I can’t believe today is the last day in this year. Even though I have experienced this for thirty-four years now, it has a whole new feeling to me this time around. Having just begun my thirty-fourth year in these last two weeks I have become a changed woman. Sure the process has been underway for a while but now I am really feeling myself taking my life in my hands and in stride. I have eliminated a lot of negativity and self-destructing language I have a way of using when I am talking to myself. I figure I should treat myself better than I treat others and I would never have uttered out loud my previous thoughts when trying to comfort someone else. I am always encouraging and looking for the silver lining so now I am making sure that is behavior I use internally as well as externally. I realize I am actually looking forward to this New Year. Oddly enough there are so many posts online today about how to get through it and not become distraught or

Allegiance is a strong word. It invokes a serious tone and serious loyalty often at times when as a country we are at our weakest. It is not altogether different than having faith. You are basing your opinion on what you perceive to be the truth. Unfortunately sometimes our faith betrays us when our country decides war is an excuse for incomparable treatment of its citizens. Sadly there are way too many examples of this. For tonight though we are focused on a specific incident during World War II (WWII), the Japanese-Americans forced into internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This intense period of history is the subject of a new play on Broadway, Allegiance. It is a musical inspired by the life of George Takei (of Star Trek fame), one of the show’s leading men. As a fan of “Real Time with Bill Maher” I have seen George on the program a few times. Bill is always quick to point on a movie or book we should know about. It is how I found o

I have been spending a lot of time with the Roosevelt’s lately, and it has been delightful. Despite the fact that my favorite members of this famous family have passed, they still bring me an exceeding amount of joy and inspiration. It is less strange than it sounds and I can prove it. As part of my ritual of trying to accomplish all of the things on my annual to do list (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-year-5-2015-2016-to-do-list.html), I decided this was the year I would finally make to each of the Roosevelt residences that have been on my list for as long as I can remember. Small goals like that are how I tackle a list as long as mine. But the houses aren’t the focal point just yet. First we are going to talk about the places I got to scope out because I was in the backyard of greatness. So while I am starting out with food, it is not the way the day progressed. First I found myself at

This blog is going to come as a surprise to many people. I had to talk myself into it but I went with my instinct. My instinct is always right. So when something I previously didn’t enjoy becomes a new delightful experience I have to spread the word. It is my job after all. Vinny’s is a small restaurant in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn. Carroll Gardens is a very popular neighborhood nowadays. It is filled with many places to eat, drink, and be merry. With so many places to choose from it helps to have a recommendation you can trust. It is with this in mind I write this blog. Vinny’s has been a place my family has been going to for around ten years. They swear by it. It is run by, shocker- Vinny- who is always working hard cooking or taking care of customers. There are maybe ten tables at most including a few booths. Reservations are not taken so you may have to wait for a while to get in especially during th