The Juice On Walking With Dinosaurs
August 24, 2010
Last week, my 3 year old son and I had a heart-to-heart…it went something like this.
Me: Do you remember when we went to the museum in New York City and saw the dinosaurs?
Toddler: Yeah…
Me: Were you scared of the dinosaurs?
Toddler: Um…yeah…
I then proceed to show him this clip.
Toddler: I’m not gonna be scared of the dinosaurs.
The Dinosaurs are coming…to Southern California! The original company of Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular will end it’s 3 year tour at the Honda Center in Anaheim (September 1-5) and the Staples Center (September 9-12). The show is based on the award-winning BBC Television Series and has played for over 4.1 million people in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Walking With Dinosaurs features ten species from the entire 200 million year reign of the dinosaurs and includes the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Plateosaurus and Liliensternus from the Triassic period, the Stegosaurus and Allosaurus from the Jurassic period and Torosaurus and Utahraptor from the Cretaceous. The largest of the dinosaurs, the Brachiosaurus, is 36 feet tall, and 56 feet from nose to tail (wow!).
The live show combines science, technology, scenery, puppetry and acting…How could it not be amazing?
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster. You can also find a limited number of discounted tickets on Goldstar.
No compensation was received for this post.
Christmas In August *Giveaway*
August 18, 2010
I had my list of must sees and dos in New York. I also factored in that we would only do about half of what we aspired to because of the kids. So what’s a girl to do when she gets invited to tour Radio City Music Hall and see the Rockettes live on 6th Avenue? She changes her plans!
I never thought I’d make it to Radio City Music Hall this trip. With so much to see and do and two little ones who need rest breaks, it seemed impossible. But I have always wanted to see the Rockettes…and not just from a television broadcasting from Rockefeller Plaza. So we headed over to Radio City Music Hall and began with a tour or the venue which is the home of the Rockettes.
I learned a few things along the way…like the fact that Radio City Music Hall is the largest indoor theatre in the world…and that the Radio City Christmas Spectacular began in 1933.
If you’re not familiar with the show, here is a brief description:
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular includes the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, a cast and crew of hundreds, an awe-inspiring Living Nativity with live animals, and magnificent special effects including a surprising indoor snowfall, fireworks, and Santa flying high above the audience. From dazzling kick lines and sparkling fireworks to Santa flying and a special 3-D surprise, the Christmas Spectacular is the perfect way to bring holiday cheer to your family.
As part of the show’s kick-off, Radio City will donate thousands of tickets to the Garden of Dreams Foundation at 1 million kicks. All across the country Americans are “kicking” up their heels online (you can tweet using the hashtag #kick4christmas) or in person. The Garden of Dreams Foundation provides children from local charities the opportunity to see the Christmas Spectacular.
Tickets for the Christmas Spectacular are on sale now with performances beginning November 5.
Check out some footage from the event. Do you recognize a familiar face?
Win It! Since we don’t live in New York City, I have two VIP tickets to tour Radio City and two VIP tickets to tour Madison Square Garden (I’ll pick two winners). Simply leave me a comment about the show. Have you seen it? Do you want to? Why? If you have a preference, just leave that info in the comments as well. Comments will close on September 2, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.
Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.
Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.
Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.
Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.
Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.
Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to attend the event, courtesy of the company.
The Ultimate Sale for Aspiring Cake Decorators
June 19, 2010
For just under 3 weeks out of the year, Wilton, who in many ways sets the standard for cake decorating and food crafting, holds a Tent Sale that draws crowds from all over the country. With savings of up to 75% on over 3,000 items, aspiring crafters and decorators can score sweet deals on cake decorating and baking supplies and kitchen and paper craft products. Just a few of the companies represented include Copco, EK Success Brands, and K & Company.
Two weeks ago, I was among the first to shop with Wilton employees, and scored some fabulous deals on everything from the Cars cake pan I’m going to use for my son’s upcoming birthday party, to a set of replacement knives for those that have dulled from years of use.
I found a wide variety of baking, decorating, kitchen, and crafting supplies at incredible prices. Items were well-organized and I found that each item was stocked sufficiently (although I did attend prior to opening day). For $150, I was able to purchase the above plus a cast iron pizza pan, a set of Mario Batali bowls, some kitchen gadgets, a Copco Tea Kettle, and some miscellaneous decorating supplies. Most of the items for sale were current, which is important to me, considering I am planning on using their latest year book as my decorating guide.
While the event is held in Woodridge, Illinois, many people will and do travel from all over the country (I heard stories of tour buses stopping at the sale). If you happen to be in the Chicago area through June 22, 2010, check out the Wilton Tent Sale.
HOURS:
Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Weekends: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Located At:
2240 W. 75th Street
Woodridge, IL 60517
No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to the Wilton Mom ReTreat which included travel, accommodations, and products.
OffPrice Shopping Challenge
May 21, 2010
It’s rare for me to purchase something that isn’t on sale (unless it’s a pair of really cute shoes that I must have). I do a lot of research and price comparison. And I shop at offprice retailers.
Earlier this week, I had an opportunity to shop at California’s 8th AJWright location before it opened to the public on Thursday. AJWright is a sister in the TJX family of stores and sells off-price family apparel, home fashions, footwear, and more. Prices are typically 20-70% below regular prices. The representative who gave us a store tour described the three stores as follows:
T.J. Maxx can be likened to shopping at Banana Republic, Marshalls to Gap, and AJWright to Old Navy.
Viewing the three stores in this way helped guide me as I navigated the store.
As we toured the store, we learned that many of the AJWright stores have been redesigned with increased lighting and brighter colors to enhance the visual aesthetic of the store (it also helps to view items you’re considering purchasing). AJWright stores differ from Marshalls and T.J. Maxx in that they’re more local and feature location-specific merchandise. Some of the brands you’ll find include Levi’s, Jones New York, Anne Klein, Nine West, and Carters.
Since I had never heard of AJWright (the store is more renowned on the East Coast), I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Our challenge was to find the best deals on merchandise we like to shop for, utilizing the $100 gift card they provided. I rarely buy anything for myself these days, so I headed straight to the kid’s section. In it I found toys (mostly outdoor varieties), clothing, baby gear, and more. Like any off-price retailer, you should plan to spend some time looking through the racks because there are some great deals to be found. Check out my Whrrl which highlights some of the store’s key items as well as the incredible amount of stuff I managed to get for $105.18 (I only went over because of California’s high tax!).
While I didn’t manage to find much for myself in the way of clothing (simply because I’m short and have a hard time finding clothing in general), I picked up a TON of stuff for the kids. I was quite impressed with their home and electronics sections. To find out more information about AJWright or to find a location near you, just visit their website.
And if you’re in the LA area next week and you want to check out the store, be sure to check out their real model search for your chance to be the next face of AJWright. Simply visit the Norwalk Plaza on Saturday, May 29, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m (I highly recommend registering online because a little birdie told me that there will be several hundred people in attendance). You could win:
- $250 cash prize
- New AJWright wardrobe to model in your photo shoot and keep, selected by you and a personal fashion consultant ($250 value)
- Keepsake photo album
- A chance to be AJWright’s Model of the Year
No monetary compensation was received for this post. I attended a shopping event at AJWright and received a gift card for my participation.
Sassy City Chicks *Giveaway*
April 16, 2010
This Thursday, Sassy City Chicks will host their Los Angeles Fashion Bash at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The shopping event will feature dozens of designers selling their chic springtime fashions for 30-80% off, as well as a “Chevy Lounge,” which will include a designer trunk show, hot cars and the opportunity to participate in a Chevy “Ride & Drive” preview test drive or stylish ride-alongs before and during the event.
The event showcases some of the most fashion-forward designers including Prada, Marc Jacobs, 7 For All Mankind, and Juicy Couture. General admission tickets are $5, but for $20, you can get a VIP 2 for 1 ticket which includes a gift bag, complimentary spa services & complimentary cocktails.
Here are the details for the event:
When: Thursday, April 22nd
- Chevy Sneak Peek Preview: 4-5:30 p.m.
o Attendees must RVSP to info@sassycitychicks.com, and include their ticket number to reserve a space for the preview.
- Sassy City Chicks LA Fashion Bash Event: 5:30-10 p.m.
Where:
6060 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
For more information on this event, or to purchase tickets, please visit their website.
Win It! I’m giving away TEN pairs of VIP tickets. To enter, simply email info@sassycitychicks.com with “Rockin’ Mama” in the subject line. Deadline to enter is April 21, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.
I did not receive compensation for this post. I received a ticket to the event, courtesy of the company.
Private Chefs of Beverly Hills
April 9, 2010
My husband and I tend to be foodies, only in that we like really good food. My husband does a majority of the cooking and both of us are always looking for new, interesting recipes with a bit of flare. Most nights, after the kidlets are in bed (and American Idol or Ugly Betty are not on), we watch a variety of shows on the Food Network. Everything from Iron Chef to Good Eats…it’s all on our DVR for nighttime viewing! And we’re adding one more to our list of “favorite Food Network shows”: Private Chefs of Beverly Hills.
Earlier this week I had an opportunity to head out to LA to watch the premiere episode, meet the chefs behind the series, and sample some of their seriously amazing food. The show is described as follows:
Food Network peeks into the high-demand world of culinary glamour in Private Chefs of Beverly Hills. This delicious docu-soap follows six gifted cooks from Big City Chefs, Beverly Hills’ premiere private chef placement agency. On-call 24/7, the chefs must cater to the whims of their over-the-top and eccentric clientele in Los Angeles’ most posh neighborhood.
The show is hilariously entertaining. I am an LA native (and even worked at a posh hospital on the West Side), yet even I found myself gasping at some of the most absurd requests. The show premieres tonight at 10 PM ET/PT…you’ll love it! Without giving too much away, here is what you can expect for the first episode (which is the one I saw this week):
“In the Doghouse”
The chefs must cook a lunch for both humans and canines when a doggy spa throws a “shower” to woo a new client. A local beauty salon requests the chefs inject some flavor into an invite-only Botox party. A group of young millionaire buddies bring the chefs along to cook their meals on a glamorous camping trip – known as “glamping” – up to Santa Barbara.
Here is a little preview of the show:
My husband and I are planning on watching the premiere tonight together (it’s so funny I want to see it again!). Here is my Whrrl from the event:
I did not receive compensation for this post. I did, however, get a sampling of some of the most amazing food and met the chefs behind the series.
A Pampering Of Sorts!
April 6, 2010
Last week my incredible husband took care of BOTH kids while I stole away for a few hours of pampering and relaxation. Pamper Me Fabulous was…well…FABULOUS! I only heard of the event last minute and my number one suggestion for next year is to buy VIP tickets early because they sell out.
Pamper Me Fabulous has now become a yearly health & wellness event for women, by women, and about women…
Um…somebody stole my camera…what’s he doing here?
So what sort of pampering can you expect at this event?
Massages…of course!
Getting crafty
Mini-makeovers
Mini-manicures
Retail Therapy
It’s a Flirty Apron!
Raffles
and FOOD!
L.A. Bento…YUM!
Izze…it’s not soda!
Chocolate…of course!
Most people I encounter don’t believe I’m in my 30′s. But if you look closely, you’ll see lines on my forehead that reveal my real age. I’ve never thought about correcting them because I’d rather be the one administering injections. While I was at the event, I had an opportunity to get a collagen mask from Dr. Susanne Bennett, founder and CEO of Purigenix. Dr. Bennett developed PurGlo, the only collagen product on the market that penetrates the skin without needles or injections. I honestly had no idea what to expect. I read just a bit about the product before attending the event and learned that collagen can diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, increase the elasticity of the skin, smooth out uneven skin textures, minimize the size of pores, and reduce the appearance of acne scars and skin discoloration. Apart from the fine wrinkles on my forehead, I’d love to correct the bags under my eyes from weeks months years of sleep deprivation and the mild discoloration from teen acne. So…I spent about 30 minutes with a mask on my face. Here are some pictures (they’re all after the mask has been removed):
The most immediate result was that my skin felt extremely hydrated. After I had my daughter, I felt like all the moisture had been drained from my skin. In particular, my forehead has been very dry. Couple that with the fact that we live in Southern California in desert-like conditions and the result is severely dehydrated, dry, skin. The mask is cold and wet (and needs to stay wet during the application process) and hence very soothing to the skin. And according to Dr. Bennett, it takes about 4 weeks to realize results. You can then taper the regimen to your skin needs.
The site is very comprehensive and details how PurGlo works and how to apply it.
So…did I entice you to check out Pamper Me Fabulous next year? Check out my Whrrl of the event:
Last year around this time, someone told me about 
Each railroad location hosting a 
If you don’t live in Southern California, do check out the 
Win It! FIVE of you will win a copy of 
