Must-See: "PARAMOUR" on Broadway

Whenever anyone asks me for recommendations for Broadway shows, I fall silent. Although I love seeing shows on Broadway, it's not one of those things that I do often or regularly. I usually go when a friend suggests we see a show or when a favorite celebrity has a limited engagement appearance in a show.

When I was invited to see Cirque du Soleil's PARAMOUR on Broadway, I was slightly intrigued. Hmmm. Cirque du Soleil + Broadway = ???. I wasn't sure what to expect. Would the show consist primarily of Cirque du Soleil's trademark acrobats and contortionists or would it be filled with the song and dance that makes Broadway famous?

I had seen only one other Cirque du Soleil show, "La Nouba" in the West Side at Disney Springs back in 1999. It was spectacular and awe-inspiring. I was certainly up for seeing another Cirque du Soleil show if it compared to "La Nouba".

“Cirque du Soleil Paramour is a terrific summertime evening.

Bring the kids. Or, forget the kids – bring your personal trainer.”

- Cindy Adams, The New York Post

Emma, Harper, and I took a train into Manhattan last week to experience PARAMOUR. It didn't disappoint. The combination of singing and dancing that is typical Broadway combined with acrobatics, flipping, and flying that is typical of Cirque du Soleil were a feast for our eyes. There were moments that took our breath away and others where we held our breath in suspense.

PARAMOUR takes place during the Golden Age of Hollywood and is a tale about a budding young actress who is forced to make a choice between love and her theatrical art. The story is set to eye-popping acrobatics and glorious music and dance that hold you captive for two hours.

When the show first started, I was a bit confused as to how and why it was associated with Cirque du Soleil as it was very heavy on singing and dancing. But soon after the first scene, it was obvious that "Paramour" is most definitely a Cirque du Soleil show. We loved everything from the gymnasts and jugglers to the singers and dancers.

I enjoyed how seamlessly the circus acts were weaved into the show. For us, they provided the real entertainment. The love story was somewhat predictable from the beginning. You could have guessed how it would turn out. So, we were always looking forward to the next acrobatic moves and feats.

If you are in search of a Broadway show that's a bit different from any you've ever seen, get tickets to see PARAMOUR. It's both impressive and exciting and perfect for all ages. Because of the fast past and awesome feats, children will be especially enthralled.

PARAMOUR is currently playing at the Lyric Theatre. For showtimes and ticketing information, visit Ticketmaster.

You can also find more information about PARAMOUR on social media:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to see PARAMOUR. All opinions are my own.

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Life Lately: Christmas in NYC

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is a visit to New York City to admire the department store windows, to gaze up at the Rockefeller Center tree, and to take in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

On Saturday we took our annual holiday trip to NYC. It was an early day for us. Our tickets to the Radio City show were for 9 am. We were up and out of the house by 5:45. Whew!

Our first stop was the Today Show. Yeah, it was that early.

We then headed to Bouchon Bakery for some pastries and hot chocolate. It was so cold. But it was perfect weather for our Christmas visit. Armed with our hot chocolate, we headed for the tree.

Always a beauty...

If you're looking to capture the spirit of Christmas, head to New York City. It always does the trick for me. The city takes on a magical quality this time of year.

It was getting close to showtime, so we briskly walked over to Radio City Music Hall and settled into our seats.

This show continues to amaze me year after year. If you've never seen it, put it on your bucket list because it is definitely not to be missed.

My favorite part is the march of the toy soldiers.

The Rockettes' 12 days of Christmas is always a treat!

The show ends with a live nativity scene, complete with sheep and a camel.

After the show, we continue with tradition by visiting the American Girl store. It's always mass chaos at this store during Christmas, but the girls love to browse all the floors.

Each year we end our NYC visit with lunch at Rosa Mexicano. We love the guacamole prepared tableside. So tasty!

Do you have any holiday traditions that you look forward to each year?

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5 Must-Sees at the Central Park Zoo

We spent 2 days in New York City over the weekend. Our first day was filled with city exploring and shopping. Our second day was spent at the Central Park Zoo.

I love visiting zoos, and whenever I travel, I make a point to try to squeeze in a trip to the zoo if the city has one to offer. Some of my favorites include Philadelphia Zoo, Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Denver Zoo, and San Diego Zoo.

Sunday was our first trip to Central Park Zoo. There is something incredible about a zoo placed in the middle of a sprawling metropolis. We loved it so much, we're planning a summer trip to another NYC zoo: Bronx Zoo.

Are you planning a trip to NYC during the summer? If so, pop in to Central Park Zoo. It's a nice 2-3 hour distraction from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Before you go, check out my list of the 5 things you must see when visiting Central Park Zoo.

1. Sea Lions
Located in the center of the zoo, the sea lions are a real treat. Upon arriving, we checked out this exhibit first. The four sea lions were happily swimming and perched on the rocks to sun themselves. We walked around the zoo, and after we were finished seeing all the other animals and exhibits, we circled back to see the sea lions again.

This time they were very active. Putting on a show for the spectators, but there was no trainer to be found. They were jumping, splashing, diving, and even interacting with the audience. As we stood there, we were unaware that it was almost their feeding time. Obviously as their feeding time approaches, they become much more rambunctious than they are otherwise. Their antics are not to be missed!

2. The Red Panda
If you like pandas, you'll love red pandas. They are smaller, cuter, fluffier versions of their big cousins, the panda. They have long, puffy tails similar to those of a raccoon and the sweetest little faces. We, unfortunately, didn't get a head on look at it's face, as it was sitting in the tree like this the entire time.

{Photo credit: Central Park Zoo}

3. Snow Leopard
The elusive snow leopard proved to be just that on the day of our visit. We caught a momentary glimpse of it as it was shifting positions in the sun. But the pictures of it on the zoo literature and Web site are incredible. I would have spent my entire day there waiting to see it, but I had some impatient little friends with me.

4. Penguins
The Antarctic penguins are seriously fun to watch. We happened upon the exhibit just as 4 penguins were huddled together with one of them at the helm. It looked like a conductor leading an orchestra of three. I loved seeing them waddle around. Penguins are among some of the most social birds on Earth, and it was interesting to step back and observe them as they "socialized" with each other. Rarely did we see a penguin standing alone.

5. Your Surroundings
I was in awe of the fact that we were in a zoo and everywhere we looked, we were surrounded by skyscrapers. In the middle of a zoo! Tilt your head back and take a look up when you visit Central Park Zoo. You'll be amazed.

For more information and to plan your trip, visit Central Park Zoo online and on Facebook.

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An Unexpected Day at Citi Field to See the New York Mets

I'm not one for spontaneity. I like my plans and my structure, and any sort of deviation from them can set me into a slight panic. So, on Saturday evening at 8:45 pm just as I was finishing up Sunday's to-do list, the Hubs informs us that we are going to Citi Field for a Mets game the following day.

Ok, Ok, don't panic, I told myself.

Despite the last minute notice, I was actually excited. We had never been to Citi Field as a family. It's been one of those things that always makes it to our summer bucket list, but always gets pushed to the bottom of the list in favor of some other activity or event.

On Sunday morning we boarded a train to Manhattan and we were on our way.

Having a little fun while passing the time on the train.

Once we got to Penn Station, a Starbucks stop was in order!

Next stop: Citi Field!

{Blue skies and baseball}

{Not sure if she was happier about Shake Shack or the actual baseball game}

At the end of the day, I was glad that I pushed my Sunday to-do list to the side and focused on a fun day with the family. And...the Mets won! It was a winning day all around.

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The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. We've been going since before Emma was born. We missed the show last year, so this year we were beyond excited to see the one and only show.

If you have never been, I highly recommend it. It is truly a spectacle for children and adults.

The day started off with a train ride into NYC. Can you tell that the girls were beyond thrilled?

10 minutes into our train ride the snow began to fall. And it kept falling. And falling. And falling. Although it was beautiful, I did not want to traipse around the city in snow.

By the time we arrived in New York, the snow has just about stopped. There were still a few flakes falling, and it was C-O-L-D! We headed straight to Starbucks to grab some warm drinks.

We walked a few short blocks to our lunch destination, Rosa Mexicano. We skipped breakfast because we were rushing to get to the train station. We were starving and couldn't wait to have our guacamole and chips. The guac is prepared table-side and is prepared to your liking (spicy, extra cilantro, etc.). And it's totally delicious.

After lunch we took a cab to Radio City Music Hall.

We headed inside and took our seats. We were in the 2nd row...up close and personal with the Rockettes!

I turned around and looked at the venue from our seats. Look at all those people! I'm telling you. There's a reason why this show is wildly popular.

It was showtime! My favorite part of the show is the parade of the wooden soldiers. The sheer precision never ceases to amaze me.

Another favorite part of the show is the live nativity scene, complete with live sheep and camels.

Put this show on your bucket list if you've never seen it!

After the show we walked around Rockefeller Center for a bit and then went to American Girl Place and Sephora, two of our favorite places.

I love NYC at Christmas. The decorations, the shopping, the department store windows, the people bustling about. It's so festive!

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A Quick Trip to New York City {Photos}

On Friday, the Hubs and I met up with some of his colleagues and their wives in NYC. The plan was to meet for pre-dinner cocktails and then grab some dinner followed by after-dinner drinks.

The Hubs was up and out of the house early Friday morning to get to the Manhattan corporate office. He put in a few hours of work and lunch with a co-worker, then he headed to the hotel.

A town car picked me up at home (sounds fancy, right) and drove me to our hotel, Hilton Midtown East. My original plan was to take the train into the city, but since I was carrying my bags and those of the Hubs, he arranged to have a car take me in to the city.

I kicked back and enjoyed the ride. I could really get used to being driven around by someone. ;-)

No sooner did I get to the hotel, and we were back out on the street again. First stop. Starbucks, of course. I was so thirsty. I had the new Valencia orange refresher. It was the first time I had tried it, and it was delicious! A barista told me that the refreshers contain more caffeine than coffee. Since I had been awake since 5 am, and I knew it would be a long night, I opted for something with some punch.

I needed food next. We passed the Macaron Cafe and quickly turned around and headed in for a sandwich. I ordered the Normandy. It was Brie cheese with apples, raisins, Romaine lettuce, French mustard neatly sandwiched between a crusty baguette. It was perfection.

We took stock of the macarons and promised to return the following morning to pick some up for the girls.

We strolled the city. We stopped at Grand Central Station at the height of rush hour. I loved all the hustle and bustle. And the architecture is amazing.

I snapped this shot just as we were heading in Grand Central Station. It was a beautiful day to be in New York City.

We went back to the hotel room to get dressed for dinner. Our first pre-dinner stop was the rooftop terrace bar at Midtown 1015 Sutton Place. This was the perfect location. The bar inside was very noisy, and for 6 people who wanted to catch up, outside on the roof was quieter. And the views were killer. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture.

We left Sutton Place and walked to the restaurant where we had dinner reservations, but we were a bit early. Just steps away was Neely's, a bar-b-que joint owned by Food Network chefs Pat and Gina Neely. So, we stopped in to take a look at the drink menu.

The drink menu was extensive...something for absolutely everyone, and some of the most creative concoctions I have ever seen. My eyes headed straight to the selection of sangria. I finally decided on the Green Tomato sangria. We didn't have a lot of time since we had dinner reservations, but the Hubs and I agreed that we'd be back for drinks and dinner. It smelled so good in there, and the drinks were fab!

Our dinner stop was Il Vagabondo, a classic Italian restaurant with a bocce court right there in the restaurant. So cool. Again, I missed the opportunity for a picture of the bocce court, but I did snap one of the vintage cash register. Love.

If you love Italian food, this is a must. Every single one of us raved all night about our meals. The Hubs and his boss had the famous chicken Parmigiana. I had gnocchi with tomato sauce. The antipasto was incredible. And dessert? Well, you can't beat the cannolis.

And if we thought we couldn't fit anything else in our stomachs, we left Il Vagabondo and moved on to Felice 64 for some wine. Felice is known for its wine, but the bartender informed us that the food isn't too shabby either. Again, the Hubs and I made a mental note to return for dinner.

Before we called it a night, we hit one more hot spot, Honky Tonk Tavern. Located just up the street from Felice 64, Honky Tonk is all about music. So, if you are not in the mood for music-loving patrons, steer clear of this place.

At 1 am, we finally called it a night, and caught a taxi back to the hotel. It was way passed my bed time. I was grateful for the orange refresher I had earlier in the day. The extra caffeine was a lifesaver.

The following morning, the Hubs and I returned to the Macaron Cafe where we bought a pretty package for the girls.

And before we caught the train out of there, we stopped at American Girl for a little Christmas in August treat for the girls.

It was a whirlwind trip, but is there any other way to do New York City?

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