Tiki, Travels, and Taking a Job

Last Saturday, I graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY with a degree in Marine Engineering and Shipyard Management, as well as an Engineering Officer's License for ships of any size.The Saturday commencement was a capstone to three days of event, and late nights spent wishing farewells, rather than studying for a test. My greatest personal accomplishment was winning the Seabulk Tanker prize, earning a pair of binoculars and my name on a plaque in the Marine Transportation building, or Bowditch Hall.  

In addition to the pomp and circumstance, I had to make logistics happen to "leave no trace" upon my departure, asides from my name in Bowditch Hall. Since I had my own room for the last half of Senior Year at the Academy, I never felt that I had too much "stuff". Because Washington, DC, my home, is within driving distance of Kings Point, NY, I kept items that my farther-traveling classmates left behind: things like home accessories, Academy gym gear, class notes, and textbooks. This past week, I have been going through the plastic tubs to determine what I actually ought to keep with me for the future, what will stay at home, and what can be sent to Goodwill. The weekend came as a conclusion to this routine, and Mom treated me to lunch at a restaurant in the local Chinatown known as "Eat First". I couldn't help but notice the drink menu. It was a near facsimile of a 1960's tiki menu I had saved on my computer. Many of the drink names evoked a particular island, Oriental destination, or means of getting there: "Lava Mountain" for Hawaii, "Singapore Sling", "Mai Tai" for Polynesia, and "Navy Grog" are a few of the example.  That was a throwback, as well as an appetizer for my future career.

During my Sea Year at the Academy, I had the fortune to visit a handful of island ports: Saipan, Guam and Hawaii, all associated with the United States. Saipan was where I had spent considerable time among the locals, and got to try the local cuisine.
As for the Orient, I visited a small town in Korea, where the gastronomical specialty was meat roasted on a stick, accompanied by kimchee.  This was pretty similar to the Philippine-inspired dishes found in Saipan consisting of roast meat with rice or noodles. Indigenous dishes consisted of fish and roots. Of course, a proper tiki menu could be found at the major resorts that catered to tourists, most of whom traveled five hours by air from Japan and Taiwan. To better appeal to American tastes, tiki restaurants often used Chinese food to supplement a Polynesian menu. Tiki torches and lei are much more appealing to tourists than acknowledging the realities of working-class life in the Marianas.

"Eat First" in DC is not the only Chinese restaurant with an inclination for tropical drinks. The more upscale Elena's near Kings Point, NY does this as well, and I am sure that many other Asian restaurants keep a tropical theme, as well.  You can order a tropical drink and fantasize about the tranquility of tropical islands and the exoticism of the Orient. Sailors young and old have been, or will go, to these far-flung locales.
The difference between today and Tiki's heyday fifty years ago is the ease of travel by airplane, and the resorts that cater to travelers' material pleasures. So-called exotic islands are no longer the sole domain of sailors on merchant ships and the Navy's Seventh Fleet, or Marines who stormed the beaches during World War Two. The mystique is less mystifying.
 

 

Lankering at Lakeforest

"It's about 4 minutes up this road, no more."
This was the distance from a violin lesson in Derwood to Lakeforest Mall. I heard things about the place, that it is an 'urbanized hangout'. I held that fear as we entered the parking lot. There was a penetrating mall cop presence- none that I saw in upscale malls like the Tysons Galleria, nor downscale ones like Silver Spring's City Place. There were empty storefronts. Looking up thorough the prismatic shaped skylight, there were several brown patches on the ceiling, something I took to be as neglect. Mall cops on foot, in uniform, on Segways. The marble tile floor, however, was still spic and span; the escalators worked and looked appealing to ride.

What we had come here to do was to see a special Chinese New Year themed exhibit. There was a small set-up on the first floor, visible from the terraced second story. That was all? Alas, there was loud music, of the traditional kind. It sounded...far eastern. There must be more to the festivities. In the central atrium, display tables and a main stage was set up. There was a performance by what seemed to be an after-school kung-fu troop. There was soul, and physical presence. These festivities were much more than a matter of political correctness. (Tomorrow is the event's last day).

Addendum: The empty storefronts and splotches on the ceiling were concentrated in one wing only; the rest of the mall was quite alive and well. Now what was up with all the mall cops?

A mall on its way out:
1) Increased security presence
2) Empty Storefronts
3) A disappearance of printed media and credit card offers
4) Discount retailers (unless it was an outlet mall to begin with)
5) Fountains turned off
6) Escalators not functional
7) Turned-off lights
8) Emptiness; a general 'dead' feeling

Triple Three

It's a little surface transit website that doesn't stop growing. Last year, there were just a few destinations along the NEC (I-95) and in Washington the state. Now, at least 15 states are rostered, with many destinations, and they keep on coming in. One day, the state gets colored. Next day, the destination in that state shows up, and soon, you can book a ticket. It's pretty incentful for the companies- you can be like a real bus line now! Then, this separates the MBA's from the hacks. Until today, the little bus- I have never seen it, but I was told it was an used job- that runs from Ohio to New York, was hiding. Now it came out online, and it's quite clear it's one driver and a bus. And there's the well-managed Eastern, 12 trips per day DC-NY, flashy website. Yes, yes. Then I can see that six companies work together to have a departure from DC-NY at least every 1/2 hour between 7 am and 7:30pm. Sort of neat. www.gotobus.com

Oh, and Little Brother's back.

New York Weekend for under...

Scheduled outage at 4:30 PM PST, again.

Now that you know how to get to New York for under twenty dollars, I think you can also stay the weekend and get back for under $100, inclusive, without sleeping in the Subway. I couldn't tell you everything about it now, because I would not include all the ethnic places at discount prices. Even if I discouraged you from going to a whole list of these enclaves because of crime, I couldn't eliminate honestly. So basically, I could toss you the stay-close-to-Chinatown version, but I couldn't go into detail about, say, Little Jamaica. But it basically involves taking a Chinatown bus, eating cheaply in an immigrant enclave, and sleep in some Jersey City turnpike stop with the coupon you found in the travelers' hotel savings guide, which you picked up at the rest stop. It can be done, I believe. I'll try it sometime...maybe in three years.

Artic Blast

I am typing this entry with half frozen hands. The temperature is currently 26F outside at this time, but it felt much, much colder outside. In the car it never got warm enough to take my outside jacket off, nor my gloves. In fact, water bottles which were in the car overnight actually froze over, so basically it was below freezing when I got in.

Now here is an outline of my day:
Went to church, of the 1 hour variety, and a calm Sunday School session. Walking to church it wasn't so cold, but on the way back I was chilled to the skin within half a block. Then there was Target Greatland. FYI I typically go to the one near seven corners, probably just because it's just down the street, namely across the river on Rt. 50 and 6 more miles. Not too far at all. Picked up some stuff at discount price. Oral-B Orthodontic floss, 2 packs of 50 at 2.50 each, half the price of the local CVS. Laundry detergent was an amazing $3 for 120 oz, but unfortunately, this Target Greatland does not sell music stands. So amazingly, it was only a 2 mile drive to a local music store for one of those heavy duty Manhasset music stands that require assembly. On the same road I accessed the Kam Sam Oriental Supermarket. Bought some Chinese food. Just out of curiosity, I checked and found that most of the foods at the markets were actually made in the USA. (Is it really cost-effective to send a can of soybean drink across the ocean?) It kept on getting colder outside, which I noticed when filling the gas tank. By the time I de-staticed and flip the pump on, my hands were chilled. Wicked cold. On the Henry G Shirley Memorial highway home, state troopers were handing out $1000 tickets to lots of people. Not us, and if we got one, we'd have to only pay like $100, because the law applies only to Virginia people. I did read that some cities like Front Royal will pardon anyone who got one. So I got home and moved all the plunder from the car into my residence. Hands cold within a few seconds. Now I'm inside and don't plan to go out until it gets warmer, or Tuesday when I have to go to school.

First Christmas, Blogged

It was a rare day when the computer remained off all day. That's why I couldn't say:
*"Merry Christmas"*
last night to everyone before the special day.

Before next Christmas I will have received my Driver Learner's Permit (isn't it 15 and a half in DC) , had a nice, long summer vacation and experience, Dr. Wood's Physics class, and a February 29th will have gone by. Lots of things.

Back to yesterday and the day before, I took the Tony bus to New York (Not recommended) via 4 stops and had a lunch in Chinatown. ($3, Fried Dumpling, Avenue of the Immigrants/Allen Street, Fried dumplings, wonton soup, spring roll and tea egg) I rushed back to a lesson and carol service for the community, and then had an alumni school dinner. Afterwards, we checked in our hotel, Doubletree at Times Square. Nice views from room 1403. Fun to ride the elevator to the top and down for thrills. Of course, time flew and it was time for midnight mass. It was so hard to stay awake while sitting down during the festive music, but I was somewhat awake by the end of Mass. Bed at about 2am.

Later morning, Christmas Day, Breakfast at a little deli east of the hotel on 47th street. ($3.25, breakfast sandwich.) Rockefeller center had a long fountain which was about a foot thick in pennies and various other change. Got some pictures, will post. Another service at 11, and Eastern bus at 2:30 home. The only store that would have been somewhat appealing there in Times Square, waiting for the bus to pull up was Office Depot. Yes, no better place to play in Times Square. Not too many people. But Office Depot was closed that day.

If you are concered about Chinese Candy

Recall after recall, not everything made in China is safe. But we do guarantee the safety of what we sell. After review of our products, most of our candy is made in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, all of whom has had no problems. Our American Ginseng candy is made in California, and that leave White Rabbits, which are of high reputation. On top of that, they are distributed to over 50 countries worldwide, and American imports are closely monitored by QFCO, inc. of California, the American distibutor of the candy. As part of our quality monitoring, we sample our candy a week in advance before making it available to you. I never had a problem. So enjoy!

Chinatown

Today I went to the Flushing Chinatown. I got some more products for my online store as well as a punchlist of items to include on a short doc(umentary.) Look for more on that later!