Burrr...jetting off to the WCoast

So, we got passes to see the MOVIE version of RENT this past Monday -- now I'm totally addicted to the soundtrack. haven't purchased a CD in god knows how long, I actually shelled out $15 bucks for the soundtrack at Virgin. Interesting that we just saw the Bway show last weekend and can totally compare and contrast the two. The movie version seems... shall I say...so sterilized. The set is a bit TOO perfectly groomed to be grimey-LES although I found out it was shot in San Francisco -- hey, at least it wasn't shot in some backlot in the Valley... Anyways, I think that living in the area where the story was based made me much more critical.



I kinda became one of those annoying guys who kept whispering "East village doesn't look like that... which block are they referring to?!?" Kept questioning the authenticity of the piece. I did fall in the love with the music and Francis can't get "Seasons of Love" out of his head... as he keeps singing it... all night. :-) ANyways, we got the free pass to see it so can't complain.

Last night was our 'pre-SF/Thanksgiving-NY-dinner' out at one of our fave restaurants in our area the Clinton Baking Co. Tues is their $15/bottle wine day and so we ordered a bottle of riesling to toast our upcoming vacation. We're normally not big wine-ies (def not as much as we are foodies or, for me, "cocktail-ies"), but last night we gave in.



This place, if you've never been, is one of the most relaxing and comfy restaurants around. You totally feel like you are having dinner at a friend's home -- that is if your friend is a master chef who cranks out gourmet butter fried chicken and biscuits flakier than we are (per our brit friend E).



The place was buzzing last night but it never feels overly busy and the prices are quite reasonable for the area. Def. recommend trying it out -- and not just for brunch!

Ok, will write again when we get back from SF on Wed when I know we'll have tons of pics to share - happy TG day to all!!

The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular

So it was really like it said, spectacular ! although we were sitting a bit far but the good thing is since the dancers are more than you can ever imagine, it makes it well worth it that you can see all the movements. THey even have the real camles and donkeys at on the stage !



The costumes were amazing and also the set itself and how they make the stage so cool with the lightning and also the colorful stuff. Its just a bit strange when they ended it with a pretty religious scene.



We went with two other friends of ours E and R afterwards we headed to our neighborhood and had thai food at SEA.

I really feel starting today like a holiday already, can't wait for our SF trip and see some old friends and i am talking about the real friends, okkkayyyyyy !
I know it would be a great trip, hope the weather will be dry, don't mind if its cold, SF always gets cold anyways. Being living there for 5 years, I know exactly how to expect in general, October is the BEST month to visit if you like the sun.
The last time when we were there, it was exactly 17 months ago and we didn't do much since we were there only for a day for the gay pride which was well worth it as well since that time we have decided to move to NY and it was nice to see some friends before we leave the west coast but yet, we eventually will visit again (we told them) and YAY, we are going to !



So today the weather forecast should be around the same as yesterday but tomorrow its going to be a wet ones but oh well, at least the weekend was really nice !
Its been really weird actually the weather in NY this year, especially the month of October and November and I've heard the snow is coming sooner than usual so maybe we will have a white christmas. Hopefully the snow is not going to be ever like it happened before on the year of 1888.

That's all folks !

counting down

Counting down to the day when we jet outta here and back to SF to spend thanksgiving with our friends. Already there are a couple parties we are invited to -- so pretty excited.

Anyways, had a great Fri nite with a bunch of new friends we met at Ang's house party last weekend. Went to this french brasserie last nite - was fun. We were such an 'international' group - between the 7 of us we represented Asian, Black, Hispanic, Indian, and White... :-)



The place was packed, the food was ok - the company was good tho. The girl who actually invited us to the dinner works at a production company and she and Francis totally click - since they have the same type of clientele.

This morning we walked across the Wburg bridge by our house to Wburg.





We rarely venture over to Brooklyn altho it's like super hipster-ville (the L platform at Bedford looks like an underground hipster bar... I swear, if I had no shame -- which I really don't, I would have taken a pic of those 'hipsters' at the station and posted on here heheh).



We had lunch at a cool little restaurant -- great french toast sandwich and really amazing turkey cobb salad! And they have this interesting decoration on the shelf behind the bar -- which I just HAD to take a pic of.



So I got a good tip last night at dinner, about the benefits of green-drinks and organic / fresh food. I'm on a desperate search to adopt a healthier regimen - including eating consistent meals and eating healthiers in general. So we headed to this place called Pure Juice on 17th & Irving Pl for a greenie + ginger (as per recommended) -- and Francis got a fruitie + ginger.



Honestly my greenie didn't taste very good (doesn't look appetizing either huh?), but I did feel refreshed and more energized (less tired) after downing it.



Afterwards, we saw Harry Potter in U.Square - it was alright. Harry and his friends are definitely growing up - and quite a bit of sexual innuendos (sp??) with Harry taking a bath with a girl ghost etc...



I think the next one will have Harry making out or even losing his virginity. Also in this sequel, his friend Ron is acting more like his lover... :-) Very similar to the homoerotism of Lord of the Rings (brotherly love....? wink wink)

Afterwards tried sushi at this place in E-Village. Next block over they are shooting the new film Super ExGirlfriend with Uma Thurman (I think). The sushi was actually one of the better ones I had in NYC, and they have a great pre-7pm prix-fix. Yum-O!

death of another great restaurant

Hey everyone, so after a few days hiatus -- since our cable box was down for the longest time -- I hate Time Warner Cable. :-PPP It's about time we switch to dsl or something.

Anyways, tonite we were gonna go for dinner with some friends at Kitchen & Cocktails, a West Coast 'transport' that opened here on the LES about a year ago, but when we called to make a reservation... low and behold the message was a guy who announced "we regret that we have closed our doors..." how sad... I guess it's tough to survive in NYC, especially in such a trendy area. We went once and their food was actually amazing -- and the price was great! *which is prolly the problem... too affordable...



Anyways, gonna have a great weekend. Will see the Rockette's xmas show on Sun nite, I know sounds cheesy but we're totally excited!

RENT

So yes finally we saw it with a very spontaneous way. We were planning to do it before the movie comes up. The story is about bunch of friends who lived together in the Lower East Side Industrial Loft almost a little over a decade ago.

The stage was amazing, it really makes you feel that how LES looked like a decade ago although I don't really want to know since I have 'heard' some not as pretty happened in LES even like 5 years ago. So being living in the LES for a little over a year now, we realy appreciate what they are really look like now.

The show itself was FAB. All of the casts have a very good voice, I had to say some part of the show, they were kinda yelling instead of singing, if you know what I mean but overall its a great show.

It was really an eventfull evening for us, we actually felt a little tired/hangover from the night before but after a quick nap and a good PHO soup on Grand street, we were ready to spend the Sunday Evening. WE went to this Turkish Rest, although the food I thought wasn't as good as we thought it would be but the price is great (the pre fixed Broadway Show Dinner).

Check out some pics that we took from the show.

Top of the Rock + more...

The way a NYorker can find the excuse to do cheesy 'touristy' activities without feeling like a loser is to check things out when they first open. With that said, we decided to go to the new Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center last night - which opened back on Nov 1st. To all you guys, we say it's quite worth it... at least just for the experience.



Check out this see through elevator ceiling where they project lights and video - cool huh>?



The only observation deck with 360 degree city view.





Very cool futuristic lobby on the 69th floor...



Headed to Dream Hotel for a drink afterwards... Love their cool and quirky lobby -- reminds me of alice in wonderland -- with mis-matched furniture and strange ornament displayed... check this stuff out! Looks like a circus fun house :-)







Freaky displays...





Love it!



Afterwards, headed to our friend Ang's UWS apartment for a casual shindig. She JUST landed back from Minneapolis that day and was a fab host -- what a trooper!!



Gorgeous nite to hang on the rooftop --







An end to a great Sat night... cabbing it home.

Donkey Friday

It was a wild time last night at the Donkey Show. Good call Eric! :-) Held at the GoGo Club...



The Donkey Show was a performance art / 70's dance club / off off off broadway show / shakespeare play... :-)






This is the guy Eric liked...



Talk about crazy costumes -- Halloween all over again! :-)





HOT HOT HOT :-) SKIN SKIN SKIN!!










Afterwards we headed to Sensa, a hot restaurant in Chelsea. The host was like 6 ft tall and model-gorgeous, I had to get a shot...

Weekend Players

Finally it's the weekend again, and boy is it chillY! I guess winter is really just the round the corner now... We're heading out to see the DONKEY SHOW tonite with our Brit-Buddy and maybe drop by a club afterwards. Gonna be an eventful weekend I can FEEL it! Burrrr...

Bloomberg won !

SO yes he did !
well its not really like i care but i think the New Yorkers like him as much as i love Madonna.
It has been cold this past couple of days and yes the temperatures are getting lower and lower which I have been expecting since the weather has been kinda weird.

So Ricky Martin came up with the new album and so does Ashlee Simpson, I would probably understand he tried to make the come back but what is wrong with Ashlee ? come on now girl, think ! Below is the picture of her as one of the worst dressed picked last year.