Thoughts & Reflections

Blog

Chihuly at the New York Botanical Garden

On a hot June day, I hopped aboard a train and headed up to the Bronx. It was the weekend after the New York Botanical Garden’s Rose Garden Weekend but the roses were still in full, vibrant blooms and I wanted to catch the flowers while they were still in peak color. One bonus to visiting the garden was to check out the Chihuly exhibit currently on display.

My first experience (and the only one that I can remember) with Dale Chihuly was at the Victoria and Albert museum in London. Suspended from the ceiling in the rotunda was a big, beautiful blown glass sculpture hanging down like a neon chandelier. It’s one of those amazing works of art that one can see only once and not really forget. That was years ago and it’s still there to this day.

The NYBG’s exhibit allows visitors to get more up close to each work of art, and the pieces are scattered around the garden. Some are camouflaged amongst the plants in the Conservatory while are others are floating in a lake or standing boldly on the grass or fountains. My personal favorite was the “Float Boat”, a small wooden boat floating in the lake by the Native Plant Garden and carrying what appeared to be giant marbles.

Many of the sculptures are located in and around the Conservatory and the style of the pieces there varied. There were tall, elaborate and curvy pieces shooting out from water or into the sky, while others were shorter and more stick-like, resembling yards and yards of neon tubing. I wasn’t really interested in the latter since they were a bit dull compared to some of the other pieces.

And right outside of the Conservatory entrance was a reminder of the London sculpture. This was my second favorite piece in the garden, and just looking at it, one can really appreciate the skill and time it must have taken the artist to create such a work of art like this. On certain nights, the garden remains open till 10:30pm and the artwork is all lit up so that’s another fun way to view and interact with the art. I do recommend people going to check it out; the exhibit runs through October 29 so there’s still plenty of time to see it.

July 4, 2017
Afternoon Tea at the Whitby Hotel

So it’s been a year since I’ve last had a proper afternoon tea. Though, I suppose “proper” can be rather subjective; maybe what I really want is a more traditional afternoon tea with the real sandwiches, scones and some miniature pastries. That’s not quite what I had recently when Jee and I went to the Whitby Hotel.

My office is on the street as the Whitby so I’ve been watching all the construction and decorating happening both inside and out of the hotel as workers prepared it for its opening a few months ago. It took me some time before I did some research about the hotel but what caught my attention was that they were offering afternoon tea. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical about how well it would be since the hotel is located on a side street instead of busy Fifth Avenue, where most of the grand hotels are. When Jee finally returned from her winter hiatus in Florida, I suggested we meet up and try the afternoon tea here.

We had picked a date in advance and unfortunately, it was one of those weekends where subway construction had put a dent in my plans. It wasn’t as terrible as it could be and despite the unavoidable detour, I arrived first. The hostess led me to the back room—the Orangery—which was airy and light, and filled with furniture that definitely reminded me of being in an English garden. It was a nice surprise because when seeing that room from the street, one could not see how lovely it really is.

Jee was a bit late, coming over from an art show on the west side but it was so good to see her after so many months. I had more than enough time to peruse the menu and knew exactly what I wanted. We both shared a large pot of their in-house English Breakfast Blend but ordered different food. Jee went with the more traditional Whitby Tea while I chose the Healthy Afternoon Tea. There was a slight hiccup in service (they brought out two traditional tea sets by mistake), but overall it was fine. At least Jee had plenty of time to take all the pictures she wanted of the food and our lovely environs.

Both tea services offered the requisite scones, two per person (one plain, the other with fruit) with cream and preserves. Instead of clotted cream, the Healthy Tea substituted it with oat cream which was absolutely delicious and I couldn’t taste the difference at all. The tea sandwiches were not terribly traditional but tasty nevertheless. Jee’s plate came with a pretzel bite rarebit, walnut pesto palmier, grilled steak tartine and a cucumber sandwich. The healthy version offered sesame seed brittle with avocado and radishes, a pickled cucumber bite with smoked eggplant, a vegetarian biscuit BLT (mushroom instead of bacon) and a beet salad cup. I honestly enjoyed the savory options and it was all delicious and different.

Desserts were also of an interesting variety and how nice that there were no macarons for once. The Whitby Tea offered key lime icebox and brown butter hazelnut cakes, a calamansi flavored canelé, and a flourless Valrhona bar. Healthier sweets on my plate were a fancier version of an Almond Joy, a black forest quinoa puff with sour cherry, bananas foster and coconut cake, and an elderberry and Meyer lemon crisp. I tried to eat it all and I think I managed pretty well. What I liked was that the food was good and neither of us suffered from a food coma afterward.

I’d love to return and have the tea again, and it’s definitely on my revisit list. For those interested, the Whitby also offers a Champagne Afternoon tea as well. And now every time I walk past the hotel on my way to and from work, I can’t help think about the lovely space and their delicious afternoon tea. Till next time!

May 19, 2017
Tea at the Williamsburg Hotel

On a sunny winter day several months ago, I met up with my friend Queenie for tea in my neighborhood. The onslaught of new construction and gentrification continues in Williamsburg, so the views of glorious open skies have unfortunately given way to towers of glass, steel and brick. Not only are there residential buildings rising up from once desolate streets but plenty of hotels have sprung up as well.

And the Williamsburg Hotel is the first one to actually serve afternoon tea (or what they call “high tea” on their menu, though it’s not at all).

The hotel bar and lobby is beneath street level and one can enter via sweeping stairs descending from the street or through a slender door in the side of the building. The space is cavernous and feels airy when light pours through the two-story windows on a sunny day.

So, onto the food. I had been running around doing errands before meeting Queenie, who was already in the area attending a food fair of sorts. That meant one of us was hungry and the other not. We ended up ordering one “Brooklyn High Tea” to share, and an additional pot of tea for her.

The tea menu itself was a limited selection, sourced from a local tea shop called Tea Dealers. We both ordered the Wild Pear tisane from Korea and it turned out the supplier was actually sitting at the bar. He came over and there was a brief discussion on the teas, which was interesting and nice. The tea was pretty good, made with wild pears and it reminded me a lot of a soup my mother makes using apples or Asian pears.

As for the food itself, it was a varied selection of baked goods and one or two savories. We weren’t able to match everything on our plates to the descriptions on the menu but it was close enough. Alas that the savories all contained cheese, which I dislike very much. It was a little disappointing for me, because I really wanted more savories and there were far too many sweets for me to enjoy it all. Serving butter or clotted cream with the scone might have helped a bit too but in the end, we took nibbles off a lot of the pastries because it was just far too much for even two of us to enjoy. I left wanting savory foods and ended up with some delicious Indonesian food later that day to sate my appetite.

The space was really nice and if one is really into sweets, then this tea is probably good. I found out one of my other friends had visited recently (admittedly through a press engagement) and she enjoyed the food so perhaps it had improved since my own visit. In the meantime, I’ll continue to wish for Brooklyn to offer an afternoon tea as great as those found in Manhattan.

May 8, 2017
One Year On…

Hello there! Well, it’s been nearly a year since I’ve written anything here. Sometimes it seems like much has gone by in the last twelve months and other times, nothing at all.

After finally obtaining a bit of security, I suppose I have been living more in the present and not thinking too far ahead. Events, meetings and plans come and go but there hasn’t been much to write about or that I want to speak of. Though there hasn’t been much posting here, there’s been a bit more activity on Instagram so one can see what I’ve been up to but it really hasn’t been anything that interesting.

With the weather beginning to warm up (barring the chilly temperatures of today), my goal is to try to be a bit more active, in both my real and digital lives. Here’s hoping I’ll be out and about more often, and sharing tales of fun times to come.

May 7, 2017
Hallett Nature Sanctuary

A few months ago, I made several unsuccessful attempts to check out the Hallett Nature Sanctuary, a protected area in the southeast corner of Central Park. Closed to the public since the 1930s, it had been opened with strictly limited hours over the past few years but I had been unable to visit during those times. But now, there are open hours every week and with my current office located close by, I was finally able to drop in and take a look around.

I met up with my friend M one weekday afternoon (she had taken the day off) for a late post-lunch stroll. With no real plans in mind, I suggested we try to visit the Sanctuary. I had expected long lines (as it had been when I walked by last year and even on the first official day it opened this year) but was pleasantly surprised to see people come and go freely.

Members of the park staff were stationed at the entrance and along the different paths inside to answer questions. We soon entered through the rustic wooden gate and proceeded down a path. There are lovely lookouts and vantage points around the promontory, with views of skyscrapers above and the lake below. Though it’s very close to the traffic along Central Park South, most of the noise was filtered out and we heard mainly birdsong and the rustling of leaves.

My favorite area is where a waterfall cascades down into the lake. I’ve seen it often from outside along a path that circles the lake and have always wondered what the source looked like. It’s fun to stand up on the rocks and watch and listen to the water as it trickles downward. By chance, I caught a sparrow bathing briefly in the shallow grooves of the large smooth stones before taking flight. It was so lovely!

One can probably walk through all of the Sanctuary in about 10-15 minutes without stopping. I definitely need to revisit and take my time to fully appreciate the views and the peacefulness of the site (and in much more appropriate footwear). Maybe next time I’ll bring a book and just sit one of the benches up there and just be surrounded by nature.

June 28, 2016
Lunch at Little Mo

There was a time not too long ago when getting friends to come into Brooklyn was a difficult thing to do. Even though my neighborhood is literally across the river from downtown Manhattan and just a stop away, not many people wanted to make the trek to one of the other boroughs of the city. But with all the gentrification, Brooklyn is now considered cool and trendy. I suppose that’s a good thing, though I do miss a bit of the quiet now.

One positive outcome of all the economic changes is the influx of new restaurants. With the rents going up, many businesses are cropping up further east of the river. One of these is Little Mo, an Asian restaurant in Bushwick. I’ve never heard of it, but my friend Q invited me to join her for lunch there one recent Sunday. We met up in the West Village after her work shift and took the train back into Brooklyn. Two others were to join us, G and J, but only G was able to make it. By coincidence, he ended up on the same subway as us though we didn’t actually meet up until we all arrived at the subway stop. I hadn’t seen G (or J) in a very long time, so it was nice to say hi and catch up.

Q had learned of Little Mo through a customer at the shop she works at and had been there before, but it was the first visit for me and G. I had taken a quick look at the menu beforehand but couldn’t decide what to order. Q told me she was planning to order pho though I thought the day was far too hot for that. The classic pho is a weekend-only special so that was her reason for choosing it. G and I were debating among the other menu items but in the end, we too ordered the pho as well; at least the restaurant had air conditioning which helped keep us cool while eating hot soupy noodles.

I must admit that the pho was really good. The broth is made of beef and oxtail broth and is very flavorful. Beside noodles were bone marrow, slices of rare ribeye beef and meatballs and the usual accompaniments of bean sprouts and scallions. And on the side were lime wedges, slices of chili peppers, and basil to add in (which I always do). And of course, there were bottles of sauces (hot sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce) on the table to make it as spicy, salty or sweet as one wants.

In addition to the pho, we ordered two appetizers as well: fried chicken wings with spicy Thai sauce and spring rolls. The latter were not what I was expecting. Spring rolls usually mean the crispy, fried rolls stuffed with meat and veggies served in Chinese restaurants. What arrived are actually the ones most Vietnamese restaurants around town call summer rolls. The rolls were fine but the chicken wings were definitely a highlight.

The food was really good and we were able to see what the rice bowls look like when they were brought out for other diners. They look just as delicious and G eventually ordered one to take away for dinner. The rice bowl looked very hearty and filling so maybe it was a good thing I didn’t order it for lunch. But I do want to try it one of these days, so there’s definitely a reason for me to return one day.

June 19, 2016
A Visit to Puerh Brooklyn

Coffeeshops are ubiquitous in New York so it’s always a nice surprise to come across a tea shop somewhere in the midst of the city. There is a little cafe that specializes in matcha in my neighborhood but what I’d much prefer is a place that offers a bit more variety.

I learned recently about a tea shop called Puerh that I think opened not too long ago. Browsing their website, I was not disappointed to find that they do indeed sell various types of the namesake tea. My family drinks pu-erh tea all the time, though not as much as when I was younger. My parents used to brew a pot for breakfast and it’s pretty much the standard when one sits down for dim sum in a Chinese restaurant.

I finally had a chance to visit it last weekend with a friend. Even though Puerh Brooklyn isn’t terribly far for me to walk to from home, it’s located on a street that I don’t frequent that often. All I really needed was an excuse to travel in that direction and with a friend visiting the neighborhood, I had my reason.

The shop isn’t very big but it’s filled with a lot of lovely teaware. Along one wall is a tea counter where one can browse the loose tea and tea cakes the shop sells. There is also a little takeaway area to order hot or iced teas as well as small bites such as cookies and chocolate.

There is another shop in the basement of the space that sells clothes, jewelry and some other sundries but the nice part about it the large airy space where it tea tastings and classes are held from time to time. The floor was covered with cushions and mats and there was definitely a stove and a pot set aside there. I’d love to revisit for a tea tasting if possible.

It’s hard for me to visit a tea store and not buy anything. I ordered an iced hibiscus tea (tasty) and then browse some of the pu-erh cakes available for purchase. In the end, I bought a small cake of pu-erh and chrysanthemums (another Chinese favorite). When I showed it to my mother, she advised me to keep it in a dark place for now and like wine, it will be better with age.

I can’t wait to break that tea cake open in the future and see how the flavors have improved.

June 13, 2016
Afternoon Tea at the St. Regis New York

It all began a few years ago, when I discovered a friend (and former coworker) enjoyed afternoon tea as much as I did. We spent the entire summer visiting hotels all over Manhattan, spoiling ourselves with sandwiches, scones and many, many pots of tea. Over the years, Jee has continued to visit or revisit places around town for tea but a full-time job had pretty much kept me out of the loop and I’ve managed a few rare visits.

However, we managed to squeeze a teatime session recently during my very brief break between jobs and a too busy April. On a grey Monday afternoon, we met up at one of the earliest places we went for tea — the Astor Court at the St. Regis hotel. It had been a highlight and one of my favorite places those many years ago and I’m very pleased to find that it’s still an outstanding place to have afternoon tea.

The Astor Court has been renovated since our first tea there. Gone were the pastel upholstery, floral patterns and piano. The colors are a bit bolder and less feminine with metallic hues everywhere. It’s more fitting and appropriate to accompany the King Cole Bar in the back of the dining area.

Despite that, the service was still excellent. We both chose the traditional afternoon tea service (no caviar or champagne); I went for the Golden Assam tea while Jee picked the Osmanthus Oolong. Instead of the bright, shiny silver teapots I remember from the last visit, the tea arrived in white porcelain pots this time (at least we won’t accidentally touch hot metal). Because I was still under the weather, I added some lemon to my tea though I would normally drink it straight.

The sandwiches were less traditional than they were in the past, and it wasn’t a bad thing at all. There was a good variety and all were very tasty. We were served a Maine Lobster Roll with Caviar on brioche; Scottish Smoked Salmon with Lemon Dill Butter on pumpernickel; English Cucumber with minted Cream Cheese on brioche; Egg Salad with Watercress; and a Curry Chicken Pate with Savora Mustard and Cornichon. I don’t think I could possibly choose a favorite!

The scones and pastries were brought out on a tiered tray. The plain and raisin scones were warm from the oven, and served with clotted cream, berry preserves and lemon curd. Delicious. Thankfully, the scones weren’t too big otherwise we wouldn’t have room in our stomachs to sample the pastries. The pastries were fewer but slightly larger and much more manageable: rose and pistachio macarons, miniature chocolate mousse cups and cherry and pistachio financiers. A sweet (but not too sweet) way to end the meal. Neither of us finished the pastries but we did taste each of them and we were pretty full by then.

I’m so glad we had this chance to revisit the Astor Court at the St. Regis for tea. It had been far too long between visits and hopefully, it won’t be several years again before I return.

May 7, 2016
Park Walks

The last month and a half has been some of my busiest weeks ever with far too much going on for my own good. Theoretically, there should have been a decent amount of free time on my hands but that was rarely the case. In between a month-long visit from family, a long weekend visit from a friend and enough interviewing to last a lifetime, I did manage to find some brief moments to escape and actually enjoy living in the present.

There’s been a lot of walking around in Central Park, which looks fabulous this time of year. Instead of my usual haunts, I decided to really explore the northwestern corners of the park which has some really amazing landscapes. Skirting the Harlem Meer, I made my way south and trekked along paths through the North Woods and saw the Ravine, the Loch and the Pool. That entire area of the park is delightful and I discovered a lot of bridges, streams and waterfalls. There was birdsong and looking up, I admired the beauty of the bare trees before Spring finally took hold of the city.

Another day, I walked from one end of the park to the other, sticking to the west side and made it down to Columbus Circle in just over an hour via a curvy, scenic route that took me past the Reservoir and the Lake. And during my most recent trip, it was to check out what was blooming in the Conservatory Garden. I was hoping to see the wisteria flower but it was still a bit early and chilly for that. But there were plenty of flowering trees all around so it was still worth the visit.

One nice thing about these frequent trips to the same park is being able to watch the landscape gradually transform from late winter greys and browns to grass greens, pastel pinks and whites, and bright, bold hues as flowers paint huge swatches of color across the ground. I can’t wait till for all the trees to be covered with leaves; there’s nothing better than enjoying the soon-to-be summer weather with a picnic beneath bright green canopies.

May 3, 2016
Brunch at Public

It’s already March and I’m not sure where the last two months have gone. Time seems to have flown by but I don’t recall doing anything fun or interesting lately. It’s been a warm winter but between a very lackluster Lunar New Year and now, nothing has really excited me. There’s been more work (i.e. projects for friends and former colleagues) that’s taken up most of my time but I do try to go out and get some air once in a while.

What I really need to do is catch up with friends, though it’s been hard. I did meet up with my friend M over the weekend for brunch at Public.

I’ve walked by Public so many times over the years but it was the first time I ever stepped inside it. The restaurant isn’t on ground level so I could never quite get a sense of how big it actually is from the outside. I do love the big windows that look onto the street and the skylight above that let in so much natural light.

When we were handed the menus, the choices weren’t quite what either of us expected. It was slightly different from the menu on their website but we did find good options on it. I debated between the Eggs and No Eggs sections of the menu and in the end, settled on the quinoa pancakes with poached pears, pomegranate, sunflower seeds, Devonshire (clotted) cream and red wine syrup.

The pancakes were delicious and I like the use of the Devonshire cream instead of butter. The sunflower seeds sprinkled on top also gave it a nice texture. I can never say no to pears since they are one of my favorite fruits, and they were a little spicy but not too boozy, which works better for me.

M chose the spiced avocado toast with Maryland blue crab, pickled chiles and cilantro. At one point (according to the photos seen online), the avocado toast contained poached eggs but now don’t. The eggs would have been nice but there was extra protein on our table since I also ordered a side of bacon. The avocado toast looked really good and the bacon was delicious, one of the better ones we’ve had at restaurants.

Neither of us ordered hot drinks; we were both interested in the cold drinks. I ordered the cucumber and thyme fizz and I think she had the mint charcoal limeade. My fizzy drink was pretty refreshing and for once, I didn’t miss not having a nice cup of hot tea to go with my breakfast plates.

Though I will admit, M did need her coffee fix and we ended up at a coffee shop in the neighborhood afterward.

March 10, 2016