Plans For Saturday?

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

culinaryI will be at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, laughing at and with Billy Crystal and John Goodman of Monsters University.

Marisa and her family will be at the Strawberry Festival in Ventura, Ca.

But you?  You have no plans?  I have something for you to do!

Saturday, May 18 at 1 PM

Macy’s South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, CA

Macy’s will take to the highways and back roads of America for a national food truck tour making its way across the country, serving up the best of America’s cuisine created by icons of the Macy’s Culinary Council and featuring hot dogs and ice cream.  And this Saturday, May 18th they will be in Costa Mesa Ca.

If you go send me a picture via Twitter or FaceBook.  And I will send you one of MonstersU.

In case you live under a rock, yes I am getting paid.  Did I mention I am going to Alaska in a few months?

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Filed Under: Blog, Kitchen

Piece of Cake

May 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Private Selection for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love to bake.  Cookies, cakes, puddings, whatever your pleasure I enjoy making it.  Thankfully, I rarely eat what I bake.

But sometimes there isn’t enough time to bake something from scratch.  Sometimes you want instant gratification.  That’s where the sponsor of this post comes in.

Private Selection is a premium private label brand carried exclusively at the Kroger stores (Ralphs out here on the west coast, Smith’s Fred Meyer elsewhere).  I’ve told you about their products before, chips, meats, snacks and now we are going to talk about cake!

Private Selection™ Upside Down Cakes make it as easy as1-2-3 to bring a gourmet experience to any meal or occasion.  Made with only the finest ingredients, they elevate dessert to the next level with rich flavors, indulgent aromas and a beautiful presentation.

Private Selection Their cakes are a premium quality without the premium price, they come in 3 flavors – Amber Honey Apple slice, Double Chocolate Molten and German Chocolate Fudge.  These aren’t your grandmother’s upside down cakes.

To help you try them you can get a Private Selection Upside Down Cakes coupon just for spreading the love.

*The coupon ends June 2, 2013.  Official Rules. In order to load these coupons to your card, you will need to log in to your Kroger (or local affiliate store) account or set up an account and enter your card number.  Limit one use per digital coupon.  Digital offers are not eligible on Manager’s Specials, cannot be combined with manufacturer paper coupons on the purchase of a single item and do not double.  Not all items are available in all stores.  A limit of 150 coupons can be loaded per household at one time.

Once you have your llimit of coupons go to http://www.privateselection.com/store-locator/ to find the store closest to you.

And one last thing……take a bite for me.

Check out Private Selection Upside Down Cakes on Facebook and Private Selection Upside Down Cakes on Pinterest.

Visit Sponsor's Site

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Filed Under: Blog, Kitchen, Reviews

Candy Crushers Anonymous

April 14, 2013 By 2 Comments
【APP遊戲】Candy Crush Saga

【APP遊戲】Candy Crush Saga (Photo credit: Albert.hsieh)

“Hi, my name is Adrienne, and I am a Candy Crush addict.”

“Welcome Adrienne.”

“I have been sober for 12 hours and am taking it one minute at a time.”

 

Candy Crush started out as a fun little game that hundreds of my face book friends were playing and I was getting multiple invitations to play every day.  I gave in and took the plunge.  It was simple, sort of like Bejeweled but with more additions to keep it interesting.

But, interesting comes at a price.  Yes, I have spent actual cash money on this damn game.  I am embarassed to say how much.  While at Disneyland and Legoland last week I maxed out my credit card (relax it is a VERY low amount) and that caused me to react like a crack addict begging her dealer for a front.

Because of Candy Crush I have over 100 emails that have not been answered.  I was beginning to sneak in games at work on both the computer and my phone.  I would play in the bathroom, in bed at night and the morning and anywhere I could.

I take great measures in my life to curb addictions.  I will hit my 20 year anniversary for quitting smoking next year.  I purposely do not drink alcohol.  I stick to ibuprofen for pain.  The only addiction I have not mastered is food.  When I realized the the time and yes money this “game” had claimed from my life I realized it was too much and I had to take back control.

I have deleted it from my phone and blocked it on face book.  My life is my own again.

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Filed Under: Blog, Screening Room

Poise Second Talk

October 6, 2012 By 9 Comments

Why is it that moms will tell their young daughters about the “changes” their bodies will be facing during puberty?  heck we even have special classes about it in school.  Fifth graders all over learn about the “facts of life”.

But what happens when you turn 40 (or for some of us lucky ones, 35)?  Who tells you about the “changes” you will be facing then?

Poise does.

Poise introduces the 2nd Talk, a conversation and collection of stories featuring women experiencing the same changes that happen to all women. You can help them reach their goal of rallying 1 million women to join the conversation by World Menopause Day on October 18, by simply going to their website http://www.poise.com/experts-and-education/about-menopause.

Their new #PoiseFab5 products can help you feel refreshed, cool and ready to go steady (damn that sounds cheesy).  Walmart even offers a coupon on their website for you.

My girlfriends and I had the opportunity to attend the Hot Flash Road Show starring Sherri Shepard and Chloris Leachman and written by Mo Gaffney.  A fun evening with women our own age all enduring the same symptoms in a theater that was as cold as a meat freezer, or what I like to call the PERFECT temperature.

Check out Poise on Twitter and Facebook and yep even on Pinterest!  You can also see my shopping trip on G+.

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Poise #CBias #SocialFabric

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Filed Under: Blog, Parlor

Dad Advice With #HuggiesLatino

September 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Huggies is having a Facebook chat with Poncho de Anda, TV personality and father of two, on September 20, 2012 from 12 pm EST to 1pm EST.  They have asked me to invite you all to join in and to share with you some advice that I have garnered from dad’s in my life.

Smartly, all the dads I spoke with said to listen to the mom and do what she says.  See isn’t it easy to be a dad?  Seriously, the only advice to give is to just be you and to relax, babies aren’t as breakable as most new dads think they are.

Huggies recently partnered with Mexican TV personality Poncho de Anda and his wife to create a series of webisodes offering tips and advice to parents as they navigate the challenges of parenthood.  Yes, the video is in Spanish, I apologize to my English Only readers.


Huggies es tener un chat de Facebook con Poncho de Anda, personalidad de televisión y padre de dos hijos, 20 de septiembre de 2012 de 24:00 a 13:00 EST EST. Ellos me han pedido que invitamos a todos a participar y compartir con ustedes algunos consejos que he obtenido a partir de padre en mi vida.

Inteligentemente, todos los padres con los que hablé dijo que escuchar a la mamá y hacer lo que dice. Ver no es fácil ser un padre?  En serio, el único consejo que doy es que usted acaba de estar y relajarse, los bebés no son tan frágiles como la mayoría de los nuevos padres piensan que son.

Huggies se asoció recientemente con el mexicano personalidad de la televisión Poncho de Anda ya su esposa a crear una serie de webisodes que ofrecen consejos y asesoramiento a los padres, ya que navegar los desafíos de la paternidad. Sí, el video está en español, pido disculpas a mis lectores sólo inglés.

This post is compensated and in collaboration with Huggies and Latina Bloggers Connect

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Filed Under: Blog, Parlor

The Little Gym Launches “Big Hearts Little Shoes” Shoe Donation Campaign!

August 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The Little Gym, the experiential learning and child physical development center for ages 4 months through 12 years, is launching a new initiative to collect used or outgrown shoes. The program, called “Big Hearts, Little Shoes,” benefits Soles4Souls, the international charity that collects shoes and distributes them to people in need around the globe.
“Big Hearts, Little Shoes” at The Little Gym is the first dedicated campaign for Soles4Souls focused on collecting children’s shoes. The program provides an interactive way for children to learn the value of charity and for parents and children to participate in a cause together.
At The Little Gym, each class begins with children removing their shoes before entering the gym floor. Beginning this fall with the 2012-2013 Season of classes, children and parents can donate shoes they have outgrown or no longer need in special Soles4Souls drop boxes located in the lobbies of The Little Gym locations. The shoes will be shipped to Soles4Souls, which is committed to collecting and distributing shoes to people living in extreme poverty and recovering from natural disasters.

Children at The Little Gym donate shoes to help mark the kickoff of the experiential learning and child physical development center’s “Big Hearts Little Shoes” campaign with Soles4Soles, July 25, in New York.

“Helping parents celebrate their children’s milestones is one of the most heartwarming parts of our day,” said Bob Bingham, President and CEO of The Little Gym International. “Whether it’s sharing their first steps, or their first somersault or cartwheel, families experience special moments together as part of their children’s development at The Little Gym. The ‘Big Hearts, Little Shoes’ program provides a unique opportunity for children to make a positive impact. It’s also a natural fit with the ‘Citizen Kid’ component of our core curriculum that focuses on life skills that help children grow into well-rounded citizens of the world.”

 One hundred percent of all shoes donated to Soles4Souls are sustainable: More than 99% are used to help those in need, and the remaining that cannot be used are directed to a waste-to-energy facility where they are used to produce environmentally clean and renewable energy.

“Soles4Souls’ mission of helping people has always attracted little helping hands in the past, but The Little Gym is taking it to the next level,” said Kevin Goughary, CEO of Soles4Souls. “With the ‘Big Hearts Little Shoes’ program, we hope to rally a new group of ‘mini’ donors that will have a ‘mega’ impact on the world. It really is about kids helping kids and we’re thrilled to be a part.”

‘Like’ The Little Gym on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Little-Gym/115178565947

Follow The Little Gym on Twitter: @TheLittleGym

 

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Filed Under: Blog

Adventures in Clean

August 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I recently had the pleasure of attending a screening of the movie The Odd Life of Timothy Green, thanks to Disney and Frigidaire.

We started our day in Griffith Park with children all around having great summer fun and getting really dirty.  Unfortunately my grands weren’t available to come with me, so I was more of an observer.

After an introduction by Jennifer Garner (Star of the movie), everyone split up and the kids participated in fun activities.

There was a laundry folding relay.

Photo courtesy of Jordyn Giannamore

A water balloon toss.

Photo courtesy of Jordyn Giannamore

And even a tug of war.

Photo courtesy of Jordyn Giannamore

Some kids got Ms. Garner to help them dirty up their shirts so we could see how clean they got in the Frigidaire washer and dryers.

Photo courtesy of Frigidaire

Afterwards we were treated to a green carpet screening event of The Odd Life of Timothy Green at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Photo courtesy of Frigidaire

More on the movie in another post.

Frigidaire is holding a sweepstakes right now, you can visit Facebook.com/Frigidaire and show them your favorite memory in the dirt for a chance to win tickets to the Hollywood premiere of the movie with Jennifer Garner and a new Frigidaire Affinity® Front Load Washer and Dryer NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER TO WIN. Sweepstakes ends 9/23/12. Click  here for full rules. featuring Ready Steam™, ensuring whiter whites and improved stain removal. For every entry, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children’s US programs. Frigidaire will donate $1 for each day you share your adventures in clean, between 7/8/12 and 9/23/12 with a minimum of $35,000 and a maximum of $40,000.

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Filed Under: Blog, Kitchen, Screening Room, Work Your Space

Need Healthy Pregnancy Information? There’s an App for that!

August 2, 2012 By 1 Comment

Women can get healthy pregnancy information on-the-go now through a new, free, interactive magazine available through the iPad app store from the March of Dimes.

The March of Dimes has used new technology to put its reliable and comprehensive information about healthy pregnancy at the fingertips of moms-to-be. Women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant can download the free, interactive magazine to their tablets from the Apple iTunes app store by visting http://itun.es/isc7SZ.

The interactive magazine answers all of the basic questions moms-to-be have about pregnancy. It is a digital version of the March of Dimes “My 9 Months”, magazine, an award-winning bilingual guide to a healthy pregnancy, which features everything expectant women need to know to help them and their babies get their full nine months of healthy pregnancy.

“Launching the ‘My 9 Months’ app is a milestone for March of Dimes efforts to give all women the information they need for a healthy pregnancy,” says Beverly Robertson, MS, MA, national director of the March of Dimes Pregnancy & Newborn Health Education Center. “We know women are busy and want reliable information quickly and on-the-go. This app meets the need for interactive multimedia on a mobile device.  It’s a fun way to get the information they want.”

The interactive magazine offers embedded videos and links to the March of Dimes web site for more in-depth information. A Spanish version, Mis 9 Meses, also is available in the Apple App Store, http://bit.ly/MZs3Gd.

The interactive magazine covers how to stay healthy and eat right, what happens at a prenatal care appointment, the signs of preterm labor and what to do if they develop, making a  birth plan, caring for a new baby, how to breastfeed and a glossary of  pregnancy terms.

The “My 9 Months” interactive magazine has special features. The month-by-month video guide on how a baby grows illustrates the nine month process of a baby’s development.  The video also tells about the changes that occur to the pregnant woman’s body.  It has interactive pop-ups with questions and answers that young women can keep in mind when it comes to planning their pregnancy.  The eating healthy section give young women suggested foods and recommended serving sizes.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Filed Under: Blog

A Letter to My Daughter – Reposted

July 26, 2012 By 9 Comments

I am in Las Vegas this week.  My daughter Marisa is getting married on Wednesday, July 25, 2012.  I want to spend as much time as possible with my family, so if you will please excuse me, this week I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts involving Marisa.

I have loved you from the minute I found out about you.  I was terrified, but thrilled to know you were going to be born.  You took your sweet time (even then things had to be your way LOL), but you came out hollering and beautiful.

I made some really stupid choices when you were so tiny, stupid enough that we were separated for almost 3 years, 3 very important years in your life.  I visited you as often as possible and never stopped loving you all that time.  I was lucky to have family that loved you (and me) and they took great care of you for me.

You grew into a responsible young lady with some questionable choices in your teen years (don’t we all?) and are now the mother of 3 beautiful children of your own.

I see the smiles and the laughs and the tears and the hollers.  I hear the praise and the discipline and I am proud to know that you are doing a wonderful job raising these three angels.  I would like to take the credit for setting a good example as a parent but I know better than that.

As you are faced with trials and tribulations one after the other this year, I hope you remember that you are loved and important.


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Filed Under: Blog, Parlor

Missing Miranda

July 16, 2012 By 14 Comments

This is a guest post from my friend Liz who is an amazing movie maker.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to help her financially but also knew I had an amazing platform with this here blog and some awesome readers.  I also knew my readers would be eager to help her with her latest endeavor, a new romantic comedy, Missing Miranda.  Don’t let me down.

Hi, I’m Liz Rizzo, and I love romantic comedies. I’m also – on my favorite days – a director.  So when I met writer/producer/actress Deborah Sanchez, and she had a fun romantic comedy screenplay and ambitious plans for a Kickstarter campaign… Well, it wasn’t long before I jumped right in and joined the amazing cast and crew she’d put together. The film is called “Missing Miranda,” and it centers around a waitress with aspirations of becoming a fashion designer and an architect under the thumb of his demanding boss. They meet, connect, lose each other, and through the mysteries of fate, meet again, as they start on the paths they were both meant to travel. You can check out our Kickstarter page here.

But, wait a minute, what’s Kickstarter? Not everyone knows. Kickstarter is an online platform that facilitates crowdfunding for creative projects. The most important thing to know about Kickstarter, is that it’s all-or-nothing funding. “Missing Miranda” is a micro-budget feature film, but it has a large cast and many locations. Our funding goal is $65K – a lot to raise through crowdfunding, but only just enough to shoot and finish our film. If we don’t hit our funding goal, no money changes hands, because it wouldn’t be enough to finish our film and deliver on our pledge reward levels – which include downloads, DVDs, screenplays, posters, etc.

The most important thing to know about the “Missing Miranda” Kickstarter campaign is that we shot five character vignette videos, and we’re releasing one each week of the campaign. The featured video of the week lives on our Kickstarter page (backers get a sneak peak a few days early), and all of our character videos will be available as they release on the “Missing Miranda” YouTube channel. Here’s this week’s feature vignette, “The Prejudice”:

If you enjoyed our little scene, it would mean so much to us if you could check out the Missing Miranda Kickstarter campaign. Donations at all levels are so important – yes, even $1 donations, because they speak to interest in the project. (And get you that sneak peek at our weekly videos!) Our campaign runs through midnight Saturday August 11th.

You can also like “Missing Miranda” on Facebook or follow “Missing Miranda” on Twitter. Sharing our campaign and getting the word out is super important to us. So I want to thank my friend Adrienne for letting me share my dream with you today. Thank you, Adrienne!

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Filed Under: Blog, Screening Room
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