Celebrity sightings over the past few weeks: Bono from U2 (curiously speaking at a mortgage conference) in Boston, and Duran Duran walking near the Rockerfeller Center where Alec Baldwin was simultaneously filming 30 Rock. Also, a bulldog dressed as a convict version of Paris Hilton for Halloween.. but I'm not sure that he/she counts.

I have recently fallen back in love with a little Mexican restaurant in Forest Hills which I visited during my first ever trip to NY in 2001 and is still going strong. The 5 Burro Café at 7205 Austin St (Take the E train to 71 Ave/Forest Hills) is worth a trip off the island. 5 Burro Café looks less than grand from the outside yet this neighborhood hole-in-the-wall restaurant attracts crowds in droves – I have yet to go and find no line waiting to sample the frozen margaritas. Speaking of which, these $8 margaritas are served in jelly jars, complete with plastic bugs which surface as you sip – a memorable experience to say the least. Some advice: tempting as they are during the wait, try to resist the chips on offer, save your appetite for dinner - the portions are huge! For value, atmosphere and.. fun margaritas, I highly recommend 5 Burro Café.

As the holiday season approaches, the Grinch is back in NYC – the Broadway production of the Dr. Seuss' 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' plays at the St. James Theater ( www.thegrinchmusical.com). I was lucky enough to catch it last year and two friends who saw it on its opening night this year have testified that it is as wonderful as ever (and not only for kids!). Weekend tickets are pricy but if you can go during the week (some days have matinee performances) you can buy a ticket for as little as $25 for a balcony seat. My friends snapped up these tickets this week and left with a glow in their hearts, smile on their faces and a minimally-dented wallet– the true meaning of Christmas!

Fans of The Office should make a point of seeing Steve Carell's new movie 'Dan In Real Life'. Carell's character is a far cry from ridiculous-but-well-meaning regional manager Michael Scott, but Carell presents the same immaculate comedy timing. Dan is a single father of three girls who inadvertently falls for his brother's new girlfriend and then has to spend a weekend with his entire family including the pair. The movie is a heartwarming tale, which is funny and touching all at once. Being a Carell fan I think it is a 'must see', although if you prefer something grittier 'We Own The Night' and 'American Gangster' should do the trick, with both movies being dubbed potential winners for 'best movie of the year' categories.
 

~*~Cathy~*~