Tag Archive: Groupon


Bike riding in Central Park

Filed under: Family N Friends, Manhattan
July 4, 2011

Last Friday Gwen and I went bike riding in Central Park. It would be more accurate to say we started in Central Park, since we did ride through the city a little bit, mainly to get refreshments. We started off at Tavern on the Green, even though it’s permanently closed the building is still there, and headed down the bike paths. All the road going through Central Park are one way and along the road to Belvedere Castle there is a cat that watches you.

Knowing where the Castle is located is important, the bathrooms are to the left of the Castle. When we got to the north end of the park we went out of the Park to find a place called Screme, we had a Groupon for two free drinks. On the way there Gwen’s seat slipped, we went through a traffic circle, I almost got taken out by a cab and we had to go around two double parked cars. I resisted the urge to yell at the stupid double parked people. At Screme, I got a coffee gelato drink and Gwen got passion-fruit. They were good, but very thick and the straws were very skinny.

Unfortunately the place didn’t have a bathroom and I needed one. Since we also needed lunch we went across the street, there was a Peruvian Restaurant, too much seafood, a sushi bar, same problem, and then an Italian Restaurant. So we went in the Italian Restaurant. I don’t know what it is about restaurants in the city, but some seem to want to cram as many table in as physically possible so there is almost no room for customers.

I got a Panini and Gwen got lasagna. Then we went back to the park, when we got back to Tavern on the Green, Gwen wanted to turn the bikes in, even though it was only 3:00. After that we just kind of walked around. Got ice cream at a truck, I bought a couple half-price books at the Strand. Then we came home. That was pretty much our day. To see all the pictures I’ve taken in NYC this year, click on the photo link in the right sidebar.

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Raining in Manhattan

Filed under: Beauty, Family N Friends, Manhattan, Technology, Weather — 6 Comments
April 24, 2011

Em had a nail appointment so we went to the city even though it was raining. The rain was supposed to stop at noon, it didn’t. It stopped eventually, but a long time after noon. I wore my gray coat and figured that would be enough, I wouldn’t need my rain poncho. I was wrong. As for the common sense factor of going to the city to walk around in the pouring rain, we went to NYC when a hurricane was coming. Yeah, common sense doesn’t come into play when we plan to go the city. Two things you will notice about me when it’s raining in the city. One is I never carry an umbrella. The other is that instead of waiting for the light at the curb, I stand back by the buildings. There is a little bit of protection there, it the wind is strong I can usually get out of it by going around the corner. Also, there is less chance of being splashed by cars.

When we first got to Manhattan I wanted to get food, Em had this store she wanted to go to that she didn’t want to take me to. We were going to meet up at this coffee place that I had a Groupon for that I won’t name, you’ll see why in a minute. The store she wanted to go to wasn’t open, so she went to the Apple store to get an iPod Shuffle, (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition iPod, a portion of the purchase price to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. She wants it for music when she goes to the gym, currently she has an iPod touch, but she is planning to get an iPhone in June or July and she doesn’t want to take that to the gym. So she was very happy to find it at the Apple store. Then she came to join me at the coffee place.

She was starving, but they only had pastries and sandwiches, we ended up just getting drinks. The cappuccino looked just like the picture in the Groupon I got. The service was terrible. First I was told they provided table service. So we sat down, no one came to our table so I went up to the bar and ordered our drinks. The waitress brought them, after drinking them, Em had to leave for her appointment. I waited for the check. And waited and waited. Finally she brought it, then took the Groupon to refigure the bill. Then she never came back for the money. I waited almost 20 minutes before I took it up to the bar, she acted surprised when she saw me. The place is in the lobby of a hotel, so they have hotel guests charging things to their room, but it is also open to the public, so come on! I left her less then 10% for a tip.

After meeting up with Em at the nail salon we decided to try another place for the items she was looking for in the store she wouldn’t let me come with her to. Then we used one of her Groupon’s for lunch. This place had much better service even though the waitress appeared to be less experienced. Not saying she was, just that was the impression I got, but our order was right and she was prompt, it was more of a bar then a restaurant but the food was good.

Then to Ashley’s so Em could get another hole poked in her ear, then to Harney’s for tea, then home where we watched the end of the baseball game.

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The great hill

Filed under: Manhattan, Miscellanea
February 20, 2011

Friday and Saturday were busy days that I am now paying for. While I rest I am going to try to catch up on my blogging.

Friday was spent in the city with Gwen. Em had a Groupon for bike rental in Central Park so we started off early. Even with stopping for breakfast (o.k. it was just coffee and yogurt at Starbucks) and walking we were there before the place opened. So we got strawberry tarts.

There is a bike path that bicycles are supposed to stay on with arrows pointing the direction you are supposed to ride in, I almost called one bicyclist a ‘dumbass’ right in front of Gwen. Oops. After I while I determined we were on the small loop, we wanted to get the whole park experience. We had the bikes for the whole day. This nice man with a poodle (a standard poodle, not one of the annoying midget versions) helped us figure out the way to get out of the circle, then he pointed to the far north part of the map, “Take the easy path over, you don’t want to go up or down this hill.” That sounded good to me, considering I can’t remember how long it had been since I had been on bike before Friday. It is true however, that you never forget.

When we spoke to this man we were between the Sheep Meadow and the Tavern on the Green, heading south, since we couldn’t turn around we continued south, looped around past the Carousel, the Mall and the Playfield to the exit for 72nd which is where the big loop starts. I knew I had made the right turn when the Loeb Boathouse came into view. Here is some very important information, when you see the sign for Belvedere Castle on the left side of the road and turn in, the way to Belvedere Castle is to the right, if you go on the path to the left (you should walk your bikes down here, its the law) you come to this building. Why is this important? This building at the edge of the Ramble, has bathrooms! Ladies to the left, Mens to the right. If you’re looking for it on the map, its the Ramble Shed.

We get back on the road and start riding and riding, I keep looking off to the left for the ‘easy’ trail, suddenly I notice we are riding next to Central Park West and ahead of us is the Great Hill. Gulp, oh boy. We made it, we conquered the Great Hill! We are amazing. We even rode the bikes on Broadway when we left to have lunch.

After we dropped the bikes off we did some shopping and stuff, but what made the day amazing was the bike ride in Central Park.

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Tired

Filed under: Health, Technology
February 10, 2011

That is the only reason I have for not posting. Not writer’s block, I have all these great ideas. Then I look at my computer, and just don’t have the energy to get it out and turn it on. Yesterday I was home and got an e-mail from the library that my book was in, so I went to the gym, then I went to the library to get the book. I took my computer thinking that would be the perfect opportunity, but the wifi wasn’t working. By the time I packed it up and got home, it was time to get Em.

So tonight, as I was playing with my iPod, I got the idea to write about my favorite apps. Since Verizon now has the iPhone, I will probably be getting one in December. Here are two of my favorite apps.

Groupon (free)
Groupons are coupons you buy online, then print out and take to the company that issued it to redeem it. They are for restaurants, spas, museums, classes, bike riding in Central Park and so on. K and I use them all the time when we go to Manhattan.

This app signs into your Groupon account so you can see what you have, you can sort them by ones close to you or in order of expiration date. You can use the app to redeem the Groupon if you don’t want to print it out. You can also buy the current deal through the app.

Starbucks Card Mobile (free but you need to have a Starbucks card)
This has got to be the coolest app ever. I absolutely love it. If you have a Starbucks card, first you need to register it online. Then you get this app, add your card to it and then you can pay at Starbucks with your iPod or iPhone. After you pay, the app updates and give you your new balance. This is my app, yes I have $80 on my Starbucks card. Don’t judge me, yes I’m addicted. It’s a gold card and everytime I get 15 stars I get a coupon for a free drink. I have received a lot of coupons.

I would say these are my favorites, but I have to also mention I have game apps besides Words with Friends, I have Angry Birds, JewelMagic, Spider Solitaire and Word Warp. I also have the following apps iBooks, Kindle, Kobo.books and Nook for reading e-books. I have apps for Weightwatchers and Chase bank, my iPod keeps me pretty much connected with the world and makes my life easier.

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Why does my tummy hurt?

Filed under: Health, Manhattan
February 5, 2011

Friday (yesterday) Em came to meet me at Sabrina’s because she had broken a nail and needed it fixed. All of my nails had to be removed and redone because I had broken them when I fell. After the nail appointment we went down to Maria Tash because Em’s earring was in.

Em and I wandered around for awhile looking for a restaurant to have dinner in. She had her Groupon’s with her and we were trying it find someplace downtown to eat. The first place was a bar/pub/grill sort of place, it was happy hour and so was packed, we left. She had a couple of places to go, one said ‘Reservations Required’, but it was close so we stopped and they showed us to a table.

The food was billed as North African. The tables were so close together I felt like we were sitting on top of the other diners. This lady at the table next to us, every time I looked over at her she have me a look. I almost said to her, “Lady I’m almost sitting on top of you, where do you want me to look?” We were in an alcove, the waiters had to sidle in to get to the tables. The food was worth it. To a point.

We had an appetizer, toasted pita bread with dips, hummus, fava beans and yogurt with cucumbers (blech – don’t like cucumbers, Em loved it), Em tried the hummus (she liked it so much she made me buy some for her today), she got these chicken appetizer things, wrapped up with almonds, I got a veggie burger, black beans, eggplant and portobello mushrooms. I couldn’t eat it as a burger, had to eat it with my fork and it fell apart.

Then at 2 a.m., I had the worst stomachache ever. I don’t know if it was the beans, the hummus, too much of all that, or the beer I had on the way home. Beer doesn’t usually affect me this way, at least not if it’s the beer I’m used to. But I was sitting here thinking I needed to write something, and I can’t think of anything because my tummy is hurting so bad. But the food was really yummy. The waiter was slightly creepy.

That is all, says she.

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>Lovely day

Filed under: Beauty
January 30, 2011

>Em and I had a lovely day in Manhattan. We started early getting breakfast in town and taking it with us. We went to lunch at a restaurant she had a Groupon for called Ashton’s Alley. Very nice restaurant good food. Then we got massages, a place I had a Groupon for Graceful Spa or Services. Then it was time for Em to get her nails done and I got my broken nail fixed.

The nail technician was laughing when I told her how, I broke the nail when I fell and it was the worst part of my fall. “People were saying, ‘Are you all right?’ and I was saying, ‘Who cares? I broke a nail!”

Oh wait, between the massage and nail appointment we went to Annie Moore’s and had a drink, shared an appetizer and dessert.

Then home, cause I was tired.

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