SnackTAYku International: Hurry Hurry, Come for Curry!

It’s Saturday and the sky has been grey all morning. From the funeral service to the countryside for the burial, there’s sadness and reflection. As you’re standing there trying to fight back the tears, the sky opens up and it starts pouring. People comment that it’s a blessing as their voices become dull background chatter. Making your way through the thick mud to put that rose with your kiss on it as a final goodbye to your favourite Uncle, someone calls you Maressa.

My Layton vs Your Phoenix: Part I

It was just shy of two years ago when I popped that unassuming DS cartridge in my 3DS. It certainly was an unattractive little cartridge that was an ugly blue with a white silhouette of a character loved by many but unknown to me. I remember not being overly impressed upon a play through of the first few chapters... but yes, I was incredibly impressed by the start: a body on the floor, blood slowly pooling around the victim and a heinous plot hatched by an evil looking, twisted faced man to blame an innocent passerby. Then in came a short monologue, cheesy courtroom drama channeling all sorts of early 1990s Law & Order music and a bumbling idiot named Larry Butz who you had to defend. The shift in tone made me scratch my head: exactly what had I gotten myself into?

SnackTAYku International: Dim Sum in Trinidad

Your life mission should you choose to accept it: Visiting the Chinatown in whatever city or part of the world you’re in and eating your life away at a dim sum house.  Oh… that’s just one my ridiculous life missions? Yeah well, perhaps you should consider making it yours too.  Life is just so much better with dim sum unless you’re allergic to shellfish.  If that’s the case then never you mind what I said.  That aside, for some reason I never ate dim sum when I lived in Trinidad.  I have no idea why that is but I knew that upon my visit a few weeks ago, I had to correct that misgiving.  As it turns out, fellow TAY’er and O-Decker, Supergeek, recently found a Dim Sum house where he lives in the Netherlands.  Well, oh.  Snap.  It’s Sunday, SUNday! Suuunnnddaaay.  And here’s your SnackTAYku International Main Event - Trinidad vs The Netherlands Dim Sum Battle.  FIGHT!*

Flashback: Family Woes!

The 14th day of February never really meant that much to me. With retailers’ ploys to grab at your hard-earned cash to be spent on lots of wasted paper and cheap chocolates; I never understood why a special day had to be set aside for those shenanigans. But I remember that one year I got something incredibly special as a Valentine’s Day present. Gifted to me by my awesome Father during a time when I was still a student and without the means to buy games for myself. It was presented to me unwrapped, and behind the red paper cut out heart that read “ To My Little One, Happy Valentine’s Day - Love Daddy” was a menacing, half-eaten zombie face. Indeed, my father with his amazing sense of humour had gifted me a bloody Valentine of Resident Evil 2.

Ridiculous Sightings in Retail:.. GDDH

Let's see what we got here in our salad dressing aisle... a raspberry vinaigrette.  Cool.  Cool.  Asiago Caesar dressing, garlic going down...alright, alright.  Godd...what?


What the hell is Goddess?

...
"Made with Goodness"...

What does that even mean? Because all I see is that flowers, garlic, lemons, sparklies and goddesses (plus the world) went into the making of this salad dressing.
Psh.

Hipsters.

This article may be found at the following link:  http://zarnyx.kinja.com/ridiculous-sightings-in-retail-gddh-1282978439

SnackTAYku: Eating the Rocky Mountains for Breakfast

I am a firm believer that no matter the type of food, it can be eaten whenever.  A stupidly simple statement, right? But I know we are all a little bit different.  Some of us adhere to labels of breakfast, lunch, and dinner and that certain foods should be categorized and eaten strictly during their designated time zones.  I have respect to those of you who do said things.  It may be a matter of not being able to handle heavier foods earlier in the morning too or whatever the case may be.  I understand our needs may be different.  I probably should do same but sometimes eating half a burger at 7 in the morning may be a necessary evil! A bowl of plain old cereal for dinner? Yes.  Sometimes you just have to make up for the days' prior..."misgivings" in that half a burger you may have consumed.

SnackTAYku International: Brunch at the Beach

 
Welcome back to Trinidad and "Breaking Biche".  It's like Breaking Bad but without the drugs.  It just means instead of working and you pack up the car with a cooler full of cold ones, get some beach towels and take to the windy road up to Maracas Bay.  It's here at Maracas, you will find that the dogs may or may not be allowed on the beach, the clouds hook themselves up on the mountains, a freaking rock that looks like so many you collected in your childhood may be found buried in the sand, and a bake and shark dressed up with island specialty condiments is what's for brunch.

Observations on Video Gaming and Reflections on Life in Trinidad, W.I.

With its ice-cream coloured houses, congested highways and local roads, higher food prices, the scattered produce with all manners of tropical fruit, and live animal stands for your fresh goat’s meat lining the country roads; there are many ways in which life in Trinidad has remained the same but in so many ways, it has changed significantly.  The changes are glaring and evolving with every new visit and I think my sister said it best when she remarked that it’s as viewing the country with a different pair of eyes every single time.

SnackTAYku International: The First Thing You do in Trinidad

Welcome to the island of Trinidad in the West Indies.  It's here after a five hour red-eye flight from New York that upon leaving the airport doors, the heat might hit you something fierce.  If you're lucky, there's a trade wind blowing your way.  You may be met by the sun taking to the skies and giving life to the day.  Family and friends will greet you with all their love and genuine happiness melted into the warmest hugs and hellos you could find any where.  And after all that, your first stop is right across the street for breakfast from the cart selling "Doubles".

Late Night Story Time!

Don't be weepy, sleepy puppies... It's almost time for bed, TAY.  Time to change into pajamas (or if you don't wear any of those... whatever it is you want to do, it's kewl.  I just don't need to hear about it), brush your teeth, dim the lights and curl up under those blankets.  Hm? You're not sleepy yet? TAYV Movie Night gave you the scares?! Oh.  Ohhhh, you wanted me to read you a story before bed! Sure, I can do that.  Actually, I've got about 16 to share!

Story Time and Pajamas: The Dream Team Launch Event at Nintendo World, NYC

Another Mario Luigi and Mario RPG game is out, everyone (as if you all did not already know)! It's called Dream Team, it's for the 3DS and I have not even opened up the game yet.  Nope!  What I did do on Saturday however, was skip to Nintendo World for a Pajama Party complete with musical chairs, story time, popcorn, drinks, cupcakes, the chance to dance with Luigi and Mario and of course, the ability to purchase a copy of the game a day before release.

Hosting the Open Forum 3

Heeelllloooooooo, TAY! Welcome to Thorsday and the Open Forum.  Hello? Yes, this is Zarnyx and I will be your host today.  Thorsdays have always tossed mishaps at me for as long as I can remember.  So today I say: pox on you, Thorsday! We're going to do an ActiviTAY to make us forget that there's one day until sweet, merciful freedom.  That's right! We're going to parTAY like it's Friday.  I'm sorry.  I know Friday is still a thing that has to happen but letmejustconfuseyouwithabunchoftextthathasnothingtodowithanything.  And onwards to our game!

We said it before and we'll say it again.  At the recent launch party at Nintendo World for Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, a game of Mario & Luigi's Mushroom Kingdom Mad Lib was held and it was rigged.  The Top 5 Mad Lib entries were revealed and the team of Hannibal Chau Chow (fellow TAY'er UI 2.0) and Zarnyx did not win.  Maybe we are just bitter that our Mad Lib entry was not chosen (which seems more than likely) but man, I really wanted a Luigi key chain or plush as a prize! Not really but we were wronged, TAY! WRONGED!

Foodie Adventures: Morso? Yes, Please!

It was great seeing a few of my friends last Friday night.  We took to the subway and headed to the Upper East Side for dinner, drinks, laughs and to celebrate missed birthdays at Morso.  On the recommendation of a friend's friend, we decided to try this place with empty stomachs and an open mind.  Unfortunately, Morso was not participating in NYC's Restaurant Week* (hell, I did not even realize that was on).

*I adore the concept of Restaurant Week.  I love that NYC Restaurants open their doors to people to afford to sample of what their establishment has to offer by tailoring a menu of some of their best selections for a three course prix fixe meal (usually).  Truly not all selections are great for Restaurant Week, and some can be really hit or miss but there are gems waiting to be discovered at any number of great places in NYC one may otherwise have not been able to try due to pricing restrictions.

SnackTAYku: At Lunch with Street Meats

Sometimes confusion sets in.  With the multitude of street meat carts, food trucks lining the streets, and restaurants all vying for your attention, it's easy to see why decisions become that much harder to make when it comes time to decide on what to eat for lunch.  To make matters worse, the rivalries between vendors result in utter chaos with territorial fights ensuing and vendors posing as other vendors.  It's a colourful business, getting lunch in Midtown.  How do you decide on which place to get good food for a fair price when everyone's just trying to addle your brain? After much consideration you may decide that lamb over rice from a Halal Food cart is the way to go.

Mushroom Hunting

It was always on those mornings when I had just enough time to scour the freshly cut, dew laden lawn for those tiny mushrooms that dared to grow, that I knew the day would be a decent one.  "Hey!", my sister would threaten, "what are you doing?! Don't do it..." With a knowing, mischievous chuckle I would kick one of my finds down.  Sometimes the cap would stick to my shoe along with grass blades.  But it was the ones that went flying clear across the lawn that made me laugh triumphantly.  The other morning I found a few scattered about after having not seen them for some while.  One down.  Then another.  However, my usual joyful glee - at having destroyed the imaginary fairies resting atop their mushroom capped stools - turned pensive.

Brooklyn Barcade: Getting Your Gaming and Drinking On

With my Adventure Time t-shirt and my Gorillaz Chuck Taylors on*, I trekked my way into unknown territory last night.  For the first time ever in all the years that I have been living in NY, I set foot in Williamsburg, NYC.  I figured I needed to dress the part some because to infiltrate and understand the hipsters, you must become one like the hipsters.  I don't think I'd ever fully be able to succeed in that regard and my War on the hipsters continues but the point of the evening was for something far more entertaining than made-up wars in my head.  I went to play some classic, glorious video games on some glorious arcade machines and met up with some like-minded awesome people at the Brooklyn Barcade.

The Tree Spoke to me

A most peculiar thing happened in the town of Tennant in the early hours this morning.  The skies were blue and I was busily making my town to be fabulous to match the Fashionista personality my animals all claim I own.  I picked some flowers for their move to their future homes, slapped down some tiles around the Town Square and then I inadvertently came to rest my Fashionista rear (clothed in a plaid, pleated dress ensemble) on the brick wall that encases the Town Square tree.

Hosting TAY's Open Forum 1

Welcome All to the Open Forum.  NOW CALM DOWN.  Nothing's broken.  The AllFather did not get rid of TheUnfathomableTruth (I... think?) and this is not a slap in the face due to a #TUTFail.  Yes, today is Friday and yes, this is Zarnyx hosting Today's Open Forum.  Oh, but some of you already sort of knew this would be happening, didn't you? Curse the day I ever taught people about the ability to follow people around on TAY and that sorta brings me to today's topics and that Header Image of that monkey stalking me...

Hosting TAY's Open Forum 2

Helloooooooo ParTAY People!! WOOoooo!!! What? I'm being too noisy for a Saturday Morning and you're sleeping in still? Well, that's cool.  It's kewwwllll.  I'll tone it down and quit squawking in your ear.  Welcome to the Weekend TAY: Open Forum.  I, Zarnyx, will be your hostess with the mostest.  The mostest what you might ask? That's for me to know and you to eventually know.  So what's everyone doing this morning/afternoon? Are you standing in a line? Am I? Well that was my plan until the Rain Exhibit at the MoMA seemed near impossible to get into to.  Admittedly, I'm a bit bummed but standing in the hot sun for 4-8 hours without guaranteed admission does not seem very appealing to me even if the pay off might be well worth it in the end.  And so, my topic for today...

Shake Shack's SmokeShack and Jelly's Last Donut

I tried.  I really did.  I continue to do so, actually.  After TheUnfathomableTruth's beefylicious review of Five Guys, I went out there and yet again, got another burger.  I've been trying for years to like them after everyone's constant ravings and still, my heart belongs to another and my brain just cannot grasp the Five Guys love.  I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with me.  Or maybe everything that's wrong with me can be summed up in that conversation and scenario I had with H1 the Swan that one day in December two years ago when Five Guys was voted Best Burger in NYC.  It went something like this: I raged on the streets that day.  How was that possible?! I foamed at the mouth.  I scoffed! I rolled my eyes! How? When there's damned Shake Shack in this city?! I eventually calmed down as I am calming myself now to write this Shake Shack review for you, SnackTAYKrew!

Sometimes...

...sometimes, it's the little moments like these that give me pause for quiet reflection.  As simple as this is, there was something amazingly magical about walking around in the dark with my watering can in hand, hearing a tiny 'ping' and another.  Then came the others in rapid succession and the frequency finally forced me to pay attention and had me looking up to the sky and there it was: the stars were falling.  Every time they did, that twinkling sound (the best way for me to describe that glorious sound) happened and just like that, a Meteor Shower was happening in my virtual life.

Journeying with Monkey in and Away from NYC

Born from an egg, and thrust into chaos: it’s the start of a tale that is representative of us all.  Our experiences and our interactions dictate the direction or the sort of life we will lead.  Perhaps we’re born into circumstances that seemingly provide no hope and we are stripped of decisions.  Sometimes, we’re thrown temptations.  Do we falter? Are we so self-absorbed and deluded by our feelings of self-worth and grandeur that damn everything and everyone, we will have what we want?  Do we fall from grace and strive for enlightenment? Or do we fall victims to the darkness of the underworld or the empty promises of a perfect life that’s not ours and created in delusion?  Are we lucky enough to be given that second chance at redemption and at the end of the day, what do we do when we’re cast out on a journey to find ourselves?

Two weekends ago, I journeyed to yet another re-telling of the classic tale in Chen Shi-Zeng's, Damon Albarn’s, and Jamie Helwett’s Monkey: Journey to the West at NYC’s Lincoln Center (herein referred to as “Journey”), and this past weekend, I began my Odyssey with Monkey in Enslaved and his Journey to the West (herein referred to as “Enslaved”).

Sneak Attack!: Getting my Filthy Hand on Those Damned Dirty Apes!

With my thumb on the left analog stick, I find myself creeping like a stealth master along the ground.  At any given moment, I'm poised to push that analog stick up and Spike makes the awkward motion of getting up as any normal person would getting up from the ground.  It's anything less than graceful, honestly.
With my thumb on the right stick and my Time Net already equipped, I move to strike.

The Art of Stealth is lost on me for there's only so much you can do to catch a cool as hell shade-wearing, AK-47 gun-toting monkey.