FLASHBACK: Fourth of July Fireworks

What can I say about the 4th of July?

When I was a kid, I used to have the perfect view of my neighborhood's fireworks show from my window. I would turn the NBC special on and watch them simultaneously, because the TV screen would reflect in the window. Most people have a favorite firework, but I have a favorite 4th of July. It was the year that they set off a firework so big outside my window that it lit up the entire night sky orange, blew out car windows, and set off countless car alarms. It was like Armageddon, but without the messy clean-up.

FLASHBACK: Gelato for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The cliche American things to do in Italy are to eat gelato, "hold up" the Leaning Tower of Pisa, eat gelato, visit the Vatican City, eat gelato, and shovel pasta—fistfuls at a time—into your mouth...then top it off with gelato. And since I'm American, I did as the Americans would do, minus Pisa—couldn't make the trip.

This gelateria in Florence is just one of the many shops I went to while in Europe. I swear, I ate at least three servings in one day while wandering around Rome. My favorite flavors are coconut and stracciatella, which is basically chocolate and vanilla mixed together. The best I had was next door to a pizza shop called, if I'm not mistaken, Caffè Accademia, right outside the Spanish Steps train stop. That's right, there are train stops near historical monuments in Rome. Your mind would be blown if you exited the Colosseum train stop.

My friend Anna was the most adventurous. She tried a different flavor every time we stopped in every Italian city (Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan) we traveled to—from mango to Nutella. I always tried hers, but stuck with my beloved coconut. When we returned to Madrid, we "settled" for the gourmet gelato at Giangrossi, two blocks from our apartment. Like in the shops of Chelsea Market, you can watch them make your gelato in their kitchens.

Nowadays, I settle for the Village's Grom whenever I need a fix. $6 for a little vanilla delight. I wouldn't say it's the best, but I will say that I'll be trying a few more places around Bleecker Street this summer.

SWEET TREAT: Baskin Robbins Mini Baseball Caps

When I was a kid, I vaguely remember eating ice cream out of a black plastic baseball cap. Nothing odd about that...except I think I was in the Dominican Republic. Hmmm I have the worst memory.

But I still have the cap. I didn't notice which team it was for though until a few months ago. The White Sox. I'm no Boston fan, but when I was in high school I liked a White Sox fan. If I was superstitious, I would've thought it was fate. Instead I thought, "Man, I wish I could get the Yankee mini cap." lol

 That's Wile E. Coyote and Bugs Bunny under there.

So me and Ally made our way to the nearest Baskins and basically just asked for the cap and whatever else we had to buy to get it. $5.99 for a two scoop sundae (I recommend America's Birthday Cake, despite the embedded cake cubes, or the Daiquiri—it's so weird) with fudge, whip cream, a cherry, and assorted toppings (sprinkles, nuts, etc.), plus a bottle of water. I know, the water is kind of random, but appreciated. The promotional ads say to collect all 30, but I honestly can't picture myself eating 30 sundaes this summer. I mean...if they were gelato, maybe. lol

Hitting the Batting Cages at Chelsea Piers

Train ride to Chelsea Piers? $2.25
Ten swings at soft slow balls? $2.50
Two strained wrists + a banged up finger + an inability to grip anything with my right hand + sore back muscles? Priceless...or the price of a hospital visit—one or the other.

I may have previously expressed a love for baseball. Of course, being athletically challenged, I can't exactly join a neighborhood league or play a friendly game with a few friends. But I've always thought going to the batting cages could be a fun alternative. I'm not expected to run any long distances and there's no possibility of spraining an ankle or bruising my knees sliding into 3rd. The ground is clearly marked for where you need to stand, so there's no chance I'll get hit by a stray ball. And there's netting surrounding you on all four sides, so you couldn't possibly hit anyone. But, as it happens, there are still a few hazards.

It hurts more than you would imagine. 

First off, if you don't know how to hold a bat—and don't expect anyone to volunteer to teach you—your improper posture will cost you. Once your bat connects with the ball, if you can manage to hit it, it feels like an earthquake running from your hands to your shoulder. For the 5 seconds you feel accomplished by your amazing eye-hand coordination, you'll spend 4 days with aches and pains. Slow soft balls are supposed to be perfect for beginners. Clearly, I was delusional.

I guess there's three good things that came out of our weekend expedition:
1) I got to see if I was any good at baseball...and technically hitting 6 out of 10 balls makes me at least minor league material. lol
2) I now know that I won't be doing this for my birthday come December.
3) And I definitely won't be doing this on a date. Ever!

Chelsea Piers, W. 21 St. and 11th Ave.

A priest, a baker, and a mime walk into a bar...no wait...

My favorite film genre is comedy. I love to laugh. (And I'll be honest, I started loving it even more after learning laughter burns calories. lol) So one would imagine that going to a comedy club would be an ingenious idea. I've told you guys about seeing comedians Anjelah Johnson and Donald Glover at Comix, and since that was such a great experience, I thought I'd try seeing Johnson's hilarious opening act Erik Rivera at Gonzalez y Gonzalez.

Let's see, how do I say this? Rivera was funny as usual. His opening acts, on the other hand, were...not. They were actually excruciatingly awkward and since there were about 20 people at the venue, the laughs were few and far between. I'm not sure if it was the restaurant's poor promotion—when I called they couldn't even confirm that he was performing—or if Wednesday's just not a night everyone wants to go out, but I felt humiliated for them.

It's safe to say that the next time I go to a comedy show it'll be at a fairly large and established venue, and it'll be on a weekend.

But definitely check out Erik Rivera the next time he's in your city.