"The Best Things to do in NYC when you visit"

I am a New Yorker at heart I was born here 23 years ago in Man-hatt-an! Lol so it truly has a place in my heart from its eccentric crazy characters, the food, the shops, the many places to visit, and sites. It reinvents itself much like I do. I think we have that in common. So one thing I will say to the place I so truly have affection for is I <3 You New York and thanks for being so good to me. You're like a fun boyfriend looking out for my best interest. So to NYC here are my favorite places where I have gone or will go in the future. =)

Chloe's places to visit when coming to NYC:

1. Visit the Empire State Building located on 34th and 5th avenue you should go to the top of the observer deck. I havent yet but you should.

2. Take the Circle Line located on the West Side Highway you will get a chance to see the Five Boroughs and a whole lot more for one hour.

3. Visit Times Square its in the heart of Manhattan and theres soooo much to do. Say hello to the Naked Cowboy, see a Broadway show my favorites: "Hot Feet", "Beauty & the Beast", "In the Heights", "Raisin & the Sun", "The Color Purple", "The Lion King", "Rent", and many more I plan to see on Broadway like Hair, Wicked, and more =)

4. Go to the M&M store colorful, bright, you feel like your inner child has come alive cheesy but sooo much fun for the young and young at heart.

5. Bubba Gump Restaurant if you love the food.

6.Havana Central where I went the food was amazing. Located on 46th street between 6th avenue and 7th avenue.

7. Any Pizzeria around new york I havent found my favorite yet a couple places on 56th street has the best pizza where I worked at when I was in high school amazing.

8. Wildberry is my new favorite ice cream and Grom in the west village is really good.

9. Where to shop I can go on for days and days. I usually hit up H&M, Forever 21 on 34th street has the best stuff, and Joyce Leslie.

10. I love Houston's my family and I used to go a lot so its one of my favorites the roasted chicken and french fries & the chili burgers whew!!! Lolz too much.

11.Visit Yankee Stadium -I havent yet but i plan to in the future.

12. Long Island has some great malls too.

13. Serendipity located 60th and lexington

14. Bloomingdales 60th and Lexington closer to 59th street.

15. Macy's of course 34th and Herald Square

16. Fifth Avenue shops of course even if you dont have it just walk around like me and my buddies do =)

17.Central Park always something to do. Concerts, Live productions of tv shows, and so on.

18. Brooklyn! lolz something to always do there as well Too many stores and shops.

19.Canal Street

20. Soho I love Soho some of the best places to shop at around.

21. Willamsburg I hear is pretty busy and popular havent visited yet but we'll see.

22. "The Tenenment Museum" if you don't know the history of NYC you should know and I suggest Ellis Island as well.

23. I also suggest going to Sevilla's in the west side of the village in New York.

24. Sushi go somewhere fresh you don't want anything that would make you nauseous or sick.

25. Visit all the boroughs not just one you need to stay 2 weeks to get a feel of NYC.

26. Ground Zero you can get the impact of 9/11 and the history of it.

27. Seaport in Brooklyn haven't been but go for you

28. Saint Patrick's Cathedral

29. The beaches Long Island or BK Jones, Riis, or anywhere else lolz.

30. Radio City Music Hall

31. The Love Sign lolz. I want photos there but go there too.

32. Phillipes on 33 east 60th and Lexington Avenue . I love the food this place is strictly for the grown and sexy. It's a beautiful restaurant the chicken satays in the chef's special sauce are divine.

33. Coney Island visit definitely in the summer.

34. Rick Shaw Dumplings located 61 West 23rd between 5th and 6th avenue.

35. Cafe Wha? located downtown in the west village 115 Macdougal street between 3rd avenue and Bleecker.

36. Dylan's Candy Bar I want to go so badly I can't wait.

37. If you're a singer or a wannabe singer try Duet Karaoke 48 located East 48th between 1st and 2nd avenue.

38. Kurve Lounge 87 Second Avenue

39. The Olive Tree in the Village so good believe me great comedy.

40. Mojito in 82 Washington Ave. Brooklyn, New York.

41. VCafe 345 Greenwich Street NY, NY I love the food I don't know how my mom and I found it but we love it.

42. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

43. Cafeteria West 17th street the food is amazing!

44. Sevilla restaurant located 62 Charles Street (Corner of West 4th street)

Number 45. Ladies and Gentlemen Tavern on the Green!!!! 67th street & Central Park West so beautiful I would love to go. =)

46. The Trump Hotel in NYC breath takingly beautiful

47. The Waldorf Astoria for one night save up and splurge on your hard work.

48. The NY Public Library

49. The Museum of Natural History

50. MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)

PLUS TWO BONUSES 51. (Lincoln Center the Metropolitan Opera House)

52. Columbus Circle

Thats it folks!!!!!

If you don't drive grab a subway map please they have them at every subway stop. I know it pretty well after 8 or 9 years now. Lolz. I run the F and V train baby! Lolz i have taken it for a long time. =) Enjoy your visits to New York City. It the city that never sleeps, it is the city where you can make it there you will make it everywhere, its beautiful, gritty at times, but grows into your heart. Have fun =)

"The Cake Boss is Taking Over Hoboken"

Inside Carlo’s Bakery located between Washington Street and First Street in Hoboken, N.J. The Carlo’s Bakery staff is busy and when I say busy they are very occupied at the moment. There are people running around, some people are scurrying over the front of the counter taking orders, some are assisting other customers on the opposite side of the bakery. Others are running around trying to find their customer’s order on their cake pastries, cannolis orders, and what else they need at the moment. When you first come into the bakery you think oh it’s really nice it’s just a bakery. ( Image of Carlo’s Bakery) No, it’s not just a bakery actually this bakery has become the landmark of Hoboken, New Jersey. Customers are outside down the street trying to get inside and see what all of the fuss is about.
This bakery has become a major success due to the star, Buddy Valastro of TLC’s reality television show, “The Cake Boss”. Buddy Valastro has become a major hit with the public he has designed and made cakes for everyone from A-list celebrities to regular “average Joes” , Britney Spears, Gayle King (Oprah’s best friend), television host, Wendy Williams, and Ralph Lauren’s daughters, Dylan Lauren’s store “Dylan’s Candy Bar” located in New York,NY . Valastro also designed a cake especially for the opening of her store. He even did yours truly birthday cake last month which turned out absolutely beautiful. He put my picture on it and my favorite color pink was part of the icing with multicolored sprinkles. (Image of Chloe Riccardo’s birthday cake by Buddy Valastro)
He has become a hit success and I don’t think anything is going to stop him now. I just went back in Carlo’s and let me tell you he was doing an interview for a magazine when I wanted an interview with him. It was unbelievable because it showed the power of success can really take over. He is tied up and I am not the only one who wants a story with Valastro.
The one thing I noticed was how everyone there is really a team player when it comes to Carlo’s. The staff is so large that they all take turns doing different jobs. I noticed he is a very family-oriented person so that plays a major part in how he deals with his business. He wants his family to continue on with the business and keep it going for generations to come.
Carlo’s Bake Shop is an Italian-American bakery that was established in 1910 and Buddy’s father and mother both became the owners in 1964. When Buddy’s father passed away he took over at the tender age of sixteen in 1992.
The pastries at Carlo’s are divine and amazing I have ordered three cakes from Carlo’s and have eaten many pastries. The stuff is delicious and it isn’t overpowering or fattening. Everything is fresh, delicious, and sweet to the T. I have had his raspberry tarts, vanilla, and chocolate cupcakes, and he made a delicious strawberry and vanilla custard cake inside for my birthday and my mother’s birthday cake. He has done almost my whole family’s birthday cakes so he is a very talented and a creative baker. I highly recommend him for future use.
Buddy Valastro Jr. grew up in Little Ferry, New Jersey he is the only son of Mary and Buddy Valastro, Sr. and he has four other sisters: Maddalena “Madeline” Castano, Lisa Gonzalez, Mary Sciarrone, and Grace Faguno. The family has kept the business with all close relatives including cousins, husbands, brother-in-laws, sisters –in-laws, and more are apart of the team. While his parents were running the bakery Buddy Jr. learned how to manage the bakery and when his father passed he became the primary baker and he took over. He would come to the bakery when he was young and it helped him to run it and he became owner after his father left it to him.
Valastro has a natural talent and his team helps him as well with the designs he comes up with for his sketches and designs for his cakes. He has come up with some amazing cakes one of my favorite cakes he made was a cake in the shape of an engagement ring and he has never had any culinary training he learned everything from his father but he picked everything up himself. He is extremely talented he can make a cake out of every object or anything you can think of when you sit down with him or his staff.
The television show “Cake Boss” made its debut this spring of 2009 with Valastro and his family coming to the airwaves on TLC. It has become a big hit from watching to the point people are stopping literally in front of the bakery to get their pictures taken every single day. Lines are wrapped around the front door and literally are going down the street because of his success. Valastro does not seem to mind the attention he said he feels overwhelmed but he loves it though. He’s proud to be a hometown celebrity of Hoboken. He did say that he would love his children to also continue on with the bakery and become apart of it. Any person who loves to have fun , loves sweets, loves to celebrate life and family they should be apart of Carlo’s Bakery. He just wants to be known as a person who loves his family and works hard. He wants his viewers to take this message away from watching his show.
“Follow your dreams and never give up everything starts out small before it becomes big.”

I think this message sums up everything that Carlo’s, “Cake Boss”, and what every person’s dreams are really about. It’s such a small significant thing to you but once you make it a reality it can become huge. Valastro has become such a hit success he has three billboard posters around New Jersey on Newark Avenue in Hoboken, New Jersey. (Image of Billboard on Newark Street in Hoboken, NJ) . There is also a billboard with him covered in flour, white chef coat, and a pleasant smirk on 47th and Broadway in front of the Virgin Mega Store and where the New Year’s Eve ball drops. (image of Billboard on 47th and Broadway) The location is too perfect for him his billboard is right in the heart of Manhattan where all the most tourists come. He is guaranteed a spot in the limelight. People are guaranteed to know his face and look him up. The Cake Boss is taking over Hoboken and also the tri-state what’s next the world? Buddy Valastro does not seem like he will be a 15- minute famer he’s going to be around for a long time rolling in dough, money, and fondant. I believe this is only the beginning of his success we will see what comes next for Valastro, his family, and the success of the show.

"Queen of Media is dethroning television castle"

Why oh why Oprah are you leaving in 2011? I don't get it I mean I thought your fans and everyone were really doing well. I hope its not for hype missy. We love you and adore you. You have been on since the year I was born and my family and I love everything you do. I wish you would stay for another few seasons but we will miss you very much. You have really been a huge part of my life and I am so glad that an African American woman has paved the way. Its phenomenal and amazing what you have done. You have touched the lives of so many people and I am one of them. You inspire me to be a better person, inspiring journalist, and young woman. I am wondering who are you going to pass the torch to? Who will be next in line will it be Tyra, Ellen, Wendy Williams, or are you grooming someone we have yet to meet? I wonder I wish I could fill those shoes. You are such a force not to be played with I know you have something in mind to keep your television fans excited. I wish you all the best though really. Thank god for you and I will be continuing to watch the show and I hope I have a chance to see you again in person. Minus all of the trucks and police. I went to see you in NYC but was running a little late but fortunately I was able to catch you at home. I hope I will see you in person so I can say thank you and good luck. =) Love U Queen Oprah, the queen of media All the best.

Princess and the Frog movie Controversy

So why is it all of a sudden I am checking out information online about Disney's new film "Princess and the Frog" and people are bashing how the little innocent cartoon characters love interest is caucasian. Are we really at a point where people just do not like interracial relationships? Come on now some of the best celebrities are in interracial marriages or relationships and they are doing well. I mean I understand the fact as an African American young woman myself that people are still dealing with the acceptance of those kind of relationships. I mean haven't we evolved at least for now. I mean she's a cartoon character for god sakes! LOL (Laughing out loud for you non text lingo people). I don't understand that what Disney is trying to do is educate the young minds of America on the love is really blind and that society has changed so much in the last fifty or sixty years especially in the media. She's too adorable to have people bashing her because she's dating a prince whos white. I think its sad because of the best celebrities and people of my generation and the generation before me are products of interracial relationships. Give it a rest people. Wake up and take a taste of the chocolate and vanilla swirl okay? I really think this is about fun for children. They probably don't even notice the meaning or what the images are really projecting. I mean I never had a problem sitting there watching "Pocahontas" and thinking ..."Oh why is Pocahontas dating someone who is white?" It never phased me I was enjoying the film and having fun. That's all that matter to me. I believe the music, the characters, and the film itself are going to be something that the children will treasure for years to come. They won't be fixated on that actually. So in my opinion take your babies to see the movie.

Update 1/13/2010: I just bought my very own Tiana doll. She was $20.00 dollars at the St.Louis airport so I guess I'm a Princess Tiana fan lolz I'm too old to be. But she's adorable. I plan to dress like her if not for Halloween on my wedding day it will be a "Princess and the Frog" theme which would be perfect. Chloe kissed a whole bunch of frogs and got her prince! LMAO! I can't wait one day lol we'll see. But for now I can't wait to see the movie its been out for a month already. I gotta see it soon. =)

Summer 2009 The Things Ms.Chloe J did

My my my how time flies just one year ago we started blogging in my basic reporting class and I need so much to catch up on to my beloved readers or followers. Well lets start with my summer first of all. This summer besides working hard in school with a creative writing class and working. I managed to go visit one of the best places in the United States....Are you ready do you want to know where I went?

I went to Vegas baby!!!!!! Yes I went to Las Vegas, Nevada with one of my besties, Marisa and Chris. Whew we had fun I can't tell you how exciting the town really is. There's so much to do during the day and the night. I can go on and on. We stayed for about close to a week but we really did not want to leave. There was so much to do we tried to squeeze everything within the days. One place we visited I think you all may love was Treasure Island it was fun with the pirates & syrens coming out and watching the show. The next place we went to is one of my favorite malls in the U.S. now I wish I could fly back and go now. Fashion Show Mall is where we went it's amazing, huge, and really nice. I thought it was so cool how a live runway in the middle of the mall is where people are watching the show. The mall was sooooo nice its incredible. The next place we went was The Mirage Hotel where my new favorite candy store is "The Sugar Factory" I love it and its so cool. We need one right in the middle of Times Square in New York so kids and adults can come. I loved it. I also went to Circus Circus which is a hotel but let me tell you this have you ever gone to a hotel with a boardwalk type of vibe. Where a live carnival is inside the hotel. Thats where we went. It had a theme park inside the hotel. It was incredible. We had sooo much fun. I suggest for you big kids take the little kids to go. We didn't want to leave there's so much to do. I also went to several hotels that you may want to stay at The Palazzo, The Mirage, Caesar's Palace,and several others. But nothing compares to my hotel lolz The Trump International Hotel. I loved it. Oh I didn't tell you my beloved readers I met Mr Flavor of Love himself, "FLAVOR FLAV!!!!". I was at Caesars Palace and he was there with a friend about to have dinner and was so kind enough to take a picture with me Lolz. 

Birthday Week 2009

I had an awesome birthday week I can't describe the feeling of being proud to be born around a great time. The Yankees won their world series game two nights before my birthday which worked out pretty well because I was able to attend the 27th anniversary parade on my birthday by canal street. Here's my take on the experience....I am not an avid sports watcher maybe when I am watching basketball but for the last couple of weeks I have become a Yankees watcher. I just attended the 2009 Yankees Parade in New York City located between Broadway and Canal Street and going uptown. The parade was the commemoration for the 27th anniversary celebration of the Yankees taking the title of the game from their Wednesday play against the Philadelphia Phillies 4-7. Throughout the whole day I saw a mixture of blue, white, and pinstripes of the beloved Yankees jerseys. Everyone was marching, yelling, and screaming “Let’s Go Yankees!” in sing song formation. The parade of course had floats gliding down the streets. The place where I stood was not the live spot where the coverage took place but I was able to see on the Jumbo- Tron images of prominent Yankees figures Derek Jeter smiling and beaming proudly. I saw that not only adults were dressed up wearing their pinstripes. They also dressed their children in decorative matching outfits. The vendors were out there trying to earn a buck for t-shirts and selling flags as well. I personally would love to wear a NY Yankees jersey in honor of my birthplace’s team. I am very proud to be a semi- New Yorker and to be honoring the Yankees on my birthday as well. Its kind of funny how that all worked out actually.
Fans were definitely proud of their home team some came from their next door state New Jersey as well as just to be apart of the action. I even found some gentlemen who are Yankees fans who wanted to take and pose pictures with me on my special day as well. The parade will be something I will remember for years to come until the next World Series game. They have made me want to go to the New Yankees Stadium in the Bronx a and watch a game in the future with my pink Yankees cap, a hot dog, and a camera in one hand snapping photos. So as the songs “Take me out to the ball game take me out to the crowd…For its root root for the home team!” I heart you Yankees good luck in the next season and congratulations on the win.

New Movies 2009

For the last couple of months I have been seeing a lot of great movies in theaters. I am recommending that you please go see them. There are too many good movies in theaters now. I recommend to you blog followers. Here they are "Obsessed" starring Idris Elba and the talented Beyonce Knowles, "The Soloist" starring Mr. Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr., "Star Trek", "Fast and the Furious", and for you girly girls "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". One of these movies is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and you will enjoy them. Take your man to see "Fast and the Furious", take your girls to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past", take your friends to see the other two and that guy or girl who may be a bit of a nerd and was a Trekkie or a Star Wars or any science fiction fan take him or her to see that. I think they are all really good. Beyonce killed it in "Obsessed" because she stepped outside of her role of being a singer. She did not sing once in this movie even which was different to see her in a role not related to her profession. I knew the weekend I went to see it she was going to make the movie Number 1. I am not surprised at all. I am overjoyed and happy for her.

The Soloist starring the man I met about six months ago Mr. Jamie Foxx all I have to say is he did the damn thing. He took it to a whole another level. I am so proud and happy for him. He did a great job.