MARCO POLO DAY

Today was the first Marco Polo Day Celebration to celebrate the formal designation of Chinatown and Little Italy as one historic district.

Local politicians and political candidates like John Liu, Margaret Chin, and Justin Yu were in attendance.

The celebrations included speakers, performances and food at SPQR Restaurant.

MEI LAI WAH

Everyone who knows anything about Chinatown knows about Mei Lai Wah. The cha siu bows here are rated the best in Chinatown. You'll see long lines of people that will take a dozen at a time. It's not uncommon for them to sell out by early evening.

Mei Lai Wah is under different management than the old school guys that used to run the show. Though the new renovations have improved the restaurant, I miss getting the langlui 5 cent discount!

The dimsum here is also pretty good. I like their siu mai here.

When I feel the need for sweets, I order the "Dan San". It's like a big fried noodle that you eat like a pretzel that's coated in honey. It is oh so good!

MEI LAI WAH

64 BAYARD STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

XO KITCHEN

I like how XO Kitchen has pictures of their new concoctions on the wall. It makes it easy to order since my Chinese is close to non-existent.

The seafood dishes here are my favorite! They have the heartiest pieces of seafood in their congee. The mussels with garlic sauce and the scallops with cheese are also D E L I C I O U S!

You can also order a bubble tea or a fruit shake with your food!

XO KITCHEN

148 HESTER STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

NICE ONE BAKERY

Nice One Bakery is the only real bakery on Bayard Street. Yes, there is Mei Lai Wah, but you can't get don tots and other sweets there.

I like how this bakery has dimsum to go! I usually grab some dimsum for my kids (AKA the CICF employees) while ordering my fix of coffee for the day. I always order my coffee "light" which has a whole bunch of cream and sugar in it. YUM!

I also am able to buy freshly baked breads for a buck or two. They are excellent for making French Toast or strata at home.

NICE ONE BAKERY

47 BAYARD STREET

212-791-9365

FOOT RELAX SPA

Friends Zena and Catherine kidnapped me from CICF for a much needed massage. These chicas ventured all the way from Astoria. Foot Relax Spa is relatively new and sits on Hester Street btw Mulberry and Centre.

This spa is extremely clean and cheap. An hour foot massage is $35. If you search around Chinatown, it is possible to get that price but that is definitely on the lower end. Considering the money that was put into this new location, it's a bargin.

They do back massages as well for reasonable prices. I suggest making a reservation before coming in though walk ins are welcomed. You can even make reservations online on the link below.

Ah.... I hope to be kidnapped more often. An afternoon of Foot Relax-Bliss!

FOOT RELAX SPA

202 HESTER STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

212-226-8288

http://relax-footspa.com/contact_us

OGLIVY AND MATHER

Oglivy and Mather were scheduled to do their shooting for their Asian Women In Business documentary.

I kinda, sorta forgot. CICF has been keeping me super busy. I've been a slave to the ice cream!

I was wearing a kerchief on my head and had looked like I had just rolled out of bed. I think they saw that I was in need of makeup.

Ahh... a day in the life of a shopkeeper!

(A dress by Peony Red that might possibly look better on my friend than me)

(Friends at dinner. I don't know what they're trying to do!)

(In this picture: Darren Wan (owner Red Egg), Me, Yanna Luo (owner of Peony Red)

BIRTHDAY AT RED EGG

This year, I decided to have my birthday at Red Egg. It made perfect sense. A place where it wouldn't be stressful to make reservations. It's both a bar and restaurant that works out perfect for a weekday party!

Yummy food, good drinks, and good friends. It was a very happy birthday!

RED EGG

202 CENTRE STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

www.redeggnyc.com

212-966-1123

MOONCAKE TIME!

I heart Mooncakes! They are delicious. During this time of the year, people shop for boxes of the sweet treats. They are given and exchanged with family, friends, and neighbors.

These yummy treats can be found at almost any bakery or Chinese market.

THE NEW CICF FLAG

After a long wait, our new CICF Flag has arrived. The flag was designed by the kids at CPC 124 Division Street.

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

WONTON NOODLE SOUP

My favorite restaurant in Chinatown is Hsin Wong. I must've written that a million times in my blog. Love it! It's cheap and convenient.

It's also comfortable eating solo here. Lots of people do. I eat most of my meals alone because my work hours are odd. There's always a small table waiting for me.

They have lots of good comfort food for days at work that were a lil more rough than you would've liked.

Rachael Ray is my homegirl and says Pasta is comfort food. I'm Chinese so I believe in mein and hoi fun.

In this picture: Wonton Hau Fun (Wonton with wide noodles) I usually add a lot of cha siu (roast pork.)

FYI all the waiters there know I can pack taht food down!

HSIN WONG RESTAURANT
72 Bayard Street

New York, NY 10013

NYC DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES FORUM ON THE WEB

Here's the link to the NYC District 1 Candidates Forum. If you were like me, and could not attend, check it out.

www.aaari.info/09-08-27Forum.htm

CANDY SHOP USA

I like candy... & I love ice cream. My two secret remedies for broken hearts on rainy days...

Candy Shop USA sits around the corner of CICF. Yes, it is one of my many guilty pleasures.

The packaging is oh so cute! You can go in and mix up an assortment of candies and dried fruit. Among my favorites are the chocolate covered sunflower seeds, chocolate rocks and the salted plums. Miniature Toblerones are also a definite must!

There are little sample bowls near each of the items. Swing by the next time you're in the area.

CANDY SHOP USA

48 Mott Street

New York, NY 10013

212-233-8838

RALLY TO SUPPORT JOHN LIU

In Chinatown, John Liu is a superstar. There hasn't been one business, where I haven't seen his poster plastered up.

Tomorrow from 5-6pm in Chatham Square there will be a rally for John Liu. He is currently running for City Comptroller. They are calling for supporters and volunteers. Election is right around the corner! Hope that you will come and support.

CHATHAM SQUARE

(Corner of East Broadway and Bowery)

Tuesday 8/25/09

5:00-6:00

KUNG FU BING

A Kung Fu Bing has opened in Chinatown. This store is part of an international franchise. I like to call it the Kung Fu Panda and my workers all make fun of me.

This eatery is kind of an Eastern Dunkin Donuts. They have all types of good breakfast sandwiches; paired in value meals with bubble teas. I like their egg sandwiches and mint tea.

I fell in love with the place and had to try it because of their logo. How cute! I heart panda bears~!

Rumor also has it that there will be more Kung Fu Bings opening all over the city.

KUNG FU BING

79 DIVISION STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

212-226-2836

NYC COUNCIL DISTRICT 1

The Chinatown area is part of NYC's District 1. Right now the candidates for City Council are Alan Gerson, PJ Kim, Margaret Chin, Pete Gleason, and Arthur Gregory.

On Thursday, there will be a Candidates Forum at PS 124 from 6-9pm. If you live or work in the area, drop by to hear what the candidates are about. Translations will also be done in Mandarin and Cantonese.

This year, the candidates are very diverse and I expect that it will be an interesting race. Hope that you can make the forum and get involved with local politics!

DISTRICT 1 FORUM
PS 124
40 Divison Street
Thursday 6-9pm

NEW GREEN BO RESTAURANT

I love dumplings, as you can see from this picture. The waitress behind looks so shocked how many dumplings my little body can pack down. I do manual labor, so I tell myself I can eat all the dumplings I want. (This logic of course gives me a belly ache every now and then.)

In my opinion, New Green Bo has the best soup dumplings in the city. Their hot and sour soup is also a yummy complement.

NEW GREEN BO RESTAURANT

66 BAYARD STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10013

KSS BEAUTY SPA

My gal pal Gloria described Chinatown best. "It's one big spa, if you know where to go." Though I work lots, I make sure to spoil myself every second I get.

Now that it's summertime, we have to make sure that we have cute pedicured feet. KSS Beauty Spa offers a good deal. $20 for both manicure and pedicure (Monday-Thursday). This place is no frills but is quick and convenient.

They also offer a variety of skin treatments.

KSS BEAUTY SPA

187 CENTRE STREET

212-966-9531

CHINATOWN NO SMOKING DAY

Everyone knows smoking causes cancer and that's not cool...

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is holding Chinatown No Smoking Day this Sunday. They will be holding a Smoking Cessation Workshop and there will also be a free NRT Distribution.

Other distribution sites in Chinatown during this day will include Grand Harmony Restaurant (98 Mott Street) and Golden Bridge Restaurant (50 Bowery Street).

If you're a smoker, trying to quit, you should check it out.

Chinese Merchants Association
83 Mott Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10013
8/16 10am-3pm

RAINBOW CAFE

I've walked by Rainbow Cafe a million times but never took notice of the place. I've eaten here recently quite a bit. It has quickly become a brunch favorite for me.

The food here is very HK Style. The cuisine resembles that of Komba and M Star Cafe. Food is very affordable if not dirt cheap.

When I'm trying to be healthy, I'll order a papaya smoothie and some eggs. Most of the time, I opt for the super high calorie foods on the menu... i.e. the baked seafood deluxe in cream sauce. Can you say "YUM"?

Check it out. They have a location in Chinatown and one in Brooklyn!

RAINBOW CAFE
154 Mott Street
New York, NY 10013

773 60th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220
212-343-7083