A NYC Driver's Pet Peeve: Traffic Cops and Parking Tickets!

I am almost positive that every automobile driver in New York City will agree with my assertion that the NYPD Traffic Enforcement Authority is more often than not, biased and hypocritical!

Due to a number of awful experiences with traffic cops who have given me several undeserved parking tickets, I have been forced to use my cell phone to take photos like the ones below, in order to ensure that I have evidence in case the department finds a way to fine me when I am in no way breaking the law! Both are pictures of my car at broken parking meters with the word FAIL clearly visible. It's quite sad that I feel so defensive in my own city and quite silly that I have had to resort to keeping "proof" on my phone. We taxpaying drivers need a break!

NYC Traffic Enforcement is a force that will probably never let up, but they're a pet peeve that I'll definitely never get used to.

Ihawan: Serving Up the Heartiest Filipino Food in "Little Manila"

I think one of the most underrated cuisines in New York City is that of the Philippines. Although there aren't many Filipino restaurants in NYC, there are a few golden gems that food lovers have either overlooked or have failed to discover for the longest time. Given that New York houses one of the country's largest Filipino-American populations (right beneath California), it's a shame that very few have experienced this interesting culture and their delicious eats!

Filipino culture and cooking is influenced by Spanish, Chinese, Polynesian, and Southeast Asian traditions. The results are a common people with a rich, quilt-like heritage and a cuisine filled with a bold blend of sweet, sour, and salty flavors.

Last weekend I enjoyed a scrumptious meal at Ihawan, a Filipino restaurant located in the "Little Manila" section of Woodside, Queens. Ihawan serves up several hearty and deletable dishes, such as lechon kawali (whole roasted pig), sinigang (tamarind soup), bangus (deep fried milkfish), pork BBQ, and kare kare (ox tail stew in peanut sauce).

Here are some drool-worthy photos:

1. Bangus

2. Kare Kare

3. Lechon Kawali

The Last Bite: Looking back on how much food I ingested that night and remembering my heartburn after, I would have to liken that meal to something like the "Thrilla in Manila" match between Ali and Frazier. Except, in this fight, it was Filipino Food Vs. Me... and I definitely got KO'd!

Neighborhood Pride

A few days ago, I engaged in an interesting conversation with two of my friends, one of whom is a native of Brooklyn and the other a resident of downtown Manhattan. We started debating over our respective boroughs and it eventually turned into a fun feud about why our communities were better than the next. We argued over several topics, ranging from which borough has the best pizza and brunch spots to which locale has the greenest parks. We even disputed over which borough has the most "street credibility" and the most "hipsters".

After my friends and I had thoroughly exhausted every reason as to why our own mini metropolis reigned supreme, it slowly hit me that most residents of Queens don't exhibit "borough pride," but rather, they harbor a whole lot of "neighborhood pride". By this, I mean that a Queens resident often identifies with his or her neighborhood more than he or she does with the borough as a whole. I am very guilty of this, since I often tell people I'm from Astoria and not from Queens right off the bat. I don't know why this perception exists or where it came from. But I do know that I am not the only one to notice this... the United States Postal Service is surely aware of it as well. Why else would it allow Queens residents to write their postal addresses with their neighborhood followed by their state and zip code as opposed to writing their borough, state, and zip code (e.g. Brooklyn, NY 11238, Bronx, NY 10458, Forest Hills, NY 11362)? For mail purposes at least, Queens is the only borough that permits this public display of neighborhood segmentation and affiliation.

I wonder if this "neighborhood pride" is detrimental to Queens as a whole. It seems to have perhaps created some disconnect and disunity between the residents of the borough. But at the same time, I can't help but think that there's something unique about a place that lets its multiplicity shine collectively.

Just a thought. Comments are welcome - even if they're about how your NYC borough is better than mine! ;)

Little Egypt, Big Unrest

Although I'm not at all an expert on Indian/Middle Eastern tobacco, growing up in Astoria has definitely primed me with a subtle craving to smoke fruit-flavored hookah and sip on mint tea once in a while. One of these urges took a hold of me last weekend, so I decided to go unwind at a hookah bar on Steinway Street.

My friend and I made our way to the Egyptian Coffee Shop, a cozy spot where I spent some balmy summer nights relaxing and tasting a wide variety of Middle Eastern tapas or "mezzes" in its outdoor garden. We were extremely surprised when we arrived and the Egyptian Coffee Shop was closed. There was a notice posted on the door from a NYC department (I think it was the Department of Safety?) ordering the business to cease, claiming that it would be dangerous for the store to stay open. Being that New York's Egyptian American community has been immensely prevalent in Astoria since the 1960s, I figured that this had something to do with the recent protests in Egypt regarding President Mubarak.

Though we felt unsettled and even scared for a moment, we noticed that the hookah bar next door, Layali Beirut, was open. We entered the Lebanese cafe adorned with rustic-colored tapestries and candelabras. Sweet sounds of Arabic music calmly filled our ears as we glided over to a comfy booth. All was well again... so we thought. An hour into our conversation and relaxation over peach-flavored hookah, we heard the voices of a man and a woman escalating with every word. We turned around and spotted two people frantically arguing with each other in a Middle Eastern language that was foreign to us. My friend and I could not decipher what they could be arguing about, though we had a huge inclination that it was politically charged. The argument got so intense that both parties had to be restrained by other people in the cafe. This was the point when my friend and I decided that we should leave before we were summoned to serve as witnesses in front of a judge.

The Last Bite: Given the incredible tensions going on in the Middle East lately, I guess I can't be completely surprised at what I observed in "Little Egypt" this weekend. This experience did, however, remind me that Queens is truly a mecca of diversity in New York. And although it is plain to see that New Yorkers dwell in this city and build lives here, for many, their souls and hearts still lie with their families and connections in other parts of the world. Even though Queens is my native borough, it is often difficult for me to wrap my head around a place that is made up of so many different cultures. It is even more perplexing to realize how all of these people remain overwhelmingly tolerant and welcoming of these disparities. Thus, I'm proud to be from Queens, a place that's home to "little" communities with big hearts.

Check out this WSJ article that directly comments on the Astoria community and its relation to the unrest in Egypt.

The Year of the Rabbit Celebrations in Flushing, Queens

Happy Lunar New Year!

The Chinese/Lunar New Year is tomorrow (Feb. 3) and I figured that the least I could do was write a shout-out entry in honor of my ancestors! I also thought it'd be nice to shine some light on Flushing, Queens, one of the largest Chinese and East Asian populations in New York City.

My fellow Asians and non-Asians alike, 2011 is supposed to be a lucky one. Here's how we celebrate!

To ring in the Year of the Rabbit, the Flushing, Queens community will host the 15th Annual Lunar New Year Parade on Saturday, February 12th, 2011. The parade will begin at 11:00 AM at Union Street and 39th Avenue and end around 1:00 PM at Main Street and 39th Avenue. About 4,000 people will march the streets of Flushing and take in the sights of red lanterns, paper dragons, fireworks, and lion dances. More importantly, I'm sure there will be tons of food!

There will also be a Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown (Manhattan, NY) the weekend prior on Sunday, February 6th. Some think that this event normally outshines the Queens parade with its grandiose decorations, community organization sponsors, and martial artist performances. However, it is usually very loud, crowded and packed with tourists who are in the midst of finding their way through Chinatown and its neighbor, Little Italy.

If you'd like to celebrate the year of the "lucky bunny" without these nuisances, take a quick trip on the 7 subway line to the last stop - Main Street - Flushing. Half of the subway ride is above ground, allowing you to see some great views of Queens and even Manhattan (but from the other side than you're used to!). Better yet, if you're hungry, you can grab some dim sum, or Chinese brunch delicacies right in the neighborhood.

Here are couple of links to dim sum places in Flushing, Queens:

Jade Asian Restaurant

Ocean Jewel Seafood Restaurant

I'll make sure to post a more elaborate dim sum entry soon (with pictures)!

For now, Gung Hay Fat Choy!