These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

What's better than raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens? How about a pair of sneakers that shape up your butt and a cupcake that tastes like a Cinnabon? These are just a couple of the cool products we got to check out at the fantastic LA/OC Moms Blog party thrown by the SV Moms Group a couple of weekends ago. Not only did we get to enjoy the beautiful surroundings at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, but we had great food, nice wine and the chance to meet reps from some first-rate companies and sample their wares. I love kittens but I'd take this event over their prickly whiskers any day.

So, without torturing you with any more Broadway show tune lyrics, here are a few of my favorite things.

Skechers Shape-Ups



Okay, I love these shoes. I have to admit they weren't on my list of things to buy, but when the nice reps from Skechers gave me a pair to try out I realized that maybe it really was time to throw out my twelve-year-old sneakers and slip into something new. And while I was a little skeptical of their claims that the shoes could tighten my butt and improve my posture, I have to say that after wearing the shoes everyday for the past week I'm beginning to think this is no ordinary pair of sneakers. I actually do feel like I stand up a little bit straighter when I have them on, and I can feel my leg muscles getting a bit of a workout. Plus, it's kind of nice to look down and not see shoes with holes and ketchup stains on them.


Cinnabon Cupcakes



How do you one-up a Cinnabon? Put it into a cupcake! Cinnabon is adding cupcakes to their menu, just to torture me that much more when I'm walking by their store at the mall, I presume. These cupcakes were delicious -- my favorite was the Cinnacake Classic, which tasted just like a Cinnabon, only cupcake-y. (<--- Hey look - I made up a new word.) I also love their retro packaging, which is going to make it even harder to resist at the mall. Damn you, Cinnabon!


Bosch/Tassimo Single-Cup Coffee Maker



This machine made me a perfect cup of coffee Starbucks coffee to go along with my cupcake. That was enough to make me fall in love, but the thing that impressed me the most was the fact that you could insert a little pod of milk, and the machine would steam it up perfectly for your cappuccino or latte. I have a one-cup coffee maker made by another company, but the thing's starting to buzz and hiss and it may just be time to move on to another machine, one that can put a little foam into my cup. I guess you could say I woke up and smelled the milk.


iGo



What is this handsome creature? I'll give you a hint -- it's coming with me to the Academy Awards on Sunday! No, it's not a device from the future that will make George Clooney notice me -- it's a combination cell phone charger and back-up battery from iGo. (Although I wish those scientists would hurry up with that Clooney device already.) All I have to do is charge the iGo for a couple of hours and then pop in my purse to use to charge up my iPhone when it runs out of power. I can spend less time worrying about my phone on the Red Carpet, and more time obsessing about my hair. Everybody wins!


Taga Bike



Okay, I admit I almost walked right by this one, because why would I need a bike with a baby carrier? I ain't birthing no more babies, I said under my breath. Although it must have come out louder than I thought because then the nice Taga man showed me his magic (no, not that, you dirty little minds) and turned the thing into a regular bike with a roomy basket in front, and then turned that into a shopping cart:


Schwing! I was mesmerized. Do you realize what this could mean? No more parking lot fights at the grocery store, and no more grabbing a cart only to find my hand stuck to the handle with some sort of mystery goo. Hey, and it might even come in handy if I have another baby. JUST KIDDING.

For more photos from the event and a great re-cap of all of the sponsors, check out this post on the LA Moms Blog.

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tags: la moms blog | bosch | igo | skechers shape ups | cinnabon cupcakes | taga bikes

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Senseo Single Serve Coffee Pod System: Now, I'm Caffeinated 24/7

I have a saying, "You can never have enough coffee makers." We're a family of four with only two coffee drinkers (the other two, my kids 9 and 11, are the reason we need to drink coffee) but have in our possession five devices for brewing caffeinated beverages. There's the 10-cup grind n' brew, the Starbucks Barista espresso machine, an ancient French press and two stovetop espresso pots. I'd like to try an experiment one day where I have all five contraptions brewing at the same time, drink all the coffee and then see if I can stay up for nine days straight.

And then, there were six! I was recently asked to test out a Senseo Single Serve Coffee Pod System which I quickly agreed to – how could I turn down a chance to have the latest in coffee brewing accessories in my kitchen? It would be like Paris Hilton passing on the latest Chanel Bag. I'm a slave to coffee fashion - when they come out with that espresso machine that can be installed into the glove compartment of my van, I'll be the first in line.

The Senseo Single Serve Coffee Pod System is exactly as it sounds; a way to brew a single serving of coffee using pre-packaged coffee pods. But unlike soup-for-one or those small, sad one-glass bottles of wine, a single serving coffee doesn't scream loser. A single serving of coffee says, "I'm hip! I can have coffee whenever I want! And I'll be up all night!"

This machine couldn't be easier to use. Fill the reservoir up with water, pop a coffee pod into the holder, select your cup size and brew yourself a single cup of fresh hot coffee. And in spite of it's single serve title, the Senseo actually can brew two cups at the same time - simply put two pods into the larger holder that's included, and choose the two-cup option. The best part? No grounds to spill, no pot to wash, no coffee grinder to clean.

The other great benefit of the Senseo is satisfying that one person who always shows up at gatherings asking for decaf coffee. Personally I don't understand these people and usually ask them to leave the premises immediately, but whatever. Now, I can keep a package of Senseo Decaf coffee pods on hand to brew them a single cup of unleaded brew before I give them a lecture on the health benefits of caffeine and send them on their way.

The Senseo coffee pods are widely available (I've seen them at Ralphs and Target) and come in a variety of brews– everything from Sumatra to Espresso blends, and flavors like Vanilla and Hazelnut. Like the decaf people, I don't get the flavored-coffee-people either, but I'll make sure and have a few flavored pods on hand for them, just to be nice.

Now, for the best part:

Want to try out the Senseo Single Serve Coffee maker yourself? Click on the link below and fill out the (short) survey for your chance to receive everything you see below:


Click here for your chance to get caffeinated.

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tags: senseo | senseo single serve coffee pod system | coffee | single serve coffee maker

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