When I had my appendix taken out a few years back, I remember waking up from my surgery late at night and and watching MythBusters with my mom. We ate cold french fries and watched the crew destroy something, I’m sure. I don’t remember what they were doing, I don’t really remember anything about that night but I remember enjoying myself. It’s always an entertaining show and can hold my attention for hours.
I’ve always loved watching MythBusters. They are constantly doing such crazy and interesting experiments. One of my favorite episodes is when they fire frozen chickens into a plane windshield to check a myth that birds can break through them when planes are in flight.
I also like when they prove just how difficult it is to take candy from a baby, when they disprove the myth of the man dying from standing in his washing machine and the time when they try to float a man using only balloons. I’m happy to now be able to watch MythBusters on Netflix. It’s a great show to just have on all day and marathon through. I may have to get my brother to watch it, I really think he would enjoy all of the incredible experiments. 
MythBusters on Netflix
Ritz-Carlton, Central Park #NYC #weekendgetaway
A couple of weeks back we were invited into NYC for Mr. Peabody and Sherman screening and press day. This post isn’t about that. This is about our time walking and experiencing the city and hotel and food. I love staying in hotels. I love messing up both beds, leaving my shoes in the middle of the floor and channel surfing like my life depended on it. We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. Did you just OOOOH? I did when I saw the accommodations the first time. I was excited to stay at a “fancy” hotel. I expected cream of the crop, top- notch customer service from the second I walked up to the moment I checked out.
That didn’t happen. I will start off with saying that the hotel was booked solid for the press junket. The enormous trunks of camera equipment were taking up space in the small lobby, doormen weren’t paying attention to guests but instead truck drivers uploading MORE enormous trunks of media equipment, guestz were standing around waiting for their rooms.
image courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
image courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
This was problem number one. We arrived at 3:00, check in time and were told our room wasn’t ready. The story started about being super busy, rooms booked solid, production company being very demanding, blah blah. Rob and I are pretty easy going so we decided to take to Central Park while it was still sunny. There was snow and ice on the ground but walking through the park was nice. We held hands, which we never do and even managed to snap this pic of ourselves.
We walked and walked and ended up walking through the Upper West Side looking at gorgeous architecture and crazy cute French Bulldogs (are French Bulldogs the dog of rich New Yorkers). We ventured to Amsterdam to Broadway and back to the hotel only to find out our room was still not ready.
At this point we were freezing and annoyed. After some complaining we were let into the 2nd floor Club Lounge to warm up and grab a drink and some food. This was right up Rob’s alley. He’s loves perks and in his book shrimp cocktail, cookies and Mary Janes for free is a HUGE perk. This made up for delay in our room being ready. We are easy to please. I made a bit of an ass of myself though. We were seated next to a window overlooking Central Park and I leaned on the window sill to look at something passing by and somehow dislodged a panel on the wall. The staff comes rushing over and I’m clueless as to what’s going on and why they are touching me and scooting my legs over trying to fix it.
We got message about a 1/2 hour later that our room was ready and we headed up. At this point I sit on the beds and chairs checking for comfort, examine the bathroom for cleanliness and see all the goodies I can’t consume in the mini fridge.
One look at the massive, luxurious tub and I knew it needed to be filled with bubbles, hot water and me. I looked around for bubble bath and could find any. A quick trip to Duane Reade fixed that problem. Robes are my weakness. Even if it’s just for a few minutes I must wear it. I have a plush robe at home but hotel room robes are special.
The room had a terrible view but was furnished beautifully. The beds were very cozy and covered in silky-smooth crisp white sheets. Rob claims it was more comfortable than our Sleep Number. I think we should invest in a feather bed at home.
The bathroom was spacious, spotless and brightly lit. I did end up finding body wash in the shower that could’ve doubled as bubble bath, DUH.
Rob ventured out for ice only to find out we had to get it delivered from someone in the kitchen. It took way too long to arrive for something not being cooked.
Rob wanted to take advantage of beautiful Auden Bistro and Bar for dinner. The staff was very attentive. Our server must’ve noticed my face when I looked at the menu because he came over and said the kitchen will make whatever I wanted even if it wasn’t on the menu. It was late and I really just wanted a good burger, that’s what we both ordered. I also ordered their signature AUDEN FRITES WITH TRUFFLE AND PECORINO. YUM. I love truffle fries and I wish I had more room in my belly to eat them all. The burger was AH-MAZ-ING. It’s so hard to mess up a burger but this was perfect. Juicy, seasoned, hot and with great bread. The restaurant was very dimly lit otherwise I’d have 13 pictures of just my burger to share.
Staying at the Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park wasn’t everything I expected. That name suggests a taste of grandeur and sophistication from the top to the bottom. It fell flat on some levels of attentiveness and communication but the accommodations felt like an oasis full of comfort and luxury.
This is NOT a sponsored post. We were not required nor compensated to share our experience about the hotel.
Keeping My Day Balanced With #PortableProtein
Being a UPS driver for a living is fun but can very tough at the same time. I am constantly on the move and a typical day on the road for me is anywhere from 10-12 hours so needless to say it can be exhausting. Finding time to eat a healthy balanced meal is very challenging. I don’t have access to a microwave so I am not able to bring leftovers from the night before so my food for the day takes a lot of planning. I try to pack foods and snacks that I know I am going to eat because eating fast food during the day isn’t an option for me due to cost and nutrition. One big problem I have is I am the kind of person that can’t eat the same thing for more than a few days in a row before I get tired of it and need to move onto something new which makes lunch even more of a pain in the neck. Thankfully I discovered the P3 Portable Protein Pack from Oscar Mayer.
Thankfully #CollectiveBias asked me to do a shop for a product called P3 Portable Protein Packs from Oscar Mayer. P3 Portable Protein Packs are specially designed snack size packs to provide a nourishing boost of solid protein. They come in 4 varieties: Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast, Applewood Smoked Ham, Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast and Slow Roasted Turkey Breast. We were able to find three of the varieties at our local WalMart for just $1 per pack in the packaged deli section of the store. The P3 Portable Protein Packs contain three different components, #meatcheesenuts. Each pack is approximately 2 ounces and contains about 13 grams of protein.
In a typical day I will eat anywhere from 3 to 5 small snacks like peanut butter crackers, granola bars, fruit snacks, veggies and cookies. Like I mentioned I get tired of the same foods day in and day out but I do realize I have to eat better because I am not getting any younger. This month I turn the big 40 and constantly moving for 10-12 hours a day isn’t as easy as it use to be. I need all of the help I can get to stay mobile, fueled, nourished and healthy. Starting with a good night’s sleep is best but I have to keep my day going with well balanced foods and snacks. Cookies may have cut it for me when I was 25 but not anymore. I need foods that are high in protein to keep me energized throughout the day as I burn calories.
I started with the Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast P3 #PortableProtein Pack and it was really good. I thought after eating the 2 ounces I would still be hungry but that wasn’t the case. Since the protein pack is full of high quality protein it filled me up and kept me feeling full and fueled longer than the typical snacks I tend to eat. This came in handy for that 4 o’clock hour when my body wants to call it a day. I also like that the P3 Portable Protein Packs are only $1. It’s not easy to eat healthy on the go on the cheap. The portability of the P3 packs is a great feature. I can through these in my cooler without any prep and I don’t need any utensils. These allow me to keep working because I typically don’t have time to stop anyway.
I am glad I was asked to do this shop because it allowed me to discover a nutritious and balanced snack that I am able to eat while on the road that I may not have discovered otherwise. I shared these with some of my fellow drivers and so far the ratings are all thumbs up.
Give Your Clothes New Life with Swapdom
I love to shop but I especially love to shop thrift and consignment. I have no problem with used clothing and accessories or even decor for the home, that’s why soap was invented. So when I was introduced to Swapdom I was intrigued. Swapdom intends to make trading clothing and accessories easier between groups of people.
In traditional swaps, Megan might want something Alex has, but Alex isn’t interested in Megan’s items, so no swap is made. Alex does however, want something Doris has.
At Swapdom, we connect Megan to Alex to Doris and circle back to Megan, so everyone gets what they want.
All you have to do is tell us what you’d offer for your requested item and ship it off once we find a swap.
Couldn’t get any easier, really!
Swapdom – How it works from Swapdom on Vimeo.
With Swapdom you search among the uploaded images and find what appeals to you. Shop for what you like and then offer items you want to let go of. Swapdom then works behind the scenes to match up the offers and requests and in the end you wind up with something new to you to relove.
Right now I have 8-10 items uploaded that I cleaned out from my closet. Some of them I’ve never worn, worn a couple of times and some I just won’t wear anymore. Everything is in great condition. Swapdom isn’t just for me though. They’ve recently started a kid’s swap section too.This section lets you purge your child’s closet of outgrown items in search for something new.
The swap process isn’t quick though. It could take at least 10 days to find that just right circle of swaps. Be patient, keep your items uploaded and offered, you aren’t using them anyway right.
For the month of March Swapdom has announced the Befriend a Trend Contest. For the entire month of March, we’re giving away a $25 Etsy gift card per week to one lucky, randomly selected person who shares a Swapdom item that embodies the spring trend they most want to try. Get the details here, and good luck!
Embrace your inner fashionista and start a swap on Swapdom today.
2013 Kia Rio SX 5DR
This is a sponsored post but all opinions are our own!!!!
I love test driving vehicles and I especially love test driving Kia vehicles. A while back I had the opportunity to drive the 2013 Kia Rio SX 5DR for a week and let me tell you that was a really fun car to drive.
We are a family of five so the 2013 Kia Rio SX 5DR isn’t quite big enough for my entire family but this would be an awesome first car for Sabreena. The Rio that I drove was loaded with satellite radio, navigation, leather seats, push button start and a ton of other awesome features. It was awesome on gas with an estimated EPA combined city/highway of 31 mpg. The week I had this car I was driving to Brigantine for work which was 80 miles one way so needless to say I was extremely happy with the gas mileage considering I was driving about 160 miles round trip each day.
The Kia Rio SX 5DR had a very smooth ride as well as very nice pick up for such a small car. The leg and head room were very nice as well which is important to me considering I am 6’3. Overall the Kia Rio SX 5DR had everything I could ask for in a car and a lot more.
A few nights while we had the Kia Melinda and I would just take a ride to get out for a little while and enjoy the car. We really didn’t have anywhere to go but we had a nice new Kia that looked good and we looked good in so we wanted to show it off. We did have one guy tell us that he really liked the car and that Kia has come a long way in their design and I couldn’t agree more. The Kia Rio SX 5DR is really sporty and the one we had really fit the bill. Nice rims, awesome interior, what more could you ask for in a vehicle.
Overall my experience with the Kia Rio SX 5Dr was 5 stars and I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a vehicle that could accommodate four people.
Avero Bar Italiano Relaunch Dinner
A couple weeks back I was invited to a restaurant relaunch. Avero Craft Pizzeria was changing to Avero Bar Italiano. It seems the Pizzeria in their name was giving the community an impression of just that, a pizzeria when in fact they are so much more than that.
The night started with a variety of wines, beers and a specialty cocktail, Pineapple Blueberry Limoncello Martini. This alone was delicious and I would’ve loved to have more than one but I was the driver.
Appetizers were available too. I’m not a prosciutto fan, I find it too salty but when it’s wrapped around Buffalo Mozzarella with a drizzle of Basil Oil I can eat it all day. In fact I had about 4.
The meal continued with 4 other courses each explained by Executive Chef, Chris DeFeo. Chef DeFeo is a Philly Native with years of experience at Striped Bass, Nectar, Bar Savona and other well known establishments in the area. His understanding of local, in season and high quality ingredients only made the menu at Avero Bar Italiano stand out instead of blend in with the influx of surrounding casual restaurants.
I am not brave when it comes to trying new food, I’m a creature of habit and have been known to repeatedly order the same item while out because I know it is something I already know I’ll enjoy. I was given a preview of our tasting menu and was completely dreading the first course, Charred Baby Octopus. The thought of chewy tentacles with suction cups turned me off. Even at the restuarant I was stressing out with another blogger about the upcoming meal. I didn’t want to insult the restaurant, chef or host. The meal came out and it was beautiful and it smelled wonderful. My best friend dug right in and commented on how her 8 year old son would love it. Was she shaming me? Daring me?
I took a bite and was surprised. I enjoyed it. Did I enjoy it enough to order again? I’m not sure but it was good and I’d recommend to anyone that enjoys seafood and fish. I was proud of myself. 
I think the main reason I went that night was the Berkshire Pork Belly with Wild Mushroom Fricasse. It was heaven, best thing I’ve eaten in a long time. Tender but not soft, meaty but not heavy. I ate mine and the rest of my friends.
Avero Bar Italiano has gone to great lengths to achieve a specific atmosphere. While this is fine dining the experience isn’t snobbish. The interior feels comfy and warm and the staff are welcoming and informative. Having a sommelier and beer expert on hand is incredibly valuable for people like me who know what I like but don’t know what to order.
Avero Bar Italiano is not what I would call family friendly. With such a strong attention put on the food & wine pairings it isn’t a place I’d bring children under 12 years old unless they had phenomenal palates and were willing to try new foods no questions asked. Their pasta and pizza are fantastic but prepared and priced for a more adult experience. This is a date night or girls or guys night out spot for sure. Relax, order a cocktail or craft beer and soak in the ambiance without the hassle of bibs, cheerios or kid’s menus (which are available).
Avero Bar Italiano
821 W Lancaster Ave
Wayne, PA 19087
come photos are courtesy via Stephanie Glover Photography
Fridays In Your Freezer #TGIFGameDay
Being on the East Coast we have to deal with the late start time of the Big Game. This usually means smaller scaled parties because our group of friends and family either have kids or live a bit of distance away. While that makes get together a touch more intimate it doesn’t mean we skimp on the goodies and appetizers.
This year we kept it easy by incorporating T.G.I. Friday’s frozen products instead of making a whole slew of sides. This let me hang with friends and watch my team win instead of spending all my time in the kitchen tending to dips and salads.
T.G.I. Friday’s offers lots of tasty appetizers to serve many different appetizers. One of my favorites is the Loaded Cheddar & Bacon Potato Skins. The bubbling cheese and extreme bacon toppings really hit the spot especially next to a plate of saucy wings and perfectly smoked pulled pork. We were left with piles of empty dirty plates.
Having a little something for everything is the key to being the perfect host. I try not to overdo it on one dish but instead offering smaller dishes with lots of variety. I made sure to have selections that would appeal to kids and to those that don’t like spicy foods. A good variety is best for my group of friends and family. I was lucky enough to snag a coupon from a T.G.I. Friday’s Demo at my local Walmart. They were out of food to try but were handing out more reasons to buy.
Whether it’s #TGIFGameDay, a birthday or a holiday make things simple on yourself with T.G.I. Friday’s appetizers right from your freezer. Shop Walmart, like I do, for great prices on favorites like Honey BBQ Chicken Wings. You won’t sacrifice on flavor but you’ll gain time with your loved ones.
Wii Fit U Challenge 2014 Update
Two weeks ago I was all gung-ho with the Wii Fit U Challenge 2014. I shared with you the routines that were given to me, the progress that I had already made and the fun that the kids I were having.
I went to work on my routine and noticed I needed 2 Wii Motion Plus remotes. We have one. I haven’t had the chance to get another one so I’ve had to modify the routines myself.
Changing the routine wasn’t hard at all. There are so many options to burn calories and get the heart pumping. One of our favorite activities to do as a family is Super Hula Hoop. I’ve even found a way to kick it up a notch by bending my knees while swinging my hips. Doing this gives my legs an extra work out that I definitely feel the next day.
You can see where Shae was beating me but I finally passed her score.
Another 1.6 pounds down!
Budsies Custom Stuffed Animal
My girls are creative and artistic and imaginative. Even though there are 12 years between them they can sit for hours with a stack of papers and markers and work on obscure projects that only they understand. I’ve shared before their goofy and inspired drawings but was able to take them to a new level with Budsies Custom Plush.
Budsies is a unique service that brings life to your child’s artwork. Send them a drawing and they will create it into a high quality plush that will be cherished forever.
On Christmas day I presented Sabreena and Shae with their own Budsies. Confusion, excitement and then smiles is how things went after the gifts were opened. The details are amazing, as well as the construction. I don’t have to worry about the dangling legs or pompoms falling off because the sewing is strong enough to withstand little fingers and becoming a regular bedtime buddy.
The idea of Budsies was born out of an idea to bring a little sister’s drawing to life to last a lifetime. It’s easy to create a Busies of your own child. Submit a drawing online or even from your smartphone via text message and you’re child’s new friend will be on its way 6-8 weeks later.
Every November, Budsies manufactures a duplicate Budsie for each one ordered. These are then donated to children in need over the winter holidays.
Right now Budsies are on holiday special pricing for $49. Steep but this is a gift that comes from the heart.
Wii Fit U Challenge 2014
With the new year comes new resolutions and promises to make changes to your life. I’m not very different from everyone else with the resolutions I vow to make. Getting fit and healthy is a common promise I put together for myself, one that is a struggle all year long. I have good intentions and even manage to work on my goals but easily get sidetracked with everyday tasks and responsibilities. This time I’m going to start working on a new program, the Wii Fit U Challenge. I think being a part of an organized group experience should hold me more accountable for the time I spend working on me.
The program is designed to feel familiar to Wii Fit but offers many more interactive and comprehensive upgrades than its predecessor.
There is the obvious improvement, the Wii U game pad controller. This device works not only as a controller but as it’s own gaming device, internet browser and entertainment system that can stream video.
When working on Wii Fit U it works just as the remote but in my opinion a touch easier. No more fiddling with point the remote to just the right spot to hit Quit or Retry. The game pad sits on the floor in front of me while I’m working out. It can even serve as a mirror to show me if I’ve performing the yoga poses correctly.
Wii Fit U introduced more than 15 new activities to get gamers working on their health and fitness. My favorites so far are luge, rowing and super ski jump.
The Gym Community is by far the most interactive component to the system. This allows me to log in and share my experiences and achievements with other users. Having a support system can be the most motivating force behind working out. Even when I’m not working out I can track my burned calories and steps taken with the Wii Fit U Fit Meter. Syncing this up with the game pad tracks my daily movements for me so all the information is together.
Since before Christmas I’ve been dealing with sickness after sickness, flu/cold/strep/congestion. With all of these ailments I’ve had to be really choosy how I worked out as not to end up with a coughing fit.
In honor of National Staying Healthy Month I was given this Wii U along with a series of routines to improve my health, strength and encourage weight loss. I haven’t had the opportunity to complete the routine entirely. I’m working on the bits and pieces that I know would work but I can already see a difference.
Routine 1 – 44 minutes/61 calories (lower intensity)
- Deep Breathing
- Warrior
- Tree
- Dance
- Cobra
- Push-up and Side Plank
- Lunge
- Sideways Leg Lift
- Arm-and-Leg Lift
- Tricep Extension
- Advanced Step (Beginner)
- Free Run (Duration: 10 minutes)
- Obstacle Course (Beginner)
- Rhythm Kung Fu (Beginner)
Routine 2 – 44 minutes/72 calories (higher intensity)
- Arm-and-Leg Lift
- Single-Arm Stand
- Balance Bridge
- Side Lunge
- Single-Leg Reach
- Free Step (Duration: 10 minutes)
- Free Boxing (Duration: 5 minutes)
- Super Hula Hoop (Beginner; 3 minutes)
- Advanced Step (Beginner)
- Ultimate Obstacle Course (Beginner)
- Jazz (Beginner)
- Burning Beats (Duration: 5 minutes)
I think in a few more days I’ll be ready to complete this schedule 3-4 times a week with no problem.
Even using my modified version I’ve lost 1.1lbs in about 4 days. Progress is always a success.
Stay tuned as I share more details of the Wii Fit U Challenge.
