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Let's Review

Tax Time

Well, it's that time again...

I know that people are encouraged to go to Turbo Tax and do their own taxes but I've been going to my local H&R Block office for about three years now.  (That would be in Belmont, MA off Trapelo Road.)

Between always having some sort of confusion with holding more than one job or going to school, or oh I don't know...becoming unemployed I've taken the easy, but costly, way out and had someone deal with my tax issues.  Personally, I probably would not have known to put in that I have an EZ Pass transponder, who knew you could potentially get money back for that!  I digress, I've been going to the same person for about three years now, James Cassidy.  He's always done a great job and made sure I get as much money back as possible.

I know taxes are no fun but I gotta tell ya, getting back anything is pretty fantastic, especially when you are putting all your bets on this in order to pay off your credit cards and student bills!  So I have to say, today has been a pretty lucrative day for yours truly!

So...let's review...
1. If you are lazy like me about your taxes then go to H&R Block.
2. If you happen to live in or around Belmont I would highly recommend James Cassidy.  I'm sure anyone in the Belmont office is great but I have only interacted with him.
3. Don't forget to mention you have an EZ Pass!

Until the next review!

Outside the Quaker state. Syracuse, NY

This weekend I found myself on a visit to Syracuse.  One of my favorite parts was seeing a lot more snow than here in Mass.

Valentines day happened to fall on the same day as a very important basketball game and hence some sort of festivity had to take place, preferably in a bar, with plenty of chairs and tables and most definitely TV's.  Apparently the Quaker Steak and Lube wing restaurant has expanded to the Syracuse region.  The name sounded familiar but I couldn't remember why. As we drove off the off ramp I remembered that many years ago during a road trip with a couple of friends we happened to stop at the original Quaker Steak and Lube in Pennsylvania.  If you are looking for some hot hot wings then you should google this place and drive on over. Careful, there is a Lube sauce so hot that you need to sign a waiver!  The walls and ceiling were adorned with motorcycles, snow mobiles and other "manly" things.

After having the O-Ring Ontenna, an antenna with onion rings and pretzels along with some mozzarella sticks and fried pickles; I ordered The Boneless wing salad to keep things on the light side.  It came with some chicken that you could order in any level of hotness, I went with the Cajun and although the rub was spicy I know I could have gone higher on the Scovile Heat Unit scale.

No doubt, you must be looking for beer.  NO worries, you can either order a bucket of 5 beers for $10 or a so called "Lube Tube" which gives you about 12-14 beers.

On your way out, don't' forget to take a picture in their "bucket of fun" poster! You'll know what I mean...

So...let's review...
1. Check out the Quaker Steak and Lube website to see if there is one nearby and drop by for some wings and beer.
2. Have enough men with you? Order them the Lube Tube!
3. If you plan on having the Atomic wings, maybe you should order a glass of milk.

Until the next review!

Neiman Marcus' Spring Fling! Boston, MA

Neiman Marcus pulled it off again, their annual spring fling!
The first Hello Stiletto shoe event I ever went to was Kentucky Derby themed at Neiman Marcus for their spring fling.  We sipped on mint juleps and enjoyed all the expensive shoes around us.

This time the theme was Valentines day and everyone was encouraged to wear their finest red heels.

I wished I was in a good enough situation that I could splurge on my very first pair of Louboutin's because they are just so perfect this season.  Girl's, the latest trends are: blue shoes are a must and wedge heels are absolutely still in.  Got any exotic shoes with leopard skin?  Bring those out too!

 

So, all in all, this event was truly another success and the Neiman Marcus staff was excellent.  Vicky and Gordon were running around helping the ladies try on and purchase some new trendy shoes.    As per usual, there were some gifts to be given out. Three lucky ladies won Manolo Blahnik shoe paintings, painted by his truly.  From what I heard, the Neiman Marcus at Copley has the biggest selection of his shoes.  Now, please enjoy some new shoes!

So...let's review...

1. As I've said before, sign up for the shoe club and get out with your girlfriends for fun and exciting events.

2. Make sure to wear your funnest shoes, you never know, you may win a prize as well!

Until the next review!

Sunapee for Me! Newbury, NH

I hopped in my car and unfortunately timed my departure for the slopes rather poorly, hence hitting the morning rush hour traffic.  Once I got on 93, it was smooth sailing. The radio stations got prey sparse up on 89 so country music it was, 93.3 The Wolf!

Even on a Wednesday the front lot at Mount Sunapee was already filled due to the 2-for-1 deal.  I geared up headed to the ticketing office.  Thank you Suffolk ID for getting me a cheaper rate for the day of skiing ahead of me!  I decided to do the green trails first just to warm up.  That fist run of the day is like the first warm day of spring for me.  You feel so free, the smell of the snow and clean air is all around you, you just can't help but smile.

Two runs in I was ready to head to the blue squared trails.  I decided I'd try to do 20 runs that day.  Unfortunately the cold got to me and by run 6 I had to head in and warm up.  By run 9 I couldn't help but think about how cold my entire body was.  By this time I had moved my car to the front lot and was able to quickly add another layer, grab my soup and change into my snowboarding boots.

I headed over to the learning area to get a few practice runs in because I am by no means at all good at this sport.  After two runs I couldn't take how slow the Flying Carpet was and decided that I might as well head over to the green runs.  If I am meant to fall, I'll fall anyway.  Luckily the first run was flawless and I got a little over confident and was brought back to reality when I took a big hit on my second run.  It was getting to be 3:30 and and I decided to head on home.

It was very relaxing to think about nothing but making sure I don't fall instead of thinking about how no one was answering my applications.

So...let's review...
1. If you want to ski but don't want to drive for three hours, head to Mount Sunapee.  It's only 90 minutes away from Boston!
2. Look for budget friendly tickets. Mount Sunapee has discounts for pretty much every weekday and for every age group.
3. Take a break and really enjoy the winter before it's gone!

Until the next review!

The New Champions. Copley Marriott, MA

No, I'm not talking about the future champions of the Winter Olympics but instead the swanky new Champions bar and restaurant that is the outcome of the huge remodel project in the Copley Marriott.  I actually wasn't even aware that they moved, all I knew was that Starbucks was now in a new spot.

I decided to go into the city today to see if I could pick up a shirt I liked from Arden B and I wanted to meet up with my "brother" Adam for lunch before he leaves for Seattle again.  I wasn't too hungry, as per usual, and the food court wasn't really calling our name.  Adam suggested going to Champions so we were on our way.  I thought we'd have to go back outside into the snowy mess but was pleasantly surprised to see that the bar had moved to the upstairs area of the Marriott.  I had never been to the old location but really love the new one.

There are TONS of TV's for the men to watch any and all ESPN channels, there is even a giant screen onto which they project football games.  There is also more than enough people watching you can do, I'd suggest sitting in the main bar area.

 

If you are looking for a wide selection of beer in the middle of the mall, once again, this is the place to be.  As for food, they have the regular bar food, such as nacho's pretzels, sliders, onion rings, the list goes on.  You can also have a healthy salad or soup if you're still sticking to your new years resolution!

I opted for the award wining clam chowder, which I did enjoy...although I wish it was a little creamier and denser, but the taste was great.  Adam ordered some soft pretzels for us to share and chicken fingers for himself.  When the meal came out I was very happy I didn't order more food.  Each pretzel was larger than our heads, so needless to say, you get a lot of food for your buck.

So...let's review...
1. Is you guy looking to catch up on some sports while you shop?  Drop him off at Champions
2. You may also be the designated driver due to the extensive beer list from which your guy may pick from while watching his sports sports sports
3. While you wait for a game to end, grab some grub.  You won't pay too much but you'll certainly walk away satisfied and full.  Enjoy!

Until the next review

A Spoon Full of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Down. Sugar Bakery. West Roxbury, MA

If you haven't come out to West Roxbury, the Sugar Bakery should be reason enough to get in your car and take a little road trip to Centre Street.

My suggestion would be to make this your lunch time plan as the bakery is very conveniently attached to the Real Deal Deli.  I've had the Boneless Buffalo Sub which was amazing.  There are two sizes, a small and a large.  Unless you haven't eaten for several days or plan on having your sub for lunch and dinner I would suggest getting the small.  You can also pick from wraps and paninis as well as a bunch of plates that you can get for your super bowl party!
But, back to the bakery.  You can get anything from gourmet cupcakes, cakes, cinnamon rolls and cookies to a flat tire which is only $1.  You should also keep in mind that breakfast baked goods are half price after 3pm!

Needless to say, there isn't enough I can say about this bakery and I truly look forward to eating my apple and walnut turnover.

So...let's review...
1. Haven't been to West Roxbury yet?  I think it's time to get some sugar.
2. Stop at the Real Deal Deli for a snack or a full on lunch.
3. Looking for a bargain on your baked goods?  Stop by after 3pm and get the morning's breakfast items for half off at the Sugar Bakery.

Until the next review!

The girl from Ipanema goes walking. Brazil!

So...is going to Brazil worth your time?
As you know I went away this past week with my MBA program.  We visited both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.  Sao Paulo is home to over 40 million people!  when we descended on the city all you see is buildings and high rises.  Imagine looking down at New York city and multiply that by 10.  Brazil as a country has roughly 180 million people!

That being said Sao Paulo is definitely very business oriented, at least in the area we stayed in.  Everyone going about their business and I can't say they were super friendly.  I overall just did not feel safe. I've been to big cities and I've seen homeless people but this was a different level. However, if you are in the city you should absolutely get a tour guide to show you around otherwise you'll drive for an hour and will still be inside city limits and will think that there is no history, which is quite untrue.  One of the must see sites is the Municipal Market.  It is sensory overload.  There are so many fruits you simply must try.  Did you know that cashews are actually seeds inside of a cashew fruit?  If you are looking for a little bit of extravagance you should visit Hotel Unique which is known for its rooftop pool which overlooks the city.  This visit is highly recommended at sunset.  One note of caution, be prepared to spend quite a bit of money.

Now, about Rio.  This is a very different city as compared to Sao Paulo.  People are very relaxed and much more welcoming it seems.  We happened to stay at Ipanema Plaza which is one block from Ipanema beach.  The hotel had a roof top pool which overlooked the beach and looked on to the mountain with Christ the Redeemer on it.

Copacabana beach was not too far away and could be reached by metro or walking.  I loved walking around in the evening and did not feel unsafe as I did in Sao Paulo, granted I always made sure to be with at least one other person which is a good rule of thumb.  While in Rio, you should take a tour of the city and its surroundings as there are some very wealthy areas and you should certainly go up to take a picture with the redeemer and go up to Sugarloaf which offers a great view of Guanabara Bay and the city.

Take great caution on the beach.  If you are traveling in January that is the hottest time of the year and the most critical hours in the sun are between 10am and 3pm. You should absolutely lather up and not spend too much time in the sun.  Most hotels by the beach offer a service on the beach where you can get a towel, beach chair and an umbrella, which I would highly recommend.  It is also worth mentioning that you should take any valuable to the beach.  A great number of vendors are on the beach and there are simply to many people to keep track of so it's not worth getting your wallet or camera stolen. If you are with a group it would be a great idea to have someone stay behind with the belongings while others are taking a swim. 

You will see that a section of the beach is denoted as the gay and lesbian section.  Keep that in mind if need be.  I spent my beach time here two days in a row and had no issues whatsoever. 

If you are a person who likes to exercise and are in Rio on a Sunday you should know that the road running along Ipanema beach gets closed all day on Sunday so people can exercise.  No matter how hot it got people were out walking, running and biking, it was great to see that so many people enjoyed this type of lifestyle.

So...let's review...
1. Sao Paulo is worth visiting just to get a glimpse of the real Brazil.  A day or two would suffice, and a tour is highly recommended.
2. When staying in Sao Paulo you should visit the Municipal Market and Unique Hotel if you are looking for a fancier evening.  Otherwise walk down Avenida Paulista and you will find many great shops.  Walk down Avenida Augusta and you will run across a great bakery, Bella Paulista.
3.  When staying in Rio, bring your sunscreen and take a tour of Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf!

AND the most important point of advice:
Don't wear flashy jewelry or long necklaces which can be yanked off you by someone riding a scooter.  This happened to a group member of ours.  Just take caution and enjoy!

Until the next review!

Woody's Club. Boston, MA

I know, I only do one of these a week but since the chances of me blogging while I'm actually away are slim here's another look at some other places in Boston.

I was going to meet my friend Adam in the city for a quick dinner and figured I'd take this chance to take a walk through the Prudential and stop in some stores and eventually stop at Barnes and Noble to see if there were any good books on Brazil.  After not having too much luck at Anne Taylor and Anne Taylor Loft I stopped in at Club Monaco.  Amazing sale on coats!  And when I say amazing I mean coats that cost over $300 cost $69. And did I mention that students get 20% off even the sale items?  Who could ask for more?  Unfortunately, the coat I liked was slightly too short but I'll know to go in there more from now on!

I took a loop and walked into Barnes and Noble and that's when my friend called me.  As I walked out I saw something amazing again.  Lauren Conrad signing her L.A. Candy book on the 5th...you know where I'll be!

We walked over to Woody's Grill & Tap on Hemenway.  While attending Northeastern I walked by this place quite often and always wondered what it was like inside and if the food was good.  If the smell was any inclination at all it must be fantastic.  Since graduating I've now been here twice in about 5 months.

The smell as you walk in is even better than from the outside.  The brick oven pizza, especially the buffalo, is amazing but you absolutely must try the spinach gnocchi, it is to die for.  So after having this deeelicious appetizer we both ended up getting the chicken sandwich and salad instead of the fries. Once again, trying to tell myself that grilled chicken and salad is better than a burger and fries.  Gotta stay in shape before I hit the beaches in Brazil! 

I have to say that this Wednesday was a pretty good one!

So...let's review...
1. Looking for fashionable steals?  Head to Club Monaco and if you're a student, whip out your ID for extra savings!
2. Looking to meet a celebrity in the new year?  Get Lauren Conrad's new book signed by her on the 5th of February.
3. If you are at Woody's, please try some gnocchi.

Until the next review!
(Don't forget to follow me on Twitter for other updates, budget friendly activities and event information) 

mmm Cheesecakey. Cheesecake Factory. Braintree,MA.

First and foremost, happy 2010!

I thought it would be appropriate to even out the scales and start this year off with a positive eating experience!

After what seems like a full month of over eating and over drinking my boyfriend and I were finally having a calm Sunday.  Since we had to stop by Macy's at the Braintree Mall we decided that we would indulge one more time and go to the Cheesecake Factory.  I have only once actually had the cheesecake because I usually just end up over eating and not having room for dessert.

We sat down and ordered some Buffalo Blasts and a white sangria and pomegranate mojito. I could have easily drank a pitcher of the mojito.  The Buffalo Blasts were amazing!  I would highly recommend them.  For the entree I ended up ordering the factory burger and salad...maybe my body would think I was doing it some good by not getting the fries.

On our way in the man noticed a red velvet cheesecake and out waitress highly recommend it and she was right, it was incredibly delicious.  Another plus, for every slice 25 cents goes to feed America.

This one last splurge was a very good idea and now I can't wait to get back on the gym wagon.

So...let's review...
1. Order the Pomegranate Mojito
2. As an appetizer get the Buffalo Blasts
3. Help out America and get the incredibly delicious red velvet cheesecake

Until the next review!  (I hope you're ready to travel!)