Tribeca Taco Truck Surprise!

Sometimes the best treat is the one you least expect. In my travels today, I was on Prince Street and I landed on this food truck. It's called, "TRIBECA TACO TRUCK." Usually, I'm very picky about where I eat my food and for all my friends who know me, it's very rare that I eat from a place that I haven't researched first. Lol!

I always watch to see if a place is getting business and whether folks seem to be happy. In this case, both statements were true. So, I decided to line up and give it a try. I started checking out the menu to see what I might like and right away my eyes brightened up when I saw that they had grilled seasoned chicken!

I ordered a soft chicken corn tortilla. All tortilla's come with cilantro & onion and your choice of 2 sauces. I chose the spicy mango and picante bojo. I was very eager to taste my food that I stepped to the side of the truck and started chowing down! I took one bite and OH MY! Just to make sure, I took a second bite to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. Indeed, this chicken tortilla taco hit the spot! Here's the best part of it all, it was ONLY $3.  The spicy mango added an extra kick to the chicken, it was like a "sweet and sour" surprise. The chicken was well seasoned and that cilantro added a special kick.

Only in New York can you find such tasteful food for a fraction of the price.
You can find this food truck on Prince Street between Spring Street & Broadway.

Tomorrow they have "DOLLAR TACOS!"  You can't beat that, I suggest for all those New Yorker's on a budget and are in the area, should hit up this truck. It's worth your money and you won't be disappointed. I give Tribeca Taco Truck, "TWO THUMBS UP and a SMILE!

What's Next???

Well, it's been awhile since I've blogged and I apologize to all my followers. I've been experiencing the life altering question of, "WHAT'S NEXT??"

I believe most of us have experienced life altering moments at some point in our lives. The one constant thing I can count on, is that I have to keep my faith in the midst of this transition. I realize that there's something bigger happening here and I must embrace this journey one step at a time.

I hate not knowing what's next, during this time of being laid off, I've been hitting the pavement like nobody's business. I've been blessed to have interviews to go to, where some of my friends can't even get any interviews.

The thing is, you always have to be at your best at every interview and have you ever thought you were vibing with the person who was interviewing you, just to find out later that they didn't even like you? LOL! Oh, let me rephrase this, I was told that I knew too much information about the company, too polished and too prepared.  Hmm....

I didn't know preparing for an interview was a bad thing. LOL! With this economy being the employers market, I'm really trying different avenues and networking all my contacts. The thing is though, at the end of it all, I have to trust that the right job is out there.

As for those of us who are hitting the pavement with our resumes, polished look and those of us who are I guess, "too prepared", we have to continue to believe that someone will finally believe that "we are the RIGHT FIT!"

What's Next???

Great things are about to come our way, but until we get there, let's take it one day at a time. Let's continue to be thankful that we are healthy, we are alive, all our five senses are working, we can still be kind to someone else.

In Transition!

The last couple weeks, I've been experiencing some growing pains and struggles. We all have our good and bad days, but sometimes it seems that when you're in middle of life's transition, things can be quite overwhelming. I found myself torn with many questions, many I couldn't even answer.

What is going on? How come this job isn't coming fast enough? How many interviews will I have to endure? Why is this happening to me? Will I be happy again? I'm I making the right decisions? I'm I being prayerful about what I want? I'm I on the right course with my life? When does the transition end?

As you can see, once my mind starts working, it's hard to shut off that little inside voice that speaks to all of us. I understand it's a process and sometimes, there's no specific answer to all these questions. What's really important is being patient. I know that's easier said than done. LOL! I discovered that one of my vices, is being impatient. I always want things to happen in my own time, but God doesn't work like that. I believe that we have to let nature take it's course sometimes. Obviously, I'm not saying that we do nothing, what I suggest is that we stay prayerful and we proceed with caution. Faith requires action and we all know everything we ever wanted didn't fall out of the sky. It took some course of ACTION!

Since we're officially in Spring now, I realized so is my life. We need to change in order to grow, it challenges us to try new things or aspire to greater heights in our lives. If you live in New York, this Spring weather is more like a mixture of Winter and Spring. It seems as if Winter won't let go, because we're still wearing our wool coats and scarfs. Yet at the same time, we're hopeful, so we've started wearing brighter colors, maybe wearing those open toe shoes. It is because we believe that SPRING IS HERE! We believe that this is a new season.

I say this to everyone whose reading this blog, I don't know what your transition is, whether it's personal or career related, embrace the change. Yes, there will be tough days where you might feel like things are not moving fast enough, remember that this is your new season. You will get there! Just remember to embrace the process, YES this transition shall come to pass!

You will get there, you will get that job you've always wanted, you will get that new house, puppy, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, raise, much needed vacation, whatever it might be, IT WILL HAPPEN!

Where You At?

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the Wendy Williams Show and the weather was just crazy! It was raining, snowing, hailing, all the above. Nothing was going to stand in my way of going to see Wendy and Jennifer Hudson, who was a guest on the show.

Despite the weather, a lot of people made it for the taping of the show. I was excited that I made it right before 8 AM, because the line was pretty long. Once we were inside the studio, I must admit that Wendy has the best fans! Everyone was pumped up and with DJ Boof spinning the cuts, audience members were soon invited to the stage to get their dance on!

After several minutes of breaking into a sweat and enjoying ourselves, a few were chosen to participate in the dance off contest. At this point, the rest of us had returned to our seats to watch the chosen few. Shout out to my girl who surprised us all with the splits. None of us saw that coming! My girl from Philly had on 4 inch heels and while everyone was getting their 5 seconds of fame, she stole the show!

Now that the crowd was hyped, it was time for Wendy to start her show. "HOW YOU DANCING?" Remember it's usually, "HOW YOU DOING?" Well, since Wendy is now on Dancing with the Stars, she decided to change it to "HOW YOU DANCING?" Let's vote for her y'all!

I love Wendy! She had to put this lady in her place who kept yelling during the show, I'm saying this is the "WENDY SHOW", not the "CRAZY AUDIENCE MEMBER SHOW". I'm not sure if the audience member just wanted to get noticed, but that's not the way to go about it.

Wendy gave us the latest juice on Chris Brown and about the American Idol Judges. I hope and pray that Chris Brown will find a better way of addressing questions regarding his ex. I know his a talented young man, but Wendy is right, he has to know how to handle these types of questions.

The best part of the show is when Wendy finally got to interview Jennifer Hudson. All I can say is Jennifer looked amazing in that hot pink dress, it was a great color on her. She was working them 5 inch heels, you go Jennifer! We all went wild when Jennifer came out, her story is very inspiring to many young women. I wanted to go to the gym right after the show and start working out. LOL!

The show ended with Jennifer performing her new song, "Where You At", from the new album called, "I Remember Me."

It's out in stores now. You can check out Jennifer's performance at http://www.wendyshow.com/2011/03/23/j-hud-performs-where-you-at/

Thanks Wendy for my Rich Rocks Bohemian Style earrings and my Aqua-fresh toothpaste. There's nothing like fresh breathe and a brand new pair of earrings!!!!  HOW YOU DANCING?

Miss Jackson - #1's Tour

A close friend of mine called me up last month and asked me if I wanted to attend the Janet Jackson Concert. At first, I was like it would be nice, but I can't have fun when I'm job searching right now. Maybe I would see her another time.

WAIT!!! Stop the PRESSES!!! This is a once in a lifetime that I get to witness someone I admired from my teenage years. And I say no, next time?  My girlfriend soon made me realize that we have to live life in the moment, I wasn't guaranteed a next time.

Since I was a little girl, I use to watch Janet Jackson on the show "Good Times." How could we forget her role as little "Penny?" Then, one day in my teenage years, I saw the video for "Pleasure Principle". Now, I thought to myself, I could be like Janet in that video and bust out that routine, jump on the chair and off it. Well, I didn't wanna break my mother's chair or my legs, I stuck to learning the dance moves.

Finally, this past Saturday, I went with my friend to witness this once in a lifetime opportunity. As we approach the line at Radio City Hall, I hear a fan singing, "What have you done for me lately?" I start laughing and singing along, "Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah! Used to go to dinner almost every night, danced until I thought I'd thought I'd lose my breath."

Here I was finally inside Radio City Hall and very excited to see Miss Jackson. I felt like a little kid at the candy store. I use to spend hours making up dance routines to her songs. I attempted on many occasions to replicate her dance moves, but of course, they can only be one JANET.

Once we were seated inside, after the opening act, the audience was getting hyped. Finally, the curtains opened and  we saw the video to "The Best Things in Life Are Free." Oh yes, this was taking it way back, remember this song was on the soundtrack for "Mo Money" with Damon Wayans and Stacey Dash?

Then the "Rhythm Nation" video came on and man oh man, I still can't figure out the finger combination when it comes to 5, 4, 3, 2, ONE! "We are a part of the rhythm Nation." At this point and time everyone was out of their seat singing and dancing.

Finally, Janet's band all dressed in white started to take their places on stage. We all started screaming and then the moment we had all been waiting for, Miss Janet graced us with her presence and the crowd went wild! "JANET, JANET, JANET", the crowd chanted.

I couldn't believe it, I was screaming and dancing. The only issue was I had forgot my camera, so I had to take pictures with my phone camera. I really wanted to kick myself, but too late for that. It was time to sing and dance with Janet. She still got the moves, I was really impressed with the show.

She's a legend of our time! I can honestly say that her show attracted everyone young and old. It is very rare that an artist can do that. By the end of the concert, I could hardly talk and I didn't want the show to end.

Every show has a beginning and an ending, the band, the dancers and Miss Jackson entertained us for two hours.

I'm glad I got the chance to see her perform. She's now written a book called, "True You." Check it out at your local book store.

Central Park - Loved the Live Band!

Those of us here in New York appreciated Friday's 70 degree weather. Where do I even begin?

So, I woke up early anticipating the nice weather that was predicated. I wanted to maximize every minute of it. I started out my journey in Central Park. As a New Yorker, sometimes we forget to take advantage of what makes this city great, which includes the most famous Central Park. I took the M7 to 59th & Columbus Circle and once I existed, I was greeted with a sunny blue sky and the famous statues.

All of sudden, I heard this music, it was very inviting. I heard the sweet sounds of  saxophones and drums, so I started walking towards the area where I witnessed a great live performance. A small crowd of tourists, kids and regular New Yorkers were slowly forming around this lively band. Man, I love New York on days like this, it doesn't get any better!            

I decided to find a sit on a near by bench so I can truly enjoy this experience. On days like this, I gotta say I love New York! Here I am enjoying a live performance by this ensemble group put together by Sam Trapchak. Their sound is quite unique, it's a mixture of funk, a bit of rock and blues with a jazzy flavor. I found myself smiling and thankful to be an audience member.

In the picture below, this lady helps her little one walk over to give a donation to the group. It was adorable to see little one's and grown ups running up and showing their appreciation for the music. I was told by one of the group members, that they had performed here a year ago around this time and it was nice for them to have the opportunity to reunite here again.

I decided to purchase one of their albums, entitled, "Lollipopocalypse", so I could continue listening to them once I got home. Let me just say, I have played the CD like 6 times already. Love it! It's very soulful, relaxing and it left me with a smile on my face. My favorites so far are "Losing You", "Long Live/Less Say" and "Tongue and Groove."

If you want to find more about this group or if you want to purchase their music, please visit www.rawtoastrecords.com

Lucky Stars

With the recent layoffs, many of us are trying to figure out what our next steps will be.
For some its doing the same job, while for others, there's a new desire to try something new. This is very interesting, because yesterday I talked about this topic of  not being afraid of new ventures.

I was recently laid-off and for the first time in my life, I was both excited and nervous at the same time. When one door closes, we have to look at it as a blessing in disguise. So often we're still holding onto that old thing that we can't see new opportunities right in-front of us. Believe me, I know it's very scary to all of sudden start all over again with a brand new employer or career for that matter.

So, today being St. Patrick's Day, as I strolled in Union Square, I thought to myself, "Gee, I really could use some luck." It seems that in this economy those of us who are still unemployed are not having the best of luck. Everywhere I turn it seems clear that this is the employers market, but what about our destiny?

I don't believe when you're destined to do great things that we can't overcome these obstacles. I started thinking as I was walking, "What would my dream job be and how would I get it?" I've always had this gift of gab, I can talk, talk and talk. I draw quite an audience with all my stories and maybe the love of entertaining others.

Now, I've been brain storming hard and trying to figure out how could I get paid for my gift of gab? It's obviously something I enjoy doing and there's jobs out there including motivational speakers, facilitators and of course a talk show host. I'm going against the norm here and dreaming big, but hey, that's my nature.

I know there's some of you out there that are struggling to make ends meet, some of you are eager to get a job interview, other's are eager for change. We've been told, this is going to be a tough year and with the financial crisis, things will take awhile to settle down. I get this very loud and clear, but in the midst of all this chaos, I'm standing strong.

I urge you to stand strong on whatever you're pursuing. Granted there will be tough days where you don't see any break through, but it's coming. why not take a positive look at what this time is for, maybe it's time for you to get your life in-order, maybe it's time for you to attend to the important people in your life, maybe it's time for you to dream big and keep on believing.

I want to hear from you out there, what is your dream job and what are you doing about it?

The best is yet to come my friend! I will stand firm with you.

Trying Something New!

I'm so used to doing things a certain away, that sometimes its hard to try something new.

So today, I was tested when my regular post office I go to on 43rd between 5th & 6th was closed. Now, this particular post office closes at 3 pm and I was willing to wait another day to go by and head back to this location.

Thank goodness for the internet on cell phones, I was able to Google the next closest station and it was by Grand Central on Lexington. My first thought was, "it's during rush hour, it's going to be busy around that area." I hesitated for a minute until I decided what the heck? Let me check out this other location.

Now, this might seem like such a small thing to fuss about, but how many of us do this? We're so caught up in doing things the same old way we've done them for the past 10, 15, 20 years or so. Who wants to all of sudden try a different route home or check out a different grocery store? 

Our daily routines can be very predictable and my challenge to you, is try something new. The next time an opportunity presents itself for you to do things differently, take a chance. You might actually have fun and learn that there's more than one way of doing something.

Life is about exploring opportunities. Granted they're somethings that need to stay the same, but hey, maybe have your dessert before your meal. After all, we only live once, so take a chance, you might actually enjoy yourself.

Spring is Near!

Yes, for most New Yorkers, this has been a rather long, dreadful winter. We experienced blizzard after blizzard and quite frankly, we deserve a beautiful spring. I'm very aware though, that it's not quite summer yet, so I was really confused today when I saw like 15 people wearing sandals.

My first thought is, aren't your toes cold? Wait, its not 70 degrees outside. These eager souls don't mind their toes being exposed to 40/50 degree weather. I'm just curious when do most people start wearing sandals?

I do sympathize with our feet, can you imagine being covered up for over 6 months? I would want to break free also, although ladies, please get a pedicure before embracing us with your toes. There's nothing worse than seeing someone dressed nicely and then you see their feet, oh boy!

For myself, unless it's 70 degrees or above, I will not be wearing sandals. If I'm still wearing a hat and a coat, it's not time to break out my open toed shoes, although, this is just my opinion. I realize that when seasons are changing, many of us are eager of shading all the layers.

As I walk along Bryant Park, I take a moment and look around at my surroundings. I see a lot of people wearing brighter colors, sporting lighter coats or wait... I hear the sound of birds. That's a definite sign that Spring is NEAR!!!

Harlem Underground

Harlem Underground is not just your regular t-shirt store. This is a store for true t-shirt junkies that have an appreciation for quality. While most small businesses haven't been able to keep their doors open, this store has stayed afloat because of their commitment to giving their customers a unique selection of t-shirts and the custom embroidery logos. With their diverse customer base, one doesn't have to live in Harlem to shop here.

That added bonus of being able to customize any logo on just about anything from t-shirts or hats, allows customer's creativity to shine. Al, the graphic designer has been there for over 9 years. He can pretty much make anything for you happen, I requested a customized hat and all I can say, is that the finished product is exactly what I was looking for.

Below is a sample of the popular men's purchases:

The store is a family owned business and it's a relaxed environment filled with laughter. You can tell that there's a lot of love in what everyone does here, it's a team effort to make sure customers are happy with their purchase.

Below is a sample of the women's t-shirts that are hot selling items:

Love, Peace, Soul! I love the print of the woman in the background rocking her afro.

We have to show some love for Harlem ladies. I love that the women's t-shirts are fitted.

The store has been in business since 1998. Many celebrities have stopped by including comedian Paul Mooney, rapper JadaKiss, Stedman Graham (Oprah's man) and actor, Faizon Love who appeared in the movie "Couples Retreat."

For all the t-shirt junkies out there, this is a store you will sure want to visit. We need to support our small businesses. For a company that's survived these tough economic times, due to their repeat customers from all over the world, this is a true testament of what believing in your product and providing quality with a smile, can keep business booming.

The store is located at 20 E. 125th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison. You can also visit their website @ www.harlemunderground.com


Tell Charmine I said hello.

Phone Etiquette in Public

To talk or not to talk, that is the question!

My fellow New Yorkers, today, I was furious with the woman on the back of the bus who was yelling on her phone. It all started at 2:30 PM, when I boarded the bus to go do grocery shopping at Fairway over at 72nd and Broadway.

Now, I'm seated down with my empty grocery shopping bag. All of sudden, I hear this woman yelling on top of her lungs.

"I said, you messed up my sandwich and someone is going to pay. I told you that I don't eat tomatoes and lettuce. Wait until I tell Leroy how you messed up my sandwich. That was $5 I spent for some nasty sandwich. I'm gonna tell Leroy... just wait... you wait!" says the Lady.

I'm saying, do we all have to listen to your conversation about your messed up sandwich? Granted, I'm very sorry whoever messed up your sandwich did, but why are you yelling on the phone on the bus? For a split minute, she was quiet and then she continued.

"I'm ready to take this up with the manager and when I come down there with Leroy, someone better have my $5 dollars. I need my money and miss, I'm not yelling! I JUST NEED MY MONEY!!! Hello? Hello?" says the lady.

I guess whoever she was talking to hang up the phone. Most of the passengers on the bus, including myself were relieved that her conversation ended. It was perfect timing because it was my stop to get off.

What I want to know is do you think it's okay to carry on your phone in public?

I do believe that some conversations should happen in the privacy of your home or some place private. I also don't think the person you're talking to is deaf, there's no need to yell.

Zocalo - Two Thumbs Up!!!

My friend and I were hungry, so I mentioned to her that we should go to Zocalo in Grand Central.
We had been walking for awhile and after completing our errands for the day, it was time to enjoy a nice meal.

We headed downstairs to the Dining Concourse area and walked up to Zocalo.
Within minutes we were seated in the outside area of the restaurant were we can still watch the commotion of Grand Central. This nice waitress asked us if we wanted something to drink. I recalled that they served great Mango Margaritas, so we both ordered one. After squeezing our limes into our drinks, we toasted to a successful day!

As we waited for our drinks, they served us warm tortilla chips and salsa sauce. I chose the chicken fajitas and my friend decided to have the Chimichangas de Pollo. That's basically two mini crisp chicken burritos stuffed with roasted chicken, served with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. Both our dishes came with a side of red rice and beans.

My chicken fajitas get a "TWO THUMBS UP"!!!  When they brought out my chicken platter, it was still steaming "HOT" and I was ready to devour it!  The chicken was well seasoned, it had green peppers, red peppers and onions. I took my warm tortilla put a few slices of chicken, peppers, red beans and rice, a bit of guacamole and pico de gallo, I was good to go! The rest is history, you just have to try it for yourself.

Zocalo is a restaurant one should definitely check out while in Grand Central Terminal.
They're located in the "Dining Concourse Area", downstairs.

Hours of Operation: Monday - Saturday 11:30 AM - 9 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM - 7 PM

I recommend you stop by during Happy Hour, Monday - Friday from 4 PM - 6 PM, for the 1/2 priced Margaritas.

Zocalo, is a place I will definitely return to.

A Sweet Surprise!

I'm walking along minding my own business on Sixth Avenue, when I see this cupcake truck in my sight.

At first, I'm hesitate, because that wasn't part of my plan today. Plus, I'm always afraid of trying new things, but I feel a strong pull towards the truck.

I'm walking along Avenue of the Americas and ahead of me, I see this cupcake truck. We all know how much I love sweets. All of a sudden, I feel like the truck is calling my name to stop there, at first I'm resisting because that wasn't part of my plan today. I eventually give in and walk towards the truck.

As I'm admiring the cupcake display, Frankie opens the window and says with a smile, "Hello, can I help you?"

I'm overwhelmed with the selection, but I notice one thing, he has a menu up written in colorful chalk and he explains to me that they carry two different sizes, the regular vs. the mini.

Since I wanted to sample quite a few, I chose to go with the mini ones.

"You want me to give you an assortment then?", asks Frankie.

"Yes, that sounds good," I respond.

I get 12 mini cupcakes for $15.00, not bad compared to some other places. I proceed to finish the rest of my errands of the day, but in my excitement I decide to taste one of the cupcakes.

The first one I grab, is the "RED VELVET", yes, I take a big bite and it just melts in my mouth. I like that the icing doesn't overpower the cake part. For me to say that this is a good red velvet, really is something, because that's one of my favorite.

I'm soon tasting the next one, a mini vanilla with chocolate icing and it also hits the spot. At this point, I invite my friends to help me out because I can't eat all these cupcakes by myself. It turns out that everyone likes them. There's silence in the room because everyone is enjoying their cupcake.

I decide to try one more, just to be sure, so I pick up a plain vanilla with key-lime icing I believe.
OMG!!! That key-lime icing is bananas! Yes, I said "BANANAS!!! Implying that it's FABULOUS!!!

The thing is the mini sizes are the perfect for those of us who crave sweet things and we don't want to feel guilty. I'm a fan, they get "TWO THUMBS!!!"

The name of the truck is "Cupcake Crew".

You can follow them on Facebook or twitter @ twitter.com/cupcakecrewnyc

If you're in New York and want a nice treat, check them out. They change their location daily, so it's best you follow them on Facebook or twitter.

There's nothing like a sweet surprise!!!

I TRUST!!!

I came to New York on a one-way ticket and a dream. Most of my family and friends, thought I was crazy. How could I move to a big city without a job secured? Well, I had faith and a gut feeling that this is where I was supposed to be.

New York, is a beautiful city, but I believe what makes the city is the people. Everyone came here for a reason, whether it was to pursue a dream, start a new life, find love, they believed in themselves enough to take a chance.

With the bright lights of Times Square, theme songs like JayZ and Alicia's "Empire State of Mind, this is the city were dreams are made! There's the Grand Central performers who entertain us, the subway break dancers who do all kinds of acrobatic moves that remind me of the Cirque de Soleil Shows.

I guess what I'm trying to say that one just has to have tough skin in this city, you have to believe in yourself. The fast pace lifestyle doesn't allow room for you to second guess yourself. If you do that, chances are, you will be told to "MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!"

You know the foot traffic flow rules for entering and existing the subway. You have to know that it's crucial to check the weather before you leave your home, because it might decide to rain or snow during the course of the day. And depending on how late you plan on staying out after work, you carry your layers, the scarf, the hat, gloves, etc.

Preparation is crucial in this city, we wake up with a plan, it might start with the bagel guy at the cart around the corner of 45th and Broadway, a Rise and Shine Yoga Session at Equinox or with a cup of freshly brewed coffee from Pret A Manger for a buck and change. Yes, this is the city that never sleeps, but if you live here, I guarantee you, that you have to sleep in-order to function.

They're days granted when there's a sick passenger on the train and everyone is upset because it has thrown off their schedule. Maybe a taxi passing by splashes you with the nasty rain puddle water on your clean suit that was pressed last night. And then you smile, because you remember that you're one of those special people whose made it here.

Yes, things might not be perfect today, but do you remember the nice summer day when you were relaxing in Bryant Park, listening to live music and enjoying your chicken rice bowl from Chipotle with the nectar orange juice? Perhaps you recall that Saturday night in the East Village at La Palapa, on your birthday, when you were hanging with your friends eating great food and enjoying the fabulous margaritas.

New York makes us tough, it can make you or break you! Life is that way too, but when you live in a city where many only dream of, then you know, you've finally arrived!!!

Yes, maybe the dreams you had when you moved here haven't unfolded yet, but I'm listening to this guy playing his guitar singing Bob Marley's song:

"Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright"

This guy hasn't given up, his still playing his guitar and smiling.

To all my friends who are in the middle of transitions, it's gonna be alright!!!

New Yorkers, we never give up, we keep pressing on!!! I ask that we all keep pressing on...

Music Etiquette in Public

I know we all love to listen to our music, whether you're waiting for the bus, on the train or running up the subway stairs. I'm just a little curious, does everyone else around you have to listen to your music?

So, I'm on the BX15 bus and it's about 9:15 AM in the morning and you could tell everyone is still trying to wake up. I was seated in the middle of the bus enjoying my morning commute into Harlem from the Bronx. This sweet dear lady with her walker sits next to me and we smile at each other and say good morning. "Good Morning", I respond back to the nice lady.

I'm looking out the window trying to collect my thoughts on how I'm going to tackle my errands. All of sudden, I'm distracted though by this loud music, so I start looking around, but I can't tell where it's coming from. Everyone who seems to be listening to music has headphones on.

I ignore it and go back to my thoughts, but I'm interrupted again as the music gets LOUDER. So, I take a quick glance at the front of the bus, then the back. Nothing! All of a sudden, my sweet elderly friend yells out, "Will you please plug your headphones in sir?"

Now, I'm looking to see who she's talking to and I see him. He pretends not to hear her and increases the volume even LOUDER! "Hey Mister, no one wants to listen to your music with you, don't you have headphones like everyone else?",  says the lady.

"I don't have headphones", says the fellow.

"Then get some, but until then you're annoying my peace and quiet and it's too early for all of that!", says the lady.

You would think our friend would turn his music down until he got off the bus, but instead he turns it up even LOUDER, LOUDER!!!!

Now, I'm irritated and my calm morning is now becoming very stressful. Here's the thing, we are on a bus, implying "SHARED SPACE", not your OWN vehicle! Of course, I'm only thinking this in my head, but I would have loved to tell him those words. I had no energy for that kind of interaction that early in the morning.

Finally, he gets off the bus and everyone starts clapping!!! 

I want to know, do you think it's okay to play your music on the bus or subway without headphones?

Would that bother you? 

I'm just saying, it's public transportation, we're not in our very own bubble where folks can block out loud radios or iPod music without headphones.

What are your thoughts?

Say Sorry

So, I'm on the 5 train and it's very crowded because it's 5:45 PM. We all know that's rush hour, everyone is just trying to get home or to the gym or wherever they're headed to.

Here I am holding onto the poll with my napkin, because I'm a germaphobic, yes, I can admit that. Anyways, so the doors open at 86th Street and like 20 more people squeeze in. Really? But that's New York for you, "MAKE ROOM PEOPLE", someone yells.

Tell me, why do people huddle by the door and there's all this space in the middle? I'm just curious, why 15 people are all clustered by the door, but refuse to move in the center where there's plenty of room. Okay, that's one issue, so I'm listening to my iPod until this person steps on my right foot. Ooouch!!! I scream out loud. Everyone starts staring at me and the person who stepped on my foot keeps on reading their NY Times like nothing happened.

So, I decide to tap them on their shoulder, "Say Sorry!"  They're a little shocked because I guess they thought I wouldn't say anything. "Sorry" the person responds. And I say, "that's all I needed." I proceed to get off at my stop and go about my day.

Lesson for the day, I'm quite aware that the person didn't intend to step on my right foot, but it's the principal.
There's nothing wrong with having manners, right?

Get home safely everyone.

Best NYC Frozen Yogurt

If you don't know yet about where to get the best frozen yogurt in New York, look no further.

My favorite spot for this delicious treat is Forty Carrots on the 7th Floor of Bloomingdales at 59th and Lexington.

Every time I'm in this area, I have to stop and get my peanut butter frozen yogurt, it definitely hits the spot!!!

No one better mess with my peanut butter!!!  That's by far my favorite, but not to be mistaken, they have other flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, coffee and on certain days they have fruity flavors such as mango or blueberry. Yum!!!

It's like $4.50 for a small and believe me its enough to feed two people, but on some days when I don't feel like sharing, I eat the whole thing by myself without feeling guilty. Trust me, you won't be the only one willing not to share because it's so delicious and I keep coming back regardless of the season.

Don't be surprised that in the dead of winter, there's a long line of anxious yogurt lovers like myself, waiting patiently to get our treat. Here's a little note, there's two lines, be sure you're not waiting in the line for those who want to sit down and have a meal, you can by pass that line and head to the counter.

Also, don't be shy to sample the flavors, because everyday they have daily specials and you can ask politely to sample a few before you make up your mind. And hey, if you're torn between two flavors, not to worry, you can have them both side by side.

Enjoy!