It's unbelievable how much can happen in a "New York Minute!" Those of us who have lived in the Big Apple for years know how important it is to stay in the know when it comes to all up-to-date information that impacts all New Yorkers. As part of New York City's Emergency Management (NYCEM), Notify NYC is New York City's official source for information about emergency alerts and important city services. Notify NYC staff operate 24/7 out of Watch Command where they constantly monitor emergency activity in New York City and the metropolitan area. Since I am a mom and a full-time educator I rely on Notify NYC to alert me when there is an emergency in my area. After all, being able to make informed decisions in those critical moments are crucial to the well-being of my family as well as my students. Here is what you need to know about Notify NYC to stay in the know for you and your loved ones: • Whether it’s a storm, a mass transit delay, or an unexpected event, be … [Read more...]
Experience Indoor Extreme Sports! @indoorextreme #IndoorExtremeSports #Ad
If you are the parent of a teenager, you know how difficult it can be to plan a birthday party for them. When they were little, it was easy to get them excited about a cartoon themed celebration and some goodie bags. When they get older, it's not that easy to plan an event that will make them happy. Last month, my son's fifteenth birthday was coming around and I was picking my brain for weeks trying to figure out how we were going to commemorate his special day. I found out about Indoor Extreme Sports through an online search and I knew immediately that I had found just the experience to make me cool mother of the year in my son's eyes for the rest of the year! Indoor Extreme Sports is the home of New York City’s only indoor Paintball/ReBall centers, host to the world’s most unique Laser Tag experiences featuring 5 Adrenaline Pumping fields to choose from! We run NYC’s first and only Archery Tag Centers. They have two Locations – Long Island City, Queens and their New … [Read more...]
Traveling To NYC For A Sports Tournament @hotelsforteams #Hotels4Teams #Ad
Many of the sports parents that I am friends with around the country reach out to me when they find out that their child's team is scheduled to travel to my native New York City for a tournament. After all, most of them have never visited the Big Apple and coming here for the first time can be a little intimidating. One of their major concerns is usually how they are going to be able to afford a trip to a major city on their team budget. My experience has been that not only do they all end up having a great time while they are here, but that they also are able to take advantage of visiting some of our attractions as well during their stay. When it comes to planning their stay and needing some downtime activities, I always recommend that they use the City Guide that Hotels4Teams offers parents and coaches. They've compiled some great places for teams to relax and bond before or after the game. The best part about NYC is that it is that it is full of fun things for … [Read more...]
A Night Of Broadway In The Bronx
Every school year, we get caught up in our hectic schedules throughout the week. No matter how much we try to slow things down a bit, it always seems like there is something going on and there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. However, spending quality time together as a family is always number one on our list of priorities so we never stop trying to come up with creative ways to create those memories that will be cherished by all of us for a lifetime. That is why we were so excited to go see my nephew perform in Broadway Night at one of our local schools in the Bronx. For the past few years he also attended high school in the Bronx and he participated in their drama club and performed at many of their shows! His last performance, as a Senior, was in his school's rendition of Grease in the Spring and we were so proud to see him on stage singing and acting. It was the first time Since he started college last Fall, he has … [Read more...]
Remove Snow Safely This Winter
How will you remove snow safely this winter? Once again, New York City is scheduled to get some snowstorms this weekend for the New Year. It's something us New Yorkers are used to with the kinds of winters we get around these parts but they still require some preparation on our part. Many people are unaware that removing snow can become a dangerous task and should be done with some caution. Unfortunately, we learned this lesson the hard way when the father of an old friend of ours suffered a heart attack while shoveling snow in front of their home. He subsequently died as a result and it was sobering to think that something like snow removal could prove to be such a perilous activity. Studies show that shoveling snow can increase a person's risk of having a heart attack. Additionally, there are other injuries that can arise from clearing snow including pulled muscles, broken bones, and hypothermia. There are some precautions that one can take to decrease these … [Read more...]
Let’s Make New York Tobacco Free! #SeenEnoughTobacco @TobaccoFreeNYS #Ad
My grandmother died of lung cancer. She was a cigarette smoker for over thirty years and smoking ultimately killed her. It was horrible to watch her suffer as she struggled to breathe during her final days. You would think that this experience would have been enough of a deterrent for me to avoid smoking at any cost, but it wasn't. One day, a friend in college passed me a cigarette and it began my addiction to a dangerous habit. I smoked on an off for about eight years and finally quit, cold-turkey, in 2007. It was definitely a difficult habit to kick but, I am proud to say that I have not smoked a cigarette in almost ten years. Due to my experiences with tobacco, I am constantly warning my high school students about the dangers of smoking. Unfortunately, the tobacco industry spends billions of dollars on promotions, in places where children can see them. They promote cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to young people and funnel a lot of that money into advertising that … [Read more...]
First-Ever On-Demand Bathroom Service in NYC! #EnjoyTheGo @Charmin #Ad
As a longtime resident of New York City, I often head to Manhattan to attend special events or view shows. Us local peeps refer to it as "Downtown" and we love bragging about how we have the coolest city on the planet. The only problem is that, when you gotta go, you gotta go. There is nothing worse than not being able to find a bathroom in the city! Many businesses post signs stating that their bathrooms are only for paying customers. After all, who could blame them when thousands of people pass by their storefronts every single day and opening their bathrooms up to the public could quite possibly send them down the proverbial creek without a paddle or some Charmin toilet paper! So, when visiting New York City for the day you sometimes have to get creative when it comes to copping a squat. Most people will just bite the bullet and purchase something at whatever store they are close to in order to gain access to their bathroom facilities. Other people will take … [Read more...]
Celebrate Dad At The Crosstown Diner In The Bronx! @CrosstownDiner #Ad
My husband has always been a pillar in our community. Not only is he a wonderful father, but he also gives his time selflessly to support young people at my sons' school and in the neighborhood. Since our boys were little, he has volunteered to coach their basketball and little league teams and just about everyone knows him. We like to honor him every single day of the year but, on Father's Day, we try to make him feel a little more special than usual. One of Hubby's favorite things to do with our family is go out to eat. This is a time when we can spend quality time as a family enjoying great food and just focusing on one another. When it comes to his go-to restaurants, he likes to dine locally and one of his absolute favorite places to eat is the Crosstown Diner. We have been going there for years, since even before we started our family. He always says that eating there on Sunday reminds him of every good thing that he has done in his life. This Father's … [Read more...]
Bring Your Kids To A NY Liberty Game! #ShowUp @NYLiberty @KidzVuz #Ad
Last week my family had the pleasure of going to see a NY Liberty game at Madison Square Garden. Although we are native New Yorkers, we don't often get to go cheer on our home teams due to our everyday work and school schedules. Thankfully, the summertime is the perfect time to share these activities together. My husband, father in law and son all decided that they would go see the game together since they are all huge basketball fans. It was so sweet to see three generations of the men in this family heading out to watch the NY Liberty do their thing. The Liberty have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 13 of its 19 years. This is a fact that my son won't let me forget. Led by Head Coach Bill Laimbeer, the Liberty are determined to improve on last year’s performance with top WNBA talent like Tina Charles, Epiphanny Prince and Essence Carson, veterans like Swin Cash and Tanisha Wright, as well as new … [Read more...]
The Perfect Last Minute Stocking Stuffer At Dunkin’ Donuts! @DunkinDonuts #Giveaway #Ad
If you are a procrastinator like I am, you are scrambling at the last minute trying to get everything ready for the holidays. This year, I think I've done a little better than previous years because I've actually purchased most of the gifts for the kids. However, I still have to finish up shopping for my husband's gift because he is more difficult to shop for than most. He has to get up very early every morning and he always enjoys a cup of coffee to get him going and to start his day. This made me realize that the perfect gift and last minute stocking stuffer for him is right in front of my face at Dunkin' Donuts. After all, he practically spends half of his life there anyway so, why not? Dunkin' Donuts restaurants throughout the Metro NY area are selling The Dunkin' Donuts Holiday Coffee Card. This card provides guests with 10 large hot coffees or teas for $15.99. This is the perfect last minute gift or stocking … [Read more...]
