Blue Note

On Saturday we saw Harami Uehara perform at Blue Note Jazz Club in Village. It was my first time at live musical performance and we were seated so close to the stage. The performance was energetic and emotionally charged. It was a wonderful experience thanks to our musically inclined friends. The food at the club was pretty good though expectedly over priced.


On our way to the club we saw the end to an Indian festival at Washington Square Park. Love the diversity of this city!

Meetup in Curry Hill

On Sunday I met up with a dear friend at Chinese Mirch in Curry Hill. We wanted to have Indian Chinese and staying within the city limits of Manhattan this was really the only option. The food was decent and I really enjoyed the chili paneer, the dish I've ordered on my previous two visits here as well. Afterwards we walked a few blocks through the NYC Filipino parade to a really nice free trade coffee shop located in the Gershwin Hotel building. The Birch was a cozy spot with many different tea offerings as well. On our way back we were tempted to get take out from Curry-in-a Hurry one of the many Indian joints in Curry Hill. The food was cheap, tasty but very greasy. Now that I have tried it I don't plan on going back. But I also made notes of other restaurants in the area I want to try out this summer.


Images courtsey of http://www.searchindia.net/images/ny/chinese-mirch.jpg
www.home-barista.com/knockbox/visit-to-ground...

First Hike of the Summer

Our first hike in a long time was at the Rockefeller State Park last Saturday. We did a few different trails around the lake and through the woods. One trail up a hill offered views of the Tappan Zee bridge.



After the hike we stopped at Silver Tips Tea Room in Tarrytown for afternoon tea. With our groupon deal the whole meal cost us only $15. The tea sandwiches were my favorite.

Harbor Lights Cruise

Last Tuesday we headed to the city after work for a 2hr Circle Line Habor Lights Cruise with friends who were touring NYC. Though a little too hot it was a glorious day and despite having been to the city so many times, we really enjoyed the sights. The cruise did a conprehensive loop and went through all the major bridges. The sun set through the buildings was spectacular. We got to stand on the deck, enjoy the sights, catch up in the refreshing breeze.

Afterwards we had dinner at Chelsea Grill in the Hells Kitchen area. We had been there a couple years ago and enjoyed the food. The chicken corn soup was as great as we remebered. The burghers we ordered (meat for Nelson & vege for me) were too large for us. But our friends enjoyed the food and it was the type of typically American meal they were looking for.

Where are the falls?

On our way back we were hoping to stop by the falls. The mist still seemed to persist as we arrived around 9am. Since this was our only chance we decided to take the Maid of the Mist hoping that we could get a better view if got close enough. But we could see only the edge of the American and Horse show falls through the thick fog.


The area around the falls seemed very touristy, a cheaper version of Vegas! But definitely offers entertainment to people driving all the way to see the falls.

Family time in Toronto

We were visiting our youngest cousin for his 9th b'day. Though we spent most of our time with family in the suburbs, we spent a few hours in downtown Toronto.

The most notable attraction in Toronto: The CN tower
We decided not to go up due to the large crowds and not expecting a spectacular view on a rather gloomy day.



The harbor front was great for a nice stroll.



Though the tours were sold out at the Steam Whistle Brewery, we got to have sample and walk around the building.

There was a festive atmosphere at the Round House park (opposite the CN tower), where a railway turntable was located and several old trains were also on display.

The loyal fans leaving a game after seeing the Blue Jays win!

Niagra-On-The-Lake

After spending the night in Buffalo, we were on our way to Toronto for the Memorial day weekend. We were hoping to stop by Niagara falls on the way, bu the severe mist and rain thwarted our plans.
So we headed directly to the charming town of Niagara-on-the-lake. It was a picturesque colonial town by the lake. The downtown caters to tourists with eateries and shops and well worth exploring if you visit this area.

Then we headed to Inniskillin, the winery that pioneered the art of ice wine making in this region. For $12 per person we got a tour that ended with wine tastings. The ice wine was so good and tasted even better from the ice wine glass specially designed to heighten the taste. The cold weather was a damper to continue visiting more wineries and we decided to continue on to Toronto.