Koreatown, Chinatown, and Finding Emma Stone's Dim Sum Place

Today marked my first day of working the late-night editing shift at the New York Times. I’ll be getting home after midnight all week, but Thursday is a particularly late day due to the second Democratic debate (I’m working until 12:30 a.m.).

Most of the stories I worked on today were embargoed (meaning I set them to publish at a later date and thus can’t tell you yet what they were about), but I continue to look at lots of Indianapolis content, from Pete Buttigieg coverage to a Liam Stack story on the latest in the Cathedral High School case, in which a teacher was fired for being in a same-sex marriage. Needless to say, sometimes it feels like I never left Indy!

I can also now share my favorite article I edited last week, a Science section cover story about a boy who had spinal surgery while in the womb, then defied the odds to stand after doctors predicted he would be paralyzed below the waist. I highly recommend reading it -- the writer, Denise Grady, knocked this one out of the park!

Prior to today’s late-night shift, I explored more of Little Italy, Chinatown, and Koreatown.

You might recognize this Chinatown dim sum place I visited, Nom Wah Tea Parlor. Hint #1: Emma Stone. Hint #2: Spider-Man.

I grabbed this adorable baby cheesecake from Fay Da Bakery on Mott Street near Little Italy (right next to Chinatown). I spotted the bakery while coming up from the subway a while ago and bookmarked it. (It’s literally right on top of the station.)

The verdict: It was a creamy, pillowy little cake of heaven.

After walking around Chinatown and Little Italy, I headed uptown to Koreatown, and Food Gallery 32 on 32nd Street. It’s like a Korean City Market.

I opted for a delicious cream cheese-filled taiyaki, which is a hot Korean fish cake with a cream cheese filling (there were also red bean, custard, and even Nutella options!). They toast it when you order, so it comes out piping hot. Pictured below are some of the mini fish, but I went for a big one. You can also dip them in chocolate.

Working late nights at the Times is kind of like working early mornings at the Star in that it’s just me (except now with a few other people, because, you know, it’s the NYT, so I’m not going to be the ONLY one in the building). It’s kind of peaceful. But Wednesday and Thursday certainly won’t be (hello, debates!).

Also fun to see the next day’s front page in advance (they pass around proofs to everyone in the newsroom at night!).