Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 Two weeks ago, we visited the Bronx Zoo for Pumpkin Nights. We had a blast. They had fun games, a great exhibit, and food. The zoo was definitely creepy at night. 😜
Here are some pictures of the night.
Back in 2022, I signed myself up for Mah Jong classes. I had fun learning, but it didn’t stick.
I recently got the opportunity to join a group and learn again through Ready Set Mah Jong, and I’m having a blast. Maybe it’s my teacher, maybe it’s my group of ladies, but either way, I’m hooked this time!
If you are in the NYC area and curious to learn, check out Ready Set Mah Jong.
I’ve always wanted to check out this restaurant. I finally got the opportunity earlier this month having lunch with a good friend.
My friend had the mofongo with chicharron and loved it. I had the bistec with onions and rice and I brought home the pernil and rice. My bistec was okay but the pernil was amazing.
The restaurant has a very cozy vibe, and I look forward to coming back with my family.
Last month, we had dinner at Mokja in Astoria. The food was amazing, and I still can’t forget how cute this restaurant was.
The restaurant had a very romantic kind of vibe. There were lights and flowers everywhere.
Another thing I loved about the restaurant was that it had a lot of personal touches. They had bag holders at each table. They also had bowls, cups, and silverware for kids. It was so cute and made my daughter feel special.
I will definitely be back. I recommend it for date nights, families, and small groups.
Happy Birthday to me! Cheers to more adventures in the future.
At the beginning of summer, I created a bucket list of things I wanted to do and created a bingo card. As fall officially starts tomorrow, I took the time to reflect on everything I accomplished.
Here is my summer bingo card.
Not a blackout, but I definitely got a bingo!
This summer was filled with great moments!
We were also so lucky to travel this summer. We visited my family’s beach house in Shirley (which I already wrote about), the Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania, and the beautiful island of St. Thomas.
We visited the Great Wolf Lodge for our wedding anniversary. Maxi loved the water park and all the activities on-site.
In August, we went to St. Thomas with my husband’s family. We had a blast, and it was gorgeous!
Now, I’m ready for the fall!
I was fortunate to participate in Broadway Week this year. I got to watch not one but two shows, and all tickets this week were two for one.
I saw SIX with my girlfriends. The show was about the six wives of Henry VIII. I loved it. The vocals were amazing, and it was an empowering show.
I also saw The Great Gatsby with my good friend. Of course, I read the book and loved the story. The costumes and backdrops were gorgeous! The icing on the cake was that they had a Filipino actress as the main lead, Daisy.
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!
My daughter had the opportunity to go to camp for three weeks this summer. For two weeks, she went to the Long Island City YMCA, and then she spent the last week at another school called Puzzles.
Maxine had a great experience at both locations. The YMCA was a more extended day, and she had access to a pool and more activities, but she enjoyed both.
Here are pictures of her artwork, which she made at the YMCA. She also made a necklace, bracelet, and tie-dyed shirt.
As a camper at the YMCA, she had to wear a yellow shirt and use their bag.
I also had to prepare her a nut-free/no-refrigeration lunch each day for both the YMCA and Puzzles, something I’m not used to since she usually gets lunch at school.
Here are some of the pics of her lunches.
She’ll definitely do camp again next year!
A few months ago, I found an Omakase hidden gem in Astoria called That Place. The restaurant has a cool speakeasy vibe, and the food is fantastic. You can choose a 14-course or 18-course dining experience. It is an amazing place for date night or a special occasion. Yelp has it listed as closed, but I’m hoping it is just for the Summer because I would love to eat there again.
Here are some photos of dinner.
The Casual Explorer 