Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

Year two of balloon handling for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was a great success. This year my balloon was Gabby and Pandy Paws from Gabby’s Dollhouse. She brought great joy to little kids as we passed. There was perfect weather, huge crowds on the sidelines and lots of great energy!

More NYC Public Realm Improvements

ust in time for summer, NYC opened a new section of the new East River Park on the Lower East Side. New green space, picnic and BBQ areas, and basketball and tennis courts are part of the $1.45 Billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project that raised the land by 8-10 feet to protect New Yorkers from future coastal storms and tidal flooding. It’s really beautiful.

Exploring NYC's Public Realm Improvements

I’ve been trying to catch up on New York City’s new public realm improvements. Yesterday that meant walking the north end of Hudson River Park where last fall they opened Pier 97 at 57th Street. The project turned a former docking pier and parking lot into 2.5 acres of public open space, complete with a playground, athletic field, and sloping sun lawn. They even have a granite slide at the end that I whizzed down. Well done Hudson River Park Trust!

Traveling in My Own Neighborhood

Meanwhile I know it makes it easier for me to stay home and yet still look like I’m traveling, living where I live. I had the Colombian Flower Festival Parade one block away and an Ecuadorian Summer Festival a few subway stops away today. Lots of culture and home resting again by 5! And since their flags are almost the same I could even theme dress for both events! #Queenslife

It was fun to wake up and see myself on TV! Two weeks ago I went out to meet the NY Lt Gov candidate Antonio Delgado and next thing I know… lights, camera, action! And now I’m in a political advertisement. Maybe it was my topical t-shirt!?

 

Beautifying New York City!

Today the NoHo BID helped our neighbors to the north, Union Square Partnership, brighten up 14th Street. It was so much fun!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day from NoHo! My office celebrated by planting extra greenery, doing our little part to soak up some more co2.
 

The Fifth Avenue Easter Parade - 2022

 

The tradition of the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade goes all the way back to the 1870s and it’s still going strong! Who doesn’t love a good Sunday stroll and then add fabulous hats and costumes! I love seeing everybodies creativity and loved showing off my creation. This year I introduced my sister’s family to the tradition and we have already begun brainstorming how we should decorate our bonnets for next year. Happy Easter!

Covid Can't Kill the Christmas Spirit in New York City

 

Omicron might have started raging in the middle of the New York Christmas season, but that didn't stop many many people from coming out and enjoying our Christmas City! 

Click HERE for more pictures of Christmas in New York City 2021

My Brooklyn Staycation

My Brooklyn 5th Ave Staycation was great. One avenue with so much to see. Mind you, I have spent plenty of time in all these areas before but it was really fun to bring a fresh eye and focus. I will definitely do something like this again soon! Friday I stayed and started in Sunset Park, walking the avenue with the BID Director and enjoying learning a little more about the Mexican enclave. Then I headed down to Bay Ridge for their monthly Open Street which has an entirely different feel, between the Yemeni, Palestinian, Irish and Italian communities. Saturday started with a visit to my parents cemetery plot in beautiful Green-Wood Cemetery, my little piece of BK just off of 5th Avenue. Then off to lunch at Japan Village in Industry City which is off 3rd Ave, but I was in the neighborhood… Then finally up to a birthday party on the Park Slope 5th Ave Open Street, which is packed every Saturday with wonderful outdoor dining options. Thanks for the fun Brooklyn!

NYC Pandemic Re-Awakening - April to Present

 May 21

Finally checked out the Lincoln Center Green, their re-imagined public plaza. It was a lovely place to chill on a beautiful day. A soft bed of turf is so much nicer than the usual cement and stone.

May 19

One covid silver lining is that attending long community board meetings for work is much more comfortable!

May 14

As I continue to mark the moments of re-awakening I want to note that I AM WEARING LIPSTICK! As the CDC loosens mask requirements and I am able to show off my face again, I am ready to bring out my best! #itsthelittlethings

Pandemic Life - February to March

March 27th

A year has passed and NY is re-awakening but these are a few more photos from February and March that I want added to my official pandemic 1st year record. At this point I get daily Facebook memories reminding me the craziness that was happening a year ago. It’s definitely helping me reflect on what we have been through and the changes we have made. Wow! Now just keep wearing a mask and being careful and we will pull past this!

March 9

Covid means smaller birthday gatherings spread over multiple nights! That means lots of safe in-person fun! So happy to be hanging tonight with my BID colleagues, without whom I never would have survived this pandemic! And doing it at Fanelli Cafe, which had offered us a place for cold beverages and fun all along the way, adapting as time went on. Yay NoHo and SoHo and surviving this thing!

March 6

Thank you for all the birthday greetings. I love hearing from everyone, especially this year, where our virtual connections are more important than ever. I spent my Saturday birthday volunteering at the Manos Que Dan, Reciben Bendiciones food pantry like I always do. After 8 months, the people there have become my covid family and yesterday they rose up and surprised me with a cake and some delicious Ecuadorian aguardiente. One covid silver lining for me has been befriending all these folks while working hard each week with them to serve our community during these especially dark times.

March 5

Oh how times have changed in a year! We sure didn’t know what was coming!! This year we had to take a few more precautions at my birthday drinks. #maintainyourdistance #wearamask #alcoholkillsthegerms

February 17

11 months... Ugh, remember when we thought we were just going home for two weeks... then two months... Now it seems silly to plan for the future, since I don’t know what that will look like. So I double mask and continue to live my new normal and hope that the vaccine will finally arrive in meaningful numbers and that enough people will take it. February in NYC is never great. Covid doesn’t help. But the blanket of snow that keeps falling a little more every couple of days sure is pretty and listening to kids play and laugh in it feels healing. And indoor dining opened up to 25% again this past weekend, so hopefully that will help restaurants survive. I don’t want to eat inside, but apparently others do. Meanwhile I still like the adventure of bundling up and eating and drinking outside. Stay healthy everyone. We’ll get through this!

February 12

With so many public celebrations being turned virtual, I was so happy that my favorite Chinese New Year tradition, when lions and drummers come out to bless the businesses in Manhattan Chinatown, still happened today. There definitely was a smaller crowd, but there still plenty of celebration in the air. Happy Year of the Ox!

February 11

Multi-tasking during a work Zoom... And now my Valentine’s Day mask is ready! Let the celebrations begin!

Covid Christmas in NYC

COVID can’t kill the Christmas spirit in NYC. The beauty of Christmas windows and other festive decorations are they are outside and look great with all my new holiday masks! Click HERE to see more pictures in my Facebook Holiday Album.

Pandemic on Facebook - December

December 29

With all the holiday activities, I forgot to update my pandemic album. Here are a few highlights from December. The numbers say we should be worried. They keep ticking up... But December was pretty bustling. My office building and subway rides got busier. NoHo stores definitely felt like they had shoppers. NYC did a good just dressing up for the holidays and powering through in the new normal. This rollercoaster never ends.

Reaffirming America's Founding Values

Watching Trump’s support around the country and his policies for the last 4 years have really made me question what America stands for, so this Thanksgiving weekend I set out for a tutorial with a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. My America welcomes immigrants and is stronger as we blend our differences into a better joint society. Listening to all the immigrants tell stories about arriving into NY Harbor warmed my heart. It was fun to think about how each of the 12 million people who arrived through Ellis Island landed on our shores and made a home here.

 

Pandemic Facebook Update - End of October - November 27

November 27

Happy to report the most important part of my Thanksgiving tradition went great! Leftovers. Had a delicious turkey sandwich will all the fixings for breakfast and there is plenty left for the whole weekend. The pandemic can’t stop me! #lifeinthetimeofcorona

November 26

2020 Pandemic Thanksgiving. Dinner for one and yet not alone at all. Two family zooms as well as champagne outdoors with friends/neighbors and a meal of my traditional favorites. I’ll call it making lemonade with the lemons I was given. I’m thankful I’m resilient and able to take all this change in stride. I hope others found nice ways to celebrate. Happy Thanksgiving. #lifeonthetimeofcovid

Somehow I’m watching the National Dog Show and loving the audience and clapping soundtrack. Pandemic life is strange, but I have really enjoyed watching how everyone adapts to it.

November 24

New season, new opportunity to accessorize and face masks only add to the fun! What’s everyone whining about? #wearamask

Open House New York 5 Borough Scavenger Hunt

 Yesterday my friend Leigh Montville and I participated in an Open House New York Scavenger Hunt. We were given a set of clues, did our research, learning some interesting NY facts, and then set off to visit sites all over the city. I loved going from neighborhood to neighborhood and seeing just how different each part of New York is. Highlights included a hot dog and a walk on the Coney Island Boardwalk (and bumping into friends there, because NY is that small. 😍), seeing the Verrazano Bridge from the Staten Island waterfront, watching the sheer joy of folks in BedStuy as they roller discoed around the new Black Lives Matter Open Street, and participating in an art/democracy project in front of Brooklyn Public Library. I really ❤️ you, New York. #ALLInNYC

NYC Covid Chronicles - March to May

 

May 31

In case anyone is wondering, my work hood, NoHo, is even worse tonight. 😢😳 Come on NY. Be better. 🙏🏻

May 31.

Another peaceful protest in Jackson Heights. Say Their Names: Gathering for Black Lives. Simple and powerful. #blacklivesmatter

May 30

Yesterday was quite a day. Peaceful protesting  in Queens during the day and then my work neighborhood got hit BAD by looting, which meant late night work in NoHo protecting BID assets that were spread all over the streets. Heading back to the neighborhood now to assess and clean in the light of day. #allinadayswork #staystrongnewyork

May 30

This week was a major pivot for NYC. Our need to speak out for justice overrides our fear of Covid-19. Hundreds gathered in Diversity Plaza (and throughout the City) to declare Black Lives Matter and the multiple deaths of black men and women over the quarentine time need to be honored and justice needs to prevail. #nojusticenopeace #knowjusticeknowpeace

Glamping on Governors Island

Last night I went glamping on Governor’s Island. I felt like I was on safari in a far off land and yet I was right under the NY skyline. Waking up watching ferries rush by was pure nirvana. Thank you NYC for always having something new and exciting up your sleeve. You continue to enchant me. #50before50 (and forgive me for having too many pictures, but there were so many nice moments to capture.)

World Cup Fever Hits New York

2018 World Cup Fever is beginning. Last weekend I stumbled upon a corner in Jackson Heights, Queens where there was fierce trading of team stickers going on. I decided to dive in and bought a book and many packets of stickers. Now I’m addicted! The goal is to get all the player’s stickers. It’s so fun to see all the different countries player’s faces and names. I can’t wait for the games to begin.