Bargain Biatch

Hotel Stay For A Buck A Night

Free free free, well almost but a dollar is damn new free.  That’s what it will cost you for a single night at the Alexander Inn.  Philly is totally workin the whole city of brotherly love thing by offering a one dollar a night hotel stay. And no not at some flea bag, “No Tell Motel”. The 48 room Alexander Inn is a boutique hotel centrally located, and Rated the #2 hotel in Philly according to TripAdvisor users.  Of course there are restrictions. The deal is good Sunday through Thursday only and just for the first night, if you stay longer it’s the regular reasonable rack rate of $120 - $170.

 

And more good travel news for the “Planner” every family has one. Now you can embrace your anal retentive side and book far in advanced without worrying some last minute deal making you feel like a sucker. Travel sites are offering price protection programs that let you say good-bye to post purchase regret.  Travelocity has recently started offering automatic reimbursements to customers who book vacation packages by May 31.  And although they don’t advertise this, many airlines will reimburse you with cash or vouchers if you buy a ticket and the price goes down.  Or take advantage of Yapta, a site that will automatically track the price of your ticket.  If the price drops you’ll get an email message of twitter alert.  Then you can call the airline and negotiate your refund or pay Yapta a $15 fee to act as your personal assistant and do it for you cuz that’s how you roll.

Movie Review: Under The Same Moon

 

Damn, Netflix for making me continue to plow through the “also ran” movies in my Netflix queue.  Still while waiting for the elusive Vicky Christina Barcelona and Australia. And since I’m been rather inattentive to the 2nd and 3^rd place slots it’s a crap shoot about what’s being spit out of my queue.  The last thing I received was Under The Same Moon, a somewhat sappy movie about a mother and son separated while trying to make the border crossing from Mexico into the US.  The movie opens with the requisite harrowing middle of the night muddy slog through the river to reach the promised land.  Unfortunately part of the group crossing is nabbed by the border patrol. Cut to the present 4 years later where Rosario is living illegally in Los Angeles and juggling several jobs trying to earn enough money to send for her son.  Rosario and now 9-year-old Carlitos have remained close over the years.  He’s being cared for by her mother his abuelita and lives for his mother’s letters and we see him dutifully waiting at a phone booth for her weekly Sunday call. The movie takes off when his grandmother dies and Carlos sets out on an odyssey to find his mother, full of hope but short on clues other than a description of what she sees from the phone booth in LA. 

My Iphone is Genuis, And I’m Still Amish And In Special Ed

As if my newish iphone isn’t cool enough and a thousand times smarter than me, its IQ just went up, and mine a tiny bit too.  First I taken quite a few free in store Apple workshops.  I like the SOHO store best since classes are held in an open auditorium with butt friendly seating and even if you don’t sign up in advance you won’t get lock out like at the 5^th ave or 14th street stores.  But sometimes the classes move too fast or else I’m busy daydreaming or surfing porn and I get lost.  Good thing that most of the workshops are also offered online for “special” students like me.  Just click on subject to pull up an easy to follow video that you can stop it at any point if you want to practice the application, go to the kitchen for snacks or take a nap. 

 

I’ve also discovered the wonderful world of apps. There’s tons of stuff and a boatload of games which I have no interest. I did download the Currency Exchange when I was on vacation and the new Kindle for iphones although I’m not sure how many books I plan to read on an itty-bitty screen.  For music I downloaded I Heart Music but by far, the best thing has been Pandora.  I always like having the option of listening to the radio and with Pandora; I could create stations tailored specifically to my old school, outdated and straight up ghetto tastes.  I’m in house party heaven with my George Clinton and Parliament.  And the best part is that it’s.  I have no idea how Pandora works and if there are limits on how much I can listen or what’s different if I get a paid subscription but whatever, so far this is FABULOUS.

Eatin Cheap In The Hood..Brooklyn That Is

As New York Restaurant week’s rolls on and on…and some have even rolled back their regular prices, today is the start Brooklyn Restaurant Week.  From now till April 2 over 200 BKYN restaurants are offering a three course dining deal for $23. It’s borough wide so from Bay Ridge Brooklyn Heights you can at some of the best neighborhood tables for the price of a week’s worth of Lattes.  Can’t say I’m all that familiar with some (any) of the outer borough spots but some of my favorites like Al Di La and Rose Water in Park Slope, The Farm On Adderley in Ditmas Park and The River Café (for lunch only) are all on board. And if you need to pinch your pennies even tighter, a smattering of places are making it 2 for $23.  But go early or make a reservation.  I remember last year participating restaurants were mobbed and I swear I saw hordes of the Bridge and Tunnel crowd who had schlepped in to check out “trendy” Brooklyn.  

Movie Review: Ghost Town

Hey!!Isn’t Netflix supposed to gratify your every movie need?  Well if so, why haven’t they shipped me Vickie Christina Barcelona.   It’s only been #1 in my queue for an entire month (no kidding) while countless also ran 2^nd place picks are delivered like clockwork.  Anyway, as I wait for Javier and Penelope, Ghost Town arrived.  Sigh.  All I wanted was a few easy laughs and I remember howling at Tea Leoni in Spanglish and I think Ricky Gervais is mean and funny.  And for the most part, the movie delivered.  Leoni is well cast as the widow of Greg Kinnear, her, cheating dead husband and Kinnear is always good at playing a funny, smarmy cad. After his death, he finds renewed love and appreciation for his wife which makes him a desperate stalkerish ghost set on breaking up her new relationship with a handsome doctor.  Unfortunately I couldn’t help thinking about Leoni’s real life sack of porn addicted crap of a husband David Duchovney.  She’s hot and deserves better.  But the movie was clever and had some very funny moments. Gervais plays a socially awkward misanthrope dentist who literally dies and comes back to life but now with the ability to see dead people. It’s kind of like an upbeat buddy version of the Sixth Sense and all in all the movie is a charming enjoyable diversion as I wait for the sexy Spaniards to become available.

Spa Deals Because You’re Worth It

Every day papers scream depressing headlines.  Like the government hemorrhaging bucket loads of our money with a good chunk of it going to retain the “talent” on Wall Street.  So while the incredibly greedy and arrogant get richer, regular folks are losing their jobs, savings and any hope.  Who couldn’t use a break and little pampering and even if your money is tight, you can still indulge in some R & R on a budget.  Right now you can find some good deals on a spa vacation.  US News And World Reports lists a round up of the top 12 spa deals across the country and with airfares at a 2 year low, out of town deals are still reasonable. Treat yourself to a 3-night package at Cloud 999 in Santa Fe, NM.  It’s $999 single or double occupancy and get a $999 spa service credit to spend on some of their creative treatments like a chocolate chile detox wrap(or not).  But even if cheap(er) flights are still not in your budget, there are deals within driving distance.  One of the best values is at the Lodge Woodloch in Hawley Pennsylvania.  Through March, they’re offering a 4-night package for $400 with $120 spa allowance.  And check the website for more deals. If the hard winter has left you in need of some physical and emotional Spring Cleaning, book a Terrific Two Package at the Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. When you go with a friend you each save 15 percent and also get a $390 service allowance and access to all of the healthy activities including naturopathic doctors, and fitness and nutrition counseling.  At $1500 for a three-night package it isn’t exactly cheap but neither is liposuction and Botox.

 

Kiss Me I’m Irish, At least For The Right Price. Saint Patrick’s Day On Sale

Saint Patrick’s day is right around the corner and what’s more festive than green beers, green bagels and green vomit.  But if you want to sidestep the watered down version of this drunkard’s holiday and go straight to the source, take a trip to Ireland.  Round trip fares start as low $300 JFK to Shannon and $500 to Dublin on Aerlingus.  And hotel choices are reasonable and vary widely. You can stay in an upscale modern hotel in the middle of Dublin or in a castle on the brow of a donny hill (don’t really know what this means but the photos are nice) for about $150 a night. While you’re there try your hand at sheepherding and hurling… no not projectile vomiting, it’s a sport that’s a mix of lacrosse, soccer and baseball.  Definitely hit as many local pubs to get that perfect pint of Guinness and enjoy some of the best golfing in the world.  

Movie Review: Frozen River

What a small treat of a movie.  Frozen River was a complex but not pretentiously convoluted like many recent movies with ridiculous and gratuitous twists and turns. The story takes place in an armpit of an upstate New York town that borders Quebec.  It’s about a White Trash family, (sorry but they are) who are already struggling to make ends meet when no account dad abandons his wife and two sons.  He takes off after a gambling binge at a lodge on an Indian Reservation bingo lodge….. really bingo? Pathetic. He leaves behind his car behind which sets off the chain of events when an opportunistic Mohawk woman decides to avail herself of the abandoned vehicle. Worlds collide when wife comes looking for husband and car.  She’s on a mission to find him as she desperately needs her man and money to fulfill her dream of buying a doublewide trailer…good times! The two women go from enemies to partners and form an uneasy alliance working together driving illegal immigrants across a frozen lake used as a border passage. The money is good but it’s risky business.  The movie takes an unflinching look at immigration and explores the acts of desperate people, illegals trying to get in the US and residents who are already here and struggling to survive.  Melissa Leo got a well-deserved Oscar nod for best actress and all of the supporting characters are poignant and give insight small town existence and life on the res. 

 

Cheap Eats…..By Their Guest For Less

Not just for restaurant week/year, but BR Guest eateries are serious about extending an invitation to dine with them.  Here are a few of the their specials that will have you eating well without taking a bite out of your wallet.

 $12.95 Vento Sunday & Monday Night Specials! 
Every Sunday and Monday night at Vento enjoy a pizza or pasta and a glass of house wine or 12oz beer for only $12.95!

$24.07 Lunch and $35 Dinner Prix-Fixe Menus!
All NYC B.R. Guest Restaurants are offering a special 3-course prix-fixe menu Monday through Friday for $24.07 at lunch and $35 at dinner.

 

Visit their website for a list of their restaurant and the seasonal, weekly changing menus.

Your Good Fortunoff Bankruptcy Liquidation And Everything On Sale

The saying goes, when one door closes, another opens, but with our economy in the toilet, more like another door comes along  and whacks you in the butt.  Like yesterday when Circuit City locked up for the last time and Fortunoff getting ready to shut down their operations. After much behind the scenes wrangling the high end jewelry and home store was unable to attract a buyer and is having a Going Out Of Business Sale!  It’s a bankruptcy ordered liquidation so their entire inventory of fine watches, jewelry, cook and kitchen ware, furniture, luggage, bed and bath items and fine china is on sale. Kinda sad to see the 87 year old institution go under but press past and RUN, don’t walk to the nearest store.  After all most locations are in Jersey where bargain hunting is not for amateurs.

 

And it’s important to look good while clawing and scratching for bargains and Lancôme is giving away more stuff away.  When you make a $35 purchase take your pick of 7 from a choice of 11 beauty products.  And not just crappy samples, but full-sized Renergie Microlift Eyecare or face cream, Definicils Mascara, Color Design Eye Shadow Quad, Color Design Lipcolor, Poudre Soleil Bronzing Powder and more.  All this comes in a cute quilted zip around toiletry bag and the promotion is available exclusively at Bloomies