The Brookwood Inn is one of my favorite romantic getaways and this boutique hotel doesn’t cost an arm and a leg for the exceptional features that it offers. I didn’t know until after my stay, but Pittsford, New York (in the Rochester, NY area) was rated one of the “Best Places to Live in America” by CNN Money Magazine. I can see why they would say that – it’s a cozy hideaway that’s not too far from city action and plenty of shopping/dining opportunities.

What I Like

The Price: Normally, Brookwood Inn rates are around $129 on Hotels.com, but we used a $79 walk-in coupon from the Roomsaver travel book (found in a Denny’s lobby). This particular offer is valid from Thursday to Sunday.

24-Hour Pool: Brookwood Inn is the first and only establishment that I’ve stayed at with a pool opened 24 hours per day. A small hot tub is situated adjacent to the pool. A door leads you to a sundeck with tables and chairs – perfect for playing a friendly game of Rummy (like we did before the mosquitoes came out to play). It was very relaxing to enjoy a swim at 3 in the morning when no one was around – except for the occasional check from security. Yes, they had a friendly guard that patrolled the grounds.

24-Hour Fitness Center: Open all day and night, the fitness center was equipped with flat screen televisions and personal TVs on the treadmills and elliptical machines. There was also a weight machine and free weights to use. Despite all of the different pieces of equipment, we never encountered another guest during our early morning and late-night workouts.

Coffee Machine in Lobby: From cappuccinos and mochas to flavored coffee and hot chocolate, a Lavassa coffee machine offered hot beverages with the press of a button.

Guestrooms: The beds were comfortable and the work desk accommodating in the guestrooms, which were outfitted with a flat screen television and cable stations.

The Breakfast: Hello – one of the best free breakfasts that I’ve had was at Brookwood Inn. Choose from a variety of cereals, oatmeal, breakfast pastries, mini-muffins (lemon poppy seed = yum), bagels, fruit, and a waffle maker. Wash down your meal with hot chocolate, orange juice, tea, and coffee. They also had pre-packaged Jimmy Dean sausage biscuits for the microwave.

Other Extras: Brookwood Inn was located in a wooded region. The Erie Canal was a hop, skip and a jump away. We walked to the trails that took you along the waterway, which were filled with runners and bikers. A plaza, gas station, Tim Horton’s, Subway, pizza shop, Bruegger’s Bagel, Rite Aid, Chinese food, and other eateries were all in walking distance. The hotel also offered 3-hour bike rentals for $10. Unfortunately, I had no takers for this type of adventure. Also, don’t you just love the room key design (shown above)?

I plan on staying at the Brookwood Inn in Pittsford, NY again.

There are simply too many amenities to ignore.

With apricot seeds gently rubbing against your skin, Tarocco Skin Cleanser with Exfoliant smells so good, it makes you want to eat it – seriously. The sweet scent of Sicilian Red Orange extracts is intoxicating and offers a luxurious shower or bath experience.

Tarocco is under the umbrella of Cali Cosmetics product line. I learned about these products after staying at the Brookwood Inn in Pittsford, NY. They make shampoos, soaps, body scrubs, and even soy candles. All of them take on the scent of red oranges and I love it!

I love my dog to pieces and when I won the Animal Charms giveaway at MommyPR, I was ecstatic at the thought of carrying him around with me in the form of a custom-made pendant. I couldn’t wait to see what it would look like.

How It Works

You choose one of your favorite animal pics and Animal Charms will create an attractive pendant for you. Choose from a round, heart or the dog tag that I chose. The photo I had in mind fit the length of the dog tag perfectly.

The pet photo pendants are made out of rhodium-plated brass and come with a sterling silver curb chain – available in three different lengths, if you like. You can even opt to have a pet’s name or a date engraved on the back of your charm. All you have to do is send a .jpg to Animal Charms and they do the rest.

My animal charm shipped out fast and was packaged so nicely. I almost don’t want to take it out of its box and the velvet sleeve it’s tucked inside of. Very, very pleased with this  special keepsake.

If you’re ready for an early Thanksgiving, consider bringing home Healthy Choice Pumpkin Squash Ravioli – the perfect fall meal. I say this because the ravioli offer a tasty blend of spices and sweetness. It’s also a nice meal to eat if you’re craving something sweet and haven’t eaten lunch or dinner, and want to kill two birds with one stone. Plus, it makes your kitchen smell amazing.

The Lowdown on Ingredients

Made with extra virgin olive oil, this all-natural Healthy Choice entrée offers “pumpkin filled ravioli with a butter-sage sauce, asparagus and butternut squash.” The asparagus is not soggy – but crisp and flavorful. The combination of butternut squash and pumpkin is refreshing. Apple pieces are welcomed and enhance the sweetness of the entrée. The sauce is flavorful and complements the overall meal well.

The entrée is packed with antioxidants, heart healthy, and good for your digestive system.

I will definitely stock up on this meal in the future.

By the Numbers

• 300 calories
• 60 fat calories
• 9 grams protein
• 5 grams fiber

Daily Recommended Values

• Potassium – 12%
• Vitamin A – 40%
• Folic Acid – 35%
• Vitamin C – 10%
• Thiamine – 25%
• Manganese – 25%
• Phosphorus – 15%
• Fiber – 20%

This is my review after attending the August 2010 Mixtape Comedy Show, which is held every third Sunday of the month.

The Internet is my best friend when it comes to finding events during a vacation and I’m pretty good at finding deals, discounts, and special occasions. I used to think that a $15 comedy show was unheard of. I also thought that a $15 comedy show with a well-known actor celebrating his birthday with special guests was a hoax (almost too good to be true for the price). However, the Mixtape Comedy Show at Gotham Comedy Club in Manhattan, NY was the real deal.

The Mixtape Comedy Show Concept

The concept of the Mixtape Comedy Show is pretty interesting. People come to the show for $15 and serve as the audience. The entire show is streamed across the Internet using Ustream, which connects thousands of viewers in a chat room environment as they watch the live show. Prizes are also given out to audience members, as well as online followers.

The entire comedy show feeds off of word-of-mouth, Twitter, and Facebook publicity. Anthony Anderson (from ‘King’s Ransom’ and ‘Law and Order’) and business partner, Royale Watkins (who has appeared in films himself) serve as hosts and wanted to make comedy accessible to all. They certainly accomplished just that – you will not find a quality comedy show for this price.

The Gotham Comedy Club has a two-drink minimum and it doesn’t have to be an alcoholic beverage. The age limit to enter the event is 18 years old, but I didn’t see that many young faces in the crowd. There was an interesting blend of ages and races.

The comedy at this event is clean. No cussing is allowed although two curse words slipped, but a sideline DJ is there to catch slip-ups with a sound effect. I had no clue that there would be no cursing at the show beforehand and didn’t even notice until it was mentioned by Anderson. To be honest, I think curse words make a joke 30 times more hilarious, but the clean comedy was just as funny. At the end of the show, a musical guest caps off the evening.

The night that I attended the Mixtape Comedy Show, Capone and Earthquake performed along with three other comedians. I do not remember their names and I apologize for that, but I’d recognize them if I saw them at another event. They were all funny. Watching Capone and Earthquake struggle not to curse was just as funny as their routine.

Accessibility

I don’t know if this is an everyday occurrence at Gotham, but Anthony Anderson and all of the comedians were extremely accessible. There were no snooty prima donnas hiding in the dressing room or comedians acting above taking pictures with admirers. Everyone was friendly and hanging out in the hallway as everyone shuffled out of the club.

I did take one picture at the request of my stepson.

Goes to me. I’m hardheaded and have a knack for going against the grain despite better judgment. Let’s take Saturday for example. I went to the Buffalo Bills versus the Cincinnati Bengals preseason game **cough cough*** for $15 per seat in the SECOND row – right by the endzone. Thank you StubHub!

Anyways, I wore a dress (yes, to a football game) because I wear dresses and skirts until snow covers my toes (just kidding – but I do push it to the limit).

I also wore these chunky, high, flop-flop-like sandals (I really should have taken a picture for emphasis). As soon as I stepped out of the car… 0.8 miles away from the stadium… my shoe broke – to be precise, the material that holds your foot to the top of the shoe. I had no backup shoes. I had nothing else to wear. No convenience stores were in sight, but…there was a firehouse. After arguing for 3 minutes with my sweetie about who was going to ask for help, I humbly hobbled over to the station and asked to use their stapler.

Yes, I mended my shoe with 4 regular staples and a Band-Aid. Miraculously, it held up until I returned to the hotel. I know my mother is reading this and shaking her head. That very same day I believe, she told me I should start carrying ballet flats or a small pair of comfortable slip-ons for emergencies. Her ignored words of wisdom were the first thing that popped in my head as I uncomfortably slinked to the stadium.

Image Credit: MissTA

My nephew loves jellybeans.

While my Dad and he were spending quality time, this is the conversation they had.

Dad: Want some jellybeans?

My Nephew: Can I have the orange ones?

[gives him the orange jelly beans]

My Nephew: Can I have more?

Dad: There’s no more orange ones.

My Nephew: Can I have a yellow one?

[gives him a yellow jelly bean]

My Nephew: Uh-uh – no more of those. Tastes like you’re cleaning something.

I’ve been to Atlantic City about four times and last month, I took the Megabus from Philadelphia (for $3 each way) to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Boardwalk. It’s been awhile and boy, has the Boardwalk changed. On the beach, the sounds of R&B, reggae, and pop music filled the air. An entire section of sand is devoted to drink huts and other edible goodies. I never saw these options before.

The Boardwalk offers easy access to some of the casinos and at the Bally’s Wild West Casino, you can enjoy a discounted Happy Hour – complete with mechanical bull rides. When we walked in for a couple of drinks, a dance party had erupted on a small dance floor. Highly intoxicated revelers gathered around a man who was dancing the entire Thriller song with full effects. He continued to dance to every song that played. It would have made the best YouTube video ever.

Along the Boardwalk, you can indulge in an authentic Philly cheesesteak and purchase an Atlantic City T-shirt for $3 in the same breath. If you like to shop, head for the Pier at Caesar’s Shopping Complex where you’ll find Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, Burberry and Ann Taylor. They also have this art gallery, where I fell in love with the work of Michael Godard – dubbed “Rock Star of the Art World.” I love his wine collection of art.

One thing I learned (the very, very painfully hard way) – never wear heels on the Boardwalk. The gaps between the walkway are death traps. I lost my shoe about 11 times and almost broke my ankle.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently mentioned the chance to win a free weekend stay at the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes, but I also have a few other details to share about the Grand Prize.

You have a chance to win a weekend stay for yourself and 100 of your friends at a Hampton Hotel. The grand prize also comes with $5,000 to help pay for the tax associated with the weekend. What would you do and who would you invite?

I’ve come up with a list of suggestions just to get your creative juices flowing:

• Throw the best pool party bash ever.
• Celebrate a special occasion – new baby, engagement, or wedding.
• Have a mini family reunion.
• Put up all your school reunion buddies.
• Surprise birthday party.
• Celebrate a milestone – from Sweet 16 to Golden Anniversary.
• Gather all your friends to make a “special announcement.”

If you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance to win one of 100 weekend stays at a Hampton Inn for you and three of your friends – perfect for a girl’s weekend away!

To Enter

If you want a chance to win the Hampton Hotel Chain-of-Friends Grand Prize, all you have to do is fill out an easy form found at Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes. I’ve already filled mine out. Don’t worry – they only ask the basic contact information.  This sweepstakes is open to everyone – not just people who are Hilton Honors members or those that have previously enjoyed a stay at a Hampton Hotel.

What I Would Do…

As I mentioned before, I think the Hampton Inn and Suites Oceanfront at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a really nice place to enjoy a weekend vacation with my sweetie. However, if I won the grand prize, I’d probably invite all of our local family and friends to have a fun-filled, relaxing weekend. Maybe throw an impromptu family reunion/barbecue/pool party.

If you’re looking to save money for an upcoming trip – consider the Megabus. Not only is the bus an inexpensive way to travel, but the Megabus also has free wireless Internet. Syracuse had recently added a route to Philadelphia so they advertised a special for people that booked travel for after July 21, 2010. They promised $1 one-way bus rides, but for some reason, mine cost $2 each – but I’m certainly not complaining.

I ended up paying $12.50 for three bus tickets to and from Philadelphia – TOTAL. This has to be one of my best travel deals ever. How will I ever beat this one?

However, my very first experience with the Megabus wasn’t looking too good. We waited 2 hours for the bus to come, which is not affiliated with the local bus station at all. Therefore, you have no idea when it’s coming because you’re just standing at a pole with the word ‘Megabus’ written on it. To make matters worse, there are signs inside the bus station telling you they have no information about the Megabus.

Anyhow, the bus was delayed in New York City and finally arrived. A printout of our tickets with the confirmation number was all we needed to board the bus. This would be the only time the Megabus was ever late and we would travel on it three more times during our getaway – one of which played a free movie during the ride.

I’ve been checking on the price for a bus ride to Philadelphia without the route introduction deal, and it costs $25 each way from Syracuse – still an inexpensive deal.

Some cities offer varied travel choices for the Megabus, but you can check routes and book travel on their website. For example, you can visit Buffalo, Buffalo airport, Rochester, Toronto, New York City, and Philadelphia from Syracuse.