My Endless New York

Article in Times

"We are experiencing the decline of the American age. But how does national or imperial decay influence the lifecycle of a world city? Modern-day Berlin is a cultural metropolis on the make, despite being the capital of a medium-sized and rather self-absorbed nation. Meanwhile, Paris retained its allure for nearly two centuries after the onset of French national decline.

New York — a city more at home in the world than in its home country — may do better still. As a European, I feel more myself in New York than in the European Union’s semi-detached British satellite, and I have Brazilian and Arab friends here who share the sentiment.

To be sure, we all have our complaints. And while there is no other city where I could imagine living, there are many places that, for different purposes, I would rather be. But this too is a very New York sentiment. Chance made me an American, but I chose to be a New Yorker. I probably always was."

I Really Want a Bucket of Chicken...

and buttery biscuits and coleslaw and a chocolate chip ring cake and mashed potatoes and gravy.

I really want KFC. While there is a KFC 2 blocks away from me I have come to the realization this year that I am at the age when sadly, I must watch what I eat.

In my prime I could eat whatever I want, in whatever quantity, and still weigh 110 on a fat day.

White Castle, Wendy's, McDonald's, KFC, Popeyes, Pizza Hut. I love them all!

Now I am cursed with a predilection for fast food but an inability to eat it. Getting old sucks.

Korean Chrysanthemums in Central Park

The Central Park Conservatory Garden (North Garden) has 2,000 Korean Chrysanthemums in full bloom right now. Sad I am not there to see it.

I love seeing the tulips there in the spring but I have never seen these Korean flowers. There is always next year.

More Info

Amazing Arcade Fire Interactive MV

Type in your address and get an interactive music video using google maps technology.

It is slow and by far not perfect but super cool and a taste of what videos in the future may be like. Also, the new Arcade Fire song aint half bad either, love them.

Thanks Gersh!

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

My dad is a Fob

So my dad is a relatively chill guy, my friends think he's funny and want to party with him.

Despite this, he is super conservative. I wasn't allowed to sleep over my friends' places in high school (this somehow did not stop me from going to Exit) and he ran our house with an iron fist. Now that I am an adult and don't need to ask him permission for things, I forget that he is still a fob.

Conversation with dad:

"So I was wondering how you feel about me and Peter living together when I get back to NY"

"What is the point, why don't you guys just get married?"

"Well...in America you know, people like to see if they like living with each other. You know, testing the waters."

"If you want to live together, you might as well get married."

"Well dad, how do you know you can like being married to someone if you haven't lived with them?"

"I don't know Lia. Your mom and I did not live together and look at us, still married!"

"But dad I really really like him and you really really like him, what is the big deal?"

"I will think about it. You know I am a nice guy, but I am still an Asian man."

Autumn in Seoul

I went to Namsan to try to catch the amazing foliage in Korea but it was not as fire and ice as I expected. I am taking a 4 hour bus ride this weekend to go south and see autumn in Korea in its full glory.

You Rook Rike...

Dan: So did you get any special treatment or recognized as Korean when you traveled around?

Me: Um no, in Japan people kept telling me I looked Japanese, they thought that was a complement, um not.

In Bali, a waitress said to me "What are you? Your face look like China"

Dan: hahaha You pase rook rike china?

Me: Yeah, apparently my face looks like the country of china. Who knew?