nod 'n' smile

It seems the world is full of Chinatowns. Whenever I travel, I’m always amazed by how many big cities seem to have one, even areas that are otherwise pretty homogeneous. They exist on six continents (come on, Antarctica, what are you waiting for?). Some have been around for centuries and yet the Chinese lifestyle and [...]

I love good comedy, and in NYC, we’re lucky to have quite the slew of venues and shows to choose from if we want to get our laugh on. Since the city is home to so many talented up-and-coming and well-known comedians, comedy in NYC can be quite competitive and most clubs feature impressive line-ups [...]

Confession: sometimes I dread organized tours. Actually, a lot of times. Following a large group of people around, taking perfunctory photographs before being rushed off to the next stop, sticking out like a sore thumb among the locals- it can be painful. But I have to admit, even though they can feel like a chore, [...]

I often get asked what my favorite restaurants are in the city. In true New Yorker form, I either order in or eat out for 90% of my meals, so it’s a perfectly reasonable question and one for which you’d think I’d have a good answer. But for some reason, I always seem to draw [...]

I wasn’t unfamiliar with New York City before I moved here nearly 10 years ago. My family and I visited about once a year throughout my childhood, but I don’t think I ever really understood the hype. I thought NYC had some cool attractions, lots of lights and tall buildings.  I also thought it was [...]