Archive | July 2012

I would like an ocean view room in Myrtle Beach please: Patricia Grand Resort

I went to Myrtle Beach and I did not want to stay near all the loud, young party goers because I wanted a nice peaceful time at the beach. So I was looking for a family friendly hotel/resort.

I ended up choosing Patricia Grand Resort because of the price. It was reasonable to me, especially since I was going in the middle of the summer.
We arrived about 2 and decided to ask if they had any rooms ready even though the website said that check in begins at 3pm. Check in was a breeze. I gave them my name and they had everything ready for me. At check in, they gave me a packet and savings card for discounts at local area restaurants. I also decided to valet park the car so I did not have to deal with the hassle of having to find parking.

Our room was on the 19th floor. The picture shows the view from our room. The room décor could be considered "no frills". It was a simple clean room with a bed, night tables, computer desk, television, and chair. On the balcony were two chairs and a little plastic table. I did not go to the beach to spend all my time in the hotel, so I did not need a lot of luxuries. All I was looking for in the room was for it to be clean and it was.

Booyah! Mission ACCOMPLISHED! As usual, there were not enough outlets, so the room looked like an obstacle course with my computer, cell phone, and kindle charging at the same time.
There was a coffee bar on the first floor and a restaurant on the second floor. There was also a drinks bar near the pool area. I ate in the restaurant one time for breakfast. It was decent, nothing spectacular, but definitely edible. I don’t know it if is possible to mess up bacon and eggs. Well, I take that back. It might be possible to mess it up, but they did not so I have no reason to complain. The coffee bar was your typical look alike Starbucks selling Starbucks coffee and some off-brand muffins.

During the day, I used one of the lounge chairs to sit out by the pool and soak up some sun. Then later I went out for a walk on the beach. When I was tired of that, I went inside and sat on the balcony of my room. Listening to the ocean has to be one of the most relaxing sounds.

In all, Patricia Grand Resort was a nice choice for my accommodations for my Myrtle Beach weekend. The service personnel were friendly and eager to make my stay a comfortable one. Everything met my expectation. If I go back to Myrtle Beach, this hotel/resort will be at the top of my list.

Romance Novel Review: Considering Kate – Nora Roberts

Jul11

Kate is an independent, sophisticated ballerina who establishes a dance studio in the small town where her family lives. Brody is a very good looking contractor doing the work to turn the building in the dance studio of Kate’s dreams. There is a mutual attraction and Kate sees nothing wrong with indulging herself. Brody, on the other hand, is more cautions because he has a young son.

The story progresses well and Nora Roberts does a good job of developing the characters into strong, but likable, personalities.

This was a very entertaining read with a good, solid story line. This is worth buying and reading while curled up with a blanket on rainy day.

Romance Novel Review: Hot Westmoreland Nights – Brenda Jackson

Jul11

Introverted, sheepherder Ramsey Westmoreland is more interested in his sheep than a relationship. He was emotionally detached because he was burned years ago by an unfaithful woman. So when he is approached by a successful woman’s magazine, Simply Irresistible, to be their fine, sexy front page model, he says no. Chloe is the editor of the magazine and decides that she will not take no for an answer. She travels out to his ranch with the intentions of changing his mind. Because of a case of mistaken identity, she does not get to tell him about that and ends up working for him as a ranch cook for two weeks.

It may sound really farfetched, but once you read how it happens, you can understand how Chloe got in the predicament. And then it is funny, but you know the time is going to come when the truth is going to come out.

While struggling to deal with the issues that made them both previously swear off relationships, Ramsey and Chloe have to come to terms with the fact that they have more than a passing attraction. And they do, it makes for some hot and steamy nights!

For more about my thoughts on author Brenda Jackson, check out post http://wp.me/p1P7gt-3U

Romance Novel Review: Spontaneous – Brenda Jackson

Jul11

Sparks fly early in for the maid of honor Kimani and best man Duan Westmoreland. After a very steamy night, they share a cab on the way to the airport and Kimani confesses that she needs a fake fiancé. Private Investigator Duan is happy to oblige, especially after learning that the man Kimani’s mom is about to marry was suspected of murdering his two ex-wives.

Their story is so much fun especially since there is so much inner conflict as they try to rationalize the things they do and the emotions they feel while reminding themselves mentally that the engagement is only for show. This is supposed to be a pretend engagement, but they cannot ignore the connection that they share is more than just about the physical.

Adding to the drama is Kimani’s mother’s constant search for love, Kimani’s career plans, and Duan’s hesitance to admit that he is hooked.

In the end, their love causes them to engage in some really spontaneous behavior!

For more about my thoughts on author Brenda Jackson, check out post http://wp.me/p1P7gt-3U

I would rather not shake your hand because I don’t want to die

Jul10

Last night I saw Contagion.

For a germaphobe like me, this was a cautionary tale. I already freak out if someone coughs too much or sneezes too often. I look at that person warily and ask, “Are you sick?” Usually without waiting for a response, I pull out the sanitizer and cover my own mouth and nose. This movie has taught me that I am not being overly paranoid, I am being safe because I don’t want to get sick and DIE!!! Okay, maybe I am overreacting a wee bit, but the movie was so realistic that I feel it could happen. In retrospect, I guess that means the screenwriters and directors did their job well.

The movie starts off with Gwyneth Paltrow’s character sitting in a restaurant bar waiting for her flight. She is talking on the phone and looking quite pallid, which she attributes to jetlag. She gets home, still not feeling well and next thing you know, she is dead.

Whoa! (umm yea it was over for her that quickly)

No sooner does her husband (Matt Damon’s character) have the chance to process that depressing information, his son dies as well. Scenes from all over the world show similar occurrences.

The CDC and WHO (played by Lawrence Fishburn, Kate Winslet, and others) are faced with a global dilemma. It was bizarre that a seemingly non-threatening head cold morphed into a killer disease. This is the battle of science vs. bacteria (and the time it takes to kill the host organism). CDC and WHO need to understand what is happening so that they can treat the illness. Without a vaccine, humankind is defenseless and the number of people are dying increases exponentially. It is even more difficult to contain whatever it is with the movement of people on every possible mode of transportation. From one infected person in an airport, there are outbreaks in many other parts of the world. I guess the scariest part of this movie was the fact that disease’s initial symptoms had the appearance of something as innocuous as a mild cold but was highly contagious and extremely deadly .

How many times have people in the office came to work with a slight head cold? I don’t like to take chances, but who knows when I have touched something that they touched? Elevator buttons, refrigerator door in the canteen, etc.

Even though I try not to consciously touch my face, how many times have I done it unconsciously?

And let’s not even begin to analyze what we touch when we are on public transportation.

As I type this, I took a minute to apply more anti-bacterial sanitizer.

Yea, this movie messed with my head more than I anticipated. Or maybe I knew on some level it would be like this and that is why I waited so long to see it. In the end, the outcome was kind of what I would have expected, meaning it seemed to be a very realistic ending.

The genre of this movie is thriller and I can say it was a thrill to watch it.

Most importantly, I was making mental notes of what I need to do in the event of a global contagious disease that begins killing people like flies. Don’t shake hands. CHECK.

Don’t take public transportation. CHECK.

Have gun loaded. CHECK.

Increase inventory of , , and , . TRIPLE CHECK

Unlike the movies with radioactive bugs or other giant monsters, the villainous bacteria in Contagion could actually exist. Would real life imitate a fictional movie? I hope that it never happens. But knowing how unsanitary people can be, I am not convinced we would be any better off.

Overall: The movie is worth watching if you have not already done so. And seeing what started the deadly virus ball rolling will make you want to go wash your hands and apply sanitizer just to be cautious.