Macaron Monday.

On our visit to the Tribeca Family Festival this year, we stumbled on the Macaron Cafe. Well, I stumbled on it and I was the only one excited about the find. Macarons have always been a French dessert staple but it is making a boom on American soil. Macarons are becoming an American staple. It is giving the Apple Pie a run for it’s money. The delicate, flaky outer cookie shell holds together a perfect creamy middle flavored with natural vanilla, chocolate, caramel….the list goes on. I just named some of my favorites. The Macaron Cafe is not too small but not overwhelmingly big. You feel like you have been transported to a French cafe. The menu is filled with French fares. The fresh crepes are being made by order, big and flaky croissants are on display but the star of the show, the macarons, are moving like hotcakes. I made my purchase of 6 macarons and enjoyed each one as I took in the flavor of Tribeca. Before leaving, I thought to take some home for my girlfriends because they deserve a little Tribeca mixed with Paris too. My friend Yolanda decided it would be a great idea to do something special on Mondays to start the work week. This Monday will be Macaron Monday. Now, I can’t wait for what next Monday will bring.

2015-04-25 17.20.48 — You can customize your very own macaron tower for special events.

Another one of my favorites, croissants!

Charming illustration. — Charming illustration for the Macaron Cafe.

My Macarons. — My macaron purchase for my dear friends. Is there a better gift for the girls? Nope. I think not.

www.macaroncafe.com

IG: @MacaronCafe

Fantastic street fair put on by the folks from The Tribeca Film Festival.

April 26, 2015 0

This Is My Brooklyn: Prospect Park Edition.

Is there anything better than walking through Prospect Park on a warm day when you are in Brooklyn? I say, “no”. The park is big but not overwhelming. There is something for everyone of every age. We love visiting the Audubon Center, then take the short walk over to the carousel and after that, cross the path to the Lefferts House. There is always something for the kids to get into. There are no phones or iPad or even technology involved. There is a large dirt area for the kids to just dig. there is a water pump that delivers water to little hands as a reward for hand cranking a pump. They collect water in a watering can and water the veggies planted in the yard. There are old farmhouse games that include walking on wooden stilts, rolling a thin wooden wheel with a wooden stick. You see a trend here right? Wood. It’s what stuff was made out of before we discovered concrete and steel.

What do you do when there is endless grass and a large empty field? Cartwheels of course.

We took the short walk over to the carousel for our fill of happy music and the feel of Paris.

After the carousel, we walk directly across the path to The Lefferts House.

Played with Jacob's Ladder. — Played with Jacob’s Ladder.

There are beautifully restored rooms that brings you back to what life was like in the 17 and 1800s in Brooklyn.

What is your perfect day in Brooklyn?

April 24, 2015 0

Can You Ever Get Your Skinny Body Back?

I’m watching botched with the beautifully blonde and buxom, Nicole Eggert. We met her in her early twenties and or late teens as a hottie from Cali who had a thin waist, big boobs and a pretty face. Well, now she’s in her forties, still beautiful but those boobs are sagging and her waist is bigger. She told the plastic surgeon on Botched that she wants HER OLD BODY BACK! Yeah Nicole, you and every forty year old out there. During prep for the surgery the doctor told the camera, “I hope she doesn’t expect to have her old body back. She can only get that by going to the gym.” Well dammit man, why didn’t you tell her that during the consult when she mentioned that she wanted her old body back? I feel like starting a campaign titled, “I am Nicole Eggert”. I want my old body back too. My waist is bigger and my thighs now have an extra little thigh attached to it. There are lumps and bumps that now exist that weren’t there two years ago. Are these the lady lumps that Fergie referred to? Fergie Ferg, can you take some of my lumps? I really don’t need so many.

I won’t be resorting to plastic surgery anytime soon but I promise to start watching what I eat. I also started wearing my sneakers to work. I love a cute boot but they don’t motivate me to walk, to move. I feel cushioned and more apt to walk when I’m donning my Nikes. You know, I’m going try this whole eating right and exercising thing. I get so jaded by the idea that I can’t eat the fatty foods that I enjoy but it’s time to start feeling content in other ways. I have a great little stair stepper from Brookstone that will now be used to work out these little legs of mine. Time to start really investing in this body that is so strong and has been so good to me.

I'm incorporating baby kale and spinach into my dinners. — I’m incorporating baby kale and spinach into my dinners.

Adding fresh fruit to my waffle, weekend treat, and sticking to black coffee.

When I do have rice, the portions are smaller and it's paired with a veggie like this sautéed cabbage. — When I do have rice, the portions are smaller and it’s paired with a veggie like this sautéed cabbage.

April 22, 2015 2

When One Selfie Isn’t Enough.

It seems rather obnoxious to post several pictures of my face and think that others should be interested. I know, there is nothing groundbreaking here. There is no overarching social commentary. There is no extraordinary capture of textures or colors in the photos they still, I post. Maybe it is because it is all that I’ve created in the past day or so; therefore I found it appropriate to share. This is just the life and times of these selfies. Plus, I was having a good curl day.

April 6, 2015 0

Ikea is Always a Good Idea.

We haven’t made an Ikea trip in quiet some time but this Good Friday visit made up for our absence. Overtime I visit the big blue and yellow building I get inspired by all of the wares and the rooms that they have constructed. Since this is NYC, our Ikea transforms small spaces into a type of urban oasis. It gives new Yorkers an idea of ways to create tranquility out of the small spaces that we have to work with.

The bedrooms were light and airy and filled with white details. White gives the illusion of space and sparseness. Angelique and I thought that we would do a mini photoshoot and use Ikea as our backdrop, all while soaking in some of the details that were used to transform these spaces.