Elisa's Daily Scoop
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Tanya's Daily Scoop
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TRAVELIN' COUSINS BLOG HAS BEEN RANKED #7 IN
BRAND BALLOT'S TOP 100 MOM BLOGS FOR 2018!!
BRAND BALLOT'S TOP 100 MOM BLOGS FOR 2018!!
Christmas Season Things to Do on Long Island, Bronx & Brooklyn
Happy Saturday!
I hope your weekend is off to a good start. Mine certainly is. Last night was Gianna's Cotillion Dance - a special event for Freshmen and Sophomores at her school. The evening began with a pre-party at her friend Bella's house for food, goodies and pictures. 
Gianna in the car on our way to the pre-party (c) travelincousins.com
We were both so happy that she finally has all her teeth, thanks to her wonderful uncle Carlo, who made her the lovely and natural bridge this week.
Our first stop was to pick up Gianna's date, Jonathan, who she has been friends with since elementary school. They both matched, wearing black and exchanged "flowers" - a corsage for Gianna and a boutonniere for Jon. So cute. The kids had lots of fun at the pre-party and what a lovely spread of wraps, chicken fingers, cheese platter, crudité and cookies were there for the taking! I proudly brought vegan cookies from Sweet to Lick for those non-dairy eaters in the crowd. These included cChocolate Chip and Raspberry-Lemonade. They were so deelish! 
Wrap Platters (c) travelincousins.com
Sweets - vegan and non-vegan (c) travelincousins.com
Lots of pictures were taken, including a fun selfie of all the moms!!
Jonathan and Gianna (c) travelincousins.com
All the kids (c) travelincousins.com
Moms Selfie (c) travelincousins.com
After a few hours, we all got going to drop the kids off. Everyone looked so pretty and grown up. It was a really fun night for all!
Moving right along - the Christmas season is HERE and there's lots of fun stuff to do in an around Long Island and the NYC boroughs. Here area few to put on your calendar:
Long Island:
Magic of Lights at Jones Beach. (Photo credit: Magic of Lights)
Magic Lights-- Jones Beach State Park
November 16-December 30, 2018 This is a fun car ride for you and your gang to enjoy and see the "Enchanting Tunnel of Lights," animated figures, and holiday characters. And after you ride around and take in the holiday display, visit the holiday festival village, where families can walk around and enjoy cocoa, s’mores, holiday music and movies, a hay maze, and pictures with Santa. Tickets purchased online can be used at any show. 
Elf the Musical at The John W. Engeman Theater - Northport
November 15-December 30, 2018 Based on the film starring Will Ferrel, Elf the Musical will be performed this season in Northport. The new Christmas classic is the story of a human who accidentally winds up in the North Pole, grows up as an elf and then returns to New York City to find his birth dad. Did I mention that Kelsey and I have tickets to this show at the end of the month?? So excited!! 
(photo credit: longislandweekly.com)
Candlelight Evenings Holiday Show — Old Bethpage
Friday, December 21-Saturday, December 29, 2018 Imagine Christmas on Long Island in the 19th Century - Walk among the historic houses, barns, and buildings at Old Bethpage Village Restoration which features traditional music, performances, storytelling, a vintage model train show, and a roaring bonfire.
Brooklyn:
(Video credit: Free Tours by Foot, YouTube)
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
11th to 13th Avenues, and from 83rd to 86th Street It has become a tradition to view the extensively decorated houses in this traditional Italian Brooklyn neighborhood, where residents go all out with their Christmas lights!! It is estimated more than 100,000 tourists come to see this neighborhood each year!! The Bronx: 
(photo credit: NYBG.org)
HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW®
New York Botanical Gardens Saturday, November 17, 2018 – Monday, January 21, 2019
This is one of the best Christmas traditions in New York City, the Holiday Train Show is a wonderful way to spend a wintery afternoon!
With more than 175 New York landmarks recreated with created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is a wonderland as the G-scale locomotives wiz past iconic New York City sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge and Rockefeller Center. According to NYBG's website: "This year’s exhibition showcases Lower Manhattan—the birthplace of New York City—featuring the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and iconic skyscrapers sharing the spotlight among old and new favorites. Making their debut this year are One World Trade Center and the historic Battery Maritime Building along with two vintage ferry boats."
I'll be sitting with my girls this weekend to plot out our itinerary for visiting some of the attractions listed above.
Well, I'm off to battle the elements and go for a leisurely walk. -Travelin' Elisa xoxo |
Last minute plans to see the Nutcracker Sweet
Yippie! It's Saturday!
Boy was it a busy week. I know I keep saying that. But for reals, it's as though once October hits it's as though I'm on a fast forward train that doesn't slow down until the new year. Each and every year. 
Last night I had actually thought that I had a fairly mellow night ahead of me... But we all know how I do with down time and relaxing - I suck at it and always need to be busy - there is just so much to do!!
So although at first I had hesitation I was all over it when my friend Jodie contacted me yesterday afternoon asking what my plans were for the evening because she had the idea (and the extra tickets) of going to the SOLD OUT Holiday Classic - The Nutcracker Sweet at the Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. Note that the reason for my initial hesitation was based on our already scheduled plans to go see The Nutcracker Ballet on Christmas weekend. And not at first realizing that this was the symphony and without the ballet. I love going to the symphony. Count me in!! It would be Dave, myself, Jodie and my friend Kathy going for an impromptu night out. After a full day of runinng around, taking care of errands and getting backed up with household chores. I had arrived back home and after taking a short break, it was time to clean up and get ready to the show. Dave arrived just after 6pm and we were off to go meet up with our friends. On the drive over I had shared a few laughable moments about my day and then tackled the elephant in the room (or elephant in the car) which was all about today's plans to head up to Agoura Hills to visit Dave's mom. AND NOW YOUR SIDE OF DRAMA - Well I don't know about you and your relationships with your in-laws or the like. But I'll tell you one thing, I certainly had it easy with Dave C's family. Which is also the kids family and those whom I happily still make the efforts to go and visit. Then you have Dave B's family - which has been the complete opposite miserable and similar to the horror in-law stories that you hear about. Soooo of course a visit - although I schedule it out of care for Dave - is never easy or enjoyable for me. But it's not about me and so I go and make the best of it. Dealing with his mother is one thing, however dealing with his sister is another issue entirely (there is bad history and major issues between him/her and your's truly). This was the so called elephant and it is an ongoing issue. Which now has lead me to a possible change in my plans for the day and to not go up to Agoura Hills. Anyhow we shall see. Please do enjoy this set of pictures from last night while I decide what to do today... 
In front of the concert hall (c)travelincousins.com
Dave B. (c)travelincousins.com
Waiting for Jodie (c)travelincousins.com
Kathy and I (c)travelincousins.com
Jodie, myself and Kathy (c)travelincousins.com
The circular stairway (c)travelincousins.com
Before the symphony began (c)travelincousins.com
We had a dazzling evening with the reimagining of the traditional Tchaikovsky classic, with the addition of Duke Ellington’s interpretation of The Nutcracker that was certain to jazz up your holiday!
Wow, it was truly stunning! We throughly enjoyed the reinvented favorites like “Sugar Rum Cherry” and “Dance of the Floreadors.” We were also delighted as we watched and listened to the fantastic German pianist Markus Groh with Brahms’ dramatic Second Piano Concerto and Vaughan Williams’ sacred Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis introduce this festive program. It was really just a beautiful evening! 
Our evening out (c)travelincousins.com
Catch ya back here tomorrow.
Enjoy your Saturday, -Travelin' Tanya 
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