Traded my BMW for a Minivan

Suze Orman – America’s Money Class

2012-02-10T01:19:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to have the opportunity earlier this week to have coffee with Suze Orman at the OWN offices here in Los Angeles. This was the second time I met Suze, the first one being the time I interviewed her at Smashbox Studios two years ago. When you are in Suze’s presence, one thing that you can be sure of is that she is intensely present with you. I love that. The eye contact, the intensity, the fact that she OWNS what she says. My kind of person. The meeting took place in a small conference room at OWN and was comprised of OWN execs and LA bloggers. I got a kick out of the $$$ cake pops and gold coins they had out for us. Good way to set the tone.

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The reason for the meeting was to promote Suze Orman’s “America’s Money Class” on The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The class is actually a series of 6 shows each with a topic, guests with money issues related to the topic and audience interactions. The classes are: Money Secrets Revealed, Family & Money, Financial Disasters, Hidden Money, Money Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make and this Monday is the 6th and final class airing at 9p/8p central time. After the show, a contest begins where one viewer will win $50,000 and five viewers will win $5,000. The contest is in the form of a “final exam” of 12 questions based on what you have learned watching the shows. The contest will be live starting a 12p eastern/9p pacific and will be up for 24 hours. If you have not been watching the series, don’t despair, there are lots of videos of the shows as well as supporting info to be found on the show’s site on OWN.com. Additionally, the entire first episode is available on the site, Money Secrets Revealed. I’m disappointed the shows aren’t available and guess what? Suze is disappointed too! She even said it during the meeting that she thought they should be online and free—this caused the OWN execs in the room to smile uncomfortably. But that is how Suze is. She freely shares her tools to help Americans learn how to take care of themselves financially. Also on the site, Suze is giving away subscriptions and free downloads, make sure to head over there to grab the codes now!

Ok, so, you know about the show and the contest. Before I headed to the meeting, I posted on Facebook and Twitter asking my followers if they had any questions for Suze. I tried to cover as much as I could. Here is what I learned sitting with Suze and what I can share with you: Suze Orman’s overwhelming theme is take care of yourself because no one else is going to. When saving for your children’s college funds, do that after maximizing your retirement contributions, having your debt paid off and an eight month cushion of emergency funds. When you have achieved your goal for saving for something, especially education, don’t “push your luck”, move the money into “safe” positions. Don’t rely on your portfolio’s plan to manage risk for you because a massive hit in the stock market could devastate your investments. When people lose their jobs, they do not make a lifestyle change to match the situation. You must cut everything down to the bare minimum and hunker down because you don’t know how long you will be out of work. Getting exercise is absolutely key to raising your mood and motivation. Set a regular time each day to move around…Starting with walking is absolutely fine. Take care of “needs” before “wants” and put “people before money and things”. She believes we are quite far from a housing recovery and that we have not seen the bottom in some markets. I got a lot of questions about asking Suze what to do if you are underwater in your home, whether they should rent or buy. Since I didn’t get to address specific areas of the country, I can’t answer those questions for everyone. Suze did mention an area where she owns property, Del Rey Beach, Florida and that condos in her community have gone down over $200,000. Have term life insurance and only term life insurance to cover the term during which you will have people dependent on you, ie: 20, 30 year term plans. You will be amazed at how inexpensive the rates are especially if you are under 40.

Another interesting theme that came up was her insistence on the “we” and not the “I”. Such as “we have 2 kids” not, “I have 2 kids”. I thought she might have been a bit intense about this with the people in the room. However, I understand her message. Managing your financial lives, especially when married and with young children, is a team effort. That means sharing the information about what is happening with the money, budgeting and being responsible together for managing your finances. Money secrets and money infidelity is something Suze has covered in this series. Several years of bad money management can be overcome if you tackle it as a team. If everyone is not on board, it will not work. A really powerful tool for people who have no savings is to get them on an automatic savings plan. If it can be deducted from their pay, great. But if they need to send it in themselves, getting into the habit has an amazing way of sticking. The middle class is shrinking. The poor are getting poorer. There are over 50 million Americans in poverty right now.

For investments that Suze recommends right now in the time of non-existent interest rates, Suze listed off some specific choices: Muni bonds (individual not funds), MLPs (Master Limited Partnerships), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Gold which she is predicting will be at $2100/oz in November, Revenue Bonds and General Obligation Bonds. This is Elizabeth speaking here: I have a background in investments and strongly urge anyone not familiar with the investments listed above to educate themselves thoroughly before putting money that they cannot afford to lose into them.

In closing, personal finance and investing has always been of interest to me. Money is something all of us need and therefore it means different things to different people. We all have our individual experiences that come forward when dealing with money. Suze’s message and one that I would echo to you as well is to take care of yourself and your own finances. There are plenty of people out there who will gladly help you part with your hard earned cash. Your future depends on you taking care of you. Now, go forth and prosper!
My friend, LA’s The Place, shot this video during our meeting. I thank her so much for doing this and graciously allowing me to share.

Family Getaway: Rancho Las Palmas

2012-02-10T00:58:00.000-08:00

I'm on CBS Los Angeles with Family Getaway: Rancho Las Palmas

Lunch Influential

2012-01-21T01:07:00.001-08:00

My kids have been eating lunch at school since they were 2 years and some change. Their nursery schools all have the option of staying for lunch on an as needed basis. Thank god. I don’t know how my mother coped. We even had half-day Kindergarten. Here it’s full day. The one annoying aspect is there is no “school lunch” program until after Kindergarten so I’ve been packing lunches. Chip is a lean, mean playing machine who usually brings home his lunch mostly uneaten. Lulu actually seems to eat her lunch AND take note of what those around here are consuming. Last year, Lulu started asking for a thermos one day at a store. I figured it was because it had Hello Kitty on it, but she started saying it was for “meatballs”. Random? My mother was there and said it was probably because some kid at school had meatballs in a thermos. My mother is very smart. I would still be wondering where the heck the meatballs idea came from.

Next came a request for a “fruit bar that you peel like string cheese”. A fruit roll-up? I asked wondering if that weird peel off the paper thing from MY childhood still even existed. Lulu shook her head. She explained Juliette has it in her lunch everyday. So, I asked the teachers who actually sit with the kids at lunch and they had no idea. They agreed to stalk Juliette’s lunch. I put a call into Juliette’s mother. Juliette’s mother is one of those moms who never checks her voicemail or e-mail. So unless I caught her in the parking lot, that was going to be a long wait. Then, at drop off, Lulu’s teacher waves a wrapper at me triumphantly, the evidence from Juliette’s lunch. Victory.

Then yesterday, Lulu relates a story of another girl in her class who “had an egg that looks like an egg, but you can eat it.” Lordy, say what? As luck would have it, Surfer Guy was in on the conversation and deduced it was a “hard boiled egg”. Lulu then queried, “How do you eat it with the shell?” Poor kid, clearly her food horizons are narrow. NOT! She has tried lobster, mussels, clams, sushi, Thai, Indian, Swedish…I could go on. I just haven’t given her a hard boiled egg. Who eats hard boiled eggs? Not. Me. I’m not a huge fan of eggs actually. I don’t NOT eat them, but I don’t boil eggs. Why would I? To make egg salad? Deviled eggs? No, because I don’t make those things. I don’t make much actually, but that’s for another post. So, tonight, Lulu asks for a “hard egg”. I asked her if she would eat it….Was she sure she would eat it? Oh, and Chip wanted in as well. They both assured me they would eat them. I thought about it for a millisecond and realized I didn’t know how to do it. This vaguely sounded like a “can’t even boil water” type joke. It’s boiling water and putting eggs in. But, for how long? How do you know they are done? Is there an easier way of doing it? Peeling?

So I looked it up. The first page of my search turned up a food blogger who absolutely has too much interest in hard boiled eggs. She has a fabulous 17 step process for making the most perfect hard boiled eggs. The preamble includes the tip that eggs that are 5 days old are the best for boiling. Are you kidding me? I don’t even know when I bought these eggs…Definitely last year…Sometime. Focusing on the actual directions: I was unable to follow around the point where she said to “sacrifice an egg” to see how it’s cooked. I was planning on making TWO eggs. She is telling us to essentially have an indicator egg in the “batch.” Because she “batch cooks” eggs. Of course. Don’t you? She doesn’t say what to do if that egg isn’t done. What"? You are screwed? Or…You sacrifice another egg. How do you therefore know how many eggs to have in the batch to sacrifice. Insane. I started to have science fiction type flashbacks to hard boiled eggs I’ve seen for purchase. I’m nearly convinced I’ve seen them for sale in the refrigerator at Fresh & Easy. But, maybe that’s my brain using a coping mechanism. Telling me that I CAN buy the finished product. I glance further down the page and see where she makes a reference to “forgetting to check” so she skips a step that she lists. Skips a step that she puts in as a step? My body does a convulsive shudder. I wonder if the kids will forget. Further down the page, it gets better. The comments. The fawning comments about how great her recipe is. How much each person loves hard boiled eggs. It’s like a happy walk down memory lane of egg eating by anonymous people. Sea salt seems to be a recurring theme. Sea salt is the ingredient “foodies” throw out there to let you know you are not QUITE as good as they are. I laugh out loud at the bitter commenter who wants instructions on boiling eggs at high altitudes. My reverie is jolted to reality by a repeated request for “eggs”.

Fine. I head to the kitchen whip out a pot and put water in it. Place on stove and put on “high”. I walk away. A while later Surfer Guy comes home and says the pot on the stove is boiling. Oh, forgot that. I grab 3 eggs because that’s all I have. I drop the first egg in and it cracks a little. Oh, that’s right, they are fragile. I put more wrist behind the next two and a boiling they go. The one thing I retained from the “food blogger” was 12 minutes. But 12 minutes from the beginning of putting the pot on, not 12 minutes from boiling. And these are wicked small eggs. Screw it, 12 minutes it is. I manage to keep an eye on the clock (a timer would be too easy). Done. I grab a bowl with cold water and put the eggs in. The kids have circled, wide eyed. I ask Surfer Guy if he knows how to peel the eggs? “Just peel them?” he offers. So I crack one gently on the counter and try to pick the bits off the egg. Chip wants the first one. I get through the second one. The kids sit down with their eggs. They bite in. Chip wants the yolk out. Really? So I grab a baby spoon and gouge the stuff out. Then Lulu wants the same. Then they try some more and announce they don’t like them. I slap their dishes on the ground and yell for Bjorn, my black Pomeranian. Bjorn, who is only influenced by the instinct to eat to survive.

Social Media: I’m quoted

2012-01-18T23:00:00.001-08:00

I’m quoted in this piece by Collective Bias about Influencers using social media and apps.

Twin Day

2012-01-18T22:06:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is “Twin Day” at Chip’s school. This is part of a week with a theme of “friendship, community and being nice to each other”. I think. It’s all fine by me. The kids are supposed to wear something with the color yellow everyday. Yellow isn’t a huge color for Chip but luckily he has a Swedish soccer shirt his Swedish grandmother sent him (Sweden’s colors are blue and yellow, in case you were going to google that). So Chip has been wearing that shirt all week. Tomorrow presents a new challenge: Twin Day. The gist is that you and a friend or group of friends are supposed to dress alike. Here’s the rub, Chip is in Kindergarten, he is 5 years old. He is illiterate, has never called a friend and all “plans” for his life are pretty much handled by ME. Not that his world will come crashing down if he isn’t “twinned”, but, you want to help the guy participate, right? Also, what if he gets to school and realizes all the kids are twinned and he isn’t? Ultimately, I will have let him down. There is much character building and personal growth that comes from harsh disappointment and I’m all in favor of building character. But, this is such “low hanging fruit” I’m thinking, so why not go for the save? So I started asking Chip yesterday if he had a plan for someone to twin with. He said, “I don’t know.” So I suggested a good buddy of his named Jack. “Ok,” says Chip. So I know Jack’s mother. I think I started off texting her about something else school related and she thought I was talking about Twin Day…Clearly it was weighing on her mind. So I jumped on the Twinning plans with her. She e-mails a simple idea of jeans and some shirt. But, I had to defend with the fact that Chip wears shorts…Everyday. Yes, since the first day of school, shorts everyday. Which is fine because we live in LA and we’ve had a mild Winter. At about this point in the day, I think I went to the dentist and was confined in a chair unable to text, e-mail or call even though I had my droid on my lap.

When I picked Chip up from school he mentioned that he thought Jack was being twins with a kid named Tom, but they were just going to wear the same shoes. Oy, the plot thickens. A few hours go by during which I’ve been on a skid with everything else I have going on that is ultimately more important than Twin Day. I’m driving off to meet some friends for dinner when I remember Twin Day. I quickly calculate that by the time I’m done with dinner it might be too late to connect with Jack’s mom. So I call her. Jack’s mom has a real job so I’m sure Twin Day has been at the fore of her concerns the past few hours as well. We are both driving and both “handsfree” so, effectively, we can’t really hear each other. I round back to the shorts idea. She thinks it’s too cold. I don’t disagree, but toss back a pithy, “I’m from Boston” which is the passive aggressive way of saying, “I know cold….And this isn’t cold.” She laughs politely. I decide to go for the kill: “How about they both wear their school t-shirt and whatever on the bottom, because who cares and that’s good enough.” Jack’s mom is all for it, she just has to make sure she can FIND his shirt when he gets home. We agree to communicate by 2200 hours. I get home from a dinner that included way too many nachos and seek out the shirt. As fate would have it, Chip wore it today after school, even though he never wears that shirt. He continued to wear it during dinner at which meal his father served him fettuccini with Marinara sauce. You figure it out. I debate running a load of laundry when I make a game day decision to text Jack’s mother: “about to toss shirt into wash. What is the sitch on your side? And whose idea is Twin Day in the first place?” Bing! Response: “Found it! We are good to go!” Me: “Ok, roger that.” Then…I felt a surge of empathy for the as yet faceless kids who will come into school tomorrow un-Twinned and texted a rhetorical: “I feel for the kids who don’t have a parent who speaks English or is illiterate or a flounder.”

Or, ultimately, does it even matter to anyone but me? (And possibly Jack’s mother?)

Christmas Eve & Fifth Night of Hanukkah

2011-12-24T22:07:00.001-08:00

Although I am Christian, I’ve always felt a connection to Judaism. My nursery school was at a JCC (Jewish Community Center) and, naturally, what we celebrated at school were Jewish holidays and traditions. I have preschoolers and because of my frame of reference, I feel the need to make sure they get exposure to Jewish traditions. Two years ago I made latkes with Chip’s class and this year I did the same thing in Lulu’s class. A couple of days ago we attended a menorah lighting and the kid’s choir from a local temple performed “Candlelight” by the Maccabeats. It’s a really fun song. So, herewith on Christmas eve as we prepare for Santa at our house (just put out his snack and something for the reindeer to munch on) I share a song that makes me smile.

Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood

2011-12-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

I'm on CBS LA today with It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Grinchmas Opening on Saturday!

Chevrolet at The Los Angeles Auto Show

2011-11-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

I've been having a blast at the LA Auto Show. Here is my latest post for CBS Los Angeles, Chevy Gets Star Power at the LA Auto Show

Invisalign Straight Talk

2011-11-20T21:32:00.000-08:00

I had heard of Invisalign. Having worn braces in 7th grade and still having the results "hold" plus, having kids who are too young for braces didn't cause me to pay much attention to Invisalign. Actually, I was fairly skeptical and figured they were some sort of fad that would soon be proven "not to work." I blissfully led my parallel life to Invisalign. I was invited to an event in 2009 but was unable to attend. Finally, I was able to attend an event last month in Laguna Beach and was told to invite my friends. Yay! So, I rounded up 4 of my good buddies and we went for girls night. Some great food and drinks and an amazing presentation later...I am a believer.

Invisalign is totally legitimate. It works for teens (some pre-teens are even able to use the aligners) and adults. Even people in retirement have benefited from Invisalign. I learned that the treatment typically takes a year. That you are given your treatment plan at the beginning and switch out your "aligners" (invisible trays that are molded to your teeth) every two weeks or so. You take the trays out to eat and brush your teeth. For those moms who remembers themselves or others fishing out retainers from the trash can at school...Invisalign Teen comes with 6 free replacements! If you think you would like to learn more about Invisalign, visit Invisalign and you can also search for a local provider. If you would like to see some of the photos from the Straight Talk event, visit my Facebook page: Facebook.com/ElizabethTraded and click on the photos. For moms who want to get more info on teeth straightening from other moms, I'd like to recommend momsonbraces.org

Here is an overview on the product: Invisalign takes a modern approach to straightening teeth,using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligners are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible plastic that you simply wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your dentist or orthodontist plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You simply pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete and you achieve the confident smile that you’ve always wanted. The best part about the whole process is that most people won’t even know you’re straightening your teeth.

Disclosure: I attended at Straight Talk event hosted by Invisalign and received a gift bag and prizes. The thoughts and opinions expressed about the product in this post are my own. Invisalign Disclosure Statement

Thanksgiving 2011 - Recipe

2011-11-12T01:05:00.001-08:00

I’ve never cooked a Thanksgiving meal. I’ve reheated meals I’ve bought from gourmet markets and I’ve helped by making a side dish and bringing it to a dinner someone ELSE cooked. I’m on track to avoid cooking again this year…But we’ll see. I was recently inspired to get a grip on Thanksgiving early by attending an interesting cooking class that taught us some great tips on cooking the big meal as well, allowed us to eat it and sent us off with leftovers and recipes! One of my best blogging buddies, Debbie of Manhattan Beach Momma arranged for a bunch of us LA area bloggers to attend a Thanksgiving Cooking Class at Simple Gourmet.

I learned some useful tips: 1) Get a fresh turkey. Frozen birds tend to dry out quicker during cooking. 2) Don’t cook a turkey over 18 lbs because it takes too long. If you need more turkey buy additional breasts and you can even cook them the day before and refrigerate them. On Thanksgiving, carve the breast and put in a pan with some turkey stock and cover with foil. Reheat at 350 degrees for 30 min.

I like stuffing. I never understood why it was sometimes, by some people, called “dressing”. I learned that night that stuffing is what is INSIDE the bird and dressing is cooked outside the bird. What remains a puzzle to me is…What if you have the exact same thing inside the bird and you have more of the same on the side in a dish baking in the oven? See? Thus, I prefer to use the word “stuffing” and to use “dressing” when I eat salads. That said, I will share with you a particularly intriguing side dish that was my favorite. It is a stuffing (dressing if you must) that has NO bread. Shake things up with your in-laws this Turkey Day and this out. Score extra points if someone needs to eat gluten-free.

Caramelized Parsnip and Farro Dressing with Sage Browned Butter
Serves 10

3 tbl butter
1 white onion, finely diced
4 cups finely diced parsnips
1 cup finely diced celery
1 tbl fresh chopped thyme
salt and pepper
6 cups cooked farro (to cook: add 3 cups to rapidly boiling water or stock. Cook until tender and drain)
2 tbl poultry seasoning (I recommend Bell’s Seasoning if you can find it)
1 egg
1/3 cup turkey or chicken stock
1/2 cup grated parmesan
6 tbl butter
2 tbl chopped fresh sage
Preparation
Heat a large skillet and add the 3 tbl of butter. Add the onions, parsnips, celery and thyme. Cook for 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat until veggies are soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss together the farro, vegetable mixture and poultry (Bell’s) seasoning. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
In another small bowl, whisk together the egg, stock and parmesan. Pour this mixture and the parsley into the farro and toss to combine.
Place a small pan with the 6 tbl of butter and sage over medium-high heat and cook until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Butter a 9×13 casserole dish and fill with the farro mixture and drizzle with the browned butter. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes until golden on top. Serve warm with extra gravy from the turkey.

Our America with Lisa Ling on OWN

2011-11-06T23:23:00.001-08:00

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I recently had the opportunity to visit the OWN headquarters here in LA and have lunch with Lisa Ling along with a small group of bloggers. The opportunity to meet Lisa was something I definitely did not want to pass up. I have been a fan of Lisa’s since she was on The View and have watched her career as she moved on to The National Geographic Channel, making many appearances on Oprah and then to her new show on OWN. OWN is Oprah Winfrey’s network and it launched New Year’s Day 2011. I had the opportunity to attend the Television Critic’s Association events this past January where I was able to see Lisa speak about her forthcoming series, “Our America”. But, until you actually see the show, it’s difficult to really “know”. The first season was intriguing and successful. As I learned, the first season enabled Lisa and her team to secure even more fascinating people willing to be subjects in the second season. In “Our America”, Lisa goes deep inside the worlds of people who truly are “one of us” save that their lives have taken a different path.

This season Lisa covers the worlds of Amateur Porn, Polygamy, Sex Trafficking of American Girls, Veterans suffering from Invisible Wounds, The Lives of Twins, The cycle of Incarceration, and Extreme Parenting. Each topic, may on the surface, seem extremely foreign to you. But, as you watch each episode unfold, you will find yourself relating—as a human and as an American. You might even find yourself thinking, “I could be friends with that person” or “But for the grace of god….”

Speaking of relating, I felt very strongly that I could relate to Lisa and her quest to cover these stories. I’ve always been intrigued by people and who they are and what they do. I think it figures into my having made a point of living all over the world and learning several foreign languages. I want to know more people and understand them. I may not agree, but at least I can try to understand. Try to find the truth. Listening to Lisa talk about her series, I could tell how genuine her passion is for storytelling. To watch the episodes shows Lisa truly respecting her subjects. Regardless of how much she may disagree or not share their views, she is doing her job with grace. The shows are really works of art themselves with a cinematic feel. Even if you think you wouldn’t watch this show, I assure you, you would.

The episode that aired tonight is particularly important to me. The heroes of our overseas conflicts who are returning home with invisible wounds—PTSD. Lisa goes inside families to show us the raw humanity of these soldiers and those who love them. With Veteran’s Day coming up this Friday 11/11/11, be sure to watch the encore of Invisible Wounds of War at 5pm ET/PT. You can catch Our America at its regular time, Sundays, 10pm ET/PT. I highly recommend you pay a visit OWN’s website and the Our America pages where you can learn much more about the show and the topics as well as view deleted scenes from the shows.

Orange County, California – So much to see and do!

2011-10-31T23:27:00.001-07:00

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I live in Los Angeles County, but can hop in my minivan and be in Orange County in 20 minutes (traffic gods willing). I love Orange County, there is so much to do there. Most visitors to Los Angeles seem to make Orange County a “day trip” for Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm. When I was a kid and my family vacationed in California, I remember that exact scenario. Here’s the thing…There are lots of OTHER reasons to go to Orange County and lots of other things to do. The Anaheim/Orange County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, in conjunction with my gals of MomsLA, recently held The OC Blogger Bash and hosted 175 So Cal Bloggers at a really fun event with a Mad Men Theme. While at The Bash, I got the chance to learn so much more about what OC has to offer.

One really great attraction that I’m dying to check out myself is The Battle of The Dance in Anaheim. It’s funny, because I had heard of the show but I didn’t understand what it was. I met people from the show and learned more about it.

It is a dinner theater show that combines the disciplines of Irish, Flamenco, Pop and Bollywood dance into one spectacular event. Check out the video to get a glimpse. There were lots of giveaways through the night and I won a gift bag full of Aveda Products and a Gift Card from Lux Salon/Spa/Store in Fullerton. I just gotta find the time to get there….Maybe I can send Surfer Guy to Knott’s Berry Farm with the kid’s while I spa! Knott’s was generous to give each attendee 2 tickets to their amusement park. I love Knott’s. I love Mrs. Knott’s Restaurant and her chicken dinners. Maybe I can meet them for dinner after I spa? I was also super lucky to have my number selected to receive 2 tickets to Disneyland. Geez, maybe I should just move to the OC?

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Photo Booth Pro was there with some really fun props for us to use while we posed in front of backgrounds of well known Orange County locations. Here I am posing with two of my best online influencer buddies, Caryn Bailey of Rockinmama.net and Linda Perry of Peachhead.net. We also learned about the 100,000 sq.ft. expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center with an amazing Grand Plaza that will be completed next year.

It was fun to have Snoopy on hand representing Knott’s. It’s funny, actually, now that I’m, ahem, well into my adult years…I get to meet so many characters that I would have been crazy ecstatic to meet when I was a kid. I’m actually still really excited to meet them…I just try to remain cool, for my image. As well as Lux, Knott’s and Disneyland, the other event sponsors were: McDonald’s® of Southern California, 300 Anaheim, Anaheim Marriott, Angels Baseball, Aquarium of the Pacific, Casa Resorts, Costa Mesa CVB, Hilton Anaheim, Honda Center, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach CVB, Pacific Edge Hotel, Photo Booth Pro, Pretend City® Children’s Museum, Queen of Heartz Vintage Inspired Apparel, R.W.B. Party Props, Inc., Sheraton Park Anaheim, Sunset Flying, The Outlets at Orange, Anaheim White House, House of Blues® Anaheim, Huntington Beach Marketing and Convention Bureau, Irvine Barclay Theatre, Medieval Times® Dinner &Tournament, Montanya Spa, OC Wildlife and Travel, Universal Studios® Hollywood, Discovery Science Center, Hilton Anaheim Health Club, Lux Aveda Salon and Spa, RA Sushi, and Roy’s Anaheim. For sure I will be covering more of the fabulous offerings in my neighboring county. Love the OC!

Update: I'm totally blown away that The Anaheim/OC Convention & Visitors Bureau chose my post as the Grand Prize Winning post for their blogger contest. The OC Blogger Bash Team wrote, "Your creative post, inclusion of sponsors and links to the destination did an excellent job of featuring the destination of Anaheim/Orange County as well as the OC Blogger Bash!" What did I win? Two round-trip tickets on American Airlines!

Halloween Fun in So Cal

2011-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Angry Julie Monday AngryJulieMonday.com

Have you missed me? I've spent the month scouring the best Halloween fun to be had in Southern California's amusement parks for CBS Los Angeles. I'm wiped out, on a sugar high and fresh out of costume ideas. And it's not even Halloween yet....

Disneyland-Mickey's Trick or Treat Party

Knott's Berry Farm - Knott's Scary Farm Haunt

Universal Studios - Halloween Horror Nights

LEGOLAND-California for Brick or Treat and SeaWorld Spooktacular

How To Start a Neighborhood Watch

2011-09-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm on CBS Los Angeles today with How To Start A Neighborhood Watch. Be safe!

September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T23:12:00.001-07:00

On the 10th anniversary of September 11, this is my view as I write this. I'm sitting poolside at Rancho las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, CA. Lucky me. The glare is kind of uncomfortable on my laptop screen. I have to type through a reflection of myself, wearing a bathing suit and a sun hat. Contrast that with the dress code requirements of many Muslim women. The only reason I'm wearing a head covering is to keep the sun's harmful rays at bay. Not because I am "required" to do so. On September 11, 2001, we were attacked, in an act of war, by those who do not like us and our way of life. They seek to destroy it and continue to do so.

This is the first time I've written about "where I was on Sept. 11, 2001": My first recollection of that morning was being woken up by the phone ringing. I was asleep in my apartment in West Hollywood, CA. I answered the phone next to my bed. It must have been sometime between 7:00-8:00am PST. My mother, who lives outside of Boston (where I grew up) was on the phone. As best as I can recall from a dead sleep, she said something like, "They've flown planes into The World Trade Center and I can't get in touch with your sister." My sister had just graduated from college the previous May and lived and worked in Manhattan. There must have been some discussion about where she lived and worked because I recall stumbling out of bed to my bookshelf where I pulled out my "Fast Map-Manhattan" and began looking at points on the map as I discussed it with my mother. I must have also put the TV on. She also said she couldn't reach my brother, but that was kind of irrelevant, in my opinion, since he lived in Colorado. I started giving my mother the names and addresses of my friends in Manhattan in case my sister needed to go somewhere. I hung up, watched the news of the attacks and got dressed. I walked outside with my dog, Stella, to escape the solitary existence in my apartment. It was like any other day on my street. All hell was breaking loose on the other side of the country and in my neighborhood, everything was normal. Odd.

There are pieces that stick out in my mind from that day. I was clearly upset…Not crying, but worried. I had several good friends who lived within a short walk from the World Trade Center. One who I stayed with frequently and had just stayed with a month before. On that visit, I had bought an American Flag belt at Century 21, the discount designer department store with its flagship right across the street from the World Trade Center. I remembered debating over the belt because it was $70 and was a lot to spend on a belt. But I loved it and knew I’d wear it a lot, so I got it. Within days of 9/11, I looked at the receipt and saw that I had bought it on 8/11/01. I wondered if I had been directed to buy it by some sort of foreshadowing force? I still think I spent a lot on that belt, but I still wear it. I worried about my sister. I thought about American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles. That was my most traveled route and on that airline. People who knew called me or e-mailed. I had a friend from Kentucky e-mail me one sentence, “I want to make sure you weren’t on that plane.” Having known her for years, I wasn’t taken aback, she didn’t mince words. I suppose the lack of a return e-mail would have answered her question? I answered everyone with the same response, “No, I wasn’t on the planes, I never took the first flight in the morning.” Which was true. Those first flights to LA from Boston, on United and American, which at the time were the only non-stop airlines flying the route, left at around 7:45am. That was way too early for me to have to get up and get to the airport. I always took the 5:45pm-ish flight. Especially because I was flying “backward in time”, I’d get in at 9pm or so and then just go home and climb into bed. I guess I hung onto that a bit. When some people were saying “I could have been on that plane,” I knew I wouldn’t have. Okay. So what? What was my point? I recognized a lot of the flight attendants on that route. I knew it was a desirable route because there were usually celebrities on the plane for one. I remembered meeting a young flight attendant who told me she didn’t usually get to fly that route because it was a “senior route”. I was oddly familiar in a sort of, “American Airlines LA-Boston-LA frequently flier” way. I got into an argument with my personal trainer that day. I was on edge and although I can’t recall the exact circumstances, it had something to do with me trying to reschedule and assuming the gym would be closed anyway because this was the LA outpost of a chain of gyms founded in Manhattan. He was being a jerk, I thought, and denied the gym would be closed. I told him off, as I recall, about the circumstances and to have some sympathy. Turns out the gym was closed down that day. I switched trainers. My acting class was held as usual. I remembered asking my acting teacher why. He said that that’s what he does. He can’t do anything else to help the situation, so would be holding class as usual. It made sense. Probably made more sense than I can convey here. A guy I was doing some part-time work for was trapped in Atlanta at a conference. He was able to jump into a rental car with strangers and drive to Boston where his son lived to ride things out.

There are other things that stick out in my memory, although they most likely weren’t on September 11, but that week for sure. I found out that people from my hometown in MA had died on the United flight and the American flight. The brother of one of the officials in West Hollywood had been the pilot on one of the Boston-LA flights. I was studying at The Second City in LA and every one of my classmates had the same start to their story, “My mother called me and woke me up.” Even mothers who had no thought their kid was on one of those planes or in New York City called their kids. I remember telling my mother that and she said, “of course”. I wasn’t yet a mother. My sister talked to my mother at some point that day. She went and hung out with her boyfriend’s uncle in mid-town and then made her way to her apartment which wasn’t affected by the disaster. My mother was unhappy she couldn’t reach my brother in COLORADO?! So I logged a call into his voicemail. He called me from the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, in COLORADO, and told me he had blown off our mother’s initial calls because he had just talk to her the day before, which was his birthday. He now couldn’t get through so called me. (Yeah, I left him a voicemail for his birthday yesterday, along with Chip and Lulu chortling “Unc” in the background).

In December of that year, my whole family gathered in New York and stayed with my sister who had moved to Brooklyn with her boyfriend. We went down to Ground Zero to pay our respects and to support the local businesses. I remember peering through the fence a block away from where the WTC towers had stood and seeing that Century 21 was intact, closed for business, but entirely standing. So close to the devastation, I was surprised. We went to a Dunkin Donuts almost directly behind Century 21. It was so cold in NYC. Of course I had thinned blood from living in LA, but it was COLD! We huddled around a table drinking my beloved Dunkin Donuts coffee and some munchkins (donut holes for those uninitiated, poor you). The place was fairly empty and the sun was fading as NYC headed into a Winter night. I looked over and in the corner I noticed a man in a uniform, presumably on break. I looked closer at his patch on his jacket. It was an emblem and it said “New York City Morgue”. I think I was the only one in the group who noticed. It was as if I was sucked away from my family and didn’t hear anything or see anything. A complete sensory paralysis as I took in that man and his job. The streets were so quiet and empty. Of course I knew why he was there. My breath feels erratic now and tears are welling up in my eyes as I recall that moment as clearly as if I were still sitting on that hard plastic stool in that Dunkin Donuts in downtown Manhattan just after Christmas, 2001.

Here I am, ten years later. Much more is known. The heroes of that day. Of course the firefighters and policemen, so many of whom died that day. 324 NYFD lost. Unimaginable. But real. Especially after 10 years. The stories of the ordinary people who stepped up heroically to help people they didn’t even know. Encourage, save, carry and even give their own lives to help. It’s a true American who steps up when the need is the greatest. That echoes so much to me now and is the subtext of one of my favorite quotes: “We are our own first responders.” In a time of disaster, those around you are your best bet for help. Know thy neighbor. Make a plan. Be prepared. But, don’t let it consume your pursuit of the American dream. Realize there is true evil in the world. People who don’t like us simply for who we are. I will not be complacent. We have lost so much. The enemy is still there. God bless America.

Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe App – Guest Review

2011-08-14T18:08:00.001-07:00

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I’m pleased to present a guest review of the new Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe App for iPad. Katherine and I met in Mommy & Me when her son Flash and my son Chip were newborns. Flash and Chip have gone on to be pals and even just graduated from preschool together! Flash is a HUGE Cars fan. When the offer for this app review came in, I knew to turn to the expert. Plus, sadly, I do not have an iPad (Christmas is coming tho….). I now present to you the Katherine & Flash review:

I recently had the opportunity to review the latest Cars 2 Storybook app for the iPad thanks to my son Flash's preschool connections. Mind you, we are ridiculous Cars fans. Bedding, furniture, books, wall stickers, you name it and we've probably looked at it if not purchased it. So when we found out Cars 2 was coming out, we bought advanced tickets and saw it on opening day, etc. Ever since all the crazy marketing has begun for Cars 2, Flash has been telling me about one toy or another, pointing out cereal boxes and fruit snacks with some sort of connection hoping for a prize inside...so when I heard there was an app for the iPad, I was all over it. On top of that, this app was supposed to be an educational storybook. How perfect is that? Flash was thrilled when I surprised him with the new app. He navigated through the story with ease and was very interested in the "read to me" mode. The storyline is the same as the Cars 2 movie so if you've seen the movie it's easy to follow. I couldn't get the volume loud enough on the "record your own voice" mode, but that was probably user error.

The graphics are amazing!! Most pages have something interactive like pressing the sparkle and the car zooms off! Other pages have a coloring option where the scene turns to black and white and you can re-color it as you choose. There are also a few games included. Flash liked the games the best. Tire toss is his favorite where you slingshot a tire into a pile and try to pinball it off of other tires as many times as possible before it falls to the ground.
Overall, I would recommend the Cars 2 Storybook app to a) children who are totally into Cars, b) children up to age 4 who don't need things to keep changing to keep their interest, and c) older children who have not yet learned how to navigate the iPad as a gaming device and can't find on their own that there is actually a Cars 2 gaming app. It's an enjoyable storybook and a sure hit for any Cars enthusiast. Katherine

Katherine, thanks for giving the app a test drive along with Flash! Speaking of the movie, if you happen to be in Hollywood, definitely stop by The El Capitan Theater to see Cars 2 because along with the movie, you also get access to the Cars 2 World Grand Prix Experience afterwards! My super blogger spy camera was in action and I’ve got a pic here to entice you:

Now here is the official info from Disney:

Experience the action-packed story of Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 in this supercharged children’s book app filled with vibrant art, professional narration, exciting music and sound effects, plus A-list celebrity voices from the film.

In the app, Cars star Lightning McQueen zooms back into action with his best friend Mater by his side as they head to the World Grand Prix races. Readers of the Storybook Deluxe app will get to:

Choose between two reading modes that allow you to follow along as the story is read aloud, or to explore each page at your own pace.
Play exciting games inspired from the movie—test your memory in Tokyo Lights and try your hand at Mater’s Tire Toss.
Record your voice reading the story and hear it played back as narration.
Tap characters and objects for animated surprises.
Also includes 5 coloring pages and 5 interactive jigsaw puzzles for extra fun!

· Jump to your favorite page with a Visual Page Index.

The Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe App, originally $8.99, is available for $5.99 (for a limited time) from the App Store on the iPad or at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cars-2-storybook-deluxe/id445409124?mt=8#.

You can also see a demo video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uSeMCzZAzk

You can learn about all of Disney Publishing’s apps here: http://disneybookapps.com/

Save Tara – Victory!

2011-08-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

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For seven long years I have been a member of “Save Tara”, fighting West Hollywood City Hall to preserve a small piece of history and greenery for future generations. Team members have passed away, I had two babies and the fight went on. Today we won! Read about it here in The WeHo News. I knew we would win. Good vs. Evil. Evil destroys itself in the end. Grateful, yet sad for those who did not live to see this. Victory!!!!!!

Do You “Like” Me? Facebook Style?

2011-07-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

It is better to be liked than disliked, I do believe. In general, I don’t really care what others think about me. That’s the cut of my jib. Doing the right thing, honesty, loyalty, helping others in need and morality are important to me and I constantly try to follow that path. Hopefully I’m setting some examples for Chip and Lulu along the way. From that, I do find that although some people may disagree with me, I do have their respect and in return they have mine. But getting back to “Like” it’s like, y’know, how you, like use like in a sentence, like all the time….Heh. Well, if you are on Facebook and would like to “Like” me. Here is the link to my new likeable page: Facebook.com/ElizabethTraded. Even if you aren’t on Facebook, you can still check out my page, you just can’t say anything. Sadly. I’d love it if you’d “Like” me. At some point I’ll get a button on this here blog for easy access to my Facebook page. It’s on the list.

Family Getaway to Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite – CBS LA

2011-07-21T20:16:00.001-07:00

To get away, enjoy nature, yet be able to swing into the spa after a hard day of hiking….Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is where it’s at. I’m on CBS Los Angeles with Family Getaway to Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. Just wish I’d spotted Sasquatch…

The Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident for the Wii

2011-07-18T23:43:00.001-07:00

It’s always a bummer when you get invited to a really cool event….But you realize you are going to be out of town that day. Oh, and let’s add that your reason for being out of town is NOT very cool. I was recently invited to a party to try out the new game The Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident for the Wii. Luckily, my buddy Heather from That’s’ IT Mommy was “game” to attend and cover it. I followed the tweets from The East Coast and it sounded like everyone was having way too much fun playing. I love my games and this one looks like it will be high on my list to try. Thanks, Heather, great review!!!

Havaianas Pop Up Shop

2011-07-16T02:06:00.001-07:00

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The past couple of years have given rise, literally, to the fashion marketing concept known as a “pop-up shop”: A temporary retail outlet for a known brand or designer. I had the opportunity to attend a party at the West Coast’s first Havaianas (the famous flip flops from Brazil) pop-up shop located in the uber-conceptually-cool Space 15Twenty in Hollywood. Space 15Twenty is a mix of permanent retailers and restaurants along with spaces that allow for different brands and artists to step in and out of the mix. Havaianas Mercado is located in the Urban Outfitters rotating designer concept boutique with the storefront facing Cahuenga Blvd.

Once inside, it was an amazing and colorful space, like being in a tropical produce shop. Also in attendance were Lucy Marshall of “Pretty Little Liars” and musician Alex Marshall. I was really looking forward to stepping up to the fruit stand where you can “Make Your Own Havaianas”, with customizable soles, straps and embellishments. I picked black soles, silver straps and diamond and blue jewels along with tiny elephants as embellishments. It was really too much fun to choose EXACTLY what you wanted, right down the placement of your bling! For people who don’t live near a Havaianas that has a MYOH (Make Your Own Havaianas) you can make your own online.

Next it was on to the party which was hosted in one of the interior courtyards at Space 15Twenty. Much to everyone’s delight, right next door is an Umami Burger location and that’s who supplied the food and drink. The most amazing burgers, known as “The Fifth Taste” and fries were being served up straight off the outdoor grill. The barmaster mixed the most addicting coconut mojitos…What a perfect tropical evening. Get yourself over to Space 15Twenty, check out all there is, treat yourself to your very own Havaianas and then kick it Hollywood hipster style at Umami Burger. You so can. If you want to feel like you really were there, here is a link to Space 15Twenty’s site with coverage of the event including a video where you can catch a few glimpses of moi . Havaianas Mercado Pop Up, 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., LA 90028. Store Hours: Open daily from July 1st through July 24th; Monday-Friday, 11 AM-8 PM, and Saturday-Sunday 11 AM-9 PM. PS. Space 15Twenty has a parking lot, the entrance is on Selma between Cahuenga and Ivar.

To see my coverage on CBS Los Angeles click: Flip Flop Pop Up - Havaianas

LA Street Food Fest – CBS LA

2011-07-11T15:36:00.001-07:00

I’m over on CBS Los Angeles with Get Your Foodie Fix on the Other Side of the 405 at LA Street Food Festival in Pasadena. Geez, that’s a mouthful! So, go ahead, hit the streets all in one place and thus avoid Carmageddon.

Best Sunday Dinners in Los Angeles - CBS LA

2011-06-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

I can be found over on CBS Los Angeles recommending some of the Best Sunday Dinners in LA. Because, everyone has to eat, even on Sundays.

Random Review-Tween Bling

2011-06-20T00:30:00.001-07:00

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I was at the pre-Oscar gifting suite, well, back just before the Oscars. There was a lot of stuff to look at, lots of people to meet and samples kindly offered to me. One sample that I’ve been meaning to review, just because it catches my fancy, is Tween Bling. I’m not a tween, nor do I have a tween. But let’s put that aside. The company, Smart Mom Jewelry, started out with baby teething products. Particularly pendants made of food-safe, phthalate-free, federally-approved silicone. So mom can wear a cute pendant and baby can grab it and teeth on it. Brilliant! One of my key rules for reviews: Must do more than one thing. I don’t have any teething people in the house at the moment, nor tweens, but there are really no rules. I like camo so I selected the camo heart Tween Bling. It’s soft, flexible, you can fiddle around with it, twirl it, whatever a tween (or adult blogger) MIGHT do with Tween Bling. Even stick it in your mouth…Not that I’m there on that, but if I were a tween girl…Maybe. The major feature of all the Smart Mom Jewelry is the safety of the “breakaway clasp”. If the necklace gets yanked, it pops open and off. Tween Bling is dishwasher safe and federally approved. It’s fun for tweens and yes, I do believe this mom can get away with wearing it too.

Verizon FiOS Makes My Life Easier

2011-06-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

I’ve often wondered what I would do if I didn’t have Verizon FiOS. I’m a mom of two toddlers, blogger and social media consultant among a multitude of other things. Having Verizon FiOS has made my life easier in so many ways. Firstly, let’s get something totally straight here: it’s TV. I love TV. I am a pop culture fanatic, information junkie and news addict. My home office is set up so I can turn my head ever so slightly from my desktop PC and see the TV. I keep the remote “holstered” near my mouse. While I’m running my FiOS 15/5 Mbps Internet on my desktop, I’ve got the modem with wireless router under my desk enabling me to have my laptop going simultaneously. (See picture) And if I need to move around the house (or yard) with my laptop, or iPod Touch, the WiFi has me covered

But, back to the TV. The multi-room DVR is the most brilliant piece of technology. We have three TVs. I’m a straight shooter: with my “previous provider” I was annoyed that I had to watch all my DVR’d programs on the TV with the DVR. It was a hiccup in my entertainment schemata. With Verizon FiOS and the multi-room DVR, you can watch recorded shows on any TV and watch different recorded shows simultaneously on different TVs. Are you with me? So, when it’s “witching hour” and the kids are going nuts about who is going to watch what, I suppress the urge to yell: “When I was a kid we didn’t have cable and we only had one TV and your uncle Dave and I watched the same thing!” and calmly direct Chip to a room of his choice to watch, his usual go to, “Phineas & Ferb” on Disney XD of which I have at least 5 episodes recorded at all times. Lulu is obsessed with “Little Bill” on Nick Jr. and I have that set on “series record”. Ah, peace. They can each watch exactly what they want. Lately, though, Chip has been throwing me a curve ball and requesting SpongeBob SquarePants which I don’t have set to record on the DVR. But, again FiOS saves me with their “On Demand” button! I press it and up pops hundreds (thousands?) of tv shows that each channel has made available on demand for free. Um, yay! There is no price tag that can be put on 15 minutes of time with the kids settled so I can DO SOMETHING I have to do. Then there is the “pause” feature. This is key. If Lulu needs to make a potty run, she chortles the demand “pause it!” and trusts I hear as she runs for the bathroom. Pause the show, for the princess’s convenience…Do I sound like a really old lady from the stone age when I mumble under my breath…”Back when I was a kid, the concept of pausing a show so I could grab a soda was as likely as going to the moon”? Then I also have to laugh about my parents talking about when TV first came out and realize it’s just technology and they will learn to appreciate it. I’ll make sure, with my fun stories from “when I was a kid”.

What else makes my life easier? I’ve covered TV and internet. What about the phone? I love my flat rate calling plan. I have friends and family in other countries and have an amazing international calling plan that keeps my bill at the same price every month. Voicemail, caller ID, caller ID with call waiting which is another amazingly awesome piece of technology. I recently had to tell someone I was talking to that I had to go because the Embassy of Qatar was on the other line. No joke, Washington, DC area code. Turns out they had the wrong number. Had to take a picture of that.

So, in closing, here are some of my favorite features: That I can log into my customer account from any computer and manage my DVR. Like when you smack yourself on the head because you forgot the Stanley Cup Finals were on tonight? Yeah, you can go for the save. Then there’s Flex View, you can buy, rent and watch on-demand video titles on your FiOS TV, on your computer or on your mobile phone. Find yourself stuck somewhere? Pick up that movie where you left off--on your phone. I must say, I have had VERY few technical issues. Just a few times I’ve had to reboot my DVR, which is easy to do. But, when I haven’t been sure what the problem is, I love that I can call customer service and “talk” to a virtual rep who can diagnose my problem, instruct me on what to do, fix it remotely OR pass me on to a live rep. I think I’ve only had to speak to a rep once. It’s much faster to interact with the virtual rep and I swear, they, er, it? Are super efficient and give you step by step instructions. Better than waiting on hold. If you don’t have Verizon FiOS in your area, I’m sad for you. If you do and you don’t have it…I don’t understand why? It really is life changing for busy, techy moms like me AND for anyone else who has a TV, computer or phone.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Verizon FiOS sponsored blogging program. Any views, opinions or experiences expressed are my own.

National CPR Week June 1-7

2011-06-05T23:43:00.001-07:00

Heart attacks. I know too many people who have died from a heart attack. My father the physician would say “myocardial infarction” and sometimes I say that too, because I am smart and might want to make sure you know I’m smart. I’m from Boston and NO, I don’t have the accent, but if you say “myocardial infarction” with a Boston accent—it adds to the awfulness in a twisted humor way. I also know too many people who know too many people who have died from a HEART ATTACK. Heart Disease is still the #1 killer in the US.

We are at the tail end of National CPR Week. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation AKA CPR. It could save a life. My mother the nurse was skiing in Vermont last year and saw a skier down and as she was going past she sensed something was wrong. She stopped below and yelled to another skier above to check on the downed skier. He needed CPR, the guy started on him, my mother fought her way up the hill, calling the ski patrol and joined in the chest compressions. Sadly, my mother later found out the man died, but both my mother and that other random skier KNEW CPR. Do you?

Did you know that nearly 300,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur annually, and four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home? That means the life you save with CPR is most likely to be someone you know and really care about. GoRedForWomen.org which is part of The American Heart Association is asking women (and men) everywhere to watch the Official Hands-Only CPR instructional video to learn how to save a life. I have also inserted the video here:

In closing I would like to encourage everyone, men and women, to familiarize yourself with the signs of a heart attack. The symptoms for women can vary from those of men. It is therefore extremely important to know what you can do to keep yourself healthy, reduce your risk and of course recognize if you are having a cardiac episode. As you look through the site you will realize that you are never too young to have a heart attack. Go learn your hands only CPR! Much love and much health to all my readers, I heart you!!!

Disney, Disney & Disneyland!

2011-05-16T03:50:00.000-07:00

There have been some interesting things going on in the wonderful world of Disney lately. Wanna come along for my ride? First up, I was invited to the launch event of “It’s a Small World” Kid’s Fashion Apparel and Accessories Collection at Nordstrom. Disney and Nordstrom have teamed up to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the famous “It’s a Small World” attraction at Disneyland with this collection that includes items for newborns, infants and toddlers. There will be four seasonal collections throughout 2011 available exclusively at Nordstrom stores and nordstrom.com/smallworld. Each collection has items priced from $18-$169 from well know collaborators such as Petunia Pickle Bottom, TOMS Shoes and Feed.

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I learned something new at this event: At the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Walt Disney introduced a 9 minute boat ride – It’s a Small World – a Salute to UNICEF—dedicated to children around the world. In 1966, the attraction opened at Disneyland. To keep with Walt Disney’s original theme, Nordstrom and Disney are teaming up with TOMS Shoes and FEED Projects to offer philanthropic pieces in the collection. TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. FEED Projects items will benefit UNICEF. Proceeds from the sales of the FEED collection will provide vitamin supplements to children in need. The really cool thing is that each FEED item says on the hang tag exactly what the purchase of the garment will provide. Chip got a “FEED our small world” t-shirt that says it will provide 150 children Vitamin A for a year. I was really excited to meet FEED Projects Co-Founder and CEO Lauren Bush at the launch. It was awesome to be able to say, “Huge fan of your uncle and your grandfather!” as we took a couple of pictures together. The ‘Indian Summer’ collection is currently in stores as of this week and has some super cute stuff. Lulu got a really sweet sundress from the ‘Japanese Spring’ collection“Disney, It’s a Small World Apron Dress” with Japanese children and motifs and a big butterfly detail. She is a huge fan of butterflies right now, so it was perfect. The ‘Japanese Spring"’ collection still has many items available online at Nordstrom.

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Next up, the New Disney Stores. Lulu and I got a special pre-opening, sneak peek at one of the latest stores totally re-done with a brand new award-winning concept. It’s not a store…And I’m not just saying that….It’s an interactive shopping destination offering magical experiences for Disney fans of all ages. Lulu was told to rub her hands together and Tinkerbell appeared flying across the walls! Disney Store’s new design aims to deliver “the best 30 minutes of a child’s day” through immersive experiences including a Disney Princess Castle with Magic Mirror, Translucent Magical Trees, Disney●Pixar CARS-branded Ridemakerz custom car building experience and the Disney Store Theatre featuring the latest in Disney entertainment. They will also be offering arts and crafts projects throughout the day. The outside of the store has an electronic schedule of events so you can see what’s coming up in-store. One really awesome effect that it took me a bit to realize is that it actually smells like Disneyland. It’s subtle, but there. It’s like going on a mini-trip to The Magic Kingdom with the trees, the lighting, the twisting path and all the interactive features. Lulu is still too young to realize she had this whole, new concept store to herself. She loved the Princess Castle with the Magic Mirror and kept going back to try different characters. I like the Ridemakerz (build your own car) because it allows you to start with a toy that you design and you can bring it back to change it up and further customize it. How could you possibly get bored with that option? Disney Stores will continue to convert to this new format. Disneystore.com has lots of info for you and make sure you visit the interactive Disney Store page to find out about the latest store openings.

Lulu’s favorite Disney character is probably Ariel. The issue with that is she also seems to be the favorite character for all her friends, too. So, when Lulu has a playdate, there have been, ahem, skirmishes over who gets to be Ariel. Who cares that almost every other female Disney character is represented in costume in her closet?…It’s all about Ariel. I had the brilliant idea to buy ANOTHER Ariel costume at The Disney Store, and a cute reversible swim suit, and sunglasses…But all really, really cute and to make my life easier. And because they didn’t have cool stuff like this when I was a kid.

Just as Ariel is hitting her peak in popularity in Casa Minivan, I have some big news for COMING ATTRACTIONS over at Disneyland Resort:

Grand opening June 3: At Disney California Adventure park, get ready for an all-new voyage with Ariel. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure takes guests on a journey under the sea to experience all the fun and adventures in Ariel’s world. From the great songs to state-of-the-art animatronics and special effects, guests will become a part of her world in a way that’s never happened before. Check out the video for a sneak peek:

May 27 Premiere: Over at Disneyland Park, “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” officially steps off for Memorial Day weekend, with an explosive musical score, thrilling rhythms and bold percussion that will have people dancing to many of their favorite Disney tunes. Look for whimsical floats, live musicians and some of your favorite characters. There will be more than 90 performers in the parade. Mickey Mouse (drumming away live on an acoustic drum set) and his pals will be jamming like never before and creating an atmosphere that will be…soundsational! I’m particularly looking forward to this. The parades are among my favorite things to do see and do at Disneyland.

Grand opening June 3: Star Tours – The Adventures Continue officially re-launches in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park, taking guests on interstellar adventures to Coruscant, Tatooine, and other destinations in the “Star Wars” galaxy. With the return of favorite Star Wars characters and the addition of more familiar faces and destinations, guests are going to experience Starspeeder travel in an all-new way…in 3D!

And in closing, to give you something to look forward to: the 12-acre Cars Land is well underway and scheduled for opening next year!

Disclosure: I received a gift bag from Disney with a T-shirt and dress for my kids at the Nordstrom-Small World Event. I received a gift bag with a Mickey Mouse plush toy and mouse ears at the interactive Disney Store sneak peek visit. No compensation was received for this post.

Best Stores for New Moms

2011-05-05T02:06:00.001-07:00

As Mother’s Day rapidly approaches, the suits at CBS Los Angeles have decided the time is ripe for my Best Stores for New Moms post to go up. Seriously, I don’t know what I would have done if it weren’t for Bright Beginnings & Beyond and The Pump Station in those pre, and immediately post, giving birth days. With many moms in LA far from family, it really can be a relief to find a store that is JUST for you staffed with people who KNOW exactly what you need and who provide you a comfy place to sit while you figure it all out.

Easter as a Competitive Event

2011-04-22T00:45:00.000-07:00

This is a post I originally wrote for the now closed Los Angeles Moms blog. I feel that rookie moms and dads preparing excitedly for their baby’s first Easter Egg Hunt can only benefit in advance from the hard, cold reality that I am about to share with you. I’m not saying don’t go. Information is power.

Easter as a Competitive Event was originally posted on The Los Angeles Moms Blog on April 10, 2009

I am a member of a very popular message group catering largely to mothers living in Los Angeles. In the days after Easter last year, numerous posts appeared describing the horrors of various Easter Egg Hunts held around the city. One common thread ran through all the posts: parents behaving like lunatics.

One mom wrote: "It was like a stampede with clouds of dust and parents running around picking up eggs for their kids, taking the eggs so the other kids could not get them. My 3 year old got one egg and the 2 year old got nothing." And another: "I am posting this to save anyone who may be considering going to the Easter Egg Hunt at _______ Park next year." And this: "....many parents were SCREAMING at both their kids and other kids to get more, get away from my son, etc." This one: "The parents jumped the fence before the whistle or shoved their kids in before the whistle." How about: "They should not allow parents to participate. It's awful, one woman grabbed an egg right out from under my 2 year old's hand, literally." Also: "They announced no fewer than three times that parents were not allowed inside the egg hunting area, but that didn't stop about a dozen parents from going in there and scooping up loads of eggs for their kids. My daughter got one egg."

What the heck?

These hunts all were held in fairly affluent areas where large numbers of attorneys, Hollywood executives and various and sundry captains of industry reside. All pulling up in their Range Rovers and Volvo SUVs to get cutthroat over some cheap plastic eggs at a city park.

I'm sure I saw many of them the next day at brunch at the Bel Air Country Club. I've thought about what was really going on. Helicopter parenting? Parents who want to help their kids succeed? A loss of perspective? Making sure your kid isn't "cheated"? Parents who forgot to take their meds that morning? Behavior that seems to be as far from Christian as I can imagine on one of the most Holy Days.

Here is my concern: The economy is in worse shape this Easter. People are on edge and losing things like money, portfolio value, jobs and homes. Wouldn't that lead one to presume this weekend's Easter egg hunts will take on the air of an Olympic event? Baskets tightly clenched. Parents squatting down with toddlers discussing game time strategy. "Aidan, you go deep and wide grabbing what you can. I’ll circle by the bounce house with Isabella and then pass the basket off to your mother. Then we'll see what we can fit into our pockets and arms."

I'm all for competition. I first and foremost consider myself a capitalist. Most of all, I do not believe everyone deserves a trophy at the end of the season. However, I draw the line on Easter Egg Hunts for the under-7 crowd. If everyone has a quota, say 20 eggs, then you just go around counting the eggs you pick up CALMLY and you are done. It's a family holiday for crying out loud! I hope that this Easter we can all set some good examples for our kids regardless of the activity or location. But, especially at the Easter Egg Hunt at ________ Park.

An original post for the Los Angeles Moms Blog.

When Elizabeth Peterson is not analyzing the ghosts of holidays past, she can be found over at her personal blog Traded my BMW for a Minivan.

Comments (Original comments from the LA Moms Blog post)

April McCaffery said...

We're skipping Easter altogether this year. Holidays are less fun and more drama every year. I'm over it.

Reply April 10, 2009 at 12:35 PM

Lexi said...

We aren't big on the commercial aspects of holidays. But we just today talked about going to a local Easter egg event that has a time slot for the under age 2 crowd. Now I wonder if I need to be worried? My kids can't even walk yet. Is it worth going?

Reply April 10, 2009 at 06:15 PM

kristen said...

my 4 year old twin boys were in a hunt today, both of whom are quite independent, and one son got one egg, the other got none (though the organizers were nice enough to give my son that didn't get any one). And, one of our friend's daughters who is quite aggressive also did not get any. Needless to say, there were tons of kids with 6-8 eggs in their baskets. But, we followed the rules, and we watched repeatedly as the parents did exactly what you describe. And, there were a lot of kids that were much older older than the 3-4 they were supposed to be.. Before I had coached the boys -- I told them that once they got two eggs, they were to stop. But, once I realized what was happening, I tried to give them a hint about where to go, but oh well.

Reply April 11, 2009 at 06:47 PM

The Stiletto Mom said...

I wish I could tell you I was shocked to read this but I'm not. We have a lot of competitive parents like that in my neighborhood and I also often wonder if they've lost their minds. One of these days, I'm going to be smart and remember to bring my Flip video to some of the events where the seem to go the craziest just for fun...and possibly blog fodder.

Reply April 12, 2009 at 07:59 AM

Lucia Davies said...

Stiletto Mom - I wish you would make a video. If these scheming, entitlement-issued "parents" could only see how obnoxious they are - and how they're teaching their kids to push, shove, step on and otherwise back stab others in their "in it to win it" attitude, maybe they'd chill out and behave like decent people. Sadly, though, I doubt it. I hate to paint with the generalization brush - but part of the reason I left L.A. is because I came across this kind of behavior again and again. There are plenty of great people in L.A., but it seems more and more that the asshats are taking over...

Reply April 12, 2009 at 11:12 AM

cynematic said...

Elizabeth, I totally agree with you on the egg hunt nuttiness. Where's the perspective? Last year we spent Easter in Palm Springs, and lucked into one of those over-the-top gala resort Easters with bunny parachuting from plane (I kid you not), egg hunt (and grabby kids/adults), a little animal pen, etc. We just wanted a getaway and didn't realize some hotel chains set up these extravaganzas. Kid had a blast but it was shocking how **grownups** were grabbing cheap plastic eggs away from other people's children. We decided not to go back this year.

Instead, we did something much more low-key, spending it with grandparents at their place, and kid hasn't even mentioned his Easter basket yet. (He'll get a chocolate bunny, no worries.)

I'm not Christian but even I can see this holiday isn't supposed to be like the tv show "Survivor" to see who's most ruthless and acquisitive.

Reply April 12, 2009 at 05:05 PM

Amber said...

Yikes. I agree with the poster above, a video of this would be hilarious! We tend to avoid the mass egg hunts and stick to small family/friend gatherings so I've never seen this sort of behavior here, though I can certainly imagine.

Reply April 12, 2009 at 08:37 PM

jesscio said...

I couldn't agree more having just experienced a similar egg hunt at a Florida resort. Shocking to me the toddlers with baskets full of eggs while scads of "big" kids found just one or two. I've never understood why people see raising kids as a competitive sport.

Reply April 13, 2009 at 05:45 AM

Best Public Golf Courses in Los Angeles

2011-04-21T00:56:00.000-07:00

I’m over on CBS Los Angeles with my picks for the Best Public Golf Courses in Los Angeles. Golf really is a sport for a lifetime, you can drive a cart to your next play or pay someone to lug your clubs and then there is always The 19th Hole to look forward to. You can fantasize about actually being at Augusta and actually looking good in a green blazer. Tiger Woods has more, ahem, depth when you know something about golf. Finally, the sport fits in with one of my best pieces of advice: always go down swinging!

Pictured: Trump National in Rancho Palos Verdes

Last Minute Tax Tips

2011-04-15T19:12:00.001-07:00

One of my all time favorite quotes is: “Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15.” Ronald Reagan. Like it or not, Uncle Sam AND your state (unless you happen to live in one of the states without an income tax) expect you to pony up by Tax Day, which this year is actually April 18th. If you want to find out why the change of date and get some of my best info for procrastinators, head on over to CBS Los Angeles and check out my Last Minute Tax Tips Post. As I send you off to be patriotic (insert sarcasm), please find comfort in the words of Benjamin Franklin: “The only two guarantees in life are death and taxes.”

Peter Pan Mom

2011-03-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is one of my earliest posts for the soon to be closed Los Angeles Moms Blog. I also performed a version of it in Expressing Motherhood in January 2009. Now that Lulu is obsessed with Tinkerbell, it’s even more perfect that I dust this one off. (And, no, I still haven’t grown up)

I present to you: Peter Pan Mom, originally posted on The Los Angeles Moms Blog, October 27, 2008.

I've pretty much always had a vague understanding that I was sliding along on a type of extended adolescence. Having fun, not really responsible for much and somewhat incompetent with a lot of practical stuff. I'm not saying I'm a slacker, I finished college in 4 years and had real jobs. I just never had much responsibility and not much interest in learning the skills that would help me be a more well-rounded mom/domestic goddess. More to the point, I found I could pay other people to do stuff I couldn't--like hem my pants. I even ducked getting married for a while because I thought it was too grown up. I have Peter Pan Syndrome. That's fine, and I've been able to accept this fact. Here's the problem: I now have kids and it's starting to affect them.

First of all, sometimes I forget that I have kids. NO, I've never forgotten them someplace, or left them in the car. I mean, that I forget, that I'm not single and childless and can do whatever I want, when I want. There was an episode of Sex and the City where Miranda begrudgingly goes to Brooklyn to look at a house and while there looks out at Steve and Brady playing outside and has a revelation that she is married and has a kid. That's me! I'm still wistful for my life in West Hollywood I left behind three weeks before I gave birth to Chip, to move to the suburbs. Intellectually, I know that living in my swell apartment would be hell with a baby and a toddler. But I can still be wistful, can't I? The turning point of recognizing my Peter Pan Syndrome came when I traded my BMW for a minivan this past spring.

The experience was so transforming that it sent me to the world of Mommy Blogging and was the inspiration for the title of my blog Traded My BMW for a Minivan. I held onto that BMW with two car seats jammed in back as long as I humanly could. When I had to start deciding between having strollers in the trunk or buying groceries, I knew it was time to let go.

Then there is the practical stuff. The stuff that people who are real moms can do: like fold a fitted sheet. My mother came out from Boston a couple of weeks ago and I asked her to help me fold the laundry. I actually need another person to fold the sheets with me, like we were folding the American flag or something. But, I swear unless someone else is holding the other side, I get all tangled up. She told me she would do it. I returned and realized she actually folded them up all by herself. I didn't even bother to ask her to teach me how she did it. Then she moved on to the task of taking in the waist and hemming Chip's Halloween costume. Thanks to her Chip will not be tripping through the neighborhood trick or treating this year. The holidays are coming up. I have no clue how to cook a turkey or do anything else related to a holiday dinner. Pies? Gravy? Impossible. This year my mother-in-law will be in my kitchen cooking Thanksgiving and then my mother comes out for Christmas. I'm saved for this year! I'm pretty sure I could never learn to cook a turkey and do it right anyway. So I'll just watch the sports on TV and eat chips and onion dip, like I have every family holiday since I was five.

Now here is where the whole thing gets scary: the competence appears to diminish with each generation. My maternal grandmother gardened an acre by herself well into her 70's, canned enough fruits and veggies to feed her entire town (if needed), was a Navy mechanic during WWII and let's just say she knew what she was doing under the hood of a car. What else? She ran her own restaurant and her cooking? Amazing. My Paternal grandmother was a garment worker and could sew and knit like the wind. My mother is slightly less competent than the previous generation. I'm way less competent than my mother. My daughter's kids are going to be in big trouble. My poor future grandchildren.

I have friends who actually scrapbook. They lovingly record every moment of their children's development all with whimsical fonts and cutesy paper. I once checked out some scrapbooking supplies and started to glaze over. I was at a mom's night out dinner last night and the mom sitting next to me was talking about her son's baby book and putting his second birthday photos in. Needless to say, Chip and Lulu have no baby books and the outlook for getting them is bleak. My neighbor popped over last week and showed me how to remove the burnt food that has been stuck (I thought permanently) to my stove top. She is younger than I am. She also brought me a casserole when Lulu was born. I've never made a casserole. For anyone.

I remain optimistic that there is hope for me. That I can get some better life skills on board before the kids are much older. Let's hope, for their sake.

This is an original post for the Los Angeles Moms Blog.

When she isn't running from family responsibility, Elizabeth Peterson can be found blogging over at Traded My BMW for a Minivan

Comments (original comments from The LA Moms Blog post)

Jessica Gottlieb said...

I liked you before this post, but now I think I love you. I can fold a fitted sheet but I'm still wondering what to do with the photos and where the time comes from.

Reply October 27, 2008 at 08:54 AM

April said...

I can SO relate to this post! Last week, I was jumping up and down because the girls got to carve pumpkins on a field trip. Otherwise, that job would've gone to their granddad (as usual). It's become my personal goal for right now to feel more confident about the domestic life.

Reply October 27, 2008 at 09:19 AM

Karen S. said...

Scrapbooking--that especially resonates. I don't get it (boring!), and my photos will probably never be neatly placed in albums or even categorized in bunches.

Basically, I suck at being a housewife, although I'm okay at being a SAHM. So just concentrate on the stuff you do well, and don't beat yourself up about it. You love and take care of your kids--the rest'll sort itself out.

Reply October 27, 2008 at 10:35 PM

Julie said...

That is the best thing I have read in a long time! Wow, can I ever relate! I can't fold a fitted sheet to save my life. I traded in my car for a minivan and my license plate is WhoNew. Trust me, I know what you are talking about!

Reply October 28, 2008 at 10:43 AM

Travelingmom said...

At least you are still in CA! I am wistful about Hermosa Beach as I put on another sweatshirt to keep warm (it is full-blown Fall in CT). I just talked to a guy tonight who moved to FLA from TX and says he is tired of all the New Englanders who moved in and are trying to boss him around. I mean, didn't they notice his HAT?

Reply October 28, 2008 at 05:17 PM

erin m said...

i just roll the sheets into a ball and shove them into the cupboard.
i OWN a sewing machine, yet still bring my son's cub scout patches to the dry cleaner to have them sewn on.
glad i'm not the only one....

Reply October 29, 2008 at 09:13 AM

Amanda said...

I can't even fold a fitted sheet with two people, not even three. I love this post because it is so relatable. I will never be able to do the things my mom can do but you know what, she has never blogged in her life and thinks this site is so cool. She doesn't use an ATM and would you believe, she doesn't pump her own gas. So... realize you are simply a different kind of mom who can teach your children different life skills. You can always hire someone to cook or clean but no one can be the kind of mom you are to your kids. Those are the things they will remember.

Reply October 29, 2008 at 12:03 PM

AKAmomma said...

Glaze over, that is exactly what happened to me. But I still went ahead and wasted the money on the scrapbooking supplies because I thought that was what a good mom was supposed to do. I guess I am not a good mom, because I only did one page over a year ago. I do take the pics at least, but they are still in the deep freeze on my computer. Maybe when the kids graduate from college I will have them printed up.

Reply November 12, 2008 at 04:35 PM

No Host Mom

2011-03-11T23:55:00.001-08:00

Time to revisit one of my Los Angeles Moms Blog posts. The site will soon be coming down permanently and some of this stuff is certainly worth repeating, right?

Here is No Host Mom, originally posted on The Los Angeles Moms Blog, March 31, 2010

I’m a member of an informal playgroup that originated in a formal toddler “Mommy & Me” class. When the class ended, a number of us continued to meet at a local park or at one of our homes. This has continued for a couple of years even now that the kids are approaching their fourth birthdays. Our informal group has always worked with no formal playdate schedule. Now that the kids are three, they are in different pre-schools and have various schedules but we have continued to get together on school breaks. All the moms take turns hosting. Except for one: The No Host Mom.

The No Host Mom actually never particularly bothered me. Now that I think back on it, without prompting she seems to have given me excuses as to why she can’t host. And in fact, her excuses didn’t really make sense. They kind of left me with a vague understanding that she must have a gaping hole in the middle of her living room into which the kids would fall. As she explained and gestured wildly indicating some architectural challenge or whatever. I inevitably had a kid to run after and just chalked it up to her maybe having a hoarding problem or something she was embarrassed about. Or I just didn’t think about it. I will refer to The No Host Mom as “Sue” for the purposes of my post. Sue is nice enough. I’m not particularly friendly nor unfriendly with her. Our group recently gathered at another group member’s home and Sue was there as well as a few other moms and kids. A couple of days later I ran into my friend “Karen” also a member of the group with whom I share a stronger connection. Our boys go way back to newborn Mommy & Me and are now in the same pre-school class. Karen had not been at the recent playdate and so I filled her in on who was there. I then asked, “What’s up with Sue never hosting the group?” Karen responded, “I’ve been to her house."

Well. Interesting. I thought. “You’ve been to her house?” I asked. “Yes. It’s perfect. Like a museum.” Karen replied. “It was just me invited [and her son].” Karen went on to describe the stuff that could get broken and how elegantly appointed Sue’s home is. Apparently no one told Sue that part of the deal of having little kids is that they destroy everything. That you need to delay having nice stuff or hide it in the garage until they leave for medical school. I actually found this revelation from Karen extremely fascinating because Sue seems so involved with her daughter that you would actually think she would have a more kid friendly house. But what do I know? Sue can choose to not host a playgroup. Perhaps she is arranging individual playdates and we haven’t made the shortlist. Ha! I find it interesting that another mom in another group I’m in was not able to host for a number of months because her house was on the market. So instead she brought pizza and drinks to the park for all the kids, saying, “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to host.” No one would have even noticed, but in retrospect it was nice that she made a gesture of doing what she could to pull her weight on the toddler playgroup circuit. I realize it’s the stage we are in, and yes, each time a few toddlers come over, the place gets messed up. Nothing has really been broken, but toys get played with, juice boxes get juiced and everything has washable slipcovers on it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

An original post for the Los Angeles Moms Blog.

Elizabeth can be found doing interesting stuff like cooking with Bobby Flay over on her personal blog Traded My BMW for a Minivan and being irreverent over on Twitter.

Comments (these are the original comments from the post on the LA Moms Blog)

Nicole Pelton said...

That's why I don't host playdates, my house is way to perfect and museum-like. Well, except for the colorful pen-art on the coffee table and the legos and paper airplanes strewn around :) I once belonged to a playgroup where one family bought a mansion with the equivalent of a park in the backyard...fun to play in but had to steal myself not to get to envious. I'm glad you didn't get worked up about this. I've been in a couple book clubs, and some people have these great houses where they put their kids to bed in the back and have a great living room area to host. A few of us had houses that were just too small for that, so "hosted" in a coffee shop. This just bothered so many people the whole club dissolved.

Reply March 31, 2010 at 10:47 AM

Elizabeth said in reply to Nicole Pelton...

Ah, Nicole, good riddance I say. Those people who were bothered clearly didn't realize the whole reason to even HAVE book club is simply to get OUT of your own house and go ANYWHERE. Thanks for your comment and I'll meet you at a coffee shop anytime.

Reply March 31, 2010 at 06:42 PM

Sarah Auerswald said...

OMG -- we had a no-host mom when my 7-year-old was in a playgroup years ago! How hilarious! Yeah, she always had an excuse or two -- and years later I finally did go over to see her house -- alone -- and it was also museum-ish. It's just not how I live, but to each her own.

Reply March 31, 2010 at 05:58 PM

Elizabeth said...

But...Sarah...Did you call her out on it or just take the high road? Thanks for your comment :)

Reply March 31, 2010 at 06:43 PM

I Signed My Kid Up For T-Ball Against His Will

2011-03-09T23:10:00.001-08:00

In early January, our local Little League sign ups were announced. My four year old son, Chip, just made the age cut-off for T-ball in the 4-6 year old division. In general observation of Chip, he seems to be something of a natural athlete and has been playing catch and batting at balls for…Several months? A year? I don’t know, I haven’t particularly kept track. Interestingly, other parents seem to comment on Chip’s athleticism to his father and myself. But, I guess parents comparing their kids to other kids is a cultural epidemic and probably best handled in a separate post.

Chip’s father played in our Little League as a child and said he didn’t start until he was about eight. I was very involved in sports myself and didn’t play team soccer until about that age too. Speaking of soccer, Chip qualified for AYSO this past fall but was adamant after being asked on several occasions that he did not want to play. Fine, I figured being barely four still left him many, many seasons to play soccer if he ever wanted to. As the deadline for Little League approached, both my husband and I asked Chip if he wanted to play T-ball. He made it abundantly clear that he “DID NOT” want to play. When pressed as to why, he always said, “I don’t want to wear the uniform.” Ok, that’s a bit unusual. Normally that’s the kid’s favorite part, right?

So, what was I to do? He is only four years old, I’m fairly certain his MLB career chances don’t hinge on his toddler season. I don’t *think* I follow any particular parenting principles and try to use logic and maybe a bit of my “gut feeling”. Thus, there I was the night before the deadline, signing Chip up online for T-ball. I figured that if it really was something he refused to do, we’d just be out the cash. My husband played semi-pro ball and he and Chip LOVE watching games on TV. I LOVE the Boston Red Sox and any team that beats the New York Yankees. As a family, I felt we were on board with the sport. I went ahead and clicked the box on the form that said “parents willing to assist coach” (why, remains a mystery, really), entered my credit card number and clicked “confirm”. Just like that, Chip was signed up for T-ball--against my better judgment.

My husband and I agreed we’d start to talk up T-ball and not make a big deal out of it. There were still about six weeks to go until Opening Day. Then a phone call came, I took it. The league needed more T-ball coaches. I cut a deal with the coordinator, I knew a friend’s son who had also signed up…Could Chip be on his team so he’d know someone? I also explained my concern that Chip might not make it. Turned out my friend’s husband had signed up to coach. I muffled the phone and asked my husband if he would be up for assisting? We had the deal set. This seemed hopeful. If dad was on the field, wouldn’t that smooth everything out? We went into watchful waiting mode. Chip was game to buy some cleats and a new glove. Positive signs.

The first practice session arrived and Chip was thrilled to be there! Opening Day was rained out on the Saturday and postponed one week. But the first game was played the next day. Chip suited up, loved his uniform and was joining the echoes of America’s Pastime! After the game he was so happy and I was able to unload my doubts about my game day decision back in early January. Opening day was this past weekend and Chip standing with his team and all the teams ranging from the tiny four year old T-ballers on up to the big teenagers was a major event. They ran the bases and through a tunnel of high-fives from the big kids. What a thrill! Then Chip was told he had his second game the next day. He fell over in pure joy, unable to believe his good fortune. Ok, it looks like I didn’t screw up. This time.

Article first published as I Signed My Kid Up For T-Ball Against His Will on Technorati.

CBS Los Angeles – Best of LA: Pet Hotels

2011-03-07T22:41:00.001-08:00

I’m over at CBSLosAngeles.com with my top picks for Best Overnight Pet Care. Because when you head out of town, you want to make sure your dog’s accommodations are appropriate to his/her rank in your household. I know everyone will get something out of this list. Just remember: don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

Jamiel Andre Shaw II 12/22/1990 - 3/2/2008

2011-03-02T21:31:00.001-08:00

Today I share with you a post I originally wrote for the now closed Los Angeles Moms Blog, exactly one year ago today. Even as I cut and paste and tweak something that “I’ve already done”. It’s as if I’m slammed backwards one year as I struggled to write this. If it weren’t for Jamiel’s aunt, Althea Shaw, patiently speaking with me over several phone calls, reliving her own tragedy with someone she didn’t know….I wouldn’t have gotten this piece done. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Ms. Shaw on a scorching hot day this past August in Beverly Hills at a political rally. I rolled Lulu in her stroller through the crowds looking for her. When we finally connected, we hugged like old friends.

My friend Althea Shaw is taking action, right now, right here in Los Angeles. She is running for Los Angeles City Council for District 10 to unseat incumbent Herb Wesson who has done nothing to protect young black men from becoming victims of illegal alien gang members. It’s clear Herb Wesson has an agenda that does not include following the law and/or protecting US citizens. In fact, in April 2008, when the Shaw family was planning to go before the LA City Council to speak about Jamiel’s Law, Herb Wesson sent out one of his representatives in advance to offer Jamiel’s father, Jamiel Sr., a “position on a board”—a bribe to get them to back off. Then when the Shaws actually arrived at the City Council meeting, Herb Wesson escorted them into his chambers to keep them from being able to speak during the Public Comment section of the meeting. He warned the Shaws that, “They were messing with a hornet’s nest.” It was ONLY due to the crowd assembled chanting “let them speak, let them speak” that the City Council was embarrassed into re-opening the Public Comments. I urge everyone who votes or knows anyone who votes in District 10 to get the word out to vote for Althea Shaw for Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Let’s take back our city with honorable, ethical people who look out for what’s best and do what is right.

I now present Jamiel Andre Shaw II 12/22/1990 – 3/2/2008, originally posted on The Los Angeles Moms Blog, March 2, 2010

Jamiel “Jas” Shaw was on his was home from the Beverly Center exactly two years ago today. He jumped off a city bus with a buddy a few blocks from his house near the 10 Freeway, said goodbye and started to walk the couple of blocks to his house. His dad called him on the way to confirm their plans to head out and buy him a new pair of running shoes. He was a standout member of the varsity track and football teams at Los Angeles High School. That morning Jas had participated in an invitation only weekend football training program. A program that prepared top high school football players for college football and even the NFL. Scouts from UCLA, Stanford and Rutgers had inquired about him. It looked like Jas was really going places. Sadly, he did not make it home that afternoon.

Three doors from his house, Jamiel Andre Shaw II was murdered. Shot twice, although there were three entry wounds. The first bullet went through his hand and then entered his stomach. The second bullet hit Jamiel’s head. Jamiel’s alleged murderer, Pedro Espinoza, an illegal alien gang member from Mexico, belongs to the 18th Street Gang. Espinoza had been released from jail on a firearms charge the day before he murdered Jamiel. The Shaw Family has been continually thwarted in its demands to know how this was allowed to happen.

Jamiel’s mom, Army Sgt. Anita Shaw was serving in Iraq at the time of her son’s murder. This aspect has been the most painful for me in preparing this piece. I cannot even put myself in her boots. Fighting for freedom in Iraq and receiving the news that her son was killed on his way home from the mall. Jas also left a little brother, Thomas, now ten.

You’d think that a young, promising black teenager, killed by an illegal alien gang member would get all kinds of attention from leaders of the black community. The Shaw Family couldn’t even get a return call from Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. How about the elected officials representing the Shaw’s district? Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council member Herb Wesson, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas have done nothing but throw up roadblocks. Their Congresswoman, Diane Watson has also ignored them. Clearly, there’s a mighty, mighty big elephant in the living room.

Where can we place the blame for the circumstances that led to Jamiel’s murder? One prime culprit is Special Order 40. A law put in place by the Los Angeles City Council in 1979 that prevents Los Angeles Police from obtaining immigration status from detained suspects. This law was upheld in 2006 when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa promised to make Los Angeles a “Sanctuary City for Illegal Aliens”. Let’s take a look at Pedro Espinoza and his 18th Street Gang. According to a 2005 report by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), “an estimated 80 percent of [the 18th Street] gang's members [in California] are illegal aliens from Mexico and Central America."

When Pedro Espinoza was arrested, among the tattoos recorded on his body were “BK” on his neck representing “Black Killer.” On October 30, 2007, the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles announced he had indicted members of "The Florencia 13, a street gang," for "shootings of African-Americans in neighborhoods the gang claimed to control." Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13) is another large gang founded in LA and now operating in other parts of the US and Central America. It is clear that these gangs, moreover, do not limit their “code” to "traditional" crimes like extortion and drug-running: they endorse ethnic cleansing.

Some may ask: Well, is Jamiel’s murder an isolated case? I’m afraid not. Just last month, Ronald Barron, a black anti-gang activist with Ameri-I-Can was killed by a Latino gang member when he tried to stop him from tagging in the 5500 block of Pico. On April 17, 2009, Marquis LeBlanc, an 18 year old black man was chased down a Pomona street by a group of Latinos, suspected gang members as reported by witnesses, and murdered. Here I ask, what of the numerous unsolved murders in Los Angeles? I don’t want to stir controversy unnecessarily, but can we get some answers? How many unsolved murders of young black men are there in Los Angeles? In a phone conversation with Jamiel’s Aunt, Althea Shaw, she stated that when Sheriff Lee Baca was asked this question in a news conference, he evaded answering.

We have a class of US citizens, young black men, who are being targeted by illegal alien criminal gangs and our politicians and law enforcement officials are unwilling to do anything about it. The sad irony is that just a few months after Jamiel’s murder, our country elected our first black president. President Obama, what say you about protecting our young black men?

For the past two years, the Shaw Family has been working very hard to get information, answers and to get Jamiel’s Law on the ballot. The ballot initiative has been spearheaded by 2009 mayoral candidate Walter Moore, who gave Villaraigosa legitimate competition last year. Jamiel’s Law, if passed, would permit Los Angeles police officers to arrest gang members for breaking U.S. immigration law. It would supersede Special Order 40. To get information about The Shaw Family’s fight, please visit JamielsLaw.com and follow them on Twitter.com/GoJamielsLawGo

The Shaw Family invites the community to a Candlelight Vigil to remember Jas, tonight at the site of Jamiel’s murder, 2136 5^th Ave. Los Angeles 90018

Photos courtesy of the Shaw Family

An original post for The Los Angeles Moms Blog

After Elizabeth takes a deep breath, she can be found over at her personal blog, Traded My BMW for a Minivan.

Comments (These are the original comments from the post on the LA Moms Blog)

Kirsten said...

Thank you for posting this. It's very well written and I'm glad to know about it. It's very sad. Best wishes to the family and for their efforts to stop this horrible violence, too.

Reply March 02, 2010 at 08:52 AM

Kim Tracy Prince said...

Liz,

I'm feeling physical pain in my chest as I read this. I remember when this happened and I cried and cried for the lost life, the lost big brother, the lost son, the lost friend. You ask tough questions. I have no faith at all in our city or state elected officials to legislate the purchase of office supplies for schools, much less pass meaningful laws, so it seems to me there is less hope in that direction and more in community activism on the ground. Nonetheless, I hope this post gets some local attention and I will promote it myself.

Damn you. Now I'm sad.

Reply March 02, 2010 at 11:32 AM

Eunice C. said...

Once again, I find myself in support of vigilante justice. So sad.

Reply March 02, 2010 at 01:52 PM

erin m said...

so horrifying. really makes me sick.

i am disgusted by our mayor.

my hubby's cousin was able to make a bit of a difference in Orange County....www.allanmansoor.com.

Reply March 02, 2010 at 06:16 PM

Sarah Auerswald said...

This is so frightening and sad for so many reasons: the injustice and the lack of compassion at all levels of government. Thanks for telling the story.

Reply March 02, 2010 at 06:48 PM

carrie meadows said...

Is there a petition for the ballot, or an online donation site set up?

Reply March 02, 2010 at 07:39 PM

Elizabeth Peterson said in reply to carrie meadows...

Hi Carrie, thanks for your interest. This info is on the home page of JamielsLaw.com

To donate financially and/or mail funds directly to the Jamiel's Law Committee account.

The mailing address for the account is:

The Committee to Pass Jamiel's Law
USC Federal Credit Union
1025 W. 34th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90089

for further info:
GoJamielsLawGo@live.com
323.806.9918

Reply March 02, 2010 at 09:01 PM

Jamiel's Law said in reply to carrie meadows...

Official Website http://isupportjamielslaw.com/

Twitter Page - http://twitter.com/GoJamielsLawGo

Reply May 16, 2010 at 08:27 PM

Yvonne Condes said...

I remember when this happened. It’s a horrible and senseless tragedy. I can’t imagine the pain the Shaw family has gone through these last two years.

I don’t know, however, if Jamiel’s Law is the answer. If it becomes a law it will give the LAPD the right to arrest anyone who looks like an illegal immigrant gang member. That means any young Latino can be arrested for simply looking like they could possibly be illegal. It will stop illegals from coming forward when they have information about the perpetrator of a violent crime for fear of being deported. It’s racial profiling and that’s not the answer.

According to the LA Times, Special Order 40 wasn’t a factor in Espinosa’s release the day before the murder because he was arrested and released outside of LAPD jurisdiction. But that’s beside the point. I think the problem with gang violence has as much to do with the LAPD as with illegal immigration. There are not enough police officers for a city of this size. There are not enough resources in these gang-ridden communities to give young people any other choice.

Something has to be done to stop the gang violence that’s terrorizing this city. And we need to elect officials who are willing to do everything they can to make that happen.

Reply March 03, 2010 at 01:06 AM

April said...

I hope the Shaw family NEVER GIVES UP! Keep asking questions and demanding answers! Use the press to get them to be accountable for this very preventable tragedy!

Please check out www.numbersusa.com There are all kinds of facts and information on illegal immigration on this website. Also, on www.fairus.org We MUST speak out and DEMAND from our politicians to build the border fence and to crack down on illegals.
E-Verify is what is needed nationally. E-Verify is currently a volunteer program that employers use to "match" the documentation a new hire gives (only used after hiring). No match, no job. If this were implemented, within months, illegals would be self deporting. No job, no reason to be here! Americans like Jamiel Shaw should be able to walk down the street at any hour, and not have to worry that an illegal gang banger is going to kill you! God bless The Shaw family, and thank you Mrs. Shaw for serving your country. DON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!

Reply March 03, 2010 at 01:09 PM

Kathy said...

Elizabeth,
thanks for posting this. My heart goes out to the family of that poor young man. How brave of them to be putting their energies into something positive.
Kathy

Reply March 03, 2010 at 02:16 PM

Michelle T Griffith said...

WOW...thanks for sharing. I'm really just about speechless. My heart just sank and I'm thinking of their family.

Reply March 05, 2010 at 06:00 AM

Sickofignorantpeople said...

I'm sorry, but not all Latinos are murderers, just as not all African American . If the Jamiel's law passes .. Simply put is that the Shaw family is encouraging racial profiling. I understand that they have hate in their hearts for a senseless act of ONE person, but there is no need to generalize all Latinos!!
How many times do African Americans murder Latinos or Americans ? And simply you don't see us all up in the media to try to pass a law to arrest every black person who walks down the street that may look like they are either from the crip or blood gang that sag their pants past their butts just to have them sent back to Africa ! Do I sound ridiculous ? Well, that's how this whole thing is being brought about.
To all: NOT all Latinos are Mexican . That's the ignorance of an uneduated individual . Read
about history before assuming and just because we speak Spanish does not mean they are Mexican !! I know that the famIly wants justice, but racial profiling is not the answer. And for Mr. Shaw to call Mr. Ridley Thomas a sell out simply because of his decision on not supporting the Arizona law on racial profiling is just plain wrong.
I just hope that the Shaw family's hearts heal and that it was a very unfortunate situation ,
but wanting to do is simply wrong.. Do they not remember the 1960's era.
It's a shame if they have forgotten on how it feels to be discriminated ?
And with that I have nothing else to say!

Reply June 08, 2010 at 03:01 AM

BlkWmSpeaks said in reply to Sickofignorantpeople...

@Sickofignorantpeople.........

First of all, need I define the word "INVASION" for you? Cuz that's exactly what's happening here .... illegal aliens are crossing our borders by the thousand each day.

So, it's not 'racial profiling' at all....it's PROTECTION for the Americans to enforce EXISTING immigration laws. According to federal law....immigrants are required to establish their immigration status [upon request...in other words....show "papers".....this is FEDERAL LAW .... "federal law" that "unfortunately" hasn't been enforced.

Likewise, Americans must show driver's license, car registration and car insurance "upon" request. What's the difference?? Why shouldn't Latinos show "papers", especially known gang members?

The illegal alien problem has gotten waaaay out of hand, it's "beyond time" to enforce existing federal immigration laws, however, if you have the necessary "papers" to establish your status..........what's the problem?

The majority of illegal aliens crossing the borders ARE Latinos [from Mexico]....there's no getting around that FACT.

The issue isn't about 'tit for tat' or "how many African Americans have kill Latinos" [as you so IMMATURELY put it] ... the issue is whether or not the Latino doing the crime is an "illegal alien".

Americans can't go to Mexico and do what the hispanics are doing here. please. Buy a clue. I'd rather the police stop every single suspicious Latino in town and enforce existing "federal immigration laws," if necessary...... than risk more loss of black life....our black youth are being gunned down by mexican "illegal alien" gang members [who, openingly, admit to ethnic cleansing].

Are we [Black Americans] supposed to stand by while these people kill MORE of our children....our people???? You must done lost your freakin' mind.

So, no, it's not racial profiling.....it's PROTECTION for americans [& black people ARE Americans] from INVASION .....from those who seek to kill us and our children. If anyone is ignorant, it's YOU......cuz obviously "you" don't know "your" history or federal law.

Every other country has rules, regulations, policies, and LAWS that are set in place to protect its citizens.....the US government has a moral & constitutional obligation to protect Americans from this [current] invasion from mexico.

And, before I forget.......YOU don't get to compare or minimize the plight of Black Americans [blk ppl. were FORCED here]........ to Latinos who come here "willingly" and ILLEGALLY on their own accord....those same Latinos can GO BACK TO MEXICO, if they don't like the laws here.

Go back to your own corrupted Mexican government [with it's hypocritical president]........cuz we all know.....the immigration laws in Mexico are a lot worse AND much harsher & strict. Yet, ya'll come 'here' and complain.

I ask you, dear readers, what's wrong with this picture? "eyeroll"

Reply June 11, 2010 at 10:05 PM

W. Martin said...

Jamiel “Jas” Shaw

I found this by accident and it brings me to tears.

To the Shaw family: I know your lives are forever changed but hope you have found strength through the pain. Jamile sounds like he was such a light with such a promising future.

I wish our government would listen to the will of the people. I believe they are all pawns of corporate greed. How can they see what is happening and not care? It's beyond me but money is the root of all evil.

We need a revolution.

Reply June 17, 2010 at 11:23 PM

Will You Be My Valentine?

2011-02-13T21:26:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is the big V-day. I’ve got two pre-schoolers and although there hasn’t been a specific mandate for each child to give a valentine to each kid in the class, we have “been reminded how many children are in each class and to not address envelopes for ease of delivery”. In other words, each kid gets one. That’s fine with me. I have babies, all the kids in the classes seem really nice and I’m the one filling out the valentine’s cards. However, things aren’t always so clear. My neighbor has kept me in the loop of an ongoing saga between her kindergarten daughter, who attends the local elementary, and at least one other girl in her class. This other little girl is just plain mean—sporadically. The added problem is there aren’t very many girls in the class…Blame the randomness of the local births, I guess. But, the Kindergarten class is about 85% male. It’s not like there are that many girls to hang with. So, this past Friday the mother tells me her daughter is busy making valentines, totally homemade, and I ask about the “mean girl” who recently refused to sit with her because she said her lunch stunk. My friend said everyone has to give everyone a valentine. Hmmm. So, although I don’t have a dog in that specific fight, I did get a momentary flashback to a post I wrote exactly two years ago for the now closed LA Moms Blog. It certainly sparked quite a few comments on the original post. So, herewith, let’s revisit?

Will You Be My Valentine was originally posted on the Los Angeles Moms Blog, February 14, 2009

My two year old son is in preschool and I was informed this week that the school has a policy for Valentine's Day. If you want to bring in valentines, you must have one for each kid in the class. Well, fine. the kids are all between 2-2.5 and pretty much illiterate at this stage. Mom or Dad would be the one to be filling them out. Let me add that I have no problem with this policy for preschool.

I was curious about this practice extending to elementary school and posted the question in one of my Los Angeles mommy forums. The responses were completely unanimous that valentines for each child in the class was required at a wide range of public and private schools. It was interesting to get some extra comments regarding my question. For example: "How would you feel if you were left out.", "Valentines are inexpensive.", "It teaches kids to be kind." Ok, fine. I didn't say why I was asking. But some people seemed to think I was either mean or cheap, or both?

As I was hunched over at my desk scrawling out my son's valentines the other night, I began to reflect on the ghosts of Valentines Days past. Let me break off on a slight tangent here: I have a freakishly good memory, so good in fact, that I often remember things about people that they don't remember about themselves. That has led to more than one awkward exchange. So I try to use the power for more useful things, like being a contestant on Jeopardy! But, back to my point, I remember quite a bit about my childhood. There were two boys named Kevin in my first grade class, Kevin M. and Kevin S. Kevin S. was a nice kid. Kevin M. was a punk. He was not nice to me and many others in the class. I did not care for Kevin M.'s company. He had friends and I had friends, we just didn't move in the same circles. This was back in the 70's when we didn't wear seat belts and didn't have so many rules.

I have a particular memory from my first grade Valentines Day. We were seated in a circle and our teacher, Mr. L'Amour (yes, my first grade teacher was a man and for those who speak French and see the irony, that was his real name) was distributing the valentines. I still pretty much have the same penmanship I had in first grade, and even then, it wasn't very good. I had written "Kevin S." on my valentine for him. But, it came out looking like "Kevins" and Mr. L'Amour apparently made a game day decision to pass my valentine to Kevin M. I saw the whole thing happen and then the theme music from the Bionic Woman began to play in my head. I launched myself in my corduroy leisure suit across the circle and took the misrouted valentine from Kevin M's pile. I tucked it under my arm, ran to Kevin S's location and completed the circuit assuming my Indian Style seated position mid-air and landed back in my spot next to my friend Kristen. No-way-Jose-was-that-punk-who-had-made-my-life-miserable-going-to-get-my-valentine. I present my case for not requiring valentines be given to every kid in the class. My 6 1/2 year old self made that choice. She had that choice.

It appears that nowadays all we care about is everyone being equal. Well, folks, we aren't all equal. I would like my kids to learn that sooner rather than later. If you are a jerk, don't expect to get a valentine from the people to whom you are a jerk. If your team doesn't win, you don't deserve a trophy. It seems to me that we are successfully raising a nation of wimps who get everything, expect that they will get everything and believe that no matter how you behave and how you treat people, you will get a prize. Oh, and you will get that prize TODAY because you don't need to save up or work for it.

An original post for the Los Angeles Moms Blog. When Elizabeth isn't reminiscing about life in the 1970's, she can be found over on her personal blog Traded My BMW for a Minivan.

Comments (original comments from the LA Moms Blog post)

Elise Crane Derby said...

I totally get what you're saying, but what about the dorks? I remember (which is a miracle, cause I remember almost nothing) a few kids in school who basically had no friends, due to extreme social akwardness. They weren't jerks. Under your valentine distribution plan they wouldn't get any valentines either. So maybe not everyone should get one but you really gotta go case by case and know the dynamic.
Just my two cents.

Reply February 14, 2009 at 09:25 AM

Laura Clark said...

Yeah, I hear what you're saying, too. I think it's pretty condescending to give everyone trophies when something is inherently competitive, like sports. But, like Elise said, when it comes to valentines, what about the kids who just don't have any friends? Holidays shouldn't be competitive, but they can easily turn into a sport of who got the most or who didn't get any. Kids can be cruel. Maybe there's a compromise. "Secret Valentine" like "Secret Santa"? ... Actually, that could be tricky, too.

Reply February 14, 2009 at 07:14 PM

PlaygroundforParents said...

Darlin', you got off easy. My kid's school didn't just require Valentine's for her class, they required cards for the ENTIRE 1st grade. As in THREE 1st grade classes. Yep. Do the math: 20 students per class x 3 classes = 60 stinkin' Valentine cards. Whether my kid likes you or not. More importantly, whether I like you or not. All or none.

Reply February 14, 2009 at 08:57 PM

Lexi said...

I disagree with everyone getting a trophy and all that. It breeds mediocrity. Good post Elizabeth.

Reply February 15, 2009 at 08:34 AM

Florinda said...

I was in grade school in the '70's too, and I remember some kids getting more valentines than others; I was one of the ones who got fewer. We just accepted that this was the way things were, like it or not. - some people are more popular than others, and always will be, even when we get older.

I think that unless my child really WANTED to give a valentine to everyone in his or her class, if the school requires "all or none," my preference would be "none." (Luckily, I'm almost past this point anyway, with the youngest in third grade.)

Thanks for saying this, Elizabeth - you're not alone.

Reply February 15, 2009 at 09:59 AM

Emily R said...

I don't think I actually responded to that post, but I do think that everyone ought to get a valentine if you are handing them out in school. If a two-year-old or a six-year-old is behaving that badly, I suspect that excluding him from the Valentines is probably not going to fix the behavior. Plus, I've seen exclusion be a way that moms go about excluding other mothers, and it just ends up hurting the kids.

At any rate, your post to the listserv reminded me why I am so happy to be in a preschool where there is no celebration of this particular holiday!

Reply February 15, 2009 at 08:41 PM

Teresa DeGagne said...

Having a third grader and a kindergartner, I have no problem providing 20 Valentines for each...I see the joy they have going through their bags. 20 Valentines are a treasure trove to them. There is plenty of disparity provided in elementary school (even preschool) with who's invited to birthday parties. The kids, even at that early age, can start questioning "why not me?" "why doesn't he/she like me?" While I admit to believing there is too much PC and "fairness", there is also distinction provided through rewarding academics and acknowledging other achievements in school. Personalities emerge and the kids "class" everyone on their own regardless of whether a Valentine is given.

Reply February 17, 2009 at 06:45 AM

Yvonne Condes said...

I also have a problem with every kid getting a trophy and "good jobs" rewarded for not doing much of anything, but the valentine thing is hard. I know my 5-year-old was only concerned with giving a card to his best school friend, but we gave one to everyone. If he hadn't gotten one from that boy, I'm sure he would have been devastated. And who needs that for some silly, hallmark holiday?

Reply February 17, 2009 at 10:16 PM

Kim said...

I have an issue with the trophy thing. I remember when they had to be earned--like by winning a championship game or at least making it into the finals. While I do belief in life that just showing up is half the battle, there's no need to get a trophy for that.

It hurts to see your own kids get hurt, picked on or left out. At the same time, these lessons will hurt a lot more if they don't learn them until adulthood.

Reply February 19, 2009 at 10:52 AM

joanne said...

i'm totally late in commenting on your post and you don't even know me...i stumbled across your blog and realized you and i are on the same LA moms board and you once recommended a fab mechanic to me that was wonderful! in any event, i am completely on your page with the valentine's business. i totally get it in preschool but beyond that, i want to teach my children to be loving and kind but not to be doormats and not to think that all children are equal because they are not. also agree that learning that earlier rather than later is not such a bad thing.

Reply April 15, 2009 at 08:06 PM

Food Tours

2011-02-11T00:12:00.001-08:00

I’ve been fortunate to have quite a few opportunities to check out a wide range of foodstuffs. I’d like to share my journey with you:

Universal Studios Hollywood – International Cafe

View Full Album

Meh, theme park food. Overpriced and not that great, right? Surprisingly, this is not the case at Universal Studios Hollywood’s International Cafe. I was invited to a Blogger’s Banquet to taste the cafe’s offerings, meet the chef and learn all about this award winning restaurant. Serving salads, cheese plates, baked goods, soups and sandwiches, all in a European cafe setting, a glance at the chalkboard “menu specials” of the day told me this isn’t just some fast food facade. We sampled four soups, my favorite being the Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar, Arugala salad with buffalo mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, a sampling of three sandwiches, my favorite was the Oven Roasted Turkey with Muenster Cheese and Garlic Sauce, homemade BBQ chips and for dessert, Chocolate Enchantment-layers of chocolate cake and chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, which was quite tasty, if a little much for me. The cafe also serves wine which you are allowed to bring outside the cafe to sit at the outdoor benches and tables. A crazy day at an amusement park with the family has left many a parent wishing for a cocktail. Universal aims to please!

Universal’s Executive Chef Eric Kopelow, the creator of the cafe’s menu, was at the banquet to answer our questions. The main things I learned is that everything is made fresh onsite, including the buffalo mozzarella and much of the menu changes daily. At the banquet, we watched as Chef Kopelow was honored with the Santé Award for Outstanding Achievement in Culinary Service and Hospitality as well as being recognized as “2010 Chef of the Year” by Chef Magazine. Darned impressive for a theme park…This is not your childhood orange liquid covered nachos and fried dough. Thank. God.

Wanted: Mom Birthday Party Stand-In

2011-02-05T20:52:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I have back to back birthday parties to attend. One at 11am for one of Lulu’s classmates, a girl who is having a “princess” theme. Lulu should be in her glory even though all her classmates are just turning 3 and are still very much into parallel play. Chip has been invited to his first birthday party of his nursery school classroom’s “birthday season”, which this year spans from January to June. This one is for a boy, is a “Star Wars” theme and begins at 1pm. Looks like we are going to be cutting it close OR I may have to enlist Surfer Guy and do a hand-off. This all brought back memories of how I was feeling during “High Season” last year and the post I wrote for the LA Moms Blog which closed this past July. Tonight seems the perfect time to revisit that post:

Wanted: Mom Birthday Party Stand-In was originally posted on The Los Angeles Moms Blog, April 22, 2010

Location: Los Angeles Westside/Southbay

Hiring Manager: Chip’s Mom

Position: Seasonal

Requirements: Driver’s license, clean driving record, willing to drive a minivan, ability to source tissue paper and themed gift bags

Salary: Name your price

Must love kids. My kids and others. Or be able to fake it. Due to the fact that every child in my son’s preschool class was born between March and June, we are currently in High Birthday Season Hell.

The ideal candidate will be happy, jovial and possess the stamina necessary to jump into the very busy 4th birthday party season just underway for the members of my son Chip’s preschool class at Lad & Lassie Preschool. Must be able to purchase birthday gifts, appropriate cards and wrap. A love of Costco cake and pizza a definite plus. The need to be able to simultaneously take care of 2 year old Lulu while making sure that Chip does not monopolize Spiderman (Batman, Princess Aurora, The Fireman) while they are trying to give extra attention to the guest of honor is a must.

I’m open to creative individuals who know how to finesse an arrival in order to avoid “the arts & crafts nightmare” portion of the party. Allowing Chip to duke it out with other kids for the pinata candy is also encouraged. True interest in being stuck for hours at parties in parks, at the beach, kid’s gyms and in backyards while juggling plates, juice boxes and goody bags is a plus although not a requirement. The vast majority of the parents and siblings of Chip’s classmates are perfectly nice. The one or two who try to suck you into their pyramid schemes will be pointed out to you at your training party. Chip’s birthday is in June, at the end of the High Birthday Season. Candidate’s assistance in the planning and execution of Chip’s party would be a bonus opportunity. This position may be ongoing, seasonally, until both Chip and Lulu are of age to attend drop off birthday parties. Interested candidates who meet the above requirements please contact Elizabeth at Traded My BMW for a Minivan.

An original post for The Los Angeles Moms Blog

When Elizabeth Peterson isn’t trying buy her way out of certain mom duties, she can be found blogging about stuff she’d rather be doing over on her personal blog: Traded My BMW for a Minivan.

Comments (These are the original comments from the LA Moms Blog)

Nicole Pelton said...

Wish you lived up here, I could send my husband, who's aghast at the idea of a drop-off party. "Why wouldn't I want to stay and hang out with my kids at the party?" He loves any and all pizza, but I will warn you, every one of your kid's friends would get a soccer ball for a present :)

Reply April 22, 2010 at 02:55 PM

twitter.com/TechPRMaven said...

Great post! It seems like every kid in my son's preschool class was born between March and June, with the exception of my son, who has an August birthday...I thought it was a phenomenon related to his school, but apparently it is everywhere. The parties...almost one per weekend.... Now, the latest trend at my son's school is to bring in cookies, cakes, brownies and favors and have a party in the classroom, which is fine every once in a while, but I swear that there were at least three last week, he came home sugared-up, tired and grumpy (but with a new toy, which was a bonus for him)...Ahh, how I long for the end of Birthday season...

Reply April 22, 2010 at 05:59 PM

Elizabeth A said...

Thank God the birthday party frenzy is almost over for my kids. I remember it well, though, and think you're on to something with this ad.

Reply April 22, 2010 at 07:16 PM

Watching Wednesday – Sex and The City 2

2011-01-12T17:10:00.001-08:00

2010 Buying Guide – simplehuman

2010-12-18T23:32:00.000-08:00

My love of simplehuman products is deep and vast. It just doesn’t feel like a year end review without covering some items of genius for the home from the one company that seems to solve all my domestic problems. Everyone knows I’m relatively un-domestic. I don’t want to have to DEAL with household furnishings. I want stuff that is simple, easy and solves my problems. The other thing most people don’t realize is that most of the stuff I’m talking about, like the Tension Shower Caddy I reviewed last year and the Steel Frame Dishrack I reviewed last Summer, are things you use all. The. Time. You shower, you eat, you live your daily life in your home. It makes sense to get the good stuff that lasts and looks good.

For this round, I’m really excited about three products I’d like to introduce you to. Let’s kick it off with the Quick Grip Napkin Holder which holds approximately 75 quadrifold napkins while allowing you to pull out just one napkin at a time. The weighted tension arm simultaneously works as a paperweight while keeping the stack neat. The sleek stainless steel style makes it totally all about the napkins. This is great for outdoor events or heck even when I have my kitchen window open. Your typical “vertical letter holder style” napkin holder is ridiculous compared to this. I had inexpensive, bumpy textured, lower weight napkins stacked in the Quick Grip and was able to easily remove the top one without disturbing the stack. This holder is also ideal for toddlers, as in my family, who can just grab for the top napkin. The Quick Grip Napkin Holder is $19.99, has a 5 year warranty and also comes in a bamboo version.

My love affair with simplehuman began years ago with The Wall Mount Grocery Bag Holder which was perfect in my previous kitchen. Where I live now, however, the wall mount is not an ideal setup. Thus, when I noticed that simplehuman offers The Upright Bag Holder, I knew I had found my new solution. It has a slim design that I describe as being about “two cereal boxes wide and a little bit longer”. It fits easily in my kitchen cabinet (where I keep it) but it also looks totally great on a countertop like a stainless steel kitchen accessory anyone would have. The base is sturdy and non-skid with rubber pads that also protect surfaces. You put your plastic shopping bags in the top and pull them out through the wide front opening. The official capacity is listed as 50 bags, but I’ve been known to jam more than that in. The Upright Bag Holder is $16.99 and has a 10 year warranty.

It’s interesting to note that I am totally gung-ho about a product that stores “plastic shopping bags” and maybe you would be thinking that’s not so great for the environment. Let me state that I am a huge proponent of reusable shopping bags and I own a bunch of them. I use them constantly. However, in my household, there is a real need for plastic bags and I think that reusing plastic shopping bags is a good way to minimize consumption. We have diapers, a dog and….Well, without oversharing, you know that there are times you need a plastic bag! Which brings me to the final product I’d like to share with you: The Profile Open Can. I have space challenges in two bathrooms, and this product fits right where I need to put trash cans. I prefer open top trash cans in my bathrooms, it’s so much easier to toss and go. But, even more importantly, if you have awkward spaces, getting a foot maneuvered to open a step can is just silly. Of course, I want to have a liner in my swell Profile Open Can, and what do I use? Plastic shopping bags! The can is stainless steel and has a 2.6 gallon capacity which is exactly right for your typical plastic grocery bag. There is a removable inner bucket that has handles designed to hold a grocery bag in place. Then, as if that weren’t perfect enough, there is a removable top frame that covers the inner bucket and hides any of the plastic bag, giving a totally clean look. I really would love it if simplehuman offered this can in more colors and/or materials. I think this is the only can any bathroom needs. The Profile Open Can is $29.99 and comes with a 5 year warranty.

One question I always ask myself when I consider a purchase is: does this solve more than one problem for me? If the answer is, “yes”, that is a big justification for me to open my wallet. simplehuman products always solve more than one problem. They even solve problems you didn’t even know you had until you start using them—their product line is that well conceived. You can order their products directly from simplehuman.com as well as at many retailers, visit the website to find a store near you.

Disclosure: simplehuman provided me with these three products for the purpose of this review.

2010 Buying Guide – VTech Cordless Phone System

2010-12-17T22:30:00.000-08:00

The VTech DS6321-3 is an expandable, three handset, cordless phone system with a digital answering machine. The feature that takes this cordless phone to the next level is that it has Cellular Connection through BLUETOOTH technology. This means you can synch your cell to your VTech system and never miss a call. That has become kind of a big deal to me lately. I get a call on my cell and it’s sitting in my purse in the other room or charging somewhere—where I can’t hear it. The beauty of this system is that your cell will ring through your cordless phone and you can use the closest handset to answer. Another interesting feature is that with the move away from landlines, you can still have this system in your house and use it only for your cell phone. Like a whole house BLUETOOTH set up. This comes with 3 handsets (each with its own charging base) but is expandable up to 12.

The DS6321-3 is the first cordless phone system capable of downloading cellular phonebook directory entries using the BLUETOOTH technology, making it really easy to just pick up the phone and use your cell line. Up to four BLUETOOTH devices (cell phones, smartphones, headsets) can be registered on the DS6321-3, and two cellular phones can be connected to the DS6321-3 at one time. Operating as a virtual two-line system, the DS6321-3 also allows users to be on a landline call on one handset, while another handset can be used simultaneously for a cellular call. You can set the ringtones on the handsets so you know if it’s a cell call or a landline call coming in. For hands-free landline conversations, users can make and receive traditional landline calls on the DS6321-3 while using a BLUETOOTH headset, or take advantage of the handset speakerphones. I don’t have a BLUETOOTH headset since I have it wired into my car, so I use the handset speakerphone, mainly when I’m waiting on hold.

This brings me to my nit-picky wish list for this system: I wish it had a regular headset jack so that I could have a hands-free conversation (as I mentioned, I don’t have a BLUETOOTH headset), I wish it had a belt clip which is something I actually used on my last cordless system and as a busy mom, I can frequently multi-task with a phone clipped on and a headset. These would seem to be really basic things that I would personally appreciate having. Another negative I’ve noticed is that the “delete” function on the answering system is very unforgiving. When you are done listening to a message, you literally run the risk of deleting the next message if you hit the delete button. There is no “margin” between messages. I’ve found it’s safer to run through the messages once and THEN go back and delete. In all my answering machines, over the years, I’ve never had this “phobia of deleting the next message.” So, I’ve got that workaround. Overall, I’ve been happy with this system and will continue to use it. It is comfortable to hold, the battery life has been mostly sufficient, however, we do tend to keep them on the chargers when not in use. Coincidentally, both my mother and my sister who live in different parts of the country bought this exact same system independent of knowing that I had it too. They are both happy with it. MSRP is $99.95, but I have seen it at major retailers and wholesale clubs for less.

Disclosure: I was provided with one VTech DS6321-3 for review purposes.

2010 Buying Guide – Razor Scooters

2010-12-16T18:32:00.000-08:00

The dot-com era image that totally nails it in my Gen-X brain, to this day, is the hipster riding a Razor Scooter through the office. The funny thing is that although most of those dot-coms crashed and burned, The Razor Scooter has continued on a smooth glide into its 10th anniversary. My family and I were super lucky to be invited to a Razor Playdate recently where we got to try out a number of Razor products. In fact, Razor now has 50 ride-on products with something for everyone. I always believe in starting with the original concept, thus the Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Model is the Razor Scooter to me. The aluminum frame and urethane wheels give such a smooth glide and the adjustable height handlebars and 200 lb weight capacity make it an accessible ride. The scooter is only 6 lbs and is easy to fold and carry. Recommended for ages 5+ with a MSRP of $99.99, although I have seen it at major retailers with a lower price tag.

For the littlest ones, like Lulu, I recommend a “training scooter”. The Razor Lil’ Kick scooter has three wheels which allows for the preschool crowd to work on their confidence and coordination without having to simultaneously focus on balance. The Lil’ Kick also has a wider deck that lets the rider have both feet squarely on board. Extra-large wheels and a handle-bar pad are nice added touches for a child’s first Razor Scooter. Recommended for ages 3+ with a MSRP of $39.99.

Now onto the RipRider 360, which is just so awesome. I wish I had this when I was a kid. It’s the 2010 version of a 1970’s Big Wheel! The rear dual-inclined caster wheels allow for total free-wheeling. You can ride along and then drift and spin out effortlessly. At the Razor Playdate, I watched a 12 year old boy having a blast on it and he gave me two thumbs up when I asked him if he would recommend it to his friends. The RipRider 360 has won a bunch of awards over the past couple of years. Being a mom who sees a lot of toys and is seeing toys from her own childhood come back, I was really wowed by the RipRider 360. Finally, something that caused this perhaps slightly jaded mom to say, “HEY! What’s that?!” Recommended for ages 5+ with a MSRP of $129.99. Many of my readers know how important the topic of child safety is to me. At the Razor Playdate we were invited to bring our own helmets and safety gear if we had it and they also supplied it to anyone who wanted to try any of the products and didn’t have their own. I strongly urge anyone who gets any of these amazing Razor products for the children in their lives also make sure they have the necessary safety equipment to go along with it. Razor shares tips and info on their commitment to safety on their site.

Disclosure: My family and I were invited by Razor to attend their Playdate Event where we were given the Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Scooter. Razor gave me the Lil’ Kick Scooter and RipRider 360 for the purpose of this review.

“Community” on NBC

2010-12-09T02:03:00.001-08:00

Ultimately, in this town, it’s who you know, not what, if you want to get your minivan onto a studio lot, primo parking and set access. Hollywood connections, are the nature of my game. That said, myself and several other awesome mom bloggers visited the set of the NBC sit-com, Community, a few days ago. The basic premise of the show is that it’s a group of misfits who all attend Greendale Community College together. We had a fabulous time hanging out on the set, watching some of the taping and meeting members of the cast. While we kicked back on one of the sets they weren’t currently shooting on, Joel McHale, Ken Jeong, Alison Brie and John Oliver stopped by for a fun and fairly silly Q & A with us. Because, hey, it’s a COMEDY, and these folks can’t just stop and be totally serious, right? I had secretly hoped that Chevy Chase would be on set that day, because, he is such a legend. My father was a huge fan. Alas, he wasn’t taping that day. We next headed over to an executive dining room on The Paramount Lot for lunch with Yvette Nicole Brown, who was just awesome. She is so fun and upbeat and talked with us about a whole range of topics.

Community from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

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The big reason for our attendance was to learn about the “Very Special” Community airing tonight at 8/7c on NBC. In the quick video I’ve added in here, you can watch some of the cast talking behind the scenes info about the episode. It’s stop-action claymation like the classic Christmas shows from our childhood. ABED'S UNCONTROLLABLE CHRISTMAS: THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS LOST AND ABED’S INTENSE FIXATION ON CHRISTMAS CONCERNS THE GROUP —When Abed (Danny Pudi) wakes up in stop-motion animation, he takes it as a sign that he and the group must re-discover the meaning of Christmas. Meanwhile, Jeff (Joel McHale) and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) become growingly concerned about Abed's mental health and enlist the help of Professor Duncan (John Oliver). The group undergoes hypnosis to explore Abed's winter wonderland and soon unravel the truth behind Abed’s madness. Chevy Chase, Yvette Nicole Brown, Donald Glover, and Ken Jeong also star. Review: I was lucky to get a special early viewing of the episode and it is so awesome! The stop-action animation is executed really well. All the characters come together, although transformed into clay, to help Abed. Everything is so true to the “regular” show. The story line is really clever and fun. It would be interesting to see if this becomes a cult holiday classic. There will be a Community “Live Viewing Party” on Twitter hashtag #nbcCommunity tonight at 8pm EST/7 CST/5 pm PST and there will be cast members participating and giving out prizes.

Cookie Exchange Week

2010-12-08T13:37:00.001-08:00

Apparently December 6-12, 2010 has been designated Cookie Exchange Week. Why? I don’t know, or really care, but I find it amusing. You see, exactly one year ago I was invited to my first cookie exchange and was so overwhelmed at the idea of it all that I was compelled to blog about it for the now closed Los Angeles Moms Blog. Since I now find there is a whole week devoted to it, it certainly seems appropriate that we revisit my old post. This year I even feel more amused by the cookie exchange subculture upon finding blog posts here and here that explain with painstaking detail how you might go about having a cooking exchange, like starting two weeks ahead and assuring you don’t get duplicate recipes. Oh my. Hold me.

Cookie Exchange Angst

(Originally posted December 11, 2009 here)

I have come to accept the fact that I am an imposter among my peers. Everyone I know has their domestic lives firmly in order, meanwhile the only cleaning supplies I own are a bottle of windex and baby wipes. I recently received an e-mail that sent me so far over the edge that I’ve begun to question who I really am and where I came from. The e-mail subject: You are invited to a Cookie Exchange. I’d never heard of such a thing. Me, who has lived in several foreign countries, considers herself fairly hip to American Culture and was on Jeopardy! Somehow the cookie exchange never made it into my consciousness. The e-mail said simply: You are invited to a cookie exchange, bring three dozen cookies. Must be homemade. Great, I thought, I don’t even know what this is and I can’t buy my way out of it either. Of course, I proceeded to Google “cookie exchange” and became even more confused. Seems like there are all kinds of variations. Bring cookies beautifully wrapped, bring the recipe, bring several copies of the recipe, bring an elegant tin to exchange with another participant. Interestingly, no where does it really explain what your end result is? Do you eat cookies at the exchange? Or do you just exchange them? If you bring three dozen, do you leave with three dozen? Here’s where I’m really confused: What do I then do with the three dozen cookies? Yes, I know, I could eat them. I could give them away. I could throw them away. I want to know what people do with their cookie exchange cookies. Do all my domestic goddess friends live in idyllic neighborhoods where carolers come by and you happen to have hot cocoa and your cookie exchange cookies all arranged on a Christmas Tree shaped plate? The carolers finish belting out “Silver Bells”, yank off their mittens and then huddle in your elegantly appointed foyer sipping and munching?

I have so many questions. The questions beget more questions and then I find myself calling friends who I think are “in the know”. Each friend I have called does in fact know of cookie exchanges. Yet, each one has given me different scenarios. None can really answer my questions, such as: How large a container do I bring? What if everyone else has large or odd shaped cookies and they don’t fit in my container? I have cookie exchange anxiety. The words “Cookie Exchange” peer back at me from my calendar. It is scheduled for next week. I don’t cook. I don’t bake. I don’t have flour in my house. Clearly, it doesn’t appear likely that I will be participating in the exchange. The obstacles in my way are too great. Yet, I’m oddly intrigued. I even feel left out in advance. Secretly, I want to just go and see what it is and not have to participate. Or, maybe a friend will be like, “Hey, Liz, you wanna take a dozen cookies? I can’t possibly take three dozen home especially with Artie on Atkins and all.” Maybe I can be an “alternate” at the cookie exchange? Taking the unwanted dozens and half dozens from my friends and acquaintances. How can I pitch that to the host? Is that even appropriate? I mean, I could offer to be an alternate cookie-taker and sign a release that I’m fully aware I may not get any cookies. Right? Is that being fun and creative or just being annoying and freaky?

Not ready to give up I had an idea. What really is the definition of “homemade”? Made in the home? What is the definition of “made”? I starting thinking about Sandra Lee and her “semi-homemade” franchise. If half of the ingredients are homemade that should be sufficient, I’m thinking. If I bake them in the oven, even if most of the preparation is not homemade, that ought to qualify, I’m sure. I looked at some of Sandra’s recipes. They look like a lot of work. Pretty much as much work as totally homemade. Making cookies is not easily shortcut-able like, say, doctoring up a store bought roast chicken with a jar of ponzu sauce and some crushed wontons. Dang.

If I really, really want in and have no shame. I could show up and claim mommy brain. “Liz, where are your cookies?” Me: “Cookies? Oh, my gosh! I thought we were playing bunco! I swear, my brain went out with the placenta! But, wow, don’t those pecan sandies look divine!” What could they do? Send me away without cookies? I think I’ve found my in. Heh.

Update 12/12/10: Today a woman named Julia Usher started following me on Twitter. Why, remains a mystery. However, I looked at her profile and was fascinated to find she is the author of a book called “Cookie Swap” and that there is a website, CookieSwapping.com that currently states on its homepage that cookie swaps are NOT just for Christmas anymore! I am becoming obsessed by this sub-culture. I want to meet Julia Usher and take her to lunch.

This is an original post for the Los Angeles Moms Blog.

When Elizabeth Peterson isn't in training sessions for the Pillsbury Bake Off, she can be found over at her personal blog, Traded My BMW for a Minivan.

Comments (these are the original comments from the LA Moms Blog post)

Nicole Pelton said...

I love this post, such creative ideas. I'd have you over just for the entertainment. I always though it would be fun to have a cookies exchange, but I love to bake. My cookie donations for bake sales are often the ones given away free since they are small or pitiful looking :) I remember reading some articles or blog posts or something on cookie exchanges, and people had all these rules...they had to be big and fancy - forget tollhouse choc chip, wrapped up, people served all this gourmet food for snacking. Believe me, my cookie exchange would never be like that.

Reply December 11, 2009 at 10:40 AM

April said...

This is only my 2nd year participating in a cookie exchange. Last year, I used the dough from one of my girls' fundraiser. This year, in a scheduling screw-up, I had to call in re-inforcements: my dad made the cookies for me :)

Reply December 11, 2009 at 11:33 AM

Eunice said...

you should just bake the cookies you made yesterday, those are totally homemade. I think she just meant don't bring chips ahoy.

Reply December 11, 2009 at 12:54 PM

elizabeth said...

so funny -- I've missed your clever posts. As for cookie exchanges, I think that's a fancy person's problem and you should just relax. It'd be great to go to Costco or something and buy a tray of cookies and bring those. Why not?

Reply December 11, 2009 at 03:20 PM

Diane said...

I loved your post.

Reply December 11, 2009 at 05:22 PM

Elizabeth said...

Aack! I've been plotting to serve 3 dozen cookies on a Christmas-tree shaped plate for a caroling party. Now I have to think up something original. . .

Liz, an aging late-to-the-pary suburbanite.

Reply December 11, 2009 at 08:28 PM

Sarah Auerswald said...

This is a crack-up! I have actually heard of cookie exchanges, but never participated in one -- and now, if I were asked to, I'd freak out because who knew there were so many variations? Plus I am really not the right kind of person for it -- I would only want to take the kind of cookies I like and leave the rest... Bad! I know.

Reply December 11, 2009 at 09:44 PM

Teresa DeGagne said...

Great post! Good luck with that. I seriously have a terrific cookie recipe involving 4 ingredients. One of them is cake mix. Cake mix for cookies...who knew?

Reply December 12, 2009 at 07:46 AM

Erin S. said...

Fun post! My girlfriend does a cookie exchange every year that needs an auxillary title: "Wine & Cheese/Box-Up-Other-Moms'-Cookies-to-Take-Home-to-Your-Kids Night"!!

Reply December 18, 2009 at 08:47 AM

Sauza, Chef Marcela & Ladies Night in LA

2010-12-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

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What an absolutely fun and yummy night we had last night! I am going to admit I had no idea of how creative and high end you can get with tequila when knowing what to do with it! Chef Marcela totally showed us how it’s done. She prepared four cocktails, four dishes and one dessert! Chef Marcela has kindly shared her recipes with us…The brussels sprouts were to die for! We all had such a blast and Chef Marcela was so lovely to speak with. I’d like to thank Sauza Tequila for sponsoring our party. With the holiday season upon us, it is super important to realize that drinking and driving do not mix! Sauza provided car service for all our blogger attendees, YDriveLA.com generously provided their service and The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club hosted two of our guests who traveled from out of town. Additionally, I’d like to thank everyone who participated on Twitter and Facebook last night asking questions and joining in the fun. Big thank you to Daytrippingmom for letting me use her iPad…Made it so much easier to tweet while simultaneously holding a cocktail.

In case you missed the live stream, here is a video that my amazing co-host Deb Lavdas put together to show you all a some of our Ladies Night in LA:

Three of the cocktail and the shrimp recipes are included in the scattered images above. The extremely popular lamb and brussels sprouts recipes are below. You can find the other recipes Marcela prepared last night, including the Warm Winter Margarita, on the Sauza Tequila Facebook page. Thanks for celebrating with us. I hope you have a holiday season filled with fun, warmth and while you are at it, try adding some Sauza in to the festivities!

Rack of Lamb with Ancho Crust

Serves 4

1 ancho chile, stemmed and seeded

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

3 large shallots, minced

2 teaspoons thyme chopped

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs made from French bread

Salt and pepper To Taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 well trimmed racks of lamb (each about 1 1/4 pounds)

3 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Jalapeño jelly (optional)

Tear the chile into small pieces and place in a spice grinder. Grind the chile to a powder.

Melt butter in large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and saute for 3 minutes, or until the shallots are soft. Add the chile powder and stir. Add the bread crumbs and cook for 5 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the crumb topping cool.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet over high heat. Season the lamb racks all over with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the lamb racks to the skillet, rounded side down. Sear for 6 minutes, or until brown. Transfer the racks to a large rimmed baking sheet, seared side up. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mustard over each rack. Press the crumb topping into the mustard.

Roast for 20 minutes for a medium rare, or until desired doneness. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing in to chops. Serve with jalapeño jelly is desired.

Brussels Sprouts in Morilla Cream

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds brussels sprouts. halved

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

3 scallions (white and pale green parts only)

1 morilla chile, stemmed, seeded, and very thinly sliced

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper To Taste

Method of Preparation:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the brussels sprouts and stir for 1 minute to coat them with butter. Add the broth, cover, and simmer for 7 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are tender. Uncover and continue to simmer for 4 minutes, or until all of the broth evaporates. Transfer brussels sprouts to medium bowl.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in same pan. Add the sunflower seeds, scallions, and chile and saute for 2 minutes, or until the nuts are toasted and chile is tender. Stir in the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, return the brussels sprouts to pan, and toss to coat them with the cream. Season the brussels sprouts to taste with salt and pepper.

There’s a Sauza Holiday Party in My House Tonight

2010-12-06T01:31:00.001-08:00

And you are invited! This evening, Monday December 6, Chef Marcela Valladolid whom some of you may know from her Food Network Show, “Mexican Made Easy” is coming to my house to share some of her favorite holiday recipes using Sauza® Tequila. I’ve been a fan of Marcela’s since I saw her compete on Martha Stewart’s Apprentice a few years ago and am really looking forward to meeting her tonight. I’m fairly convinced I may have been Mexican in a former life because it is my favorite cuisine. Chef Marcela will get the Sauza® Tequila out for a Ladies Night in with some of my really great food and mom blogger friends from all over So. California. Here is the best part though…YOU are invited too! You can join in the fiesta because we are streaming this live on Sauza's Facebook page from 7:15 PST - 8:30 PST.

Marcela is going to demonstrate and share her recipes including a shrimp dish I got some pre-party intelligence on—you won’t want to miss. She is also going to make some tasty cocktails, because, it’s not a party at my house without some tasty beverages. I love a margarita and am intrigued that Marcela will be showing us how to make her favorite Warm Winter Margarita. Oh, and it gets even better! I’ve got some of my favorite bloggers co-hosting with me: Sugar Jones, Deb Lavdas and Ana Flores. In addition to talking to us live on the Sauza Facebook page, you can send your questions about tequila, Mexican Cuisine, general cooking questions…ask away to #LadiesNightInLA on Twitter and Marcela will answer them live. Make sure you are following all of us on Twitter: @MintCool @laflowers @sugarjones and @deblavdas to get in on the party fun. If you can't catch the webcast but want to join the discussion, visit tweetchat.com enter #LadiesNightInLA and you are good to go! It’s going to be a blast, so make sure you grab your bottle of Sauza and get ready to follow along. I’ll see you tonight!

Bigfoot the Monster—he’s in a mood

2010-12-02T02:13:00.001-08:00

The legend of Bigfoot has always been fascinating to me. I still wonder if we will ever prove the existence of Bigfoot (or Sasquatch or Yeti or Abominable Snowman or…). But, at least for now, Fisher-Price has Bigfoot in existence and he is sure one of the hottest toys this holiday season. This remote control toy is recommended for ages 3-8, which is just about perfect for my kids. One of the best things about the wireless remote control is that the buttons have images on them, enabling pre-readers to maneuver Bigfoot and “see” what they are commanding him to do.

Bigfoot is also a moody blue-eyed dude—which I think is really clever for a toy. There is a Bigfoot Facebook App that let’s you share your mood with all your friends. I just did it and I was feeling impatient, that’s the Bigfoot Mood I shared with my FB friends…I’m betting most of my friends are nodding in agreement. It’s a fun app and I recommend checking it out and while you’re there, entering the sweepstakes to win your own BIGFOOT the Monster. Because winning an awesome toy during the holidays puts ANYONE in a good mood!

I have been compensated for my participation in this campaign.

Playmobil Advent Calendars

2010-11-28T00:51:00.000-08:00

I’ve been a big fan of Playmobil ever since I discovered the toys a few years ago. Chip had a big pirate phase and Playmobil was perfect with a large selection of figures and accessories for all kinds of fun, imaginative play. My mother-in-law lives in Sweden and since Playmobil is a German company, they get the new products over there first. When we are in Sweden, a visit to a toy store to check out Playmobil’s latest offerings is always on my to-do list. I was really thrilled when Playmobil sent me The Police Advent Calendar to review because Chip LOVES everything police! He was a SWAT police officer for Halloween and loves police toys. The thing that really bothers me about advent calendars in general is that I only seem to be able to find chocolate ones. Considering most kids want to open an advent “door” each morning, starting off with a piece of chocolate is odd to me. Playmobil’s clever concept, literally, behind each day’s door is that there is a new toy and by Christmas the child has a complete playset that continues to be play-worthy! In addition to The Police, there are four more Playmobil Advent Calendars offered for 2010: Christmas in the Forest, Pony Ranch, Dragon’s Land, and Unicorn in Fairy World.

The outer box has a numbered diagram showing which toy is behind which day’s door. This is totally convenient for parents to see and doesn’t ruin the surprise for the kids because you remove the actual calendar from this outer box. I’m impressed that most days actually contain several items making for a nice collection by day 24. The calendar box itself turns into play scene at the end as well! Kind of a totally amazing idea and a nice pre-Christmas gift at a great price point. I just showed The Police Advent Calendar to Chip today and he is absolutely

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beside himself asking when he can open the first door. He is asking if it’s tomorrow…And he keeps asking. Ok, only a couple of days until December 1st. This is also a fun way to reinforce the calendar skills we have been working on. I think I’ll put an actual month of December calendar next to the Playmobil Advent Calendar and ask chip to match up the day on the door to the day of the month. These advent calendar playsets are recommended for ages 4+ and retail for about $16.99. Basic adult set-up required (wordless directions=easy). Available at PlaymobilUSA.com as well as brick and mortar stores nationwide. Thank you to Playmobil for sending me The Police Advent Calendar to enable me to write this review.

Death In The Family

2010-11-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

Occasionally you hear something like: "Due to a death in the family [insert explanation]." My father passed away exactly one month ago and it is very much my explanation as to why I haven't been posting. Although, I often think of so much I could post about relating to my father's passing. One of my favorite sayings is: "You just gotta do it one time, then you are an expert." Well, that's how I feel about my journey over the past month...And my journey continues. However, blogging now fits into my journey. Thanks for your understanding while I've been on my detour. Much love! Elizabeth

Halloween at Southern California Theme Parks

2010-10-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

Every Southern California theme park has Halloween activities. However, not all events are the right fit for each member of the family. Here is a guide to the top picks to help you plan your Halloween family fun.

Halloween Time at Disneyland

Disneyland is all dressed up for Halloween! Space Mountain has turned into “Space Mountain – Ghost Galaxy” and The Haunted Mansion is all decked out a la “Tim Burton’s Nightmare before Christmas”. Disney characters are dressed in Halloween costumes and the Disney Villains characters can also be found roaming the park this time of year.

Mickey’s Halloween Party, a separate ticket event at Disneyland, takes place on Tuesday (6pm) and Friday (7pm) evenings during October as well as Halloween night. The extra bonus this year is that guests attending Mickey’s Halloween Party are allowed to enter Disneyland three hours early to play in the park. Mickey’s Halloween Party is also the only way to see the “Halloween Screams” fireworks spectacular. Adults and children can dress in costume, trick-or-treat throughout the park, attend dance parties and take photos with characters in the special photo locations set up for the party. Tickets start at $49. For more information visit: Halloween at Disneyland

Knott’s Scary Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm is transformed for the season into The Halloween Haunt at Knott’s Scary Farm Wednesday through Sunday nights in October. Featuring 13 mazes, 7 hair-raising shows, 3 horrific scare zones and 1,000 roaming monsters, this year is scarier than ever. The doors open at 7pm and close at 1am (2am on Fridays and Saturdays) for this separate ticket event. Knott’s Pre-Scare “Boo-ffet” Dinner, $20.99, allows event ticket holders early entry into The Haunt. Knott’s Halloween Haunt is a scary event and not recommended for children under 13. Guests are not allowed to wear costumes so as not to be confused with The Haunt characters. Tickets start at $33. For more information visit: Knotts Scary Farm

For the younger kids, Snoopy’s Costume Party in Camp Snoopy is an alternative daytime non-scare celebration of Halloween cheer rather than fear. Offered on weekends in October, 10am-5pm and included with regular park admission. This special, family event includes friendly monsters, a kid-friendly maze, crafts, and trick-or-treat stations.

Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights

Universal Studios Hollywood is offering its Halloween Horror Nights on consecutive weekends and select weeknights in October. This separate ticket event begins at 7pm and is not recommended for children under 13. Horror Nights capitalizes on Universal’s movie franchises by combining the themes and characters into mazes, scare zones and the “Terror Tram” attraction. How about a stroll through the Friday the 13^th maze with Jason followed by working your way through A Nightmare on Elm Street maze with Freddy Krueger? All Universal attractions are open during Horror Nights. Costumes are not allowed. Tickets start at $44. For more information visit: Universal Horror Nights

Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND

Every Saturday in October from 5-9pm, LEGOLAND California is transformed into a not-too-spooky Halloween haven for Brick-or-Treat Party Nights featuring costume contests, dance contests, a pumpkin patch building event, “howler of the hour” contests, nighttime trick-or-treating on one of two Brick-or-Treat Trails, live music and entertainment.

During the day every Saturday and Sunday in October revelers 12 and under trick-or-treat on the Park’s exclusive Brick-or-Treat Trail, where they gather goodies including delicious treats, trading cards and other surprises. Guests can also enjoy the new musical “Mail Order Monsters” and pose with a giant LEGO^® jack-o-lantern. All Brick-or-Treat and Party Nights festivities are included in the price of regular one-day admission to LEGOLAND California. Special tickets for Brick-or-Treat Party Nights only are available for $30. During Brick-or-Treat, LEGOLAND is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information visit: Legoland

It’s Blogger Prom!

2010-09-22T10:13:00.001-07:00

I’m off to Blogger Prom tonight at Yamashiro in Hollywood! I’m attending with none other than The Hollywood Housewife and we are putting the final touches on our outfits as we type. The theme is Hollywood Glamour…I think I’m sort of aiming for a Lauren Bacall circa Humphrey Bogart…Sorta kinda, as if I could pull that off. The Blogger Prom is a charity event and I’ve stolen the following from the Blogger Prom site regarding this year’s charity: The Blogger Prom Committee is pleased to announce that 100% of the proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the Center for Community and Family Services in support of Operation Frontline Los Angeles, the regional OFL program at Share Our Strength "that teaches families how to prepare healthy, tasty meals on a limited budget" with the belief "that negative health and economic effects of hunger and poor diet can be avoided if families know how to shop for and prepare healthy, low cost meals." Pretty awesome and worthy cause! I never did get to go to my high school proms in a limo. Keeping the tradition into this century, I’ll be going to this one in my minivan. How amusing that all these years and so many limos—yes, I’ve been in a lot of limos since high school—I’d rather drive myself. Ok, I’m off like a prom dress! ;)

CBSLosAngeles.com

2010-09-11T00:02:00.001-07:00

You can now find me blogging over on the CBS Los Angeles site, CBSLosAngeles.com, that launched on September 1st. I’m really honored to have been invited to join a team of talented parent bloggers from all over the Los Angeles area who will be bringing readers the Best of LA geared for families. My first four posts are up covering: The Best Fun for Kids in The South Bay, The Best Fun for Kids in Long Beach, The Best Back to School Tips for LA Parents and a review of the arena spectacular, Walking with The Dinosaurs. The CBS Los Angeles site is home to KCBS-ch.2, KCAL-ch.9, KNX AM1070 and KFWB AM980 and there is lots of great local info as well as weather, traffic, sports and news. I look forward to this new opportunity and to sharing the best of LA with everyone.

Walking With Dinosaurs – Last Chances!

2010-08-31T23:23:00.001-07:00

I’m really excited that tomorrow I’ll be heading to The Honda Center in Anaheim to see one of the final performances of WALKING WITH DINOSAURS. The original company of WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – The Arena Spectacular, which has toured North America since July 2007, will play its final engagements at The Honda Center in Anaheim, CA September 1-5, followed by performances at The STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles, September 9-12. The show originally played the Los Angeles area in 2008 with an unprecedented sold-out run at both venues. WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – The Arena Spectacular is based on the award-winning BBC Television Series. In this production, seventeen roaring, snarling “live” dinosaurs mesmerize the audience as if they were back in the time when dinosaurs walked the earth. The dinosaurs are life-size, making the show so immense, it could only fit in arenas. The “live” dinosaurs are actually a brilliant combination of technology and traditional theater arts like lighting, acting, scenery and puppetry. The show is so enormous that they travel around North America in 25 trucks and production cost is $20 million.

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In WALKING WITH DINOSAURS, ten species are represented from the 200 million year reign of the dinosaurs. Wow, 200 million years? How do I explain that concept to Chip when I CAN HARDLY grasp it? Anyway, I’m personally thrilled to see that the Stegosaurus, my favorite dinosaur, is in the show’s cast. The show depicts the dinosaurs’ evolution which includes the climatic and tectonic changes that lead to the demise of many of the species. It also shows how the carnivores and herbivores behaved. The history of the world is played out with the splitting of the earth’s continents, and the transition from the arid desert of the Triassic period is given over to the lush green prairies and forces of the later Jurassic. Oceans form, volcanoes erupt, a forest catches fire -- all leading to the impact of the massive comet, which struck the earth, and forced the extinction of the dinosaurs. Apparently, all with a 35 minute first act, 20 minute intermission and a 35 minute second act! I think I’m looking forward to it more than the kids?!

Review: I attended opening night with my 4 year old son, 5 year old boy/girl twin neighbors and their mom. We were all enthralled by the show which is narrated by a rugged paleontologist who guides the audience through the 200 million year story. Some young children may be frightened by the full sized, “real” dinosaurs. Video is on the show’s site and it is recommended showing that to kids to get an idea of how they might feel at the show. Our 3 kids were really into the show and asked lots of questions. There are a few loud dinosaur roars that were tough on the toddler ears. If you can afford it, the price of sitting closer to the dinosaurs is well worth it. All seats are good and it may be wise to sit further back if little ones would be more comfortable away from a full grown, roaring T-Rex. Overall, this is a show I highly recommend as being really fun for the whole family. I wasn't feeling antsy or checking my watch, like I do at some of the "kiddie shows." When the Stegosaurus came out during the Jurassic Period, it was like seeing Yo Gabba Gabba for me! I leaned over to the kids and made sure they knew that was my favorite. Who doesn't like dinosaurs? Hot tip: Goldstar has half-priced tickets currently available on their site for The Staples Center shows.

Tickets are now on sale. Honda Center tickets ($22.50-79.00) can be purchased at the Honda Center Box Office and at any Ticketmaster outlet, charge by phone 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets for STAPLES Center ($39-79.00) can be purchased at the STAPLES Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone 213-480-3232 or online at ticketmaster.com. For groups, contact the local arena directly. For more information, please visit www.dinosaurlive.com. Video of the show is available on the site under “Meet The Dinos” tab in the middle of the front page.

Disclosure: I was given tickets to the show for review purposes and complimentary parking in the media lot. No compensation was received.

Variety Power of Women

2010-08-23T09:24:00.001-07:00

I am honored to have been chosen by Honda along with ten other amazing bloggers from all over the country to attend the Variety Power of Women Event in Beverly Hills on September, 30. The funny thing is I live really close to Beverly Hills, so I guess I’m the ideal, all expenses paid, winner! Variety has invited two of the bloggers to be Red Carpet Correspondents at the event to be chosen via a contest. All eleven of us wrote what the Power of Women means to us and our essays are posted on Honda’s Facebook page. The two bloggers whose essays receive the most votes will get to be the Red Carpet Correspondents. Here is my essay and if you would like to vote for me, just go to the Honda contest page and click “vote”. That’s it! The voting period ends Thursday, August 26, 8:59pm PDT. Thank you!

To me, “Power of Women” means harnessing the greatness of all the women who have gone before us, who have paved the way for us, the women of 2010. I’m not just referring to famous historic women. I mean all women: our mothers, grandmothers and their mothers and sisters. For every girl over the centuries who dreamed of creating something, there was at least one older female who supported her. Women supporting women, networking, mentoring and encouraging women and girls from all backgrounds to pursue their dreams and make a difference in their communities is a key element of today’s Power of Women. As I look back over the story of my life, I can think of so many women, some who only played walk-on roles, but who inspired, influenced or continue to echo through me. I just know that we can continue the momentum for the women yet to come.

Elizabeth Peterson

simplehuman Steel Frame Dishrack

2010-07-26T03:19:00.001-07:00

Don’t laugh. You’d love this dishrack, too. How long had I dealt with dishracks that basically got icky: rusty, moldy, messed up the counter, or just plain old gross? Last year I attended a blogger tea hosted by simplehuman, a company that has products I was already using. This past December, I reviewed their Tension Shower Caddy which I continue to love and still looks brand new. simplehuman is already on my “companies with awesome stuff” list, so I was hopeful their line of dishracks would hold the answer to my prayers. The simplehuman team was so kind to send me their Steel Frame Dishrack, $69.99, which is the largest of their dishracks. I realize $70 may strike you as a lot to pay for a dishrack. But, considering it’s something that you use daily and for most of us, several times a day, it makes sense to invest in a good one. This one has everything covered, the stainless steel is fingerprint proof, the drip tray is extendable for when you have glasses hanging on the flip-out cup holders, the plate holder area allows you to customize with flip-up tines, the utensil holder has a bamboo knife block, the drain spout pivots so you can aim it to your sink. The whole dishrack is customizable for either side of your sink, if you want to have it long or short alongside the sink and if you need to raise it for an overmount sink. The whole thing comes apart easily so you can clean it all with soapy water or wash it in the top rack of your dishwasher. No nasty crevices for icky stuff to get trapped! How brilliant? All this and it comes with a 5-year warranty.

The main concept, I read is that you can leave it on your counter and have it still look nice in your kitchen because it hides dishes while drying. I can see that working for people who KEEP UP with putting their dishes away. I can. I appreciate that if I could attain that and stay on top of that, I would have that look. I personally appreciate that I can get backed up and still load it up and it lets me get away with it. With the toddlers, I have a lot of stuff that I can’t put in the dishwasher, so I really use my dishrack a lot. As you can see from my picture. My hip 20-something babysitter even commented on how great the dishrack is the other day. Yes, dear readers, we have a keeper. Available at simplehuman.com, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Sur La Table.

South Coast Plaza = Mall Heaven

2010-07-26T01:28:00.001-07:00

Not to dwell on the past, but to understand me a little better, it is worth telling you a little bit about my youth. Growing up, the mall closest to my house was referred to as “the worst mall”. Full of stores that had no relevance to me or my friends. I would go there and wonder how I could be so unlucky. Ironically, the mall located closest to my beach house was, if possible, an even worse mall. That mall had wall to wall carpeting. Need. I. Say. More? I dreamed of growing up and living near a really great mall. Ok, I realize I sound shallow and snobby. Realize that: 1) this was me, as a kid, thinking these things, 2) of course I had other goals and 3) this is my blog and I can say whatever I want.

When I walk into South Coast Plaza I want to throw my arms in the air, twirl around and then lie on the marble floor and make snow angels. Oh, my, mall! How is it possible so much fabulous retail exists in one walkable locale? I was really lucky to attend South Coast Plaza’s recent Blogger Event along with a number of LA and Orange County fashion and travel bloggers. Our schedule kicked off in the VIP ACCESS Suite, located in the Saks Fifth Avenue wing on level 2. VIP members receive free valet parking and membership in the suite which provides guests with a place to relax, store purchases and enjoy refreshments. The suite also has a Zen Room and a Sports Lounge and is attended by a concierge who will handle personal requests including dining reservations and event tickets. When I was in here I couldn’t help but think that certain people who get dragged to go shopping would love hanging out in the VIP ACCESS Suite whilst the other members of their party shopped! We were briefed on our agenda, given our lovely canvas gift bags and {{{woosh}}} the fashionistas in the group swept me up and out the door towards our first stop, the Tumi Boutique.

As a multi-lingual, globetrotter, having lived in a few different countries, I have been on a search for the perfect piece of luggage since I got my first passport at age 5. I suspect I’ll always be looking but I must say Tumi certainly sets the standard for innovation, creativity and understanding the needs of the modern traveler. The staff at Tumi demonstrated packing techniques (see video) showing us how to use some of their packing accessories including the packing cubes and flat folding packs for optimum efficiency. All the bloggers were thrilled when we found out Tumi was giving each of us a Just In Case Tote which is the perfect bag that zips up into its own pouch and turns into a sturdy, handy tote bag when you find out you “over-shopped” or were “over-swagged” and need an extra bag for the trip back home. Tumi gets major stars for a really useful blogger gift!

Tumi Boutique Southcoast Blogger Event from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

Next stop was Spa Nordstrom Escape for a Blogger Bronzing Session using St. Tropez air-brush spray tanning process. We had our faces done and I was really impressed with how quickly the results appeared and how natural it looked. The tan lasts for several days and can be maintained for weeks with at home application of the St. Tropez products. The spa offers a menu of services and is a really nice offering that I had no idea existed at Nordstroms. The staff is really warm and friendly and gave us tours of the treatment rooms. I noted that they have showering facilities which is a nice amenity to have available for clients. All tanned and refreshed, but, sadly, no time to shop for shoes…We did a fashionista march to our next destination: Henri Bendel.

I can’t say it any better than HenriBendel.com describes themselves: “Henri Bendel is a girls’ playground, where Bendel girls go to find the new and the next in accessories, cosmetics and gifts.” You know how you felt when you were about 8 and walked into a candy store? Ok, now you get it. The other thing is that things there can be splurge-y, yet at the same time, incredibly practical. Plus the price points allow absolutely anyone to have something from Henri Bendel. I personally was digging the “Disturbed Stripe” Collection, especially the The Disturbed Stripe Beach Towel. I want that towel. Will someone please give me one? I’m not picky, but if you are asking, I’d like the one with the red trim. Thanks. The Travel Candle Collection is coming back by popular demand at the end of this month. Available in stores and online, in scents like Lemon Verbena, Peony and Vanilla Bean and only $15, it’s a nice way to bring a travel friendly candle on your summer vacation. I could have spent hours in Henri Bendel, but we needed to continue our mall crawl.

Next stop: Intimacy, bra fit stylists. The newly opened boutique is part of a chain of “life changing” stores that help women find the right bra, show them how to care of their bra and often transform them physically and mentally. I don’t know the exact statistic, but I’ve heard that something like more than half of all women wear the wrong size bra. At Intimacy, the associates are highly trained in their product lines, made up mostly of European brands and work to figure out what your lifestyle and wardrobe needs are. Then figure out what bras are right for you. Pretty cool. They also have sports bras, tanks with built-bras, all kinds of bra accessories and laundry care products. Quite a brilliant concept to find exactly the right bra.

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My blogger pal, Rockin’ Mama and I made a quick stop into Molten Brown, the British based chain that carries personal care products like soap, shampoos and body washes as well as candles and room sprays. They gave us a cute little sample pack of body lotion, bath and shower gel and liquid handwash. With names like Coco de Mer, Wilde Fairyfleur and Naran Ji, you really have to visit to revel in the cocktail scents the Molten Brown geniuses have created. On a funny note, I asked the staff where they had other stores and they said only in New York. A few days later, I was in New York for the Kelly Ripa Ovarian Cancer Benefit Event and found a Molten Brown a block from my hotel. I ducked in for a quick purchase. I’m not a huge fan of heavy perfumes, but I do love shower gels. Molten Brown scents are perfectly scented and yummy!

All the bloggers met up at AnQi by Crustacean, the restaurant owned by the An family of the famous Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills, of which I am a fan. We sipped cocktails and had a delicious special menu that was prepared for us. Then the restaurant lights dimmed and the catwalk lights brightened and the La Perla Summer Fashion Show began. La Perla is best known for lingerie, but they do have a line of bathing suits and cover ups. It was lovely to have Elizabeth An, third-generation of The House of An, stop by our table for a chat. I knew about the “secret kitchen” in Crustacean and asked if there was one at AnQi. She confirmed that they did indeed have on there as well. It was so nice of AnQi to give all the bloggers gift certificates to return to AnQi for another visit. I can’t wait to take Surfer Guy.

Well, what a day we had at the best mall ever possibly imagined. South Coast Plaza is a destination mall…People travel from all over the world to shop there. I’m so lucky I’m just a quick minivan jaunt away from a childhood dream realized: a really great mall. For my readers who aren’t as lucky as I am, there are some hotel packages being offered this summer in partnership with South Coast Plaza: The Montage Laguna Beach is offering the Shopping Spree Special and The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel has the Pack Your Bags Shopping Package. For full details on South Coast Plaza, visit SouthCoastPlaza.com. I’d like to thank South Coast Plaza for inviting me to this excellent event and for the lovely “South Coast Plaza Loves Bloggers” gift bag I was given. I love South Coast Plaza back!

Photo Credits: Caryn Bailey of Rockin’ Mama and Crush Studios

I’m a BlogLuxe Awards Finalist!

2010-07-19T00:39:00.001-07:00

First of all, it is an honor just to be nominated. But then to receive enough votes to put me in the top five vote getters in the category “Blogs We Learned The Most From”? Well, I’m humbled. It’s often a lonely blogger existence, late in the night, just me, my computer and an occasional opossum wandering by the window. To whomever nominated me: thank you! To everyone who voted: Thank you! I hope I helped a bit, changed it up some and had something for everyone. The e-mail informing me that I am a finalist began: Congratulations! Based on reader votes, you are a finalist for the 2010 BlogLuxe Awards! Thank you for writing such organized/amazing/beautiful/hilarious/inspiring/fun/over the edge/tasty/downright awesome blogs! Two winners from each category chosen by our VIP "Academy" will be announced at the Avery SocialLuxe Lounge in New York City on August 5, 2010. The Avery SocialLuxe Lounge takes place the night before BlogHer 2010 the big annual blogging conference that is being held this year in New York City. I wonder if winners have to make speeches? I’d like to thank the academy, my first writing teacher Mrs. Mayo, my…

Do Good Day

2010-07-14T19:06:00.001-07:00

Today I teamed up with six other Los Angeles area mom bloggers on the first ever “Do Good Day” sponsored by 77kids by American Eagle and The Motherhood. Do Good Day was held today in 11 cities across the country each with 7 mom bloggers and their children (thus the 77 and their kids, cool, eh?) did various community service projects and pay it forward acts of goodness in their communities. Our team, made up of Aracely, Caryn, Ciaran, Linda, Liz, Stephanie, several of our kids and myself set up at Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach which is a popular beach destination for parents and their young kids. Our Do Good Day project was having kids make Get Well cards for kids at The Children’s Hospital of Orange County. We had four big tables set up with colorful cards, envelopes, ink stamps, stickers, crayons, markers and pens. Kids of all ages were able to make a card for another kid and have a blast doing it.

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When the kids finished their cards, they “posted” them into a basket and received a $1 bill from 77kids along with a list of 7 good things to do with a dollar and on the other side of the paper was a list of good deeds to do for free. It was really nice to see almost every kid listen as we explained what was being handed to them even though they were supposed to be off having a fun beach day. Then, the kids were given rewards for participating in Do Good Day. We on the LA team were thrilled to have two fabulous sponsors join forces with us on Do Good Day: Ruby’s Diner, a chain with a location right in Seaside Lagoon, give each child who made a Get Well card a kid’s milk shake as well as a coupon for a free kid’s meal. Cold Stone Creamery, the chain of ice cream shops, donated $5 gift cards that were given to each child who made a Get Well card. What a fabulously fun and successful day we had! I love it when everything comes together and just works. Especially when it means doing good and keeping the good moving on. Here is a link to the news story of our event in The Daily Breeze newspaper. To find out what happened on Do Good Day in the other 10 cities, check out The Motherhood Do Good Day Circle.

Disclosure: I am being compensated by 77kids by American Eagle and The Motherhood for my participation in Do Good Day. I am not being compensated for this post.

Childproofing My Toyota Sienna

2010-07-11T00:43:00.001-07:00

Childproofing the Car from Kimberlee Mitchell on Vimeo.

When Kimberlee Mitchell, Child Safety Expert & Professional Childproofer, came with the Safety 1st Squad to childproof my house, she also childproofed my minivan. We shot a quick video to go with this post to get you started thinking about keeping your family safe on the road. I think it’s amazing that there is so much that we don’t realize when it comes to safety and preventing injuries in our family cars. Here are some of Kimberlee’s key tips: eliminate projectiles, ensure you have your car seats properly installed, make sure you have the right car seat for your child, do not use your cell phone while driving, use techniques to prevent forgetting your baby in the car, hide your keys from kids. For complete information please read Kimberlee’s blog post Childproofing the Car.

I have a big interest in car seats and consider myself to be really knowledgeable about them and about installation. Here is a link to a Time.com blog post about a AAA/Dorel Juvenile Group survey (Dorel is the parent company of Safety 1st) that shows most parents don’t know the height and age requirements for car seats. Further, and most alarmingly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 75% of car seats are not properly installed! I learned how to install a car seat properly before Chip was born by meeting with a car seat tech who went over the specifics with me. I’ve since taken advantage of any opportunity to speak with a police officer at a child safety event and opportunities like working with Kimberlee and Safety 1st. Believe me, if I can learn how to install a car seat correctly, anyone can. Kimberlee has a blog post, Car Seat Confusion: Which direction? Which location? When do they outgrow it? Her post also includes a tv segment she shot on San Diego Living showing the proper installation of car seats in a Toyota Sienna. She shows us some some good tips, including using a pool noodle to get a good install. Now buckle up and be safe!

Chip & Kelly Ripa Make Banana Splits for a Cause

2010-07-09T02:12:00.001-07:00

My very good friend’s mom died several years ago from ovarian cancer. Just thinking about it is totally crushing for me. Steve’s mom was the cool mom who made sure she had the party house. Pool in the backyard, great room with lots of sofas to hang out on, it was a fun place to be a teenager. Steve and his wife had their first baby a year ago and I know his mom would have loved being a grandmother. There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer and it is also difficult to diagnose making it an especially important disease to spread the word about. I was honored when the Electrolux Team invited Chip and I to New York to help kick off “Banana Splits for a Cause” to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF).

Electrolux Splits for A Cause #1 from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

At the event, in celebration of Electrolux’s new stand-alone refrigerator and freezer (the appliance pair has “split” up) Kelly Ripa teamed up with the “Emperor of Ice Cream” Stephen Bruce, owner and founder of Serendipity 3, the famous New York City restaurant and dessert spot. [If you find yourself in Manhattan, I recommend making a stop at Serendipity 3 to try their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate—yum!] Chip and I joined other bloggers and their kids from all over the country as Stephen instructed Kelly and the kids on how to create the perfect banana split. Chip opted to go the all vanilla route while Kelly took a scoop of each flavor. The signature technique, we learned, is to stick the bananas in so they look like horns. For Chip, the key ingredient was the multi-colored sprinkles, of course. Everyone’s creations complete, all the kids got busy eating!

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Electrolux Splits for a Cause #2 from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

Now here is how you can get involved and make your own virtual banana split to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund: visit www.Kelly-Confidential.com and build your own banana split using virtual ingredients. Ok, I’ll level with you that it’s NOT as tasty as the ones we made with Kelly and Stephen, BUT, these have NO calories and will never melt! Plus, they are for an important cause! For each “split” that is created, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF as part of its $750,000 commitment to help fight ovarian cancer. To sweeten the deal, everyone who builds a banana split will be automatically entered for a chance to win the daily prize--$50 towards sweet summer treats—and the grand prize: the new stand alone refrigerator and freezer from Electrolux. I got to see the refrigerator and freezer at the event and had total appliance envy. The site also has Serendipity 3’s banana split recipes for when you’ve decided you need more than just the virtual kind.

Meeting Kelly was really fun. She made her way all over the room several times chatting with everyone and seeing how the kids were doing. I had tried to prepare Chip for meeting Kelly by putting on Live with Regis & Kelly a couple of times in the days before the event. That morning in the hotel room, I put it on and Chip commented positively on Kelly’s high heeled shoes. When Kelly came over to say hi, Chip got an attack of shyness. I told Kelly that Chip had really liked her shoes on the show that morning. At the event she was wearing a different, equally glamorous pair of heels. Kelly said to Chip, “Thank you for noticing!” I subsequently found out that Kelly was wearing a Gryphon dress and Brian Atwood shoes. Luckily, the next time Kelly stopped by, Chip was a lot more talkative. What a fabulous event, what an awesome cause! Now split and make your split! You have until September 7, 2010.

This post is dedicated in fond memory of Steve’s mom, Hilda.

Splits for a Cause #3 from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

Legal information & disclosure:

Sweepstakes participants are not required to make a purchase or donation in order to enter. Complete details are available in the Official Rules on www.Kelly-Confidential.com. Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for each virtual banana split built at Kelly Confidential. Electrolux has pledged to donate a minimum of $35,000 and a maximum of $40,000, as part of its $750,000 commitment to the cause. My participation in the ‘Banana Splits’ Campaign for a Cause was sponsored by Electrolux who provided me with travel arrangements to and accommodations in New York to participate.

Childproofing with the Safety 1st Squad

2010-07-04T01:36:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth Peterson Calls the Safety Pros from Kimberlee Mitchell on Vimeo.

When it comes to childproofing, I consider myself to be fairly aware of the potential dangers in my home. However, when it comes to figuring out what to get, where to get it and then, oy, actually installing it and installing it correctly…I start to glaze over. One of the things I love about blogging is being able to be connected to so many great experts who then become part of my network of experts. A favorite quote of mine from Ann Landers from years ago was that if she didn’t have the answer, “she always knew who to call.” When my friends at Safety 1st contacted me and asked if I’d like to have Kimberlee Mitchell, Child Safety Expert & Professional Childproofer, who is chief advisor to The Safety 1st Squad, come to my house, I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough. Kimberlee arrived bright and early one morning and we sat down at my dining room table and talked. I learned that unintentional injury is the number one killer of America’s children between the ages of 1 and 4, claiming more lives than both violence and all disease combined. If that didn’t cause you to sit up straight, I don’t know what will. Kimberlee says that by taking childproofing precautions, it is estimated that 90% of these injuries can be avoided. I suddenly had an urge to go check on Chip and Lulu. Gulp!

Next Kimberlee and I discussed Childproofing 101. Now, here is where I will tell you that you can start to feel bogged down. So I’m going to tell you to stick with me and let’s look at attacking it in manageable chunks. Kimberlee recommends you start to childproof during pregnancy when you will have some time to tackle the tasks. Childproof, yes, but combine it with consistent proactive parenting that teaches your kids to understand boundaries. Lengthen the life of your childproofing by not allowing your child to study you using the devices--even a toddler can figure out some childproofing mechanisms. Keep some areas and rooms in your home off limits and even use two layers of protection as back up for extra dangerous rooms, ie: the laundry room. Think like a child and realize that your kids can get creative and use something in a way that you would never think of. Anything that will fit inside an empty cardboard toilet paper roll is a choking hazard. When it comes to pools, exterior doors or any extra dangerous areas consider layers of childproofing in case one layer fails. Anchor all items that are tipping hazards, furniture and tv’s can kill. Kimberlee has written a comprehensive guide, Childproofing 101: How to Create a Baby Safe Home Environment and I think it really is a gift that this is available to all of us on the Safety 1st site. I have provided some highlights from the guide, definitely read it for the expert’s eye view.

Ok, remember I asked you to stick with me? So you’ve identified the issues around your home. Kimberlee helped me identify mine. Now what? You can run to a store like Target or Babies R Us and buy childproofing products. Just figuring out what to get can be a headache. Then you get the products home. Next, you have to figure out how to install them, whether you have the right tools, then actually finding the time to do it. Inevitably, it’s something that can easily be put off. So there sits your bag of childproofing supplies. I’m all for saving a buck and doing it the least expensive way possible. However, when it comes to childproofing, it just might make sense to call in the pros. The time, aggravation, product knowledge, problem solving and ultimately child safety that you are paying for is worth it. I also learned that all of us have access to mass consumer child proofing products. However, child safety professionals additionally have some pro grade products that they can utilize, if needed, in your home. Kimberlee started her childproofing business, Boo Boo Busters, Inc., when her first child was a baby. She quickly became known as “The Childproofer to the Hollywood Stars” and has many celebrities as clients. Great, you’re thinking, this must be REALLY expensive. Not necessarily! It all depends on what your needs are. You can have a consultation, basic install all the way up to an elaborate, complicated job in a huge mansion. The Safety 1st Squad currently services Southern California and the NY/NJ/CT tri-state area. If you don’t live in their service areas, you can visit the National Association for Childproofers to locate a member near you.

After my meeting with Kimberlee, she returned a few days later with a member of her Safety 1st Squad to do the installations as well as bring me several products to use all over the house. The Safety 1st guy got to work installing some cabinet locks: one bathroom cabinet got Tot Lok magnetic locks, my kitchen cabinet where I keep my cleaning supplies got Spring ‘n Release latches, and a tough to figure-out-what-to-do-with lazy susan cabinet received a Wide Grip latch. Next, some big bookcases in my living room were attached to the wall and an older TV that I have in my den (not flat panel) was attached to the wall using straps that Kimberlee special ordered—another reason to use a pro. Here is MY real life childproofing and, because I live in Southern California, earthquake-proofing situation: My husband had already attached the safety straps to our large flat screen tv in our living room. However, he still hadn’t gotten around to putting the safety straps on the two large bookcases we had bought two months ago. In the meantime, we had made sure there was a loveseat in front of them to break their fall, but really is that the way to do things? In the video, you can see the Safety 1st guy installing the safety straps on our bookcases. The whole installation went so quickly and with Kimberlee here as well, it was easy to see that you really are benefitting from all the experience these pros bring to your house. I have slightly unusual kitchen cabinets so they had to problem solve on the lazy susan and switch from the original plan to something else. If I had been on my own, I probably would have just given up.

Many of my readers will remember my Bosch Washer & Dryer post where I wrote about the dangers of children climbing inside front loading washers and dryers. Some Bosch models come with a keypad locking feature which is an awesome safety feature and I hope all manufacturers make this standard. Kimberlee introduced me to the Front Load Washer-Dryer Lock which can be installed on washers and dryers that don’t have a built-in locking feature. Some bathtub safety products that we have put to good use are: the Bath Pal Thermometer, Froggy & Friends Bath Mat & Soft Spout Cover all of which have been excellent and “why didn’t we get these sooner?” items! Two more products that I would recommend: Clear View Stove Knob Covers and Clearly Soft Corner Guards—previously I had taped bubble wrap on a couple of sharp corners—this looks better! And finally, Surfer Guy’s favorite for keeping tabs on Lulu: The Safety 1st Prism Color Video Monitor, which includes remote zoom and baby’s room temperature. Really fabulous! There are many more products, including car seats, like the Complete Air Convertible Car Seat that I reviewed here. For a full overview of the products, visit Safety1st.com also, be sure to visit Kimberlee’s Safety Blog.

Ah, there is nothing like being able to check those tasks off your to-do list, not having to be in conflict with your husband and just knowing the job was done right. Thank you Kimberlee and thank you Safety 1st Squad! Ah, but we weren’t totally done…Kimberlee still had to childproof my minivan!

My 2011 Toyota Sienna Design & Drive Tour

2010-06-21T23:40:00.001-07:00

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I recently won the Toyota equivalent of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket—an invitation by Toyota to tour Calty Design Research as part of a blogger group, Toyota’s North American design operation located in Newport Beach, California. Calty is so exclusive that even Toyota employees would love the opportunity to visit! It was really interesting to learn about Calty and that part of the reason the location was chosen back in the early 1970’s was to enable the designers to get inspiration from the California lifestyle. As we entered the building I glanced over my shoulder for corporate spies amongst the swaying palms, the coast seemed clear. The first few rooms and hallways were a really cool retrospective of car styles, colors, textures and interiors from the past fifty years. Many of us were able to identify colors, carpets and seats from our childhoods and got a good perspective of how styles have evolved. We next moved on to a presentation of the car design process. It easily takes a couple of years to design a car, even more. The fastest might be a little over a year. The Toyota FJ Cruiser is an example of a car that was fast-tracked because it received such positive response at car shows.

The next part of the tour was what really fascinated me and caused us all to say, “who knew?” They actually do clay modeling of every single car that is made. Full size clay modeling. It was explained that it is the only way to get the actual, complete design understanding of the car. As “low tech” as clay modeling is, there really is no substitute. Then it was our turn. Each of us bloggers was presented our own basic Sienna shaped clay model (see video) and assigned the task to design our own Sienna. Yikes! I’m so not crafty. Luckily the Toyota sculptors took a break from the REAL car they were working on to step over and help us out with pointers and loan us some of their tools. A couple of them even took pity on my poor minivan and even worked a couple of maneuvers on my model to get me started. I think I had better stick to blogging. But, it was still really fun, I even designed a snowboard rack on the back of my Sienna. Because I could. We were presented our Sienna’s encased with a plaque at the end of the event and I have mine proudly displayed in my living room. I love my minivan!

Toyota Sienna Design & Drive Clay Modeling from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

Toyota Sienna Design & Drive from Liz Peterson on Vimeo.

We then washed the clay off our hands and headed outside, but still within the walls of Calty, to meet with some of the Sienna design team: Chief Designer Ian Cartabiano (shown in video) who does vehicle design, Chief Designer Wendy Lee who is responsible for color design and Chief Designer Benjamin Jimenez who does interior design. They had a lot of information to share with us with pictures and diagrams as well as samples. There were also two Siennas for us to peruse and ask questions about. It was amazing to be at Calty and see how cars go from concept to design to reality. One question that came up quite a bit from my last post was the run flat tires. Since I had all kinds of Toyota employees with technical knowledge all around me I thought I’d ask for some input on the 2011 Sienna and the run flat tires. I got to speaking with Katsuhiko Koganei, Communication Coordinator for Toyota who told me that he has run flat tires on his 2011 Sienna and that he finds the ride to be “quieter, the cabin is quieter and a less harsh ride” than the previous generation run flat tires.

Then I got my chance to try the run flat tires myself! We bloggers broke up into teams and set off on a scavenger hunt for charity, each team in our own 2011 Sienna. I maneuvered quickly at the sign up sheet and scored one of the Siennas with the run flat tires. Off we went to purchase supplies for an Art Therapy program with Amex gift card we were provided. Since I already have a Sienna I was able to hit the ground running on the navigation system on top of the fact that I’m a So. Cal local and the rest of my team was from out of the area. I loved driving the Sienna again and again I had minivan envy. The run flat tires were not at all noticeable to me and everyone else agreed that they didn’t know they were anything other than regular tires. We spun around Orange County picking up our supplies and took the Sienna through city streets, on the highway and along some twisty Pacific Coast roads enjoying a great little tour of the area. We finished up back at our hotel where we unloaded our Sienna, which sure held a lot of stuff and got ready for our closing dinner. That night we presented our charities with everything we bought and had a nice dinner with many of the Toyota team members we had met with during the day. It was great to be able to follow up with questions and be able to exchange cards and make more connections with some of the people I hadn’t been able to speak with. What an amazing experience and what appreciation I have now that I understand a little bit more about what exactly went into designing the 2011 Toyota Sienna.

To read my review of the 2011 Toyota Sienna posted on December 20, 2009, click here

100th Post

2010-06-20T23:07:00.000-07:00

For some random reason, I happened to just count the number of posts I've done and realized that yesterday I wrote my 100th post! Hmmm....Isn't that interesting that the first time I actually thought to do an accounting was a "milestone-ish" number? Funny that it's Father's Day, considering Surfer Guy has certainly put up with a lot of my blogging craziness over the past couple of years. What could I do to celebrate this 100 post mark?

One thing I did accomplish tonight is that you can now subscribe to my blog! Over on the right you can now click on the orange button and get my posts in your reader OR enter your e-mail address and get my posts e-mailed to you. Much easier than checking back, right?

So, to celebrate the 100 post-mark, I think I'll back up my computer and hit the hay. Sounds like a plan to start the week off on a strong note. What say ye?

Happy 100!!! And thanks for reading!!! Love, Elizabeth

Here’s What’s New at Disneyland Resort

2010-06-19T22:46:00.001-07:00

The day after the premiere of World of Color, I returned to Disneyland for a media presentation of “What’s next?” Well, there sure is a lot to tell. Once again this year, The Summer Pass is being offered to Southern California residents. Valid from June 11-August 29, 2010, for $108 your receive a 3-day park ticket which allows you to visit either park on three separate days within a 45 day period. That works out to $36 per day and is a really great deal! Summer Nightastic kicked off June 11 and is a dynamic lineup of entertainment including Fantasmic! with it’s new dragon, fireworks featuring Dumbo and Tinkerbell flying over Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, Tommorowland Terrace TLT Dance Club and Pixie Hollow Enchantment all taking place after dark at Disneyland Park this summer and runs through August 29. New attractions to look forward to are: Star Tours in 3-D at Disneyland and Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at California Adventure, both coming in 2011. The upcoming attraction generating the biggest buzz is Cars Land, the 12-acre expansion slated to open in 2012 in California Adventure. We saw a presentation showing the three new rides going into Cars Land, the main one being Radiator Springs Racers. Somehow, 2012 seems so far away!
Not everything new is happening exactly in The Disneyland Resort. The Disney Cruise line is coming to the West Coast in early 2011 with its cruise ship “Wonder”. For the first time, itineraries will include Alaska cruises from Vancouver. Before and after the summer Alaska cruises, Mexican Riviera itineraries will be offered out of The Port of Los Angeles. We were also informed of a really great promotion: From Jan. 23 to March 20, 2011, Disney Cruise Line will make it easier to experience the West Coast cruise magic with a special “Kids Free” offer on seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera. Guests age 17 and younger can sail free aboard the Disney Wonder when accompanied by two full-fare paying guests occupying the same stateroom on seven-night voyages (government taxes and fees excluded). For more information visit DisneyCruise.com/KidsFree
The Disneyland Hotel is undergoing renovations to actually retro-renovate it to be more in the style it was originally designed to be. I saw some plans and photographs of rooms and suites that are already completed and it looks really cool. They are also making enhancements to the pool and water play area including a monorail themed waterslide with the original Disneyland sign atop that I know Chip and Lulu would love! Speaking of staying at the resort, there are several packages this summer. The 5 days for 3 gets you a 5 day park hopper ticket and 5 days in a resort hotel for the price of 3. There are also discounts of up to 40% on rooms in each of the 3 resort hotels this summer.
The news I’m really excited about is Aulani, the Disney resort opening in Hawaii Fall 2011. Located on Oahu, you can find more info at DisneyAulani.com and I hear you will be able to make reservations well in advance of opening so check in at the website for updates. Have fun and remember to visit Disneyland.com for further info!

If you have extra time to spend exploring the Anaheim area, visit this page on Uptake.com for some great info and reviews.

Premiere of Disney’s World of Color

2010-06-19T18:04:00.001-07:00

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I recently attended the premiere of “World of Color” at Disney’s California Adventure park. World of Color is the nighttime show that I’d been hearing was coming for a couple of years. The Paradise Bay Lagoon in California Adventure had been walled off for so long I was really excited that I was invited to be among the first to view the show. I wore my typical black but threw on a bright pink wrap in honor of the theme. My first stop was along the red carpet for the Celebrity Red Carpet Welcome portion of the night. I joined several of my fellow bloggers who had also been invited to the event including: Caryn, Aracely and Liz. The carpet was actually blue in honor of the water theme. Among the celebrities we saw were two of my favorites: Jamie Lee Curtis and Geena Davis. Next we headed over to the World of Color viewing area, Paradise Park, which is the side of the lagoon opposite Mickey’s Fun Wheel. The name “World of Color” is a tribute to Walt Disney’s 1960’s tv series “Wonderful World of Color”. Fountains in the lagoon (1,200 of them!) serve as the screens onto which the show is projected. There are also synchronized flame projections, lasers and all kinds of special effects. The show started and I was pulled into an amazing journey of Disney and Pixar characters accompanied by an original soundtrack performed by more than 100 musicians. I learned that many of the scenes, although familiar, actually had to be recreated for World of Color. This show is an amazing creative and technological feat! Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Wall-E are some of the movies included in the show. Be warned, you may get a little wet. More likely just slightly misted depending on where you are in the audience and how breezy it is. I was in the left front and only get a little bit of mist. When the fire shoots up, you really feel it and it warms you up a bit, too. Wow, I was blown away and can’t wait to go back! The show runs just under 25 minutes and will have at least two showings per night through the summer with a possibility of a third show if demand is there. Show times are: 9:00pm and 10:15pm. A third show will be announced the same day and will be at 11:30pm.

Now, here is the scoop on maximizing your viewing of World of Color: The World of Color FASTPASS, reserved viewing and preferred viewing. World of Color FASTPASSES will be available every morning at The Grizzly River Run FASTPASS terminals. A limited number of FASTPASSES are available each day for each show. The FASTPASS will allow you access to a reserved area in Paradise Park from which you can view World of Color. For reserved viewing, you can take advantage of “World of Color” Picnic Meals which are available online or by walk-up purchase. There are a set number of picnic meals each day, thus I strongly recommend ordering online to guarantee yours. For $14.99 you get a choice of 4 adult and 3 kids meals, each meal comes with reserved viewing. Finally, Prix Fixe “World of Color” Dinner Packages are available at Ariel’s Grotto and Wine Country Trattoria restaurants and come with World of Color Preferred Viewing. At Ariel’s Grotto, prices are $36.99 for adults/$20.99 for kids ages 3-9 and at Wine Country Trattoria, prices are $39.00 for adults/$18.99 for kids ages 3-9. For full details about World of Color dining options, go to Disneyland.com/WorldOfColor. But, don’t worry if you don’t get a FASTPASS or a reserve viewing, you can still view World of Color from many locations around Paradise Bay.

After the Premiere of World of Color we headed over to the after party at Paradise Pier. The whole pier was decorated with a dance floor and the gazebos were turned into living rooms. There was tasty food and drinks to by had as well. But let me tell you the best parts: Characters and rides! Characters were available for photo opps without lines. Chip and Dale who are my absolute favorite characters were hanging out right near our table so I went over and took some pictures with them. They were right near the dance floor and since no one else was waiting to take a picture, we all danced around together for a bit, so funny. The other absolutely awesome aspect of the party was that the rides were open…With no lines! We went on Toy Story and then stayed on because no one was waiting. You should have heard us hooting and hollering as we went back in. I must have had the biggest grin on my face. I think I we were all about 8 years old that night. We didn’t have our kids with us so we could do whatever we wanted. It was crazy. We were all saying, “Hey, go on Screamin’ with me!” which is the roller coaster. I went on that three times in a row because with toddlers I can never, ever do that! Tee hee!! Then we ran over to the new attraction “Silly Symphony Swings” which is a ride with 40 swings that you sit in and it swings you up high and out while you go spinning around on a musical journey. We were having too much fun and the night came to an end too soon. I knew I had to get home and get some sleep though to get back the next day for the media briefing so I could find out what’s new and what’s next at Disneyland to share with all of you.

For some great info about more to see and do in the Anaheim area, visit Uptake.com

Photo credit for most of the photos in this post goes to Caryn Bailey of RockinMama.net. Thanks, Caryn, awesome shots!

Pac-Man’s 30th Birthday Party

2010-06-17T22:07:00.001-07:00

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If you had tapped my little kid self on the shoulder, let’s say in the summer of 1982, and said, “Elizabeth, in 2010 YOU will be attending the 30th birthday party for THIS video game!” I would have probably freaked out or more likely, totally ignored you, because I was focused on my “Pac-Man Pattern”. There was a Pac-Man arcade game at my swim club and I swear I spent a good chunk of my parents money in that machine as well as more time playing it than actually swimming. I got really good at Pac-Man. To this day I can’t pass a Pac-Man arcade game without tossing a quarter in. When the invitation to Pac-Man’s 30th Birthday Party hit my e-mail inbox I was totally stoked. I spent a few hours on Tuesday at E3 (the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo) and then headed over with my buddy Eunice to Nokia Live for the Pac-Man birthday party. This perfectly coincided with the beginning of the Celtics/Lakers Game 6 of the NBA Finals and required us to walk past the The Staples Center (where the game was) to get between The LA Convention Center (where E3 was) and Nokia Live. Cops were everywhere and I made a point of asking them WHEN they thought the game would let out. They said about 8:30-9pm. I knew that Eunice and I DID NOT want to be on the streets especially if the Lakers lost. In fact, one might question the wisdom of being in that area at all that night considering the shenanigans of fans in previous years. But this was for PAC-MAN! Oh, the further irony? I grew up playing Pac-Man in the suburbs of Boston, so I’m a die-hard Celtics fan…Who lives in LA.

We sailed right into the party and I made a bee-line for Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man. There were a lot of people from Namco Bandai, the Japanese company that makes Pac-Man. I ran into a guy wearing a nifty looking Pac-Man sweatshirt and asked him about it. He told me he “approved the design for Australia and New Zealand” and went on to say he works for Namco in Japan. I asked him if he could send me one. I kind of just asked him to get his response. He said, “Impossible! Only in Australia and New Zealand!” It was like I had made an outrageous request. I also think the poor chap was a bit of a victim of the language/culture barrier. Next the heads of the company got up on stage and made some announcements about the company. I learned that Toru Iwatani invented the game and was inspired by looking at a pizza. Which is funny because I’ve often looked at a pizza with a slice out of it and thought: Pac-Man! They told us that over 450 items have been licensed with Pac-Man on it. That Pac-Man Fever was a hit single in 1982—I remember. Then Hollywood Producer, Avi Arad took the stage and announced a forthcoming Pac-Man movie. 3-D glasses were passed out and we were all directed to watch 3-D HD tv’s set up around the room. Basically, it was a 3 minute trailer for a Pac-Man movie yet to be even announced from what I can find and Hollywood is one thing I do know. They had a bunch of different devices set up all over the room: Ipads, Iphones, every home video game console, every handheld video game, we could demo every version of Pac-man available. They even have newer versions of arcade size Pac-Man machines coming out like Pac-Man Battle Royale. I tried playing it and just couldn’t really get the hang of it. Thank god they had two old school, ORIGINAL Pac-Man games. That’s where I belonged, with my childhood pattern still embedded in my brain. A glass of cabernet in one hand, the joystick in the other. I muttered under my breath, “1983, don’t fail me now…” Tee, hee! So, what can I say? Pac-Man for me is that arcade game. A piece of my childhood.

So, it was coming up on 8:30 and Eunice and I headed out of the party. As we hustled past a bar, we could see there were a few minutes left in the 4th quarter of the game. The Lakers had a big lead. Here was the issue: We had to make it PAST The Staples Center and to the far side of The LA Convention Center to the parking structure where we had parked. Ugh. All the cops had riot helmets with face shields in their hands. Nice. There were a ton of cops. As we hit the first corner to cross towards The Staples Center I asked the first group of cops how much time we had. “Four minutes” was the response. Honestly, I wasn’t overly worried, but there sure wasn’t any UPSIDE to being out there when the game let out. As we made it past The Staples Center and were about to cross to walk past The Convention Center, I asked the next group of cops, “Are you expecting trouble?” One cop said, “If the Lakers lose.” I yelled back over my shoulder, “But, they aren’t gonna lose, right?” He said, “Right.” We made it about the length of two football fields to the parking garage, hopped in Eunice’s car and caught the freeway out. All for Pac-Man. All for a piece of my childhood.

Kinect for XBox 360

2010-06-14T22:22:00.001-07:00

E3, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo is kicking off tomorrow here in LA and I’ll be attending. I’m really looking

forward to it! Many of you know that I’m a big video game fan. A few weeks ago I got a sneak peek at and chance to play XBox 360’s “Project Natal” which was the working name for Kinect the new add on for the XBox 360 where you are the controller. The name Kinect was announced last night at a big XBox 360 Cirque du Soleil performance at USC’s Galen Center in downtown Los Angeles. The performance, although involving Cirque du Soleil, actually heavily showed just how Kinect works: literally YOUR BODY is the controller—that’s it. The technology picks up points on your body and then you are 1) steering a car 2) running a race 3) bowling 4) dancing 5) doing yoga and the list goes on. It was really trippy to see the Cirque interpretation of a sort of rainforest meets 21st century video-game technology performance. I really can’t explain it any other way. Everyone in the audience wore these white ponchos with shoulder pads that glowed with different colors at different times in the show. There were regular families up in a box on the side of the Galen Center playing Kinect while Cirque performers dressed as rainforest creatures reacted to their moves. Periodically a woman would walk across the ceiling (yes, upside down) of the living room the family was playing in. There was also a fake elephant that at first I wasn’t sure was fake, a family sitting in a couch suspended from the ceiling of the center and people dancing in boxes up high on the walls. Only Cirque, only XBox and of course, totally out of the box. That’s what I say.

At the after-party last night, held in the penthouse at a hipper-than-me loft in downtown LA, I got the chance to play Kinect which now has a few different games and experiences from the sneak peek I had. I went up to the roofdeck and played some of the games up there with the LA skyscrapers all around me. It was really awesome to see the XBox 360 logo projected onto the building next door. Then across the block they were actually projecting Kinect games on the wall of the building (see my video). Wow and E3 hadn’t even started yet. What a scene to get my game on! One really fun one is Kinectimals which lets you literally touch and interact with cute animals right on the screen. The animals mirror your actions and respond to your touch. I also tried Joy Ride which I show in the video just to the right—air steering wheel! There are 5 games currently available in the demo pre-release version of Kinect: Sports, Kinectimals, Star Wars (which blew me away in the Cirque show! Hand to hand combat with Darth Vader!), Dance and Adventure. Within each of those games, there are various activities. Kinect will also allow you to access Netflix, Facebook and all kinds of online services with a wave of your hand. It is definitely a whole new way to play video games, with absolutely no technology touching your body. You will need to have an XBox 360 in order to play Kinect—it’s an add on. It will be available for holiday 2010, most likely in November and the price has not yet been announced.

Disclosure: I was invited to the sneak peek party, the Cirque du Soleil Kinect launch event, the Kinect for XBox 360 Loft Party and given a FlipCam that I used to shoot this video--all courtesy of XBox.

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Taste of the Nation Los Angeles

2010-06-06T23:27:00.001-07:00

Today I attended Taste of the Nation Los Angeles as a guest of The National Pork Board. Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® Los Angeles is one of 55 events across America dedicated to ending hunger in America. I saw a poster at the event today that said: “One in 4 kids in this country doesn’t know where their next meal will come from”. That is just not right. What an awesome fundraiser Taste of the Nation is and all for such a great cause! Most of LA’s top restaurants were on hand along with their chefs allowing ticket holders to sample fare from all the hottest restaurants like Bazaar and Street, all in one location. There were also a number of wine tasting areas and both a live and a silent auction. There are still several cities yet to host Taste of the Nation events. Visit Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation to find an event near you.