5 Tips For Navigating the Nightlife in New York City

The Big Apple is known for many things, and because of the sights and sounds of places like Broadway, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Chinatown. There is never a shortage of things to do. Choosing New York City as a travel destination will bring you a wealth of choices on what to eat, where to stay, where to shop, what to see, and how to get there. Just when you think you can’t fit any more into your day, you have a whole new set of options for eating and entertainment after dark. Here are five tips for navigating the nightlife in New York City.

1. Choose Your Lodging

If you plan on staying in New York overnight, the best thing to do is find a fabulous place to lay your head once you have exhausted your energy. A word of warning- don’t wait until the last minute to book a room. For places like the Westgate New York Grand Central, the accommodations are both luxurious and in high demand. If you want to end your night in style, be sure to book your accommodations at westgatenyc.com as early as possible. You don’t have to visit to know that a stay here is a true New York attraction. With the ability to look at rooms and accommodations online, you can find enough on their Hotel Info page to book your room with confidence.

2. Choose Your Travel

Navigating around NYC is easy even for a tourist. If you really want the full experience, ride the subway or buses operated by the MTA New York City Transit. With easy to follow colored lines for the different sections of towns, as well as an app that can be downloaded to your smartphone, it is an inexpensive and efficient way to travel around the city. Parking comes at a premium in the bustling big city, so if you choose to skip the MTA, perhaps a brisk walk or a bike ride would be the best way to move between activities.

3. Choose Your Dinner

Going out after dark is one of the highlights of a New York City vacation experience. How else will you get the full and dazzling effect of the lights and signs hanging over Times Square? There is a reason it is called The City That Never Sleeps. If you want to catch an early dinner in order to save some room for some late-night eats and a well-deserved drink, there are plenty of options. If you choose to skip dinner and go straight into endless entertainment, you will always be able to find an authentic pizza joint or sandwich shop ready to fill your belly.

4. Choose Your Experience

There are hundreds of entertainment options out there in the Big City, and your tastes and preferences won’t be too eclectic to be met. Comedy shows, burlesque clubs, Broadway musicals, street performers, jazz clubs, and whatever else you can think of come alive after dusk. You are guaranteed to get your money’s worth when you choose to explore the stage, theatre, or performances that brighten the nightlife of New York City. Depending on the season you choose to visit, Coney Island offers amazing firework displays or you can catch a free movie in the Brooklyn Bridge Park. If your preferences desire something more sophisticated, you can head over to a trivia night at Professors Thom’s down in Manhattan or The Wolfhounds over in Queens. There is no shortage of places to both feed your belly and mind while in NYC.

5. Choose Your Keepsake

No trip or vacation is complete without some sort of memento that tells your friends and family where you had the time of your life. Most notable, Chinatown is a New York City staple when looking for the perfect, although maybe cheesy, gift or souvenir from the city. Part of the thrill is haggling over the price, but for some, the attraction is more with the dozens of shops that carry anything imaginable with a giant New York City logo on it. You can’t go back home empty-handed.

If you are wanting to get the most out of your trip to New York City, don’t just leave the excursion to daytime travel. Get out your dancing shoes, put on a party face, and check out the nightlife the Big Apple has to offer.

Easy Small Batch Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe

For ages, macaroni and cheese has been one of those quintessential comfort foods that most anyone enjoys. Of course, it is not considered a diet-friendly dish, but we don't really eat it for that reason, to begin with. Nothing beats a nice creamy, cheesy scoop of homemade baked macaroni and cheese. There is something irresistible about the corner edges that crisp up just a little while baking that is the perfect texture and bite.

Growing up Guyanese, our macaroni and cheese wasn't like the classic American style. Ours had extra things in it like onion, scallions, and hot pepper. It was also baked firm so it could be cut into thick slices. While it was still delicious, I always preferred the more classic version. One of the things that can sometimes be a turn off when making mac and cheese is having such a huge amount left over. While that might not be a bad problem to have, some of us do not want to have too much of a good thing.

I have been working on a small-batch mac and cheese recipe that is perfect for smaller families. This recipe is so good since it doesn't require a lot of ingredients, and doesn't take a whole lot of time to prepare. Of course, you can always make a double batch for larger families, potluck meals, or if you simply can't get enough. Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (optional) OR 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups milk

How to make it:

1. Heat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions in well-salted water, then drain. 

2. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large saucepan and add flour. Whisk until butter and flour are well combined. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. 

3. Whisk in milk and bring to a low boil, until slightly thickened. 

4. Add shredded cheese, reserving a little to sprinkle on top for baking. 

5. Add in drained pasta to cheese sauce mixture, then pour into a 9x9 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes.  

Tips: 

• Sprinkle either cayenne pepper or paprika on top before baking for extra color and flavor. 
• Crush buttery crackers and top before baking if you like extra texture and crunch. 
• Add ham or crumbled bacon or turkey bacon, and sweet green peas or green onions to make it an entree. 
• You can experiment with other types of cheese like Swiss, colby-jack, or gouda. 
• Make this dish vegan by using plant-based butter, cheese and milk. I have made it before and t comes out great! 

This small batch mac and cheese is sure to please anyone who wants an ooey-gooey comfort classic. As a matter of fact, it's so easy to make that it can be whipped up in no time, even on a school night. You can Pin this recipe for later.

Be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:
Shelly's Easy and Moist Meatloaf
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Perfect Greek Pasta Salad

Build-A-Bear Workshop Opens New Store in Walmart on Centre Pointe Dr in North Charleston, SC

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP® IS OPENING A NEW STORE AT WALMART SUPERCENTER ON CENTRE POINT DRIVE IN NORTH CHARLESTON, SC

Full-line Workshop to Feature the Build-A-Bear Make-Your Own Experience, Furry Friends and More

Beginning September 19, shoppers at Walmart on Centre Point Drive in North Charleston, SC will be able to make a new Build-A-Bear® furry friend when they are shopping at Walmart. The full-line experiential retail Workshops will be available in a leased space in the Walmart store and offer the signature Build-A-Bear Make-Your-Own experience, as well as an assortment of furry friends and accessories that appeal to kids and adults alike, including Condo Cubs, a brand-new collection of furry friends starting at $10 each.

The Store hours: 10am – 8pm and the address is: Build-A-Bear Workshop at Walmart Supercenter #3367, 4920 Centre Point Drive, North Charleston, SC 29418

About Build-A-Bear®

Build-A-Bear® is a global brand kids love and parents trust that seeks to add a little more heart to life. Build-A-Bear Workshop has over 450 stores worldwide where Guests can create customizable furry friends, including corporately-managed stores in the United States, Canada, China, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. Buildabear.com is the online destination for unique furry-friend gifts, featuring The-Bear-Builder™, a shopping configurator that helps create customized gift options. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) posted total revenue of $336.6 million in fiscal 2018.

Minimize Skin Pores in Ways That Actually Work!

Have you been visiting beauty salons and dermatologists to figure out how to minimize pores? Open and big-sized pores can lead to several skin-related issues like acne and pimples. Apart from giving your skin an oily feel and appearance, open pores can look unsightly and prevent you from using the makeup of your choice. As per experts, the look and size of your pores are dependent on several factors such as skin type, genetics, exposure to the sun, age, and so forth. Read on to know more about the effective ways of minimizing pores and taking care of them.

image credit

Why are Pores Necessary?

Much as you would like your pores to disappear, do know they have some important functions to fulfill. They allow your skin to inhale and exhale air. They serve as a channel for passing air between the outside and inside of your body. Dermatologists and skincare articles (https://siorai.com/how-to-improve-your-skin-and-minimize-pores/) have plenty of tips and tricks in store to shrink the pores and provide you with flawless skin. Though the pores on the skin cannot be done without, you can make them less noticeable by shrinking their visual appearance.

Tips to Reduce the Size of Pores

1. Keep the magnifying glass away and start cleaning 

At the very onset, do know that your pores do not appear as big to others as they do to you when you see them through the magnifying mirror. So, just loosen up and relax. Regular exfoliation and a daily cleaning regime can be effective ways of keeping your pores clean and clear. Open pores, especially those that are free from any type of dirt, can be difficult to spot. However, to open them you need to apply steam or heat, and then, a warm washcloth prior to starting the scrub off process.

image credit

Cleaning your face once or twice a day is enough. In case you are cleaning your pores just once every day, then night time cleaning is preferable to remove the last traces of makeup or dirt. Anyway, it’s essential that you scrub your face clean before going to bed. This will take care of your open pores and make them appear smaller in size.

      2. Don’t Touch Your Pores

Remember to keep your hands away from your face unless you are doing so to clean it or are in the course of a skincare routine. This is because the bacteria and grime present on your hands can find their way into the pores and block them. Along with giving your face a dull and dirty look, the closed pores can lead to infections and other skin related problems. Therefore, minimize touching your skin, and do not pick at it under any circumstances as the act can result in blemish, blood clot, scabbing, scarring, or angrier pores.

Take Care of Your Pores

Last but certainly not least, try to wear a good sunscreen cream or gel at all times to protect yourself from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Retinoid creams are also useful in increasing the cell turnover of your skin. Good care and appropriate cleansing routine can help you get smaller and better-looking pores  - in just a matter of days.

6 Things to Consider Before Choosing Your OB

Choosing an obstetrician is not a decision to be taken lightly. You’ll want to choose a doctor who not only has great qualities but who also has an excellent track record when it comes to prenatal care and delivery. According to Hankey Law Office, a group of Indianapolis birth injury lawyers, “Often, birth injuries are the result of either improper/insufficient prenatal treatment or are caused by doctors who fail to react quickly enough to complications that arise during childbirth.” Here’s what to look for when choosing an obstetrician.

Photo by Ryan Franco on Unsplash

1. Specific Advantages
It’s true that you’ll likely want to find an obstetrician that is available through your health insurance plan, but that doesn’t mean that you have to settle for anything less than what you consider to be the best doctor for you. First off, you may prefer to have a female doctor over a male or vice-versa. Next, the obstetrician’s access to your hospital of choice may also be important. After-hours availability is another advantage you may want. And of course, having a doctor with an awesome track record should be non-negotiable in a decision as important as this.

2. Trusted Recommendations
When looking for the perfect obstetrician, you may want to ask trusted friends or family members for their recommendations — especially those who are currently seeing an OB or who have recently given birth. If you’ve been seeing a gynecologist, you can also ask her for a recommendation.

3. Stellar Patient Reviews  
Although many people don’t take the time to write a review online if they are satisfied with their doctor’s care, many people will take the time if they are upset or have had a negative experience. And those negative reviews can provide a wealth of insight to you. Do yourself a favor and take the time to research obstetricians you are considering as your doctor so you can identify any potential red flags. Health Grades — a site that houses doctor reviews and ratings — is a good place to start looking.

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

4. Location of Office 
The location of the OB’s office is another factor to consider, especially if you live in a city that becomes clogged with heavy traffic throughout the day. If you’re still working while pregnant, this factor could become even more important. If the OB’s office is far away or will take considerable time to reach from your workplace due to traffic, you may want to exclude that particular doctor.

5. A Comfortable and Confident Feeling at the First Meeting
Even if a doctor ticks all your boxes and comes highly recommended, is on top of the best practices in pre-natal care and birthing and has a flawless track record, that doesn’t mean that she’s the doctor for you. You absolutely need to feel comfortable and confident with your obstetrician. For example, if you feel like you’re not being heard or you and the doctor have a major difference of opinions on OB-related issues, those are red flags. Bottom line: If you don’t feel comfortable and confident about selecting a certain obstetrician, go with your gut and do not be afraid to look elsewhere.

6. The Type of Practice You Want to Deal With
If you pick an OB who operates a solo medical practice, then you’ll see him every time you visit. This also means that you likely won’t have to worry about giving birth with someone other than your OB. However, if you see an OB who is part of a partnership or medical group practice, you may see a different doctor at different appointments, and you may not know which doctor will end up delivering your baby. This type of situation may or may not be an issue for you. Just be aware that you may not prefer to deal with some of the OBs in the practice for one reason or another, whereas others are perfectly fine.

What Do You Do If You Have a Hard Time Choosing?

Who you should choose as your obstetrician may not be as clear cut as you had hoped once you narrow down your choices. If this is the case, make sure you schedule an in-person meeting if you haven’t already to get a feel for the OB’s personality. You can also ask these important questions at that time:

• How do you feel about natural childbirth? or How do you feel about epidurals?
• What type of fetal monitoring do you use?
• How often do you induce labor?
• What is your opinion on breastfeeding?
• How often do you perform C-section deliveries?
• What labor and post-natal benefits does the hospital you are affiliated with offer patients?
• What happens if you’re not available when I’m ready to deliver?

We hope these tips have helped you.