Best Date Spot In Chinatown!

A couple of weeks ago, Time Out NY called me. They were researching an article and wanted to know my opinion on the best date spots in Chinatown. With the economic slump in NY, guys are looking for new, cool and inexpensive places to take their dates on.

I may have already blogged about this in the past, but I think Chinatown is a fabulous place for a date!You can get a good meal at a restaurant for $5 and up. Also, Chinatown is nice and quiet in the evenings, great for walking and exploring the different streets.

If I had to name my favorite restaurant in Chinatown, it would probably be Hsin Wong which is located across the street from me. I eat there at least 3 times a week and always get a delicious and hearty meal for $5-$6.

Hsin Wong is especially good for non-Chinese guys to take their date to. They can order dishes that is unique to Chinese cuisine. Chicks dig guys who are cultured about food.

HSIN WONG RESTAURANT, 72 Bayard St, NYC, 212-925-6526

Ellen Young

This week, I had the honor of taking a picture of one of my role models, Ellen Young. Although she was unfortunately not reelected to State Assembly, she was still selected to give a speech because she is still an inspiration to many.

Chinatown has also held a special place in Ellen´s heart as well. When giving one of her speeches, she talked of memories of Columbus Park. Ellen and Bonnie used to go there to talk about their dreams and how they aspired to be someone...

For Chinese Ameircans, Chinatown touches our lives. Chinatown is an ethnic neighborhood in which many of our families have come through. It´s also been a place where we have been able to keep our culture alive and meet other Chinese Americans like us. It´s important that we remember to pay tribute to the place where we were able to build our dreams.

Cupcakes for AAWW

The Asian American Writer's Workshop is having their Literary Awards Reception today and they requested for some of my CICF cakes.

My friend, Ken Chen is the Executive Director of the workshop. Ken has been making efforts to be more involved in the Chinatown community so when he asked for 200 cupcakes, I couldn't turn him down. ( I think it could also be the fact that in his past career, he was a lawyer and convinced me without me knowing?) Just kidding...

In short, I was up all night making pandan cupcakes. For those of you who are unaware of what pandan is, it's a Malaysian leaf used to flavor a lot of desserts. If you ever go to a Malaysian bakery and wonder why all their pastries are green, it is probably because they are pandan flavored. This cupcake I created was inspired by our pandan ice cream that has been a big seller at our shop.

For more details on the Literary Awards Reception, visit http://www.aaww.org/

CICF Cupcakes for El Maestro

CICF recently donated cupcakes and copies of “Saturdays in Chinatown” to the El Maestro Cultural Center in the South Bronx. They celebrated the renovation of their space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

My friend, Mabel helped her friends with the renovations. They raised money and renovated in under 10 days! I am glad to see that people are supporting non-profits.

El Maestro was founded by two brothers, Ponce and Pedro. A real grassroots organization, they do not receive any government funding. Their goal is to provide the community with a place for sports (boxing) and education for adults and children.

I hope to continue to connect children in different neighborhoods across the city through children's literature.

Taylor Poarch with a copy of "Saturdays in Chinatown"

Voting In Chinatown

Eddie Chiu from Chinatown has been making headlines. � Mr Chiu is in charge of the Lin Association which is a 108 year old standing institution. � As a retired business owner, he has been making it his mission to get the Chinatown community up and voting! �

By encouraging members in the community to vote, he has been getting more attention from politicians. � All the politicians that he had supported this year have won. � Daniel Squadron, Sheldon Silver, and Grace Meng. � Two of three of these politicians are new elects and have defeated their incumbents. �

I'm glad to see people active and passionate about our community. � Chinatown is such a special place but often our issues are overlooked because we are not considered an important voting block. � Politicians help those who can help to get them elected. � I hope in the future more people in our community start to realize the power of voting.