I’m not quite a coffee junkie, but there are times when I think I’m pretty close to crossing that line. While there’s no chance I’m going to give up my addiction, I have found myself expanding a bit more into the world of tea. It’s hard to say what pushed me to try something new, but there is definitely a soothing factor associated with tea that coffee rarely offers. Whether it’s accurate or not, I definitely associate tea as being something to drink when you are looking to decompress and relieve yourself of stress as opposed to coffee which “keeps me going” for the day.
Coffee is a staple in our house and we have strong allegiance to our favorite brands including Dunkin Donuts and New England Breakfast Blend. I haven’t gotten to that point yet with tea, but I can see it moving in that direction as I try out different brands and experiment with new flavors. One of the brands that I could see eventually making it to that list is a company called Teami. I had the opportunity to try out Teami Skinny and I have to say it was really good. When I was given the choice of which of the five different teas to choose from by Teami, I figured that trying to lose a few pounds before my son’s Bar Mitzvah wouldn’t be a bad idea and their product could definitely assist. And while weight loss might be one of the ancillary benefits of using their tea, I like the fact that I have slept a little bit better at night since drinking it and don’t feel as hungry as I normally am. It’s hard to say if that is really attributed to the tea or not, but the fact that it has a nice taste and does relax me, I view the possible weight loss just as an added benefit.
If you drink tea for other reasons besides weight management, Teami has other products, plans and packages to choose from including Teami Colon , Teami Profit, Teami, Relax and Teami Energy. Each of the teas is intended to have a different therapeutic purpose and can be good for almost any type of lifestyle from the very physically active to the more couch bound television watchers. The prices range from $25 to $139, depending on the type of tea and plan you choose. While $139 optically looks high, it’s fairly inexpensive for a 4 month detox plan. It works out to about $1.16 per day which I know if far less than what I spend on coffee per day. In addition to the various tea packages, Teami sells these very cool tea infusers that come in different colors and sell for about $8.45. And its also very cool that the shipping for everything is free with orders for $20 or more.
So while I’m not ready to abandon my cups of java quite yet, I do know that the word of tea also has a lot to offer. I appreciate Teami helping me come to that realization.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Teami Teas
A Very Special Date Night at the Carlton Hotel
Truth be told – my husband and I have not had a romantic weekend without our kids in a very long time. Between work, our kids, school, finances and our dog, we don’t get away much anymore. So when the PR team from the Carlton offered me the chance to take my hubby with me for a special night out on the town, I jumped at the chance.
One week after Valentine’s Day, we were primed and ready to head into the city while our nearly sixteen year old daughter took on the responsibility of watching her younger brother and all our pets. As we headed into the city, it started to snow…for what seemed like the bazillionith time, but that was okay. We were going on a 24 hour adventure and I couldn’t wait.
We arrived at the hotel about an hour later and when we got to the front desk, we were surprised to find out that we had been upgraded to the Diva Suite. Take a look….
The cool thing about the Diva Suite is that it feels like you’ve stepped into an episode of “Mad Men.” The decor has a 1960’s retro feel and the elegant couch and armchairs reminded me of the furniture my parents owned when I was growing up (they bought their living room set in the early 1960’s). Plus, the bedroom had a king sized canopy bed and a vanity that you’d find backstage at a Broadway Show. The walls were adorned with pictures of some of the most memorable Broadway divas on the planet including Liza Minelli, Patti Lupone and Bernadette Peters.
While my hubby brought a bottle of wine from home we were surprised by room service when they arrived with a complimentary bottle of prosecco. The night so far was absolutely phenomenal.
We decided to opt for a quick dinner at the hotel because we were planning to see “Honeymoon in Vegas” that night on Broadway. Millesime is a seafood brasserie that boasts a two star Michelin chef – the food is simply superb and the wait service was also top notch. All I can say is make sure you order the warm cesar salad – it’s like eating french onion soup…but it’s a salad. Beyond delicious!
Once we finished our meal (the snapper special for two was phenomenal), we raced out of the hotel to make the show. Once we arrived, I picked up our tickets and we only had a few minutes to spare. While Darin hit the bathroom, I proceeded to head to my seat and to my surprise, I was greeted by Jason Alexander who had to move out of the row so I could make my way towards the middle of the aisle. When he stood up, Alexander quipped, “That’s what happens when you arrive 10 minutes before the show.” I couldn’t tell if he was joking or annoyed at me – either way, I was kind of honored to be insulted by George Costanza and then quickly grabbed my phone and texted my hubby to tell him to enter our row from the other side so that we didn’t bug Jason again. Luckily, he got the message and before we knew it, the show started.
We really enjoyed the show and I have to say, I was quite impressed by Tony Danza’s performance. Who knew the former “Who’s the Boss” star could tap dance and sing like a former member of the rat pack? Plus, Rob McClure was terrific as Jack, the fiancé who’s convinced his mom has put a curse on him forbidding him to ever get married. Meanwhile, Brynn O’Malley portrays Betsy – a gorgeous blonde haired, blue eyed teacher who’s determined to get Jack to finally commit even after he sells her for a weekend in a poker game gone bad.
After the show was over, the crowd poured out into the streets where we all battled an incredibly messy wintry mix of freezing rain and snow. With the weather wreaking havoc on the sidewalks and the streets of the Big Apple, there was no way we were going to find a cab. Once I saw an entrance to the N&R trains out of the corner of my eye, my street smart subway instincts took over, I grabbed Darin’s hand and we zipped downstairs, hopped on the R train and were back at the hotel within 15 minutes.
By the time we returned, the hotel was hopping – while the DJ was playing great dance music, we decided to return to the suite where we could unwind without any distractions. Before we knew it, our night in the city had passed us by and it was time to head back to reality. Despite the fact that our night away from the kids was quick, we were relieved to find out the house was still in one piece and our kids survived. So much so that they can’t wait until we spend the night away from home again!
If you’re in the mood for a fabulous getaway in the Big Apple, definitely check out the Carlton Hotel. They are offering an amazing Honeymoon in Vegas package until February 28 complete with free show tickets and an executive king room. Trust me when I tell you, it’s totally worth it to spend a night away to reconnect with your partner. If you are lucky enough to enjoy the evening in a hotel suite at the Carlton, make sure you tell them Role Mommy sent you!