Sharing with you my Brooklyn Roots

It's not always easy to live in the present.

So often, we get caught up in the moments of the past, the worries of the future and forget that we are in the now. When we look back at the good and bad memories, that's really all they are...MEMORIES. We can't take them back, relive them, or rewind time. All we can do is remember.

Recently, I took a drive to Brooklyn to stop at a cafe that I used to go to when I was in college. I love reminiscing and looking back on life. Typically, I realize that all the worries of the past and all the stresses of the moment were really so minuscule I can hardly even remember them.

On my way to the cafe, I decided to drive by my old neighborhood where I grew up. I lived in Bushwick, Brooklyn for a small portion of my life. However, that small portion did really shape my personality and give me the drive and sass that I have today. It was a predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood. You'd see the sneakers hanging off the electric wires as well as Puerto Rican flags. In the summer it was too hot to be in the apartment so everyone chilled outside on their stoop. My sister and I would make paper kites and try to fly them out of our gated windows. In the winter, we'd go out and make snow angels on the sidewalk since we had no backyard or front yard. We'd shop on the avenue for anything from clothes, shoes, to groceries. I'll always remember going there with my mother to get curtains for the house or little things she needed. Some people feel a sense of shame when they look back at how they lived and where they came from. Not me. I feel blessed to have come from that neighborhood and to have had the experiences I've had. Being an adult now, I appreciate the luxuries I have and feel humbled to see how hard my parents worked to give us a better life. When we moved out of Brooklyn to Queens, we lived in a better neighborhood but I will never forget my roots. And even now when I visit at my age, I can walk around there and feel like I'm home.

        

All pictures posted are property of @Miss_NYCity

Growing up in Bushwick was not always the best or easiest. There were people who did drugs, people who were up to no good (our house got robbed), and it wasn't the cleanest. You had to walk with an attitude to be respected and  speaking up for yourself was common. That's where I learned to be strong and not allow anyone or anything get in my way..and I didn't. I can't express to you how these life skills helped me get through so many other areas and challenges in my life.

All pictures posted are property of @Miss_NYCity

When I arrived at my old neighborhood, I couldn't believe how it's beginning to change. It's still recognizable but here and there you will notice cafes, little restaurants with outdoor seating, and renovated apartment complexes. On the windows of the house I lived in was a sign that read "NO BUY OUTS." The neighborhood is changing before everyone's eyes and yet some people are still so caught up on their past, their futures, that I'm not sure they realize what is happening. A part of me is excited for the changes of New York, the neighborhoods are cleaner and it's much more of a modern city. However, more parts of me are sad that my roots will soon just be just a memory.


The Brooklyn that I knew and grew up is changing so fast. I often wonder what it would be like for this new generation growing up in the city. It hardly looks the same and soon possibly, it won't feel the same. It won't feel like the home I knew and grew up. So in honor of that I decided to take a few pictures of my old neighborhood so that I can always look back on when I feel down, when I feel stressed, or when I just want to reminisce about my childhood Brooklyn days. The fact is, time stops for no one so always seize the day, make the best of your moments and take advantage of what's in front of you when it's in front of you because you just never know if it will be there tomorrow, in a few days or a few years!

With Love,
Miss_NYCity xoxo

QUEENS

According to recent news, the borough of Queens was voted #1 top travel destination in the United States by Lonely Planet, a very popular travel publisher (www.lonelyplanet.com). For those unfamiliar with NY State here's a quick breakdown...in very simple terms, there's Upstate NY (which takes up the majority of NY State) and there are the 5 boroughs. The 5 boroughs are also considered NYC to New York natives and nearby states. NYC's five boroughs are Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

Although I was raised in Brooklyn for my first few years, I consider myself a Queens Native because I was raised and spent a greater majority of my years living in this borough. New Yorker above everything but Queens native. I've mentioned in previous posts a few spots in Queens that are my favorites including shopping spots and views of the skyline, however I was recently shocked by the fact that Queens was voted #1 and honestly hoping that this borough remained a hidden gem.

So why is Queens so interesting all of a sudden?
Well with the cost of living getting increasingly high as the years go by, Manhattan is becoming almost in possible to live in, unless of course you are a celebrity, a millionaire, or are fortunate enough to have family that owned property there for years.

Queens is the perfect balance. It's right in the middle of everything. Your 20 minutes away from the city (Manhattan), your 20 minutes away from Long Island, depending on where you live, your 15-30 minute drive from parts of Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island (driving without traffic). Queens is also just very chill, because it's more residential, parking is easier and traffic within the borough it's self is usually manageable compared to Manhattan and Brookyln. The best part is if you want to go to the city or Brookyln you are really close by.

So what are the popular spots in Queens?
-Flushing Meadow Park: Flushing Meadow Park is located in Corona, Queens. Most people remember or identify it with the world globe. It is the largest park in Queens and although it is a nice park, it can get crowded and really deserves a lot more attention during summer months as far as cleaning and maintenance goes, but that's my opinion. It's still a beautiful park.

Nearby: Corona Lemon Ice King, featured on shows like the King of Queens. It's a popular spot in the summer for its' Italian ices. My favorite pizza spot it also nearby- Angelos Pizzeria.

-Long Island City: This area of Queens is know for its' water front stunning view of Manhattan's skyline. Whether you stop by during the day or at night, the view is breathtaking and unremarkable.When I was a teenager, this area of Queens was not well known. It was a little secret location only known by Queens natives. We'd go there to chill by the piers on a nice warm day or night. On the 4th of July we'd meet there to see the fireworks. It has changed completely. Now it's known for its' luxury condominiums and high rise buildings and restaurants. Definitely a perfect tourist spot if you want to chill, enjoy the view, and enjoy some good brunch!

Nearby: Spice (Thai Restaurant), Elaysi (Mexican Restaurant), Blend on the Water (Latin Fusion), Queensboro Bridge.

-Astoria: Astoria Queens is a busy town filled with nightlife, restaurants and additional city views. Parts of Astoria are waterfront. The Triboro AKA RFK Bridge is there and is one of the bridges that you are allowed to walk or bike.

Nearby: Don Coqui (Puerto Rican Cuisine/Latin Fusion) restaurant and nightlife, Steinway (shopping), Astoria Park, RFK Bridge.

Enjoy!

xoxo,
Miss_NYCity

City Adventures

Oh NYC! How much I love you!

I'm the kind of person that craves success. I put passion into whatever I do and overall enjoy structure, stability, and planning ahead. However, when it's time to have a good time I'm quite the opposite. I prefer spontaneity, indecisiveness, and in general going with the flow.

A few weeks ago, my friend had celebrated her birthday. However, due to an unexpected thunderstorm, plans got canceled and I didn't end up going out. So we decided to go and celebrate yesterday. I wore skinny jeans, a tank top, sandals, and brought a leopard print cardigan just in case it got cold. It was a beautiful day! 80 degree weather, sunny, and a light breeze.

We settled for Brooklyn to get something to eat. Cobble Hill is another spot in Brooklyn that I absolutely adore. It's trendy and has such a Brooklyn vibe. There are lots of restaurants and shops on Court Street and Smith Street. The side streets are lined with tree covered Brownstone buildings. Simply gorgeous. We weren't sure where we were going to eat and we spotted Spice which is one of our favorite Thai restaurants. They are all around the city so if you haven't been, you definitely must try. I enjoyed a plate of Siamese Fried Rice and a pink lemonade. Delish! www.spicethainyc.com

Spice (Thai Restaurant)

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

All Pictures Posted Taken By @Miss_NYCity

From there we planned on walking the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan. Unfortunately when we arrived in Dumbo it was super packed. Bumper to bumper traffic and street closures. I completely forgot that there was a free event, the Dumbo Dance Party which I actually retweeted a few weeks back. So looking for a parking spot was impossible. We were maneuvering around people, cars, bikes, and insanity. As we are looking for a parking spot, a bee decides to bless us with it's presence. Leaving me to have to double park and jump out all the while screaming and trying to stay calm. It was literally on my steering wheel.  I was all like BEE calm, but it wasn't happening, haha. Finally we found a spot in front of the subway and decided to head there by train.

Our first stop was the Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar in the Conrad Hotel. This summer they were all the craze, for their booze ice pop drinks. Basically a liquor infused ice pop in a glass of Prosecco. They have about 5 flavors. I tried one and I was pleasantly surprised. It was perfect for a hot day. The rooftop itself was very small, I expected it to be larger and the view was nice but I do wish it was more spacious. Luckily we arrived early and it wasn't very crowded. We enjoyed our drinks and were able to sit and chat. Overall, this place is nice for a quick one stop drink and then you will want to move on to another spot, which we did. www.conradnewyork.com/loopydoopy

Loopy Doopy Rooftop Bar- Conrad Hotel

Battery Park, NYC

All Pictures Posted Taken By @Miss_NYCity

Next stop was the Meat Packing District to try out another rooftop bar. There are many rooftops there and it was early so we didn't need to be over dressed. We first tried Le Bain which is in The Standard Hotel but there was a line and we weren't in the mood to wait. So we headed to the Gansevoort Hotel. It's an upscale hotel and is well known for it's amazing view. It was early so we got a seat over looking the view and it was gorgeous. www.hotelgansevoort.com Definitely a date night spot if you go early, or you can always just go later for the party. After a drink and good conversation, we decided we were hungry again! We can eat! So we stopped for a quick slice at a local pizza shop further down in Chelsea.

Gansevoort Rooftop at The Gansevoort Hotel

MeatPacking District, NYC

All Pictures Posted Taken By @Miss_NYCity

We headed to the Dream Hotel afterwards to try our luck at PH-D Rooftop lounge but were unsuccessful. We missed the cutoff and they were only allowing room guests up until they transitioned to the night scene. So we chilled at the lounge area and enjoyed the music and drinks. I even spotted Tyson Beckford!

When we left, we were pleasantly surprised by fireworks down by the Chelsea Piers. Nobody knew the occasion and everyone was just standing in the street taking pictures and videos. We walked towards the High Line and got a front row view of the grand finale. It was gorgeous. We ended the night walking the high line, taking in the scene, and enjoying the music being played by random lounges nearby.

It was an adventure and we enjoyed every minute. We headed back to the train to get back to the car. I ended the night seeing a shooting star on the BQE and of course I made a wish! I know so girly.. I just love NYC. I feel super blessed to live in one of the greatest cities in the world! I'm so refreshed and ready for the work week!

XOXO,

Miss_NYCity

Top 10 Things New Yorkers Do While Commuting.

"Let me get a cup of cawfee."

Aside from the obvious accent, there are other things New Yorkers do that set them apart from people who are not originally from New York. New Yorkers are always commuting somewhere and usually are rushing, with that comes a lot of hilarious and strange behavior.

(1) The 'Go Fast then Slow' Walk: It's simple, every person who comes to New York eventually learns that "jay walking" (meaning you don't follow the walking traffic rules and cross whenever and wherever the hell you feel like it!) is common. It's illegal but not enforced. So New Yorkers have developed an interesting way to cross the street. Here's the scenario, you looked before  you crossed the middle of the street (where you're not supposed to) and everything was clear but then a car appears. You begin to jog a little because you feel bad being in his/her way but when you see the car getting closer and gradually slow down, you stop jogging and you walk the rest of the way across the street usually making the driver have to come to an almost complete stop. Rarely do you see someone commit to jogging or walking the whole way. I appreciate this walk over the person who just walks slow while the driver has the green light and then gives you that dirty look like "What are you gonna do?" I'm gonna let you walk but you better watch your walking and your attitude because there are people don't care. Take caution while you walk and let drivers have their turn!

(2)The Subway Nap: Ever notice while you're riding a subway there is always that one person knocked out on the train? Some people take a little cat nap and others take a full blown night cap. Well I've always been leery of this and I myself refuse to nap on the train for safety reasons. BUT I know plenty of family members and friends who allow the rhythm of the train to put them to sleep and miraculously they always wake up in time for their stop.

(3)The Dodge: As a driver or a walker you know how to navigate the streets of New York with one thing being your target ---WHEREVER THE HELL YOU NEED TO BE. So you've also mastered the art of "The Dodge." Dodging people, dodging cars, dodging puddles, dodging the infamous NY pidgeons that walk like New Yorkers, dodging bikes, dodging potholes, etc.

(4)The 'Do I Fit?': This applies to drivers and subway/bus riders. Finding a spot to sit or park your car is a rarity. Some people have no clue and others have mastered the art of parallel parking. I've been driving in NYC since I was a teen so I can say I've mastered this. But not everyone has, and if you haven't you really shouldn't try to fit in a spot you are not sure you fit in. I will not squeeze my car into a spot and scratch up another car in the process because I love my car and I respect other people's property but for YOU jerk offs who don't... well you know what you can do. Same goes for people on the train. You should know how big you are, if you don't fit in a seat don't squeeze yourself in making everyone around you miserable. It's not proper etiquette! We can always tell when there's a new driver or a driver from out of town on the road by the way they drive (slow) and the way they park.

(5)The Speedwalk: This is hilarious. A New Yorker can have a day off and still be speed walking like they are on a timed mission. You don't have anywhere to go but you're walking so fast you're sweating! Some people are chill but majority of New Yorkers walk and talk fast. I know I'm so guilty of this!

(6)The "Seen That Before": You can always tell a New Yorker from a tourist by the quick glance they give to something out of the ordinary. New Yorkers are exposed to a lot of things on a daily basis so rarely are we shocked when we see something that may be crazy to others. We may take a quick glance just to check what's going on but then we keep it moving. Tourists on the other hand, walk slow, take pics, stop, stare, etc. For others it's a culture shock, for us it's just a regular day.

(7)Avoiding Social Interactions: It's true people in New York don't say "good morning" unless they've known you. And by known you I mean, they have to see you at least 3 days out of the week straight for at least 3 weeks straight. I know as a female, I've experienced it all at some point while commuting. I've dealt with drunks on the train, people engaging in inappropriate sexual acts on the other side of the train while looking dead at me, and the whistles and comments about my appearance as I walk. So many annoying things!! In general I have my guard up and that comes with a face of attitude. It doesn't mean I have an attitude it means try me and you may get exactly what you were looking for...dependent on mood. One of two things may happen depending on (a)how disrespectful you are (b)how I'm feeling. On one day I may go lash out and on another day I may just ignore and roll my eyes. Depends on the day, depends on my mood. You don't like it, oh well. My priority is protecting myself first before being friendly with a stranger who may just be trying to take advantage. If you are new to New York you will develop this, it's an unspoken rule but it's the way you have to be to survive.

(8)The One Second Beep: There's something about New York City that is like no other and that is the rush of it all. People are in such a rush that if you do not move your car within 1 second of the light changing, someone will honk the horn at you. I know, this must be overwhelming and frustrating for you out of town drivers and new drivers but hey it's the way it works around here. So get moving!

(9) The Balancing Act: Ever notice while you are on the train or bus there are some people that can walk while the bus or train is in full motion, stop and go, and not even fall. I've seen people on the train who don't even hold on or lean. I'm too clumsy for that. I've also seen some hilarious things like people falling out of the train while leaning on the doors. Be safe out there!

(10)The "You're Not Allowed in my Lane": Quite annoying, I must admit. I think it's nice to share the road with other drivers but here's what I'm not gonna do. I am NOT going to let you into my lane if you've had your left signal blinker on for more than 5 seconds. Why? To me that signals you are (a)unpredictable (b) lost (c) searching your phone for directions (d) sleepy or (e) not paying attention. I want to avoid an accident so I will just try and get past you before letting you in front of me. So please, if you are switching lanes the way to do it in NYC is a quick signal and then move into the lane. Most NY drivers are very aware so we see you! Otherwise you will receive the unspoken chain reaction of drivers who will refuse to let you in.

Have you experienced any of this? Do you do this? I know I do!! Feel free to share any funny stories or opinions. I love hearing for you!

It's a New York thing.

Love,
Miss_NYCity