Shouts to fellow #CPR member, Tony P., for mentioning me as one of the writers to watch in the neighborhoods of Washington Heights and Inwood.

Much appreciated.

Follow me on Twitter

For the third time in the last year I will be visiting the White House.

The first time I visited was a year ago when I was invited for the “Minority Bloggers Summit.” It was a great event in which I was able to personally shake the president’s hand and talk about his agenda with several of his cabinet members. I will never forget that day.

The second time I went, I attended the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony where I met the likes of NBA great Bill Russell, Civil Rights icon John Lewis, and various other notables.

Today, I will be attending the White House to play Phil Donohue/Oprah going up to audience members with a mic and allowing them to ask Obama cabinet members questions in a two-hour long discussion. It will be moderated live on WhiteHouse.Gov/Live at 4 p.m. est. Make sure to check it out.

Follow me on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog

Thank you to the Manhattan Times for the second write-up of our Washington Heights and Inwood Radio Show.

It’s much appreciated.

Here’s a link to the article

Follow us on Twitter

Like our Facebook page

Before this past May, I only went on vacation three times in the last six years.

Aside from the typical, family Dominican Republic trip, I went away to visit a friend with two of my boys in Orlando and took two vacations to Mexico and Germany with my ex-girlfriend. Both gave me the opportunity to see different parts of the world. They were vacations that I cherish and will never forget.

But despite all the vacation time I had within these last six years, I never chose to spend it on experiences like the ones I previously mentioned. I spent them on things that provided me no return. Most notably, clothes.

Anyone that knows me knows my closet and cabinets might as well be a store. I know a lot of my friends wondered how I ever afforded the clothes I had. But I was never the one to pay an exorbitant amount for a pair of shoes or a piece of clothing. I would always go on EBAY and try to find everything much cheaper. But even when you find shirts at $10.00 on EBAY or a $249.99 retail price pair of shoes for $50.00 on Gilt, it all eventually adds up. I really couldn’t tell you how much I’ve spent on these sites. Just know it was a lot.

In my less mature days, I would literally place these two things on a paper and write the pluses and minuses to both.

Prada vs. Barcelona

And somehow, someway, the former always won.

But in the last five months (including my trip to Colombia in October), I will have visited four new places.

I went to Barcelona by myself for five days. I traveled to Barbados with my girlfriend. I have plans to possibly go to San Diego to see my horrible Padres (MLB team) and enjoy the sunny weather with one of my best friends in a few weeks. And last, but not least, travel to Cartagena, Colombia with my girlfriend for her birthday in October.

Now, I look back and revisit the man I was and look at the man I am now.

My closet isn’t as stuffed as before, but my passport sure is stamped more than ever.

So when I put those two things on a paper now – Antonio Mauritzi shoes vs Colombia – I just look in my closet and the female-esque collection of shoes and clothing I have, put some in a bag for poor relatives in the Dominican Republic, and get something back not in just feeling good for providing clothes to those who need it, but in the experience of seeing a new place and learning about a new culture.

The moral of this post is: spend your money on experiences, not things.

I probably won’t remember all the Jordan’s I’ve ever bought when I’m on my last legs in 2070. I’m also sure I won’t have them because I’m not a collector. But that trip to Barcelona — the sights, the sounds and the pictures are things that I will never forget.

Follow me on Twitter

My first trip somewhere by myself and I went to another continent.

I visited Barcelona for five days and was able to experience a Champions League victory by FC Barcelona, eat great food, see beautiful sights, and be embraced by a lot of random people.

At first, I felt traveling as a dark-skin man in a European country would be a bit nerve-wracking, but I had a great time and the people were nice all in all.

If you ever get the chance to vacation by yourself, do so. It is an experience you will never forget.

Follow me on Twitter

I highly recommend Barbados and the Crane Beach resort. I had a great time in this hotel. The food was affordable and we stayed in an amazing room.

We were in a two level room that was like an apartment with a balcony near our bedroom, and a staircase to the upper level with a cool pool which you can see pictured.

One of my favorite vacations of all-time though I haven’t taken many.

Follow me on Twitter

It would make sense for me to write a long post explaining where I’ve been. Why I’ve been absent and why my last post was close to four months ago. Instead, I will provide you with a series of posts detailing why I’ve been MIA from my beloved blog in the coming days.

But before I get to that, I wanted to say that I appreciate all the texts and emails I received from people I didn’t even know read my blog asking: “When is it coming back?”

As I’ve mentioned before, I use this as therapy. But to find out that there are people who enjoy reading my posts and following my life is really amazing.

So after a few vacations, an increased workload at my job, personal projects, a new partner, and a virus that shut down my site for about a month-and-a-half, I’m back for good; and I’m never going on blog vacation again.

See you manana….

Follow me on Twitter

Hey I deserve these vacations.

I’ve worked hard.

Follow me on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog

alone.

Try it one day.

See you on Wednesday

Follow me on Twitter

Subscribe to the blog

Hopkins vs Pascal II.

This should be a good one.

Back on Sunday…

Follow me on Twitter

Subscribe to this blog