New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Ride on the Roosevelt Island Tramway

Aside from never having visited Central Park Zoo in the last 30+ times I've been to NYC, I also had never been to Roosevelt Island. My brother thought it'd be nice to spend the afternoon just roaming around and enjoying the nice weather with a bit of different scenery than the regular hustle and bustle of Manhattan, so he took us on a little trip to Roosevelt Island via the Roosevelt Island Tramway:

Queensboro Bridge
Roosevelt Island Tramway
Roosevelt Island Tramway
East River
Queensboro Bridge
View of Queensboro Bridge from Roosevelt Island
View of Queensboro Bridge and East River from Roosevelt Island

To be honest, there's not much to do on Roosevelt Island because it's mostly residential, but the weather was amazing — not too hot, sunny with a lovely breeze — and the views of Queensboro Bridge and the East River are spectacular, so we took a long stroll around, went down their main retail street, and stopped for some drinks at a cute little cafe called Cafe Aviva (where I had a most delicious iced matcha) before heading back on the tram to Manhattan. It does cost a single MTA fare to go on the tram one-way, but I thought it was worth $5.50 to visit an area of NYC that isn't crowded, dirty, or touristy.

And including our stroll through Central Park, we walked over 30,000 steps! Surely, that's enough exercise for the week.

Roosevelt Island Tramway

254 E 60th St.

New York, NY 10022

(212) 832-4555

Cafe Aviva

559 Main St.

New York, NY 10044

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — A Stroll Through Central Park

We already visited Central Park Zoo, but it was such a nice day today — a perfect 23°C, sunny with a light breeze — that it would've been churlish not to take a walk through Central Park.

Central Park
Central Park Mall
Central Park Mall
Naumburg Bandshell
Bethesda Terrace Grand Staircase
Bethesda Terrace
Bethesda Fountain — Angel of the Waters Statue
Conservatory Water
Conservatory Water
Alice in Wonderland Sculpture by Jose de Creeft

This might just be the best free thing to do in NYC.

The Mall

Central Park

New York, NY 10022

(212) 310-6600

Naumburg Bandshell

Central Park

Terrace Dr. Near W 72nd St.

New York, NY 10019

(212) 501-7809

Bethesda Terrace and Fountain

Central Park

New York, NY 10024

(212) 310-6600

Conservatory Water

Central Park

E 72nd St.

New York, NY 10021

(917) 522-0054

Alice in Wonderland Sculpture

Central Park

E 74th St.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 310-6600

New York City Summer 2025 Travel Log: Day 2 — Exploring Central Park Zoo

Having a 21-month-old nephew who is fascinated by animals gave us a great reason to visit Central Park Zoo, which I had never been to before despite having been to NYC at least 30 times. So, we spent the morning exploring the flora and fauna:

Scarlet Macaw
Toco Toucan
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Australian Ringneck
Plush-Crested Jay
Tricolored Heron
Banded Mongoose
Gila Monster
Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey
Black and White Ruffed Lemur
Japanese Macaque
Patagonian Mara
Emperor Goose
Mandarin Duck
Hydrangeas
Begonia Grandis
Canna Indica
Hydrangeas

As someone who doesn't particularly like spending time in nature, I hadn't felt the need to go to a zoo in over three decades and somehow forgot just how fascinating wild animals are. Kinda disappointed that we didn't get to see the leopards or bears or red pandas (toddlers get fussy REAL FAST and it was getting to nap time), but it does give me more reason to visit again. Of course, leave it to me to spend more time in nature in New York City of all places when I live in Canada…

Central Park Zoo

Central Park

830 5th Ave.

New York, NY 10021

(212) 436-6500

Pingle's Harvest Festival Apple Picking at Pingle's Farm Market

Minji and Daniel randomly invited me to go apple picking this weekend. I don't recall going apple picking after the age of 10, so I agreed to go in the spirit of fall, and we drove about an hour outside of Toronto to go to Pingle's Farm Market:

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Pingle's Harvest Festival

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple trees at Pingle's Farm Market

Apple picking haul!

House-Made Butter Tarts (Maple Walnut + Pecan) and Bumbleberry Blast Jam from Pingle's Farm Market

We picked ten pounds of apples (I got two each of Ambrosia, Honey Crisp, Empire, and Cortland varieties and had to stop myself from getting more because I live by myself and cannot eat that many more apples before they start to rot), indulged in apple cider and apple cider doughnuts from the cafe stall (I didn't take photos because we scarfed them down before I could even remember to, but you'll just have to trust me when I say THESE WERE DELICIOUS), and stopped by the market to get some house-made goodies to take home: a box of butter tarts (Minji and I split the pecan and maple walnut varieties) and a jar of bumbleberry jam. My only regret is not trying more pastries from the bakery because we were on our way to lunch and didn't want to get full. But conclusion: APPLE PICKING IS AWESOME. I think I will officially make this a new fall tradition. 

Pingle's Farm Market

1805 Taunton Rd.

Hampton, ON L0B 1J0

(905) 725-6089

BTS VLOG: Jungkook — Camping Vlog

Jungkook, eating a giant tornado potato: "Mmmm!"

[Jungkook continues eating]

Jungkook, eating dakgangjeong: "I shouldn't be eating..."

[Jungkook continues eating]

Jungkook, eating sotteok: "Mmmm!"

[Jungkook continues eating]

Jungkook, opening sweet potato sticks: "I'm so full..."

[Jungkook continues eating]

[Buying food at the supermarket]

Jungkook: "I don't eat that much these days..."

[Caption: Liar, liar, pants on fire]

[Cooking meat on the hot plate]

Jungkook: "Grill the meat on the edges and when the oil gathers in the centre, we can fry some mugeunji. It's gonna be awesome!"

[Making satisfied sounds while cooking]

Jungkook, picking up a spray can of butter: "There's this, too! Butter's a good idea. I like butter."

[Making more satisfied sounds while cooking]

Jungkook: "This looks great!"

[After eating constantly for god knows how long]

Jungkook: "This is really good. Nice! This is nice!"

[Eating more]

Jungkook: "I am really enjoying this."

[Eating more]

Jungkook: "This is so nice. Nice, nice, nice."

[Eating even more]

Jungkook: "So nice!" *starts clapping*

[Eating even more]

[Caption: Stop eating]

Jungkook, making satisfied sounds: "It's so good!"

Manager, laughing: "Wow, you're really enjoying this."

Jungkook: "When I eat good food, I keep saying it's good. My dad said I was always like that."

[After eating for a million years]

Jungkook, making satisfied sounds: "NICE! It's so good! It's so good... Let's let this settle... and then eat ramyeon and samgyeopsal. We have a packet of kimchi left..."

[Cooking meat on the hot plate again]

Jungkook: "I love samgyeopsal."

[Cooking for a while]

Jungkook, looking pleased: "Do you hear the sizzle? That sizzling sound? You know it's gonna be amazing! How can this not be good?! Gaaaah, this looks so good!"

[Next morning]

Jungkook, looking at himself in the camera viewer: "My face is swollen! Of course it is, I ate so much yesterday..."

[A few minutes later]

Jungkook, asking the crew: "What are we eating?"

[After making and drinking delicious coffee]

Jungkook, suddenly: "Is he here?! Let's go!"

[A moment later]

Jungkook, biting into a sandwich: "Mmm! Mmmmm! I love this!"

[After eating for a while]

Jungkook: "Oh, I'm full..."

[Jungkook looks at an assortment of buns, opens one, and continues to eat]

So really, Jungkook and I are basically the same person. 

Anyway, I'm hungry now so it's time for lunch.

Photolog 2020: Day 127 of 366

Sunrise looked so beautiful this morning, like a gorgeous painting. You knew it was going to be a perfect, sunny day with clear blue skies... BUT LOOKS ARE DECEIVING. Because with this beautiful, perfect-looking weather comes pollen. And with pollen, MY ALLERGIES HAVE HIT FULL FORCE. I'm talking the works: sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, burning/watery eyes, itchy skin. And I'm not allowed to go back to work right now because we're in the middle of a goddamn pandemic and I need to be "symptom-free" before they'll give me the okay. SPRING IS EVIL AS FUCK.

Photolog 2019: Day 298 of 365

Enjoying some fall foliage. The sole reason why I need to live in a country with four seasons.

Photolog 2019: Day 293 of 365

It's a beautiful day today, so I went for a 4km walk and found the last vestiges of summer in my neighbourhood.