Be The Team

Night of Music at Lebain

2011-07-26T22:06:00.004-04:00

Hello BetheTeam Readers.

It has been a while since I have posted and I am so sorry for leaving you guys out in the open. It's not that I haven't been up to anything.. I've been up to too much. So I'm getting back on my bandwagon and letting you know what i've been up to. Last night I went to an event held by Giant Step (You should check this site out by the way. Amazing music, artists, and forum). The event was held at 'Lebain at the Standard Hotel' in the meatpacking district in NYC.

The events of the night were two fold. One: a mini concert held by RnB artist Melanie Fiona and Two: DJ Spinna (world renowned DJ of all music that is wonderful and makes me feel good and dance <--my own words). The space is very nice there is a hot tub, long bar, and bar helping willing to fill your drink orders. Great space for partying and dancing. Didn't think it was the best place for the Melanie Fiona performance though. There were too many people fighting for space and moving around to see. The squeezing and pushing took the intimacy out of what the performance should have been and what it was suppose to be.

But the best part of Le bain is the view on the rooftop. The rooftop has a cool vibe and gives you a chance to get away from the stuffiness of the dance floor. There are straw seats lining the glass walls, and huge waterbeds to lounge around. There is also a crepe stand. You can't get any better then waterbeds to sit on while you are eating your banana and nutella crepe.

so overall I would return to this joint just for the rooftop view. I hear there is a nice networking event held every Friday between 2pm-8pm. I'll check it out one day.

-kj

Culinary Adventures in Puerto Rico

2011-05-17T20:18:00.002-04:00

One of the first things my best friend, Kameko, and I did after
checking into our hotel was ask the bellhop for a lunch recommendation for authentic Puerto Rican food. He (Andy) suggested Metropol which was about a 7 minute walk from the InterContinental.

My dish was exactly what I needed--hearty and delicious. With the
waiter’s suggestion, I went with the rice and beans with chicken
cooked in a stew served with plantains. Kameko’s dish, Pechuga de
Pollo Deshuesada (boneless chicken breast), was actually too salty.

For desert, she ordered the papaya desert with cream cheese on the
side which was super sweet and my tres leches cake for desert was very good, although again, very sweet.

For dinner, we decided to go to KoCo (a restaurant in El San Juan
Hotel.) At the waiters recommendation, I had the Pan Seared Halibut
with curried coconut risotto.

I think the rice was a tad too sweet. It could also be that I was
drinking their signature coconut mojito along with the meal, so maybe it was just too much sweetness all around. I was also disappointed in the halibut as it did not seem to have been seasoned and was unfortunately tasteless.

Kameko had their seafood curry noodle dish. The noodles could have
been much hotter--they seemed just slightly above room temperature. Her seafood was also not tasty and lacked seasoning.

For desert, I had the crepes with mango ice cream which was good.
Kameko had fruit balls with some dipping.

Overall, I would say the food experience at KoCo was disappointing and did not live up to the flavors you associate with diverse Caribbean food. The decor was lovely, and the service good, but I would not recommend this restaurant.

For lunch one day we checked out Lupi’s Mexican Bar and Grill, about a 4 minute walk from the InterContinental. Rather than each order I
main dish, we decided to get several appetizers to have a nice mix and sample of the food. This place was cool because it had a nice patio outside where we sat on a high-top table and people-watched.

We tried the cheese fries, chicken wings, fried grouper, and guacamole with chips. Nothing totally spectacular or unique about these choices, but staff was friendly and helpful. It also seems to be the type of place that gets packed in the evenings during happy hour (they had a 60 oz drink on the menu for around $35 dollars.) Here is the progression of our meal as dishes were brought out to us:

Kintaro Steak & Sushi: Sort of an odd combination to have a
sushi/steak place but around 11pm one evening I had a craving for
sushi and it was recommended by the bartender in our hotel. The place is not fancy by any means, but it was surprisingly packed. I would say it was a bit overpriced, for example miso soup was $3.25 and “normal” rolls like Spicy Tuna and Spicy Salmon cost around
$8…(specialty rolls were about $18 at least.)

However, it was probably the cheapest Japanese restaurant in the area. Our hotel also had a Japanese restaurant, with the cheapest rolls starting at $18. But Kintaro was open late, busy, and a 5-minute walk from our hotel.

Prior to heading to Puerto Rico, some friends also suggested the
following restaurants in Old San Juan. I spoke to the guard at our
hotel for a bit and when restaurants came up, he confirmed that the
three places below were good to try:

Toro Salao: First impression of this place was that the food was going to be great and out of the box. (This impression was formed only because the outside looked classy and interesting, and there was a nice shaded area outdoors that had a homey & comfortable feel to it.)

We went with the Mussels with Green Pico De Gallo to start with. It
was delicious, colorful, and inviting. At this point, we were excited
that anything else we ordered would be equally great.

We decided to share the Arroz con Pollo y Grandules (rice with chicken and peas.) We thought everything was going to be mixed up in a more stewy mixture, but the dish seemed dry, there was no flavorful kick to it, and I asked the water for some hot sauce (which was actually quite good.)

For desert we tried the churros dipped in cinnamon with ice cream--it was good, but maybe a tad too much cinnamon.

Raices: I have to say that this was by far my best food experience in
Puerto Rico. I can't even speak on what the inside decor consisted of
because we sat outside since it was such a beautiful day and wanted to eat and people-watch at the same time.

After being in Puerto Rico for a few days, I still had not tried
mofongo, a signature fried plantain dish. I ordered mine with mahi
mahi and shrimp done in creole style. Kameko got the same but with
steak. The presentation of the dish was unique...they came in mortar bowl with the savory fried plantains at the bottom with the choice of our meat or seafood on top. My creole shrimp and mahi mahi was a ten out of ten...seasoned perfectly, succulent, fresh, and buttery.

After the pleasure of stuffing our tummies with yummy food, I decided to try their cheese flan at the recommendation of our waiter, Domingo. Again, the presentation of the flan was outstanding, they used condensed milk and coloring to create the lovely design shown here:

Tantra: This Indo-Latino restaurant had a nice secretive feel to it.
We actually only went here for their martinis after hearing reviews
that they offered a wide variety of unusual martinis. The waitress,
Lisa, was really great about answering questions and giving
recommendations based on what we felt like drinking. I typically have a chocolate martini, but she recommended I try the Midnight Beauty Martini because it wasn't as sweet as the chocolate martini, and included grey goose, kalhua, amaretto, a splash of cola (and perhaps a few other things I can't remember.) Their website has a full list of food & drinks and is worth checking out.

I recommend definitely sampling a bit of everything you can—that is the only way to discover those dishes that are truly outstanding!

Vitra

@VitraSin and @BeTheTeam

Hola Puerto Rico: La Isla Del Encanto

2011-05-17T19:58:00.001-04:00

After searching for what seemed liked months for a nice beach getaway, I came across a 3 night, 4 day package to San Juan, Puerto Rico. One of the main selling points was the hotels location on the beach in Isla Verde. I like knowing that at any time, I have access to the beach to sit back on a lounge chair and admire the gorgeous blue and green waters.

Another great thing about staying on Isla Verde is that it is only a
five minute drive from San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. After hours of traveling on an airplane, it is nice to know the hotel and relaxation are only a few minutes away.

The first thing I did was book a hike in El Yunque National
Rainforest. The hotel charge per person was $64 dollars. For this
fee, guests are driven to the rainforest (the driver is also the tour
guide), taken to an Exhibit hall (called El Portal) which has
information on the rainforest, maps, videos, etc.

There was also an Orchid display in a section of El Portal:

The group was then driven to the start of the Vereda Trail:

The hike is about 40 minutes to La Mina waterfall. Along the way, our guide pointed out birds, animals, plants and flowers of interest.
Here are some things we came across:

There are parts of the trail that are slightly steep and it is
definitely a workout—but well worth it once reaching La Mina
Waterfall. And if you are drenched in sweat by the time you get
there, it is the perfect solution for cooling off!

On the way out of the park, there is also the Yokahu Observation
Tower, which offers a lovely view of the coast of Puerto Rico through
its series of windows as you ascend to the top. There are 98 spiral
steps.

The cost of El Yunque is actually FREE! (The El Portal exhibit hall
is only about $2 USD.) If you are able to rent a car or pitch in on a
taxi-ride with friends, it will likely come out to be much less than
$64 dollars. The drive from San Juan is about 50 minutes to 1 hour
without traffic.

One of my favorite parts of travelling is the people you end up
sitting next to on a bus and talking to. On the way to the
rainforest, a couple from Minnesota mentioned they were doing a
bioluminescent bay kayaking tour later in the evening. Water that
naturally illuminates!??!—how cool! We decided to join along and we
booked the tour through our hotel at $91 per person.

We were picked up in the evening and took the 2 hour drive to Fajardo. I had never before been on a kayak so I felt sorry for my best friend who would share a kayak with me because I was pretty sure if anyone was going to be clumsy and uncoordinated enough to tip the kayak over, it would be me. I asked her to sit on front, and as you can see from the picture below—while it looks like she’s smiling, I’m sure she’s secretly terrified to have me in her kayak:

The kayak folks gave all the participants a run down of the plan:
first, we kayak out to the buoy in the middle of the water, and then
line up next to each other…while in my mind, I’m thinking, “Line up,
huh? I don’t even know if I can paddle, much less make it to the middle.”

But there were 3 guides going along with a group of about 16 kayaks. One would lead the way, the other would stay in the middle and another at the back of the pack. When we started off, it was still light out:

We were to kayak through a covered tunnel surrounded by trees (which we bumped into numerous times.) Along the way, we started noticing little signs of glowing in the water with the paddles!

After paddling for about 30 minutes, we entered the lagoon which was one of the most beautiful sights and experiences I have had. There is something so classically beautiful about sitting on a kayak in the middle of a lagoon with the stars and crescent moon shining above you, a lighthouse emitting a flash of light once in a while, and having something magical at your fingertips with the bioluminescent water.

This experience gave me that “once in a lifetime feeling”—it gave me a chance to learn something new (kayaking), while facing a fear (paddling out in open waters since I cannot swim), and imprinting a permanent postcard into my memories.

The next day, after waking up with aching limbs after our Kayaking
adventure, we decided to explore Old San Juan. There is so much to
do. While we did not take any official tours, here are some images of what we experienced:

Hope you enjoyed!

Vitra

@VitraSin & @BeTheTeam

Visions of Puerto Rico, May 2011

2011-05-10T21:32:00.001-04:00

Hi All,

Hope the weather is treating you well wherever you’re reading this from. Just got back from Puerto Rico and need to sit down and write a proper version of events, stories, sites, etc. For now, however, thought I would share some pictures to whet your appetite for more!

El Portal Exhibit hall at El Yunque Rainforest had an Orchid section"

El Yunque Rainforest:

La Mina Waterfall in El Yunque Rainforest:

Sunset at La Isla Verde:

Comida Autentica (y un mojito!)

Sigh-->PEACE

We did a night kayaking tour

Early Morning walk on the beach:

It was blazing hot on the beach—this is what Kameko had to resort to:

Old San Juan

We tried to recreate this image, but the hotel beach bar didn’t have buckets, nor were they allowed to give us bottles on the beach!

Have you been to Puerto Rico? What were your favorite places to visit, eat, and anything interesting happen to you…like getting flashed? yup—that happened to me…but you’ll have to read the next posting to find out how/where/why/when!

Vitra

My Songkran Experience In Bangkok Back in 2005 (Songkran = Thai New Year)

2011-04-14T21:45:00.001-04:00

I was blessed to experience living in Bangkok, Thailand for six months from January to June in 2005. During my time there, I partook in the festivities on Songkran, the Thai celebration of the New Year.

My Thai co-workers were buzzing with excitement. Songkran is sort of like Carnival in Trinidad. It is a chance for everyone to stop worrying about whatever politics, economics, and social issues are taking up front pages of the papers everyday. It is all about people having fun, meeting strangers, and playfully soaking everyone in sight with water, painting their faces, arms, etc—all in a laid back and easy going atmosphere.

Here are some pictures of my experience. I LOVED IT!!!

Below, you can see all business close for the holiday—everyone is out on the street with their tables of water, colored paints, and stands selling refreshments

Democracy Monument decorated for Songkran

Traditional Thai Dancing—I happened upon this just walking down a regular street.

Tourists getting in the act!

“Safe Ice For Delicate Foreign Disgestions”—You’ve got to love the marketing!

EVERYONE participating in the action!

Another view of the crowds:

ME—Ringing in the New Year like a native :-)

Love the flowered lei’s. I think someone was just randomly giving them out on the streets…fresh flowers and all.

I could only aspire to have my hair stand up like this:

Policeman—Serving & Protecting. Haha

Me and my heavy artillery watergun:

Such fun and excitement, yet so calming as the city is full of wats (temples) and open spaces:

And amidst all the madness, sights like a lone soul meditating is just something to make you sigh and appreciate it all:

Happy Songkran Everyone!

Meet Jessy: Host, Producer, Singer -- Joie De Vivre

2011-03-31T20:25:00.001-04:00

One of the most inspirational women I have had the pleasure of working with and calling a friend is Jessy (aka Frenchy by many of her friends.) I first met Jessy in 2007, when I worked for WPBT, the PBS affiliate in Miami. Her energy and enthusiasm for life is breathtaking and mindboggling at the same time. She has got such passion for life--striving to be positive, making people laugh, and getting things done, that I sometimes find myself trying to figure out how she does it and if she’s some sort of superhuman!

I wanted Jessy to be one of the first people I profile because she is all confidence and positivity, and those are important characteristics to hold onto in today's crazy, social-media-charged world. I asked Jessy questions about her life and you’ll find the shortened version below. For more links, images, and questions, I have posted the full interview on www.TheStateOfVitch.com.

Meet Jessy, Host & Producer at WPBT in Miami:

Vitra Asks: Tell us about your background--where are you from, and how did you end up in Miami?

Jessy Answers: I was born in France, in a town called Schiltigheim. I moved to Guadeloupe, a French island in the Caribbean, at 3 years old. I grew up with a Caribbean culture that had a French twist to it. Moving to Miami was a spontaneous decision I made one afternoon in 1999. After studying law and history in Guadeloupe, then France, I decided to realize the American dream I had in mind since I was a child. I made the decision in literally 10 minutes, announced it to my family and friends, and moved two months after.

While studying, I was a freelancer for the Miami Herald and was hosting an entertainment show on a Haitian and French network in Miami. I obtained my Bachelor in communications and political science from the University of Miami and was hired by WPBT2, PBS in Miami as a producer in 2007. One year later I became the host of a Caribbean program, Pulse.

Vitra Asks: What was it like growing up in Guadeloupe? Do you consider yourself French, Caribbean, American, or a combination?

Jessy Answers: I am a Caribbean woman with a French twist. I grew up in Guadeloupe, but I also traveled to France every summer and holidays. So I have the best of both cultures. Having lived on an island gives me a different perspective on life and our daily needs. I have a different sense of what really matters in life. I am not driven by material as much as most Americans are. Growing on an island gave me more rewards than money. I know the value of family, nature, simple pleasures and “joie de vivre,” (joy of life.) I have been in Miami for 11 years and some of my habits became more American, but as soon as I step foot in Guadeloupe, I am in total harmony with my culture as it never leaves my soul.

Vitra Asks: What are some careers goals you have?

Jessy Answers: One of my short term goals is to produce and direct a documentary. It is actually in the early stage of pre-production, so this is an exciting time for me. Long term, I would love to be able to merge three of my passions: traveling, food, and photography. Maybe a television show, a documentary or a magazine. I don’t know yet which one will come first, but I am confident that all the tools I have been acquiring in the last couple of years will come together.

In any project I work on, I always try to find a way to have a bigger impact that just a self rewarding job. Having an impact on my community is important in my work. From filming to photography, I always try to see further that the actual project. I ask myself how I can push it to include participation from the youth or organizations in my community.

I am working on a short segment right now on the Homeless centers in Miami. I organized a clothes and baby supplies drive at work, and decided to follow the donation process from A to Z, to show people how solidarity can really have an impact in the community. It does not stop at just dropping off a bag of clothes; I want people to see who gets it and how they do it. Like that, maybe people would be touched to do more and become involved on a higher level. (Learn more about this project)

Vitra Asks: What are some things on your bucket list?

Jessy Answers: Skydive! I have been waiting to do it for years.

I also want to go to Peru and climb Machu Pichu.

I want to cook risotto for the first time.

I want to stand in front of the Grand Canyon and yell.

Vitra Asks: You had a list of 30 things to do for your 30th birthday. How did you come up with the idea, and what does it mean to you?

Jessy Answers: Everyone around me kept asking me if I was afraid of turning 30 like it was the day I was going to die! So I kept joking around and asking people if I should do a bucket list. Then I saw the movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, and I realized that no one should wait to have a terminal disease to finally accomplish or experience some of their dreams, small or big.

My 30^th birthday seemed like the perfect occasion to celebrate my life. I felt like I graduated my 20's with a Bachelor in happiness and a Minor in struggles. Growing “up” or “old” is a privilege and my bucket list was my way to pay tribute to life in general.

Vitra Asks: Do you ever get tired of being happy?

Jessy Answers: That is like asking me if I ever get tired of breathing! Of course I get sad at times, or angry, or frustrated. But I would rather experience something positive than negative, so even in bad times, I try to find the joy in it. I allow myself to feel down for couple of hours as I think that emotions should not be denied to anyone, but carrying negative feelings all day long does not help and is not constructive either. I would rather try to see the positive in all things, although some might qualify this as being naïve or over optimistic.

Putting problems in perspective also helps. I try to picture myself one year from the problem and wonder if I would even remember it. Also, when I feel down, I donate my time and energy to other people and it helps me realize that I am not the only one with an issue and by the time I help someone else with theirs, I forgot all about mine or I found inner peace.

Vitra Asks: What are some examples of experiences you have had that stayed with you?

Jessy Answers: My first day in English 101 at Miami Dade College. I was afraid to speak English as my accent was strong. My teacher was a great inspiration as he explained that everything I wanted to express could also be done on paper. I became more comfortable, and started talking soon after.

My first meeting with the person responsible for the broadcasting department at University of Miami. The counselor advised me to choose print journalism instead of broadcast as “I would never make it on TV in Miami with my French accent.” He was wrong.

The day I filmed president Obama at University of Miami. It was such a powerful moment to see everyone uniting. No matter what color, religion, race and background. Everyone was just as one force behind him and I was there to record it all. (Obama Video by Jessy)

Every time I go to a Caribbean island. From Guadeloupe, to Trinidad, Jamaica or Barbados. The first breath of fresh Caribbean air when I come out of the plane makes me feel at home. It is so rejuvenating to spend some time on an island. Life becomes easier in an instant.

Vitra Asks: What would you like to be doing in the next few years?

Jessy Answers: On a professional note, I want to produce three documentaries. I have been planning them for the last two years.

On a personal note, I decided recently to indulge in a passion I had since my teenage years. Soca music. I love carnival and the celebration of it through music. My first song came out on 10/10/2010. It is a sweet groovy Soca song called Close Your Eyes. So in the next few years I will work on that aspect of my life. Sometime I feel like I have three personalities! But I embrace them all and once again for me it means taking on life with open arms.

(Here’s is Jessy's song):

Vitra Asks: What are some of the best lessons you've learned thus far?

Jessy Answers: Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but few know the greatest part is the climb.

Sometimes you just need to let go and move on. The past is where it belongs, in the past. The future is the only thing you can try to affect.

I also learned not to take everything personally. Sometimes people are being negative towards someone, but most of the time, it is not directly related to a specific event. I understand now that some people need to take their frustration and anger on other and I cannot let that affect me.

Patience is also a constant learning progress. I am learning how to wait for the right moment, and at times hard work take a long time to pay off.

I also learned that people come and go in life. Some are there to stay for a lifetime, others are just messengers, or bystanders. The same way we need to accept to let things go, at times, we need to accept to let people go as their purpose in your life is over.

Vitra Asks: What are some of your memorable travel experiences?

Jessy Answers: I jumped from a 54 feet cliff in Thailand. I have a video of that one! (Jessy Jumps!)

I trekked in the mountain in Chiang Mai for three days and one of the family painted my face with red die. I stayed red for 4 days after that.

Brazil was such a great trip, but it was frustrating to see so many kids from the favelas begging for food. I did not know what else to do to help. I spent half of my time giving them food or money, but the locals kept telling me not to.

Carnival in Trinidad was one of the greatest experience I had as far as perfect vacation. Two days in the streets of Port of Spain wearing beautiful and colorful costumes feel like a liberation on every level. I love carnival. I was Queen of Carnival in Guadeloupe in 1997 and was involved in that tradition since I was 6 years old. Any trip that has to do with it is heaven for me. Carnival in Trinidad 2009

Vitra Asks: In terms of romantic relationships, what is the most important thing you have learned from your experiences?

Jessy Answers: People rarely change. If the person he or she is today is not right for you, move on. Don’t spend the next 20 years of your life trying to change someone radically. I am not referring o habits such as leaving your socks on the floor or leaving hair in the tub. I am referring to character and personality. We all have the God given right to be the way god intended us to be, spending a lifetime trying to change someone radically is a waste of energy. To my opinion and from my experience, if you have someone and you want them to be totally different, choose someone else because you are not in love with the real person, but with the ideal you created in your mind.

To see more of Jessy’s work, go to http://www.uvuvideo.org/

You can find her on twitter @caribfrenchy

Jessy on Facebook

Thanks,

Vitra

Barbados 2010: Came Across The Following Thoughts

2011-03-29T21:01:00.001-04:00

I went to Barbados with my Mom in June of 2010. I was excited at the prospect of sitting on the beach for a few days, de-stressing, and putting my new job, and my business website into perspective. In order to do so, I took a notebook with me to write down my checklist of tasks.

I happened to come across the notebook the other day, opened it to the first page, and read the following entry, on June 5, 2010 at 5:25pm (yes, I’m usually very precise about time!):

“Sitting on the beach in Barbados—looking out at this serene and peaceful view—experiencing bliss under a coconut tree.

Makes me ask: Why don’t I do something with my life that will allow me to be in these surroundings ALL the time? I’m an island girl, I love the breezes—>I want this to be a part of my life—>not just work, but work that I love.

As I take a deep breath and sigh out loud, because the air is clean and this experience is swaying me into a state of hypnosis, as I watch the ripple of the waves and feel the fresh air caress my skin.”

When I read back at happiness like I’ve experienced above, I can’t believe that someone wouldn’t do everything in their power to retain such a sense of happiness everyday. But I guess that’s why they are vacations? We can appreciate peace and beauty, only to be bombarded by “real life” when we get back to our various jobs/duties. I don’t want to just be someone who looks back at words like these and think of those good days—I want to be someone who lives it everyday. So I’m working toward figuring out how to get there…slowly, but surely.

For now, I’ll leave you with some pictures from my trip there last year.

Please leave comments…thanks!

Vitra

You Can Take Us Out of Carnival, But You Can’t Take Carnival Out of Us!

2011-03-07T19:59:00.001-05:00

Today is Mas Monday in Trinidad—the day you wake up at 2am to go out on the street of Port of Spain to partake in J’ouvert (pronounced joovay.)

From 3am to 7am…you dance with friends and strangers alike, following the drink truck, and painting people in a variety of colors.

After J’ouvert, the next step is going back to your hotel/guesthouse/home, furiously trying to scrub all the paint off, and getting dressing with a part of your official carnival costume. Monday is sort of like the informal dress rehearsal that takes place ahead of Tuesday’s organized and structured competition. In other words, Monday is the BEST day when the various sections of your band (each having a different costume) can mix and mingle and jump up together. In my humble option, this is the day that everyone just relaxes and has fun. (By the time you get to Tuesday, there’s a chance you might be slightly tired, and Monday gives you the feeling of a new experience, while on Tuesday—you might slightly feel like you’ve been there, done that.)

Carnival Monday & Tuesday always falls the same week as Ash Wednesday. This year, Kameko and I were not able to make it down to Trinidad for the fetes and festivities. Most people do not understand the obsession unless they experience it themselves. When you’ve done carnival once, a part of you becomes slightly addicted. You go through days and days of nothing but fun in the sun, where the vibes are nothing but positive and people are just there to have fun with no worries or hate. It’s like you’re in this magical bubble of happiness.

As Kameko and I could not be chipping down the road this year, we decided to throw a Pre-Carnival Fete on Saturday night. We invited friends of different backgrounds, played soca music, served doubles and aloo pie, and had coconut water! We enjoyed our mini-carnival celebration in Brooklyn…and hey—we plan to make it down to Trini for 2012…so see you there!

Below are some pictures from when you were there in 2008 & 2009!

Thanks & Feel Free to Leave a Comment!

-V

My Final Stop in Costa Rica: Manuel Antonio

2010-12-28T13:12:00.005-05:00

After the lovely city of Arenal in Costa Rica, my next stop was Manuel Antonio. The drive was really long—normally it would take about 5 hours, however, we encountered fog & rain along the way, making the total trip around 6-7 hours. Kudos to the driver, Ronald, because as soon as he dropped us off, he had to turn around again to go back to Arenal, where he lives.

After spending time in the rainforest & mountains the previous day, I was definitely ready for the BEACH! I stayed at Hotel Casita Eclipse on the main street leading from Quepo to the beach. Along that road, there’s a bus that runs every half hour or so that picks people up from their various hotels and drops them off at the beach (and vice versa)—and it’s very cheap.

The hotel staff told us it was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel to the beach, so we decided to walk it in case there were things to see along the way. Keep in mind that this 2-way road is the size of a 1 way road and there were no pavements after about the first 3 minutes of walking. I like pavements!!

Also, when we got to the beach, around 4pm, someone told us the beach closes at 5pm…but I think they meant that the guys renting out chairs and selling drinks on the beach stop offering them at 5pm.

The beach reminded me of a mini-version of Ft. Lauderdale beach as there was a small strip of restaurants & shops along the beach. Except, at Manuel Antonio, there were monkeys running around rooftops—something you don’t see in the USA very much. Here are some pictures:

On the drive there, we saw some crocs hanging out:

View from my Balcony:

This Iguana was just hanging out in the restaurant garden right next to where I was having lunch:

Monkeying Around:

I heard “Pura Vida” more times in Manuel Antonio than the rest of the trip combined. If I lived in a beach town, I would be happy about life all the time, too!

An interesting restaurant: El Avion. This happened to be right across the street from my hotel. It’s a replica of a plane that crashed in Nicaragua…it has political strings attached to it, but it’s a very cool concept that the bar area is the actual plane and behind & upstairs are huge seating areas for breakfast/lunch/dinner. The food was good…not bad, but not excellent….nice vibes though.

After arriving and having some time at the beach, I still had all of Friday to spend doing something. I didn’t want to go to Manuel Antonio park because after being in Tortuguero and having the Canal tour & seeing lots of animals, I just wanted to do something different. From the brochures at the front desk, there was a catamaran excursion in the morning. I decided to do that because it would be nice to be out in the ocean and enjoy some of the cool breeze, right?

Um, NO…because as soon as the sailboat started to move, I suddenly remembered I get seasick if the boat is moving too slowly…so it actually ended up being 3 hours of torture. The look below says, “I’m happy I haven’t throw up yet, but get me off this boat!!!”

I managed to hold on to that one spot for most of the boat ride, which kept me kind of steady…also had a few sips of some vodka which helped as well. One of the boat crew, Jason, was great and talked to me for a good 15-20 minutes, trying to get my mind off my sea-sickness by telling stories and explaining how he was the same way when he started to sail. So thumbs up for great hosts who try to help out…

I was REALLY happy when we docked though!

The rest of the day, I spent hanging out at the hotel pool (which was cold and not really clean, actually.)

Then, went to lunch at El Wagon (a sister restaurnt to El Avion)…I waited about 40 minutes for a pizza, and when it finally did come, a waiter from El Avion brought it down the hill, as that restaurant must have the main kitchen!

I think at this point in the trip, after doing a lot of travelling, I was just too tired to make it back to the beach area to party it up—I opted for a nice, quiet, early night since I had a long travel day ahead of me the next day.

Costa Rica is awesome…however, I would recommend that unless you have a lot of time, to just choose 2 cities at the most to visit—anything else might wear you out!

Comments always welcome!

-Vitra

My Two Nights in Arenal, Costa Rica

2010-12-17T21:25:00.001-05:00

After Tortuguero, my next stop was Arenal! I had heard so many good things about Arenal, especially its’ world renowned Tabacon Hot Springs. My mom has been to Costa Rica before and raved about the Hot Springs.

The drive to Arenal was AMAZING. I wish I had taken pictures but I was so captivated by the beauty of little homes, businesses, villages, and then once we got closer to Arenal, the wide pastures with the lovely picturesque homes dotted along the base of the beautiful Arenal volcano. It was truly a unique and peaceful view.

Unfortunately, we had some transportation trouble along the way as our bus broke down and we had to wait for an hour for another to pick us up. Driving through the main street of Arenal was totally different from Tortuguero because there were tons of restaurants, souvenir shops, and bars. By the time we got to the hotel, Montana de Fuego, it as after dark, cloudy, and rainy, so we could not see the volcano. (I guess if you go during the right season, you can actually see the red lava flowing down the volcano.)

Montana De Fuego was AWESOME. The “hotel room” was literally a little glass apartment. It had a living room with a tv, a mini-kitchen area, a bedroom with a KING (possibly California King) sized bed and TV, a huge bathroom, with a Jacuzzi. Not only that, but there were extra pillows in the closet, fluffy robes, and a little porch out back and front with a table to sit and have your morning coffee outside. This place was the extreme opposite of Pachira Lodge.

Here are some pictures:

The Restaurant at Montana de Fuego has a killer chicken tortilla soup, so you must try it if you ever make it there. Also you can see helicopters landing and parking right “across the street” from the restaurant, so that was pretty cool.

The only negative about the hotel was that after a full day of travelling and arriving at night, all I wanted was a nice long hot shower, and as it turned out—my hot water was not working! Even after the maintenance man came by twice the same night and fixed it…it was fixed for like 2 minutes and then would just go back to cold water. It wasn’t until the next day around Noon that 3 technicians worked on it, and finally, it worked.

The first full morning I was in Arena, it was very rainy so I walked around the hotel grounds a little, relaxed, and sat in the Jacuzzi for a while basking in the glories of vacation :-)

At 2pm, we had an excursion and hike on Arenal’s mountain. The walk itself was what I envisioned a nature like to be: climbing up rock, steep pathways, great views, and lots of interesting things to see along the way. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves:

View from the highest point of the hike:

The stick helps you climb up the mountain and balance on some of the stickier part of the trail:

You’ll notice the pics above are all rain free, but then, it’s the rainy season in Costa Rica, so it started to pour, but I was still happy:

After the Arenal excursion was the Hot Springs. I’ll admit, I didn’t do my research beforehand like I normally do so I didn’t realize the springs are actually part of a hotel. Or maybe I should say, the hotel built itself on the Hot Springs—pretty cool.

Our tour guide warned us that the healing and soothing powers of the hot springs were really great, but not to stay in the water for more than about 10 minutes at a time as it could affect our blood pressures. So you’re suppose to dip in for 10 minutes and then dip out for a few minutes.

Also, because we ended up getting to the hot springs late (as it was turning dark), I didn’t get a chance to observe the backdrop of the springs or what it really looked it. (Plus, all the pictures come out steamy because of the intense heat radiating off the water):

But a benefit of having the hot springs right on a hotel is that you eat with a beautiful view of either the springs on one side, or the poolside/bar area on the other:

And that was my crazy 24 hours in Arenal. Honestly, I wish I had more time to explore this city. There seemed to be so much to do and see, and just relax and enjoy. However, because all the cities I was visiting was so far apart, that meant shorter times in the cities and more travel time.

If I ever make it back to Costa Rica, I want to stay in Arenal (during the summer) for at least 3-4 days to fully enjoy everything it has to offer.

Thanks for reading, and my final blog post on Costa Rica will come in the next few days and feature Manuel Antonio!

Vitra

My Adventures In Tortuguero, Costa Rica

2010-12-15T12:44:00.001-05:00

Over Thanksgiving Week I have the wonderful opportunity to take a week-long trip to Costa Rica! (Yes, I’m really late in posting this & I’m sorry—but that’s what happens when you work for the Man.)

Although I landed in San Jose, I really only had a few hours there on a Saturday night. From the little I saw of San Jose, it’s a fun little city and check out El Patio Restaurant if you ever make it there for some Delish food! (It’s near the Main Square, across from the KFC.)

The 3 places my trip included were Tortuguero, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio. Today, I’m briefly going to share my experiences & some pictures of Tortuguero.

From San Jose, I had a 2 hour bus ride in order to catch a boat for another 2 hour ride to Tortuguero. Needless to say, Tortuguero is a remote place and I was excited to experience life in the rain forest (during the rainy season to boot!) Along the way, there were some beautiful & interesting sights:

Stopped at this restaurant for breakfast

And behind the restaurant, was this beautiful little stream with charming rocky steps:

Once I got on the boat, I saw birds, other small canoes & boat, and the pissing cow (when I took the picture, I didn’t even realize he was pissing!)

Home along the river—and I actually think it had a restaurant look to it inside for wary travelers who might want to hop off their boats for some refreshments:

We arrived to the logde in Tortuguero where we would be spending 2 nights. Pachira Lodge (http://www.pachiralodge.com/). Upon arrival, the staff greeted us with nice juices—what a welcome!

My first impression was—I’m in the middle of nowhere, off the coast of Costa Rica, in the rainy season, surrounded by who-knows-what kind of creatures—but admittedly, it was exciting! This was my version of “ruffin it” since I’ve never been camping.

Upon entering my room, one thing struck me right away: “hmm…strange, I can hear everyone talking outside like they are in the room”…Upon closer inspection, the 3 sets of windows did NOT have windows, but simple nets to keep out insects and a curtain for privacy…this was a definitely a first!

After settling down, I hopped onto a boat again for a tour of the main island in Tortuguero, which is most known for turtle-watching. Unfortunately, during the time I was there, the egg-laying season was over so I didn’t get to witness it myself. But the guide showed us the shore where this event occurs along the Caribbean Ocean:

Then I walked through the village a little bit—it was a chilly and gloomy day so there was not much action happening. In the dry season, I could see how the place would be action-packed. There were little craft shops—people pretty much using the patio of their homes to sell their jewelry, art, music, etc. Also cute restaurants that would have been very authentic, but didn’t get a chance to experience the food as the boat was waiting to take passengers back to Pachira Lodge.

P.S. – The tour guides LOVED my rain boots. They were so impressed that I came prepared!! I love feeling like a native, yay!!! (In actuality, my mom has been to Costa Rica before and suggested that I take a pair—thanks Mom—I was cool for like 2 minutes!)

The food at Pachira Lodge was good—fresh with a nice variety of veggie and non-veggie options. It was buffet style.

At 4:30am the next morning, the tour guide woke us to do a tour of the many canals within Tortuguero. While I’m not really versed in the art of rare birds or animals, it was nice to be up to watch the sun brighten the sky. And among some of the animals we did spot: monkeys, a boa, iguana, variety of birds, a sea turtle, and perhaps a few more:

Can you make out the iguana in the pic below??!

After the 5am canal tour, at Noon, we were to do a Nature Hike along a trail. I thought we would be taken to a different island that is specifically reserved for hiking, but we actually just went to the woods behind the hotel. I have to say—I did NOT enjoy this. Maybe it was because the mosquitoes were out in full force, or it was raining and my boots were sinking into inches and inches of mud, or because it was slightly scary walking through random woods not knowing if a snake is going to swing off a tree. But I’m glad I went to experience the disappointment first hand. If I didn’t go, I would have always wondered to myself “what did I miss on the nature hike?”

After the hike, I went Canopy-ing…otherwise known as Zip-Lining!! It was the most fun thing I did in Tortuguero. The professional zipliners were excellent, friendly, and really helpful, so DO IT if you make it to Tortuguero. It’s also worth nothing that Tortuguero zip-lining is cheaper than almost anywhere else in Costa Rica…it was only about $30 USD.

The Obstacle Course:

All Geared Up:

Off I go:

The one thing I will say is that because I’m so light, I felt like my zipping was a lot faster than the bigger/taller folks. So as I was approaching the end of the line, oftentimes I was like “dear lord, please don’t let me run head first into the on-coming tree.” And that’s where the professional zipliners came in handy because they made sure they took care of stopping me when I was approaching really quickly :-) I left a tip in their tip jar for them. I was the only one. (Come on tourists—when you meet people who deserve tips—TIP THEM!)

Once I got back to my lodge, I booked an appointment for the Spa—it was a really nice location on the island—right by the water. However, let’s just say $60 for a 1 hour massage would be a steal in NYC. However, the masseuse was really not professional in terms of pushing the pressures points or having any industry experience of the techniques to remove stress bubbles, etc.. It was still nice, but not worth the $60.

That was my whirlwind 36-48 hours in Tortuguero. I will post twice more in the coming days. The next post will be on ARENAL, and after that, on Manuel Antonio.

As always, feel free to leave comments & feedback.

-Vitra

Photography 101 – 11/9/10

2010-11-09T21:27:00.001-05:00

I’ve been taking an Intro To Photography Class (we are allowed to shoot solely in Black & White), so I’ve accumulated hundreds of shots for class assignments, and general practice.

I figure I might as well post some.

Feel free to leave comments!

Vitra

Ziggy Marley Concert 9-19-10 ~VS

2010-09-28T20:56:00.001-04:00

Kameko talked about some great things that were so exciting and fun at the concert, including an opening set by the artist below, Rachel Patten.

However, it would be un-vitra-like if I didn’t mention some of the things that were extremely annoying, rude, and obnoxious about the Ziggy Marley concert.

1) I just bought a new DSLR camera and was very much excited to use it. Upon snapping 1 picture, the little security student guy came over and nicely told me that DSLRs are only for the media. I appreciate that he was really nice about it, but I don’t understand by DSLRs aren’t allowed for anyone else? It’s just like a regular camera, except with a zoom lens you have to turn yourself.

2) Rachel started exactly at 8pm (very unusual for a concert to start on time, so right away I was impressed, but suspicious at the same time.) After Rachel sang for like 20 minutes…it seemed natural that Ziggy would come out a few minutes later, right? A few minutes later turned out to be 30 minutes later at 8:50, so I guess they were going on Jamaican time (or Island time in general.)

3) After being banned from using my DSLR, I turned to my trusty Blackberry when Ziggy came on. But of course, the flash is automatic, and after taking a picture…the same nice little security boy came over to tell me that no flashes were allowed. Well, WTF??? I’m starting to be annoyed by this security boy. But here is my photo with the flash? I mean, what harm can this do? Are they afraid Ziggy is going to be blinded?

4) Apparently Ziggy had a personal security team who were stalking and calling out people numerous times who were using their flash or doing videos on their camera. One of them made someone sitting in front of KJ and I delete their video. I mean, really? Is it that serious?

5) What was MOST annoying about the security boys were that they started thinking they were all “official” like the ziggy security people, so pretty soon, they started taking their flashlights and flashing it on people who were taking pictures with their flashes. Lots of flashing going on, indeed. I was so annoyed because it distracted from the concert and they did it so much. If they were going to make such a big deal about it, they should have made an announcement at the beginning of the concert saying “no flash photography or videos allowed” and problem would have been solved.

But for $12, I guess I couldn’t complain…Love is my religion.

Tomorrow People….

~VS

Ziggy Marley Concert ~KJ

2010-09-24T21:48:00.002-04:00

Hello Friends:

It has definitely been a while since I have written a post and I truly am sorry for that. I'm especially sorry because this summer I experienced so many wonderful new places, restaurants, lounges, parks, lakes, and I could go on an on. This past Sunday, my sister from another mother and I went to see Ziggy Marley in concert. I'd never seen him before so I was looking forward to it.

Ziggy Marley was at the NYU SKIRBALL Center near West 4th Street. One benefit of being a graduate student at NYU is the fact that we first dibs on discount tickets for any of the performances at Skirball center. The Marley tickets were going for between $35- $50. I got mine for $12. You can't be that and we had amazing seats. We were six rows from the front.

The concert overall was 'two thumbs up'. The opening act was a girl by the name of Rachel Platten (@rachelplatten on twitter). Along with a guitarist and drummer, Rachel (who played piano) belted out 4/5 songs from her album. She has like a mix between Natalie Merchant and that girl who plays the piano while she sings. Her songs were uplifting, beautiful, and fun to listen to. You should check her out http://www.myspace.com/rachelp

Ziggy Marley and Bank came on about half an hour after Rachel was done. He sang some of his classics 'Love is My Religion', 'Tomorrow People', and 'Look Who's Dancing', then he brought the house down down when a guitarist started playing the baseline for 'GET UP STAND UP'. The some of the audience picked up on it as they started to encourage the rest of the audience to get up and stand up. The following songs were all Bob Marley classics and one thing i learned is you cannot go wrong with a Marley classic.

All in all I am glad I decided to go to the Marley concert. The crowd was into it and we had good seats. I'm a fan now.

Wall Street & NY Water Taxi Ride – July 2010

2010-08-04T21:08:00.001-04:00

Family in town is always a great motivation to catch the sights and sounds of NYC. As New Yorkers, it’s not uncommon to pass the most amazing structures, parks, monuments, etc without even a second glance.

So when #1 cousin came to town for a few days we did touristy NYC things: Walked around the wall street/seaport area, did a water taxi tour, went to times square, went to a museum, and took a day trip to Boston. This post contains the pictures and commentary on our Wall street/Water Taxi afternoon.

We took the R train and got off at Cortland street—across the street from the Freedom Towers site…this gave us a chance to see the progress happening at the site, where just a year ago there was barely a foundation.

We then walked east to Broadway, and down to the various Stock Exchange Buildings which are understandably heavily guarded. I think I even saw a subway entrance just for employees exiting the building.

We then went to find the infamous Wall Street Bull…I’m not sure if touching this Bull is suppose to bring you financial success. Hopefully it does, because my cousin took a picture touching the “cojones” as Sarah Palin would say. But here is a shot of just the Bull by himself:

After Broadway, we headed down to South Street Seaport, a tourist MUST-DO, as there’s always tons of people in the summer, random entertainers, shops, boat tours, and a fantastic view of the bridges & lower Manhattan!

My cousin wanted to do a tour, and while I’m all about the action of the “BEAST” speedboat tour, he wasn’t so keen on the idea of getting wet & going fast, so we decided to do the NY Water Taxi—the yellow boats that looks like a school bus for water!

First, I have to say that our boat-guide was awesome! He just loved his job. As a native of Cyprus, he talked about how NY is not about religion or money, etc but most importantly about the PEOPLE! And he said it was his honor and privilege to get to meet so many different people from all walks of life as part of his job. And while that may sound like a crock of bull to jaded New Yorkers, this guy was all over the boat, taking pictures for people without being asked, making sure everyone had everything they needed. For me, that made the tour more enjoyable. Witnessing the passion someone has for what they do is rare and yet so inspiring.

We were lucky and also did this on the perfect afternoon in terms of weather. I’ll now stop my analyzing and let the pictures speak for themselves!

Moet Sailboat. I love that the tiny writing on the left side says “Be Fabulous”

The Brooklyn Bridge! (See Earlier post about walking over this lovely Bridge.)

There I am, with my face covered with the BeTheTeam watermark, as a reminder that pretty soon, my partners in crime, Kameko & Alisia will be back from their trips abroad….wooohoooo!

Please feel free to leave comments, suggestions, etc on the blog, or on Twitter: @BeTheTeam

Thanks!

VS aka Management

The Frying Pan (Manhattan) and SugarCane (Brooklyn)

2010-08-01T18:12:00.001-04:00

The Frying Pan is a lightship built in 1929. Lightships alert other ships that they are close to land, rocks, etc. The Frying Pan is now a bar on the West Side at the Pier 66 Maritime. I have been wanting to go there for a long time for reasons that are very vain—to wear a pair of “boat shoes” that I bought a few months ago, that are very aquatic in nature. Where better to wear these shoes than on a cool boat/ship? (Don’t get me wrong—a yatch would have been so much better, but I’m working with what I’ve got!)

Above is a view when we arrived, about 7:15pm. It’s a really cool and unique experience of hanging out. You are having drinks on water, basically. Besides the main “Frying Pan” lightship, the venue also has a huge area in the center with tons of seating, a bar, and a great view.

There were a number of people playing a game of what seemed to be “water soccer.” So while we are sipping on drinks/having a bite, there’s also things going on around you.

And, it would make total sense that on the night I go, there was a massive thunderstorm! Even those there is the big “common” area that is sheltered, if you’re on a boat in the water and it’s raining—you are definitely going to get wet! What’s funny is that this ship in on the West Side Highway on 27th Street, and as we were sitting there, we could see the lighting, dark skies, and rain that was pouring down in Jersey, and even as close as 42nd street.

And, I took a video to show how eerily beautiful the sky looked as it was thundering and lightning:

Some tips for those who decide to check it out:

While there’s a nice basic menu, for those looking for “food food,” you might want to eat before or after you head there.

Ladies, if you are wearing high heels—say 4 inches for example, you might want to walk with flip flops and then change into your shoes once you get there…the nearest subway station is at least 3 avenues away…that’s a lot to walk in 4 inch heels in an area of the city where there’s a lot of construction.

If you NEED Air Conditioning, you might want to wait for closer to the fall or a cool day to go here—while there is shelter in some parts & fans, you are essentially outside.

Here’s the website for those of you who want to check it out or get more info:

http://www.fryingpan.com/

And now on to SugarCane, a place for “Stylish Caribbean Cuisine”…This is another spot I’ve been to about 5 times this summer.

Why, you may ask? 1) Because the food is excellent & fresh 2) It’s a good place to end after hanging out all night—good chill-down music, night atmosphere, fun, yet low-key 3) For me, it’s close to home in Brooklyn!

I tried to get a shot without my flash and this is the best I could do:

There is a WIDE Variety of drinks to choose from including beers, wines, staple cocktails, and more interesting Caribbean-centric drinks such as:

Bacchanal $10
Southern Comfort, Marie Brizard, Mango liqueur, Midori Melon liqueur, orange juice, fresh mango

Tantana $10
Mango puree, Fernandez white rum, Castillo Gold, lime juice, grenadine, orange juice, pineapple juice

Midnight Robber Cosmo $9
Courvoisier, Cointreau, lime juice and cranberry juice

Sorrel Martini $8
Absolut Kurrant, sorrel, lime juice

And the food is GREAT!!! I always get the wings when I go because you can taste that they are fresh and have not been sitting in the kitchen for hours…here are some enticing appetizer options:

Mojo Jerk Chicken Wings $7.95
Spicy jerk chicken wings dressed with a passion fruit vinaigrette and served with mango mayonnaise dipping sauce

Sugarcane Shrimp $11.95
Grilled jumbo shrimp on sugarcane skewers. Glazed with Sugarcane’s secret sauce. Served with sweet plantains

Mango-Pineapple Chow $6.95
Fresh mango and pineapples with pimento peppers, chandon benie, lime and garlic

SugarCane is located at 238 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11217. If you go to the 1st Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum (which is described in the very first posting of this blog), this restaurant is about 5-10 minutes away, and close to the train station (check out hopstop.com on how to get there from your current location.)

Check out the website for more pictures, a full menu and drink list, and more information: http://www.sugarcanerestaurant.com

Thanks…follow us on Twitter: @BeTheTeam

~VS

Six Flags Great Adventure: July 2010 ~VS

2010-07-18T21:29:00.001-04:00

I grew up in New York, and would always hear my friends and strangers talking about their day trips to Six Flags Great Adventure, which is located in Jackson, NJ. A part of me has always wanted to go to Six Flags, but I never had the chance to go (nor did I previously make the effort.)

However, I finally made it with some friends to see what the hype is all about. You guys have all seen the commercials with the old dude who shows a family doing something boring and says “1 flag”, then lots of people screaming their heads off on a rollercoaster and then he says “SIX FLAGS!!!!”….i wanted to validate that this funny/entertaining/amusing old man from the commercial was accurate….and he REALLY IS….

Six Flags is AWESOME!!

Let’s talk logistics first. It’s a few hours away from NYC, and more than that with traffic. Especially on the return trip home at night when traffic was backed up for hours (I kid you not) because 90% of the cars on the road didn’t have an EZ pass. Next, there are several ways to get discounts: buying your ticket online, using a coke can which offers “buy 1 get 1 free” during weekdays, or $15 off on the weekend, etc. Also, I would say going on a weekday if possible eliminates the stress of long lines, annoying little brats, and standing in the hot sun and getting yourself in a bad mood!

In terms of things to do, this place is amazing—truly something for everyone. Coasters, kiddie rides, rock climbing wall, trampoline, a whole section to play games, a dolphin/seal show, a tiger show, shops, restaurants, the safari part (which I didn’t go to, ) and so much more!

Kingda Ka (pictured here) is the scariest looking ride I’ve ever seen, and Heck No, I did not go on it, because I value my life, and the thrill of seeing people actually partake in it, was good enough for me. It looks like you literally shoot up on the right side of the ride at a 90 degree angle, and shoot straight back down….in a 90 degree angle!

I did go on several roller-coasters, including Batman the Ride, the Superman Ride, Nitro, The Scream Machine (which I’m happy to report is going to stop operating because it’s so jerky, that my ear is still hurting me from hitting the protective side pads.)

Overall, this is a great day trip! And there’s definitely enough to do to stay from the time the park opens up until it closes for the night.

Here are some more pictures:

For more info:

http://www.sixflags.com/greatAdventure/index.aspx

Message us on Twitter: @BeTheTeam with any questions/comments

~VS aka Management

Comedy Cellar on Friday, June 18th ~VS

2010-06-20T18:00:00.003-04:00

On Friday Night, I went to the 9:45pm comedy show at Comedy Cellar. Comedy Cellar (www.comedycellar.com) is actually one of only 2 comedy places I have been to in NYC. And I can't remember the last time I went to a show...more than 3-4 years ago!! (Don't get me wrong: I actually LOVE to laugh, but a comedy show isn't the first thing that my friends & I think about when making plans.)

On their website, Comedy Cellar says there's an $18 charge on Friday nights, plus a 2-item minimum. For our party of 2, the bill at the end of the night, came out to about $80...I'll let you decide if that's worth it or not, when you check it out yourself!

There are 3 shows on Friday Nights: 8p, 9:45p, and 11:30p. I highly recommend that you make reservations, especially if you want to attend the 8 or 9:45pm show. Two weeks ago, we just showed up for the 8pm show and they were sold out...so we learned our lesson :-)

I was really looking forward to laughing laughing LAUGHING....while I did have some good laughs, there wasn't one comedian who really blew me away...and there were some that were just...not that good!

There were about 5 or 6 comedians, each having a 10 minute set more or less. And if I seemed to be laughing the whole time, it's only because I didn't want the comedians to feel bad, since we were the first people seated on the right side of the stage. NOTE: if you get seated in the front row, directly in front of the stage, YOU WILL BE MADE FUN OF! And no, you cannot where you want to sit.

I had a Raspberry drink & buffalo wings (YUM YUM)...they were "aight"...again, nothing that blew me away.

The 9:45 show which started around 10pm, ended at 11:15pm...I would say, not too much bang for the buck.

I will say though--if you get there early, the restaurant upstairs has wonderful mojitos!!!

Comedy Cellar is located at 117 MacDougal street between W.3rd & Minetta Lane.

Overall, I would give the experience a 5.5 out of 10.

If you have any great places for comedy to recommend...definitely leave a comment, or let us know on twitter @BeTheTeam

~VS

Checking Out 'EN' Restaurant in Brooklyn 6/11/10 ~KJ

2010-06-13T21:49:00.002-04:00

Last week while VS was enjoying the view and breeze in Barbados I decided to explore a new restaurant in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. EN Restaurant, 277 Cumberland Street, has been around for about five months now. It fits right in to the new age style that has become Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. I passed by the restaurant a few weeks ago and peaked inside. The ambience seemed cool, so I put it on my list of new places to check out this summer.
Just opening up for the evening around 4pm I found the place empty of patrons but bustling with staff preparing for dinner. The place is small but the owners have the whole fung shui thing down pact. (Check out the bathrooms with mini TV’s built into the walls.) There is an electric fireplace by the bathrooms and each mat, seat, and table is in just the right place. I can see how on a busy Saturday night ‘EN’ could be the place to be.
I started off with a drink and decided to invite my mother to join me. Before my mother arrived I got the low down from the very nice and informative bar tender, Tdidi (forgive me if I am spelling it wrong). He informed me that the drink specials for that particular night were flavored martinis for $7, beers for $5, and I believe a few well drinks for $5. You can’t beat that, especially when the flavors for the martinis were, Guava, Mango, etc.

I had a guava martini, which was excellent. I could have stayed their that night for happy hour instead of meeting my friends at Maxie’s Bar and Grill, on 19th and Park. For dinner I tried Tilapia with Jollof rice and steamed veggies. The tilapia and its seasoning was good. The rice tasted like home cooked jollof rice. However the veggies were not good at all. They tasted like frozen veggies from the supermarket. A few pieces of my broccoli were also brown. I also think the menu needs more options for vegetables.

Many of the dishes on the menu are influenced by Nigerian culture. The owners are Nigerian and from the Ibo or Igbo ethnic group. There is a lot of this flavor in the food and in the place. In fact the name of the restaurant ‘EN’ is short for an Igbo word, Enugu. If my research is correct then Enugu is the name of a location in Nigeria.

Overall the people were pleasant. The drinks were great. I would return to try some of the other dishes and especially some of their cocktails on the drink menu.

#5: A Walk Over the Brooklyn Bridge & The Whitney Museum 5/15/10 ~KJ

2010-06-06T18:27:00.007-04:00

Hello Peeps:

Thanks again for reading our blog. We have left you for a few weeks with out material to read but don't fret. We are just figuring out how to incorporate this into our weekly routines. It means more to us to bring the sights and sounds of our lovely city to everyone who so wishes to read. A few weeks ago. May 15 2010 to be exact VS and I took a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was VS's first time walking across the bridge and our first time using our newly acquired flip phone. I played around with the flip phone footage and made our first edited video.

This walk across the bridge was my second one. The first time was with my cousin's senior class. My cousin is a high school teacher in Atlanta and the school he works for takes the seniors to New York for their senior trip. This time I was with VS and two friends who were there to power walk and leave us in the dust while we took advantage of the touristy thing and stopped to take photos. (shout out to Kim who always supports BeTheTeam!)

As VS said below it truly is a beautiful scenic walk and for the native New Yorkers, whom we both are, it lets you view the artery between Brooklyn and Manhattan in a way that taking the bus, train, or even taxi will every do. Just a few things to add to when planning your morning, afternoon, or evening to walk across the Bridge.

1. Remember it is a bit windier when walking by and over water. So you may want to bring a little scarf or jacket if you get cold easily

2. There is a bike lane and a lane for pedestrians. The bikers do not like it when Pedestrians (especially tourist who are looking around and not walking) are in their lane. you will get honked at or yelled at. Pedestrians stay to the left. If you forget, there are clear markers on the ground. I took a picture of one.

3. Our friend Kim recommends for anyone that wants to have a smooth walk without major interruption, is to start your walk about 8:00am. It is early but it is worth it. We started at 10:15am if I can recall and it was bearable. I guess it matters if you like navigating crowds or not.

4. There are two viewing points were you can stop and take pictures. You will know when you have reached them. There are also a few benches strategically placed along the bridge if you want to take a rest or people watch.

==================
Now to switch gears. After walking across the Bridge I would recommend walking (or taking the train) to another neighborhood for a bite to eat. We chose Max Brenner's. And then went off to the Whitney Museum

We decided on the Whitney Museum that week because of the BIENNIAL 2010 exhibits. More info at ---==> http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2010Biennial
The Whitney Museum is a very cool place to go if you like modern art, sculptures, and interpreting pieces of others work. I had taking down notes on my favorite pieces to share with you all but the memory on my phone was erased when I had to exchange phones.
1. JESSICA JACKSON HUTCHINS - her featured piece was a couch covered in newspaper clippings about President Obama. I think pre and post election. It is an interesting concept to think that the 'family couch' is a place where everyone takes in their 'news'. this couch literally soaked it up

2. NINA BERMAN- this feature may have been the saddest one for me. The artist to a series of photos displaying the life of a marine who was severely injured and disfigured in a suicide bomber attack in Iraq. The attack practically blew off his face, arms, and his upper body. Prior to the attack he was engaged to his high school sweetheart. upon his return she decided to stick with him and get married. I remember she was not smiling in any of the wedding pictures. They eventually got a divorce.
This powerful piece explores the military culture in our country and how it differs after you come home injured. Very touching.

Now that this post is going on for a bit I will try and wrap up. The last thing I have to say about the Whitney is that the security guards were very rude and were more like a little army then securing the art. They spoke harshly and not professional. The Whitney needs to step it into the 21 first century and realize that some people take notes on their handheld devices. I tried to explain that I was not taking photos and was then told by the security guard "well I don't know... people say that all the time". I noticed that she was not hounding other paying customers. I truly wanted to complain about the security situation but decided to walk it off. I guess its too late now to complain??? Maybe I will still write a letter.

In closing.. I'd like to say walk across the Brooklyn Bridge this summer and then go to a Museum that you haven't visited in a while. Makes for a great half day activity.

With Love Always,
Kameko Jones

#5: A Walk Over the Brooklyn Bridge & The Whitney Museum 5/15/10 ~VS

2010-05-23T21:13:00.001-04:00

I did something last weekend that I’ve never done in my 22 years living in New York: I finally walked over the Brooklyn Bridge!! I’m not sure why I’ve never done it before…I guess because I’ve always had a really good view of the bridges taking the Q or D or N trains over the Manhattan Bridge that I never really thought walking over the bridge would be anything too exciting.

I think the right word to describe it is: Lovely! Especially on a nice, sunny day! The views are stunning. And it doesn’t take too long. KJ and I stopped like typical tourists at many spots along the way to take pics, etc and we still went from the Bklyn side to the Manhattan side in about 40-45 minutes. Here are some pictures along our way:

This is us before the walk!

The architecture and suspension is amazing.

KJ was all about her new BOLD Blackberry!!!

Cute sailboat on the East River…go figure!

Whoever took this pic is brilliant!

And, of course, we never need an excuse to eat after an excursion. Although I did get food poisoning and was puking for 2 days, but that’s besides the point.

My overall impression of the brooklyn bridge walk: Check with Hopstop or your train map before you head out—I didn’t and ended up thinking I knew where I was going, when in fact I did not. If you get off at Jay Street in Brooklyn, it’s a short 2-block walk to the pedestrian path.

Also, it’s a great thing to do with out-of-towners. Next time I have visitors, I’m going to feel really cool suggesting that we walk over the bridge if it’s a nice day out. And you get end up at city hall on the Manhattan side so it’s close to shopping, century 21, and Ground Zero, (as well as several train lines.)

After the Bridge & eating, we headed uptown to the Whitney Museum as they have special exhibitions for their Biennial.

I didn’t really know what the Whitney was all about, but I think they have something for everyone: art, sculpture, and there were numerous video exhibitions.

Pictures are NOT allowed inside any of the exhibits, as we were told over, and over, and OVER, AND OVER again…to the point of annoyance. Just because you have your phone out, and your holding it up to look at the screen, DOES NOT mean you are trying to take a picture!

I would recommend a trip to the museum. We only stayed about 2 hours, but could have easily passed several hours if we stayed to read/listen about all the pieces.

Next adventure: KJ will be blogging about her trip to BERMUDA!!!!

@BeTheTeam

-Management aka VS!

#4: Cirque Du Soleil OVO May 7, 2010 ~VS

2010-05-11T20:38:00.002-04:00

Kameko gave the ins/outs and logistics of Cirque’s “Ovo”…I will simply give you my opinion.

I’ve now seen 3 Cirque Du Soleil’s. The first was in Vegas at the Bellagio—“O”. Last year, I saw “Kooza” at Randalls Island, and this year was “Ovo.” Of the three, “O” definitely gets a 10 out of 10. It’s breathtaking, electrifying, grand, and simply defies any idea or concept of what you think the human body can do. Of course, the pool in the middle of the stage during several parts of the show puts it in a league of its own, especially when you experience these trained performers doing stunts and acrobatics dangling high above a pool of water. In addition, the fact that it’s in Vegas, has it’s own theatre and sort of set in routine permanently gives it a huge advantage over the other two.

I would give Kooza a 7.5 out of 10 because there was a more complex storyline (although I don’t remember what it is now), and the tricks/acts were just more dynamic and risky.

I thought Ovo was okay…about a 6 to 6.5. I wouldn’t go see it again, and as much as these performers are human, there were 3-4 times in the show where either a synchronized number was interrupted because one of the performers dropped an object, or in one case, fell off he tight-rope.

So, yes, I know I’m being super picky—but at the same time, tickets are not cheap, popcorn is not cheap, wine is not cheap—nothing is cheap, so I expect perfection. Well, maybe NOT perfection but 4 errors is one show is a lot.

My 2nd dislike of the show was the theme: bugs…I don’t like bugs, I don’t find them amusing, and it’s not cute or entertaining to see bugs dancing around on stage.

The show seemed really short & lackluster, I have to report. The best part of the whole experience was chilling with my BFF, Kameko, and seeing how excited she got at experiencing the magic that is Cirque Du Soleil.

Also the atmosphere was great because on one hand you have excited, exuberant kids who are so thrilled and mystified by the acrobatics—and on the other—adults are inspired and amazed as well. There were many times during the show when I got goose bumps just thinking about the training and dedication that these performers go through to move like effortless, light creatures.

I take nothing away from these professionals—but compared to what I’ve already seen of cirque, I know this wasn’t the best show. So while I wouldn’t do see this particular one a 2nd time—I would definitely go check out others and continue to support this art form! I thought the audience participation portion was great.

I love these umbrellas!

One of the best parts of the entire experience was the boat ride…and not just because it was a boat ride—but because like KJ and I always do, we talked to people, connected, made friends or had a moment with complete strangers. We also got offered a free ride out to the statue of Liberty by one of the boatmen…which we may take up if we have time in the coming month(s).

Next up for us this Saturday, the 15th: Walking the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan, Food, and the Whitney Biennial…

So stay tuned for more, join us if you want, and leave us comments & suggestions!

Twitter: @betheteam

Thanks!

--Management (-VS)

#4: Cirque Du Soleil OVO May 7, 2010 ~KJ

2010-05-09T21:43:00.005-04:00

Friday night Vitra and I headed out to OVO Cirque Du Soleil. ‘An Immersion into the teeming and energetic world of insects’. Before you oohhh and ahhh. It was all Vitra’s idea. See I’m previously heard only a little about the show and I’m not a fan of circuses so I did not know what to expect. All I knew is Vitra had seen it three times and some of my friends compared it to an adult circus. OVO is playing now until June 9, 2010 at Randall’s Island Park. You can purchase tickets here http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/tickets/new-york.aspx

The Randall’s Island bit within itself is worth a blog and that is where I will start. We went to see the Friday 8pm show after work. Tired, hungry, relieved after finals, we were determined to get there. Fast facts about Randall’s Island according to www.risf.org: Randall’s Island is: Located in the Borough of Manhattan in the East River between East Harlem, the South Bronx and Astoria, Queens. Adjacent to and accessible from Manhattan to the west, the Bronx to the North and Queens to the east. Accessible by car, bus, bicycle, pedestrian and ferry. We decided on the ferry. Water Taxi (www.nywatertaxi.com) . Tickets were not bad. $20 for a round trip ticket that picks you up from either South Street Seaport (my favorite place in NY), Midtown, or 96th street on the East River. The view is amazing and the ‘fresh air’ wonderful. I felt like I was back in London going down the River Themes.

After a short 20 minute boat ride we were on Randall’s Island and making our way to the Big Top. Cirque du Soleil is under a circus like canopy, seating and staging is amazing. I grabbed a glass of wine and some popcorn and was ready for the show.

INTERMISSION

My thoughts: OVO Cirque du Soleil is an amazing show. I was digging the concept of bugs and insects. The costumes were amazing and some great creative talent went into the product of the show. The music was great. It was interesting seeing the lead character as a voluptuous black woman playing a lady bug but all actors stayed within their bug roles. There are some interesting acts using trapeze ropes, swings, and trampolines. All in all I don’t know if I would see this one again. Appartently they are currently working on a Michael Jackson themed Cirque du Soleil for next year. I will be there whether by boat, plane, walking, or car.

We just purchased an HD flip came so will be trying it out. We are only going to get better with our blog. Please leave us / email us your comments. Oh, maybe we should open that option. Thanks ~Management

A Morning in Dumbo 5-8-10 ~VS

2010-05-08T22:15:00.002-04:00

I’m the first to admit—I am a bad New Yorker. The hottest shows, the coolest clubs, the trendiest restaurants—I couldn’t even tell you what they are. However, in an attempt to overcome my ignorance of New York and expand my horizons in general, KJ and I decided to start this blog.

Today, I went to a place in Brooklyn where I have never been before. A place I’ve seen from taking the N or Q or D train over the Manhattan Bridge for more than ten years: DUMBO! (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass), I think that’s what it stands for! My friend, Enara, invited me to go to “Bklyn Designs” with her, a design show featuring furniture and creative interior design elements. (If you want to learn more here is their website: http://www.bklyndesigns.com/)

I’m going to let the pictures speak for themselves because most things were so cool and original, and because I don’t want to butcher any concepts by trying to explain them since I know nothing about architecture or design.

After the show (which took about 30-40 minutes to walk through), Enara and I decided since we were in the neighborhood already to take advantage of the other “well-known” things to do: lining up outside Grimaldi’s Pizzeria which supposedly has the best pizza in NY, having ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, and sitting out on the Boardwalk under the Brooklyn Bridge to enjoy the view and people-watch.

Here is our story through pictures. Note: Since you may be interested in seeing more of the exhibitors works, I’m also putting their website address under the respective photos. And P.S. the cost was $15, if you have a student id, it was $10.

As I’ve never been to DUMBO, and Enara has only been one time before, we were looking for the correct street to walk down, when she commented “I wish they had signs pointing where to go..” and Voila! Two seconds later, we look up and see this arrow on a sign-post! Good job BklynDesigns!

View of the Manhattan Bridge. Imagine living down here and seeing this view every morning!

I love this booth—Not only do I take the R-train and live in 718, but it was fun, bright, and had so many interesting items! www.718madeinbrooklyn.com

Enara @ the Aviva Stanoff booth, with Aviva in the background: www.avivastanoff.com

This booth was FUN. These are LED lights—when you step on that floor or touch the panel, the waves change based on the movement of your hands and feet. We spent the most time at this booth “playing around.” Many hotels have these features in their lobby’s for example. www.madbutter.com Interactive LED video installations. See pic below of me having fun!

Like a kid in a candy shop…easily entertained!

www.kwhfurniture.com My favorite part of this room….the positioning of the Jack Daniels.

www.ecosystemsfurniture.com I love this desk, and I love how the “shelves” are totally movable based on how you want to stack them by adding more or removing some.

www.thinkfabricate.com I like these little shelves on the wall…and you can make out Enara’s shadow in the mirror (just barely)

There’s no way to explain this on my own, so here is what the website says: These “are the ant-farms of your childhood reimagined into a living work of art that showcase the geological excavations of the tunnels formed by ants. Unlike a conventional ant farm, this community is displayed as a designed centerpiece on a wall or desktop.”…yup, there are ants in there, living between those lines (or buried, as the case may be) www.hughhayden.com

Enara at the Lamacek booth. I think this was my overall favorite booth because this chair was AMAZING…it not only rocks, but it has a spring at the bottom which allows it to bounce as well…sooo interesting & comfortable. And the owners, Connie & Michael were so nice and customer-oriented, making conversation and encouraging us to sit and test it out. www.lamacek.com

I had to give it a shot too! Couldn’t let E have all the fun!

I love this wooden table and the cool benches. When I think of a big family sitting around to have a big, fun dinner or reunion—I picture something like this. It’s spacious, so enough room for LOTS of food and lots of company. The side panel on the benches don’t go down as far as I noticed, but would be nice if they did so you could fit a few extra people in case you come from a big-fat-<insert nationality here>-family. www.cityjoinery.com

Also made by City Joinery, and a favorite of Enara.

Enara spinning the “coney island” inspired table at the Uhuru booth. They do sustainable furniture design. www.uhurudesign.com

The Uhuru booth had a mirror as well. There we are!!

Finished at design show…taking in some views…and time to EAT!!

At this point, we had been waiting in line (see below) for about 40 minutes…when we got to the front, we decided to document this experience. Right after we took this picture a waiter came out and pretty much turn one chair upside down on the other to prevent anyone else from sitting there to take pictures…LOL.

All the people waiting behind us in line.

Finally, we got in and ordered a “small” pie (because you can’t order slices and it’s cash only, fyi). We got extra Ricotta on one half & extra tomato on the other. A small pie is $12 and it was $2 for extra tomato and $4 for extra ricotta…not bad. That, along with a root beer and a coke came up to $21.75. So, can 2 small girls finish this pie?

Heck YEA…we killed it. LOL. As for being the “best pizza in NY”, I’m not sure I entirely agree…Yes, it was really really good, and everything was fresh and hot and yummy, but Enara and I figured after keeping people waiting on line for at least 30 minutes, by the time you get in there, you are so stoked and HUNGRY—so in your mind, it becomes the best pizza you’ve ever had and an experience you can tell all your friends about. I think I would give it an 8 out of 10, but would want to go back for sure and taste it with other toppings, etc.

This was the line on the way out….it doubled while we were in there.

Next up for us:

I’ve heard about this place too, and after stuffing ourselves with a whole pizza, we thought: Let’s get some Ice Cream too!!! A one-scoop in a cone or cup is $3.50. And they have about 8 flavors. It was good, but again, I didn’t taste anything that blew me away and put it on the top of the ice-cream leader board.

Nice sunny skies, great view, ice cream! Enara and I decided the whole experience of our day at this point would be great for a date. Or, old friends getting together to hang out and explore a part of New York.

Where the white tents are is the River Cafe—super expensive, but worth every penny (I hear) in the evening, as patrons get a spectacular view of the bridges and skyline.

And out of nowhere, there was a Yoga class that is free for all who want to participate. Interesting contrast, huh? The art of yoga and peacefulness with a view of the concrete jungle of NYC.

I just had to include this picture to end with because this instructor is clearly having a great time with his job and I don’t and this girl has her feet in an unfortunate place for the girl at the “bottom.” :-)

So there you have it—a fun morning in Dumbo, new experiences, and I’m definitely more confident in my ability to navigate this part of Brooklyn now! (We took the A train to High Street/Brooklyn Bridge) and it’s about an 8 minute walk to the water. I’m definitely going to go back and explore more in the future!

Thanks!

~VS

#3—Soca Party @SOBs, April 24th, 2010 ~KJ

2010-04-30T21:23:00.005-04:00

Hello Party People!

And party is exactly what we did last weekend. I'll try not to repeat what Vitra said below, but it seems like we have similar highlights for the night. Oh, where do I begin? My night started off at Il Porto, a great little Italian restaurant in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. 37 Washington Avenue, between Park and Flushing. It's a great place for a medium to small group. Nice wine selection and since it is getting warmer outside, they have a nice little outside seating place. It's also right down the street from a hole in the wall art gallery. If you are walking to fast you might miss it. Just an FYI for anyone looking for an Italian restaurant in that area.
After starting off the night sharing a couple of bottles of wine with family and friends it was time to meet Vitra. Met her at one of our usually meeting places, Jay Street train station. A,C,F trains. Remember this if you are ever meeting up with us humble followers. Anyway, hopped on a train and made our way to the West Village. Walked past a couple of overcrowded bars and cafes. Finally walked past and then in Le Royale. This was my second time in Le Royale. First time was the night of my friend's Bachelorette party. I think we sat down at about 10:30, and the place was empty, besides the bar staff, bouncers, and owner. Apparently this place does not start getting crowded until 1:30/2:00am. So if you ever need a place to stop by before you are going to a lounge/club. Or want a less crowded atmosphere for a few drinks, this is your place. The bar tender on Saturday nights is not bad looking either. Tevonne held us down, (thanks for the free drinks). By the way...Saturday Night is Gay Night.

We had no idea what we were walking into....We knew something was up when the convo went like this:
Tevonne: so you girls come here often?
Vitra: Never mind
Me: Once for a Bachelorette after party
Tevonne: Oh, because Saturday Night is gay night
Vitra and Me: Look at each other....ok.......but there is no one here.

Turned out to be an all male party....... (but that comes later in the night)

So after a few drinks with the bar tender, we got our stamps to return and headed to the reason for the night SOBs. By the way if you are going to an event at SOBs, you are better off getting the tickets at the door and save 5/6 bucks. the one benefit of buying the tickets online was we were able to jump to the front of the line and go right in. Sucked for the rest of the losers who were standing outside in the pouring rain.

SOBs is a great event space, with a nice little stage and sitting area for those who reserve in advance. It would be an even better place if the artist who was billed to play last Saturday night would actually show up and show up on time. Fayann Lyons was set to perform for 'Dirty Sexy Soca' night and assuming she would bring her husband Bunji. Around 1:30 or so the DJ announces over the sound system: "Everybody, sorry to announce that as of right now, Fayann WILL NOT be preforming tonight. Her camp has not signed the contract and is still negotiating. Basically, I'll tell you the truth, she wants more money." A couple of things....1. that is NOT how things should go down 2. Vitra and I could have cared less, the last Fayann concert we went to she showed up on stage :10 minutes before the venue closed and her opening acts started performing :45 minutes before the venue closed. Her 'Posse/team/crew' proceeded to get into an onstage argument with the owners as they were being pushed off the stage and the lights were turned off. Lesson here: We don't mess with Fayann anymore... (FAYANN FAIL!) which sucks because I love Bunji and Fayann as artists. Their management however needs to get it together.
Bottom line... we had fun anyway.. danced our "skinny-t bumpers" off and strolled right over back to our Gay bar where we were accepted and loved.

Shoutout to my Gay men! Especially who know how to party!

The real action was at Le Royale...... or leroy ale... depending on what you like. Like Vitra said we were the only chics in the room with like 100 to 150 mainly black gay men. It was so bizarre because I felt like It was some secret society of gay men who may or may not be out. There were some fine looking ones too. I did a double take a few times.

Owner of Le Royale (with his bike INSIDE of the bar)

Lesson to all of you folks: Vitra and I will have fun regardless of the situation, no matter where we are, and who cares if the artist shows up or not.

#3—Soca Party @SOBs, April 24th, 2010 ~ VS

2010-04-25T18:58:00.002-04:00

Kameko and I were back in action last night and what a fun, interesting, and random night it turned out to be. I must document this journey thoroughly from point A to Z.

First, a word to all those teenagers out there and a lesson/observation to society as a whole: Upon taking the train to meet up with Kameko, I got into a cart with 3 young, ghetto, teenage-looking girls. One of them hand a baby carriage with a sleeping baby boy. But, these girls were loud. Imagine cops speaking into a megaphone—and that’s the voice level that was “normal", which in itself was annoying. But add to the fact that they didn’t seem to have any maternal instinct toward this child. They were literally making a game out of jerking the carriage around and screaming and trying to wake up the baby, until he did, in fact wake up screaming. And there I am, thinking, “So, this is what happens when parents don’t raise their children properly, and they think in order to be grown, they get themselves pregnant, and spend the rest of their life miserable and making their kids miserable as well.” They may have wanted to be “adult” in whatever decisions they made as 13-14-15 year olds, but I’m sure they are wishing they didn’t have the accessory of a baby carriage with them wherever they go. So word to the wise: if you’re a baby yourself, you shouldn’t be thinking of having babies—> get a puppy instead.

NOW: on to the night on the town. KJ and I got into the city a bit early so decided to stop into the first bar or lounge we saw to hang out and wait until midnight before heading over to SOBs. We went into a place called Le Royale on 7th ave and Leroy in the West Village. The bouncer inquired to KJ about her glasses (I can’t remember what they are called, but see pic above & below) We were the first 2 in the place, and sat at the bar, stuck up a conversation with Tavonne, the charming, hot, nice bartender (who also inquired about Kameko’s glasses.) So we’re all chatting, and Tavonne tells us that the party on Saturday Night’s are promoted by a guy who does a gay party—so that’s what the scene tonight is going to be. Pretty interesting. I’ve never been to a gay party in NYC before (only in Bangkok.) We tell him we’re off to SOBs now for our soca party, but we might come back after to chill and check out the scene. Tavonne responds that we’ll definitely meet some interesting people. (In total, we spent about an hour and a half at Le Royale—just note if you go there, it’s cash only, and they really only have the basics in terms of cocktails/drinks at the bar. No milk, no coconut water.)

Kameko @ Le Royale. The Glasses—I wouldn’t wear them, but then again, they wouldn’t look as good on me, as on Kameko

We get to SOBs and there’s a massive line…I ask the bouncer if those who purchased tickets online could get in, to which he replied YES…wahoo…long wait outside in the rain diverted!

The theme of the 4th saturday at SOBs is SOCA NIGHT, and this month a well-known soca artist, Faye-Ann Lyons was suppose to be performing, so tickets were $25 online. I could care less about faye-ann—I find her highly annoying, unprofessional, and full of drama. And really—she only has like 2 good songs. KJ and I have seen her perform numerous times in the past in Trinidad & DC—and there’s always some bit of drama.

We get in, nice crowd it seems, and then the DJ announces that Faye-Ann’s people are asking for more money for her to perform and they are trying to work it out, but at this point, it’s unlikely that she will be performing…I find that to be unprofessional and annoying. FAYE-ANN LYONS #FAILS. What the heck did I pay $25 to get into this party for? I could just blast soca on my ipod at home. But regardless, at least the crowd was chill and definitely in the dancing mood.

We dance, and have a few drinks, make some new friends, see some interesting characters, and dance some more.

LOL…Kameko being Kameko

Crowd: always lots of pretty girls. As for the guys—well, some of them were okay.

LOL…making friends wherever we go.

After Kameko’s Palancing stage routine, we were both tired of dancing (it has been about 3 hours at this point)…so we’re like “let’s check out this gay party!!) As 2 chicks who have been around the world and in many sorts of interesting and unique situations on our own, we’re pretty much down to experience and party with all types of people, as long as everyone is just there to have a genuine good time. And so, we headed back to Le Royale…

It’s pouring at this point (like 3:45am) and the bouncer (whose name we find out is “L”) who had commented on KJ’s glasses earlier was still out there, as well as a new and very hot bouncer, Jason. We struck up a conversation with them, and next thing I know, L is like, “you guys have to give Jason a hug.” LOL—um, riiiiite. Then Krazy Kameko actually does proceed to give Jason a hug, and I’m still unconvinced, with 3 pairs of eyes starring at me, but then what the heck—Jason is hot—with dimples, nonetheless…a hug won’t hurt. LOL.

When we find our conversation with the bouncers and headed in, the party had moved to the little upstairs section. Walking up the stairs, I have never been in a club where Kameko and I were the only 2 women in a sea of good looking men, very much in shape, good dress style, and good dancers---> a sea of gay men, of course (just our luck.)

Gay party in full swing.

When we got up the stairs, Tavonne saw us and was like “You girls really did come back!”…we all had a little dance, and he and his roommates were like “These girls are so fun”…LOL—everywhere we go—we get the same line.

It’s KJ and I in a room of 100 gay men…but I have to say, the staff and service at this place are awesome…got water on the house cause I ran out of cash, the bartender offered us shots for free (which I politely declined), Tovanne and his homies were cool, and then they were kicking everyone out at 4:30a when the lights came on, so Kameko and I headed downstairs and instead of leaving, decided, let’s just sit at the bar! Why not, we’re girls—are they going to physically kick us out too? The owner, Oscar from Spain and an ex-Marine, has an awesome motorbike which he had brought inside to prevent it from getting soaked in the rain…(KJ will post pics), because she asked if she could get a shot of the bike, and he was all about it—put on his leather jacket, posing on the bike, and then the bouncers came instead after everyone had left, the bartenders were chilling, the promoter came to give us hugs (since we were the first ones there, and the last ones at the end of the night.) And we had a good time chatting with everyone for a bit…Jason was a trouble-maker, but he didn’t like KJ’s glasses either—so we bonded over that—more hugs went around…and I admit to the entire room that I loved his dimples…LOL. (and his teeth too…guys with dimples and good teeth are A-OK in my book.)

So all-in-all, it’s crazy how innocently going into a random bar can make us some new friends, and yet a planned soca party event that was suppose to be awesome, wasn’t really anything super special. KJ and I will be hitting up Le Royale again because we really did get service with a smile and connected with new friends.

As a note, I mentioned this in my Auto show posting, but it annoys me when establishments like SOBs use social media, like Twitter, yet don’t respond or comment back on tweets when we are asking them specific questions.

Not sure what our next outing is (I know we have a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge on May 8th), but as next week is finals in our Master’s program and work in addition, nothing planned before them. Follow us on Twitter @BeTheTeam for updates on what comes up.

Thanks for making it to the end of this rantful (yet entertaining) post!

Peace, -VS

Partying at the Shadow Nightclub ~KJ

2010-04-24T09:55:00.007-04:00

So a week from yesterday I went to the Shadow Nightclub on 229 West 28th Street, NYC. I had my doubts about the Shadow. First of all it is a club, which for me means 1. pushing and shoving in a hot overcrowded room and 2. radio groupies, because a New York radio station 107.5 WBLS broadcasts live from the club on Friday nights.

The Shadow actually turned out to be a great club and I had a wonderful night. (That might also be because I had a secret date, who shall remain nameless.) It was also a big help that it was my cousin Sherri's birthday and she knew every single DJ. Matter of fact we partied in the DJ both and on stage for most of the night until the show started. I'll talk more about the show later.

The average age of patrons is about 45, so it is not a club for your 20s and 30s. This obviously gives it a different, older, and mature feel. But old people still get down. The best part of all, for all you drinkers, the average price for drinks is about 8/9 dollars. That is amazing for Manhattan and also the Chelsea area. My date bought three drinks and the bill came out to $28 dollars. You heard it right $28. You won't find that at many places. Also for those of you that like reggae, there is a small reggae room on the side. This was the most crowded room and had the younger population. (by younger I mean 30s). I think I was the youngest person in there, which the older men had no problem with. For some reason they have a thing for me which is a little scary and well...moving on.

Now the night was amazing. It was a night for Hip Hop Legends. In fact it was some old school Hip Hop DJ's birthday (who's name is slipping from me right now.) He had all is friends on board. He even had all of his children come on stage 8 or 9 in total, which all looked to have different mothers, but I digress. Then the show started with,
Cinderfella Dana Dane, Melly Mel, Big Daddy Kane, Wonder Mike from Sugar Hill Gang, The original Big Daddy Kane dancers, and a few more rappers from the 1980s. I was living history right before my eyes. Did I mention Big Daddy Kane? He proceeded to do a half split and cartwheel...amazing.

So in summary, the Shadow is great for the 40 and over crowd, unless you are younger and you like chillin with an older, mature crowd. I absolutely loved seeing 50 and 60 year old's breaking it down and dancing, like it should be. The place has a lot of people but never gets crowded to the point where you don't have room to move around, unless you are in the reggae room. Drink prices are below the average for the neighborhood, people are nice, and everyone is having a good time. Old school 70s,80s, and 90s, and some new tunes blaze through the speakers. Bring your dancing shoes when coming to this club, there is no standing on the side looking pitiful.

Shout out to Bugsy, DJ Red Alert, and all the icons of hip hop who made the night one to remember.

#2: NY International Auto Show, April 10th ~KJ

2010-04-11T19:41:00.007-04:00

So, my friends, Vitra took you on a mini tour of some of the cars viewed, touched, sat in, and walked by, this past weekend at the Auto Show, at the Jacob Javits Center. I know as much about cars as Vitra, or maybe a little more because of all the rap videos and songs that highlight expensive pavement warmers. I'm more of a little car person myself, I just can't see myself parking a huge truck in NYC, with my bike rack, and surf board holder. Did I mention I don't have my license, don't know how to ride a bike, and can't swim. (On a side note, I am going to conquer one of the three this summer).

Here was all that was right with the Auto Show: There are lots of cars. There were lots of men. Ladies, it was hilarious to watch these men googly eyed and jaws dropped over these sleek, sexy, and seductive CARS!!! Also ladies wear flats or comfortable shoes. As Vitra stated, 3 hours is a lot of walking. And we did not even stop at all of the stations.

Here is all that was crazy with the Auto Show: Ladies dressed like it was opening night at Diddy's new club. Not that I am a fan or would be at an opening night, but you get where I'm going with this. We saw women with short club skirts, high boots and heels walking around in groups of three or four. I missed the "after the car show, get in the back of my truck memo." Gladly, I did.

Here is all that was wrong with the Auto Show: The different Car companies and the Auto Show did not utilize twitter or modern technology to even half of its potential. One person tweeted under the name @nyautoshow but did not interact with followers. There was only one car company who used cell phones to create a "who can text the fastest while answer questions about cars" type game and prizes were awarded. Next year, NY International Auto Show, we will be looking for you to STEP YOUR GAME UP! Or you can hire 'Be The Team' to Live tweet and Blog from the event and interact with ticket holders.

Here is what I found most amusing: Two things. 1. The car show models. The guys and gals hired to stand next to the latest car and then run down the stats. I could not turn my head away. Maybe I should put that on my list of 30 before 30 things to do. 2. The Marines had a station inside of the Auto Show. (Shout out to all of our troops overseas and at home). They were giving people the change to challenge themselves to do a set of pull ups. There were about as many men standing around this event as were standing around the 2012 BMWs.

All and All: If you are in to cars its worth it. If you are not then don't break you neck to make it. If you hate crowds don't bother. If you wanted to see two amazing, lovely ladies, you missed it. See you at the next event.

#2: NY International Auto Show, April 10th ~ VS

2010-04-11T18:34:00.002-04:00

Kameko and I attended the NY International Auto Show yesterday. It was an event that in the past I would probably have ignored previously because 1) I’m not interested in cars 2) I know nothing about cars 3) the Jacob Javits is ALLLLL the way on the WEST SIDE and that’s about 4 avenues of walking at once—LOL.

So you can see that this blog is allowing me to experience and do things that I typically wouldn’t do. Thumbs up!

My objective was to appreciate “pretty and cool cars.” Like I said, I don’t really know anything about cars, except that one day I want an Escalade (the Hybrid, of course, in Black.) However, when I finally did make it to the Cadillac section and found the Escalade of my dreams, a whole family had packed themselves into it…..and they were NOT getting out…..argh!

But this will be me one day—except I will be INSIDE!

Going on a weekend means lots of people—and LOTS of children…EVERYWHERE…so for those who do not like children or want to deal with having to wait on long lines to get into cars, try to go on a week day. Kameko and I walked through both floors in about 2.5 to 3 hours, so it’s not too bad. Without much of a crowd, you would probably take less, unless you really are going to ask questions and stare in admiration at every machine.

I say “Machine” because there were some AWESOME displays of sheer beauty, sleekness of design, and ingenuity—I even I can recognize something truly amazing (that, and the massive crowds gathered around certain models.)

On twitter, KJ and I tweeted some pics at our account: @BeTheTeam so check there if you want to see a few more. Here are a few that stood out for me:

I forget what company this is…but how cool is this??

The Lexus about was really Matte-looking. I’ve never seen that sort of material/look on a car before.

The Porsche people were smart—they didn’t leave their vehicles open for people to sit inside…

P.S.—Single ladies—we realized that if you go to the show to meet guys (which was CLEARLY the intention of some women there), find a guy who looks single or with a few friends, and ask him to take a picture of you (and your friend)—great convo starter! Not that we did this, or anything :-)

Here’s a race piece of art you don’t see every day…would love to be in the passenger seat of this car!

It’s not an Escalade, but I would take it.

Hello Aston Martin: I would buy you if I had an extra $200K lying around.

Driving Ms. Kameko. And an intruder on the other side! I love this Avalance…I would take one of these too!

Awww, aren’t we cute! and Yes, I’m wearing a long brown coat with sandals…why not?

:-)

The one thing I would suggest for the Auto Show people is when people (like @BeTheTeam) ask questions via Twitter—Pls respond!!

And I didn’t like that in the “Galleria Shopping Mall” part of the exhibit, there were booths selling things totally irrelevant to cars, like: jewelry, blenders, mops, etc.

Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter & leave comments!

Vitra

#1: First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum ~KJ

2010-04-04T20:57:00.004-04:00

1st Saturday's at the Museum is always a sight. It's one of those things that you just have to experience for yourself. Some people call it hip, some people call it a big fashion show, and some call it a great cultural event. To me the Target 1st Saturday's event brings together people from all parts of Brooklyn. From all different backgrounds, young and old, people are jamming to world music. As Vitra mentioned last nights theme was 'All things Egyptian'. They certain were from the featured exhibits, to the workshops, to even the food. Side Note: the Chicken Shawarma was not the greatest. We managed to ask one of the servers to give us a taste before buying.

I stayed a little while after my partner in crime, Vitra, hitched a ride. Someone one asked me if last night reminded me of my times in Egypt, and it did. To top it off all I need is some mint tea and a Shisha pipe.

I wont bore you with anymore details. I'll just say "come out to the next first Saturday's and come find me on the dance floor, with a glass of wine in one hand and a fan in the other."

I have to say Vitra took some great pictures so I will only post a few. ~KJ

Since we are not in DC to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival the ones outside of the Brooklyn Museum will suffice. Also for all of those wanting to take more Cherry Blossoms the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens always has a great show

#1: First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum ~VS

2010-04-04T18:57:00.001-04:00

As Kameko mentioned in her introductory blog, last night was First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum. The theme for April was all things Egyptian. Workshops and events start around 5pm. It’s a great place to spend an evening with your kids, friends, or significant other. It really is a place where status and differences of any kind cease to exist.

Then the “fun” part is the dance party that is from 9pm-11pm on the 3rd floor atrium. They turn this place into a club-like atmosphere and by the time I was leaving around 10pm, there was seriously a line outside the doors of about 100-200 people waiting to get in. The only thing I would caution about the dance party portion of the evening involves children: they are everywhere and running around, so if you are walking across the floor, be sure to look down and not step on someone’s child!! And parents, if you take your kids—please be sure to know where they are at all times!

I got to the museum around 6pm. I’ve been to the Brooklyn Museum once or twice before and I appreciate the aspects of art, culture, and the sheer strength of former civilizations. While I like art, and can walk around a gallery and appreciate what I see, I am by no means an art-lover to the extent that I can look at a painting and tell you the artist, year painted, or symbolism. And I’m also not one of those people who goes to a museum feeling that by the time I’m walking out, I need to know everything about every piece of art I saw. Of course, I want to see as much as I can, but more important for me, is finding myself attracted to a certain piece of art, and then figuring out what it is about this particular piece that is so dynamic to me: what is it in my innate nature or personality that pulls me toward certain piece of art, compared to others?

Now that the weather is getting nicer (although it was quite nippy yesterday evening), this is a totally fun and recommended activity to partake in! Those of you in the other boroughs: it’s totally worth the trek into Brooklyn! Ask my friend Sarah—she came with her friends from Queens! :-)

Here are some pics!

The Brooklyn Museum (you can take the 2 or 3 train there by the way!)

This is the atrium on the 3rd floor where the dance party starts at 9pm.

Thought this piece was interesting, but not sure if I like it or not!

And I’m not sure why this is considered art? Add in a couple of books/papers on the floor, and it would look similar to my room. LOL.

I was still waiting for KJ (Kameko) to arrive, so I had the chance to walk around pretty much the whole museum! This is not a real man (just in case you’re wondering), but I love how it does look like someone staring down at me.

I like this piece a lot. The original picture, I believe, is a forest/mountain/waterfall landscape in Germany. And those chips on the floor are the pieces that are missing from the piece.

Wahoo!! Kameko arrived!

And that means…some fun!!!

And here’s the dance floor/lighting after 9pm!

Thanks so much for sharing my journey of First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum!! Comments, questions, suggestions are always welcome! All, follow @BeTheTeam on Twitter, as I also tweeted some more pictures there from the event yesterday!

First event = success!! (P.S. – We were really going for the backdrop of the museum as opposed to just KJ & I, but hey—what can ya do?)

~VS

Beginnings of This Blog by VS

2010-04-03T13:13:00.001-04:00

Hi All,

Thanks Kameko for starting off the blog! We are excited to share all the adventures we experience—some planned and some random :-)

I also think this will be a good project for KJ and I because not only will we actually document the places we go, food we eat, and people we meet, but we will also grow as individuals. I’m sure that looking back at our initial blogs even a month or two from now, we will see how we’ve grown as individuals.

One of the things on my “To Do” list is to write more. I like to write but am always sort of afraid/ashamed that I have no sense of coordination, grammar, and what I think is what I want to write…it’s not “proper.”

So, just be prepared for run-on sentences, improper structure, and sometimes lack of correct punctuations!

Looking foward to your comments, questions, and suggestions.

Let’s get the fun started!

~vs

Beginnings of this Blog

2010-04-03T11:54:00.006-04:00

Last night Vitra and I (Kameko) had our first official outing as 'Be The Team'. (trust me there are tons of previous outings, maybe we will post file pics.) We celebrated our progress and potential over some sushi. What better way to start of a new adventure! Sake, Spicy Tuna, and Passion Rolls. Mura Japanese fusion 369 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215 was our first target and it did not disappoint. Service was friendly and spot on. Plus when I ran back into the restaurant after forgetting my blackberry. The owner was there to hand it to me upon my return. Next time any of you all are in Brooklyn and in the mood for sushi, stop by. Let us know what you think.

For me this represents more than just a blog. This is the beginning of putting our strengths and passions together to make something that our friends, families, and new friends will ultimately enjoy. This blog is two friends, from two different background navigating the world one day at a time.

Tonight stay tuned as we head to 'Target First Saturday's' at the Brooklyn Museum. Follow them on twitter @Brooklynmusem . Tonight's team is Egyptian and Afrobeat music. Two of my favorite musical forms. Egyptian pop is what kept me going while living and working in Cairo, Egypt. Afrobeat is just the TRUTH. Ok, going to sign off now so I can do some grocery shopping (Trader Joes, Target, C-Town) doing some studying, and get ready to rock out tonight-KJ

Be The Team

Night of Music at Lebain

Culinary Adventures in Puerto Rico

Hola Puerto Rico: La Isla Del Encanto

Visions of Puerto Rico, May 2011

My Songkran Experience In Bangkok Back in 2005 (Songkran = Thai New Year)

Meet Jessy: Host, Producer, Singer -- Joie De Vivre

Barbados 2010: Came Across The Following Thoughts

You Can Take Us Out of Carnival, But You Can’t Take Carnival Out of Us!

My Final Stop in Costa Rica: Manuel Antonio

My Two Nights in Arenal, Costa Rica

My Adventures In Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Photography 101 – 11/9/10

Ziggy Marley Concert 9-19-10 ~VS

Ziggy Marley Concert ~KJ

Wall Street & NY Water Taxi Ride – July 2010

The Frying Pan (Manhattan) and SugarCane (Brooklyn)

Mojo Jerk Chicken Wings $7.95 Spicy jerk chicken wings dressed with a passion fruit vinaigrette and served with mango mayonnaise dipping sauce

Sugarcane Shrimp $11.95 Grilled jumbo shrimp on sugarcane skewers. Glazed with Sugarcane’s secret sauce. Served with sweet plantains

Mango-Pineapple Chow $6.95 Fresh mango and pineapples with pimento peppers, chandon benie, lime and garlic

Six Flags Great Adventure: July 2010 ~VS

Comedy Cellar on Friday, June 18th ~VS

Checking Out 'EN' Restaurant in Brooklyn 6/11/10 ~KJ

#5: A Walk Over the Brooklyn Bridge & The Whitney Museum 5/15/10 ~KJ

#5: A Walk Over the Brooklyn Bridge & The Whitney Museum 5/15/10 ~VS

#4: Cirque Du Soleil OVO May 7, 2010 ~VS

#4: Cirque Du Soleil OVO May 7, 2010 ~KJ

A Morning in Dumbo 5-8-10 ~VS

#3—Soca Party @SOBs, April 24th, 2010 ~KJ

#3—Soca Party @SOBs, April 24th, 2010 ~ VS

Partying at the Shadow Nightclub ~KJ

#2: NY International Auto Show, April 10th ~KJ

#2: NY International Auto Show, April 10th ~ VS

#1: First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum ~KJ

#1: First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum ~VS

Beginnings of This Blog by VS

Beginnings of this Blog

Mojo Jerk Chicken Wings $7.95
Spicy jerk chicken wings dressed with a passion fruit vinaigrette and served with mango mayonnaise dipping sauce

Sugarcane Shrimp $11.95
Grilled jumbo shrimp on sugarcane skewers. Glazed with Sugarcane’s secret sauce. Served with sweet plantains

Mango-Pineapple Chow $6.95
Fresh mango and pineapples with pimento peppers, chandon benie, lime and garlic