Romance/Getaway Series - Couples Resort - San Souci, Jamaica

Couples San Souci - Jamaica

I want to start out by saying that if you have never stayed at an all-inclusive resort before, this is the place to start. At Couples San Souci, your every want and need is met, no joke!




This was our first experience with an all-inclusive facility, and we definitely picked the right resort to start out with. Our suite had a huge Jacuzzi, walk out deck overlooking the beach and ocean, and a soft king-size bed. The room was furnished with a couch, TV, wine and spirits (included), bathrobes and a fridge stocked with sodas and water bottles.



One of the wonderful things about this resort was the food. We visited every single restaurant on the facility and the food was delicious at every single location. The restaurant by our hotel served omelets in the morning along with a buffet of other items, and pasta bar at night. There was a beach grill that had burgers/fries so that you wouldn’t have to stray far from the beach for a mid-day snack. In addition, you could order room service whenever you wanted, and that was included as well. We ordered filet mignon one night and enjoyed it in the comfort of our room. It was perfect!



The food is delicious, but there is more to this resort than just great food. The resort had so much to offer. We went snorkeling one day, relaxed by one of the several pools another, took a trip to Dunn’s River Falls and climbed up the waterfall (what an exhilarating experience), went out into the ocean on a hobie cat one afternoon, kayaked and paddle boated another afternoon, and so many other activities. You can’t be bored with all that this resort has to offer, and for those of you who want to learn to Scuba Dive, they can do that too!

Great Food, fun activities, gorgeous location AND friendly staff that goes above and beyond. We were particularly impressed with a staff member named Kevin. One day we were running late and breakfast was ending, so we went down right before it closed to make a plate, and he offered to carry our plates and drinks back to our room for us, since he knew we wanted food and didn’t want to rush to eat it at the restaurant. Another night we called asking if they could send us a chocolate dessert, as chocolate isn’t used as much in their foods, and Kevin found a chocolate ganache cake and brought it to our rooms. He was so helpful, courteous and polite, as was the entire staff. We were very impressed with the staff at this resort, and can’t recommend it enough!

If we had the means we would travel back to a Couples Resort in a heartbeat!

New Year New You Series - Skechers Shape-Ups

SKECHERS USA, Inc., a leading global footwear company, has powered into the fitness market with the launch of Shape-ups, a line of stylish, technical walking shoes designed to get you fit without setting foot in a gym. I thought this would be a terriffic product to include in the New Year New You blog series, focusing on health and fitness for 2010. Who doesn't love hearing about easier ways to get in shape?

Designed to give your body a workout, Shape-ups are ideal for anyone seeking a healthier lifestyle – whether you’re a seasoned athlete, someone working to become more fit or just casually active. The stylish, affordable footwear allows you to shape up while you walk, shop and work, incorporating fitness into your daily life. Shape-ups have a kinetic wedge midsole that simulates walking on a soft surface like sand, providing natural instability that makes you use more energy with every step. Wear Shape-ups to:

• Firm calf, thigh and buttock muscles
• Tighten abdominals
• Improve posture
• Strengthen and firm back muscles
• Alleviate stress on knee and ankle joints



Shape-ups retrain your muscles helping you walk with a positive impact and enhance the way you look and feel. Research indicates that people who have worn Shape-ups for a six week period of time during their normal activities and typical walking programs experienced an average weight loss of 3.25 pounds and 41% improvement in glutei strength



I was provided with a men's pair of Skecher's Shape ups for review, and had my husband try them out, and here are his thoughts:

"I will admit, these Shape Ups Skechers did take some getting used to at first, but after breaking them in, I was unstoppable. When I first put them on, I felt like I was rocking back and forth and it was clear that my feet were not flat on the ground, but rather arched. I wore my Skechers both when walking and running, in order to get a better sense of how they felt at different paces of movement. I definitely found myself paying more attention to my posture and standing up straighter. Besides the fact Shape Ups increase muscle tone and improve circulation, they also come standard with an antibacterial treatment to prevent odor, wick away moisture and increase breathability. I'm not proclaiming that I have foot odor, but it is definitely a plus when wearing shoes all day long in the workplace. Who knew that in 2010 I would be able to get a free work-out while working. I would especially recommend Shape Ups to those who are on their feet all day. "

Skechers also makes Shape-Up boots, and Tone-Up Flip Flops (which I am dying to try), both pictured below. So you don't have to limit yourselve to wearing sneakers all the time in order to get a work out, now you can wear Skecher's Shape Up Boots, and Tone-Up Flip Flops as well!

New Year New You Series - Qdoba Review & Giveaway - CLOSED

Qdoba is a Mexican restaurant chain that I was recently introduced to. I am not a fan of spicy food, in fact I may be the biggest wuss there is when it comes to hot foods, but I LOVE Qdoba because they allow you to choose the level of spice, or order something that has no "kick" at all.

I love Qdoba for so many reasons. Their food is fresh, wholesome and is easy to customize for specific dietary needs or preferences. Qdoba allows customers to pick and choose what they want on their - Quesadilla, tacos, burritos, salad etc. You could choose chicken, pork, beef, steak or vegetarian. I always get the chicken burrito with black beans, sour cream, cheese, lettuce and guacamole, and it is absolutely delicious!!! Again, let me reiterate, if you don't like spicy foods (like me) you will still absolutely love eating at Qdoba because you can choose the level or spice, or lack of spice in my case. So if you are a wuss like me, or love the super spicy jalapeno flavors they have something for everyone and every palette!



I wanted to feature Qdoba in my New Year New You Series because they have so many healthy alternatives to "fast food" or lunches/dinners on a time crunch. Whether you want to cut carbs, reduce calories or lower your fat intake they have the perfect option. For a lower calorie option they offer the Naked Burritos® and Naked Taco Salads™, which contain all of the delicious ingredients in our burritos and taco salads — just without the tortilla or tortilla bowl. By simply ordering a Naked meal, you've cut 330 calories and 54 grams of carbs. If you're looking to reduce carbs or calories even more, skip the rice or don't order chips. And if you want to reduce fat, just say no to cheese and opt for pork — the leanest protein on the menu.

If you haven't had a chance to try Qdoba, you're in luck, as I have 2 pre-loaded gift cards to give away!

TO WIN: Two of my readers will each win a prepaid Qdoba gift card that has 3 free meals loaded on them.



HOW TO ENTER:
1) Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link
2) Follow my blog (blogger/FB)
3) Follow Me on Twitter, and leave a comment with your twitter name
4) Tweet about this giveaway @melindajoy926 (This can be done DAILY)
"Qdoba Gift Card Giveaway @melindajoy926 here: _____(link)_____"
5) Post my button on your side bar and leave me the link
6) Subscribe to my blog via email/google reader
7) Send this giveaway link to 5 of your friends and let me know you did or post this link as your FB status - honor system
9) Vote for our kittens, (new contest), here: http://mvp.bissell.com/mvp_PetDetail.aspx?id=8589992022
Deadline: February 28th, 2010 at noon EST

Open to: US Only

Disclaimer: I was provided with a gift card for review, and Qdoba provided the 2 cards for giveaway

New Year New You Series - Avon Curves Toning Sneakers

Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with $10 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in more than 100 countries through 5.4 million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, and Mark. Learn more about Avon and its products at http://www.avoncompany.com/.


Avon now carries these Toning Sneakers by Curves. They have a unique rounded sole encourages a natural rocking motion with every step to challenge muscles and improve circulation and posture as you walk. They promote better balance and posture. These shoes have natural shock absorbers which encourages muscles to work harder while protecting your back, knee and hip joints. The sneakers are made of leather and man-made materials. Curves® is a registered trademark of Curves International, Inc. ©Curves International, Inc.

I think the concept of these sneakers is very unique. The shape and makeup of these shoes forces your body to balance inself with every step which makes your calves and thighs work constantly. It helps your muscles to become toned and more fit in general. I am glad that a company finally came up with a product that looks youthful, and also allows your body to get a work-out while going about the day-to-day routine. It's a win-win situation.

The results aren't instant, and it will take more than a few hours to start seeing a difference, but give them a try and see for yourself!

For more information on Avon Curves Toning Shoes or to purchase a pair for yourselve visit this site: http://www.avon.com/1/3/avon-curves-toning-shoe

Disclaimer: I was provided with a pair of shoes for review

New Year New You Series - Hi Tec Auckland Sneakers Giveaway - CLOSED

Hi-Tec is a great company that produces instantly comfortable lightweight footwear for the Outdoors, Golf, and Court sport activities, because your leisure time is too precious to walk around feeling uncomfortable in your shoes.

I recently had a chance to try a pair of Women's Auckland Sneakers (pictured below)]. I am not sure if I used them in the most conventional way, but we got an unexpected snow storm, and I left the pair of shoes that I would normally wear at my grandparents over Christmas, so I didn't have any shoes other than heals or my Hi-Tec Aucklands, so I figured I would give them a try. With about 4 inches of snow on the ground they provided perfect traction for the surface I was trying to tread, and kept my feet completely dry. I was very impressed with these sneakers, and would recommend them to friends, family and my readers!

Features of the Auckland Adventure Sport Sneaker:

Waterproof seam-sealed suede leather/mesh upper
Moisture-wicking lining
Protective abrasion-resistant toe and heel
Rustproof lacing system
Athletic design, last, and fit
Lightweight compression-molded EVA midsole
Durable carbon rubber outsole
Removable carbon rubber MDT outsole

Sizes
Mens 7-12, 13, colors gray or brown
Womens 5-10, 11, colors: gray or tan


TO BUY: Visit this link to find out where you can buy Hi-Tec Shoes: http://www.hi-tec.com/us/stockists

TO WIN: Dayna from Hi-Tec is offering a pair of Auckland Sneakers to ONE male reader & ONE female reader!!! (or comparable product if no longer available in your size)

HOW TO ENTER:
1) Visit the Hi-tec site and tell me your favorite pair of shoes
2) Follow @melindajoy926 and tweet this giveaway and leave me the twitter comment link
"Hi-Tec Sneaker Giveaway @melindajoy926 + "(Insert Link Here)"
3) Follow my blog (google reader, blogger, facebook), and leave a comment telling me you did so
4) Email 5 friends about this giveaway and let me know you did this
5) Subscribe to my blog via email, and leave a comment with your subscribed email address
6) Grab my button and leave me a link to your page
7) Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link to the post

Open to US & Canada only

Deadline: February 8th at noon EST
I was provided with a pair of Auckland's for review, and Hi-Tec is providing the giveaway pairs