Playing Tourist Part 2

Posted on June 3, 2023 by mlenoach

I got to play tourist again but in a different capacity.

I volunteer with the New York Junior League, an organization of women whose mission is to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.

I’ve been a volunteer for nine years and have had many roles.

This year, I’ve had the pleasure of being part of the Personal Advancement and Leadership Committee (PAL), which focuses on mentoring young women (ages 14-18) on continuing education opportunities, broad career aspirations, and life skills.

One of the workshops was a tour of Radio City Music Hall. We were able to tour the whole venue and got to meet a Radio City Rockette. It was an excellent opportunity for the young women to see the space and hear from various employees on how they got their jobs and what their roles and responsibilities are.

It was an inspiring and fun workshop. Here are some pictures of the tour.

Hidden within the carpet are 6 instruments

The room that really makes the magic happen

Playing tourist in my own city

Posted on May 30, 2023 by mlenoach

In April, I had family from California visit. They explored NYC for many days, and I was able to spend some time with them and enjoy some sites I hadn’t been to before or hadn’t been to in a while.

I have been wanting to check out Little Island for a while now, so we went there first. It’s a great little park with lovely views.

From Little Island, we went straight to the High Line. I haven’t been in years! The High Line is a public park built on a freight rail line elevated above the streets of Manhattan’s West Side. The park is from 14th Street to 34th Street and has impressive views and great artwork along the path.

The High Line goes directly into Hudson Yards. We enjoyed the mall there and some yummy food.

Overall, it was a great relaxing day, enjoying the city.

CPR Training

Posted on May 22, 2023 by mlenoach

Last week, I took part in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training. Ever since I had my daughter, I always wanted to learn just in case.

The training was very informative. I learned the difference between a heart attack (blockage) and a cardiac arrest (heart stop) and what to look out for.

I practiced compressions and rescue breaths on an adult and child dummy. I learned how to administer a shock from an AED (automated external defibrillator). I also practiced the Heimlich maneuver on an adult and techniques to help an infant choking.

I recommend the training to anyone. If you see it offered somewhere, take the class. You never know when you might need it!

Poconos Adventure

Posted on May 15, 2023 by mlenoach

In March, the family and I enjoyed a weekend getaway in the Poconos. Our friend recently bought a house in the area and invited us over.

The area is filled with many things year-round to do, but we enjoyed the local entertainment, which happened to be the deer. Each day we took part in a deer-watching ritual. My daughter Maxine loved it.

We also enjoyed the Pocono Brewery Company. It’s a great spot offering fantastic food and beer flights.

Hopefully, we get invited to stay again soon!

Spring has Sprung in Astoria

Posted on April 15, 2023 by mlenoach

Astoria always comes to life in the Spring. Sharing the beauty of the neighborhood.

Shawshankd Cocktail Experience

Posted on January 31, 2023 by mlenoach

Earlier this month, I celebrated my friend Adrienne’s birthday in true Adrienne style with an immersive adventure. This time we got ourselves locked up in jail for the Shawshankd cocktail experience. The show is inspired by the movie and was fun and laid back. Our group had a blast because we all embraced the role-playing aspect of the night. The strong drinks were a bonus.

Here are some pictures of the night.

Need to find my next adventure!

Year of the rabbit

Posted on January 31, 2023 by mlenoach

Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate!

Last week, I had some yummy dumplings and treats from Bund Dumpling House in Astoria with my family.

Matcha sesame balls stuffed with red bean paste

This past Saturday, we enjoyed the Lunar New Year celebration at the Queens Botanical Garden. It was super crowded, but it was fun to see my daughter, Maxine, enjoy the grounds and the dragon dance.

Taking a look back at 2022

Posted on January 1, 2023 by mlenoach

As the clock turns 12, I wanted to celebrate and look back at 2022.

I started the new year with a challenge, the January Pantry Challenge. The idea was to cook things I already had at home to save money. I ate a lot of soup and finally ate stuff in my freezer. Some of my favs were the shrimp stir fry, red beans, sausage and rice, and dumplings.

In February, I did some fun activities with my parents. We took part in a virtual chocolate tasting and a chocolate-making class.

In March, I did a bit of a staycation and enjoyed the TWA hotel at JFK. It was a lot of fun. It had a fantastic 60s vibe with great food and ambiance. One of the best features is that they remade one of the planes into a cocktail bar/lounge.

For Easter this year, I decorated eggs and did a few egg hunts with Maxine and my family. It was fun to make the eggs with mom, and even better to see Maxine’s face while she was looking for eggs.

I don’t see my friends as often as I would like these days, but it’s always a blast when we do get to see each other. In May, we had brunch at Lucky Chengs and enjoyed a fun drag show.

In June, I was a panelist for a new membership event at the New York Junior League. I have been volunteering for the league for about eight years now and I was honored to be asked to speak.

Dad turned 80 in July! I wanted to throw him a huge party, but that is not my dad’s style. We had an amazing dinner at a Greek restaurant in Astoria instead.

We rented out a beautiful house in the Poconos in August and had a kickass family trip. The place was amazing; it had an indoor pool, a game room, and a movie theater. We also did some hiking and saw some beautiful waterfalls, and did some canoeing as well.

September was all about soaking up the last bit of beautiful weather and enjoying the parks and water sprinklers.

I turned 41 this year and spent my birthday with my family in Atlantic City. We stayed at Caesar’s Palace. I haven’t been to AC in years! I gambled with my parents, and Andrew won big at the roulette table. I ate excellent food and enjoyed the beach, as the weather was nice. Andrew and I even got to have a little date night on my birthday and explored AC at night.

I kicked off the holiday season by attending the New York Junior League’s Golden Tree event. It’s a holiday market where a percentage of the proceeds go to the league. The event also had a great auction where you could bid on various items, including holiday wreaths. I participated in the auction for the first time and won these two beauties.

Maxine turned two in December! Last year, we kept it simple and celebrated at a buffet so this year, I wanted to go all out. I rented a small venue and we had a bouncy house, face painter and balloon artist. Of course it had to be CoComelon themed.

2022, thanks for the memories!

Celebrating Black Business Month- The Sip

Posted on August 31, 2022 by mlenoach

On this last day of August and Black Business Month, I want to shout out The Sip, a black, female-owned bimonthly wine box subscription service.

Each box contains 2-3 top champagne or sparkling wines, a tasting guide, a custom gift, and credit towards full-size bottles.

Here is the box I received.

I loved my box. The tasting bottles were a decent size, and I shared all of them with my husband. We made a date night out of it! All the bottles I tasted were excellent, and the guides provided were super helpful. Check The Sip out and if you are looking for $10 off, use my referral link here.

Marcia Favrot Gazebo Restoration -Hidden spot by the Hudson

Posted on August 24, 2022 by mlenoach

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.

The gazebo is in the back of the Garrison Institute.

Pretty big space but you would have to bring all chairs and anything you would need.

If you are in the area, looking for a relaxing spot, check it out.

The Casual Explorer

exploring NYC, and beyond, one day at a time

Category Archives: Exploring