I don’t know about you but I feel overwhelmed with trying to keep up with Social Media. I’m only active on four sites and trying to read everything that everyone sends me and respond also is quite exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, I love it but how do I not feel bad if I can’t get back to you right away?
How do the celebrities do it with fifty-five million followers? WOW!
Just know that I think all of my followers are lovely. Even if I don’t respond.
Love,
Rose
The skip in my step, the holding of my hand, the scent and color of beautiful flowers given to me, your lips touching mine and a never-ending smile. Love can be wonderful. Love is you.
Love,
Rose
As You Can See, My Last Post was in October of 2015. I wrote about my incredible adventure in Paris, France. Less than a month later, a terrorist attack happened on the outskirts of the City. I was heartbroken. Truly heartbroken. This is why I have not written. My silence began.
With a new year, there are new dreams and things to look forward to. And with that, I would like to wish everyone Peace.
Reach High. Dream Big. And Love.
Love,
Rose
Just recently I went on an amazing trip to Paris, France. It was a spur-of-the-moment vacation with a good friend and I couldn’t have been planned a better trip. We stayed at the Hotel Ares Eiffel which is a small boutique hotel and within walking distance of everything. We turned the corner of the hotel and there were restaurants every few feet. The Eiffel Tower and the Seine River was a twenty minute walk. Not far at all. The Metro, their version of the MTA of New York City, was clean and not crowded. I ride the MTA transit system all the time. As much as I love New York City, you can take me (and my belongings) and place me right in the City of Paris. Forever. I would be perfectly happy.
I heard so many stories about how they don’t like us Americans and they wish we wouldn’t visit their country. I must say that they are the nicest people. They guided us to the right location every time. Most of them spoke English and when they didn’t speak our language they did their best to accommodate us. I love love love Paris and I will definitely go back again someday.
One of the things that we couldn’t figure out while we dined at the restaurants in Paris was whether to tip the waiter or not. After several meals we decided to ask a Frenchman that was also dining. He told us that we are NOT to tip and that it was included in the check. We did so anyway, I guess being from New York City, we felt we should. I will say the waiters were very happy. This brings me to say what’s happening with the restaurants in New York City. Some restaurants are doing away with the notion of the customer tipping…or not.
More New York restaurants are expected to switch to service-included systems in the coming year to help cope with rising labor costs. The state’s tipped minimum wage, which is what waiters and bartenders make before tips, will rise by $2.50 to $7.50 in January; restaurants can avoid the impact of that law by raising prices, banning tips, and paying their service-staff the full minimum or more.
Don’t forget to visit Paris. It was so lovely.
Love,
Rose
I know I’m going to get a lot of haters out in the world for blogging on this issue. First, let me start by saying that I am a pet lover. I love all animals and I wish them no harm.
I put off writing about this for a couple of weeks but then I saw this from Wolffer Estate Vineyards and I had to express how I feel too. Wolffer Estate Vineyards is in Sagaponack, New York. It is very beautiful there.
“For years, Wölffer Estate has welcomed well-behaved dogs on leash (and their owners). But summer crowds have proven too much for our furry friends. With apologies to our loyal friends and their four-legged companions, we feel it’s time to change our policy. Starting tomorrow (Friday, July 24), dogs will no longer be allowed at the main winery or the Wine Stand. Due to the heat of the season, we recommend dogs not be left unattended in your vehicle. Please plan accordingly!”
Exactly how I feel! I was recently on vacation in Newport, Rhode Island. A beautiful place with a lovely New England feel. These are the settings I came across in my daily travels there and as well as everywhere else I went.
The Top Three Places To Not Bring Your Dog:
1. Crowded Areas– please don’t bring your pet to a street festival or crafts fair where there are a lot of people walking around with their families. Pets can feel threatened and therefore a dog attack can happen. A few years back, I myself was bitten by a dog for no reason at all. The dog just wanted to attack. Luckily, it wasn’t a bad bite.
2. Store- please don’t take your pets to the store. Is it necessary to bring them into the supermarket, souvenir shop, or even dressing room of the local clothing store? Yes, the dressing room! I was at a clothing store (not mentioning this big brand name) and out of the dressing room comes a gentleman with his Jack Terrier. I was amazed. An adorable dog, yes. But, really? Please leave them home. If you don’t want to leave them home, then maybe you don’t have the time to have a pet.
3. Playgrounds- they are for children. Children love doggies. And they will march right up to a dog and pet them. Children have no fear and don’t know that these animals can be dangerous.
Thank you Wolffer Estate for seeing what I’ve been thinking about for a long time.
Love,
Rose
First, a little bit of history on Tavern on the Green. The building housing the restaurant was originally the sheepfold that housed the sheep that grazed Sheep Meadow; built to a design by Calvert Vaux in 1870. It became a restaurant as part of a 1934 renovation of the park under Robert Moses, New York City’s Commissioner of Parks. It’s located near Central Park West and West 66th Street.
I have been frequenting this famous restaurant for years. My time there started about twenty years ago when Warner LeRoy owned it and it had that infamous crystal room overlooking the patio. It had that seventies feel. It was like a maze, though, walking through the hallways. They were filled with mirrors from floor to ceiling. After a few cocktails, you can definitely feel lost and even more woozy than before entering. My goodness.
I recently returned to the new Tavern on the Green with the farmhouse feel. Each room was different than the other. First, while walking into the foyer there was a gigantic vase filled with flowers. Too gigantic to be real. After, there’s the old dark wood paneling in the bar room. It then opens up the main dining area. It was bright with floor to ceiling windows and it did feature the kitchen where the chefs are creating their specialties. We feasted on roasted chicken over rice which was a bit dry and the service wasn’t that great.
We then ventured outside where it was a beautiful Summer evening. We had after dinner drinks and relaxed on one of the outdoor couches. It was a perfect night to star gaze. Overall, it was a beautiful and lovely evening and I would definitely continue to enjoy one of New York’s oldest restaurants.
Love,
Rose
Back in mid-February of this year, it was time to think about the Summer and my swimsuit body. I figured I would need a couple of months to get the weight off. I didn’t have much to lose. Maybe ten pounds. But, ten pounds is a lot when I love ALL sweets, especially ice cream. I thought to myself, “How am I going to do this?” I eat well but my diet doesn’t contain a lot of vegetables. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s that it takes too long to cook them. Within the last year, I’ve been eating out a lot. Whether it be at a social gathering or just grabbing something on my way home from a long day of work.
I’m on every social media platform and E-Mail list there is so I’ve been looking through every site to find the right diet. And there it was. 22 Days Nutrition. A vegan meal delivery service. And it was being promoted by Beyonce and Jay Z. Hmm, this could be the one? Again, I don’t eat a lot of vegetables and I don’t have the time to cook them. I decided to give it a try. I didn’t want the whole twenty-two days of meals just yet. I’m a picky eater and I wanted to try the five day plan (one meal a day) to see if I liked it. I loved it! It came to my home freshly packaged in a cooler with several ice packs. Yes, a cooler. Every meal was organic, gluten-free, soy-free and low sodium. Low sodium meaning 60mg. That is very low. The meals consisted of chick peas with carrots and broccoli. Brown rice with kale and cabbage. Lentils with carrots and celery. The variety goes on and on. Each meal can be split into two meals. That’s how much was given. I then decided to order the full 22 Days Nutrition Vegan Meal Delivery plan. Again, I chose one meal a day. I felt I could manage breakfast and lunch on my own. My breakfast consisted of oatmeal with blueberries or almonds. And my lunches consisted of salad with olive oil. Very plain. The less calories and fat the better.
I wound up losing eight pounds on this diet! Overall I lost twelve pounds by maintaining my eating habits. I feel and look a lot better. It’s all about portion control too.
I’m no longer on the 22 Days Nutrition diet but it helped me get to where I needed to be.
Isn’t that just lovely?
Love,
Rose
I wanted to start the sixth month of the year with my being a food critic for all the restaurants that we visit. I know, I should have started this at the beginning of the year. Time goes so fast sometimes, that before we know it, the year is over. So here is my first foodie of the year. And what better way than to start with this one:
Just this past Monday, I had the honor of meeting Ralph Lauren at his new restaurant, The Polo Bar in New York City. It was a night that will never be forgotten. Yes, you heard me right. We met The Man, Ralph Lauren! (In case you don’t know, Ralph Lauren is an American clothing designer and is known all over the world for his classic fashion designs). I was stunned and speechless. And thankfully, I had my Ralph Lauren floral dress on too. There are no photographs to show because it’s highly disrespectful to take photographs with an iconic designer. What I have is the memory. We couldn’t stop talking about it. It was part of our conversation for days.
This exclusive eatery, by reservation only, is his first New York City restaurant. Zagat rated, “A Midtown American is replete with private-club touches, including a fireplace and equestrian-themed art. In the dining room, the menu highlights classic fare, while an upstairs bar offers craft beers, cocktails and snacks.”
We dined on their classic cheeseburger with bacon, broccolini and a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream sundae for dessert. We loved every bite of it. The food was an A+ and the service was even better.
Reservations are hard to get. They are only open for dinner and once you’re in, you’ll feel part of an exclusive club.
Just lovely.
Love,
Rose
Today we remember all the armed forces, our heroes, who fought for our country. Thank you for all that you have done to protect our freedom. I salute each and every one of you and remember you, not just for today, but everyday.
It’s also the unofficial start of Summer. It’s a time to spend with family, friends and loved ones. Please be careful and have a wonderful Summer!
Love,
Rose
TONIGHT is the biggest Fashion event of the year!
The Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Gala and also known as the MetBall, is an annual fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It marks the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit.
This year’s theme is “China: Through the Looking Glass” . Western eyes have drawn inspiration from “exotic” Asian images since the seventeenth century.”
I’m very excited to see all the dresses that the celebrities are wearing. Oscar de la Renta, Balenciaga, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Ines di Santo. The list goes on and on. The one thing we won’t be seeing this year is the selfie. Yes, no selfies are to be taken. All cell phones and social media are to be left at the door. The Metropolitan Museum of Art sent out a notice to guests stating that neither picture-taking nor social media will be permitted inside the annual event. As we know, Anna Wintour isn’t the hugest fan of the selfie. With the gala under her reign, this could be her way of wielding power against the social media trend she refuses to follow.
Tonight is going to be just lovely.
Love,
Rose
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