On The Rocks

I don't really consider myself a 'cultured' drinker. My favorite drink is the über-girly Cosmopolitan and I usually choose wine based on its nicely designed label rather than its woodsy undertones. So don't go trying to impress me with your 200-year-old Bordeaux because I'm more likely to go for that one over there, the one with the pretty curlicue font and the picture of a cat on the front.

But then my friend Julie invited me to a Macallan scotch tasting at the W Hotel, and I think I may have found a new drink. A very sophisticated, cultured drink, the drink of nobles and fancy people in nice clothes.

Hello scotch on the rocks, my new friend:



This one was served in a very nice glass over an ice ball. I felt cultured just holding the thing.

I learned that scotch is to be sipped slowly and enjoyed, rather than guzzled down in frantic gulps while you reach for fistfuls of fried zuchinni. I liked how it warmed me up and made me a brilliant conversationalist. Or so I thought -- I'm sure that person I was regaling with stories about my kids only walked away because she had to take an important call.

My dad was a scotch drinker, and I remember him having a drink after work every night. It was almost ceremonial the way he'd open his small liquor cabinet, retrieve a bottle of his favorite scotch and carefully pour it into his glass. I don't have a liquor cabinet, just a space next to the juice boxes in a cupboard above the microwave, but I think I'm going to buy myself a bottle of Macallan to put in there. I hope it doesn't mind sitting alongside those bottles with the drawings of cats on the labels.

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tags: macallan scotch whisky | w hotel

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I’ve Got a Bundt In The Oven

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Electrolux.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not going to ever win any baking contests. I consider myself a fairly accomplished cook — I can sauté and flambé my way through a dinner menu — but am flummoxed when it comes to desserts. I say if God intended people to bake He wouldn’t have invented frozen pound cake.

I have an especially contentious relationship with cake baking, but it’s not from a lack of trying. I remember the first cake that I truly aspired to make, a Martha Stewart fruit and cream concoction — two thin, fluffy white cakes layered with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. Unfortunately my cakes were uneven and they crumbled before the first spoonful of whipped cream even touched them – I could almost see Martha coming at me with her antique rolling pin. That and the fact that I had no heirloom cake stand to put my cake on or New England cottage to photograph it in made the experience especially disappointing.

That was followed by years of failed cake making — cakes that rose unevenly or didn’t rise at all, cakes that stuck to the pan, cakes that broke apart and were passed on to unsuspecting guests as Mystery Trifle. And frosting them was the worst — if they did make it out of the pans alive I’d destroy them with my horrendous spatula skills. I once put an entire cake down the garbage disposal because it looked so horrible when I was done I didn’t want to insult the trashcan.

But then? I discovered this:



I had never considered baking a cake in a bundt pan for some reason. Bundt cakes weren’t real cakes because they weren’t layered and frosted. Bundt cakes were cheating, like using spaghetti sauce from a jar or only shaving your legs up to your calves (not that there’s anything wrong with either of those, especially if you’re pressed for time or wearing capris.) Bundt cakes were what old ladies brought to bake sales and were handed over with the words, “Aunt Helen gave me this recipe before she died. Now don’t forget to return my plate.”

But how wrong I was! I remember my first bundt cake, and how simple it was to use just one pan instead of two, and how easily it fell out of the pan with just a couple of knocks. And it looked so pretty, sitting on my platter like a beautiful flower. A beautiful flower that was in one piece and whose unveiling hadn’t been preceded by a string of curse words and the sound of cake pans slamming into the sink.



And with the hours I saved by not trying to frost it, I started to get creative. Most of the time it could be finished off with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar, but other times it deserved a little glaze or some chocolate chips sprinkled on top. I even got so giddy with my newfound cake expertise that I put candy corn and fake spiders on a Halloween bundt cake one year – although apparently the screams from a few of my daughter’s pre-school classmates were because of a fear of bugs and not for my baking prowess.

This is the only pan I use when I bake. It’s over ten years old and showing some wear and tear but it still turns out a perfect cake. My younger daughter loves to bake, and she’s been pressuring me to buy a new pan, one of those fancy ones shaped like a rose or a castle or a heart. I even saw one shaped like a football field, which to me seems totally wrong – isn’t that a little emasculatory? I say if you’re going to make your football field out of a bundt pan you may as well serve it with beer poured into an “I ♥ Oprah” mug.

Besides, I’m a little afraid that if I change pans my luck will change and I’ll go back to making those lopsided, unappetizing cakes of days past. So I’m going to keep on using my old trusty pan until I’m that old lady at the bake sale. Oh, and also? I hear Martha pays a fortune for these things at tag sales.

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Craving cake now? How about decorating a virtual one for a good cause? Electrolux is teaming up with Kelly Ripa to support the fight against ovarian cancer. Kelly, a mom and busy talk-show host, is also the head of her kids’ school bake sale committee and is combining her love of baking with a cause that’s close to her heart: the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF).

Just visit Kelly’s Cakery at www.Kelly-Confidential.com to decorate and send a special virtual cake to a friend, family member or loved one and for every cake sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF. That’s as easy as making a bundt cake.

And wait — here’s the icing on the cake (sorry, I couldn’t resist): To help spread the word, everyone who sends a virtual cake will be automatically entered for a chance to win something unbelievably awesome to do some real baking in: a stylish new Induction Range from Electrolux.

From what I hear, induction is the perfect way to melt chocolate and cook delicate foods and sauces. It’s more responsive than gas and best of all – it’s eco-friendly. To further support the cause, Electrolux is donating $100 to OCRF for every new range sold this month. So get baking!

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tags: electrolux | blogher reviews | kelly ripa electrolux | kelly's cakery

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Fresh & Easy Market: Be My Valentine

I've written here before about my deep, abiding love of Fresh & Easy Market, so when I received a big box of Valentine's gifts from them a couple of weeks ago it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like getting that special Valentine from the boy I had a crush on in 7th grade. Well, actually he didn't know I existed so instead of a Valentine I think I may have gotten a blank stare and a request to stop blocking his locker. So this was way, way better.

Here are the things I got in my special Valentine box, some awesome treats that you might want to get for your Valentine, or maybe just for yourself. I say give yourself a nice card, some expensive flowers and make a spread of Fresh & Easy delicacies, because then you don't have to share them with some stupid 7th grader that had zits and ended up in jail three times. Not that I hold a grudge.

Imported Gourmet Swiss Truffles



I'm not sure what's in these but I'm sure it's part of an evil plot to enlarge my butt. These little balls of nirvana were delicious and my daughters and I couldn't get enough. Yes, that box is empty and the only reason there was one left was because I had the last truffle in my desk, out of sight of my 13-year-old. You know something's good when you resort to hiding it from your kids. I usually only do that with my expensive vodka.

The coolest thing about these truffles is that as soon as you take a bite they split perfectly in half and it's like looking at a cross section of the earth. That creamy chocolate filling would be the molten core. See -- delicious and educational. These Fresh & Easy people are geniuses. By the way, that truffle in the photo is my last one and if this picture had sound you would hear me sobbing.




Fresh & Easy Snickerdoodles

Yes, this is just a stock photo off of the internet of a Snickerdoodle, because my husband and kids ATE ALL THE COOKIES before I could take a picture. I couldn't even find the package and I'm thinking they might have eaten that, too.

Obviously, they were very tasty.

Fresh & Easy Belgian Milk Chocolate With Pecans and Fruit



I'd never had a chocolate bar with fruit in it, but now I can add another thing to my list of things that I call out for in the middle of the night. Luckily they sent me a big bar -- 14 ounces! -- which should last me at least until the end of the week. I like to reward myself with a little square of this chocolaty goodness whenever I accomplish something big, like answering the phone on the second ring or getting out of bed.

Two Very Nice Wines (Under $10!): Montcadi Cava Rose and McGuigan Hand Made Barossa Shiraz



Who doesn't like wine? We do, and so do our friends so we shared the Montcadi sparkling rose the other night with our dinner guests -- it's a perfect party wine. In fact, it was so good it had us thinking, "Gee, we kind of wish we had kept that bottle all to ourselves," but hey -- that's what friends are for. We haven't gotten around to trying the McGuigan shiraz yet -- we're saving it for Valentine's Day. I regularly buy wine at Fresh & Easy and they have a large selection of varieties, most under $10. That leaves you more money to spend on other things, like granola and hummus (see my Fresh & Easy staples list here.)

So if you're having a Valentine dinner or just curling up on your couch with your Snuggie and the remote, you might want to think about picking up some of these treats to sweeten it up. Thanks to Fresh & Easy for being my Valentine!

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tags: fresh and easy supermarket | valentines day gifts | fresh & easy wine

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Pacific Waters Spa: Frankie Say Relax!

For you youngsters out there, the title of my post comes from the 80's band Frankie Goes To Hollywood. And it seemed appropriate given the fact that relax is all we were required to do when I and a bunch of other bloggers were invited out to a decadent day at the Pacific Waters Spa at the Huntington Hyatt. And it looks like my 80's reference is right-on seeing as our visit consisted of pampering and eating -- two things synonymous with that self-indulgent decade. Well, that and sex but there was none of that going on at this momblogger event. At least that I know of.

Before I get completely off-track and start quoting songs from all the other decades, let me tell you about my day. It started off with a great ride out to Huntington Beach with my good friends Amy and Bernadette. The whole way there we debated the underlying message of the movie Up In The Air, and by the time we got to the hotel I was fantasizing that George Clooney was going to be my masseuse or at least be walking around the spa in a robe. That wouldn't stay closed.

When we got to the spa there was no George, but we were impressed with the beautiful setting (take a virtual tour here.) After a quick orientation we were divided into groups that rotated to different parts of the spa each with its own pampering treatment. My group consisted of just two people -- me and Kim Tracey Prince, which was just fine with us, especially since we got first crack at the buffet table and we all know what kind of damage can be done by two mom bloggers left alone in a room full of food. Check out this spread -- I had to stop myself from stuffing the pockets of my robe with sandwiches:


We also got a 'cooking' lesson, where we learned to prepare some home spa treatments using all natural ingredients. Here's where we saw a demo of how to make a Mocha Latte Wrap for hands and feet using ground coffee, cocoa powder and coconut butter. Unfortunately being in this close proximity to coffee and not actually being able to drink it was somewhat tortuous for me -- I had to resist the urge to lick my hands and clean under my nails with my teeth.


The rest of the day was a hedonistic blur of massages, facials*, hand massages and sitting around in big fluffy robes lounging on luxurious chairs with snacks and tea at our disposal. Yes, I know it sounds horrible but we all suffered through it. I'm thinking of bringing my husband for his birthday in a few months -- they have great hotel/spa packages and special couples treatments as well. The spa itself is beautiful, and most important of all -- impeccably clean and organized. Also, it's located right across from the beach and they've done a lot to take advantage of the setting -- it's hard not to relax in these surroundings:


Also, while this was my first visit to the spa I've been to the Sunday brunch at the Huntington Hyatt numerous times and I highly recommend it. I'd say if you can follow the brunch with a spa visit you might just keel over and die from happiness.

Thanks to everyone at Pacific Waters Spa for a great day, and to Sarah Auerswald for bringing it all together.

(*I felt my facialist was a bit inexperienced and I can't wholeheartedly recommend this treatment from my encounter that day. However, it could have been due to the large number of people she had to work on in a short time.)

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tags: pacific waters spa | huntington hyatt | la mom bloggers

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The Lincoln MKT Got Me Props From The Guy In The Parking Lot And Could Get You Some Nifty Things, Too

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Lincoln.

I drive a five-year-old minivan and let’s face it — no one ever stops me to ask about my car. And even if they did, instead of telling them about my mpg or how it goes from zero to sixty in fifteen minutes, I’m more likely to show them the collection of petrified french fries and year-old juice boxes laying in the back seat. That’s when the person who had inquired about my car would say, “I only stopped you because you ran over my foot.”

But all that changed when I got a Lincoln MKT to test drive.

I got admiring stares from people at stop lights and a curious glance from a TV star who lives across the street. I even had a guy in the Starbucks parking lot ask me about the size of the engine, and while I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about I was able to impress him with the fact that my fancy car had a refrigerated compartment! Possibly for beer! He gave me a thumbs up, but I could tell it didn’t go over too well with his wife. Until I told her about the feature that parallel parks your car for you. Then her eyes went all dreamy and she fainted.

A little digression here to tell you a story. I’ve never had a desire to buy an SUV (note MKT is not an SUV) — I’m even sort of anti-SUV for their gas-guzzling properties But I’ve always said that one day, and my friends and family roll their eyes when I say this, I’m going to buy myself a huge, blinged-out Lincoln Navigator, probably the most SUV of all SUVs that should assault my sensibilities on every level but doesn’t. I can’t tell you exactly why, but something about it is appealing to me and I picture myself hauling down the street cheerily waving at strangers and frightening small animals.

That said, I had never had the same attraction to the Lincoln MKT; it didn’t seem like it would be practical for me, a mom with two kids, kids who hide food under the floor mats and always have friends who need rides.

So when BlogHer asked me to test-drive it for a week I wasn’t sure what to expect. But when it showed up in my driveway I have to say I almost put my Navigator dreams on hold (notice I said ‘almost.’) It has a powerful look and feel to it while not being overbearing, and their description of it as a ‘luxury crossover utility vehicle’ seems to be right-on; while it has many features that would make it a good fit for someone like me with a family, it’s got a much more sexy, luxurious feel to it. A baby stroller covered with rubies comes to mind. Maybe that’s the secret to the Lincoln brand — practical, yet sexy and powerful, something that would get someone like me to want a humongous Navigator. How do they do it? I’m thinking mind-altering lasers but I’m no scientist.

Here’s the rundown on what I liked and didn’t like. (Keep in mind that I’m not a car-person, so some of my terms may not be technically correct. For instance, I just recently learned that the ‘round controller thingy’ is actually called a steering wheel.)

Liked:

• Well lots, but first and foremost is the ride. Although to be fair I am driving a five-year-old minivan so perhaps I was just grateful not to feel like I was going to dislodge a kidney with every bump. But my husband was even impressed with the smooth, heavy ride (in the back seat as well) and he drives a luxury car that may or may not rhyme with ‘howdy.’

• Above-mentioned refrigerated compartment. I have nothing more to say about this other than, “Yippee.”

• I loved being able to start the engine with the push-button, keyless start -- the access key just needs to be somewhere in the car. (Also, the key can be programmed to limit the top speed of whoever is driving the car. Would come in handy when my oldest starts driving in three years -- wonder if that key can be programmed to taser creepy boyfriends.)

• The rear-view camera provides an amazingly clear, color view when the car is in reverse — I was surprised at what a wide area it covered, and how bright the picture was even on my street which is menacingly, horror-movie dark. My van alerts me with an audio tone, but I liked being able to see a clear view of what was behind me. A must for driving anywhere kids, bicycles, pets and zombies might be around.

• Active Park Assist. I have to admit I didn’t get to see all that this feature was capable of, but I like knowing it’s there. Great for someone like me who hates parallel parking unless there is half a city block in which to maneuver into.

• The MKT has a third row of seats, which is essential. Where else would I put my kids’ freeloading friends? On the roof? I also liked that these seats had easy access; the second-row seats folded forward effortlessly. I was in a car recently where it was so much trouble to get to the third row that we ended up just leaving the extra passengers behind. (Sorry, mom.)

Didn’t Like So Much:

• BLIS©(Blind Spot Information System) When changing lanes, these sensors alert you when another car is approaching on either side. I appreciate its function, but I found it distracting to look for the sensor light and didn’t like my attention being diverted from what was up ahead. Although, this may be one of those things that annoy you at first and then become indispensable once you get used to them, like underwire bras.

• The mount for the rear view mirror is huge. I’m sure there’s a reason for this, but I found it slightly obstructed my view and seemed unusually prominent. (Insert inappropriate joke here.)

• In the end, the thing I didn’t like most about the Lincoln MKT was that it wasn’t mine. I was sad to see it go (as were my husband and kids) and it was hard to get back into my minivan after all that pampered luxury. But those old french fries and juice boxes aren’t going to drive themselves around, so off I went.

And here are those nifty things I mentioned. I have a $500 Visa gift card to give away! Just answer the question, “What is your favorite technology feature in your car?” Leave your answer in the comments section before 11:59pm on Wednesday, February 24 and I'll use random.org to pick a winner.

Also, enter to win Lincoln’s Night on the Town Sweepstakes where you could win a night of pampering with the Lincoln MKT (valued at $1500.) You and a guest could win:

* A chance to drive a 2010 Lincoln MKT for the evening
* Local spa package for two
* Dinner for two at a local restaurant
* One night stay at a local hotel

Click here to check out what other bloggers had to say about the Lincoln MKT.

Please see the Official Rules here.

Entries for this giveaway are now closed.

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tags: 2010 lincoln mkt review | blogher reviews | lincoln night on the town sweepstakes | lincoln navigator

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The Got Milk Party Gave Me Six Good Reasons to Cheer Up About The Holidays

A couple of weeks ago my daughters and I were invited to the Got Milk Holiday Lattes party at one of my favorite places, La Pain Quotidien. (Don't worry - I can't pronounce it, either.) I have to admit I wasn't in the most festive mood - it had been a hectic workday and I was feeling the pressure of the holidays bearing down on me - the usual stress of too much to do and too little time. Oh, and too little money. And too many presents to wrap. And not enough wine.

But as I've said before, those Got Milk people know how to party, and as soon as I walked into their festive event I felt the holiday spirit come over me. Or was it the Eggnog Rum Latte? Either way, here are a few more reasons I may have cheered up a bit.

1) Nice people with trays of lattes that they gave to me. Anyone who knows me and my deep, unnatural, in-need-of-a-twelve-step-program obsession with coffee knows that for me, a room full of roving baristas dispensing free coffee is like putting cat in a box made entirely out of tuna and yarn balls.



2) They had trays of sublime pastries to go with those lattes. Again, like tuna and yarn balls - that's how happy I was.



(This latte was a Toffee Mocha that had bits of crushed toffee bar sprinkled on it. WIN.)

3) Our lovely hostess, Angelina. You know one of those people who is always genuinely cheerful? That's Angelina. Even hosting a room full of rowdy bloggers, she managed to be in a good mood - I may need to bring her along Christmas shopping to keep me from going over the edge. (Don't tell the Got Milk people, but my girls actually call these get-togethers 'Angelina's Parties.')



4) Really, really nice crafts not the snow scene made out of cotton balls that I would have come up with. They had a professional scrapbooker giving instructions on how to make these amazing gift boxes. My 11-year-old sat down to make one as soon as we got there and was completely engrossed until we left almost two hours later. That's one-hour and fifty-five minutes longer than she stuck around the last time I suggested we make a Christmas tree out of post-its.



5) I now have an appreciation for eggnog. I don't drink eggnog - I put it in the same category as non-alcoholic beer and fat-free mayonnaise as things that sound great in theory but WHY BOTHER. But then one of those lovely baristas handed me an Eggnog Rum Latte and next thing I know I'm saying things like, "I'm going to marry you, eggnog" and "I live in the United States of Eggnog." Some say it was the rum talking, but I think they just don't know eggnog like I know eggnog. Here's the recipe so you can witness the power of eggnog for yourself. (They left out the rum, so at the end just write in, "Add rum.") I'm also including the recipe for the Toffee Mocha I had. You could probably write in, "Add rum" to the end of this one, too. (Click on the image to make it easier to read if the type is too small. Or if you've "Added too much rum.")



6) A good excuse to slow down and hang out with my girls. After the event my two daughters and I enjoyed a nice, relaxing al fresco dinner. I got that wine I was lacking, and we had the chance to sit and talk (really fast, I might add, after all those coffees.)



I definitely went home feeling much less cranky about the holidays and I have the Got Milk people to thank for that. I wonder how they'd feel about wrapping presents?

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tags: got milk | le pain quotidien | got milk holiday lattes party | blogger events apps

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Blackberry Vs. iPhone: An Unfinished Duel Fueled By Fast Food

I was at a party a couple of weeks ago and had to interrupt a conversation to take a call on my iPhone from one of my daughters. They were staying home alone for the first time, so I wanted to make sure they hadn't set the house on fire or weren't having any wild parties. Or if they were having a party to remind them not to eat all the Fritos - I hate coming home from a night out and not having anything to go with my bean dip.

Right after I got off the phone the guy I was talking to whips out his iPhone and says, "What apps do you have?" I couldn't believe it - didn't he want to know how my kids were? Or finish hearing me tell my fascinating story about my trip to Costco earlier? But then I got caught up in the moment and the next thing I knew I was knocking back another martini and yelling, "Dude, I've got Service Bell" just a little too loudly.

My point? There is no love greater than the love between an iPhone and its owner.

Except for the love between a Blackberry and its owner, that is.

My three best girlfriends have Blackberries, and to hear them talk you'd think the things were magic, capable of cleaning their houses, giving them backrubs and shaving six inches off their thighs. Okay, so they can take clear pictures with the built-in flash, and their carriers give them better coverage than AT&T (the only one that you can use with an iPhone.) Aren't there more important things than being able to finish a phone conversation without being dropped? What about making a piece of toast and then pretending to eat it? Or helping me figure out if I can afford a Chalupa?

I was given a Blackberry Tour smartphone and free coverage for a month to see what all the fuss was about. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use my Blackberry as much as I would have liked since that month happened to be when the kids took turns being sick, and also happened to be the weeks when I spent 90% of my waking hours trying to find a high school for my kid - not an ideal time to learn how to use and fully utilize a new device. So, in order to give the Blackberry a fair shake, I'm going to reinstate my Blackberry starting the week after Christmas at my own expense. That's when the kids will be home, the holiday rush will be over and I'll be laying around the house trying to figure out how to pay for everything. The perfect time to distract myself with a new toy!

But in my short experience with my Blackberry, here's what I found:

- I really missed having a touch-screen like I do on the iPhone. I can see that the Trackball and scrolling system would take a little getting used to, although my friends pointed out that it would really reduce the number of butt-calls they receive from me. Apparently they don't like it when I unknowingly phone them and they have to listen to an entire fifteen minutes of me placing an order at Popeyes Fried Chicken.

- As any iPhone owner will tell you - it's great for everything except for making calls. The clarity of calls made on the Blackberry is far superior to the iPhone, and though I didn't use it enough to experience any dropped calls from what I hear it's a rare occurrence. My iPhone drops calls with maddening frequency, though I'm not sure if it's due to the phone itself or the service with AT&T. But on the plus side - the "Sorry - you're breaking up" excuse really comes in handy when you can't possibly listen to any more details about your friend's hernia operation.

- I have to admit I'm extremely jealous of the built-in flash on the Blackberry. What up iPhone? You can turn my phone into a light saber but you can't get me a decent photo of my friends inside a club? Also, the Blackberry has a video camera which I don't have on my prehistoric 2G iPhone. Which means I can't get any footage of those same friends gettin' down gangsta style to Super Freak, either. Lucky them.

- When I first saw the tiny keyboard on the Blackberry I wondered whose miniscule hands it was made for - Munchkins? Kittens? I was trying to figure out how I was going to type out a text on the teeny keys when a kind friend gently informed me that "you use your nails, not the pads of your giant fingers, you moron." That made things much easier, but the jury's still out on this one. It may take a little practice, and I'll let you know in my next review if I ever master the fine art of nail typing.

That's all I've got for now. Join me next time as I use my Blackberry to surf the net, send an MMS and update my Facebook status. Oh, and email my lunch order to Popeyes.

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On the topic of phones and frazzled lives, I was given a few copies of The Blackberry Diaries by Kathy Buckworth to give away. Whether you're an iPhone user or a Blackberry devotee I'm sure you'll relate to this book about technology and motherhood. "Owning a Blackberry is a little like adding another child to your family. The device is constantly buzzing, poking and distracting its owner from whatever it is she's trying to acompish. It bears an uncanny resemblance to the uncooperative two-year-old hanging off Mom's leg at the Motor Vehicle Office."

To snag a copy for yourself, leave a comment here before 11:59pm on Sunday, December 20 and I'll use random.org to pick two winners. (Entries from the continental U.S. only, please.) If you win I'll email you from one of my phones!

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tags: blackberry | iphone | the blackberry diaries | iphone apps

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A Night Out With Dolby, The Black Crowes and a Digital Frame to Giveaway? Sounds Great!

Update: 12/16 - The winner has been picked! See below.

Last weekend we were invited by Dolby to check out their Surround Sound Truck and be their guests at the Black Crowes concert at Club Nokia. Hard to resist, especially since my husband and I have been eager to check out the scene at LA Live, the new entertainment complex adjacent to the Staples Center. A little Dolby demo, a little rock and roll and a date night without the kids - much better than the fast-food and laundry I had originally planned.

The Dolby Truck is touring the West Coast to show you what Dolby sound can do for your home theater, PC and even your cell phone. You're probably already familiar with Dolby sound at your local multi-plex, but Dolby in your home theater could do wonders for your cinema experience. Imagine seeing your favorite movie and hearing the guns firing right past your head! Or, in the case of the movies I've been seeing with my teen girls lately, hearing the sounds of true love brewing. Hey, you have your movie-going experience and I have mine.

The Dolby Truck, which we visited across from the Staples Center, is a mobile home theater outfitted with a huge screen and killer sound system - pretty much what every guy wishes he had on a camping trip! We were treated to a clip of Angelina Jolie's thriller, Wanted, and the sound was very impressive - so impressive in fact, that I rented the DVD last weekend after initially not wanting to see the movie at all. Although I have to say part of that reluctance is that I just figured it was about another kid that Angie and Brad wanted to adopt. Who knew it was about assassins?

We also saw what Dolby sound can do for your PC, since more and more people are watching movies and TV on their computers. I do - I'd much rather watch a Judd Apatow movie in my office through a pair of headphones than worry about turning down the volume every time I was afraid my daughters would hear a penis reference (which in his movies is around every 2.5 seconds. Yes, I timed it.) Unfortunately, I'm a die-hard Mac girl and the Dolby sound is currently only available on PC's, but hopefully someday in the future Apple and Dolby will join forces. Perhaps we'll need Clinton to broker that deal.


Something my husband and I were amazed by was the incredible sound that Dolby has managed to bring to the mobile phone. We listened to a Chocolate LG Touch through a pair of headphones and the sound blew us away - even better than what I'm able to get out of my iPod. Plug in a pair of headphones (I just used my ear buds) and listen to a demo featuring Ciara here. Switch the Dolby to 'on' and 'off' to hear the difference.

Again, sadly, the Dolby sound isn't available on the iPhone, my device of choice at the moment. Curse you superpowers and the forces that keep you apart!

After overstaying our welcome at their super truck (they're nice people, and didn't even ask us to leave after we'd watched the clip of Angelina taking out all the bad guys like fifty times) Dolby treated us to the Black Crowes concert at Club Nokia. Before heading over to the venue, my husband and I decided to splurge on a meal at one of our favorite sushi restaurants, Katsuya, one of the many places to eat in LA Live. Their food is sublime, and if they had made a movie of us eating and put it to Dolby sound the only thing you would have heard is us saying, "Can you believe how good this is?" over and over again. Well, that and "What the hell was Tiger Woods thinking?"

The concert itself was awesome - it was the first time seeing the Black Crowes live. Of course, since I spend a great deal of time writing about celebrities, I couldn't help wondering what exactly went wrong between Chris Robinson and Kate Hudson? And what does he think of Alex Rodriguez? I don't know why, but after all that, and after I mistook a peace sign on the stage for a Mercedes logo, my husband kept telling me to stop thinking out loud. Geez.



To top off our great evening, Dolby gave me a digital photo frame to give away to a lucky reader. This is one of those nifty things that you could maybe load up with lots of photos and music and give to a loved one as a gift to remind them of you. I was heading towards another Tiger Woods joke but I'll stop now.

If you want to win, leave a comment telling me where sound is most important to you - at the movies? In your home theater? On your PC? (Keep it clean - I don't want any references to those home movies you shot back on Spring Break.) Leave your comment before 11:59pm on Sunday, December 13 and I'll use random.org to pick a winner. (Entries from the continental U.S. only, please.) Good luck! May the next sound you hear be my voice announcing you as the winner. In Dolby, of course.

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Update: 12/16: WINNER PICKED

I put all the entries into the random list generator and let it do its thing.

AND THE WINNER IS...


Congratulations to Bernadette Batts of Bern Baby Bern! Bernadette, please email me and let me know how to get your digital frame to you!

And thanks to everyone who entered - I have lots more giveaways coming up, including a really big one.


tags: dolby | la live | black crowes | katsuya

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The Holiday Celebration at Disneyland Saved My Family From A Day Of Angst

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving we were invited to Disneyland for the Holiday Celebration for Parent Bloggers. I know it sounds like a crazy time to go, but it actually worked in my favor since it prevented me from sitting around and obsessing about the 30 people that would be coming over to my house for turkey and the eight-pounds of mashed potatoes I was going to have to prepare.

Eight hours spent having fun instead of vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, barking at the kids to clean their room and nagging my husband to clean off the patio! I know they all missed that holiday tradition, but I got plenty of yelling in on Thanksgiving eve. Everyone wins!

This is our favorite time of year to go to Disneyland. Sure it's a little crowded, but it's worth it to see all the beautiful decorations and it really gets me into the holiday spirit. It's hard not to be festive when you're standing in front of a thousand-foot tree. This one is right at the entrance to Main Street, and there are tons of people in front of it posing and taking photos for their holiday cards. I tried to get my daughters to pose for one but they wouldn't, so I took a picture of some family from Iowa and they'll be on our card this year. I'm sure they won't mind.



Also, check out Sleeping Beauty's Castle that's all decked out for the holidays. It's even more breathtaking in person, and the best part is it's open for the walkthrough. This was the first time my daughters had been through it - the last time we were there the line was too long. Priceless Disneyland Tip That Makes Me Sound Like An Expert: Go towards the end of the evening, when Fantasyland seems to clear out.



We got a late start, mainly because we were exhausted from a party we threw at our house the night before. Have I told you we're insane? We like to plan multiple events, back-to-back, just to see if any of us will collapse from the frenzy. But it all worked out, because we had just enough time to ride a few rides before we headed on over to the banquet for the wonderful party the Disneyland people had put together for all of us. There was lots of amazing food, but I had to take a picture of the dessert tray. I'm not really even a big dessert fan, but I was fixated on these. After I took this picture I went over to the buffet table and had a huge slab of roast beef. I didn't take a picture of that.



I finally got to meet Allegra Gonzalez and her three beautiful daughters, the winners of my Disneyland VIP giveaway. A friend of mine knows Allegra, and she told me she knew we'd along and she was right. They're a great family, and it was good for me to see how cool, calm and collected someone with three teenagers can be - Allegra has 13-year-old twins and a 15-year-old. It gave me hope for my future after all.



One of the things my 11-year-old was the most excited about was a demonstration put on by Disneyland's pastry chef. I'm not kidding - she had talked about it ever since we got the invitation, and she probably would have gladly missed going into the park if that pastry demo had gone on all night. So you can imagine how excited she was when the chef invited her onstage to help make a yule log! Forget the Jonas Brothers - she was helping a real live pastry chef roll out dough. I'm sure this is how Rachael Ray got her start.



My girls were also treated to complimentary hair-makeovers at Studio 365. Twenty-five minutes, three packets of extensions and several gallons of hairspray later, they came out with truly glamorous, and big, hair. I had to break the news to them that not in a million years would I ever be able to re-create these hairstyles:



And what Disneyland visit would be complete without a ride on It's A Small World? It's been decorated inside and out for the holidays. Honestly, I never get tired of this ride, even though my girls insist it's only because it's air conditioned and I get to sit down for an extended period of time. Maybe so, but I seem to remember us all humming the theme song for the rest of the night.



The evening ended with one of Disneyland's impressive signature fireworks displays, and then 'snow' falling on Main Street as White Christmas played. What an awesome day. Thanks to Disneyland for treating my family and our guests to a magical, angst-free day! I didn't think once about those mashed potatoes.
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tags: disneyland | california adventure | holidays at disneyland | parent bloggers event disneyland

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Hello Friend! Fresh & Easy On My Doorstep

A couple of weeks ago I came home from running errands and found two big boxes on my doorstep. I've mentioned before about my paranoia and how I once mistook a package from Apple for an explosive device sent to me by an evil entity, so you can imagine my suspicion at discovering two mysterious parcels waiting for me. I had my iPhone at the ready, prepared to call 911 at a moment's notice. Actually, I was going to use my Bomb Diffuser 2.1. Yes, there's an app for that.

So you can imagine how relieved I was to discover the two boxes were actually from Fresh & Easy - they had come in peace, and were not an attempt on my life. I love it when my day starts off with a positive.

The nice people at Fresh & Easy had put together a sampling of some of their holiday products for me to try, so I changed out of my bullet-proof vest, called off the bomb-sniffing dogs and got down to business. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cranberry and Nut Popcorn Clusters - I'm not a huge fan of caramel corn. To me, most of it tastes like Cracker Jack but without the benefit of the toy. But this stuff has me hooked, probably because it's not as sticky-sweet as most others I've tried and the dried cranberries and nuts give it a nice twist. I wouldn't mind finding a toy buried at the bottom of the cylinder, though.





Gourmet Belgian Biscuit Collection - Somehow, calling these cookies 'biscuits' make them sound so much more civilized. And less fattening. And easier to eat several of them without getting that gluttonous, I-ate-too-many-cookies feeling. These are very good, and a nice accompaniment to my late-afternoon cappuccino and also a nice addition to my girls' lunchboxes. Although they call them cookies, not biscuits.




Chocolate Mint Thins - Okay, I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I bit into one of these and discovered they were not similar to the Girls Scout's Thin Mints like I was expecting. Instead of a minty wafer inside, they have a minty cream - think of a thin version of a Junior Mint. But leave it to the kids to save the day - my youngest sandwiched one of these between two graham crackers and created the most delicious little sandwich cookie invention, ever. They even came up with a name for it - the Minty S'More. I didn't have the heart to tell them it sounded like a stripper name.

I also received a nice bottle of Ogio Prosecco Spumante (champagne to you and me) that I gave away as a gift. The packages arrived shortly before we were leaving to see my nephew perform in a college production of Sweeney Todd, so I thought this would make the perfect after-performance gift. I forgot the campus was dry, though, which would explain why he looked in the bag and said, "Thanks for the cookies!" before hiding it under his coat. I'll have to ask him what he thought of the Prosecco - I just hope he didn't drink it out of a beer bong.


I loved getting the holiday gifts, but I do my everyday shopping at Fresh & Easy, too. Here are my staples I pick up there regularly:

1. Parmesan and Garlic Pita Chips - My 13-year-old's favorite. Since going vegetarian, she often asks for these, some hummus and cut-up veggies in her lunch. It doesn't get any easier than that.
   
2. Maple Pecan Granola Clusters - The. Best. Granola. Ever. Even for a non-granola person like me. I use mine to top my yogurt and my 11-year-old eats it straight out of the bag, like potato chips.
   
3. Thick Sliced Bacon -BACON! THICK SLICES OF IT! That is all.
   
4. Hummus - See #1.
   
5. Fresh Mozzarella - I slice it up and use it to top roma tomatoes and basil for our favorite caprese salad. But I also eat it straight out of the carton, like potato chips. I'm sure you see the theme here.
   
6. Restaurant Style Salsa - We eat chips and salsa at some point almost every day. Sometimes we'll go through two containers of this in a week. They call it restaurant-style, but I think it tastes even fresher than what you'll find in some restaurants. You know the ones.

I have to confess that ever since Fresh & Easy came on the scene I've been shopping less and less at Trader Joes. I suspect this will continue to be true through the holidays, since around this time the parking lot at Trader Joes gets pretty heated and intense, and I have no desire to die for a box of organic couscous. Also, the Fresh & Easy website has coupons ($6 off a $30 purchase!) and who doesn't want to save a few bucks during the holidays? Hey, those iPhone apps aren't going to buy themselves.

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tags: fresh and easy supermarket | holiday gifts | trader joes | what is up with the trader joes parking lot

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