 Tanya's Daily Scoop Covering the West Coast & the World CURRENTLY IN: SOUTHERN, CALIFORNIA |  Elisa's Daily Scoop Covering Long Island & NYC Boroughs CURRENTLY IN: THE BRONX, NEW YORK |
A Big Hello from Elisa and Tanya!!
With Friday arriving again - and oh, so quickly - we thought we would begin the weekend with a little joint message from both of your favorite Travelin' Cousins! Together, we wanted to introduce our new YouTube video, which premiered last night. Entitled "Crested Butte, Colorado | Travelin' Tanya's Mountain Biking Trip", it recaps Tanya's recent September 2020 visit to this Colorado town.
We hope you enjoy it and if so, we really appreciate it if you would LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE. COMMENTING also helps our channel in the rankings and supports us so we can bring you more travelin' videos!
With Friday arriving again - and oh, so quickly - we thought we would begin the weekend with a little joint message from both of your favorite Travelin' Cousins! Together, we wanted to introduce our new YouTube video, which premiered last night. Entitled "Crested Butte, Colorado | Travelin' Tanya's Mountain Biking Trip", it recaps Tanya's recent September 2020 visit to this Colorado town.
We hope you enjoy it and if so, we really appreciate it if you would LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE. COMMENTING also helps our channel in the rankings and supports us so we can bring you more travelin' videos!
| Hey everyone! I'm so glad it's Friday. Although to tell you the truth I've actually, felt like it was Friday for a few days now. LOL But the main reason that I am excited that it's Friday this week is because today is PACKING DAY!!! And while some people hate packing (not to name names...but Birdwald comes to mind), I for one LOVE packing. I mean how could you hate or dislike such a thing. It means that you are going on VACATION!!!  Yup folks we are leaving for a Florida Adventure in exactly one week from today! It's a trip that has been in the works for 4 years and has evolved quite a bit from what was originally planned. The new and latest and greatest plans for our 15 day trip are all locked in and ready to go. Now we just need to get ourselves prepped, packed, have Cosette's birthday on Wednesday of next week and then be all ready to go!  Take a sneak peek at what FUN is on the horizon... Our first week in Florida will be spent bopping around in WDW. From Hollywood Studios to Animal Kingdom to EPCOT to Magic Kingdom and this time in addition to the parks we also have all the new(ish) vegan foods in the park to try!   Due to COVID19 - Character time will be missed on this visit (c)travelincousins.com After our first week, we will be spending time visiting:
 So I guess it's time to go start my packing, which btw I not only have to pack for our trip to Florida but also for our trip to Sedona, which I leave for 2 days after I return for Florida. VACATIONS here I come!!! See y'all tomorrow, -Travelin' Tanya | Hey Guys, Great to be here today! I have had such a wonderful morning! As you might have noticed above, I am coming to you from the great NYC outer borough of The Bronx today. As I mentioned to you yesterday in my Scoop, I was invited to a Bronx press event in The Real Little Italy, better known as Arthur Avenue. All I can say is Wow! Why Wow? Well, in the first place, you guys know how much I love Little Italy - not only is it the neighborhood within which I spent much of my time during my Fordham University days, but it is also one of the best ethnic havens in all of the country for Italian food steeped deep in Italian culture and heritage.  Peter Madonia, third generation owner of Madonia Brothers Bakery and Chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District is joined by community leaders and new and existing celebrated restaurant owners of Little Italy. From it's humble beginnings over a hundred years ago at the turn of 20th Century as a destination for tens of thousands of immigrants arriving from all parts of Italy to begin living the American dream with new businesses, to present day 2020 where many of the those businesses have been passed down three, four and five generations, the Belmont section of The Bronx is still expanding and developing. Today was the perfect example of how this once predominantly Italian neighborhood continues to thrive and survive melding the old business pillars of the neighborhood with new merchants, some of which are bringing cultural diversity to the dining options within the community. The weather was absolutely gorgeous today for an outdoor event making today's ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by The Belmont Business Improvement District a wonderful happening to attend. Celebrated were new restaurant openings, local business expansions and the official re-opening of Roberto’s Restaurant in Bronx Little Italy. Local business expansions include Enzo’s of Arthur Avenue which will expand into the Arthur Avenue Retail Market with “Enzo’s On the Go” and nearby beer hall Clinton Hall which will offer more spacious and open-air seating. The new restaurants include Mediterranean eatery Avenue Gyro, Albanian eatery Dea and Last Call Bar & Grill, whose owner Nicolette Lekocaj, is the daughter of Elizabeth Kajtazi’s, owner of neighborhood staple, MichaelAngelo’s. In addition, the neighborhood will welcome a new Japanese ramen eatery with a Caribbean twist, Roc N Ramen, in late 2020. In addition to the celebrated merchants, there were also a few community leaders on hand for the event. Peter Madonia, third generation owner of Madonia Brothers Bakery and Chairman of the Belmont Business Improvedment District (BID), Council Member Ritchie Torres and Community Board 6 Executive Director John Sanchez. Lots of excitement abounded as the press filmed away (including your's truly for an upcoming Travelin' Cousins YouTube video) and the crowd clapped for the celebrated entrepreneurs. Following the ceremony and brief speeches by the leaders and merchants, all were invited inside the Arthur Avenue Retail Market for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the soft opening of Enzo's On-The-Go. Maria DiRende, owner of Enzo's of Arthur Avenue proudly cut the ribbon amidst clapping and cheering from the attendees. This event was truly inspiring considering how much small business owners have endured since this past March with the covid-19 pandemic. It is a testimony to the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of The Bronx and to the tenacity of spirit to us as Americans. Now, if this wasn't enough good news, consider this fact the Maria DiRende had food and drink for all guests!! You guys know how much Tanya and I LOVE foodie events.  Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in front of Enzo's On-The-Go in the Arthur Avenue Retail Market (c) travelincousins.com  GInormous scissors (c) travelincousins.com  Pizza fresh out of the oven (c) travelincousins.com  At Enzo's on-the-go in the Arthur Avenue Retail Market (c) travelincousins.com  Yummy Roman pizza - tomatoes, onions and olives (c) travelincousins.com  (c) travelincousins.com  Prosecco to go with the pizza (c) travelincousins.com  Enzo's On-The-Go will also sell Madonia Brothers Bakery bread (c) travelincousins.com  With Maria DiRende, owner of Enzo's of Arthur Avenue and Enzo's On-The-Go (c) travelincousins.com Complimentary "Roman Pizza" in several varieties was served. And best of all --- a few of these were made WITHOUT cheese!! Yay! The most amazing airy crust covered with sauteed onions, tomatoes and olives - serious YUM factor. Another variety was made with mushrooms and a soft melted cheese - which I managed to get a small piece without cheese. This phenomenal pizza was paired with Prosecco, which was generously given out to all attendees. In addition to doing lots of filming throughout my early afternoon excursion, I snapped away nonstop. Here are a few photos from my day.  Inside the market (c) travelincousins.com  (c) travelincousins.com  (c) travelincousins.com  (c) travelincousins.com  (c) travelincousins.com  Street art outside the Arthur Avenue Retail Market (c) travelincousins.com I'll be doing a follow up of this story with some foodie encounters at today's featured restaurants! Till tomorrow! -Travelin' Elisa xoxo |
