Top Of The Rock

We Went to MoMA one day and bought the USD38 combo ticket for the museum (including the newer MoMA PS1) and Top Of The Rock. Top Of The Rock is the observation deck on the top floors of Rockefeller Center. RC was built by J. D. Rockefeller, the president of the US during the from the 30 to the mid 40s, in 1930 during the Great Depression. The building took 9 years to build and is still one of the outstanding buildings in NYC. You may have seen a famous photo of the workers taking a break, perched on a steel beam that stuck out thousands of feet above ground.


Not a Photoshopped picture; no Photoshop in 1932.

I chose Top Of The Rock instead of the more famous and taller (observation deck at 86th floor)Empire State Building (there are other combo tickets, such as Top Of The Rock and City Tour, and if you buy online, there's more savings) because I had no desire to line up for hours at the landmark Empire State Building. I'm glad I observed NYC from Top Of The Rock because it is the perfect place to see the Empire State Building! Also, the building is designed so that you get 360 degree view of the city. If I go to NYC city again, I'm going to do Top Of The Rock at night because New York City at night is the most beautiful of all cities I think. I had a glimpse of the NYC skyline when coming back from the Woodbury Outlet one night and the night skyline was even more beautiful than HK's. We were at The Rock on a cold and windy day (50 F) because we didn't have Internet access to weather report. It was terribly cold so we didn't spend much time at the 70th floor. Actually a lot of t! ime is s pent waiting to go up the building because of the procedures (15 minute intervals for each batch going up, long queues, security checks, elevator wait) so you need a morning or afternoon or night.


While lining up at the security check point, I saw a queue on the street below. NYC has so many events going on anytime of the year. Radio City Music Hall was giving away free tickets to a show; am not sure which performer was on. The Tribeca Film Festival was also on then.


Majestic Empire State Building. Brooklyn Bridge in the distance on the left.


Statue of Liberty is closed for repair/renovation. You can see it on the island on the right.


Central Park in the middle of the concrete jungle.

More Birthdays

I often receive emails from people sharing how much they love cake pops or how much cake pops have made a difference in their lives. Its incredible to see and read how far reaching they areand how much joy they bring. I could have never imagined how many people would be making them or how many ways they would touch lives when I was just playing around in my kitchen trying to make something cute. I have certainly wiped away tears many times from the kind words and beautiful stories shared with me over the years.

This is one of them shared with me this week from the folks at Kohls and how cake pops were used to represent a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.

::::::::::::::::: From Kohls :::::::::::::::::

Greetings Bakerella!!

I wanted to share a few photos with you from the 2012 American Cancer Societys Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk that took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday, May 5. As part of the festivities, there were more than 8,000 cake pops on a 12 ft. birthday cake. Instead of pop sticks, the cake pops were on birthday candles representing the Wish for a World with Less Breast Cancer and More Birthdays.

I wanted to be sure you saw these because you created the cake pop! And, as this event was so inspiring, the cake pops just added to the fun and awareness of the cause. Its not every day you see a cake filled with 8,000 cake pops!

C. Adams Bakery in Milwaukee worked day and night to complete the 8,000 plus order. They custom made a pink velvet center to go along with the event theme and the cake pops were delicious!

Best,
Ale

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The cake pop filled birthday cake. Amazing.

And if youve ever made cake pops, you have a pretty good idea how incredible this is. Very impressive C. Adams Bakery!

The cake was part of a Birthday Bash Kohls hosted for participants of the walk. In addition to being a presenting sponsor, Kohls has also committed nearly $5 million over three years toAmerican Cancer Societys Midwest Divisionto support breast health programs.

I think thats pretty awesome.

Heres a little recap video Kohls made from the event if youd like to hear what theyre doing in the fight against breast cancer or if youd like to see the cake in motion.

Thank you Kohls for everything youre doing! Thank you C. Adams for your hard work!

And thank you and hugs to every one of you who have personally made cake pops for a cause and used them for good. Whether its 8,000 cake pops or 8, my heart smiles every time I hear a story like this.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Walk to the right from Eataly and you'll see a slim building that is featured on the cover of one of the city tourist brochures. Called the Flatiron (as in the iron for ironing your clothes. Duh), the triangular pointy part of the building on the ground floor is where famous artists want to exhibit their work.




Not an intentional pose, but it was a windy day.


A friend who went to NYC for the first time last year came back disappointed with the city. There were many noisy demonstrations (Occupy Wall Street) and streets were packed with people. Yes I saw a couple of protests in the 9 days I was in NYC but I loved the protests!The police escorted the protesters, the mood was fun and nobody got heated up about the issues.I live in a country where the government sprays chemical-laced water at protesters so I think the freedom to protest is divine. A society that can handle difference in opinions peacefully is mature and learned. I envy that.




If I thought the subway stations in London were archaic, I was in for a shock in NYC because the subway stations there are not just old but also run down. However, gone are the graffiti and homeless people.

We stayed in Manhattan and didn't venture to Brooklyn or Queens but one day Yi wanted to see MoMA PSI in Queens (north of the mainland) while I wanted to be in Brooklyn Botanic Garden for the annual sakura festival. The park has 200 mature cherry trees and is known as one of the best parks for cherry flowers viewing outside of Japan. I took the subway by myself for the first time that afternoon. The subway system in NYC is a little bit complicated but once you figure it out, it is quite easy to take.

I asked at the entrance if the cherry trees were still in bloom, as my friend's tree in San Francisco was already putting out leaves. I was told that there was plenty of flowers so I paid the entrance fee of USD15. Big mistake, because the cherry flowers were all gone. I felt cheated. Central Park is free and I went all the way from Manhattan to Brooklyn and paid a fee to get into a park for something that's not there. The festival was still held however and the park was festive and merry.



































Despite my initial disappointment, I thoroughly enjoyed the four hours in the park. I am a plant person and walking in a park looking at the flowers and trees soothes my soul.


I had forgotten to bring my phone and we were to meet up at the Grand Central Ter! minal. I waited for an hour and half and Yi was no show. I was frantic.


Cupcakes in a bakery in Grand Central Terminal.

I walked all the way home from the terminal because I didn't want to figure out the interchange. It took 45 minutes, and it was a great walk because the streets of NYC are all laid out evenly in a grid. There was so much to see. People, shops, lights, window displays.

When I got to the corner outside our apartment and waited at the lights, I looked at the person on my right and it was my daughter. We hugged and cried and celebrated at Momoya, a Japanese restaurant at the corner of 7th Ave and 21 St. There was a long wait but we didn't mind.


This was a big bowl of unagidon (soy sauce eel on rice). Very delicious.


The assorted sushi and sashimi platter was very fresh and delicious. I found the food in Momoya better than the other Japanese restaurants I had been to in NYC, including the hottest restaurant in town, Momofuku.

MacLaren's @ Damansara Perdana

Possibly Damansara Perdana's friendliest pub, free from the slightest sliver of sleaze.

MacLaren's Eurasian chef whips up everything from deviled chicken curry to pork vindaloo, but the top recommendation is the slow-cooked lamb leg curry (RM22++), a wicked concoction, thick with apples, potatoes, raisins and nuts, served with buttered bread.

Pork patties here are kitchen-made for a relatively coarser chew; take two of 'em, toss in some bacon, egg and cheese, and voila! A pork burger (RM19++) that should satisfy. Other topping options include pineapples and chili con carne.

Chocolate bread pudding (RM12++) _ warm and moist, soft and sweet, this is a recipe by the chef's mom. Much yummier than restaurant buffet versions.

Braised apples in a wine compote (RM12++) with a super-special basil-and-raisin ice cream, something also made at MacLaren's, with a fruity-herbal flavor.

Wine is available at RM12++ per glass. Perfectly drinkable.

Basic cocktails are also offered, potent enough to please.

Gin and tonic, to finish the evening on a fun, fizzy note.

One lament: parking here is a pain at night. But MacLaren's is an oasis of calm, for now.

!

Birreria & Eataly

A friend asked one night if I'd been toEataly. I had no idea what it was. As we didn't have access to the Internet at our apartment for the first 6 days of the 9 days we spent in NYC (we didn't have the password and Niece was travelling in Europe), I couldn't google. I vaguely remembered the word though, but couldn't remember where I saw it. We were to lunch with a friend's son and when we were hurrying to Birreria, the rooftop restaurant that overlooks Madison Square Garden, I looked at the address I had scribbled on my notebook. Anthony's directions were to go up to the "4th floor, above Eataly". That was where I had seen the word.


Birreria, a rooftop restaurant that serves fine food with great beer. Very packed.


Like a broken record, I'm going to repeat this over and over. USA/NYC is not expensive. Entrees (main courses) are between USD15 to 25 usually. In Malaysia, there's no way you can get a meat dish for that price. You shouldn't convert the currency either if you are to make a fair comparison. The only discouraging thing about eating out is the service charge. I can't get used to paying 15 to 18 % service charge. There's also tax of 5 % to pad up your bill.


The bread was just ordinary.


This was very good, whole roasted Maitake mushrooms, but the portion was small. Luckily we just had Puerto Rican food and doughnuts on the way to lunch. USD15.


Beer-braised pork shoulder. Good but again, rather small portion. USD22.


Anthony's chicken with tomato salad and Tuscan bread. The chicken was okay but it was the tomato salad that was outstanding. USD21.

I've since read up on Birreria and learnt that their sausages are the bomb. Dang.

On the ground floor of the building is Eataly, a food emporium owned by Mario Batali and two other Italian chefs. It is 4,600 meter sq (50,000 sq ft) and opened in 2010. A chef stepped in front of me and picked up some tomatoes and walked back to his stall. That is the concept of Eataly, that food should be at its freshest and best. If you love food, walking around and sampling the food in Eataly is heaven. I just had lunch and was ready to have a plate of proscuitto but my daughter protested. I promised myself that I'll be back to eat but never got the chance to pass by the place again.




When you enter the store, you see the most beautiful and colorful display of the freshest choice veggies and fruits.


The store also has a houseware section.




And there's a quality food section where you can find cheeses, chocolates, meat and other high quality food.


There are also food stalls where you can eat gelato, coffee, bread, proscuitto and fine food from Italy standing up.






When your mom tells you to stand next to the artichokes, the best you can do is to look sultry. I think that's her message.











Eataly
200 5th Avenue
New York City

Birreria is on the fourth floor.