Big Sparkling Shoes to Fill: Kinky Boots on Broadway PLUS 40% OFF Tickets #KinkyBoots

The saying goes: "If you're going to chase your dreams, you need a good pair of shoes!" I was beyond excited to treat my cousin Tommie to an evening where we had the chance to view 6x Tony Award winning Kinky Boots the Musical, for my second time and his first.  We both work in creative industries here in the city and are dream chasers who are passionate about what we do, so I thought this would be the perfect show for us to kick back and enjoy! 

Disclosure: We were provided tickets to facilitate a review no other compensation was received.

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks at Gantry Plaza State Park: Flashback to 2015

With just 3 days until the biggest day of Summer have you made your plans for the 4th of July? 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the Macy's Fourth of July fireworks display and I'm sure it's going to be one of the best shows we've ever seen. Although the Lil' monsters and I have voted to stay home to watch the spectacular show of lights from our rooftop here in Queens we definitely think if you're up to it, going out to see it up close will be an amazing and fun filled evening. Sometimes it feels like by living in Queens we miss a lot of the cool events and parades, so I was so excited when we discovered last year we could take in amazing views of the city skyline, have the kids play in the park and relax with our favorite people right in the midst of the beautiful Gantry Plaza State Park as we counted down to the show above us. 

Revel In New York: A Date Night Viewing of Bright Star, A Broadway Musical

We don’t usually do date night – not with any regularity anyway. Special occasions – sure. But we don’t have date night penciled in on the calendar every 4 weeks. The reasons for this are usually strictly logistical. Firstly, my husband works long hours often and without much notice. Secondly, we have three kids, 3 grandparents working full-time and one PhD-pursuing auntie which means child-care has to be arranged weeks in advance. So, as much as I would love to have a nighttime rendezvous to look forward to every month, the realities of successfully coordinating the busy schedules of my hard-working family make regular date nights a fantasy I rather not tease myself with. 

All that being said, I completely understand and whole-heartedly believe in the benefits of date nights. To put aside the time for your spouse, away from work and home, kids and coworkers; to have some else cook your meal for you , pour you a drink and then clean it all up afterwards; to go to the movies, to the gallery, to the park, to go dancing; it all helps. It gives you time and proximity. If I can get my husband to myself for 3 hours outside the house – that’s major! We operate on completely different terms then.  It’s not only what we talk about that changes but how we talk to each other. And if our date gives us something to talk about other than “our daily bread” – well, then we are that much better for it. So when Danielle dropped these tickets in my lap to go see “Bright Star” on Broadway, I did everything in my power to make it happen.

The 2016 New York International Auto Show is Rolling into the Javitts Center #Giveaway #GNONYIAS16 #GNONYIASToyota

                      

This is a sponsored post, opinions expressed are 100% my own.

For car lovers who love seeing the latest designs and innovations, attending the New York International Auto Show is a must do while in the city. In our house it's definitely an event that is on our radar once spring rolls around and my boys and I get really excited about sitting in the various vehicles and trying out all the interactive installments they have. 

The car show is not only perfect for those who are looking to purchase a new ride but also for car aficionado's who can't wait to get a glimpse of what's new. This year I'm beyond excited as I've been invited to attend as an ambassador and will get a chance to share all the fun happenings on twitter and Instagram. 

Get Your Eat on at The Village Voice Choice Eats Featuring Over 50 NYC Restaurants #ChoiceEats

Food, Glorious Food— Aside from having a vast number of options to stay entertained in this city, New York is synonymous with good eats, with restaurants, trucks and pop eateries showing up on every corner of every borough inspired by foodie creatives and cuisines from over the world. So it's no wonder that events like The Village Voice Choice Eats Presented by Stella Artois is such a popular one to indulge in the greatest in NYC. I'd never heard of this event before but thought I'd share even thought tickets have sold out. Make sure to keep this on your radar for next year. Your Stomach will thank you!

Lil' Monsters in NYC: Visit Pazzi Pasta for Healthy Eats for the Entire Family!

If there's any one thing you should know about my family, it's that my monsters, hubby and I absolutely love good food. As parents, the hubby and I are advocates for having our children try varied foods whether it's during a home cooked meal prepared by their daddy or while enjoying local eats at a favorite restaurant or trying out a menu some place new. 

Over the summer we were invited out to visit family owned, Pazzi Pasta in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn which was the perfect way to spend our afternoon before walking over to the Barclay Center for this years WWE Summer Slam. Who doesn't love a warm, tummy filling bowl of Pasta right? 

Husband-and-wife team Dr. Giovanni Campanile and Dr. Sandra Cammarata with their children Dan (pictured with the boys above) and Francesca Campanile created Pazzi Pasta, which serves up a variety of wholesome, organic pasta dishes made with ancient grains, locally grown produce and are topped with delicious, made from scratch sauces. So there's no need to feel guilt ridden while digging into a bowl of anything they've got on the menu. 

So why should you eat at Pazzi Pasta? While keeping true to authentic southern Italian traditions of pasta making and inspired by Sandra's mother - a gourmet chef in Italy- paired with Dan's ingenuity in conceiving the concept, the family wanted to make sure that New Yorkers had a unique and interactive experience that wouldn't break the bank. Without sacrificing freshness or mind-blowingly great taste their dishes come out quickly and you won't be disappointed because it's just so good. Customers will enjoy being able to pick and choose from their healthy choices of hand-made pasta, their rich sauces and varied toppings.

Pasta: kamut semolina, farro, spinach or tomato, nero di seppia (cuttlefish ink), gnocchi, and ravioli; gluten-free choices are also available.

Sauces: San Marzano tomato, ragù Bolognese, pesto, four cheese, smoked salmon and gorgonzola, funghi boscaoiola (mushroom sauce), puttanesca and cauliflower with garlic and almond

Slow-cooked toppings: meatballs, veg-balls (zucchini, eggplant, ricotta, egg white, wheat breadcrumbs), grilled chicken, pan-fried eggplant and zucchini, mixed forest mushrooms, and peas and pancetta

The space itself is quite charming and not overly designed, just lots of  bright natural lighting and seating. It was really relaxing and inviting when you step foot in the door and makes for a great place to dine with family friends. The lil' monsters loved the kids korner and got in a few rounds of connect four after talking to Dan and while they waited for their food. And while it's definitely great for family dinners, I actually thought it was a cute spot for date night too! With a lovely outdoor patio in the back and offerings of wines and deserts, I told the hubby he and I would have to go back on our on one day and bring back sweets for the boys.

CJ couldn't resist being offered the chance to try out the sauces. His favorite by far was the smoked salmon with Gorgonzola because to him it tasted like bacon.

Our mini foodies with not so mini appetites were so excited when they found out we'd be taste testing  a few pasta dishes and couldn't wait to dig in and try them all. Despite being a bit under the weather, even 4 year old Tristan was ready to stuff his cheeks.

We'll admit we were a bit skeptical about trying the cuttle fish ink pasta, something about black pasta just didn't seem appealing but it was AMAZING! Honestly, it paired with the smoked salmon sauce was really good. The pasta didn't taste like anything out of the ordinary because of it's coloring and was surprisingly our favorite out of all the ones we tried. We even insisted that one of the staff members (who had never tried it) trust our judgement and invited him over to dig in.

Hands down, really good!

The monsters can't wait to head back and try a pasta making class. If you're ever in the neighborhood we'd recommend you stop by and enjoy the serene space, friendly staff and healthy eats!

Pazzi Pasta

227 Smith Street

Brooklyn, NY

(347) 916 - 1076

Instagram // Facebook 

Disclosure: We were invited for a complimentary meal in order to facilitate this review, no other compensation was received.

Revel in NY: The Grand Opening of LongHorn Steakhouse in Queens, NY #RevelInNY

Are you someone like me, who gets excited when a new restaurant opens up in your neighborhood? Does the idea of chowing down with the family and friends for lunch or for a date night just make your stomach dance for joy? Well if you live here in NYC, you'll be happy to know that the wait is almost over because the first LongHorn Steakhouse to ever exist in the 5 boroughs is opening this Monday, Oct 13th in Queens at 11am!

You'll find this beautiful, new Elmhurst location at 92-30 59th ave, which is across from the street entrance of JcPenney in Queens Center Mall. Both the hubby and I have grown up in the neighborhood and frequently visit with our kids because their grandparents, aunts and uncles still live there. It'll be really nice to have another sit-down, family friendly establishment to eat at because this area draws a lot of visitors who shop not only at Queens Center Mall, but also spend their time at Queens Place and Rego Center especially as we are nearing the holiday season. Sometimes after spending so much time with the family shopping, especially with the kids in tow it's great to have another option aside from a slice of pizza or a quick burger and fries to go. 

The 6,570-square-foot restaurant will seat more than 240 guests and will create approximately 80-100 new jobs for the surrounding community. With a goal to become America’s favorite steakhouse, LongHorn currently operates more than 460 restaurants in 40 states.

LongHorn Steakhouse prides itself on its fresh, never frozen, expertly grilled and boldly seasoned steaks. The restaurant’s design is inspired by the American West and is reminiscent of a rancher’s home. Its interiors feature updated, contemporary artwork and sculptures of horses, western landscapes and sunsets complemented by warm tones, wood, stone and steel fixtures.

The restaurant will open featuring LongHorn’s new fall Peak Season and Chef’s Showcase menus, as well as the new Prime Time menu. 

What's New at LongHorn Steakhouse:

• Fall Peak Season - LongHorn’s Peak Season menu changes four times a year and features fresh flavors of the season. This fall, guests can enjoy new items, like Pub Pretzel Sticks, Mushroom Truffle Bisque, Potato & Leek Au Gratin, Bleu Ridge Wedge Salad, and Pumpkin Spice Lava Cake for dessert.

• Chef’s Showcase - Chef’s Showcase celebrates LongHorn's Executive Chefs' culinary inspiration and creativity. This fall, it features a Harvest Mushroom Filet and Apple Cider Baby Back Ribs.

• LongHorn Prime Time - This menu features late afternoon specials at all LongHorn locations across the country, including a variety of $3, $4 and $5 drinks and bold bites. Prime Time is offered Monday through Friday from 4pm-7pm and features dishes like the Spicy Chicken Bites and Sweet Corn Fritters.

The people of LongHorn aim to be a positive force that makes a difference within the communities they serve by supporting organizations and individuals that share the same values of fundraising, donations and grants that benefit local organizations and causes. As part of LongHorn Steakhouse's training period, they will be hosting a friends and family night with proceeds benefiting The Boys and Girls Club of Metro Queens. LongHorn Steakhouse will be a welcomed addition to the Elmhurst community! 

Hours of operation will be: Sunday - Thursday 11am - 10pm and

                                              Friday and Saturday 11am - 11pm

Which new item on the fall menu are you planning on trying?

A Patriotic, Striptease Date Night with Wasabassco Burlesque #RevelinNY

Disclosure: The opinions expressed are 100% my own and I received 2 tickets to review the show as a social media curator for Flavorpill. No other compensation was given.

So I'd like to share with you guys our most random, yet very entertaining way to spend the Fourth of July here in NYC. Our kids ended up spending the holiday with their nana watching the fireworks from  her apartment in Queens and the hubby had to work the night shift at the midtown restaurant he works for because his boss thought they were going to have an influx of customers, seeing that the fireworks had been moved to the east side of the city. Totally wasn't the case by the way. This year started off by far as one of the most boring 4th of July's I had ever celebrated in my life. We usually head to Long Branch and spend hours on the beach, or BBQ and this time around I was pretty peeved I had to watch the fireworks solo from our rooftop with my neighbors instead of with my boys. However  I was beyond excited that I signed up to spend the evening at a Wasabassco Burlesque show in the city that I was given tickets for to review.

Have you ever been to a Burlesque show before? Does the thought of one sound like a lot of fun or does the idea of seeing a bunch of scantily clad women and men make you a bit uncomfortable? Well this was our second time, the first performance we'd seen was more of a circusy type show with hula hoops, bubbles and those sorts of things and although entertaining not very provocative. Honestly we didn't know what to expect from this show at City Winery but we were completely open-minded and up for anything!

We freakin' loved the show from beginning to end, everything from the venue and music to costumes and just the performers personalities overall made for a great show. Right from the beginning Nasty Canasta (pictured at very top) got the energy level up and made sure the crowd was excited to be there. The audience was filled with couples, friends and a few bachelorette parties who decided that was the place to celebrate and rightfully so because you could tell throughout the evening from the laugher and applause that filled the room, that everyone had a great time. I didn't bother to look into the venue beforehand but it was a plus that City Winery had an open bar and delicious flatbreads for those with the late night munchies.

It would seem that most of the guests didn't want to be too up close and personal and passed on the seat that was in the front, dead center. Oh but not me, I grabbed the hubby's hand and told the hostess we were fine sitting up front. I assured him, after he gave me a discerning eye that nobody would pull him up on stage or make him wear tassels, lol but what the heck did I know. Honestly even though I know he'd kill me, I was secretly hoping someone would. Fortunately for him the show wasn't so out of control that you'd feel too nervous to be sitting center stage, the ladies did some tassle twirling, some splits and a lot of seductive, leg lifts, bends, shaking and teasing but it was all tasteful and fun to watch. The most the hubby got was a few winks and smiles as the ladies lustfully, unzipped and tossed costume pieces across the stage floor. But hey I got a few winks myself, so we'll call it even.

This lovely lady photographed with the hubby was always standing by to pick up any items the performers may have left behind on stage and managed to pick them all up while showing us how flexible she was. I must say we were completely impressed with how poised and limber she was, she was shaking what her momma gave her and she was so cute while doing it.

There was an amazing playlist of music to keep the crowd engaged, everything from old school blues and jazz, to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air's Summer Time, to hard core rock and songs by Kiss. The costumes matched the portrayal of the characters and featured a variety: from coy women dolled up in sweet little maiden dresses, to stunning divas that were glammed out in sequins and feather boas and ladies who rocked edgy, sexy leather and completely dominated the stage. Of course twirly tassels and bedazzled and laced gloves to seduce and add to the allure were a necessity. It wasn't a surprise to learn that these ladies received accolades and awards from around the country with the way they worked the stage.

Seeing as it's a live performance do keep in mind while enjoying the show to live in the moment and try not to watch from behind a camera. Throughout the evening it was highly recommended by the hosts that we put down our phones so not to miss anything, otherwise what was the point of being there in the flesh to see it? And to keep in mind that Facebook and Instagram would still be there at the end of the show.

This date night was completely an out of the box night out on the town, but we were so glad we took advantage of an evening sans the lil' monsters. An evening with the fantastic ladies and gentleman of Wasabassco really saved what started off as an epic fail for a holiday and turned it into an entertaining & explosive performance of striptease that was unforgettably fun.

Girls Night Out with Toyota & "She Buys Cars" at The New York International Auto Show #NYIAS #NYIASgirls #RevelinNY

 Disclosure: The opinions expressed are 100% my own. I was invited as a Blogger and received a gift bag along with previewing the Auto show, no other compensation was given.

Last Thursday night I was invited to join a few of my favorite bloggers for a Girls Night Out / Women's Blogger Event event hosted by Toyota and She Buys Cars {some of us brought our hubbies, personally I knew I'd never hear the end of it if I hadn't asked him to join me}.While at the show we mingled, toured the showroom and discussed how the car shows aren't just for the fellas these days. Women are greatly interested in the safety and reliability of their vehicle, how environmentally friendly it is and they want their car to reflect and enhance their own personal style. What better place to be then the New York International Auto show to discover tons of great choices?

Now if you know me, you know I can't drive a lick, and yes it's crazy that I don't even have a permit! Honestly It's because I didn't grow up with car, I took the subway to Brooklyn Tech all four years of high school and to John Jay my 4 years of undergrad. And now that I'm older and a mom of 2, I'm really petrified of driving on NYC streets. Apparently, they say just like living here, if you can manage driving in New York City unscathed then you are capable of driving anywhere.

Don't get me wrong, I love the comfort and convenience of being in a car, hence why our neighborhood taxi company loves our frequent business. You know, like on that day you take a quick trip to Target to buy a Starbucks Latte, a pair of jeans and toiletries. Only to walk out with all of that, plus a new bookshelf, pull-ups for the lil' monster and 2 ginormous bottles of laundry detergent {because there was a really great sale}and a few groceries. I also wouldn't mind having a car so that our family of four could safely travel out of state more:  for a weekend in Upstate NY to see the hot air balloon festivals or even to Florida to visit friends and Disney World. For now, while the hubby convinces me that car is a necessity to have, we use our Zipcar membership.

During a study conducted by the University of Michigan a quarter of the participating teens responded to a text 1 or more times while driving, which means their eyes weren't on the road! With safety being one of our biggest concerns, one of the innovative highlights for the Hubby and I was Toyota's TeenDrive365. This collection of resources and events was created to give parents the tools to help initiate the conversation on the importance of safe driving with teens who are getting behind the wheel for the first time. Both teens and adults were invited to give the simulated distraction drive a try, while other visitors watched on the screen. No matter how safe a driver you are, when prompted to pull out their phone to text message, or to reach for a bottle of water the simulated TeenDrive365 experience proved to guests {like my hubby} that bad car habits are dangerous and could prove to be life threatening.

Dr Oz The Good Life magazine's editor in chief Alison Bower was on hand to provide a quiz to guests on Car safety and I over heard a few bloggers say they were shocked at some of the answers they got wrong after driving for years. We all received a copy of the May/ June issue of the Good Life Magazine which highlights healthy snacks to pack on the road. * Remember not to eat while driving because it's a distraction, it's safer to pull over.

• Fill a travel mug with cardamon tea which stops sugar cravings before they start.
• Kiwi for a boost of energy
• Walnuts or almonds, which are proven to reduce risk of dying from chronic illnesses.
• SeaSnax, lightly salted seaweed only has 16 calories

When making decisions about what car to purchase, function and safety are top priorities but we all want to look good driving it too! Remember the days of the bikini clad models stretched out on a car ads, well now that woman are playing a greater role in the decision making process {We buy 60% of the cars purchased here in the U.S} the car industry is definitely taking notice and is trying to appeal to our style. This year Ford Mustang is celebrating 50 years of production and recently collaborated with beauty line OPI to offer women a limited edition of nail lacquers to show off their unique sense of personal style while they steer.

The stylish moms and fashion and beauty experts Vera Sweeney and Audrey McClelland gave us the deets on the latest trends to have us ladies looking fabulous behind the wheel. You can't go wrong with bright colors, plaid and statement making jewelry this season. While the sassy & funny Latina actress and blogger Lizza Monet Morales had us creating fabulous Cover Girl moments with selfies and fantastic, vibrant lip colors.

A party's not a party without fun favors to leave with! Thanks to sponsors Tieks, Kate Spade and Ellella cosmetics, a few awesome ladies {self included, thanks Ellela}  got to walk away with some great raffled prizes.

Attending the New York International Auto Show has always been an exciting event for my family. By attending you get first glimpses at the latest, innovative cars being released and have the chance to partake in activities like the Ride Along, interactive displays, video games and simulators and may even get to meet a few celebrity personalities from the entertainment and sports industries.

We all had a great time at the The She Buys Cars Girls Night Out, and loved that the evening showed that us ladies love beautiful cars too! The New York International Auto Show is going on from now until Sunday April 27th. What do you look for when deciding on buying a car? If you are interested in a chance to go to the NYIAS, whether with your girlfriends or family, head over to my Dellah's Jubilation Instagram Page & leave a comment on the post for a 4 pack of tickets!