Writes of Passage

The rebuilding had completed and now the little park looks nice.

It’s been raining like cats and dogs and on and on … Can’t believe. So I went to the library hoping for a break of a sort. It rained as I entered and shortly after, the sun came out …

550 Middle Neck Rd
Great Neck, NY 11023

Spacious and inviting, good breads but probably won’t return for the price – I’m not a bread eater. Sometimes in the restaurants when the breads taste yummy, especially when they’re warm, I’ll have one or two.

Most pastries I saw there are dark – not sure it’s their style or over baked -:). A croissant costs $2.50 and in all honesty, they aren’t as good as the Costco’s – which I recalled was about $6 for ten (or six? – a huge pack … I haven’t been there for a couple of years …) and certainly not as good as Paul – a franchise in Paris or France which I frequent whenever I’m there. This past May, a croissant costs €1.75 @ Paul. With exchange rate hovers around €1=$1.12 and being in a deserted part of a NY suburb, it’s pricy for no apparently value. Marie Blachére’s croissant is ‘solid’ or ‘dead’, nothing is falling off – not fluff or puff (good that I ‘ve nothing to clean up…). I purchased it in the afternoon around 3pm and don’t
feel the same freshness that I’ve from Paul – at identical time.

It’s a touchy subject for me because my grandmother grew up with it in Tianjin – the Kiessling – and continuously enjoyed it after she moved to Beijing after marrying my grandfather in 1932.

Ah by the way, Costco is opening its first store in China – Shanghai. No worry, with Marie Blachére charges so much I’ve no $$ to buy their stocks -:)

881 7th Ave,
New York, NY 10019

My first visit to a back stage. It’s a yes and no experience.

Yes part: experience the tranquility of a performing venue that always fills with people. Get to see the building in details – pages of Beethoven’s . Visited their museum which is open to public but one isn’t likely to go; and on the event evening, one is likely to forget to go or it’s closed.

The guide: provides some unknown stories. If you dig deep you probably will find them. I did ask him about Isaac Stern. He replied “… was wonderful man…”
“No stories?” I meant some unflattering stories. How unwise I was. He said “no other stories.” … But in any case, Mr. Stern was the man who saved Carnegie Hall.

The no part: the venue itself – the red seats are ok but the overall workmanship isn’t too good. If the guide didn’t praise it so much I probably won’t feel this way …

The funny part, at end of the tour, the guide said “… enjoy your stay in New York.”

Come on, how many tourist would go to Carnegie Hall’s back stage?!

• 2019.10.23, Chinese artists

1414 6th Avenue
New York, 10019

Will return.

I like their decorations: high ceiling,  exposed brick walls. And the plant (cactus?) grows on a plate – they spray them twice a week.

Decent service. Nice bar. Nothing to complain about.

I’ve the smoked tofu which is yummy but light on salt. Maybe bit more kale? Ha ha ha.

We sat inside. I just couldn’t place myself as the vacuum on a street, not to mention it’s busy. ~ The music is loud.

I passed by this Apple store all the time and went in a few times in the past. Recently I noticed it’s under renovation (since 2017); and not sure what will become of it when the work is done. Crossing fingers.

Since I’ve visited two in Paris a couple of weeks ago, so I stopped by this one today after Central Park stroll.

This photo was taken by NYMag on September 19 in 2014 at this location, recorded the iPhone 6 ipo – many Asians could be seen in the photo.

SoHo was their first; their 4th store in New York (279th in total) near Lincoln Center on Broadway was opened on 2009.11.14.

^#93979

I don’t go to this section of the Park often, and am surprised at the tranquility I felt, in spite of traffic noises from 59th Street, and you can picnic … Jam’s is a stone throw away.

Times Square is always filled with all kinds of people … A few girls are passing out musical Waitress booklets …

HCA is organizing a body painting event at the Times Square. The naked cowboy has disappeared .. This person in green captures most attention.

It rained hard this morning but by afternoon, sun came out a little, which made the water alive.

One group of gardener did come to do their routine. They put on yellow ponchos and blowed – how could they do it in the hard rain was interesting.