A Walk Around Flushing Meadow Corona Park

I took a four hour walk around Flushing Meadow Corona Park. I haven't done this for awhile. The weather was a bit muggy. There was a brief shower but that was no issue. The water sprouts were on at the Unisphere. It's a good place to get wet and cool down in the summer.

Domino Park

There's a new public park in Brooklyn. It's called Domino Park. It's located right next to Williamsburg bridge. There is a children's park and a playground with rows of water sprouts. It's a heaven for my kids. There's also a long strip of green lawn for scantily dressed adults to soak up the sun. You can get more history about this place via https://www.dominopark.com/.

Brick Fest @ NY Hall of Science

We saw pictures on our friends' social media about the Brick Fest in Hall of Science, so off we went, to the Hall of Science to renew our membership. It was a fun day for kids. It's like Legoland store in Queens. We saw the luminous lego for the first time. My son couldn't leave that place.  

Lego knights

Lego Ship

Lego Lights

Egg Hunt In The Park

New Life Fellowship Church was hosting another Easter egg hunt event in Elmhurst Park today. There were tons of people showing up. Kudos to them to keep the whole event relatively orderly. The weather was excellent; not a cloud on the blue sky. The kids were all having fun. Lots of parents cheating; that was kinda inevitable. The volunteers keep the cheating to the minimum though. They're very experienced at that.

The photo-op bunny. All Easter events needs one.

And kids love it.

Put your kid on shoulder for a good view.

Eager kids couldn't wait to get started.

Early birds started lining up over an hour before start.

These are the only cops I saw.
I didn't shoot the actual egg hunting part because there were so many people and eggs just disappear after less than half a minute. I was too busy holding on to my own kids. It was fun and kids love it.

Winter Storm Toby

Winter Storm Toby hit New York today, March 21. It's the fourth winter storm this month. First time I've seen so many winter storms in a month. It looks like we have one line up every week. In fact, I heard there's another one coming next week; right on time for Easter weekend.

The snow was not impressive in the morning, but it was steady. By noon, we had about an inch or so. It then looked like it's going to taper off. I figure the kids should be in school if that's all it got. But then, I got a day off too. So after I shovel the snow, I took my children to Elmhurst Park to take some pictures. It started snow again big again as we got to the park. We only stayed for about 30 minutes because it was snowing hard. Since the temperature wasn't actually low, it was around 35F, the snow are melting on our coat and on my camera. We left then since I didn't want my camera soaked in water.

A woman making a snowman with her child.

Empty children's park.

This hill is always busy on snow days.

Inside the empty children's park

A man and his child.

Bronx Zoo

Zoo Center
I'm going to miss this place very much. I love going to the zoo. Bronx Zoo, being the largest zoo in NYC, is my favorite place to go take pictures. Unfortunately, I have kids who simply don't want to go to the same place again and again. So I let my membership expire. I'll be back in a couple of years when my kids started to miss this place like I do.

Juvenile crocodile sunbathing in Children's Zoo.

Eclipse

I had no equipment at all to enjoy this eclipse event, but I went out anyway because there were tons of people out there. It was sunny, but it felt like I was looking at the street thru the tour bus window. I took this picture just for the sake of it since I couldn't look at the sun. I was surprised to see the lens flare taking shape of the solar eclipse.

Fireworks @ Maspeth LIE Overpass

It was an impromptu decision to see the firework after picking up my wife from her work. It was too late to drive to East River. All area were either closed or in heavy traffic. We just drove down around LIE in Maspeth looking for a suitable spot to see the firework from afar. We could see the Manhattan landscape from an overpass there. However, the firework was a bit to the north of what we could see. So we stay for awhile to see the fireworks provided by some random people on the street. This is a video I filmed. The firework literally exploded right above our head. We have debris falling on our head. We decided to move down the street a bit more to the west. And we were able to see the Macy's firework above the treeline for about 10 minutes. I couldn't film that because it's too far way and I was in the car.

Subway Delayed Again

There was a power outage which caused massive delay for subway. I missed three trains because they were so crowded. I was lucky to be only 30 minutes late. My coworkers were one and a half hours late.

Chinatown

I was sitting in my car waiting for my wife and kids to come out of the doctor's office. A couple of photographers walked by and aimed their cameras up. I looked up and saw this Chinese New Year's Charm up on the light pole. I took this phone with my iphone 5s.

NYBG Orchid Show

We went to the New York Botanical Garden to see the Orchid Show after I saw it on a blog online. We haven't been to the NYBG for quite some years. After signing up for the annual membership, we head straight to Enid A. Haupt Conservatory where the orchids show were staged. If you love macro photography, make sure you bring your big lens. I saw many fellow photographers with their big guns there. 

We hopped on the tour bus to scout around for our spring photoshoot locations. There's a historic mill there that seemed to be a very promising place. We'll certainly be back when it's warmer and lots of blossoms outside.

Boo @ The Zoo

We're there every year, so there's no exception this time. The fall color at the Bronx Zoo is unbeatable in NYC. If you want portraits done with colorful autumn background, you go here in October and November. There is this theme called "Boo At the Zoo" every year around Halloween in the Zoo. It's fun for the kids. Actors and actresses in fun animal costumes parading around the zoo with kids is a lot of fun to take pictures with kids. Here are some pictures I like to share with everyone.

 Bronx River Waterfall

 There are two rhinos. I always thought there was only one.

 Flamingos.

 Seabird at the Seabirds Aviary.

Very sexy looking fairy lady.

Kid Army Torn Apart Balloon Alien Bug

I brought my girls to New York Hall of Science again. They've been pressing me bring them there for awhile now. I took a day off since they have no school. It's a boring place for adult, but kids seems to love it a lot. Today there is a giant alien-bug-looking thing made of balloons on second floor. The kids went total wild tearing it apart. It was hilarious. My children never got tired of this place.

Bronx Zoo

Hermine failed to show up in New York last weekend. It was actually a really nice day to go out. Obviously kids won't stay home. We went to Bronx Zoo to see if the leaves change color yet. It's a wonderful place for photo shoot in autumn when the leaves change color. Even though some trees have already turned yellowish in my neighborhood, the trees in Bronx Zoo were still quite green. We'll have to try again next month.

Zoo Center

The lizard in zoo center. That komodo dragon in the neighboring exhibit has always been unreachable for me. It never showed itself.  

Only one tiger this time. No idea where the tiger kittens went.

Nevertheless, it was a good exercise for kids to walk around. We'll be back.

Wedding Feast

I went to a distance cousin's wedding tonight. It's just like every other Chinese wedding party I went, with the usual set of foods too. However, I did get to eat something I don't usually eat at a Chinese wedding.

A roast pig. I like the crispy skins they served on a bun with sweat sauce. Although putting a whole pig on the table rather kill the appetite for some.

A king crab. I usually see other type of crab, called Vancouver crab, steamed on sticky rice. It's first time I have a king crab on a wedding.

It was a wonderful wedding party, with plenty of food and wine to go around. I wish the newly wed happily ever after.

Crowded Subway

The train was so crowded this morning. There's an announcement about some police investigation on 57th Street. I didn't know what's going on. The messages are always so vague. I later read about a crazy person throwing a fake bomb on police car and stuff near Columbus Circle. I guess I can't blame MTA for the delay this time.

Fiery Sunset Cloud

I went out to pick up my wife and saw this fiery sunset cloud.

NY Science Hall Again

Well, we got nowhere to go this weekend and kids just want to go to the Hall of Science all the time. So off we went. There's a make your own juice kinda activity there. I can't remember the name. It was ok; I guess. I wouldn't say it's worth the five dollar they charge me. While kids were busy making orange juice with honey, I took some snapshot of the nice lady working there.

Here's a snapshot of some unknown flower out in the new playground.

Heatwave Starts Today

I didn't want to go outside today, but there are some undone business at the bank. So, I ventured out into the 90 degree heat. It wasn't so bad. Not yet, anyway. This is the view of Empire State Building.