Filming in the City

 

When I walked outside my building this afternoon, I immediately noticed more than the usual activity on the block for this time of day on a Sunday. Now curious to know what the heck was going on, I traveled down the street to find out why. 

It was the incomparable Ice-T and his production crew filming a scene. I hung out for a few minutes to observe and eventually asked a production crew member what they were filming. I figured it was a new episode of Law & Order SVU, but I didn’t know if the series ended because I don’t watch this show. Lol!

 

After some witty banter, she informed me that they were filming something else. We then exchanged a friendly goodbye, and I got on with my afternoon. Nevertheless, it was nice to see a behind the scenes film crew working on a gorgeous autumn day!

Did you bump into anything interesting this weekend?

Have a relaxing Sunday evening!

#inspire

Chelsea Piers

This Saturday morning reflection began to develop as I was getting ready to walk across the West Side Hwy on the way to Chelsea Piers. With five people standing nearby 6-feet apart, the traffic light finally turned red, triggering the pedestrian walk signal to turn on, and I started trotting across the street.

As I got closer to the building in the photo, everything around me seemed to be moving in slow motion, and then out of the blue, an inspiring thought flashed into my mind!

 

With 19 seconds to go before the light turned green, I stopped in the middle of the crosswalk, held up my phone, snapped a quick pic to capture the moment, and then rushed to the other side of the street with 11 seconds to spare. Lol!

After making my way to the entrance of the Chelsea Piers driving range, I took a few minutes to summarize what I was thinking while crossing the street into my journal app. Doing that will afford me the luxury to quickly pick up where I left off so that I could crystallize that uplifting thought on the stroll home. 😊

As you might expect, time flies when you’re having fun with friends, and before I knew it, our time hitting golf balls from the upper level overlooking the Hudson was over, and we went on about our business.

Anything fun planned for this weekend?

#nyc

 

A Subway Ride

 

I hopped on the E-train this past Saturday morning, headed Uptown, and got on a train car with just a few riders. Thank goodness! With two stops to go before arriving at my destination, Rockefeller Center, I ended up in a lighthearted NYC staring contest with another passenger.

Then, right on cue, I heard the conductor’s voice over the intercom say, “Stand clear of the closing doors, please,” and the double doors closed, and we left the station! Now with one stop to go, it was time to conclude the eyeball looking battle, so I gave her a friendly nod of the head, stood up, waved goodbye, and got on with my day. Lol!

Allow me to add; this mask thing has taken eye contact with people to a whole new level. I have been fascinated by how we communicate with family, friends, and others during our rare social distancing encounters. Moreover, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I find beauty in all of these moments.

As I get ready to take an evening stroll, I will end this post by encouraging all of you to journal your thoughts during this extraordinary period because you will have an incredible story to tell.

I hope you enjoyed our 1,300 character train ride. Please feel free to share your thoughts and always embrace living in the present moment!

Have a peaceful evening.

#nyc

Rockefeller Center

While hanging out in front of 30 Rock this morning, a sudden burst of cold air went through my body, and then I stood frozen listening to the wind howling around the Plaza. Indeed, the 57-degree temperature felt refreshing, which is a telltale sign that autumn is just around the corner.

Thinking about the change in weather and the splendor of fall, I figured that this would be an excellent time to buy a cup of hot cocoa in honor of the new season. So I asked Siri for a recommendation, and she suggested the Godiva Café only a few blocks away; let’s do it!

On the way, I made it a point to take in the sights, sounds and embrace the spirit of the city. Amidst our ongoing social distancing efforts, I’ve missed the usual hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, whether it is the packed sidewalks with people moving in every direction or the yellow cabs driving in the streets; oh, how I miss that action and the intensity of NYC at that moment.

I soon made it to the mobile order pickup area to grab a mocha smooth espresso dark chocolate steamed milk with sprinkled cocoa powder on top. Yep, I tried something new. Lol! After taking a few sips, tasty I must add, got my bearings, and raced up 6th Ave to get on the subway!

What are you doing this Saturday?

Have a great weekend!

#nyc

 

The Apollo Theater

 

I visited Upper Manhattan this Saturday morning to meet up with a few friends for brunch at the Red Rooster. I purposely arrived an hour early so that I could power walk the streets of Harlem to admire its beauty while feeling its unique vibe.

As I roamed around this historic neighborhood like a tourist for 45 minutes, I eventually arrived at the corner of Frederick Douglas Blvd and 125th St. I determined that this was an excellent time to catch my breath.

After watching a candy apple red fire truck drive by and obstructing my view, the second that I could see down the block, there it was, the iconic Apollo Theater!

Although it is closed to the public, I walked over to the main entrance of this historic landmark to take a picture. I then took a moment to reminisce on the times that I would watch "Showtime at the Apollo" and laugh hysterically! It never mattered to me if a contestant won or got booed off the stage because I was more impressed by them having the guts to chase their dream!

Soon it was time to hustle over to the restaurant, and I arrived just in the nick of time for our reservation. When it was time to order, without hesitation, I went with the chicken and waffles. Let's eat!

Where did you have brunch today?

Enjoy your weekend! 😊

#harlem

Exercise!

 

With the second Wednesday in September headed into nightfall, a random evening thought brought me back to the wee hours of this morning when I was getting ready for an early am jog. The time was 5:07 AM, and there was a chill in the air, so I reached in my bag to pull out a sky blue windbreaker, put it on, and began my warmup routine.

Just before leaving to grind out a 3-mile run to jump-start my day, I looked across the Hudson at the view that never gets old to get my juices flowing, and then I tied my shoelaces tight, gently tapped the go button on the stopwatch app, and took off running!

When I arrived at my stopping point dripping with sweat, I checked my time, and even though I didn’t beat my record, close, but no cigar, the time spent exercising while reflecting bright and early was an invigorating experience. I capped it off by sipping on a fresh cup of coffee from a nearby café on a public bench outside, watching the sunrise, and listening to a motivational playlist on Apple Music. Now let’s go win the day!

How did you start your morning? Did you get your steps in today?

Stay safe, healthy, and enjoy your evening! 

#nyc

NYC Street Food Vendors

Every so often, I buy food from a street vendor in the city like most New Yorkers. With my ongoing commitment to patronize small businesses whenever I can during these extraordinary times, this evening presented a chance to do so; thus, when I spotted a line of mobile food trucks, I immediately walked over to order a hot dog with sauerkraut and mustard.

As I stood in line, waiting to place my order, I began checking out the menu, and goodness gracious, with so many food options, I thought I was at a full-service restaurant! I am talking chicken wings, cheeseburgers, fries, cheesesteaks, gyros, fried rice, shrimp, and much more. I felt compelled to get out of line to rethink what I wanted to order. Lol!

After moving off to the side for a few minutes to watch the action, I noticed that most people ordered the cheesesteak. You know me, I introduced myself to a lady who was devouring a hoagie and asked her how it tasted standing 6-feet apart. Before speaking, she pulled up her mask and said, “it’s delicious,” and then we both burst out laughing!

That was good enough for me, so I hopped back in line and told the order taker to give me exactly what she had, which in the end, was a great decision.

Thank you for reading this lighthearted post on a lovely Sunday evening. 😊

 

A Strong Foundation

Upon receiving a call from the fitness club manager this week regarding the gym’s reopening, to say that I was excited is an understatement! She explained the precautions they’ve put in place to ensure a safe environment, which satisfied my concerns, so I reserved workout times for the week.

After working out this morning with a mask and sanitizing my hands for the umpteenth time, I grabbed my bag and started to walk home. On the way, a skyscraper that is under construction caught my eye, and a thought popped into my head! I stopped, sat down on a sidewalk curb, and began capturing my thoughts.

Now analyzing the building from top to bottom, I mentally replayed the many times of walking by the construction site and being fascinated at the sight of the workers laying the foundation in preparation for building this tower. I stood in awe at their progress and the creativity, planning, and execution required to construct such a gigantic structure.

Thinking about this in the context of life supports the importance of taking the time to design a sound plan to pursue your goals, followed by execution. Concerning creativity, this pandemic has awakened the creative mojo inside of many of us. If you fall into that bucket, embrace, and act on your new ideas pronto!

Enjoy your weekend! 😊