I have never been bitten by the Soap Opera bug, the lingering stares the obvious connections and the music that doesn't really bring any form of anticipation. The characters are not people that I have ever felt were real. I simply have never been hooked UNTIL (hit the music as someone peeps behind the door to hear my secret that I say ending with the lingering pause and look) - I fell upon Chicago to Coronado, a Twitter Soap Opera that is done in 140 characetrs complete with links to images and video! I don't want to give too much away but Coronado is a Navy SEALS town and the main character @kirsteno comes here from Chicago (interestingly, there are a lot of Chicago connections here that built the town) and finds herself here and as much as she wants to leave, her new life and love of flip flops keeps here here. There are some interesting characters that somehow all link up even when you're totally surprised. In addition, you can become a character of this saga (oh I so want to be a character - let @kirsteno and for some reason I started looking at the tweets and realized it was a story after clicking on some links I was lead to her homepage where you can begin the story at wherever you left off (but if you follow her you can get the story in real time) and that's how on a night back from hanging out with my girlfriends and heading to Long Beach, NY I found myself getting hooked and reading this story! Good job team and I love the fact that everyone in the story is all about Reinvention! This is something that many of us know about starting anew whether it's in a new location, job, etc. Don't think that you have to be a military buff to follow along nor is it heavily military where you feel like you're reading a history book. The staff have an AMAZING mix of history, military info, fashion, etc - I would so be the fashion advisor anytime they need it! Check it out and get hooked on an amazing story and the first Twitter Soap Opera and follow the characters of the story as well!

So today is a bit strange with all the snow and looking out the window here in Long Beach, I am a bit concerned as we will soon make our way into the city!  What I love best about this day is that regardless of the plans, you never know where the night will take you! We have plans of going to Capitale (our initial plans seemed to have fizzled but I'm going with the flow) and then of course we will ring in the new year! I can't wait to kick off Kitten Lounge on Jan 5th with increased coverage on some topics and then those that are completely new for this site but yet will be loved by all of you! Happy New Year and see you in 2009!

So, it’s Saturday morning, you wake up in your moderately priced Brooklyn Heights apartment, your dog is pacing next to your bed, your girlfriend is at the breakfast bar working on her obnoxiously thin laptop and the only thing on your mind is Brook – your secret lover. You welcome the sunshine, as you slowly pull the blankets away from your face and a breath of crisp fresh air brings in a brand new day and a brand new hunger. You throw on your jeans, you grab your flip flops and you are off to walking your dog along the promenade. As the other pet enthusiasts are captivated with their canine friends, you begin to formulate a plan; a plan to catch a glimpse of your secret lover.

Your unsuspecting girlfriend is excited to spend this perfect day with a blanket, a cooler and a couple of ipods at what appears to be the perfect destination – Long  Beach, NY. You pack your things, you grab a couple of chai tea lattés and you are ecstatic to get a seat on the LIRR along with fellow pale urbanite staycationers. Your girlfriend thinks that it might be the caffeine that’s keeping you awake, but little does she know that it’s the memory of Brook that has your mind in overdrive unwilling to relinquish its hold until the very moment you get that final glimpse. As you are welcomed to the beach with the conductor’s friendly reminder that you have reached the final stop, you suggest a slightly different route to the beach with the promise of an earlier arrival. And there it is your lover’s secret lair – the Nagahama.

Long story short, do your self a favor and forget about every sushi place that you have been to anywhere within the five boroughs, buy a LIRR ticket, spend a day at the beach and finish it off with a delicious meal at the Nagahama sushi restaurant on 169 Park Avenue in Long Beach, NY. The fish is always extremely fresh (which I feel should be the number one criteria of any great sushi restaurant), the rolls are generous and the menu boasts enough variety to satisfy the most discerning of pallets. This is not the place for suits or khaki pants, but it is your final destination for mouth-watering sushi. And as for Brook, don’t forget about my girl, you can always find her along with other delectable house specialty rolls waiting for your arrival and ready to service your pallet with the most complete array of flavors. 

On a side note, let go of your inhibitions and try the unfiltered sake. You will be thankful for the milky unassuming beverage and indulged with the finishing touch of a thinly sliced cucumber in your glass.