ss_blog_claim=d5d99c4c70a3271d91dc685b5632f19e
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

Saturday, July 28, 2012

To Maryland

1:34 AM 0 Comments ,


My sister-in-law and her husband are here in the U.S. for a three month vacation.  They have been for three weeks now. Every weekend, we have plans for them like going shopping at outlets, see various tourist spots around New Jersey and New York or do cookouts and barbecues with relatives in our backyard.  Last week, it was my husband’s brother who also lives here who brought the visitors to North Carolina for a week vacation. They just got home two days ago. Tomorrow or should I say this weekend is our turn to bring them to Maryland and see some of their friends. It has been confirmed just now by people from Maryland that they are expecting us tomorrow.

Because of our trip, we have to make adjustments with regards to our other plans for the weekend. First, the van (which we are using tomorrow) will go for oil change today instead of Sunday then I have to shop for the best baby blankets for my cousin who is expecting. She lives in South Jersey so we can stop at her house tomorrow to give my present. This will be a big surprise for her. This trip is unplanned so my cousin thinks I am sending her present through the mail. I hope she likes it. Before I made my decision on what baby blankets i should buy for her, I even check out these other uses!

I hope all my errands are done by 7:30 p.m. Why, because I want to watch the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics live on TV tonight. If time is running out, we will just have a take home dinner at eat while watching the Olympics.
Posted by alf

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Our First Dinner in Orlando @ Bubba Shrimp

6:54 PM 1 Comments ,


Bubba Gump Shrimp co is a seafood restaurant that is located right at the entrance of City walk Orlando with branches all over U.S.. If you have seen the movie Forrest Gump, you know well this restaurant. Bubba is one of the characters in the movie and Gump is of course Forest Gump.


This is the whole gang. Taken inside the restaurant.


Posted by alf

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Meet You In Chicago?

11:38 PM 0 Comments

This is an overdue travel plan. My husband has a friend In Chicago whom he has not seen for decades now. He was surprised when one day he just got a call from him, not from Philippines but from Chicago. He is here visiting for about a month.

We made plans of driving to Chicago to see him the weekend when hurricane Irene hit the East Coast. The plan was canceled because of bad weather then the following weekend we were already set to see the U.S. Open so we had no choice but to reschedule it or maybe we can just ask his friend to come here instead so that we can tour him around New York City. He already saw Chicago via the Chicago bus tours together with other Filipino tourist in their community. They did the Highlight, City in a Garden and Stained Glass tours through Pontarelli Worldwide Ground Transportation. We saw the pictures he posted at the social networking site where he left a comment that it is time to see New York after his Chicago tour.

I hope my husband can get his two day off approved so that we can finalize his friend's trip here. Our target date is on September 15-18. I hope this will push through this time. We will post pictures right away.


Posted by alf

Monday, August 15, 2011

Seeing DearFriends For Only 60 Minutes

8:46 PM 0 Comments ,

Few weeks after I have made reservations for our hotel and flight to Florida, my friend who lives in San Francisco called me to reserve the days August 8 and 9 because they are coming over here in New York for a vacation. First thing I told her was to move the dates to a week after but it was too late too. We picked the same dates for our vacation, they are coming over that day and we are leaving for Florida that same day too at different airports though. And also, Isabella’s god mommy, who is a cosmetic dentist in CA, was with them.

So they came last Monday here while we were in Florida. They spent two days in New York, and then they drove upstate to see the Niagara Falls. From Canada, they drove for 12 hours to Washington, D.C. to see the White House. Despite all our hectic schedules, we managed to set a date to see one another before their flight back to San Francisco and that date was last night. Originally, we were supposed to meet over dinner but it did not happen again, then at 10pm, then finally at 11:30 pm at the hotel where they checked in. We just saw one another for a good one hour and bade goodbye again. They leave early morning so they have to be at the airport so early. We were just laughing about the circumstances. Hoping it would not take another 6 years before we see one another again and not for an hour only!


Posted by alf

Thursday, August 4, 2011

All Our Bags Are Packed But...

11:06 PM 0 Comments

I was doing my packing when I remember that the airlines now charge you for a fee for every checked in baggage. The last time I was on the plane was when we went to the Philippines and I do not remember being charged for checked in baggage. The controversies about these fees make airline passengers check how their chosen airline charge before heading to the airport. There are already two bags sitting in our living room with custom labels with name, address and telephone number made by hubby but if the airline will charge us more than $50 for two, we will just bring one. I can use one of the custom label for the daughter’s backpack.

One thing I have to check also is the size of hand carry item allowed and how many. There is also an online check in (with a fee of course!) that I have to get familiar with. If I can do everything online, it would be great. With three kids with us during this trip, I want to go directly to the waiting area, sit down and wait for the flight to be called.

Posted by alf

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Lake

7:04 PM 1 Comments ,

When summer time was getting closer, I was busy online searching for spots where we can spend the weekend and have fun in the sun. As much as possible I want to avoid the shore because of the traffic during weekends. We have been to a lake before but the lake that I found was within a state park at the hilly part of New Jersey. They have beautiful photos of the lake online so I checked the available amenities. You can go swimming, boating, camping, hiking and barbeque. When you go, be there early so that you can still get a spot right very close to the shore with picnic tables and grill. If you are a bit late, you can sit on park benches and site furnishings around the park.

We have been to this lake three times already. What I love most is they close the whole park before it gets too crowded with people. We have friends that came around 12 noon, they were not allowed to get in until the lake reopens again at 3pm when other people start to leave. They also have the carry in carry out rule. Everything you bring in the lake, you have to take them when you leave including your garbage. We all love this lake. We might be back again soon.


Posted by alf

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Shopping Galore

10:40 PM 0 Comments ,

There are two holidays that we always look forward for big discount shopping. One is the Memorial day weekend sale and the other one is the Labor Day weekend sale. So during the last Memorial Day weekend which was a three day weekend, we started our shopping Saturday. First on my list was some nursing scrubs that my friend wanted me to buy for her. She just sent me a link as a sample of what she wanted. This is what she ordered: http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/ . I was not able to find the exact style but one that is very similar to what she emailed me.

Of course, a Memorial Day weekend cannot pass without a picnic. It happened that Sunday. The malls are closed here in our town on Sundays so we headed to the lake for a get-together picnic. The lake is situated at the foot of a mountain where you can go swim, fishing and boating. It was refreshing day; being on a very quiet area away from the city. The kids had a grand time too.

Here is a picture of the lake we went to.


Posted by alf

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Reunion With Friends

7:35 PM 0 Comments

Our phone was ringing out of control yesterday. Hubby did not ignore the calls but it seems that he cannot hear them. Those calls are from his friends in Australia who are all coming home to Philippines for a vacation. My husband lived in Australia for two years, so they are all trying if he can find last minute flights or last minute accommodation available online then join them for a quick reunion. It is hard to find cheap flights if your target date is too close. They have been trying to contact him via skype too but we were out of the house during their conference video.

I have not been to any reunions yet. Actually, most of my elementary classmates are going home to Philippines this June for a get together but because of my school I cannot make it. We have been communicating with one another through various social networking sites but I have not seen each other in decades. I did not graduate with them during my elementary years but most of them are my classmates since first grade to fourth grade then I transferred to another school. I will just wait for the pictures when they post online and I’ll just my mom to go as my representative. We will skip Philippines this year. See you next year!

Posted by alf

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Travel Mode

11:17 PM 0 Comments ,

I just finished making reservations for our vacation in Florida. Instead of going to Philippines, we decided to go local this year. And also, we think that our daughter is at the age that she will enjoy Disney world. Every time she sees the commercial on TV about Disney, she keeps on asking when we are going there to see Mickey Mouse. It would surely be an unforgettable experience for her – her first trip to Disney. Mom's first trip to disney was when i was 30 years old!!!

Speaking of Florida, does anybody who lives down South is in need of an audiology? If you are, you can visit South Florida Audiology associates located in Broward and Palm Beach County. They have certified doctors of audiology for children and adults, specializing in all aspects of hearing health. If you are interested and wants more information, please visit http://www.audiologysouthflorida.com or call 954-752-1559 at their Broward office or 561-353-9988 at their Palm Beach County office. You can also directly to their website and schedule your hearing evaluation.


Posted by alf

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Car and Gas

7:51 AM 0 Comments ,

Every day when I go to work, I pass around four gas stations. Since the gas prices have been increasing so bad these past days, I always pay attention on the prices these gas stations post. In, short I am doing my own survey before I fill my tank. So today was the day I have to get gas. It was $3.49 per gallon, up by 10 cents from few days ago. I have the van today so it cost me $70 dollars to fill up!!! What happens come summer time then? If I could only trade this van for a new Honda accord or any used Honda for the summer, I would gladly do it. This was our first choice when we walked into the Honda dealer when gas was around $2.25 per gallon but it becomes impractical to be driving this vehicle for 30 miles every day to work.

We are already used to higher gas prices during the summer time but I hope it will not be $5.00 per gallon as rumored. Once this happens, all vacation plans will be cancelled or we will just stay local and stay within the budget.
Posted by alf

Monday, February 28, 2011

Going Around Town

8:10 PM 0 Comments

In our town, malls are closed during Sundays; no businesses are open except for supermarkets and local restaurants. This is in observance of the law called Blue Law basing on some religious standards. We have no complaints about this law, who would not want peace and quiet with no traffic on a Sunday, right? But to a lot of people, Sunday is a day when you want to go to the mall or go shopping. For us, we go to neighboring towns not affected by the Blue law. But before doing our visit, we always make sure that we do a local search of the town we want to go to. At local.com, you can easily find everything; just locate the state, then select the city, and you can search a business or store according to different categories. And to all coupon lovers out there, you don’t have to search for coupons anymore because you can find them too at local.com. If you also found a place at your local yellowpages, local.com can also provide you directions to your destinations.

So next time you go around town, do not forget to do your searches first at local.com. Sign up your email address at their website and get up dated on events, deals, sales or on what is happening around you.

Posted by alf

Saturday, February 5, 2011

When Will Spring Come?

7:46 AM 0 Comments

It was predicted on groundhog day 2011 that Spring will come early this year. This is good news to people in the East Coast. We are already fed up of the snow. We had experienced so many snow storms almost every week that we just want spring to come as early as possible.

As soon as the weather gets warmer, we right away start planning for the company picnics. The company I work with has three branches in New Jersey and one in New York state. During summer time, all these branches get together for a picnic. I heard that for this year, the picnic will be in New York for a change. They have been looking for a picnic catering ny that can do the planning of the whole event. Another picnic catering nj will be hired if the venue is changed in the future.

If you are planning to have a big picnic get together, MBS Caterserve can provide you with an all inclusive catering services for your group. They will be in charge of all the details, food and entertainment that everybody will enjoy. You have a choice if you want your picnic be held in their company premises or at various day camp picnic areas in New Jersey or New York. To get more information, you can check http://www.mbscaterserve.com or call 1-877-238-4759.
Posted by alf

Monday, January 24, 2011

Birthday Vacation

7:14 PM 2 Comments

My husband is turning 50 this year but instead of having a big celebration, he wants us to go for vacation, maybe around Europe or the U.K. Being a tennis player and avid fan as he is, it is his dream to watch the French Open so we should plan his birthday holiday vacation around places close to where the French Open is held. I voted for Spain and he is agreeing to it. Now that we selected the place, we need to get a place to stay. I have been browsing HomeAway Holiday-Rentals for some apartments in Pueto Pollensa. We do not need a very big place to rent; it’s going to be the three of us, my husband, me and our daughter. Maybe a one bedroom is good for us. I am interested on Cipreses (El Pimaret), a 1 bedroom apartment that could sleep four persons. It has one bathroom, one separate WC, with balcony and only a five minute walk to the beach, shops and resorts. It is also close to the supermarket and the apartment has a full kitchen and a dining area. I saw the pictures on the website and it looks that this place is furnished. We just have to get ourselves there and enjoy the beautiful place.

I need to get more information about Spain. I told my husband that we should get a Spain travel guide to familiarize ourselves with the popular places and destinations in Spain. Maybe, we can also do a side trip to Mallorca and get a glimpse of the resort that belongs to the family of Rafael Nadal, my husband’s favorite tennis player.

Posted by alf

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Vacation At Myrtle Beach

10:19 PM 1 Comments

Add to Technorati Favorites
Our company trip was cancelled and rescheduled because of the tropical storm Tomas that hit the Atlantic last October 29th. There is a big change of plan; the trip will still push through but they are looking for a place that is closer. It was originally planned on a weekend where most schools have Thursday and Friday off so that the kids can go but now that it has been rescheduled for a later date, you can just pick any place and date you want to go (not as a group anymore), equivalent to the price of the original trip.

Right now, I am browsing http://avistaresort.com, the newest oceanfront condominium resorts in Myrtle Beach called Avista. There is no time limit if when we can go for the vacation so I thought we can use it for the summer. A friend suggested another Myrtle Beach hotel but when we decide to stay in Avista. It is just two blocks away from Main Street and very accessible to
shops, restaurants and entertainment.
Our target date to go is during my daughter’s spring break. I hope we will get lucky to have a nice warm weather that is perfect for golfing. Hubby has to file vacation leave too and once it is approved, we are all set. I am already super excited for this trip.

Posted by alf

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Weekend At The Hampton

10:36 PM 0 Comments

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



Hampton_logo


I really cannot wait for this work week to be over. I will try my best to stay a little bit late at work tonight and tomorrow so that I make my 40 hours and I don’t have to come to work on Friday anymore. If that would be the case, my vacation will officially start tomorrow night. I will be back to work the day after Labor Day.

So what do we have planned for our vacation? We have been wanting to go visit the Niagara Falls. It is only about 7 to 8 hour drive from my house. Our target date to go there is this coming Sunday for an overnight stay. This is the reason why I am in the computer all the time. I have been looking for a hotel in the area that is close to the falls and other sightseeing spots. And as I was browsing the several hotels in the area, I picked the Hampton Inn Niagara Falls because it is only .8 miles from the city center. When I clicked the Hampton Inn website, I found that they have a promo called Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes where you can win an entire hotel for a weekend (100 rooms for two nights) for you and your chain of friends as a grand prize. This would be the coolest prize if all your friends can go with you and all stay in one hotel for the weekend. The whole hotel will be entirely for you; enjoying all its amenities and availing all the services provided. Do not worry about the tax because Hampton Inn will give you $5000 to help you pay the tax for the weekend.

So guys and girls, this is your chance to bond together, enjoy the whole weekend with your chain of friends in one hotel. This contest is open to everyone and there is no purchase necessary to join the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes. Join now and you can be the lucky winner of the grand prize or the 100 first prizes given away daily.



Click Here

Visit my sponsor: Win a free Weekend Stay


Add to Technorati Favorites
Posted by alf

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Strawberry Picking

8:40 PM 3 Comments ,

This is a late post about our strawberry picking. We went to Donaldson farm in New Jersey. It's is about an hour away from our place. We got to the farm early anticipating the traffic on Memorial day weekend.


The farm is huge and all you see are rows of strawberry plants. As you get to the farm market, you can buy a box for $1. You will use this box to place the strawberries you picked. There were also smaller containers for $.50.


Our halfway filled box. This is the one dollar box they sold to us excluding the contents. The weather was nice and breezy; it was perfect to be outside.


A closer at the strawberry plants full of ripe strawberries ready for picking. They are vine plants that crawl on the ground like bean plants. The fruits sit on a black plastic bags they placed on the ground like a blanket underneath the plants.


Now it's weighing time. You pay for everything you pick but you can eat all you want while picking the strawberries. The per pound price is $2.99. It is a dollar more when you buy from the supermarket. You may say, just buy it from the store then but the experience of picking fresh strawberries is worth more than the dollar difference.


This is a picture of the farmer's market where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables picked from the farm. They also have plants and baked goods for sale.

Add to Technorati Favorites


Posted by alf

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Ozark Mountain Christmas

11:27 PM 0 Comments ,

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



Are you planning to go on a Christmas vacation this holiday season? For many others, Christmas is the great time to get away and go some place. This is the time to make your family and loved ones feels so special. There are a lot of destinations where you can spend your Christmas with your family. One best place to bring your family this holiday season is to let them experience the Ozark Mountain Christmas. The Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel are offering holiday packages since November. They have the it’s a wonderful life package starting at $329 per night up to December 23 where you will experience the ultimate getaway for shopping, relaxation and entertainment plus a lot of discounts at the shops and restaurants with treatment at the Aspire Medical Spa. Every member of the family will enjoy their Christmas holiday. Kids will get the chance to have a story time with Mrs. Claus at the lobby of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. With the Santa’s Coming to Town Packages, Santa himself will deliver presents, cookies and milk to the guests’ rooms.

Take time to let your family enjoy Christmas at Branson, Missouri. Enjoy the Branson festival of lights, the hundreds of shows, the silver dollar city old time Christmas, the blanket of holiday decorations and a lot more.

SocialSpark Disclosure Badge

Add to Technorati Favorites
Posted by alf

Friday, November 20, 2009

Christmas In Branson

3:54 PM 1 Comments ,

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







Branson Ozark Mountain Christmas is one of the top 100 events in North America for 2009. Experience the festival of lights in almost every shop and theaters while everybody are all on Christmas holiday joy. Branson holiday entertainers bring Christmas spirit to their visitors and families through their entertainment and Christmas shows.

It is nice to bring the whole family to Branson, Missouri during this time of year. The two Hilton hotels are always ready to accommodate you. There are holiday packages that you can avail at the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention center Hotel. They have the It’s a Wonderful Life package starting at $329 per night from November 15 thru December 23rd. The little ones will surely enjoy the Story Time with Mrs. Claus at the lobby of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel and if you avail of the Santa’s Coming to Town Package which starts at $189 per night, kids will be treated by Santa delivering presents, cookies and milk to guest rooms.

Take time to bring your family to Branson Missouri and experience the one of a kind Christmas. Enjoy the millions of holiday lights, carolers singing your favorite Christmas songs, festivals, shopping, dining and hospitality. Branson is truly a magical place for the whole family.

SocialSpark Disclosure Badge


Add to Technorati Favorites
Posted by alf

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Hilton's Exclusive Holiday Package

2:58 PM 0 Comments ,


I was watching a TV show last night featuring the best places across the U.S. where you can spend Christmas with the whole family. One of the best featured Christmas holiday was the Ozark Mountain Christmas in Branson, Missouri. The whole city is filled with holiday lights, music and almost every theater have Christmas shows for visitors. There are carolers in their holiday costumes that walk around adding to the holiday cheer and festivities in the area.

During this season, always check the exclusive special packages being offered by the Hilton hotels. They have two hotels conveniently located at the town center, namely, the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and the Hilton Branson convention center hotel. One package called “it’s a Wonderful life” starts at $329 per night from November 15 thru December 23. You can shop, dine and relax during your stay in Branson plus a bonus treatment at the aspire medical spa. For the kids, they will surely enjoy the “story time with Mrs. Claus” in the lobby of the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Give the kids the best unforgettable Christmas holiday with the “Santa Coming to Town” package where they get to experience meeting Santa in person as he delivers presents, cookies and milk to guest’s room. Do not forget to capture this great moment as the kids meet Santa the first time. This package is only from $189 per night.

Treat your whole family to a spectacular Christmas holiday by going the Branson, Missouri. For more information about their exclusive packages, visit their website at www.hilton.com.


Post?slot_id=


Add to Technorati Favorites
Posted by alf

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Learn To Cook At The Hilton

10:53 PM 0 Comments

Branson, Missouri is known as the entertainment capital of the Midwest. It is a vacation destination not only during the summer but all year round. People love to go to Branson to enjoy the 49 live performance theaters, museums, championship golf courses, lakes, the award-winning theme parks, dining, shopping and walking by the boardwalk overlooking the beautiful lake Taneycomo. There is so much fun and excitement in Branson that people just keep on coming back to this beautiful place. Like on the weekend of October 16th and 17th, Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel is having a Cooking School Weekend. For a $398 (plus tax) one-of-a-kind package for two, you will experience a weekend of cooking demonstration and wine tasting at the hotel from Friday to Saturday evening. The activities are non-stop. Upon your arrival at the hotel, you will be welcomed by a wine tasting reception followed by a cooking demonstration with Hilton’s very own Chef Nathan Read the next morning. He will teach the guests on how to prepare the appetizers that were served at the wine tasting the night before. On Saturday evening, participants will have a four course dinner with appropriate wine and likewise the guests will learn to prepare how to cook this dinner the following morning. For those who love to cook , this is your chance to learn specialty menu and what appropriate wine to serve for the coming holiday dinners. I am sure you will also enjoy Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel’s hospitality during your entire stay.

Post?slot_id=60472&url=http%3a%2f%2fsocialspark

Add to Technorati Favorites
Posted by alf
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

About Me

My photo
a mommy blogger