A WINNER! Summer's Last Hurrah Giveaway!

Did you enjoy the unofficial "end of summer" holiday weekend?

I did! 

Today is my birthday, and my family surprised me 
with a beautiful brunch at one of my favorite restaurants.
I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birthday weekend!

But this isn't about me.
This is about the winner of my Summer's Last Hurrah Giveaway!

 You don't think I'm going to tell you who it is right away, do you?

I'm trying to build a little suspense here!

This contest was a little different than my other
"Where in the World is Ms. Toody?" giveaways,

when you had to guess where I was based on photo clues.

This time, I gave you a list of places to choose from,

so even if you've never stepped foot in the town we were in,

you would have just as good a chance as anyone else to win.

Know what? I'm going to do it this way from now on,

in order to encourage more people to participate.

To recap, the choice you had to make 
is whether we were in Fire Island or the Hamptons, 
and then narrow it down to the exact town, using the list I gave you. 

 I loved reading your answers, 

because each of your guesses evoked a special memory for me.

You see, we've spent upwards of 20 summers in both Fire Island and The Hamptons,
and I've been to almost every town.

I met Mr. GS in Ocean Bay Park, Fire Island.

He popped "the" question in Westhampton.

We owned a house in East Hampton, 
where Junior GS had many "firsts" (read about that here).

But this time, we were in...

Amagansett -- The Hamptons

And the winner who guessed Amagansett is...

Doreen from House Honeys!

Congratulations, Doreen!
 

I'll be sending Doreen a small gift box with some local goodies from the Hamptons. 

 As much as we've spent time in these two Long Island beach areas,

we haven't been out there with Junior Goo Shoes since he was three years old!

This summer seemed like the perfect time to go,

since six of JGS's camp friends and their families were going to be in the Hamptons,

and as everyone knows, if the kids are happy, we're happy!

It worked out great -- he had friends to hang around with;

we took his friends out to dinner a couple of times, and heard lots of camp stories;

we showed him our old house, 
 took him to places he hasn't been to since he was a toddler;

and, the weather was perfect!!!

Here are just a few snaps...

Amagansett Beach

Amagansett Beach

Yes, the Lobster Roll (aka "Lunch") where Noah first spots Alison, in The Affair

The view from our room

Lots of farmland in the Hamptons

Lots of old houses, too. The Hamptons were settled in the mid-1600s

Hook Windmill, an iconic East Hampton landmark, built in 1806.

Thanks to everyone who played along in the contest.

Let's give a round of applause to Doreen!
If you aren't familiar with Doreen's blog, Househoneys,
I encourage you to visit!
Doreen is a witty writer, and talented photographer who
shares snippets of life in and around her pretty cabin in the country. 



Stay tuned for the next Where In the World is Ms. Toody,
wherever and whenever that may be!

A Giveaway! Summer's Last Hurrah

Have you had enough of summer, 
or are you holding on to every last drop of sunscreen, 
watermelon pit, and grain of sand?

As much as I love fall, I never want to let summer go.

We didn't make it to the beach until the end of August,

but looking forward to it helped make the summer feel just a little longer.

I'd like to help you hold on to the last of summer's pleasures,

so I'm doing a little giveaway contest.

This one is different than my previous 
"Where In The World Is Ms. Toody?" giveaways.

 There are no photo clues...this one is based on pure luck. 

It's an equal-opportunity giveaway! 

Here's what you need to know:

We were at the beach, somewhere on Long Island, New York.
You simply have to guess the town we stayed in.

I'll narrow it down for you just a bit.
It was either Fire Island or the Hamptons.

Need more help?

Here is a map of beach towns on Fire Island...

And here is a map of towns in the Hamptons.

All you have to do is take a wild guess at the name of the town 
in which we stayed.

The first person to come closest to guessing the correct town wins!

I will send the winner a small box of tasty goodies, all from the area we stayed in!
(Please be aware that there are nut and wheat products in the goodie box).

The Rules:

1. Take a guess at the name of the town we stayed in
(you must be specific; no general areas will be accepted).
2. Leave your answer in the comments below.
3. The first person to come closest to the town we stayed in is the winner.
4. Include an email address so that I can contact you if you win.
5. Once contacted, the winner has 48 hours to respond to me;
otherwise, I will have to go to the next closest winner. 
6. Please follow me, if you enter.  
7. Friends, family or anyone I may have told, are not eligible. Sorry :(
8. The contest is open to everyone. 
I will ship the prize anywhere in the world that a package can be delivered. 

  Go ahead and take a guess!
What have you got to lose? 
When I announce the winner, 
I'll tell you all about our last-hurrah-of-summer vacation! 

LINKING WITH:
Our World Tuesday
Tweak It Tuesday

We've Got A Winner!

We've got a winner!

It's...Michele from Malaysian Meanders!

Michele and her family were expats in Malaysia for some years,
but recently moved back home to Texas.
They've done an enviable amount of traveling, so it was no surprise that she was able to identify almost every photo in my 
"Where In The World Is Ms. Toody?" contest. 

So, where were we? 
Italy! 

Ten years ago, we went to Italy for the first time.
I was smitten, and decided it was my favorite country on earth.
Somehow, it took us ten years to get back.
I have made a vow that I will not wait that long to visit this beautiful country again,
mostly because I'm getting to be too old to wait 10 years to do anything! 

 This time, we spent our time on the incredibly picturesque Amalfi Coast,
visiting the towns of Sorrento and Positano, and then, the island of Capri. 
Day trips to Pompeii, the seaside town of Amalfi, and cliff town of Ravello 
were highlights.
We also had some time in Naples at the beginning and end of the trip,
which was all about the pizza, if you ask me!

Source

Here are the answers to my photo clues.

 
1. Amalfi Coast drive.
2. Lemons, the variety specific to the Sorrento region.
3. One of 30 ancient watch towers along the coast, 
used to warn of approaching enemies.
4. Dome of the Church of Santa Maria Assunto in Positano.
5. The famous Faraglioni Rocks in Capri.
6. Cappuccino.
7. Clock tower in the center of Sorrento.
8. Pizza, Naples style.
9. Ending each meal with Limoncello.
10. Hand-made sandals, all over the Amalfi coast.
11. Ceramics of Ravello.

Stayed tuned for a bombardment of photos.
Hopefully, you won't disown me :)
I promise I will not show all 2000 pictures that I took,
and I will show them in small doses!

Many thanks to those who played along.

Congratulations, Michele!
The package is going in the mail tomorrow,
and I hope you will enjoy a little bit of La Dolce Vita!  

Where In The World Is Ms. Toody - A Giveaway!

 Are you ready for the third Where In the World Is Ms. Toody giveaway?

All you have to do is guess where I spent my vacation.
The person who comes closest in miles to the correct answer 
will receive an awesome souvenir goody box from me, 
valued at approximately $60...maybe more.
 I lost track after awhile.

We came back on Friday, to find that our internet, phones and TV were not working.
It seems that lightning must have struck a utility box outside,
and fried our cable box, fax machine, intercom system
routers, etc. even though we have surge protectors.
What a mess.
It definitely ruins the vacation mood, that's for sure.
Now, mostly everything is fixed, and I am back in business!

About my vacation...I will tell you that I was someplace FANTASTIC,
and the goodie box is packed with lots of great stuff. 

We went to three different places within one general area.
If you are the first to guess the general location, you may win.

However, if someone correctly guesses one of the specific places 
within that area, they may win...
but if someone guesses two of the places, then they win...
and if someone guesses all three, well, then they'll win. 
Even if you have no idea, take a wild guess just for fun.
 
Enter by leaving me a comment, below, 
and please include an email address so I can contact you.

Here are the clues...

Before submitting your answers, please read these rules.

1. I would greatly appreciate it if you would follow my blog if you enter the contest.  

2. The winner will be the first person to leave a comment that comes closest (in miles) to guessing all three destinations. "Destination" is defined as where my hotels were located.
 

3. If no one guesses all three locations, the winner will be the first person to come closest to guessing two of the three destinations.

If no one guesses two of the locations, the winner will be the first person to come closest to guessing one of the three destinations.

It is up to my discretion to determine who is closest.

4. Include your email address in your comment so that I have a way to let you know you've won.

5. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to me, otherwise, I will have to go to the next closest guess.

6. Friends, family, anyone on my personal Facebook page,

and others I may have told where I was, cannot participate. Sorry :(  

7. The contest is open to everyone - I will ship the prize anywhere in the world that packages can be delivered.

8. The contest will end on 
Tuesday, July 14 at midnight, 
Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

My first "Where in the World Is Ms.Toody" giveaway was back in July 2014, 

and the winner of that competition was Linda from On The Road Again.
If you'd like to see what I sent to Linda, click here. 

The second Where In The World was this past January,

and the winner was Fiona, a reader from Las Vegas.

Will you be the third winner?
I hope so!!!

Remember that the contest ends on Tuesday, July 14 at midnight, Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

If you are contacted by me, you need to respond to me by midnight, July 16, Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

GOOD LUCK!

Linking With:

Weekend Travel Inspiration
Bouquet of Talent

A WINNER! Where In The World Is Ms. Toody?

Are you ready to find out who won the

"Where In The World Is Ms. Toody?" contest?

Every agreed that I was in Hawaii...
 I guess it was the pineapple that gave it away :)
Guesses ranged from Oahu to the Big Island to Maui to Kaui. 

I was actually on two islands, and the winner had to come closest in miles 
to where I stayed in both locations. 

 
The clues for my first destination seemed to WAY too easy,
with quite a few people guessing Waikiki Beach.
And they were right! 
We spent the first three days of our vacation at the Moana Surfrider Hotel at the world-famous Waikiki Beach, on the island of O'ahu.

Many people recognized Diamond Head at the top of the photo...
and some people recognized the US Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor 
in the lower left hand corner. 
 Only if you were really familiar with Waikiki, 
would you recognize the Banyan Tree and the statue of Duke Kahanamoku, 
on Kuhio Beach in Waikiki.
And, of course, there were the surfboards.
 

 The second set of clues was deliberately a little tougher.
Guesses included Kauai, Maui and the big island of Hawaii.
The answer is...
Maui!
But where on Maui?

The winner nailed it!
 She identified Black Rock at the top of the photo, 
which was literally on our hotel property
(you can't get closer than that!),
as well as Ka'anapali Beach, which was where our hotel, 
the Sheraton Maui Resort, was located.
She even guessed that the mountain view photo was taken 
on a helicopter tour of the Lao Valley. 
Bingo!

As for the other clues...
The water in Maui is a unique shade of blue...which is why I included that picture;
The waffles and sugar cane juice sign was taken on the road to Hana, 
and the photo is a clue to all of the sugar cane that grows on Maui;
the Hibiscus and shave ice were two other generic Hawaiian clues.

So...who was the winner? 
It was Fiona B, from Las Vegas!

Here is her answer:

Location 1: You were at Waikiki Beach, Oahu. The other photos in that first set are all on Oahu like Pearl Harbor, Duke Kahanamoku at Kuhio Beach, and banyan tree.Location 2: You also visited the island of Maui. The beach/stayed at is located on Kaanapali beach and the rock picture is Black Rock. Black Rock is where you can dive off and snorkel. The mountain view looks like a helicopter ride around Iao valley or Haleakala mountain. 

The reason Fiona was so accurate was that she lived on Maui for a few years 
while she was in high school, but says, 
"in my heart, it is still home."
I'm so happy to be sending her a little box of Hawaii!  
Her mother-in-law reads my blog, and suggested that Fiona enter the contest...
so, Fiona is going to share the prize with her MIL!

Fiona just turned 30 on Christmas, and is a new stay-at-home working mom.
Check out her websites...
Las Vegas Coupon Momma, where she teaches people simple couponing methods, helping them to shop economically, 
and Origami Owl, where she is an independent designer for a jewelry company.

Honorable mention goes to Dayle at A Collection of Days, who was the second and only other person to pinpoint both Waikiki and Ka'anapali Beach.

Thank you to everyone who played along...

I had so much fun shopping for goodies, and I can't wait to send them off to Fiona !

I will definitely do this again the next time I go away, 
whenever and whenever that may be.

And now that I have disclosed my whereabouts over the holidays,

I can finally publish my December Photo Diary...

even though we are half way through January!