in NYC? go here!

so i've fallen in love w/ the city that never sleeps. YES! so i had to share some of the places, in ANY given season, that you can visit and definately feel the spirit of NYC...at least as a visitor. don't be afraid to talk to locals either! none of this is in any kind of order!

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1. Top of the Rock - no lines & landscaping views of all 5 burroughs! what's better than that? avoid the Empire State Building. you can see it from the Top =)

2. Times Square - touristy as ever but ALOT of people seeing. always loud, live & interesting! 5th to 7th Av on Broadway is full of places to shop, eat and take classic photos in the middle of the street. Watch for traffic though...the horns will be blaring at you!

3. Nespresso - Upper East Side Manhattan. Super classy & upgraded version of Starbucks w/ security. LOVED this place and the staff was really nice. It's a franchise, so you might find it in other cities. The caffeine fix and sweet tooth fix is definately right here!

4. Chinatown - Ever strolled down Canal St during Essence Fest? Street venders & crowded streets is exactly what this is times ten! Everybody is trying to hussle you in the streets but the artisy feel of the scene so close to Tribeca makes it a must visit. Great authentic food finds and check out the street vendors before the police comes taking them away...

courtesy of nyc.gov

5. Central Park - You could NEVER see every park of Central Park in one day but you SHOULD visit some part of it on your visit. Great sitting hills and shading trees everywhere. There's events, a zoo and other amenties in the park. If nothing else, you get to say you saw the beautiful Central Park. It's classic.

courtesy of blog.tmcnet.com

3 places to visit in Houston!

Happy Friday 13th! This day seems to SUPPOSED to be something like another Halloween, but this Friday has been...great, relaxing and productive. On that note, don't believe the hype! I wanted to start sharing some of the "top" things I find. starting with: HOUSTON

contrary to popular belief, i do LOVE my city. i was raised here and without Houston i'd probably be a totally different person. and although im still hanging in limbo on whether i'll be moving out the state for awhile...there are some great pieces here in the city to enjoy! whether you're coming to visit or just looking for something to do...have you experienced these 3 gems?

1. The Ensemble Theatre [[www.ensemblehouston.com]]
    I had the pleasure of enjoying some shows here before the season was over, and I can't believe I lived here all these years and never visited this place! The facility feels like a home and the staff is easy going. Great shows here & guess what? You won't spend more than $30 on this date!

2. Discovery Green [[www.discoverygreen.com]]
    Came here for the first time August 2009. Love it! It's not quite Central Park but it's beautiful, huge with lots of roaming space! There are plenty of weekly events posted on the site from writers' workshops to yoga on the lawn. All free! Can't beat that...

3. Museum District [[www.houstonmuseumdistrict.org]]
    Been coming to the District since I was a kid but didn't begin to appreciate it until I was a college student. Did you know most of the museums are free?! Free the Buffalo Soldier Museum in 3rd Ward. Everybody there is knowledgeable and only a $2 entry free! Walking distance between most of the theaters.

there's so much else but check these out first! old things get old quick but i havent grown tired of these just yet! check em out.