Introduction To The Brandy Chronicles - Touristy Tips and Lily's Favorite Things To Do In New York City

Hello from the Tampa, Florida International Airport.  Thanks to Murphy's Law (which I have redubbed Lily's Law, naturally), my airport gate always seems to be near the children's play area.  There are 3 little girls who are generating a noise level equivalent to 3000 girls.  It's 9 a.m. and I have had 4 hours of sleep and only 1 cup of coffee.  I am stifling the urge to grab the little girls by the neck and hiss "For the love of God, shut your little mouths or get me a Bloody Mary STAT!"  

The girls, unaware of my bleeding ear drums, are trying to decide what game to play.  The smallest one (who inverse-proportionately is also the loudest one) keeps saying "Let's play Puppy Memory.  Let's play Puppy Memory.  Let's play Puppy Memory."  Finally her older sister explodes with Hera-like fury and shrieks: "NO SHIRLEY, WE'RE NOT PLAYING PUPPY MEMORY!"  Shirley then starts crying ... loudly.  I want to go over and say: "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND MY EARS, LET SHIRLEY PLAY PUPPY MEMORY!"  

I have no clue what "Puppy Memory" is - maybe it is some gladiator style game where young girls fight to the death.  (Only one will emerge victorious!)  And maybe that's why the older sister is so anti-Puppy Memory.  But as I type this, I hear young Shirley barking like a dog -- evidently incessant repeating and crying works.  Good job, Shirley.  

But this blog post is not supposed to be about Shirley.  (Way to Bogart my blog, Shirley.  Woof woof.)  This blog post is about Brandy - a woman who has never asked me to play Puppy Memory (yet).  Brandy will be going to New York City for the first time in her life.  She has asked me for some tips.  Which frankly is like saying "Hey Oprah, do you have any life lessons for me?"  Little did Brandy know that she was waving the proverbial red flag in front of me.  Do I have NYC tips?  Does Shirley like to bark?  I have a zillion and one tips!  Woof woof.

Awhile back another friend, LC, had asked me for my NYC tips (evidently putting several life-size cut outs of me in the NY tourism office works in cementing my reputation as "Girl with NYC tourism tips" - or maybe it's just because I wear a tiara and sash with "Miss NYC Tourism Tips 2012-2013" written on it.  Who's to say?)  

I had sent LC an email with my suggestions and recommendations, but then when Brandy then asked me for NYC tips I decided that I needed to share my knowledge with THE WORLD.  (Yes, yes I know - I am selfless ... practically Mother Teresa - but even more so ...  No time for humility for myself or Shirley.)

Little did Brandy know that her question would inspire a series of blog posts which I am now calling "The Brandy Chronicles."    I suspect other friends will become jealous and start asking me questions worthy of multiple blog-posts.  Such as "Lily, why are you so beautiful?"  That question alone is worth like 47 blog posts just to answer in vague generalities.  

So whether you are a regular LilyOnTheLam.com reader, a person looking for NYC touristy tips, a person looking for the history of the Puppy Memory Game, Brandy or members of the Shirley Fan Club - get ready for "The Brandy Chronicles." I'll be posting my favorite things to do in New York City over several blog posts.

If you cannot wait, check out the New York blog posts I have already written:

Chef Mario Batali vs. "Biggest Loser" Trainer Bob Harper - Eataly - New York City

Second Installment of My Top Chef 2012 Trilogy - My Lunch at Chef Floyd Cardoz's new North End Grill - New York City

Broadway and Me: NYC Fall 2012

The Importance of Friends and A Tasty Belgian Wafel (about NYC's Wafels and Dinges Food Truck)

This Post is Dedicated To My Ukrainian Fans! (Ukrainian Restaurant Review - NYC)

Best NYC Tea Room - My 100th Blog Post - The Love Song of J. Alfred Podunk

My Favorite Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich in NYC - Happy Fourth of July!  Now Eat A Cookie!

Cheesecake and More - A Space in My Heart for (Kevin) Spacey and Charo - Part Two (Part One is pretty good too)

Man, I have written a lot of New York blog posts and thanks to Brandy, I will be writing a lot more.  While you're reading all the above blog posts, I'll be having breakfast at my favorite restaurant in the Tampa International Airport - the Columbia Cafe at the Delta Terminal.  I love traveling in the afternoon or evening so I can get a bowl of Spanish garbanzo bean soup and a large piece of authentically delicious Cuban bread (made locally at La Segunda Central Bakery for the Columbia restaurants).  The Cuban bread in Tampa is slightly different from the Cuban bread sold in Miami (and in my opinion, its much better)-- so check it out.

This is the first time I have had breakfast at the airport Columbia Cafe.  While the Eggs Malaguena sounded really interesting (see picture above), my stomach was craving a "sure thing" so I went with the huevos al gusto - "eggs my way" with bacon, buttered Cuban toast and spiced home fries.  Delicious!  Buttered Cuban toast is just the most amazing thing ever.  Cuban Cheese Toast is my absolute favorite, end of the night, had too many drinks, sop up the alcohol snack.  You can find me at La Teresita Cafeteria gobbling it up!  

Stay tuned to LilyOnTheLam.Com for "The Brandy Chronicles" - coming to an internet near you!  Woof woof.  (That one is for you, Shirley.)