Asics GT-2170: Product Review

A couple of months back, I was in the market for a new pair of sneakers, because quite frankly, the ones I had were from high school and had fallen apart. I usually try and buy things on sale because I don't believe in paying full price for anything, but Sal convinced me to head to Lady Foot Locker in the mall, try on a bunch of sneakers, and talk to a professional who knows what kind of shoe would be best for me, running 1-3 miles a day, working out, and taking kickboxing classes. It wasn't until weeks later that I found out about a local sneaker store where they have customers test out sneakers performing all different types of fitness tests, like running on a treadmill, to see what shoes would best fit the individual's feet. I talked with the Foot Locker representative about what I wanted out of the sneakers, something I never do with any sales representative. She showed me a couple of different pairs and I ended up trying a few on, but in the end I fell in love with the ASICS GT-2170 sneakers, in all black. I'm honestly not a fan of colored sneakers when working out, because I want ones that go with every single outfit I put on. No I'm not trying to make a fashion statement, it's more for my own peace of mind. I still love my shoes and haven't had any problems with them thus far, which is why I'm writing this product review.

Did you know that ASICS is an acronym from the Latin phrase, "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano," which translates to "a sound mind in a sound body." I had no idea prior to my purchase, but I'm kind of in love with the name and what it means. ASICS provides just that too, a sound mind, because when you're running in these shoes, you know that your feet are protected, which makes you push your body to workout even harder. The ASICS GT-2170, for women, has a Gel Cushioning System combined with the Full Length Guidance line, which has been designed to help protect an individual's foot from tremendous, harmful forces that they encounter during all athletic activities by absorbing impact. "The ASICS Gel Cushioning System has the ability to absorb shock by dissipating vertical impact and dispersing it into a horizontal plane." The Gel does not add any weight to these shoes, and though they're not as light as some of the other shoes I tried on, they provided me with the protection I knew I needed after running 1-3 miles a day! I felt comfortable pushing myself during each workout because I knew I was in the appropriate gear to get the job done.

I would definitely recommend the ASICS-2170 to anyone who is looking for a comfortable sneaker that gets the job done. I am never concerned that I am putting too much pressure on my feet when I run, and I am able to focus on the workout, the run, the fitness class, as well as the form and structure of my body. While I couldn't find my exact sneaker on the ASICS website, I did find it online at Dick's Sporting Goods, but I will recommend that you go and try on any sneaker before purchasing them online. I really believe that you must feel how it is on your foot, not just how it looks on a website, especially because these are sneakers that you're going to be working out in, and you don't want to injure yourself just because the sneakers looked cute, but didn't quite fit you.

Want to learn more about the GT series in particular? Check out the video below!

Still looking for more information about the ASICS brand in general?

Website: ASICS 

Facebook: ASICS

Twitter: ASICSAmerica

YouTube: ASICSAmerica

*All of the above opinions are my own. ASICS America did not compensate me or ask that I write a review, I simply wrote one because I wanted to. 

Just Because

Did you ever receive a text that just made you smile? I get those quite often, but then there are the texts that make your heart beat fast, those texts that make you nervous?! I still get those 5 years later from Sal. Two weeks ago, Sal texted me asking me if I'd like to go to dinner with him, just because. I, of course, said yes! I was super excited and to be quite honest, nervous. Can you imagine, nervous to go to dinner with my boyfriend of 5 years!? He must be doing something right, ha! We're always up for trying new places, and lately Sal wants to surprise me all of the time, so he told me to dress casual, but nice. After much debate about what to wear (I swear this happens every time Sal wants to take me out), I pulled together the perfect outfit, and got a few compliments during the night.

He took me to Sevilla, a local restaurant that specializes in Spanish cuisine, and I won't lie, I was a little hesitant when we first walked in. Not only was it dead for a 6:00pm on a Sunday, but the people that were occupying the tables were much, much older than the two of us. The wait staff barely talked to us, which annoyed me to no end, well that was until we received a pitcher of sangria and escarole soup, both exceptional. The sangria was free, but it was the best sangria I've ever had, hands down. The soup... the soup was out of this world, even though Sal and I were a little nervous to try it, being that we've never had escarole, but we were not disappointed. I ended up enjoying the fact that the wait staff let us have time to ourselves... talking, figuring out what we wanted to eat, and just enjoying the food. For appetizer, we ordered mussels, which has become my favorite, and has always been Sal's favorite. For dinner, I ended up ordering the flounder stuffed with shrimp and crab meat and Sal ordered the paella. My dish arrived with rice and veggies on the side, and Sal also had veggies. The dinner was delicious and the portions were huge! We ended up taking half, if not more, of our meals home. That didn't mean we weren't able to try the dessert though! I was going to try the cheesecake, since I'm a cheesecake fan, but when Sal ordered the orange sorbet, mine didn't seem too appetizing, especially when they both came out of the kitchen. Instead of eating the cheesecake and disappointing myself, we wrapped it up for his dad to eat later, and we shared the orange sorbet, and it was a perfect light cleanse of the palate for after dinner.

We held hands in between courses, and after we were finished. Even though friends of mine have made fun of people that do that, and couldn't believe that Sal and I are "one of those couples," I actually love it. It makes me feel connected to Sal, even when we're sitting across the table from one another. I guess that's something you learn when you grow up... ignore what others think about you. You're not living your life for them, you're living it for you. Afterwards, it took us 20 minutes to snap a picture of ourselves together, since I not only love documenting every thing, but I need it to be perfect too. You'd think Sal would understand this after 5 years, but no... and I don't think he ever will, which is fine with me as long as he smiles in the pictures! (ha!)

It's funny, at the end of the night no matter who pays, we always say thank you to the other person. Just because he's my boyfriend, and just because I'm his girlfriend doesn't mean that we need to buy each other dinner every weekend. It's still something that's appreciated and I love that we let the other person know that every time. And we always, always end the night with a kiss.

Superbowl Sunday 2013

Every year Superbowl Sunday rolls around, and every year Sal and I make the decision to stay in, together - whether or not the Packers are playing (which is Sal's favorite team). This year we decided to pick up snacks from Target and hang out downstairs with my dad. We spent the whole afternoon cooking, and then when the game started we laid everything out on the table and dug in, literally. Aside from the usual wings and the crackers, cheese, and pepperoni platter, I also made a Buffalo Chicken Dip, that we had at my friends house a few months ago - Sal LOVED it, so I decided to make it for him myself. I posted the recipe on my cooking/baking blog, just click on the link! While it may not be the healthiest dip out there (it's made with cream cheese, ranch dressing, and cheese, among other things), ingredients can be swapped to make it healthier. I know my boyfriend though, and he would not have been happy if I was cooking healthy things on HIS Sunday. I swear it's like a holiday for this boy. 

Everything's okay in moderation remember? So I decided to try some of my extremely spicy dip with chips, as well as a few crackers, cheese, and pepperoni slices. However, instead of eating a ton of wings with mozzarella sticks, I picked on cucumber slices with balsamic vinegar while watching the game and then made myself a quick salad to go along with my wings. It's all about making healthier choices! 

Sal usually creates a football pool and gets people from work and his mom's work to join in on the fun! The winner with the numbers from the end of each quarter win a certain amount of money, and guess who was the first to win!? That's right, this girl right here! Of course, I paid Sal the money that he had put in for me, and then I kept the rest and put it right in our savings vase. We keep a vase in my room of  change that we have leftover in our wallets and pockets, as well as any money we win (lottery/pools). So far it has helped pay for our trip to DR over the summer of 2012 and our trip to Niagara Falls last month; you could say it's definitely come in handy. This time we're saving for something a little bigger!

 

We all know that the power went out in the dome, so instead of sitting around, I got up and made the Tone It Up Chocolate Cake, something that I've made before and loved. I promise you it's not only healthy, but delicious as well. I ended the night with a piece of cake, some vanilla greek yogurt and strawberries on top. While Sal isn't a fan of the cake, my dad did try it... he just needed a big tall glass of milk to go with it! Sal even ended up winning some money, so while we didn't care who was playing, having entered in football pools made the game more interesting, and definitely easier to watch! 

Premier Protein Shakes & Bars: Product Review

I'm usually always on Twitter, connecting with friends, Tone It Up members, and companies that sell products I enjoy using. Occasionally I'll find a new company and sometimes they'll ask me to try out their products! A few weeks ago I had won a box of Premier Protein products to try. As a fitness fanatic, I was excited to try new protein bars, even though I had never heard of them. I usually eat Luna Bars, Larabars, and Kind bars; while I've been told think thin bars are also great, I have yet to try them. I try and eat protein bars with the least amount of ingredients possible, and with known ingredients, so I know exactly what I'm fueling my body with.

When I received the box of Premier Protein products, I was excited and immediately decided to split the box in half so my brother could try out the products as well. He's big on working out and being healthy too, so I thought it'd be perfect if two people were able to try the products, instead of one.

In the box there was:

2 Chocolate Premier Protein Shakes 
2 Vanilla Premier Protein Shakes
2 Chocolate Peanut Butter Premier Protein Bars 
2 Double Chocolate Crunch Premier Protein Bars
2 Yogurt Peanut Crunch Premier Protein Bars

{Their Philosophy} 

"We believe that everyone should live a healthy, active life, and nutrition is the cornerstone of that life. However, we know that eating healthy and staying active is challenging in today’s hectic life, so we strive to be your health and nutrition partner—making powerful, healthy choices easy.

Our mission is to give you the energy to get the most out of every day — now.

Protein, protein, protein. We love protein because it is essential for a healthy and active life. But getting enough protein is hard, especially protein that doesn’t come with too many calories or too much fat. That’s why we make delicious, essential healthy protein that curbs hunger and fuels your energy for whatever you love to do.

We’re showing the world how healthy protein can help anyone tackle life’s daily challenges, feel their best and live the life they want."

After I workout, I usually have a Perfect Fit Protein Shake, Greek yogurt, or a Luna bar, so instead, I replaced those with a Premier Protein Shake OR half a Premier Protein Bar. The protein shakes have 30g Protein, 160 Calories, 1g Sugar, Low Fat, and 24 Vitamins & Minerals, while the snack shakes, which weren't in the box, have 18g Protein, 100 Calories, 1g Sugar, Low Fat, and 24 Vitamins & Minerals. The protein bars have 30g Protein, 3g Fiber, and good sources of Calcium. All of these products sounded great, perfect for a tough workout. I was nervous though, to replace something that I know works, with something that I've never tried before, however, I eventually gave it a shot.

Unfortunately, I wasn't pleased with the taste of the vanilla shake - it tasted chalky, and while the chocolate one tasted better, I don't think I would buy these to drink after a workout. When I'm done with a workout, I want something refreshing, light, and packed with protein to help my body heal after pushing it to the limits. While the protein shake was packed with protein, it wasn't appealing to my taste buds, at all. My brother on the other hand, knew what to expect with protein shakes, and said that's how most of them taste. There were also a ton of ingredients that I couldn't even pronounce if I tried, which gave me an uneasy feeling, since I literally had no idea what I was drinking.

The protein bars tasted a little better, but I still probably wouldn't choose these bars over the less ingredient bars that I'm used to. Tasting these and reading the ingredients in them definitely made me want to start making my own protein bars, so I know exactly what's in them. Out of all of the bars {chocolate peanut butter, double chocolate crunch, and yogurt peanut crunch}, I think my favorite was the yogurt peanut crunch.

Now, I'm not a pro at protein shakes or bars by any means - I haven't tried all that many brands, so I really didn't know what to expect, maybe they're all like Premier Protein - filled with ingredients I can't name with an indistinguishable taste. I would definitely tell other people to try them because they might like them; they just weren't right for me.

I am thankful that I was able to try these protein bars - Thank you Premier Protein! I'll definitely be willing to try your other products, and expand my protein shake and bar horizons!

Has anyone ever tried Premier Protein shakes or bars? What did you think? Do you have another protein shake or bar that you absolutely love? Tell me which one! 

Want to learn more about Premier Protein?

Website: Premier Protein

Facebook: Premier Protein

Twitter: Premier Protein

YouTube: Premier Protein

*All of the above opinions are my own. Premier Protein didn't compensate me or ask that I write a review, I simply wrote one because I wanted to. 

Steak 'n Shake

Whenever I would visit my family in Florida, I would make sure that I stopped at Steak 'n Shake while I was down there because unfortunately, there were none in or near New Jersey. I would always get the same thing while I was there - the steak burger, fries, and a cookie dough shake. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am obsessed with all things cookie dough - ice cream, cookie batter, shakes... everything. The steak burgers are cooked perfectly, the fries are thin and crispy, and the cookie dough shakes are to die for.

Maybe it was a good thing that the only way I could eat a burger and fries was if I was headed to Florida, that way I wasn't tempted to eat it all of the time. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on the way you look at it, they built a Steak 'n Shake in NYC, and while I tried to plan many trips out there, I was never able to go. It wasn't until months later that I found out that they had put a Steak 'n Shake in a nearby mall in NJ! I was psyched, okay maybe psyched isn't the best word... I was beyond psyched, just ask my boyfriend. I immediately told him we needed to go, and eventually we did! I was so excited, but so nervous that it wouldn't taste just as good as I had remembered it in Florida. We ordered, sat down, and when we took our first bite it didn't taste the same... it tasted better! The shake had to be my favorite part by far.

Now I don't eat burgers and fries all that often because I'm usually eating lean, clean, and green, and a burger with fries and a shake definitely isn't great for you, but everything is okay in moderation! Sal and I sat there and savored our meals, and then afterwards we walked around the mall. It was great being able to spend time with him, enjoy a meal and then 'workout' without even realizing it, afterwards. It would have been worse if we ate and then went home and laid around. I'd consider our night successful, and I haven't been tempted to go back there in the weeks that followed, but writing this post makes me want to go back, at least for the shake!

While I don't recommend eating at fast food restaurants, I do recommend at least trying Steak 'n Shake if there's one in your area. Just don't let it become a daily or weekly occurrence. Remember - everything in moderation.

The Secret Year: Book Review

This was another book that I borrowed from my friend, and I'm glad I borrowed it instead of buying it because I was not impressed. I usually fall in love with the characters and the story line of most of the books I read, because I know what I like when I read the back of the books. The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard was not a book I'd recommend to anyone - it was short and the story line was weak. I thought the story could have been written better because the plot was rather interesting... a secret relationship, one dies and leaves a journal and the other is figuring out what their relationship really meant. Unfortunately, it was just a terrible version of Romeo and Juliet.

Synopsis According to Barnes&Noble:

Colt and Julia were secretly together for a year, and no one ever knew, not even Julia's boyfriend. Why would they-they were from two different crowds. Julia lived in her country club world and Colt . . . didn't. Then Julia dies in a car accident. Colt is devastated but can't mourn openly, and he's tormented that he may have played a part in her death. And when Julia's journal ends up in his hands, he is forced to relive their year together-just when he is trying to forget. The problem is, how do you get over someone who was never really yours to begin with?


My Review:

The beginning of this book started off great, a secret love in high school between two people on the opposite sides of the economic ladder in town. Julia, being the rich girl, and Colt, being the boy that lived on the farm. While Julia had a boyfriend for show, she was secretly having a love affair with Colt. When Julia dies, Colt is unable to get over it, even though he tries to push it out of his mind, and tries to cover his pain with not one girlfriend, but eventually another one. It sounds like a great story, an intense love between two young individuals, but the author was unable to provide readers with exactly that. I think Hubbard could have had a much better story out of this plot, but it was really poorly executed. I honestly could have gone by in life without having read this book, and I would've been fine. Luckily, it was short so it wasn't a waste of too much time. I don't recommend this book, unless you're looking for a quick read. 

My Rating: 1 Star

Dora.

I've been putting off this post for a couple of weeks now because it still upsets me. About two years ago, my dad was on Craigslist - he loves looking at things that people are selling, and most of the time he ends up making a purchase. Well, without telling anyone one day, he came home with a red and white cage, a bag full of food and a ball, and a cute, little hamster. Now if you knew me when I was younger, you would have known that I was obsessed with those little balls of fur. I wanted one, no... I needed one, or so I thought - I mean what child doesn't think they need a pet, especially one that you could stuff in your pocket and take with you everywhere. My mom though, didn't see the need for them, in fact she thought they looked too close to rats, and didn't even want to talk about getting one.

Years passed, and I got over it, I knew I wasn't going to ever have a hamster... or so I thought.

When my dad came home with the hamster, I felt like I was 10 again, and my wish was finally coming true, as lame as that may sound. He got the hamster from a couple who was moving and wasn't able to have pets. They told him it was a female hamster, and while they also told him her name, we renamed her and I have since forgotten what they used to call her. To me, she was Dora. I was honestly afraid to hold her at first, I hadn't ever held a hamster, and I was afraid she'd bite me. Once I did hold her, she tried to bite me, but after a while, she got used to me and knew I wasn't going to hurt her. My dad was in love with her too, though I don't think he'd admit it. He had her exploring in our backyard all the time and snuck her food she probably wasn't supposed to have like bread, chips, and poptarts. I also gave her tons of veggies because she loved to snack on them. I'd say together, we provided her with a well-balanced diet!

I also have a golden retriever, Maddie, and I was nervous about introducing the two of them. While my dog is probably the most gentle dog in the world, I still didn't want her accidently squishing Dora. However, my dad had other plans - he held Dora right in front of my Maddie's nose, and eventually he threw Dora right on her back and we watched. Maddie was so careful with Dora, it was adorable. However, when we put Dora in her ball, my dog thought it was a game, and she would push the ball with her nose and paws.

Other than that I'd say she had an amazing, long life... for a hamster, at least. Two years flew by and I'm glad I preserved most of the memories on camera. From having her explore the backyard and eat the grass and playing around in her ball to sitting on my lap and watching TV and playing with each and every person that picked her up, including my dog. It hurt when I found her, not moving, and after crying on Sal's shoulder for most of the morning, I tried to take comfort in thinking that I had given Dora the best possible life and that even though she looked tiny still, and in my mind was still young, that she was old and that two years is a long life for a hamster. Sweet cards with hamster stickers also help.

Niagara Falls {Part 2}

You can read Part 1 here.

After a well rested night, we decided to wake up and head down to the buffet breakfast. We fueled up on healthy food, before heading to the room to change into workout clothes. Yes, we decided to workout on vacation. When Sal and I go away, we always try and make sure we're always physically moving, whether it's swimming with sharks in Dominican Republic or biking a 10 mile path in Vermont. We enjoy working out together, and it's something that we don't get to do too often when we're home because of our work schedules. I was able to get in a 5K on the treadmill, and an ab workout. We were sweating by the end of our hour workout, and ready to shower and start our day.

Today would be our day. We hopped in the truck and started our drive to the wine tasting that we had scheduled. Sal and I have become those people, yes you know what I'm talking about, the adults that attend wine tasting, and sip wine with other wine lovers. I have to admit though, I love it. On our drive there we admired the botanical gardens and the beautiful bodies of water, as well as a few large vineyards. Pellar Estates, though, was probably the most modern and gorgeous looking estates, even in the negative degree weather.

While we waited for our tour and tasting to start, we walked around admired the architecture of the building and met individuals that came from near (other cities in Canada) and far (Italy)! When the tour started, the guide tried to save us as much time outside as she could, but we did eventually go outside to see the vineyards, which was pretty awesome if you ask me, considering at our Vermont tasting, we didn't see where they grew the grapes. Afterwards, we went into their basement where they stored the wine, and enjoyed a fine tasting, where the guide showed us how to drink three different wines to really enjoy the taste of it. It was interesting to listen to all the different ways to make it taste better, and by the end of it Sal and I had purchased a bottle that we will hopefully be drinking soon! I think I could've bought more than one bottle though, that's how much I enjoy wine! We also grabbed two souvenir 'glasses' to add to our collection.

On our way back to the area we were able to snap a picture of a beautiful view overlooking the river. 

Then we were off to see Niagara Falls up close and personal, but not before we paid for parking once again! We quickly went inside the building though to take a look at all the shops and the view from the inside. While we were inside we found out that although the Maiden of the Mist doesn't run in the winter, we could still go Behind the Falls! We essentially went underground, and behind the falls, where it was even colder that it was outside next to the falls, if you could imagine. 

I think this might've been my favorite part of the trip though, being able to take pictures this close to the falls... together. It was romantic, and I might've mentioned, several times, that it'd be the perfect spot to pop the question. Sal just laughed... guess he has bigger plans up his sleeve! 

When we had enough of the freezing cold, we headed back up to see Niagara Falls in all its cold, cold glory. I wasn't kidding when I said it was cold, the mist from Niagara Falls turns everything to ice. While it makes for a beautiful picture, it also makes for two frozen individuals. 

Afterwards, we headed to Tim Horton's to grab a quick bite to eat - soup and a panini - because it was the only place, it seemed, that we could park without paying a dime! We didn't realize until later that supposedly Tim Horton's is a big deal. On our way back to our hotel room, we stopped and booked reservations for dinner at the hotel restaurant. We relaxed a bit after an exhausting day, looking out at Niagara Falls from our view, that we might've preferred over being up close to it. We faced the small couch towards the window, and just sat there for what seemed like a long time, but in reality was probably only a couple of minutes, and just enjoyed each other's company, not speaking. It really stands out in my mind as a really intimate moment during our trip - looking out at this great wonder, together.

We began getting ready for dinner, and headed down to enjoy what was probably the best food we had eaten in Canada. While I enjoyed a shrimp dish with rice and veggies, recommended by our waiter, Sal enjoyed the steak, of course, with fries and veggies. It was incredibly delicious, and I even had room left to enjoy a taste of Canada's chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, which I'm sorry to admit, isn't as good as the ice cream here in the U.S. 

The design of the restaurant only made the night that much better - it was spectacular, and yet calming and inviting. 

When we were done, we decided to head on outside and look at all the lights that they had up, from Disney characters to Christmas and Hanukkah characters, and while I snapped more than one picture of the lights, I thought this one was the best. It changed from the American flag to the Canadian flag. 

When we had finally seen all of the lights, we went back to our hotel room, with plans of popping open our wine, but I guess our minds had other ideas, because we ended up in bed, fast asleep... well at least I did. On our last morning there, we went down for our buffet breakfast, and then started packing up our room, but not before I snuck in one or two more pictures of Niagara Falls, because I clearly didn't take enough pictures! At more than one point during our trip, it started snowing, but the snow there was like rain in Florida, it would go on for about 5 minutes, and then it would stop and it'd be as if it never snowed, or rained. What amazed me was the fact that one minute it'd be snowing and you couldn't see anything, even if you tried... like the falls had disappeared all together, and then the next minute you could see the falls, and they seemed even more beautiful than the last time you saw them. 

We've been told that we went during off season, and it's better when you go in the summer, however, I'm not quite sure I'd go back to Canada, and I think Sal would agree with me. It was a wonderful experience, and we now have many, many more memories, but I think one trip to Canada is enough for me. 

Niagara Falls {Part 1}

For our 5 year anniversary, Sal planned a trip for us. I received an amazing booklet, that he had made with all of the information and where we would be headed on Christmas Eve. We were headed to Niagara Falls in January! We didn't realize that it was going to be as cold as it was, but we were smart enough to pack warm clothes, and when I say warm, I'm talking about long johns, winter jackets, and hats, gloves, and scarves! The morning that we were set to leave, Sal received an upsetting phone call... his grandma had took a turn for the worst the night prior, and had passed away that morning. I was running late... I was supposed to pick him up at 7:30am, but hadn't gotten there until 7:45/8:00am, so fortunately for him he was able to be with his family when the phone rang. I'm thankful I was able to give him that time with his family, before we were together on a mini-vacation for three days.

We started driving, and before we knew it we were driving through Pennsylvania and New York. That was when we decided to stop for breakfast, not only because we were starving, but also because the wind was so strong that my truck was literally swerving on the highway. It was dangerous and had caused us to lose time and gas. So we thought it was better to stop and fill ourselves with breakfast! We ate breakfast at Perkin's, and luckily enough for me they had a few healthy options! We were back on the road before we knew it. When Sal and I drive short distances or get stuck in traffic, I'm not the most pleasant person to be stuck in a car with... I don't know what it is, but I just get anxious and annoyed, but on long trips in the car or truck with Sal, it's not so bad. We think of ways to pass the time - whether it's blasting our favorite country songs or talking to each other about anything and everything. Before we knew it we were crossing into Canada, somewhere we have both never been before. While we've been out of the country before, we haven't driven out of the country, so it was interesting to see how customs worked - they ask you a ton of questions and check your passports before they let you through.

We arrived at our hotel and began checking in, but not before the wind almost took off my truck door! It now makes a pretty loud noise whenever you open it... thanks Sal! When we got to our room, I was in awe at our view of Niagara Falls... it was beautiful, incredible, spectacular... all of the above. I'd never seen something so naturally beautiful in my life. We decided that we'd see it up close the following day, since it was already past lunch time. After we threw our stuff in the room, we headed downstairs to Starbucks, for me, and the bar for him. I have to admit though, the Starbucks was completely overpriced... $5 for a small tazo chai tea latte, that would've cost me under $3 in the U.S!? Insane. Sal enjoyed his Canadian beer, almost as much as I enjoyed paying $5 for tea!

Afterwards, we relaxed a little and planned out our vacation, before heading out to dinner. Sal wanted to try Planet Hollywood, because he had never been to the one in NYC and he is a big time movie genius. Ask him any question about any movie and I promise you he will know it, even if all you do is quote a line directly from it. We drove down the street, to what looked like Atlantic City... I kid you not, the lights were insane, and it was way too commercial for my liking. There were restaurants, casinos, bars, and arcades everywhere. It was disappointing to say the least - why take something so beautiful and natural like Niagara Falls and throw a bunch of money-making buildings and advertisements right down the street, but I guess that's just it, it's a tourist location, where they know they can make money. What was even worse about this though was the parking... we searched for twenty minutes to find parking under $20! Can you believe that, during off-season they charge you $20 to park to go into a restaurant to eat. Eventually we found parking for $12, what a steal, right? But when we got to Planet Hollywood, no one seated us... we looked around and there were maybe ten tables filled, with no one eating. We asked the man that seemed to be the only one working there, and he told us it was at least a thirty minute wait, because only two people were working.






We quickly left, disappointed, and headed to the Hard Rock cafe, which was right down the street. It was alright, aside from the Sangria. We just couldn't wait to go back to the hotel and hope that our second day in Canada would be better.

Before I Fall: Book Review

I've had my eye on the book, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, for awhile now, but never got around to purchasing it... thankfully, my bookworm friend had it and let me borrow it, among plenty of other books that I'll be doing reviews on in the upcoming weeks. This is definitely a book I would've bought myself just to have on my shelf though!

Synopsis from Barnes&Noble:

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High, from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12 should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Fortunately, she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

My Review:

While I liked the book, I have to admit, I really thought it'd be more interesting, but I am reminded of mean girls, four best friends who terrorize and make fun of all their classmates that they deem 'below' them. It's sad that Samantha Kingston dies, and has to relive the last day of her life seven times, but it's annoying to hear the day happen again exactly the way it had with minimal differences, still leading to the party, the first few times. However, I did enjoy seeing how little decisions changes what happens, and it's interesting to think about your own daily choices and how they change the evens of your own life. One decision, one thing that happens can cause other things to happen; and maybe, just maybe there's a list of things that could happen underneath each moment in life. After the fourth reoccurrence of the day Sam got into the accident and died, Sam finally realizes that she's dead. She's also realizing that even though she's popular, she doesn't have any real, true friends. 

Even though readers know she's dead, I feel as if she can still change her outcome. 

I get this feeling of anxiety while reading this book, again I know that she's dead and that she's going to repeat the same day seven times, but I can't help but wish that it'll stop, that she'll wake up and it'll all be a dream, and that she's not dead, but in a dream where she realizes who she really is. This book ended up having such a hold on me; it honestly made me afraid of dying, because you don't get the chance to redo things so it makes me think about my decisions today and all the days ahead. Everything in life is complex and connected, and while I didn't need to read a book to realize that, it became prominent in this book. 

Not all books have happy endings, but there were plenty of lessons learned. Aside from the book being slow in the beginning, it turned out to be a great story. I would definitely recommend this book. 

"You can see them every day- you can think you know them- And then you find out you hardly know them at all" (page 159). 

"But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know" (page 268). 

"I suppose that's the secret, if you're ever wishing for things to go back to the way they were. You just have to look up" (page 284). 

"As we pull out of the parking lot, it occurs to me that maybe it's not so complicated at all. Most of the time - 99% of the time - you just don't know how and why the threads are looped together, and that's okay" (page 425-426)

My Rating: 4 Stars