private vs public

I am starting to get a hang of working in a the new environment. The roles i am assuming are very challenging and requires me to initiate to speak to various individuals from other groups. It's good that i am pretty 'thick skin' work wise, but extremely shy 'socially'. I feel appreciative that i am given many opportunities to shine, yet i wonder sometimes if i can really make it. Well, no time to feel inadequate. I do miss having lunch though....Hedge funds apparently dun have much time for lunch!

It's funny cos i realized how the 'privates' really hate the 'publics'. And they make sure the SHOW it!

south bitches

Spent saturday busking in gorgeous sunshine on South Beach with 2 'bitches', Alan and Fan, and 1 very 'Maggie Cheung' Tammy. I am so nice to you Tammy, you are excluded from the 'bitch' crowd.

white heat: miami

Fan, Tris, Howard and myself finally made it to the White Party: White Heat in Club Space, downtown Miami on Friday night. After a 2 hour delay from my JetBlue flight, followed by a longer than expected shuttle from Fort Lauderale to South Beach, i was initially not really in the mood. There was just too much travelling this month and i kinda dun want to pay $70 bucks for a party! Dinner at Lincoln Avenue followed by a lotta of bitching and 'drama' before the 4 of us decided on White Heat and Tammy and Alan will hit Crobar.

The music started off lackluster and the dance floor was just too super crowded with super sweaty men. I gave myself 2 hours. Things took a turn when me and Fan decided to just really 'make it happen' and enjoy what we paid for. For one, it's great that there were tons of gorgeous men for us to ogle and bitch about. Secondly, the music improved drastically when DJ Abel came on board at 3ish. It's actually very fun 'pretending' to have fun at any parties, or so i learnt. It's so funny when we just pretend to be high and start screaming "I love Miami!!" and "I love the White Party!!" during the night. Anyway, we grew tired and left at 4. But i will say in any party big or small, it's always the company that matters more than anything.....

thanksgiving

Thanksgiving. A day when New York streets seem to empty out suddenly and you can actually encounter difficulties looking for food in this city. Most places are closed today. Worst, it is a gloomy and showery day. I finally found a pastry place on 23rd and 8th in Chelsea for lunch. Looking out to New Yorkers rushing by in the rain with their pies and turkeys to their dinner destinations, i can't help but feel melanchonic....

Later when watching Rent, i realized i was actually tearing throughout the movie cos i am so touched by the movie's characters and the music. Sometimes if you take time to ponder, you will feel that love can be such a powerful motivational force to mankind. Everyone of us possess an extraordinary strength within us, you just need to learn to unleash it. Watching this movie make me love New York more and more. New Yorkers are a tough breed!

I spent Thanksgiving night with Fan, Tristan and Howard having dinner at Red Lobster. Not only did we ordered and paid too much, we decided to fly to Miami tomorrow for a day just for the White Party. Yes, Hawaii, Paris and Miami in a month. A true blue New Yorker and a true blue jet setter!

detox

From today, i will be starting a 7 day detox program to rid my body and soul from evil influences and desires....

 

thanks junior

When you are single and far away from your family, living in a big city like New York, you can't help but feel lonely during holiday seasons like Thanksgiving. I dun want to go to Connecticut for any Thanksgiving dinner, and i did not managed to get my air tickets to Miami in time for the White Party. The next best thing other than sleeping it off is to spend time with Junior's music at Roxy.

So thanks for giving Junior.

singapore gay?

Apparently, the very conservative and 'homo sensitive' Singapore government allowed the Singapore Airlines to have a booth at the Gay Life Expo.

overwhelmed

When you are starting work in a new environment, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. This would be especially so when you are working in a big hedge fund that has many many funds and trades in many many many complex financial instruments that requires interpretation of accounting standards and assessment of valuation methodologies!

new

After living with a broken and depreciated sign board for years, the New Yorker Hotel finally got to fixed it.

amazing reichen

With LA based gay icon and The Amazing Race previous winner, Reichen Lehmkuhl at the Gay Life Expo. This is so unreal!! I remembered watching him on TV back in Singapore years ago. He is damn gorgeous and yummy in real!

dancing ari

With dance pop recording artist, Ari Gold at the Expo. He is hot and very nice.

idol kimberley

Saw a dazzling performance by American Idol, Kimberley Locke at the Gay Life Expo in the Javits Centre. Man, this gal can really sing! Her voice blew the crowd away!

afternoon art

After some organic brunch at Wild Lily this afternoon, Tetsu and me spent some time browsing through art at the Chelsea art galleries. This is my favourite piece this afternoon.

 

au revoir

And so after a very memorable one week in Paris, i came back to New York. Soon, i will be starting work at a new and hopefully fulfilling environment. I have a good feeling there will be more good things heading my way...

Some thoughts of Paris...

Fashion: The average Parisians are more far well-dressed than the average New Yorkers. I admire their sense of style and dedication to fashion as a way of life. Shopping beats New York hands down as well!

Smoking: Parisians smoke, smoke and smoke everywhere. Unlike New York where smoking is only allow in open spaces, Parisians have the luxury to smoke anywhere and everywhere. It took me some time to get used to people on my next table lighting up in cafes.

Food: Not a big fan of french cusines, but there are certainly enough Asian restaurants around to satisfy any other desires. Eating out in Paris is consider pretty expensive. Also, French coffee comes in really tiny cups that u can finish up in two sips. The novelty ran out fast and i switched to Starbucks within two days...

Architecture: Romansque, Renaissance, Flamboyant Gothic, Modern skyscrapers, Paris has it all and i love it all!

Lifestyle: Definitely more laid back compared to New York. It's no secret that French people hate anything English, so speaking the language is key to assimilating into the French culture. Do i want to live in Paris? Yes, definitely!! But can i have the discipline to learn and master French? I hope i do, someday...Maybe one day i may move to Paris for a few months just to pick it up! And i definitely want to stay in the Marais!

Social unrest: I came to Paris this time when France is in the midst of some social unrest. Unlike previous trips, i did not have any time (and balls) to venture out of Central Paris. I am fully aware that life in Paris may not be so 'beautiful' and picture perfect out of 'tourist Paris'. I had seen the 'uglier' side of working class Paris 5 years ago. In any city, there will always be the real world and the glamourous side that the media propagandized. Just like when friends from Asia asked me whether New York is all like Sex and the City, i would always say "Yes and NO". I sincerely hope that France will work it out this time soon....

minh chau

There is a small vietnamese eatery called Minh Chau across the street from my hotel, run my a middle age lady and her daughter. On this trip to Paris, i got to eat there twice, but only because it's always super crowded. The food is simple, yet gives me the feeling that it is made with a lot of love....

During tonight's dinner, i stroke a conversation with the lady boss and her daughter, when i overheard them speaking in cantonese. Its just some basic courtesy small talk, but it feels really good to be speaking in a common Asian language in a foreign country. Seeing Asians in western culture sometimes makes me wonder what's like being a Asian minority anywhere. That's what i am experiencing now living in New York. Compared to growing up as a majority race in Asia, i can fully identify the differences. I can't help but wonder, what's like growing up Asian in Paris? The city is definitely far less cosmopolitan than New York....

As i prepared to leave the eatery, the lady boss wish me bon voyage the Asian way; "Yi Lu Suen Feng". Ahh....only Asians can appreciate this.....I secretly wish them well as well and i promise i will come back!

shopping queen!

I started shopping at C&A and never even get out early enough to shop around the rest of Marais as planned! I bought a lot a lot of stuff today!!! So many jackets and even a three piece suit! Why do i need so many outerwears???? I feel so guilty now! Anyway, i made a trip to Louis Vuitton at Champs Elysees to get a Josephine bag for a galfriend. The salesgirl was really nice, she saw that i have many shopping bags and she gave me a super big LV bag to put them all in. When i walked out of the store and into Hugo Boss next door, all eyes were on me!! I must have looked like a young rich socalite carrying 2 super big bags of LV! Enough shopping for this year already! I need to start clearing my wardrobe!! Actually to think about it, shopping in Paris is better value for money compared to New York if you know where to go.....i think i hit the right spots!

picasso

Went to Musee Picasso to admire some of his master pieces. On my way there, i passed by the fashion district and i realized the textile wholesale businesses in Paris and probably most parts of Europe are also largely dominated by Asian immigrants, as in New York.

I think i am gonna spend my last full day in Paris shopping in the Marais! Though i know there is barely any space left in my wardrobe back home!

jardin du luxembourg

This has always and remains my favourite place in Paris......

pompidou

Centre Pompidou is the MoMA of Paris. The building is so avant-garde that it speaks for itself. I had a lot of fun browsing through some very provocative modern art exhibits today.

The phrase i love most is "A dadaist is a man who loves life in all its forms, without limits, and a man who knows and who says: life is not just here, its there (da), there (da), there (da)." I aspire to be a dadaist!

sleepless in paris

Since everything closes by 9pm (except bars and restaurants) in Paris, i went to bed early last night. I woke up at 1.35am and could not get myself to sleep again. It's a surreal feeling because i have always been sleep deprived. I tried to watch some TV but gave up as i could not understand a thing. Damn! I wish i speak French! I thought about everything and nothing until day break.....some of my thoughts actually revolves around the late Hong Kong Canto pop stars Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui....I wonder why myself. I guess their deaths have been so abrupt that sometimes u feel that they are still around.

This morning, while having my morning breakfast and coffee at the Starbucks in the Marais, i was 'disturbed' by a drunkard who lamented about the 'institutionalization' of coffee houses in Paris by America's Starbucks. Gee....there are not that many in Paris dude! Try New York!

willy ronis

Willy Ronis is one of the most influential and celebrated photographers from France. I have the pleasure to spend some parts of the this afternoon in Hotel de Ville, where he premiered his collection Marie de Paris. Some of his works are so inspiring...ahhhh romance....

disco queen

When i first went to La Queen in Paris years ago, i enjoyed myself so much that i promised that i will come back. Last night, i did. It was actually disco night, and the club was packed with young and beautiful Parisians who really knew how to let go and enjoy the party. I love the combination of English and French disco pop; its very listenable and dancable. And the lights were amazing, totally worldclass! Though disco was not really my thing back in New York, i totally enjoyed it here.....I guess there is a reason why its called La Queen.

marais

So i moved to the "Chelsea/Soho" of Central Paris, the Marais, aka Arrondissement 4e. My hotel is 'dangerously' located along Rue de Rivoli, right in the heart of nightlife and urban shopping. It's a very trendy area, filled with immaculately-dressed Parisians strutting down cobbled boulevards. My first evening, i already fell victim to the 'shopping queen' in me and bought 3 pairs of trendy jeans from RG512, the only reason why i stopped was because they closed at 730pm! I went back the next day to pick up a sweater and an army coat!

Went to the Musee de Lourve today. My favourite place at this impossibly beautiful museum is actually the courtyard 'Court Caree' at the back of the museum. Here, you can sit quietly at the fountain and appreciate the Renaissance architecture, which to me is Paris at its finest.

Strolled along River Seine....admiring the sunset and the beauty of fall in Paris at Point Neuf....I ended up making a wish as the bells were chimming at Notre Dame Cathedrale. I wish i could be with someone eventually....

bonjour

So i arrived in Paris on a cloudy and sleepy sunday morning....no sigh of any of the much reported riots anywhere in Central Paris. As i did not managed to convince Absolute Paris to check me into the room until noon, i spent the morning inside a brasserie relaxing with eggs, bread and coffee, looking out to Place De La Republique before strolling along Canal St Martin. The dorms are poorly managed; no lockers, one key shared by all....So i decided to move to Grand Hotel Du Loiret at Marias tomorrow. It's a trendier area closer to the major sights and bars. Anyway, i crashed from 1pm to 630pm after checking in...waking up several times to open the door for other roommates! This is crap!

Woke up and it's sundown already. A stroll along the luxury fashion houses flaked Av. Montaigne unexpectedly led to to the Effiel Tower, which by the way look really spectacular at night. The beauty of this tower is that when it rose through the Romanesque architecture of Paris and caught you by surprise, you can't help but mumble "Oh Paris!". After Effiel, i had dinner at restaurant directly facing Arc De Triomphe along Avenue Des Champs....I would be really nice if someone is here with me though...It's such a romantic city, though damn chilly tonight!

oh paris!

It's been 5 years since i have been to Paris....

 

a new chapter

Today is my last day at work. It has been an unbelievable 2 years, far exceeding my initial expectations. I have learnt so much, worked with the best people, and at the same time developed a strong interest in hedge funds. I have been really lucky....

Among the gifts i received was a picture book "Dressing The Man" from a close mentor. Perfect, though i really dun think i would need to consult it anytime soon.

v steak

Had lunch with a bunch of colleagues at the very classy and expensive V Steakhouse in Columbus Circle. I can't help but feel extremely fortunate to have met and work with such great people. I am gonna miss the humor around me very much.....Hope i could bring lady luck with me to my new work place.

I think i may be allegic to red wine, i thought it's just the cheap ones previously, but apparently i felt unwell even after the expensive ones during lunch...

I wish that the riots in Paris will simmer down....i feel a bit apprehensive i must admit...

unrest

I realized there have been riots in Paris for a week already! I hope things cool down over the next few days. If not, i have to cancel my flight and my trip!!!

mahalo

The thing about traveling alone is that you have a lot of time to find peace with yourself, to reflect upon your journey in life and think about your adventure in future. I have been so lucky in life. I live and work in the most colorful city in the world, travel to places i have dreamt of going since young, did very well in my current job, got a great offer to further develop myself in another job soon.....the list goes on. I realized the only other dream i have yet to fulfill is to settle down with someone i love..Alas love has always evaded me...But i guess i have to be patient. I do believe i am a pretty nice person...

Coming back to hostelling also made me realized that i have grown up a bit. Firstly, i found myself wanting to pay more for a private room rather than dorm with others. I guess that has to do with ability and privacy. The trade off though is you tend to 'close up' yourself and interact less with other travelers. This trip, i barely spoke much with fellow hostellers. Would i want to interact with the college youths anymore since i am getting closer to the big 3 now? Should i start behaving like an adult and do the 5 star luxury travel packages those Japanese loved so much? I guess i am in between....Or rather, i like to have a bit more privacy, but yet still get a chance to interact with carefree people if i want to. I would never go the package tour route, that's just totally not in my blood. I still like to call myself a backpacker!

So i am going to Paris next week. I so miss Europe....I am really really lucky. I am glad i came to Hawaii. The last few days has been really relaxing and i got to spend sometime with myself...So 'Mahalo' Honolulu.

queer sighting

Saw Carson Kressley of 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' fame strutting around Waikiki Beach this morning...My afternoon was spent watching EVP beach volleyball tournament on the beach, followed by some damage at Armani Exchange. Damn it!

therapy

After my day at the beach yesterday, i walked around Waikiki Beach and can't help but feel the similarity to Goldcoast or Cairns in Australia.....Mega beach resorts with huge shopping malls with the luxury brands to cater to the everlasting appetite of the Japanese tourists, expensive beachfront hotels and tones of tourists traps....I guess thats what global tourism is all about....

After dinner last night, i went for a swedish massage. When the old japanese lady therapist was doing my arms, she exclaimed " wow, you exercise?". Keke...it's hilarious! After the therapy, i went straight to bed! Thats what a vacation is all about i guess, rest and relax! Maybe i will do some of the bar scene tonight, but they dun seem to look very interesting...

Ok, its 7am here and i am going to grab coffee and chill more in the courtyard before hitting the beach!

aloha

So after getting less than 5 hours of sleep, i board a 6 hour flight to LA, followed by a 2 hour transit and another 5 hour flight to Honolulu. This is totally exhausting! And i almost thought the plane which shook violently for almost an hour will come down across the pacific ocean!

Check into a private room in the Hawaiian Seaside Hostel on Waikiki Beach. The room sucks! I guess i was too tired to really care. At least it's a chill and quiet place. I slept pretty well....

Woke up to a gorgeous sunny morning, got coffee and toast from the kitchen and sat in the courtyard to chill. All of a sudden, i realized how much i missed the hostelling and backpacking days of my youth days. I am glad i have so many wonderful memories and experiences with long trips to Europe, Australia, Middle East...Traveling alone, meeting and interacting with people from different places and sharing experiences with them. I think all these travel experiences played a significant role in shaping my character eventually. It opened up my awareness of the world beyond my shores and make me realized how lucky i am. I no longer think it matters that my room sucks, cos really that's not important... I had always wanted to come to Hawaii after watching a movie a long time ago. so i spent a fabulous day sunning myself on the beach with music from the sea waves in company. I am so glad i came.....

symposium

Was at a hedge fund symposium this evening with close to 700 attendents from the hedge fund world. I guess i have been more interested in the cocktail party that follows than the actual conference or the guests who attended....After gorging down multiple finger food, a white wine followed by a gin tonic, i think i must have been semi drunk cos i spontaneously redeemed my skymiles for a flight to Hawaii this afternoon! This explains why i am up so late packing!