Bad Note

Lesson of the Day:
It's hard to find genuine people out there.



So besides my shocked/sad mood, Gina and I have been having little cupcake runs. We went to a famous cupcake place called Magnolia. I'm not a big fan of cupcakes, but theirs was way too hyped. It was very dry and unsatisfactory.

We went to Crumbs and it was better. Here's Gina with her Red Velvet.
Cappuccino Cupcake.
On one of our tours, we went to the UN.
Outside the UN while waiting for Liz and Nina to come out.
Gina and the Magnolia cupcakes.
What did I get? Banana bread with some other crap.

I really like how New York has a pretty and non-threatening night life. People are still out at 3am, walking around, sitting in the parks...never do you see that at LA unless they're up to something. People actually sitting in parks!

Long Time No See

I know I haven't been able to update this blog. Very sorry. But here are some pictures I promised to post up. I've been taking less and less these days.

So my class went on a tour in Chelsea, home of more than 200 art galleries. Originally, artists set up their galleries in SoHo, but its been so commercialized and their rent sky-rocketed that they moved to Chelsea.

This one is very nastay and disturbing...This one is just demonic. Imagine these attacking you while you're sleeping.
Mummied barbie dolls. Statement?
The girls and I planned on going to a bakery called "Big Booty" but weren't able to find it. I was able to find these tile art work though. Thought it was picture-worthy =P
I was Nina for the night.
On the way to Serendipity [finally went there keke] thought this was a pretty night scene. Their dessert was killer. Didn't I already write about this on the other post?

Woops, sorry for being out of order. This is another art from Chelsea.
Some are just too greedy for the monay.
Walking down from the Subway in Harlem.
It was a really hot day and I barely made out anything from our guest tourguide.
Kinda weird there.
But isn't this mural purdy?

So for some reason I caught a minor cold. My throat is bothering me and I keep coughing. I think my immune system got weaker because of my odd sleeping schedule.

Depressed Sympathy

So...I'm kind of depressed. Why? Whyyy?

Gina and I watched another Korean movie called "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance." Depressing movie. I'm literally sitting here thinking of where to start, how to start... who to sympathize with. I felt myself connecting more with Ryu. #1 He grew up deaf and mute and his sister always had to take care of him. As she was getting sick, she was in need of a kidney. So he goes on a search and ends up at a black market, makes a deal with this messed up lady, and ends up naked and without a kidney. JIPPED. He tries to make things right, tries to be there for his sister, tries to seek vengeance of all the wrongs. But of course, things don't always go right. #2 He loses more than his sister and the girl he kidnaps for ransom #3 He loses more than #2.

The other main character, the father of the kidnapped girl, is also in search of vengeance. So the audience is torn between who to side with, if that is even possible. Who is right? Who is just in their acts? Well, from what I got towards the end of the movie-I was biased-but despite that, this movie just proves my belief that vengeance only gets you so far. They seek it for the ends to justify the means, but only evil prevails. The murders, the death, the loss...nothing can make up for it all. If they just left things as they were and accepted their fates in the beginning...if only they were logical...but then again, if they were, there would be no movie plot. Also, when you lose the love of your life, how can you be logical? How can you keep your head straight?

If I lost someone dear to me...I'm not sure what I would do, where I would head, how I would even deal. In an ideal situation, I would mourn and forgive, and only get stronger. Ideally speaking. You can't ever predict how you would be, no matter how much you claim to know yourself.

Anyway, I could go on and on about my thoughts and how much this movie stimulated my emotions and mind; my what ifs and thank God.

Before this movie we finished The Game. That one was good. Ended in quite a depressing note. One should never gamble, especially with a fishy, desperate, rich old man. The main character in this movie also showed up in Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance. I really really like him. I recognize him from previous dramas I've seen when I was little. 신화경 I believe that's how you spell his name. Very talented.

Other than watching two movies [and watching America's Dance Crew right now], the girls and I went out to eat at a pricey pho place. Okay, for future reference, I'll leave out such adjectives as "pricey" "expensive" "high-end" etc. because since it's New York, it's kind of expected. When and if I do eat at a cheap place, that's when I'll emphasize. I didn't get anything because I wasn't hungry. Before heading out, I was in my room from 1-8pm working on my Immigration paper. I'm still not done with it.

Sorry for ending this blog with a dead note [my paper] but I'm starting to worry! I'll get back to it now. Latass.

Ah The Beauty

So according to Nina [or should I say Princess Nina...that's what she wants to be referred to as], I'm full of GOOD surprises. That is very true to those who just met me or those who have never seen my crazy side. Everything I do takes her aback-what can I say? I'm spontaneous. Even my outfit [top right] surprised both Liz and Nina. When I walked into their room, I was standing there and Nina came out of the restroom and said, "Who's this?"
"Who else would it be?!"
"Whoaa...Jane..."
They were probably shocked since I've been wearing grungy clothes, no? They said I looked older ;P

Anywho, last night we went from one bar to another. First bar was pretty dead, I guess because it was a Wednesday night and barely 11pm. So after that, we killed time by walking to our dorms and searching for directions to a nearby K-town which was only one strip of the whole town -.-

Enough about that. Today Gina and I woke up 12.44pm. I decided to go running-haven't done so since I got here. After taking a shower and eating in the dorms [nastyyyy food yo. Nasty], Gina and I headed out to Ellis Island. We road on a ferry and I decided to take a few nice pictures. We arrived on Liberty Island to find out that Ellis Island was closed...so we went all the way back home.

Just got back from a really late dinner. Ate Soba. I'm not feeling too good. Aight, we're going to watch Tale of Two Sisters. We pulled both Gina and my beds together and I said, "We should keep it like this and sleep next to each other!"
"Ew, no"
"Watch-you'll be begging for it after watching the movie"

They be waiting for me! Laters.

MoMA-WHOA MAMA

All right kiddies. Today I went to Museum of Modern Arts [MoMA] and below are a few pictures that I really liked and some that I just posted for the hell of it. I don't want to comment on some of them because I know they will be inappropriate and readers may perceive me as "below" those of "high/high brow" culture. What is that in reference to?-it's in my readings that you probably don't want me to write about. So I'll spare you the lecture on urban lesson 101.

My sleepiness is catching up to me. It was very hard to wake up this morning... mid-morning... then mid-afternoon. As soon as lecture was over, which was 10am, Gina and I hurriedly headed back to take a nap until 10.50am, went to discussion until 11.30, went back to the dorms to nap again until 12.50pm. Right not I'm just reading some more and answering study guide questions for our upcoming quiz. I'm freaking and stressing out dude. I know it's summer and it's New York-blah blah blah. It's in my nature to care about my grades regardless of where I am, who I am with, what I'm doing, or what's going on in my private life. And it'll be a really sad thing to get B's for this program. Really sad. And I need another GPA booster.

Enough about that and more about my experience at the museum. I really enjoyed and appreciated many of the paintings and pieces, but as I got to the abstract art...dude no. I don't like abstract art. Call me old-fashioned, traditionalist, unappreciative, etc. but I get really skeptical and question abstract pieces. What do you guys think? Am I being too closed off here? Anyway, before continuing and sounding like a jerk, I'll just move on to...

Liz, Nina, Gina, and I might go to Serendipity today. We've been planning this since last week, but never had the chance to. I guess Serendipity is so popular and demanded that we even need to make reservations. What is Serendipity? Uh-not too sure, but I'll find out and blog about that next. I think it's a really delicious desert place.

Forgot the exact name... Marx in the corner to think about what you've done...something like that.
"The Corsage." That's all I'm going to say for this one.
Is this a painting or real? Guess.
Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup.
Various images.
Okay. Yeah. This one kinda disgusted me. I believe all those lines are actual hair.
I really like this one. "Prince Amongst Thieves." Real Beauty
Apart of the abstract art. Controversial because the artist is trying to make a statement about the whole theory on abstract art...blah blah blah.
In memory of her death.
The fridge actually pops out.
Outside view from the sculpture garden.
I'm a good photography, gyea?
What to write for this one...

Expensive Expenses

This is the meat market-part of it. The pretty end.













This is the dinky grilled chicken sandwich.















Liz looking too eager to eat this waffle I could've made myself. I aint hating.



















Purdy no? Just like me? Ok ok, I'm not pretty...just sexy.














Other end of meat market.










This is especially for Gina who HAS to have everything with meat, whereas for me, I must have my delicious vegies!








It's not a good feeling when you really need to go to the bathroom but it's being held up by someone. That just happened to me, but the best feeling is when you get to release everything-once you mark your target, of course. Stomach still queasy. I love traveling but I guess this is one of the setbacks I must just accept.

We went to the meat market [not literally a meat market, though it originated as that] and ate at a really really expensive restaurant called Pastis. A grilled chicken sandwich for 19 bucks...and it was tiny! You're probably thinking-why get something you could make yourself? It's a damn high-end sandwich place-what else is there? And it was the cheapest thing on the menu besides their juice drinks which were probably 5 bucks or something where they serve it in a tiny shot glass. Wasn't too thrilled about that especially when I'm trying to abide by my budget. When heading back home, we stopped by Max Brenner, a chocolate place-very expensive once again. NY is just an pricey place aint it? Liz and I split a waffle covered with strawberries, blueberries, and drizzled with chocolate. I'm thinking about it more...and...I could have made that myself. Honest. I'll make it for you and it'll taste just as good. 12 bucks for that thing.

Of course, you can't put a price on experience but I can't help but to be amazed at how much money I'm spending here. We might go to Serendipity tonight, but the way my stomach has been acting, I'm not sure if I could endure anymore sporadic explosions and cramps.

So what am I doing now? Well...what else? Readings-though I feel like I'm spending too much time on that and not enough on my research/paper. Well that's because I'm still trying to catch up on the readings, there's a lot of readings, and the quiz on the readings comes up before the paper due date. Aight kiddies-wish me luck that I'll be productive.