My Latest Tattoo

My latest tattoo is very special to me. It's for my stepfather who had just passed away very recently, July 22, 2013. When he passed he was only sixty two year old. He had lung cancer and it had spread to his bones. Although it's beyond sad at least now he's no longer in any pain.

On the day of the funeral I was devastated. I wasn't ready for the casket to be closed. So when I said my final goodbye to him all I could do was hug him (sort of) and tell him repeatedly that I was sorry. More like begging for forgiveness.

(For the past two years our relationship had changed. One night he had a huge argument with my mother and I never really forgave him for it. To make matters worst for the first six months to a year after that I acted as if he didn't exist. A complete b*tch and now I have to live with my actions. I guess you can say I made up for it because once I knew how sick he was my feelings/actions reverted back to how it use to be, but I never really forgave myself for acting the way I did.)

So when we got to the cemetery I was holding a white rose and I had seen a butterfly flying around. The butterfly was orange and black. Then out of no where the butterfly landed right on my flower and it stayed there for a good five to ten seconds. I was so nervous when the butterfly landed on my flower that I held my breath. When the butterfly flew away my boyfriend told me it was a good sign and I didn't think anything of it.

The next day I told my mom about the butterfly and once I mentioned it she said "that was him" and that my stepfather always believed that butterflies were angels. I was beyond touched when she said that and I was happy that it happened.

Later on that week I had met with a friend and told her my butterfly story. She agreed with my mom and said that she's heard a couple of stories with butterflies at funerals or when a person who is close to you passes.

Later on that night I decided to Google it. What I found was amazing. One story was of a mother who's daughter passed away because she got hit by a drunk driver. At her daughter's funeral there was a white butterfly on her casket during the whole ceremony. The mother didn't realize it till a nun had pointed it out and said she was with us all along. That's when I figured out why the butterfly landed on my flower. I had begged for forgiveness and even though he couldn't tell me he showed me that things were okay between us through the butterfly.

That's the big story behind the tattoo. Now for the design my stepfather had a dagger/sword (depending how you look at it) on his right arm. I took that and added a white rose wrapped around it with the butterfly on top. I wanted my tattoo to be something special and something that shows that I do love him and I wish I had been a better person.

I got my tattoo done at B52 Tattoo (located at 248 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211, Williamsburg). Snake Eyes took my vision and made it a million times more amazing than I thought it'd be. The tattoo alone took about two to two and a half hours and honestly it wasn't as bad as I thought it would have been. I even watched YouTube videos to see how other people reacted to getting a tattoo on their shin. Some people couldn't take the pain and some were fine with it. The only part that hurt was the shading and anyone who has gotten a tattoo knows that shading is the worst part. When people ask how it feels I tell them it's like having a cut on your skin then putting a lighter over it. It stings and it burns, but if you want something that bad you'll suck up the pain.

Below are pictures of the original tattoo versus my tattoo and a video of how shading works.

Also if you're in need of a dope tattoo check out Snake Eyes at B 52 Tattoo. He's been in the industry forever and he's a great artist. I've seen his work on my boyfriend and some of his other friends. You know a person is good when he gets booked up really quick. When getting a tattoo do your research and get recommendations. Your tattoo is for life, you need to have someone that you can trust to ink you up. 

Walking Over The Williamsburg Bridge

The Williamsburg Bridge connects South Williamsburg to the Lower East Side. Both areas have changed in so many ways and have become very trendy. The Williamsburg Bridge is not the nicest looking bridge in New York, but the views from the bridge are still great and it's not a bad walk at all.

One thing I love to do whether it's fall, spring or summer (when it's not humid and hot) is to walk over the Williamburg Bridge. I use to walk over the bridge at least once or twice a year, but I wasn't able to the last two years. My boyfriend and I have been so busy we didn't have time to enjoy the more simple activities the city has to offer.

So finally last month we were able to walk over the bridge. We've walked over the bridge a couple of times before and finally this time the weather was on our side. I never feel scared when walking the bridge and there are plenty of people walking or riding their bikes. Some people go for a run on the bridge too, which I think is a great idea. I think running over the Williamsburg Bridge is almost liking being on your own of marathon. Plus you'll probably burn a bunch of calories and not even notice it since you're outside and enjoying the view.

The first time my boyfriend and I walked over the bridge was in the summer of 2008. I remember it because we had just started dating and I told him I never walked over it before. The only bad thing was we picked a really hot and humid day, which was a big fail on our part. Then another time we had walked over the bridge it was in the spring time and it had just gotten dark. There were still people around, but to be on the bridge at night was a little creepy. Then the J train was passing and I was a little jumpy at the times. Although it was dark there were still people walking and people riding their bikes. It just seems like people are always there.

So finally this time around we walked the bridge a little past six so the sun was almost about to go down and it wasn't as humid or hot as the first time around. The first few times we walked the bridge we never took any pictures, so I made sure we took pictures this time around. Although my boyfriend makes fun of me we still took the pictures anyways and it came out real cute. Who doesn't love a selfie here and there.

Walking the Williamsburg Bridge doesn't take long at all. I think it took us about forty five minutes to an hour and this was because we were taking our time. Once over the bridge we did go to the bar and got ourselves a beer. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

Another bridge I'll have to walk over is the Brooklyn Bridge. I think the views from there will be amazing and it's definitely something to do on my bucket list.

Picnic At Brooklyn Bridge Park

                Three weekends ago my boyfriend and I went to the Brooklyn Bridge Park for a picnic. It was a good idea, but there were some flaws in our plans.

                First off we decided to take the East River Ferry. Last year when we took the ferry it wasn’t bad at all. So we decided to take the ferry from North 6^th St (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Biggest mistake ever because when we got there the line was already long and the workers warned us that we might not be able to get on the boat, but we thought lets take our chances. It couldn’t be that bad, but it was. We didn’t make it on the first boat and it took another 40 minutes for the next one to come. A lot of people did got off the line once they weren’t able to get on and we got lucky being the first ones for the second boat. It’s just that the forty minutes wait was crazy. They should have had more boats on the weekends since more people will be using them. So note to self when going to Brooklyn Bridge Park it’s best to use the Subway because it gets you there a lot faster.

                Once we got to the park there was a bunch of people there. I guess word got around about the place. It's very easy to get to and the view of the park is just beautiful. Overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and just being by  the water is a really great feeling. The park is very spacious so there’s more than enough space for people to set up for a picnic. We got a spot under some shade because my boyfriend tends to get sun burned easily. There’s also a pool there, but I haven't ventured to that part of the park yet. 

                Being at the park for the picnic was very relaxing. After eating our sandwiches I fell asleep for a bit. Being in the shade and having the breeze on you tends to put you in the mood for a mini nap. Once we got done with our picnic we were going to go to the small ice cream shop that’s there. The line for the ice cream shop was insane. You would think it’s a line for a famous club in Vegas or Miami. Same thing goes for the line for the ferry. This time around my boyfriend and I knew better not to try to get on the ferry. It probably would’ve been a two hour wait before we got home.

                Instead we took the train home. Although the F train had some work done on it I got home a lot quicker than taking the ferry and having to take the subway as well.

                So note Brooklyn Bridge Park is still a nice place to go to, but nowadays it’s more crowded and a lot of people seem to have found out about it. It’s definitely a place you should try to go at least once, but it’s no longer a hidden gem. 

Daily Blog: Favorite Thing To Do In The Summer

Every time summer comes all I think about is being out doors. The weather is nice why would I want to be stuck at home.

First place that comes to mind is the beach. I absolutely love going to the beach. At the beach I’m all about tanning. The essentials you’ll need are sun screen, sun glasses and I like to bring a book or magazine. I like reading when I’m tanning I feel more relaxed and I’m able to enjoy my book. I love watching the waves come in and being under the sun. The one beach in NY that I like is Long Beach. I rather pay so I can tan at a clean beach. Although this year I do plan on going to the Rockaways since it’s not too far of a bus ride from my house. The only thing is that bus gets ridiculously packed on the weekends no matter what time you go. 

Another outdoor activity I enjoy is having a picnic. I wish my boyfriend and I got to do more of this last year, but I’m hoping that would change for this year. A good place to go to is Dumbo Park. Last year we went there it was such a nice thing to do. We even got to take a little nap during out picnic. The views are also amazing, right next to the Brooklyn Bridge and then you can see Downtown Manhattan across from there. If you decide to go try the Ice Cream shop. They serve homemade ice cream and it’s worth every penny of it. You can also take the water taxi from Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Downtown Manhattan to get there.

As for the night life, I like being outside so going to a cafe where I can sit on the sidewalk is ideal to me. Another great place to be out and enjoy the outdoors would be to go to a beer garden. There are so many of them now and each one is unique. There are a couple of them in Williamsburg and Astoria. The one in Astoria is called Bohemian Hall Beer Garden located at 29-19 24^th Ave. The one located in Williamsburg is called Berry Park and it’s located at 4 Berry St, Brooklyn. I prefer Bohemian Hall Beer Garden because you’re outdoors and it feels like you’re at a park surrounded by all these picnic tables. Berry Park to me is a regular bar with a big roof top, so it doesn’t really feel much like a garden. Although don’t be surprised both places gets very packed during the summer time.

Well that’s all about what I love doing in the summer time. Tomorrow’s topic is a Throwback Thursday topic, and it’s a good one. 

All About Me

At first I thought I’d focus on food since I enjoy eating out a lot, but then why limit myself. I started thinking about what to write about. Why not write about anything and everything I do. I go out to several different events and enjoy the night life as well. I like trying out different restaurants as well.

(Just as a side note I was born and raised in Queens, so most of these so called adventures will be in NYC. I usually go out in Queens, Williamsburg and Greenpoint. I’m not afraid to travel and have hung out in the Bronx, Harlem and Washington Heights. )

So that’s where the name Inda’s Adventures comes from. I try to travel at least once or twice a year depending how my wallet is looking. Just cause you might be on a tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy life too. This year alone I got to go to Amsterdam and of course South Beach. Going to Miami is a tradition my best friend and I do for 4th of July. Plus there's no place to be like South Beach.

Here I’ll be reviewing everything, places I’ve been to, where I’ve eaten, best places to grab drinks you name it I’ll review it. I'll also have daily blogs for fun topics ranging from "what's the best pizza I've eaten" to "what's the last concert I attended".  

If you want to recommend a place for me to visit please feel free to let me know. There’s a million and one things to do in NYC and I’d love to get to them all.