If you are asking "what is SATC"? then please stop reading now! WARNING--this blog contains spoilers if you have not seen the movie.
I had to review this movie, the show was my FAVORITE- a show about real women; albeit with inflated salaries and free time, who deal with relationship problems in a way I have never seen before or since. The show was not about sex or men bashing, plus I loved the shoes and fashion, and when they would go places in the show (like City Bakery) that I go to and love.
My husband informed me via email one day that they were filming SATC right here on Park Ave. My coworker and I rushed over, but we missed it, and instead found the crew for "Cashmere Mafia".
OK so the whole theme of the movie was forgiveness. While a nice idea for a show, it did not carry well through the movie, based on the girls personalities. What did they consult the Dalai Lama on this one? Miranda had to forgive Steve, Carrie had to forgive Big, Carrie had to forgive Miranda, Smith had to forgive Samantha, and Charlotte had to forgive Big.
I CANNOT believe Steve cheated. Wow. If he can cheat, whose boyfriend or husband can't? Well, mine of course! He was always the good guy, the guy i rooted for through the entire series. The kind of guy you would be thrilled if your daughter brought home. Plus the reason for him cheating- how many couples who work full time and have children don't have dry spells at some point? I really did not like the therapist saying that she can't live her life not trusting him. Sure, she has to forgive him, but I think the "what if he does it again" feeling would not just go away. I am glad they ended up together, because I know he learned his lesson and also that Miranda knows that even though he may be flawed, she would be hard pressed to find another "Steve" in the city.
Carrie and Big. Wow. Most people hated the wedding scene but I thought it was so accurate. When she realized he wasn't coming and let the phone drop to the floor..my heart sank. He did it to her again. Bastard. And when she went outside and beat him with her bouquet...shit who wouldn't have done that in her shoes? Even Charlotte was upset, which is rare to see. However, I think in real life he would have either called someone elses cell phone and asked Carrie to meet him outside, or sent Raul in to go get her. Bad writing.
When Carrie went to Mexico with the girls, she was so depressed, and not just for a day. She wouldn't get out of bed, wouldn't eat, didn't care that she was at one of the most beautiful places in the world with her very best friends. I have never seen a more accurate portrayal of depression. I would have thrown a glass at the waiter when he called me Mrs. Prescott.
It was not a good move for Samantha to leave Smith. Sure she missed her friends in NY and missed some of her independence, but where on earth would she find a 30 yr. old guy who stood with her while she had chemo? I thought it SO distasteful when everyone said she got fat. Besides a teeny tiny bit of flab on her tummy, where was the fat? They could have at least made this believable by putting her in a fat suit. I would kill to look like her. At MY age. That is not real NY women. Real NY women eat when they are depressed but they also gain weight- especially if they are 50!
Jennifer Hudson did a good (not great) job as Carrie's assistant. Loved the fact that Carrie finally had someone else to interact with, and someone of color, which was lacking in the show.
Steve and Big both messed up. But IMHO, if I were Miranda or Carrie I would have expected more. They should have got cards, emails and phone calls every day. Steve should have bought something nice for Miranda, and gave her access to his private email account to prove she could trust him. Ummm Big could have maybe tried the doorbell once or twice? And what is up with the cheesy shoe proposal? Even if carrie did not want a diamond, with all his money he didn't buy her a ring! I would SO be regretting dumping Aiden at this point....
I laughed when Big made fun of Carrie for still going to the library. I practically live in mine. Perfect choice for a wedding locale. Would have been too pricey for me though. Overall I loved the movie, I missed the show SO much.
Women in NY live in the best city in the world. But there are still husbands who cheat, friends that get into fights, vacations, fun, work, children. Its not easy, its not as glamorous as it seems, but we wouldn't trade it for anything.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
My review of SATC-The Movie
Monday, October 20, 2008
Should I be Insulted?
I went to Ricky's during my lunch break to look at Halloween costumes. If you ask me what Ricky's is you better be a man! I doubt I am dressing up, I haven't for awhile but I still love to look at all the costumes in person. I walk in and start looking around. This guy that works there follows me and says "do you know who you look like"? I said ummmm..and he said Betty Boop. He also added "only because you are so little"...wtf? And then he tells me they have the Betty Boop costume in the back of the store. Sure enough, they do and BB has this short little dress with slits. Then I was in another aisle and a woman who worked there asked if I needed any help. I said no, and the same guy says to her "wouldn't she make a good betty boop"? Ugh too bad I am one of the few people who dislike Betty Boop. And now I have a complex thanks to this guy! But I suppose a lot of people like her so I shouldn't take it as an insult? My friends, sister-in-law and my step-daughter all like her. To me, she comes off as a brainless annoyance. Perhaps I think this because I never watched the cartoons?
I have a great picture of my father-in-law with BB, from the BB store in Universal Studios.
Jessica and I went to the pool one day and there is this little girl, maybe 10 yrs. old that she made friends with. She proclaims "I wish I looked like Betty Boop. But only the body, not the face. Betty Boop has a nice body".
Then again, I still like, no LOVE Hello Kitty. She is cute, minimilastic, smart, makes friends easily and fashionable. Plus she is very family oriented. Perhaps a topic for another blog.....
Putting things in Perspective
So this morning I am riding the R train to work as usual. Sitting there, reading Metro. Then right before we got to 59th st., I hear this loud boom. I hear people saying "oh my god", so of course i expect to turn around and find the worst, like a killer or terrorist. There was a lady having a seizure on the floor, someone was with her, I am not sure if she knew her or not-people gave her air, unzipped her jacket and the woman was holding her head up. She seemed to be conscious but really out of it. I don't know if she has epilepsy or diabetes, or what. The woman stayed with her, and people are freaking. Someone yelled "help, someone in this car is sick and needs help". 59th Street is not my stop, but at that moment I didn't think of being late to work, I just wanted to find a conductor or train operator to notify. I walked through the crowd, and finally me and 2 other passengers found a train operator. We explained the situation and he asked us some questions and then said he was waiting for instructions from the train conductor. It is nice to know there are some caring people in this world, when I fainted on the train once, I am not even sure if someone prevented me from hitting my head (lol) but there was this nice Asian woman who was fanning me and asking me if I was OK. I told her I was, and thanked her, and luckily was able to walk to work.
Once I was reassured that help was on its way, I made my way to the 6 train (assuming that train would be stalled for awhile). I used to get so annoyed when my train would be delayed because of a sick passenger. But it is so scary when you are there. This woman needed help badly, she couldn't get up, who cares if I am late for work? Situations like this really put things into perspective. There are good people out there, there are people who are less fortunate than us, and all we care about sometimes is if our hair is flat or we hate our jobs or we need to lose 10 pounds. I was so panicked afterwards that I think I almost cried. I really hope that lady got the help she needed.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Crazy New Yorkers
Crazy New Yorkers
Current mood: 
crazy
******************please watch this page for updates as there are lots of crazies in NYC.****
Oh well...at least it made me laugh.
Oh and on another note, the stairwell of the 28th street R/N station stunk...I had no idea why and I looked over to my left. Someone took a du**. It was either a human or a very large dog.
I plan on taking a different train home today.
There is always this homeless man outside my office building. He has a (broken) walkie talkie that he stops and listens to sometimes. I often wonder what or who he hears. I was walking by him with a starbucks cup and he looked at me and said "hmmm..COFFEE" and started laughing.
Bathroom Madness
Bathroom MadNESS
Current mood: 
amused
The Hollywood Double Standard
Women’s Equality???
In search of the elusive penis in Hollywood.....
OK this is a rant because I am sick and tired of seeing naked women in every godamned movie I rent! I am not a lesbian so I do not like to see naked women!
*There is almost always a topless woman (if not bottomless, as well) in R-rated movies these days. (oh with the lovely exception of x-men where rebecca romijin was naked save for some paint in a pg-13 movie..yeah -no kiddies shes not naked..what..no thats not a nipple-In these movies her costume consisted of blue makeup and some strategically placed prosthetics on her otherwise nude body.)
Ladies, when the hell do we ever see a naked man? And WITHOUT a naked woman?I am talking full frontal? And the rare times we do, it is a far away shot of a penis, or a penis caught in fly-comedic moment..definetely not sexual. And dont give me crap about brokeback mountain, sure we saw ass and the penis shot...ha...yeah was so far away you would need a microscope..you can bet that if it were a movie about 2 lesbian lovers the rating would have gone up to R/UR/NR and showed closeups of 2 sets of breasts and vaginas. And for more than a split second.
And to the people that will say I am a prude, or that the male body is not as beautiful as the female body or who cares? Obviously you are a man, or have gotten so used to the (double) standard in cinema. men..how would you feel if there were penises abound in every movie you watched? I bet you wouldn't think the movie was so great then.
If there were an equal number of naked men in movies, then I wouldn't mind seeing women every now and again. Whats fair is fair.
Thats it..I am done.
Overheard in NY contributions
Nobody's Snugger Than a Bugger in a Rugger
Shady guy rolling an oriental rug on a hand truck: New rug! Good price I give you!
Couple standing outside: Nah, that's okay.
Shady guy: It's brand new! You can make love on it!
--Madison Ave & 28th St
Overheard by: MZ.
via Overheard in New York, Oct 2, 2008
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Drunk hobo on R train: I never met a woman that wasn't a federal agent. You can't trust women. Women are like computers. Never trust a machine that can think.
--R Train
Overheard by: MZ.
via Overheard in New York
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12PM But His Ghost Sought Revenge, So It's All Good.
Rite Aid employee #1: My friend died last year, he was really sick, it was sad.
Rite Aid employee #2: Yeah man, my friend from high school recently passed away too.
Rite Aid employee #3 (in a Dominican accent): Yeah, that happened to my friend too. Actually, he did not die. Someone killed him.
Rite Aid
New York, New York
Overheard by: MZ
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Bathroom Stalls
I personally, have never understood the point of stalls in public bathrooms. I know it would be impossible to make many bathrooms with limited space, but there is no privacy in stalls. You can see between the spaces, and also underneath. Not to mention it is SO annoying when people start making small talk. I was reading an article in the Times about a German tourist. She said she was enjoying NY, but laughed when she saw our bathrooms. She said in Germany, bathrooms have a full door. With all our advancements, we have self-flushing toilets, but we can't have the privacy of a full door? The BEST bathroom I have ever been in was in The Borgata in Atlantic City. There were FULL DOOR stalls. I was so impressed that I took a picture! So even though I otherwise HATE the borgata (more on this in a later post), I LOVE their bathroom. Can't we petition to change this? How much more money would that really be?
Websites I love
http://www.urbanbaby.com
A place for women and mothers to vent/get advice in a craigslist-like anonymous setting
http://www.craigslist.com
What can't you do on craigslist? look for apts., dates, rant and rave, buy and sell
http://www.answers.yahoo.com
Another great advice website
http://www.tripadvisor.com
A great place to post and check out reviews before and after a trip
http://www.citysearch.com
A cool place to find reviews of spas, restaurants, in ny
http://www.menupages.com
A great place to look up what to eat before you go
http://www.overheardinny.com
Funny things overheard by NY-ers
Citysearch review of Ohm Spa, NY, NY
My husband got me an Ohm Spa gift card for my birthday. He included all the gratuities so I didn't have to worry about a thing! I entered, the receptionist was nice and sent me to the changing room. I don't know what other people are talking about, but the room was a nice size, and unlike other spas you change ALONE. Complete privacy! You are given a wrap that buttons and a robe to put over it. Not to mention a locker to lock up all your stuff. I was then sent to the waiting/relaxation area. It is SO gorgeous inside, candles everywhere, beautiful lighting, modern clean furniture. There was tea, fruit water, chocolate, fruit, oreos etc. There was a wide array of magazines.There is this beautiful serene music playing throughout the whole place. Britta greeted me to start on my facial. She removed my makeup, and analyzed my skin under a special light. she had me lie down and adjusted the bed to make me feel comfortable. She told me I have normal skin, a couple of blackheads. She thouroughly cleansed and exfoliated my face, put a mask on, something very soothing on my eyes. She used an instrument to extract the blackheads, and she did so practically effortlessly. There was one that I had for years and couldn't get rid of and she did it in a few seconds! She also steamed my face with soothing scented elixers.She then massaged my face neck and decollatage.it was amazing, so relaxing. When it was over I was sad! I never knew facials could feel so GOOD. Britta was so nice to me and did a fantastic job, she never once tried to push her products on me, and did not lie to me in any way.My face was glowing! Next I went for my mani/pedi. There was a very nice asian woman that did it. The nail salon is gorgeous, there is a massaging chair and at least FOUR flat screen tvs playing movies. I saw "what happens in vegas". She did an awesome job on my hands and feet.The owner also came aorund and asked me how everything was and offered me something to drink. Checkout was effortless.
Pros: Ambiance, Lighting, Skilled therapists, friendly staff, privacy, amenities
TripAdvisor Review of Buddakan Restaurant, Caesars, Atalntic City, NJ
Buddakan
My husband and I went to Buddakan for a romantic dinner one evening. We were very impressed with the decor initially. We got our menu, and everything looked promising. We were debating whether or not to order appetizers, and my husband asked the waitress how big the portions were. So she said (in her valley girl voice): The portions are BIG, they are definitley for sharing. My husband got his duck, and there were 4 tiny medallions. Thats ALL. My daughter could have eaten this whole plate! What a joke! The food was very good, not excellent, the drinks were good with very chic names. If your stomach is grumbling though, go elsewhere.
TripAdvisor review of MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino
I went to Vegas with 6 of my girfriends. We booked our flight and stay at the MGM Grand on Vegas.com. When we arrived at the hotel, we were amazed at the immensity of the lobby. This is one of the largest hotels on the strip, so we got lost trying to find our room. After 5 days, there were still spots one could get lost. We had a wonderful view, though no balcony, everything was clean, amenties weren't all that.
The casino is GRAND indeed. There is no real upscale shopping here as there are in Caesars or the Venetian. There are many places to eat. I recommend Diego's Mexican Restaurant. Cheap food and great salsa music.
We ate at the buffet for lunch one day, and while it is pricey...it is the BEST buffett i have had to DATE! Everything was HOT and fresh, unlike the meager quality found at most hotels buffets.
We went to studio 54. If you go, be sure to get there very early because you will be waiting on line for awhile. The club was nice and the VIP area had photos and memoribilia from the original Studio 54 in Manhattan. However, if you are a group of girls....I live in NY, and thought the men were "gropy" here....we have never been grabbed so much in our lives! And the funny thing is, the clubs are so crowded, you turn around and cant even tell who grabbed you! Stick together!!!
OK...the MGM doesn't call their pool area a "complex" for nothing. There were many pools, a lazy river, and hot tubs, caves, water slides and awesome frozen drinks. The place is miles long, and we lost our friends there more than once. However, the gym is right next to the pool, and they charge you 20 bucks a DAY to use it!
There are other great bars and restaurants here, lounges, a lions den, and of course many shows and performances.
Seriously though, this was a great hotel we got it for a great deal, the pool was the BEST I have been to, and you are right on the strip. Plus lets face it, when you go to vegas you are not gonna be spending much time in your room!
This hotel is basically at one end of the strip, but it also connects to the Excalibur and NY NY. Mandalay Bay and the Luxor are also nearby.
Walk the strip...see ALL of the hotels, its a MUST! The mini Eiffel Tower at Paris Hotel, take a real gondola ride in the Venetian, see the living statues show at Caesars, see the water show at the bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage, the animals at the Flamingo, the Pirate show at Treasure Island, the gorgeous Egyptian statues and oddly shaped building at the Luxor, a mini empire state building and statue of liberty at NY NY, the fashion show mall near Caesars Palace. Margaritaville had great drinks, though we werent thrilled with the food. There are taxis everywhere, just tell them the name of the place you need to go to and they automatically know. There is also a monorail that goes to various places along the strip, though it was not in service while were were there. Look out for people asking "where are you from"? These are scammers trying to sell you timeshares.
Also be sure to look up SUV or helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon. We did the SUV tour, and sure it is a BORING 4 hour ride, but it is one of the most spectacular sites in the world!
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — Large Hotel, Great Pool Complex and Buffet
- Disliked — No upscale shopping
TripAdvisor rreview of Courtyard by Marriott, Isla Verde, Puerto Rico
Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort
My husband and I stayed here in June, 2006 for about 4 nights. The hotel is rather small, and the rooms are modest, though the balcony and view was amazing.
Staying here basically puts you far away from everything. There are places to eat, other hotels, and supermarkets nearby in wlaking distance, but thats about all.
The pool and hot tub at the resort were amazing, and as the name implies, also connects to Isla Verde beach. The pool was open all night so that was a definite plus. They also had the most comfortable hammocks there. We walked all of Isla Verde beach, passing all the other resorts along the way. There is a casino, though it is rather small, but they did give us some coupons, as well as one for a free drink ticket.
There is a lovely fountain in front of the hotel, and a nice restaurant that has a buffett everyday. The bar there was really nice, but very crowded...it took forever just to order a drink, but they play great salsa music, and you can dance or just watch everyone else.
We definetly regret not renting a car here, as the bus schedule was irratic and a cab charged us 20 dollars each way to go to Old San Juan. El Morro, the old fort was one of the highlights of our vacation. It is simply stunning! Old San Juan is also Filled with Authentic Puerto Rican restaurants, other restaurants, and upscale shopping. I wish we would have stayed here and not in Carolina.
We also took tours to El yunque rainforest, but the tour guide took us on easy trails and only saw vegetation and coco falls. We also took one to Camuy caverns and Areceibo Observatory. They were both great, except that with Arecibo we were stuck in a museum for about an hour.
While here, please try the mofongo....delicioso!
There is no tax in PR! yes, even on cigarettes.
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — The pool and Beach
- Disliked — the Location
TripAdvisor review of Royal Sonesta Hotel, New Orleans, LA
My husband and I stayed here a month before hurricane Katrina. When we arrived at the hotel, there was a nice lobby with a beautiful chandelier.
They gave us a free room upgrade, so we were going all over the place trying to find it. But then we realized the entry was thorugh the garden! It was so nice, having your own personal garden right outside your room. This room is on my top list of rooms I have stayed in. When you entered, you were in the living room which had a big tv, safe, table, couches and fridge. And there was a set of winding stairs int he middle that you take up to the bedroom and bathroom. Wow, the bed was nice, but the bathroom was huge and had great mirrors! There was totally room for me and my hubby to both be in there and it not to feel overcrowded. Nice robes too.
There was a pricey restaurant in the lobby, which we never tried. The pool area was really nice, the pool was not that big but it was clean and big enough. Also tables with chairs and a snack bar.
The room was quiet, even though we were right on Bourbon St., other reviewers have complained about the noise level, but I guess that is if your room is in the front of the hotel.
Overall, I loved this hotel for the large, 2-floor room, and the great location.
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Right downstairs is a myriad of wonderful restaurants, shops, clubs, bars, great music of ALL sorts.
However, I do not recommend this place for children AT ALL. We did not even go during Mardi Gras, but there were still young drunk women and girls stripping on all of the balconies. THere are also strip clubs and the original hustler store.
If you go up Bourbon really far, there is a gay friendly area.
Pat O'Briens has great food.
There are trolleys you can take along Decatuer and some other streets.
We did some ghost tours, they are fun, but not amazingly so.
What we loved was the swamp tour we did, where we were riding on a barge seeing alligators up close and personal.
We also rode the Queen Creole, which takes you to the area of the battle of new orleans.
Riverwalk is a great place, lots of shopping, the view of the Mississippi is unbeatable, there is also an aquarium and a Harrah's casino.
Check out the garden district, it is beautiful.
You must try a hand grenade and hurricane (drinks)-they have em pretty much everywhere along Bourbon.
Architecture is beautiful here-everywhere
Must have a po'boy sandwich, gumbo, jambalaya and beignets, not to mention clams.
I would recommend coming here when it is NOT spring break and also NOT the summer months and NOT mardi gras.
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — Large room, garden, next to everything
- Disliked — nothing
TripAdvisor review of Our Wedding at Paradise Stream, PA
Caesars Paradise Stream Resort
First some backround info: My husband (then-fiance) and I went to the Poconos to check out Paradise stream, as well as Brookdale and Cove Haven as a possible location for our wedding ceremony. We did not go to see Pocono Palace.Paradise Stream was our 1st stop. A security person took us around via company van to see all the different room types! They were so nice and let us walk into different rooms! Right away, we liked the Lakeside Villa rooms. They are the ones that look like mini houses from the outside. (FYI-Paradise Stream has the most renovated rooms of all of the Caesars resorts). We then met with Francis Cruz, the honeymoon/wedding concierge. He told us how much everything would be, and showed us the locations on site you could get married. The dining hall, nightclub or outdoor gazebo.
Then we went to Brookdale, and the woman at the front desk said the person who might help us with wedding information was in a “managers meeting “ and she would not dare disturb him!? Gee I think a simple phone call such as FYI there is a young couple here seeking wedding information would have been enough. Finally we were shown their nightclub and library, but were not impressed, overall the resort was not as nice looking, plus it is a family resort which means it is louder and not as well maintained. We did not bother asking to see the rooms.
Our last stop was Cove Haven, which-even from Brookdale, is a far drive. We made it, and noticed deer outside the resort-they were not even scared. The lobby of Cove Haven was very beautiful, but Liz, the woman who showed us their nightclub was rushed and it was just too large and very “old”, not to mention the wedding “arch” they had was so cheesy and cheap looking. Someone did take us around to the rooms here too, I think they have the biggest room type selection and some even had 2 floors.
In the end, we decided to book our wedding with Paradise Stream. It is definetly the most modern of all the resorts we saw, the lobby aka living room is polished and classy, and we liked the lakeside villa rooms best, which are only available here. We chose the Dining Hall as the location, since there is a private door from the lobby and it had a nice stone wall and fireplace. Francis took care of all my needs and concerns! I called him many times before the wedding and he was always nice and understanding. I told him I did not want a gaudy arch, and he worked with me to just have a white swag overlaying the fireplace. He told me I could bring my own runner, and even though children are not “allowed” at paradise stream, he let my step daughter be there for the ceremony. AND he even gave us a list of local florists, hair and nail salons, and other important phone numbers including the courthouse.
OK…so we checked in the day before the wedding. I was so nervous-but Francis made us both feel at home. My husband had to go the morning of to the courthouse to get our license-Francis even offered to pick it up for us if it would make things easier on us! He gave us our honeymoon package, which consisted of free champagne, a backpack, a waterproof camera, his and hers t-shirts, a firelog for the fireplace, a bottle of bubble bath, pins, free horseback riding tickets and a pen. When we checked in at the lobby they gave us a stuffed bear with the resort name and 2008...something I will treasure forever as a memory of my 2008 wedding at Caesars Paradise Stream!
Our Lakeside Villa room was perfect..we were in room 214. You are right on the lake and have your own private viewing area outdoors. The living room had a fireplace, large flat screen with dvd, the bed was huge and comfy -and another tv in the bedroom, there was a 2 person shower, a bose radio, and of course the beautiful red heart shaped tub. We unpacked, met with Francis, and then went to dinner.
Dinner (included with room price) was great. We were seated with 3 other couples, although if you like you may request private dining. There are great appetizer, entrée and dessert courses to choose from, as well as some free champagne. Our meal was excellent, there was music entertainment, and it was fun chatting with other people. * you may order drinks if you like, but I do not recommend it. “Athena” will come over to your table dressed the part and if your husband is an ogler he will definetly be ogling. Speedy, the photographer, also runs around taking pictures for those who want it.
There are a lot of activities to choose from while there, horseback riding, couples games, there is a pool on the resort, skiing, and free music or comedy entertainment in the nightclub. Plus Speedy sometimes takes pictures in the lobby.
The day of the wedding! Hubby and I got free breakfast in bed (this is included here too!) And since it was Tuesday-you get champagne breakfast! The breakfast was great, you submit your choices the night before and what time you would like it-save for the fact the juice they give you is the airplane/hospital type. Francis got my bouquet and personally delivered them to the room. He arranged for my sister in-laws, step daughter and I to be driven to the Dining hall for the wedding.
We arrive there, and the fireplace is on, and decorated with the white swag as promised. The minister is there, tables are set up with our cake and champagne. Francis organizes us to walk down the aisle. It was everything I imagined, simple and classy.
Speedy, their in house photographer, took our photos for free. You get 8 free prints, and choose the ones you want the next morning in the gift shop. You pay for any extras you may want. However, speedy is not so speedy, he moves very slow and was not “snapping away”. He also did not airbrush any photos, or enhance them, so I def. recommend paying for your own photographer as well-I wish we would have.
After the ceremony was over, we all sat down to have cake and champagne, he toasted us, and then arranged for a free carriage ride. So we left the lobby into our very own chariot, which took us around the resort and back. I felt like a princess!
The next morning, we had our free breakfast again, and went to the gift shop to choose our pictures. We really enjoyed the heart shaped tub and bubble bath, and the fireplace. I would LOVE to be a forever lover. If you are thinking about staying here but aren’t sure because it is pricey---really you get so much more than a room here. Free breakfast-in bed! Free dinner, free shows, games, all without stepping foot outside the resort. Plus the gift shop sells almost anything you may have forgotten.
Francis Cruz…just about the best wedding/honeymoon concierge in the world! Thank you again Francis, for making our day so special and paying attention to every little detail. Our family loved you, you made everyone feel at home with your warm smiles. We could not have done it without you! You truly went above and beyond our expectations. We checked out places that were 3 times as much and they did not show the level of service that you did. If an executive is reading this…he deserves a raise!!!
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — Huge Gorgeous room with heart shaped tub and fireplace, and breakfast in bed. And Francis Cruz, our wedding and honeymoon concierge
- Disliked — Nothing!
TripAdvisor Review of Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, Kailua-Kona, Big Island
We stayed at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and spa in Kailua-Kona for 4 nights during our honeymoon. It is VERY difficult to find while in a rental car, we were lost for about an hour. Not to mention about one in every 3 street names start with a K. All the hotels in this vicinity are pretty much hidden. We finally got there and parked (9 bucks a day-self parking-for guests!!!-BUT this is a pretty common practice in Hawaii)
The resort is very big, it is literally on a bay-no not on a beach-and there is a very nice open air lobby/reception desk on the 2nd floor with lounge chairs. When we checked in, our room was a nice size, though the décor was nothing to write home about. The beds were soft as promised, and the bath products were from Bliss, though not the light blue bottles we are all familiar with, these were called shine-I suspect a cheaper label of Bliss. The Lanai was very nice and spacious, we had a mountain view room, the views were absolutely amazing. We ate breakfast out there many mornings. The bathroom was mediocre, but the vanity area was nice.
When we arrived, we were given a certificate for a complementary bottle of champagne to celebrate our honeymoon, and we were able to get it on the night of our choosing. They delivered it in a very nice bucket with a card, and it was also a nice big bottle!
The front desk/concierge were very helpful in giving us driving directions and advice on activities.
The pool was huge and very nice, there was also a waterfall in one part of the pool, a hot tub (that was almost always being used) and a large loopy waterslide that children and adults alike both enjoyed. Also a beautiful garden on the grounds. The restaurants in the hotel were lacking, only one expensive restaurant and another informal dining spot. Ali’I drive, where all the shops and restaurants are, is a pretty long drive from the hotel…well, basically everything is! There was a decent though pricey coffee spot, but they have excellent 100% kona coffee.
There is a “manta ray experience” that the hotel advertises. It is a free manta ray viewing for anyone-just go out onto the deck of the bay and watch at a certain time everyday. What a crock of BS…everyone gathers outside to watch…the area where you are supposed to try and see a manta ray is about 100 yards away, and the waves break against the rocks and splashed a lot of onlookers.
Most of the rooms have outdoor entry, it is a little confusing with all the different wings, and the hotel is circular. This is not a place to go if you want to *totally* get away from children, as they are very accommodating to families, even have a “keiki” play area with games.
We went to the luau there, called Kamaha`o, guests do not receive any special discount, we pre-ordered ours online. Please note the luau is only on certain nights of the week. We arrived with our e-tickets and the check in process was a little off, they wanted to send us back upstairs to check in there, but then the woman ran it up for us. After we were “checked in” we were greeted with shell leis, they are the same for men and women, the people who paid for table service had the nicer kukui nut beads. Since we did not pay for table service, we just got up with our plates as you would in any buffet and grabbed food. The main entrée was kalua pig-which was roasted in an imu (underground oven). There was also chicken long rice (not bad), taro rolls (delicious), lau lau (pork wrapped in spinach wrapped in ti leaves-not for me!), teriyaki beef(mediocre), white rice (same as anywhere else), a couple of different fish dishes and poi (taro root ground up-this is not meant to be eaten as pudding how it looks, but as an accompaniment to the salty pig and beef, I thought it wasn’t bad, though many disagree and say it tastes like paste). The highlight of the food portion was the free mai tais-unlimited-and they were very good! There was also coffee and dessert. Not great, but not bad either.
Then there was the show portion, which was very entertaining. The whole thing takes place on the lawn, you are seated in tables with other guests (though my husband and I got lucky since we said we did not mind sitting in the back, and got a table to ourselves). There were ancient Hawaiian “stories” of the volcano goddess Pele, told through hula dancing, fire torches, flame throwing and singing. After the show the performers will stop to take pictures with everyone.
However, one thing no one (surprisingly) mentioned is that if you go to the open air lobby and hang out in the lounge chairs, you can basically watch and hear the whole show for free! I would have rather done that and ate somewhere else..I could have bought my own shell beads in ABC for 4 bucks.
There are a few shops in the resort, though nothing major. There is a mini mall nearby.
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Volcanoes national park- (Kiluea volcano) is about 96 miles away going towards Hilo. Head out early, you may not think so but you can spend all day there..and driving back at night with no street lights is not fun.
While there make sure you to to Devastation Forest.
Volcano house restaurant snack bar is way overrated, very pricey and not much selection, only good thing is the view of the caldera, but it is hard to get a window seat anyhow.
Rangers will take you on free guided tours, check the visitor center for times
Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is very beautiful
Akaka falls is near the Botanical garden, one of the tallest waterfalls-the best one I have seen in Big Island, Maui and Oahu combined
Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park is a very short drive, has awesome hiking trails through black lava rock, warrior tikis, trees, a stone fort, a very nice history of ancient Hawaii, only charge is a nominal fee per car.
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach (on the way to volcano) is just breath-taking. Black Sand! Honus basking in the sun!
Punalu'u Bake shop (the southermost bakery in the US) is a must stop before the beach and volcano, they make great Malasadas there..don't ask..just try 'em!
The drive to Ali'i drive is def. worth it...many restaurants to choose from, many on the water-great if you miss the "city" feeling.
DO NOT eat in Kona Inn restaurant. There was a huge flying roach and the one waitress just said "oh-what happened?- oh that..and walked away..she did not even try to kill it! We complained to someone else who said Hawaii has a lot of roaches, thats fine but I am in a restaurant. Not to mention there were cats coming up to us also.
You have to try 100% Kona coffee!-no after taste!
Mcdonalds has the old school apple pies that havent been available since the 80's..you know the ones in the red pouch that are fried and bubbly...2 for $1..can't beat it. Oh and they also serve spam for breakfast.
Gas is cheapest at Costco
Hapuna beach is a very beautiful beach--voted best beach by Conde Nast Traveler
Do not rent your car from Thrifty..we had to exchange our car TWICE ...they are filled with roaches.
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — The pool was spacious, right on the bay, water slide, food/drinks available, accomodating staff, large resort
- Disliked — The so called "manta ray experience"--you do not see anything, hot tub uaully taken, a far drive from pretty much anything
TripAdvisor Review of Ho'oilo House, Lahaina, Maui
Ho'oilo House
Ho'oilo house is a lovely b&b located in the West Maui mountains. You drive up through a private road, and you are in a RESIDENTIAL community-funny, no one ever mentioned this before in any of the reviews.
We got lost while driving, so called Amy and Dan, but got Hal -Amy's uncle instead. Amy and Dan were quite busy as they just had a baby -however Dan was around but certainly did not go out of his way to introduce himself. Hal was very gracious as a host.
When my husband and I arrived we were amazed at the front of the house, the spacious open air living room, decorations and VIEW. This is THE best view I have ever seen.
We stayed five nights in the Kipuka room. The room was amazing, a gorgeous bed, tub and outdoor shower. The bathroom (toilet) had a sliding door, which was a cool idea, except the door did not close all the way! There is an adjuster in your room where you can listen to some hawaiian music if you would like. Hal gave us 2 souvenier Ho'oilo House water bottles that you are encouraged to fill up with water from the cooler. And a key..when was the last time you stayed anywhere where you needed a key? The door to our room was amazing, though-difficult to open and close at times.
We had a spacious lanai, but there really were no views from it. The chairs on the lanai were covered with bird droppings, and the floor was not cleaned the entire time we were there. Same went for the floor of the room-it was not cleaned ONCE.
The breakfast was very nice, though I cannot believe they only served coffee until 10am. Breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, even bananas from their own tree, coffee, tea, orange and guava juice, hard boiled eggs, cereal, oatmeal and a different variety of home made muffins that were all delicious. But it does not seem as if they put out enough breakfast for everyone.
The pool was great, and since there are only about 4? other couples max here, we often times had the whole pool to ourselves, there were nice large beach towels in our room for us to use as well.
The living room was stocked with books about Maui and the other Hawaiian islands, and really came in handy. There is also a computer with internet access which makes changing plans easy, and we even got to borrow a driving cd for our "road to Hana" drive. They even have a vhs (yes no dvds!) list of movies you can borrow to watch in your room. They also have a fridge outside your room with sodas in it. However, they did not refill the sodas on a regular basis. Hal, however was so nice that he packed us a "take along" breakfast one morning since we were leaving before breakfast was served.
One major turn off about this place was the BUGS. I mean sure, the living room and lanai are out in the open, but I am from New York! C'mon now- there were geckos iin the shower with me, and each night when we returned to our room from our activities, we would find ugly black bugs, spiders and my husband even found a flea on the bed. *there were not bed bugs, but the bugs from the floor would get into the bed-gross! We did see exterminators on property, but perhaps they need to cover up some holes so they cant come in.
Not to mention that after 10pm is "quiet time" ..which is fine except for the fact that when you drive back, it is pitch black where the parking is, and the lights are off in the living room.
Dan mentioned there was security there, though I did not see any.
There were also some things in the room that needed upgrades/replacements, the curtain holders were broken, and the lanai chairs look old and dirty.
Also they say "no kids" but when you come out for breakfast in the morning someones kid is there!
The location of Ho'oilo house is perfect, just about a 5 minute drive from Lahaina and Ka'anapali resorts and beach. Lahaina has all the shopping and restaurants, not to mention the historic sites. Also, even though it is a bit creepy coming back there at night, I looked up into the sky and have never seen so many stars clustered together in my life...it was amazing.
Another thing I found disturbing is my husband and I were in the pool one day, and a couple came to check in yet Amy Dan or Hal were no where to be found! Shouldn't someone be available all day?
I just think for the price Ho'oilo house charges, I expected everything to be top of the line. Things were broken and dirty, there should at least be a flat screen tv, there were bugs everywhere and when we mentioned we were there for our honeymoon they did not even bat an eyelash. Every other place we stayed in Hawaii gave us at least a bottle of champagne.
Overall, a great place to stay if you dont mind bugs and not having the amenities of a large hotel. I would stay again, though not for the length of my trip.
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Some tourist advice:
Drive or walk along front street, there is shopping food and even places you are used to like bubba gump, hard rock, etc.
Burger in Paradise, great burgers, good prices
Lahaina grill..not so great
Pacific Whale Foundations whale watching tours are good
Road to Hana is a crazy drive, but a little disappointing if you have ever been to Big Island (lots of the same stuff)
Reef Dancer underwater sub tour is horrible and should be avoided
ABC stores best place to get souveniers
Maui Tacos a great place for burritos and tacos, lots of choices of salsa too.
Iao needle and valley is beautiful, not too far away.
Sugar cane train is a big rip off, the steam engine train itself is cool, but it literally takes you no where-nothing to do with sugar canes!
Go to Haleakala Crater if you have not been to Kiluea volcano in the Big Island.
Wo Hing museum is a rip off too-the whole thing is about the size of a bathroom.
Whalers village has a free little museum with an actual whale skeleton outside, not to mention upscale shopping.
Did not go to-but the luau at the Hilton looks nice.
You have to see the Banyan tree-it is the largest in the US.
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — The proximity of Lahaina and beaches, gorgeous pool and room, good breakfast, helpful resources
- Disliked — The bugs, no flat screen, floors not cleaned, lanai chairs and floor dirty
TripAdvisor review of ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel Honolulu, Hawaii
My husband and I booked our stay at the ResortQuest Waikiki Beach hotel through Costco online. We had an Ocean View room, we received a fresh flower lei greeting at Honolulu airport (they smelled so good, and many people commented on them!) and free shuttle service to the hotel and back from Roberts Hawaii. We also received an "Aloha" booklet, with discounts for shows, restaurants and attractions.
And the hotel has free breakfast for all guests!!...more on that later.
We arrived and took an escalator to the 2nd floor lobby. The lobby is right across from the pool. The pool is OK, nothing great but you have beautiful Waikiki Beach across the street-literally. The hotel lets you take their beach towels to the beach!
We checked into our room, the bell hop was nice and brought our bags up for us. Later he brought up a bottle of champagne since we were on our honeymoon. That was really a great surprise. There was an lcd TV, bathroom was regular, and the bed was very big and nicely made with a red and white Hawaiian print quilt and duvet. The lanai was rather small, yet still had a table and chair, and what an AWESOME view. From our lanai we could see the entire ocean (we watched a sunset from there a few times...it is stunning watching the sun go down over the waters of the beach) and all of Waikiki including Diamond Head and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
Location. location location...wow...right downstairs from the hotel is a Wolfgang puck express, Coldstone Creamery, subway, Starbucks, and Honolulu cookie company. There are ABC stores literally on EVERY corner- you will find upscale shopping as you walk along the streets such as LV, Coach, Tiffany, as well as other hotels and the International Marketplace, which is a great shopping center.
There is internet access through computers in the lobby, we did not utilize this amenity but wanted to mention it is fairly expensive. There is also an Expedia travel center right in the lobby, perfect if you want to book tours or find out about activities.
There are often free shows at Waikiki Beach, we saw some great hula dancers, and right across is Kapi’olani Park, which is really nice too. The Honolulu zoo and the aquarium are both in walking distance from the hotel.
OK. So Resortquest calls their breakfast Breakfast on the Beach AKA BOB, because they give you a zippered logo insulated bag-that you get to keep, you go downstairs by the pool and there are cereals, egg sandwiches, Japanese breakfast items, mini bagels, donuts, French toast sticks, tropical yogurts, muffins, juice and coffee waiting for you. You just fill your bags up and go back to your room or take it to go. I have to say this was one of the nicest free breakfasts I have ever encountered. We went on a tour once and took our bags with us for the bus ride.
One of the only things I can say I disliked about the hotel was the fact that every time we went to our room, there was a horrible sewage smell in the hallway. Sometimes we could even smell it in our room. We notified the front desk about 4 times, they said they would tell housekeeping, they said they would tell maintenance, and in the end they said you can sometimes smell the garbage trucks…umm on the 18th floor?? The elevators were also difficult for a lot of people, as you have to insert your key card to press a floor, and many people did not get it “right” the first time therefore even when they hit their desired floor, were plummeted back down to the lobby. This was also a problem with the room sometimes, but to me, not that big of a deal. The pool was usually very cold, so there was never anyone in there!
I do not think it is worth renting a car on Oahu, since they have a bus line named “TheBus” –Genius! It is $2, but has free transfers and goes almost anywhere! The concierge can give you a bus list and the bus stop is right down the block across the street.
Overall, I think this was a great value hotel, great free breakfast, flat screen tv, pool, close to everything including transportation. My husband and I really enjoyed our time there, and would stay there again if we went back to Oahu.
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Some advice:
Iolani Palace is the only palace left in the US. You can take a bus there, it is about $16 for an audio tour, and is simply beautiful. You do not need to pre-order. They also make you wear “palace slippers” which are worn over your street shoes.
Near the palace is the infamous black and gold King Kamehameha I statue.
Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona are also a must see, you can take busses here too. Long lines, you are not permitted to bring a purse or bag, only a camera pouch.
Honolulu Zoo was a fast walk, elephants, tigers (one once escaped from this zoo), orangutans, the biggest tortoises you have ever seen, pink flamingos, nene (the state bird), and the craziest chimpanzees I have ever seen-very entertaining.
There are also trolleys, which you may think are only for the Japanese tourists, but they are for everyone. Take the pink line from the hotel to Ala Moana Shopping Center-same price as the bus, but better views as you are sitting with no windows-sideways, not frontways like a bus- along the main streets. This is a huge upscale shopping mall, with a fantastic food court.
Hilo Hattie’s also offers a free shuttle from all hotels to their superstore. We went to Hilo Hattie’s but liked ABC better, however, you can take the free shuttle and have lunch in Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch and Crab. Great Beer sampler and wonderful seafood.
Del Sol is a great store for presents, everything they sell is clear or white and changes into vibrant color when in the sun. I bought clear hair clips there that I adore, they change to yellow, pink and purple.
If for nothing else, go to the aquarium to see the shark tank.
Chinatown is not worth the bus ride. Its dirty and not exciting, and how about this?? You are hard pressed to find Chinese food! Mostly you find Vietnamese restaurants. Maybe that’s because I live in NY and have a great large, bustling Chinatown. Yes, with authentic Chinese food!
The Bishop Museum was a great place, our only regret was that we did not spend more time there. There is a planetarium, and a lot of cool exhibits about the planet and Hawaii’s history.
We did a “Circle Island Tour”…nice, but not worth the price. We saw Pali lookout, the “from here to eternity” beach, Sunset Beach and Banzai Pipeline, Chinaman’s hat and a lot of other nice lookouts and landmarks such as the driveway of Magnum PI.
Top of Waikiki is a revolving restaurant, great fondue and drinks.
Do not go to the Coldstone Creamery right next to the hotel-a giant flying roach landed on my husband, I freaked out and almost knocked over the guy in front of me, and the employees just said oh what was that a roach? Oh. And they continued working as the roach started WALKING up the garbage can. Unbelievable.
Be sure to try Shave ice, sold almost anywhere, and loco moco, a dish with white rice, a hamburger patty, an egg on top and gravy over the whole thing. Does not sound appetizing, but it was really good. (and easy to recreate at home )
If you can, try to check out “Art in Motion” a free show of a spray paint artist who will amaze you as he sprays swirls with house music, using old things from a kitchen such as forks spatulas and an old fridge door to create masterpieces.
Diamond Head is touted as the one of the easiest hikes compared to the other islands. It was actually pretty strenuous, but what a view and sense of accomplishment you feel after hiking, walking through tubes, crawling and going up about 200 steep stairs. You can take a tour, but its not necessary.
If you are going to the other islands, which I recommend, take Hawaiian airlines. They are cheap and most flights are about 30 minutes.
And to Robert, our Filipino driver from Roberts Hawaii…Mahalo! Thank you for being informative, funny, caring- and after dropping us off at the airport, coming back to bring me a sweater I left behind the first time. You were a great beginning and end to our time on Oahu.
Do not fall for any stores which offer you a “game” to unlock something or choose a piece of paper. These are scams asking you to open an oyster, which will have a pearl inside but you will be required to buy jewelry to set it in.
You must try 100% Kona Coffee. No after taste.
There is a Dole Plantation that has a maze, train and the best pineapple ice cream I have ever tasted-all for a fee. Also a macadamia nut factory…you will never taste nuts like this again I promise you. Take some home, they are even better than Mauna Loa. They have samples of all flavors, cinnamon was my favorite. Please note these places are a bit far away.
Aloha
- This TripAdvisor Member:
- Liked — BOB (breakfast on beach), amazing views, proximity to everything including transportation
- Disliked — sewage smell in hallway
The Presidential Election
I think Hillary was the best candidate to fill the role of new president. So many women were brainwashed, by men, and said "well I would vote for a woman but I won't vote for her simply because shes a woman". Somehow, all these young college women everywhere were supporting Obama. He must have given out t-shirts at the campuses. So Hillary got wrongly labeled as the candidate that only old white ladies supported. She foughthealth care (she lost this battle, but she admitted this). People slam Bill also, but he enacted the Family Medical Leave Act, which allows women who gave birth 3 months off. Bush Sr. vetoed this twice.
Hillary went through so much with the Bill/Monica scandal, and she stayed strong. She also has experience and knows the White House inside out. Plus she is real! I LOVED the video her and Bill did spoofing The Sopranos last episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shKJk3Rph0E
Plus I think the best revenge for Bill cheating would be to make him the first "First Man". How great would that be?
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So now given my choices, I am voting for Obama. I like his stance on health care, he wants to ensure that all children are covered and also workers of small businesses. McCain wants to give families a 5,000 tax credit. That's nice if you aren't sick, but if you are, and/or need a myriad of tests done, 5,000 will be nothing to you.
Both candidates oppose gay marriage, which I find appalling, but at least Obama thinks they should have the same rights as same-sex couples.
McCain supports a partial-abortion ban, Obama is in favor of abortions, Obama would get our troops out in a timely manner, McCain would probably have us there until the end of time.
Plus, Cindy just does not look like first lady material. Michelle does.
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OK..the VPs. I think it was a dumb move on Obama's part to pick Joe Biden, someone who said Obama was not fit for the job. But he is OK...I didn't much care for the waterworks at the VP debate, though.
Now Sarah Palin...my god..what is wrong with her? All her wink winks and her stupid sayings like " say it ain't so Joe", and "soccer moms". Please. Between her winking and McCain and his pointing, it makes me want to puke. Here is a woman who is against abortion, and for promoting abstinence. Certainly didn't work in her house did it? And I can't believe how she parades little Bristol as if there is nothing wrong. You know they paid off that hs schmuck to get engaged to her. If this were Obama's daughter or Hillary's, people would be all over it. And she claims foreign policy experience because she can "see" Russia from Alaska?? Hmm....I can take my daughters telescope and look at the moon, I guess I should work for NASA.And she is a "special needs" mom. Sure, and how much time is she actually spending with that little baby who needs his mother even more than most babies do? Plus where did she get those names from? Bristol, Track, Trig...She Fucked up her interview with Katie Couric, she has NO experience and she is a cut-throat. What a team, McCain and Palin, the Maverick and the Barracuda. Yikes.
I loved a nickname I saw for her on a message board: The Alaska Disasta.
I absolutely LOVE Tina Fey's version of Sarah Palin. Ummm...I'd like to use a life line....
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The debates were funny as usual, I loved how when Obama was speaking McCain was scribbling on his notepad non-stop. Or when he went right behind him when he was speaking..hilarious. And how many times did he refer to Obama as "that guy"? Or to us as "my friends...."? I loved when Tom Brokaw told them the lights were there for a reason, to limit time for answers, and McCain asked Brokaw if he could "just wave". LOL!
