Summer, Going Off With a Bang

We rolled up into Rochester just in time for the spectacular fireworks shows downtown. Before July flies by too soon, stop and stand and watch its fireworks.


The Pines Resort
Fallsburg, New York

The Pines Resort in Fallsburg, New York suffered the same fate as other large resorts in the Borscht Belt in the Catskills. The advent of leisure air travel, a well connected interstate system of roads, and the repeated change of ownership has left the once 96-acres dilapidated. On a brief Read more…


Coney Island Friday Fireworks πŸŽ†

“…the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding Read more…


Voodoo Bunker on Bunker Beach
Gateway National Recreation Area {Pictorial}


Where My Fairies At? 🧚

Fairy tops are a new favorite craft. They’re so much lighter and faster than a mermaid top… a different kind of collage. And because of the fairy tops, I’ve been using this ridiculous filter. I was excited to try it ou on my first fairy shoot. But first, the couch. Read more…


The Beaches of Gateway National Recreation Area
Gunnison Beach & Great Kills Beach

Oh how I love Gateway National Recreation Area! After some tasks at both the Sandy Hook and Staten Island units, it was a must to stand next to the sea and let calm my innards. First at the Sandy Hook unit–Gunnison Beach, we discovered, is a nude beach. I saw Read more…


From the Airport to New Jersey Vegan Eats

Straight from the airport it was onward to New Jersey for a day of sights and vegan eats, starting with one of the best vegan pizzas in the tri-state. Pizzanada‘s Vegan Meat Lasagna Grandma Pie with vegan mozzarella, vegan ricotta & seitan was dreamy when served piping hot… and then, Read more…


Vegan Strawberry Cake πŸ“

Wanting to make this cake for quite some time, this vegan strawberry cake from Rainbow Nourishments was sure to be a summery hit. Using fresh pureed strawberries and nothing gross and fake, it delivered on flavor. A little bit of beet root powder enhanced that strawberry hue. Strawberry cream cheese Read more…


Noah’s in Greenport

Having some time to kill before the stars came out, we hit Noah’s in Greenport. The restaurant boasts their farm-to-table values, however there is really no satisfying vegan option on the menu unfortunately. But you can get an appetizer… and some sides… and spend a lot of money despite the Read more…


Long Time, No See, Milky Way 🌌

It has been a while since I saw the Milky Way. So I was delighted to see it immediately as we trekked to the dark secluded sky of Cutchogue’s Nassau Point, on Long Island’s North Shore. Though it sat ontop of one of the very lavish homes in the area, Read more…


Sweet, Sweet, Sweet, Sweet Sunflowers

What says summer more than a field of bright shining suns smiling your way?! For a teacher, the summer is a means to undo the damage of a dysfunctional school year. And this year was the absolute worst of all I have experienced. So I would seize summer with hearty Read more…


πŸ›Ό Roller Girls πŸ›Ό

Roller skating is such a fun summer activity. And I love that I have friends who want to roller skate with me! Even though I am not great, I really enjoy it… much like bowling. For my archive, a compilation of roller skating materials. Because I am getting slightly better Read more…


Clean it Up “Sponge” Rainbow Cookie Cake 🧼

The inspiration for this “Sponge” cake was an Instagram recommended post that I did not make a note of. It wasn’t vegan, so I thought it would be neat to transform the rainbow cookie recipe into this clever cake. This was my first trial. The texture was a bit too Read more…


High Protein Lentil Tortillas

Needing a carb-free sandwich component, I tried a really easy recipe for lentil tortillas. Simply soak lentils (I used green because that’s all I had.) and water in a 1:2 ratio for at least 3 hours. Then blend in a high-speed blender until smooth. Cook them in a pan like Read more…


Work Cupcakes

Work is crazy, but there are cupcakes. I’ll just leave them here while I decompress from yet another day of chaos. The storm before the calm…


Upstairs and Down the Hall at
New York Farm Colony, Staten Island

I was overwhelmed with the want to easily explore… as it had been quite some time. I squeezed a trip to Staten Island’s New York Farm Colony on my day off, pushing all other tasks aside for the day. But first a couple of buses. Taking the bus to Staten Read more…


Father’s Day Fruity Parfaits πŸŒˆπŸ“πŸ‘πŸπŸ₯

Since Father’s Day is in June, my Dad often gets fruity sweet treats for his special day. This year, the full spectrum of the rainbow… Red (strawberry), Orange (apricot), Yellow (pineapple), Green (kiwi), Blue (blueberry), Violet (blackberry) paired with either vanilla or red velvet cake along with vanilla buttercream or Read more…


The Mermaid Parade 2022
Coney Island, Brooklyn

After a two-year in-person hiatus, finally the Mermaid Parade returned to Coney Island, Brooklyn! That meant I need to transform into a mermaid… starting with my hair. Well, I suppose it was mostly not my hair. But it sure made me want to grow it out! Now if my hair Read more…


Strawberry Moon

June’s full supermoon, the Strawberry Moon, means summer is a-coming. I want to tell you interesting things about this moon, but I haven’t been able to find anything more than the usual–it’s name is tied to the availability of seasonal fruit. So I am going to make up something about Read more…


🌹By Any Other Name…
Narrows Botanical Garden

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet Shakespeare, of course Roses got me thinking things. Their yonic layers evoke all kinds of rumination. Like why are younger generations so desperate to allow a word to embody them?… to enthusiastically Read more…


Eating Time

I’m so pleased a place like Lively is so close to my job. Good healthy eats are readily available. Here is my Green Sandwich–Gluten free bread, kale, collard greens, spinach, celery, cucumber, chickpeas, almond, olive oil, and vegan mayo. And that delicious tahini bite that I now think taste a Read more…


πŸ§œπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠmermaid season ’22
Basking in Mermaid Excitement

My first merman piece! I’m making a lot of crowns Trying on the accessories… Since there’s no try-on room Trying to decide what top to wear! This crown needs some repairing To uncomfortable to march in but I can still admire them Can’t wait till next week!


Some Vegan Eats in the Rockaways

With some mermaid shoots on the beach, I supplemented a visit to the Rockaways with a few vegan options. But first, the subway… …then the ferry. Hello, Verrazzano Blue skies were perfect Passing another happy place, the ferry is supposed to begin stopping at Coney Island soon… from Bay Ridge. Read more…


πŸ§œπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸŒŠmermaid season ’22 Some New Mermaid Items {Pictorial}


Shelling at Great Kills Park 🐚
Gateway Recreation Area

After seeing the seashelled shores of Staten Island’s Great Kills Park during my mermaid shoot I knew I’d have to get back soon. With my supplies running low and the weather perfect, I spent the afternoon picking up a great selection of goodies. Some seclusion was just what I wanted.. Read more…


Summer On My Mind

Summer is excursions… …with views along the way. The sailors in town for Fleet Week. Road food (Dunkin Donuts LOL) The road before me… Bearing cookie gifts. The irises. Water in any form. In this case, fresh. Chimney Bluffs State Park from Lake Ontario Sand castles. View from the deck. Read more…