Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza

Featuring more than 40,000 shells exploding at a rate of more than 1,500 per minute, Macy's definitely agrees bigger is better as far as fireworks are concerned! And with fireworks reaching heights of 1,000 feet in the air, they could be seen for miles in the perfect night sky on this year's 4th of July holiday celebration. Between 24th and 50th Streets on the west side of Manhattan, Macy's displayed six barges from which fireworks were shot into the sky with the ever-so beautiful New York City skyline as it's magical backdrop. "American Harmony" was the theme of this years 2010 fireworks spectacular featuring The New York Pops orchestra, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and some of America's top vocal groups all perfectly aligned with the fireworks extravaganza. It was like nothing I've ever seen or heard before! It was basically every big city's fireworks display times six, literally. From the vibrant colors and designs to the most riveting soundtrack around,  New York City just keeps proving to me that it's "the" place to be.

The Jersey Shore (minus "Snookie" and "the Situation")

The Jersey Shore consists of 131 miles of New Jersey coastal area from Sandy Hook in the North to Cape May in the South. It also includes a wide range of beaches along the eastern part of the Jersey coast including Monmouth, Atlantic, and Ocean counties. What was once known as the most polluted group of beaches in the nation has now become part of the most rigorously tested ocean water around, leaving it with the cleanest water in the mid-Atlantic Region. My husband and I went to Monmouth and were surprised at how beautiful it was. It was nothing like we had expected. It even had some pretty high waves. Not good enough to surf but definitely body-boardilicious! As we drove down Ocean Avenue I started bobbing my head, thinking about all the songs written about this incredible place. And, though the shore has been famously mentioned in countless songs throughout the years due to it's many celebrity ridden rock and roll bars, along with it's proximity to NYC, it really rose to national fame in 2009 with the MTV launching of it's beyond expected hit sensation, "The Jersey Shore", even though the Italian-American cast members aren't actual residents of the area. Though "Snookie" nor "the Situation" were anywhere in sight, we definitely saw our share of "guido's". You know who I'm talking about: buff, oiled, and tan with a strong Jersey accent talking about "chicks" and getting a new "ride". It definitely made for an entertaining day at the beach! So, grab a spray-on tan, a bottle of oil, and practice your Jersey twang and we'll see you at the shore!

Capturing "The City"

I know I'm not the only one out there secretly obsessed with reality television so don't judge me just because I'm one of the few who has enough guts to admit it. I, Lorrie from NYC, am a huge fan of both of MTV's hit reality shows "The Hills" and "The City". I feel like I should be at an AA meeting or something. But, in all seriousness, along with "The Hills" former leading lady, Lauren Conrad, my favorite cast member on the show has always been Whitney Port. Aside form her great "genes" (in both the hereditary and the denim type), career obsession, and unforgiving drive, Whitney seemed like the all-American, down-to-earth, "girl next door". So, obviously, when she got her own spin-off of "The Hills" and moved to "The City" to pursue her dreams in the world of fashion, I became an instant fan. So, when I was walking through Washington Square the other day and saw her filming an episode of "The City" with her spunky vixenesque co-star Roxy Olin, I was more than ecstatic, especially since I happened to have my camera by my side. I've learned the hard way that in this city, having your camera with you is as important as your wallet because you never know who or what you're going to see! And she was just as gorgeous and flawless in person as she always has been on the show. It was so incredible to watch one of my favorite shows happen right before my very eyes. Living in this city definitely has its perks--it's always exciting and you never know what's waiting for you around the next corner!

Sick in the City

Okay, so being sick is pretty much my least favorite feeling in the world. The stuffy head, chilling fever, nasal congestion, chest-wrenching cough, throat-on-fire feeling combined with the inability to breath, eat, or sleep, for that matter, is nothing short of a nightmare. But, what makes it all even worse is the reality of city life. In a city where the soles of your shoes replace the tires of your car, it is by no means fun to get your exhausted, lifeless body to take the 10 block hike to the nearest doctor, much less then have to walk 2 miles the opposite direction to the closest pharmacy to fill your prescription. Oh the woes of living in the city of transportation hell. In fact, I'm pretty sure I got the horrid illness from the guy hacking his guts out next to me on the subway just the other day. Guess I need to make a visit to my nearest Bath and Body Works to stock up on more antibacterial gels to ward off the evil germs spread by the careless people who neglect to cover their mouths when coughing up a lung in public!

Fashionista's Unite

In today's economy if you dare pay full price for anything you're crazy! It's as simple as the basic rules of supply and demand. With a lower demand on products due to a widespread lack of income, the supply increases thus lowering prices. So, many retailers are now offering all sorts of coupons and promotional discounts and all you have to do is supply them with your e-mail address. I get numerous e-mails weekly from all of my favorite retailers, such as Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret, Express, Macy's, and even Abercrombie and Fitch, to name a few. Their offers vary from free products with purchases to up to 40% off your entire purchase and even free shipping if you order online. So, as my mother has always said, "any fool can pay full price". Also, many grocery stores and even my favorite "everything" store, Target, now offer a variety of easily printable coupons to redeem in stores. I've saved up to over $25 at a time, with coupons alone. And living in a city that is as expensive as this, every little bit helps! I've even discovered an incredible new website called "I love free things" (www.ilovefreethings.com). Basically, you go there and they provide you with all these fantastic offers for free samples and products. You choose the ones you like, give them your mailing address and it's mailed to you like magic within 4-6 weeks. I've gotten free face cream, body wash, socks,  razors, coffee, coupons for free food redeemable at any grocery store, and even a free pantie from American Apparel. And, to top it all off, no junk mail! Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me. And I can never pass up a great deal!!!

The Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in the U.S. stretching over 265 acres of land. The zoo first opened its doors on November 8, 1899 featuring 843 animals in 22 exhibits. Today the zoo has grown to house over 4,000 animals and 600 different species, many of which are endangered or threatened. But, perhaps the most well known aspect of the zoo is the fact that it was the inspiration for one of today's most lovable animation film series, Madagascar, produced by DreamWorks Animation, even though the actual film was based in the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. While walking through the zoo I had an overwhelming urge to break into song and dance: "I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it. You like to MOVE it." That's probably due to the incredibly catchy song featured in the films and the lovable characters who sing and dance to it. Featured in these photographs above are the inspirations to my favorite characters in the movie: Alex, the lion; Marty, the zebra; and my favorite of all, King Julien XIII, the fun-loving ring-tailed lemur. Now, as for all those who are against keeping animals in captivity and consistently fight to free animals from zoos, the Madagascar movies portray quite the dispute. Co-director Tom Mcgrath talked about the intention of the films saying, "the basic irony to the story is that, you think animals belong in the wild, but if they're so accustomed to captivity, they wouldn't even know where food came from." And that the animals were meant to "love the zoo and to love where they are because they've got 5,000 square feet right off Fifth Avenue." Sounds pretty good to me!

Kyochon Chicken

Chairman and founder of Kyochon Chicken, Mr. Won-Kang Kwon, has pleased thousands of American's by bringing Korea's favorite chicken brand to the U.S. and creating a global poultry dynasty. Kyochon Chicken has more than 1,000 restaurants in Korea and China and now 10 in the U.S., just here in NYC and LA. The flagship restaurant is right here in Manhattan, located on 5th Avenue and 32nd Street. And not only is it a treat for your mouth but it's also a technological dream of a restaurant, displaying countless televisions, a big screen with the latest and newest remixes of the best club-pumping music around, and the most unique light fixtures and displays including a red staircase that lights your way up every step. But this is just part of what Kwon has dedicated to his company to make it the most unique and sought after place in the city. He embodies the company with values of integrity, top quality, innovation and 100% dedication to the best customer service. In fact, he spent countless hours inventing the double-frying and hand-brushing techniques that make this chicken the best in town. He also created the signature Soy Garlic and Hot & Sweet sauces that glaze his chicken with flawless perfection. To this day only he and his wife know the exact recipes to these taste-bud dazzling sauces, which they mix themselves in a secret room in the production facility in Seoul, where they reside. And, as for customer satisfaction, I've never met so many nice people in one place in this crazy city before. The staff is beyond friendly and you never have to ask for a thing--they're definitely on top of things from the moment you walk in to the second you leave. But, of all this, my favorite aspect is the food, hands-down! They use only fresh, never frozen chicken and only seasonal fruits and vegetables for exceptional quality. Each piece of chicken is hand cut and individually hand brushed. There are no short-cuts to this chicken perfection and Kwon wouldn't have it any other way. My recommendation: the honey wings with a side of croquettes (they're like mashed potatoes and sour cream wrapped into a bundle of deliciousness and fried) and the green tea Bul-Gogi rice ball (a ball of white rice seasoned with green tea extract and stuffed with finely diced Bul-Gogi Chicken and vegetables and seasoned with their homemade soy sauce). It's a feast you don't want to miss!