Well it’s that time of year again.
Today is the day I will announce my updated to do list for the coming months. I
am a little bit behind because there seems to be more and more places I MUST
add. There is so much to do, so much to write about that this priority I fear
has been neglected. While always on my mind I wanted to figure out a new way to
evaluate the places I want to go and why. Going into the sixth year of this
blog it was definitely time to step up my game a bit.
With that in mind, I have decided
to change my methods up a bit. This year I am going to separate what remains
from last year and what I plan for this year. I will breakdown activities and
restaurants by borough and/or state, if they are in the tri-state area. I think
this will give me and hopefully you a new perspective when approaching your
bucket lists. I hope this makes planning out my time much more easy to be able
to look with a quicker glance at what I can do, whenever I am in the area. Yes
I do print these lists and carry them on me so that I know at all times if I
can slip in a blog post when I least expect it. I love when I can kill two
birds with one stone.
My greatest stresses when
compiling this annual list is that I will forget to include something. As I
prepare for it each year, I start writing down new places to go as I learn
about them, send myself activities to accomplish, and printing out exciting new
adventures I am already planning in my mind. If I didn’t have to write and the
information could just be transmitted from my brain to the blog that would
really help me out a great deal. Since that is not likely to happen this week I
am forging ahead on my own.
I decided than when I looked at
last year’s list and the activities I haven’t gotten to, that somewhere no
longer of interest to me. Most had been passed down from one year to the next
and often suggested by someone else. I didn’t want to have to feel like I
“have” to do things I am no longer interested in simply because they were a bulleted
item from another time.
I did the same thing when looking
at the restaurants I have listed. I was surprised that I didn’t really have
much I wanted to remove. I am taking it as a good sign. I usually am correct
when I decide there is a place I want to go to. I am not easily talked into
just any meal at just any place. I need the full trifecta of good service,
great food, and a well-designed establishment.
Ever since Blackfish debuted on
CNN I have been obsessed with orcas and SeaWorld’s miss treatment of them. I
have never gone to SeaWorld and now even though I want to see them up close, I
wouldn’t dare support that institution. Luckily for me I have found local whale
watching tours I plan to take this summer to get my fix. I know that Boston and
Vancouver are notorious for their whale watching trips but I hope mine will
hold me over until I can make it there.
I have removed the section on
plays, concerts, and entertainment from this year’s list. I have nothing on the
horizon that I am even remotely interested in. However I am curious about the
newly renovated and opened Kings Theater in Brooklyn. Having a world famous
venue reopen and attract so many stars has been very exciting for me. I am
pumped to go visit and definitely want to see something performed there. I just
don’t have it scheduled just yet.
This is the first year in as long
as I can remember where there isn’t a play I am waiting around for. I went to
Allegiance (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2015/12/for-politics-and-pain-of-pledging.html)
this year and that was good enough for me. I heard rumors about Aaron Sorkin
writing “To Kill a Mockingbird” to come to Broadway next year but I am not
holding my breath. But if this does happen I will be there on opening night! I
kid you not. This is my favorite book and movie of all time. I hope my boy
makes me proud.
| Activities | ||
| List | ||
| 2015/2016 | 2016/2017 | |
| Manhattan | Harriet Tubman Statute (H) | Frederick Douglas Statute (H) |
| Harriet Tubman's House | Upland NYC | |
| Collyer Brother's Park | Tanner Smith's | |
| Alexander Hamilton's Grange | AMNH- Titanosaur | |
| Morris-Jumel Mansion | City Hall Park Monuments | |
| Grant's Tomb | St. John's Divine Church | |
| Brooklyn | Brooklyn Historical Society | Kings Theater Tour |
| Jackie Robinson Statute (CI) | ||
| Coney Island Museum | ||
| Brooklyn Bowl | ||
| Bronx | Van Cortlandt House Museum | |
| Queens | Woodlawn Cemetery | Whale Watching Cruise |
| Ferncliff Cemetery | ||
| Outer boroughs | Lyndhurst Mansion | Boldt Castle |
| Jay Heritage Center | Pilgram Psychiatric Hospital | |
| Gold Coast Mansions | ||
| Meals | ||
| List | ||
| 2015/2016 | 2016/2017 | |
| Manhattan | Fresco by Scotto | Harry's Café and Steak |
| Gato | Russian Tea Room | |
| Emmett's | Rainbow Room | |
| Marta's Manhattan | Clocktower | |
| The Frying Pan | Edwards NYC | |
| Kefi | Juicy Spot Cafe | |
| Amy Ruth's | Campell Apartment | |
| S'Mac | ||
| Four Seasons Garden Brunch | ||
| Hill Country BBQ | ||
| Lasagna Ristorante | ||
| Lafayette | ||
| Hunt and Fish Club | ||
| Landmark | ||
| Rye House | ||
| Mighty Quinn's BBQ | ||
| Sarabeth's | ||
| Black Seed Bagels | ||
| Beacher's Handmade Cheese | ||
| Murray's Cheese | ||
| Sugar, Sweet Sunshine Bakery | ||
| Sullivan Street Bakery | ||
| Laughing Man Coffee | ||
| Levain Bakery | ||
| Sugar and Plumm | ||
| Insomnia Cookies | ||
| Blue Bottle Coffee | ||
| Brooklyn | Best Pizza | Walter Food’s |
| Patsy's | Hope and Achor | |
| Lucali | Odd Fellows Ice Cream | |
| Lefferts House | ||
| Super Crown Coffee | ||
| Hotel Delmano | ||
| Bronx | Jake's Steak House | |
| Queens | Sal, Chris & Charlies Deli | |
| Sorriso Italian Salumeria | ||
| Outerboroughs | Sallys Apizza (New Haven CT) | |
When planning a year the next
logical thoughts for me are where I am wanting to go that is outside of NYC? I
am now immediately planning weekend trips for me to cross off some other bucket
list items. For instance,
I have always enjoyed visiting
former presidential homes (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-rock-n-roll-ribs-and-reflection_03.html)
and the two that remain on the top of that list are George Washington’s Mount
Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Also the White House but that takes a
little more planning.
Speaking of Washington, D.C. the
most exciting thing that is happening down there is going to be the opening of
the brand new Smithsonian museum: “National Museum of African American History
and Culture”. I have literally been waiting years for this museum (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2012/04/for-power-of-proper-burial-african.html)
to open and plan to be one of the firsts inside giving my blog an edge. This
museum will tell the story of slavery, civil rights, and the progression of
African American life in America. There are so many pieces I am anxious to see
and I am sure each room will take my breath away. It makes me wonder how we
have gone so long without a facility of this kind.
Another museum I am very
interested in is the “Museum of the American Revolution” in Philadelphia (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2015/09/for-city-of-brotherly-love-benjamin.html)
however that will not be opening until 2017. It will be placed right in
the prime neighborhood of Benjamin Franklin’s house, Liberty Bell, and
Independence Hall. This is such a thrill for me. Now I have something new to
look forward to during my visit next year.
As for travel you will have to
wait and read what happens next. I am not giving any hints I want to let this
year take me where I am meant to be. This way it will be a surprise for us all.
I hope to earn a phrase said to me recently “OMG I AM OVER THE MOON FOR YOU!”
Joy plus Joy equals Bliss.
I did decide to mention my
favorite blogs of this past year and I have to say I am proud of them all. The
most recent story regarding today’s primary election in New York. It turns out
that the more personal, series posts are the ones I like the best. I like to
encourage and inform people, and I know what it does for me when I share
something so elementary in my life.
On the other hand, I am thrilled
about having made it to Springwood and Sagamore Hill, visiting the Roosevelt
cousin’s peace of heaven on Earth.
Looking back I can see how my
predictions (http://thequeenoff-ckingeverything.blogspot.com/2015/12/for-my-34-year-old-truth.html)
are coming true.
Now I can say with confidence that this year is only going to
get better and better. I can feel it in my migraine brain, at least most of the
time which is definitely an improvement over last year. That’s all that I can
ask for, for now. Next year all bets are off.
My Favorite Year 5 Blogs:
For Prior Year Lists:
nice post
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