Heading to New York City? Check out @GRAYLINENEWYORK!

As many of you know, I recently had the opportunity to visit New York City for a blogging conference.  It was not my first trip to New York City, but I haven’t been there in 10 years, and I know the city has changed quite a bit since I was last there.  One of my favorite ways to see all of the highlights of the city, usually on my first day that I get there, is to hop on a double decker bus tour!   Gray Line New York Sightseeing provided 50 bloggers attending this conference with vouchers for bus tours in return for tweeting about good deeds that they had done via the #payitforwardexpress  I was one of the lucky recipients of the tickets, but unfortunately due to delayed flights and other complications, I didn’t get a chance to use mine as planned!  I heard from the bloggers who did get to use theirs that it was awesome!

If you are heading to New York and are looking for a fun hop on and hop off double decker bus tour, check out Gray Line New York!  Here are some of the tours they offer:  they’ve definitely got something for everyone!

Downtown Loop – The downtown loop is hop-on hop-off, and has about 20 different stops in downtown Manhattan. You can get off the bus at any of these stops for further sightseeing and then get back on the next bus that comes. Just make sure you don’t lose your ticket. Buses typically come every 15 minutes, but traffic patterns can make that time vary. The first pickup spot on 7th Ave and 47th Street (across from the TKTS stairs in Times Square).

Uptown Loop – The Uptown loop is hop-on hop-off, and has about 20 different stops in Uptown Manhattan. You can get off the bus at any of these stops for further sightseeing and then get back on the next bus that comes. Just make sure you don’t lose your ticket. Buses typically come every 15-20 minutes, but traffic patterns can make that time vary. The first pickup spot on 8th Ave between 46th and 47th streets (a block away from the visitor center).

Brooklyn Loop – The Brooklyn Loop is not a hop-on hop-off tour. The tour does not make any stops in the city, but rather gives you a fully guided journey through part of Manhattan and the outer borough. The tour begins at Battery Park, the southern-most tip of Manhattan. They offer a free shuttle from the visitor center to Battery Park for people on this tour.

Night Tour – The Night Tour is not a hop-on hop-off tour. It takes you from Midtown, through downtown Manhattan, into Brooklyn and back up to Midtown. It gives you bits and pieces of other tours and does so at night. The first bus for the night tour leaves at 6 p.m. and every 30 minutes after that until 8:30 p.m. from 7th Ave between 47th and 48th. There are also 3 buses that leave from our visitor center beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Midtown Harbor Cruise from CitySightseeing New York – This is a 90-minute Midtown Harbor Cruise. The cruise leaves from Pier 78 (40th on the Hudson River). It travels down around the southern tip of Manhattan and up the East River past the Williamsburg Bridge, turns around and heads out to the Statue of Liberty for a photo op and back up the Hudson to Pier 78. It is fully guided just like the bus tours and super fun!

To find out more about the tours, visit their site here–> Gray Line New York Sightseeing

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information

DISCLOSURE:  I received a ticket for a Gray Line New York Sightseeing tour via the #payitforwardexpress.  Special thanks to GrayLine   Powered by: Madame Deals Media Organized by: Mommy Needs Her Coffee 

Glass Half Empty or Half Full: It’s All A Matter of Perspective

Glass half empty or half full

I woke up at 3:45 this morning so that I could get some blogging in before I started my full time job only to be greeted by some not so nice comments.  I never know what I’m going to wake up to in the mornings.  Sometimes there are really great comments and sometimes there are positively awful comments and sometimes there are no comments at all.  After blogging for almost 4 years now, you would think I would have developed some thicker skin and that comments from complete strangers wouldn’t affect me, but I think sometimes people forget that I’m a person too.  I have a a husband, kids, a full time job, and even a dog and that I do make mistakes or that things don’t always work out, but that I do this with the best of intentions because I honestly want to help people.

On mornings like this one where I woke up to some not so nice comments, I really want to just crawl back in bed, grab a few extra hours of sleep, and forget about blogging altogether.  Then, I started scrolling through my Facebook feed and I saw that a friend I haven’t seen in awhile who has two small boys is battling cancer right now.  Another friend lost her father last night.  There were other sad moments and lots of happy moments, too, but all of the sudden, the nasty comments that started out my morning didn’t seem all that important as I considered all of the things I have to be grateful for.

I immediately thought of the glass half full or glass half empty analogy and I realized that the way I decided to start my day was up to me.  I could have it either way – it’s just a matter of perspective.  I decided to go for the glass half full day!  I hope you do, too!


 

Restaurant Round-Up: the top printable restaurant coupons!

If you’re headed to a restaurant this weekend and you don’t want to bust your budget, check out the top printable restaurant deals and coupons that are available right now!

Baskin Robbins Ice Cream – Buy One Get One Cone (exp. 8/05)

Boston Market Restaurant – $1 off Any Fountain Beverage (exp: 8/6)

Carvel Ice Cream$1 off Girl Scout Cookie Carvelanche or Dasher (exp. 8/27)

Firehouse Subs Restaurant – FREE Medium Cherry Lime Aid with Purchase of King’s Hawaiian Pork & Slaw Sandwich (exp. 8/5)

Jamba Juice – Buy One Get One FREE (exp. 8/5)

Orange Julius – Buy 1 Get 1 FREE drink when you join the Julius League

Papa Murphy’s Pizza – FREE Mini Murph Pizza Kit with the Purchase of Any Pizza at Regular Price (exp. 8/31)

Planet Hollywood Restaurant – $5 off $20 in Food and Drink Purchases (exp. 10/31)

Qdoba Mexican Grill – FREE Chips & Salsa or regular drink when you join Qdoba Rewards Club

Romano’s Macaroni Grill – Save $5 when you join their e mail club

Smokey Bones Restaurant – $5 off $15 in Purchases (exp. 8/6)

Taco BuenoFree Cheesecake Chimi with any Purchase (exp. 8/5)

White Castle Restaurant – Buy One Get One Shake Parfait (exp. 8/12)

White Castle Restaurant – FREE Gallon of Iced Tea when You Purchase a Crave Case (exp. 9/8)

(Thanks Smart Couponing!)

 

Housewares Deals: Hot & Cold 6 piece beverage set only $17 plus back to school teacher gift idea!

Housewares Deals has an awesome deal available today only, while supplies last!  Get this Hot & Cold 6 piece beverage set for just $17!  The regular retail price is $44!  I love my cold cups and take them to work and have them around the house to remind me to drink water!

Click here to grab this deal–> Hot & Cold 6 piece beverage set for $17

Our Life in a Click had this super cute gift idea for teachers!  You can fill the cups with drink mix packets and a note!  This is a super cute gift idea that won’t bust your budget!


*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information

Join ChatAbout and enter to win a Nintendo Wii!

EXPIRED
This deal has ended.

ChatAbout is a new social media site that allows you to participate in discussions with others who share your interests!  Talk about celebrities, music, hobbies, weight loss, travel, TV shows or movies, and more!  There’s something for everyone!  You can also find your friends on there and add them to your groups!

Click here to join–> ChatAbout Registration

When you join before July 31st, you’ll also be entered to win a Nintendo Wii!  Good luck!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information