Barbra Streisand and James Brolin at the table next to Jeff and a few of his coworkers at Chin Chin in the Midtown East area of New York City. Babs was wearing a beige pantsuit. James wore a suit without a tie and appeared sunburned, Jeff said. (Then again, he also said the night was “a tad fuzzy.”) The attractive couple received extra-special service from the restaurant. And—with the exception of somewhat subtly texting everyone they knew—their fellow patrons played it surprisingly cool: No one asked for photos or autographs.

I wrote this week’s Time Out New York magazine “Passport NY” column! It covers Nigerian activities in NYC. (To zoom in for a readable version, click this image, then click the next image.)

Check out my new article! It’s on FiLife.com, a Wall Street Journal Partner… DIY Travel Planning: 4 Tricks for Finding a Hotel You’ll Love.

“The jelly fish, they are new today,” reassured our guide who called himself Gato, or cat… though it hardly reassured us. After all, knowing they were “new today” wouldn’t have weakened the sting of their tentacles had we not contorted our bodies, ducked our heads and hollowed our torsos. The school of glow-in-the-dark-waters jelly fish reminded me of an exhibit at the local aquarium. They stood between our swim with the largest shark in the world—over 100 of them, in fact—and the boat where we could rest our tired limbs.

Have you ever been whale watching? Been in awe of the massive creatures alongside your boat? Did you want to jump in?

That’s what it’s like to swim with the whale sharks in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. It looks a little like this:

Gato: “Josey, no more waiting. You must jump in NOW.” Josey: “But, but, but…???”

Drive-by

Josey wildly flailed her arms, but Jeff refused to turn around. Later he explained that, if he was going to be eaten by a shark, he’d rather not see it coming. Fair enough.

Introducing Amadeus, my newest foster kitten. He comes running when called (though bouncing is more like it), adores other cats and his favorite bell toy, thinks purring and breathing are one and the same… And—along with so many other sweet homeless cats and kittens—he will spend this weekend waiting for a loving family to rescue him from the cages at Petco Union Square in NYC. Stop by to say hi! (Ask for KittyKind.)

To watch me host an Us Weekly-WeddingChannel.com video on the Us Weekly Web site, click here now. (I also make cameos and interview wedding industry notables throughout their Dream Wedding video series if you want to check ‘em all out!)

For my birthday I received a beautiful, very classic dress. I can’t wait to wear it but, since it’s gray, I thought the look could use a pop of color. With a very specific idea in mind, I just stopped into Beauty Crisis, a vintage shop in the East Village of NYC. I scanned the costume jewelry display case, and these caught my eye right away:

I wish they weren’t clip-ons, but— according to the owner, Eva—pierced earrings were rare in the ’40s and ’50s. And, for under $30, I really can’t complain!

Beauty Crisis
97 1/2 E. 7th Street, NYC
212.673.2917

The souvenir Jeff brought home from Brazil was a parasite I named Bartholomew. When he thinks of Brazil, it’s Bartholomew that first comes to mind… despite all the fun we had while we were there: samba dancing, hang-gliding, sunning ourselves against a backdrop of Ipanema peaks. So I’m trying to remind him: Last night I cooked moqueca, a traditional fish stew with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, lime and garlic, which we enjoyed at the Garota de Ipanema restaurant. [NOTE: Garota de Ipanema may sell t-shirts, but it's not nearly as touristy as I expected it to be. ALSO NOTE: If the waiter seems surprised when you and your travel buddy each order your own entrée, it's because most items on their menu are intended for two people to share. Boy, oh, boy, did we feast...]

We took poetic license and added peas.

With the side dishes we chose—fried plantains, rice, black beans, and zucchini—the spread was so filling I only ate half of what I’d served myself. Jeff, on the other hand, earned the Clean Plate Award. As always.

To continue our Brazil theme week, I will have my hair Brazilian Straightened on Wednesday. Is that dedication or what?

More Meals (with Photos):

• Flashback to Northern Italy: white bean soup
• Dreaming of France, channeling Julia Child: beef bourguignon night
  

Check out my new article! It’s on iVillage.com-NBC Universal: The Sexiest Vampires in Hollywood History.