June 24, 2012 · 11:59 pm

Tropfest New York 2012

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Tropfest New York 2012, “the world’s largest short film festival” (which originated in Australia) hosted by Hugh Jackman at Bryant Park. Alas, Hugh didn’t appear until later in the day but we still had fun spending the afternoon in the park.

Serendipitously, there was a street fair going on right near Bryant Park so we passed some of the time checking out the jewelry, clothes, accessories, bath & body, cosmetics and food/drinks. We then headed back to Bryant Park and sat & relaxed in the shade, sharing some great conversation and yummy snacks, all while enjoying live music.

Later in the day, Hugh Jackman finally made an appearance, looking very handsome and being very charming with that Australian accent of his. He talked a little about Tropfest and then we were shown “Best of Tropfest Films.” Most of these short films were extremely strange and we weren’t sure what to make of them.

We were then introduced to the panel of celebrity judges, who had the task of judging this year’s finalists- of which there were 8 total. The judges included Rose Bryne, Judah Friedlander and several well known industry folks.

After the intermission, was Part 2: Tropfest New York 2012 Finalist Films. All the films had to incorporate “bagel” somehow. These short films were also strange, but at least more readily understood. There were maybe 2 of them that I just couldn’t get into, as they were just too simple and didn’t tell a story very well.

But I quite enjoyed several of the short films (in order of appearance): “Elvis: The Lonely Hunter of Circle Beach” was adorable, about a too-adorable sweet dog who hunted bagels on the beach. “Elevator” which was a suspense/drama between the elevator and the young mother’s son. “The Break-Up Tour” took place in Greenwich Village, following a couple on a tour. This one has a wicked twist to a it. And “Thanks Dad,” a very moving, emotional, powerful piece about a horrific event that would change a family forever & the grown-up son finally confronts his abusive father about it.

Hugh Jackman had the filmmakers come up to speak about their respective films, while the judges, judged. I agreed with most of their awards: 3rd Place went to “Elvis: The Lonely Hunter of Circle Beach;” 2nd Place went to “The Break-Up Tour” but 1st Place was stolen from “Thanks Dad” and was instead, given to “Emptys” a documentary-like film about recycling. Now, don’t get me wrong- I love recycling and it’s something that I strive to do always but that film was certainly not better than “Thanks Dad,” which had it all — Plot, dialogue, emotion, story, good acting, message… “Thanks Dad” just really resonated, and had a beautiful hopeful ending. So I was quite sad that “Thanks Dad” (the one film that deserved it the most) didn’t win anything…

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June 20, 2012 · 11:28 pm

Spotlight: California Pizza Kitchen

cpk

There are not a lot of restaurants that I frequent but California Pizza Kitchen is one of them.  CPK is well known in California, but not quite as popular in NYC which is why I want to introduce it to the New York scene. It’s one of my go-to restaurants, and they really deliver, in terms of quality of food and service. The interior is also quite nice and inviting, of warm colors like yellow, orange and brown; fireplaces and fire burning- Reminding me of sunny California.

I have dined at CPK twice in the past couple of weeks. The first time was for lunch. My friend and I shared an appetizer and pizza. I also ordered the Cherry Limeaid — A little sweet, a little tart.

We picked a new item, Dynamite Shrimp for the appetizer, which was a delicious concoction of lightly fried shrimp tossed in spicy (not really) sweet chili-sauce with toasted sesame seeds. The shrimp was placed on a bed of crispy Asian noodles and scallions. It was definitely delightful and a light dish.

shrimp

As for the pizza, we ordered Jamaican Jerk Chicken which was amazing- Full of flavor. Plenty of toppings, just the way I like it, of spicy (again, not really spicy) sweet Caribbean sauce, Mozzarella, applewood smoked bacon, onions, bell peppers and scallions. As is typical with CPK, the pizza is usually a bit thin which I enjoy because you can really taste the ingredients more and it makes the crust more crispy.

cpk food

My most recent dining experience was dinner. For this meal, we were given a Small Cravings menu, which I loved – They are basically small bites for a a fraction of the cost. We tried the Korean BBQ Steak tacos, a juicy and flavorful mix of Korean steak, Napa cabbage, Romaine, onions, scallions and cilantro on corn tortillas, topped with spicy chili sauce and sesame seeds. It was ‘lick your lips’ delicious.

cpk tacos

The pizza we ordered was the BBQ chicken with Applewood smoked bacon, which was quite good and had BBQ chicken (of course), smoked gouda, red onions and cilantro. I enjoyed the meal with fresh strawberry lemonade- A great choice of drink that is refreshing and not overly sweet. My friend’s raspberry lemonade was okay, but was a bit too sweet.

After the meal, I redeemed my sealed coupon which can only be opened by a manager so the coupon amount is a surprise until the end. This time, we received 20% off the bill. We were given a new sealed coupon that can be used next time. I think this is a great way for getting people to come back. And come back you will (even without the coupon incentive).
Address: 440 Park Ave S  and 201 East 60th Street

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June 17, 2012 · 11:07 pm

Pio Pio Restaurant

On Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the summer after touring the USS Wasp and USS Roosevelt with friends during Fleet Week, we were famished. It was also super hot and humid, so we didn’t want to go too far out of our way. Luckily, someone suggested Pio Pio, a Peruvian restaurant that was in the area.

We walked in and it was an absolute oasis of coolness – literally and figuratively, and much larger than it appears on the outside.  The decor was simple, with wooden planked walls, dark gray stone, beautiful photographs of nature and dim lighting.

piopio

Most of us decided to order the chicken lunch special, which is fantastic deal. It’s 1/4 a chicken, salad, a side dish and a drink for $9.50. The portions were great, and the chicken was so tasty. It  is simply everything you would want: Flavorful, well-seasoned, tender, and succulent. The salad came with tomato and avocado slices. As for sides, I tried tostones (fried plantains) and maduros (fried sweet plantains) and both were delicious! Tostones were a bit dry, but had great flavor and the maduros were caramelized to perfection.

piopio food

A little tip: With the meal also comes soda, and they also have Inca Cola, a Peruvian soda that tastes like pineapple soda so if you enjoy that taste order it and try something new!

The service was solid, though the meal took awhile to get to us but it was well worth the wait. A must try restaurant!

 

Address: 604 10th Ave, Manhattan. (including several other locations)

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June 13, 2012 · 2:03 pm

Cape May Weekend

cape may

My friend and I went to Cape May over the weekend with the intention of doing the whale/dolphin watching tour together. However, when we got to the Marina, we found out that our vouchers were for 2 different companies. Thank goodness Utsch’s Marina, where I needed to be, was close by- Within walking distance.

I made it to the boat, American Star right on time. I sat on the upper deck towards the back and enjoyed the ride. We heard about Cape May, the surrounding nature, ocean, birds and dolphins. I loved the feeling of the cool breeze on the boat and the excitement of spotting dolphins- One of my favorite animals.

dolphins

Afterwards, we went to eat at Ocean Bar &  Grill in the outdoor section. There was live music by a great singer. I ordered 2 appetizers: Fries with melted cheese, bacon and sour cream and the crab mac & cheese. The portions were huge! And both were delicious.

We then headed back to the hotel room to take advantage of the private beach there. The water was pretty cold- but still enjoyed being in the water and the gentle waves. We also hung out in the pool which was warmer, nice and relaxing.

Later, we went out on the town to Flip Flopz, beach bar and club. Great energizing dance music, a few blue-eyed hotties (mostly taken). We also checked out Keenan’s for a bit.

Sunday was another beautiful day out! We explored the boardwalk and went to the famous Cape May lighthouse (still in operation) and climbed the 199 steps to get to the top. The view of Cape May was well worth it!

lighthouse

Before heading home, we dined at the Lobster House. I ordered the flounder stuffed with crab and scallops, along with shrimp on the top in a white sauce. The entree was mediocre but the extras were great.. A whole loaf of tasty onion bread and butter; salad; roasted potatoes and apple sauce. Mmm!

lobsterhouse       lobsterhouse sign

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June 8, 2012 · 1:19 am

The Fuerza Bruta Experience

fuerzabruta

I got to see Fuerza Bruta with one of my friends tonight… And it was about time. Pretty much all of my friends have already seen and raved about this show, so I was definitely looking forward to it.

Before seeing the show, I took advantage of the food trucks that populate Union Square and tried the Korilla BBQ – Korean BBQ one. I was not disappointed. I chose the bulgogi rice bowl with stir fried kimchi bacon rice and all the vegetables I could want: Beansprouts, carrots, cucumbers, and mushrooms, along with some sweet/hot sauce. The meat was marinated beautifully in a delicious sauce- flavorful and tender. And the veggies were great- fresh and plentiful, and made me feel like I was having a well balanced healthy meal.

korilla

So at Fuerza Bruta, we all stood up the entire time, in this dark room with smoke with bright blue and red lights, eagerly anticipating the beginning of the show. It finally began with a guy in all black then white in bright white light, pacing and then coming closer and closer, being shot with a loud bang that startled me quite a bit. But he revitalized after being shot down and continued to run and walk, with other folks joining in- I immediately fell in love with the Bradley Cooper lookalike.

I loved the dance sequences best, one of them with two talented gals dancing sideways, while facing each other on the shimmery pinkish purple sunset of fabric.

Then there were much celebratory dancing pounding music beats; a guy dressed in all white running in the air with white confetti filling the air; dancing with the crowds and confetti everywhere… After all that intense heart pumping high energy atmosphere, the music slowed to a calmer pace and we witnessed some gorgeous shapes dancing on top of us in water. The clear container holding the dancers would come down toward us slowly until it was directly on top of us and we interacted with the dancers, which was a lot of fun.

freuza

After the water dancing sequence, we witnessed the troupe that had started the show doing more running in the air with white confetti, which was quite cool to watch. Loved the feeling of cool air from motion and from the smoke machines.

freuza

After the show, I had a chance to meet the who caught my eye, and got a picture with him. Gorgeous, is he not?


It would be an understatement to say this show is weird, but it had this great feeling of fun, good energy and craziness, with some surprises mixed in. So, if you want a rocking evening that awakens your senses- visual, audio & touch –  and makes you want to joyfully dance & jump, then go see Fuerza Bruta!

… With one caveat: Try to get discount tickets. I got mine half off through LivingSocial and I’m not sure I would’ve paid full price to see the show.

 

Address: Daryl Roth Theater at 101 East 15 St

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June 4, 2012 · 11:25 am

Special Dinner at Mr. K’s

mrk
I’ve always seen Mr. K’s restaurant on my way to the Waldorf and finally had the pleasure of dining there the other night. One of my Meetup groups was planning a dinner there and the host was kind enough to use his $200 gift certificate towards the meal.

The interior of Mr. K was an elegant, lavish sight of pink deco- comfortable, plush pink chairs; jade platters with gold writing; golden silverware; Mr. K’s namesake illuminated from underneath the table; high ceilings; lit wooden panels and glass designs.

mrk2

Our main reason for trying out Mr. K was to taste the Peking Duck. They actually wrapped the duck in pancakes for us, with sauce on the side which I wasn’t expecting. Part of the fun of ordering Peking Duck is to do that part ourselves. The duck was decent, but I would’ve liked more of the crispy skin.

peking duck

We also ordered a few other dishes. I really enjoyed the crispy beef. It was just the right amount of crispiness and sweetness. However, Triple Delight of chicken, shrimp & beef with broccoli, as well as the chicken & shrimp fried rice were just okay but nothing spectacularly special. The bok choy with mushroom, though, was quite good- Fresh vegetables, nice sauce and flavor.

mrk food
A few of the folks ordered coffee, while I ordered a chocolate mousse dessert. The coffee was made in front of us in a reverse boiler, which was pretty awesome to watch. The glass was lit with fire underneath and while the water boiled, the coffee filtered through.

mrk coffee

Though I didn’t partake in the coffee, I thoroughly enjoyed my chocolate mousse dessert: Rich, decadent, and extremely chocolate-y. So good that I had to take some home for later. The meal ended with really lovely dark mint chocolate in gold and lavender wrapping with Mr. K’s logo on top, which I thought was a thoughtful and unique touch.

While the decor and service were of high quality, not all the food was up to par especially at the high prices but I’m really glad I was able to come and try it out for a fraction of the cost, thanks to Alex our wonderful host!

 

Address: 570 Lexington Ave.

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June 2, 2012 · 3:47 am

America’s Next Top Model Winner: Laura vs. Sophie

antm
This past week marked the finale of America’s Next Top Model– British Invasion Edition, in which Laura Lafrate (USA) and Sophie Sumner (UK) battled it out to capture the coveted title of “America’s Next Top Model.” I was always against the idea of the UK girls (who had already been in Britain’s Next Top Model– Where’s the fairness in that?) coming onto the show… After all, the title is America’s Next Top Model!

Furthermore, the ANTM judges, while getting the final 2 models correct, eliminated others far too early on. Stand outs that should have been in the top include Azmarie (USA) and Catherine (UK).

Laura, known as Zig-Zag, while at times overly emotional and sexual, certainly knows her angles and can twist her body into amazing poses that are graceful high fashion and editorial, making it look effortless. Her look, especially when enhanced by makeup is that of a true model. She is tough, edgy and perseveres, willing to go beyond the ordinary in order to get the best shot possible.
laura_antm

laura_antm2

Sophie, or Illuminata, the sweet and bubbly girl that the judges find irresistibly approachable is more of a role-model than Laura. I found Sophie to be determined and engaging, but didn’t have the same effortlessness (in posing and expression) that Laura had. Although Sophie was definitely more low-drama than Laura. And while Sophie’s portfolio wasn’t as strong (as Laura’s), she still booked all the go-see’s in that challenge, not a simple task. Also, her walk certainly surpasses Laura’s.

sophie2_antm

Let’s compare the two in the last couple of photo shoots. The first set of photos was taken on a high ledge, of which Laura’s image is of higher quality- Her pose is lovely and that expression is exquisite. Though I have to hand it to Sophie being able to even do this shoot, as she is deathly afraid of heights. The second set of images were for perfume ads, and Sophie takes it this time. The little twist at her waist, the flirty and youthful tilt of head and hair, the placement of arms and feeling of movement all comes together to form a beautiful capture. Laura looks beautiful as well, but appealing to an older demographic which was not the intention of the brief.

antm_photoshoot
antm_perfume

Ultimately, Sophie Sumner takes the prize title of “America’s Next Top Model,” even though I thought that Laura’s Cover Girl commercial and print ad (above) was stronger, and her final walk for the finale fashion show was quite good. I loved that sexy fashion photographer judge, Nigel Barker vouched for Laura stating there’s something special about her, but then Tyra and others point out that Sophie has this winning personality, she lights up the room and would do so well as an E! Correspondent.

And then witchy PR Maven, Kelly Cutrone pipes in with Sophie is a great PR story- She was runner up in Britian’s Next Top Model and persevered through America’s Next Top Model to win! Which makes me feel like Sophie wasn’t the first choice, but I am still happy for her and she certainly did work hard for it.

sophiewinner

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May 29, 2012 · 2:17 am

Fleet Week Festivities

fleetweek2012

I kissed  a sailor and I liked it!

I started off celebrating Fleet Week on Friday at USMC Day at Battery Park. It was great- Full of good looking men in the crisp tan and blue uniform, as well as dress blues. There were US Marine trucks and tanks all around. They let me hold the machine guns, and were sweet about it too. I even got to see live demonstrations of different fighting tactics & techniques. While taking pictures with the Marines, one of the girls commented, “I love it when they flex,” to which they responded with  sexy grins, “We’re not flexing” which made me even more enamored.


The next few days I went out to West Village, Meatpacking, Times Square and met some more US Navy and Marines. I had some great conversations with the them and did my fair bit of flirting.

fleetweekmarines



On Monday, for Memorial Day, some friends and I did the free ship tours at Piers 90 & 92 of the USS Wasp and the USS Roosevelt. The Wasp was massive. We went on the flight deck and saw all different helicopters and pilots/technicians that built and run them.

I even a ran into the Navy cuties I met the previous night at Hotel Gansevoort Rooftop. When I mentioned to them that we went to Social after, they tried to assure me they went to look for the place on 48th and 8th ave and couldn’t find it. Oh well, it was great to see them again and had some time to chat more.  I even gave them the idea to display the special silver uniforms and let people try them. The Navy boys are pictured below:


I went to the lower level of the ship after chatting with the Navy boys. In this area there were tons of machine guns and different tanks on display. I climbed on top 1 of the larger tanks- They are really huge and high up.


Then we had  group guided tour of the USS Roosevelt, which smaller than the Wasp but still pretty awesome. Even though it was super hot outside, there was  lovely view from the ship of the Wasp and the open water. We climbed downwards in order to see special rooms, like the Watch (Navigation) Room and the Combat Room which were both so cool. We also got to see the board room, the Captain’s special state room, and the cafeteria.

uss roosevelt


Thank you boys to another great Fleet Week! Have a safe voyage home, or to where-ever you’re going next as you sail away from NYC early morning tomorrow. Wish you could stay!

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May 21, 2012 · 8:50 pm

A Conversation with Paula Abdul

paula

Last week, I had the privilege of attending an event presented by Hudson Union at the Hilton, on the 45th (top) floor, featuring Paula Abdul. I’ve always been a fan of Paula, and met her briefly during a first season taping of “American Idol” and she was so sweet. So I loved getting the chance to see her in person again for this intimate interview.

Paula was just as sweet, and a bit more whimsical and fun than I remembered. And teeny tiny, both in body structure and height. She wore a tight fitting white dress with a flared skirt and black accents, with a super cute pony tail & bangs.

Paula really poured out her heart to us, telling her amazing life story and all the experiences of being a choreographer, dancer and performer. She would take us through all these tangents and different steps of how she got to work with all these amazing artists, and with all those shows and movies. It was crazy how her life interconnected with incredible synergy.

She even shared the reasons why she stopped recording CD’s and how that led her to be a judge on American Idol, becoming very real and vulnerable. It definitely made me teary-eyed to hear how much she had gone through. Few people know the real story, and I am going to divulge it here…

Paula underwent several health issues during this time that involved spinal injuries and so on, from car accidents and a plane crash. She had 15 spinal surgeries and was still not healing, so she wanted to do something constructive with her pain. And that resulted in American Idol, where she was able to coach and help young singers become successful in the music industry.

It was a real treat to hear Paula Abdul’s story- She is such a light and inspiration.

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May 15, 2012 · 11:41 pm

Beautiful Sunday

centralpark

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, a perfect day for a midday picnic in Central Park.

But first I headed to the UES to visit my friend who works for Mary Kay, as she promised me some complimentary samples. What I didn’t expect was how much she was giving away – a whole bag filled with Mary Kay cosmetics  of different colors of eye makeup/blush and lip sets; perfumes; Timewise moisturizer, eye cream and microdermabrasion, Velocity facial cleanser; large eyeshadow colors set; lip liners, mascara, lipstick/gloss holder.

mary kay

I also bought  Mary Kay Nourishine lip gloss set (shimmery bold colors) & Timewise 3 in 1 cleanser for under $30.

After that I made my way to Sheep’s Meadow Central Park for some fun, sun, relaxing and food! We had a lovely spread of artisan sandwiches; refreshing salads: peach & tomato, etc;  strawberries (with Nutella!); more fruit; chips; veggie dumplings; cookies; chicken…

centralpark picnic

I left the picnic to head to Pier 25 for mini golf, which I have never played before. I also hadn’t really been down to Pier 25 but it’s a really nice area, truly beautiful.

Mini golf was pretty fun.  I think I did pretty well. I got one hole in one and didn’t get the ball stuck in the water trap. My favorite hole was one housed inside a cave with water fountain flowing from the other side.  I liked the natural, half mountainous and half maritime theme of the mini golf range.

 

Mini golf at Pier 25: 225 West St. in Tribeca

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