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Brand Relations

Current

Verizon Wireless, Nov 2012 – present
Lifelock, Sep 2012 – present
NQ Mobile, Oct – Dec 2012

Past

July – Sep 2012, Verizon Wireless Home Phone Connect #VZWHomePhone
July – Sep 2012, Hansen’s Natural Soda – Summer Fling #HansensSoCal

Hotels & Venues

  • Emerald Grande at Harborwalk Village in Destin, FL Emerald Grande Resort at Harborwalk Village in Destin FloridaEmerald Grande at Harborwalk Village in Destin, Florida… Price: $$ – $$$$ For: Families, reunions, couples Cleanliness: 4/5 Comfort: 4.5/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Spacious, has full kitchen, outdoor pool overlooking gulf, private access to beach on Norriego Point, free shuttle to/from airport, will hold luggage, most activities on-site or in walking distance   On a sunny day, Destin, Florida is beautiful with its sparkling water and white, sandy beaches. Staying at the Emerald Grande added a whole other dimension to my enjoying the area. It felt like 24/7 luxury with total relaxation. The Emerald Grande is a towering resort full of up-scale rentals and condos. It sits right along Harborwalk Village, placing you just footsteps away from dining, shopping, and water fun. If you call 48 hours ahead of time, a free shuttle can be arranged to pick you up or drop you off at the local airports. I would highly recommend this as we had some SERIOUS taxi issues while ...
  • Evergreen Lodge in Groveland, CA (near Yosemite) Evergreen Lodge in Groveland California near Yosemite National ParkReview of Hotel / Lodge in Yosemite National Park… Price: $$ – $$$ For: Families, couples, singles, seniors Cleanliness: 4.5/5 Comfort: 4.5/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Different lodging types, free parking & internet, pool/hot tub, massages offered, onsite & planned activities, grocery store, restaurant, 40 min. to Yosemite Valley   When visiting Yosemite National Park, it’s a shame to only stay one day. That said, the options of lodging within the park itself are somewhat limited. Another option is to find a hotel, cabin, or camp site just outside the park but close enough to drive in and out each day. For the first time, my family and I had the chance to stay at a place called Evergreen Lodge, located near the eastern entrance to Yosemite and only a few minutes from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. As the name suggests, Evergreen Lodge is tucked deep within a forest full of pine trees. With a restaurant, general store, tavern, pool, massage ...
  • Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay California Coast Hotel Dog Friendly Yappy Hour Fog Coast DuskRitz Carlton in Half Moon Bay Restaurant & Hotel Review, Pet-Friendly… Price: $$$ – $$$$ For: Couples, singles Cleanliness: 4.5/5 Comfort: 5/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Gorgeous view, right on the coast, full spa, restaurant, public and private fire pits, indoor pool, dog-friendly, very attentive service, valet parking, quiet, golf course   Looking for a romantic getaway near the coast? Then your number one choice will have to be at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. After all these years, I finally got the chance to visit this beautiful establishment and we were totally blown away by the luxury and utter tranquility there. We hoped to attend the monthly Yappy Hour but, due to packing issues and unexpected traffic, we got there late. We were pleased to learn that the staff decided to extend the event so other late-comers (who must have been stuck in the same traffic) could enjoy it. There was still a good amount of people there with their ...
  • Ayres Hotel, Anaheim Ayres Hotel Anaheim CA California Disneyland Reasonable & CleanHotel in Anaheim CA near Disneyland… Price: $ – $$$ For: Families, couples, singles, seniors Cleanliness: 4.5/5 Comfort: 5/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Clean, near Disneyland, ART stops out front, reasonable, pool, workout room, super comfy beds, quiet, breakfast included, free wi-fi, free parking   What kind of California family would we be if we didn’t make an occasional trip to visit Disneyland? Since it can take anywhere from 5 to 8 hours to drive from the SF Bay Area to L.A., staying at a hotel for at least one night is a must. Last week, we had the pleasure of staying at the Ayres Hotel in Anaheim (pronounced AIRs) during our time down in SoCal. The location was perfect as it was central to many popular attractions. It was easy to find and in a good area. ART (local transit) stopped right in front of the hotel and Disneyland was only a quick 15-minute ride. Plus, since parking at the hotel ...
  • Sunnyside Car Service in Sunnyside, NY Sunnyside New York Car NYC Service To / From JFK EWR AirportsNew York City NYC Car Service… This past month I went to New York. To say I was nervous would be a huge understatement. I have not traveled without my family since getting married, which was over 12 years ago. I was so anxious that something would go horribly wrong and I’d be stranded in a bad part of the city. Fortunately all went well and a large portion of that was due to Sunnyside Car Service. I started writing a whole story of my experience but decided to nix it all. Instead, I’m going to tell you my opinion of how Sunnyside Car Service did in each of the following key areas. Cleanliness Cars are owned by the drivers so they take very good care of them. It is their business investment, after all. That also means they don’t drive AS scary as other taxis might. Plus, Sunnyside regularly conducts inspections to make ...
  • Eventi Hotel, New York Eventi Kimpton Hotel New York City Manhattan NYCNew York City NYC Hotel… Price: $$ – $$$ For: Couples, singles, business Cleanliness: 4.0/5 Comfort: 4.0/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Central location, nice view, large rooms, restaurant   It is so much easier to have a ‘home base’ when touring downtown New York City. The Eventi Hotel in Manhattan served as just that during my recent press trip to see the Avengers at the Tribeca Film Festival. The location is central to many top sights such as the Empire State Building and Times Square is a short 15-minute walk. To save your feet the subway is nearby to bring you to other parts around town including Central Park, which is only two stops away. The rooms were spacious and clean. The decor was tasteful and very functional, with hidden outlets throughout the room. The temperature was perfect and the air-conditioning/heater was quiet when in operation. In case you feel like sleeping in, you only need to flip the switch near the ...
  • Sand Pebbles Inn, Cambria San Pebbles Inn in Cambria, California CA Family-Friendly near ocean and Moonstone BeachCambria Inns / Hotels in California CA… Price: $$ For: Families Cleanliness: 4.5/5 Comfort: 4.5/5 Recommended: Yes Features: On the coastline, a lot of natural light, across from Moonstone Beach, free parking, fresh breakfast included, quiet, family-friendly, refreshments.   Aside from one half-day trip to visit Hearst Castle some 20 years ago, I haven’t spent much time on the central California coast. My family recently vacationed for a long weekend in the area and really had fantastic time. One large contributor to that great experience was the lodging – which I totally and completely mean. We thoroughly enjoyed our four days and three nights at the Sand Pebbles Inn in Cambria, California. Being that our trip was on President’s Day weekend, the hotel was almost fully booked. They had one double queen left and reserved it for us. The inn lies right across from Moonstone Beach, which meant we could listen to the ocean lull us to sleep each night. There was plenty of ...
  • Larkspur Hotel, Truckee near North Lake Tahoe Our double queen room at the Truckee-Tahoe Larkspur Hotel in North Lake Tahoe California CATruckee North Lake Tahoe Hotels… Price: $-$$ For: Families, couples, singles, seniors Cleanliness: 4.0/5 Comfort: 4.0/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Simple, pet-friendly, quiet, free parking, nice breakfast, proximity to Lake Tahoe.   For our trip to North Lake Tahoe, I reserved a room at the Larkspur Hotel, Truckee-Tahoe using a Living Social deal. For $25 more we were able to bring our dog. The only thing that worried me was that a ‘pet-friendly hotel’ meant ‘dirty’. That was not the case at all! Upon arrival, we were greeted by friendly staff and a bottle of wine that was included with the deal we used. I thought it was cute how they even had a welcoming package for those with dogs. It included a new water bowl, a dog-waste dispenser with a full roll of bags, and a toy rope (Speckles favorite). The hotel was easy to find yet hard at the same time. After we checked-in at the front desk, we got ...
  • Westin Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Family-friendly review of the Westin Gaslamp Quarter Hotel in San Diego, CaliforniaWestin Gaslamp Quarter San Diego California CA Hotels… Price: $$ – $$$ For: Families, couples, singles, seniors Cleanliness: 4.0/5 Comfort: 4.0/5 Recommended: Yes Features: Central location, walking distance to shops, indoor pool, valet parking, great view.   San Diego is a beautiful area with a lot to see and more to do. What fun is it if you don’t have a great hotel as a home base though? We (my husband, my daughter, and myself) had a chance to stay at the Westin Gaslamp Quarter during our recent trip to San Diego. One of the best things about this hotel is the location. Bordering the Gaslamp district, this 16-floor, 4-star Westin is close enough to all major sights without being completely immersed in the full hustle and bustle of the Gaslamp nightlife. It also sits right next to a 4-level mega-mall that includes everything, even a movie theatre and post office! The entrance is very open and well-attended to. Even at night ...