Oktoberfest Charity Golf Tournament

Oktoberfest Charity Golf Tournament

More Information visit http://goriverwalk.com/

Pamper Yourself with Bloomingdale's: FREE Lancome Gift

Sophisticated Shopper: Bloomingdale's: FREE Lancome Gift ($110 Value!)

Sheraton To Give Away Free Nights in Their Newly Renovated Hotels

Looks like kiddies aren't the only ones rocking their new back to school fashion this month---hotels have been unveiling new looks left and right too. Hilton made a splash earlier this week with their new logo and before that, Westin and Renaissance unveiled new websites and new logos, respectively. So, who's the newest hotel to join the rebranding rodeo?
Sheraton Hotels.


The long-suffering, outdated brand of Starwood Hotels has completed a staggering $4 billion worth of renovations on 86 of its North American properties and it wants you to give the new digs a whirl by holding a "Check-In On Us" giveaway.

The contest officially kicks off on October 6 and runs through October 9th. Over two thousand winners from the online entries will be selected to win a free night at a Sheraton in one of the new hotels. The process is based on a first-come, first-serve basis so don't forget to enter on the first day. If you miss out, Sheraton will still offer folks a discount coupon they can use at a Sheraton.

Meanwhile, Hotel Chatter will be doing some sniffing around the Sheratons in Boston and New York tomorrow so stay tuned for our reports on the Sheraton's much-needed new look. So far, we're loving the new "adult" website (gone are the garish bright orange colors) and the Guest Chatter section, where guests can dish (after being vetted by Sheraton folks) on their recent Sheraton stays. You know how much we love to chatter....

Free Pizza at Pizza Fusion on Monday Oct. 5th

Pizza Fusion, the Fort Lauderdale-based organic chain, will give away 100 personal sized pizzas at each of its South Florida locations on Monday, Oct. 5.

You need to purchase an Honest Tea beverage and eat in the restaurant. No take out.
It's first come, first served.
For more information, click here for the Pizza Fusion blog.
You can find out about future giveaways by becoming a fan of Pizza Fusion’s Facebook page or a follower of its Twitter feed.

Ways to Ease Your Everyday Worries

We know Mama was right when she said, "Money can't make you happy." But we also know financial worries can shake us up. As we wait for the economy to turn around, is there anyone who isn’t feeling anxious? If you’ve been laid off and there’s no job in sight, you may feel like life is whirling further out of control with every hoarded dollar you spend.

But that “so-scared-I-can’t-breathe” feeling doesn’t have to take over. You can stop it by deliberately tuning out fear and turning up the volume on other things like love, faith and community. Focusing on life’s positives can help you feel grounded.



“We tamp down fear by noticing the blessings and opportunities the economy has handed us,” says the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first female presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. “Having less money for eating out can result in healthier meals eaten with family, and more time to build and strengthen relationships.” Being aware that there are others who are worse off may spur you to volunteer.



Here’s another thing: A financial challenge such as an impending foreclosure, a layoff, a house worth less than the mortgage, is just a problem to get through. How we deal with that problem may shape us for good or ill, but the fact that it happened to us says nothing—we’re the same people we were before.



Even in the depths of the Great Depression, when 1 American in 3 was out of work and there were breadlines everywhere, people still managed to fall in love, play with their children, sing along with the radio, enjoy life. A lesson we can learn from those times is that there are always pockets of joy, and many ways to foster inner peace.



1. Accept that troubles are part of life. With all the focus on celebrity lifestyles during the past decade or so, “it’s almost as if we’ve been told life is supposed to be perfect all the time, and something is wrong with us if it isn’t,” says Victoria Moran, author of Living a Charmed Life. “That’s not true!”



Sometimes you just happen to be the person whose car runs over a nail in the road, and you end up with a flat tire. You didn’t do anything to deserve it. Being careful won’t eliminate every last chance of picking up a nail. Neither will being nice and working hard on your driving skills.



In the same way, you aren’t any more unlucky than anyone else if the economic slowdown is creating new difficulties for you. The answer to “Why me?” is “Why not me?” When you keep reminding yourself that life has its ups and downs, you’re better able to “change your default setting,” as Moran puts it. “All of a sudden, ‘Everyone’s healthy, and we’re safe and content, even now,’ becomes as good as ‘Rich and getting richer,’” she says.



2. Don’t obsess over the news. Molly Peter, a real estate agent and mother of four in Bethesda, Maryland, never watches the news anymore. “It’s surprising how much more positive I feel every day,” she says. Instead, she listens to music or an audiobook while in the car or cooking.



This technique is OK to use as long as you’re not in denial about the upheavals going on, says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, a University of California, Riverside, professor of psychology and author of The How of Happiness. Of course you want to stay informed—just don’t let it overwhelm you. “Your life will be happier if you focus on affirming things,” rather than things that depress you, says Dr. Lyubomirsky.