I have written extensively about the holidays I love, Christmas being my favorite and Thanksgiving coming in a close second. If I am being honest Election Day and my birthday struggle to compete in those number one and number two spots. But I realize I am probably alone in that thinking. From Halloween until New Years Day there is holiday spirit we can see no matter where we go. Stores are always selling items ahead of time rushing us to the next holiday before we can even enjoy the day that is in front of us. When it comes to the New Year and spring I often do not count those holidays. You know Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and last but not least, Easter. I may acknowledge these “minor” holidays in small ways: I send cards to my beloved cousins, niece, and nephew, eat some festive colored candy, and use it as an excuse to take some pictures. But every once and a while the days you don’t plan on celebrati...

Once again I am checking off something from my 2015 to do list ( http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2015/03/for-year-5-2015-2016-to-do-list.html ). This time it was a restaurant in Brooklyn that has developed quite a following. Buttermilk Channel opened in November 2008 with Chef Ryan Angulo previously of The Stanton Social ( http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2012/04/for-french-onion-soup-dumplings-stanton.html ), a very dear favorite of mine, which coincidentally I will be revisiting again soon. This restaurant is on a quiet street in downtown Brooklyn taking up the corner spot. There were a bunch of tables outside for when the weather finally warms up. From the outside you wouldn’t even notice the address or name of the establishment until you are right in front of it. There in the window and on the banners down below is the name, simply, plainly, calmly. There is no show boating and that tone would be the sam...

Waterzooi Belgian Bistro might not roll off your tongue so easily but their food surely will. It is on a quaint main street in the heart of Garden City, Long Island. I have known about it for quite some time as I went to college in the area. That has been longer than I like to think about. Oddly enough when I was only a few blocks away I never knew much about it except that they made great drinks for happy hours and as acted as a late night lounge. I never did make it back then college students have such different priorities. Ironically over the last two years it has become something I am actively seeking out. It all started when I made my to do list for 2014, and it followed me on to this year’s to do list as well (see the previous post). I don’t know why I didn’t pursue it more actively as I am on the Island often visiting family. I suppose it was so close that I always thought I would get to it and instead over planned days took ov...

Another year has past, another list has been created, so another blog must go up. So far for 2015 has been a great one for me. I don’t know what it is exactly I can’t put my finger on it except to say it’s a feeling I have on the inside. It can escape me at times but mostly if I take some deep breathes and calm my center I can feel the passion and ambition to keep going on my journey. I trust my gut to guide me in the right direction without having to over think it. There is something about the feeling I have when I am typing. Simultaneously I am achieving peace and joy. I don’t care if it’s in the middle of the night, sleep does not seem important until I have tickled the ivory keys of my Mac. It does not matter what the words or the topic is. Just the exercise of that action does something for me. To know that I will always find something to write about, to share, to explore, means that I will have this feeling the rest of my life....