I started taking a swimming class at my local YMCA. I can swim, but I’m not as good as I used to be. I’m taking a water stamina class, and for not swimming in a while, I think I did okay. It was hard and it kicked my butt but I can only improve from here. Seven more classes to go!
Summer is here, and I’m all for it! This year, I decided to turn my bucket list into a bingo game to motivate myself and keep me present. Most of the time, I get caught up with life, so I hope this will keep me focused throughout the summer and, most importantly, have fun with my family. I’ll report back on how I’m doing.
Early last month, I had a pretty awesome ladies’ night out at Pearl & The Beast.
You pick a muscle, open it up, collect the pearls, clean them, and decide what to do with them. I got a good haul of pearls, so I got two rings and two earrings done. They had someone onsite who put together the jewelry. Bonus; I actually got the earrings for free because they were doing a promotion at the time.
It was hands-on, informative, and fun! I highly recommend checking it out.
In February, I got to take part in the legendary Amateur Night at the Apollo. I had a blast! I got tickets through the New York Junior League’s Women of Color Affinity Group. League members got tickets together and it was a straight-up party when we got there. Amazing vibe and great people.
The kid portion of the competition was cute. The girl who won was so talented. With the adult portion, not all performers were great and many got booed pretty badly. The top three winners was definitely well-deserved though.
Overall, I had a blast and would love to do it again.
Before today’s solar eclipse, I wanted to share my Astra Lumina experience from last month.
Astra Lumina is a unique traveling light show. In New York, it was held in the Queens Botanical Garden. Stargazers enjoyed walking around the garden and got interpretations of ‘stardust rays’, ‘falling stars’, ‘cosmic choir’ ‘celestial trail’, and ‘stellar visions’.
We did this as a family and loved it!
Now time to enjoy the eclipse!
Friday was a little chaotic in New York due to the earthquake. I didn’t notice because I was checking out the cherry blossoms in the neighborhood. I felt the tremors a couple of hours later though! A friendly reminder to take a moment and enjoy nature.
Last week, I had friends from out of town visit. We had three kids to entertain, one being my little munchkin, so we decided to go to a museum and headed over to the American Museum of Natural History.
My daughter had a great time and did well in her first museum experience. She loved the butterfly exhibit.
She is also a big Octonauts fan, so the Oceanic section was a big hit. She was so happy and proud to recognize some of the animals she saw on the show.
The dinosaurs, of course, was a big hit as well.
We’ll be back for sure!
My family and I randomly came across the new Nuts Factory on 30th Avenue in Astoria. They have an impressive selection of nuts, gummies, and chocolate.
We went a little nuts (pun intended) and got a variety of goodies. I selected strawberry and watermelon gummies and a crunchy corn mix. My husband, Andrew, got a few chocolate pieces, and we got our daughter Maxine banana chips.
A bit pricey but worth a visit in my book.
Earlier this month, I was invited to a birthday party at the Marcia Favrot Gazebo Restoration, located behind the Garrison Institute. It is a chill spot with views of the Hudson and has an off-the-beaten-path vibe.
If you are in the area, looking for a relaxing spot, check it out.
In March, I took part in the ‘Eat Something New in Queens’ Challenge. The purpose was to step out of your comfort zone, try new restaurants and food, and support local restaurants around Queens. Although I took a little staycation during the challenge, I still tried to participate. All the food I tried was excellent!
Here are the restaurants I tried.
Nneji is a West African spot in Astoria. It’s more a pickup type of place but has fantastic food. Don’t feel shy and ask the owner for recommendations on what to eat.
Coco Malaysian Cuisine in Elmhurst.
I’m half Filipino, so Filipino food is life, but I did find a new dish I had never had before at Kabayan Authentic Filipino Cuisine in Woodside.
My family stayed at the TWA Hotel in JFK, in Jamaica, during the challenge (more on the hotel in another post), but we still tried some great food.
Yardie Bistro was in the food court area of the hotel.
Splurged a little at the Paris Cafe by Jean-Georges. It was well worth it!
I had a blast trying all the food. The challenge has an awesome Facebook group page that offers food ideas and recommendations year round. If you love food and live in Queens, or don’t mind traveling to the borough, join the group!
The Casual Explorer 