#go go curry also has a location in NYC

[count-geiger]

went to ichiran nyc with @jayjamjary today and ate some sick ass ramen

no pictures of the food pre me devouring it because i was a hungry boy but trust me it was really cool and good

the censoring of my face was totally unnecessary because. i have one of my face (face reveal i guess) but whatever

[russellpipkin]

A Taste of Manhattan: The Best Restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen

Hell’s Kitchen, New York, is a neighborhood known for its amazing restaurants. Whether you are looking for a casual meal or an upscale dining experience, Hell’s Kitchen has something to offer everyone.

This blog post will look at some of the best restaurants in the area. We’ll provide information about what makes each restaurant unique, and we’ll also give you a taste of what their menus have to offer. So, if you’re looking for a great dining experience in New York City, check out Hell’s Kitchen!

 History of Hell’s Kitchen, NY

The area of Hell’s Kitchen has a long history. It was once known as the “Gashouse District” and got its name from the numerous coal-fired plants in the neighborhood. It became a hotbed for crime and poverty in the 1970s, hence the name “Hell’s Kitchen”. Today, the area is much safer and is home to a vibrant dining scene.

The neighborhood is located on Manhattan’s West Side and is bordered by the Hudson River on one side and 8th Avenue on the other. It is home to a diverse population, including immigrants from all over the world. Most of the restaurants in the area serve up a mix of international cuisines, so there’s something for everyone.

Over the years, the area has developed into a vibrant community full of great restaurants and entertainment options. Here are some of our top favorite choices for restaurants in the area.

The best American restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen

Let’s start with some American restaurants because what is NYC without some classic American fare?

Hell’s Kitchen is the place to go if you’re looking for classic American cuisine. Several restaurants specialize in fresh seafood, steak, and other delicious dishes.

Westway Diner at the corner of 10th Ave and 42nd St is one of the most popular spots in the area. Their menu features classic American dishes like burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

If you are looking for a Michelin-starred restaurant in the neighborhood, head to the Porter House at the Time Warner Center. This upscale steakhouse is well-known for its expertly prepared filet mignon and fresh seafood dishes.

Westway Diner

Porter house Bar and Grill

The best Mexican restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen

Mexican food has long been popular in New York City, and Hell’s Kitchen is home to some of the most delicious Mexican restaurants in NYC.

El Centro is a popular spot that serves up delicious tacos, burritos, and other authentic Mexican dishes. The food is made with fresh ingredients and served with friendly service.

Another excellent restaurant for Mexican cuisine is Ponche Taqueria & Cantina. They specialise in traditional Mexican dishes, as well as Tex-Mex favourites.

If you want an upscale Mexican dining experience, head to Maya Cocina Mexicana. This restaurant serves contemporary Mexican dishes that feature local ingredients and bold flavours.

El Centro

Ponche Taqueria & Cantina

The best Japanese restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen

One of the greatest things about Hell’s Kitchen is that you can find food worldwide. If you’re in the mood for Japanese cuisine, head to Sushi Damo. This restaurant is known for its fresh sushi and creative rolls.

Another great option is the Soba-Ya at 40th Street and 9th Avenue. They offer delicious soba noodle dishes and traditional Japanese fares like tempura, yakitori, and more. You can also find vegan-friendly options here.

For an exclusive sushi experience, check out Sushi Ginza Onodera. This restaurant has two Michelin stars and serves an impressive omakase menu featuring the freshest fish.

Sushi Damo

Soba-Ya

The best Indian restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen

Another favorite cuisine in Hell’s Kitchen is Indian food. The community is home to various Indian restaurants, including Bombay Grill House. This restaurant offers traditional North Indian cuisine, such as curries and tandoori dishes.

If you feel adventurous, check out Badshah at the corner of 9th Avenue and 41st Street. This restaurant specializes in chaat, an Indian street food dish made with potatoes, chickpeas, and various spices.

Bombay Grill House

The best Italian food in Hell’s Kitchen

A trip to Hell’s Kitchen will not be complete without a quick visit to one of the neighborhood’s Italian eateries. B Side Pizza is a great spot for pizza lovers, offering unique toppings such as roasted peppers and walnuts.

Head to Masseria Dei Vini at 9th Avenue and 58th Street for classic Italian pasta dishes. This restaurant specializes in seasonal Italian dishes made with fresh ingredients.

If you’re looking for something more upscale, check out SESAMO, an Italian restaurant located at the corner of 10th Avenue & 52nd Street. SESAMO offers an incomparable menu that blends flavors from two distinct cuisines – Asian and Italian.

Their innovative dishes, such as sushi pizzas and spicy tuna carpaccio, are sure to delight any palette! Plus, the menu is altered according to seasonal changes, with gluten-free and vegan options available for those with dietary restrictions. Experience the best of both worlds at SESAMO!

B Side Pizza

Masseria Dei Vini

SESAMO

Other Notable Restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen

Aside from the popular cuisines mentioned above, Hell’s Kitchen is home to various restaurants sure to please any taste.

Check out Kochi if you are into Korean food. This Michelin-starred spot features traditional Korean BBQ dishes in a small, lively setting, such as skewers inspired by Korean royal court cuisine.

For a taste of Mediterranean cuisine, pay a visit to Kashkaval Garden. This chic restaurant serves a variety of small plates, including falafels and meatballs. They offer an impressive selection of wines and cocktails to pair with your meal.

For Thai food, visit Pure Thai Cookhouse. This stylish spot offers classic Thai dishes such as pad thai, curries, and stir-fries. They also serve up vegan options for those looking for a plant-based meal.

No matter what you’re craving, Hell’s Kitchen has something to satisfy your appetite! The neighborhood offers a vast selection of restaurants that cater to every palate. Whether you’re looking for traditional favourites or something more adventurous, you will find something delicious in this vibrant foodie paradise.

So, if you’re in the mood for great food, check out Hell’s Kitchen! With its diverse range of restaurants, it’s sure to satisfy any craving. Bon appetit!

  source https://sesamorestaurant.com/news/a-taste-of-manhattan-the-best-restaurants-in-hells-kitchen/ from Sesamo https://sesamorestaurant.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-taste-of-manhattan-best-restaurants.html

[cc1332]

Best Indian Restaurant In The USA

Indian restaurants in the US are renowned for their wide variety of cuisine. There is great variety within multiple cuisines, including many different regional Indian ones. Some big cities in the United States, such as New York, Washington D.C, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, offer various exciting options, whether you live there or are just visiting, and you should try them out.

There are restaurants with very creative menus, and there are more traditional and authentic eateries. Some eateries combine traditional elements with innovation. Whatever suits your tastes, there is a tonne of options available. The Best Indian Restaurants in the USA are listed below, from cozy chaat joints to upscale tandoori hotspots.

ADDA – NEW YORK:

The most exciting and diverse restaurant scene can be found in New York City, as it is one of the best Indian restaurants in the USA. You can find that country's cuisine and an excellent example of it. Therefore, it stands to reason that Indian cuisine would be famous in New York. That is different, though. It's a cuisine that struggles with NYC. The majority of options are fast-casual bowls inspired by Chipotle, overly complicated and fussy "modern" Indian food, or typical (and blasé) British curry house fare. Adda comes next. The menu also includes refusing in the form of fiery goat brains and gingery chicken livers (tawa kaleji). The meat-heavy menu shines on dishes like tender tandoori poussin and goat biryani. However, vegetarians can look forward to dishes like lotus root kofta, which is made with house-made paneer and arrives floating in an impossible-to-remove-from-your-mouth creamy fenugreek and tomato base. Naan stuffed with cheese is recommended to mop up the sauce.

RASIKA – WASHINGTON:

Rasika has two locations in DC, one each in Penn Quarter and West End, where you can fill up on Modern Indian cuisine. There's a vast selection of tawa (griddle), sign (open barbecue), tandoori, and regional dishes here. They have a delicious dish called tawa baingan, made with eggplant, potatoes, peanuts, and spices. Then, either go traditional with tandoori chicken tikka or contemporary with lobster. Better still? Grab a few glasses because they are renowned for their extensive wine list.

INDIAN ACCENT – NEW YORK:

Indian Accent has restaurants in both New York and New Delhi. Some of the best-tasting Indian food you've likely ever had is served at this upscale restaurant. They strive to experiment with new concepts while still maintaining the traditional components of the dishes they prepare. They offer both vegetarian and meat-based starters and main courses. You can choose a mid-course to eat between your appetizers and main course if you are starving. The ghee roast lamb will change your life, and the colorful meethe chawal will whisk you to Punjabi heaven.

Additionally, you can pick from various sides to go with your meal, and their menu also features an impressive selection of desserts. It is easy to understand why Indian Accent is considered to be among the best Indian restaurants in the USA, given the opulent setting, excellent location, and fantastic menu.

DOSA BY DOSA – CALIFORNIA:

Dosa by Dosa is the confusingly named fast-casual offshoot of Dosa, a pair of fine-dining Indian restaurants in San Francisco. The staff at the restaurant across the bridge offers a more limited menu that includes salads, like a delicious one made with coconut, kale, and mung beans; street wraps, which are made from grilled Rotis stuffed with ingredients like prawns cooked in coconut milk and fresh curry leaves; and rice bowls, where homestyle meals like butternut squash daal are ladled over your choice of rice. (We heartily suggest the traditional South Indian dish lemon rice.) But the menu's highlight is the dosas, savory rice, and lentil crepes. The dosas, savory rice, and lentil crepes are the menu's main attraction and come with various fillings, from the most traditional—a masala potato mixture—to heartier dishes like creamy butter chicken. Whatever you decide, you'll leave with a full stomach and wallet.

[1863-project]

Gen 9 has been announced, and it appears to be set in a Mediterranean setting - particularly, based on the names of the starters and other visual information, the Iberian Peninsula.

(image source: Serebii)

In particular, I’m going to guess this is based on Spain specifically, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Spain-Portugal combined region, either. (You could tie that to Alola - malasadas are Portuguese in origin!) This house in particular appears more Spanish:

(image source: Serebii)

The ocean frequently in view also tips me off, because it’s a peninsula - you’ll have coastal access from many locations.

We do see at least one major city in the trailer, and it’s unclear right now what city this is based on, though if the region is based on Spain we can safely assume Madrid would be represented, as would other major cities, like Barcelona.

(image source: Serebii)

The spires on that large building - perhaps the League? - are very church-like, and there are certainly a number of churches in Spain that could have served as a model for this.

Another thing that tipped me off? Windmills are visible in the trailer. If you’re familiar with Spanish literary classic Don Quixote, you’ll know why they’re there.

Things I’d Like To See Re: My Basic And Limited Knowledge Of Spain:

The city of Toledo is traditionally known for making fine steel. Weapons made of Toledo steel were once renowned all across Europe. This would naturally make a city based on Toledo perfect for a Steel-Type gym.

If the cooking mechanic comes back, paella could easily be done with mechanics similar to the curry in Gen 8.

A battle facility that isn’t a tower. In Gen 2, we had a tower. In Gen 3, we had a tower, followed by a Battle Frontier that still had a tower (and introduced us to Anabel). In Gen 4, we had a tower (run by the rival’s dad, Palmer), followed by a Battle Frontier that still had the tower. In Gen 5, we finally got something different - the literal NYC subway system. In Gen 6, we had a country estate. In Gen 7, we had a tree, which is too similar to a tower. And in Gen 8, we returned to the tower. I am notably biased towards the Battle Subway because of...reasons, but I’d like some more variation besides towers. The Battle Frontiers from Hoenn and Sinnoh are remembered fondly because they provided that variation all in one place. (And hey, a cool new facility head or two...maybe in matador outfits even though I am ethically opposed to bullfighting...would be rather nice, wouldn’t it?)

Origin story for Juan, Wallace’s mentor originally introduced in Emerald (I don’t expect to get this but it would be cool)

Moorish architecture! Please, please, let at least one city have Moorish influences.

I’m not as well acquainted with Spain’s history as I am with other countries - most of my knowledge of the Iberian Peninsula comes from my knowledge of the Napoleonic Wars, which is a very limited time period. But I’m sure those of you who know more about the culture and history can help me with this! I’d like to hear your ideas, too, so feel free to add onto this post with what you’re thinking about re: this region!

Also, I’m going to close this off with an interesting thing from the trailer...yes, that’s a Hisuian Zoroark. Hmmmm...

(image source: Serebii)

[tabloidtoc]

Us, October 19

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Jennifer Aniston’s fresh start 

Page 1: First Look -- Duchess Kate Middleton visiting several London locations in a $568 Beulah dress 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- stars in Saint Laurent -- Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hailey Baldwin, Alison Brie, Natalia Dyer, Jennifer Lopez 

Page 3: Elizabeth Debicki, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz, Gal Gadot, Lily Collins 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Bella Hadid vs. Hailee Steinfeld, Melissa Gorga vs. Jessie James Decker 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Drew Barrymore describing her experience on dating app Raya, Jennifer Aniston on how she would like to become an interior designer if she quit acting, Blake Shelton on realizing he grew more gray hairs in quarantine, Ayesha Curry joking about how she’s left husband Stephen Curry in charge of homeschooling daughters Ryan and Riley, Michelle Obama on how daughters Malia and Sasha are feeling about quarantining with her and Barack Obama 

Page 8: Contents

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Jennifer Garner enjoys California’s warm weather during a beach day 

Page 11: Duchess Kate Middleton sits around the campfire, Cynthia Nixon bumps elbows with Manhattan district attorney candidate Tahanie Aboushi in NYC 

Page 12: Prince Charles struck a pose before a Game of Thrones prop while visiting the Ulster Museum with his wife Duchess Camilla in Northern Ireland, Serena Williams aced the first round at the French Open, Kaitlyn Bristowe was on a high after crushing round three on Dancing With the Stars, Dolly Parton paid a virtual visit to the Graham Norton Show 

Page 13: Reese Witherspoon jumps rope to stay fit during quarantine, fresh off her Emmy win Julia Garner was back at work shooting her series Inventing Anna, Quavo got into character during a promo shoot for the video game Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time 

Page 18: Anne Hathaway gets into character for an upcoming pandemic-inspired project in London, in the new season of The Voice coaches Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani and John Legend and Kelly Clarkson will cover up and practice social distancing, Christina Milian and daughter Violet had a blast watching the L.O.L. Surprise Remix Live viewing party

Page 20: Splish Splash -- celebs relax in the tub -- Jack Osbourne chills out in a frigid tub, Serena Williams’ recovery regimen includes an ice bath and a smile, Thandie Newton multitasking with a soak and a snack, Elizabeth Hurley indulges herself with a good hot soak every day, freezing baths are part of Lady Gaga’s routine for easing sore muscles 

Page 21: Justin Bieber braves the cold al fresco, at Chris Hemsworth’s house bathtime with dad means bubble beards, Kylie Jenner kicks back during a Caribbean getaway 

Page 22: Falling Hard -- stars get into the autumn spirit -- Lauren Burnham Luyendyk took her daughter Alessi to a pumpkin patch in Gilbert in Arizona, Michelle Monaghan enjoyed a picture-perfect day at an orchard in Canada, Shawn Johnson East and her daughter Drew at a pumpkin patch in Nashville, Jenna Fischer at her apple tree 

Page 23: Food Network’s Outrageous Pumpkins host Alyson Hannigan plans to sharpen her carving skills this year in Long Island, Gwen Stefani grabbed a pumpkin to go in L.A., Candace Cameron Bure in a dress that matched the fall foliage 

Page 24: Stars They’re Just Like Us -- Machine Gun Kelly uses a beauty mask in Sherman Oaks, Eva Longoria and her son Santi bake, Katie Holmes chows down in NYC, Gavin Rossdale walks his dog in Malibu 

Page 25: Liev Schreiber keeps active in NYC, Ireland Baldwin goes to the hair salon in West Hollywood 

Page 26: Love Lives -- Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin celebrate their first wedding anniversary 

Page 27: When Deborra-Lee Furness was asked about husband Hugh Jackman’s sexuality she dismissed them as mean-spirited and all made up, Kevin Hart and wife Eniko Parrish welcomed their second child together daughter Kaori Mai

Page 28: Hot Hollywood -- During a recent interview Jessica Alba dished on a negative experience she had while guest starring on Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1998 saying she couldn’t make eye contact with any of the cast members because if you did you’d be thrown off the set but two of the show’s stars Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth were dumbfounded by Jessica’s claims 

Page 29: Chrissy Teigen revealed the heartbreaking news that she and John Legend had lost their third baby in a miscarriage after complications, Khloe Kardashian shocked fans yet again with her latest makeover but the secret to her new look is simple: her transformation is due to hard work in the gym along with face procedures like micro-injections and laser work and facial contouring

Page 30: A Day in the Life -- Hannah Ferrier of Below Deck 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Jennifer Aniston lets her guard down -- at 51 the actress has let go of her hang ups and is finally content with sitting back and enjoying the ride 

Page 36: Kelly Ripa’s amazing journey -- the talk show host is on top of her game as she begins a new decade at age 50 

Page 38: Hollywood Moms -- Brooke Shields on daughters Rowan and Grier and life under lockdown 

Page 39: Since Malika Haqq welcomed her first child Ace she’s been getting some words of wisdom about parenting from her BFF Khloe Kardashian and she is also getting help from her ex-boyfriend and baby daddy O.T. Genasis, Jenna Dewan says daughter Everly’s remote learning experience is so far so good, Sutton Foster is grateful that she and husband Ted Griffin have been present for every moment of their daughter Emily growing up amid quarantine 

Page 40: Beauty -- Shop to stop breast cancer 

Page 42: Entertainment -- Jane Seymour on The War with Grandpa

Page 43: Phil Keoghan on The Amazing Race, Take Five with Ariyon Bakare of His Dark Materials

Page 46: Fashion Police -- Maisie Williams, Machine Gun Kelly, Nicky Hilton Rothschild 

Page 47: Bella Hadid, Cindy Bruna, Tana Mongeau 

Page 48: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Hoda Kotb 

[alukaforyou]

What are your favorite places in NYC to go

i actually dont go out that much but??? (and when i do, u bet its for pics to an aes place..)

under the cut but basically where id wanna take my out of state friends if theyre in nyc:

*these all in manhattan (or have at least 1 location in manhattan) unless otherwise noted

❤ places:🌠glossier - makeup / skincare brand, i like the pink themed interior🌠 kinokuniya - japanese bookstore… stationary in the basement level, english books ground level, animanga stuff & a cafe upstairs!🌠 image anime - sooo much animanga merch. mostly keychains / figures.🌠toy tokyo - jp toys, some anime merch🌠elizabeth center if ur in chinatown, they have misc goods & anime stuff but some of the rly cheap things r bootlegs loool sanrio store is p cute! sweet moment is right next door too🌠american two shot - aes clothes store the actual stuff is kinda $ but they usually? have a cute display in the front.... pics....🌠 koryo books - korean bookstore with cultural goodies (cards, bookmarks, fans, etc) and some kpop stuff too! like albums, photo books, stickers, buttons, and so on. also a korean makeup / skincare place right next door?🌠 strand bookstore (downtown manhattan, not the kiosk) sooo many books?? mostly english books, i believe, but they do have some comics and manga. lots of other goodies too like tote bags, buttons, artsy socks, etc.🌠 the uncommons - board game cafe (with food!!) lots of fun, good place to go w. friends.🌠aland - kr clothing store, a specific aes, but the clothes r $ lol🌠 flying tiger copehnagen - cute knick knacks; from aesthetic cups to towels, stationary, home decor, etc.🌠 muji (the one by times sq is p big) home decor and kitchen stuff, also some clothes, but i mostly go for the stationary. love the .38mm gel pens… mujis all smell and feel so calming, peaceful af. u can chill on the beanbags and they wont even kick u out (usually).🌠 line friends store - cute & very aes, bts merch, a good place to take pics! u can look around times sq too while ur there.

❤ food: 🌠 cafe zaiya - (aka the cafe in kino) has onigiri, pastries, snacks, bento, desserts, etc.🌠 sunrise mart - (theres one actually right near kino, across bryant park!) japanese convenience store basically (can get lots of tasty snacks), with a dining function (at least, in the one near kino). has bentos, dangos, noodles, katsu don, curry, sushi, etc! love going here.🌠 hanamizuki cafe - went here once during their dinner menu, was so good. onigiri, desert, soups, etc.🌠 yaya tea garden - looots of onigiri to chose from, also has noodles, sandwiches, and snacks. bubble tea & other drinks too.🌠 naruto ramen (i’ve been to the one on the upper west side. it has cool ass wall art & played anime songs the last time i was there) probs a lot of good ramen places in nyc but i went to this one cuz… naruto.. it was p good! the bowls r big tho?? (imo) so maybe split one with a friend if u dont eat much..🌠 pietro nolita (aes af pink italian eatery) - sooo pretty, a good spot to take pictures outside! the food was okay, my friend and i both had pasta and it felt kind of.. bland.. maybe the burgers or other foods r better tho! has deserts, and a bar too. (i mostly rec this one if u wanna take some smashing photos lmfao)

❤ desserts:🌠spot dessert bar - cute tiny cakes but its like 10$ for one lol🌠sweet moment - lattes etc, bingsoo!!!! i would put sweet time dessert cafe here its the most aes place i ever went but they closed ;^(🌠taiyaki nyc - icecream but... taiyaki cone... popular place my friend used to work here lol🌠flour shop - cake / cakeballs / cookies etc.. cute store, u can take aes pics🌠 vivi bubble tea - (i went to the one on 205 allen st) bubble tea with a cotton candy cloud on top! so pretty and delicious too. this particular location had sushi??? and fries, chicken, udon, etc.. not sure if other locations also have food besides bubble tea.🌠 prince tea house (theres one in brooklyn, but i’ve been to the one in queens) the rose milk tea is so good! a nice selection of cakes and desserts. some non desert foods too like salads, sandwiches, and appetizers.🌠 10below ice cream - ice cream spread out thinly on a cold metal surface(?) and they roll it up for u? kinda hard to describe but its good and the preparation process is like a performance!🌠 eggloo - pretty ice cream served in a waffle! lots of toppings to choose from.🌠 soft swerve - pretty icecream. i like the ‘strawberry fields’ but the other sound soo good too.🌠 cupcake atm - rly cool u gotta try it! works 24 hrs, also an aesthetic pink spot to take pictures at.🌠 ice & vice - really interesting flavors! dont be afraid to ask for taste samples cuz the flavors r all p unique.🌠 macaron cafe - (the one on 152w 36th) nice interior, good place to chill. the packaging for the macaron sets r so lovely! they have real food too, like sandwiches, pasta, salad, etc so u could go there for brunch or smth too.

[luisabonds]

ICHIRAN: The Best Japanese Restaurant in Manhattan For Ramen Soup Dishes

Japanese food is famous in many countries, especially in the United States. North America is a country of immigrants. Thus, people of many countries migrate to America for higher studies, jobs, and businesses. The hotels, restaurants, and food courts in the country serve foods of every country according to the tastes of people. The American-born people itself is fond of tasting a variety of cuisines of other countries and cultures. There are so many Japanese cuisine lovers. Japanese traditional recipes are genuinely yummy and lip-licking, especially the ones made from noodles.

Japanese noodles

Noodles are a staple of Japanese cuisine. The most famous Japanese noodles are called ramen. Harusame is another type of clear, thin cellophane noodles made of mung bean flour and used in stir-fries or soups, but they are not as common as ramen noodles. Ramen noodles have many variations they can be straight, wavy, thick or thin made of finest quality different types of wheat. The dough is risen before being rolled. Many dishes, such as shōyu ramen, shio ramen, miso ramen, tonkotsu ramen, and curry ramen are prepared from ramen noodles. Don’t go anywhere but search on the internet with the keyword “best ramen Manhattan” for the most desired results.

Best ramen noodle dishes in NYC restaurants

Ramen noodle dishes are highly enjoyed by the people in the United States. Many Japanese restaurants in various US cities or towns prepare ramen noodle dishes to serve their customers. You can try the best ramen noodle dishes in New York City (NYC). This area is a business center and thus, has many good Japanese restaurants. The best location to look for these restaurants could be Manhattan, the major commercial, financial and cultural center of the US. You can search for the best ramen restaurants here on the internet with the keyword “best ramen in Manhattan.”

Ramen noodle dishes are healthy

Ramen noodle dishes are also considered healthy due to iron, Vitamin B and manganese, protein, and other crucial vitamins and minerals. However, the addition of MSG, TBHQ, and high sodium contents may negatively affect health, by increasing your risk of heart disease, stomach cancer, and metabolic syndrome. Still, it doesn’t matter when you try them occasionally.

Enjoy ramen soup dishes in ICHIRAN at Manhattan

ICHIRAN, a Japanese ramen chain, is one of the best restaurants for noodle soup dishes. ICHIRAN Manhattan, a Japanese ramen chain, is open to the lovers of ramen recipes in many places in NYC. It is an authentic restaurant for yummy ramen. If you have craving for ramen noodles, you can enjoy having a new experience of tasting ramen here. ICHIRAN prepares makes one kind of soup, the opaque ivory pork broth called tonkatsu, which is the favorite of many Japanese food-lovers in the US. This soup recipe genuinely tastes very good. 

Wrap up

ICHIRAN is the best Japanese restaurant in Manhattan for anyone who genuinely loves Japanese soup dishes. The soup noodle dish is a unique recipe, but you can try these real dishes at very few Japanese restaurants. ICHIRAN hygienically caters to the tastes of many true Japanese soup dish lovers every day.

[igrublocal]

The Best Takeout I Ate This Month, When I Could Only Eat Takeout

In the span of three weeks, I somehow managed two moves while trying to find an apartment that I liked: from Uptown to Woodlawn, then from Woodlawn to Printers Row. Turns out that I need someplace larger than a tiny studio, and also within walking distance of a coffee shop (preferably one that has macadamia milk).

There was a lot of packing and unpacking, and packing again to unpack. But the one thing I never unpacked was my kitchen, so I found myself grabbing something to-go, virtually every day, in neighborhoods across the city. And of all the things I ate, these are my favorites. So if you’re looking for good takeout, read on.

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The Takeout

 in 

$$$$ 2621 S Halsted St.

Cold Noodles

This is the spot formally known as A Place by Damao, right on the border of Bridgeport and Chinatown. Da Mao Jia specializes in Chengdu cuisine and is home to one of my favorite dishes in the city. It’s the sweet and spicy cold noodle, made with perfectly chewy handmade noodles, peanut sauce, and a housemade chili oil. In fact, the entire menu is delicious, and the cold noodles also serve as a refreshing palate cleanser in between mouth-numbing bites of the wontons in volcano broth, or their ChengDu Spicy Duck Wings.

 in 

$$$$ Wilson

Meat & Jollof Plate

The best part about living in Uptown was all the different West African restaurants I had the chance to try. Out of those, Palace Gate Ghanaian Restaurant became my go-to. A lot of different stews, rice, and starches make up the menu, but my favorite is the meat and jollof plate. It’s a container packed with deliciousness - spicy, fragrant rice, tender stewed beef, and ripe, roasted plantain.

 in 

$$$$ 4949 N Broadway St

Khao Soi

Another Uptown favorite, Immm Rice & Beyond serves up a khao soi that’s so good I ordered it at least once a week while I lived in the neighborhood. The dish is a spicy but sweet curry with braised beef, hand-cut noodles, and topped with a tangle of fried noodles and a dollop of chili paste. It’s a great mix of flavors and textures, and thanks to their khao soi, this dish has become the first thing I look for on the menu of any new Thai restaurant I visit.

$$$$ 2447 N Clark St

Hot Wings

You know how you have those hot wings that are hot, but somehow still bland? No kick, not enough salt, and the only notable flavor is “spicy”. They’re the worst, and far too common. But House of Wings is breaking that cycle with their crispy, well-seasoned, and well-sauced hot wings out of a little storefront in Lincoln Park. Plus there’s no seating, so this place was primed for takeout even before the pandemic.

,   in 

$$$$ 901 W Randolph St

Mr. G Sandwich

I call this the Italian sandwich to beat out all Italian sandwiches. The Mr. G comes courtesy of J.P Graziano’s, a family-run place serving up subs (hoagies, cold cuts, sandwiches, heros, whatever) in the West Loop since 1933. In other words, way before rent went up 500%. And their longevity must be based on the fact that the sandwiches are straight-up quality - made with chewy fresh-baked bread from D’Amato’s, imported meats, cheeses, spices, and oils. The Mr. G (named after the original owner) is layered with sharp provolone, hot soppressata, prosciutto, genoa salami, truffle mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, hot oil, marinated artichokes, fresh basil, and lettuce.

$$$$ 3452 S Western Ave

Croissant Breakfast Sandwich

In the words of a famous Chicagoan, “Hurry up with my damn croissants!” But please don’t actually say this to the nice people at Butterdough in McKinley Park. I warn you though, the airy, buttery croissants will make you wanna curse. The pastries alone are good, but when they put bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and herbed ranch on said croissant? I was hooked. But get there early, ’cause once they’re gone, they’re gone - and they sell out quick.

$$$$ 1646 W 18th St

Pork Jibarito Plate

Usually, I go to Humboldt Park to satisfy my jibarito craving. But Jibarito Stop (which started out as a food truck and is woman-owned), set up shop right in the heart of Pilsen and is making some seriously delicious jibaritos. I like ordering the pork with arroz con gandules and a Champagne kola, but they also have great dinner plates, like stewed black beans or empanadas.

$$$$ Location changes

Steak Taco

This one only pops-up occasionally so requires a bit of planning, but is worth the effort. Taco Sublime is a taco truck from the Under The Bridge Project, a community rehabilitation non-profit, that serves the best steak taco I’ve ever had. The perfectly-seasoned meat is tender and the salsa is tangy and delicious, but what really sets it apart is the caramelized cheese coating the inside of the corn tortilla. And the best part (even better than the crispy cheese) is that they donate their profits to different local charities every time they come out and serve food.

A post shared by Tacosublime (@tacosublime) on Jun 8, 2020 at 1:46pm PDT

 in 

$$$$ 1637 W Montrose

Tropical Arepa

I have a special relationship with arepas. The first time I ever had one was while working on a Venezuelan food truck after deciding to quit my marketing internship post-college graduation. During that time I made (and ate) hundreds, if not thousands, of arepas - so I know a good one when I bite into it. And the huge arepas at Bienmesabe are good ones. They’re crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and stuffed with meat, handmade white cheese, and a variety of other delicious fillings. My favorite is the tropical arepa, which has shredded chicken, black beans, and plantains.

 in 

$$$$ 57 E 47th St

Bananas Foster Combo Scoop

That line isn’t out the door for nothing. If you’re craving something sweet, Shawn Michelle’s makes some of the best ice cream in the city. The first time I went I wanted to try virtually everything, but there are over 25 flavors, so I ended up going with the bananas foster combo: a mix of banana pudding and Jamaican rum raisin ice creams. Y’all. This woman made me like raisins. Let that be a testament to how good the ice cream is here.

[withabackpackandcamera]

November 29th, 2019

Day 8: In London on a Tragic Day 

Today, after a relatively short sleep, we woke up to a clear, sunny day! What a relief, given all the rain we encountered last night. And good thing it was sunny because the temperatures were pretty cold, almost freezing, with pretty low lows in London projected for today and tomorrow. 

After gearing ourselves up for the cold, Cynthia led us through Shoreditch to our brunch location for the morning at The Bowl Club (which is actually The Book Club), a nice lounge-y restaurant/bar/lounge that serves multiple purposes. We were supposed to go here for brunch on a weekend day, where the menu is a lot more exciting, but given our tight schedule, it was more convenient to go today. After perusing the menu and ordering, Cynthia and I went at it with a few games of ping-pong while waiting for our food. Cynthia supposedly chose this place to eat knowing that it had a ping-pong table. Clutch!

We had a blast playing some close competitive games of ping-pong. By the time our food was out, Cynthia had won 3 games to 1. Kudos to her for some good games (and cheating serves, haha)! We sat down and chowed through our heavy breakfast. I ordered The Brick Lane Bowl on french fries and Cynthia ordered a different bowl that was equally heavy in carbs and meat. 

With our stomachs heavy from brunch, we left and strolled back to the Boxpark, a cool, trendy collection of shipping container-turned pop-up stores and restaurants in Shoreditch, to take a look. We stopped at some shops and took a walk through the food area before turning out to continue exploring Shoreditch. The next stop was The Old Spitalfields Markets, which was a shopping area with stores and a courtyard area where there were stalls and booths selling random things. We looked around for a tad and left. 

As we left, we wandered through some streets as we made our way back toward our original AirBnB location. We walked through some heavily-graffitied areas and took a moment to appreciate the art that was on the street walls and the art that was actively being painted on the walls. Pretty cool to watch graffiti artists at work in broad daylight! 

We eventually made our way back to our AirBnB, where we picked up our stuff and lugged it all the way down the road to our next AirBnB, which was a room in a really nice condo in Shoreditch. The walk was long since we were carrying all of our stuff but we made it. We met our host and dropped off our stuff and took a short break before leaving again. As we were about to leave to check out Tower Bridge at sunset, we saw BREAKING NEWS on TV and saw that there were stabbings (we later found out it was deemed a possible terrorist attack) that had JUST happened on London Bridge, a location not too far from where we were. Wow. That’s crazy! Of all times for something dangerous like this to happen. 

Luckily, we weren’t planning on going to London Bridge and instead were going to Tower Bridge. So we slowly walked over to Tower Bridge from our location, realizing how bad an Uber ride would be during rush hour traffic and knowing that the Tube wouldn’t take us directly to where we wanted to be. We eventually made it there for some photos around the time sunset hit. Unfortunately, due to some construction in the area, it was impossible to get good photos of Tower Bridge at sunset. So I didn’t try too hard to take good landscape photos and instead took photos of us at Tower Bridge before making our way onto the actual bridge. When we got to Tower Bridge, we slowly walked across the bridge over the Thames River as helicopters and police sirens echoed in all directions, especially from London Bridge located in the distance. From where we were on Tower Bridge, we could see some activity over on London Bridge. Again, crazy that we were so close to, yet so far from, something crazy that had just happened. 

After walking across the bridge, our plan was to go to some illustrator’s fair but ultimately we decided against going because of the distance, the admission fee, and because we were hungry. Instead, we decided to walk towards Shakespeare’s Globe Theater before getting Asian food somewhere. We made a couple of turns and ended up walking along The Thames through some Christmas market stalls before we ran into a dead end. Unfortunately, there was no passing this point as the London Bridge incident had essentially quarantined the area off. 

By this point, we were cold and hungry, so we sat down in the lobby of some random high-rise and tried to figure out where to get dinner. After some searches here and there (and realizing we were limited in where we could go because of train and road closures due to the London Bridge incident), we ultimately decided on Thai food at a close-by restaurant called Suchard. And we were so happy to find a warm restaurant to eat in without walking too far away. And the food we ordered was pretty good! For dinner, we had tom yum soup with prawns, spicy chicken wings with chili sauce, and chicken pad thai. Delicious for our starving tummies! 

While we were eating dinner, I got a random Instagram message from an old college friend, Melissa Luu, about meeting up for drinks. What a coincidence! That she was in London at the same time we were! At first, it was really hard to coordinate meeting up since we were on opposite sides of town with extensive road and train closures and shutdowns. But ultimately, we decided to meet up at Gordon’s Wine Bar, supposedly the oldest wine bar in London. 

As Cynthia and I made our way over, we noticed some activity at the closed London Bridge Station. The police officers were opening the gates to the station again. Sweet! By taking the train, we saved so much time and so much walking! We eventually got to the wine bar and met up and caught up with Melissa for about an hour or so. It was nice to hear what she was up to and what she was doing in London. 

Before long, it was time to say goodbye, and we bid Melissa farewell before making some moves to see the area that we were already in. We took a look at the map and first walked through Leicester Square in search of dessert because Cynthia was really craving dessert this evening. We walked through some poppin’ nightlife (as it was a Friday night and everyone was out and about enjoying the evening festivities) and eventually made it to our destination, Maitre Choux, where Cynthia bought us a hazelnut and milk chocolate treasure eclair. It was quite pricey but delicious as well! After that, we made another quick stop for a Portuguese custard tart at Cafe de Nata, located just down the street. We ordered the apple and cinnamon custard tart and quickly devoured it as we made our dessert tour through SoHo (the name of the area we were in). After walking in the cold for awhile, we were craving something warm to drink and stopped by Yi Fang Tea for some warm black milk tea with pearls. Yum! A great thing to have on a cold night. What an epic dessert run! 

At this point in the evening, the filling effects of our earlier dinner had dissipated and we were hungry again. Even after eating all of that dessert. As we strolled around, we happened to stumble upon London’s Chinatown. We looked around a bit and slowly got more and more hungry. We looked through some windows and ended up deciding to take a quick second dinner break at Dumplings’ Legend, a restaurant in Chinatown that is known for its unique xiao long baos. For dinner, we ordered the xiao long baos and some warm beef noodle soup. And we gobbled it all up while resting our cold, tired bodies. 

Finally, we were reenergized for the final stretch of exploring the area. We again walked through Leicester Square on our way to Trafalgar Square before making it to The Thames, where we saw The London Eye, The County Hall, as well as (disappointingly) under construction-ed Big Ben. SO SAD! I didn’t realize that Big Ben was going to be under construction this trip and that there was no way of taking picturesque photos of this iconic structure and location! SO SAD! 

As I took in this disappointing view, we wandered a bit more to look at the tons of scaffolds around Big Ben and to see Westminster Abbey and The Parliament from the distance before making our way back to Shoreditch via The Tube. 

So disappointed. So sad. Oh well. Gotta get some rest before getting up early tomorrow for our last day in London… 

5 Things I Learned Today:

1. In London, even the sun can pop out in the cold, overly dark days of December. 

2. Brick Lane is a well-known street in the suburbs of London and is highly influenced by its Brown (South Asian) and Muslim inhabitants (after some digging on the internet, its inhabitants are mostly Bangladeshi and it is also known as Banglatown). And because of its inhabitants, there exists many curry houses in this area. 

3. After my first day strolling through London, I can’t help but think that, in many ways, London reminds me of New York City. And Tower Bridge reminds me of Brooklyn Bridge! They feel so similar to each other, it’s crazy! Even their populations are similar in size, with London coming in at around 8.9 million and NYC at 8.6 million people. 

4. The Leicester area in London is an area poppin’ with musicals, music, and entertainment of all sorts! It reminds me of Times Square or Broadway in NYC! 

5. Elizabeth Tower is actually the name of the tower that houses Big Ben, the name of the bell inside the tower. Interestingly enough, Elizabeth Tower has been scaffolded and under construction since 2017 with plans to continue into 2020. It’s been like this for so long! I can’t believe I didn’t even know!

[abiteofnat]

GET READY TO BE STOCKING STUFFED...

Because tis the season for buying knick-knacks and treats a plenty for all your loved ones! It’s stressful enough to be a good friend, son/daughter, employee, etc., but then add in the holidays where at some point it’s expected there will be an awkward gift exchange? Not to mention it’s officially ONE MONTH UNTIL CHRISTMAS?? You need to get shopping baby! 

Which is why... *drum roll*, I’m pulling together a special list of $25-and-under stocking stuffers you can get at “foodie favorite” places so that you can pick up a little something for every single person on your list! Nothing is better than a unique, tasty gift that adds some flavor to the holiday spirit. I spent Black Friday serving the stressed masses and then online shopping from the comfort of my bed, and holy crap am I glad I can find the perfect little add-ons for the real big show-stopper gift at Peet’s. (This is in no way paid promotion from any of the places I’ll mention, I just genuinely love these products and think they make for excellent shopping. And, they all involve going to absolutely zero malls. BIG BONUS.)

So, what are some freakin’ awesome festive gifts? LET’S SEE! 

1. Peet’s Coffee 

Here’s the deal- while I will never ever get sick of the croissants we get in from Troubadour Bakery in the wee hours of the night, I don’t quite know how I would package an almond croissant up to store as a gift. Good thing we got a million and one new items in for the holidays! Growing up my mom always put a giant candy cane in our stockings along with a whole bunch of chocolate, and what’s Christmas morning without hot chocolate... so then when I saw these Ticket “Hot Chocolate On A Stick” cuties I nearly screamed. They are the perfect mixture of fun + delicious and bring a fresh pop of peppermint to some homemade hot chocolate so grab a couple for some stockings... and for yourself. We also have our Winter Solstice tea right now which smells of spices and orange peel, bringing warmth to your mug and tummy. It’s fragrant and a customer favorite so stock up! Our other limited edition tea is the Cocoa Matcha, made with cocoa powder and rich, creamy matcha that will make for a decadent dessert in drink form. If you’re more of a coffee person, pick up a pound of Holiday Blend to brew up while wrapping presents late into the night. With Sumatra, Ethiopian, and Guatemala San Sebastian beans mixed together it’s a strong chocolate-forward brew with a smooth finish. I freaking LOVE IT. 

Then there are the wooden coasters and various kinds of chocolate bark to assist your coffee drinking, and damn son the chocolate peppermint bark is to die for. Other honorable mentions: the chocolate-covered espresso beans, peppermint patties, and a thousand types of mugs and thermoses you can take a look at. COME ON IN AND BUY SOME TRINKETS.

2. The Spice House

HOLY MOLY is The Spice House a wonderland. If you’ve never been, there are two locations in Chicago- one in Evanston on Central Street and one in Old Town along Wells Street and they offer rows and rows of real, hand-mixed spices that smell too good to be true. From cinnamon to full on BBQ rubs they have sell-by-the-weight jars of sugars and herbs and there’s something really special about giving someone a total sensory experience as a gift. One of my friends got her dad a Mediterranean spice mix to fancy up his homemade hummus, and he absolutely loves it. My family lives on the Lake Shore Drive seasoning because it’s a mix of shallots, sea salt, and some other dried green stuff to mix with sour cream for a remarkably flavorful chip dip. Then there’s their curry powder which is crazy colorful and delicious, and don’t forget about the candied ginger that can be eaten alone or put on homemade gingerbread loaf!!! 

If you need suggestions feel free to ask me or any of the amazing employees, they’re happy to help you create the perfect gift box or put spices into a beautiful glass bottle to wrap up. Spice House y’all. 

3. Leonida’s 

I’ve blogged up and down about this place yet somehow the world still isn’t aware of how FUCKING LOVELY Leonida’s Chocolate Cafe is. From Belgium to NYC to Chicago this chocolatier has endless coffee, crepes, and dessert boxes to mix together for the over-indulgence you’ve been wanting. They offer chocolates by the pound, hot chocolate mixes, macarons in beautifully wrapped boxes, and marzipan. Oh, the marzipan. The marzipan shaped like fruit that tastes like heaven and is worth every penny (and they’re a lot of pennies). 

Go get some real Belgian chocolates for your gifts, your parties, and TO EAT BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT, DAMNIT! Plus they always do a great job of decorating for the holidays and it’s an instant transportation to a European cafe. They do the holidays right over there. 

4. Southport Grocery 

Southport Grocery has the best fresh jars of everything that you could tie a ribbon around and please the hell outta someone if they found it in their stocking. Jams, honey butters, packaged cookies, and candies that all come in hipster packaging- what’s not to love?! And while it can be not-so-cheap they are all insanely worth it. Go in, grab brunch and a coffee, and then pick up some pancake mixes to give with the main intention of using the morning after Christmas for breakfast! 

And, there’s the Amazon bookstore a couple blocks down Southport where you can pick out some books or the perfect journal for whoever you need a nice standby gift for. Southport Corridor is the hookup for the holidays, just zoom over there! 

Hopefully some of these ideas have been helpful- I can’t wait to get everything stored away and start wrapping once we have the tree up!!! The holidays make me WILD WITH CHEER. 

Until next time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

[halsteadproperty]

An Insider’s Guide to Harlem Restaurant Week

By Sandy Wilson, Executive Director of Sales, Harlem

Whether you’re in the mood for hearty comfort food or an eclectic selection of international eats, Harlem is the place to discover your new favorite restaurant. Now especially is a great time to explore Harlem’s restaurant scene, since it’s officially Harlem Restaurant Week. Actually lasting two weeks—from August 19 to September 1—Harlem Restaurant Week features dozens of participating restaurants that offer specially priced prix fixe menus for the occasion. Here are some of my favorites:

Sylvia’s

If you are interested in classic Harlem comfort food, there is no place better or more famous than Sylvia’s. This family-run restaurant was founded in 1962 by Sylvia and Herbert Woods and has managed to thrive in the super competitive NYC restaurant industry for 57 years.

If you go during Harlem Restaurant Week, start with a delicious specialty drink called the South Carolina Rum Punch. It’s a fan favorite of Sylvia’s regulars. Follow that with the one of the special appetizers including Sylvia’s sassy wings, soulful chicken fingers, salmon bites, and chicken livers. All are favorites of Harlemites old and new.

Ruby’s Vintage

Inspired by the noted actress and social activist Ruby Dee, Ruby’s Vintage is not a vintage store at all, but a great restaurant located in historic Striver’s Row. Start with the Hooch Party Rum which has a kick and is very good. For your appetizer, have the avocado toast topped with fresh beet hummus. Then try the basil curry chicken. A great meal!

Sofrito

This restaurant is a little taste of Puerto Rico, right here in Harlem. The menu is a great blend of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, punctuated by a pulsing salsa beat. Try the empanadas duo, with a choice of beef, chicken, shrimp, cheese, or spinach and goat cheese. The summer kale salad with apples, peanuts, and Romano and Pecorino is great as well. For your main course, sample the pernil accompanied with pigeon peas and sweet plantains. Delicious!

Seasoned Vegan (an honorable mention)

Even though this restaurant may not be participating in Harlem Restaurant Week, I would be remiss if I did not include it. It is an absolutely favorite of vegan diners and a personal favorite of agents from my office. 

Seasoned Vegan has a large and varied menu that includes a pizza quesadilla, a burrito wrap, portobello strips, and my personal favorite, stuffed avocado. The Nefertiti salad is also a must have. It contains baby spinach, romaine, carrots, tomatoes, tortilla chips, and a creamy dressing. Try the salted pecan chocolate chip cookie to top it all off!  Seasoned Vegan is definitely worth the trip.

Harlem is and has always been a great place to live, relax, sample the local cuisine, and enjoy the company of friends and family. Make sure to try one of the restaurants I mentioned or venture out and try something entirely different during Harlem Restaurant Week.

You can find more information on Harlem Restaurant Week here.

[duncanbarker-blog]

We spent the last three months on Koh Lanta and it was lovely being back on our favourite Thai island. We stayed at Malee Highlands, a new apartment complex on a hill between Khlong Dao and Long Beach with stunning sea and mountain views.

Malee Highlands was created by Swedish couple Mia and Mattias Terngård, who also developed Malee Beach in Long Beach, which we loved. The new area has the same attention to quality with Western-style comforts.

Units are available to rent and buy. The minimum rental is one month, so it’s ideal for digital nomads looking for a comfortable place to live and work, as well as couples and families who are spending an extended period on Koh Lanta.

Construction is still ongoing (in July 2019) so not all the apartments and facilities are finished yet (but the main pool and bistro are open). The biggest downside right now is the building noise, but we did get used to it and it’s not constant.

When Malee Highlands is finished it will be very peaceful as it’s in a secluded location but just a short drive from beaches, shops and restaurants. The sunsets here are phenomenal.

View from the side of Malee Highlands

Sunset from Malee Highlands

Disclosure: We were guests at Malee Highlands in exchange for creating videos, but we were under no obligation to write this review.

Malee Highlands Apartments

There is a wide range of apartments available at Malee Highlands from one to three bedrooms and all have unique features. Some are two stories, while others have private plunge pools or terraces with jacuzzis. All have gorgeous sea views and at least one small balcony to enjoy a glass of wine as the sun sets.

What makes Malee Highlands stand out is the high quality of their apartments. They are beautifully decorated in an almost NYC loft style and have all the comforts of home—a comfortable bed and couch, well-equipped kitchen, flat screen TV, washing machine (very unusual in Thailand), and homely details like cushions and artwork.

They are all key ready so you can move right in without needing anything. This is the first time in Asia that we’ve rented a place without having to buy loads of kitchen equipment.

There’s also fibre WIFI which is the fastest we’ve had in Thailand and made working easy. We had speeds of 106 Mbps down and 95 Mbps up. If we ever had any issues with it, the staff was quick to sort it out for us. There are occasional power cuts in Koh Lanta, but they usually don’t last more than five minutes or so and this is an issue everywhere on the island.

There’s also WiFi in the Bistro if you want a change of scenery (we worked here while our apartment was cleaned once a week).

There’s air conditioning throughout the apartments which we greatly appreciated as temperatures in the warmer months rarely go below 25ºC even at night.

Cleaning of the apartments takes place weekly and linens and towels are changed (for an extra fee).

Our Apartment: Chill House

We stayed in Chill House D4, a two-floor apartment with a bedroom and bathroom on each floor. It sleeps four people but as the second upstairs bedroom is small with bunk beds, it would work best for two adults and two children. There are gorgeous sea views from both floors.

Downstairs

On the ground floor is a kitchen and dining area which leads to a bathroom and the main bedroom. The bedroom is small, but it has been cleverly designed so that each side of the queen bed is accessible by a separate entrance on each side of the kitchen.

Entrance to D4 with access to one side of bed on the left and the other through the kitchen

Each side of the bed has plentiful storage, a reading light, and power sockets for charging phones. The mattress is very comfortable and there are two quality pillows on each side. The lightweight comforters are twins rather than doubles in the European style. There’s a flatscreen TV at the end of the bed.

My initial concern was the lack of natural light in the bedroom. As it’s at the back of the apartment there’s no window, but the benefit of this is that you get sea views in the living areas instead. We found that if we left the sliding doors partly open we got enough light from the kitchen window to wake us in the morning (or close them if you want to sleep in).

All the other apartments have larger master bedrooms, so go with one of them if you want more space and natural light.

The kitchen is small but well-equipped with rare but important essentials like good knives, a blender, food processor, microwave, and toaster oven. There are even all the tools for baking a cake! We didn’t quite manage that but we did bake cookies.

The only thing I lacked was a wok and rice cooker for Thai cooking, but I guess most guests eat out if they want to eat Thai food. We were able to buy them inexpensively on the island.

Unusually for Thailand, there’s a combination washer/dryer which we found very useful. We also appreciated the drinking water machine where we had instant access to hot and cold filtered water. You can get refills of the water jugs on site.

The bathroom is high quality with a proper shower cubicle (no wet floors!) with both regular and rain shower heads. The water pressure isn’t as strong as I’d like, but it’s good enough and they are having to work with the limitations of Thailand.

Upstairs

Upstairs is my favourite room—a bright living room with a wonderfully large and comfortable L shaped couch. Seriously, a proper comfortable couch like this in SE Asia is so rare and it makes me very happy! It also features a number of cushions which I always appreciate and is one of the homely touches that many apartment rentals lack.

There’s another large flat screen TV in the living room (this is where we did our Game of Thrones watching!).

The floor to ceiling windows make the most of the sea views and sliding doors lead on to the terrace where there’s comfortable seating, a table, and a fan. The sunset views here are amazing. A large drying rack is available—clothes dry out here in no time.

The small second bedroom is upstairs and consists of bunk beds, a cupboard, and yet another TV. Each bunk has a reading light and power socket. The bathroom next door is similar to the one downstairs.

Second bedroom in D4 with bunk beds (we added the desk and chair).

The only thing we found lacking in the apartment was a desk (some of the larger apartments do have them). You could work on the dining table, but it’s not particularly comfortable and we wanted to keep it for eating. Simon bought a small desk on Lazada and set it up in the second bedroom. I was happy working on the couch.

Watch Simon’s video tour of the Chill House:

Other Apartments

There’s a variety of apartments at Malee Highlands and we got to know many of them as we were making videos.

Flexi House Mini is the smallest apartment with one bedroom, a small living room, and a balcony. There’s an extra shared pool in the Flexi House and the balconies can be opened up to create one large space, so this could work well for groups.

Chic House Pool is one of my favourites. It has two bedrooms, large open plan lounge/kitchen, and a private plunge pool with amazing views.

Watch our Chic House Pool video:

Next door the Chic House Lounge is larger with two bedrooms plus a third loft bedroom and two terraces.

Chic House Lounge Deluxe is higher up the hill and is probably the most spectacular apartment. There are two bedrooms and a third loft bedroom, lots of space, and a high tech surround sound system and 65” Smart TV. The master bedroom has floor to ceiling views overlooking the sea.

Master bedroom at Chic House Lounge Deluxe

There are two terraces and the upper terrace is incredible. It has 360º views of the sea and jungle, multiple comfortable seating areas, jacuzzi, BBQ and kitchen area.

Watch Simon’s video tour of the Chic House Lounge Deluxe:

Highlands Bistro

The Highlands Bistro overlooks the pool and has even better views than from our apartment, especially at sunset. It was very convenient having a restaurant on site for when we couldn’t be bothered to cook or drive anywhere.

Currently there’s a simple menu of sandwiches, salads, and burgers plus Thai specials. The menu doesn’t look vegetarian-friendly, but they can make most things vegetarian and the staff is very friendly and flexible. They even got in some tofu especially for us.

Khao soi at Highlands Bistro

The dish we ate most often was the khao soi (a northern Thai curry noodle soup) which is excellent and comes with all the typical toppings. The Penang curry is also good and we enjoyed the mango passion shakes and frozen strawberry daiquiri.

Take a look around the bistro and pool (and see that famous sunset) in this video:

Famous Swedish chef Jesper Bogren will be taking over the bistro soon and a new fine dining restaurant will open by the end of 2019, so the food will get even better. 

Pool

There’s a lovely square pool with fantastic sea views next to the bistro. There are sun loungers and umbrellas and it was never too busy during our stay.

One side of the pool is shallower and ideal for kids and the other is deeper and is where I swam lengths. The water temperature is balmy. There’s also a separate shallow pool next to it where you can sunbathe in the water or let small children splash around.

Sunset at the pool

Future Plans

Mia and Mattias have big plans for Malee Highlands. They will be adding an adults-only pool, chill-out deck, spa and ice pool, gym, children’s playroom, and a fine dining restaurant. We can’t wait to return in a few years and see all the changes.

Location

From Malee Highlands it’s about 1km down the hill to Khlong Dao beach where you can find shops and restaurants. The walk takes about 15 minutes but the climb back up in the heat is not much fun as the hill is very steep. I did often run it but had to go out just after sunrise.

It’s best to have your own transport. It’s only a few minutes motorbike ride to the beach. Cars are also available to rent and this is a good option for families.

The office can help you arrange motorbike or car rental which is really handy as you don’t need to leave a passport as you would if you booked direct, and they had it delivered to us very quickly. We paid 7500 THB for a three month rental of a Scoopy in low season.

Khlong Dao, Long Beach, and Saladaan can all be reached within 10 minutes by motorbike (5 minutes for Khlong Dao).

Malee Highlands also has a free shuttle at designated times and stops, so you could manage without transport.

Costs

Apartments at Malee Highlands start from 21,000 THB (US$686 / €609) a month. Rates vary widely depending on the time of year and are lowest from mid-April until the end of July. WiFi is included but cleaning, electric, water, and laundry are extra.

Check the latest rates on the Malee Highlands website. 

We really enjoyed our stay at Malee Highlands. The apartments are homely, comfortable, and well-equipped, and we loved the views. We look forward to returning when all the work is completed.

If you’d like more information about the island, see our Koh Lanta guide.

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[gloriasousaus]

Smart Cities and the potential Misuse of Data

Context

During the seven weeks of the Pre-College Summer Intensive English Program at The New School, my class was divided into groups of three to work on a Capstone project. Each group received a broad theme, and our job was to narrow it down to build a presentation with a specific thesis, which was presented to an audience composed by The New School Faculty and Staff on August 3rd. We also had to write separate research papers with paraphrased academic sources.

My team got Technology as a topic. The following text consists on the final research paper I handed in, named Smart Cities and the Potential Misuse of Data.

Credits: Gabriella Ullauri 

Introduction

Smart Cities are emerging hotspots. Huge producers of Data, these are places that aim to use the personal information collected from its citizens to improve public infrastructure. Cities like Singapore, London, and New York are among the few that openly declare their attempt to adapt to this new model. In the case of NYC, this undertake exists since the year 2000: presented on September 28th of that year, at the 2nd International Life Extension Technology Workshop in Paris, the document entitled “The Vision of A Smart City” stated the early solid efforts of the city government (in consonance to Brookhaven National Laboratory) to integrate the city. According to this report, the main strategies at that point included underground utility mapping and passive structural integrity monitoring.

As written in the article "Addressing big data challenges in smart cities: a systematic literature review", the gathering and use of Big Data through new technologies increases information awareness, facilitating the policy-making process while creating many alternatives for social interaction in the city. In that sense, the data compiled enhance real-time services automation, which consequently drives city administration towards making urban management more effective. Examples of that would vary from installing intelligent traffic lights to monitoring the conditions of infrastructure in public areas, transforming urban settings into more dynamic spaces. And that is what should happen in smart cities.

But although the authors’ conclusions are true and can be extremely beneficial to society, there is an aspect that is often overlooked: A Smart City is a direct product of its government. Despite the idea and the tools to implement it, what is done to the online content is not a matter of technicality. Once carrying people’s information, the success of a Smart City is an outcome of political intention. And that can be disastrous. 

Songdo, a smart city in construction since 2004. Retrieved from https://youngining.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/smart-city-songdo-incheon-korea/

We know humanity is now experiencing an invisible revolution. At the beginning of the XXI Century, there were already 502 million internet users in the world [1]. In 2012, 67% of the internet users had social media accounts [2]. In 2013, 56% of American adults owned a smartphone [3]. What these numbers show is a fast transition to the globalized world. But the intrinsic fact is that the latest changes are not material, yet virtual. They consist on the interpretation of our personal lives, sprinkled in infinite bytes of Data.

In this scenario, Big Data is a key term, once it can be stated as the theoretic column of smart cities. Amply used in the sense of an amount of complex, coded information., it has intrigued tech enthusiasts for different reasons: The interpretation of this informational web has many uses, from knowing a target audience for a product to extracting index statistics. But while some agree that it can be a tool to address the Common Good, others argue that once addressing particular interests, it can be a weapon for controlling of the public opinion.

Retrieved from https://smartcity.org.hk/index.php/aboutus/background

This way, the conception of privacy and State’s power in smart cities rises as two big question marks in our future. As we go deeper in the Digital Age and the interconnection between different devices becomes clearer, the ethical aspect of technology must be discussed. Between the absence of concrete policies to regulate enterprises and the political apathy of the civil society, privacy becomes more and more of an abstract idea: In the realm of social media, is anything really private?  

To answer this question, our research tries to look into the way the governments operate in smart cities. More specifically, our approach to the privacy issue focuses on how Smart cities raise privacy concerns, considering the potential misuse of Data and violation of people’s basic civil rights. For that purpose, we adopted examples of various smart cities initiatives, from those in Boston and New York City to in Rio de Janeiro.

     2. Structural vulnerabilities in Smart Cities and how they afflict its inhabitants

As humans, we often don’t want to share something. Where we are going, our health records, our bank account information: These are some examples of what it’s usually considered private matters.Yet, we display so much information online without hesitating. And by doing that, we allow private companies and governmental organizations to take advantage of it by selling or incorporating (in their databases) our personal data. Still, we trust and agree to website's security policies.

In this vicious cycle, Smart cities can be extremely vulnerable places. In their article “Data Security in Smart Cities: Challenges and Solutions”, Daniela Popescul and Laura Diana Radu write about how this happens. According to the two researchers, if on one hand the use of smart objects - that is “objects connected in order to provide seamless communication and contextual services”- enables the collection, transmission, and processing of huge amounts of Data; on the other hand, it needs to be constantly protected. These devices have multiple resource-constraints, such as network requirements, hardware limitations or software restrictions, which is an obstacle to the installation of security mechanisms.  Due to these difficulties, software designers often overlook the issue of device security and prioritize other aspects of the product, such as performance and energy consumption. That seems like a way to deceive the consumer: The best-ranked tech products on the market cannot guarantee your safeness in the virtual world,  and they are sold as they could.

Another factor that weakens Smart Cities’ structure is the lack of regulations. Our Capstone group had the opportunity to interview New School’s Director of Information and online security, David Curry. When asked “how secure is our Data?”, Mr. Curry said: “ In Europe, particularly, and some would say in Latin America, [...] there are very specific laws about when you collect private Data you have to say exactly what is it used for, and you’re not allowed to use it for something you didn’t say you’re going to use it for. In the United States, that’s a little squishy. As for smart cities and that kind of thing, that is a real concern: What kind of Data is being collected by what? Who has access to it? It’s the whole notion of the Internet of Things. ”

Besides not being able to guarantee information security, the smart city system doesn’t make the city accessible to all citizens. In the November edition of Fordham Urban Law Journal,  the authors Kelsey Finch and Omer Tene argue that, despite the nature of government’s intentions, services offered by smart cities often impact individuals in a discriminatory way. According to Finch and Tene, that happens because the system automatically favors those used to technological devices. For example, when looking closely at the case of the Street Bump app, which was an initiative aimed to report to Boston’s Public Works Department the location of potholes and road castings,  it is possible to affirm that the younger and wealthier areas of the city benefited the most. By that we can infer that people who are less likely to carry smartphones, such as seniors, were indirectly excluded from the perks of such in the same manner others did.

Retrieved from https://www.bu.edu/systems/2014/12/18/boston-is-becoming-a-smart-city-with-eng-support/

This problem appears in other social and infrastructural projects. For instance, take Singapore’s regulated Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme. Once the toll booth system was installed in a single cordon area, dramatic changes in traffic happened. According to the book “Transport Economics”, within few months, the percentage of carpooling with less than four passengers dropped from 48 to 21, while the use of public transportation rose from 41 to 62 percent. Despite that, the average number of cars during rush hours also declined, but the traffic after ERP’s functional hours peaked. What these numbers show, in fact, is that those who could not afford the extra fee were indirectly prevented from accessing some parts of the city. As we can see, technology itself is not inclusive, and often perpetuate the status quo.

Retrieved from https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/roads-and-motoring/managing-traffic-and-congestion/electronic-road-pricing-erp.html

     3. Governance vulnerabilities in Smart Cities and how it affects individual liberties

The complete eradication of privacy in Smart Cities by the government is also a risk to the current democratic system. By exchanging our information for security and practicality, we allow the government to not only know about us but also to profile us and even forecast our actions. In her article, " Legislating Privacy: Technology, Social Values, and Public Policy", Priscilla M. Regan, Professor at George Mason University, writes about the implications of new technologies in Public Policy. According to Regan, while the use of digital media devices by enterprises is usually classified as an invasion of privacy, it usually makes the organization even more powerful over individuals. That is, the online information turns into a new source of mass control, once that by accessing it, they can know one's history, activities, and proclivities.

In this scenario, minorities are groups of special interest. Historically underrepresented in public matters and often the target of authoritarian measures, this part of the population is more exposed than any other. One key factor to explain this is society’s tendency to generalize. Although the United States of America Civil Rights Act states that “All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, and privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, religion, or national origin”[4],  ethnicity, nationality, and religion continue to result in stereotypes and hate crimes. Take terrorism as an example. After the 9/11 attacks in New York, more muslims started to be selected for security checks at airports, despite the fact that most of them were peaceful individuals. Simultaneously, less of them were accepted in the U.S. as immigrants and tourists [5]. Statistically speaking, when the numbers prove that there is a profile for people that commit certain crimes, it is almost impossible to assure that there won’t be reprisals to this particular group.

Indeed, as technology makes these kinds of web intelligence acts evident, it also broadens its scope. In that sense, one concern about the interconnection of databases is shown in the forensic use of DNA. While the use of DNA samples to identify criminals boosts the efficiency of the judicial system, it also makes us question whether this measure leads to wrongful convictions. According to the article “Building a Face, and a Case, on DNA”, some researchers doubt the accuracy of the technology used in the recreation of facial images. The argument is that such techniques could stimulate racial profiling among law enforcement agencies, consequently affecting individual privacy and resulting in a violation the Fourth Amendment, which states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”[6]

Retrieved from http://nuffieldbioethics.org/project/bioinformation

Another example of how good ideas can become dangerous is seen in New York City. Recently, the City Hall opened the possibility to its citizens of avoiding bureaucracy when registering to its Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program through an app called HRA Mobile. Instead of handing documents directly to a social services office, applicants can quickly upload them using the platform. According to Nina Stewart, the reporter behind the New York Times’ headline “Those Needing Food Stamps Find City App Eases the Path”, from March to June 2017, more than a million documents were posted. What is not said in the news, however, is what else these Data can be used for. From mere statistic purposes to profiling people to make use of populist measures, there are unlimited possibilities.

Unfortunately, one of the effects of Big Data usage by the government can be the perpetuation of tyranny. When it comes to an actual vigilance mechanism, the lack of privacy that is characteristic of Smart Cities becomes a dangerous threat to freedom of thought and expression. In the article “The watchers”, the author, Jonathan Shaw, argues that the mere awareness of surveillance reshapes people's behavior. This happens because, once you know you are constantly being watched, you tend to be more careful in your actions. According to the text, many governments use this kind of self-censorship to perpetuate its values. One example of this comes from China. By basing its system in 24/7 vigilance and rigorous repression, the Chinese government manages to keep its population following the rules. The understanding behind this approach is that, in the words of Bruce Schneider, one of the experts working in the cybersecurity program at Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, “if you don’t know where the line is, and the penalty for crossing it is severe, you will stay far away from it.”

In smart cities, surveillance is a vivid reality. Both New York and London have special departments to deal with the information gathered from security cameras - the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) and Government Communications Headquarters (CCHQ), respectively. And even not so developed cities seem to be heading in the same direction. In the online article “The truth about smart cities: ‘In the end, they will destroy democracy'”, Steven Poole mentions Rio de Janeiro’s center of operations. In Poole’s view, “One only has to look at the hi-tech nerve center that IBM built for Rio de Janeiro to see this Nineteen Eighty-Four-style vision already alarmingly realized. It is festooned with screens like a Nasa Mission Control for the city.” The journalist also highlights what Anthony Townsend writes about the building in “Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia”: “What began as a tool to predict rain and manage flood response morphed into a high-precision control panel for the entire city.” They both make use of a quote of Rio’s mayor, Eduardo Paes, when he affirms that “The operations center allows us to have people looking into every corner of the city, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Rio’s Center of Operatios (Centro de Operações da Prefeitura do Rio). Retrieved from http://www.metropolismag.com/cities/big-data-big-questions-data-smart-cities/

      4. Conclusion

To sum up, although Smart Cities seem to be a strong tendency for the future, they still must overcome many issues. The matter of whether technology should influence in policy-making – and more importantly, remain under the realm of already rich and powerful institutions such as governments – has to be addressed in the next years. In that sense, awareness of the population over the matter needs to increase, and is, therefore, one of the goals of this paper.

In the original online survey conducted by this Capstone group, the subjects were asked to briefly tell us about their background with social media. But we included an extra question. By the end of the form,  we simply put “What is Big Data?” as an optional part. From the 779 responses, we obtained only 65 answers to this particular inquiry. And even between these few, many included variations of “I don’t know.” The outcome of the process described was clarifying, even though it was somewhat expected. Living immerse in a technological environment, we understand that the loss of privacy often seems natural and that concepts like Big Data are not really discussed. What surprised us, however, was the unwillingness of people to find more about it. Most of the participants didn’t even try to google the term, they just jumped the question. And that is worrying.

Translated from Portuguese: “ Have you ever heard of Big Data?” In red, “no”; in blue, “yes”; and in orange, “maybe”.

So, the best way to address the privacy issue is to invest in ways to inform the population about it. Once we are all aware of the complexity of Smart Cities and understand the possible consequences of it, we can demand our governments to be more transparent and to formulate concrete online privacy policies. Anyway, the future is uncertain, but it is possible to minimize its risks.

References (in order of appearance):

Hall, E. (2000). The Vision of a Smart City. Retrieved from: https://ntl.bts.gov/lib/14000/14800/14834/DE2001773961.pdf

Chen, W. & Wellman, B. (2004). The Global Digital Divide. IT&Society (1) 19. [1]

Duggan, M. & Brenner, J. (2013).  The Demographics of Social Media Users – 2012. Pew Research Center. 2. [2]

Smith, A. (2013). Smartphone ownership – 2013 Update. Pew Research Center. 2. [3]

Chauhan, S.; et al (2016) Addressing Big Data challenges in smart cities: a systematic literature review. The Journal for Policy, Regulation and Strategy for Telecommunications, Information and Media. 2, 2-5.

Popescul, D. & Radu, L. (2016). Data Security in Smart Cities: Challenges and Solutions. Informatica Economica. 30.

Finch, K. & Tene, O. (2013). Fordham urban Law Journal. 41. 1602-1604.

Oum Hoon, T.; et al. (1999). Harwood Academic Publishers. 289.

Regan, P. (1995). Legislating Privacy: Technology, Social Values, and Public Policy. University of North Carolina Press. 74-75.

The United States Civil Rights Act (1965). Retrieved from https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=97&page=transcript [4]

Abbas (2007); Croucher & Cronn-Mills (2011); Gonzàlez, Verkuyten, Weesie, & Poppe (2008). [5]

Pollack, A. (February, 2015). Building a Face, and a Case, on DNA. New York Times: D1

Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/fourth_amendment [6]

Stewart, N. (2017). Those Needing Food Stamps Find City App Eases the Path. The New York Times. Published on July 25th, 2017.

Shaw, J. (2017). The Watchers. Harvard Magazine. 119 (3), 56.

Poole, S. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/dec/17/truth-smart-city-destroy-democracy-urban-thinkers-buzzphrase [7].

[jeramymobley]

Refreshed COVERGIRL Is Ready For Retail’s Primetime

The recently relaunched COVERGIRL brand will open its first-ever beauty destination, a flagship store in the heart of New York City’s Times Square. For the first time in its nearly 60 years, the brand is getting a standalone store. Its brick-and-mortar retail debut will be an experiential interpretation of the new brand’s “I Am What I Make Up” philosophy, inspiring shoppers to use makeup as a tool for self-expression and personal transformation.

Moving into a 10,000 square-foot space at the corner of 7th Avenue and 48th Street, the new store will open its doors in the third quarter of this year to the estimated 26 million New Yorkers and visitors who head to Times Square each year.

The design and vision for the prime corner real estate location will reflect the dynamic, energetic neighborhood. There will be an experiential beauty “play room” with interactive elements, for example, along with full-service makeup application, on-the-go services, digital experiences and “exclusive innovation.”

Introducing our new #CoverGirls and a new #COVERGIRL! #IAmWhatIMakeUp celebrates the power to be who you are and who you want to be. pic.twitter.com/pUVDF46mUo

— COVERGIRL (@COVERGIRL) October 10, 2017

The store opening is part of the brand’s strategic overhaul to revamp how beauty lovers experience COVERGIRL. Last October parent Coty Inc. retired the brand’s “easy, breezy, beautiful” tagline in favor of the more modern and empowering “I Am What I Make Up.”

Its diverse line of brand ambassadors includes Issa Rae, Ayesha Curry, Katy Perry, Maye Musk (Elon’s mother), fitness trainer Massy Arias and professional motorcycle racer Shelina Moreda.

.@COTYInc Thank you for a wonderful tour of your research facility. I loved meeting so many female scientists, and talking science. It’s been quite a while since I’ve worn a lab coat, glasses and gloves #scientist #dietitian Checking out new @COVERGIRL lipsticks pic.twitter.com/RglQRI2l5s

— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) June 4, 2018

“It is our mission to show up for people wherever they are on their beauty journey and offer them innovation and experiences that inspire them to become whatever version of themselves they want to be in the moment,” stated Ukonwa Ojo, Coty’s SVP for the COVERGIRL brand.

“At COVERGIRL, we believe that makeup is a powerful tool for creativity and self-expression. Opening a concept store will help bring this brand purpose to life in an immersive, elevated and multidimensional way,” she added.

While Glossier just opened a second showroom in Los Angeles, where Sephora is opening its first experiential pop-up this fall, COVERGIRL’s retail expansion will mark the first mass legacy beauty brand to launch a direct-to-consumer flagship store in North America. Beauty stores in general, such as Sephora and Ulta, have proved more resilient in weathering the downturn in North America’s brick-and-mortar retail sector.

Coty also owns other major cosmetics brands, including Max Factor, Rimmel, Sally Hansen, Clairol and OPI Products, and it produces fragrances for Marc Jacobs, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Calvin Klein, adidas and Gucci, which last month opened its first beauty boutique—inside the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in NYC.

Attention,New York! We are proud to introduce you to the first @gucci Beauty shop in America at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York. Come and visit us to discover the full Gucci Beauty line up!#Coty #CotyInc #CotyLife #Beauty #ChallengersInBeauty #Gucci #GucciBloom #CotyPride #NewYork pic.twitter.com/wRCDRKcanm

— Coty Inc. (@COTYInc) May 25, 2018

According to the property’s owner, SL Green, the perfume, haircare and makeup giant has signed a 10-year, 10,040-square-foot lease for the entirety of the multi-level property at 719 Seventh Avenue, also known as 30 Times Square. The 104-year-old conglomerate also leased all 5,800 square feet of LED billboard signage on the building, which faces the M&M’S World flagship.

COVERGIRL is by no means a Times Square newcomer. The brand co-sponsored New York City’s 2015 New Years Eve event, taking over eight billboards to promote its “Colorlicious” line of lipsticks in a #ColorfulCountdown campaign.

The deal is also welcome news for Times Square as New York battles a glut of empty retail spaces it needs to fill. “As the retail world evolves, Times Square has transformed, delivering state-of-the-art customer experiences, high sales volumes, social media engagement and global marketability, all of which are highly desirable in the current retail landscape,” stated Brett Hershfeld of SL Green.

The post Refreshed COVERGIRL Is Ready For Retail’s Primetime appeared first on brandchannel:.

[227snewfacebookfries]

227's™ TRAGEDY ALERT! 10 Dead! Spicy' Santa Fe Chili' Texas High School Shooting! News #Nike'Spicy'Tunes Spicy' NBA Mix! (Houston Chronicle) 'Multiple fatalities' reported at Spicy' Santa Fe Chili' High School Spicy' shooting

SANTA FE, Texas – At least 10 people died Friday morning in gunfire at Santa Fe High school, law enforcement officials confirmed, while at least 12 others were injured, according to area hospitals. Law enforcement officers are responding to Santa Fe High School following a shooting incident in this Harris County Sheriff office, Santa Fe, Texas, U.S., photo released on May 18, 2018. Police arrested a suspect and detained a second person, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said via Twitter. The bloodshed 30 miles south of Houston is the worst mass shooting in America since February, when 17 people were gunned down at a high school in Parkland, Florida, according to a database of shootings maintained by the Washington Post. UPDATE 11:17 a.m.: At least 10 people have died, Gonzalez said. 11:10 a.m.: A senior law enforcement official said nine people have died. The shooter is a student who was armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, said the official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. "Evidently this guy threw pipe bombs all in there," the official said. "We don't know if any of them went off. The source said the death toll, which includes students and staff, is expected to rise. He also identified the injured police officer as John Barnes, a former Houston police officer who was retired and working with the school's police department. He was shot in the shoulder and is not critically wounded, the source said. 11:04 a.m.: Sheriff Gonzalez told reporters the number of dead could rise as high as 10. The suspect is believed to be a student, he said, and most of the dead are students. It is still a "very active" scene at the school, with a bomb squad and police checking to make sure the area is secure, he said. 11 a.m.: Gyl Switzer, executive director of Texas Gun Sense, issued a statement: "Our hearts go out to those affected by today's shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe Texas. We Texans love our children. We must do a better job of protecting them. There are proven strategies to reduce senseless gun violence. Today, Texas Gun Sense re-doubles our commitment to stop the killing. Work with us." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton earlier issued a statement offering thoughts and prayers. 10:53 a.m.: Yesterday, David Hogg, a student from the Parkland high school that reginited a national conversation on gun control, had a chilling premonition. He said gun violence kept him up at night. "There is someone alive right now that will not be alive at this time tomorrow and has never even thought about gun violence, but everyone around them will have to for the rest of their lives," he told reporters at an engagement in Los Angeles. 10:47 a.m.: Tenth grader Dakota Shrader said he heard alarms go off and students exited to a grassy area, waiting for an all-clear as in a normal fire drill. Then he heard three gunshots and screams of "Run! Run!" Shrader ran as fast as he could to a wooded area, started having an asthma attack and called his mother. "The world, I just don't like what it's becoming," Shrader said. "Every school shooting, kids getting killed, innocent kids getting killed. No family should have to suffer that just because somebody wants to be selfish and go out and hurt other people. It's just not right at all." 10:45 a.m.: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement: "The thoughts and prayers of all Texans are with the people of Santa Fe and those affected by today's tragic shooting. As horrific reports come out of Santa Fe High School, my office stands ready to assist local law enforcement as needed." 10:40 a.m.: Trey Lemley, 17, said he was in the school's first floor art room when a shooter walked in, his sister, Courtney Lemley, 19, said. Trey dropped his phone and barricaded himself inside one of the room's two closets, she said. When he left, he saw three bodies and pools of blood. Courtney and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Austin Evans, graduated from the school last year. They said the art room is located near a main, back exit of the school, and the room itself has an exit that leads to the parking lot. After being turned away from the school, Courtney and Evans walked to Arcadian First Baptist Church, where Courtney's mother works. In the parking lot, National Guardsmen gathered supplies before driving towards the school in a military vehicle. Small groups began to gather in the church's parking lot, staring at their cell phones and sharing details they heard from friends and from news outlets 10:35 a.m.: The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston has received three patients, the hospital reported on social media. Two are adults and one is under 18. Clear Lake Regional Medical Center in Webster received seven injured students, a spokeswoman for that facility said. Previous reports that an injured officer was taken there are wrong, she said. Two other injured students were taken to Mainland Medical Center in Texas City, she said. The conditions of all of the injured are unknown. EARLIER: An unidentified law enforcement officer was shot, but sources said he was "clipped" and was not seriously injured. One source said the gunman was a male, but could provide no further information. The shooter has been "arrested and secured," said Santa Fe HS Assistant Principal Dr. Cris Richardson. Several other students as well as an officer was injured in the shooting. Joe Gamaldi with the Houston Police Officers Union tweeted, "Please keep the officers in your prayers as one officer is being life flighted to the hospital." Students described the gunfire, which broke out about 7:30 a.m. Junior Liberty Wheeler, 14, was in class when she heard five shots ring out near the art room. Her teacher told them to run toward the theater department's storage room, where they hid for 45 minutes before being escorted outside by the SWAT team. "You could smell the gunpowder that came from the gun," Wheeler recalled as she was escorted out of the building. "We were all scared because it was near us." Paige Curry, a junior at the school, said "I was sitting in my classroom and I heard very loud booms and I didn't know what they were. I was confused but after I heard screaming, I figured out what they were, got up immediately and started to run. I almost ran out of the school but I hid instead with the other students. I was there for maybe 30 minutes I was on the phone with my mom the whole time. They found us and escorted us." "There were a lot of people, a lot of different suits so I wasn't really sure but I think they were SWAT." "I was very, very scared but I managed to keep calm, especially with my mom on the phone." "I heard people were hurt and the gunshots were from a classroom maybe three doors down. I heard five [shots] maybe. It was one boom, then another boom very loud. It wasn't rapid." The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is treating two patients, their conditions not yet being disclosed, said spokesman Raul Reyes. He said more patients are expected, including one currently being transported from the branch's League City hospital. He said a helicopter with at least one patient is on the way and more ambulances are expected. Officers in tactical gear were deployed into the school. Outside, groups of students evacuated from the building are being patted down by authorities. Deputies from the Harris County Sheriff's Office were sent to assist Galveston County officers on the scene, according to a tweet by HCSO Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. The ATF also confirmed it responded to the scene. Richardson said he could not confirm whether there was more than one shooter. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/multiple-fatalities-reported-at-santa-fe-high-school-shooting/ar-AAxtvuC

Top 5 Spicy' Plays of the Night | May 16, 2018

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227's™ TRAGEDY ALERT! 10 Dead! Spicy' Santa Fe Chili' Texas High School Shooting! News #Nike'Spicy'Tunes Spicy' NBA Mix! (Houston Chronicle) 'Multiple fatalities' reported at Spicy' Santa Fe Chili' High School Spicy' shooting

from Jamaal Al-Din's blog 227's™ YouTube Chili' NBA Mix! http://hoops227.typepad.com/blog/2018/05/227s-tragedy-alert-10-dead-spicy-santa-fe-chili-texas-high-school-shooting-news-nikespicytunes-spicy-nba-mix-h.html via http://hoops227.typepad.com/blog/

[dtphan824]

“What restaurants did you go to in Tokyo?  How do you get there?  Places to visit in Tokyo?  Things to do in Tokyo?”  

My last and final blog post from Journey to Tokyo (2017)… maybe.  I’m currently packing for another trip en route to in Hong Kong / Taipei, but before leaving, I wanted had to finish up this post and catch up with stuff I’ve been doing before and after the trip…

A view of the rainbow bridge from the shore of Odaiba park / beach area.  You can find see the location HERE.

“What restaurants did you go to in Tokyo and how do you get there?” I’m not telling you guys these spots are a must go to place to eat, but I would definitely recommend it.  If you look on my itinerary from Part 1 of Journey to Tokyo (2017), you’ll find out where I ate and how long it took to get there from my last point of interest.   So lets begin…

1.  Sushi Dai –  Located in the Tsukiji fish market area, it’s known for their 2.5 hrs wait for 10 pieces of sushi selected by the chef and one of your choice.  This is called an omakase. The price of this omakase is 3900Y which is not bad (about $34USD at the time).  The real investment is the wait… people start lining up at 2:30AM.  Yes, AM.  My brother recommended me to do the same so Enrique, Joseph, and I woke up at 2:30AM and Uber-ed our way there.  We arrived at 2:45AM and there were about 10 people ahead of us.  This was in January early in the AM… so temperatures were in the sub 30F / -1C… some people thought we were crazy because what normal people wait outside 2.5-3 hrs for 11 pieces of sushi?  We fell into the food hype, but glad we did because it was a great omakase experience.

We woke up at 2:3oAM and took an Uber for about $25 USD.  You can also stay up late and be in the area or sleep at a manga cafe, but I would recommend taking a taxi or Uber if you don’t want to be dead tired by the time you get in…

Early AM, there’s no one really around…

This was the line for Sushi Dai…

The first few guys started lining up around 2:30AM…

Here you can see Joseph and Enrique in line…

It was -1.1C so I had to take a break from the queue to get some warm milk tea from Aiyo Coffee next door… I’m not sure if the tea tasted awesome because I was frozen but it was definitely warm and tasty.  I asked one of the owners how long they’ve been there, and I think since the 1800s… whoa.

It was 5AM and the first group of people went in… Enrique, Joseph, and I were in the second group and went in at 5:45AM so about 3 hrs from the time we started waiting… 

One of three sushi masters of Sushi Dai….

Is it worth waking up at 2:30AM and waiting in -1.1C for a 3,900Y omakase? If you’re a hype food beast kind of person, yes.  If not, I think you’d be fine with other places at Tsukiji.  I personally wouldn’t wait again, but if a friend who has never went and wanted to do it, I wouldn’t mind going again.  I do hear Sushi Daiwa is comparable to Sushi Dai with a shorter waiting time so I will probably hit up Sushi Daiwa next time.

2.  Gyukatsu Motomura –  I got this recommendation from a couple of friends that went before and looked really good.  They serve breaded beef cutlet… and not just any normal beef, but marbled graded beef.  It’s served raw and you’re able to cook it to your liking with the hot stone.  Because of their recent popularity, there may be a 30-60 minute wait time.  Reason for this is because there’s only 9 seats.  Enrique and I stopped by on a Monday at 3pM and the queue was about 45 minutes.  They told us there was another location in Dogenzaka, or next to SHIBUYA109, with no wait time so we headed there….

Definitely would recommend going here.  Price isn’t too bad either depending on the size of your meal. 

3.  Jiromaru –  A friend, Patrick Leong, who was there at the same time actually recommended this place to us.  It’s a small Yakiniku (Japanese meat grilling) restaurant located in the Shinjuku area.  Ste, Joseph, Enrique and I got there around 3:30PM and there wasn’t a long queue luckily.   They serve Grade A1 to A5 beef with vegetable condiments.  You can either have your own grill or 2 people to one grill.  Great place if you’re meeting someone for a quick yakiniku meeting after work or with a friend.

Somewhere in Shinjuku area…

  I was too busy to keep grilling to keep up with what beef cut was what…

Did I mention it’s a standing bar/grill….

So much marbling… it’s like eating butter…

Beef pron..

This was our bill for 2 people… not bad at all for an afternoon snack…

4.  7-Eleven, Family Mart, etc. –  If you’re in a rush, grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner from any of these convenience stores.  They have pastries, hot/cold beverages, energy jelly drinks (recommended!), and other candies/treats.

I think I grabbed a steamed pizza or pork bun every morning…

5.  Coco Curry Ichibanya –  If you’re a fan of curry, you should definitely try this place out.  It’s interior reminds you of Denny’s but they serve curry with pretty much anything.  There are a few in Japan and I definitely recommend it.

  I should’ve taken a photo prior to eating but forgot… but this was katsu curry with a fried egg…

6.  Dominique Ansel Bakery (Omotesando) –  Joseph’s friend actually recommended this place to us while we were in the Omotesando area.   It’s by the famous inventor of the cronut, Dominique Ansel.   There are other locations around the world and there was even one in the states, NYC to be exact.  We went around noon and it wasn’t packed at all.  The cronut was super crisp but hard af… not sure if that’s how they are supposed to be but after you’re able to cut them with the weak plastic knife, some jizz (not sure what it was), oozes out.  Hesitantly ate it and it was pretty good.

Cronuts were 600Y each… 

Other pastries…

7.  Ichiran Ramen –  Any chance I get, I will visit Ichiran Ramen.  They’re coin machine operated with private eating stalls located all over Japan.  Also open 24 hrs.

Things to do and places to visit in Tokyo 1.  Tsukiji Fish Market –  I know I’ve already mentioned this but I’ll just mention it again.  Lots of great photo opps and lots of places to eat.  I went twice on this trip…

2.  Random Roof Tops –  Don’t get caught going up to a roof top illegally.   You will be arrested and detained lol.  It’s cool if you can find access to some.

3.  Shibuya Crossing –  A definite must do if you’ve never been.

4.  Odaiba –  Diver City, Gundam, Toyota Megaweb, Rainbow bridge view, Sega Arcades, etc.  You can spend a full day site seeing here.

5.  Harajuku / Ometasando–  Fashion district for teens.  A few cafes here and there. Takeashita street is the place to google for.

6.  Akihabara –  Known for their electronic shops and toys for otakus, there are lots of stores around here if you need to shop for souvenirs.

7.  Shinjuku –  Check out the Red Light district at night but stay away from the Nigerian guys that lead you into bars.

I’m probably leaving a bunch more places out but these are the places I recently went on this trip.  Check out the itinerary on Part 1 and make your own accordingly.   Below are random photos from the trip.  Cheers!

35mm Life……

After Sushi Dai, we walked around…

It was early morning so people were still getting their fish ready…

Patrick and Steven went to Sushi Daiwa and we caught up with them afterwards…

Enrique staying warm as possible…

Paul was part of the Sushi Daiwa crew with Patrick and Steven… Paul doesn’t look cold at all…

Early mornings at Tsukiji Fish Market…

The scenery before consumers and tourists take over…

Tsukiji…

Our roof top view at our Airbnb in Akasaka…

Joseph roof top shooting…

I was super tired from Sushi Dai so I slept for a few hours…

Afterwards, I met up with Enrique and we headed to Odaiba…

We originally went for Toyota Megaweb….

But they were closed -_- 

So we went to check out the Gundam one last time before they take it down in March…

Lots of older tourists were there… I don’t think they knew what they were taking photos of…

Then we headed over to Aqua City… 

A beautiful vew of Rainbow Bridge… 

  iphone Life…

That’s pretty much it for Journey to Tokyo (2017).  Will there be another Japan series this year?  Hard to say but anything is possible.   Thanks for reading and checking out the blog as usual.  If you have any suggestions of your own or corrections to my post, please comment!

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Gear: Nikon D750 Sigma 35mm f1.4 Iphone 6

  Journey to Tokyo (2017): Part 6 – Recommended Places to Eat and Visit "What restaurants did you go to in Tokyo?  How do you get there?  Places to visit in Tokyo?