Lobsters in America! Featuring 'Legal Seafood', 'New Star Seafood' and 'Triple Z'

When we think of lobsters (at Jumbo seafood, or in Malaysia/other parts of Asia), what do we think of?
Lobsters from Myanmar Hockee Company LimitedAnd for Americans, when they think of lobsters, what do they think of?
Lobster from Maine's Robinhood Marine CenterThe top lobster with the thorny exoskeleton is known to wikipedia as the spiny lobster, whereas the bottom lobster with the smooth exoskeleton is just known as lobster. I think I have had lobster (the one with the smooth exterior) at some buffet in a Singapore hotel. Although I appreciate their efforts to import these crustaceans to Singapore, I didn't like the taste then. Its flesh was cold and bland, and the tips of the claw meat was extremely salty. Possibly because it was boiled in salt water/ sea water which gathered at the claws, over-marinating it with salt. My mom and aunt used to buy live Spiny Lobsters from the Yishun market (cleaned and toasted/steamed at home with garlic and pepper) and they tasted THE best!

By the way, besides the textural differences in their shells, there is another significant difference between the 2 types of lobsters. These 2 lobsters are actually not closely related.
Can you guess what the big difference between the spiny lobster and the true lobster is?

I combined the spiny lobster's scientific drawing with the true lobster's scientific drawing side by side for you.
Yes you guessed it. The lobster we commonly eat in Asia has no claws! Its geneology is closer to the crayfish than the true lobster! ;-)

Living here, I learned to appreciate the lobster, and it has become one of my American favourites. It tastes better probably because it's caught locally and the lobster did not have to take an airplane to Singapore! lol... And possibly because the lobster was prepared better in America.

This is a good thing because my hubby is an extreme gourmet crustacean lover. Lovingly, I aspire to cook the Singaporean Chilli Crab for his birthday this year, and have bought a Prima Taste pack for the occasion. He loves lobsters, crabs, and prawns, and would eat them everyday if he could. Siren:*Beep! Beep! Cholesterol alert! Wife to moderate husband!*

3 SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS' LOBSTERS WE'VE TRIED AND LIKED

#3 Legal Seafood

Legal seafood has branches in a number of states, and promises quality and freshness. We usually order Lobster, and it is pretty pricey (but that's how restaurants are, right?). I don't remember the exact price, but I am pretty sure that one 2.5lb lobster we ordered is US$60+++.

Another thing we usually go for is the Clam Chowder! I remember reading the Legal Seafood Menu which mentioned that their award winning New England Clam Chowders, made with Cape Cod Clams, were served for every US President Inauguration dinner since the 1980s! And yes, I think they served it this year too, for the Inauguration of US's 44th President, Barack Obama. :-)

Our large 2.5lb lobster, served hot and plain with melted butter on the side as a dip.
Hubby was proud of being able to remove the meat of a whole lobster claw unspoiled. This was a different visit to a Legal Seafood outlet in Washington D.C. This lobster was between 1.5lb-2lb .

#2 New Star Seafood Restaurant
New Star Seafood Restaurant is the largest seafood restaurant along Avenue U of Brooklyn that we know of. They were selling two 1lb lobsters for $27-$30 (They call it the Twin-Lobster Special, and prices may fluctuate) You get to choose how the lobster is prepared. We recommend lobsters stir-fried with spring onions and ginger because it is reaaaally good. The lobsters were pre-friend in a batter, then stir fried with thin slices of ginger, scallions and some slightly thickened soy sauce. Although I ranked it #2, my hubby ranks this restaurant's lobster dish #1 because he likes the added batter. Well too bad hubbs, this is my blog. ;-) Hahaha!

#1 Triple "Z" Chinese Restaurant
Well after eating at New Star Seafood Restaurant, we realised that almost every Chinese restaurant along Avenue U were also selling 'Twin-Lobster Specials'. Could there be some kind of Lobster War going around here?! The cheapest we saw was $19.90 for two lobsters at this restaurant nearest to the Q train station on Avenue U and we decided to have a go.

There are three ways of cooking the two 1lb lobsters. Ginger with Scallions, Fermented Black Beans with Scallions, or Cantonese Style. We went back to this restaurant often and have tried all three styles. So in case you're wondering, Cantonese Style is just minced pork, black beans and scallions stir-fried with 2 Lobsters. Our recommendation is once again Ginger and Scallions, it being the tastiest.

Now, why did I rank Triple "Z"'s Twin-Lobsters as #1 and New Star Seafood's #2? Not because the price of the lobsters are 30% cheaper than New Star's. It is because the lobsters were not covered in batter, and were stir-fried as is! I like it that way. With less flour to your dish, you can taste the freshness, and the sweetness of the lobster meat. I also liked that the ginger slices were thicker, as I love eating the ginger and the scallions although they were usually meant to be accompanying garnishes!

Twin-Lobsters with Ginger and Scallions. Triple "Z" loves to position the 2 lobster heads side by side! This is what Twin-Lobsters Cantonese Style looks like. Lobster heads side by side again.

So yup, that's all for my top 3 recommendations for Lobsters here in America & NYC. I hope you enjoyed knowing more about these crustaceans, and if you are here looking for a value-for-dollar meal for two and have $30+ (just in case the price increases and you need to tip too, remember?), take the Q train down to Avenue U!

For your amusement, I would like to end this post with some interesting Triple "Z" experiences. You will not see this following offer when you get there because this offer was taken down after a few days.

What?! Crabs and rice for US$3.95? Two Lobsters for $19.90 is already a crazy price, and now this?! This is not one, but two crabs for $3.95! Stir-fried with fermented black beans with scallions. This is not the Sri-Lankan Crab that we commonly eat in Singapore. It's more like Flower Crab. Look at that roe! Woohoo!Below is another funny experience on a seperate occasion at Triple "Z". One day, I thought I found half a crab claw almongst our Twin-Lobster dish ... ... My husband was so sure that it is Lobster, and that particular Lobster had a different claw. But it looked so much like part of a Sri-Lankan Crab Claw to me leh... What do you think?

My First Measurement of my current fitness level

Who wants to be healthy? Who wants to be fit? Who wants to stay youthful and look good?

Me me MEEE~! *Crowds applause and roars enthusiastically*

Who wants to work very hard for it?

... ... *silence*

It is so easy to be fat here in NYC. I went to the pharmacy to get some healthy whole grain cereal for breakfast, only to walk out of the pharmacy buying 10 candy bars. I can't help it lah! How much is one Snickers bar in Singapore nowadays? SGD$1.50 or so? It was selling here for USD $0.44 a bar during a sale leh… cannot resist stocking up on some.
And my hubby has a weakness for ice cream, and he has to have ice cream every weekend, and usually a few times on weekdays too (so unhealthy! :-P). How much is a 14 oz (414ml) tub of Haagan Dazz ice cream in Singapore? It costs USD$3 here during a sale, and look at how much ice cream I’ve stocked up in the fridge… … :-( uh oh…

And not just the sugary stuff, there are many other fatty foods we could include in meal times too.

A few weeks ago, Ronald and I went to the park, and we saw a half marathon taking place that morning. A half marathon is about 13 miles I think (20 something kilometers). And I was inspired. I hope to join the New York Road Runners one day!

There was this time when I was 16 years old, and an unremarkable runner. My musical hobbies were the mainstay of my childhood, and I was not the atheletic sort. My brother was an army commando, and I picked up lots of tips about running and especially mental perseverance from him. I slowly trained a few months for our school’s 5km run at Mc Ritchie Reservoir. I ran and guess what? I beat one of my school’s famous long distance runner by gaining 6th place (she got 7th) in the Sec 3 + Sec 4 catagory!

It was amazing to achieve something I did not think was possible for me, and I am thankful for my brother helping me, sometimes physically using one hand to push me from my back as he ran behind me, telling me to persevere and not stop. He was there for me until I could independently train for long distance running on my own.

I desire to be fit and healthy, but I’m aging and getting fat instead. How?

I’ve got to start somewhere, and have some kind of guidelines for myself. But hmmm… what can I use as a standard for myself? Hahaha… I thought of one fitness standard… one that I’ve been following for at least a decade since Primary School days. NAPFA! (a.k.a. National Physical Fitness Award a.k.a. NS’s IPPT)

I’ve all along been a bronze and silver level… and the first thing I want to test is my cardio-vascular-muscular ability: the 2.4km (1.5 miles) run! I used google maps to map out a route in the park, where I’ll time myself running forward for 0.8 miles, and run back the same route for 0.7 miles, thereby I’d even out uphill and down hill times. I need to run all 1.5 miles within 17 minutes 30 seconds to pass my NAPFA test.

So how did I do…?

FAIL!… absolutely over time man! I ran 1.5miles in 24minutes. According to google maps, I should be able to WALK 1.5 miles in 29 minutes! After all that effort and sweat, I’m only 5 minutes faster in running compared to someone walking the same path? Haha LOL! I guess that might be true, there was a few times this lady who was brisk walking who kept over taking me…*Gasp*

Anyway, I’ve taken the first step, and if I continue on, it shouldn’t get harder than this right? So my new aim is to run 1.5 miles within 17.5 minutes! And to motivate me, I will log my runs in this blog with the panel on the right to track my improvements. I aim to run at least once a week, so please encourage me leh! *sob*

For interest, here are the NAPFA standards for both males and females:

Israeli Food Exploration: 5 items for snack time!

As a followup to my previous entry about how Jews look like around my neighbourhood, I also decided to explore some Isreali foods that can be found at the kosher grocers nearby. Definitely a novel experience for a Singaporean like me!

The word “Kosher” means “fit” or “proper”, and I think it describes a way of slaughtering animals according to their laws, similar halal food. They also do not eat shellfish or pork. Although fish is permitted, I have not seen a kosher shop selling fish around here.

Another commonly seen word on the signboards of kosher shops around here is “Glatt”. When you see this word, this shop is likely to be selling meat. "Glatt Kosher" is a higher level compared to "Kosher" in terms of meat handling. Interesting huh? It’s like “Super Halal” vs “Halal”. As I have mentioned previously, this is quite a pious neighbourhood with numerous Jewish schools and synagogues in walking distance, which creates a sustainable demand for Glatt Kosher meats. I have bought raw seasoned lamb kebabs that is Glatt Kosher, and roasted them in the oven with lots of tumeric – a spice that is said to have numerous health benefits. My hubby loves my tumeric lamb kebabs!

Anyway, to introduce you some foods, I spent some time with the owner of ‘Gilo Market’, a shop near my place. The owner of Gilo Market told me that Gilo (ghee lo) is a place in Israel, and he was so kind to go through with me almost every Product of Israel he has in his store. Ain't I lucky! I will start this entry with Snacks, and the next entry will be on meal-time foods.

5 ITEMS TO SNACK ON!

1. Hashahar H’Aole L’Mehadrin Special Cocoa Spread Parve

This 'Product of Israel' chocolate spread costs $2.49 for a 1lb tub. “Parve” (par-vah) is a Judaism word, meaning ‘having no meat or milk in any form as an ingredient and being permissible for use with both meat and dairy meals as stated in the dietary laws’ (dictionary.com). It is also sometimes spelt as “Pareve” (Par-rah-vah). In my definition, it just means I bought the dark chocolate variety! I saw that they also have the milk chocolate variety on sale though. As you can see below, I snack on chocolate spread crackers!
Taste test: I can smell the smell of margarine upon opening. It tastes… different. Not like Belgium chocolate or even conventional American chocolate. And I suspect it is due to the margarine. Upon inspection, Ah ha! It contains soya bean oil, partially hydrogenated plum oil, which might explain it tastes different. It is sweet like the nutella spread, but it remains smooth even when refrigerated. No butter or milk, I think vegetarians will find this nice!

2. Tnuva Mediterranean Collection Labne (a.k.a. Kefir Cheese):
This 250g or 8.82 oz. tub of Labne (Lah-b-nay) costs me $3.99. Although this product of Israel is labeled as 95% fat free cheese, it is actually yogurt with extremely low water content. Unlike normal yogurt which you eat with a spoon like a thick soup, this one is more viscous. It resembles cream cheese spread just that it is not cheese, it’s yogurt. For the sake of coaxing hubby to eat it, I told him it was cheese… which he immediately replied that it tasted like yogurt…hahaha…
Taste test:
It tasted cold, very refreshing and slightly sour. Exactly what a cold and thick yogurt would taste like.

3. Manischewitz Matzo:
Matzo is the famous unleavened bread, mentioned several times biblically. Manischewitz is an American company established in 1888, it has now become the number one leader in Matzo products sold nationally and internationally. They have many varieties of Matzos flavours, but I specifically bought the one that Jews eat for Passover (in remembrance of their exodus from Egypt). This particular 1lb box of Passover Matzos made in the USA costs $4 or $5 I think. It is made with 2 ingredients only, wheat flour and water.
Taste test: It is like a very plain wheaty biscuit. You have to keep reminding yourself that it is fat free to continue eating it plain. I prefer to have it spread with chocolate or labne like in the picture above. A slice of fresh strawberry gives it a nice touch. As the unleavened bread is a huge piece of square, I have to lay it flat on the chopping board, and try to chop it with a long knife in order to get it bite sized. It is hard to cut it into perfect small squares as it is dry and just cracks and flakes all over. I needed a lot of practice to cut them, and it is very messy.

4. Kif Kaf
This Chocolate with wafers is an imitation of Kit Kat! It is a product of Israel imported to America. It’s 2 for $1.00. Lets see what it looks like inside...
Taste test: Nice and fresh chocolate and wafers! Once again, Israeli chocolate smells like margarine. It tastes like Kit Kat with margarine….hahaha please don’t try mixing Kit Kat and margarine at home just to know what it’s like, kids! Kif Kaf is made by professionals!

5. Nish Nosh (flavor: Mediterranean Herb)
According to the Gilo Market shop owner, this snack Nish Nosh has very popular sales! The word Nosh is a word of Yiddish origin (Ashkenazi Jews as mentioned previously could speak Yiddish) which means to snack or eat something light in between meals. This Kosher Pareve product made by a company originating from Poland costs $2.49 for a 300g (10.5oz) bag. According to the package, the main flavour is Zaatar, a.k.a. hyssop. Then on another side of the package, it says it is oregano. But aren’t hyssop and oregano different plants?
With some investigation, reference.dictionary.com reveals:
… … Za'atar is generally prepared using ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt … … For Israeli Jews, za'atar (זעתר,) used to be an exotic treat associated with visits to Arab bakeries. Commercial production of the plant in Israel has made it "an integral element in Israeli cuisine." Some Israeli companies market it commercially as "hyssop" or "holy hyssop"; however, Hyssopus officinalis is never found in the wild in Israel, whereas Origanum vulgare is extremely common…… Origanum vulgare which in English can refer to European oregano, oregano, pot marjoram, wild marjoram, winter majoram, and wintersweet. Both oregano and marjoram are closely related Mediterranean plants of the Labiatae family which also includes mint and sage, so it is unsurprising that these herbs are commonly used as substitutes for one another … … According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country's "wild hyssop" was on the verge of extinction due to over-harvesting and it was declared a protected species in 1977.

Ah..so it is possibly not hyssop, just oregano marketed to be hyssop … ... ;-)
Taste test: This is my favourite among all the snacks! It tastes like Indian muruku! My husband thinks so too. If you like muruku, you’ll love this. It is light and crispy, not hard and crunchy like muruku, so you can keep eating and eating… once you pop, you can’t stop!

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I hope you enjoyed getting to know these 5 snack products. In the coming entry, I will show you some meal-time Israeli products. Don’t miss it!

How to Plan Yourself an Overseas Wedding Photography Session

Pre-Wedding Photography can be just as important as the Actual Day Photography as part of your beautiful memories. Why? Because after a few years or decades has passed, 2 main things remain. One: your wedding bands (rings), and two: your wedding photos. So get good ones for both. I grew up seeing my parents’ studio-shot wedding photo in their bedroom. Somehow it felt meaningful, gazing upon the youthful and loving picture as my parents aged gracefully. When many years have passed, what was served on the dinner menu or how fantastic your shoes were does not matter anymore.

Pre-Wedding Photography is common in Singapore. Charming studio shots and outdoor photography on bounded albums and projected multi-media/montages are usually a highlighted display at wedding dinners and receptions. Couples are increasingly adventurous and creative, wanting their wedding to be extra special and somehow different than others. As Singapore is a small country, guests could expect to see the same outdoor photography locations commonly used. Therefore overseas wedding photography makes an interesting impact for everyone, and has gained popularity in the recent years. Even those pre-wedding photographs taken in Singapore endeavor to look as though they were not taken in Singapore! To meet the demand, “Overseas Wedding Photography Packages” are pieced together by professionals. These can be expensive. With the advent of the age of information technology, you may have an alternative.

How to plan an Overseas Wedding Photography Session by yourself:

1. Pray and Research at least 6 months in before the shoot.
This is going to be a lot of work, so if you have more than 6 months, that would be good. Praying together as a couple keeps you focused, and guide your instincts to make a decision. Sure, you would need a fair bit of data collection (whereby google will be your best friend). Still, decision making and hoping that everything will fall into place will take a leap of faith. Another important decision to make is the “theme” of the entire shoot. This will guide your choice of makeup, hairstyle, clothes, flowers, and shooting location.
Left: Fay Wray uploaded by star1950, lead actress of King Kong (1933 film)


Far Left: King Kong(1933 film) taken from Cynthia('s blog).

I decided on a “Urban 1930s” feel, and researched on the art and fashion of that era. It was a time where women had fingerwaves and other glamorous curly hairstyles, King Kong was climbing the Empire State Building… you get the picture. But this is of course just a guide, and I did not follow it strictly so that I don’t look too dated.

2. Decide on location and duration of your overseas trip.
Apply for leave, book air tickets and accommodation. At least 2 weeks would be good, so that you can narrow down to the day with the best forecasted weather nearer to the shoot. It’s also good to have time before and after the shoot to relax. Try to find something with little or no cancellation fees, or try to reserve and give payment at the latest date possible.

My hubby and I chose NYC, as it was meaningful to us, and it fulfilled our theme because much of the Manhattan landscape today existed in the 1930s.

3. Decide on what to wear, to rent or buy.
Using your theme, decide on what you and your husband are going to wear. You could rent a gown from Singapore and bring it over but this will surely rack up your bill. I bought two gowns from other Singaporeans and had them altered to my size, and it costs me less than $400 in total. I made sure the style was versatile enough so that I can look different on my wedding day. Decide on your shoes and other thematic accessories (such as a hat, or clip-on suspenders).

4. Decide on your hairstyle and makeup artist
To follow my theme, it was essential to me that my hair and makeup artist was skilled in doing something from the “1930s”. I chose Matt Yeandle because he has experience in doing fingerwaves, as seen in his sample portfolio online. He was a very skilled professional, providing hair and makeup support to film, TV and print, and did a lot of work on my hair for me. Confirm a few available dates and times with your hair and makeup artist, so that you can offer estimated times to the photographer.
Far Left: Top view of my hair

Left: Side view of my hair

5. Decide on your photographer
There are much more photography portfolios online than there are portfolios for hair and makeup artists. So you may find yourself with too many choices! The best way to decide who to choose is to communicate with them via email. Tell them your theme ideas, and budget, and see what their artistic ideas and suggestions of locations are (since they probably know the area/country better than you do). It’s easy to choose the one that matches your needs most by communicating with them. I chose Willi Wong Photography as I found them to be a good match, and I am thankful that I did. I love their work, and my experience with them was enjoyable.

6. Decide on your bouquet
You could get a fresh bouquet few days before the shoot, but that would add to your things to do when you arrive. I surfed online but did not find a picture of a fresh bouquet that I liked. I was also worried that the flowers would wilt/crush/damage before and during the shoot. Silk flowers were my answer, and they were re-usable as bouquets for my bridesmaids on my actual wedding day. Make sure you choose silk flowers that look as real as possible! Afloral.com was good with that, and a number of relatives and my mother mistook my bridesmaids’ bouquets to be real. You can see us in the picture below. Only my bouquet was real, and it wilt terribly towards the night.

Actual Wedding Day Photograph by Adam L.

I wrapped the stem differently with ribbons and other accessories. The one taken in NYC was wrapped with shiny red ribbon, pearls, and I randomly stuffed red petals and red feathers amongst the flowers. (You will later see that this same bouquet was used again in Ithaca, wrapped in blue flowing ribbons.)









7. Adapt to final changes/ improvements.
Check the weather, confirm the appointed date and time with your stylist and photographer, make any last minute purchases if you find something that does not match or fit. Make sure your handphone is fully charged and have mobile reception. Bring along tissue, blotters and lipstick. Flat shoes/sandals is a MUST. You can’t walk around in heels all day and still produce a fresh smile for the camera.
Above: Me changing from my Birkenstocks into my stilettos.

Left: Us taking public transport.




Draft your route plan (map out your destinations) for the day, and consult your photographer. This will of course change again during the shoot, so you’ll just have to go with the artistic flow and be flexible. In NYC it was better for us to travel via public transport, whereas in Ithaca the car was an important transportation mode for us. If your photographer knows the area well, you could leave the destinations to him, but if he doesn’t know the area well, you have to map it out on your own using whatever you can find on the internet, if you have no time to recce the area out yourself prior to the shoot.

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I hope that the above steps would help you achieve beautiful and less costly overseas pre-wedding photography. I later repeated all those steps to have another photo shoot in Cornell University in Ithaca, upstate New York. As you can see in the photos below, it is the same white gown in a new “Garden Fairytale” theme. I did my own hair, re-ribboned the same white bouquet and hired an upstate photographer, Michelle Neumayer. I chose her because I love her artistic style. Very dreamy and beautiful.

Things cost less in the suburbs than in the city, but that’s the same for everything else including real estate and food right? If you’re looking for more high end services (especially for makeup), the city provides better. Not because those in the suburbs are no good, but because there is alot more competition and variety in the city to suit your needs. My makeup artist in Ithaca had never done makeup for Asians before, and she also had no idea how to put on false eyelashes for me. Sometimes she messed up and had to re-do my eye makeup a few times. Almost everyone in the salon had to chip in to help with the false eyelashes.

Buying a second hand gown, wrapping your own re-usable silk bouquet, hiring local hair and makeup artists and photographers rather than flying them over from Singapore cuts down expenses. Staying at a smaller hotel, renting a place, or staying with a relative/friend also helps. Less urban locations and services are cheaper. Do your own hair (or even makeup) if you have the skills. To cut down costs further, you could also opt not to print the photos or create an album. Just keep the softcopies, make montages or online photo albums. A professionally made hard cover album can cost several hundreds, and you can always create them later on after the wedding when you can afford it.

Wishing you Peace & Love.