Shut up, Canice » New York

Locavorism at its purest and most insane.

caniceleung — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:24:09 +0000

Eating local is expensive and time-consuming, which is why this consumerist movement will not easily trickle down into mass society. It requires a willful abstinence from convenience and plenty, a core promise of the modern world. Our bountiful era is predicated on the division of labor: We don’t sew our own clothes, we don’t build our own houses—and we certainly don’t farm—because we’re too busy doing whatever it is we do for everyone else.

—”My Empire of Dirt” in New York magazine

Ooh I’ve got the jibblies…

caniceleung — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 20:30:43 +0000

It’s 11 a.m. on a Monday. I’m sleeping in (rare these days) and my cellphone starts ringing.

Canice, discernibly irritated: “Hello?!”
Middle-aged black dude: “Hey, um, this is _________.”
C: “Who?”
MABD: “__________. I was on Law and Order and I’m in the upcoming movie American Gangster with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.”
C: “Uh… okay?”
MABD: “You gave me your card. I have your number from — I was looking in my pockets and I had your card. I have to say, you are beautiful.” [note: the lower half of my face is splashed on my business card. I have started to realize what a bad idea this is.]
C: “How did you get my card?!”
MABD: “You took a picture of me in Times Square.”
C: “THAT WAS FOUR MONTHS AGO.”
MABD: “Yeah well I was calling to ask, can I take you out somewhere nice like the Olive Garden?” [HAHAHAHA]
C: “I don’t think so… You see, I don’t live in New York anymore.”
MABD: “Well can I fly up and see you?”
C: “Ah, I’m seeing someone.” [okay so it's not true, but it's not a blatant lie either!!!]
MABD: “Well can I fly up and kidnap you?”
C: “I don’t think he would appreciate that.”
MABD: “You know, I think Asian women are beautiful. My friend Larry, he is seeing an Asian woman and she is beautiful. All my black friends love those little Asian women.”
C: “…”
MABD: “… Really.”
C: “That’s really nice. But I’m not interested.”
MABD: “Are you sure? I would treat you real good…”
C: “EW! I’m going to go now.”
(click)

Has even putting your cell phone on your business card become perilous? Mingin’, man… just sick. I hope I remember this guy’s name soon. He says he is an actor, so theoretically he could be on IMDB. I thought he was lying about the movie with Washington and Crowe, but aforementioned ever-helpful site confirmed he was telling the truth.

Tuesday: 24.8 km on the bike. Not bad for a bum knee.
Thursday: ~~11.6km so far. God bless the city of Toronto and their bike lockers! What would a commuter do without them.~~ Edit: Rounded out the day at 23km.

Postcards from Coney Island

caniceleung — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 21:19:35 +0000

These are pretty much the last of my New York photos. If I find more worth posting, they will be eventually (I would have said there were more, but mysteriously, a folder containing more photos from Red Hook, Brooklyn has disappeared). The (in)frequency of my blogging has been detrimentally affected by the disappearance of an Internet connection at home. The weaning-off process has been excruciating. Actually, it wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t working 7 days a week then had to come home and realize there is more absence of anything interesting to do – that is, if you consider hours of Myspace and message board lurking interesting. Or useful.

At least the paycheques are nice. Ciao bella!

Coney Island, Pt. 4

caniceleung — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:29:29 +0000

There’s probably an official name for this, but basically just off the main strip of Coney Island’s boardwalk, a congregation of peeps were gathered to celebrate freedom and mourn those that died when slave ships crossed over to America. I witnessed many people in t-shirts demanding reparations for slavery, and equal numbers of curious onlookers. The old man in the first picture carrying a large ankh in each hand (symbolizing life and immortality in Egyptian culture) was quite friendly, explaining to me why they were there. Despite the white robes or traditional African dress most of them were in, it was kind of funny to see an amalgamation with a very American tradition – a brass and drum marching band. Only in New York.

West 4th Courts

caniceleung — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 00:26:54 +0000

The famed Nike-sponsored basketball courts at W 4th St. and 6th Ave. Not exactly as cool as Boogie’s, but I was standing behind a fence, with a wide angle lens. What can you do?

Marco, the summer fling.

caniceleung — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 22:16:36 +0000

Oh, you handsome devil you. For context, read this entry.

Canice meets the melting pot at the Puerto Rican Day Parade

caniceleung — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 17:31:38 +0000

So… so… so hilarious. I missed the actual parade up Fifth Ave. but got there in time for the debauchery and crassness of the afer-party – a loose term I’d use to describe the aimless wandering up and down Madison and Park Aves. on foot and in cars, blasting bad hip-hop and hollering indecipherable things in Spanish.

A tally of things we spotted:

Approximate facsimiles of Fat Joe (this year’s official New York Godfather): 4
Puerto Rican lesbians: 4
Times we were called Japanese tourists: 6
Escalades and other luxury SUVs spotted: 512
Karats of real gold, collectively: 7

Braveheart Theme, Euro Remix

caniceleung — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 17:01:17 +0000

I’m sitting in the courtyard of the Chelsea International Hostel. With a certain degree of sadness I hung my photos in the Parsons summer student exhibit, and got really bummed when it came time to tear down. Photos of our show forthcoming, but to say the least, uppercrust white parents from Connecticut are not the most appreciating of art audiences. It’s kind of infuriating to see poorly Photoshopped snapshots garner more attention and eyeballs than interesting work with visual and intellectual depth. Anyway I am taking home a lot of new portfolio pieces, and I’m tickled pink with my progress. Though not really any direct credit towards the school, I feel I’ve improved.

So, freed from the cell of the 9 to 5 (haha), I moved into the hostel cause it was cheaper, and and I needed a new neighbourhood to hang in. Mid-Manhattanite Washington Square isn’t always the most happening of places.

So as I pilfer free wireless from surrounding apartment buildings, I have, in true hostel fashion, been hit on twice in 20 minutes. By sharkish thirty-someodd men far too old for the disgusting, impoverished habits of a trekker. They obviously make enough money to stay in a four-star hotel, but stay for weeks on end in the hopes (without avail) of scoring with the plenitudes of hot European slouchy hipster-dreamgirls.

Photos forthcoming of a real class act: Spanish middle-ager with perfectly groomed goatee and windblown Fabio-esque black mane of hair, with an ironic hairy chest and swollen potbelly. Sandal and white sock combo is in full effect. Under his short-short swimming trunks in a tasteful orange Hawaiian floral pattern, his ballsack hangs out. Other accessories include: two gold chains, a bag of regular Lays chips, and fake Rolex from a previous visit to Times Square.

Coney Island, Pt. 3

caniceleung — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 14:13:45 +0000

My Youtube Debut

caniceleung — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 22:45:04 +0000

Times Square part one:

Times Square part two: