Fifth Avenue outside the New York Public Library. Snow turns into shower, it's all messy. Whenever there's snow or rain, there is train delay. And there is nothing you can do about it.
Friday, December 09, 2005
New York City, snow day
Fifth Avenue outside the New York Public Library. Snow turns into shower, it's all messy. Whenever there's snow or rain, there is train delay. And there is nothing you can do about it.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Memoirs of a geisha, Munich, King Kong
King Kong is going to win in the box office.
Memoirs got mixed reviews from critics, but people seem to like it. Munich, with Eric Bana, the Hulk, and Daniel Craig, the new 007, could be a winner. We will find out soon. Peter Jackson and Stephen Spielberg are going to be the winners no matter what.
Memoirs got mixed reviews from critics, but people seem to like it. Munich, with Eric Bana, the Hulk, and Daniel Craig, the new 007, could be a winner. We will find out soon. Peter Jackson and Stephen Spielberg are going to be the winners no matter what.
Bryant Park, New York City
All right, I think I took her picture more than I can remember. Part of it is she never says no, and part of it is she is always there. I am testing to see how sharp I can get from my camera, lens and post processing. Guess not sharp enough. Flat lighting, hand-held around 1/50s paid a role too.I am not sure this is part of Bryant Park, this stature is located at the entrance of the New York Public Library. Am I using the word 'located' right? It seems to me a lot of the time, 'situated' is used. I like located.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Christmas is almost here
Christmas Tree from Home Depot or Garden World?
We still haven't gotten our tree yet. I guess it will be a Fraser fir, Home Depot has some for around $40, Garden World around $45.
Nikon lenses
My camera and lens lust continues unabated. My current obsession is the Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 the relatively older model with no vibration reduction. I rented the model once from Adorama and I was pleased with the result.
Game Boy Advanced
As to Christmas shopping, I haven't done any actual shopping, except for the Game Boy Advanced I got from Target on Black Friday.
Nikon
I took some pictures a couple days ago using NEF, the results aren't that great, nothing to do with NEF though. I am trying to see if post processing can help. I am all into sharp pictures but seems like I am not getting lots of them. Also I really messed up, I left the ISO at 1600 and the white balance at bulb to take some outdoor daytime snow scenes with Alex and Harry. So a big chunk of them are messed up technically, I found out the wrong setting later in the shoot.
Levi's, Ted Baker, Burberry...
Monday I took a day off so Jin can take care of some business. I took a train to the city, just to spend some time on my own. I wandered to the downtown area. I checked out the Levi's store, which I always like to go. I have a weakness for Levi's. Then I checked out Bloomingdale's, not really what they are selling, but just to use their men's room in the lower level. Pretty nice. The merchanize there are just a bit too high-end for my budget. Some $600-700 for a Ted Baker corduroy coat or a $700 Burberry tweed jacket. I don't belong there.
Broadway Pandhandler, wok, Global knife, Wusthof knife
I wandered down to Broome Street to actually shop at Broadway Panhandler. I always like this place. I ended up buying a few items, an oven thermometer, a meat thermometer, some measuring cups and spoons, and a zest peeler. On today's Times there is actually an article by Mark Bittman about cast iron cookware, which I happen to agree totally. I would emphasize that all non-stick utensils can't compare to a well seasoned cast iron skillet. And how long can the non-stick coating last, not long enough. The cast iron just keeps going and going and actually performs better as time passes, the opposite is true with any other fancy utensils. I would like to get a traditional Cantonese wok from Broadway Panhandler, the price is good too, but I think I just don't have enough space in the kitchen for a 14 inch wok for the time being. I guess wok cooking is very similar to cast iron skillet cooking. I also checked out the Global knife 3-piece set which is selling for around $150. I asked to hold them, they were much lighter than I thought plus according to the lady who showed me the knives, the knife, despite looking like made from one single piece of steel, it's actually not, the handle is filled with sand and welded to the blade. My Wusthof knife set feels more substantial.
LL Bean
New York is getting cold, good that I got my down jacket from LL Bean a couple years ago. The version I have doesn't have a detachable vest. The only complaint I have with my Maine Warden Parka is the hood is not BIG enough. I have a large and I think the hood is really small compared to the rest of the parka and the chin closure just not generous enough to allow easy closure. So it's kind of awkward. I tried the Northface and the hood is generous. Please Mr. Bean, get your hood right. Other than the hood, almost everything about the transaction or other shopping experience have been good. I exchanged my Maine Warden parka twice, large to medium and back to large...after a year and it was fine with them. I called them and they picked up the phone pretty much right away. Bean got my business.
We still haven't gotten our tree yet. I guess it will be a Fraser fir, Home Depot has some for around $40, Garden World around $45.
Nikon lenses
My camera and lens lust continues unabated. My current obsession is the Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 the relatively older model with no vibration reduction. I rented the model once from Adorama and I was pleased with the result.
Game Boy Advanced
As to Christmas shopping, I haven't done any actual shopping, except for the Game Boy Advanced I got from Target on Black Friday.
Nikon
I took some pictures a couple days ago using NEF, the results aren't that great, nothing to do with NEF though. I am trying to see if post processing can help. I am all into sharp pictures but seems like I am not getting lots of them. Also I really messed up, I left the ISO at 1600 and the white balance at bulb to take some outdoor daytime snow scenes with Alex and Harry. So a big chunk of them are messed up technically, I found out the wrong setting later in the shoot.
Levi's, Ted Baker, Burberry...
Monday I took a day off so Jin can take care of some business. I took a train to the city, just to spend some time on my own. I wandered to the downtown area. I checked out the Levi's store, which I always like to go. I have a weakness for Levi's. Then I checked out Bloomingdale's, not really what they are selling, but just to use their men's room in the lower level. Pretty nice. The merchanize there are just a bit too high-end for my budget. Some $600-700 for a Ted Baker corduroy coat or a $700 Burberry tweed jacket. I don't belong there.
Broadway Pandhandler, wok, Global knife, Wusthof knife
I wandered down to Broome Street to actually shop at Broadway Panhandler. I always like this place. I ended up buying a few items, an oven thermometer, a meat thermometer, some measuring cups and spoons, and a zest peeler. On today's Times there is actually an article by Mark Bittman about cast iron cookware, which I happen to agree totally. I would emphasize that all non-stick utensils can't compare to a well seasoned cast iron skillet. And how long can the non-stick coating last, not long enough. The cast iron just keeps going and going and actually performs better as time passes, the opposite is true with any other fancy utensils. I would like to get a traditional Cantonese wok from Broadway Panhandler, the price is good too, but I think I just don't have enough space in the kitchen for a 14 inch wok for the time being. I guess wok cooking is very similar to cast iron skillet cooking. I also checked out the Global knife 3-piece set which is selling for around $150. I asked to hold them, they were much lighter than I thought plus according to the lady who showed me the knives, the knife, despite looking like made from one single piece of steel, it's actually not, the handle is filled with sand and welded to the blade. My Wusthof knife set feels more substantial.
LL Bean
New York is getting cold, good that I got my down jacket from LL Bean a couple years ago. The version I have doesn't have a detachable vest. The only complaint I have with my Maine Warden Parka is the hood is not BIG enough. I have a large and I think the hood is really small compared to the rest of the parka and the chin closure just not generous enough to allow easy closure. So it's kind of awkward. I tried the Northface and the hood is generous. Please Mr. Bean, get your hood right. Other than the hood, almost everything about the transaction or other shopping experience have been good. I exchanged my Maine Warden parka twice, large to medium and back to large...after a year and it was fine with them. I called them and they picked up the phone pretty much right away. Bean got my business.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Kissena park, bench, trees and an aeroplane
Picture taken in NEF, converted to jpeg using Ufraw from GIMP. I don't know much about the apps, I just used save as or whatever I feel like to use.Do we need another park bench picture, probably not, but there is nothing you can do about it.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Turkey dinner, turkey dinner, gather around, gather around, Who will get the drumstick? yummy yummy drumstick, all sit down, all sit down. That's what Harry likes to sing.
The turkey was marinated with rosemary citrus salt and toasted fennel seed rub. Roasted at 425 degree for a bit more than 2 hours. I am happy with the result.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Thanksgiving is right around the corner
...Thanksgiving is all about turkey and gaining a few pounds and trying in vain to lose them afterwards.
Wait, it's also about the day after Thanksgiving, black Friday, the day we are supposed to start our Holiday shopping.
Wait, it's also about the day after Thanksgiving, black Friday, the day we are supposed to start our Holiday shopping.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Shooting with my Manual Nikkor 50 f1.4
I can't get metering from my D70 when using my oldest Nikkor: 50mm f1.4.The focus is too much on his left eyes and the f stop is around 2, I guess that doesn't give both eyes enought depth of field and hence lack overall sharpness in areas that matter.
The Nikkor 50mm f1.4 survived a car crash and was initially bought with my Nikon FE back around 1984 I think.
Harry riding his tricyle in Kissena Park.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Root Canal
My chronic toothache turned into full blown acute toothache a couple days ago. It became so freaking unbearable I had to take pain killers which turned out to be not as helpful as I'd like them to be.
Finally I got to see an endodontics. Endodontics's like tax and death, unpleasant yet unavoidable, at least for me.
The process was painful and I just hope that after all this is done, everything will be back to normal.
And the bill, more than a brand new Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 but cheaper than the 70-200 f2.8 VR.
I got to check back with my endodontics some time next week.
Brush your teeth twice a day, friends don't let friends go to sleep without brushing.
Finally I got to see an endodontics. Endodontics's like tax and death, unpleasant yet unavoidable, at least for me.
The process was painful and I just hope that after all this is done, everything will be back to normal.
And the bill, more than a brand new Nikkor 80-200 f2.8 but cheaper than the 70-200 f2.8 VR.
I got to check back with my endodontics some time next week.
Brush your teeth twice a day, friends don't let friends go to sleep without brushing.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
What's happening in France?
The French government is in crisis mode now, there is this riot going on on the ourskirt of Paris. All of a sudden the other France is rearing its not so pretty head. After all, France is not just Louis Vuitton and Chanel. France is also about class struggle, French Revolution, and the guillotine.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Nikon D200 is official now
Nikon officially put D200 on its website and announces a selling price around $1,700 for the camera body. The camera has all the goodies except a full frame sensor. It's priced cheaper than the D100 when it first came out about 3 years ago. If you have the money and like Nikon glasses then the choice is pretty obvious. If you love full frame then the choice is obvious too, a Canon 5D or even the Canon 1Ds Mark II or something is your camera.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Nikon D200 is leaked
This is not the latest. D200 was leaked in Nikon's UK site some time yesterday or the day before. In these days, it's all about leaks. Not all leaks are good as some leaks are culpable like the White House leak. I think the indictment is imminent. And then you have product leak like the Nikon D200. I got the Nikon D70 and at this point I am not in the market to upgrade any camera body. The only thing (as a matter of speaking) I don't like about the D70 is, it doesn't meter when used with old manual AIS lenses. The D200 is alleged to have 10 or 12MP, that's going to eat up my HD twice as fast I think.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Untitled
Fifth Avenue and 41st Street. It was shot ISO 500, with exposure compensation +0.3. I did some cropping to take out the bottom and top of the veritcal shot. Some lighten up and sharpen.You can clearly see the Empire State Building on the backgroud.
Coming Home
Taken on my way home last night. I took this riding between cars. I am Flushing bound while this one is Manhattan bound.
Morning Breakfast
Homemade bread from Mom. Harry requested me to take a picture of him while he's having breakfast. He's going to pre-K 5 days a week from 8.30AM to 10:45AM.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Today's New York City Weather
Overcast, high in the 60s.Update: The morning overcast has now turned into full blown sunshine. I didn't check if the pumpkin was still around by noon. If not, probably the lion ate it already.
Today's New York City Weather
look like the picture loading part is not working. For those who crave for new pictures, you just have to wait...
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Sunday afternoon soccer
Untitled. Harry is not in a team yet, but I guess he will when the time comes.
Today's New York City Weather
We have some sun, but very windy. Picture taken after the game. We did a bit post game practice. It was Harry and Mom on the background. Alex is adusting his pants and shin guard.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
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