Chinatown: NYC Local Favorites Part 1

Most of the stuff on my blog is straight out of any old NYC guide book. It takes a long time to sift through it all before I find my personal favorites. But today, I'm proud to share some true gems of Chinatown. Thanks to my friend Meggie giving me and Ella a personal tour.

Meggie has lived in Chinatown her whole life--her parents only speak Chinese and rarely leave. It's only 0.108 square miles! While tiny, it's such an amazing place filled to the brim with culture. It shouldn't be missed. Meggie's enthusiasm and pride for Chinatown made it an unforgettable day.

This whole adventure actually started a few weeks ago after we ate at Donut Plant, remember this post? The Michelin Guide recommended Dim Sum Go Go, so after we ate donuts and played at this colorful park, we headed over to Dim Sum Go Go like good submissive tourists. I easily still consider myself a tourist even after living here for over a year.

As we were leaving the restaurant, I saw Meggie. She was so surprised to see us in her neighborhood and asked what we were up to. I told her we just had a fabulous meal at Dim Sum Go Go. She looked at me like I was crazy. "Dim Sum Go Go? Oh no, no!" she said, "Come back and I'll show you around!" I couldn't wait for our Chinatown adventure. Take two! I decided the adventure was best suited for me and Ella only. Another girls day!

FYI The waitress is holding a bowl of chicken feet.

 We started off at J & B Seafood Restaurant. Meggie's been going to this restaurant every Saturday for her whole life. Everyone knew her and her family. I can't help but think this got us the freshest, hottest food off the carts. The food was amazing. No menus--Meggie just pointed to what she wanted on the cart and the waitress immediately set it on the table. We ordered sooo much. I was shocked at the total cost of the meal: $26! That fed me, Ella, Meggie, AND Meggie's mother. The dim sum was only $1.50-$2.50 a basket/bowl!

I rarely take pictures in restaurants (so tacky!) but I was feeling particularly touristy this day, so I gave in and took a million. Hope you enjoy the yellowish photos!

Me looking very robotic as I eat a chicken foot. I was trying not to be disrespectful and be like, "Yeah, I'm totally cool with chicken feet!" But clearly I'm uncomfortable with the idea. Meggie was cracking up.

Who's responsible for teaching Ella how to use chopsticks? I shamelessly always ask for a fork no matter how authentic the restaurant is. It embarrasses Ella so much. Can't wait until she's a teenager. More embarrassing to come! Do you use chopsticks?

Yikes, this post is taking longer to write then I expected. I'll write about all the other things we did in Chinatown tomorrow. Until then, I put some more pics of J & B Seafood Restaurant after the jump. AND I'll also include a short list of all the things we did as reference! In case you can't wait . . .

Workout with Dara Torres

Last week I had the opportunity to worked out with Dara Torres.  She's the amazing swimmer who competed in the Olympics FIVE times and is training for her sixth right now. She'll be 45. Not only that, but she's also mother! So inspiring. She was in NYC to promote Bengay.

I wasn't familiar with Torres until the 2008 Olympics. Her story grabbed me. It was awesome to watch a 41-year-old mother continue to follow her passions.  It's so easy for me to get lost in my kids lives and forget about my dreams. It's a balance I struggle with daily. I'm sure she does too (anyone happen to read her memoir from 2009?). 

I've learned that my family runs really well when I'm 100% committed to cleaning, laundry, cooking, and meeting all my kids needs. The pile of dirty clothes isn't hitting the ceiling, the house doesn't smell like piss, the kid's toys are in the right bins. It feels really good to take care of everything for everyone. But I also love to sneak in and take up some of the time for my passions.  Something has to give in that case, usually in that same order: cleaning, laundry, cooking, and meeting all my kids needs. I've come to the simple conclusion that I need my passions to cover the cost of a cleaning lady and personal chef!

I loved meeting Dara. Getting a boost to follow my dreams was worth the trouble of getting to the East Side of Manhattan! Took forever. Who are the women you seek out when you need a boost?

  Hmmmm. Now what company do you think Dara is promoting? Take a wild guess . . .

After the jump is a five minute clip of her answering questions. She gives some great advice about fitness (cardio vs. weight training) and her struggle to keep motivated. I took it will my iPhone. 

A Fruit Adventure: Dragon Fruit

When it comes to fruits, I stick to the classics. Apples, oranges, berries, and bananas. Maybe if I'm feeling wild I'll buy a pineapple.  But sometimes, as a dorky adventure, I'll have my kids pick an exotic fruit instead of candy after school. It's shocking how excited this makes them. Usually this adventure ends with me pulling up a Youtube video explaining how to cut the fruit properly. I can always find one.

On a trip to Chinatown on Saturday, I found a perfect example of the kind of fruit I buy on a fruit adventure: A Dragon Fruit.  It's my first! Here's some pictures and how I cut it. It was really simple and easy. The flavor: Almost like a melon, but more mild. Delicious and cool. The texture: Slight crunch and juicy. Love the little seeds. Reminds me of a kiwi. I loved it, the kids liked it.

What's your favorite exotic fruit? Are you in a fruit rut? There's always the Exotic Fruit of the Month Club! My husband would be thrilled to be a member. ha

Cut in half, length wise.

Scoop out white section with a spoon, like you would a kiwi. 

Dice and serve in the skin. Simple and pretty.

How much for this exotic fruit? Yikes. It's embarrassing. I'm hiding the price in shame after the jump. 

Instagram: Last One to the Party

“Playing school at school afterschool”

I finally started using Instagram. I'm always a little weary of new forms of social media. It takes me about a year (sometimes more: Twitter!) to warm up to them. It was just last week that I was complaining to my friends about Instagram's interface. I found it so confusing. And I am sooo bored of filters that make photos look like their from the 60's or 70's.  I've been guilty of using them in the past, but it's getting old now. 

It wasn't until Rob took the boys on vacation that I learned the greatness of Instagram. I looked forward to seeing their current adventure, seconds after it happened. By the time they got home, I was hooked. But I swore never to use a tacky filter, until I found myself using a tacky filter. I couldn't resist.

Do you use Instagram? What do you like about it? What have I missed out on? Do the filters drive you bonkers, too? If you want, follow me @sharonbeesley. I have 7 pictures! ha

“Inside this beautiful building is .... A Home Depot!”

My first Instagram ever!!

After the jump: The awful picture my much cooler/funny brother-in-law commented: Nice try Sharon. You should really just stick to blogging. 

I admit it's bad, but come on! Give me a chance! I just started! 

Celebrating Mother's Day with Girlfriends

that's my pink arse and white napkin on the floor. 

Joanna of Cup and Jo invited me and some friends to a brunch last Saturday to celebrate Mother's Day. Everything about the morning was amazing--the friends (some old and new), the food, the beautiful setting.  I hope it turns into a new tradition! Celebrating motherhood with girlfriends on a beautiful Saturday morning felt just about perfect.

Of course the topic of motherhood came up. It's so easy to find something to talk about regarding motherhood, even with people I've just met. Raising boys and their endless supply of energy was discussed. One mother had twins, so we instantly had something to chat about. Before we started eating, Joanna asked everyone to write a quirky family rule or tradition we had growing up in a Pinhole Press notebook.  I thought of my dad's vegetable rule.

Some nights, but not all, he would declare, "Tonight vegetables are MANDATORY!" We all knew there was no arguing about mandatory veggie night. We better eat up! I don't remember him truly enforcing this rule, but he declared it enough that I still remember it. I've tried proclaiming it with my kids, but it never comes out the same. He had a strength and ironic tone that I just can't seem to match.




I would have had no problem if someone declared mandatory veggie day at the brunch. Find all the recipes here. I wouldn't change a thing--the food was perfect. Especially the dessert (pictured below)!



Top picture from Jamie Beck's post on the event. Other pictures by Karen Mordechai of Sunday Suppers. Click here to see all the pictures she took.  It was so nice to enjoy the breakfast knowing I could snatch these images from other people!

Two more pictures slightly of me after the jump! ha

Friends with Style: Shayla

Do you have a friend that you absolutely adore their style? Shayla's mine. I love that I can't pinpoint exactly where she buys her clothes. She's told me it's a mix of thrift stores and Etsy and good luck.  

I always find myself at the standards like Gap, JCrew, Anthro, Urban Outfitters, and Madewell because it's so easy to buy clothes there. Those stores always have range of sizes and an easy return policy if I change my mind. But then I always feel so cookie cutter and boring! I love picking Shayla's brain for ideas. 

While I don't think I could pull off high wasted bright orange capris, (it works beautifully on her loooong legs and tiny waist), I think I could pull off the orange/pink/white/grey color combo. I have a long pink skirt (from the Gap! ha). Mix that with my grey t-shirt (from Urban! ha), white shoes, orange lipstick? It works in my head. I'll have to pull it together and see if it works in reality.  

A friend with style is so much more inspiring than fashion magazines or blogs.  The difference is seeing the clothes in real life on real people. I always look forward to seeing and chatting with Shayla once a week! 

Who's your friend with style? Francesco and Nick also make my list of friends with style, male edition. :)

Boys Weekend vs Girls Weekend. Who won?

The island of Manhattan is 13.4 miles long, and 2.3 miles wide at its widest point. Since we don't have a car, we rarely venture out of those parameters. Last weekend, the island suddenly became too small for my husband Rob.

He woke up, and said, "I NEED to get out of the city! Let's go to Upstate or New Jersery or somewhere!"

I opened up my iCalender and looked for an open weekend and said, "We can't do this weekend, and not the next. How about three weeks from now?"

"No no no, this isn't something we plan, we just go. NOW!"

But my Saturday was already booked. I had a brunch with friends and later that night I had my last photography class. I had been looking forward to those things for weeks. Ella had plans, too. She had a best friend's birthday party Saturday afternoon! The girls wanted to stay in the city.

Rob was determined, so he came up with the idea to have an urban adventure with his sons. And that's how the Girls vs. Boys weekend was born.

They ventured off to the nearest and cheapest hotel with an indoor swimming pool in New Jersey. It took them 3 hours on public transportation to get there!  Once they eventually arrived at the hotel, they ate tons of junk food, watched Family Guy (I never let them!), swam constantly, went to the zoo, bought hideous costumes at Toys R Us, and stayed up late.

Our girl's weekend wasn't so shabby either. On top of my brunch and my photo class and Ella's party, we got our nails done, split a giant cupcake, had dinner at Chelsea Market, and saw the Lorax in 3D. Ella also got a bonus sleepover with her cousin.

I totally think girls won! Although I am competing with a zoo and a pool. Tough call.

Have you ever gone on separate vacations within your family? And then got overly competitive about who's having the most fun? Ha, we would never . . .

The weekend actually turned out really great. My favorite part was listening to everyone's stories at the dinner table on Sunday night. Everyone was talking at once. The house was alive with energy! While I adore spending time together as a family, it was an unexpected treat to get a break from everyone. Great idea Rob.

Near the end. So tired!

Officially out. 

 More pictures of the boy's adventure after the jump. I can always gauge Rob's happiness by the amount of pictures he takes. He took 31 pictures over weekend. That's an astounding amount for him!