That’s pretty much stating the obvious. Asians and gambling go hand-in-hand like ham and cheese, or Sonny and Cher, and M and M. It seems like we’re hardwired to want to gamble. Anyone who has visited Atlantic City or Las Vegas will have noticed the hoards of Asian gamblers trying to make a killing at the Pai Kow, Big/Small, and Baccarat tables. Let’s also not forget the Japanese obsession Pachinko. Now travelblog Gadling reports that Asia is about to turn into a gambling hotspot. Noticing how much money is being made in Macau, Japan is getting in on the act as they’re now considering Vegas style gambling. Even uptight Singapore is constructing a gambling joint on Sentosa Island.

The burning desire to move out of my New York is nearing a fever pitch as of late. We’ve always had the desire to pack up and go, but no other place in US was all that appealing to us. Ideally, we’d would become expats in some far off island or in an Asian metropolis. It’s almost reverse migration. Most folks leave home to head to NYC for work, excitement, or starting a new life. Having lived here all our lives, the city doesn’t hold this sense of liberation for us. Frankly, it’s a bit tiresome to see the same subway cars, buildings, and skylines every single day. San Francisco was fun but not for us, Philly is too close, Boston is… well Boston is Boston. We hear Portland, Oregon is slamming, but the job market there is rather thin. The midwest isn’t our cup of tea either. Now we’re considering Seattle. No, it’s not for the grunge history, but we’ve been hearing some great things from a pal who just moved there.

It’s a slower pace city than NY with decent job prospects. The State of Washington seems quite progressive being the only State that had a governor of Chinese descent. Seattle is ethnically diverse. Of course, the proximity to the lush natural environment will give us change of scenery from the current daily pavement. So off we go to drop in and check up on our pal and check out the city. In about 3 weeks, it’s off to the Pacific Northwest we go.

[skyline photo by: kenofseattle/flickr]
[public market photo by: sárah/flickr]

Tomorrow morning, we say farewell to the frighteningly frigid here in New York. Not only am I looking forward to the warm, sunny weather, but also a week of disconnect from the news, tv, and computers.

[photo by: Caribbean Port Reviews]

As I’m counting down the week before I head over to catch some sun at St. John, I’m also quite concerned about having to board a plane that will unleash a frightening amount of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Boycotting airtravel is out of the question. Face it, most of what we do will contribute to the destruction of the environment. Cars of course are the easiest to blame. We also have to consider the ways in which we light and heat our homes. By far the biggest contributor are airplanes. Climatecare.org provides CO₂ calculators for concerned world citizens to see just how much they are contributing, and a payment scheme to offset this carbon emissions. The money then goes to fund renewable energy, energy effieciency, as well as reforestation projects all around the world.

[photo by: Trekkerpanda/Flickr]

It’s only 2 months since we returned from the jaunt to Japan, and now we’re looking to head out again. This time around, we’re headed to St. John for some R&R and a retreat from the New York winter. We were able to cash in some miles for the free airfare, but the accomodations will still cost a bomb. I’d much rather be lodging at the Westin at Cruz Bay, but we’ll be eco-camping, albeit luxuriously, at Maho Bay. There won’t be any sightseeing, wandering around cities, figuring a subway system, or any language barriers. It’s nothing but a week of laying on the beach under the Virgin Island sun.
[photo by: st. john guide]

I’ve walked by Winnie’s so many times dating back to my single digit years, but never once did I ever think that I wanted to go in. I still remember the drunken, worn out, old men hanging around the place. It wasn’t until NYE 2006 that I, along with Karen, Mike, and Solim, set foot into this dive. With the mostly Chinese crowd, with a requisite white guy who hangs out with the group, turning bright red from a couple of sips of beer, and the large karaoke screen complete and 80s and cantopop-heavy karaoke collection, there is no doubt you are in Chinatown. Remember, the bar is called Winnie’s afterall! The place even has the old vinyl booth seats that brings you back to the days of chop suey shops. There’s no pool table, arcade game, or a jukebox. The bar doesn’t even have a tap! It’s all bottles of Heineken, Coors, Bud, and Corona. You might even challenge yourself to down the house specialty “Hawaiian Punch.”

[Winnie's, 104 Bayard St, New York, 10013]