My NEW YORK Itinerary with Kids (Day 1: Arrival in New York)

October 5, 2013


My NEW YORK Itinerary with Kids: 
(Day 1: Arrival in New York)

This is our actual itinerary when we visited New York. We did everything and saw everything listed in this itinerary. So, this has been time tested and proven to be possible, even if you have kids travelling with you. 

Things to note about this itinerary
1. I have to let you know that my kids, who were with me, range from 13 years old to 18 years old. They are fit and capable of walking long distances. They were able to see all the sights listed in this itinerary. 

2. The choice of sights were made in consultation with my kids. So it's a blend of sights that both adults and kids will enjoy.

3. We traveled by public transportation (mainly by walking, riding the bus or the metro) so the itinerary includes directions from the New Yorker hotel to the sights and between sights. Being 6 in a group, we didn't see the taxi as an option.

4. The timing includes lining up for tickets and going through security checks. The only ticket I purchased ahead of time is the United Nations tour tickets, the Statue of Liberty tickets and the Lion King tickets.

Cost
The total cost of this itinerary can be computed as follows: 
Hotel accomodation for 4 nights: The New Yorker Hotel
Meals: see McDonalds New York prices
  • Mcdonalds meal rate x 10 meals (breakfast is free with hotel) x 6 people 
  •  Why use the McDonalds meal rate? I always use the McDonalds meal rate in   places I visit to estimate my meal budget because there's  McDonalds restaurant almost everywhere in the world, and a website that will show you the menu prices. 
Tip based Manhattan walking tour: see Free Tours by Foot: New York
UN tour: see UN websiteOnline guided tour tickets
Statue cruises to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: see Statue cruises websiteStatue cruises tickets
Broadway tickets: see Ticketmaster website
Museums: see Metropolitan Museum websiteMuseum of Modern Art website
Empire State building: see Empire State building websiteEmpire State building tickets
Metro/bus tickets: see New York Metro ticket website


MY NEW YORK ITINERARY WITH KIDS

DAY 1. MONDAY: 
ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK

2:00 PM
Arrival in New York 
Directions from the JFK airport to the New Yorker hotel: We used the NYC airporter. After baggage claim, we went outside the airport arrival area and walked further to the left where the dispatcher of the NYC airporter is located. We purchased 6 tickets from the dispatcher. Instead of paying $12 each, we availed of the family rate for 4 people at $35, and the child rate for the 2 kids at $10 each, for at total of $55 for the 6 of us. 
It took very long for a NYC airporter shuttle bus to pick us up. Eventually, we were picked up by a Supershuttle van and brought to the Grand Central terminal, where we rode another airporter bus, that took us at the doorstep of the New Yorker hotel.
My tipIf you are in a hurry to arrive at your Manhattan hotel, do not take the NYC airporter. Better book Carmel Cars. The minivan will only cost $60 + $6.50 toll + 20% tip for 6 people, with 4 checked size luggage.
But if you are 6 in a group and have 6 checked size luggage, it will be cheaper to ride the NYC airporter because 1 person is entitled to 1 checked size luggage. But take note that it took us almost 2-3 hours to arrive at our hotel, because of the length of time it took for the van to pick us up at the airport, then to transfer to another bus that will take us to the hotel, and then to wait for your turn to be dropped off at your hotel. 
5:00 PM
Actual check-in at New Yorker hotel (Read more about the New Yorker hotel)

7:00 PM
Dinner options across the New Yorker hotel: McDonalds, Famiglia Pizza, Burger King. Since we were tired already, we chose to stay in and enjoy the view of the Empire State building from our hotel room window. Two of my kids chose McDonalds, the other two wanted Burger king and my husband and I bought pizza and lasagna at the Famiglia pizzeria.


DAY 2. TUESDAY: 
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN TOUR by FREE TOURS BY FOOT
TIFFANY'S STORE FEATURED IN "BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S"
FIFTH AVENUE
UNITED NATIONS TOUR
Read more of Day 2 of My New York Itinerary with Kids 

DAY 3. WEDNESDAY: 
STATUE OF LIBERTY, LIBERTY ISLAND, ELLIS ISLAND 
911 MEMORIAL 
BROADWAY SHOW: LION KING
TIMES SQUARE
Read more of Day 3 of New York Itinerary with Kids


DAY 4. THURSDAY: 
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA)
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
PLAZA HOTEL
CENTRAL PARK
Read more of Day 4 of My New York Itinerary with Kids 

DAY 5. FRIDAY: 
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

SINGAPORE: My List of Best Food Souvenirs to Bring Home

October 4, 2013


SINGAPORE: My List of Best Food Souvenirs to Bring Home

The most famous Singaporean dishes are Laksa, Hainanese Chicken and Chili Crab. If you were to bring home a piece of Singapore, the best is to bring home these three dishes. Prima Taste premix is my favorite brand to bring home. 

Why I Love Prima Taste Premix
1. Prima Taste premix captures the authentic taste of Laksa , Hainanese Chicken and Chili Crab. 
2.  It's easy to cook.
3. Each package has all the complete ingredients to make up the dish. You only add the meat. For instance, the Hainanese Chicken premix not only contains the hainanese flavor mix, it also has a pack of chili, soy sauce and ground ginger that are side sauces to the dish.
4. A box of premix is not expensive. As of August 2013, one box cost 7.40 SGD.
5. It's easy to buy. It's available at any Cold Storage supermarket located all over Singapore. Checkout Cold Storage website for the location of branches.

Below is a preview of what's inside the box and what it looks like when cooked:

Chili Crab
Above photo taken from Prima Taste website

What's inside the box:
Chili Crab paste
Chili Crab premix
Extra Hot Chili Mix


You only need to add crab to make this dish
Suggestion: add crabmeat to sauce 


Hainanese Chicken Rice

Above photo taken from Prima Taste website


What's inside the box:
Hainanese chicken rice premix
Hainanese chicken rice fragrance oil
Sesame soya sauce oil
Chili sauce, Chicken rice dark soya sauce, Chicken rice ginger sauce



You only need to add chicken to make this dish



Laksa
Above photo taken from Prima Taste website
What's inside the box:
Laksa paste
Laksa premix
Sambal chili

Cooked sauce


You only add shrimp, tofu, spaghetti, mongo sprouts.
You can add other ingredients depending on your taste.


Food Tripping at UP Diliman: Tapsilog at Rodic's

Food Tripping at UP Diliman: Tapsilog at Rodic's

What is Tapsilog?

Tapsilog is a Filipino term coined from the words tapa (fried beef), singangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog (egg). It's a Filipino meal of fried beef, garlic fried rice and egg.



Inside Rodic's





Price of Tapsilog

80 pesos per meal

Location

University Shopping Center
UP Diliman

You can see the branches and the telephone number above

Hours of Operation:

Monday to Sunday. 6:30 AM - 9:30 PM

Food Tripping at UP DILIMAN: Mang Larry's Isawan

September 28, 2013



Food Tripping at UP DILIMAN: Mang Larry's Isawan

What is an Isawan?
An "isawan" is a food stall selling grilled isaw. Isaw refers to the intestine of the pig or chicken. An isawan, however, not only serves grilled intestines but other innards of the pig or chicken like tripe, gizzard, etc. 

The different grilled innards served by Mang Larry's Isawan


How much is it

Menu displayed in front of the stall



Product and price per stick:


Balun Balunan (chicken gizzard) - P6.00
Special Isaw Pork (pig intestines) - P6.00
Pork Barbecue  - P10.00
Atay (Liver) - P6.00
Botchi - P6.00
Isaw Manok (chicken intestines) - P3.00
Isaw Baboy (pig intestines) - P3.00
Goto (tripe) - P6.00
Tainga (pig's ears) - P6.00



If you wish to try one of each kind like the one above, your total cost is P52.00



From left to right: Balun balunan, special isaw pork. botchi, pork barbecue, atay, tainga, goto, isaw pork, isaw chicken.



Where it is located

Mang Larry's Isawan is located at the parking lot across the parking lot of the UP College of Law. It is also across the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice and the University Arcade and Swimming Pool. 

Update as of Feb 11, 2015: Mang Larry's Isawan was relocated to the parking lot across the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice and near the University Arcade and Swimming Pool. Checkout the map shown below.









Hours of Operation: 

Monday-Sunday: 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM

SINGAPORE: My Guide to Visiting Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant

September 14, 2013


Singapore: My Guide to Visiting Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice Restaurant

Why visit Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice:
1. It's the hawker that made the hainanese chicken rice famous.
2. It's the authentic and original hainanese chicken rice that Singaporeans love. By tasting the original hainanese chicken rice, you can compare with other versions of hainanese chicken rice available at nearby hawker stalls.
3. It won against Gordon Ramsay and the recently held Singtel Hawker Heroes Challenge.
Check out my post "SINGAPORE: Singtel Hawker Heroes v. Gordon Ramsay: A Visit to the Hawker Heroes Challenge Winners"



It's located between along Joo Chiat Road between Joo Chiat Community Club....

... and Katong Junction.




Restaurant hours.
Take note that all branches are closed on Mondays.

A view of the inside of the restaurant


The menu

The two of us ordered a half chicken at 14 SGD and chicken rice at 3.80 SGD each

The chicken is so tender it melts in your mouth.
The serving is large for 2 people. It's actually good for 3 people.



My tip:

If you're unable to visit this place or would want to bring home a taste of Singapore to your home, I recommend purchasing Prima Taste hainanese chicken rice premix at any Cold Storage supermarket in Singapore located on the shelves of Marinades and Sauces. The taste of this premix is as authentic as the of Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. Photo is shown below.

Photo taken from Prima Taste website
The cost at Cold Storage is 7.40 SGD per box

SINGAPORE: My Guide to Visiting 328 Katong Laksa


SINGAPORE: My Guide to Visiting 328 Katong Laksa


Why visit 328 Katong Laksa:
1. It's the hawker that made laksa famous.
2. It's the authentic and original laksa that Singaporeans love. By tasting the original laksa, you can compare with other versions of laksa made available at nearby hawker stalls.
3. It won against Gordon Ramsay and the recently held Singtel Hawker Heroes Challenge.
Check out my post "SINGAPORE: Singtel Hawker Heroes v. Gordon Ramsay: A Visit to the Hawker Heroes Challenge Winners"



You can find 328 Katong Laksa at the corner of East Coast Road and Ceylon Road






Outside dining area at the corner of East Coast Road and Ceylon Road


Air-conditioned dining areas are also available



Where you order and where the laksa is prepared

The cook preparing our laksa

They offer different sizes of laksa servings

We ordered the small laksa at 4.50 SGD each

The content of laksa as advertised
The actual content of the laksa

You can see the consistency and the quantity of coconut milk in the laksa sauce





Other meals offered by 328 Katong Laksa
My tip:

If you're unable to visit this place or would want to bring home a taste of Singapore to your home, I recommend purchasing Prima Taste laksa premix at any Cold Storage supermarket in Singapore located on the shelves of Marinades and Sauces. The taste of this premix is as authentic as the laksa of 328 Katong Laksa. Photo is shown below.

Photo taken from Prima Taste website
The cost at Cold Storage is 7.40 SGD per box