We went to Ramen Yebisu in Williamsburg yesterday. I am of the belief that you have to eat noodles on New Year's Day. For longevity and all that good stuff. This place serves Hokkaido-style ramen, which was a first for me. It was super delicious. We had the veggie miso ramen. The broth was thick and hearty in the best possible way. They definitely need to expand to a larger location. Like triple the size. The place was packed.

Time flies. I wish it wouldn't. It's already the 3rd??? Slow down!

Silver balloons from Sugarcane Lounge inside Sushi Samba
Red balloon from L'Express

I think I love New Year's Eve most for the free balloons. Yes, most definitely. Happy New Year everyone!

I woke up this morning with a start. "I'm off to do some laundry!" My husband was already outfitted in two coats and a knit hat. "Hey, wait for me!" I lept out of bed and into a headscarf and some laundry-doing outfit. It was already snowing. Oh great. We got there at 7:45 AM. Most washers were already taken. Our Brooklyn neighborhood gets up inexplicably early on a Sunday to do laundry. I don't get it. Back at home (during the wash cycle), I was flipping channels and caught the tail end of a Chinese New Year's dragon on some news story. So all day long I have been thinking it is Chinese New Year's today and have felt like a loser that I have no gumption (due to the snow) to go to Chinatown and celebrate. I mean, what have I become? Letting the weather stop me? I am old.

And then I looked up Chinese New Year on Google just now, and was relieved to find that it is actually on Monday, January 26. Hooray. Another chance to start the Chinese New Year right. I wonder what the Year of the Ox holds for a Rooster like me?

Okay, I am officially back from my blog vacation, albeit one day late. I thought I would post some things yesterday, but I was busy blogging elsewhere. Yes it is true.

Hope you all had Happy Holidays and a good rest. I, for one, ate a lot of cookies that my Mom made. Now I am contemplating taking various exercise classes at the gym. You know, the usual. I made some other resolutions too. Like 'be more generous' and 'face my fears' although I think I might be too afraid to do the latter. What are yours? Feel free to share.

[image from Blue Jake]

And to celebrate, we had, er, Mexican.

I am certainly one of those New Year's resolution types. New Year's is one of my favorite holidays, next to my birthday, when I also make lots of resolutions. For the past week, I have thought of a resolution-a-day pretty much. I resolved among other things to add two classes per week to my exercise regime at the gym: spinning and abs. And I went to a spinning class today! And then came home and ate a very healthy lunch, pictured above. An egg scrambled with tofu and scallion sprinkled with spicy chipotle powder, a little avocado on the side, iced coffee and two corn tortillas. January 2. So far so good.

Festive locations on the Upper East Side
Lexington Ave in the 70s

Our balloons on the L Train,
which we released with a note when we got to Brooklyn.
They floated off together in the Queens direction.
Did you find our balloons?

Happy New Year!

Have a Happy Healthy New Year! See you all in 2007! Oodles of posts on 12.30.06 so scroll down to catch up on back reading.

The firecrackers will go crazy this afternoon in Chinatown. It is the Year of the Dog. How does that bode for Roosters? I will have to look that up. So while not a great day to go buy your tofu (at 6 cakes for $1 made fresh every day!!), it is a great day to go have bubble tea and some dinner. My picks for that are the Peanut Black Milk Tea, iced, with tapioca, at Green Tea Cafe, 45 Mott St, 212.693.2888. This place is the best -- tastiest bubble tea, great teahouse atmosphere down to the cool Tang Dynasty-style stools you sit on, and most hustle-bustle excitement. And for dinner, try the Hong Kong-style XO Cafe, 96 Walker St, 212.343.8339, with quite an extensive menu including great dim sum served all day. Try the watercress dumplings! Happy New Year! Here is a 10% discount with your Metro Card, valid through February 15.