I recently got to enjoy my family’s beach house on Long Island.
We had a great time at the beach, eating, boating and clamming. Most importantly we had much needed family time.
Enjoying the Summer at Shirley
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Category Archives: Exploring
Summer Bucket List
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.
Sunday at Sotheby’s
This past Sunday, I got a guided look at the Old Masters and 19th Century European paintings and works of art at Sotheby’s with the New York Junior League’s WOC Affinity Group.
I’ve never been to Sotheby’s before. It has a museum-like feel but with the bonus of being able to touch the art.
Our Sotheby’s specialists went over some beautiful pieces. What I loved the most was that they spoke about the art itself, the framing and significance of the touch-ups, and the caring of the artwork. One of the highlights of the experience was looking at some artwork under black light to make comparisons.
Overall, it was an amazing experience. I look forward to visiting again and checking out a collection before it is auctioned off or experiencing a live auction.
Here are some photos of the day.
Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater
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.
Dinner with the girls at Jasmine’s Caribbean Cuisine
My friends and I have been exploring various restaurants in the city. Two weeks ago, we visited Restaurant Row and Jasmine’s Carribean Cuisine.
The restaurant had an amazing vibe, was filled with warm bright colors, and had yummy, flavor-filled food.
I was meat-free that night, as I was observing Lent, but all plates were empty by the end of it all, and my friends and I loved all the dishes.
Eclipse Fun
We headed over to the Poconos to watch the eclipse. Although we knew we wouldn’t be able to see the full eclipse, it was fun to visit our friend’s house, have some space, and enjoy nature.
It was a bit cloudy, but we still got to see some cool eclipse stuff with and without the glasses.
My Astra Lumina experience
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!
Cherry Blossoms around the neighborhood
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.
Say Cheese – Indoor Playground in Astoria
Hidden in Astoria is a pretty cool indoor playground called Say Cheese. From the outside, it looks a little small, but it’s a pretty decent size once you walk in. The space includes slides, wall games, projector games, and a ball pit.
So far, Maxine, my daughter, has been there twice, one time with her school and another time with her cousins. I highly recommend it for rainy days or even when school is closed. I would have an exit plan; the kids are having so much fun they don’t want to leave!
Steinway Street Holiday Fun
Maxine and I had a fun time at a holiday celebration on Steinway Street this weekend.
The Casual Explorer 