Cruising on the NCL Getaway Winter- 2024

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! 

North Fork Wine Tour

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.

Bluey x CAMP

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.

Visiting The Freakin Rican in Astoria

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.

Enjoying the Summer at Shirley

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.

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.