Stream of Consciousness Sunday: Today in Photos

Today's SOCSunday is quite a treat because I will do it in PHOTOS and MAPS! I spent a great Two-fer with Roxwriting that really started out as a twEAT-up invite from @Action_JoJo.

We met new friends for a twEAT-up at Queens Kickshaw

The twEATers
@Stellaaa, @Roxwriting,@Action_jojo and @mojoshowbiz

This was how my profile looked on @mojoshowbiz'
twitter app before we became twitter friends.

Kathryn, another friend had dropped by at The Queens Kickshaw
and introduced his friend Aaron to us.
The Best.'Stache.Everrr!

Roxwriting and I met at the corner of
65th Street and 34th Ave (point A).
Then we walked, (the blue line) and ate at Queens Kickshaw (point B)
then took the bus (fuschia line)
to get to the Noguchi Museum (point C).

With a free family pass from our friend Rich,
we went to the Noguchi Museum

We didnt touch them, promise...

But we needed to pose photos for personal documentation

and I just had to impersonate a Leonardo da Vinci drawing

It was hot out, so we went to Costco for a Frozen Smoothie for $1.50

From Point C, Walked on the Roosevelt Island Bridge
to get to Roosevelt Island.
The Spot where the pink heart is where Dave and I got married.

And did more hiking
but not in those shoes shown in the logo.

From Long Island City, we followed Noguchi's footsteps and
walked the Roosevelt Island Bridge to get to Roosevelt Island...

We walked down this path

Watched this view while walking the bridge
and walked until we got to our next form of transportation...

We walked some more to get to
the start of the Pink line to get on the...

Photo Credits: David McGlynn, Taken from The New York Post
The Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Tram!!!

The view from the tram looks like this...

How it looks inside and what people do in it.

We ended up at Sprinkles Cupcakes (point B on this map)
after walking from the Tram's end.
The pink line represents the tram ride.

After getting off at Manhattan,
we went inside just like this lady did

Got up to this counter and ordered

A Salted Caramel Cupcake!
Roxwriting and I Shared. Dessert First is how we roll.

From Sprinkles (point A on this map) we took the subway
to Nom Wah Tea Parlor (point B).
The Green line represents the streets that passed by earlier.
That was a LOT of travelling!

Then we went to Chinatown for Dinner.
Dimsum Dinner at Nom Wah Tea Parlor

Thank you for taking the trip with us! This what we call a two-fer. It really is short for a Two-for-One outing, that usually becomes a three-fer. We take the time to enjoy museums, special exhibitions and other events if it is free or we get free passes. Once we set ourselves on an event, we just draw up a restaurant from our restaurant wish list.

Usually it is on the free or cheap side because we would rather spend our money on food and our rent. I think the total amount we spend for this day was about $35 each. That's LUNCH, DINNER and SNACKS (we snacked twice).

The Noguchi Museum Admission is $10 for adults, but we got a free pass from our friend Rich. YAY! Thanks Rich!

We live in NYC but we don't have the Sex and the City lifestyle. Yes, they brunch every weekend, but it is only Miranda that really eats in that show. Let us just say that we are both Miranda. Oh, and some weekends, we are just too lazy to get out of bed.

**Because this should be a 5 min stream of consciousness excercise, please imagine that I was telling everything in 5minutes. Thanks!

For More Info:
The Queens Kickshaw
Noguchi Museum
Roosevelt Island
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Nom Wah Tea Parlor

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This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

• Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
• Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
• Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
• Go to Allthingsfadra.com and read what others have posted. And share your link there!

Nom Wah Tea Parlor: Dimsum All Day, Everyday!

Doyers Street, Chinatown, NY. When I first saw this street, I fell in love because I felt like I was in some back alley in Hong Kong. My interest got further piqued after I saw the Nom Wah Tea Parlor Storefront.

I have been walking past Nom Wah for years but I was always afraid to go in. Back then, it was very dimly lit and it really gave me the impression that there was a dimsum nazi inside. It also felt like it had one of those secret menus that you can’t read and you just must know what to order all the time.

They did a few tweaks and made it brighter. I think (even if i never went in before), they stayed true to what they used to look like. Nom Wah now looks like this.

Nom Wah Interiors (view as soon as you get in)

Call it pure luck – the place I wanted to take my husband to was closed that day. A couple of doors down and I noticed that Nom Wah looked welcoming and pleasant inside. My husband was apprehensive, I was extremely excited.

Upon seating, we were greeted with a nice table setting. Ordering was a real joy. Not only do they have a cool photo menu - but the waitstaff will hand you another piece of paper and a pen where you tick off the dishes you want. The design is seamless and very organized so you know that #35 on the menu will be #35 on that piece of paper.

This order sheet reminds me of the piece of paper 
that gets stamped by the dimsum cart lady as 
she writes everything you got off her cart
in Chinese characters.

As this is a Tea Parlor, their tea menu is quite extensive. I highly commend that each tea has a good description. This was definitely my I learn something new everyday moment.

I was truly excited with all of my dishes to come. One by one, they did.

Jasmine Tea

Steamed Pork Bun

Roast Pork Filling of the Steamed Pork Bun

Pan Fried Dumplings

Shanghainese Soup Dumplings

Shrimp and Snow Pea Leaf Dumplings

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings

Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow)

And one by one, they did not fail to amaze me. Everything I had was good!

I have more reasons to love them! They are open everyday, and they serve dimsum all day! Mr. Wilson Tang, Thank You for allowing me to enjoy great dimsum without waking up early on a weekend and craning my neck for the Har Gow Lady as I eat the other dimsum that come in first. I will surely be back!

Nom Wah Tea Parlor
13 Doyers Street
New York, NY
212-962-6047

My Winning Grilled Cheese Sandwich at The Queens Kickshaw

I am not a very lucky contest or raffle winner. As far as I can remember, the “grandest prize” I have ever won was an electric fan at an office raffle. There were only 10 names to be drawn out of a hat.

The Round 10 of Joe DiStefano’s Name That Food Contest proved to be my winning entry! “A Fabulous Culinary Surprise” was the description of the prize. I didn’t care what it was going to be, all I wanted was to win a contest!!!

Then the email came.

I won a grilled cheese sandwich!!! Hooray!!!

My Fab Prize: Manchego and Ricotta Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Minted Eggplant and Capers on Multigrain with
Green Salad and Pickled Golden Raisins

The outside crust of Manchego and Ricotta Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Crispy Manchego Crispified on my Multigrain? YES!!!

Inside the Manchego and Ricotta Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Melty Manchego and Creamy Ricotta with Eggplant and Capers. Mmm.

The Queens Kickshaw is a grilled cheese and coffee place in Astoria, Queens, NY. Apart from the variety of grilled cheese sandwiches and amazing coffee, they also serve sides of soup and salad and wonderful pastries from Balthazar. (Hooray, now we don’t have to schlep to Soho for these!)

Sticky Bun from Balthazar
with a view of the street
Crunchy on the outside, soft and nutty inside with a
chewy caramel coating!

Macchiato
This comes in a large espresso cup. In here, coffee is a work of art!

 

The flavors were too strong for me
so I poured it over ice. 
Blasphemous, I know but 
espresso is really not my thing... yet.

Gouda Grilled Cheese Sandwich 
Black bean Hummus, Guava Jam, Pickled Jalapenos on Brioche
with Green Salad and Jalapeno Vinaigrette

 

Generous guava jam and jalapeno inside the Gouda

Meeting Ben Sandler and Jennifer Lim was wonderful! Roxwriting and I had a wonderful time chatting with them. Being the carnivore that I am, not finding meat in the menu was an initial letdown. I was personally assured by Jennifer that I wont miss the meat after I have had their filling sandwich. After the sandwich and half a sticky bun, I totally agree.

This was a very cheesegasmic experience.

Ben and Jennifer, Thank You. It was a pleasure eating at your lovely spot. I will come back soon!

The Queens Kickshaw
40-17 Broadway
Astoria, NY
718 777 0913

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Disclaimer:
The Manchego and Ricotta Sandwich was the prize I got from the Name That Food Contest hosted by Joe Di Stefano at Edible Queens. Everything else featured on this post was bought and paid for by yours truly and Roxwriting of Spam Is Better Fried.

We are all on Twitter! Follow us!
Me: @Stellaaa
Roxwriting: @Roxwriting
Joe Di Stefano: @JoeDiStefano
The Queens Kickshaw: @QueensKickshaw