Life is Good with a Talking Nutcracker

Our house is always filled with laughter over very silly things. And for that, I consider myself pretty lucky.

The nutcracker was Christmas gift.  I have no idea why the nutcracker is talking or why it was being recorded. But I was laughing nonstop and when the nutcracker fell, I thought he stopped recording so I laughed out loud.

There are times when I wished I could hear this laugh especially when things around me aren’t so funny. Life is good when you have a talking nutcracker.

Turn your sound down before you click.

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Speechless

Last night,  we went out to dinner with friends. We were enjoying good conversation about our old neighborhood. My friend’s husband came about an hour later. He brought his friend. We were all chatting and laughing about schools and places kids hung out. At one point, my friends referred to me by my last name. The new friend says, “I think I knew your brother.” I asked, “which one?” He responded, “Colin, the one who died.”  The words echoed through my bones. For the rest of the evening I zoned in and out of the conversation…..I was a classmate of Colin’s…….the teacher told us he died….. The conversation was surreal.

My brother died over 30 years ago.

No one has ever mentioned him to me outside of my immediate family. And they haven’t mentioned him in over 25 years.

I took my new friend’s phone number and I told him I would call him sometime with questions. I don’t know if I ever will, but maybe I will think about it sometime.

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Shout Out to Grandmaster J

Hello – you said you read my blog so I wanted to say hello!  Whazzup J?!

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Apartments in Bay Ridge

A lot of people have been writing to me asking where they can find affordable Bay Ridge apartments. You can find some here 

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2012 Hope and being Grateful

2011 wasn’t a terrible year. But it was a hard year. There were many deaths in our family this year and we attending a lot of funerals.

When we rung in the new year, Lee and I discussed how many great things are going to happen this year.

On New Years Eve, we were all celebrating. After the clock struck 12, it is customary in Brooklyn to go outside, make noise and wish your neighbors a happy new year. Kids take a pot and wooden spoon outside with them and bang them. Even when the kids on our block stopped making noise, we could hear the clanging from pots surrounding our block.

I am so grateful for my family & friends. I am lucky to be a teacher and have such fantastic students. I am grateful that I know and can feel blessings in my life each day.

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The Best of Bay Ridge

I’ve lived in Bay Ridge for two years. A very close friend of mine is moving here and I am making her a list of the best places in Bay Ridge. The list just keeps getting longer and longer as I love to shop locally.

Best Take Out/Delivery

Pizza – Ginos (718) 748-1698  and  Espresso Pizza (718) 833-8750

Chinese – Dragon China – 79th and 3rd   718-238 -2202

Vietnemese – Phoa Hoai 86th & 4th Avenue (718) 745-1640

Thai – MyThai – reasonably priced lunch specials See what people ordered

Mexican – Fresh Tortillas II 8510 – 4th Avenue 11209 (it’s new – better than Fresh Tortilla I – the food is very fresh)   718-333-5811 OR  718-333-5184

Hamburgers – Fort Hamilton Diner  95th & 4th    718-238-5151 – best burgers ever (the Hamilton Platter is good too) Fast delivery.

Latin – Castilla de Jaga  68th and 4th

Cuban – Mr. Julio’s in Sunset Park – rotisserie chicken (718) 680-3423 (delivers to Bay Ridge)

Sushi – Omiya (decent – Dish is better, but more $)

Italian – Vesuvios – good pasta/salads 718-745-0222

Polish – Polonica (718) 630-5805

Sandwiches – Paneantico – Corner of 91st & 3rd 718-680-2347

    Still love Lioni’s on 78th and 15th Avenue

Best Restaurants

• Italian – Casa Calamari & Zio Toto 84th & 3rd Avenue
• Greek –  Something Greek is good- still love Spartan Souvlaki 6824 8th Avenue (718) 748-5838  I have heard Plaka on 86th Street is good and has amazing spinach pies.
• Chinese – Chopstix
• Sushi – Dish  92nd and 3rd Avenue Menu
• Spanish –  CasaPepe  114 Bay Ridge Avenue
• Mexican – Las Margaritas 7215 3rd Avenue & Panchos
• Indian – I haven’t found a good place in Bay Ridge. We go to Kinara in Park Slope 473 5th Avenue – between 10th Street and 6th Avenue 718-499-3777  Sometimes we call in the order and pick it up too.  

Best Bagels in Bay Ridge

• Bagel Boy 8002 3rd Avenue
• Still love Chicken Ridiculous from Dyker Park Bagels 713 86th Street

Best Bakery in Bay Ridge – Your Bakery – 86th Street – has Leske’s black and white cookies – both the hard and soft icing. Plus good lemon cake and strawberry shortcake. 

Best Bars in Bay Ridge – Salty Dog, Kettle Black & Pippins

Best Date Spots in Bay Ridge – Shore Road & Cappacino Cafe – that’s what Lee & I did.

  Services

Best Cleaners & Tailoring in Bay Ridge – 99th Street Cleaners 9840-4th Avenue (718) 836 – 3120

Best Shoe Repair in Bay Ridge – Sami’s on 95th off 4th Avenue (going towards 3rd)

Best Pet Store in Bay Ridge – Paws Truly 76th & 3rd Avenue

Best Jewelry Repair in Bay Ridge – Richie at R&S Jewelers -3rd between 94th & 95th Street

Best Nail Salon in Bay Ridge

• Nail & Mee on 9801 – 4th Avenue /Marine and 4th Avenue
• Pink & White 87th & 3rd ($25 for mani/pedi)

Best Gym – Harbor Fitness

Best Attorney in Bay Ridge –Bob Howe

Best Realtor in Bay Ridge – Ed Davis

Doctors 

• Treat & Release 8012 3rd Ave (718) 342-5362
• Dr. Paul Maravel – 5th Avenue between 77th & 77th Doctors Care 718-238-7111
• Pediatric Doctor – Dr. Gabriel – Gabriel Pediatric
• John Frisone 94th and 4th (718) 836 – 6556
• Dr, Taglianetti – 4th Avenue & 79th 
• Ophthmologist – Stella Douros 6th Avenue 75th Street  –
• Pediatric Ophthmologist –Pediatric Ophthalmic Consultants (Borough Park)

Best Vet in Bay Ridge: Dr. Appel 9102 – 5th Avenue

Outside of BayRidge: St. Francis Animal Hospital

Best Places for Parties

Family Parties: 

• Embers – 95th & 3rd Avenue
• Hunter’s Steak House – 94th & 4th Avenue
• Ginos – good food – nice setting 74th &5th

Places for Bridal & Baby Showers in Bay Ridge

• Chadwicks– 88th and 3rd Avenue
• Greenhouse Cafe  77th and 3rd Avenue

Birthday Parties for tweens & young adults

• Ariang Hibachi  4th Avenue & 89th Street

 Children

Best Nursery School – Grace Nursery School

Best Party Places

• Small party – The Painted Pot  8009 3rd Ave  (718) 491-6411
• Larger Party – BounceU (outside Bay Ridge, but closeby)
• Small Children – Play Days & Parties 6632 3rd Ave. (Next to the Firehouse) Phone: 718-492-8997

Presents for Kids –  The Book mark Shoppe or Kaleidoscope

Donate Old Clothes: St Marys Church picks up – call Or you can drop it off in the box 5th Avenue 90th Street

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Something Special

I don’t hang a lot of things on the walls because I don’t like to make holes in the walls. When I rented, I made holes all over (I filled them and repainted before we moved too).

But this is pretty special and I couldn’t wait to put it up.

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Santa Visited Us

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Free Social Security Death Index

This one is free and helps you find out who recently died: http://www.dobsearch.com/death-records/

They shut down the free social security death index that I used all the time:  http://searches.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ssdi.html

But on 12/18/11, ancestry.com has decided that information is too sensitive for people to search for it without paying. It’s so thoughtful of ancestry.com to think of us.

So where can I search the death records for free now?

This one is free and helps you find out who recently died: http://www.dobsearch.com/death-records/

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What is there to do on New Years Day in Brooklyn?

The Polar Bear Club will be doing their annual swim at Coney Island Beach. Start the year off with a refreshing swim or go and watch them. Anyone can join them for free – just meet on the Boardwalk in Coney Island at 1:00 pm on Sunday. The Parks Department has a changing facility on the Boardwalk.

A lot of people like to watch the event from Ruby’s bar located at 1213 Boardwalk West   Brooklyn 11224.

The NY Aquarium in Coney Island is open on New Years Day so many people like to go there after watching the polar bears swim.

Prospect Park Zoo is open on New Years Day too.

And of course Ikea is open from 11 am to 9 pm

*We like to go to brunch on 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge on New Year’s Day.

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Right Where You Should Be.

I took a walk on Shore Road with my dog before the Christmas Eve festivities.   As I was walking, I saw a young woman crying – real hard. As I approached her, I was thinking about what to say OR not to say – afterall, maybe she wanted to be alone.  As I got closer, I realized I had to say something because she was sobbing hard.

I walked over to her and asked, “Are you okay?”  Clearly, she wasn’t, but I thought it was what I should say. As her head moved up to answer me, I realized I knew her. She said my teacher name and hugged me. We sat down on a bench and I asked her what was wrong. I thought someone died because her shirt was wet with tears.  She responded, “Everything.”  Everything turned out to be that she wasn’t doing well in her classes and she and her boyfriend had broken up.  She felt hopeless.

Ten thousand words flooded out of her mouth as I sat and nodded. She asked me if I had any advice for her. I told her that I didn’t, but then words poured out of mouth………”you are exactly where you are supposed to be and this terrible breakup is just going to bring you closer to the person you are supposed to be with. And it’s Christmas so anything magical can happen tonight.” I had to head home because my dog was chilly.

As I walked away I smiled because I was exactly where I was suppose to be tonight too.  Thank God.

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Feeling the Christmas Spirit

For many years I haven’t felt Christmasy. I couldn’t explain why.

This year I am feeling so much Christmas spirit!

First, I am so blessed to have so many good people in my life.

Without saying too much about my students I wanted to write about two who shared with me more Christmas spirit than they could imagine….and I don’t think either celebrate Christmas.  I taught both of these students last year. I don’t teach either of them this year. These two students brought me gifts today which is sweet, but not important. What was important is that they both stopped in to speak the kindest words everrrrr to say to me. One of the bags had the sweetest card I have ever read and I am going to put it in the frame.

I am lucky to know them and I am so grateful for the Christmas spirit they brought me.

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