123 - go to Alice's Tea Cup in NYC DONE 1/28/12
I love when the day takes me through three boroughs of NY. I woke up this morning in Queens & got to spend the day in Manhattan & Brooklyn, before returning home to Queens. And I love traveling without a car. Buses & subways are a true New Yorkers means of transportation!
Today I will do one of my 40 wonderful celebration missions & it's one that is going to have two more parts....
Today I am excited to share the day with my friend Rennick & his daughter Celia. If their names ring a bell, it's because they shared the walk over the Brooklyn Bridge with me. We had so much fun that day that Celia asked to spend another day with me. I feel so loved!
Alice's Tea Cup....there are three locations around Manhattan. Today we are going to the one located on West 73rd Street. Within walking distance to Central Park, Alice's Tea Cup is on a quiet unassuming block in Manhattan. The place is small, but fun. Alice herself would love this place!
There is a little gift shop area when you first walk into the establishment. I was tempted to buy one of everything....but no shopping today.
Today we are here for the experience.
It starts with finding out there is over an hour wait for a table. OMG! Not again! But the lady tells us we can leave our name & a phone number & they will call us once a table becomes available. Okay...so I leave my number & we go for a walk.
Central Park is a mere block away. We head over to Central Park for a little soccer practice as Celia has a game later on. For a New York winter day, it's a gorgeous today in the Big Apple. It's sunny & chilly, but warm. Almost like an early spring day. I love it!
We find an area where Celia & Rennick can kick around the ball for some practice. I love watching my friends with their kids. Rennick is really an awesome dad. He takes such amazing care of his daughter & watching him practice soccer moves with her is very endearing.
Some random shots of Central Park & soccer practice....
And then the call comes....a table for three is ready. Woohoo!! So back to Alice's Tea Cup we go....
When you first walk into the place there is a little gift shop area. We breezed past it being we were hungry.
The place itself is small, but really cute. The decor screams of Alice in Wonderland. I love it! I should have taken more pictures inside, but I was too busy enjoying my company.
When you arrive at your table, there is a teacup & saucer already there. Nothing matched. It was like you were at the Mad Hatter's table. I loved it!
A menu invites you to try things like Alice's Curious French Toast or Alice's Granola or Alice's Florentine or you can eat up & try Alice's Mad Morning Tea special. And there is a delicious lunch menu. But today, I am sticking to the brunch menu.
After some discussion, we are ready to order.
First, there will be a big pot of flavored black tea. Vanilla was the flavor of choice.
I am having the crepes. The mixed berry crepes drizzled with fresh made creme anglaise.
Rennick & Celia are having Alice's Curious French Toast. It is the most unusual french toast I have ever seen! It's french toast cubed & piled up in a bowl with fresh fruit & maple syrup. The maple syrup is at the bottom of the bowl under the cubed french toast & it's simply heavenly!
In front of Alice's Tea Cup...
My delicious plate of crepes...
Alice's Curious French Toast....
The mixed matched teacup & saucer I had...
The teapot....
And the tea...
The food menu & the tea menu...
After enjoying our meals & time for digesting, we decided we needed something more before we leave. I decided to try a fresh made mixed berry scone served with clotted cream & raspberry jam. Celia opted for the big chocolate chip cookie.....
Overall, it was a great celebration. I had the best people join me for a delightful afternoon tea brunch in Alice's Tea Cup. Alice herself could not have made this more fun!
I am thankful for the friends in my life. I am grateful for the times with them. I appreciate that they are enjoying my celebrations as much as I am. And I love sharing these celebrations with the friends who know how to enjoy themselves with me.
Thanks Rennick & Celia for making today a great day for me! I'm looking forward to sharing many more celebrations with you both.
For the record, Celia's soccer team, The Killer Limes, won their game, 1-0!! Great game ladies! Good hussle!
So with 16 celebrations completed, 24 remain. I feel like I am still behind schedule, but I know that a few things are going to get done soon. There are several things being planned. And I'm looking forward to the celebrations that aren't planned, but just happen.
Overall, turning 40 was amazing! I could not have done these missions at any other age. I just don't think I would have appreciated them.
#161 Find a second job......done
For months I have been looking for a second job. Something part-time or on the weekends to help me earn a few extra bucks. Just some extra money to buy new clothes or maybe even do a few of my 40 things. But something that wouldn't interfere with my full-time day job.
Welcome to Park Lane
A few years ago I went to a Park Lane party with a friend. At the time, I wasn't approached about joining the Park Lane team. It didn't phase me as I was there to shop.
Fast forward to September & now I am looking at the Park Lane website. I was actually looking to place an order, but I ended up applying for a job.
While at the website, I filled out this request to have someone contact me & talk to me about this possible new venture.
Enter Carol B.
Carol is a VP for Park Lane. She has this amazing energy & she is a delightful person. She called me to introduce herself & I immediately knew I had made the right choice.
A few days later Carol met me for lunch. She explained at length the amazing benefits of Park Lane & how this would change my life. Then she shared part of her gorgeous stash of Park Lane jewelry.
I loved each piece! Every ring, every pair of earrings, every necklace, every bracelet...one piece was better than the last!
And I want it all!
Carol had me set up a party at my place. I invited everyone.
I was excited about this new venture.
I was looking forward to getting new jewelry.
I was excited about taking on this new challenge.
My party was fun. I was thankful for the people who came out & supported me. I was thrilled to earn my starter kit for free! And I was thrilled to pieces that Carol is here to mentor me!
After placing my own hostess order I was overjoyed that I was making the right decision to do this.
Now the hard part....booking parties.
I know times are tough, so how do I make this possible? How do I convince people they need to buy jewelry? I'm still working on that.
In the mean time I am enjoying my new venture & looking forward to whatever awaits me this year with Park Lane. I made the commitment to doing it & I'm going to have a ton of fun no matter what!
It all started with this pair of earrings from Carol. I received more compliments on these earrings than on any other piece of jewelry I own!
Whisper Earrings...available in silver or gold. They are beautiful!
So what do I enjoy most of this new venture?
Sharing gorgeous jewelry!
Having parties with great friends!
Making new friends!
Earning extra money!
Some of my favorite pieces include...
The True Blue necklace. This one matches my eyes!
My big a$$ bling ring....a/k/a Glitterati ring...
I love red & the Salsa necklace is a gorgeous shade of red for me, as are the Red Hot earrings...
And for when you want to get a little animal instinct...Cheetahlicious!!!
In 2012 I am excited about this new venture. I am looking forward to sharing more gorgeous Park Lane jewelry with everyone out there.
So let's see who's really reading this blog...the first person to e-mail me & book a party will receive $100 to spend during their party. I will also have a FREE piece of Park Lane jewelry for you at your party.
What do you have to lose?
That's right.....nothing!
Drop me an e-mail at tracirabin@yahoo.com
Let me know you are interested in having a party, getting $100 to spend, & right, the FREE piece of jewelry!
So now I have completed 15 missions out of my 40.
I'm still behind considering I thought I would have been more than halfway done already....but I'm okay with this delay. It's giving me more time to plan things & to plan them right. Plus I'm still enjoying being 40!
The one cool thing about this blog mission is that other people are starting their own missions. I just wonder how many are going to venture to blog about it??
Greetings & welcome to 2012!
So yesterday I enjoyed a phone call from across the pond. My best friend ('so not dead') Natalie called me from the UK. I love talking to this chick! We haven't seen each other in ages & yet, we can still talk like we saw each other yesterday. She really is the one person who makes me crack up & cry & I always walk away from our chats feeling lucky to know her.
It's during our chat that Natalie suggests adding a trip to London to my list of 40 celebrations....so for Natalie I am adding it. I am actually going to try to make that one happen.
I have a few things on my list that I am planning to do this month. The first one is giving up Facebook for 40 days. I am starting that on Jan. 5th & plan to return to Facebook on Valentine's Day. I wonder if I will make it???
I'm also planning a trip to Alice's Tea Cup in NYC.
And I'm leaning towards doing some of the museums on my list.
I'm behind on my schedule, but that's okay. I'm still feeling really excited about this mission. I'm looking forward to whatever happens next. And I'm excited about getting people out to join me.
So after tomorrow I am off of Facebook for 40 days. I'm looking forward to giving it up & getting out more. I'm expecting to go through some withdrawals since I play on Facebook way too much! I admit I love my silly status updates. And I'm going to miss playing Words with Friends. OMG! That game is so addicting! But I need to give it all away for 40 days.
One more look at the list...
1 - full body massage
2 - take a hike
3 - frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity in NYC
4 - Gravity Hill in Bedford, Pa
5 - learn to speak Spanish
6 - read 'War & Peace'
7 - get a tattoo
8 - take Salsa lessons
9 - take a cooking class
10 - get set up on a blind date DONE 9/12/11 (with #82)
11 - hostess a tea party DONE 5/22 & 5/28/11
12 - ride a Harley
13 - buy 40 different pairs of socks
14 - get a make over
15 - get 40 people together for a picnic in a park
16 - go whale watching
18 - cook a Thanksgiving dinner
19 - karaoke night w/some friends DONE 5/20/11
20 - visit the gravesite of Billie Burke, Glenda from 'The Wizard of Oz' in Vallhalla, NY
21 - learn sign language
22 - paint my bedroom
23 - clean out the living room closet
24 - go to Niagara Falls
25 - Spend the day in Philadelphia
26 - go on a "spiritual Retreat"
27 - rodeo riding
28 - bungy jumping
29 - walk across the Brooklyn bridge DONE 11/5/11
30 - go to the Statue of Liberty
31 - start a book club
32 - go skinny dipping
33 - go on a photo taking tour of Queens
35 - get a group of people to walk in the Breast Cancer walk at Jones Beach DONE 10/16/11
36 - write the next great American novel
37 - go to a movie every day for one week
38 - learn to knit
39 - go to a Zumba class
40 - go to a hot yoga session
41 - try the belly dancing class at the gym
42 - visit a state/city that you've always wanted to visit
43 - try pole-dancing
44 - chop down your own Christmas tree
45 - donate to a charity you never thought you would give money to
46 - volunteer at a soup kitchen
47 - volunteer at an animal shelter
48 - go Christmas Caroling
49 - horse drawn carriage ride in Central Park
50 - ice skating at Rockefeller Center
51 - make holiday cards & gifts for 2011
52 - trip to Smithsonian Museums in Washington, DC
53 - go to Junior's for a slice of cheesecake
54 - volunteer at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
55 - go to Melba's in Harlem for chicken & waffles
56 - take a trip to the Long Island vineyards
57 - check out the Montauk lighthouse
58 - visit a cranberry bog
59 - go see a Broadway play
60 - visit Mark Twain's house in CT
61 - go to Atlantic City & lay down a $40 bet
62 - hot air balloon ride
63 - stock car racing
64 - white water rafting at the Delaware gap
65 - take a picture w/the Naked Cowboy in NYC
66 - go to Medievil Times
67 - go to a Murder Mystery Dinner
68 - go for good Cuban food in NYC
69 - go to the circus
70 - go to a football game
71 - go cayaking
72 - Fleet Week in NYC
73 - Circle Line cruise around NYC
74 - Hayden Planetarium laser show
75 - Hershey Park, PA
76 - visit a dude ranch
77 - take a photography class
78 - bike riding with Hippie Dave
79 - go on a vacation alone
80 - go to the beach looking for seashells with Hippie Dave
81 - Howe Caverns
82 - go see the Mets at Citifield DONE 9/12/22 (with #10)
83 - rock wall climbing
84 - fly a kite
85 - archery w/Anthony
86 - go to the Halloween parade in the village
87 - go to the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria
88 - go line dancing
89 - Governor's Island
90 - ride the Staten Island Ferry
91 - ride the Roosevelt Island tram
92 - go to a midnight movie show w/Tracy wearing your jammies DONE 7/15/11
93 - go to the Noguchi Museum in LIC
94 - go to the King Manor Museum in Jamaica
95 - go to the Fisher Landau Center for Art in LIC
96 - go to the Sculpture Center in LIC
97 - go horseback riding
98 - ride a mechanical bull (Johnny Utah's in NYC)
99 - Mystic Aquarium, CT
100 - stop to see the sun rise and sun set on the same day
102 - plan a surprise party for someone
103 - ride the Cyclone & see the Freak Show in Coney Island
104 - midnight bowling
105 - plan a girls night out
106 - try a new hair color
107 - hostess a come as your favorite character/celebrity party
108 - go to the Museum of Sex in NYC
109 - be a nude model for an art class
110 - disco rollerskating
111 - go for pizza in all 5 boros; Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx & Staten Island (Brooklyn 11/5/11)
112 - tour the Brooklyn Brewery
113 - plant a garden
114 - get a drivers license
115 - go vegetarian for a week
116 - find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop
117 - go to Adventureland DONE 7/24/11 with #155
118 - sail in a rowboat on the lake in Central Park
119 - sail a toy boat on the pond in Central Park
120 - make a boat out of materials found in nature & see if it floats
121 - go to Five Guys for breakfast, lunch & dinner so you can say you had 15 guys in one day
122 - go on the ferris wheel in the Toys R Us in Times Square DONE 8/20/11
123 - go to Alice's Tea Cup in NYC
124 - go to the Top of the Rock
125 - paint a realistic flower
127 - take a Hudson River cruise
128 - buy a telescope to see the stars
129 - bounce on a trampoline
130 - make a paper mache artwork
131 - go for a helocopter ride over NYC
132 - go to a concert
133 - get new clothes
134 - go through the Corn Maze at the Queens County Farm ~ see if you can get out in 40 minutes or less DONE 9/18/11
135 - grow out your hair for Locks of Love
136 - go for breakfast at the Belmont Race Track
137 - go to Build A Bear DONE 8/20/11
138 - go to a Cirque deSoleil show
139 - go see 'TheLion King' on Broadway
140 - go see a foreign language film
141 - Madame Tussaud's in NYC
142 - Magical Nights magic show & dinner in NYC
143 - take a jewelry making class
144 - go to Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC
145 - visit the Lous Armstrong house in Corona
146 - go see 'Blue Man Group' in NYC
147 - do a zip line run
148 - take Sara to White Castle
149 - have a party at Laser Bounce
150 - go to Ellen's Stardust diner in NYC DONE 8/20/11
151 - go for banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery in NYC
152 - go to a tea house with Raul
153 - lose 40lbs
154 - take a pottery class
155 - plan a brunch at 3 Brothers DONE 7/24/11
156 - hostess a Tupperware party
157 - go to Lucky Chang's in NYC
158 - go to Mudd Works in Great Neck & have a party there
159 - hostess a Stella & Dot jewelry party DONE 8/21 & 9/2
160 - go for tea at the Plaza
161 - find a second job
162 - ride a subway line you've never been on
163 - give up Facebook for 40 days
164 - go to Puerto Rico
165 - walk the Great Wall of China
166 - have a cake party
167 - go for Indian food with Awilda
168 - 1984 with Awilda & Denise
169 - buy a new bag
170 - buy a hat
171 - have a wine party
172 - have a slumber party
173 - have a Super Bowl party
174 - go to Bingo night with friends
175 - go apple picking
176 - go pumpkin picking
177 - start a Joy of Cooking monthly dinner club
178 - hostess a Rocky Horror Show at home
179 - learn to play Mahjong
180 - share something beautiful with friends
181 - visit Natalie in London
