I had a good time. Although I thought there would be more food stations, I was enjoying my time…read morewith good music, food and great vibes. I'm looking forward to next years event.

Wow. Made me feel stupid. I'll stand by the 1, but sure wish I'd been with Nicole C…read more Hubby wanted to give this event to me for my b'day. But I had to make the arrangements. This was in August. Buy this time many, many events were sold out. So I got sucked into buying the 4 day package. I guess that was stupid. It was over $1000 (add to the hotel/air). Night one was the women's night. Two, the b'day party. Three, burger night & four BBQ. These were all rooftop parties which were simply a mad house. All those volunteers! What a good job they did of politely corralling hundreds of people. But then the hordes were turned loose. Rude crowds is one complaint. Rude celebs is another. It's a double whammy. Where were the photos taken showing attendees with their fav chef? Certainly not where we were. We barely got a *glimpse* of Bobby, Ina, Giada, & Alex when they were on stage for 30 seconds. The only person we saw not under guard was Casey Webb ( I just looked him up. Who knows his name?!) Burger challenge night had GZ, Zimmern, Neil P. Harris & his hub as judges. They were roped off by about 20' with guards. Seriously. On top of that they didn't even look at the crowd -- not a smile, a wave. GZ grimaced. Funny, I actually liked these people before this. I "heard" Bobby/Ina signed books one night. Opposite each other in the same section of the roof. Well, guess what? That caused one major cluster -------! You ***could not*** get through the crowd. I "heard" Giada was in the mix for a time on top of that. All I wanted was to get to some wine. Which brings up another point of serious contention: wines were only available at the far end (BACK) of the pier. So I, the wine drinker, had to make the hike and fight the crowds to get what turned out to be a very expensive sip, considering what I spent to be there. (And I never talk about costs. Money's never in my forethoughts. That's how disappointed I am) So, my non drinker husband was kind enough to pretend to drink so I'd at least get two at a time while the crowds were swilling beer after beer and whiskey. But, oh it got worse. The charity wine purveyor refused to serve Chardonnay!! the last two nights. Of course that's what I drink. I don't have pix because of full hands and crowds. The lines were ridiculous, food scarce. Burger night was the best but started badly. We were in line for a taste of Cinton Hall when shoving and line cutting started. I asked someone what the hell was going on. Apparently Rachael Ray was spotted at the front of the line! People are crazy! They served 1/2 burgers & I scored a whole Shake Shack special burger. Yum. Hubby voted w/ the crowd for Cinton Hall. Another incident. I stepped up to a booth serving sunchokes. The server was asking me if I'd had them before, etc. when the "chef" working behind her looked up & I said, "I know you." I don't know if she'd been a contender on Top Chef or what but I recognized her. With no response I asked, "What's your name?" She just batted her false eyelashes at me and mewed, "Tara. . . " Fine, be coy. I just walked away. I just couldn't understand how all these people could have paid what I paid. BBQ night we sat down with a mother of two. Somehow it came out that her tkts had been comped by a chef she knew. Figures.

Compared to previous years this years parade was disappointing. It was shorter and less bands…read moreparticipated. Some decent pipers though and fun to watch the Scottie dogs and horses.

This was a cool event - I won a pair of tickets through an Instagram contest so any complaints I…read morecould possibly have would be and are minor. Hosted in Brooklyn Steel, this event was a great way to check out a lot of food vendors/restaurants at one place as well as revisit some old favorites. Every place had samples to try, some more significantly-sized than others, and many were also offering drinks as well. Archie's was a go-to late night order back when my boyfriend lived in Bushwick so I was glad to see they had a presence here.The samples from Guadalupe Inn were my personal favorite - I believe it was some sort of carnitas tostada (whatever it was, it was delicious). My sister and I also loved the little falafel bites with hummus that the Queen of Falafel was serving. Boars Head was popular due to the sheer size of their samples - they had full sausages with delicious mustard and kraut. Whatever brand was sampling the chocolates in the main hall was amazing too - I probably ate 50 of those bad boys. While the samples were abundant and the drinks were free-flowing, the place was a little too packed for my liking. It was, at times, difficult to move around. While lines were fairly manageable, the venue itself was a sardine can. Also, the event was supposed to go from 6:30 to 9 (my sister and I got there a little late, closer to 7:15), yet most vendors were running out/were out of food by 8:15-8:30 or so. Not a huge deal, we still felt like we would have gotten our money's worth had we paid for tickets, but for those who came late, it might not have been a good deal for the $60 ticket price. All in all, a really solid event and I'm really glad I went. Would consider going back next year.

What can I say? This was truly a great tasting event featuring so many awesome places in Bushwick…read more I was fortunate to win a pair of VIP tickets provided by Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, it did not disappoint! From the moment I checked in (VIP allowed us an extra hour prior to the general public & specialty drinks with a swag bag) the atmosphere was pleasant, inviting and tempting in so many aspects. Tasted so many delicious items paired so uniquely that I was quickly filling my belly until I couldn't breathe (below are some of the photos that my partner in crime and I had the pleasure to try). The array of options was magnificently displayed from cocktails, lite bites, heavier options and of course desserts! The space was just right, although it was an extremely HOT and Humid day, everyone was having a great time, mingling, tasting, dancing, exploring and taking it all in. Look forward in attending next year!

Have the pleasure of seeing this band on numerous occasions. Everytime I see them the dance floor…read moreis always packed. They never disappoint.

Sound System was Brilliant,…read more Bob from Faze 4 was an absolute pleasure to work with. We changed all of our wedding plans at the last minute due to Covid. Sound System and Faze 4 were so flexible with us and our new plan. They were the most accommodating vendor we dealt with. One of the best parts of our scaled down wedding was Jen beautifully singing our wedding song. She is such a talented singer, her voice alone helped create an amazing atmosphere. We could not be happier with how professional, friendly, and talented Sound System was. We happily refer them to our friends and anyone looking to have a fantastic experience. Faze 4 and Sound System made our Covid wedding a magical day (despite all the other circumstances)!

It was ok, I was expecting it to be larger like more vendors. I still had a good time! A few place…read morehad some really good mixes, others were just bad. Bar Chuzo had the best favor to me. But the whole experience was nice i would go again.

Unacceptable Professional Behavior…read more My family and I came for the event on Saturday and was told the hours were changed. I did not receive an email regarding changed hours that the owner said she sent out. According to her they sent out emails three weeks ago. We purchased our tickets three weeks ago meaning the same timeframe. My question is (why did you allow us to purchase tickets for an event with the VIP 3-6 if those hours were changed. Being a business owner myself, I understand what a professional attitude should be and the owner did not show it. I also understand that mistakes are made, so I get that you allowed us to get tickets for a time that was no longer viable. Professional decorum would dictate that she should have offered us a refund and an apology. Yanni showed no care or concern for the lose of money, our time or for that matter for the business she has now lost. Instead she continuously stated that they sent out several emails. She doesn't have to worry about our business ever again.

I waited on line for the BBQ for exactly 1 hour when "Karen" appeared out of nowhere and decided…read morethat myself and the 12 ppl behind me were shit out of luck and should go kick rocks somewhere. She rudely roped us out of the line; l was that next to last person shut out, a few ppl quickly ran under the rope successfully, however when i tried "Karen" yelled at me like she was yelling at a child, full blast over and over. Then she pulled out her walkie talkie and called security. .that's what "Karen's" do they call the police on Black people. As she ran off to find the police to get me escorted off the line, a couple more slid under the rope. We all made it to the front for food; and Karen explaining to the police fell on deaf ears. 30 bucks for pulled pork on a mini-bun, and a baby portion of Mac and Cheese. They should be thankful.. but yeah that was a nightmare.

Saturday, August 18, 2018, starting at 2pm, at West 59th Street & The Hudson River. Finished about…read more8pm. Except, it ran longer perhaps due to rain delay in evening, but it was GREAT!! Enjoyed delicious ribs and beans from Dinosaur BarBQ--wow!!! There were several food vendor tents, tables & chairs to sit & enjoy food, and great FREE MUSIC! There was also Ben & Jerry Ice Cream, and MELT ICE CREAM SANDWICHES. So, you pay for the food, but the music is FREE & GREAT! I look forward to attending next year! If it's the same location ...seems like it's possible it can change year-to-year... you can take crosstown bus at 57th and just walk from 10th, 11th, or 12th Ave, over to the River & 59th Street. Depends which crosstown bus you take, as to which Ave you'd walk from. Ask bus driver . M31, vs M57 bus, each bring you close. The M57 will bring you about one Avenue & a block or two away. M31, you may walk a little bit more, but still close. See my video & photos

For years, I've always seen pictures, video, and news coverage from the NYC Pride Parade. Love that…read morethis gets national recognition in the media, as the Phoenix Pride is a much smaller scale though I've attended numerous times. I've always wanted to be in the city for Pride month, but the few times I've visited NYC have not been in June. From the media I've seen, it looks like a great celebration and maybe a future year will be the year I finally attend. Though likely slightly distanced as I fear the crowds would become too much for me. Love is love. Be proud of who you are & unapologetically you!

Love is Love. I have…read moreboth attended in person to watch this iconic parade a bunch of times and also watched it on TV from the comfort of my couch today. After attending the Knicks parade recently I needed a break from standing in the hot sun all day, even as I had some FOMO watching on TV. More known as The Pride March it started as an annual event honoring the 1969 Stonewall Riots. It has evolved into a global beacon of LGBTQIA+ unity and activism. It's one of the most important, positive, colorful, fun and uplifting parades In NYC, and in the country. The floats, music, dancing, outfits are creative and full of energy. It has become one of the largest Pride marches in the US, and of the world with those marching and spectating. Its about human rights, equity, acceptance, and compassion. Live and let live. It takes a lot more energy to hate than to love.

I have been wanting to attend Village Voice Choice Eats for a long time, but was always put off by…read morethe high price of the tickets (I never seem to be fast enough to nab those $70 general admission tickets). For their first ever Brunch Eats event, GA tickets were $60 and who can turn down an all you can eat brunch at 8pm? After going to a few different food events I really have to say the Voice seems to know what they're doing, and I feel much more confident shelling out the money for Choice. The event was extremely well organized. They picked a great venue (the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum), which was always kept clean, had adequate bathroom accommodations, space for both vendors and attendees, containers to hold your food samples, plastic ware, and garbage cans. I know that sounds like it would be common sense but I can't tell you how often these simple things are over looked at festivals and events. They even seemed able to book the right amount of vendors in proportion to attendees, so lines moved quickly even if they looked long. And the vendors they chose were great! Ess-a-Bagel was there with delicious smoked salmon and whitefish spreads on their fresh bagels. There was a fantastic Cuban pork sandwich with a red mojo sauce that I've forgotten the vendor of. There was ceviche, poached eggs, BLT's, french toast, tons of donuts. My favorite vendor by far though was Nha Minh, who made Duck Eggs and Vietnamese Ham in a Crepe Pinwheel with a chili oil made with dried seafood. WOW. It sounds as amazing and multi-faceted as it was. The booze selection was also excellent. There was a large beer station, as well a one for mimosas, Bloody Mary's and other vodka based cocktails (Eddy's Vodka), and Rose (Angel Whispers!). There were also a ton of freebies being given out by Haagen Dazs, Bark Thins, Uber Eats, Frames Bowling Alley. They had a live jazz band playing- such a nice backdrop! Plus we got to explore the museum a bit, and go up on deck at night and see the beautiful skyline views. I had a great time, left full, a little tipsy, with a tote full of goodies. The quality of the vendors as well as the organization of the event itself (not to mention that it's all you can eat and drink for three hours), made this a really good value. I'll definitely be attending more Voice events :)