Super Bowl XLVII 2013

As expected, the Super Bowl was filled with a ton of surprises. From the commercials to the power outage, the Super Bowl did not fail to entertain. With that said, I’m going to break down the Superbowl, and give my opinion. Don’t hesitate to share your opinions as well!

The Commercials 

As someone who has studied broadcast journalism, and has taken courses in advertising, public relations and the likes, I must say that I was very excited to see this year’s ads. Overall, I was pleased with what I saw. There were a few commercials that left a lasting impression. Although I hated the ad, the Go Daddy commercial was definitely the most memorable. I knew this would leave a nasty taste in a good majority of the viewers’ mouths. I thought it was completely inappropriate, and I felt for the parents who had their young children tuned in.

Here’s my Top 5 Favorite Super Bowl Commercials (No order):

1. Doritos featuring the goat “Goat 4 Sale”

2. Budweiser featuring the Clydesdale “Brotherhood”

3. State Farm featuring Mayhem as a flag

4. Hyundai Sonata “Stuck”

5. NFL Network – “Leon Sandcastle”

The Entertainment 

Aside from Jennifer Hudson and the Sandy Hook coed choir, I thought the Super Bowl entertainment lacked this year. I thought it was a great idea, and very heart warming to have the Sandy Hook choir come and sing at the Super Bowl. It definitely relayed the message that we can overcome. Jennifer Hudson looked wonderful, and sang beautifully. She never disappoints. Alicia Keys sang well; it just wasn’t amazing. I wasn’t taken aback by her performance at all. She seemed to have done the minimum through her performance. The highly anticipated Beyoncé “concert” was okay. I thought the light show, and special effects were really good. Again, I wasn’t shocked or taken aback by her performance. To me, it seems very comparable to the performances she has already done. The dance moves mimicked what has already been seen, and I didn’t particularly like her song choices. Beyoncé looked very beautiful, as did Kelly when she came out for the Destiny’s Child portion of the show. Michelle, well what can I say. I’m not sure why or how she managed to  stay on as a member of Destiny’s Child. I think she’s the weakest link of the group. Smh. I could barely hear her; her mic was extremely low. Kelly’s mic was kind of low, too. However, that’s neither here nor there. Now, what I think would have taken the cake with Beyoncé’s performance would have been if she brought out the original members of DC before she did the reunion with Kelly and Michelle. I do think Beyoncé is a good performer, and a decent singer, but I wasn’t wowed by her Superbowl performance. And I was kind of thrown off by the Illuminati sign, I mean the Rocafella sign she threw up. Not sure where that came into play, but oh well.

The Game

This game was insane and full of surprises. I thought it was really cool that two brothers would be coaching teams in the Super Bowl. It was exciting to see their expressions throughout the game, and how different they seem to be in terms of reactions to different situations on the field. Now, I’m not a big football fan, and I don’t have a particular team that I root for. So, when the Super Bowl comes around, I usually cheer for the underdog team. In this case, I was going for the Baltimore Ravens. They played really well, up until the power outage. That power outage definitely took them out their game. It definitely came at the wrong time, especially after Jacoby Jones ran back that 108-yard touchdown. The 49ers ended up scoring 17 points in the 3rd quarter, thus making it a tight game. I was definitely on the edge of my seat. The controversial play at the end of the game sealed the victory for Baltimore Ravens, making them the 2013 Super Bowl Champs. Overall, I thought the game was well-fought by both sides. I think the referees did a decent job, and in regard to no-calls, I think they did so equally for both teams.

The 2013 Super Bowl was definitely worth watching, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to participate in a major American tradition.

Hampton Inn Atlanta Perimeter

This has been one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, the hospitality levels were on high. I read a lot of reviews on this hotel, and I don’t remember coming across any negative ones. That factor along distance and pricing were the main reasons why I choose this hotel. I can say that I was quite happy with my decision.

The room was setup up exactly like the pictures I saw online. The room was clean and the linens were too. The bed was comfortable, and the pillows were perfect. I slept quite peacefully. The 2 Queen bed room was pretty spacious, with an in-room refrigerator, desk,  desk chair and lounge chair. The only amenity this room lacked was a microwave, which had to be requested. The bathroom was nice and clean. There was a ton of counter space, which is something that I really need.  The shower/tub combo was clean, and the water got really hot.

The hotel offered a complimentary breakfast. It included a few hot items, cereal, bagels, danishes, coffee, waffles, and juice. Although the food was mediocre, it helped that we didn’t have to look for a place to eat breakfast. Instead we ate at the hotel, and started our day as soon as we pulled out the parking lot.

The hotel was located in close proximity to every attraction we wanted to visit. The longest distance traveled was to Six Flags, which was approximately 30 minutes away. That was definitely a very important factor in choosing this hotel, especially since we wanted to participate in Atlanta’s night life. When returning late, although the parking lot was full, we still managed to find parking in a lighted area. This was important, especially being a female.

The hospitality shown by the hotel personnel was amazing. Everyone was smiling, and willing to help in any manner. They answered any and all questions we had. The personnel would often make suggestions for places to dine, and visit to enhance our experience. With that said, I would recommend this hotel to all those traveling to Atlanta. It’s accommodating to families, extended stays and business trips. 

Gladys and Ron’s Chicken and Waffles [Atlanta]

I am definitely shaking my head while writing this review. I had high expectations going to this restaurant located in Atalanta. My expectations were met with disappointment.

I ordered a chicken breast, waffle, catfish and grits. The chicken and waffle came out cold. Yuck! My butter didn’t even melt on my waffle. I asked the server to nuke my chicken and waffle, and that’s exactly what she did. Everyone knows what warmed-up fried chicken tastes like; it’s gross. She should have said that she’d have the kitchen make a fresh waffle and chicken breast. After re-receiving my chicken and waffle, I didn’t think there was anything special about them at all. Considering this restaurant is supposed to be known for these two items, I was quite disappointed that it had no flair and was just the average chicken and waffle combination.

The catfish was pretty good though, but the grits were salty. I wish that I had only ordered the catfish and grits because I wasted my money ordering the chicken and waffle. I’ve definitely had better.

The server was okay. She was somewhat attentive to our table; she could have checked on us more often. After the food was delivered, she kept away for quite a while. There was nothing spectacular about her service.

I was really excited to visit this restaurant, mainly because of the names associated with it. However, that’s all this restaurant stood on, its name. This was later confirmed by a resident of Atlanta, who said that people only go there for the name because the food is not all that good. Now, the menu offered a lot of other options. So, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I don’t recommend it. I’d give it another shot, but I would definitely order something else.

Cantina Laredo [Chicago]

Let me start off by saying this restaurant is gorgeous. The atmosphere is amazing! There are two floors for dining. The first floor was a bit more crowded, and set up more like your typical restaurant. The second floor, where we dined, was arranged like a lounge. There was a very relaxing and laid back ambience that I truly enjoyed, especially after walking all day. There were huge windows they let open and allowed for the cool breeze to come through. It was great!

I will say this though, the menu was lacking. They did not offer a lot of items, at least not to my liking. Thankfully, I was able to locate something to eat. I ordered a quesadilla with a small side of guacamole. The quesadilla was pretty good, but the guacamole stole the spotlight. I absolutely love avocados and I love guacamole. I’m not easily moved by a lot of guacamole, but this was definitely noteworthy. It was fresh and wonderfully prepared.

Our service was pretty good. Our glasses stayed full, our complimentary chips and salsa were brought out quickly, and all of our questions were answered throughly and truthfully. He also provided us with recommendations when asked.

I would recommend this restaurant. The food was good, but if you’re looking for a wide variety of Mexican food to try, this place probably won’t suit your needs. It’s not a typical Mexican restaurant. It’s more “modern” as it states under the restaurant name.

*There are other locations around the Nation.