Countdown: (Chinatown Gems)

5 days

I'm even starting to get that warm fuzzy feeling

about Chinatown when I think about PK

or maybe I'm getting that feeling because I discovered

some great food spotsI've been ignoring for all these years

Lucky King Bakery, and Quickly, both on Grand Street

I'm sure its no secret that I'm a slave to pastries

I'm especially weak for cutesy anything,

mostly cupcakes with hot pink frosting

and anything covered in glitter

Lucky King Bakery gave me all that, think mini sponge cakes

encrusted with rainbow sprinkles and decorated like adorable mice

or pink and seafoam layer sponge cakes topped

with a sexy strawberry and white chocolate twirls

I'm not gonna lie, I was never the type of little girl

that would set up her stuffed animals, around a table

and pretend to have tea

but with these mini-delights I might,

yes at the old age of 19, start doing that

I could see it now,

me, my ducky, my hippo, my pink poodle, and my pony

enjoying these Technicolor treats, it would be magical

when I was younger I remember taking the F train to East Broadway

and without fail my mom would stop at a Chinese bakery and

buy me a delicate, fluffy sponge cake

after all these years, they are still my favorite

perfect simplicity

have I mentioned that all these inventively adorable pastries are under $1.50 each?

the pink white chocolate strawberry treat is only 80 cents

some girls love handbags, I love bargains....and cake

Quickly, on the other hand, not only delivers

exotic and delicious bubble teas, and slushes

but also happens to be one of the best places to experience Shabu Shabu

What is Shabu Shabu? That's exactly what I wondered

when my boyfriend suggest we go after watching some Cooking Channel show

on the Japanese food craze

its basically a cook-your-own-food bonanza

all the tables are set up with heating devices and you get a pot with water

inserted into your table, as well as a tower of different raw vegetables, noodles (and meats)

the water boils and you drop in your assortment

as well as any seasonings and condiments, like garlic, chives, and soy sauce

to make your own broth, and veggie combinations

its DIY dinner, and its super fun

I, being a novice, made quite the mess

there were noodles, and hot water spread all over the table

not to mention that I was eating my noodles with a ladle,

instead of chopsticks, what a Westerner

it beats the stir-fry station at school by a million.

I'll miss you Chinatown

you're the only place where a naked little girl

can sell "ice crean" and get away with it.

She's my hero.

Skinned Knees & the 90s [The Noms]

Once upon a time there were two princesses 

who were beasts for corn, Monica & Alyssa :]

and they went to galavant through Soho

and spend all their money

the snow was piled high and the slush was dangerous

Alyssa slipped and slid through Chinatown eating a sponge cake 

[one of gods greatest creations]

as Monica browsed in Old Navy,

they were both ready for an adventure

anyways, forget the fairy tale

Chinatown may be the worst place to be when there is a foot of snow and 

ten tons of ugly gray slush all over the place

and there is no way the city could look uglier than it does now

slush is just so depressing even when you're eating a delectable light fluffy cake

but all the slipping and sliding was worth Monica and the corn

so after gossiping & lamenting in Steven Madden 

we set out to Cafe Habana on Prince Street, the place where dreams come true

Zagat calls it a "groovy" Nolita "hole-in the wall"

man do I love the Zagat

so squeezed in to the Habana outpost, where the line extended to the cold outside the door

me & Monica got grilled corn on skewers, prepared classically Mexican 

with tons of crumbly cheese and chili powder

and bubbly, pink guava soda

real authentic, out of a glass bottle

just a squeeze of lime, and the corn was ready to be nommed

it was delicious

and all the chili powder made my lips burn

and sorta swell, but its worth it 

worth all the cheese crumbles that littered my lap

the tranny lips and smudged lipstick

boy do me & Monica love corn

but what do me & Monica love possibly more than corn you ask?

the 90s

and they are truly making a comeback

but I'm not quite sure I'm prepared for that

I mean, I'm not even twenty yet

my childhood wasn't that long ago for it to be trendy yet

but apparently Forever 21 thinks it should be

so while I was browsing in Urban Outfitters, elsewhere there was a 90s explosion

I mean, I don't even know what I prefer,

the ugly tweeds in Urban

could anything make you look fatter than tweed?

or the Crayola colored cropped fur jackets

circa the late 90s, think Britney & Christina at the Grammys

I saw a particularly revolting purple one

and I can't forget the butterfly tops and the dresses with cutouts

if I saw anyone in these, I would simply die

I love nostalgia and all

but that is just taking it to another level

next thing you know, 

platform sneakers are going to be in again.