AILEY EXTENSION BRINGS DANCE TO KIDS AND TEENS WITH SUMMER WORKSHOPS & WEEKLY CLASSES

 Photo: Horton with Karen Arceneaux at Ailey Experience NYC. Photo by Kyle Forman

Our summers are usually a mix of outdoor sports with the City Parks Foundation, trips to the local zoos and museums and visits to some of the city's coolest & affordable drop in classes. Ultimately my goal for our boys is to try avoid summer brain drain & balance screen time while juggling being a work at home parent so we're always on the lookout for the latest happenings across the five boroughs. This summer, Ailey Extension is offering a variety of unique dance programs for young, aspiring dancers. With one or two-week performance intensives and weekly training classes taught by New York City’s premiere choreographers and instructors, kids and teens can enjoy developing technique, enhancing musicality, and releasing creative expression. All classes take place at The Joan Weill Center for Dance – home of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, and The Ailey School.  

Lift Your Spirits into the New Year with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Disclosure: Opinions expressed are 100% our own. We were provided tickets to facilitate this review. 

Gifting an experience seems so much cooler to me than new pajamas, a glitzy piece of jewelry or a gadget that will end up being not as trendy in just a year. In a world where we seem so caught up in who has what new hot item, creating long lasting cherished memories with loved ones is truly what the holiday season should be about. Dance is such a beautifully uniting art form that doesn't isolate or exclude, it pulls you in and captivates your spirit and mind and to me that's such a priceless gift to give and receive. You'll witness such stunning bodies of art, gracefully tell culturally rich stories to the audience of an Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performance, in a way unlike any other show you've seen. The new repertoires of work led by artistic director Robert Battle effortlessly evoke the feeling of Ailey's dictum that "dance is for everybody" as theater goers from all over witness refreshing works.

Trip to SantaLand at Macy's 34th Street and Discount Offer to ELF the Musical

 

Disclosure: Opinions expressed are 100% our own & we were provided media tickets to ELF the Musical 

Year after year I wonder if it will be the last one where the boys will still BELIEVE in Santa and all of the magic of the holidays, but luckily this isn't that year! We've had our fair share of visits to the North Pole but this year thanks to Macy's new reservation only policy, our visit was the quickest and smoothest ever and it was just the inspiration we needed to get into the holiday spirit before we experience Elf the Musical at Madison Square Garden. 

If you've visited SantaLand at Macy's 34th street in years past then you are oh so familiar with the crazy long wait as you navigate the merry maze of winter wonder, but on our recent trip our journey to see Saint Nick was only a swift 30 minutes! 

Celebrate the Season and Visit Godiva's Rockefeller Center's "Chocofeller" Tree

There's nothing more iconic in NYC during the holidays than the stunningly lit Rockefeller tree, but wouldn't it be beyond amazing if there was a version you could actually eat?  Personally, the holidays and delicious sweets go hand and hand during gatherings with family and friends so it only makes sense that GODIVA is celebrating the season in chocolate!  The GODIVA team paired its chocolate chef Thierry Muret with Chocolate Genius Paul Joachim  who created an innovative holiday storefront display at Rockefeller Center - a scale replica of the entire plaza and a life size Christmas Tree made entirely out of chocolate, complete with a 7’6” Chocofeller Tree (get it?), a 9’+ chocolate Rockefeller building made of petite fours, an ice-rink with skaters all lit with over 1,000 lights controlled through Twitter.  

Disney Queen of Katwe and 3 Great Places and a Festival for Kids to Learn to Play Chess in NYC

Growing up I remember watching my dad and cousin as they intensely eyed each other's pieces while playing an intense, weekend-afternoon round of chess. It seemed like neither ever blinked as I tried to follow along. Upon his return from a trip to Mexico, daddy brought home the most beautiful hand carved and painted board, naturally I thought it was way cooler than the traditional set with simple black and white pieces With no clue on the rules of how to really play I used to move the pawns, knights and bishops {i'm surprised I even know their names} every which way across the board in hopes to protect the magical Queen. It must be in their genes, because our two boys have acquired a fondness for chess and even stop in their tracks during leisurely strolls to watch the older men near union square in the city,  as they call out to passerby's to challenge them to a play a round or two. After seeing the preview for Disney's Queen of Katwe, my 11 year old instantly said " oh mom, this has to be one of those feel good movies, where the player goes through tough times and something great happens". From a Disney movie, could we honestly expect anything less?

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!

20at20 Returns for the 10th Year with Discounted Tickets for Off Broadway Shows #LilMonstersinNYC

Without a doubt there is no shortage of things to do here in NYC, whether it's with the entire family,  a few friends or for a night out with your boo thang there's something for everyone! And while there are an assortment of options let's be real, sometimes these culture-filled adventures to the museums and theater can cost us a pretty penny. That's why I'm a fan of programs like 20at20 that allow theater goers to enjoy fantastic shows at an affordable price.

In Pursuit of Magic: Reflecting on Reasons to Live in the Moment During the Holidays

I'm having a moment...With all that's going on in the world today, from attacks on everyday freedoms and innocent children, to just dealing with the struggles of the day to day I'll be the first to admit I believe in and seek out the magic of the holidays. During that time of year I put blinders on and sift through all the negativity to make sure my kids enjoy the holidays, and by no means does it mean by just anticipating the presents left under the tree from the Jolly man above but to truly revel in all the moments spent with loved ones and to count our blessings one by one before the year is out. Living in NYC what's not to love about that time of year? The lights, the stunning holiday window displays, skating under the Rockefeller Tree and of course standing on those insanely long lines to meet Santa. I live for those moments!

I must apologize for just sort of disappearing before wishing you all a Happy Holiday and a joyous New Year but the weeks leading up to Christmas were actually way more stressful than I could have imagined and I just never really got the chance to sit down in front of the computer to fill you all in.  But if you follow me on Instagram I tend to post little intimate blurbs from time to time as a quick way to get it all out. All of December I tried my darndest to keep up with the magic of the season even though I just wasn't feeling it, maybe it was the unseasonably warm weather (70 degrees in NYC on Christmas eve was just crazy), maybe it was just me coming down from a year of running around & 6 months of back to back event planning. A time out was needed and I just took it and ran.

Of course because of the stress ultimately a Crohns disease related flare up snuck up on me and has been kicking my butt since the start of the new year. But today something clicked and I decided to muster up some energy and to get back to writing but not before sharing my pursuit to keep the magic alive. Warning - this post will be lengthy, maybe a bit wordy but bare with me o.k, It's a rarity. 

The Accident that Put it all in Perspective:

On the 11th, an unassumingly normal Friday, I kissed the hubby and my 5 year old lil' monster goodbye as they headed off to school. Only to receive an anxiety inducing phone call from my husband to say that they were in a car accident just a block away from the main entrance for morning dropoff. Despite my husbands assurance that he and Tristan were fine, it was one of the most gut-wrenching pangs I'd ever felt and I was literally frozen in fear. You have to love the resilience of children because the only thing that was on Tristan's mind was that he got to ride to the hospital in a cool ambulance and during our brief conversation he said to me "We're OK mommy, but we definitely broke the car". 

What was even scarier to me was that I think I had a premonition about the incident the day before when I decided not to post a picture of Tristan in front of the car. He was beyond excited about showing his friends the red Mazda 6 we had on loaner to review and couldn't wait to show his friends how his new favorite sweatpants matched the cherry red new car. I was going to put a little anecdote after noticing the sticker highlighting the car's award for safety in the rear window about how most car accidents happen only within a few blocks from home, but for whatever reason didn't. All though both cars were pretty banged up we are all truly blessed that the other driver and my boys could walk away to tell the story. 

After that car accident my mission to revel in the whimsy of the "most wonderful time of the year" commenced full throttle, well slowly..... I'll admit we didn't put up our tree until the week before Christmas and it remained up as the first week of January rolled on by. Don't judge me! And some how I found myself wandering the aisles of Target one by one for last minute gifts the night before Christmas eve. All I knew was that this Christmas could have played out so differently had the accident been worse than what it was and I was just thankful that the hubby and his mini me walked away (the hubby a bit more shaken up then I'd ever seen him) without so much as a scratch.

Stop Knocking Santa - Go Ahead and Believe:

Imagine my frustration trying to be all jolly while my tween CJ starts tossing around skeptical questions about the "realness" of Santa. As the years pass I can see the idea of Santa slowly diminishing, it's not the first time he's questioned St. Nick and certainly won't be his last, until the truth comes out. I nearly went off on one of the hubby's co-workers who took it upon himself by whispering to CJ "the real deal" on Santa by having him question how Santa really gets in our NYC apartment without a chimney - but everybody knows Santa just takes the stairs from the roof, C'mon! 

Instead of answering him directly I've decided to tell him that believing in Santa is a personal choice and asked him "Do you want to believe in him?" I've read tons of blog posts and comments on FB where parents have gotten upset that their kids give all the credit to Santa for the cool presents under the tree, or the debates on whether the Santa their kids believe in is black or white and I just don't get the big deal. And you may not agree and that's fine, but to me Santa is just a symbol of childhood innocence and with everything our kids could be caught up in, the idea of this magical person bringing them presents at the end of the year is the last thing I'm going to be up in arms about. But you better believe mom and dad score points for awesome presents too!

This year I knew I wanted to skip the Santa Land maze at Macy's since CJ questioned why multiple families could go into those little houses within seconds of each other to see the "real" Santa. So I remembered seeing my blogger friend Kristin of My Strange Family posting yearly about visiting the Santa at ABC Carpet and Home and knew we had to see him because he was the most beautiful, authentic looking Claus I'd ever seen. So majestic with the rosiest red cheeks and a beard that looked so cottony soft it would make you shut your mouth for ever doubting he really existed. When I showed CJ the post he even said "Wow, mommy it's really him!" 

Another Trip to the ER Means Bring on the Holiday Lights and Hot Coco

 A mere week after the car accident, another premonition, this time owned by mother thanks to a Lifetime movie (that told the story of a family's loss of a child due to secondary drowning in his sleep) led us back to the E.R with our 5 year old. Tristan a completely fearless but novice swimmer, guzzled way too much pool water for comfort during his last swimming class. You couldn't tell him for one second that he wasn't an Olympic swimmer with that shiny medal swinging from his neck. But he also ended up with some what of a wheezy cough, that caused the hubby to wake out of his sleep as he ran to his bed one night. Top that with a slight fever that occurred earlier in the week and we ended up skipping our plans to attend a family holiday party and while dressed to the nines we drove off to the E.R. Completely amused by the irony Tristan smiled at the fact that he ended up sitting in the same bed from the week before and giggled while putting on a tiny gown that instantly made those pangs in my heart re-appear. How could I not have taken his coughs more seriously, what if something truly was wrong? But yet again my trooper, the little monster was perfectly fine and once cleared to go ended up having a melt down because we missed the party.

Remembering that our vlogger friend Betsy from ThatsBetsyV told us to check out a festive house in Jamaica Estates we hopped in the car in hopes that this fully decorated house would instantly make the boy's eyes light up! We're huge fans of the Holiday Light Fight show and this house that's only a ten minute drive from home was once a winner. And well deserving because it saved our night. 

By the time we finished watching the toy trains in the window and the toy soldiers dancing on the fences we were starved and headed to IHOP for hot chocolate that was bigger than the boys faces and of course they loved chowing down on breakfast for dinner!

Christmas Eve Service & Last Minute Guests Means a Clean House Full of Love:

It's been an entire year since we've had guests over to our tiny apartment, a whole freaking year. Nope, my husband's long time childhood friend Ty and my brother don't count because they could care less that our place was busting from the seams with boxes of products to review and seasonal clothes we hadn't had the chance to bring to storage. So Imagine how I nearly lost it when my parents decided they wanted to spend Christmas day with us. I mean I was thrilled but I had some major cleaning to do, deep cleaning that required washing walls, rubbing stains out of the couches and scrubbing toilets. I'm so thankful for their visit because it gave us just the push we needed to start of the New Year. We still have a ton of laundry to catch up on, which is supposedly bad luck to entire the New Year, well that's just fantastic isn't it? We can never get a handle on laundry so what will be will be. 

Attending church on Christmas Eve was all that my daddy wanted as a gift and it was probably the first time we'd all gone to a service as a family since we were kids other than for someone passing away. The evening's message was simply beautiful and resonated with all that was going on during the month "Out of darkness there will always be light." Celebrating being together, health and a new baby on the way (my nephew baby Quentin) was all worth praising. 

Having been so caught up with all that was going on the weeks leading up to the holiday, long hours at work and the kids in school, our tree ended up not being adorned with our star until literally Christmas morning because it's tradition that they do it with their daddy. 
The hubby whipped up homemade Belgium waffles while the lil' monsters opened their presents and us millennial children cracked jokes on the new generation of grandparents who gifted each other with gadgets and gizmos but couldn't figure out how to use them. 

 

Ringing in the New Year

With no desire to be among crowds of folks that were ready to welcome in the New Year, we just headed to a local Applebees and then finally made it to Dyker Heights to see the last remaining holiday decorated houses before heading home round 11pm. Did you catch the show on Fox 5? Well it was full of old school tunes that had the hubby and I dancing as cheesy as we remember our parents doing back in the day. New Years day was only a week before our grandmothers 83rd birthday and she was all smiles from our visit as she cracked herself up while taking selfies for the first time.

Year after year what always seems to ring true is the much needed time spent with loved ones and I'm blessed upon blessed to have been able to bid farewell to 2015 and to welcome 2016 with my family. Can't wait to see what the new year has in store, how did you live in the moment over the holidays?

Off to the Races: Celebrating Mother's Day at Belmont Park

Who doesn't love to receive gifts of appreciation from loved ones? Presents are nice to receive during holidays but I'm definitely the type who would prefer to experience something new with my favorite people. Anyone who knows me well enough knows i'm not very materialistic, a homemade card from my two lil' monsters and venturing off to see somewhere new is the best gift you can ever give me, and maybe a digital photo-book that has all the memories from the day in a book, opposed to living on my phone or on Facebook. Yepp, I'm super cheesy that way.

For Mother's Day America's Best Racing invited a few local mom bloggers and their families out to Belmont Park for a VIP experience at the park, cheering on horses and firing up the grill. I'd never been, so it sounded like the perfect way to spend the Sunday with my 3 guys and my blogger babes. Naturally, conversation among the moms focused of course on what we were going to wear. Whenever I think of horse racing I remember Julia Roberts in her polka-dot dress in the classic film Pretty Woman. I definitely chimed in and hoped everyone else was planning to wear gorgeous hats and fascinators. I mean, how often were we going to get to dress up like that, so why not?

My hubby made my favorite pasta salad to add to the potluck and we ended up renting from Zipcar so we didn't have to worry about the commute on public transportation. By now he knows my sissy and I end up a bit cranky after a long day out.  It's a quick ride to Belmont Park (in Elmont) from where we are in Queens but we definitely experienced a bit of traffic because it was a holiday. At least folks were out and about celebrating their mama's! 

Belmont's backyard was filled with fans who were enjoying their picnics as kids rode ponies and jumped around in the bouncy house. Visitors are also able to see the horses up close before their race in the paddock.

 As we toured the area with Dan Tordjman and Victoria Garofalo who are Brand Ambassadors  for Team ABR Live we watched each jockey ride around on their horse and some of the kids asked for pics. Meanwhile my animal obsessed four year old's inevitable meltdown ensued. If you could only see his face when we gently burst his bubble  when he asked to ride one of the horses. After explaining to him that they were too fast and he wasn't quite big enough he refused to meet the jockey who was standing nearby because he could race on the horse and Tristan couldn't. I felt so bad and tried not to laugh. 

We only placed one bet and didn't win, but we did learn 2 great tips from Dan and Victoria: Look for a horse with your birthday to bet on and that you can bet on the all places a horse may come in, 2nd, 3rd etc not just the winning horse. 

The afternoon was fantastic! Everyone looked so poised and polished, the food was yummy and the moms truly had a great time! Thank You America's Best Racing for having us.
Make sure to Follow ABR on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Note: Opinions expressed are 100% my own and no compensation was received for this post.

Living in the Moments w/ Opera Singer La Toya Lewis

I can't say I know of too many Opera singers from Brooklyn {yes, you are the only Opera singer I know, lol} when was that "Light bulb moment" that you knew you wanted to be an Opera singer? 

LL // Ha! This is so funny because I've been trying to tell other opera singers that even though there are a few of us from Brooklyn, the vast majority of the world doesn't know who we are! I'm glad to be the only opera singer you know! There wasn't really a light-bulb moment, I quite literally "fell into" singing opera. I went to college as an undecided major and went to check out the Choir one day. Turns out, this was the opera chorus and I immediately fell in love with the sounds the singers were making all around me. I had to "try this opera thing out", like that would be easy or something. I've been singing it ever since. { Have a look + listen}

You recently had been touring the U.S with Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, who you call a friend of yours, what's that been like? 

LL // The tour was incredible, really impossible to  find the words to describe how incomparable that experience was. Mainly because I was surrounded by excellent musicians 24/7 for weeks. I got to sit on stage while Wynton and the Band improvised parts of the mass we were singing so that the show was never really the same from night to night. Just to see them in action and to be among singers from all different genres day in and day out was the type of immersion that singers dream of. 

You've met some pretty amazing  people, Glenn Close, Laurence Fishbourne and I saw a photo of you with Tony Danza, have you two performed together? Is there anyone you are dreaming will be in your audience?

LL // I didn't perform with Tony, he and I are actually on the volunteer faculty at a not for profit called All Stars Project Inc. on 42nd street. We teach inner city children performance techniques and I'm in charge of the voice portion. So I've been around for his classes and he's been around for mine and I know him in that capacity, as a teacher. But he has heard me sing and has a lot of respect for my talent. I do hope that Tony comes to my concert one of these days! He's an amazing man. 

Your cat Isis is gorgeous, can she sense when you are off to tour, or perform?

LL // Thanks!! I got her as a Christmas present back in 2007 from a Cattery in New Jersey. She's a pure bred Silver Bengal and a ridiculously intelligent animal. She always knows when I'm heading off somewhere because she'll start circling my luggage or sitting on top of my clothes just to jam me up! I often times feel really bad when I leave her for a long time. 

Where are your favorite spots to "Live in the moment" here in NYC?

LL // You can't go to Brooklyn without grabbing pizza from Smiling Pizza on 7th Avenue and 9th Street in Park Slope. Great hole in the wall place, amazing zeppoles, and oily garlic knots! So Brooklyn. You also need to take in the scenic views from the Promenade/Brooklyn Bridge Park or go for a walk around the lake at Prospect Park. The Museum of Moving Image in Astoria is definitely one of my favorite places. If you ever thought museums were boring, a visit here would quickly change that. Chelsea Market is only a new favorite dig of mine but I can't get enough of the seafood market {for their steamed lobsters and succulent shrimp}.

 I'm curious, what are you listening to right now? 

LL // Right now I'm revisiting all the albums I liked last year (Daft Punk, JT, Beyonce, TGT etc) and am listening to a bunch of different things. But I'm almost always listening to Radiohead's entire catalog or various musicals, namely Jesus Christ Superstar. 

I've seen you use the hashtag #realnerdsdonerdthings, what makes you a REAL nerd?   

LL // Haha, that hashtag is a play on a line from a Notorious BIG song, and I think someone might've said that once and I ran with it. I'd say I'm an real nerd because I have a genuine interest in learning about very specific subjects. When I've decided I like something I'm just immersed in it.  I think that's the real definition of a nerd - a thirst for knowledge on a particular subject and subsequent mastery of that subject. And I love math for no reason in particular. I'll just go do math challenges online sometimes for fun. I'll wear Harry Potter t-shirts and hang out at the library. Not to be ironic but because I love Harry Potter and I love libraries. Real nerds do nerd things!

Describe yourself in One word: 

LL // Vivacious.

On Instagram your followers get a peek at your fun & colorful beauty product choices, what's going on in that makeup bag of yours? 

LL // So I very recently got the nerve to start wearing bright lipstick colors and doing other eyes beside just some shade of brown on my eyelid. I got a Look Book from e.l.f's Disney Villain promotion and am trying a lot of bold eye colors with that. The matte I'm wearing right now is by Revlon and it's called Shameless (which is a deep purple). There's a lot of drug store brands that I mix and match to look fabulous on a budget. Gotta fake it til you make it! Recently I discovered Essie's Encrusted Collection which I'm freaking out over.

FILL IN THE BLANKS                 

LL // Today I will          plan to make my tomorrow better.

        This week I will        reflect on the blessings of this past year.

        This month I will        have started new regimens that help me reach my goals.

        This year I will        improve upon the previous year.

         Next year I Will        astound myself.

Anything you'd like us to know that most people don't know about you?

LL // I love rap music! I'm an old school hip hop head and know a whole lot about rap in general. I also love the television show LOST even though it's been off for years. And my favorite color is red, not pink! 

Follow La Toya //  latoya-lewis.com   

                               Instagram // Sopranovixen

                               Facebook // La Toya Lewis, Soprano

                               Twitter // @Latoyalewis

        

Sunday Brunch: Aged in Forest Hills + The Dumbo Arts Festival

One of the best things about Sundays is that sometimes I try my best to make the time to catch up with family and friends over a great meal and usually we'll check out an art exhibit or head to a park or whatever our hearts fancy. I thought It'd be fun to share those Sunday meals and adventures with you guys in hopes that you'd discover a new place to fill your tummies or a unique, fun place to visit.

Two weeks ago, my bestie Natacha and I headed to Aged in Forest Hills, Queens where we sipped on unlimited champagne while catching up on all our September happenings. I indulged in their light but perfectly sweet Queens Croissant french toast {pictured above}.While discussing our plans to check out the Dumbo Arts Festival she admitted she hadn't been to Brooklyn Bridge Park before. Not that I ever need an excuse to head to Dumbo but I was friggin' thrilled I could play her tour guide and show her, what I think of as my "serenity spot". I knew we'd definitely have to pass by a few of my favorite shops {I plan to share a few in an upcoming post} while we walked from York street to Pier 1 checking out all the street art, performers and installations. 

CAM

          Ceci Est Un Ceci Est Un Coeur // Street performers // Macarons // Who's Chelsea Manning ?

(Super) Heroes

My absolute favorite was Robots Will Kill, I think they are so friggin cute!

We couldn't have asked for better weather, visitors were out enjoying the art, kayaking and skyline views. 

                 Rainbow Pixies //  Playing at Work  //  Brooklyn Lawn Quilt //  The Ship of Tolerance

These adorable girls seemed in awe of the love locks that have been popping up on Pier 1.

Playing Tourists and snapping photos.

The Backpack Gallery

The Random Fortune Generator {I couldn't find details on DAF site} "Not being seen but being able to see"

I of course wanted to write down "Live in the Moment" but the line was monstrous.

If you've been to this years festival, what would you say was a must see?

I hope you guys enjoyed this first of many posts in the series "Sunday Brunch" and always remember to 

"Love Life and Live in the Moments".

To hold you over until next years Dumbo Arts Festival, here's some more photos from Instagram and video's highlighting DAF13 Day 1 ,  DAF13 Day 2  and DAF13 Day 3. Enjoy!

Bunches of Xoxo's

                           Dellah