I’m taking the week off of blogging to celebrate Thanksgiving at home with my mom’s entire side of the family. I’ve sent some “Feed Your Soul” cookies home for everyone to enjoy and will fill you all in on them when I get back! Have a great one!
Archive for November, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 22, 2009Washington Wizards!
November 19, 2009I went to my first Washington Wizards game last night and loved it. I’m not sure whether it was the fact that 2 of the Wizards players (Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood) used to play for UNC when my sister and I were absolutely obsessed with the Tarheels (My sister even made a sign once that said Antawn Jam-it-son)….or that they were playing Lebron James…or maybe the fact that the time out entertainment was awesome. Either way, I highly recommend today’s DC Groupon…and even recommend buying the lower level seats so you can be part of all the action.
Glenn Gary Magic Show
November 17, 2009Deal: $22 Ticket to Glenn Gary’s Parlor Magic Show ($45 value)
Grade: D
I mentioned that the Belly Bash was the most awkward experience I’ve had, but I spoke too soon…Glenn Gary’s Magic Show was even more awkward and uncomfortable. There were only 8 people there (I think all of them must have had a Groupon … or at least I hope they didn’t pay full price) and all of his tricks were obviously tricks you can just buy off the internet. I can’t believe he regularly charges $45 a show…or that I paid $22. You can see better magic tricks from the magicians at the Old Town Pier … and all you have to do is put some money in their hat. His talk was bad, his tricks were bad and he even messed up a few tricks and had to start over. P-A-I-N-F-U-L.
Photo from Yelp.com
The last trick Glenn did was make a card box float in mid air. Yes, it sounds cool and unbelievable….and it would have been if it weren’t for the magnets you could see on the back edge of the table.
Overall, the show wasn’t worth $22. You can see comparable magic at little to no cost.
Belly Bash
November 16, 2009Friday night was the Belly Bash. Our class had learned a dance to perform and I was determined to get some video footage to show you all, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity . Not so much. I’ve never been to anything more awkward in my life. The “Bash” ended up being in a restaurant with no room for us perform. We were seated at a long table with a bunch of people we didn’t know and the belly dancing teachers performed for us.
This is about all of the belly dancing I could see…
Afterwards there was a free dance for the “Belly Dancing Crash Course” graduates — during which we decided to get the heck out of there.
Photos Courtesy of Michele!!
IndAroma
November 13, 2009Deal: $10 for $25 to IndAroma Bakery and Cafe
Grade: A-
After using our Groupon at Let’s Dish!, Ted and I walked over to IndAroma, which was in the same shopping center.
I loved IndAroma! The girl at the counter was so full of energy and welcoming and the atmosphere in the restaurant was very calming. The restaurant felt very clean too — big plus in my book! We both ordered the chicken curry (which ended up being a TON of food – see below!), drinks, and got 2 desserts to go …. totaling just a few cents over $25…great deal!
The deserts we brought home were tiramisu and a walnut chocolate pudding cake.
Yum! I wish I had eaten these while they were fresh, but they were still delicious! The little “tiramisu” thing is a little too cheesy for me, but when tiramisu tastes this good, you can put whatever cheesy thing you want on the top. If you are near Little River Turnpike, IndAroma is worth a stop.
Let’s Dish! Final Product
November 12, 2009I just finished eating my first Let’s Dish! meal: Pork Tenderloin and Stuffing. Delicious!
The stuffing was a little bit dry, but for $5 a plate, I can’t complain!
Let’s Dish!
November 12, 2009Deal: $79 for 8 Meals from Let’s Dish! ($136 value)
Grade: A+
Let’s Dish! was AWESOME! Definitely the best Groupon I’ve used so far. Signing up for the in-store session on-line was simple — I chose our date and time, selected 4 dishes and entered my Groupon code without any issues. On Wednesday, we showed up, had a brief orientation and got to work preparing our food.
We assembled 4 different dishes into 8 meals and froze them to cook later — Chicken Parmigiana, Tomato Herb Flank Steak, Chile-Lime Pork Chops with Black Bean Salsa and Pork Tenderloins with Stuffing. We also got to bring home a pre-made side of pasta, scones and cookies!
While waiting for our final cooking station to clear, we took advantage of the snack area, where Let’s Dish! features some of their deserts. Everything was delicious!
My freezer is stocked with 8 meals — now let’s hope I don’t burn the kitchen down when I actually cook them!
Business Owner? Use Groupon!
November 9, 2009I stumbled upon this video on the Groupon website last night and had to share. I love hearing from consumers about their enthusiasm for Groupon, but haven’t had the opportunity to talk to any of the business owners that have used Groupon. I mentioned the success Groupon provided for Saffron Dance perviously (300 new belly dancers!), but it’s awesome to actually hear first had how much Groupon has helped increase business at the companies in this video.
Do you have a favorite business that you think others are missing out on? Tell them about Groupon or suggest a business to Groupon.
Deal(s) of the Day! Omni and Tarheels!
November 6, 2009I couldn’t have been more excited to see these two deals today:
Washington, DC/Philly: $149 for a Night at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa ($270 Value)
Several coworkers of mine have been to the Omni’s Bedford Springs Resort and have raved about the amenities and the spa. Although I wish the deal lasted past January 31st, 2010, I think this deal might be too good to pass up.
Boston: $20 Football Ticket to Boston College vs. North Carolina on November 21 ($37 Value)
I L-O-V-E the Tarheels and wish I could be in Boston on the 21st to cheer them on. Come on tarheel fans…buy this deal and cheer the Tarheels to victory!
Get up off the couch!
November 5, 2009In an article featured yesterday on Wired, Groupon’s Founder, Andrew Mason, was quoted saying:
“What surprised me was that we got e-mails from people saying it wasn’t just about getting a discount, it was about helping us get out in the city. People said, ‘We go on more dates.’ Groupon was getting people out from the couch and that was a fulfilling purpose. In some ways it’s more impactful than The Point.”
How true this is! Without Groupon, I would never have tried Belly Dancing! Over the next week, I will be trying out Let’s Dish!, a new Yoga Class and attending a Magic Show. Would I have tried these without Groupon? … Probably not!
For $20 or less, you can buy the following deals today:
Denver: $8 Ticket to the Denver Botanic Gardens Holiday Sale Preview Party ($15 Value)
San Diego: $6 for $15 Worth of Holiday Pies, Sweet Treats, and More at San Diego Desserts
San Francisco: $10 for $20 Worth of Sips, Swills, Pastries, and Small Plates at Epicenter Cafe
Baltimore: $19 for 20 Classes at Brick Bodies and Lynne Brick’s, Less Than $1 a Class
Boston: $20 for $40 Worth of Jewelry and Supplies at Bead & Pearl
Chicago: $20 for a Dozen Cupcakes from Swirlz Cupcakes ($40 Value)
Seattle: $20 for $40 Worth of Creative Comfort Food at Shadowland
Minneapolis/ St. Paul: $20 for $60 Worth of Custom Photo Books at A&I
Even if you’re on a tight budget…get up off the couch, purchase a $20 deal and experience your city in a way you never otherwise would!
