Today’s Throwback Thursday isn’t that far a throwback – just to this past Tuesday when we did our annual jaunt into New York City for the Christmas decorations. The video below is of the window displays at various New York City department stores – Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Sak’s and Bergdorf Goodman. We had a blast this year and I’ll be sharing more photos/videos shortly! Click here if you can’t see the Christmas Window video below.
It’s Not Easy Being Green…
Okay, so I love the Muppets! One of my most memorable Manhattan moments was walking past a trailer filled with Muppets of all sizes and their parts while they were filming MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN. And did I mention that MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL is one of my favorite holiday movies! It inspired me to do my own Dickens-like take for A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS.
Needless to say, I am SOOOO excited that there is a new movie coming for Thanksgiving. So excited that I decided to share one of the trailers for it with you this Fun Friday. If you can’t see the video below, you can use this link: http://youtu.be/C4YhbpuGdwQ
I’ll be picking the winners of the various blog hops, etc. over the weekend, so look for them here before Monday!
Hope you all have a great weekend. If you’ll be in the Jackson, NJ area, look for me at the Jackson Library Book Festival on Saturday from 12 to 3! The library is located at 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson, NJ 08527.
Mishaps & Man Candy
So sorry to have missed you yesterday, but my quiet weekend turned into one without power and with hours of work clearing the assorted branches and tree limbs brought down by an unseasonably early snowfall. Luckily we had little damage, although the Halloween decorations took a major hit. Tree limb came right down and ripped off the scarecrow’s head, smashed the creepy fence and tombstones. Now that the holiday is over, we’ll see what we can salvage.
I didn’t want you to miss our Guilty Pleasures Monday, so here is a belated edition with a little man candy that inspired the hero in Amazon Awakening.
The sexy hero in this erotic paranormal romance novella (yes, you read that – erotic) is Rey Peralta and here’s a little teaser about this December release:
Rey Peralta has been sent to persuade Paola Lopes to return to Brazil and take up her place as Priestess of the Guardians, protectors of the sacred realm hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest. He knows Paola is the one they need to ensure their survival—but he doesn’ t expect the instant blast of desire that sparks between them. Her beauty and power call to him, enticing him to merge with her physically and spiritually; a desire that only increases when they give in to their passion and make love. Can he convince Paola to accept her destiny and stay with her people—and by his side?
Wishing you all the best!
Every year my family and I go to Manhattan to see the sights of the Christmas season. I love walking around, seeing the windows and other holiday decorations. This little video I put together for you has some of the photos that we took on our annual jaunt.
I’ll be away for a few days getting ready for the Christmas holiday! I hope you all have a wonderful and Merry Christmas and will be back on Monday.
If you can’t see the video below, you can click here or cut and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJRy7O_ugB0
Thursday 13 – Favorite Foods
I had a chance to have a wonderful business-related dinner last night at an upscale New York City eatery – the Gotham Bar and Grill – which got me going on the theme for today’s Thursday 13, namely, my favorite foods. So here goes!
1. Foie gras. Yes, I know it’s outlawed in California and Oregon, but it’s tasty.
2. Lobster.
3. Hot Dogs.
4. Hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
5. Ice cream. Most any flavor except mint. Yech. I hate mint.
6. Ropa vieja. A tasty Cuban dish of shredded beef in tomato sauce.
7. Cuban roast pork. Love it! I gave out the recipe the other day if you want to try it for yourself. Just click here.
8. Tacos.
9. Cheese and bread.
10. Spaghetti and meatballs (my husband makes the best meatballs!)
11. My sister’s Thanksgiving Meal. (Corn casserole, turkey, pecan pie so many amazing foods!)
12. Eggs. Any way shape or form.
13. Tomato soup with either a tuna or peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the side.
Hope you enjoyed today’s Thursday Thirteen. I welcome you to add any of your foods and even give us some recipes if you can.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!
Friday Five – Things to Do Down the Jersey Shore
I think you all know by now based on the locations for SINS OF THE FLESH and STRONGER THAN SIN that I love being down the Jersey Shore. There is something about being close to the water that just does my Piscean soul a world of wonder, plus there’s the laid back pace. So different from my everyday hustle and bustle when I go to work in Manhattan.
That’s why I’m looking forward to a long weekend at the shore and I thought I would share five things to do down the shore on this Friday Five!
1. Ride a wave, whether with a surf board, boogie board or a teeth-rattling body surf (conditions permitting of course).
2. Spread your blanket beneath the stars and just lay back and enjoy the peace and quiet. Do it on the 4th of July and experience the excitement and wonder of some amazing fireworks.
3. Stroll along the boardwalk and catch the sights. My favorite strip is from the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park down to the Shark River in Belmar, just a few miles of a nice mix of different towns.
4. Satisfy your hunger with a Windmill hot dog loaded with the works.
5. Work off that hot dog with a walk through Ocean Grove and stop for an ice cream at either Days or Nagles, or head to Bradley Beach for ice cream at Beach Plum or an amazing freshly-filled cannoli at Del Ponte’s Bakery.
Hope you all have a marvelous and blessed Labor Day Weekend.
Thoughtful Thursday – New York Minutes
I love New York City and I guess by New York City I mean the island of Manhattan. It’s one of the big reasons I decided to set THE CALLING vampire series in Manhattan — I wanted to give you a flavor for the different parts of the city. If you’ve been reading the books, you know that the stories move from Tribeca to SoHo to Spanish Harlem. In future books in the series (ARDOR CALLS and VENGEANCE CALLS – dates of release to be known shortly), you’ll see shots of Midtown and Times Square.
I thought I’d share on these Thursdays some little known facts about Manhattan and also about some of the Jersey Shore locations in the SINS series.
Today’s New York Minute is about Sixth Avenue also known as Avenue of the Americas. Much like hearing someone say Houston St. (like the city in Texas) instead of like “Howston”, it’s a dead giveaway that you’re a tourist if you say Avenue of the Americas. It’s also very confusing since most New Yorkers call it Sixth Avenue.
The problem began in 1945 when Fiorella LaGuardia, one of the city’s most beloved mayors, renamed Sixth Avenue. In the years since then, the lamp posts bore plaques donated by the OAS – Organization of American States to symbolize each of the countries in the Americas. I remember seeing them as a kid whenever we came into “the city” for some event. Unfortunately, the plaques were lost when the city put in new lamp posts in the early 1990s.
Forgotten NY has wonderful shots of these plaques. You can click here to see the Sixth Avenue country plaques.
There are also a number of statues all along Sixth Avenue to honor famous people from the Americas. From the western most edge of Bryant Park (also along Sixth) to where Sixth runs into Central Park, there are gorgeous bronzes to be admired. This is a statue of Jose Marti, a leader for Cuban Independence from Spain. The statue sits at the entrance to Central Park on Sixth Avenue.
Above Central Park, Sixth Avenue once again changes names, this time to Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard, also creating confusion with the use of two names!
Beneath Sixth Avenue run a number of things –The IND Sixth Avenue subway lines (B D F V trains) as well as the PATH Trains to New Jersey. As for how long Sixth Avenue is — it’s one of the longest in the city running from as far south as Canal Street at the southernmost part of Manhattan up through Harlem.
Want to know more? You can read more about Sixth Avenue by clicking here and visiting Forgotten NY!