Cruising on the NCL Getaway Winter- 2024

Posted on August 20, 2025 by mlenoach

Next week, my family and I are going on our first Disney cruise. We are so excited and are counting the days (4 more to go!). In the meantime, I’m revisiting some of our past cruise vacations to get us ready.

In February 2024, we enjoyed a 10-day Caribbean cruise on the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) to celebrate my husband’s birthday. It was also extra special because it was the first cruise with our daughter.

We had a fantastic time! The boat was gorgeous, and the food was amazing. One regret I did have was that we didn’t take advantage of all the amenities on the ship. We didn’t make it to many of the shows and did not end up using the kids’ club services. We took advantage of excursions during our port days, but some of the ones we were looking forward to got canceled due to the weather. However, we still had a blast and ended up hooked on cruising!

Indoor Play Areas in Queens and Brooklyn

Posted on August 13, 2025 by mlenoach

Here are some indoor play areas/activities that are fun to try when you want to beat the heat (or cold), when it rains, or just for fun.

Twinkle Playspace in Williamburg

PLAYDAY in Long Island City – heavy on art classes vs playground. We attended a birthday party, but they have so many cool offerings: bookmarking, cartooning, collage creations, fashion design, painting and drawing, and printmaking.

Dream City in Forest Hill

Puzzles in Astoria – have seasonal special events, snapology, STEM based and sensory activities.

Celebrating on the Hornblower Atlantica

Posted on July 22, 2025 by mlenoach

I celebrated my cousin’s 40th birthday on the Hornblower Atlantica this past Saturday. It was so much fun! We had the whole boat to ourselves. She had a package with drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and a buffet. She also had a fun DJ. The best part was catching Manhattan’s Hudson and East River views.

2025 Summer Bucket List

Posted on July 6, 2025 by mlenoach

I had so much fun creating a bucket list last year that I knew I wanted to do it again this year. Aiming for a blackout, let’s go summer!

North Fork Wine Tour

Posted on June 17, 2025 by mlenoach

This past Saturday, I joined the New York Junior League’s Travel & Culture affinity Group and explored North Fork’s beautiful wine country. We had curated tastings led by a professional sommelier at Jamesport Vineyards and Sparkling Pointe. We also stopped at the famous Briermere Farm Stand.

The weather was crappy, but I had an amazing time and met some new friends. Would definitely like to make another trip to Sparkling Pointe.

Baby Farm Animals

Posted on May 11, 2025 by mlenoach

Spring+Mother’s Day is reminding me about the time my daughter and I got to play with bunnies and chickens from Long Island Pony Parties.

Best time ever!

Nonprofit Education Training Events

Posted on January 30, 2025 by mlenoach

I have always wanted to join a nonprofit board. Earlier this month, I attended a training session at the New York Junior League (NYJL) on Elevating Ethics—Building Nonprofit Board Leaders. It was a great day of training with great topics and speakers.

A week later, I attended a Board Match Mixer at the NYJL and got a chance to meet some great leaders and nonprofits. I didn’t find my ‘match,’ but it was great seeing and hearing from nonprofits I’d never heard of before.

I just have to keep on looking!

Bluey x CAMP

Posted on December 3, 2024 by mlenoach

My family visited Bluey x CAMP this past weekend and had a blast. We were transported to Bluey and Bingo’s home. My daughter and two nieces ran, played, and enjoyed all the rooms and slides. The counselors were friendly and engaging, and they facilitated a dance mode moment and story time. We also had a fun picture moment with Bluey and Bingo. It goes by fast, but I would recommend it, especially if you are a fan of the Bluey show.