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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. 
Atlanta Travels
I recently took a trip to Atlanta as an early birthday celebration. I traveled to Atlanta for a family reunion a few years ago, but this trip was completely different. I was able to make my own itinerary. Atlanta is a city full of rich history and entertainment. With that said, there were quite a few things I wanted to do while visiting. Below you will find the attractions I visited while in Atlanta.
Updated to add Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
Underground Atlanta: Well, this has been around for an extremely long time. I’d have to say this was the least favorite attraction I went to. All of the clothing stores seemed to have the exact same products. The prices didn’t really vary between the stores either Not to mention, there was an unexplained stench. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this place for a must-do attraction, but if you’re looking to purchase trendy clothing, this may be a place you want to go to.
Centennial Olympic Park: This park is amazing. It’s crazy to think of all the exciting things that happened there in 1996. Before the park was built, it was considered to be the rundown part of downtown. There are no remnants of that now whatsoever. It’s well-kept and a great place for families. I’d recommend visiting this park!
Atlanta History Center: This Center was pretty interesting. There were several rooms dedicated to different eras. Each room has a ton of information that I had no idea about. I learned a lot about Atlanta from this center. The only thing I didn’t like about the center was that some of the displays were recreations. Although I know it may be difficult to obtain real artifacts, I think using recreations take away from the purity of the display. The biggest and most elaborate exhibition is the Turning Point: The American Civil War. For obvious reasons, it was a lot to take in. However, I gained a lot of insight on how this war was fought. The center also had to a nature trail that led to a playhouse, gardens and old houses. The Swan House, an old mansion, was simply beautiful. The yard leading up to the home was well-kept. I would recommend visiting the Atlanta History Center mainly because it’s nice to be educated on the places you visit.
Six Flags: Well, let’s just say that it wasn’t what I expected. It was packed, and the lines were significantly long. We got on all the major coasters except the Goliath. I would have to say that the Superman coaster was one of the best rides I’ve been on. It was awesome! The food offered at the park was absolutely ridiculous. Every restaurant offered the same things. There was no variety whatsoever. The park I think was a bit dated, but overall I had a good time because I am a roller coaster junkie. However, I must say some of the rides need better restraints. My head was shaking pretty bad on a few of them. If you like theme parks, do check it out. However, make sure you eat before.
Margaret Mitchell House: This a pretty neat museum. I learned a lot about Margaret Mitchell, and what she stood for. I thought it was really commendable on how well her apartment was kept. The museum did a really good job preserving it, and allowing visitors to get a glimpse at how she lived, and where she wrote Gone with the Wind. If you’ve read Gone With the Wind or watched the movie, I would recommend visiting this attraction. You’ll definitely take a lot from it.
Georgia Aquarium: This aquarium was amazing! I absolutely loved it! All the tanks were clean and full of beautiful fish. I’ve never seen Beluga Whales or Whale Sharks, and low and behold, they had them on display. I saw a lot of species of fish I’ve never seen or heard of. There were several opportunities to get close to some of the animals, which included stations that allowed visitors to touch some of the species of fish. A dolphin show was included in our admission. Let’s just say that I was completely amazed at the things the dolphins did. The dolphins were trained to do some amazing tricks! It was wonderful show. This aquarium definitely lives up to its reputation. It’s the best one I’ve ever been to. The Georgia Aquarium was my most favorite attraction I visited while in Atlanta. I would highly recommend visiting!
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site : Although I did not visit the site on my last visit to Atlanta, this is a must-do while in Atlanta. I learned so much about him while visiting here. It was a very amazing and humbling experience. He fought so hard for equality, and endured so much throughout his life. The MLK Jr. National Historic Site gives visitors a very vivid look at his life, and all that he’s done. It also reminds us of the injustices people faced, and had to overcome so that people of all backgrounds could live (more) freely today. This site will leave you informed and enlightened. It’s very tantalizing; it will heighten a lot of emotions.
Howl-O-Scream [2012]
I’ve been going to these Halloween-inspired month-long events at theme parks for the past five years. I’ve made it something like a tradition for myself. The first one I went to was Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). I enjoyed myself, but for the past few years I started solely going to Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream (HOS).
In choosing between HHN and HOS, I’ve come to conclusion that I prefer Howl-O-Scream for many reasons. Busch Gardens has way more rides, the tickets are cheaper, and there are generally fewer people. HOS never disappoints me. I always have a good time because I’m able to go through the haunted houses and ride roller coasters.
As expected, I visited HOS this year. It was fun, but I have to admit that I was a little bummed that they recycled the same theme from last year. I read on their Facebook page that there was a difference between last year’s theme and this year’s. I didn’t recognize it. Not to mention, one of the houses I went through was the exact same as the one I went through last year. That was a turn off, but not a big enough one where I wouldn’t return.
This year I went one weekend before the final weekend of HOS. Last year, I made the mistake of going on the last weekend. I had to stand in line for hours before I could go into a house. I think I only made it through two houses, which really upset me. Moving forward I vowed to always purchase a fast pass. On the night I went this year, it wasn’t really necessary because it wasn’t that busy. However, it was nice to skip the line and not have to wait in line for more than 5 minutes. I don’t regret getting the fast pass at all. We were able to get through all the houses, and ride all the roller coasters except for one in about 3.5 hours. That was awesome! I will continue to buy the fast pass from this year on out. It’s worth the extra $35, especially since you get 20% off merchandise, and BOGO photos.
I love Busch Gardens and Howl-O-Scream. I always recommend that people go here over Halloween Horror Nights. However, it’s hard to convince some people because HHN is more popular and main stream than HOS. I strongly believe you are getting more of your money’s worth when you go to Howl-O-Scream, especially since I’ve experienced both multiple times. To each his or her own though. 
Tyla Times
