Gifts Galore

58 Wine Bar (East Village) Wine & Jazz Meetup Party

2011-05-01T19:28:00.007-04:00

Thursday, May 26, 2011 - 6:00 PM

Come join "New York City Social Group" at Cellar 58 Wine Bar located in the East Village our Wine & Jazz Meetup Party!

Membership is free

•Just $2 Pre-pay online or $5 at the door.

•The event is from 6 to 10 PM.

•Everyone gets a Name Tag for Social Networking.

•Wine Specials under $10.

•FREE Appetizers will be offered.

•All women get FREE Chocolate and Beads.

•LIVE Jazz will be performed.

•Raffle contest to win prizes.

•Meet new people and expand your social circle.

•Feel free to invite many of your friends.

•Dressy Casual attire is preferred for this event.

•The general age range of our group is 25-49.

•Everyone is responsible for their own expenses.

•2nd Avenue Subway Station nearby.(F,V Trains)

•Free Street Parking in the area after 6 PM.

Garage Sale - Saturday, April 30th 10am-4pm at 191 Byram Rd. (Greenwich, CT)

2011-04-26T14:57:00.003-04:00

Stop by, take a look at the fantastic selection and prices and be sure to wish

Andrew a "Happy Birthday"!

There's nothing like a great yard or garage sale to celebrate the end of Winter. This one promises to be as memorable as you can get. It is Andrew's birthday and to celebrate he is offering 100s of pieces of exquisite McCoy Pottery plus furniture, jewelry, books, planters, vases, collectibles, gifts, art and much, much more.

For further details, view promotional Flyer here: http://adf.ly/166018/andrewgaragesaleflyer

Freebies-NYC-May 2009

2009-04-30T21:13:00.032-04:00

Year-Round – Ongoing

Free Walking Tours - Central Park

“Views from the Past”

Take a guided walk through of Central Park and imagine living in 19th-century New York City.

Learn about the Park’s history.

Hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.

These free guided walking tours take place year-round, rain, or shine, except in extreme weather conditions (heavy rain, sustained winds of 30 mph or more, snowstorms, 25 degrees or below, or 95 degrees or above).

The tours, led by experienced, knowledgeable guides who are volunteers in the Central Park Conservancy Walking Tour Program, last about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

No reservation is required for individuals or groups of six (6) or fewer people.

Groups of seven (7) or more people should call 212-360-2726 to schedule a custom tour.

Please be at the designated location at least five minutes before the start of the tour.

And There's Much More -- Other Free Walking Tours:

Amble Through the Ramble
Pass over streams, under arches, through the woods along a maze of pathways in this secluded 38-acre woodland respite.

The Castle & Its Kingdom
Take a walk around the lands dominated by Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock. Visit this tiny 55-acre realm on an eclectic tour of history and nature.

Cross-Park Promenade
You will see many surprises: a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water. These are just some of the sites on this east-to-west walk through the Park.

Manhattan Adirondacks
Olmsted and Vaux designed the North Woods to replicate the forests of the Adirondack Mountains, with their crystal streams, tumbling cascades, rustic bridges, and picturesque pools right in New York City’s backyard.

A Road Once Traveled
Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River. History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs.

Seneca Village
Seneca Village was Manhattan’s first known community of African-American property owners, on land that would become Central Park. Learn about the history of the village, the property owners, and what New York City was like at the time.

Views From the Past
As you promenade through the heart of Central Park, imagine living in 19th-century New York City. Learn about the Park’s history and hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.

Waterways & Vistas
Walk from the Dairy to Belvedere Castle and learn about the intricate design of Central Park’s web of pastoral landscapes and formal romantic vistas.

West Side Stories
Walk through a scenic area on the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors. See rolling meadows, Lake views, bridges of different styles, and a garden with flowers and plants mentioned by Shakespeare.

Special Tours:

Memorial Walk
Combine a walk through Central Park with a look at how different generations of New Yorkers viewed the Park as a proper place to remember their veterans.

Let the Games Begin!!

History of Sports and Recreation in the Park
Fondly recollect the early decades of baseball, recall ladies riding sidesaddle along the bridle paths, envision the thrill of ice skating and boating on the Lake, cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon, and more. Learn how tastes in recreation have changed since the mid-19th century and how the Park has been changed to mirror those tastes.

For More Information, Link to Free Walking Tours:
http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageNavigator/programs_walkingtours

==========================

Year-Round

Free Museums in NYC

You can see lots art for FREE at New York's museums; some that are always free; others that have suggested contributions (but you can pay what you like or is right for you), and museums that have special free hours.

These Museums Are Free Every Day:

American Numismatic Society
Artists Space
Carnegie Hall/Rose Museum
Dahesh Museum
The Drawing Center
Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
Franklin Furnace
Goethe House German Cultural Center
Guggenheim Museum Soho
The Hispanic Society of America
The Municipal Art Society
Museum of American Folk Art
National Museum of the American Indian
New York City Police Museum
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Taipei Gallery
Whitney Museum at Philip Morris

Museums With Suggested Contribution (Pay What You Like):

American Museum of Natural History
The Brooklyn Children's Museum
The Brooklyn Museum of Art
The Cloisters
Dia Center for the Arts
Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum
El Museo del Barrio
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Museum of the City of New York
New York City Fire Museum
New-York Historical Society
P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center
Pierpont Morgan Library
Queens Museum of Art
Seaman's Church Institute
Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences

Go to ny.com to see more info about these museums and other events at: http://www.ny.com/museums/free.html

=========================

May 9, 2009 – Saturday
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

With Charles Moldenhauer (Job Search Coach)

"How to Find the Right Job…Sooner!"

Need to strengthen your job search skills? Here's an opportunity to learn about:

--7 common mistakes to avoid in your search and

--5 action steps to get your next job.

--How to write an effective cover letter

--Tips on building a powerful resume will be discussed.

--Discover how to use your contacts

--How to build a plan that sells you to the right people.

Discussion time has been set aside for questions and answers.

Admission: Free

For More Information:
Website: http://www.nypl.org/branch/central/mml/

Contact & Location:
Mid-Manhattan Library
455 Fifth Avenue [at 40th Street]

Phone: (212) 340-0833

TTY: (212) 340-0931

===========================

May 6,2009 - Wednesday
6:30PM

Live Game Show

“Chelsea Mind Games”

Chelsea Mind Games is a live game show that takes place at the Chelsea Market.

The show is held every Wednesday and alternates among the:

--Vocabulary Tournament

--Geography Bee

--Math Bee, and

--Team Trivia.

All games are free and open to all.

Each event begins with live music at 6:30pm, and the competition at 7:30.

Located in the main area of Chelsea Market: “just come in the front door and keep walking til you hit us!”

Here's How To Sign-Up:

Geography, Math, and Vocabulary competitions are limited to the first 20 sign-ups, so please arrive before 7:30 to make sure you get a spot! (Other than the number of chairs available in the Market, Team Trivia has no limit on how many teams may participate -- teams are 3-6 people.

Here's The Schedule -- 6:30PM – Warm-Up:

Enjoy tunes played by DJ Joe and pick up a copy of this week's warm-up quiz. Chat, hang out, and get a drink or snack while working on the warm-up quiz.

There's a prize for the best score on the quiz.

Quiz questions are not linked to the game that follows -- they include trivia on any topic, puzzles, word games, etc.

7:30PM - Vocabulary Tournament:

How sesquipedalian are you?

This lexical quiz night includes synonyms, use-the-word-in-a-sentence, and anagram-style word games.

Hosted by comedian/librarian team Jen & Jonathan (Cash prize for winner!)

Other Stuff To Know:

Geography, Math, and Vocabulary competitions are limited to the first 20 sign-ups, so please arrive before 7:30 to make sure you get a spot!

Other than the number of chairs available in the Market, Team Trivia has no limit on how many teams may participate -- teams are 3-6 people.

Location:
Chelsea Market.
75 9th Ave
(between 15th and 16th Sts.)

Admission: Always free!

Events Calendar on the Web: http://www.chelseamindgames.com/events_calendar.html

Chelsea Mind Games Blog: http://chelseamindgames.blogspot.com/

====================

May 30, 2009 - Saturday
10:00AM to 5:00PM

Events at New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Downtown Boathouse

“Summer on the Hudson: Kayaking on the Hudson”

Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River firsthand.

Requirements: wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim.

Weather permitting Kayaking will be available Saturdays & Sundays, May 16 – October 11.

No registration required.

Location:
Riverside Park South
72nd Street & the Hudson River
Downtown Boathouse
Manhattan

Cost: Free
Contact Number: (212) 408-0219
Contact Email: robin.schatell@parks.nyc.gov

Browse this, and all Events at New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, at: http://www.nycgovparks.org/index.php

====================

May 30, 2:00PM - Saturday

Author, and World Traveler, Robert Downes, Reads From His Book...

“Planet Backpacker”

Go see author Robert Downs (I will!) talk about his book “Planet Backpacker” which is a round-the-world celebration of the backpacking lifestyle.

Downes wrote his book one excerpt at a time in 100 internet cafes around the world as part of a blog written during a 5-month solo trip around the world.

In 2007, he pedaled a mountain bike across Europe, backpacking on through Egypt, India and Southeast Asia—around the world.

Robert Downes is the editor and co-publisher of the alternative newspaper Northern Express Weekly based in Traverse City, Michigan.

Info & Location:
The New York Public Library-Morningside Heights
2900 Broadway [at W. 113th St.]
New York, NY 10025-7822.

Telephone: (212) 864-2530

Email: mailto:Bmorningside@nypl.org

Web:http://www.nypl.org/branch/local/man/cl.cfm

Blog (Planet Backpacker): http://www.planetbackpacker.net/

====================

Still Running Thru May 3, 2009

The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and Apple

(Meet the Filmmakers)

Filmmaking Events & Workshops

Guest Speakers:Spike Lee & Natalie Portman & Dan Fogler & Lee Daniels & Many Others!!!

The Apple Store in SoHo is taking part in the Tribeca Film Festival for the fifth year in a row. To celebrate the spirit of independent film, they are hosting dozens of FREE filmmaking events from April 22nd to May 3rd.

Everyone’s invited to attend! Grab a seat in their theater for the “Meet the Filmmakers” series, presented by Apple and indieWIRE*.

You can also attend a What’s New in Filmmaking event.

Or take one of the other great workshops offered during the festival.

In the Meet the Filmmakers series, some of the leading actors, writers, and directors in the film industry will take you behind the scenes of their latest film projects.

Just to mention a few of the star-studded guests, include:

Spike Lee The Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor, writer, director, and producer speaks about Passing Strange, which brings the hit Broadway rock musical to the screen, and Kobe Doin’ Work, his documentary about Kobe Bryant. Both films screen at Tribeca. Wednesday, April 22, 7:00 p.m.

Natalie Portman Natalie Portman joins CEO Christine Aylward on the stage to discuss their new web project — MakingOf — a site that promises to transform the way people view, enjoy, and participate in entertainment. Friday, April 24, 3:30 p.m.

Dan Fogler The Tony Award–winning actor (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Balls of Fury, Fanboys) makes his directorial debut in Hysterical Psycho, which screens at this year’s festival. The film takes place at the Moonlake Inn Motel, where supernatural chaos thrives. Friday, April 24, 6:00 p.m.

Lee Daniels The talented director (Shadowboxer) and producer (The Woodsman), Daniels produced the much-heralded Monster’s Ball, for which Halle Berry won an Academy Award for Best Actress. During his Meet the Filmmakers discussion, Daniels will speak about his career, including his latest film, Precious, which tells the story of Precious Jones, a Harlem teen struggling for a better life. Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.

Admission: FREE

Location: Apple Store (Soho)
103 Prince Street
New York City, NY 10012

For more information and to see a full schedule of upcoming FREE events at the Apple Store, go to: http://www.apple.com/retail/soho/tribeca/schedule.html

===================

Freebies-NYC-April 2009

2009-03-29T15:32:00.053-04:00

Here's some free or almost free -- fun or useful things to do in NYC. Please note that all of the events listed below are subject to change.

To confirm or for additional information please contact the organization directly.

===================

April 22, 2009 to May 3, 2009

The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and Apple

(Meet the Filmmakers)

Filmmaking Events & Workshops

Guest Speakers:
Spike Lee & Natalie Portman & Dan Fogler & Lee Daniels & Many Others!!!

The Apple Store in SoHo is taking part in the Tribeca Film Festival for the fifth year in a row. To celebrate the spirit of independent film, they are hosting dozens of FREE filmmaking events from April 22nd to May 3rd.

Everyone’s invited to attend! Grab a seat in their theater for the “Meet the Filmmakers” series, presented by Apple and indieWIRE*.

You can also attend a What’s New in Filmmaking event.

Or take one of the other great workshops offered during the festival.

In the Meet the Filmmakers series, some of the leading actors, writers, and directors in the film industry will take you behind the scenes of their latest film projects.

Just to mention a few of the star-studded guests, include:

Admission: FREE

Location:
Apple Store (Soho)
103 Prince Street
New York City, NY 10012

For more information and to see a full schedule of upcoming FREE events at the Apple Store, go to: http://www.apple.com/retail/soho/tribeca/schedule.html

===================

April 18, 2009 – Saturday
8:00AM to 6:00PM

Public Forum

“Open Everything”
Featured Speakers:
Leslie Hawthorn - Google, Inc.
Others: TBA

If you're looking for something to do that involves being “open” -- this event is for you and me, too! According to Open Everything they present events all over the world that are organized by regular people to “explore and discuss” the concept of “open”. And, not just technology – but any topic of your choice!

The interpretation is totally up to us-- the attendees. Sounds very spontaneous and creative-- should be fun and I definitely am looking forward to being there.

You will need to register... hurry! space is limited to only 250 people.

There is a promise of a fancy name tag which alone is enough to make me get up extra early on a Saturday morning. The possibility of a free t-shirt would be just the added bonus to kick-start my spring wardrobe on the right path!

Bring Your Ideas or Just Bring Yourself—Admission is Free

Location:
UNICEF House
3 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10016

(A location for post-event socializing will be announced at the end of the day.)

Registration & Travel Information: http://nyc.openeverything.us/#event

===================

April 13, 2009 - Monday
7:00PM to 8:30PM

An Evening with Jeff Koons

Art/Discussion
Featured Speaker: Jeff Koons

American-born pop artist Jeff Koons will discuss two recent publications documenting his works: Celebration records Koons' October 2008 exhibition at Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie and Versailles explores Koons' September 2008 exhibition at the Palace of Versailles--the first contemporary exhibition ever held in the apartments of the king.

Both books display Koons' penchant for the marriage of childhood nostalgia with more adult themes and sensibilities, aptly depicting the verve of an artist who is not afraid to meld kitsch with 'high art.'

This event is free and open to the public but seating is limited, so we are offering seat reservations. Seat reservations include a copy of Jeff Koons' Celebration.

To reserve a seat for this event please go to:

http://www.strandbooks.com/

...and click on the 'events' page.

Cost: free

Location
Strand Book Store
828 Broadway (at the corner of 12th Street)
3rd Floor
New York, NY
===================

April 01, 2009 - Wednesday
1:00PM to 2PM

Opera/Vocal

“Wednesdays at One: Juilliard Singers”

Performed for an hour, at lunchtime, this free concert series by musicians from the Juilliard School is held on most Wednesdays during the School Year.

About Juilliard

Juilliard's mission is to provide the highest quality of artistic education for talented musicians, dancers, and actors from around the globe, so that they may attain their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and world citizens.

Location:
Alice Tully Hall, Starr Theater
Juilliard School

No tickets required.

For more information: http://events.juilliard.edu:8080/cal/event/showEventMore.rdo

===================

April 2, 2009 - Thursday
12:30PM

Author Event (Sports)

Ron Darling Signs

“The Complete Game: Reflections on Baseball, Pitching, and Life on the Mound”

Ron Darling former starting pitcher for the NY Mets (1983 to 1991), was the first Mets pitcher to receive a Gold Glove. Since 2006 he has been SportsNet New York’s game and studio analyst.

Mr. Darling won an Emmy Award for best sports analyst in 2006. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii; attended Yale University, where he was a two-time All-American, he currently lives with his family in Manhattan.

Location:
Barnes & Noble
555 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10017

For More Information:
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/author-events/contributor/2072801

Telephone:
212-697-3048
===================

Freebies-NYC-March 2009

2009-03-23T15:07:00.045-04:00

Here's some free or almost free -- fun or useful things to do in NYC.

Please note that all of the events listed below are subject to change.

To confirm or for additional information please contact the organization directly.

March 23, 2009
10:00AM to 8:30PM

Presentations-Various Media

"Celebrating the Living Theatre" with Judith Malina

A celebration of the work of the legendary Living Theatre featuring screenings, readings, discussions, and the presentation of the Edwin Booth Award by the CUNY Doctoral Theatre Students Association.

This is a day of screenings of documentaries and Living Theatre works from 1965-present

For details & location go to: http://www.livingtheatre.org/

March 24, 2009
2:00PM

Film

“Invitation to a Voyage: Eileen Gray, Designer and Architect” (2007)

Jörg Bundschuh, director. Profiles Irish architect and designer Eileen Gray and discusses the modernist lighting, furniture, and houses she designed in France. (52 min.).

This film is shown as part of Women's History Month.2:00 p.m., Art Study Room, Uris Center for Education.

Price: Pay-What-You-Wish admission policy
Website www.metmuseum.org

Address & Phone
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth AvenueFifth Ave at 82nd Street
New York, NY 10028-0198
(212) 535-7710
Groups (212) 288-7733

Subways 4, 5, 6 to 86 St

Hours
Mon Closed
Tues-Thurs 9:30am-5:30pm
Fri-Sat 9:30am-9:00pm
Sun 9:30am-5:30pm

Suggested Contribution
General $10
Students/Seniors $5
12 years and under are free, when accompanied by adult.

Parking
The Met's garage is at Fifth Avenue and 80th Street and is open all the time.
If you have your ticket validated at the Uris Center Information Desk, the rates are lowered

March 25, 2009
6:30 p.m.

Fiction Forum: Mary Gaitskill

Writer Mary Gaitskill Discusses Her Work
Moderated by Jeffery Renard Allen, faculty, the Writing Program

Mary Gaitskill's books include The Man Back There: Stories (2008), Two Girls, Fat and Thin (1998), and Bad Behavoir (1989). Her novel Veronica was nominated for a National Book Award in 2005, and her book of short stories Because They Wanted To was nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1998. Her stories and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, Esquire, The Best American Short Stories (1993) and The O. Henry Prize Stories (1998). She is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and teaches creative writing at Syracuse University.

Location:
Alvin Johnson/J. M. Kaplan Hall, 66 West 12th Street, room 510
Admission:$5; free to all students and New School faculty, staff, and alumni with ID

Box Office Information:
In person purchases can be made at The New School Box Office at 66 West 12th Street, main floor, Monday-Friday 1:00-7:00 p.m. The box office opens the first day of classes and closes after the last paid event of each semester.

Reservations and inquiries can be made by emailing boxoffice@newschool.edu or calling 212.229.5488

Website: http://www.newschool.edu/eventDetail.aspx?id=26743

Wall Street Or Perfecting The Art Of Taking

2008-09-15T14:15:00.044-04:00

May 18, 2009

"Wall Street Or Perfecting The Art Of Taking" is now a separate Blog. To read or follow, go to:
http://wallstreetorperfectingtheartoftaking.blogspot.com/

September 15, 2008

What's a girl to do who wants to make some BIG money in the stock market today?

It's Monday; Lehman is going into bankruptcy, BoFA is buying Merrill Lynch, and AIG troubles abound-- for which there seems to be some promise by the Governor stepping in to help without using taxpayer dollars.

Really?

How clever is that?

Our Mayor says, everybody's got problems so just get on and deal with it!

The President on the other hand, is taking a more macro-view of the situation and has stated his sympathy for the employees who are losing their jobs.

Some facts about the current marketplace (as I see it):

Certain people are likely to make a lot of money from this downturn;
Lots of scared people will not make money, they will lose because fear always loses;
Some dumb people are also likely to make scads of money because it's all about speculation; meaning that speculating is simply how you think it'll all pan out in the long/short-term.
So since it's all a roll of the dice, dumb people can turn out to be lucky people!

I don't know which of the above is true about me, but I do know that I'd like to be smart about what I'm doing here. I have the same access as everyone else (supposedly) to current events.

While traveling, when I didn't have that access because my Internet availability was spotty, I pulled out of the market.

Yep, sold it all!

Now that was smart because looking over that portfolio, today I would be down -20%.

Instead I got to keep that 20% so maybe I'm on the way to perfecting the art of taking gifts from Wall Street?

I had to start from scratch, renew my understanding of what had been going on with the markets. It took me several weeks to get comfortable about buying.

The new portfolio which now consists of exactly 5 companies has stayed healthy. No huge earnings, but no losses either.

That is until today.

Now I'm down -3.12.

Not bad considering that the Dow plunged 300 points at the start of the day.

I'm not panicking so is that smart?

What I want to do is make enough moves during the course of this volatile period that will result in profit and grow my principal many times over.

How the heck do I do that?

I'm a newbie to the market; this is a time for research/study/learning.

In a way I consider myself very fortunate that I am invested in the market during this hap-hazardous period as it's probably the best time to truly find out about myself in relationship to risk and volatility.

But is it also true to believe that's good to know as long as I don't carry that same trading philosophy over to better times?

Or, does that need to change?

During a short course taken last year in basic investing, the instructor said, “Buy and Hold,” and also, “Buy more when the price drops-- think of it just like a sale at Macy's!” These clichės are the backbone of advice given to investment novices.

I think this is very damaging advice because no one is there to tell you when to sell and buying is so easy-- that is if you have the cash.

Nevertheless, today, I'm looking at possibly buying more shares of what I hold because there will likely be some discounts at the end of the day. Maybe I shouldn't wait until the end of the day, but I'm certainly in no mood to give any of my money away to the next guy playing this game!

I suppose Suze Orman would call that attitude the warrior within me?

Thinking about it further, I see what I will probably end up doing is:

checking the closing prices at the end of the day,
putting in order(s) tonight with the brokerage to buy in the a.m. at the opening,
at a yet to be determined price below the closing price because there is a good chance as things stand today prices may drop still further, so I will cover myself with an escape hatch that allows me to cancel or change the buy orders.

Now, this may seem like a lot of stuff to remember and do, but the idea is that I'm learning how to do my homework, how to be disciplined about my choices, and best of all, how to call the shots fast!

So repetition of the process is what makes it possible to be decisive instead of pondering whether or not you're on the right track.

That is: as long as you're still in the game (yippee!).

And... Wall Street Goes Shopping In Washington

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Wall Street's personal shoppers Bernacke and Paulson are sitting tight; they know that their shopping list is in big trouble. But they never came to Washington for the gifts they say in their proposal they want expecting to get $700 Billion. They came to go home to Wall Street with much, much more. The plan is that they will be happy to take even $1 Billion as that will open the door to the $699 Billion and more. Once the door is opened it will be difficult if not impossible to close it on Wall Street's insatiable need for cash.

Will the shopping list be approved. Will the American citizens allow this absurdity, this mugging to take place? I don't want to believe it possible.

To approve billions of dollars for speculating purposes is what Paulson and Bernake represent. That this should even be up for debate is a sad day for our country. It's time to stop this nonsense. It's time to call what Paulson and Bernake represent by it's real name: gambling, gambling with our limited resources. Gambling on our freedoms by going into debt with our adversaries in all that we hold sacred.

It's a Wrap! Unusual Gift Wrapping Ideas

2008-09-09T17:06:00.008-04:00

If you're looking for an unusual gift wrapping idea, here's one I came across: "Wife of Washington Lobbyist Uses Money as Wrapping Paper".

To access this article, go to: http://www.luxist.com/2008/09/08/wife-of-washington-lobbyist-uses-money-as-wrapping-paper/?icid=200100125x1208887806x1200543517

Would love to hear about any strange, unusual, money saving, or fun ideas that you may have.

Back on the A Train

2008-09-05T22:03:00.001-04:00

You haven't heard from me since May because I've been having such a fabulous time traveling in Europe. Took my laptop with me with full intention of keeping in touch, but except for the occasional email sent back home, there simply was no time to write.

When there was time, for instance, during my stay in Carcassonne (France) in the country-side there was no internet connection available which is just as well as there were too many beautiful, medieval villages to visit and breath-taking country-side to see. Saw lots of places, took thousands of photos, and had the most terrific time which I hope to be sharing with YOU as soon as I chill out.

Still slightly burned out from the fast pace of the final weeks-- but getting there--back to normal!

The Eurail Global Pass is a fantastic idea for someone like me who doesn't like to plan her travel. At the same time I love having lots & lots of options! This ticket included access to over 21 countries-- perfect for me because many times I was able to let my heart dictate direction & spontaneously hop aboard a train.

Oftentimes, simply choosing my destination right off the information boards in the station.

Must mention that a good part of The Netherlands are ideal for spur-of-the-moment travel as many of the countries and cities are within reach in a few short hours or less.

This was not the case everywhere else. Other places, like Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan and in some others it was not possible to jump on a train without making a reservation. Obviously, once the vacation season kicked-in at the end of June, it was best to reserve ahead of time because I couldn't know if there would be an available seat or not.

Anyone considering using the Eurail Passes for travel in Europe should be aware that it's a "pre-paid" ticket for all the countries you purchased on it, but a separate reservation may be needed or even mandatory. This will require in most cases going to the train station. Forget about thinking you can do this on-line—it simply is not a service that Eurail Pass holders can enjoy. On-line reservations are available, but only for individual ticket sales.

Anyway, back home, yesterday, 3 weeks after my return, I got on the subway and took an A train to join a friend for dinner in midtown Manhattan at Café Cielo on 8th Avenue around 53rd Street.

By the way, this is a great pre-theater restaurant/bar with fantastic service and delicious Italian food! I had my usual Veal Picata and my friend enjoyed his fresh grilled tuna very much.

After not using the subway system for almost 4 months, and managing to avoid mid-town for the past few weeks, I definitely felt like a tourist in my own city. The intense heat in the station was not much fun though-- probably well over 100 degrees!

Oh! How I miss those 1st Class European trains and lovely, huge, clean stations!

The noise level and endless procession of people are like nowhere else that I've experienced this Summer (well, maybe in Venice minus the subways).

It definitely felt like an underground inferno! I had forgotten how much I disliked the entire process of using the subway, especially in Summer-time during rush hour, which in NYC is almost all day long and into the evening.

Yet, there is another side of the city below the pavements that sometimes catches me completely off guard and it includes Music! On the 59th Street & Columbus Circle platform there was the most incredible sound coming out of a box with its owner singing along to the Temptations hit, "My Girl".

This box-- whatever it was-- had the best speakers I ever heard-- definitely concert quality!

Despite the heat, grime, fried food odors, and stinky sweat from homeless and home-bound humanity, this mind-blowing, life-saving sound blasted at amazing decibels dissolved the anger, angst and apathy off the faces of even the most jaded commuters.

That is except for the young woman on the bench sitting next to me reading her book.

Suddenly, magically, it was a party! Everyone looked more relaxed and maybe even a little bit in love. Smiles started to appear ... riders momentarily in the station that I could see through the open doors and windows of their train cars looked like they wished they could get off and join the fun.

What does it take for a New Yorker to give up their seat? Maybe the right kind of music? Well, that may be stretching it a bit, but everyone sure looked happier to me.

I know I was.

Walking uptown on 8th Avenue from 50th Street, I realized how tall, magnificently tall the buildings are and understood for the first time why visitors would find NYC enthralling.

These are the real thing baby! Real skyscrapers scraping and scratching the clouds! Yes, I was very impressed not having seen a really tall building in months I had forgotten about them and their power to make you look up with respect.

Below them on the street, people were dashing around like crazy and walking right into me because they were focused on getting as quickly as they can wherever it is they are going. I almost got mowed down twice by pedestrians on one block. I suppose it'll take me a little while to get my NYC walking feet back in gear.

But I do have to say that the cars, here, in comparison to anywhere else I've been this Summer are far more predictable. Dublin should get first prize for the worst drivers anywhere-- they plow into each other when traffic is at a standstill! Tell me, how is it possible to have a car accident when no one is moving and the entire street is bumper-to-bumper?

Saw it—just as my friend B said it was about to happen-- couldn't believe it!

OK now about gifts: Lucky me, I received some lovely things from my friend. & yes, of course, I had a gift bag to give as well of many souvenirs specially chosen for him from my travels.

Let me brag for a sec about the goodies I received: flowers (I love flowers, especially roses!); huge box of Godiva chocolates (I love chocolate!); and a very sweet, soft teddy bear. Wow!!! Thanks J!

As you may suspect, I believe that giving, and receiving gifts are among the most important activities we do in life (thus this blog!). I love thinking about selecting them, giving them and equally receiving them.

It's good to remember to never say no to a gift-- no matter how small it is, no matter how much you believe the giver may need it more than you do because the good feelings generated from giving and receiving are most important.

Do the right thing: just take it and say: Thank you!

Or...

Just give a gift today, and spread the happiness!

Preparing To Travel Europe - First Stop London!

2008-05-11T15:03:00.019-04:00

FYI: The next gift on the list is for me -- A Gift of Fun!

In about a week and a half I take off for a 3-month trip to Europe!

Very excited, but still don't feel it fully. Need to pinch myself to get out of the state of mindless day dreaming in order to get back on track with the planning and prep.

The suitcase is partially packed with absolute essentials which will have to be reviewed for their worthiness several times over. I did say "partially" because there's about a trillion things I'd like to bring with me.

I keep looking inside of it, willing it to expand into more space, and to evaluate what else I can squeeze into it.

There's just a tiny bit of space left-over to use which makes me wonder-- WHERE'S ALL MY STUFF GONNA FIT????

It seems my "must haves" which exist to satisfy my need for battle-readiness exceed the possible.

My biggest hurdle is putting aside the idea that I already have so many terrific useful and useless things. And, that unless I bring a good many of them along I will end up buying again at higher prices.

For instance, in a panic, I've thought what if they don't give me a towel? Who knows where I'll be staying; hotels, castles and convents are all possibilities. Even though I do love my towels I've come to realize, so what? I can always use t-shirts if need be.

Seeing how flexible thinking can lead to unusual solutions-- the other 999 things on my packing list should be a breeze.

Of course, it's easy to get all freaked out by reading about travelers who are constantly getting mugged in one way or other: like paying $29 a pound for cherries, or 4 times the cost of shampoo. At those prices, I'll be lucky to last a week before needing to add panhandling to my skill-set! (Note to Self: add to phrase list: how do you say "can you spare an euro" in Italian?)

Have purchased the Eurail Global Pass for 20 countries which will hopefully help me to contain costs! Will I get to see them all? Probably. Including some places which aren't on the pass like Morocco and Prague.

Figured the pass a good investment since I can always sleep on the trains to save a bit of money on hotels whenever possible.

Gee, I sure hope, like everybody says it's so -- that European trains are wonderful compared to Amtrak which will never see me again after my last trip from NYC to Chicago. What a mess! 18 hours late, no food, no water; I think you get the picture. Though I must say the crew did come out at one point to hand out M&Ms only to the kiddies.

How I managed to get my hands on a pack out of their limited supply was a miracle; probably because of that strange child sitting next to me.

Another item on my to do list: I need to figure out how to use that useless looking train time-table. It's all in tiny print (why? do they have something to hide?). Planning to blowup the whole brochure into larger more readable pages. That should help? At least I'll be able to see what I don't understand...

It's no wonder tourists have the dazed/confused look of where am I?—it's from continuously staring at tiny print in their guides that does them in. I used to think it was the fanny-packs cutting off their lower body blood flow, but now know better.

Did splurge on a new "Jeep" brand suitcase at Wal-Mart. Only $50! What a great steal; well made, sturdy —the wheels are incredibly flexible making turns easy as butter!

Yet, there's a part of me that wishes I didn't need a suitcase at all only because there will be plenty of times when I'll have to lift it due to unanticipated situations such as having to use stairs. Also, traveling with a large suitcase is not safe in my estimation when it comes to protecting my most valuable belongings which are in my shoulder bag (money, passport, cigarettes).

Considering that I will be using the trains a lot, must plan for securing the luggage as I hear that there are professional thieves that hop on and off trains just to grab bags from the holding areas. I've decided my best bet is to order a few bicycle flex cables and use padlocks to tie everything down including the carry-on bag at my train seat so it'll stay put when I doze off.

Also, am counting on these cables to act as handy deterrents when leaving stuff in hotel rooms or other places where I'll be lodging in case the maids have sticky fingers. After all, the best security is got to be motivating thieves to move on by making it all just a big hassle getting through locks. Especially when they don't even know if you've got anything in the bag aside from your stinky socks and undies!

Great prices on cables in various lengths can be found at Sunrise Cyclery (New York). The only problem with their check-out is that there are no indication that it's a safe shopping site. Instead, I will call them and try to place the order by phone.

Unless I see security certifications that say "Hacker Safe" or otherwise, I always resist using plastic on-line.

OK—now a few thoughts about Mr. Money. If you're thinking about traveling overseas, you've probably got him on your mind, too. Needless to say, just about everyone is thinking about the dollar because I constantly hear how it's worthless junk and that this is a bad time to take a European trip.

True the dollar is struggling -- but when is it ever the best time to travel? Something else could easily get in the way...like not enough time, or conflicts galore!

Personally, I believe the best time is when one is ready to go. I'm ready and feel the need to explore the world on the other side of the planet—just for the simple pleasure of rambling.

No big plans for self-improvement; just to have some fun.

Nevertheless, I've been keeping an eye on the global exchange rates over the past week and finally found a decent entry point for ordering some British Pounds with XE (they claim to be the world's "favorite" exchange site or something like that). So far, I believe them; they have been extremely helpful and nice and would recommend them to anyone who needs to do a quick currency exchange in order to arrive with pocket money at their destination.

Still to do: have to pickup a barrel of Euros from my bank. Practically, all the countries I'm visiting are on the Euro. When I first asked at my bank the manager told me they wouldn't charge me anything for the exchange: zero, nothing, zilch-- they promised.

What a joke that proved to be. I'm still learning that there are infinite ways in which lies can be presented as the truth. LOL!!!

After sorting out the double-talk with them they still persist in claiming that they do not charge me a fee.

From my perspective, this is not complicated: when you don't hand over the full value of my money there certainly is a fee, or charge, or something, no matter what you want to call it. But, please don't call it "free".

OK, so, they are at liberty to give me whatever conversion they want to, at whatever exchange rate they wish to set! I'm not unreasonable-- just tell me how much it's gonna cost and I'll decide whether or not I want to buy it.

Makes you wonder if these people ever heard of the word "disclosure"?

Yes, knowing they will rob me just a "little" is less painful than getting ripped off for a lot in the long run. I do admit: despite all the smoke and mirrors their exchange was the very best I could find.

Still: Yikes!

What a letdown!

I wanted it to be free because I wanted to believe them when they said I was a "much valued" customer!

Also, mostly, because I love gifts and freebies are always gifts. So much for appreciation!

For a moment I thought I was finally getting a "free lunch".

Still waiting.

Maybe next time?

PS: For a little bit of British Humor and to see a very funny painting of Hitler in his underwear visit: http://bloggavinit.blogspot.com/

Search Engine Optimization and SEO Tools