Central Park through my lens

So my move to New York hasn't been everything I'd hope it would be, but each week gets better.  On this particular day, I decided to combine my love of photography with my desire to get to know more of New York City.  Tired from a weekend of going out, I braved the cold air,  grabbed my sony DSLR, jumped on the A train and headed to the corner of  72nd Street & Central Park West to meet the rest of my advanced photography class for a 1 day shooting session of Central Park. 

Here are some of the photos (unedited) that were taken on my Central Park journey.

Close up of leaves on a tree.  Perfecting my aperture and shutter speed so that the background is blurry.



Ahhh!  Many are wondering how I made those leaves turn blue.  Well, me too because I can't      remember what feature I used on my camera.  Oh wait, I remember.  I changed the white balance to Tungsten. 

                                                    

I've seen this shot in many movies (can't remember which ones right now), but this is a good shot.  It shows some of the beauty of Central Park and gives a little glimpse of what's waiting outside of the park.

       This was the BEST pretzel I've ever had.  Maybe I was a little hungry, but it was still very tasty.  

I hope you've enjoyed a small peak into what was a good day for me, in Central Park.  I'm still in the process of exploring New York City and all it has to offer.  As I explore, I will share, the good and bad, and hope all ends well and I stay in New York because right now it's not looking real good for the city.  But hey, that's another entry for another day.

Common is Just wRIGHT

Scott McNight, Common....no wait, I mean Scott McNight, no Common....UGH! I can't decide.  Could it be because Common was sooooo fine as Scott McNight in the movie Just Wright.  I've seen Common appear in several movies and television shows. Among other things,  he threw down as the poet and Lynn's lover in Girlfriends.  He was killer as an assassin in Wanted (with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman) and so good as a crooked cop in Street Kings that I almost forgot it was him.  And who can forget American Gangsta.  Appearing in anything alongside Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe gives anyone another hole in their acting belt.

I'm a hopeless romantic so it's no wonder that I loved Just Wright, starring Common and Queen Latifah.  Unlike, some critics, I thought Common's acting, in this film, was excellent.  Common stars as basketball star Scott McNight who meets physical therapist, Leslie Wright (Latifah) and quickly develops a friendship.  Meanwhile Scott is dating Leslie's god-sister, Morgan (Paula Patton).  Ok so I'm about to speed the story up........McNight gets hurt, Morgan dumps him, Leslie treats him, McNight likes Leslie, she like him back, Morgan wants him back and in the end Scott and Leslie hook up.  It was a great romantic comedy.  I got it on Netflix 2 weeks ago and refuse to return it until I purchase my own.  I mean I absolutely love this movie.  It's right up there with Hope Float (you know I love Sandra Bullock).  I find myself smiling the entire movie, except for those times when Leslie feels hurt.

Common was fine and smooth.  He was so good in this film, I'm hoping the next man that comes into my life is just like Scott McNight, minus the pro basketball player thing.  I loved the way he talked, the way he looked, the way he smiled, the way his eyes gazed when showing interest in a woman.  He was the complete package.  Being from Chicago, I'm a Common fan anyway, but seeing him in Just Wright was just right for me.

Once a skeptic, now a Sprinkles believer

Walking out of Bloomingdale's, with my mom, I looked across the street wondering what celebrity was in town that's causing the long line across the street.  I look up and see Sprinkles outside the building where the line was stretched down the streeting.  Wondering what Sprinkles is, I say to my mom, "I wonder what kind of place that is that has all those people lined up like that."  My mom, as clueless as I was, hunches her shoulders and we continue walking towards the car.  A few moments later, I learn it's a cupcake place.  Really?  Laughing out loud because I'm thinking these people must be crazy.  And me, being out to prove that they were crazy, get in line to see what is the hype about this cupcake.

Exactly 12 minutes later (and my mouth is watering NOW just thinking about it), I'm sitting in the car with my mom and bite into the best piece of cupcake I've ever had in my entire life.  It should be against the law for something to taste so good and satisfy my sweet tooth to highest level of any amount of sugar I've ever had.  To say that a Sprinkles cupcake is good would be an understatement.  Words do not decribe the taste of this tiny piece of cake that has people in Beverly Hills, Dallas, Houston, Washington DC and Chicago going crazy.  I figured if it was featured on Oprah (I didn't know this until standing in line and watching the Oprah segment on the screen outside the store) then it must be a hit.  But featured on Oprah or not, this cupcake is everything and more.  It is a moist, sweet, soft, iced just right little something that has you ready to go to bed just so you can wake up in the morning to rush and buy one.  And it is worth every bit of the $3 it cost for one cupcake to bite into one of the many, delicious flavors (red velvet, banana, carrot, lemon, dark chocalate, cinnamon sugar, milk chocalate, coconut, to name a few) . 

As happy as I was to have discovered Sprinkles, I was also sad.  Sad, because I discovered it 2 days before I moved to New York City.  That night I thought, surely if there was a Sprinkles in Chicago, there was one in New York.  Nooooooooo!  I couldn't believe there was no Sprinkles in New York City.  However, my disappointment didn't last too long as I soon discovered there would be one opening in New York in February 2011.  Until then I get them whenever I visit Chicago and wait for the moment they arrive in New York City.  Wherever that line stretches (I'm sure it will be one), I know I will be in it as someone else looks from across the street saying, "why are all those crazy people in line for a cupcake." Once bite of a Sprinkles cupcake and you'll be crazy too.  Check them out http://sprinkles.com/. 

She's Like a Star

Call me a lame or call me late.  First of all, I don't even know who Taio Cruz is or when he came out.  I only came across this song, a few months ago, while watching someone else's You Tube video and this was their background song.  So the song may be 2 years old, but it's a hit with me.  Like most songs, the beat is what pulled me in.  

I mean, I like a good beat.  I can't stand to hear Lil' Wayne's annoying voice, but I like most of his songs because of the beat.........but, before I get started on his irritating voice, I will move on.  

The lyrics aren't that bad either.  Taio Cruz is actually singing about something that makes sense.   I'd been listening to the song on some generic you tube channel and just recently came across the "official" video.  And looking at Taio Cruz, I still don't know who the heck he is, but I still love this song.  And I smile while bopping my head because one day some guy will be singing (well at least thinking) that same thing about me. 

Don't get it twisted. Twisted Sista got it right!

Yep, this is it!  I am a product junkie and I'm not ashamed to say so......Hello, my name is Cheney and I am product junkie!  Most of the products I've used have been okay.  With some I've had success and others, well, not so much.  I have been a long journey to find that product that curls my hair exactly the way I want, without a lot of shrinkage.  Either I can fiind a product that gives me great curl definition with too much shrinkage.  Really, sometimes I'd have 85% shrinkage.  Other times, I find a product that elongates my hair (where it looks wavy) but no curl definition.  I've never been able to find a product that gives me both.  Until now.............the gates of heaven have opened and the angels are singing.......YES, thank you, Lord for sending me Twista Sista curl activator (from Urban Therapy).  This stuff is the bomb and may have cured by product junkiness, though I'm not really sure about that.  I may be a product junkie forever. 

So having just moved to New York, while most of my hair products hadn't been moved from Chicago, I was in my local Duane Reade and saw this product.  Not sure of how it would work, I thought, from the packaging alone that it was worth a try.  And man oh man, am I glad I tried it.  The curl activator both elongates my curls and gives me GREAT curl definition.  The top 5 ingredients (water, paraffinum liquidum, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut oil) and cetyl alcohol), are all LOVED by my hair.  This will definitely be my staple product.  I also like the 30 second curl spray for my roots.  I haven't figured out if I'm using the curl spray correctly because it doesn't do anything if I spray it on the entire length of my hair, but my thick roots seem to love it. 

So there you have it.  If you haven't tried Urban Therapy's Twista Sista curl activator and 30 second curl spray, you better do so NOW! 

The Perfect Place for your Pet

I take all things concerning Max very serious. Yep I'm one of those dog moms that does everything for her dog. So it's only natural that when I moved to New York, finding a top quality doggie daycare was a top priority. I don't mess around when it comes to Max. He gets the best treats, wears the flyest clothes and needed a place where he could have fun, be taken care of and, most importantly, a place I could trust. I will cut you when it comes to my dog!

After searching high and low, checking out websites and visiting places in Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn I found the perfect place. GREEN PETS SPA & BOUTIQUE, the little hidden gem in Brooklyn. After my first conversation, with Wendy, I knew I was going to like this place. Walking in, I was a little hesitant (only because I was comparing it to DoGone Fun! in Chicago) but after talking to Wendy and Jimmy, while Max played around I began to relax. And the cherry on top was meeting the owner. It says a lot to me when an owner takes the time to meet and greet and talk with potential customers. Twain Belgrave, the owner of Green Pets, has everything, in HIM, that I was searching for in a doggie daycare. Dog owners are extremely fortunate that he took all of his care, committment and compassion for dogs and created Green Pets.

For a day or for a week, Green Pets is the place for dogs. They have reasonably price day care packages, grooming, boarding and....drum roll please.....drop off and pick services. Yes, they will pick your dog up in the morning and bring him home in the evening. So whether you're in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or the Bronx check out Green Pets Spa & Boutique. You won't be sorry that you did! Oh and if a little brown and white Morkie is barking at your feet, that's just Max.

Check them out at http://www.greenpets-spa.com/

Max after a long day at Green Pets Spa & Boutique

Willow Smith makes me wanna Whip My Hair

Music is the one thing that keeps me sane. Some music though, causes a confused look on my face. Sometimes I don't understand how some artist (if that's what you want to call them) were even allowed to make a record. But every once in a while, there's an artist that makes me listen. Today, that person would be Willow Smith. Her new song, Whip My Hair, is really hot. The beat is tight and babygirl can actually sing. That Smith family......there's something in the genes.