PENELOPE CHILVERS BOOTS

My best friend came back from London raving about a new pair of boots she bought from a designer named Penelope Chilvers.  She told me that I definitely should check her out and put her boots on my site.  I did and she was right!  So, I am putting her on my site.  These boots are pricey and awesome!


She uses leather, suede, velvet, metallic and tons of creativity!

These are my friend's favorite boots, the tall black ones! Her boots are brown!

BAD REVIEW - PARK VIEW RESTAURANT- TERRIBLE, HEINOUS TREATMENT

Dear Readers:

I never post a bad review because I want you to read for places you should go, but in this case, I must make an exception because of the heinous injustice that was done to me. 

I went to a restaurant in Inwood, a neighborhood in upper Manhattan, and the most terrible thing happened.  I went into the Park View Restaurant, as I have on few, but other occasions.  The service is so-so, although I did have a good waiter one day.  The male server came to my table. He gave me two menus and I immediately ordered the burger with certain toppings.  He went to put in the order and then he stood at the bar.  I had to get the attention of another server by raising my hand to tell them that I wanted some iced tea.

Well, a half an hour went by, no one was ordering food, and I still had not received my burger.  The original server didn’t even check on me, it was another server.  After she left, I thought to myself, where is my burger?  I asked my initial server and he went to check.  The second server, a girl, came back instead and told me that my order didn’t go through and that I would have to wait another 25 minutes.

I was understandably upset because the only reason they found out that my order hadn’t gone through was because I said something and not because anybody working there noticed.  I mean  didn’t they think it was strange that I had been sitting there for half an hour and no food had been delivered, nor apparently was being cooked? 

So I thought and said to the waitress, well shouldn’t I get something for free since I have to wait another half an hour, which is the standard procedure for restaurants when they mess up in such a big way.  They would usually offer you something and say sorry.  She said to ask the manager who was a bald guy at the bar.  She turned and asked him and he said that they could do the drink, but I really shouldn’t be asking for anything.

What?!  Since he was so arrogant, I had to reply that I should ask for something because I sat there for all this time only to be told that I have to wait for another half hour because they lost the order and didn’t even notice it!  The bald guy tried to lie and say that well I should have ordered the normal way for a server to come to me and take the order and not call the order across the bar!

What?! (Did he think I was some sort of animal?) I replied, ”What are you talking about?  The waiter came to me with two menus and I gave him my order.”

He said, “No, I was watching you and you yelled across the bar with your order.”

I replied, ”Why would I yell across the bar with my order if he was standing there after he brought me the two menus?”

Then he arrogantly asked who my waiter was, which is strange because he said he was sitting there watching me, so shouldn’t he already know?  I pointed to the waiter standing right next to him who was looking sheepish, which he should have for causing all this nonsense.  He didn’t really come out and take responsibility either.

I told the arrogant bald guy to stop lying.  He then came over to me in an uncomfortable manner and tried to switch up the story.  He now said the problem was because there were waiters switching shifts and I ordered a drink later so the order didn’t go through.  So once again, he is blaming me for their mix-up.  I said that excuse was not my concern.  I had a problem with the fact that he lied about how I ordered, that my order was lost for so long and no one helped me, and that they were mad about giving me a free drink!  (In such a situation, I really should have been given the whole meal for free which I never asked for.)

He must have known I was right and been embarrassed because the next thing he did was say that he was going to cancel my order.  So now, I was angry and hungry.  I said fine because I didn’t want it anymore.  So they messed up, but treated me heinously.  What do you think readers?

I also had to wonder, and I am sad to have to write this, but I wondered if I hadn’t been a non-white patron, would he have treated me so undeservedly and badly? What do you think? Especially since this restaurant hasn’t been around that long, it was not a smart thing to anger a well-heeled client.  I did let him know that this would be put on my blog.   

If you have had a similar or bad experience in a restaurant, please comment.  I want to know what you think!

So, needless to say, for this restaurant, I recommend, DON’T TRY IT!

BROADWAY BITES FOOD FESTIVAL IS BACK!

THE BROADWAY BITES FOOD FESTIVAL , WHICH I TOLD YOU ABOUT IN NOVEMBER, IS BACK AGAIN IN NEW YORK CITY UNTIL AUGUST 1.  IT IS LOCATED IN GREELEY PARK WHICH IS BETWEEN 6TH AND BROADWAY BETWEEN 34TH AND 32ND STREETS.

TWO RECOMMENDATIONS:  ARANCINI BROTHERS RICE BALLS AND MEXICUE'S  PASSION FRUIT/MANGO MARGARITAS.

TRY IT!

DO YOU WANT A SLICE OF THE PIE?

The pizza slice in the picture is about a foot long and at its widest point, 8-9 inches.  It's topped with tons of cheese and a tasty sauce.  I have hot peppers and hot sauce on mine.  If you want to try this pizza,  go to Koronet Pizza on Broadway between 110th and 111th Streets in New York City.

ON THE STREET FASHION!

HERE'S SOME MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREET SHARING THEIR FASHION REVELATIONS!

HERE IS SOMEONE ROCKING THE LAVENDER NIKE GLADIATORS  WITH DENIM!  PERFECT FOR SUMMER!

 

THIS NEXT LOOK IS A UNIQUE TAKE ON OLD IS NEW AGAIN:  MIXING JELLIES WITH A SNOOPY PRINT DRESS AND ROCKING PLATINUM LOCKS!

 

 

MY FAVES - PIERO GUIDI MAGIC CIRCUS BAGS!

 I love surfing the net for fabulous bags.  I happened upon a really cool site and an even cooler bag on this site.  The designer is Piero Guidi.  This company has many different bag designs, but the one that particularly attracted me was the "Circus" print.  It is fantastic!

I saw this bag a year ago and wasn't sure if I wanted to purchase it right then.  I had never heard of the brand and I needed to do more investigation.  I was so lucky to have a Piero Guidi boutique in New York City.

I went to the boutique and told them where I saw their bags, but they only had a limited selection.  They showed me the range of their bags in terms of design, prints, and lines.  The line that still grabbed me was the "Circus" line because it has playful circus characters flipping and dancing all around the canvas. 

It also gives each bag its own personal angel which is attached sort of like a luggage tag and they make it so that you can pose its wings and appendages.

The line had so many wonderful styles that it was hard to choose.  Most of the bags are in the $300 and up range.  They are so  fun and fanciful that they are definitely worth it,  You won't see a million people with these bags.  You'll feel so unique!


If you think this is your style then....TRY IT!

DO YOU WANT TO TRAVEL? ARE YOU MAKING TRAVEL PLANS? BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - SOUTH KOREA!

ARE YOU PLANNING TO TRAVEL?  WHY NOT TRY SOUTH KOREA? 

READ MY NEW BOOKS ABOUT SOUTH KOREA!!!  ARE YOU JUST CURIOUS? THIS BOOK IS FOR EVERY TRAVELER!  AVAILABLE ON CREATESPACE.COM, AMAZON.COM, AMAZON EUROPEBY LORI CALBERT/ALEXIS I. DRAGON

KOREA IS FUN AND EXCITING!
As many of you know, I really love South Korea and wanted to make a show about my experiences. That country changed my life! It gave me many exciting and phenomenal experiences that gave me a courage and belief in myself that was transforming.

I have written two books about South Korea, focusing on Seoul and nearby locations.  One book is an adult guide to Korea called, “Bougie in Korea”.  My second is a photograph and informational book for children called, “My Summer in Korea”.    See a synopsis for each book below:

1)      Bougie in Korea: My Guide to South Korea (For Adults) – Book 2 in the Life of Bougie Series

The entire book is funny, informational, and insightful.  It would be a great start for anyone curious about South Korea. CREATESPACE LINK: https://www.createspace.com/4683204

This is a love letter to Korea.  It is part fiction and nonfiction.   The nonfiction part is a guide that talks about different things you can do, see, and eat in Seoul, Korea.  It is taken from my point of view of what I saw and did.  It also shares views about what I have been told by people that I met there and ideas that were inspired by my multiple travels there. 

The fiction part is a continuation from my first book, Bougie in New York, in which the main character, gossip columnist Tina West, has decided to go to South Korea when her life becomes comically complicated in New York.  She falls in love with Korea almost immediately and shares her adventure.

2)        My Summer in Korea – book of photographs and information for children (of all ages - CREATESPACE LINK:  https://www.createspace.com/4683392

This book is filled with my photographs from Korea.  I thought that it would be a great way to show children what Korea is like.  I added text that would allow students to compare and contrast their communities to South Korea.  It is fun and informative and will inspire conversation, whether it’s from teachers with their students or parents with their children.  I have a degree in education and when I read this book to children, they were absolutely enthralled by the amazing information they learned about this country.  Many students wanted to research more about Korea and asked if they could go there.  This book is a great way to introduce this beautiful country.

 3)      Bougie in New York, Second Edition (Book 1 Life of Bougie Series) – The book that started it all! (FOR ADULTS) -CREATESPACE LINK: https://www.createspace.com/4592827

 

This is the first book in the Life of Bougie Series!  It is a book of fiction which is infused with some of the experiences that I’ve had in New York City.  The main character is gossip columnist Tina West. 

Life of Bougie could be described as a combination of the writing styles of Erma Bombeck and Terry McMillan.

Tina West is a gossip columnist/writer who feels most of her experiences are based on two levels of interaction in the world: her identity as a black woman and her identity as an upper-middle class society woman. Sometimes those identities coexist peacefully and at other times, they are at odds in terms of society's reaction to her. Her family is made up of a group of ultraconservative, affluent professionals who can’t understand why Tina would leave her lucrative "real" career to become what they call a bohemian writer. This book deals with her childhood, her first jobs, and her rise to become a celebrity/well-known gossip columnist and writer.

TRY ALL THREE OF THEM!