Tasty Thursdays: Street Food

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Image by J-Blue via Flickr[/caption] When the weather's good, few of us want to stay indoors, especially at lunch time. And in New York City, vendors with food carts make it easy for those of us who wish to, to enjoy the sun and an inexpensive meal at the same time. Food trucks are not just around construction sites these days, they're everywhere. And they're offering more than just coffee and bagels. Some offer gourmet food, pastries…
 

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Free Activities for a Memorable New York Summer

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Tai Chi in Bryant Park, Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] Even before the thermometer hits and stays constantly at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (or above), New Yorkers begin to take to the outdoors to enjoy weather and the wide variety of free activities that the city offers. Events are scattered throughout each borough so everyone can take part. From street festivals, to parades to concerts and movies in the park, there's bound to be something for everyone. Here's a…
 

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New York’s Museum of Art and Design

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by wallyg via Flickr"][/caption] New York City's reputation as the destination for the visual arts is legendary. With major museums, art galleries and exhibition spaces, I could spend every Sunday visiting each one and not see everything on display. So I have to be strategic. Last weekend, I decided to visit the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in its new home at Columbus Circle. The brainchild of Aileen Osborn Webb, it was opened in…
 

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Sunday in Central Park

One of the nicest things about living in New York City is Central Park. At more than 800 acres, it is an oasis of green in a sea of concrete and brick. Running from 59th Street to 110 Street, Central Park receives approximately thirty-five million visitors annually. It is a popular venue for skating, concerts and theatre, boating, birding, rock climbing, running, walking, bicycling, etc., and is central to the enjoyment of life in the city. [caption id="attachment_3840" align="aligncenter" width="480"…
 

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Soulful Sundays: Yunupingu

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Yunupingu, Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] My buddy, Hakea, blogged recently about this amazing musician, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu in a series she calls, Awesome Aussies. After I listened to his music, I just couldn't get his voice out of my head and did a bit more research on YouTube.  A Yolngu, Yunupingu was born blind. He plays drums, keyboards and didgeridoo, a wind instrument created by the indigenous people of Australia. Yunupingu has won numerous awards for his…
 

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May 21, 2011: Judgement Day?

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="160" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption] Overheard on the street, Friday evening, May 20th - Man with a sign proclaiming May 21st Judgement Day is approached by a group of about 5 teenage boys. As I pass them, one boy asks, So if we're all going to die tomorrow, why are you selling (windshield) wipers? I burst out laughing. I hadn't even noticed that he was also selling windshield wipers. Related articles Judgement Day Is Tomorrow. (brokenmann.wordpress.com) Judgement Day…
 

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Tiny

When I saw the topic for this week's Photo Challenge, I felt sure I wouldn't be able to find anything but I decided to look anyway. While I looked, I thought about the various meanings of tiny, what the word implies. A thing is tiny in relation to something else. This group of kayakers, for example, looks tiny from my vantage point on the bridge and compared to the dinghy and the other boats on the river. [caption id="attachment_3777" align="aligncenter"…
 

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Before My Travel Blog

Long before I had a travel blog, I kept  journals. I have been doing that since high school. Looking back, I remember the person I was when I worried about passing an exam, gushed about a boy or a grumbled because of some new disagreement with my mother. (Yes, those teenage years, when I was trying to assert my independence, were tumultuous.) [caption id="attachment_3753" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="A few of my journals (old and new) - Maynefoto"][/caption] Sometimes, I was diligent…
 

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Tasty Thursdays: Bananas Foster

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Image by stu_spivack via Flickr[/caption] I had Bananas Foster a few years ago when a friend brought it to a party. I couldn't believe how good it was but then again, I should have. I love bananas. And the best part, it's so easy to make! Ingredients 1/4 cup butter 2/3 cup dark brown sugar 3 1/2 tablespoons rum 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise and crosswise…
 

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Weekend Getaway: New Hope, PA

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] Image by Oleg Dulin via Flickr[/caption] If you visit Lambertville, NJ, you owe it to yourself to make the five minute walk across the bridge to New Hope, PA. New Hope is a vibrant arts community of about 2,500 residents. A number of restaurants, antique shops and art galleries line its main street. And on weekends, according to one local, businessmen turned bikers, ride their expensive machines over to drink mojitos. Bohemian New Hope has been…
 

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