Old Photos

At the airport with Javi

Well, they're not really old... just photos I looked through after having just remembered that I still have a Multiply site. Most of these photos are from 2 and a half years ago, when I had just arrived from Manila. I suppose I've been a little more sentimental and getting homesick more often lately since I found out that my sister and mom are coming to visit (unfortunately, my dad has to stay at home and take care of business).

Lately, I've been searching for NYC tours and recalling how I first felt when I was being taken around the city by Javi. It has been 2 years since Kim and my mom have been here, and they only stayed in NY for a few days, so I'm guessing they will have the same feeling of excitement and amazement as I did 2 and a half years ago.

I'm so excited!!!

Greely Square - my very first day in Manhattan! Javi took me shopping for fall clothes - including a thicker jacket!

Columbus Circle / Fordham University - I wanted to see where I was supposed to have given my talk on Children's Fantasy Lit.

Dylan's Candy Shop - of course Javi had to show me this place... I remember how he enjoyed being here more than I did ;) I just liked all the colors!!!

Meeting an Old Friend in Woodside, Queens

Ah, Jollibee. This is the fastfood joint where Filipino kids are not afraid to go up to an 6ft orange and yellow bee to give it a hug and thank it for its deliciously sweet spaghetti with hotdogs (yes, that's the way we like it) and savory fried chicken. More popular than McDonald's, but authentically local as the sari-sari store around a Manila street corner, Jollibee is the place kids dream of having their birthday parties, and where families spend their Sundays after Mass.

Javi and I had heard of a Jollibee opening in Woodside, Queens but had also heard about how Filipinos actually line up just to be able to get a taste of a Yumburger or The Champ. We figured we'd wait until after it was too much of a novelty before venturing out to go all the way to Queens, but today, Javi felt like eating really good Thai food at the famous Sripraphai - only two blocks away from where Jollibee supposedly was.

So we figured, ok, let's check out Jollibee on the way to Sripraphai, not really quite sure of how we'd find it. After getting out from the subway station, we walked a little bit, and before we knew it, there it was... our old friend, Jollibee.

Walking by it, you could smell the Chickenjoy, and we were very much tempted to line up ourselves.

But another time, we agreed - maybe when other Filipino friends were with us. See, the thing about Filipinos and eating (as you'll come to realize if you read my first few entries) is that we see eating as an opportunity for getting together to talk, discuss and have fun. While other cultures enjoy chatting over a cup of coffee or engaging in dialogue over a few glasses of wine and slices of cheese, the heart and soul of Filipino cameraderie and togetherness is FOOD... and Jollibee.

Subway Strings

It has certainly been a while since my last entry - 4 months, to be exact! My, how time flies! I can't say that I've been having all fun - on the contrary, things at work have been insane. Hence, the reason for my blogging absence.

But I plan to be back now, and have come to the realization that even though I haven't been anywhere exciting lately, or nothing really interesting has been happening in our lives, that I can still post here while staying true to the theme of this blog: my becoming a New Yorker.

Javi and I caught the Out of Towners playing on TV this morning - that movie with Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin, where they travel to NY from Ohio, only to end up in the most compromising predicaments throughout their whole trip. Steve Martin's character said something that I think is beginning to hold true for me now as well: that New Yorkers can't see all the great things about this city because they're jaded - New Yorkers take for granted so many things that make this city great because they see it day in and day out. And that's when I started to think of my first few weeks in NY - back in 2006, and how amazed I was at the energy that this great city had (and still does!).

So from now on, my goal is to have my camera handy at all times, so I can capture the "energy" that everyone is talking about but can't quite describe. To start off, I've posted videos of something that is truly characteristic of Manhattan - subway musicians!

I was about to put my camera away after having filmed this guy, when I heard another set of stringed instruments playing in another part of the subway platform. I followed the sound and came across these guys:

Out of courtesy to the musicians for having filmed them for so long, I gave them cash and picked up a business card from the violin case on the floor. I must apologize to the violinst in this video, because I didn't know that the business card only mentions the cellist - Tim Rusterholz. Sorry, violin guy, I can't mention your name here. Maybe some other time? Or maybe someone who knows him will find this blog and enlighten me? Here's to hoping! But for now, let's have a listen to Four Seasons by Vivaldi. ;)

Till my next entry... which should be soon!

Kk