September 1, 2008

• What I Did This Summer Part 3

  Yay, almost done with the summer photo updates! Looking back at these pics was fun. I ate way too much this past summer and miss my family and Florida friends.

  August

  Two weeks after we moved in, my parents came up to visit us for the first time since we moved up North. I think they would have enjoyed Pal Park a lot more than NYC because of all the Korean stuff but they said they really enjoyed NYC. In two days, we managed to squeeze in two visits to Pal Park and a visit to Ktown as well as a few NYC sites.

  Day 1

  

  Brunch at Community Food and Juice near Columbia; tour of Times Square/Midtown 

   

  We stopped for a snack and break in Bryant Park; checked out a photo exhibit in the library. After midtown we went to Herald Square to check out Macy's and then the Empire State Bldg Observatory (thanks YK for the tics!)

  

  Mini food tour in Ktown: first course at Mandoo Bar, second course at the tiny kimbap place next door, third course at Gam Mi Oak and fourth course at Pinkberry (my parents' first time).

  Day 2

  

  In front of our building; started out the day with a trip to Pal Park, where my parents got some much needed Korean supplies and food. We had Son Ja Jang for lunch and then went to the park in West New York to see the city skyline. It was a gorgeous day!

  

   After Jersey we went back to the city to watch Mamma Mia! The show was a lot of fun and the those ABBA songs were stuck in my head for days.

  Later that night we ended up going back to Pal Park to eat Korean food again. My parents definitely got their fill while they were visiting us. The next morning they drove down to FL with the Golf. It was sad to say goodbye.  Their visit was really nice, but too brief. I think the size of our apt was getting to them.

  The following weekend Christine, one half of Jamestine, invited us to her parents lovely, new home in Holmdel.

  

  

  

   Jamestine made a ton of food and then we proceeded to eat and swim and eat and swim all day long. The weather, home, pool, food and company were amazing! The basement of Christine's home was the biggest basement I've ever seen. I think my parent's entire home in FL could fit in there.

  

  At the end of the day we took the train back to the city. The train station looked like the stations in the Korean countryside. DLau, me and oppa were all nicely sun-kissed, full and happy to get out of the city for a day.

  A few days later we met up with two of the funniest and coolest girls I know- Julie and Eunji. Seriously, these girls always put a smile on my face. We introduced them to the awesomeness that is Pam's Real Thai and also perennial NYC out-of-towner favorite Cafe Lalo.

  

  

  The following weekend we met up with Dlau and checked out Ippudo, the latest hotspot Japanese ramen place to open in the East Village.  

  

  I loved how the bar had ramen noodles under the glass. While oppa and Dlau eat I took pics of us in the mirror across our table. Their ramen was just so-so, but the decor and service were great. So far we've been to Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ramen Setagaya, Minca, Mitsuwa (Edgewater) and Happy Teriyaki (Fort Lee) but my  favorite ramen place is Menchanko Tei in Midtown.

  

  After lunch we had ice cream at Sundaes and Cones, a block away. I think they have the best mint choc chip in the city. Their Asian flavors are yummy too. Definite must if you're in the East Village.

  A few days later, I found out Restaurant Week was extended at some places in the city, so we jumped at the chance to take advantage of a 5 star meal for 1 star prices. We were able to get reservations for lunch at Le Cirque.

  

  Le Cirque is inside the Bloomberg compound. Actually, saw a few guys from church that work here as I waited for oppa and DLau. (Manhattan can seem so small sometimes. I randomly run into ppl fairly often but I feel like I don't know many ppl here. )  I was supposed to bring oppa's jacket but I forgot. Thankfully they had an entire closet of jackets for guests to wear in case this happened.

  

  I had the salad "Le Cirque" and oppa started out with their sashimi(?) dish.

  

  My second course was the chicken w/chanterelles, which was sooo delish (how do they make their chicken so juicy and tender?!). My third course was their famous Creme Brulee "Le Cirque." The recipe was printed inside the ramekin. Oppa had the daurade and the Floating Island "Le Cirque" to end his meal.

  

  The meal was awesome and I definitely think my choices were the simplest but the most filling. (oppa was hungry again after one hour hehe). We really enjoyed their crazy, awesome service and the people watching. In front of us sat a table of 6 gorgeous socialites power-lunching and to the left of us Hoda Kotb from the NBC Today Show had a birthday lunch with a couple of her friends. It was like a scene straight out of Gossip Girl. hehe

  Ok, one last summer update to come...

  • 11:01 am
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