Lodging -- Blackstone Renaissance Hotel, Chicago, IL

My son is beginning his freshman year at Columbia College of Chicago and this past week we moved him into his dorm.  Being a Marriott Rewards member, my wife and I stayed at the Blackstone Renaissance Hotel since it is a great place and is close to his school.  Our stay couldn't have been any better.  First, we were given a room with a fantastic view of Lake Michigan, the Navy Pier, Soldier Field, and the Chicago Skyline.  

Lake Michigan

Soldier Field



My Wife Enjoying the View!

Secondly, the staff was fantastic, friendly, and helpful – you couldn't ask for better!  Mike, our bellhop, went out of his way to suggest places to go, restaurants to visit, and sites to see.  He even helped my son make some connections in the city, something he’s going to need being so far away from home. 

Mike and Mike!

I highly suggest the Blackstone Renaissance Hotel, especially if you’re a parent to a Columbia College student.  They even offer discounted rates from the school.  I will definitely be back and staying at the Blackstone Renaissance Hotel in the future.

Food: The Rockin' Baja, San Diego, CA

I've been neglecting my travel blog for too long, so I'm going to begin to make up for some lost time.  As you recall, I was out in San Diego for work the better parts of 2011-2012 and I sorely missed SoCal!  That being said, I took a family vacation to San Diego in August and had to go to my old stomping grounds, The Rockin' Baja as soon as we landed.

I must say, I felt right at home even if it had been over a year since the last time I was there.  Brooke, the best bartender in San Diego, remembered my favorite beer and was able to finally meet the rest of the family.

Mike and Devin love Brooke!

Jay, the manager, also remembered me and made us feel right at home.  The food was delicious (I had the shrimp fajitas), the drinks cold, and the atmosphere awesome.  It's nice to know that you have a place where people remember you, even if you're 3,000 miles away!  I can't wait to go back again!!!

The Family at the Rockin' Baja

Lea and Sami enjoying some refreshments

Lodging: Residence Inn, Framingham, MA

December 13, 2012 -- Now that I'm working for an extended period in the Sudbury/Framingham, MA area, I needed to find myself a suitable Marriott.  Of course the area is loaded with them and I settled on the Residence Inn in Framingham, MA.  If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm a Platinum Elite Marriott Rewards member, so staying with the chain is a must!  This hotel offers several different styles of rooms and I've stayed in just about every one!  The building is a bit older and could use upgrading, but it's more than adequate for what I need.  It's situated just off of Rt. 9, which is both a good and bad thing.  Rt. 9 has a ton of stores, restaurants, and bars, which is great, but if you happen to have a room facing the road it can be quite noisy.  There's traffic literally all times of the day and night, and if you're trying to sleep in you better be used to the sound of cars driving by.  And depending on the time of day, traffic to and from Boston can get backed up.  You've been warned!

All in all, the staff is very friendly, the hotel is clean, and the Internet service is free as well as breakfast and happy hour (no, not drinks but food!).  I'll be here during the week for the next few months so if you see me be sure to say hi!

Lodging: Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel, Providence, RI

November 19, 2012 -- As you might already know, I'm a Platinum Elite Marriott Rewards member and I have several eCertificates built up that I need to use before they expire.  That was the case Saturday night.  I wanted to surprise my wife with a nice dinner in Providence followed by an overnight stay.  I used my expiring eCertificate for the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel and later that afternoon we made the drive to Providence.  The area was hopping since their was a show at The Vet, a wedding in the hotel, and a dance competition held close by.  When we got to the check-in counter we were told that our room was not ready.  I was a little disappointed, but Amy at the front desk went to work making sure I would be able to check in.  While we waited, Casey (another front desk helper) asked what our plans were for the evening and I told her we were going to Hemenway's Restaurant for dinner.  She excused herself and quickly came back with a coupon for a complimentary appetizer!  Nice!

After a few minutes, Amy told me that she found an available room and said I'd be happy and surprised.  She handed me the keys and my wife and I headed for the elevators.  We arrived on the sixth floor and proceeded to walk the length of the hallway until we came to a set of double doors.  I checked my room key -- #616 -- and it was the same as the placard on the wall.  I'm having problems uploading the video directly to this blog, but if you go to my Facebook page you can watch it there.  You really need to watch this video to appreciate what we saw next!  Here are some pictures to hold you over:

Not only was the room ridiculous, but the whole staff treated us like we were royalty.  My wife and I were so happy with everything and you can bet that we will stay at the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel again soon.  Can we get the same room, please?

NEWS: Sudbury/Framingham, MA

November 8, 2012 -- Once again, like Willie Nelson sings, I'm on the road again!  This time I'll be spending some time in the Sudbury/Framingham, MA area.  I'll be sure to gather my knowledge on hotels, restaurants, fitness centers, and the social scene while I'm in the area.  Stay tuned for updates, they'll be sure to come!

Food: The Venus De Milo, Swansea, MA

October 9, 2012 -- Oh boy, where do I begin.  OK, let me start by saying that my wife and I have frequented the Venus De Milo many times in the past and it's one of the restaurants in our "rotation", you might say.  However, that might all change.  We visited the Venus this past Saturday night and when we got there the main dining room was under construction for remodeling.  I'm perfectly fine with a restaurant closing parts of its main dining area and kitchen to perform upgrades.  I'm also fine with a limited menu, decor, furnishings, staff, you name it, while the place readies itself for a re-opening.  I blame myself for not checking before I left for dinner.

This was the case on Saturday.  However, after being seated we were handed "new" menus.  As I just stated, I'm fine with limited offerings during a renovation.  Sadly, this wasn't the case; this was their new menu.  You know when you go to a specific restaurant to order that specific dish you can't get anywhere else?  The Venus De Milo just blew themselves up!  My wife and I went specifically for their signature Seafood Alfredo dish only to find it's no longer offered.  Furthermore, they have downsized their menu so much, nothing looked appealing.  Seriously.

Thoroughly disappointed to the point where I had to talk my wife into not getting up and leaving -- it would have been rude -- we decided to stay and choose something else.  After a long debate, we both settled on the Shrimp Scampi.  In the past, the entree came with a choice of soup or salad, and vegetable.  Not anymore.  Now let me say that I felt the meal was very good, but my wife was able to finish her whole plate then and there.  This is the same woman who takes home restaurant food in a doggy bag and eats it for three more meals.  What I'm saying is, the prices went up but the portions are smaller.  Furthermore, the new menu is a major step backwards in my opinion.

The Venus is also famous for their three-pound baked stuffed lobster.  The old menu prominently boasted this fact and that Emiril Lagasse gives it a big thumbs up.  The new menu has this listed inconspicuously on the bottom of the first page.  I hate to say this, but we're most likely not going back to the Venus.  Way too many signature dishes are gone -- signature dishes for crying out loud! -- and the new menu is lacking in quantity, variety, and portion size.  Very sad indeed.

Health: Andover Massage Therapy, Andover, MA

September 21, 2012 -- My body has been taking a beating from baseball, TRX training, and my routine running schedule, so a massage was in order.  Since I'm working away from home during the week and that my regular masseuse doesn't book appointments on weekends, I needed to find someone in the Andover area.  I searched Yelp and found favorable reviews for Andover Massage Therapy. I went to their website and used their appointment schedule to easily choose a masseuse and book an appointment.  The technical aspect of the visit had worked flawlessly.  Now, on to the actual massage.

My massage therapist, Adrienne Gill, was very professional, a gifted masseuse, and above all showed a genuine concern for my overall well-being.  The hour massage was fantastic!  She was able to massage away my stored up lactic acid and I left feeling rejuvenated.  The massage studio is in downtown Andover and is exactly what you would expect when looking for a massage.  The price was equivalent to the service provided and in the range of other massages that I had received in the past at other studios.  When I need another rub down, I'll definitely go back and see Adrienne at Andover Massage Therapy.  And if you're in the area, be sure to check them out as well, it'll be well worth the visit!