i have found another item to add to my list of "things that are better in ny than california." it was a tough call, but i have to admit that walking the brooklyn bridge takes the cake over the legendary golden gate bridge in foggy san francisco. the golden gate bridge has a special symbolism to the entire city and it's understandable why thousands flock to walk the bridge daily. but there was something special the evening i walked the brooklyn bridge to manhattan. gorgeous weather, architectual background, lady liberty in the distance...walking above the car traffic, able to see 360 degrees clearly...it's almost like a boardwalk...a pier to be more precise. physically you are in nyc, but a peace settles over your body and you feel like you're walking on a cloud. commuters take to it daily to avoid the congested subways, athletes sweat running on it, couples stroll basking in the evening romance. for the entire time it took to cross (~20 mins casually walking) i found myself envious of the brooklyn->manhattan commuters that are able to take advantage of the bridge daily. it's a wonderful way to spiritually calm yourself from the rigors that come from a city lifestyle.

the past couple weeks have been entertaining. regina spektor concert at the beacon theater was amazing. the theater has a lot of character and regina puts on a great live show. went to a work dinner at shang in the lower east side. probably my favorite extravagant meal so far. each dish was unique and flavorful. we had a group of 8 and i can honestly say every single person enjoyed all the dishes they tried. family style is the way to do it here and large families are always better. recommended dishes: singapore slaw (THE best asian salad i've had), black cod, skirt steak, lamb chop, and lobster rolls...pretty much every dish was amazing and our waitress had a major hand in choosing what we should order. it's got a great outdoor patio overlooking allen st. where you can sip on drinks and order bar food as well. my stomach is still full thinking about it. next week i'm moving into my new apartment so get ready for the housewarming party!!!

p.s. want to send out a shout out to the king of pop. his music will always be a favorite with all generations. he will never be forgotten