I remember buying the first model of the Dyson vacuum. It was big, yellow, and looked like one of the Transformers. But that thing could pick up dirt and dust like none other. I loved that vacuum but sadly I had to leave it behind when I moved apartments at one point. That was years ago (note the italics). And just t...
2022-09-13 14:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Saturday! Instead of a free wallpaper this weekend, here's a copy of the table I made for the CityPASS video.
2022-09-10 14:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
When I first started YouTubing, there was really no foundation to draw from. So I could only plan one day at a time with the sole goal of getting at least two videos published within the month.
After almost two years of doing this, it’s crazy to see how my thinking has shifted from thinking in terms of days to thinkin...
2022-09-08 14:02:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Wednesday! And thank you for being Patreon members of Urban Caffeine.
If you are interested in a free sticker, just message me with an address to mail it to and I'll be happy to do so.
The best pancakes I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot of them) is at Rosemary’s. They have two locations but I always go to the one in the West Village. They grow their own ingredients from their rooftop garden and have a seasonal menu.
On their brunch menu, they have lemon mascarpone pancakes: fluffy, moist, and wi...
2022-09-06 14:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
An extremely iconic orange ferry, the Staten Island Ferry shuttles people back and forth from Manhattan to Staten Island 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Since it passes by the Liberty Island, many people ride it in order to get a closer look of the Statue of Liberty. In this video, we are going to talk about how to ride the ...
2022-09-04 02:05:00 +0000 UTC View Post
What I love about the Staten Island Ferry is that it docks right at the ballpark of the Staten Island Yankees. Free ferry, cheap baseball tickets, and cheap hotdogs. What more could you ask for?
2022-09-03 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
If you saw last week’s video, you might have noticed that it was sponsored. That was Urban Caffeine’s first sponsorship deal! 🎉
The courtship around a sponsorship deal involves vastly different skills from making YouTube videos. In the process, I had to take off the “creator” hat and put on the “CEO” and ...
2022-09-01 14:01:03 +0000 UTC View Post
There are countless movies and series set in NYC. But the most recent one I’ve come to enjoy is the first series of Russian Doll on Netflix. The setting is mostly in Downtown Manhattan, and specifically (I assume) the East Village. Everything about the series embodies contemporary New York culture:
Got any plans for September? If you're still planning it out, September's edition of the Free Things To Do series is now available to watch.
2022-08-27 14:06:00 +0000 UTC View Post
We're into the last rays for summer sunshine. Time to get any last hurrahs in before the fall.
6 Free Things to do | September 2022 Edition → https://youtu.be/GLHFgRTCIxQ
2022-08-27 14:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
It’s kinda shameful of me to say that I don’t watch YouTube that much since I’m a YouTuber. In fact, I hardly watch anything at all. And that’s the big secret on how I get projects done. Most of my hours are spent on growing the channel, learning a language, and figuring out what to eat for dinner. (At some point, I...
2022-08-25 14:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
In my video “When you move to NYC”, I mentioned that there are tunnels and pathways in the Times Square area that you can use to avoid the crowds. I may or may not make a video on that. But this concept has already been covered in the video linked below. Happy Tuesday!
The best hacks to get around Times Square:
<...
This week's video is out! People have been constantly asking to make a video on the OMNY card. So here it is.
Once the OMNY card is more widely available and sold at subways stations, I'll make sure another instructional video is published.
2022-08-20 14:02:00 +0000 UTC View Post
People are the sum of their experiences and exposure. After quitting my job to work on YouTube full time, I suddenly lost the social aspect found in a work environment. No more water cooler talk. No more Bagel Fridays. No more vacation stories and secrets traded. Office life was a huge part of my day-to-day. After all, I was ...
2022-08-18 14:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post
I have a deep disdain for large crowds. That’s why I hesitate recommending free concerts and free movie screenings at parks and large public spaces. The crowds are just way too large and the bathroom situation is painful.
Here are some alternatives:
A “local” place that has a large backyard/patio setup. Thes...
2022-08-16 14:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
There's one more long weekend left this summer!
2022-08-13 14:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
When it comes to storytelling, I like to draw inspiration from comics. Being consistently funny on demand is extremely hard to do. Out of all the emotions, I think laughter is the hardest to evoke from people. It’s easy to make someone sad or riled up, but making someone laugh on demand? Some skills are required.
The ...
2022-08-11 14:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
What I love about NYC is the sense of community the city fosters. There are tons of government programs to help those that need social services (from health care to parenting classes to handling debt). But it’s not just the government that extends care. The community itself has many initiatives, such as community fridges. 2022-08-09 14:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy weekend! This week's video is all about the US Open Tennis Championship. The video breaks down the structure of the tournament, the complex, ticketing, transit, and other good-to-know things when attending.
How to watch the US Open Tennis 2022: 2022-08-06 14:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
I mostly use Adobe software.
Adobe InDesign
This is a desktop publishing app that I use for storyboarding. It’s easy for laying out pictures and text. I like to think of this as the super-professional version of Mircosoft Word.
Adobe Photoshop
For editing photos. To be spe...
Not exactly an NYC tip (because you can do this anywhere in the US), but lately my entertainment has been found in the theaters.
What I find interesting is that theaters in New York tend to be multiple stories high with a smaller ground footprint compared to most American theaters. It makes sense since cities build upwa...
2022-08-02 14:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Saturday! Why look up at the sky tonight?
2022-07-30 14:01:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Why do I narrate through graphics rather than talk in front of a camera?
I tried different formats when starting YouTube. Some things I tried were comedy sketches, short animations and collage, and the “talking head” format. (Talking head is when it’s just you and the camera doing the storytelling with no b-roll o...
2022-07-28 14:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Rollerskating has always been around in pockets of New York City. From niche clubs to roller derby. But lately it has been getting some mainstream attention. I thought it would be great to do a video on rollerskating and the skating culture in NYC. But I don’t think I have the time to do that anytime soon. So in the meantim...
2022-07-26 14:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Here's the downloadable wallpaper from this week's video on how to see a Yankee's game.
Video link: https://youtu.be/eUhqxf58Q2A
My reading list for the rest of the year. I normally read one book a month and it’s usually a fictional novel. But lately, I’ve been forcing myself to read books for creatives and entrepreneurs.
Although, The 4-Hour Work Week might not align with my schedule since I put in 60 in a week. But this book ...
2022-07-21 14:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
When I first moved to NYC, a local told me that the real Chinatown is in Flushing, Queens.
In a way, I can see why they would say that. Chinatown in Manhattan is full of tourist with lots of souvenir shops.
If you ever visit Flushing Chinatown, it’s almost like you are in another country. There are plac...
2022-07-19 14:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
