A long weekend in Chicago
Seems like everyone is going to Chicago these days. It’s a popular place to visit for good reason. Chill vibes, cool art, good food. It’s all there!
Ah Chicago! I wish I had more time to see more of you! If you’ve been thinking about heading to the Windy City, there’s no better time than now. Here’s how I spent a long weekend in Chicago!
Gentrification is turning me into a bitter old lady
I never thought it would come to this.
Let me explain. It’s not that I look at teenagers and say “darn kids these days,” although sometimes I do think it. It mostly has to do with what is going on in my old hood in New York City. I’ve been living abroad for the past 4 years, and in that time, some things have changed.
This is turning me into something I didn’t think I would become (at least not this soon): a bitter old lady.
5 practical tips to get by in New York from a born and bred New Yorker
It’s raw. It’s real. It’s New York City. Definitely not for the faint of heart, this city can eat you up and spit you out. Whether you are here for a few days, or a few years, these are a few tips that can help you get by in the concrete jungle.
[Photo Journal] Springtime in NYC! A trip to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and High Line Park
Spring might be the best season in New York City, but it might also be the shortest. Spring in New York is all about taking advantage of the moment. New Yorkers joke that it lasts about 2 weeks before summer takes over, with the humidity and heat that comes with the harsher season.
But New Yorkers know that this time is precious, so it’s a happy time for all. We get to shed our winter layers, and enjoy some sunshine. Even when the sun isn’t shining, it’s still quite pleasant in the city. I went to see the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens cherry blossoms in bloom. I also ventured a bit along the High Line Park!
Spring at the High Line Park
Day trips from NYC: Kaaterskill Falls hike
I have a confession to make. I don’t do many outdoorsy things in New York. Besides playing ultimate, I spend most of my leisure time doing things indoors. Sometimes I’ll go to the park, especially if it is with my niece, but for the most part I stay inside.
That means I haven’t even begun to do much hiking in my home state. But luckily, my sister’s friend drove us up to the Catskills a few weekends ago and we did a short hike to the tallest two tiered waterfall in the area. This is the Kaaterskill Falls hike!
That’s my sister gazing up at the waterfall
Pre-tryout nerves and how travel has made me feel (almost) invincible!
This weekend marks the start of the tryout season for club teams in my sport of ultimate. Commonly known as ultimate Frisbee (but for trademark reasons officially “ultimate”), this is a pretty intense sport that has dreams of someday being a part of the Olympics.
Featuring full field 7 on 7 gameplay, this is the sport I’ve played for nearly 16 years now. Time and experience doesn’t mean I’m spared from nerves and butterflies, but if I can travel the world solo, then I can do this!
Me at the top of Lion Rock Fortress in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Inside the Meow Parlour cat cafe in New York City
Back in December, I wrote about going to the first official cat cafe in New York City as being one of the things on my to do list when I visited home. This past May, I finally made it there…for about half an hour.
I thought I would want to stay for hours. But I didn’t. The cats were beautiful and cute enough, but it just didn’t feel like the cat cafe that I’ve been waiting for. (And maybe this cat feels the same way). Continue Reading
I'm...gonna swing... A New Yorker’s bucket list for the holiday season in New York
New York is less smelly this time of year, and generally happier. You might still witness a cranky commuter or two (or a few million), but the overall atmosphere quietly shifts during the holiday season. Maybe it is the shopping high that everyone is on.
My toes tell me it’s cold, but my hair couldn’t be happier to escape the humidity of Singapore. I’m back in New York, and I have a few things I’m looking forward to this holiday season. Continue Reading
Taking a look at myself Women wear what they want to in Singapore, or How awesome it is that there is no catcalling in Singapore
Sure, you have heard that Singapore is a safe and clean city. Or that it’s the most expensive city in the world to live in. (This is mostly skewed by the price of cars, which are not essential, but that is another story.) But what you may not know is that women wear what they want to in Singapore. It’s remarkable, and simultaneously a sign of old stereotypes/gender roles and a sign of hope in the face of gender issues in Singapore. There are a few things that I really like and admire about Singapore, and this is one of them.
The recent video of a woman walking in New York City has gone viral because it shows just how much harassment a woman can receive just by walking around in NYC. I’m glad that they are drawing attention to this issue, because this is at the root of what I don’t like about NYC. Catcalling is nonexistent in Singapore, which one reason why I think women can have the freedom to dress as they wish.
Continue Reading
New food habits and food shopping in the city
When it comes to food, I’ve been shifting towards a whole-food, plant-based diet over the past 3 or 4 years. The first few changes were to stop forcing myself to eat mean (or animal protein) when I didn’t feel like it, and to start eating more different types of greens than the ones I grew up with. Now that I’m in New York City for a few months, I’m also really excited to try local products like Granola Lab. There are so many cool things coming out of New York, Brooklyn especially!
What I have trouble with is how to balance all of the possible adjectives: seasonal, local, sustainably harvested, whole, unprocessed, unrefined, fresh aka not frozen or canned, non-GMO (genetically modified organism, usually corn and other plant products), no preservatives, organic, raw, natural
Continue Reading
Hey, I'm Chewy! I'm a science journalist currently living in New York. I'm an introvert who likes to see new things and learn. Here I write about my travels and musings about food, places and cultures. Check out my photos, reviews, and random thoughts!