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

AY YAH!! May May's is closing!

Oh goodness! I heard today from a friend that May May is closing their business. It's currently run by John who I understand to be a second generation business owner. I often see him there personally making the dimsum and items that he sells.

It breaks my heart to know that this place that I have so often bought my dimsum and zhogzis from will not survive a third generation. He is going on to retire after many years of hard work. Like many Chinese business owners, his children have gone on to becoming professionals who do not wish to continue the business.

The landscape of Chinatown has been changing so quickly. Every time a longstanding business like May May leaves, it leaves a void in our community. Small businesses are a big part of what make up Chinatown and our history.

I will definitely be heading to May May's tomorrow to get my fill.

REMEMBER LONNIE'S?

Although Lonnie's was around a lil bit before my time, I've heard stories about the famed Chinatown hamburger joint. My dad used to go there to grab burgers with friends. Some of my friends' parents used to go there on dates.

"Back in the day" as my father would put it, it was the place to go when you wanted some ABC food in Chinatown.

Recently, they uncovered the sign from the Chinatown landmark and have decided to hang it up at the new noodle shop that will open on 21 Mott Street.

Right now you can contribute to the log about Lonnie's at www.lonniescoffeeshoppe.blogspot.com