The FRIENDS Experience in NYC!

I was so pumped when I found out that the FRIENDS exhibit was coming back to NYC. I didn't get to see it the last time it was here. Now that Chelsea is older and has binge watched all 10 seasons and has become a major friends fan I surprised her with tickets. So I pulled her out of zoom school to spend this epic day in the city with her! This exhibit was so fun to see and every thing in both Monica, and Joey & Chandler's apartments were on point! Even their hang out spot "Central Perk" was set up so perfectly. Their little cafe shop was filled with goodies and treats and I highly recommend the chocolate cake! Soooooo delish! And there is so much memorabilia for you to purchase. I honestly left spending more on memorabilia than I did for the tickets! YIKES!! Now for some epic shots (including this one on the iconic orange couch) that actually make you feel like you're in an episode of FRIENDS! You can also watch a 15 second video on my TikTok here.

KAWS - WHAT PARTY

 

When I found out that tickets went on sale for the KAWS exhibit I immediately snagged some but had to wait three weeks to go. When the day finally came we were super excited. Noah is really picky when it comes to art and this one did not disappoint. KAWS has become his number one favorite artist and we literally could have been here all day. Noah was enthralled with all of his sculptures and paintings and even begged me to buy a boba feat sculpture but to no avail. They were all sold out. At least we left with some postcards and a couple of key chains. Nonetheless this exhibit was absolutely epic. The artist is originally from Jersey and is now based in Brooklyn. From what I read a lot of his characters are used to express human relationships, emotions, and states of mind. And his signature is a bunch of x's which I think is unique. There's also a lot of fragmented figurative and landscape imagery in his paintings. I captured a lot of shots of his work and they are sooooo freaking beautiful. Wish I could buy at least one painting and get a boba fett for Noah. Not sure I want to buy one for 400 bucks though! Here's a little 15 second video of some of his favorite figures.

I'M SPEAKING.

 

Can you believe this beautiful work of art is crocheted!!! At least 113 women crocheted this 40 foot piece of art and four of these amazing women are from my hood! Such a beautiful and proud moment in history for us to feast upon and having three daughters who are seriously driven, hardworking, and strong willed makes my mama heart happy and proud. Times have changed when it comes to women's rights and I am so happy that we have a madame vice president who has proven to all the young women out there that we can amount to anything and someone well known! Madam VP Kamala Harris will be on display at The Wharf in D.C. until May if you're interested in capturing a moment with her! You can see a little video I made here! 

Balloon Happiness On The First Day Of Spring!

For those who say New York city is dead is sadly mistaken. Especially this past week. It seems that the warm weather has brought many New Yorkers out. Even the tourists. I'm getting pretty good at spotting them and even though I don't live in the city I can spot them pretty good. Maybe it's because I consider myself one. It feels like the city is quickly coming back to life! I love it and still couldn't have imagined living here during quarantine. Jon and the kids say that most likely we would have been okay. Mostly because they enjoy being homebodies but then again I don't know. They love coming to the city too much but it might be different if we lived here. We'll never know. I commend those who stayed home all the way through those four months of complete loneliness and constantly hearing the sounds of sirens. Oh my heart, if I lived here 24/7 while all of that was happening I know that my life would have been life changing and hope that a lot of good would have come out of it. I can't say that I know how it felt because I live in Jersey and was able to drive and leave my house. It was rough but not as rough as New Yorkers had it so I am very proud of those who stayed and endured it all the way through and look at what they are earning. Our first day of spring was marvelous without any snow or rain. And it was glorious! So glorious that one part of the upper west side was filled with a balloon installation from Balloon Kings that wrapped around Amsterdam street. It was done in order to boom small businesses. It brought life and color and cheeriness to this part of the city and I am so happy to have stumbled upon it to capture it's beauty.

With my son...

STOP. ASIAN. HATE!

There is still so much separation going on in the world today and this time they are targeting the asian Americans. My heart  goes out out to all the families of those who were shot and killed in Atlanta recently. I do know how it feels to be outcasted but the way that the black and asian American people have been targeted has been cruel and my heart is completing ill from all the hate that is going on in the world today. Last summer it was all about defunding the police and people of color were being oppressed and although that still goes on in many ways I do have hope that as long as I continue to raise my kids to love one another no matter what race, gender, or nationality they are that the world will become a much lovelier space of unity. Right now is the time to begin. Right now is the time to express our words and to defend our asian American friends. Don't be silent. Let us help them. Let us help them to spread the word to Stop Asian Hate. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

“May your troubles be less

Your blessings be more.

And nothing but happiness

Come through your door.”

-Dorien Kelly, The Last Bride in Ball

Here's hoping everyone is having a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. It might look a little different again this year but hopefull next year we will be able to go to parades in person and be able to gather with friends! But for now we will keep it safe with just my young people wearing green and eating rainbow bagels!

Happy St. Patricks Day! 

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

A Love Letter To NYC...

There is so much LOVE that we have for NYC. I feel so connected to her, and I am so grateful to live so close. Every time we drive into the city there's something about the skyline that automatically brings up so many feels. Feelings of energy, magic, and nostalgia. The first time I met her my firstborn was five years old. Now she is 25. Kind of tells you how much I have loved the city. I've always wanted to know what New York was like. Ever since I was a little girl watching Woody Allen movies and my personal favorite gang movie...The Warriors. Funny, maybe a little scary at times, but oh how I loved the drama in the city from every action movie filmed there. I blame that on my mom. She will always be a DeNiro, and Al Pacino fan. Still, I don't think I will ever grow weary of New York. Even the 70's New York which is what I remember on film as a little girl. And now I am raising my kids with all the culture that NYC brings by living in the east coast. I may not live in the city, but man sometimes I feel like I do. And you know something else, I call living in Jersey pretty darn close to living in the city. Especially since we go a couple times a week! New York, we love you so so much! And I'm sure these pictures will show just how much we appreciate you. After all...you've been through so damn much!

The Vessel At Hudson Yards.

 

I remember the first time passing by the vessel while it was still under construction wondering how it was going to look after it was complete. It's a pretty cool building and there are a lot of steps to walk but in all honesty it's a unique spot that I would probably only go to once. Unless you want to exercise on the daily or take your kids to let their wiggles out this is the place and because it's free you can go everyday but I love the architecture and the color and the way it looks from the street. It's definitely an eye stopper and a place to go to at least once! Last year we went on a day where it had rained so there were not too many people. There were zero lines and as soon as it stopped raining got in line and stepped right on in and just enjoyed the view. Because I was winded by so many steps I only captured a few pics... 

Walking Into March Down Freemans Alley Like...

Been going to the city forever and have always walked or driven by Freemans alley but NEVER have we eaten at the restaurant let alone just walk down the alley! It's such a quaint hidden gem and I'm so glad we finally went. This past Saturday we covered quite a lot of ground including freemans alley and went to a few places where I captured some shots of the kids just walking around having a grand ol time like always! Because I don't blog too much on here or write about every little thing and adventure of our days in our life my New York moments are pretty much posted on my Instagram and you can watch some of the sweetest, simplest moments are also on my stories. I felt these photos were fitting for this month being that it's the first day of March and that the first corona case was detected on this day. So my feeling for this new month is HOPE. That pop of yellow with the words HOPE is a really 'hopeful sign' for me. Hoping for a blissful month of goodness and positivity. Hoping that corona cases will decrease so that we can better endure another pandemic year. Hoping for a beautiful spring, and lots and lots of good luck! (I also couldn't help but to capture a photo of Freddie Mercury above Noah's head!) 

Happy March everyone!