SOME THINGS THAT I LOVE

I’m sure  that  I’m  going  to  leave  out  something  , but these are  some  of  the  things  that  I  really  love.

 

Lipstick

Handbags  – No, they don’t  have  to  be  name brands .  I  LOVE HANDBAGS !

Jewelry  – Especially  rings, bracelets  and  necklaces .

Nail Polish

Shoes

Boston

Travel  Guides  –   No matter  where  it is

Dancing  – I’m  not really  great  at it ,  but who cares ?

New York  style  Cheesecake

Ginger Ale

New  Years  Eve  and New  Years  Day

Snowy  Days

Coffee  – No ,  definitely  not Starbucks .  Try 7-Eleven ,  Dunkin  Donuts  or even  Tim  Hortons

Lotion

Comfy   heavy  sweaters

Scented  Soap

Scented  Candles

Kuala  Lumpur ,  Malaysia

My stuffed  animals  – who you just know  are named for athletes ,  except  one. Her name  is  Posh  Spice

Fashion  magazines

Going on  a bus ride  no matter  what  city  I’m  in

A Primanti  Brothers  sandwich  while  I’m  in  Pittsburgh  –  RIGHTEOUS ! !

Going  to  or watching  a sporting  event

Going  for  a  walk  in  the  city ,  no matter  what  city  it is

New England  Clam Chowder

Tacos

Ice Cream

Watching  Travel  Shows  on t.v.

Watching  cooking  shows  on t.v.

Thai Food

Jamaican  Food

Vietnamese  Food, especially  Pho  Soup

Malaysian  Food

Jack Daniels  and  Fireball  Whiskey  – Yeah, I  like  my adult  beverages

Watching  the  ESPN  TV  series ,  “30  For  30  ”

Opening  ceremony  of the  Summer  and  Winter  Olympics , especially  when the countries  make their  entrance  into  the  stadium

Sleeping

Toronto

Going  to  a new place and getting  souvenirs ,  whether  it  be  postcards ,  shot glasses ,  tshirts, magnets ,  key chains  or a bag  with the  city’s  name  on it .

Flying  in  an airplane

Seeing  different  airports  Barbecue  Potato  Chips

My family and My Circle  of  Sisters  

Watching  some reality  shows  – my two guilty  pleasures  are Love and Hip Hop  -Atlanta  and Basketball  Wives

Listening  to  a  song  by either   Hall and  Oates ,  Kenny  G ,  Sade ,  Drake ,  Justin  Timberlake ,  Maroon  5 ,  Chicago  or Flo-Rida .

Museums

Blogging   (naturally  )

Thanking  God  for being  able  to  go on  a 30  Plus  Teams  Tour

 

I gave  you  my  things that I  love. What  about you?

What’s some  of  the  things  that  you love?

Let me  know  in the  comments  section .

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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CIVILITY ? CAN WE SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT HERE,PLEASE ?

What’s  going  on  here ,  people ?

What in the  world  happened  to  showing  just  a  little  bit  of  respect ?

Now  I’m  not  referring  to  the  political  climate  in this country ,  although  we need a  lot  of  prayer and  much more  civility  from  both sides  of  the  aisles .

I’m  not  even  talking  about  the  nastiness  that’s  on Social  Media  with  all the  shaming  that goes on .

I’m  not  even  going  to  talk  about  the  ugliness  that’s  going  on  in sports  right  now ,  no matter  what  sport  it is .

I’ll  get  into  the  shaming on Facebook ,  Instagram ,  and  Twitter  as well  as  the  unnecessary  ugliness  that’s  going  on  in  sports  in a later  post.

What’s  got me angry is this .

While  you’re  on that  30  Plus  Teams  Tour  or not , why do  you  feel  the need  to  take a selfie  of any kind  in the  most  sacred  of places?

I   couldn’t  believe it  when I  saw a fellow  blogger  and  her husband  taking a joly, smiling selfie  at the 9-11  Memorial  and Museum .

If that wasn’t  bad enough ,  I  thought  I was going to  lose  my religion  when I  saw a  picture  of  a United  States  politician  taking  a  selfie  at Auschwitz .

Really ,  sir, have you  NO  KIND  OF  DECENCY ? !

Don’t  even  get  me  started on  Spring  break  time  down in the  nation’s  capital  and teenagers  and  adults ,  who really  should  know  better  are acting  like  they have no kind of  house training  at Arlington  National  Cemetery .

In case all of  you  had  forgotten ,  this  is  an active  cemetery with funerals  going on  every  day .

You wouldn’t  take a selfie  at one of  your  own relatives  funeral ,  so why the Sam  Hill  are you  doing it at Arlington  or even at all those  other  World  War  I  and I I   cemeteries  that  you  might  be  visiting  in either  France ,  Germany  or Belgium  ?

Doesn’t  the  fact  that people  died here or are buried  here mean anything  to  you?

Let alone  cemeteries ,  what would  cause  you to  want  to  take a selfie  at a former  concentration  camp?

Are you  for  real  right  now ?

Just  because  you can, doesn’t  mean  you  should .

On your  trip ,  there will  be  plenty  of  places  to  take  pictures  where you  can smile, laugh, and really get your stupidity  on to your  heart’s  content .

Think  about  where you  are  though  before you  decide  to  take that  picture .

Show  some  respect  please ?

A THANK YOU LETTER TO MALAYSIA AIRLINES .

Dear Malaysia  Airlines ,

Even  though  you  no longer  fly out of  the  United  States  or  Canada ,  I  miss you and wish  you  would  fly here again .

Or at  least  out of  JFK ,  because  it seems  like  every  airline  and their  mama  flies  out of  that  airport .

I don’t  think  that  I’m  the  only  one  who  feels  that  way .

I know  that  a lot  of  people  have  a  negative  opinion  of Malaysia  Airlines ,  but please  don’t  count  me  as one of  them .

I  cried  when  those  two  planes  went down all those  years ago .

I  thought  about  my ex coworkers  and other Malaysia  Airlines  Reservations  Sales  Agents  around the  world  who might  have  made reservations  for  all those  passengers  on both of those  planes.

I cried even  more.

For seven  years ,  your office  in El  Segundo ,  California ,  a city near  Los Angeles ,  was the  place that  paid  my rent  and allowed  me  to  go on  all those  30  Plus  Teams  Tours ,  even  though  I didn’t  call  them that name  then.

When I  lost  my  job  at Delta  Airlines ,  it was  your  airline  that accepted  me as an employee  even  though  I  knew NOTHING  about  your  airline  and I  didn’t  have a  clue where Malaysia  was ,  let alone ever hearing  about the  country  or locating  it on a map .

I quickly  learned  about  the  country ,  your customs ,  your food , (  which is wicked good )  and  how  friendly  the Malaysian  people  are .

Even though  they  do speak  English ,  I tried to  learn the basic  words  in the  native  language ,  Bahasa Malay.

I  never  had  a  passport  or even  traveled  to  Asia  until  that  day  that my supervisor  came up  to  me and told me  to get one  asap “because  you’re  going  to  Kuala  Lumpur  for training . ”

Thank you ,  Malaysia  Airlines  for getting  to ride on your  planes and experiencing  the cabin  crew that was  voted the best in the  world  at that time  and what it  means  to  to take  a  long haul  flight.

Los Angeles  to KL  with  a  stop in  Taipei ,  Taiwan  18 hours.

Yikes ! !

But I  did get three meals  and  free drinks ,  not to mention  those  hot scented  towels  that were passed   around by the  flight  attendants .

I  think I  can get used to  this .

Thank you  for  not  only  my first  visit  to  KL  but for the  many other  visits  to  Penang, Singapore ,  Brisbane ,  Sydney and  even London  that I  took between  the years  of 2000-2007.

Our office  was  really  diversified ,  even way before  that was fashionable .

There were people  of all  races, religions ,  and ethnicities

working  in  the  office ,  and I’m  not  going  to  lie.

We got along  better  than  any job that  I  ever  worked  at.

Maybe  we  reflecting  the values of  the  country  even  though  we were in the  United  States   or maybe  because  by and large we enjoyed doing  what  we were paid  to  do .

Now  that  I’m  retired ,  I  will  never  forget  the  happy  and sad times  working at Malaysia  Airlines .

I thank  you  for  allowing  me  to  work  for  what  I  will always  consider  to be  the  best  company  and job that  I  ever  had .

TERIMAH  KASI ,  MALAYSIA  AIRLINES !

Sincerely ,

Joanie  from your Los Angeles  office

START SPREADING THE NEWS – NEW YORK CITY , NEW YORK – ROOSEVELT ISLAND IN PICTURES TAKE FROM THE NORTHERN PART OF THE ISLAND.

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When  people  think about  Roosevelt  Island  , that island  that sits  in  the  middle  of  the  East  River ,  they’re  only seeing  a  part of  it.

A very small  part of  it as a matter of  fact .

Most people  don’t  realize  that the area near the  Ed  Koch  59th  Street  Bridge  and tram are on the  Southern  part  of  the  island.

Further  down  is the  Northern  part  of  the  island.

From  here you can see part of  the  Bronx, the Upper  East side  of  Manhattan  and in the distance  the RFK  Bridge ,  which  used  to  be  called  the  Triboro  Bridge ,  which  separates  Manhattan  from  Queens  and  The  Bronx .

There’s  lots of  boats going  up and down  the  East River .

Many of  which  just  aren’t  sightseeing  boats.

The other day I  was there for a picnic and just enjoyed the  day and the  view.

Enjoy the  view that I  had and while  you’re  in  New York  City  for your  own  30  Plus  Teams  Tour ,  make ALL  of Roosevelt  Island  a stop if you can.

Look for  the  bright red buses.

They go all over the  island .

You won’t  be  disappointed .

30 Plus Teams 30 Plus Dreams TORONTO , ONTARIO , CANADA. THE TRUE NORTH IN PICTURES .

 

 

These pictures were taken  on my  30 Plus  Teams  Tour  of  Toronto  last year ,  but anytime  is the right time to  do a 30 Plus  Teams  Tour  of  The  416 .

 

Watching the Staten Island Ferry pass by on my own 30 Plus Teams Tour of New York City at Governor’s Island

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START SPREADING THE NEWS – NEW YORK CITY , NEW YORK – A VISIT TO GOVERNOR’S ISLAND .

 

 

It’s  a  cloudy  day  here  in  New  York  City  as I  leave  my house  in Queens  for  a  30  Plus  Teams  Tour  of  New York  City .

I’m  taking  a  day trip  to  Governor’s  Island .

People  do work  here until  October  or so ,  but the majority  of  us can only  get there  by  ferry  from  Lower Manhattan  , also  until October .

I was born  in  and raised  in  the  city ,  but I  never really  knew anything  about this  island  that  sits in  the  East  River.

When I  returned  to  New York  City  in 2010 ,  I  still  had no desire  to  see Governor’s  Island .

After  all ,  if you’ve  seen  one  island ,  you’ve  seen  them  all.

Sort  of .

Now that  I’m  back in New York  City  with  oh  so  much  time  on  my hands, I  figured  why not  visit  Governor’s  Island ?

They make  it  oh so very  easy  to  get  there .

There’s  two  ferries  that  can get you  there .

One is the  New York  Waterways  Ferry  where you  can  either  purchase  your  tickets  online  or at  the  Governor’s  Island  Ferry  Terminal ,  which  is  next  to  the  Staten  Island  Ferry  Terminal .

For  some  strange  reason ,  if you  buy  your  tickets  online ,  that doesn’t  guarantee  you  a seat  on the  ferry .

For the  New  York  Waterways  Ferry ,  the prices  are   $2 for  adults ,  $1  for  seniors ,  and it’s  free for children  under 13 as well as those  who hold a  card that’s  called  the  NYC ID ,  which is  only  available  to  those  of  us  who live  in  the  five boroughs .

(  Thank  you  for  thinking  about  us, Mayor  DiBlasio ! )

There’s  also  another  Governor’s  Island  Ferry, which  happens  to  cost zilch, nada, that’s  right ,  free.

This  particular  ferry runs a little more often than  the  New York  Waterways  Ferry .

Guess  which  one I’m  getting  on at 9am ?

The  ride  is very calming ,  even though  I’m  not at all  a ferry  person .

On the  ride back, though ,  I was brave  enough  to  sit  on  the  top and watch the waves ripple ,  along with  a  couple  of  other  passengers .

When you  get off the  ferry ,  which  is only  a  seven  minute  ride, by the  way ,  there it is .

No, not  just  Governor’s  Island ,  but part of  the  skyline  of Lower Manhattan  is right  behind  you  across  the  water .

Most prominently  in the  skyline  is  One  World  Observatory .

It’s  beginning  to  rain ,  but  now  that  I’m  here ,  there’s  no  turning  back  now .

I’ve  never  seen  Governor’s  Island  before  and I’m  not  going  to  blow my chance now because  of  a few raindrops .

Do  you  remember  in high  school  reading  about  how the  Indians  sold the Island  of  Manhattan  to the  Dutch to what  basically  would  be   $24  now?

This  is  the place where they did  it, although  it wasn’t  known  as  Governor’s  Island  then.

It became  that name  when the  British  took  over  New  York  and  established  this  area  for  the  royal  governors  of New York .

Walking  around  some  of  the  buildings  reminded  me  of  some  of  the  colonial  style  houses  of  Boston  and  Philadelphia .

Looking  at  two  of  the  buildings ,  Fort  Jay  and  Castle  Williams  confuse  me just  a  little  bit .

Am  I  doing  a 30  Plus  Teams  Tour  of  New  York  City  or Baltimore ?

Both  of  these  forts  look  so  similar  to  Fort  McHenry  in  Baltimore  that  it’s  really  hard  to  tell  them  apart .

If you  happen  to  go  to  either  place ,  you’ll  see  what  I  mean .

All three  of  these  places  were  built  to  defend  the  United  States  from  the  British  and  their  allies  during  the  War  of  1812 .

Even  though  it’s  now  a steadier  rain ,  I’m  really  getting  my exercise  here .

There’s  not  that  many  cars or bikes  around ,  but  just  like  me ,  people  are walking ,  admiring  the  view .

Wait  a minute ! !

What is  that  in the  distance ?

It’s  Lady  Liberty  and far  off to  the  right  it’s  Ellis  Island .

I  didn’t  realize  how  close  it is  to Liberty  Island  either .

(  Liberty  Island  is going  to  be  another  stop  on my  30  Plus  Teams  Tour  of  New  York  City ,  but  not  today . )

Governor’s  Island  is  technically  considered  part of  Manhattan  and while  it’s  just  a  small  part of the  borough  of  Manhattan ,  visiting  Governor’s  Island  is a great  way  to  pass an  hour  or  two  right  in  the  shadow  of  Lower  Manhattan .

LAS VEGAS BABY ! – LAS VEGAS , NEVADA – A SLICE OF THE BIG APPLE IN LAS VEGAS , NEW YORK NEW YORK HOTEL AND CASINO .

I  was born  and  raised  in  that  other  city  that  never  sleeps ,  New York  City .

So I’ll  bet  you’re  wondering  just  why  would  I  fly  across  the  country  just  to see a  hotel  and  casino  with  a  fugazy  Brooklyn  Bridge ,  let  alone  a  replica  of  the  Statue  of  Liberty  in front  of  it ?

Um, because  it’s  there  and  I  can  because  this  is  my 30 Plus  Teams  Tour  of  Las  Vegas .

The  first  thing  one notices  when you  stand  on  the  street  and look up at the  facade, is just  that.

The facade that represents  Grand  Central  Station .

Those  screams  you hear  aren’t  from  people  who  just  won some  money  on the  slots  or on the  tables .

Look  above you before  you  walk in, you can’t  miss it .

Yes, it’s  a  big  roller  coaster  and it’s  called  ”  The  Big  Apple  ” .

You can  pretend  that  you’re  in Coney  Island ,  watching  the  Cyclone  go round  and  round .

The  roller  coaster  cars  are  even  in the shape  of  a  New York  City  taxicab .

Do my eyes  deceive  me?

Right  behind  that  much smaller  version  of  the  Statue  of  Liberty ,  is that a smaller  version  of  what else ,  Ellis  Island ?

(Special  thanks ,  by the  way  to my fellow  New Yorker  and friend Mish  for  allowing  me  to  use the Statue  of  Liberty  picture  in this  post.)

This is  New York ,  New  York  Hotel ,  so those just have to  be replicas  of  the  Empire  State  Building  and  the  Chrysler  Building ,  right ?

Yes  they  are .

When  you  finally  walk  inside ,  there’s  more than  enough  sights  to  make a New  Yorker  or a former  New Yorker  homesick  for all those  things  that  you  remember  as a  kid growing  up  in  the  Lower  East side ,  Washington  Heights ,  Harlem  or even Brooklyn ,  Queens ,  or Staten  Island .

The buildings  with  the  fire escapes  that  a lot  of  us  used to  sit on  to get some air in the summer  because  no one could  really  afford  air conditioning  back then bring  back great memories .

Of course ,  being  the  New Yorker  that I  am, it’s  all about  the  food.

They  even have  a Nathans  , just like the  ones you remember  going  to  in Brooklyn .

What would New York   New York  Hotel  be without  some authentic ,  sort of ,  pizza  parlors ?

This was comfort  food  to many a New York  school  kid, and it still is .

I might  be  in the  middle  of  the  desert ,  but  for  a  few  minutes   visiting  New York ,  New York  brought   me back to  those  memories  of  growing  up  in the  city .

LAS VEGAS BABY ! – LAS VEGAS , NEVADA – CHECK OUT THE FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE .

 

 

You’ve  decided  to  leave the  Las Vegas  Strip  for  the  evening  and  head on over  to  the  old  section  of  town ,  the  place  where  Las Vegas  actually  began ,  Downtown  Las  Vegas .

There aren’t  as many  casinos  down here but they  have just  as much  nightlife  and  excitement  going  on  as the  casinos  on  the  Las  Vegas  Strip  do .

One  thing  that  this  area  has that  the  Strip  doesn’t ,is a pedestrian  friendly  mall known  as  the  Fremont  Street  Experience .

Since 1995 ,  there has been  a  covering  over all the  shops ,  restaurants ,  bars and casinos  on Fremont  Street .

At night, from 8 pm  until  Midnight ,  this  canopy  lights up and becomes  something  known  as  ”  Viva  Vision  ” ,  where you can hear the  music of  acts like  the  Beatles ,  Green Day, and Bon  Jovi  ,  accompanied  by   what seems to be the entire  light  bulb  section  of every  Walmart ,  Target ,  or Home  Depot  store in all 50 states and Puerto  Rico  plus  the  District  of  Columbia .

If this wasn’t  enough  going  on ,  on either  side  of  the  street ,  there are  two stages  that people  perform  on, that is  when Viva  Vision  isn’t  playing .

Viva  Vision  runs   every  half hour, by the  way .

If the fifty million  lights from Viva  Vision  weren’t  bright  enough ,  every casino from The D all the way down to  the  Plaza  Las Vegas  gets a  little  brighter  also .

No, that’s  a  lie.

It gets a LOT  brighter  actually .

Do you  want  to  have  a  closer  view of the  goings-on  at Fremont  Street ,  including  the  crowds  and  the  many  street  performers  that seem  to  pop up  everywhere ?

You can by paying   $20 and riding  the  zip line  known  as  ”  Slotzilla  ” , which  shoots you out of  a what else, slot machine

 

,  and sends you zooming  over  the  crowds just like Superman  or Wonder  Woman .

No one ever told  you  that  Downtown  Las  Vegas  was  just  as much  fun  as the  Las  Vegas  Strip  even  though  it’s  much  smaller

You had so  a much fun at the Fremont  Street  Experience  that you just  might  come  back again  tomorrow  night.

LAS VEGAS BABY ! – LAS VEGAS , NEVADA – YOU MEAN THAT WE AREN’T IN EGYPT? – THE LUXOR HOTEL

It’s  been  a  long  day  in Las  Vegas  for  you  and  your  family .

The  four  of  you ,  you ,  your  wife  and  the  twins ,  a boy and  a  girl ,  age  15 ,  have  just  come  from  riding  the  Big  Apple  Roller  Coaster  at New York ,  New York   Hotel .

Being  the  New Yorkers  that  the  four  of  you  are, the roller  coaster  ride  reminded  you all on a ride on  the  New York  City  subway .

The  kids aren’t  ready  to  go  back  to  your hotel  just yet and neither  are  you  and your  wife ,  by the  way .

The  kids  have  told  you  as only  tweenagers  can ,  that they want  to  go  see the hotel  with ”  that mad huge sphinx . ”   in front  of  it.

You’re  guessing  that  they’re  talking  about  the Luxor  because  it reminds  you all of the time that you took the kids to visit  their grandparents  in Cairo ,  Egypt .

Normally ,  you would  walk to  this  hotel ,  but it’s  117  degrees  out, and that’s  with  no shade whatsoever .

If there’s  one  thing  that  you’ve  learned  from  your  trip  to  Las  Vegas  is that  objects  are NOT  as close  as  they  appear  to  be .

Luckily ,  there’s  a  free  tram  that  goes  from  Excalibur  Hotel  to the  Luxor .

The  four  of  you  get  off at  the  Luxor  stop, and there it is right in front  of  you ,  the half man, half lion, ”  mad huge sphinx . ”

The hotel  is  in the  shape  of  a  pyramid  and at night ,  there’s  a  beacon  of  light  that shines  from  the  top of  the  hotel   that supposedly  astronauts  can see from  Outer  Space ,  but you aren’t  sure  if  that’s  true  or if it’s  just  an urban  myth .

You  do know  that  when  your plane landed from Laguardia  Airport  to Las Vegas  McCarron  International  Airport  the other  night ,  you did see the  light  and it just wasn’t  the  lights  from  the  Las Vegas  Strip .

As you  all walk  through  the  lobby ,  there’s  two  huge  statues  of  a  Pharoah ,  which  one ,  you have no idea.

It does  remind  you  of  the  statue  of  Pharoah  Ramses  I I that the four  of  you  saw when you  went to  Abu  Simbel  with your cousins a few years  ago .

The  kids want  to  take  a ride  on  one  of  the  “inclinators”  at Luxor .

Because  of  the  shape  of  some  of  the  rooms  at the  hotel ,  the elevator  doesn’t  go straight ,  it inclines.

The kids won’t  have the  chance  to  ride the  inclinators  because  you all aren’t  staying  at  the  hotel .

Maybe  the  next  time  that  you  all come  to  Las  Vegas ,  whether  it  be  a 30  Plus  Teams  Tour  or not,  this is  the  hotel  that  you’ll  make  reservations  for .

You have to  agree  with  the  kids, just  being  at Luxor  for  a  few minutes  reminded  you of those  wonderful  times  that the four of  you  had visiting  your relatives and  in laws  in Egypt .