Blog: November 2015
November 8, 2015
Ran a few errands in DC this afternoon, and along the way stopped by Georgetown Waterfront and the memorials. The weather was so beautiful today and all the leaves were so pretty! I spent quite a while just sitting by Georgetown Waterfront listening to the guy playing his electric violin and playing a bunch of top hits! I've seen him around DC many times and he's so good. He played Hotline Bling and these few guys were dancing and taking selfies with him haha.
Ran a few errands in DC this afternoon, and along the way stopped by Georgetown Waterfront and the memorials. The weather was so beautiful today and all the leaves were so pretty! I spent quite a while just sitting by Georgetown Waterfront listening to the guy playing his electric violin and playing a bunch of top hits! I've seen him around DC many times and he's so good. He played Hotline Bling and these few guys were dancing and taking selfies with him haha.
November 11, 2015
First stop in Seattle: Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Pike & Pine. It's like a super fancy Starbucks with a tasting room as well. It was huge inside with so many tables for people to work at during the day. I got the Butterscotch Latte, per recommended by Lauren, and it was so delicious. But $8 for a coffee though...
First stop in Seattle: Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Pike & Pine. It's like a super fancy Starbucks with a tasting room as well. It was huge inside with so many tables for people to work at during the day. I got the Butterscotch Latte, per recommended by Lauren, and it was so delicious. But $8 for a coffee though...
November 11, 2015
The Streets of Pike & Pine
I walked around Pike & Pine in the morning when it was still pretty quiet. The neighborhood was very hipster with a lot of bars and cafes. Seattle has a lot of cafes in general. The area was also gay-friendly and you can see rainbow pride throughout. Unicorn, the bar Macklemore recorded Thrift Shop in, was also there!
The Streets of Pike & Pine
I walked around Pike & Pine in the morning when it was still pretty quiet. The neighborhood was very hipster with a lot of bars and cafes. Seattle has a lot of cafes in general. The area was also gay-friendly and you can see rainbow pride throughout. Unicorn, the bar Macklemore recorded Thrift Shop in, was also there!
November 11, 2015
I spent a long time at Pike Place just people watching, walking around the stands and taking photos of random stuff. There's so much going on there and it's an actual functioning market! I waited so long to get the fish hurlers on both my camera and my GoPro, and the photo came out blurry anyway womp. The markets had so much colorful fruits and vegetables and they were all so picturesque. The craft market had handmade things and they all looked dainty and cute. Pike Place also had a lot of really pretty flowers and I tried to take the cliche photos with the Public Market sign in the background. Also saw the first Starbucks on Pike Place and finally figured out why it's called Pike Roast... And the logo for the first Starbucks has a naked lady! While at Pike Place, I also got Pike Place Chowder - got Seafood Bisque and Lobster Roll, pretty generic but pretty good. Also had Piroshky Piroshky, this Russian bakery that sells Beef and Onion / Beef and Cheese Piroskhy's, just pretty average. Loved some of the random stuff I saw there, include the One Way sign transformed into One Love.
I spent a long time at Pike Place just people watching, walking around the stands and taking photos of random stuff. There's so much going on there and it's an actual functioning market! I waited so long to get the fish hurlers on both my camera and my GoPro, and the photo came out blurry anyway womp. The markets had so much colorful fruits and vegetables and they were all so picturesque. The craft market had handmade things and they all looked dainty and cute. Pike Place also had a lot of really pretty flowers and I tried to take the cliche photos with the Public Market sign in the background. Also saw the first Starbucks on Pike Place and finally figured out why it's called Pike Roast... And the logo for the first Starbucks has a naked lady! While at Pike Place, I also got Pike Place Chowder - got Seafood Bisque and Lobster Roll, pretty generic but pretty good. Also had Piroshky Piroshky, this Russian bakery that sells Beef and Onion / Beef and Cheese Piroskhy's, just pretty average. Loved some of the random stuff I saw there, include the One Way sign transformed into One Love.
November 11, 2015
I strolled down the big hill from Pike Place to check out the waterfront. Pretty quiet and anti-climatic and the only thing there was the ferris wheel. Stopped by this antique shop and they sold all sorts of random and weird things, and even saw this newspaper from the Kennedy assassination.
I strolled down the big hill from Pike Place to check out the waterfront. Pretty quiet and anti-climatic and the only thing there was the ferris wheel. Stopped by this antique shop and they sold all sorts of random and weird things, and even saw this newspaper from the Kennedy assassination.
November 11, 2015
I stopped by the Waterfall Garden in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. It was a nice waterfall in the middle of the city - not bad - but a little disappointed because I had to walk three-quarters of a mile for it.
I stopped by the Waterfall Garden in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. It was a nice waterfall in the middle of the city - not bad - but a little disappointed because I had to walk three-quarters of a mile for it.
November 11, 2015
Kerry Park! Got dinner at Wasabi with Lauren and Synthia in Downtown and then we drove up to Kerry Park to see the view of Downtown Seattle. The park has the perfect view of the Space Needle, and there's pretty much nothing else notable in Downtown haha.
Kerry Park! Got dinner at Wasabi with Lauren and Synthia in Downtown and then we drove up to Kerry Park to see the view of Downtown Seattle. The park has the perfect view of the Space Needle, and there's pretty much nothing else notable in Downtown haha.
November 12, 2015
I got to the Space Needle pretty early and found that there were not much around that area. So quiet and deserted at 8am, so I chilled at Street Bean Coffee because it was so damn cold that day.
I got to the Space Needle pretty early and found that there were not much around that area. So quiet and deserted at 8am, so I chilled at Street Bean Coffee because it was so damn cold that day.
November 12, 2015
The area under the Space Needle was surprisingly empty and not much to do. Going up to the top was pretty cool actually since the elevators were exposed and you can see out through the class. And the top was even colder than the bottom.. That day it was pretty cloudy, but I could make out a little bit of the mountains in the background - Mt Rainier and something else I forget... But pretty cool experience up at the top!
The area under the Space Needle was surprisingly empty and not much to do. Going up to the top was pretty cool actually since the elevators were exposed and you can see out through the class. And the top was even colder than the bottom.. That day it was pretty cloudy, but I could make out a little bit of the mountains in the background - Mt Rainier and something else I forget... But pretty cool experience up at the top!
November 12, 2015
After the Space Needle, I sent to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum right underneat the Space Needle. It was probably one of the highlights of Seattle. The artist made so many colorful glass sculptures and made giant pieces from them. The museum wasn't huge, but each exhibit was really cool, and all the colors and shapes were so pretty.
After the Space Needle, I sent to the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum right underneat the Space Needle. It was probably one of the highlights of Seattle. The artist made so many colorful glass sculptures and made giant pieces from them. The museum wasn't huge, but each exhibit was really cool, and all the colors and shapes were so pretty.
November 12, 2015
Next, went to the EMP Museum, a museum about music, sci-fi and pop culture. A lot of the exhibits were topics I couldn't relate to a whole lot, but there were pretty cool things to read about and some interactives. Some of the stories and history were actually pretty interested to read up on and I was able to link them back to the History of Rock Music class at Cornell! Heh.
Next, went to the EMP Museum, a museum about music, sci-fi and pop culture. A lot of the exhibits were topics I couldn't relate to a whole lot, but there were pretty cool things to read about and some interactives. Some of the stories and history were actually pretty interested to read up on and I was able to link them back to the History of Rock Music class at Cornell! Heh.
November 12, 2015
So I heard South Lake Union was a nice place to see, especially the Amazon Campus. I went there and everyone walking on the streets had an Amazon badge and there was actually not much to do since it's all Amazon buildings. Got lunch at Serious Pies, but it wasn't pizza to die for. So wandered to the lake and the place was deserted as well. Merp
So I heard South Lake Union was a nice place to see, especially the Amazon Campus. I went there and everyone walking on the streets had an Amazon badge and there was actually not much to do since it's all Amazon buildings. Got lunch at Serious Pies, but it wasn't pizza to die for. So wandered to the lake and the place was deserted as well. Merp
November 12, 2015
I took the bus up to Fremont and by that time it was rainly pretty steadily. It was kinda a gross trip, but wanted to see Gas Works Park. First stopped by to see the Troll underneat the bridge and it was pretty big, kinda creepy. Then walked to the park and it was so empty - only me and this other guy just wandering around. The park would be nice if the weather were nice and it has a nice view of Seattle, but I could barely make out the Space Needle through the clouds.
I took the bus up to Fremont and by that time it was rainly pretty steadily. It was kinda a gross trip, but wanted to see Gas Works Park. First stopped by to see the Troll underneat the bridge and it was pretty big, kinda creepy. Then walked to the park and it was so empty - only me and this other guy just wandering around. The park would be nice if the weather were nice and it has a nice view of Seattle, but I could barely make out the Space Needle through the clouds.
November 12, 2015
On my way back to Microsoft campus to meet Lauren for dinner, my bus got delayed because students at the University of Washington were protesting with the University of Missouri racial issue. They blocked the entire intersection where all the buses go through and this guy just talked in the middle of the group. My first time seeing a protest so it was pretty cool, but it made me walk an extra mile and half to another bus and added another hour and half to my trip back.
On my way back to Microsoft campus to meet Lauren for dinner, my bus got delayed because students at the University of Washington were protesting with the University of Missouri racial issue. They blocked the entire intersection where all the buses go through and this guy just talked in the middle of the group. My first time seeing a protest so it was pretty cool, but it made me walk an extra mile and half to another bus and added another hour and half to my trip back.
November 13, 2015
S E A T T L E
S E A T T L E
November 14, 2015
First stop in Portland was food trucks! We were all starving and found this square with a bunch of food trucks. The food was alright, but the best part about that place (Portland in general) were the leaves. They're all so colorful - orange, yellow, red - it seemed like straight out of a movie.
First stop in Portland was food trucks! We were all starving and found this square with a bunch of food trucks. The food was alright, but the best part about that place (Portland in general) were the leaves. They're all so colorful - orange, yellow, red - it seemed like straight out of a movie.
November 14, 2015
Powell Books. This book store was gigantic and filled with new and used books. I think it spanned an entire city block and it was like a maze inside with multiple sections and floors. Pretty cool, but too bad I'm not a big reader.
Powell Books. This book store was gigantic and filled with new and used books. I think it spanned an entire city block and it was like a maze inside with multiple sections and floors. Pretty cool, but too bad I'm not a big reader.
November 14, 2015
We went to Washington Square Park not knowing what exactly was there, but came across this small area with super pretty leaves! So all of us had a mini photoshoot at the railroad tracks (mainly started by Lauren asking for a photo every other minute) and spent a goood hour there. This was like the basic fall leaves photo every posts up.
We went to Washington Square Park not knowing what exactly was there, but came across this small area with super pretty leaves! So all of us had a mini photoshoot at the railroad tracks (mainly started by Lauren asking for a photo every other minute) and spent a goood hour there. This was like the basic fall leaves photo every posts up.
November 14, 2015
Next stop we went to Nob Hill for Papa Haydn's dessert, but also checked out the neighborhood. One thing I loved about Portland was that there were little neighborhoods throughout the city and all had a very homey vibe. I think it might just be a Pacific-Northwest kind of vibe, but I dig it.
Next stop we went to Nob Hill for Papa Haydn's dessert, but also checked out the neighborhood. One thing I loved about Portland was that there were little neighborhoods throughout the city and all had a very homey vibe. I think it might just be a Pacific-Northwest kind of vibe, but I dig it.
November 14, 2015
Papa Haydn' was like desserts galore. All the desserts were ginormous and they all looked so amazing (and they were). I'm glad we each got different ones both to try it out and to get the photos. :P
Papa Haydn' was like desserts galore. All the desserts were ginormous and they all looked so amazing (and they were). I'm glad we each got different ones both to try it out and to get the photos. :P
November 15, 2015
We spent the night playing Settlers of Catan Synthia just bought from Target. Also had some struggles with the ice jar not being big enough..
We spent the night playing Settlers of Catan Synthia just bought from Target. Also had some struggles with the ice jar not being big enough..
November 15, 2015
So the Portland Saturday Market operates on both Saturdays and Sundays - Underneath the sign it says 'Sunday too.' Another thing about the Pacific-Northwest: a lot of things are handmade and they focus a lot on craft, which I really appreciate. So many artsy stuff at the market and people seemed to really enjoy what they're doing. I ended up getting this cool photo/painting of the entire Downtown with notable attractions highlighted in more color.
So the Portland Saturday Market operates on both Saturdays and Sundays - Underneath the sign it says 'Sunday too.' Another thing about the Pacific-Northwest: a lot of things are handmade and they focus a lot on craft, which I really appreciate. So many artsy stuff at the market and people seemed to really enjoy what they're doing. I ended up getting this cool photo/painting of the entire Downtown with notable attractions highlighted in more color.
November 15, 2015
Everything was so closeby in Portland and we wanedered two blocks away from the Saturday Market to Voodoo Doughnuts. None of us were huge donut fans and didn't see the line worth waiting in. Also, lots of strip clubs in Portland - apparently it's a thing to do when in Portland. We almost did.
Everything was so closeby in Portland and we wanedered two blocks away from the Saturday Market to Voodoo Doughnuts. None of us were huge donut fans and didn't see the line worth waiting in. Also, lots of strip clubs in Portland - apparently it's a thing to do when in Portland. We almost did.
November 15, 2015
Still amazed at how colorful the leaves were in Portland.
Still amazed at how colorful the leaves were in Portland.
November 15, 2015
Good bye, Portland. Until the next time I visit the Pacific-Northwest.
Good bye, Portland. Until the next time I visit the Pacific-Northwest.
November 15, 2015
P O R T L A N D
P O R T L A N D
November 22, 2015
Back in the city after almost half a year! Drove back early and the drive went pretty smoothly. Have been looking forward to soup dumplings since last night and Chinatown soup dumplings really hit the spot. Also got Boba Guys and then went to the Highlines for a bit. Good to be back. :)
Back in the city after almost half a year! Drove back early and the drive went pretty smoothly. Have been looking forward to soup dumplings since last night and Chinatown soup dumplings really hit the spot. Also got Boba Guys and then went to the Highlines for a bit. Good to be back. :)
November 24, 2015
Worked out of the Capital One Labs office in NYC today - it's right next to Union Square and the office is pretty nice! After work, I went to the Union Square Holiday Market because it's a holiday-y thing to do. So many pretty lights and I love the festive feeling in NYC.
Worked out of the Capital One Labs office in NYC today - it's right next to Union Square and the office is pretty nice! After work, I went to the Union Square Holiday Market because it's a holiday-y thing to do. So many pretty lights and I love the festive feeling in NYC.
November 24, 2015
Museum of Feelings. It's a free pop up museum by the World Trade Center and every room is a different feeling. It was cool because it stimulates your senses like smell, sight, touch, etc... but also really trippy. In the end, we took this quiz and I was feeling joyful. :)
Museum of Feelings. It's a free pop up museum by the World Trade Center and every room is a different feeling. It was cool because it stimulates your senses like smell, sight, touch, etc... but also really trippy. In the end, we took this quiz and I was feeling joyful. :)
November 25, 2015
TTT Reunion with the Taiwan gang. All grown up now and all working. I miss the days in Taiwan where we all went out to Luxy and partied on weekends and weekdays. But I guess we can do the same now, just not as frequently(?).
TTT Reunion with the Taiwan gang. All grown up now and all working. I miss the days in Taiwan where we all went out to Luxy and partied on weekends and weekdays. But I guess we can do the same now, just not as frequently(?).