The real intro

My full name is Cheyenne but everyone calls me Shy. Which is genuinely funny because I am not shy at all.

I'm a New Yorker. Born in Brooklyn, raised on a mix of Caribbean, Bajan, Puerto Rican, and Canadian culture — which means food, music, storytelling, and making things weren't hobbies in my house. They were just how we existed.

I went to a music and art high school. I have always made things. Always seen things. Always felt like I was supposed to be behind a camera somewhere shooting food stories for a magazine or writing travel pieces for someone who paid me to eat interesting things in interesting places.

Then I got practical.

Whole Foods. Starbucks. Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management. Hotels. Accounting. Safe, responsible, fine.

BORING.

The turn

I used to pick up TimeOut Magazine every single Wednesday in the city. Flip through it. Think — I should be in here. Not reading it. Making it.

Then 2020 happened and everything changed. Then I turned 30 and my mind just changed again — but differently. Like something woke up that had been very patient and was now officially done waiting.

I started FreeIsDelicious not really knowing what it was going to be. Just knowing I wanted to help people see they have to try. That they owe it to themselves before anyone else.

My own mother once asked me — what makes you think you're going to make it like that?

I said — because my brain told me so.

She might not have believed me. Some days I don't fully believe myself. The voice in my head still shows up sometimes and says — you don't know what you're doing. What business? You made no money. You don't know anyone who's done this. What makes you different?

But the negative thoughts are temporary. Even when they're mine. Even when I have nowhere to really turn.

So I built somewhere to turn. And I called it FreeIsDelicious.

What This Place Actually Is

FreeIsDelicious is my hub for everything I actually care about and actually know about.

NYC Life on a Budget — because I was born here and I know every loophole and I will share all of them with you. Free things. Hidden spots. Pop ups. Real guides for real New Yorkers and visitors who don't want to pay tourist prices.

Food and Recipes — Rooted in real culture. Caribbean flavors. NYC-inspired dishes. Honest cookbook reviews. Juice challenges and tips from my Juice Bar days when we’re good. Cocktail recipes for when we’re not.

Curly Haircare — DIY recipes inspired by Ayurvedic traditions and cultures across the world. Practical. For the curly girl who is tired of spending money on things that don't work.

Art — and this is the new part. The scary part. The part I've been putting off for years. Starting June 1st I'm making and selling original art publicly — mosaics, ACEOs, watercolors, handmade pieces — with a $30,000 goal and my real debt number posted for everyone to watch.

No filter. No highlight reel. Just me, my cameras, my art, and New York City.

Who this is for

This space is for people who don’t have unlimited funds. Who loves this city but feels the prices every single week. Who grew up here or chose here and still believes there's magic in the city. This is for you.

Welcome to Free Is Delicious

💡 My hope? That when you leave this site, you walk away with something new — a tip to try, a place to visit, a style hack to save, or even just the spark to start your own project.

Thanks for stopping by and being part of this journey. I can’t wait to keep sharing, learning, and creating with you!