Life in NYC | It's Always An Adventure

Posts Tagged ‘Life in NYC’

Wordless Wednesday: The Piers, Chelsea and the Meatpacking District

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Life in NYC, Living in Manhattan, Pics of Chelsea, Pics of Chelsea Piers, Pics of Meatpacking District, Pictures of Manhattan on May 25, 2011| 1 Comment »

This past Saturday while anxiously awaiting the end of the world (NOT!) we decided to get out and enjoy a rain free day in the city. After the girls gymnastics classes at Chelsea Piers we wandered along the water and then meandered into Chelsea and the Meatpacking district. It was a beautiful day and this is definitely one of my favorite areas to explore in Manhattan. Hope you enjoy the pics!

Sisterly Love

Driving range at Chelsea Piers

View of New Jersey

The Standard Hotel

Highline

A little shopping...

Wall art

Street view outside of Pastis

Top Chef Touring Show and Exhibits

Clouds behind advertising

Street View

Street view from the Apple Store (W. 14th Street)

Stepping down at the Apple Store

A little city climbing!

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Why I Have Love For Lady Gaga

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Being true to yourself, Believing in yourself, Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga at Madison Square Garden, Life in NYC, Living in Manhattan, Pic of the Lady Gaga Subway Stop- 50th Street on May 20, 2011| 1 Comment »

I have to admit that I definitely have some love and respect for the amazingly talented Lady Gaga. Not only do I like her music but I really admire what she stands for. Being yourself, standing up for what you believe in and living in an world of inclusiveness. These are all excellent messages. Yes, she can be shocking, outrageous and a tad bit inappropriate at times and her fashion sense is not really my taste but hey, to each their own, right? She is bold and courageous and dare I say it, a great role model for young women.

Last year for our anniversary, my incredible husband took me to my first ever concert at Madison Square Garden, it was Lady Gaga. Her concert was mind blowing- the energy, the costumes, the music, the dancing, the sets, but what struck me most of all was her message. She talked about how she had once sat in the nose bleed section at MSG and dreamt of one day being a big star. She also talked about how she never gave up, even when people told her that she couldn’t do it or that she was strange or different.

As a mother, this is the message that I want to pass on to my daughters. They can achieve anything that they set their mind and hearts to. But so often in life we are held back by fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of getting hurt, fear of being different and most of all, the fear of failure. As parents we often try and protect our children from failure and hurt by making sure that we choose paths for them that avoid the bumpy roads. What Lady Gaga reminds me as a parent and as an individual is that sometimes the bumpy roads are the ones that will lead to the most rewarding ending.

My daughter has said that sometimes kids at school will call her “weird” because she likes to sing out loud and make up songs. Her response is to tell them “thank you”. She doesn’t want to be “normal”. Perhaps she is embracing her inner Lady Gaga and I have to be brave enough to let her do that. Being “normal” IS boring. As I learned time and time again in the classroom it is those people that are willing to take a bit of risk that will have the greatest success. Failure only makes the rewards that much sweeter. Being yourself and believing in yourself are the hardest lessons to learn and to pass on. It is a life long work in progress. I guess that is why I have love for the Lady, she sings it loud and proud and it is a message that we all need to hear.

On that note, it’s the weekend. I think we should all step into some platform boots, embrace our Gaga and just dance!! =)

Lady Gaga Subway entrance @50th St.

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Wordless Wednesday: Rain, Rain, Go Away…

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Chasing away the rain, Life in NYC, Living in Manhattan, Pics of sunny days in Manhattan on May 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

This is the third day straight of rainy, miserable, gloomy weather. It is even a bit on the chilly side. The forecast for the rest of the week does not look very promising. I want the glorious days of spring time in Manhattan back! This weather is making me sleepy and extremely un-motivated. So, in order to brighten my day and hopefully yours, I am posting some pics of some of my favorite moments in the sun over the past few months. Here’s to sun filled days ahead =)

Popsicles in the Park

Beer on the Patio 😉

Lady Liberty shining in the sun

On top of the rocks in Central Park

Bridge view- Central Park

Empire State Building

Brooklyn Bridge

A little nap in the sun

Streetscape

Enough with the showers for spring flowers...

The kids want to go outside and play!!

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A Super Hero Filled Weekend

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Bridesmaids, broadway shows, Chris Hemsworth, Life in NYC, Living in Manhattan, Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, Superheroes, Thor The Movie, Times Square on May 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On Friday I was very generously given tickets to go and see the controversial revamped broadway show “Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark”. I was extremely excited to see this newly improved show, in it’s second night in previews. The original show had been plagued with bad luck including accidents, injuries, horrible reviews and technical mishaps. Many New Yorkers, myself included were not going to waste time or money to go and see the show. However, after pulling the show off of the box office for a few weeks and re-doing much of the story and some of the music I have to admit I was extremely curious to go and see the new and improved production. If anything, it would definitely be something to talk about.

So, on Friday evening I headed into Times Square to go and see the show. Since it was a gorgeous evening I made the rookie mistake of getting off the subway one stop early, thinking that it would be a nice night to walk. BIG mistake. Times Square on a beautiful spring Friday night is madness. There are tourists everywhere and groups of people just stopping and staring or taking pictures. I felt like I was a salmon swimming up stream. And all the characters were out- pan handlers, street performers, tour operators, suspicious looking types, the police and even a few famous faces, like this guy:

Maybe he was on the way to the show?? 😉

The madness of Times Square

I eventually weaved my way down to the theatre on 42nd Street and waited for my handsome date to arrive so that we could go on in and catch the show.

My handsome date Eric =)

I am going to be completely honest here. I was expecting to be disappointed. My attitude going in was definitely jaded, I was prepared for the worst. So, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I began to get swept up in the magic of the theatre and after a slow moving start I really started to enjoy the show. By the end of the first act I was in awe of the incredible technical feat that this ambitious musical had taken on. It is unlike anything I have ever seen before. The high flying stunts are breathtaking and the music is edgy and dark. There is a story and it follows the classic Marvel tale that is beloved by soo many. I enjoyed it. In fact I more than enjoyed it. It was a breath of fresh air, something unique and different from the many classical broadway shows of the season. At the end of the show the audience gave it a well deserved standing ovation. The critics want this show to die a painful and expensive death because that news would sell. Personally, I am hoping that this new version with rise above the naysayers and through word of mouth people will come to see this show. It truly is a one of a kind spectacle!

Pre-performance curtain for Spiderman-Turn Off The Dark

It really was a super hero filled weekend because I also saw the movie “Thor” on Saturday night. It was date night and I lost out. I really wanted to see “Bridesmaids” but Ron convinced me that it would be a good movie to see with my girlfriends and therefore we should opt for the action packed adventure- fantasy film. I have to admit that I actually liked “Thor”. It wasn’t the best movie I have ever seen but the story line was good, there was lots of action and plenty of eye candy. Hello Chris Hemsworth ! And, the company wasn’t too bad either 😉

I think I am now good for a little while as far as my Marvel Comic book character fill. It is time for some bubbly and a good laugh with the ladies… who’s in for “Bridesmaids”?

Have a wonderful week… stay dry!

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A Big Old GHS Reunion in the Happiest Place in the World!

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Disney World, GHS band trip, Life in NYC, Reunion on May 9, 2011| Leave a Comment »

It has been almost a year since I tearfully said goodbye to friends, colleagues and students at GHS and embarked on my family move/adventure to NYC. So… when my crazy friends (see below) and former teaching buds suggested that I meet them to help chaperone this year’s band trip to Disney World, I began to look online for cheap flights to sunny Orlando.

Brad and Jason, being Brad and Jason!

After a bit of convincing from Ron (yes, the kids would be fine) I booked my flights and started to get excited about a trip to the magical world of Disney. I was super psyched to meet up with my friends and also I really wanted to see some of my former students. It had been awhile since I had the time to just hang out with teens. I missed hearing about the latest trends and about the state of the world from their point of view. It is always refreshing talking to the next generation of adults. Personally I think if we took more time to listen to the voices of high school students our world would be a much better place. But hey, that is just my two cents 😉

Anyhoo, I digress. So, I hopped on a plane and met up with the gang from GHS who had just survived a 27 hour bus ride from Canada’s capital. The students were super pumped to get going and head off to the rides at Hollywood Studios. The chaperones were equally excited and we started off our four day trip with the fast and furious, loud, Aerosmith blaring “Rockin’ Roller Coaster”. This ride set the pace for the rest of the trip as we jam packed tons of awesomeness into four days at Disney.

The whole gang in front of the Magic Kingdom

We visited all of the theme parks except Blizzard Beach and the band even squeezed in a fabulous tutorial session with the Disney Gang and an incredible performance at Epcot. My favorite moments included watching the students relive their inner childhood wonder at the Fantasmic fireworks, listening to the GHS performance under a cloudless blue sky and endless hilarious moments with old (and new) friends. I am not sure my entertainment center will ever be the same 😉

GHS performance at Epcot

Magic Kingdom

Mickey!

Not so funny to a New Yorker 😉

Lightning McQueen

It was a great trip. Most importantly it reminded of how much fun it is when you just let yourself act like a child for a bit. That really is the magic of Disney, being able to explore being a kid all over again. It is also a pretty magical place when the children having meltdowns are not yours 😉

I do miss working with students, a lot. And truth be told, I miss GHS. There are a fabulous group of people there- staff and students. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to hang with them again. Thanks to Stinky and Brad for the opportunity, Typhoon Sads for being a good sport, and to Joan and Heather, for embracing the wild and crazy hair. Most especially, thank you to the spectacular band gang for welcoming me with open arms and being such fun! Miss you guys already =)

The Tower Gang- LOVE

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A Little Face Time With Rob Lowe ;)

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Life in NYC, Living in Manhattan, Pics of Rob Lowe signing his book, Rob Lowe, Rob Lowe book signing in NYC, Stories I Only Tell My Friends on May 2, 2011| 2 Comments »

So, before the breaking story last night with the incredible news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed, a little tweet on twitter caught my eye. Rob Lowe would be signing copies of his new book “Stories I Only Tell My Friends” at the Barnes & Noble near Rockefeller Center on Monday. Huh. I am currently reading Rob Lowe’s book (on my Nook) and am really enjoying it. It is well written and quite captivating. I decided that I would venture into midtown to buy a copy of his book and get it signed by him. As my wise husband said “Are you really too busy to go and meet Rob Lowe??”. Um, NO! And so, this morning I embarked on my latest adventure in this great city.

I popped out of the subway in Times Square. I have to admit I was a bit tentative to see what the mood would be like there. Would there be protesters, people still celebrating or would there be a larger police presence? To the contrary it was actually a very quiet morning in Times Square, lots of tourists as per usual and the hustle and bustle of people going to work. The only noticeable difference was that people were stopping to read the news headlines that were flashing across numerous screens.

News headlines in Times Square-May 2, 2011

I continued on my way to the B & N. I arrived at 11:00 and Rob Lowe was not scheduled to arrive until 12:30. There was already a line that wrapped around the block. Not too bad. I debated if I actually wanted to stand around and wait. And then I gave my head a shake! First, this was Rob Lowe I was talking about and second, I live in NYC and am currently not working if I don’t take advantage of these situations now, when will I??!! I went in, bought the book, received a wrist band and made my way to the back of the line. Luckily I ended up standing on line with some interesting and fun people who made the time go by faster. We chatted about movies, Osama, celebrities and also the strange mix of people that were waiting to see Rob Lowe. Because it was a very weird mix. There was a guy who had flown in from Florida- can you say stalker??!! I figured it would be largely women my age or older who had always had a wee bit of a crush. Not so, there were lots of men, younger girls and much older women. I guess he appeals to all audiences. It was definitely a fun people watching moment.

Waiting patiently...

Line Friends 😉

I have to admit, as the line moved closer to him I was getting a little bit anxious, what exactly would I say to Rob Lowe when we were face to face? I mean it would be really embarrassing to just stand there and stare at him. I am happy to report that my many years of ahem, thinking on the spot, helped me out. This is how it went down:

RL: (looking up and making eye contact) Hi there!

Me: (Trying not to stare too boldly into his amazing eyes) Hi, how are you?

RL: Great, thanks for coming.

Me: I am really enjoying your book and I am also watching re-runs of The West Wing, one of my favorite shows of all time.

RL: I am soo glad you are liking the book. If you are reading the book and watching The West Wing (laughs) then you really don’t need to know anything else about me. Thanks for coming out today, have a great day.

Me: (Trying not to swoon) Thank you, my pleasure.

And then I walked away a wee bit stunned that I had just had a tiny little conversation with Rob Lowe. He is charming, personable, gorgeous and best of all… made beautiful eye contact while talking 😉

Yep, there he is.

He's talking to ME! (or at least my crazy curly hair)

One last pic cause he's so damn cute!

And now, I am back home doing laundry and rushing around to finish up errands before the kids get home! Back to reality. But I have to admit I am doing it all with a bit of a twinkle in my eye and a bounce in my step. Have a great day everyone!!

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The Manhattan Over-Share

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Fighting in public, Life in NYC, Living in Manahttan, Over-sharing, Overheard Cellphone Conversations, sharing your dirty laundry on May 1, 2011| 1 Comment »

Um, we can hear you...

Recently a friend of mine told me a story about how she was taking the shuttle to Newark Airport and was about to pull out something to read when the gentleman next to her started an animated cellphone conversation. He proceeded to talk about intensely personal issues with the person on the other end including family struggles and therapy sessions. It was a crowded train. She had no where to go and sat there as a captive but not necessarily willing audience member to the conversation. Who needs a book when you have a real life drama going on beside you?

This got me thinking about life in NYC. There are an abundance of people in the city and tons of people who over share in very public, crowded places. The other day I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office when the woman across from me got on her cellphone and proceeded to explain to her mother what was going on with her medical issues. I pretended to be checking my email but I have to admit, a voyeur like me has a hard time trying not to listen especially when I am sitting within hearing distance. In my defence, waiting to see the doctor is incredibly boring and any distraction is a welcome relief 😉

I have also witnessed numerous couples having full out screaming matches on the street. As hundreds (no joke) of strangers are walking by, they are airing their dirty laundry at the top of their lungs. No one really seems to pay too much attention unless they are actually physically in the way. I guess this is what most people are counting on in NYC- everyone is soo busy with their own lives that they really don’t have time to be eavesdropping or they really don’t care. Both of these statements are true.

New Yorkers are also supreme multi-taskers. There are conversations that are had on the way from one destination to another. Unlike other cities where people drive from place to place and have the privacy to hold chats in their cars, many New Yorkers do not have this luxury, we walk. As we walk we make phone calls. I can’t tell you how many people I have passed on the phone using the line “Ya, Mom, I hear you but I have to go, I am going to lose you, I am about to go into the subway”. Perfect excuse, right?

I guess the only problem I have with the over-share is when I can’t escape it and it intrudes into my personal space. There are some things I would rather not hear about. If there are a dozen empty seats at the park, please do not sit beside me and start chatting with a friend about your recent drugged out, sexed crazed adventure. If we are stuck in an elevator I really don’t want to hear about your mucus build up. And when I am behind you in line at Trader Joe’s keep your nanny and baby daddy issues to yourself. Because if you do, then I could check my emails, twitter and make my own “over-sharing” phone calls in peace 😉

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Spring Break- Day Six And Seven (I Survived)

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged African Cats, Disney Nature, Kids in Manhattan, Life in NYC, Manhattan, Moomah, Surviving Spring Break on April 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Six (Monday) We headed downtown to Tribeca to check out the Moomah Cafe. It is a wonderful place where the kids were able to choose and make a craft of their choice. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the staff is friendly and easy going. Best of all, because of the age of our children, they were able to make the crafts on their own and Cass and I sat at a table near by and chatted while drinking yummy caffeinated beverages. The kids also explored the funky forest and had a nutritious lunch.

Making creative masterpieces at Moomah

After lunch we traipsed through Chinatown and went to a very cool park in the neighborhood. Later on that afternoon we went and saw the Disney Nature movie “African Cats”. I highly recommend this movie. It is a beautiful film with a wonderful narrative. Proceeds from the movie go towards protecting the Savannah. A worthwhile cause indeed.

Cool playground in Sarah Roosevelt Park in Chinatown

And now, well, day seven, spring break is coming to an end and both the kids and I have survived. All in all it was a great time spent together and I can say that because my little lovelies are heading back to school tomorrow 😉 Seriously, we could not have had a better day to end the break on. It has been sunny and in the 80’s today. The girls and I went to a total of four parks. They rode bikes, played in the sand, climbed, played ball, had popsicles, enjoyed water fights, raced up and down rock walls and we all sweated! Yes, sweated, for the fist time of the season.

First hot day of the season!

Cooling Off!

They are both currently soaking the grime off in the bath. They are exhausted, I am exhausted and hey, isn’t that what it is all about? Giving them a much deserved break from the daily grind and reminding me how wonderful those precious quiet moments truly are =)

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Spring Break- Day Four And Five

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged animazing, Central Park, Dylan's Candy Shop, Eleni's Cookies, Exploring the City, Kate Spade, Life in NYC, NYC, Paul Smith, Ronnybrook Chocolate Milk, Scholastic Bookstore, Schwinn Bikes, Soho, Spring Break with the kids, Washington Square Park on April 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

So, one week of Spring Break and I have survived. Actually it has been a lot of fun hanging out and exploring the city with the girls. Although, it was much nicer having Ron around for Thursday and Friday. Having a bit of back-up in the parental department does not hurt 😉 We spent Thursday and Friday having fun outdoors exploring various places in the city. Feeling like we had been spending a wee bit too much time indoors we wanted to get out and enjoy the sunny if cool, days.

A’s bike arrived from Schwinn on Wednesday and as soon as she woke up on Thursday and it wasn’t raining she was begging to go out and try it. So the girls strapped on their helmets and we headed on down to Riverside Park and they rode their bikes along the pathway. I strolled behind, leisurely checking out the wonderful flowers and trees coming into bloom.

A & R getting ready to ride!

Pit stop at Hippo Park

Daffodils, my favorite flower

After a quick refuel (lunch) back at the apartment we decided to park the bikes and hop on the subway to Soho. The girls had a blast exploring The Scholastic Store and Ron and I popped into a couple of our own favorite places to browse including Kate Spade, Paul Smith and Animazing.

Corner of Prince St. in Soho

The Scholastic Store

Our adventures continued as we skipped through NYU grounds and ended up in Washington Square Park. It was packed with people enjoying the wonderful sunshine. The many street performers offered lots of entertainment but I found the people watching far more interesting.

Washington Square Park

A taking a break

R catching some air

Of course at this point the girls were STARVING so we decided to make the walk to Chelsea Market to see what kind of Easter cookies the fabulous people at Eleni’s had on display. Lets just say that no one was disappointed 😉

Flirty Birdie Cookies and Ronnybrook Chocolate Milk- YUMMY!!

Royal Wedding Cookies

The day ended with quality couch time as both girls were exhausted by all of the outdoor exercise.

On Friday we spend the afternoon in Central Park at one of the kids favorite playgrounds- Hecksher Playground. They spent their time climbing the rocks and chasing each other around the massive grounds filled with climbing structures, swings and other activities. We then ventured over to the Upper East Side where we stopped at Dylan’s Candy Shop to see what kind of Easter treats were on display. It was CRAZY in there and we were barely able to move. Luckily there was lots to look at. The whole area was a little bit chaotic and I was quite happy to give my feet a break as we jumped into a cab and headed back to the apartment.

My little explorers

Taking a bite out of the Big Apple 😉

Today, it has been wet and rainy. We haven’t left the apartment. There has been movie watching, homework completion, book reading and spring cleaning. It is exactly what we needed. After all, there are still two more days of holidays- Mon & Tues… I am already working on a game plan.

Happy Easter!!

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