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New York, New York City, New York City Metro

On a Pinoy Trans-sexual in New York City

In Filipino communities in NYC, Filipinos in NYC, take it as it is on March 23, 2011 at 5:15 pm

When You Get Caught Between the Moon and New Y...

Image by Tony the Misfit via Flickr

In this blog posting, I’ve talked about someone I’ve met on many occasions in New York City. I meant to write about her months ago when I showed up in her birthday party but I soon lost the motivation to do so. It’s one of those parties that I believe some people ought to hear about as it’s very edgy and has been orchestrated just like a big show jammed inside a very crowded tiny room that’s so common in New York City (the clautrophobics among us would surely have instant fits!). I just had to wait for the next meaningful opportunity to write about what she’s been doing, which came recently. In NYC, she’s had been working on transforming herself from who she was in her former life in the Philippines – another common friend told me about her when she was still a “man’ back in her Mother country. She’s from one of the big cities in southern Philippines. I’d prefer that she remains anonymous here as I didn’t tell her that I’d be writing about her – she may end up not talking with me anymore or maybe I really don’t know her that well even though we’ve seen each other many times and we share a lot of common friends. In terms of physical looks, she can easily out-do all others in her league as well as other women who show up along her way. I’ll reserve judgment if she’s being smart with the strategies she’s pursued – that’s simply her choice as she sees it fit according to what the most loving Lord shows her. Also, I admire the attitude of all the other common friends I share with her as they’re not behaving like they’re being judgmental on what’s she’s been doing and making them understand what’s she’s into these days. They all admire and rave on her for her intelligence, gutsy-ness and business sense (there are lots of Filipinos in NYC who’ve done well who are not talked about in most papers, which topic will be written about here as the right opportunity comes along). She’s known to have been earning much money and doing a lot of investing back in her Mother country.

In this occasion, we saw each other again in a birthday party, where she came late. Again, I just wonder why she had to be over-doing herself that night, which really caught me off-handed. Maybe she trusts me that much, and she’s being comfortable with me. Maybe she’s in a way trying to make me think about my situation as I also wear long hair like her. I’m just so amused just writing about this. We never really know how things will turn out to be. I didn’t think she’d do what she did during this party which was relatively sedated compared with the parties she’d usually host. Read about it in this link: http://ow.ly/4kRqC

TransSEXUAL: Early 20th Century Genderplay [NSFW!] (bilerico.com)

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New York, New York City, New York City Metro, Outerbridge Crossing, Staten Island, Tottenville, Tottenville Staten Island

A visitor’s guide to Staten Island

In advocacy, NYU, Uncategorized on March 4, 2011 at 9:30 pm

Image by minwoo via Flickr

A visitor’s guide to Staten Island – http://ow.ly/47GwV

After reading the article found in the link above, you may get to become more curious on what else can you do if you decide to visit Staten Island here in New York City. Don’t head off just yet to the ferry back to Manhattan. For starters, you can decide to take a walk from St. George Ferry Terminal for the next 20 minutes in whatever direction you feel like following. Check the 9/11 Memorial that’s set-up on the Esplanade somewhere outside the eastside of the Ferry Terminal. You will also be led to what the St. George neighborhood has in store for its residents as well as its curious visitors. This is the same neighborhood that has hosted the early creative lives of celebrities including Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and Martin Sheen.

1) If you judge it to be nice day for you to walk, head off to the Borough Hall of Staten Island as well as the Museum of Staten Island (‘SI Museum’ as it is written on the building somewhere on the right side if you’re fronting the Borough Hall.

2) Check Snug Harbor, which is a must-see destination for all non NYC residents who are fond of old buildings that have been re-used for more modern purposes. It used to be a residential community for retired sailors decades ago, and has since been offering surprises to those who are curious enough to know more about Staten Island’s offerings.

3) Take the Staten Island train up to Tottenville, which is at least 30 minutes. From this station, you’ll get a view of the Outerbridge Crossing, which has been featured in a number of movies. Earlier, there’s also the Verrazano Bridge that you can view from the train, which may probably make you think of exploring on another occasion. You’ll be seeing how sub-urban looking Staten Island can be, which will probably remind you of your own place back home. On certain parts of SI, you’ll also see that the island’s closer to New Jersey than NYC. Residents often wonder why this fact is not being harnessed more aggressively to bring in more business and development to Staten Island.

4) There are beach walks in Staten Island that you can visit and spend your time in for the next 2 or 4 hours. They include South Beach and Midland Beach, both of which can be reached by the S51 bus that usually waits for passengers of the ferry before completing its route at the other parts of SI. The shore actually forms part of the very long shore that passes by the Jersey Shore and in turn goes south all the way to Florida and beyond.

Visit Staten Island in the morning when you have all the time that you can probably spare to discover what the island offers. Depending on the season, your SI trip may turn out to be more pleasant than what you were expecting.

Calling all Staten Islanders! (pinkbananaworld.com)
Is Staten Island the only island in New York City (wiki.answers.com)
Staten Island Women Upset By Stereotypes Portrayed In Reality Show ‘Mob Wives’ (newyork.cbslocal.com)
College of Staten Island Organizes Big Week of Events! (pinkbananaworld.com)

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China, Chinatown, Chinese cuisine, Food, New York, New York City, New York City Metro, Peking Duck, Restaurant

The best restaurants in New York City Chinatown

In NYC, tips, Uncategorized on March 1, 2011 at 1:00 am

Image via Wikipedia

The best restaurants in New York City Chinatown – http://ow.ly/44m2D

A rather long note to the link:

Don’t wonder aloud if you think you’ve read the article in the link from somewhere else. I’ve got 2 versions of this article that are found online, which resulted from the editing and updates I’ve been doing to the original article. Actually, this article grew out of the need to list down those Chinese-food restaurants I’ve actually been to, and have found to be among the best food places here in New York City (NYC).

I follow my taste buds and my wallet, plus my sense of what makes good quality service whenever I rate these food places I’ve been to. Check the list itself if any of the foodplaces has been under your radar and would get you excited enough to consider visiting the place soon (or even be included in your to-do-list). I know from experience that the food in most foodplaces here in NYC has been updated to cater to American tastes. They’re actually different from the tastes I remember having when I came to China as well as those I’ve been to in the Philippines, which is a country much closer and more closely linked to China.

By the way, some regional Philippine cuisines have very strong similarities with regional Chinese cuisines. For example: lo mein or any other kind of noodle meal in Chinese cuisine has its counterpart in the Philippines – and what’s odd is that they taste very similar. And in other cases, Philippine Chinese-influenced cooking tastes better, hands down. Another example: the Philippine lumpia versus the Chinese spring rolls you’ll have in Chinese restaurants here in NYC – the Philippine lumpia is easily the winner! But we’re going too far with our topic here, as we say this.

And to be more honest about it, Chinese food here in NYC pales in taste and flavor for some reason or another. I think it’s the ingredients, including the condiments, or perhaps the way the chefs are preparing the food. Most have that fast-food taste that you find in McDonald’s or something similar. Actually, the word is ‘bland!’ Chinese food here in NYC, with certain exceptions, is basically bland. I suspect that most of those who have been eating Chinese food here in NYC have never been to China. Ever found yourself in a lauriat where they serve Peking Duck in a Chinese restaurant here in NYC? They’re noticeably toned down in taste, just as to make the unknowing customer get convinced that [s]he is not eating something that’s cooked in its own oil. Peking Duck tastes a lot better when roasted in the oil from the melted fat that came from the duck itself….but it’s not done as often here in NYC as people are scared of confronting their own health issues as they munch on these Peking duck servings.

But nevertheless, take the courage to check these foodplaces I’ve been recommending in my list. Begin with the noodle houses. You want to make sure if a Chinese food place offers what can be considered ‘good quality’? Check if there are Chinese customers around who’d buy and eat food from the place. If you see them showing up there, you’ll be assured the food is really of good taste and quality. Most of these places are found in Chinatown – all the rest happened to be just visited most often by customers who are non-Chinese, hence, these places have become well-known.