New York City: A Return Trip 12 Years In The Making

Travel, Food, & Dining Buzz

Recapturing the moments 12 year ago in NYC. Yes, it’s the same shirt I was wearing and can still fit into it.

Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighbourhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I’m taking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I’m in a New York state of mind

I didn’t know when I will be back in New York City since my first trip 12 years ago. But I have always been in a New York state of mind (which is also the title of one of my fave songs) ever since I left my heart in this city. So this year, I made plans to hop on a flight not to Miami Beach or to Hollywood (though both have always been on my bucket list) but to return to one of my top 5 fave cities in the world that I have already visited (along with Paris, Barcelona, Cape Town, and Sydney).

NYC in Autumn

It was no brainer to see NYC again now that I am much closer location wise (being based in Mexico City). Unlike before when I went during summer, this time I did NYC in autumn. My sister was right, NYC is lovely during this season. The weather is cool (3 to 8 degress celsius during day and night), the colors of autumn leaves are mesmerizing, and the Christmas feel is very evident thru decors and kioks that are starting to sprout. There is something in the air during this time of the year, and not to mention that you can dress up and make a fashion statement as you put on different layers of clothing to your heart’s desire without worrying about the sweat.

Christmas is in the air

I stayed at Romer Hell’s Kitchen after learning that Staybridge Suites Times Square, my NYC home 12 years ago, has already been shuttered. If I did a good choice back then, I made a better choice this time. Location is perfect (8th Avenue near 51st Street), which is at the heart of NYC. It’s a block away from 9th Avenue where the restaurant row is, and a block away from Broadway Avenue (other side between 7th and 8th) where the theater row and iconic Times Square is. In fact, during my whole stay, I didn’t use the subway. I did all the walking either going uptown or downtown Manhattan. That surely racked up record breaking steps in my Pacer (averaging 15k steps a day!) during the whole time I was there.

My home in NYC (Romer Hell’s Kitchen)

Unlike the previous trip, I didn’t really have any itinerary for this trip. Unlike the last one where it was structured, where I have to do this or that touristy stuff (what’s more touristy than hopping in and out of the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus, stepping into Empire State Building elevator to get to the viewing deck and buying “I heart NY” T-shirt?), this time it was more of living like the locals and savoring the city. One of the reasons why I also flew to NYC is because I started to crave for the type of food that I am used to back in Manila. Though Mexican food is great for most people, my palate has never developed a taste for Mexican food. This is one of my sister’s concerns when I told her that I will be moving to Mexico City (aside from my safety) coz though she and my brother-in-law are fond of Mexican food, she knows I’m not. As expected, I even flew back to the Philippines in May (or only 4 months since I got to Mexico City) partly because I was missing the food. Now I don’t have to spend a fortune on round trip plane ticket to Manila as NYC has all the goods that I have been longing for.

Manila comfort food in NYC (top from left): Jollibee, Ichiran, and Ippudo. (Bottom): Tim Ho Wan

First stop was Jollibee, the most popular Filipino fast food chain in the Philippines. I was surprised that it is also popular in NYC, judging from the long queues at the counter and the crowded resto both filled with diners and those waiting for their “to go’s”. I didn’t know that Spicy Chickenjoy with gravy would be a hit to both New Yorkers and visitors alike where I can see people leaving the resto with buckets of that crispy, tasty, and delicious fried chicken. Then I discovered Ichiran Ramen, a very popular and one of the best ramen houses in Japan. I was also surprised how popular this resto is in NYC, based on both occasions where I have to queue for a meal (went there twice since the first time was not as good as the one I had in Tokyo so I thought it was just a fluke, but then the second time proved that it wasn’t). I was also glad that there’s a branch of Ippudo just a few steps away from my hotel, which is one of my two fave ramen houses in Manila (the other one is Mendokoro). Unlike Ichiran, Ippudo was more consistent in terms of flavor with its counterpart in Manila. Not far from my hotel is Tim Ho Wan, my go-to lunch place when I was still working at Bonifacio Global City (one of the two financial centers in Manila), which traces its origin in Hong Kong and known globally as the “cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant.”

(Clockwise from top left): Szechuan shrimps and char siu (Chef Yu), beef and tripe in chili oil and soup dumplings (Kung Fu Kitchen), king crab legs and shrimps (Seafood Boil)

There were also a few good finds in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, known for endless food choices where one doesn’t need to go anywhere else to find good food, as well as along 8th Avenue which seems to be the avenue of choice for major international hotel chains (Intercon, Westin, Marriott, Hilton, etc.) which means that good restos won’t be far behind. There’s Kung Fu Kitchen, which is also a few steps from my hotel. Boy, was I not pleasantly surprised how good this Michelin-recommended and Zagat-rated Chinese restaurant is (I was planning to go to Chinatown to look for good Chinese restos but ended up dining here 3 or 4 times during my stay). Their soup dumplings are to die for. Then there’s Seafood Boil resto for cajun king crab legs and shrimps, complete with plastic gloves and bib to enjoy those tasty and spicy but messy shellfish. There’s also Chef Yu, a Chinese fine dining resto with good char siu, which I wasn’t able to finish (talk about saving the best for last) and decided to bring back to my hotel for midnight snack, but on my walk back, I passed by a homeless man and decided to leave that delicious char siu for probably his first decent meal in a while (I also previously left my peach mango pie that I got for free at Jollibee after filling up a survey to another homeless guy that I ran into on my way back to the hotel). NYC, for all its fab and glory, has a homeless problem, which is not uncommon in big and expensive cities.

(Left to right): Instagram post on my review of Spamalot, Taran Killam (@tarzannoz) liking the post, show’s playbill and ticket, me during intermission

Since I was in the theater capital in this side of the world, it was just organic that I have to see a Broadway show or two. The first show that I did was Spamalot, a revival of the 2004 Tony Best Musical. It was so hilarious that I really had a blast. It stars one of my fave ex-mainstays of Saturday Night Live (SNL), Taran Killam, and as expected, he slayed all the funny moments as well as the multiple roles that he played (my faves are the spitting frenchman and the silly shrub). I even made a post on this blog’s Instagram account about how much I enjoyed the show which he “liked”. Funny though, when I told my friends about it (that less than 48 hours in NYC, a celebrity is already liking my Instagram post), most of them asked “who is he?” Knowing not all may be fans of Broadway or SNL, all I could muster was to share that he is the hubby of Cobie Smulders (Avengers, How I Met Your Mother, Jack Reacher). Now everyone knows who he is.

(Left to right): theater marquee, show’s playbill and ticket, me before the start of the show

The second show that I watched was The Book Of Mormon. I vividly remember that it was a hit show when it first appeared on Broadway back in 2011 when I was in NYC that I then can’t afford to purchase a ticket (or at least pay that much for one show) in as much as I wanted to see it then. It went on to win the Tonys for Best Musical that year. Who knows that 12 years later, it is still running and packing up the theater. I also had a fun evening and filled with gratefulness that I was able to finally see the show after all these years. Only proves that great things happen to those who wait (hopefully it will hold true as well for my love life).

Me serving face instead after realizing my blooper (MET is closed every Wednesday)

Of course, I can’t leave NYC without visiting the MET (or Metropolitan Museum). So I went, but not without a blooper. I walked from 51st Street going uptown to 83rd Street only to find out it was closed. I forgot that MET is closed every Wednesday. So I went again the next day. In this visit, I did the old and the new. For the new, I did the galleries that showcased new artworks and collections while for the old, I still went for the ancient Greek and 19th century American. I didn’t have enough time for the ancient Egyptian (which I did the last time), coz same as the last time, two hours in the museum would barely scratch the surface. There’s just so much to see and savor that you have to allot at least 5 hours while you’re there (excluding any snack or meal break).

Having fun in the museum

But the highlight of the trip was able to reconnect with old friends that I haven’t seen in decades. So much have happened in our individual lives that it was such a delight to hear their stories, their journeys, the joys and the struggles, and living the American dream. Though I am not living that dream, I am just glad that these old friends of mine are doing very well in their personal and professional lives not to mention being amazing hosts while I was there. By extension, I feel that I am living (or at least visiting in) their dreams as well and no one could be more proud of their success and happiness than yours truly.

Catching up with old friends

So don’t be surprised if I will be back in NYC anytime soon (definitely not another 12 years in the making). Sooner than you would think (or before you could finish belting out New York State Of Mind).

Leaving NYC (for Mexico City) with memories to last a lifetime (but will be back soon).

Rediscovering The Joy Of Travel

Travel & Food Buzz

Pattaya Beach, Thailand

It’s been 2 years and 6 months since my last travel abroad and it seems like eternity for someone who would see the world at least twice a year (one long haul and one short haul trip). The pandemic has created a sedentary lifestyle and actually resulted to some 20 pounds of weight gain. I have been itching to travel to at least get rid of the excess “baggage” (I would normally lose weight every time I travel with all the walking) as I see travelling as a means not only to de-stress but also a good way to rack up steps in my Pacer.

(Left photo) Pattaya December 2019 or 2.5 years ago and 20.5lbs lighter; (right photo) Pattaya June 2022 and doesn’t feel so sexy so just serving face lol

So when the Philippine government relaxed its travel requirements for inbound residents where they don’t require any form of testing as long as you have your booster shot already, I decided to get myself a booster even if my last antibody test showed that I still have high levels of COVID antibodies. If you have read my previous article “I Got Vaccinated and My COVID Antibodies Are Off The Roof” (https://columbusbee.blog/2021/09/15/i-got-vaccinated-and-my-covid-antibodies-are-off-the-roof/), after getting fully vaccinated in August of last year, my antibody levels in September showed more than 2500 units/ml (2500 u/ml is the machine limit so it literally broke the machine lol). On February this year (or 5 months after my last test), I had myself tested again to see whether I would already need a booster shot but my antibody level was at 2284 units/ml, which is still very high given that the normal protection level is somewhere between 100-400 units/ml. That’s why I decided to defer the booster in the meantime and let others who need it more than I do take first dibs. But when the new travel requirement came out in June, it was probably a sign to have it as an annual shot (regardless of the antibody level) and plan that much deserved trip.

COVID quantitative antibody test results. As you can see, my antibody protection level hasn’t really declined more than 5 months after my 2nd vaccine dose

I went through a lot in the last nine months both personally and professionally. That’s why this trip was important to me as it will rekindle that old feeling of anticipation. Anticipating time off from work, anticipating the joy of doing nothing (if you have seen the movie or read the book “Eat, Pray, Love,” this is what Italians would say “La dolce far niente” or the sweetness of doing nothing), anticipating new experiences and surprises as well as the old and familiar. As I mentioned in my earlier article “The Joys of Travelling (Solo)” (https://columbusbee.blog/2019/06/01/the-joys-of-travelling-solo/), you won’t be the same person between the time you embarked on a trip and after your return, carrying with you something new and old, even if having gone through the same or similar experiences. Given that it is only a short time off (essentially eight days of rest and recreation excluding travel time), I cannot eat in Italy, pray in India, and find love in Indonesia. So I thought why not go to Japan when you can do all three things? Japan though still has strict travel requirements, where they only allow tour groups at this time. So individual/solo travelers are still not allowed. Going to Italy also crossed my mind (where you can also do all three things) where I still have the travel voucher from the Europe trip that I was supposed to take in May 2020 (if the pandemic didn’t cause the flight cancellation), but the fares have shot up (twice the price if I have booked the ticket say in Feb) which is expected if you book a flight so close to summer. I have also thought of Guam, but the fares are more expensive than usual (particularly the return flight), not sure if because summer has officially kicked in as well.

La dolce far niente or the sweetness of doing nothing

So I thought why not go to my fave country in Southeast Asia: Thailand. I have been to Thailand a few times already and it’s my go-to destination if I just want a quick escape from everything. It is a perfect destination if you are looking for beaches, good food, and nice people. Of course you can eat, pray, and love (and I did a lot of eating and prayed as well, but didn’t find love). Thailand also has relaxed its inbound travel requirements in June (no need for testing and quarantine if fully vaxxed, you just need to secure a Thailand Pass online which is more like a health declaration and save the QR code on your phone), so less hassle and it’s time to return to the country that I last visited before the pandemic (December 2019).

My Google Maps Timeline email notification

And just like that, I was queueing at the Philippine passport control in the airport as if it was pre-pandemic and took some meals from the lounge while waiting for my flight. The only difference this time is that you order your food online and will be served on your table. So I ordered anything that I can eat (I had the popular arroz caldo and adobo rice topping) and drink (two cans of Coke Zero and a bottle of water) since it would take some time for the same to be served, unlike before where you just take what you want to eat or drink from the different counters. Soon I found myself settling on my business class seat in Thai Airways’ 777-300ER. I can’t remember if it was the same aircraft that I flew last time, but the seat is much different now, which is a pleasant surprise (these are the types of surprises that I like when travelling). Unlike before where the seats are just wider than economy and with an arm rest that extends to a mini drink counter (think of Philippine Airlines business class seats for local flights or US airlines business class seats for regional flights), the flight now has its own cube (or mini suite whatever you may call it) where each seat is separated from the adjacent seat like having your own enclave (the cabin has a 1-2-1 seat configuration). I took the window seat which means I don’t have any adjacent neighbor (safer during this time of COVID). The seat can fully recline into a flat bed and the cube looks like that of Etihad’s business class seat (though this flight is a short haul one unlike the Etihad flight to Europe that I took a few years back). Though you don’t really need a flat bed for a 3-hour flight (or a business class seat for that matter), but gives you options for a comfortable (if you want to take a power nap) and safer flight.

(Left photo) Thai Airways business class seat December 2019; (right photo) business class seat June 2022. Both are window seats. See the huge difference?

I arrived in Bangkok late at night (almost midnight) and since I already arranged for my airport transfer thru Klook, it was a hassle free trip where I’ll just have to wait for the car to arrive and pick me up. That gave me some time to rest before I headed out to Pattaya around noon the next day. It was almost a mirror trip of 2019 where my itinerary was almost the same (except for the Saigon leg of the former). I flew on the same airline (where the seats have leveled up), stayed in the same hotels (All Accor Hotels but will probably change brands in the future due to its very poor Customer Care service), ate on the same places (except for some new ones), sunbathed on the same beaches (though I didn’t feel as sexy as before lol), prayed on the same temples (and new shrines), and shopped in the same malls (plus more with one mall that fascinated me as a traveler). The only thing that I probably didn’t do this time was catch a movie since I’ve already seen some of the movies that were on (Doctor Strange 2 and Maverick 2).

From top left: salmon and kani sashimi, tempura and gyoza, salmon teriyaki, and another serving of salmon and kani sashimi (I love sashimi!)

Most of the trip was spent in Pattaya and I’m just glad that it wasn’t as crowded as the last time. I made a trip down memory lane by eating at familiar places, but this time had more varieties. My food trip started with Japanese. I was actually looking forward to eat at my fave eat-all-you-can Japanese resto (Shabushi by Oishi) but I thought got shuttered due to pandemic when I can’t find it only to realize that I was on the wrong floor (one of those senior moments lol). So I ended up eating at Zen Restaurant. This is one of those detours that end up as pleasant surprises. The food was fresh and the place is comfy where you can binge and chill at the same time. I had my usual sashimi (salmon and kani), tempura, gyoza, miso soup, and salmon teriyaki. I eventually went to Shabushi and relish on shabu-shabu (I used to go there for lunch almost everyday on my last trip), enjoying a wide variety of meat and seafood. Next on the food trip was Southeast Asian fares, starting of course with Thai food. Before leaving for Thailand, I was already craving for my fave tom yum (hot and sour mixed seafood soup). I haven’t found a decent tom yum where I live so the anticipation has been building up. I ended up having it in one of those roadside eateries called J Daeng (which looks like the same roadside eatery as the one in Phuket where I had very good tom yum years ago). Well, as far as tom yum goes, the place didn’t disappoint, but the shrimp cakes that I ordered was just so-so (I was also craving for fish cakes, but then there was none in the menu). Other Southeast Asian comfort food that I had are Singapore’s hainanese chicken rice, which is actually common where I live (I used to eat at Nanyang restaurant at Powerplant Mall years ago before it shut down) and my latest discovery, Malaysia’s bak kut teh (pork ribs soup), which grows on you after a few sips of that delicious pork broth.

Top left: Singapore’s hainanese chicken rice, Malaysia’s bak kut teh (pork ribs soup), and Thailand’s shrimp cakes and tom yum (hot and sour mixed seafood soup)

Next stop is Korean. One thing I noticed not just in Pattaya but also in Bangkok (and probably just anywhere else in Thailand) is the proliferation of not just Japanese restaurants (or anything Japanese for that matter) but also those specializing in Korean food. It’s probably because Japanese and Korean tourists stay longer than any other nationalities. So I had Korean barbeque at Sukishi. It was ok, I enjoyed it but not as much as Shabushi (maybe because I like my food steamed or boiled than barbequed). While there, I got fascinated with the Terminal 21 mall where it is located. This is the first time I’ve visited the mall and I actually like the airport terminal concept. I mean where can you find an Eiffel Tower inside of a mall? I’ve seen replicas of Eiffel Towers before (just like the one in Vegas), but not inside a mall. Each level has different themes and represent a country or a city (ie ground floor is Paris, next levels are Italy, Tokyo, and San Francisco). I was able to appreciate the themes more (Paris is represented by Eiffel Tower, Italy by Leaning Tower of Pisa and different statues, Tokyo by cherry blossoms, San Francisco by the Fisherman’s Wharf) because I actually have been to all these countries/cities.

Terminal 21 mall. Isn’t this mall fascinating?

Bangkok has its fair share of food trip and shopping as well. I don’t leave Bangkok without going to two of my favorite restaurants: Somboon and Square Restaurants. Somboon, home of the original fried curry crabs, has my fave roasted fresh water prawns with glass noodles. I used to order the one with crabs, but there are times that a single order will come with portions of crabs that are heavy on shells, so I would choose prawns instead. In this trip, I discovered a new dish that I really like, which is oyster omelet. Square, on the other hand, is an eat-all-you can buffet. I like this resto coz not only does it offer fresh prawns and mussels (where you can eat to your heart’s content) and Japanese fares (sushi and sashimi) and some delicious soups, but also it is one of those value for money restos.

Korean Barbeque plus salmon sashimi and gyoza (see, even in a Korean resto, I still want my sashimi lol)

There are also new restos that I’ve tried during this trip. As mentioned earlier, I was craving for fish cakes so I tried Baan Ying. The fish cake was just ok, but what I like was the crab meat in chili crab sauce. This is a better alternative to ordering a crab where sometimes you’ll end up with more shells than meat. It has generous portions of crab meat and you can never go wrong with crab chili sauce. Another one that I tried out was Kam’s Roast, a Michelin starred resto in Hongkong that has its biggest offshore branch in Bangkok. I had the popular roasted duck/goose and the combo of toro char siu and char siu (barbequed pork differentiated by pork cuts). Both are delish! These Chinese fares actually cap the food trip, after having Japanese, Southeast Asian, and Korean gastronomic delights.

From left: Roasted fresh water prawn with glass noodles, oyster omelet, and fresh river prawns and mussels. I love Thailand’s river prawns coz the meat has a bit of natural sweetness.

I don’t leave Thailand without doing my usual prayers to their deities. As I’ve written in my previous article “Dear Mama Mary” (https://columbusbee.blog/2019/09/14/dear-mama-mary/), I embrace all religions and beliefs, as long as it makes sense to me. So I visited Wat Pho again. home of the reclining Buddha (apparently the biggest in all of Thailand), as well as discovering new shrines such as the shrine of Trimurti (God of love, health, and fortune) and shrine of Ganesha (God of success). I went all out with the offerings (each shrine would have its own prescribed set of offerings) coz you’ll never know when the Gods will go all out in granting your prayers.

Top left: Chinese roasted duck/goose, combo of Chinese toro char siu and char siu (barbequed pork in two different pork cuts), Thailand’s fish cakes and crab meat in crab chili sauce

Then I realized that the trip was almost over. Just like any trips in the past, it will come to a close. So after picking up a few items at Duty Free, I was again having some meals at the lounge. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, being the hub of Thai Airways, would have expectedly better food and drinks selection in the lounge than the one in Manila, and no need for an app this time since the food and drinks are available in the different counters for you to just pick up and bring to your chosen lounge seat. Then I found myself settling on my seat in the plane, realizing that I’ll be back to work in a few hours. But then, after such a long wait, I finally did what I’ve been longing to do: rediscovering the joy of travel. Not exactly the “Eat, Pray, Love” itinerary, but no doubt I did eat and pray (love will happen when it happens). I don’t even need to go to Japan to do all things Japanese, or be in Guam to do shopping. I don’t need to take a European tour again (at least this year) to reminisce how much I enjoy Europe. All I need is just Thailand.

Coz the saying “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey” does not only apply to life, but also to travel experiences, surprises, and detours that make up a good trip.

After a long wait, I finally did it!