Sunday, September 26, 2010

Pizza and another Highline visit



My son and his girlfriend came to visit....we brought them for pizza (Quantro Formaggi! YUM!) and showed them the highline. They did not seemed impressed with either.....but it was a nice day anyways!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

San Gennero Feast 2010
















Well I promised myself I would be living like a tourist for a year here in Manhattan. I have never in my 47 years of my life been to the San Gennero Feast in Little Italy NYC. So this year was my first time. When we arrived my husband knows how much I hate crowds and it was so crowded almost impossible to walk down the street. So he said "You are really going to walk down that street?" My answer "Hell Yeah" I want to do this!!!

It was a fun experience and at the end of it our reward our Chinatown favorite back and foot rub place! A great ending to our Saturday night in NYC.









A Mexican Restaurant in NoHo

Dined at Gonzalez y Gonzalez after Nightmare: superstitions. It was right next door. If you read my previous posts on my disappointment on not being scared at Nightmare there was something that was really scary to me at Gonzalez y Gonzalez and it was the bathrooms!!!! Walking down those dirty basement steps to a dirty long hallway to a dirty icky bathroom! SCARY!!

Yes I have a pet peeve with restaurant bathrooms. Please guys keep it clean and not sticky....so gross.

As for the restaurant, decent Mexican food, fun up beat decor, and loud music (not Mexican music when I was there) I have a favorite Mexican Restaurant in Huntington LI that has great Mexican gourmet food called "Besito's" http://www.besitomex.com/ so it is hard for me to say the food was great. It was above average though. And the place seemed to have a lot of fun things going on with Salsa lessons and Comedy night. Not sure I will run back here during my year living here in NYC. There are to many other great dining places to try!!!

http://www.arkrestaurants.com/gonzalez.html

To scare or not to scare......NOT at Nightmare: Superstitions NYC


I am a bit of a Halloween Haunted place junkie and excited to have new options this year since I have never done any of the Haunted activities in Manhattan. I have been a junkie of haunts since the early 80's when my first haunted house was the "Haunted Mansion of Long Branch, NJ". http://www.darkinthepark.com/Haunted%20Mansion/Home/lbhome.htm This place was awesome and it started my love of going to Haunted places and get scared and screaming!! Unfortunately the Haunted Mansion burnt down. Some of my other favorites over the years have been "Bayville Haunted Firehouse in Long Island", "Jason's Woods" in PA and "Terror behind the Walls" a haunted old prison in Philly. I have been trying over the years to try at least a new Haunt every year. This year I added Nightmare:Superstitions to my list.


All I can say is I am happy I got a discounted ticket on Goldstar, https://www.goldstar.com/, Nightmare in my opinion was a waste of money and I did not get scared once. I love going into the Haunted Houses and having a few good screams. I think I had a mini scream once. I was so disappointed. Also I have been scared in many Haunted Houses with out anyone having to touch me. I do not understand why they feel the need to touch you, if they can't even scare you. I know people who raved about Nightmare that it is so good they go every year. Maybe they have nothing to compare it to like me??? Should I give it another try maybe next year? I wish I went last year when it was a vampire theme since I am so into TrueBlood & Vampire Diaries. Love my vampires!


Next week I am not staying in the city and heading back to PA to go to Jasons Woods. I have not been for about 4-5 years now, but previously have gone there at least 3 times. They have newly expanded it and I am excited to get the SH*T scared outta me!! BOOOOOOO!!!!


In the following weeks I hope to get to Bayville Scream Park in Long Island and Blood Manor in NYC.


Here are links to some of the Haunted places I have been too







I also like Ghost Tours which I have taken in New Orleans & Gettysburg. Love staying at haunted B&B's and of course enjoy horror movies!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Nice Sunday afternoon hanging with a friend.....

Hubby had to visit family so I got a Sunday afternoon on my own and decided to make it a girlfriend day and have my friend Lisa into the city for the day. It was the first time she came over to see my digs. So we caught up on life, toured my building, and then headed to Starbucks to catch up some more until it was time to head to 42nd Street to see a funny little off broadway play called "It must be him"

"It must be him" was playing at the "Playwright Horizons" at the "Peter Jay Sharp" theatre. (416 West 42nd Street) http://www.playwrightshorizons.org/index2.asp This theatre was extremely clean and comfortable. I saw a play here years ago too and I plan on enjoying this theatre more often during our year living in the city. They have short run plays here so this play is ending the end of September. I am glad I got to chuckle and see it.




After we headed to "Pig n Whistle" midtown location on 36th. I have to get use to Football season and World series time. I find it quiet disturbing how people can scream and grown and hold thier head like they are in pain watching sports. Of course I have the "Pig n Whistles" craft ale. Still as good as the last time I tried it.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

For excellent delicious food ....try Thalia in NYC

Thalia located on 8th Avenue & 50th Street was very impressing!
http://www.restaurantthalia.com/

Wow the food was delicious here!! Loved the decor and atmosphere too. Went here for dinner and I had a Shrimp special ....huge Shrimp yummy! Also ordered side dishes of Mushroom Risotto and Polenta both delicious. We were very impressed with everything we ordered between the presentation, size and taste. I highly recommend this place.


1st Annual Octoberfest on the Hudson

First I would like to say thank goodness for "GoldStar" and getting discount tickets to this event. If I paid 15.00 per person at the door for this event I would have reviewed it completely differently. Even if I bought the tickets ahead it would have been 10.00 per person. Being a member of GoldStar I got discounted tickets at the rate of 3.75 each. So due to this I can rate this event higher because it definately would not have been worth 30.00 plus the 40.00 we spent on food and beer.




So to enter for 7.50 and spend 40.00 on 3 beers, a hamburger, french fries and 2 bratwursts was not to bad while we got to see traditional German dancing and music. My You Tube video


Join GoldStar to get discounts to many events in the city. https://www.goldstar.com/


Friday, September 17, 2010

Market Cafe ...in my neighborhood


Market Cafe, located on 9th Avenue between 37th and 38th Avenue was a good choice for our late arrival into the city on Friday nights. It is right down the block from our apartment! Nice menu with a decent variety of choices. I liked the variety of choices especially with salads, many times late at night I do not want to eat so heavy. The people that worked there were very friendly. Prices are bit high though and it was a 11.00 each for our martini's but at least they made them very well. I hate when they are expensive and taste like a sippy juice drink! Everything we ordered was delicious and well prepared. I will be back, but I may have my cocktails on the roof deck at home first!
Gluten Free menu available too.


Saturday, September 11, 2010











First out of respect I want to remember all those who lost thier lives on 9/11/01. Also thank the heros that day that helped and out troops who continue to fight for our safety and freedom.






So I found a vase at HomeGoods!! I know this sounds so silly but I am so excited that I can now have flowers. Having 4 cats in my Long Island home, it is impossible to have flowers with out one of them chewing them and then throwing them up! So Saturday morning I walked to find some flowers for my new vase.
















On the way on my walk of course I saw my favorite building! I just can not get enough of looking at the empire state building!












That evening we had some guests for drinks and snacks on the roof top, went out for some Thai, then to the National Comedy Theatre which is just two blocks from our apartment. It was a fun night! My husband Richie and his brothers Mike and Jeff. (and the ESB again!)












I highly recommend the National Comedy Theatre. It was only 15.00. It is improv and was really enjoyable and funny.




Saturday, September 4, 2010

The Red Cat Restaurant in Chelsea



Dined at the "Red Cat" in Chelsea on 10th Avenue between 23rd and 24th Street on Saturday evening for the first time. I have wanted to dine there for many years.

Now we are talking! No wonder this restaurant has been open for some time now. The food was top quality and delicious as was the service. Gordon Ramsey would have enjoyed this Asparagus Risotto for sure!
The Eggplant








Every item we ordered was so scrumptious.








Baked Polenta
We ended off on a great note with thier Strawberry Bread Pudding. I will be back!!!

Washington Square Art exhibit & walking around the West Village

Been to the Washington Square Arts Exhibit many a time over the years. I was a bit sad that it was not as big as it use to be. Didn't find anything I wanted for my apartment, but enjoyed the day walking up and around Bleecker Street and though Washington Square park (most of it under construction though - it needed it!)

Always loved this view ......with the Empire State building looming in the back ground.



Thinking Bed Bugs are the least of this guys problems