The wife adjusting....a week later.

[thekfc]

Today we headed out to Queens & Manhattan. It was her first NYC train ride, she have been on the buses before. We took 6 different trains and they were all smooth & the longest wait was less than 5 minutes. So she have not experience NYC subway "mess" on the weekend.

We went to a Filipino neighborhood (Woodside) & then to Chinatown.

At a Filipino market in Woodside, she (we) bought Ampalaya, Talong, balut, salted duck eggs, cassava rolls, stuff to make lumpia, puto with cheese, Eskinol, and some other stuff.  The only thing that she wanted that she didn't get was Clear Shampoo.

We then stop by a bakery store and bought Siopao with chicken inside, some other bakery stuff which I do not know the name for, the only thing that I recognize was pandasol. We also bought Calamansi juices.

There were a few Filipino restaurants and they were all crowded at 11am in the morning. There were also a few other stores but we didn't go inside.

She was very happy with the stores & selection.

Then we headed to Chinatown. It was more crowded than normal, there were still festivals going on (lion dance, parades, etc).
We brought cherries, bean sprouts, string beans and some other stuff. We wanted to buy fish but she said that the fish "wasn't fresh" so we didn't buy any where we were. I wanted to take her to different fish places & two huge South Asian Supermarkets but it started to turn colder & flurries were falling.
This was the first time that she complained about the weather so I (we) decided to head back home. She was dressed warmer than normal & I too was feeling it.

I would say that we came home with a week+ worth of groceries.

As for the itch, it is not as "severe" as before. She still have it but it is minimal. I had the humidifier running last night & for about an hour today.

The one thing that sucks is the cold weather - we cannot go out as much as we want to. With the exception of Chinatown, she have not been to Manhattan.

[piglett]

As for the itch, it is not as "severe" as before. She still have it but it is minimal.

well she is YOUR wife so if she has an itch offer to scratch it for her 


p  i  g   

[Ray]

How much are those duck baluts in NYC? They're $.69 out here in SD.

Save me some lumpia!

Ray

[z_k_g]

well she is YOUR wife so if she has an itch offer to scratch it for her 


p  i  g   

Porky, ROTFLMAO!!  

I think Kfc is taking care of his itch also!!  

Zulu

[stevjulietb]

KFC's...Glad life is so grand for u 2 !

Steveb

[thekfc]

How much are those duck baluts in NYC? They're $.69 out here in SD.

They were 99¢.

[thekfc]

KFC's...Glad life is so grand for u 2 !

Steveb

Thanks.

[thekfc]

We went out yesterday - to Madison Square Garden, The Newport Mall, Lower Manhattan (Ground Zero) & then Chinatown.

We stopped at & bought stuff from VS, Express, Frederick's of Hollywood, Aeropostale, Wet Seal, Forever21, Gap.  I would like to stress one thing that have been said over & over again; if you are buying clothing for your significant - save the receipt. Even if she tells you her size, it may not be true as there is a difference in the sizing and among the brands.
Ahya tried on bottoms/jeans at the stores (I bought her minimal before hand).  Between AE, Express, Aeropostale, Gap, Forever 21 - she was anywhere from a size 00 to a size 2.

Luckily, of all the stuff that I bought my wife, only one item was too big (she decided to keep the item & will send it to her family later in the year).

From the mall we went to ground Zero & then to Chinatown.

We went to a few stores in Chinatown and did some shopping. One of the supermarket (HK Supermarket) have a large variety of South East Asian (including Filipino) goods. She like that supermarket better than the Filipino stores we went to on Saturday because of a larger variety & much cheaper prices. Everything that we bought at the Filipino stores was available there except the baked goods/cooked food.
I had to pry her away from the fish area. Next to the live fish were live frogs, and she kept saying sarap 

In addition to food, we bought some household items (kitchen & household utensils).

One thing that she have to remember to go is turn on the ventilation fan on the stove when she cooks. She still cooks on high heat and......

She have also been sampling the different cuisines. She already know all about SEA cuisines (I though I knew but compare to her I don't know Jack). She loves Oxtail stew (she likes the Trinidadian version better than the Jamaican version). She is not too keen on a few of the American style cooking - "no taste".

[Ray]

kfc,

Do you have any canned tuna in the house?

When she has a craving for fish, a couple cans of tuna can come in handy. Add a little onions, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, etc, and you have quick tuna adobo. Works with canned (Filipino or Thai) sardines also.

Also, try cooking up some fried pork chops (super well-done), and serve with rice and chopped fresh tomatoes.

Ray

[thekfc]

kfc,

Do you have any canned tuna in the house?

When she has a craving for fish, a couple cans of tuna can come in handy. Add a little onions, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, etc, and you have quick tuna adobo. Works with canned (Filipino or Thai) sardines also.

Also, try cooking up some fried pork chops (super well-done), and serve with rice and chopped fresh tomatoes.

Ray

Yep, I do have tun, sardines, Spam & canned sausages at home.  Earlier in the week she fixed Spam & we had it with rice.  That was the best tasting Spam I had. 

As for pork chops, she stop eating it (not completely). She saw a video on youtube & she stopped. I am letting her decide on "her dishes", I know that she will come back to eating it.

Tonight we had fried tofu, wrapped bean sprouts and rice - simple but delicious. Right now she is eating roasted pili nut, I had a few & it good.

[piglett]

Ahya tried on bottoms/jeans at the stores (I bought her minimal before hand).  Between AE, Express, Aeropostale, Gap, Forever 21 - she was anywhere from a size 00 to a size 2.

I told Marily that she will need to buy 8 more pairs of jeans before she arrives (she only has 2 pair now)

From the mall we went to ground Zero & then to Chinatown.

i never hear about that site are they ever going to build there? if so, when will it be finished???

I had to pry her away from the fish area. Next to the live fish were live frogs, and she kept saying sarap  

OK what's up with pinays & live food???
they think if U buy it live it tastes better? whats up with that ??
please explain.


pig

[thekfc]

I told Marily that she will need to buy 8 more pairs of jeans before she arrives (she only has 2 pair now)

That is a wise decision, buying some of her favorite clothing before she comes.

I told Ahya to buy bottoms (which she did) & when she come here we will do a little more shopping. I bought plenty of tops as I already knew her size from the different brands (brands I already sent her).

 i never hear about that site are they ever going to build there? if so, when will it be finished???

Piglett, where have you been? World Trade Center!!!!
That is prime real estate - I mean prime!!!!!!

Not only are they rebuilding a new set of building, they building a $3.2-billion transportation hub. Also being built nearby is the  Fulton Street Transit Center which will connect 13 subway lines. That is major traffic/transportation to that area.

This is what they should look like when completed.


National September 11 Memorial & Museum, Cultural Center & a few others:


They say that all the construction should be finished by 2014.

OK what's up with pinays & live food???
they think if U buy it live it tastes better? whats up with that ??
please explain.

pig

They prefer to buy it live than dead - it is fresher.

[piglett]

[/quote] looks like somethink i would find dead in the western desert, maybe from 1 of those armodillos



They prefer to buy it live than dead - it is fresher.
[/quote]ok point taken , just stop hipping me with that malett 

[thekfc]

ok point taken , just stop hipping me with that malett 

That is just to tenderize you so you will be ready for marinading when the wife get there. 

[jm21-2]

Seafood starts going bad the second you kill it, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell how old dead seafood is just by looking at it. Having it live gives you a guarantee of freshness and the best possible product. Not such a big deal with beef (actually properly aged beef is better) or pork, but makes a huge difference for seafood. I'll buy beef or pork from the clearance bin but I learned my lesson about seafood...

[robert angel]

Kfc,

I'm really happy for you two! I can't imagine any place more exciting to immigrate to than NYC and I'm pretty sure we're alike in that we both enjoy seing the same great things again through the eyes of someone else. Have you guys walked down Canal Street and into Greenwich Village? Central Park?

Regarding the 9/11 Memorial being finished by2014 (they hope) they built the Empire state building, which is STILL an impressive building (although the Chrysler building looks cooler) in one year and under budget!

My, how times have changed....

[thekfc]

Seafood starts going bad the second you kill it, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell how old dead seafood is just by looking at it. Having it live gives you a guarantee of freshness and the best possible product. Not such a big deal with beef (actually properly aged beef is better) or pork, but makes a huge difference for seafood. I'll buy beef or pork from the clearance bin but I learned my lesson about seafood...

My wife look at the fish and tell me "look at the eyes, they are not fresh". Most of the Fish "stores" In Chinatown sell live fish & there is a Korean owned Supermarket near me that also sells live fish & lobster, so we are goo to go on that. 

 

Kfc,

I'm really happy for you two! I can't imagine any place more exciting to immigrate to than NYC and I'm pretty sure we're alike in that we both enjoy seing the same great things again through the eyes of someone else. Have you guys walked down Canal Street and into Greenwich Village? Central Park?

Thanks Robert.
We haven't done the Village or CP yet.
We did MSG, then around Herald Square (we didn't go inside Macy's). We also did Ground Zero, City Hall Area (we stop by the African Burial ground - she took pics), then we walked up Lafayette St and then turn on Canal Street. We did some browsing then went into Little Italy (bought freshly made pasta). After that we went into a few Chinese & Vietnamese stores & did some shopping (Main shopping was done at the HK Supermarket). We did a little more working but she was getting cold so we went inside a Chinese restaurant & got some food then we headed home.
There are a few spots in Chinatown that I want to take her (I now that she will love these stores/places) but I will wait until it is a little warmer as it do involves walking & walking in open/windy spaces.

 

Regarding the 9/11 Memorial being finished by2014 (they hope) they built the Empire state building, which is STILL an impressive building (although the Chrysler building looks cooler) in one year and under budget!

My, how times have changed....

Under budget is a thing of the past. Everyone have to get paid & money have to be wasted.

[jm21-2]

Regarding the 9/11 Memorial being finished by2014 (they hope) they built the Empire state building, which is STILL an impressive building (although the Chrysler building looks cooler) in one year and under budget!

My, how times have changed....

My fiance sent me a video a while back from China. A company there developed a technology where they can throw up a skyscraper in about 3 days. Pretty impressive....the number of days it took seem to range from 2-6 depending on where you read, but still pretty damn good.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101112/bs_yblog_upshot/chinese-workers-build-15-story-hotel-in-just-six-days

[robert angel]

Interesting video. The Extreme Makeover  television team was recently in our area and they razed an existing house and built a high end, craftsman quality home, furnished and landscaped it exquisitely. It usually it takes months alone for permits and inspections around here, but when Hollywood calls, its funny how things can work. But a skyscraper in a week or less in an earth quake prone area?--pretty amazing and while I hope they never have another earth quake-- if they do, I'd like to know how well structures like that fare.

[Ray]

…sometimes it can be difficult to tell how old dead seafood is just by looking at it. Having it live gives you a guarantee of freshness and the best possible product.

 

Unfortunately, about the only way you’ll get live seafood here is by catching it yourself (or you can let Jeff catch it for you). I’ve seen live tilapia and octopus in tanks at some Asian markets, but most “fresh” fish has been frozen and thawed by the time you see it in the fish market.

It isn’t difficult to tell fresh from non-fresh fish. As kfc mentioned, look at the eyes for starters. The eyes should be clear, the inside of the gills should be a bright red color, and most important, it should smell fresh. Pick the little sucker up and stick it up to your nose and take a deep whiff.

If it’s packaged and sealed in cellophane with no head, then good luck!

Ray

[Dave H]

Hey thekrfc,

I am happy that you and the Mrs. are having a great time adjusting! It brings back some fond memories.

Dave

[jm21-2]

Unfortunately, about the only way you’ll get live seafood here is by catching it yourself (or you can let Jeff catch it for you). I’ve seen live tilapia and octopus in tanks at some Asian markets, but most “fresh” fish has been frozen and thawed by the time you see it in the fish market.

It isn’t difficult to tell fresh from non-fresh fish. As kfc mentioned, look at the eyes for starters. The eyes should be clear, the inside of the gills should be a bright red color, and most important, it should smell fresh. Pick the little sucker up and stick it up to your nose and take a deep whiff.

If it’s packaged and sealed in cellophane with no head, then good luck!

Ray

Yes, they are pretty deceptive about labeling what has been previously frozen. Costco is not too bad up here but you have to buy a massive amount. Uwajimaya's has a big fresh seafood section but that's in Seattle.

I've always heard that fresh fish should have no smell. If it smells "fishy" then it's probably bad, as strange as that sounds.

[thekfc]

Yes, they are pretty deceptive about labeling what has been previously frozen.

I have seen stores that have repackaged food as "new" - They have been busted & one have them have been closed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

If it smells "fishy" then it's probably bad

I have heard that many times, especially from the older guys who used to hand around the "Deuce" - the "old" 42 Street (Times Square). Except that they wasn't talking about fish

[Ray]

If it smells "fishy" then it's probably bad
 
I have heard that many times, especially from the older guys who used to hand around the "Deuce" - the "old" 42 Street (Times Square). Except that they wasn't talking about fish

True, but once you get past the smell you've got it licked... 

[robert angel]

If we eat out and order fish at a restaurant and after it's cooked, it smells fishy, we don't order fish there again. We try and stay away from farm raised salmon and to get the wild caught. The wife likes tuna, but if you look into it, there's too much mercury in it that isn't going away anytime soon and you don't want to eat too much of that anymore.

And yes--with most fresh fish, look for bright, clear eyes.

I remember the 'old' 42nd street--you could catch 'anything' there--it was like the old Fulton fish market, but for flesh. I used to score fake IDs along 42nd St. and resell them at a healthy profit in high school, along with the blank report cards that sweet little goodie two shoes Ellie Mae, my classmate and the student helper in the school's front office, used to get for me. Those were daze!