra Banks. I heard she came in with sunglasses and that she's as beautiful in person as she is on TV. Tyra got 3 scoops of ice cream! Whoa baby!

ICE CREAM FOR APA MONTH

CICF is involved with so many events this APA month! It seems so surreal that we've been invited to so many great events.

May 1st-Our ice cream is served at Gracie Mansion for the Mayor's APA Celebration. Our ice cream was a hit!

May 3rd-Christina Seid does an ice cream sheet cake demonstration at Macy's Herald's Square.

May 8th-Book signing for Saturdays in Chinatown at Skadden Arps.

May 10th-CICF will be participating in the CAPA Festival.

May12th-Christina Seid gives a talk at Hunter College on second generation businesses.

May 13th-Our ice cream is being served at the Rapture Gala which will be held at the IAC Headquarters, newly designed by Gehry. The Gala will celebrate Gehry's new building. Noteworthy participants in the project include Frank
Gehry, Diane von Furstenberg, Feist, Barry Diller and Robert Wilson.
Me and my sister Kathy will be there at the after party if you'd like to join us!

May17th-CICF will partcipate in the Macy's APA Children's Day. (Not confirmed)

May 20-Book signing for Saturdays in Chinatown at Hamilton Madison

GRACIE MANSION

Today is May 1st which marks the beginning of Asian Pacific Awareness (APA) Month. CICF has the honor having its ice cream served at the Mayor's reception tonight at Gracie Mansion. Our ice cream is that good! =)

I haven't been blogging as much as I should because CICF will be participating in a whole bunch of great things for APA Month. I'll post the information up on this blog shortly.

Although great things have been happening, I have also been pretty sad the last day. Yesterday was the last day for my dear neighbors who own Moonhouse restaurant. The closing of their restaurant made me feel like I was losing a member of my family. As silly as it seems, it was a very emotional day for me. I told Jeanie to hold me and tell me that it wasn't over. And yes...I cried. Couldn't help it. =(

Off to eat ice cream at the Mayors! Will blog back later!

THE TRAVEL CHANNEL

Today, I got to be part of the Travel Channel's piece on the different Chinatowns across the U.S. The Chinatowns that were visited include Chinatowns in San Fran, Philadelphia, Portland, & Boston.

I think that I've visited most of the other Chinatown and I don't think any of them compare to our NY Chinatown.

I'll keep you posted on when the segment will air. I still of course think that our Chinatown is #1!

MAMA CAFE

There's this relatively new cafe that's across the street from Columbus Park on Mulberry Street. I've actually been meaning to go for awhile and today I finally had the chance to step out.

It's a really cute little shop with an eclectic mix of Eastern and Western style snacks. Kinda like a mix of Komba's and Cosi mixed together. They offer salads, wraps, burger, sandwiches and juices.

I like that it's not too busy in there. It's a relaxing place if you need to step out and grab a cup of Joe. It's a quiet atmosphere to study or to chat with good friends.

Mama Cafe 46 Mulberry St, New York 10013 (Btwn Mosco & Bayard St)

MOONHOUSE ANNOUNCES THAT IT IS CLOSING

My longtime neighbor of 10 years has publicly announced that it is closing at the end of this month. I'm pretty devastated about it because of love their food and love my neighbors.

The neighboring businesses are more than just the services and goods they provide. The businesses in our community are about the people. The people who run the businesses are at their shops for so many hours, that their stores become their home. The neighboring businesses become your family.

I see the closing of Moonhouse as more than just the mere inconvenience of having to go to another restaurant for my siu long bow. It symbolizes a changing Chinatown where the little businesses can no longer survive. I wonder what the future holds for our community.

Its a bittersweet ending for Moonhouse. Although it's the end of their business run, it is also the end of the long hours of toil. Mrs. Sun will take some time off before finding another job and her daughter has already secured her own career. Because of a family's efforts to come together to run their business, they are able to advance. So in some ways, I guess this story does have a happy ending.

For all you long time customers, don't forget to get your last meal there before it closes. And for you guys haven't tried it yet, try to get your taste now while you can.

Come eat at Moonhouse- 67 Bayard Street

THE CHINATOWN YMCA'S SUMMER CAMPS

Summer is right around the corner. Many parents need to figure out how to keep their kids occupied since they'll be out of school for for a few months.

The Chinatown YMCAs are offering their summer camps.

The newly renovated Chinatown YMCA Houston Street Center is offering a sports and a swim camp for children ages 5-12. Session 1: June 30-July 11; Session 2: July 14-25; Session 3: July 28th-August 8th; Session 4: August 11th-August 22nd.

They will be holding an Open House on Saturday 3/15, Saturday 4/12, Saturday 5/17, from 10am-4pm; as well as every Friday during camp.

For more information on the summer camp athe Chinatown YMCA Houston Street Center, you can call Jill Dowd at 212-912-2460. It is located at 273 Bowery. Their web address is www.ymcanyc.org/chinatown.


The other location for the Chinatown YMCA is located at their Hester Street Center.
Their summer camp is offered to children between the ages of 4-11 years of age. Their specialities include computer, tutoring, dance, karate, and basketball. Session 1: June 30-July 11; Session 2: July 14-25; Session 3: July 28-August 8; Session 4: August 11-August 22 and Post Camp: August 25-29.


They will be holding their Open House Saturday 3/15, Saturday 4/12, Saturday 5/17 from 11am-2pm. Their Summer Bazaar will be July 20th, and Summer Festival will be August 13th; and their Parents Night will be August 15th.


For more information on the Chinatown YMCA Hester Street Center, you can contact Nilka Yau at 212-334-3945. It is located at 100 Hester Street. For more information, you can also visit the web at www.ymcanyc.org/chinatown.

THE EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE

Today, I was reading through the Grand Street News; which is a new free publication. They had an article about the art classes that the Educational Alliance offered to adults.

Although CICF has supported the Educational Alliance in the past with some of its fundraisers, I've always thought of it only as a senior center or a preschool facility. It's great to know that there still are places that are providing affordable art classes.

They offer art classes ranging from wielding and pottery and everything in between. You can even take a Chinese ink painting class for just $105. Now that's what I call a bargain in this crazy city!

I, myself will definitely be looking to take some classes there!

The Educational Alliance is located at 197 East Broadway (at Jefferson) which is across the street from Seward Park.

For more information, you can visit www.edalliance.org or call 212-780-2300.

SUNNY HAIR SALON CLOSING

Today was a dreary rainy day. Business was slow, so it gave me the opportunity to sneak out for a much needed hair cut.

As I sat down in the barber chair, Sunny told me that he had some bad news for me. He told me he could no longer afford the rent they were paying for their space and that he would be closing.

He'll be work as a hairdresser at Fashion Hair Design at 11 Mott Street. Sunny feels that it's a mixed blessing. Sunny won't have all the hassles of running a business. He'll be free to take vacation time and spend time with his children.

It's so hard for business owners in Chinatown; especially with this economy. People just aren't spending and the businesses are suffering.

69 REOPENS!!!

Hip hip hoorah!! I knew that they would reopen! I passed by yesterday night to find that all of the dollars that I have put up on the wall have been taken down. They however, do have a brand new interior.

After hitting up the clubs tonight, I will definitely have to drop by with friends for a late night snack! I hope they let us put some of our new dollar bills up on the wall. Hey...it's tradition!

69 RESTAURANT CLOSES?

The restaurant 69 has been closed for about a week with a sign in the window that says "closed for renovations".

People in the community are saying that the long standing establishment is done for good. Most are saying that the landlord is asking for too much and will not renew their lease. Others are saying that the owners are tired of the business.

I will be heartbroken if the rumors are true. Love that place. I've had so many good memories of going there late at night with friends. While waiting for meals, we'd decorate our dollar bills and hang them up on their wall.

Chinatown is changing so quickly. First Mei Mei, then Danny Ng's and now this? The long standing businesses have always been the heart of our community and I see them fading out ever so quickly.

Intercollegiate Women's Conference

On March 29th at 10am, I will be at Baruch giving a talk about how running a small business like CICF has given me opportunities to make change within my community.

My talk is titled "Say My Name: Making a Mark in This World as a Woman".

There is no doubt that balancing work life with your personal life is always a juggling act. I hope to give some helpful insights on how to balance work life with social life.

Help celebrate Women's History Month by attending. You can find more information at www.intercollegiatewomensconference.info

DOLLAR STORES

If Chinatown didn't have enough great deals, there are also our Dollar Stores. I'm actually not a fan of $1 stores because all it tends to be is junk. The Dollar Stores in Chinatown are way better and you can get a lot of really excellent deals.

Since today was raining, I took a walk to clear my head and did a good deal of shopping in the store that sits on Mulberry street (cross streets Bayard and Canal).

Today I bought a whole stack of really cool earrings from Claire's that were being sold there for 1/6 of the price. The store was also surprisingly well organized. Me and my sister love to venture there to get bargains.

Check it out next time you're in town!

C-Listing

C-Listing is a website that acts as a travel guide. It was formerly part of Focus NY and was founded by Tony Liu and Jenny Kin. Although they have branched out into reviewing other neighborhoods, they started off with just focusing on the Chinatown community.

By either viewing their website or their paper guide edition of their directory, you can navigate Chinatown with ease. Although some businesses do pay for advertising on their site and directory, many are listed free.

I think C-Listing is a great tool to help people inside or outside of our community navigate Chinatown a little easier.

Check out C-Listing at www.c-listing.com/index.asp

KOMBA RESTAURANT

Every now and then I like going to Komba. It's good if you sorta want something a little different than your normal Chinatown food.

You can get things like spaghetti and meat sauce. What's funny is that for some reason, these "American/Italian" dishes still taste a hint Chinese. It's still yummy though.

Komba also offers a variety of HK snacks and drinks. My afternoon favorites are the french toast with condensed milk and HK milk tea.

The colorful atmosphere makes you feel like you're in Hong Kong. The customers too, reflect that. It's cool to sit in there and people watch a bit because their customers tend to dress very HK and hip.


Komba Restaurant is located on 23 Pell Street.

THE NEW MEAT MARKET ON BAYARD

When the shop in the middle of the block became vacant, they gutted it. Of course, we all assumed that it would be another Chinese restaurant. Much to my surprise, it turned into a second meat market on Bayard street.

The new market it beautiful. The stainless steel counters in the shop gleam a brand new shine. They sell a selection of vegetables as well which is very convenient for one stop shoppers.

I love to cook so this is great for me! I buy most of my groceries in Chinatown because they are the freshest and cheapest place in my opinion. I'm a huge fan of buying the marinated short ribs. They're fast and easy to cook.

THE CHINESE NEW YEAR PARADE-SUNDAY

The big Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown has historically been held the following Sunday after the first Sunday of the New Year. It's a little confusing, I know. Nobody really announced this or put this fact out there either. The only reason I know this is because my shop has to get its red envelopes ready for the lion dancers.

At one point, when the Explore Chinatown campaign was launched, they had two New Year's parades. One on the New Year's Day and one the following Sunday. Sorta, like one for the tourists, and one for the locals.

Different associations have their groups of lion dancers and the dance to the beat of the drum up and down the streets. They also usually end the parade by setting up a martial arts stage where they do some praying mantus style martial arts. Very cool to watch. I usually get the best seat because they set up on Bayard street.

So if you missed the festivities this year, hopefully you'll join in and know for next year.

Have a happy year of the rat.

EATING VEGETARIAN IN CHINATOWN

I'm not a vegetarian but lots of people nowadays are. A common question that I've been getting is "What's a good vegetarian restaurant in Chinatown?" This question has kinda got me stumped the last few times; especially since Vegetarian Paradise went out of business.

I know that the new popular vegetarian hotspot is on Pell Street (cross streets Bayard & Bowery). I haven't personally tried it but it's called Vegetarian Dim Sum House.

Quite frankly, I think that you can eat excellent vegetarian dishes at any Chinese restaurant. Chinese people actually eat a lot of veggies. Some excellent recommendations for vegetarians out there is the bok choi or the Chinese snow peas. Vegetables dumplings are readily available at most Shanghainese restaurants such as Moonhouse and New Green Bo.

I also know that the owner of Fuleen Seafood Restaurant (11 Division Street) is a Buddhist vegetarian. I'm sure that if you asked him, he would be able to recommend a lot on his menu that is veggie friendly.

TALK TUESDAYS

Talk Tuesdays are events that go on once every month that help to connect different Asian Organizations. Today's Talk Tuesday will have two groups that have helped and stayed within the Chinatown community: (1) Chinatown Youth Initiatives and (2) Greater Chinatown Community Association.

The Chinatown Youth Initiatives is in short an organization run by the youth of Chinatown for the youth. It was founded in 1999. They have fun programs like the Summer Leadership Institute and the Chinatown Literacy Project. Part of their mission is to provide places for youths to explore their identities in communities while helping them build on their leadership skills.
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The Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA) promotes the well-being of the Chinatown community within New York City through unique, individualized program services. Established in 1972, GCCA has long since been a pioneer and innovator in the provision of: Adult Education, Consultation and Aid, Medical and Health Care, and Recreational and Cultural Activities. My good friend Kendra is the Executive Director.

Date: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 from 6:30PM - 8:00PM or later
Location: Nightingale Lounge
Address: 213 Second Avenue
Cross Streets: Corner of E. 13th Street
Phone: (212) 473 - 9398
Directions by subway: 4, 5, 6, L, N, R to 14th St.- Union Square

Talk Tuesdays are organized by CAPA and NAAP. For more information on future Talk Tuesdays, please visit www.capaonline.org

Chinese New Year Events for 2008

The Lunar New Year is one of the biggest holidays for Chinese all over the world. It is a special time in which spend time with families and friends . Here's what's going on in Chinatown the week of:

Event: New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival-
Time: Thursday, Feb, 7th 11:00-3:00pm.
Location: Chatham Square (Intersection of Bowery, Mott, & East Broadway)

Event: 9th Lunar New Year Parade & Festival-
Time: Sunday, Feb. 10th 1:00-5:00
Location: Mott Street (Btw Canal and Bayard)

Event: Flower Market
Times: Saturday Feb. 2nd; 12pm-10pm; Sunday Feb. 3rd 12pm-3pm; Monday Feb 12th 2pm-8pm.
Location: Columbus Park (located on Mulberry street. Cross streets btw Bayard and Worth.

CHINESE NEW YEAR DECORATIONS

There's a shop a few doors down from us, in the middle of the block. They don't have an American name, but they're easy to spot.

They sell every type of red envelope that you could imagine. I remember when I was a kid, the types of hong bows (red envelopes) that you could get were very limited. Now they make everything from Hello Kitty hong bows to hong bows with your Chinese name. The envelopes vary in price depending on size & quality.

You can also find festive Chinese New Year items like Chinese good lucks signs, paper firecrackers and lion dancer puppets.

I like the paper firecrackers although they make quite a mess. Check it out!

YEAR OF THE RAT 4076

This Chinese New Year is the Year of the Rat. People born in the year of the rat are known to be leaders that are driven in life by their passion and charisma. They are known to be the most organized and systematic people of all of the zodiac signs.

So what's going on in Chinatown for the New Year? The Flower Market was something that I've enjoyed a lot. This will be it's 5th year and it takes pace in Columbus Park (located on Mulberry Street; cross streets are Bayard and Worth).

This event is relatively new and each year it gets better and better. They sell lots of beautiful flowers that people buy to decorate their homes for the New Year. The word for "flower" in Chinese resembles the word for "wealth". They're one of the many lucky symbols people adorn their homes with to ring in the New Year.

There will be artists and performers there. It's a really great family event and it helps draw people into Chinatown.

Dates for the flower market:
Saturday Feb 2, 2008 (12pm-10pm)
Sunday Feb 3, 2008 (12pm-5pm)
Monday Feb 4. 2008 (2pm-8pm)

SATURDAYS IN CHINATOWN-Why I decided to write the book


So what inspired me to write a children's book? When I was in graduate school, I studied elementary education. My professor gave us the task of compiling lists of good multicultural children's literature. Because I'm of Asian descent, I went off to find "good" pieces of children's literature which had Asian American protagonists.

Much to my dismay, I found that there weren't very many good pieces of children's literature that had Asian American heroes. I brought this up to my professor who was actually the chair of the program and she herself was surprised. Nobody had ever brought this issue to her attention.

Although the world of children's literature has great books that represent "diversity", Asian Americans are often left out. The issues & experiences of different minority groups greatly differ from one to the next.

The books I did find were often not written by Asian authors. They often resembled bulky textbooks and were not very attractive to children or even for adults. The ones that were attractive often took place in some distant place that the average Asian American child would not be able to relate to. For example, I found one book that took place in a Japanese internment camp in the U.S. and another that took place in China where the characters were all wearing traditional attire.

In my graduate career, I was not only one of the youngest graduates in my class, but I was also one of the few Asians in the field. My Professor told me that it was my duty to create a children's book. I casually laughed it off and said, "I can't draw.". Professor Z. told me that shouldn't stop me. Guess what... It didn't.

Growing up, my favorite picture book was about a boy in China that played with his panda bear. I can't remember the name of the book or what it was exactly about, but it was my favorite because the boy resembled what I looked like. I had never been to China, and neither had my parents.

My father was also instrumental in getting me moving on this project. Even years after graduation, he would cut out articles or pictures of other successful children's books. He would say things like, "Look at this. This book is about this stupid little mouse and it sold 10 million copies. The mouse isn't even cute!"

In the end, Saturdays in Chinatown was finished. It's a story about a boy from the suburbs who makes his weekly trip to Chinatown. He goes to Chinese school to learn Chinese, plays in the park with his friends and runs errands with his family.

He wears jeans and sneakers. The "Chinatown Kid" , you will find to be the typical "American kid". We are after all American. I wanted to break down the stereotypes that are often associated with Asian Americans. I thought what better way than at a child's age?


The book is finally for sale. Available in the CICF shop and will be on our website shortly.

Other locations that are carrying our book or will be carrying our book:

Sinoqitue
www.sinotique.com


Queens Dance Project
www.queensdanceproject.com


East Meets West
http://www.bostonprogress.org/programs/emw.html

The Greater Chinatown Community Association (GCCA)

My good friend Jean introduced me to this fabulous woman, Kendra Lee. Jean knew that both of us worked in the Chinatown area and decided to connect the two of us. Kendra has just recently become the new executive director of the Greater Chinatown Community Association.

Although, I am involved in the community, I didn't know what the GCCA was about. Luckily upon meeting Kendra, she immediately offered me a tour of their location on Mosco street.

Mosco street is tiny and their location is tiny. Despite the size of their staff and location, the GCCA is able to touch the lives of so many members of our community. I was very impressed. I can see that their secret is the heart behind the organization. Everyone who either works or volunteers their, exudes such a positive and giving aura.

So what exactly does the GCCA do? I'm going to put it all out there, since I was once in the dark about this as well:

(1) They help inform members of the community about what benefits or social services they may be able to get. This includes social security information, food stamps, etc.

(2) The GCCA sponsors events for the community.

(3) They operate a free medical office three times a week. This is primarily for people that are uninsured or dependent on Medicaid or Medicare. Acupuncture /Massage therapy and Chinese slow motion Tai Chi exercises are offered to individuals with chronic illness and pain.

(4) GCCA offers adult education classes that include ESOL, computer training, and civics/government classes. These classes help them to prepare for their citizenship interview. Computer classes often help them to qualify for better jobs.


Although the GCCA has been helping community members for over 30 years, I can tell that it has much more growth ahead of them. I'm glad to see Chinese youth like Kendra, coming back to help our community. I admire her enthusiasm and hard work and I am sure that it will take the organization far.

More information can be found at www.gccanyc.org

HOLIDAY/CHRISTMAS WISHLIST

All CICF Wishlist items are on our list not only because we love them, but because they are made by small businesses and individuals who have supported and touched our community.

*Hello Kitty Stuff-Elizabeth Center- Though I am 27 years ago, I still love Hello Kitty! My sister tells me all the time that I'm too old to be carrying My Melody lunchbox, but I say that you're never too old for Sanrio!

*Sterling Silver Jewlery-Canal Street- To most, buying stuff from the small shops that line Canal Street seems to be a lot less legit than buying stuff from Macy's. As long as the jewlery says 925 or sterling silver on it, it's just as sterling as the mall stuff. You can get some pretty cool necklaces and earrings for cheap prices for Christmas gifts. You also save enough that you might as well grab something for yourself since it is Christmas! (well...that's my logic at least)


*Notorious MSG-CDs and posters
The other day, the MSG boys left the CDS and posters I bought for my friends at my shop. My friends and I are total MSG groupies. D-Lo Mein is also incredibly hot and is probably the only good looking boy who remembers my name. =X


*earings by Leafing- Lea Feng was previously a full time staff member at Asian Women in Business (AWIB). She worked with AWIB and was an integral part of helping to develop the Explore Chinatown Campaign which is one of the many reasons why I love Lea.

On top of this girl being talented & beautiful, she makes gorgeous jewelry. I wanted to bid on some of her items at AWIB's silent auction but instead she made me a pair of my own custom earrings.

All her pieces are hand made and you can request what colors and materials you want. I got these stunning long blue rain drop earrings which have sterling silver posts. No matter what I'm wearing, my earrings always makes my outfit look 10x better.

I'm not sure if her website is off the ground yet so this might need to be on next year's list. Just letting yo know about her!

*Japanese Ceramic Dishes-Kam Man Supermarket - I love cooking! It makes preparing dinner a lot more fun when you have cool dishes to play around with. These dishes are imported from Japan and come in a wide variety of colors and designs. Upon first touch, you can tell the quality is excellent. You'll impress your guests with your new Japanese cookware as well as your food.

* Chinatown Donations
Most of us don't really need anything for Christmas. Often our friends buy us things that wind up cluttering up our homes. A cool alternative to the conventional gifts are donations to organizations that have helped the Chinatown community.

Attach a note or explain to whatever organization that you're donating to that you're giving it a a gift. This is actually the top gift on my wish list because it goes back to what Christmas/Holidays are really about....giving and thinking about others.

A couple of suggestions for organizations in our community are the Museum of the Chinese in the Americas (MOCA), The Charles Wang Health Center, and the Gouverneur's Hosptial.


Cool items that CICF also sells that would make great Christmas gifts as well are:

CICF T shirts CICF Hoodies CICF Polos-Limited Edition CICF Gift Certificates Saturdays In Chinatown T shirts and totes

RED EIGHT

A couple of friends of mine started this really interesting organization called Red Eight. This group combines Asian entrepreneurs with film and media. Because CICF loves them so much , we're actually one of their sponsors!

So Saturday night, I was invited to a movie reception for an independent film called "Undoing" which starred Sung Kang. The movie had to do with Asian American gang related issues which I thought would be interesting. (Grew up working on Bayard street, so I'm very familiar with these issues.)

Well ...though I do think Red Eight is a great organization, the #1 draw for my friends and I had to be that Russel Wong was attending. I'm pretty sure that every Asian girl in this country has at one point had a crush on the well established actor. He was kind enough to take a picture with us even though he probably thought that my friends and I were total dorks.

But I also unexpectedly bumped into Henry Chang who has become one of Chinatown's famed authors. He recently released the book Chinatown Beat which is a novel based on true stories of what went on in the Chinatown gang scene. Although I have not read his book yet, my father is a huge fan of his. Dad actually owns an autographed copy. You can also purchase his book at any Barnes and Noble and autographed copies are available at Jan's store-Sinotique on Mott.

For more information on Red Eight, visit www.redeight.org

Saturdays in Chinatown- COMING SOON

So what are all these posters advertising "Saturdays In Chinatown" about? It's been in the making for awhile but kept very hush hush... It's the new picture book that's going to be sold at CICF as well as other bookshops and such. I wrote this book for every person who has ever enjoyed Chinatown. It is a children's book about what really goes on here.

There will be more information on this blog and on our website soon. Stay tuned.

THANKSGIVING

The Thanksgiving orders for cakes at the store are piling up fast.

I think that our ice cream cakes are just as "American" as apple pie. Although lychee, red bean, mango ice cream cakes may not be what comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving, but to many New Yorkers, it is tradition.

I love NY's diversity because it reminds me about how the diverse ethnic foods that grace our tables reflects the culture and the people that make up America.

BTW- a helpful tip if you're too lazy to cook your turkey...if you buy your own turkey and take it to a Chinese restaurant, they will cook it for you at a very reasonable price.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from the CICF crew to yours!

Saturday Night at the MOCA with Beau Sia

My first time seeing one of Beau's performance was at the Def Poetry Jam's performance on Broadway. He is well known for being a spoken word artist.

Although the venue at the MOCA was definitely smaller than the Broadway stage, it gave way to a much more intimate and spontaneous performance.

Beau's performances mostly have to do with issues of race and cultural identity within America. His words are very moving and thought provoking.

A friend and myself were able to enjoy Beau's show for $5 a piece. It would've been even cheaper if we were MOCA members, which we have and are planning on becoming.


For more information on future MOCA events, http://www.mocanyc.org/visit/events

Note: I would not recommend this performance for young children because of adult language.

CHINATOWN NY BY ANN VOLKEIN


To celebrate the release of Ann's new book , Chinatown NY , there was a book release party. Attendees included supporters of the book as well as people that the book featured. (CICF was also included in the book.)

This book on Chinatown is one of a series of books about different ethnic neigbhorhoods in NYC. I was impressed with how beautiful the photographs came out. The content of th book was also excellent. It was truly the most up to date and informative book on Chinatown.

This book really did a lot of re-educating for all of Chinatownites. It's funny how many of work in the same community but have never met or talked to each other until the book party. The book talks about different businesses in Chinatown as well as the people who make it up. What I also found interesting was how they also included the different ways in which our families have immigrated to this country.

Collins Design and Ann Volkwein will be soon releasing their new book on NYC's Chinatown.


You can pre-order your copy at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006118859X/harpercollinspub/

THE CHINATOWN BID

There seems to be a lot of controversy over the attempts of the Chinatown Partnership to implement a BID for Chinatown.

I myself until this morning was under the impression that a BID would only bring positive things to our community. This is definitely not a one sided argument. There is actually a lot of opposition to the BID.

I would have to read more on the issue, but as of now, I oppose the BID. Although I do want cleaner streets just like the rest of Chinatown, I think that there are other avenues to accomplish this if that is the only reason that they are trying to restructure our community.

Also, if other small businesses are adamantly opposed to the BID, it is not in the best interest of myself or for Chinatown as a whole to back it up. The guidelines of what a BID would bring are not 100 percent clear since they seem to differ from neighborhood to neighborhood. A BID would impose a tax on the landlords and most likely will tax the small businesses in our community.

Small businesses are the heart of our community and I think they'll be driven out if they have taxes up the kazoo! Who on earth needs more taxes? Realistically, how much are these guys making when they're charging less than $5 for a gourmet meal?

I also agree with the argument that if Chinatown were to get money for the BID that it should be used in other ways (i.e. for our schools, etc). As for the streets, store keepers seem to be willing to maintain them and pay for additional costs out of pocket. After all, we do pay for our own carting companies already.

According to an article by Nick Pinto, "

The largest and one of the oldest of these is the Chinese Consolidated
Benevolent Association, whose president, Eric Ng, is known unofficially as
the Chinatown Mayor. Ng is cautious in discussing the BID, and refused to
join its steering committee. "We have to stay neutral on this issue," he
said, adding that he has doubts about the Partnership's ability to
represent all of Chinatown.

HALLOWEEN IN CHINATOWN

This morning, I watched a whole trail of Chinese kids in their costumes walk across the Bowery to their elementary school. I felt like I didn't even need to venture to the village to see the wide array of superheroes and super scary characters.

It's so cute to see all the little kids (and the not so little kids) in their Halloween best. In NYC's Chinatown, kids can't go hopping house to house; ringing doorbells to trick or treat. Instead, ghouls, witches, Carebears and all come into the local shops screaming "trick or treat?" Shop merchants happily give candy or pennies.

Wishing everyone a very safe and Happy Halloween!

MOCA-The Chinatown Film Project

The Museum of the Chinese in the Americas (MOCA) is collecting clips of the different Chinatown's across the world for it's film project.

You don't have to be a professional film maker to enter. They are collecting things in all formats; from camera phone videos to Super 8mm films.

The goal of this project is to collect clips that show the diversity of the Chinatown all over the world.

For more information visit http://www.uttube.com/user/MOCANYC

A Changing Pell Street

The old signs that once hung over the businesses of Pell street are slowly disappearing...

New restaurants are moving onto Pell. It saddened me to see that MayMay's gates are now closed. Mei Sun which is also a business that has lasted decades also appears to be under renovations.

Delight Restaurant now gleams in the place where Danny's Ng's Restaurant stood for many years. My favorite dish at Danny's restaurant was the lobster with the burnt cheese (something not very typical and not on the menu). It was their kinda off the menu secret dish that they offered.

Pell and Doyers streets were once the heart of Chinatown when it was first established. My father used to tell me stories about how when he was growing up, Chinatown was two blocks long.

The last of the the old standing businesses are dying off and it feels as a chapter in our history is now ending.

Sigh....

ELIZABETH CENTER

I finally had the chance to go to Elizabeth Center. Growing up, it used to be one of my favorite places to go!

It's definitely a big hang out place for children, teenagers, and Animae buffs. Elizabeth Center (aka EC) is composed of small shops that sell things like Hello Kitty items, origami supplies as well as Animae tapes and figures.

There were many reasons EC was one of my favorite places growing up. For starters, all of my friends in the C Town area hung out there. It was the "cool" place to hang out and meet up with your friends. Secondly, it was the place that I went to purchase my inventory to sell to my classmates in the burbs...

I grew up in Little Neck, NY and Asian items were always very in. The problem was that they were very hard to get unless your parents made a trip to Flushing or Chinatown. Back in those days, Flushing wasn't as developed as it is now, so the best place to buy Hello Kitty or Animae items definitely was Chinatown.

I used to buy things from Elizabeth Center and go back to my classmates and sell the items in school. Since my Dad put me to work at a young age, I made weekly trips to Chinatown. I had access to inventory that I could sell that was hard for everyone else to get.

Memories of an entrepreneurial childhood! =) Good times!

(Elizabeth Center is located on Elizabeth street btw. Bayard and Canal.)

FREE CANTONESE CLASSES

In Chinatown, they are offering free Cantonese classes at MS 131 Sun Yat Sen School (100 Hester Street).

The schedule is as follows:

(1) Conversational Cantonese (no Chinese writing)- Every Saturday 12:30-1:30.

(2) Beginning/Introduction to Cantonese-Every Saturday 1:30-2:30 and Wednesdays 6:30 to 8:30.

(3) Intermediate Cantonese-Every Saturday 2:45-4pm and Mondays 7pm-8:30pm.

$5 donations are suggested. They plan on offering Toisan classes in the future as well.


Can't go wrong with free language classes.

BAKERIES OF CHINATOWN

The bakeries in Chinatown are amazing. They offer such a wide selection of drinks, pastries (some sweet and some savory), and fresh breads.

I sometimes feel that because the prices of these goods are so cheap, that they are taken for granted. The food creations in Chinatown are just as time consuming and intricate to make.

Bakery owners wake up at the crack of dawn to bake their own breads and get the day started with their pastry making. These businesses often rely on high volume since their profit margin is so low.

I often start my mornings by going to the bakery to get a cup of light coffee and a pork bun (cha siu bow). I wind up spending around a buck and half. That's extremely cheap for anywhere in NYC or anywhere else in this country.

Favorites for savory items: Roast pork buns, ham and eggs sandwiches, hot dog buns.

Favorites for sweet items: Mooncakes, egg tarts, macaroons, sesame jelly, fresh baked raisin bread.

MOON CAKE DAY!

I was informed that today is Moon Cake Day. For some reason, I thought it spanned for a season (perhaps I told myself this so I could eat more moon cakes! =X)

Anyway, my good friend Alice's mom actually makes her moon cakes from scratch. Here's her recipe:

Sesame Moon Cakes

Filling:

One can of red bean paste-Divided into 24 pieces; hand rolled to round balls.

Skin:
(1) Flour-2 cups
Warm water- 1/2 cup
Oil- 2/3 cup

Mix together the above ingredients to make a smooth dough (A). Then roll into a long roll and cut into 24 pieces.

(2) Flour 1 1/2 cup
Oil- 1/2 cup

Mix together the above ingredients to make a smooth dough. Then roll into a long roll and cut into 24 pieces (B).

Directions:

1. Flatten (A) pieces; place (B0 Pieces in the center of (A) pieces and wrap the edges to enclose (B); lightly flatten.
Use a rolling pin and roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch think rectangle. Start at the top edge and roll up rectangle into a thin baton-shape. Turn the piece vertically and roll out to a 1/4 rectangle. Roll up one more time to form a square shape. Repeat for all the pieces.

2. Flatten the skin and lightly roll into a 2 inch circle. Place 1 piece of filling in the center of the skin and gather the edges to close. Pinch and seal corners. Lightly flatten the filled cakes. Repeat for all other pieces until you finish all 24.

3. Use a pastry brush to brush a bit of egg yolk on top of each cake. Sprinkle the top with either black or white sesame seeds for garnish.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and DO NOT bake for more than 35 minutes.

NYAWC GALA

The New York Asian Women's Center (NYAWC) is celebrating it's 25th year of helping women and children live free of violence. The gala that they hold annually is one of their sources of raising capital for their organization. I encourage others to try to attend or to make a contribution

The mission of NYAWC is helping battered women overcome violence and govern their own lives, free of abuse. The Center also works to raise public awareness about domestic violence, advocate for the rights of battered women, and create an agenda for social change.

My friend Jeanette is part of the NYAWC's benefit committee. We actually met in college, although ironically I found out that her parents knew my dad after years of buying ice cream at CICF. See ice cream brings everyone together!

On an end note: I admire what my friend Jeanette does so much and support her cause that I will go to her gala dateless. haha

The NYAWC Gala is on October 9th. For more information visit www.nyawc.org

AUTUMN MOON FESTIVAL IN CHINATOWN

I actually just found out that Chinatown has an Autumn Moon Festival. This year it will take place on September 23rd around the Mott and Canal Street intersection.

This is apparently it's 5th year and I have personally never attended. Expect to see me there this year!! What's more fun than being in Chinatown with some mooncakes?

Ummm ummm....now that's what I'm talking about!

MOONCAKE SEASON

It's that time of the year!! Right now, in Chinatown, you'll see that all of the bakeries and markets have beautiful tins and boxes of mooncakes for sale. It's customary to buy mooncakes for familiy and friends as gifts during the autumn to celebrate the Mid Autumn Moon Holiday.

I think traditionally they only came in a few varieties; with the lotus being the most popular. The "moons" in the cake are actually perserved egg yolks. The more moons the cakes have, the more expensive they are.

Over the past few years, I've seen mooncakes come in flavors ranging from sesame to green tea!

I personally like the old fasioned lotus mooncakes minus the moons. My dad used to scold me as a child telling me that I was wasting the best part, but oh well...as an adult i still don't eat the yolks.

Happy mooncake eating!

Notorious MSG at the Bowery Ballroom

Although I have heard about the Notorious MSG, I have never personally heard any of their music nor have I been to the Bowery Ballroom. I must admit, that it was quite an experience.

For those of you who don't know about the Notorious MSG, they are a hip hop band based from Chinatown. Their lyrics are very catchy for us Chinese folks since they have a lot of funny FOB lyrics. I was also surprised to see that their audience also seemed to attract a group of mixed hipsters.

After the first song, I really loved the band because all of their songs are about Chinatown!! (My favorite place in the world! =) ) Famous songs from the band include "Dim Sum Girl", "Chinatown Hustler".

What really made my day was when Down-Lo Mein dedicated a song to me. Ooooh boy....is he a langjy (translation=good looking dude). Although, I don't holler at boys, I would definitely holler at him.

More information on MSG can be found at www.notoriousmsg.com