Flat Tire Sadness

On my way to my friend's place in Prospect Heights, I got a flat tire. Glad I wasn't speeding—my vintage-looking heavy bike cannot speed up anyways—and I didn't get in an accident, and it was a walkable distance where the tragedy happened. Still, I was looking forward to this Sunday evening bike ride and upset enought to be grumpy. See my face...

Original Greeting Card

I am taking some time off from my ceramic class this fall, which is pretty hard for me because I love it. Now my hobby is making greeting cards. Cards can be really pricy and I'd rather want it to be somehow original. I have a mini water color kit with basic 5 colors of brown, yellow, blue, green and red. Surprisingly, these four colors can create a good variety. It's fun and nice to write a note on my original cards.

Fall is Here

On a serene fall Saturday morning, I took a bike ride to the McCarren Park's farmer's market. Ungly-looking mini pumpkins caught my attention. A dollar each. They don't look edible but do look pretty in my apartment. Also got a bunch of fall-looking flower. They are both adding nice autumn feel to our apartment.

FDR Library

The 32nd United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He's been one of the most successful Democratic President and arguably the most influential person in the US history. At the end of Hadson River Valley trip was his library and home in Hyde Park. Once you drive in this town, you see FDR's flag alongside the roads. We started the visit to the library. The part of this building is FDR's actual office. Furnitures and books remain the way he left before he passed away. One item that took my attention is his hand-writing revision of the famous speech he made in response to the Pearl Harbor attack. I do not neglect the fact many Japanese American had to go through terrible time in the camp due to his decision. It was a political decision and I still respect FDR as a President. All the items tell his personality and what a great writer and speaker he was. It's sad that most of recent Presidents and politicians do not know how to use words effectivelly. Unfortunatelly, we got there a little too late to see inside of his house. The rose garden, in which FDR and his wife sleep, got me emotional.


FDR LIbrary and Hometown
Hyde Park, NY
website

Best Thai Food

Sripraphai in Woodside, Queens, has been mentioned on Chowhound and other food blogs. It was the best Thai food I ever had. When we got there around 8pm on Saturday night, there was a crowd of people waiting outside. I thought we couldn't get a seat as this place closes at 9:30pm. Surprisingly, we were told it would be 15 - 20 minutes wait. Shortly, we got our table. This place has been expanded to the next door, which you don't really see from outside. It's a huge place. Plus, they have a nice garden seating.


As big as the space is its menu. Not only are they many, they all look good. Even with the pictures, I had hard time chosing. Many dishes were so authentic/original that I had never seen anywhere else. We started with a classy Papaya salad and minced beef in chili sauce for appetizer. For main, we got red curry and Thai rice noodle with beef stew. The salad was perfectly shredded and spice was just right. The beef dish was a bit salty but my boyfriend who went to Thai thought it was so authentic. The red curry and noddle were both serious heat. I loved the noodle dish. So original and perhaps authentic. After this experience, all these Thai places in our hood are tasteless. They don't compromise with spices. They use the right amount for each dish. Some are really hot. But that's why it's good. We sweat a lot and drunk lots of beer. I have to go back and try more. Better to go in a big group so that you can try many dishes.

Sripraphai
64-13 39th Ave
Woodside, NY 11377
(718) 899-9599
7 train to 61st or 69th

Richard Serra Exhibition

I can’t remember the first time I saw his sculpture. Perhaps at the Dia Beacon upstate. But I do remember becoming a huge fun of his work right away. He makes hard, heavy iron material turn into a soft, warm piece. His works, especially the later ones, are huge, environmental work. Viewers feel the piece by walking through his gigantic iron walls. Physics and artist’s skill create this magical feeling of space and gravity. It makes me feel as if I were floating in the space.

What I enjoyed most at the exhibition was his earlier works. Much smaller but same treatment of iron. It’s amazing pieces of iron can look just like leather bands and how he builds heavy pieces stand in balance that are barely touching each other.

The biggest wonder of this show is how they installed such huge pieces inside of each room.

Richard Serra - Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years
June 3–September 10, 2007
MoMA

Mantauk Trip

Our friend couple invited us to stpend a weekend in Montauk this summer. As excited as we were to see them, we were looking forward to this trip, the first and eventually the last leasure trip we took this summer. They offered a room in the town house they were staying. All we needed was to jump on the LIRR. The water was too cold as expected. But we tried "skin board." You waite the wave to start fading at the shore. Then you put the board and step on it. You basically slide on the sand with a think layer of water. This sport is not for kids. 2 out of our 4 adults got injured hitting their knees with the board. It's a slim plastic board. But the shallow wave could push it hard enough to have the knees bleeding and huge bruise. I tried twice.

To eat good seafood was one of our primary aims. We went to seafood restaurant for every meal. The first place was a few minute from the station. Forgot the name but they had super fresh lobster. Somehow there are lots of Russian ladies working at these seafood joints. We had oysters of course. But my biggest surprise and favorite was the grilled fish sandwich. The charcol flavor was so good and just perfectly fatty fish on the buns blew my mind. My words are too poor to express this experience.

Our cultural and intellectual part of this trip was a visit to Pollock's house and studio. We were not allowed to take any photo inside the studio, which is actually a small house. Its floor has all the paintings he splashed around each canvas. Their living house is also very minimal and modest.

Japanese Fish Stew

This is probably a very typical and authentic Japanese dinner menu. Take any white fish (cod, seabass, snapper, founder work), and simmer in soy sauce, sake (rice wine) and some mirin (or sugar). I added a pinch of chilli and topped the fish with some fresh ginger. It only takes 10 minutes to cook and requires no skill. If you don't mind, cook it a bit sweeter because that's Japanese style. With some rice and hearty miso soup, I proudly this was a really good dinner.