EDM Favorites (Electronic Dance Music)

Electronic Dance Music (EDM) has been a part of my life for over a decade.

There are so many genres that now fall under EDM. From Disco to House, from Hardcore to Dubstep, the Electronic genres have spun off in so many different directions that its hard to keep track at times.
I'd like to introduce to you some of these genres, and hope that you can enjoy a spin on music.

Metropolitan Cafe - A Review

Metropolitan Cafe 

8 East Main Street, Freehold, NJ

Metropolitan Cafe

On Saturday night, January 5th, 2013, my friend and entrepreneur, Jene Ryan and I went to dinner is quaint Freehold NJ.  Freehold is a about a forty-five minute drive south of New York City and is a small town that offers a large mall and some local restaurants in the main street area.

Jene had picked out the Metropolitan Cafe, a New American restaurant with a Pacific Rim flair. 

When we walked in, the hostess on the left quickly greeted us and advised us that there was an hour wait for a table. With some hesitation, we decided we would wait by the bar and have a couple drinks and wait. 

As we walk in, there is a small lounge area to the left with some seats for people waiting for tables and ahead on the right is a long wooden bar, jam packed with patrons.

We find a seat over in the lounge and I go grab two drinks from the bar. The bartender was attentive but when they ran out of the rum that I requested, he substituted the house rum and neglected to tell me. I don't think he thought I was watching but I let it slide not to cause a scene.

I then sat down with Jene and started to discuss her new business venture, Society of Chic.

To our surprise, within a half an hour, the hostess came over and advised us that our table was ready.

Yin & Yang Dumplings

We had started with the Yin &Yang Dumplings, which were a mix of pork and shrimp in a traditional dumpling. 

While at the table I ordered a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, rather than deal with the rum debacle again, and it went nicely with my main course and Ms Jene had a rather nice glass of Bailey's Irish Cream on the rocks. 

Cheers to a Prosperous 2013

Our main course had come and looked quite delicious.

Jene had ordered the Spicy Girl roll, which consisted of pepper tuna, avocado, scallions and mango, topped with salmon and a spicy sauce. I had to sneak a bite and it was delicious and fresh.
Next time I come I will definitely have the sushi.

I on the other hand had gone with something off the standard menu and tried the Prosciutto wrapped Sea Bass with a Chambord-Balsamic glaze and a side of asparagus rice. The fish was cooked perfectly and the mixture of the prosciutto and the fish along with the glaze went well. The waitress had recommended the glaze on the side and she was correct, it was very overpowering, but just a little went a long way and made the flavors blend together well.

All in all, this cozy upscale yet casual restaurant in the heart of Freehold township really has a nice flair and well prepared food. Aside from the snafu at the bar, I'd give the Metropolitan Cafe a B+ rating.

Jene Ryan - Owner of SocietyofChic.com 

Matty Di

Check out Society of Chic - Your One Stop for Modern and Vintage Clothing!

Chocolate Haven

Chocolate Haven

Max Brenner - NYC

I was walking with a friend one day in Manhattan and we hadn't yet eaten on our random trip to midtown for beads at a small hole in the wall shop called BeadKraft. If you are an avid jewelry maker, or a kandi-kid, this place is for you.

As we were walking I remembered someone telling me of a place where you could get Chocolate Pizza.
Once mentioned to my friend, without hesitation we were on our way to Max Brenner's, at 841 Broadway, between 13th and 14th, just half a block down from Union Square.

This place is no stranger to tourists and New Yorkers alike. When you walk in there is usually a long line and without a reservation you could wait up to an hour easily on a Saturday afternoon, and longer into the evening.  As you walk in there is a large vat of chocolate just enticing you to continue. We get on line and I put my name in and the hostess kindly asked for my cell phone number so they can text message me when my table is ready. This is the first and only place I have gone to that used this technology and I thought it was great. She said it would be a forty-five minute wait, but since they would text me, I could go anywhere in the area as long as we got back within ten minutes of receiving the text message.

Since we had time, we walked up to New York Costumes, Halloween Adventure , a block down Broadway to get some ideas for next Halloween. As we started walking to the back of the massive Halloween shop, I noticed I had already received a text message from Max Brenner's letting me know my table was ready. This was a surprise as only twenty minutes had passed.
We rushed back to get our seat and our journey into the chocolate world had begun.

They sat us near the front, at a small two person table, a little away from the rest of the crowd which was nice since the place was jam packed with tables and people. As you sit the waitress brings over two sets of menus. The first menu is the regular food menu, the second is their iconic chocolate menu.
We looked at each other and instantly pushed aside the regular food menu and went straight for dessert.

Our waitress was this young, really bubbly yet real college student from the local area. She knew exactly why we came to Max Brenner, the Chocolate. She showed us a few of their recommendations and let us explore the menu on our own.  Before she left, we ordered our drinks, which I had the Dark Chocolate Mocha.

We had decided to start with an appetizer of Classic European Chocolate Fondue.  You get to choose two different types of chocolate along with a caramel sauce. We had decided to go with both Milk and Dark Chocolate to "MAX" out our experience. As a main course we had decided to with the Chocolate Pizza, topped with marshmallows and bananas.

Dark Chocolate Mocha

Shortly after we ordered our delectable dinner, our drinks had arrived. My dark chocolate mocha was one of the best chocolate-coffee combinations I've ever ingested. It was sweet, chocolatey and  creamy,  with just the right amount of espresso. It definitely warmed me up on a cold Manhattan evening.  At times I wasn't sure if it was hot chocolate or coffee it was a perfect blend of the two. Too top it off they serve it in this adorable Hug Mug, which is designed to fit snugly between both hands with a smaller end to drink.


Just as I was starting to enjoy my Mocha, our first course had come out, the Chocolate Fondue.

Chocolate Fondue

The chocolate fondue was accompanied by two bowls of yummy goodness. One bowl had strawberries and bananas, while the other had marshmallows, Chocolate chip cookie chunks and Brownie bites.

This was definitely some of the best chocolate I've ever eaten, and definitely was the nicest display for fondue I've been presented with. It had a little bit of everything.

As we sat enjoying our fondue, our Chocolate Chunks Pizza arrived.

Chocolate Chunks Pizza

Now we had ordered it with Marshmallows and Bananas, but you also have the option of Peanut butter and hazelnut bits as toppings.  As had already been going to town on the fondue, we didn't know what we should eat next. Not to mention, we were already getting quite full.

I decided to improvise, as I love my Dark Chocolate and The pizza was amazing... what if i combined the two?? So I drizzled the Hot Dark Chocolate Fondue on top of my Chocolate Chunk, Banana and Marshmallow pizza.

Chocolate Chunks Pizza drizzled with Warm Dark Chocolate 

If one thing couldn't be better than the last, I was wrong, it was amazing. I might even suggest they add a Dark Chocolate Pizza to their menu. It was so delicious, but sadly I couldn't finish it. I couldn't bare leaving it, so I took it home in a doggy bag. I'll admit it wasn't the same eating it at home, but it would have been a shame to waste.

I must say my trip to this Chocolate Haven was definitely worth it. My friend and I often talk about returning on our next trip into the city. I hear the food at Max Brenner's is excellent as well but the Desserts are definitely one of my top picks in New York City.

New Year Resolution!

Happy 2013!

Do you have a Resolution for the New Year?

Perhaps it is to Diet, Get in Shape, Quit Smoking, Curb your spending habits, Organize your life, Become a Better Person, Meet that Romantic Interest, Drink Less, Donate or Volunteer more for Charity, Spend more time with family, or Enjoy your Life More!

Whatever your Resolution is, STICK TO IT! but...Don't worry about it, we all have trouble keeping our resolutions.
Maybe thinking of it as a chore is the problem that most people have with keeping their New Year's Resolution. 

This year, I am trying something different! I am not giving up specific things, I have decided to live an overall healthier and better life for myself.
Here are some tips I've received:

1) Dieting-

When trying to lose weight do not look at it as simply a diet, look at it as a healthier you in the future.

Don't Diet, Eat Healthy, There's a Difference!

Dieting is usually associated with depriving one self of the things you Love to Eat!
You should focus more on portion control rather than not having the Ice Cream Sundae for Dessert.  Eat more vegetables, Fruits, Fiber and stay away from the unnecessary fatty foods. (Doesn't mean stop eating them altogether, just don't make them regular occurrences.)
**Another Tip is to avoid Fast Food! There are more calories in a value meal than the average person would eat in two meals, so Stay Away!I personally have decided to get myself to a healthy weight level I want to lose roughly 30 pounds or 4 pant sizes by the summer 2013. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress!

2) Getting In Shape- 

Do you want to be Healthy?
Do you want to look good in that bathing suit/bikini this summer?
Do you want to prolong your life?

If you want to get in shape, my best advice is:

A) Get a partner to join a gym with you. 
B) Start walking close places you normally would drive, like the corner store or the grocery.
C) Just get up and go! The longer you wait, the less chance you are going to start!
D) Once you are at the gym, you wouldn't want to waste the money for that monthly membership, so USE IT!!

3) Quit Smoking-

This is a tough one and there are many ways to accomplish this goal. I personally am working on this one in my stride to be an overall healthier person.
You can try the nicotine patches or gum. I personally had better luck with the gum in the past but each person is different.
There are the electronic cigarettes which simulate the act of smoking without the smoke. There is also Hypnosis or other psychological therapies. I decided I'm going "Cold Turkey!"

There are also a number of smoking cessation programs run by local clinics and non-profit organizations which could help you in this endeavor.

It has been THREE days and no cigarette! Just remember, You are doing it for a healthier tomorrow!

4) Budgeting - 

This is something that we should be doing all year long, but the beginning of the year is a great time to plan out your yearly budget. 

Main things to keep in mind when budgeting:

A) Rent/Mortgage

B) Utilities

C) Food and essentials

D) Clothing

E) Savings

F) Fun! Always leave yourself a little for those extras in life, such as that trip you want to take, or that new phone you just have to have. Just learn to stay within the budget so you can still do/buy things you want, but within reason.

G) Emergency Fund! (If you don't use it in 2013, put it in your savings)

5) Organizing Your Time-

If you are able to organize your time you can do so much more!

When you organize your time, you can get yourself on a steady sleep schedule which will help achieve all of your goals for 2013! 

You can set your schedule for work/school, family time, cleaning, cooking, exercising, and any other activities you may enjoy.

You could even set up a volunteer day in which you could help in your local community. 

Being organized is definitely key in living a healthy and happy life. Now Don't think you can't go off schedule on occasion but once you are on a schedule your body will adapt to it and you will be living with less stress. (you might want to schedule in a massage or yoga class)

I Hope everyone has a wonderful 2013 and may you keep you resolutions, whatever they may be!

Mine this year is to Live Healthier and Happier and I intend to meet it!

Happy New Year Everyone!