Tag Archives: vacation

How Do You Treat Yourself?

Posted on by
Reply

I literally counted down until spring break arrived. I’ve actually had my Cancun getaway booked since February!!!

cat typing rapidly on keyboard

GIF Retrieved from GIPHY

That’s my thing: traveling.
I try to take a vacation and travel somewhere (not a “stay-cation”) at least three times a year. Sometimes my bank account is like “Girl bye, you tried it!”, lol.

man looking at ATM Machine shocked

GIF Retrieved from GIPHY

So yea, lol, three doesn’t always make the cut, but at least two vacations keeps me satisfied. That is how I treat myself. I work hard, I study hard, so I make sure that I play TWICE as hard.

Traveling is more like a “big” treat for me. I do other small (and way less expensive) things for myself too. I LOVE Thai rolled ice cream and I reward myself with it any day that the temperature outside is above 55 degrees, like last friday for example.

photo of ice cream with toppings

Photo taken by Yours Truly at ICE NY !

Also, I love getting facials! It just so happens that my health insurance covers facials at the same place where I get physical therapy, and I make sure to use my benefits!!
None shall go to waste, lol.

cat laying down with cucumber on eyes like a spa

Photo Retrieved from Pinterest

But that’s me. These are things that I personally like to do as part of my self care regimen. It’s not always easy to just pick up and make time for these things, so often we neglect self care. I’m sure you can relate that it can be really easy to lose sight of yourself in the midst of all the things you are doing on a daily basis. Whether that includes work, school, taking care of someone else (child, family member, partner, etc), an internship, personal obligations, socializing, or whatever else. Too often what happens is that it’s not until you get to the “breaking point” that you are then forced to stop and take some time to focus on you.

I just said to my mom the other day that sometimes I feel like I’m just living the same day over and over and over. Do you ever feel like that? You wake up and you go from one place to the next; school then work-or vice versa. Then when you actually get home, neither of these things are actually in your rear view because you’re doing homework, or thinking about your next work shift. Then the next day comes and you repeat the same cycle.

Even if you aren’t working a job, I’m sure you have things other than school that take up your time on a daily basis. So my question to you is how do you treat yourself? I mean that in literal terms like “do you treat yourself well?”, and also “treat yourself” as in reward yourself.

So the literal terms- that’s things like do you get enough sleep? Do you eat properly and regularly? There was a point where I would be “so busy” I would forget to eat the entire day and when I got home, I would have the absolute worst headache. I would moan and groan about how I think it’s because I didn’t eat. DUH it is! That’s like driving around all day ignoring the gas light in your car, and then complaining when you break down in the middle of nowhere.

man reacting to car gas tank being empty

GIF Retrieved from GIPHY

When was the last time you checked your “tank” and made sure you were all filled up and good to go? The last person we should be ignoring is ourselves.
Do you put aside enough time for yourself with no outside distractions?

Ask yourself this one question: Am I treating myself the best I could?
If the answer is yes, congratulations!
It’s not the easiest thing to do so I commend you 100% for putting you first. 🙂
If the answer is “no”, or you’re unsure, then today is the day to start to think about what you can do to treat yourself better.  

As students, “I don’t have time” is a common excuse we have when it comes to self-care.

woman stating she is busy during red carpet interview

GIF Retrieved from GIPHY

I know I preach a lot about self care, but that’s because every day on campus I see too many of my peers looking worn out–probably from hours of staring at textbooks, working on papers, and trying to meet rapidly approaching deadlines. As our responsibilities pile up, it’s easy to allow our own health and sanity to take a backseat to feelings of restlessness. Sooner or later, the effects of excessive stress remind us that our personal well-being should never be overlooked, whether we ask for the reminder or not.

cat with hair sticking up looking stressed and angry

Photo Retrieved from Me.Me

Suggestions of ways to treat yourself/ care for yourself is different for everyone. Your friend’s self-care routine might include a 7 a.m. run or gym visit every morning, but for you, just thinking about doing anything at 7 a.m. might make you even more stressed out than you already are, lol. I get stressed every night when I remember I have an 8:30 class and I swear the whole semester goes by and I never get used to it! In that situation, maybe a short walk on afternoons or evenings would work better for you. The thing is self-care isn’t about what anybody else is doing; It’s about what your mind, body and spirit are telling you that they need.

I want you to take this Self Care Assessment that we in Human Services use with our clients. With it we are able to get a better idea of how well a client is treating themselves and the things that bring them pleasure or happiness. We also use it ourselves to assess our own state. The assessment states that it “provides an overview of effective strategies to maintain self-care.” As the directions on the assessment says: “after completing the full assessment, choose one item from each area that you will actively work to improve. This will at least give you an idea on where to begin and you can brainstorm idea on how you plan to improve your self care in that area.”  Taking this test is a big step to changing or improving how you treat yourself because awareness is always step one. I’m excited for you!

We have to take care of ourselves along with taking care of our responsibilities. Self-care is not always the easiest thing to implement and be consistent with, especially while striving for success during your academic undergrad journey. I’m definitely still learning to nurture, and take care of myself while gaining a satisfactory level of student-work-life balance. It’s difficult at times, especially during midterms, and finals, and hectic times at work-but I know how important it is.

Like the well known quote says “If you don’t love yourself, who will?”; It’s the little pleasures that get us through our everyday grind. Lunch from our favorite place, sweets and treats to seal a long day, getting your eyebrows done, or kicking back and watching the game. Don’t wait for your next day off, or your next planned vacation. Remind yourself that you deserve to live a satisfying life and enjoy yourself on a regular basis by doing little things that make you happy. What things from the assessment did you score lower on and would like to improve? What are you doing really well? Tell me about it below.

 

Love ya, Neffi

quote photo

Photo Retrieved from HerCampus

 

Life at Sea (Part II)

Posted on by
Reply

Docked back onto the ship and took the most relaxing nap. Until I was woken up by the ship rocking. That evening I went out to the Comedy Show with a group of friends of mine located at the back of the ship. All you felt was the ship rocking. The night was long and uncomfortable but the next morning I was able to wake up in the beautiful island of St. Thomas. Took a tour of the island in addition to visiting their cleanest beach. As the days went on I visited three additional islands.

My favorite part of it all was being able to visit different islands with individuals I met on a ship. We became a family. Especially your stewardess aka ‘Housekeeping”. It amazed me how every time I went back in my room my bed was made and I always had fresh towels. And every evening when I will go back in my room there would always be a towel animal made.

Below are some pictures from my trip. My experience cruising was the best! I encourage everyone to go on a cruise. The best way to travel to many islands at once!

During my cruise I stopped by the beautiful island of Turks & Caicos. There I had the amazing opportunity to go zip lining! One of the things on bucket list for the past three years now! I was so excited but nervous at the same time. Climbing up high obstacle courses and zipping through a long line across the shore gave me this rush feeling.
I climb up the first three obstacle courses to get to the top where the zip line was. Zipped through a long zip line to realize that I still had three more obstacles to climb to zip one last time. At this point I was restless but there was no giving up there. I had to move forward in order to get down and in my case, to let the others go by. I zip through the final chord when I got stuck in the middle. Just about everyone’s fear. Stuck in the middle of a zip line, miles and miles above ground. Luckily one of the employees got me and pushed me to the end.

people standing on the platform of a zipline

The Best Things I’ve Ate In 2015

Posted on by
4

Hi everyone! I am happy to say that I have returned back to The Buzz for this semester and will be continuing sharing my food adventures and food blogging tips with you.

I would like to start off by sharing a list I’ve compiled of the best things I’ve ate in 2015 and where you can find it. 2015 was really an amazing year and I had a great opportunity to try a lot of different foods and cuisines. Here’s my list and I hope it’ll inspire you try to these dishes and drinks –

*Note these dishes and drinks aren’t arrange in any specific order*

a glass of sangria

Red Sangria

15. I typically don’t drink Sangria during brunch, but since it was offered during the brunch weekend special if you order a brunch, eggs, or omelets. I really liked Parigot‘s Sangria because it was refreshing, fruity, and had floral and plum aromas. I also liked that were chunks of apples, pears, and oranges.

a takeout container of ravioli

Wild Mushroom Ravioli

14. Last September, my boyfriend and I went to the NYC Dumpling festival and one of the dumplings we tried was the wild mushroom ravioli and oh boy, was it mushroom heaven! I really love mushrooms, so discovering a creamy mushroom-filled ravioli was like a treasure. I’ve never had ravioli quite like this one before.

a slice of Caesar Salad Pizza

Caesar Salad Pizza

13. Who knew that a salad pizza could taste so good? During my first visit to Luigi Pizza, I ordered a Caesar Salad slice and man, was it one of the best slice of pizza I’ve had so far! The Caesar salad slice had a nice crunch to it and it had crispy chicken, romaine lettuce, cheese, and Caesar dressing around the slice. It was mouth-watering delicious!

Affugazi Affogato dessert

Affugazi Affogato

12.  The first I stepped into Brooklyn Farmacy, I was excited and hooked! The sundaes at Brooklyn Farmacy are awesome. The first sundae I ordered was the Affugazi Affogato. It’s really a great combination of chocolate and espresso! I enjoyed the large scoop of vanilla ice cream encased in a hardened chocolate shell which was almost impossible to break through.

a glass dish of Homemade Grass Jelly with Mixed Fruits & Ice Cream

Homemade Grass Jelly with Mixed Fruits & Ice Cream

11. Last Summer, I discovered this dessert during a trip to Toronto, Canada from Tracy Dessert. The homemade grass jelly with mixed fruits & ice cream was the absolute perfect solution to a hot, summery day and man was it hot the day I had this dessert. Everything tasted fresh from top to bottom. The grass jelly tasted really fresh and yummy, compared to the ones I’ve tried in New York.

a Roast Pork Taco

Roast Pork Taco

10. I typically don’t eat tacos, but when my friends brought me and my boyfriend to Tacos El Bronco I was excited to try something different for once. I tried the roast pork taco and it was absolutely delightful! It was warm, vibrant, and delicious! The guacamole had a nice and rich creaminess to it. The taco wasn’t spicy at all which I liked. The roast pork was really tender and moist. This taco was screaming and bursting with deliciousness!

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

9. I’ve had different versions of Linguine with White Clam Sauce, but the best one I’ve had so far was from Mussels & More. Their version was on point! There wasn’t too much sauce and the sauce was just the right thickness. I also liked that it wasn’t too garlicky and you get a combination of clams in a shell and chopped clams.

Breaded Baked Clams

Breaded Baked Clams

8. Another dish I tried from Mussels & More that was different and that I truly enjoyed was the breaded baked clams. The staff here highly recommends ordering the clams breaded because it tastes a lot better and they were right! The breaded baked clams had a crisp and crunchiness to it, but also tender.

Bisque Mussels

Bisque Mussels

7. I think it’s pretty apparent that 2015 was the year I went crazy for mussels and seafood. A meal at Mussels & More wouldn’t be complete without some… mussels and so far my favorite one is the bisque mussels. They were soaked and tossed with lobster, brand, tomato, garlic and cream. Yum! Doesn’t that sound good? It’s truly a pot of lobster and mussel goodness. The mussels are cooked to perfection at Mussels & More!

Spam Fries

Spam Fries

6. I tried out Manila Social Club with my boyfriend and friends and one of the menu items we tried was their Spam fries. I have had Spam fries at a different Filipino restaurant before, but the ones from Manila Social Club were unique in terms of taste, presentation, and creativity. I think it’s adorable how they set the Spam fries in the famous Spam can itself. The Spam fries were crispy on the outside and moist like Spam should be on the inside. I also found it interesting that the Spam fries weren’t overly salty.

crab dip with crostini

Crab Dip with Crostini

5. Last Labor day weekend, I went to Ocean City, MD with my boyfriend and friends and one of the restaurant we visited was called Hooked and we tried an appetizer that I was completely “hooked” on called: Crab Dip with Crostini. This was one of the best appetizers I’ve had so far. The crostini was toasted, fresh, and crunchy. The crab dip was amazingly delicious with just the right amount of cheese to make it gooey and delicious.

a white dish of macaroni

Chessie’s Crab Mac-n-Cheese

4. While we were on vacation at Ocean City, MD – my boyfriend and I also tried out Shenanigan’s Irish Pub & Grille and I ordered their famous Chessie’s Crab Mac-n-Cheese which sounded and looked divine! The Chessie’s Crab Mac-n-Cheese consisted of twisted Cavatappi pasta with their Harp® lager and white Irish Cheddar sauce loaded with lumps of yummy crab meat and topped with Old Bay bread crumbs. The lumps of crab meat was really fresh and was no joke!

Crabmeat Salad

Crabmeat Salad

3.  I typically don’t order salads at Asian restaurants and Prince Tea House isn’t known for their sandwiches or savory menu items, but I really enjoyed their Crabmeat Salad. I really liked the salad because it was very simple and tasty at the same time. It tastes similar to kani salad, but with greens and tomato to mix in. They provided a serving of ranch dressing for me, but it wasn’t necessary.

a lobster salad

Lobster with Assorted Seafood on Yee Mein

2.  My family and I were having dim sum at Golden Bay Restaurant one weekend and my dad ordered the Lobster with Assorted Seafood on Yee Mein. This was probably one of the most interesting Lobster dishes and with an assortment of seafood. I really liked the noodles, creativity and presentation of this dish. It is expensive, but well worth it.

Lobster Salad

Lobster Salad

1.My boyfriend and I went to a friend’s wedding banquet at Royal Queen in Flushing, Queens last year. The dishes we had that night were extremely unique. One of the dishes we had that I really liked was the lobster salad because it was served individually and the lobster meat was covered in mayonnaise and served with melons in the center.

So this list covers the best eats I’ve enjoyed in 2015. I am looking forward to more eats this year.

What are some of the best things you’ve ate or done in 2015?

The 10 Best Things I’ve Ate This Summer

Posted on by
4

Welcome back to Fall 2015 all faculty and city tech students! It feels good and exciting to be back at City Tech as this will be my last year at City Tech and of college. It’s exciting and scary at the same time.

Anyway, hope your summer was blast and you had a chance to eat a lot of yummy foods! I know I did. I had a list of places I wanted to try this summer and I was able to accomplish most of it as well as get to try foods I never tried before. I’d like to share with you the 10 best things I ever ate this summer –

a pink drink1. Strawberry Refresher from Starbucks

I love almost all foods and drinks that are strawberry related, so when I heard Starbucks came out with a Strawberry Acai Refresher – I was ecstatic. I gave it a shot and fell head over heels with it. There’s a slight tartness to it, but you can definitely taste the strawberry-ness in it and it’s absolutely refreshing. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot.

a pot of mussels

2. Bisque Mussels from Mussels & More

During the summer, I ate at Mussels and More with my friends and boyfriend twice because it was just that good! One of the items we tried was the Bisque mussels (lobster, brandy, garlic, tomato, and cream) and it was truly the best mussels I’ve had so far. It was rich and savory. The mussels were cooked just right!

linguine with clams, and Parmesan on the side

3. Linguine with White Clam Sauce from Mussels & More

Another item I’ve tried at Mussels & More is Linguine with white clam sauce in many restaurants, but none as good and savory as the one from Mussels & More. You can just taste the love and effort that was put into this dish.

a lobster on a plate4. Steamed lobster from Larchmont Yacht Club 

Over the summer, I attended my boyfriend’s company picnic at Larchmont and that’s where I had one of the best lobsters of my life! They were serving steamed lobsters with butter and I had two lobsters to myself and they were absolutely tender, moist, and with a little sweetness as well. So simple, yet so delicious!

a dish of food

5. Rice Cakes with Shredded Pork & Preserved Mustard from Nan Xiang Dumpling House

This is one of my favorite dishes that I love to order at most Shanghainese restaurants! Last month, my boyfriend and I had dinner at a Shanghainese restaurant in Flushing and that’s where I’ve had one of the best rice cakes with shredded pork and preserved mustard. The rice cakes weren’t soggy and cooked just right and the preserved mustard, weren’t preserved this time, in fact it was fresh and crunchy.

a sandwich wrap6. Roast Pork Taco from Tacos El Bronco

My friend introduced me to Tacos El Bronco and I tried the roast pork taco. It was hands down the best taco I’ve had so far. It was warm, vibrant, and delicious! The guacamole had a nice and rich creaminess to it and the taco wasn’t spicy at all. The roast pork was really tender and moist. Everything was on point!

an ice cream cone7. Cookies n Creme Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of my weaknesses, but I forgot how much happiness an ice cream on a cone can bring to me. My manager treated my company to ice cream and Italian ices one afternoon and I got myself a cookies n creme ice cream and boy was I happy.

soup

8. Roasted Corn & Jalapeno Crab Bisque from Hooked

I normally don’t order soups at restaurants, but I decided to order the roasted corn & jalapeno crab bisque from Hooked as many of my friends did to while we were in Ocean City, MD for Labor Day weekend. The bisque was surprisingly not spicy at all, despite jalapeno being in the name of the bisque. I really enjoyed the bisque. It was hearty, warm, creamy, and irresistibly delicious!

an ice cream sundae9. Affugazi Affogato from Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain 

I always wanted to go to Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain and I did go this summer not just once, but twice! The first time I went with my friends, I ordered the Affugazi Affogato which was absolutely delightful. It was like chocolate and espresso heaven! I really enjoyed the large scoop of vanilla ice cream encased in the hardened chocolate shell. The chocolate shell was difficult and almost impossible to break through. The two shots of espresso was good and powerful stuff!

a glass of a white drink with ice

10. Horchata from Las Margaritas

I’ve always been curious about horchata, so I gave it a shot at Las Margaritas when I was out with friends one night. Every Spanish/Mexican restaurant has their own way of making horchata I am sure, but the one from Las Margaritas was very refreshing and perfect for a summery day. The horchata I had a bit of cinnamon or maybe nutmeg in it and it was a nice touch to it.

I really enjoyed this summer and give myself a lot of credit for trying a lot of new foods, drinks, and restaurants. It’s been an exciting experience!