Taking a breather

Near my workplace, there's a serene lakeside which I would go once in a while to listen to the seagulls and absorb the beauty of nature. Well, today I went there for a walk and took a few pictures to share with you guys.

A Day in my Cousin's Apartment

A day off means staying at home or go hang out with my friends. For today, I chose the latter. We have been planning to hang out for some time and today's the day. I set off around 12.30pm, taking the subway to Manhattan to meet up with them. I reached there a bit late (25 minutes) because of bad time management and subway stalls. Upon arrival, I saw two more new members, PJ and Yin Thing (supposedly just meeting up with Sofie and Ing Chian [my cousin]). Well, the more, the merrier and now there are five of us.

Lunch time is taken care of at a dim sum restaurant, which I found to be just so-so. I think the one in Flushing is much better. The restaurant is pretty big but I think it is understaffed so the service is not really good. Later on, we took a car service to my cousin's apartment. The apartment is located in the heart of Wall Street. A good location but the rent is madness to me. $1800 a month, that is like 3.5 times my current rent. The place was not bad, there is also a gym and a lounge where people can hang out. We played cards and drank some red wine, hit some pool and played some foosball. And the main event for that night is a Monopoly game, a simple game but it brings a lot of fun and laughter. We chose a Transformers version of the Monopoly because there are things missing from the original one (yea, board games are also provided in the lounge, and there are a shitload of them).

Anyway, I took some pictures and here you go:

Overall, a pretty interesting day!

A hair cut and a Mooncake

Well, today's my off day again and my routine on this day repeats itself. Woke up in the morning, went for a hair cut (everytime I got a hair cut, it just doesn't seem right), deposit money into my checking account, bought lunch, *free time*, dinner time with Sky, and back home. Maybe I am used to this routine so it never gets boring. Of course, I hope something exciting will happen but life is as dull as a faded chalkboard.

Anyway, one of my auntie roomies gave me a mooncake. It was a kind gesture and I really appreciate it. She gave me a double yolk one (which is my favorite of all) but I haven't eat it yet (maybe for supper tonight). Kind of miss the days when I was young with my siblings. During the mooncake festival, we will light candles outside the porch and carry lanterns around. It was a good adventure taking that lantern and walk one big round along the dark corridors of my auntie's house. Of course, I was afraid of ghosts at that time (so am I now) but I try my best cause I am the eldest >.<''

So for today, I got a hair cut and a mooncake. Not exactly something big to be excited over, but well, at least it's something...

Carom Cafe

Today was another off day as usual, woke up in the morning, ate lunch, took an afternoon nap... and woke up to a call from my friend, Sky around 7.40pm. We went for dinner together at our usual haunt, and for the first time in Flushing, we decided to do something. Usually after a meal, we just went home but today is different. I suggested we go play pool and off we go looking for the place that I wanted to go for some time but never had the chance to.

We reached Carom Cafe around 9.05pm. I always pass by this place but never went in. As we check out the place, I think it's a pretty cool one. There are pool tables, ping pong tables, poker tables, and even a small game room. There are also several tables for what I call the 'Korean pool' because the tables are the same size with the pool tables except they have no holes. Until now, I can't understand the game as the players keep hitting the ball around. Looks boring to me anyway. After checking out the place, we got ourselves a table and off we start...

Sky's skill in pool is better than I thought. Or maybe I have lost my touch I don't know. Haven't played this game in a while but that's not a good excuse. Sky got a lead ahead of me by winning 4-2 games. Luckily for me, I managed to caught up back to 4-4 (8 games) but the time is up. Not wanting to waste more money for that extra time, we packed up and paid at the counter. It was a tie game today but it was fun. Not to mention the cute Korean girl in front of the counter. After that, we went home and after taking a shower, here I am writing this entry...Anyway, it's not a bad day after all~~

Hot Rain

Lately, the weather's been very very hot. To make things worse, it is basically raining everyday too. What can be worst than being sticky and wet at the same time when you are walking the streets?

My room is like an oven now. Even with my windows open, the air can't seem to circulate in. Besides that, my body is in a constant sweating mode. Feels so sticky that I can take a shower up to three times a day. Even with the Chinese proverb that says, 心静自然凉 is without any use. By the way, I just finished my lunch while watching the latest episode of America's Got Talent. Felt really bad for those that didn't made it to L.A but this is life. Some win, some lose.

Thought I could go out and have fun today since it's my off day but the damn rain and heat spoiled everything. I guess I should just do some research at home and watch some movies.

Verdict: I seriously need an air-con if I still wanna stay alive...

Short trip to Times Square

Around 5pm today, I went to Times Square to meet up a few friends. Woke up from a short afternoon nap, took a shower, and off I went. Upon reaching there, I met up with everyone outside Sephora; Lai Yeng, Yee Von, Sofie, Richard (didn't know he was here), and Joanne (a new girl I met whom is Yee Von's friend). Well, the more the merrier. After chatting on the sidewalk for a bit, we went for dinner. We picked Dallas Barbeque. After ordering our food, we continued for a chat. Joanne left halfway cause she had something to do. Found out later that she plays DotA, but too late to chat cause she already left. When the food arrived, I realized it looked like (pardon me for saying this) dogfood. Everything was piled in a mess on the platter. The steak, ribs, shrimp, and fries looked like a jumbled mess. To be honest, the food isn't that really up to standard too. Only the ribs is a bit better than the rest. Anyway, after dinner, we hung out in Richard's hotel room. A pretty-well furnished and comfy place for a hefty price of $199 before tax. Of course, there's a price to pay for everything good right? After chilling, we went our seperate ways home. All in all, a short trip to catch up with a few friends that I haven't met for a while.

The End of June

A day off today so it's time for some activities. Around 1pm, Kww, Sakura, and me met Sky for lunch. We ate at a place called 'Restaurant Malaysia' (oh, the irony of the name LOL) which pretty much said what kind of food it serves. Food was okay here as it is quite the same taste as the food found in my home country, Malaysia.

After that, the three of us set off on a trip to the Statue of Liberty. Sky did not join us as he had a class to attend. We took the number 1 train to Southferry Seaport, bought a ticket for the ferry, and off we go. The weather was pretty good, with the sun shining, some nice breeze and all. Seagulls tried to fight against the wind but gave up in the end and floated along with it. The ferry was a little rocky and the waves a bit rough because of the high tide. On the ferry, I met a Russian girl named Kez. Pretty good looking and should be around her 20s. I kinda admired her because she traveled alone to visit places of interest in New York. Chatted with her for a while and then said our goodbyes as the ferry reached the island.



This is my second time to visit the statue (which I found to be quite plain) and there's really nothing much to do. The only thing we can do is take pictures and more pictures. There's a small souvenir shop that sells memorabilia, paraphernalia, and stuff. After going one round across the statue, it's time to head home. The ferry stopped next at Ellis Island and we headed down. Just then, the accumulating bad weather turned on us and drizzles of rain began to fell. There's nothing we could do and we queued up again for the ride home to NYC. It was very packed and humid as the rain fell harder and harder. Not exactly a comfy situation but we just have to bear with it.



We got on the subway next and stopped at Grand Central to see if the rain has subsided. It was still raining heavily so we took the number 7 train home. We then ate dinner at a restaurant (Chinese name) and at last, we went out seperate ways home. All in all, it was quite a fun day at first but turned boring in the end. I hate rainy days, made me all wet as I didn't carry an umbrella.

Well, this is the end of June and July begins tomorrow. Half a year passed by in an instance. Time is a really scary thing, seems to fly by and waits for no one. Hopefully, the rest of the year will be a better one for me. Godspeed.

Raining Ice

While working today, an impending thunderstorm started strangely. I know the weather is gonna rain today but I never expected this. Round chunks of ice fell just as the sky darkened. The whole place echoed with loud thuds of ice falling on the roof. It was kinda awesome to be there cause you don't get to see this type of phenomenon very often. After five minutes, the ice rain subsided and regular rain fell. During the event, I took a few pictures...

These are the ice chunks that fell from the sky:

Aren't they pretty and strange? There's a cloudy part in the middle while the outside is clear.


Well, it certainly is a strange thing. I heard some people say these type of phenomenon brings bad luck. But what I think is the Heavens are crying for the two departed celebrities, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

Cold Summer

Strangely, the weather seems to be kinda cold in NYC for the past few days. It is summer time now, with the hot sun glaring but it is still cold sometimes. I wonder if it is because of the rain or something else.

Yes, it has been raining quite a lot recently. And I hate the rain! I hate wet and damp weathers because it makes me lazy to even wanna do something. The worst thing is I met a drunk customer today. Said a lot of bullcrap to me and gave me many problems but as a patient guy and a good worker, I can't flare up. Well, I don't pick fights with drunk people anyway.

Since the weather is unpredictable these days, I hope you guys can really take care of yourselves. This type of weather can make people fall sick easily. In addition to that, the H1N1 (swine flu) is still around. So I think it's best to stay indoors if you are not working. Take care all, and let's hope the real summer will come soon.

Happy Birthday to Me

Today's a really great day. I took the day off to celebrate my birthday in advance with my friends, So Fie, Jeslyn, Sky, and my cousin, Ing Chian. We met and gathered around 2.40pm and off we go to have lunch. Since Sky is working, we had lunch first at a Malaysian restaurant in Manhattan called 'Nyonya.' Then, Sky joined us and we headed to the cinema for a movie.

After discussing, we watched 'Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian.' To be honest, I think the movie is not that good. Nearly fell asleep at times. The humour is bland and too many characters make it hard for the viewers to focus. After the movie, we went to Starbucks to grab a cup of coffee. Then, we took a stroll along the area. I realized there are quite a number of parks in Manhattan. We goofed around and took some pictures.

The Statue of I-don't know-who

Fountain *foooosh*

Five of us

Act cool....or not

Starbucks FTW

Come dinner time, we ate a restaurant called 'Cafetasia.' An asian food menu combined with a dark-candle-lighted atmosphere makes this place a good choice. The food was pretty good too with a kinda cheap price tag. After dinner, we went our seperate ways and headed home.

Setting for dinner

Me and my boss

Me and Fie Fie

Me and Fie Fie and my boss

Hominid

Cupcakes anyone?

Five of us...again

All in all, I would really like to thank everyone who celebrated my birthday with me. I was quite touched with everything especially to a certain someone who made my day a lot special. Thanks for being the most caring and considerate person in the world.

Lastly, I just wanna say Happy Birthday to me. Hope the wish(es) I made will come true. *winks*

P.S Well, my real face finally revealed for the first time. Just an average guy right? LOL

A new phone and a new number

Woot!

I finally got a new phone today (as my old one broke down already). And the phone I got is........

iPhone 3G!

This high-tech smartphone has a lot of functions and I am still very not used to it. Hopefully I can conquer it soon cause it is a real hassle to figure what do what. Anyway, for those who know me, my new number is.... (I put it on Facebook so you can go check it out).

Finally, a new phone after 2 years!

Ta-ta Motorola

On Saturday night, my Motorola PEBL phone's screen went blank suddenly. And that is the end I ever saw of the screen. Now, I am stuck with a phone that is working but without a screen. How shitty is that...

Well, I have used this phone for quite some time and it is time to get a new one. Still deciding between a Storm or iPhone, gonna check out the stores tomorrow. These smart phones are gonna cost more with an extra monthly data plan. This means an increase in monthly expenses. Zzzz....

Gonna scrimp and save now. Hopefully, I can get a new phone tomorrow. I feel so disconnected with the world without a proper phone. Can't even see who called me... :(

what a lucky day! =)

Wow, today is the first time I actually won a lottery in the United States. I have bought different type of lotteries before and I finally got one tonight. I actually won a New York Win 4 lottery with fifty cents Straight and Box. The payout will be around $2000+ but I am not sure yet as I haven't collect the winnings yet. Today is definitely a lucky day for me. I really hope that my luck will be good throughout the following months, in terms of financial and most importantly, my career too. But it all depends on God and my motivation. Well, whatever it is, I am definitely happy on this lucky day!

last day, graduation day, and a birthday...

Today is my last day working at the Fatty Fish japanese restaurant in Glen Cove. Business was pretty slow as it was raining the whole day (it's gonna rain for the next 3 or 4 days too QQ). Although I had only worked for 9 days, it felt like a long time. The friends I met there is a wonderful bunch. Yesterday night, we went for karaoke to celebrate David's green card and sorta, my farewell. Exchanged a few phone numbers so that we can keep in touch. And I am hoping that we can still hang out together some time soon. I am gonna miss them for sure.

Today is also Spring graduation day at IUP. Since I cant attend, I called a few of my friends after I finished work. It has been a long time since I last called them so it was kind of a happy thing for me as I congratulate them for their graduation. Here, I sincerely wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Lastly, today is also Bryan's birthday. Cant attend too, so just wished him Happy Birthday throught the phone. May he sail smoothly for the rest of his time at IUP. I kinda missed the times that I spent there and how I wished I am there now to witness all these events. Well, I guess for a lonely life at New York City, the best thing I can do is to talk through the phone to catch up the old times from all my beloved friends...

First Day of May

April 2009 came and went in a flash. All of a sudden it is the first day of May, which is also Labor Day where everyone is having a good rest from work or having fun elsewhere.

For me, I had lobster (which I don't really like but ate it cause it's the only food) for lunch which my friend bought to celebrate his victory in getting a green card. I am happy for him too as he can finally be a citizen of the United States. Today, the restaurant is packed and busy like hell. But luckily, I managed to keep my cool today and everything went smoothly. I told my boss that I will be quitting on Sunday as I wished to look for a better job.

Last two days, I read my horoscope and it says for this week, I gotta make sure and decide what I really want in life. As a Gemini, my life is like a butterfly, fluttering to and fro without any purpose, no goals in life. Well, in reality, I have dreams but no goals. My life is like a fantasy movie with no definition in real life. That is why I wanted to change. Living life like this for the past few years is no laughing matter anymore. I really wished for a stable job with a stable income. But alas, that is also too hard for me. Well, I don't know how my life will turn out but I know one thing is for sure, I don't have much time left...

A 30% good and 70% bad day...

The Good

I walked toward the entrance of the vegetarian restaurant. I stood there...waiting. (Today's my first day at work at a new Japanese restaurant. I am waiting for someone to come pick me up to work at the designated place). Suddenly, a girl walked toward me from across the street. As she came closer, I realized she's my classmate whom I had not seen for five years. Then she asked me, "Are you going to work at *blank* restaurant?" And I was like, "What a small world! Yeah!" And then we started catching up on old times. I was quite happy to know that someone I was gonna work with someone I knew, so things should be a tad easier. Never did I thought...

The Bad

As I reach the restaurant, I can see that it was a small one. About fifty seats overall, and a few seats at the sushi bar. No carpet, so no vacumming. The dining area looks pretty good, nice atmosphere and lighting. BUT the kitchen is a mess. And the system too. The corridors are so narrow that it is hard for two people to pass each other, much more when we are carrying food in or out of the kitchen. The worst thing is the drinks are located along the narrow corridor. This make things even messier. Glasses and china easily fell to the floor because of the narrow corridor. Waiters pass each other all the time and I think it is very dangerous as some of the food items are hot. Another thing is the salad, which uses up to five ingredients. You need so many steps just to make a salad which is bullshit. Some of the ingredients can even be mixed beforehand to save trouble. Lastly, I made a mistake today and one of the waiters, (all of them are pretty nice except this one who thinks he is the best) began to yakkety-yak-yak. I was like, "Who the hell doesn't make a mistake before?"

All in all, this is a bad place to work IMO but I am still gonna need to work there for a bit (an undisclosable reason). I don't know if it is me or I am not used to the place yet, but so far so bad for me. Hope that everything will be well in days to come.