First off we were NOT charged for our FIRST checked bag, however we were charged $25 dollars for our second checked bag. So basically you were allowed 1 checked bag free of charge and 2 carry on items, at least on Delta.

We were also served FREE coke cola products, water, and coffee, as well peanuts, crackers, and cookies. The plane wasn’t as crowded as everyone said they would be, and all needs were met before, during, and after the flight.

So I am not sure what other airlines are doing but thus far it doesn’t seem as though Delta has changed anything.

In turn I went to our local market and found a Pillsbury moist supreme reduced sugar classic yellow cake mix and SMILED this was a GREAT idea and I bought it…but the more I thought about it the more worried I got that people including my husband would be able to taste the difference so when I finally made it I held my breath..but not for long, it was a hit!!! It was one of the best cakes he and I have ever had. You could NOT taste the difference though I put regular frosting on it, not wanting to go full boar with the reduced sugar. It was just absolutely delicious and this is going to be the only cake mixed I by and bake from now on.

The cake mix has 50% less sugar than the regular yellow cake mixes and is sweetened with splenda. When baked regularly with oil, 3 real eggs, and water the cake mix has 230 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 10g of sugar. However I drastically decrease those numbers by substituting the oil with apple sauce, the 3 real eggs with egg beaters or whites, and using the water as directed. This also helps make the cake moister too. They may make other flavors but I have only tried the yellow cake, but I know for a fact they make a few flavors of frosting that I have not tried yet. If you have tried them, let me know what you thought

Make and ENJOY a reduced sugar cake today!

The Sony Ericsson W580i was named by Shape Magazine as the best fitness phone donning its fitness feature with a built in pedometer as everyone carries their cell phone on them while walking right? Why not track those steps taken and calories burned? Also a walkman with FM radio and a MP3 player (with the ability to have ANY MP3 can be ringtone!), the ability to watch TV/video, built in stop watch, gauges how at what pace you run at and showing your progress on a chart, and a walk around the world application showing you how long it would take you to walk to Abu Dhabi or London at your current speed.

Another wonderful feature is that the W580i is a WORLD PHONE meaning the phone supports domestic and international GSM frequency bands for coverage at home and abroad (see below for more detailed information).

More cool features are:

• Light effects ring tones, meaning the sides of the phone and buttons on the front of the phone light up in different colors when the phone rings and colors can be set differently to different callers acting as a colorful caller ID.

• A super clean crisp screen and graphics which is a total bonus when playing games on the phone such as SIMS which comes standard on the phone.

• Slider phone, meaning the screen/front of the phone slides upwards revealing the numeric buttons and there is an auto lock feature so that you can not make calls by mistake which most OTHER phones are notorious for, when the phone is closed. (I had a razor phone before which is a flip phone so I wanted something a little different, but just as easy to use and with more features)

• You can watch TV and music videos on the phone as well. The FM radio feature is awesome too,  and no other phones offers it. An MP3 player is almost standard on most phones these days HOWEVER the shake technology is not…
  

• Awesomely this phone is equipped with shake technology which means if you want to change the song that is playing you just simply shake the phone and it shuffles the songs for you!

• The Sony Ericsson W580i is a world phone. You can take this phone internationally and use it without general problems such as service, unlike other phones that have problems because they don’t utilize the same wireless networks, and are not compatible with foreign broad bands. This is a great feature for the world traveler

• You can change buttons function to do different things, this has its pluses especially if your right handed or left handed as you have the ability to change button function to fit your needs. BASICALLY the phone is totally customizable and I LOVE it!!!

There are so many more great features and I think this phone is just down right amazing and perfect for ANYONE! It gets great service and contrary to what some people say, my battery life is great. It is really easy to utilize and check your messages, text or voice, and it is also very easy to make or pick up a call even without having to slide up the phone. If you do buy this phone please read the manual and utilize ALL the features…you will not be sorry. Enjoy!

• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic-Beautiful but make sure to stay at a secure resort. The Dominican Republic is a beautiful but poorer country so a lot of the locals with try to rip you off, try to sell you drugs, or you could experience many other unfortunate episodes. The safest thing to do is stay at the resort or travel in big groups and you will be fine

• Maui, Hawaii- I enjoyed Maui by biking down the volcano which makes up the island, which was a lot of fun and viewing active lava spots! Another WONDERFUL suggestion is taking a short boat ride to Molokini Crater which is declared a marine preserve and one of the top ten snorkel sites in the world! It is also home to more than 250 species of fish!!! You will get your monies worth here

• Outer Banks, North Carolina- The Outer Banks is a coastal playground full of natural activities for both the novice and experienced adventurer. They have cultural arts performances, historical light houses, spectacular museums, super sports, and fishing some of the best angling waters in the world!

• Bahamas-So many islands to choose from Nassau is down right the best Bahama Island. You can skip Grand Bahama Island as this is mostly a shipping island though there are big casinos, nice shopping areas, and gorgeous waters and resorts here. Nassau is more tourist friendly with much more to do.

• Cobo San Lucas, Mexico-The best of the best of Mexico along with Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!!! If you can visit both of these cities in the same trip you are in for a tranquil, relaxing, and hands down the most beautiful beaches in Mexico!!!

• Key West, Florida-Crawling with night life and pop culture this is a great wild vacation destination…but don’t wander too far off the beaten path as there is sketchy areas that tend to creep up on the adventurous explorer.

• Bermuda- The culture here is unbelievable! The locals are so tourist friendly, something you don’t find in many foreign cities/countries. Bermuda has the best golfing in the Atlantic, in addition to the water being crystal clear with pink sand beaches…I think every one should visit Bermuda…IT IS SO RELAXING!!!

• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico- LOVE IT!!! Again along with Cobo San Lucas, Mexico, there is no place better or more beautiful that these two cities in Mexico!!! This is a great spring break location as well!

• Santa Monica, California- I enjoyed the Santa Monica Pier when I was there and the surfing was good but if you want bright blue waters you will have to go to the Mexico, the Caribbean or Hawaii for that. Santa Monica is very close to Hollywood California and it is worth driving around to see the “HOLLYWOOD” sign and the walk of fame!

• Turks & Caicos- Turks and Caicos Islands has one of the longest coral reefs in the world, making it a premier diving destination. These islands are mainly flat and consist of major islands: Salt Cay, Grand Turk, South Caicos, East Caicos, Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Providenciales and West Caicos. With East Caicos and West Caicos being uninhabited. ALSO the people/locals/natives who reside here are recognized from tourists for their friendliness, which always makes a great vacation!

I hope you all enjoyed this post as I love to travel and love to share my experiences. I will be posting more traveling experiences in the future in between shopping posts (which I love to do as well) and healthy living posts. If you have any suggestions or want to know more information on ANYTHING else I would love to hear ideas. Leave a comment stating what you are interested in or want to know more about and I will research and post about it Have A WONDERFUL day!

As I entered our balcony stateroom, I was bombarded with the smell of cigarette smoke that was so bad that my allergies instantly flared up to the point where I couldn’t breath out of my nose and I REFUSED to unpack my bags due to the fact my entire wardrobe would smell like I was the one who actually smoked the entire pack myself right inside my suit case…YUCK!

Next best thing to do is visit the concierge/guest desk right? WRONG! When I explained what had occurred the women said that the ship was full and there was nothing they could do for me and informed me that this ENTIRE ship is a smoking ship and anyone can smoke in any of the rooms, as that is fine but it is my allergies and comfort for the next 16 days. that I care about not everyone else. I had suggested they change the bed linens which are stored in the room the night before, thus smothered in smoke, and they could not find the time to do it. I again went to the concierge/guest desk LIVID (because it wasn’t like this was a weekend and or a couple hundred dollar cruise) only to be “ok we’ll send someone up” away by the desk concierge.

Needless to say one of the housemen came and sprayed air freshener, like that was going to help, and it didn’t. So I grabbed the guy again and said you need to do something about this!!! I again returned to the concierge/guest desk and she was not sending me away again with out results. She called for someone to bring an air purifier to my room and it was there for the ENTIRE stay, it did freshen it up to a tolerable levels in addition to changing the linens.

On the Island Princess they also had seating times, which we are not accustom to sailing primarily on Norwegian cruise lines and had to be seated with strange guests who talked about world war two the whole time and then got sick from the food at our table. I again was NOT happy. This all occurred the first 24 hours of our cruise!

They did offer some good acts and entertainment, but could not make up for the bad taste we already had gotten in our mouth for the cruise line, as disappointing events kept happening throughout the length of the crusie. We were happy to see land when we finally got to some, and we STAYED off the ship as much as possible.

Needless to say the whole cruise was an extremely disappointing experience aboard the boat donned the “Love Boat”

Would I ever sail aboard princess cruise lines again you ask? The answer is most defiantly NO!

In my experiences the NCL crew goes above and beyond to please the guests. Most everyone aboard is pleasant and upbeat. Most of the cruise ship fleet is brand new or newly renovated and gorgeous! They have great itineraries offering amazing destinations and different length cruises to choose from. NCL also has (on most ships) 12 different restaurants to choose from with open seating, which is rarely found on cruise ships. Many different state of the art bars and lounges to visit too! The onboard ship activities are excellent as well with their shore excursions.

They offer all sorts of port education on board BEFORE you get to the port so you can make the most of your time on land, as well as offering maps of the port cities highlighting specific points of interest which is VERY helpful. In addition they host latitude member cocktail hours and special parties (frequent cruiser program) with the captain as the host and special interest events like art auctions and special dinners.

Norwegian Cruise Line makes it more than worth your while to sail with them. So when your booking your next cruise check out www.ncl.com for great deals and itineraries!!

Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Sunblock Gel contains patented helioplex technology, which is a broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection on top of containing SPF 45. It is also the #1 Dermatologist recommended sun care product and comes in a Fresh Cooling Body Mist as well.

Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Sunblock Gel, and Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Body Mist are hands down the best sun care product I have ever used. I love the fact that it is non greasy, oil free, and non-comedogenic so it keeps my face and skin clear of breakouts while providing me with ample coverage. I also like the fact that is a gel base and so it is a light weight gel and spreads quickly and evenly so I don’t miss a spot. It is waterproof (but ALWAYS reapply ANY sunblock or sunscreen after swimming for ample protection) it also doesn’t “melt” when I sweat so in turn it doesn’t run into your eyes which is a HUGE benefit! Get some today, you won’t regret trying it!!!!

To start they post beautiful pictures of their hotel online, my advice, do not judge a book by its cover, otherwise you will be greatly disappointed! Read on…

The Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Studios stated on their website to having just done a million dollars in renovations in their hotel however the light fixtures were awkwardly hanging off the ceiling due to not being correctly fastened and missing fasteners. The linens were dirty many with stains. The shower fixtures almost fell off the wall when I turned them on. Upon entering the room we found all the garbages full, which I was not too happy about. Our toilet ran (LOUDLY) all night and you could hear the guest in the above, below, and to the sides of you. Someone had also broken the ONLY manual lock to our room previously so it did not offer much comfort.

When we had called to make a reservation, the front desk could not provide us with a rate of any rooms there at the hotel and in turn transfered us to another person who wasn’t very friendly. Later on when we had called for directions to their hotel, the front desk sent us to an answering machine to leave a message and they’ll get back to you…needless to say that was completely unacceptable, so I called back and asked if the person speaking worked at the actual hotel, when they said yes I explained what had happened previously and that I needed directions, in turn I got an attitude with abrupt directions…not good customer service if I might add.

You also have to pay $9.00 a day for parking your car, $10.00 a day for internet, and $3.00 for use of the in room safe. FYI: There is a free (green and looks like a trolley car) shuttle you can catch for $1.00 right outside the hotel that will take you all over International drive (there is so much going on on International drive, lots of malls, stores, restaurants and outlets stores and mall) so take this if you can. It is a about a 20 minute walk from the hotel to Universal studios and you have to cross 6 lanes of traffic so grab a shuttle for this trip as well. Also NO continental breakfast

The pool and hot tub were big however it must have been spring break cause there were SO many teens and small children in the hot tub.

The hotel staff was very unpersonable with the exception of maybe two. It was not the greatest hotel I have ever been to and for the price I would not return. I was really disappointed.

Club Rome/Release Night Club was actually really great, as it was not all that crowded with great bar service to boot! Now granted we had a VIP section so the seating was great, but I think there was some public seating as well. They had a designated smoking room that separates the two rooms, and smokers not allowed to smoke in the club its self, although people still were, as always.

There were 2 clubs (same floor different rooms) to choose from one being Club Rome the other being Release Night Club (which had maybe 6 people in it). Both Clubs are located on the second floor of Roxy’s and you need to enter through Roxy’s to get to the club. Thankfully they limit the # of people in the door as well as some restrictions being that a man has to be accompanied by a women. Also, for a male to enter aside from needing a women, you need a shirt with a collar, and no sneakers. A women could wear whatever she wanted.

We are not the super crowded club type, but at Club Rome it was a very pleasant experience! The club opens at midnight and stays open until 4-4:30 am. They do have parking and a parking garage on Clematis and Olive, but we opted to park at the less crowded City Place Hibiscus garage that night. **Please make note that the trolley from City Place to ANY of the clubs and bars on Clematis stops running at 11pm on the weekend so you will need to flag down a bicyclist with a buggy to get a ride back to your car (where even it is parked) or City Place especially if you have had a few too many .

If you are looking for a “perfectly” crowed club to have a good time in please check out Club Rome @ Roxy’s!

Nikki Beach Miami offers ultimate comfort levels on and at the beach with large white linen chaises and low plush beds scattered around the sandy property that you can use for the ENTIRE day, tables in the “garden” (basically it is shaded by palms), raised opium beds are nestled between palm trees being perfect for some private lounging and offering an incredible VIP feel, wooden umbrella-covered dining tables located in the sand and sun, and they also offer lounge chairs, showers, and towels on their private beach section. The whole place has an INCREDIBLE AMBIENCE that can not be beat!!!

I happened to go on “Amazing Sunday,” where they don an award-winning Sunday brunch starting at 11am until 4pm and it is an ALL you can eat ALL day buffet! Yes you can eat at 11am, go to the beach and come back at 3:30pm and enjoy dinner and drinks! After 4 pm they switch to a menu of starters, scrumptious salads, perfect paninis, a few different entrees, super sushi, and delicious desserts!

Please please if you go to South Beach in Miami and your looking for ultimate relaxation, fun and dancing, and pure royal VIP treatment please go to Nikki Beach…YOU WON’T REGRET IT!!!! ENJOY