Showing posts with label New York City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York City. Show all posts
Most people travel to New York City for Broadway shows, summer adventures, restaurants, city landmarks, and sightseeing. This first week of June, we’re here for a different reason. I shared the reel the other day of what I bought for the room HERE and today I shared the reveal HERE on instagram!!
As my mom completes radiation treatments this week, we have the privilege of staying at Hope Lodge. This has been the biggest blessing. Before we arrived, a dear friend gifted me a Hobby Lobby gift card, and I used it to gather a few simple things to help make our room feel even more warm, peaceful, and welcoming (which has already been above and beyond wonderful by the volunteers and staff).
Over the years, I’ve learned that beauty isn’t reserved for perfect circumstances or a certain place. Sometimes it looks like a fresh set of towels, flowers on a table, a favorite blanket, a classroom decor, or a thoughtfully arranged corner of a room. I believe every space can be treated with extra care and in that small way we love those in our circles even deeper by creating haven areas.
A HUGE thank you to Hope Lodge for the opportunity to stay and the love and support around each corner. Thank you also to everyone who has prayed for our family and walked alongside us during this season- we are so grateful. ❤️
Thank you so much for your likes, comments, and shares on this reel! Click HERE to see!
Happy Wednesday friends! I hope you have the most wonderful day!
Caravan Sonnet | Hope Lodge Cancer Treatment MSK
This week, my mom and I are so incredibly blessed to be staying at Hope Lodge in New York City during her radiation treatments. A dear friend gifted me a Hobby Lobby gift card, and I decided to use it to gather a few simple things to help make our room feel a little more comfortable, peaceful, and cozy for my precious mom. You can find the reel on Instagram by clicking HERE!
I’ve learned over the years that beauty isn’t reserved for perfect circumstances. Sometimes it looks like fresh flowers on a table, a cozy blanket, a favorite mug, or small touches that make a temporary room feel a little more like home.
Whether it’s a fifth-generation family cabin, a hotel room, a cottage, or a Hope Lodge during treatment, I believe every space can be treated with care and intention.
Come shopping with me as I gather a few things to help create a cozy haven for the week ahead. You can find the reel on Instagram by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. You are also helping support this business of mine- which is HUGE. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space and support me with no cost to you. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .
Thank you.
Happy Monday and Happy June 1st friends! I hope you have the most wonderful day!
Caravan Sonnet | Hope Lodge Cancer Treatment MSK
Happy Friday friends! A few minutes ago IG I shared a little reel on the cost of what we actually spent traveling to New York City this week...Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this very important reel by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this! .
Thank you.
Happy Friday! I hope you have the most wonderful day and start to your weekend! See you here tomorrow!
End of an era… sad to see my favorite ribbon, trim, and button store in NYC (started in 1936) closing.
We discovered this precious store years ago after one of my medical appointments and it became the "treat" after treatment for many years. It was such a joy and an incredible place to wander and be refreshed.
Thank you M& J Trimming for a wonderful space for creatives, artists, fashion designers, broadway costume designers, makers, and art lovers for all of these years! NYC will miss you!
Happy Tuesday friends! Today I am so excited to share about a special bagel shop that means so much to my mom and I and has the most delicious gluten free items. Everything Bagel is a true delight and the food is amazing and if you are near NYC or in NJ you need to go!
I first discovered Everything Bagel when it was located in Ridgewood, NJ (it has since moved to its new location a while ago) when mom and I had to stay in NYC area after her knee surgery for nearly a month. There had been some complications that forced us to stay in the area for several weeks and I started looking quickly around to find "real food" that we could eat on a daily basis. One early morning I came across Everything Bagel in Ridgewood and stepped inside... to a community. Y'all that is really the only way to describe how it felt. Immediately embraced with delicious and nourishing food and the kindest people, it became a favorite morning tradition that has continued every single time we are anywhere near the city. (We have literally driven over an hour out of the way to go to Everything Bagel it is that good and that precious).
If you are gluten free and looking for true New York bagels that are delicious this is absolutely the place for you. One of my favorite things about Everything Bagels is that you can have Celiac (like I do) and enjoy everything in the shop but also go with someone who loves non-gluten free things because they handle both things there. My mom loves her NYC bagels and I love the gluten free ones- it is a win-win!
My favorite thing to order (and I am already dreaming of my next trip haha) is the gluten free everything bagel toasted with light butter, lox and onions. (Now before all of my New York friends start sending messages- I can't eat cream cheese so I know it is not a "technical" order haha- but y'all it is still delicious and the cream cheese does look yummy for those that can eat that!) My mom loves her bagel with eggs and for lunch we both enjoy a delicious sandwich!
I can't recommend a trip to everything Bagel ENOUGH. You will not be sorry at all. Good news also y'all- they ship bagels all over the country - so if you live far away do not be disappointed- you can also enjoy the goodness!! Read more on the website about ALL that they offer- I feel like two years later and we are still discovering everything delicious about this place! OH and did I mention the yummy desserts??!? Check everything out HERE!
Let me know if you have any questions friends! I love sharing about such yummy places to discover!
picture not the property of Caravan Sonnet, found on the Park2Fly website
Happy Tuesday friends! Today I am excited to start sharing about our amazing trip and cruise a couple of weeks ago with my sister! As we were flying out to Florida I found some cheap tickets out of LaGuardia that were the best price (even with a hotel stay, gas, parking, etc.) and it worked out really well to coincide with a few doctors appointments in the city.
One of the major things though was finding parking that was affordable and let me tell y'all it was difficult to find. As a point of reference the airport parking (even with paid parking ahead) can be as much as $40 or more dollars a day (depending on which lot you are in). This was just crazy and would have made our tickets not as cheap and so I started to look around at what other options there could be. I came across Park2Fly and immediately loved the price and decided to give it a try.
Y'all. This was the best decision ever. Booking online was easy and you prepay a certain amount down and then you pay the remainder on the day of dropping off the car.
Dropping off the car was incredibly easy too. It took me less than 10 minutes (with traffic) to go from dropping my mom off at the airport to go to Park2Fly. After showing up, I parked my car, grabbed my items, and waited for the shuttle which arrived less than 10 minutes after I arrived.
We headed back to the airport and I was given instructions and a card on how and when to call for a pickup which I did. Waiting for the shuttle on the way back was a bit longer (about 15 minutes) but it wasn't bad and when we arrived our car was already waiting.
Overall it was a great experience and one we definitely plan to use again! This is not a sponsored review in anyway but I hope it is helpful for anyone looking to park at LaGuardia!
Let me know if you have any questions! Happy Tuesday!
Last Sunday mom felt well enough to get out of the hotel room so we took a little drive over to the area of Fort Lee to view the George Washington Bridge from afar. Over the last year, but especially these last several weeks we have driven back and forth over this bridge countless times. I had never explored the history of the bridge and when I did it was truly so fascinating to learn. I hope you enjoy these pictures and the history behind the bridge!
The George Washington Bridge spans over the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York City. At the time it was built it was twice as long as any other suspension bridge and is still considered by many to be the marvel of suspension bridges.
The building of the bridge presented quite a challenge to those who worked on it as it was difficult to find out a way to span the Hudson River. For over a 100 years this was the challenge. Finally Othmar Ammann, a Swiss born architect and engineer, proposed a design that was ultimately chosen. Nearly a hundred years ago (he proposed the bridge design in 1923) what seemed like an impossibility was going to become a reality that would help millions of people each year, including us.
Construction on the bridge was started in 1927 and was opened to traffic in 1931. In 1932 (the first full year of use) more than 5.5 million vehicles used the bridge and in 1962 the lower level was finalized.
It is amazing to think about how this design that was created in 1923 has stood the test of time, been added to, and continues to be a main point of crossing each day for so many people!
I shared a reel on instagram about the bridge that you can see HERE!
Interested in reading about other bridges that I have shared about on the blog? Click on the links below:
Confederation Bridge (Prince Edward Island)
Information on the George Washington Bridge was taken from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Website.
Happy Thursday friends! Yesterday we spent a day in the "city of dreams" and y'all it was simply beautiful with the warm weather and blue skies. It was the perfect day of incredibly good news, adventures and inspiration. I can't wait to share more with y'all, but wanted to share this picture that I snapped outside Bistango's Restaurant.
Do y'all remember me sharing about Bistango's back in 2015? (You can read my review of the 29th location HERE!) Yesterday after some meetings we wanted to grab food on the way out of the city and were at Bistango's other location inside the Kimberly Hotel in Manhattan. Despite the fact that they were incredibly busy they let us take food out with us so we could start our 5 hour trip home and it was delicious! I definitely plan on doing an updated review but suffice it to say that 5 years later, Bistango's is still incredible if you are looking for a wonderful Gluten Free restaurant in the city!
If you are gluten free and looking for additional gluten free travel recommendations on the blog you can find posts I have written about this topic HERE!
Can't wait to share more with y'all about our day in New York City soon! I hope y'all have a wonderful Thursday friends!
New York might be the biggest, the most populous, and the most famous city of the US. But it’s also a place where people from all around the world have historically come to find their fortune and to be part of the American Dream. As a result, it’s not just a US-city, it’s a city of the whole world. Here, we’re going to look at how one bite of the Big Apple can give you a taste of places much farther flung.
Celebrate in China
Manhattan’s Chinatown is easily one of the most colorful and invigorating parts of the whole city. If you enjoy food, culture, and entertainment, you are certain to find it here. But the time of the year that is undeniably better than any other, when it comes to arranging your visit, is during the Chinese New Year. It can feel like you have stepped directly into another world. Huge floats, colorful dancing dragons, and vendors come out in full force. It’s not just a show, but an important event for families to honor their ancestors and come together. If you only have a short time to enjoy the sights, then you absolutely must stick around for the traditional lion dancing.
Eat in Italy
Of course, if you want to talk about cuisine in New York, then you can’t go very far without talking about the Italian flavor in particular. Tastes from around the world have found their home in New York, but perhaps none has become so firmly rooted and closely associated with the city than the tastes of Italy. There is many a pizzeria and no shortage of places to enjoy a good pasta dish. If there’s one that’s a must-visit, however, it must be Eataly. The hallmark location of a franchise that now reaches across the world, it’s a mix of restaurant, food store, café, and much more that makes for a day out just as much as a place to stop and enjoy a bite.
Adventure in Paris
The theatre is deeply nested within the cultural heart and the history of the city. If you visit without seeing the lights of Broadway or even catching a show just outside it, you are missing out. Not only is it an institution, but it’s a great way to catch shows not only from across the world but also depicting adventures across it. For example, seeing Anastasia at the Broadhurst Theatre can have you living a musical adventure in Paris fraught with peril, intrigue, and a little magic. The theatre has a lot more to offer than Paris alone, so see what shows are coming up and choose the right time to see your favorites.
Inspiration from Europe
If your tastes a little more sedate and you want to be inspired by artists all around the world, then the many galleries and art museums of the city are a must-see. The Met Museum is particularly impressive for the sheer amount of different locales and periods it showcases in its exhibitions. However, if you’re a lover of the European masters, The Frick Collection might be a little more up your street. There are pieces from Goya, Rembrandt, Renoir, Titian and more. One moment you can be swept up in the vistas of a romantic Spanish scene and the next you can be admiring the golden age of Dutch baroque. All of it contained in a gorgeous old school museum complete with a working water fountain.
The heart of the US
Whilst you might be enjoying your international adventures in the Big Apple, it’s worth taking a look at the shore that drew all those people from around the world in the first place. From Coney Island to the Statue of Liberty, cruising the ports of New York City is not something to be missed. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful skylines in the country and never fails to elicit an emotional, awestruck reaction. Take a tour on the water up and down the coast, which can help you hit all the highlights of the city itself or even go further out into the county to show that there’s still much more to explore.
If you want to experience cultures, tastes, and sights from around the world, you don’t necessarily have to travel it. Of course, everything gets a New York-spin that makes it distinctly part of the city and part of the American way of life, but still, a trip to the Big Apple can truly broaden your horizons.
This may be a contributed post but all of the thoughts I agree with and match the tone of my blog .
Today marks sixteen years since America witnessed one of the worst terrorist attacks in
our history.
When I was a High School History teacher I would show my students a documentary about September 11th as a way to help them understand the tragedy and the bravery of so many on this day. For truly in the darkest of moments the character and bravery of so many also came to light.
The documentary was a way to not only "pause and remember" but to reflect on the incredible amount of freedom that we experience in America and to remember to honor and pray for those who have given so much for our country in past and to thank and pray for those who are serving our country today.
I
would also share my personal story of being on the first international flight
allowed back into the country, dealing with the horror of lost loved ones and
friends (and of friends who lost so many people that day), and of finding so
much hope through the kindness of strangers and of a country rallying together.
A couple of years ago I walked back into Newark Airport for the first time in 13 years and
was overcome by the differences. Instead of Air Marshall's guarding
our flight and the tension that came with our long international flight and the
regulations of being the first flight back into the US, my flight from
California was peaceful as many people slept for the duration. Instead of the
stewards and stewardesses crying, they were smiling. Instead of the passengers
singing "God Bless America", we landed silently. Instead of rows and
rows of planes not moving at Newark, planes were steadily taking off the
ground. Instead of being greeted by soldiers lined up at our gate to greet and
escort us to immigration lines, I walked off the and easily went to my next gate. Instead of Newark
being a chaotic scene of red cross workers, rows and rows of cots, family
members and loved ones in tears, and the haunted look of despair, Newark was
busy with people excited to get to their destinations. I paused to look out at
the exact place that I stood at 13 years ago and was overcome with emotion.
Emotion at the changes. Emotion for those that lost so much that day. Emotion for the way that our country rallied together and responded to the crisis. Emotion for those who continue to grieve their lost loved ones. Emotion for living in a country that fights for freedom despite incredible odds and terror. As
we stop to remember the loss of loved ones I thank God for living in a country
that is free. A country that (though we may not agree
with everything) is blessed beyond measure and rebuilds after tragedy. My heart
goes out to all who lost a loved one this tragic day 13 years ago. May you feel
the comfort and the love of so many around the nation and around the world as
we pause to reflect on the bravery of so many. As we head into today I
pray that we honor this day with service to those around us. Let's take a
moment to thank so many that are doing so much for our country. Let's surrender
to the Lord our lives and give it to Him fully. Trust Him sweet friends. He
will lead and guide you - in tragedy and grief and in the good. I
pray that we always remember September 11th and honor those who were lost,
encourage the hearts of those who are grieving lost loved ones, and remember
the bravery of so many.
Father
Mychal Judge, who was killed on September 11th, gave his last message to many of the firefighters who were heroes on September 11th the day before the tragedy happened. Today, I wanted to share part of it with you as encouragement. May we always remember the bravery of so many that day:
"Thank you Lord for life. Thank you for love.
Thank you for goodness. Thank you for work. Thank you for
family. Thank you for friends. Thank you for every gift because we
know that every gift comes from you, and without you, we have and are
nothing. So, as we celebrate this day in thanksgiving to you, keep our
hearts and minds open. Let us enjoy each other's company, and most of all,
let us be conscious of Your presence in our lives and in a special way in the
lives of all those who have gone before us. And Father we make our
prayer, as always, in Jesus' name who lives with You forever and ever...
That's the way it is. Good days. And bad days. Up days.
Down days. Sad days. Happy days. But never a boring day on
this job. You do what God has called you to do. You show up.
You put one foot in front of another. You get on the rig and you go out
and you do the job - which is a mystery. And a surprise. You have
no idea when you get on that rig. No matter how big the call. No
matter how small. You have no idea what God is calling you to. But
he needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us. "
(Pictures are taken from a visit to the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. You can read more about the visit HERE. If you are in NYC I can't recommend enough taking time to go and visit this museum that is absolutely wonderful in honoring those who sacrificed their lives and teaching the history of that day.)
Back before I went on the cruise in the fall, I shared that I was able to spend a little time in New York City. It was the first time for me being in the city since 9/11 and it was a precious and memorable time visiting some of the iconic sites and spending a few hours at the 9/11 memorial. When my friend and I decided to spend time the evening in the city before the cruise I quickly researched about where to eat dinner. There are so many fabulous restaurants in the city that it was hard to narrow down to just one, but as a person with Celiac Disease, I was very interested in a restaurant that provided gluten free options. I came across Bistango Restaurant and I loved their website and quickly called to make reservations.
Having traveled to different parts of the world, I love trying new restaurants and places, and I have to say that Bistango is honestly one of the best meals I have ever had! I definitely recommend this restaurant!
We ate at the 29th street location (there are two different locations with two different menus) which was a perfect fit for us as it was close enough to walk to the Empire State Building after our dinner meal. The 29th Street location is the original location and this restaurant was amazing.
I had called ahead to make reservations (which I highly encourage you to do!) and we were seated inside by a window which allowed us to view the city as we ate our meal. Despite the restaurant being incredibly crowded I was impressed with how personal our service was and how they have arranged tables so you feel like you are the only ones in the restaurant. It was an incredibly relaxing atmosphere.
Bistango was ranked by USA today as one of New York City's top 10 Italian Restaurants and everything on the menu looked incredible. Everything that was on the menu can also be made gluten free and I was blown away by the options!
I started off with choosing their gluten free bread (which is complimentary for the first round) and ended up ordering a second order. The bread was amazing. I was incredibly impressed as I never really loved bread and have found gluten free bread to often be tasteless and crumbly. This bread was so delicious. I then ordered the Eggplant Ravioli (which was dairy free also!) and chose the pesto sauce as my sauce. You can see by looking at the menu that there are lots of different sauce options. Honestly our food was amazing and like I have said one of the best meals I have ever eaten.
The next morning before we left to get on our cruise my friend and I kept discussing how amazing our meals were and I suggested that we go back for brunch before we boarded the cruise. While I enjoyed the gluten free bread again I decided to try the gluten free cipolle pizza for this meal. The food was deliciously prepared but I do admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the crust. My friend who ordered a regular- non-gluten free pizza- said hers was the best pizza she had ever had. I don't think I have to repeat that despite not loving the crust, this was one of the best meals of the entire trip!
If you are ever in NYC I can't recommend Bistango Restaurant enough! I definitely plan on returning to this restaurant in the future! It was simply delicious!
Back in September before we left on the cruise, my friend and I had the opportunity to spend a few hours in New York City. I was excited to return back to the city that I have a deep love affair with and one of the things that I wanted to do was have a chance to visit the 9/11 Memorial. As a lady who has ties to the city I knew people who had been lost on 9/11 and as a (former) History teacher it has been extremely important to me to support the work of those who are helping to preserve the memory of that fateful day. I became a 9/11 Memorial Supporter for many reasons, but most of all I saw this as a way to help support the mission of the museum to honor the memories of those killed on 9/11 and also to help educate future generations.
I will be honest. It was an extremely emotional visit for me. It had been 14 years since I had been back to that area of New York City. When September 11th happened I was studying abroad in Europe and was on the first international flight back into the United States. In a haze of grief I made my way down to ground zero getting as close as we could on September 16th and cried with all of those who had lost so many loved ones. Returning back to this site- the site of so much loss- was an experience beyond words. I truly was amazed, humbled, and incredibly impressed with all of the details that went into the layout and design of the museum.
As you arrive at the museum you immediately see the Memorials twin reflecting pools as they are extremely large in size. An interesting fact is that the memorials pools are almost an acre in size and are the largest man made waterfalls to exist in the United States.
Surrounding the reflecting pools is written every single person who died (including those at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, PA) not only on 9/11 but also in the 1993 attacks.
The names are inscribed into bronze panels and as the museum's website states this is "a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American History."
Inside the museum there are several main exhibitions including the historical exhibition, the memorial exhibition, and foundation hall.
The historical exhibition is what you walk through first and has three different parts to it. You see the time before 9/11, the day of 9/11 and then after 9/11. This part of the exhibition tells the story of what happened on the entire day, not just the events that took place in NYC, although the artifacts are just from NYC (as the other 9/11 memorials have their own artifacts pertaining to their sites if you visit them).
The artifacts that the museum has included are varied and give a very good layout of different parts of the WTC before the attack and then in the aftermath of the destruction. One example is the set of concrete stairs that are shown above. These stairs were used by many people to run down to safety before the collapse of the towers.
There were items that left you speechless as you realized the implications of where they had been before (at the very top of the towers) and the conditions that they were in now.
Around each item was pictures of before 9/11, the function that it performed, and typically it shared where the object had been located and found.
Seeing the firetruck and remembering the bravery of all the firemen and rescue personnel who gave their lives to try to help was a sobering reminder of the extreme bravery they showed on that day.
 |
| Photography in the memorial exhibition is prohibited out of respect to the families of those who lost loved ones. This picture is taken from the 9/11 Memorial website. |
After walking through the historical exhibition you come to the memorial exhibition. This exhibition is absolutely haunting as it commemorates the lives of those who perished in the two attacks on February 1993 and September 11th, 2001.
As you enter the exhibition you walk along a corridor in which there are nearly 3,000 victims faces (that form what is known as the "wall of faces") and you immediately feel extremely small as you consider the scale of human loss. In this room are touchscreen screens that "allow visitors to discover additional information about each person, including photographs, images of objects, and audio remembrances by family, friends, and coworkers." Inside the exhibition there is an inner chamber that presents the individual victims on a large screen (in alphabetical order) with their loved ones talking about each individual.
The final exhibition is known as foundation hall. The foundation hall is huge. Honestly the massive scale and height is unbeliebable and it hosts the "slurry wall". The "slurry wall" (seen in the picture above) is a surviving wall of the original World Trade Center.
Also located in the foundation hall is the "last column". This column is 36 feet high and is covered with a variety of different inscriptions, mementos, missing posters, writings, and signatures placed there by the ironworkers, rescue personnel, and others who served to help at ground zero. "Removed during a ceremony to mark the close of the recovery effort at Ground Zero, the coumn, the laid prone, was draped with an American flag and escorted by honor guard. Standing tall once again, the Last column will encourage reflection on the foundations of resilience, hope, and community..."
If you have been around this blog for a little while you may have seen this picture:
on the side of my blog. I hope that after reading about this amazing museum and the way that they are working to preserve the memory of those lost that day, the courageous acts of those who helped, and the memorial of such an important historical event that should never be forgotten you will consider becoming a 9/11 Memorial Supporter also. If you are interested in becoming a member you can find out more information by clicking HERE. If you live in New York City and would like to volunteer you can find out more information about opportunities to do so by clicking HERE. I have not been asked to promote this or am being compensated in anyway for this, I am just extremely passionate as an American citizen for the work that they are doing.
Have you visited the 9/11 memorial? What was your experience like?
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