Pop-Up Pantry: So good no one will think you cooked it yourself

True story: When I was in my 20's, a friend and I were put in charge of dinner plans for a group of us celebrating a friend's birthday. We did what all normal twentysomethings would do: We concocted an elaborate hoax and a web of lies intended to fool those close to us.

Instead of cooking, we bought a ton of really good Chinese food and told everyone we'd made it ourselves. (Because who has time to cook when it's the 80's and you're busy trying to score Duran Duran tickets or searching for the perfect shoulder pads?) Behind closed doors, we emptied take-out cartons into skillets and woks, making sure they sizzled extra loud for added effect. We forbid anyone from entering the kitchen lest they lay eyes on us reheating wonton soup or catch a glimpse of the stack of empty containers outside the back door.

Years later when we came clean to our friends they pretended that they'd known all along that we hadn't cooked, because "That meal was way too good for you guys to pull off." We instantly regretted not having stirred the duck sauce with our feet.

But flash forward to now, and it's no longer a dirty secret to serve pre-prepared food to your guests. We're still busy, and realize it's perfectly fine to have a little help if we need to work or would rather hit the town. (Although how many times do you really need to see Duran Duran?)

Get in mah belly, you crazy mushroom crostini and bastilla.

A couple of weeks ago i was introduced to a great new company called Pop-Up Pantry that offers three-course gourmet dinners created by top chefs, delivered to your door for the price of takeout and with minimal preparation. (Although Pop-Up Pantry is a subscription service, sign-up is free and you are never obligated to purchase.)

At the company's loft in L.A. we got to sample some of their fare: Delicious dishes including Lamb Korma with Biriyani Rice, Hoisin Ginger Braised Shortrib and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble from chefs like David Yeo (Le Cirque, Tavern On The Green), Rod Aglibot (Koi, BLT) and Beekman 1802 (Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge from The Fabulous Beekman Boys.) 

Pop-Up Pantry headquarters: We came, we saw, we stuffed ourselves

Pop-Up Pantry founders David Hauslaib and Tom Balamaci created the company because of their love of food and the lack of access to fine dining for foodies living outside of major metro areas. (And for people like me, who live within five minutes of some really good restaurants but don't always feel like going out to dinner.) The food is prepared, then frozen, vacuum-sealed, placed in an insulated box after preparation and delivered via UPS or FedEx – and are designed to go from package to table in 30 minutes or less. Man, that's way quicker than ordering and then waiting for sixteen cartons of Chinese food to show up.

Chef David Yeo making magic aka Onion Soup With Cheese Toasts

Besides the dishes mentioned above we were lucky enough to taste Onion Soup with Cheese Toasts, Bastilla (my favorite, and created by chef David Burtka who you will know as Neil Patrick Harris' partner) and Stuffed Peppers – it was all amazing and definitely fare that I would expect from a first-rate restaurant.

Founders of Pop-Up Pantry aka David Hauslaib and Tom Balamaci aka Really Nice Guys

David and Tom are really nice, accessible guys who are not only passionate about their food, but about their customers as well. They seem really concerned with finding out who their consumers are, what types of dining experiences they're looking for and striving to meet those expectations. Has your local restaurant ever invited you over and asked what types of food your teenagers like to eat? I didn't think so.

I didn't tell them my Chinese food story, but David and Tom if you're reading this – know that I will definitely be ordering from Pop-Up Pantry soon but would never try and take credit for the wonderful dishes you've created. Although there is that friend's birthday I've promised to cook for...

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Go to PopUpPantry.com to find out more about their services, pricing and menus. 

And wait - it gets better: Pop-Up Pantry recently announced that in support of those affected by Sandy, they will be donating $1 from every online ordered placed to City Harvest, the world's first food rescue organization dedicated to feeding the hungry men, women, and children of New York. In conjunction, they are also offering customers $5 off every meal when they use the code “SANDY” at checkout

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Teenage Dream: Extra Dessert Delights

Did you know that teenagers love gum? Did you know that for a teenager, a pack of gum is like a secret weapon – if you pull out a pack of gum at school, not only will you have more friends than you can count, but a stick of gum can be traded for all sorts of wonderful things; paper, pencils, even entire lunches, according to my 13-year-old, who swears she doesn't know this information first hand.

(Yes, it's true that gum-chewing is against school rules, but – surprise! - ALL teenagers do it anyway. They also have friends on Facebook they've never met in person, say they don't have homework when they do, and occasionally pretend they didn't get your text.)

But yes, GUM. I can't go through the grocery checkout without both my teenagers throwing a couple of packs into my cart, and the choosing of the gum is a complex process in itself, requiring great concentration and thought. I let them take their time while I catch up with my tabloid reading, hoping they make a choice by the time the cashier starts ringing up my groceries. A few months ago they found this:

 

How crazy is that? A gum that tastes exactly like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream! Apparently just crazy enough that it became my teens' favorite, and pretty popular with their friends, too. Word has it that just one stick of these bad boys was worth TWO lunches.

Then I happened to get asked to try out some new Extra Dessert Delights flavors, and my teens jumped at the chance. Personally, I'm more of an old-school spearmint fan, so I turned over the tasting to my girls. That's right, I ASKED them to chew more gum. Here are their thoughts:

Root Beer Float – Hands down my teens' favorite. Didn't hurt that they all love root beer floats - and who doesn't? A couple of the 13-year-old's friends tried it, and they too agreed it was the best - really tasted like an actual root beer float! I wonder how it would taste with french fries?

Bananas Foster – Right off the bat they all remarked that the gum had an odd smell, and I had to agree. They couldn't get past that, and didn't care much for the gum. I'm thinking it might go over better if it was tweaked to taste like a Banana Split instead. Or maybe take a cue from Elvis and make a Banana-Peanut-Butter-Sandwich gum? Maybe not.
 
Lemon Square - Their second favorite flavor, and I liked this one too. As I mentioned, I'm more of a spearmint fan, but this was the only one out of the three that wasn't overly sweet. I think a lemon-flavored gum is a natural fit – sort of a refreshing citrus taste to clear your palate.

The final verdict? They'll definitely be picking up a pack of Extra Dessert Delights Root Beer Float gum when it hits the shelves, although chances are they wouldn't turn down any of the flavors if it was offered to them during history class – after all, we're talking about GUM. Now if only I could get them to answer my texts during lunch.

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And guess what? Only ONE of these flavors will be produced in 2012, and you can help decide which one by voting. So do your civic duty, even if it is only for gum by clicking here and casting your vote. (Vote for Root Beer Float. This biased message was paid for by teenagers who chew a lot of gum.)






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Road Trip 2011: Now With Less Napkins

This post is part of a partnership with Allstate.

One of my most vivid memories of a road trip with my kids happened over ten years ago while on a drive up to San Francisco. My husband and I had stopped for our fiftieth cup of coffee and we had gotten the girls, around five and three at the time, a couple of cookies. For some reason the two of them started bickering when we got back in the car and a few minutes later it had turned into a full-blown fight. Not over the cookies, but OVER A NAPKIN. My husband immediately pulled over to the side of the road, stopped the car and took the napkin away, resulting in the two of them sobbing uncontrollably. OVER A NAPKIN.

Road trips are a lot different now that they're teenagers. Usually they're both plugged into their iPods, only occasionally taking their earphones off to inquire when we're stopping to eat or to confer with each other on the hotness of the boys in the car next to us. Don't get me wrong – I enjoy the quiet and the ability to have a conversation with my husband while we're driving, but sometimes I almost miss the bickering.

On our next trip, I'm thinking of throwing a napkin back there just to see what happens.

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One thing for certain: we have many more road trips in our future, and always at issue is safety while we're traveling. Here's something that has helped eased my mind – a new program from Allstate called Good Hands Roadside Assistance that offers pay-as-you-go roadside assistance. And you can sign up right here:


With Good Hands Roadside Assistance:

• You do not need to have Allstate insurance to use this service
• You only pay when you use it, there are no monthly fees
• Pre-registering for Good Hands Roadside Assistance provides faster service at time of need on the road. Those that pre-register will also receive welcome kit in the mail containing a wallet card, key fob and window cling with the phone number for roadside help.
• You can register for up to 5 users on your account

From now on, the Good Hands Roadside Assistance number will always be in my glove compartment before leaving on any road trip. Along with a few extra napkins. 

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I was compensated for my participation in this program, but no restrictions were placed on the content of my review. All opinions are solely my own. 

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Baby, You Can Drive My Car (While I Sit Here And Worry)

This post is part of a partnership with Allstate.

My oldest daughter turned fifteen a couple of months ago, and as usual another year older brought another whole set of worries for me. This time it's sophmore boys, college planning, and what if Lady Gaga's next concert falls on the exact same day as the homecoming dance? (That last one is her worry, not mine.)

But I have to say the thing that's weighing heaviest on my mind lately is the fact that my first-born will be old enough to drive a car next year.

[Pause for emphasis.]

[Shudders.]

Chances are she won't be running out and getting her license on the very morning of her 16th birthday (like I did) but it's inevitable she'll be getting behind the wheel sometime in the next year or so. How did this happen? It seemed like one minute I'm changing her diaper, and the next thing I know I'm grabbing the dashboard with my white knuckles and screaming, "Don't hit the tree!" as she overcompensates and veers off and hits the neighbor's brand-new Mercedes instead and then bolts out of the car yelling, "I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANT YOU TEACHING ME HOW TO DRIVE. MOM."

Okay, I admit I may have been overthinking this whole thing, but the truth is the statistics for teenage drivers is sobering. Add to that my memories of crazy teenage driving hijinks and it's enough to make me want to campaign to have the legal driving age raised to 30.

Plus it's my legacy to worry about my teen driving: Every single year since we got our licenses, my mom has paid for the roadside assistance program for all five of her kids saying that she "sleeps better" knowing that we're covered for emergencies on the road. I think it's a great idea, and along with scrawling 'No Boys Allowed' on the dashboard it's one of the things I was thinking of doing for my own daughter once she starts driving.

But with the statistic that 52 million households pay annual fees for roadside assistance with the average driver using their service only once every three years, I started thinking about the last time either my husband or I used our service and I realized I couldn't remember when it was. Although there was that one time I was thinking of calling them when I was on that long barren stretch of the 5 and I couldn't find a Starbucks to save my life. Hey, at the time it seemed like an emergency.

Here's something that might make more sense: Allstate has a program called the Good Hands Roadside service that offers pay-as-you-go roadside assistance. It's absolutely free to sign up, you do not have have Allstate insurance to use the service, and there is no sign-up fee or monthly fees. And check it out - you can sign up right here using this handy widget:


I realize this isn't going to protect my daughter from all that can go wrong while she's at the wheel, but it's one less thing to worry about. Now all I can do is make sure she gets excellent driver training, doesn't drink/text and drive, and follows all the other rules of save driving. And make sure she knows where to get a cup of coffee on the road when she really needs one.

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I was compensated for my participation in this program, but no restrictions were placed on the content of my review. All opinions are solely my own. 

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Healthy Choice: My lunch needs a makeover

Here's a typical eating scenario that takes place during my day: I start off pretty good, eating a healthy breakfast of cereal or oatmeal (with tons of coffee, of course, just to offset all that healthiness.) Sometimes I'll get crazy and have an egg, but usually it's whatever my kids are having since that would be what is already out on the counter and doesn't require any extra energy to prepare. Some call it lazy, I call it efficient.

Then, around 3 or 4 o'clock I'll start to get really hungry. Why? Because I suddenly realize that I forgot to eat lunch. Not skipped lunch, but just completely forgot to eat with all the craziness of my day. And because it's so late I'll start to panic and just grab whatever I can in the kitchen. Sometimes it's a piece of bread, or a muffin, or a handful of chips. If we've just had a party at our house – look out, since I may just grab a cupcake or a leftover piece of birthday cake. You don't want to know what I had for lunch the day after a Super Bowl party.

So when I was asked to sample some Healthy Choice frozen meals, I thought, why not? I figured it might be a way to find something that could be whipped up quickly if I forgot to eat, and might inspire me to actually get on some sort of schedule so that I ate at a reasonable time like most normal humans do. Also, I'd been wanting to drop a few pounds so eating a portion-controlled meal at a sensible hour seemed like a good plan all around. Which is more than I can say for that 4pm cupcake lunch.

I have had Healthy Choice meals before and to be honest I think I just bought them because of the word 'healthy' in the title, and didn't realize that using that word means the product is actually held to a higher nutritional standard set by the FDA. (In other words, I don't think I could call yesterday's lunch of espresso and a Pop Tart 'healthy'.) Healthy Choice is the only major brand in its category that can call 100% of its products “healthy” as defined by the FDA. This means that each meal must be:

1. Low in fat
2. Low in saturated fat
3. Controlled in sodium and cholesterol
4. Supply at least 10% of the daily value for three beneficial nutrients (calcium, protein, fiber, iron, vitamin A or vitamin C)

Here are the two meals I chose to sample, how I liked them and if I'll be putting them in my freezer to get my lunch plan on track.

I enlisted  my 13-year-old sample the Chicken Parmigiana with me, since she never met a pasta she didn't like, and this chicken was served on a bed of penne. We were both surprised at how good this was. I was anticipating a dry, rubbery piece of chicken like you would expect with a frozen meal, but this one was actually pretty moist and the light breading was seasoned nicely and didn't overwhelm. The sauce wasn't too sweet, and the penne wasn't overcooked - again, not what you would expect from a frozen meal. I would definitely buy this one again – the only drawback was that I had to share it with my daughter.

My next meal, Sweet and Spice Orange Zest Chicken, came from the Healthy Choice Café Steamers line. The idea is that the food steams in your microwave for a healthier meal. I understand the health benefits if you're steaming fresh ingredients, but with a frozen meal the food has already been cooked so without knowing how the food was originally prepared, I'm not sure if there is any extra health benefit here.

But steamed or not, I found this meal to be a little lacking in flavor. The sauce was overly sweet, the rice overcooked and I found the dish to be just bland in general. The best part about it were the snap peas, which had retained their crispness and sweetness despite being frozen. I'm curious to try the General Tso's Spicy Chicken which may have a little more kick to it.

We've all heard before about the obesity epidemic in our country that is threatening our health and that of our children. (Center for Disease Control (CDC) says two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese) Healthy Choice sent along some research that shows that replacing 10 meals per week with a portion-controlled Healthy Choice meal, as part of a reduced calorie diet, can lead to weight loss, increase of energy and improved dietary quality.

It isn't likely that I'd eat (or feed my family) 10 frozen food meals a week, but I've always been a firm believer in portion control as a weight loss method and this shows me Healthy Choice meals could also be a part of my diet plan. (Their portion prevented me from stuffing myself with chicken parmigiana, for example.) Also, knowing that these meet the FDA requirements for a 'healthy' designation makes them a smarter choice than most for the occasional lunch.

I am on a mission to healthy up my lifestyle and that of my family, though, and in addition to eating a sensible lunch (at a reasonable time) I'm also vowing to get us out exercising as a family more often and to buy and eat more organic food. Healthy Choice meals can help me with at least one of those goals, as long as I remember to eat it at the right time. If they could make a frozen entree that came with an alarm clock it would be a perfect world.

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I received coupons for two Healthy Choice items to purchase for purposes of this review. I also received a stipend for my participation in this program, but no restrictions were placed on the content of my review. All opinions are 100% mine. 

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The Nest Case Can Make You A Brilliant Conversationalist

A couple of weeks ago I was having lunch with a friend and her 4-year-old son and she was desperately trying to keep him occupied while we tried to have a conversation. For some reason he wasn't feeling our discussion about belly flab and mood swings. So finally my friend whipped out her iPhone and cued up a couple of videos for him to watch. It's a dangerous idea to hand an expensive electronic device to anyone who's using ketchup as finger paint, so it was a good thing I had my Nest case handy to prop up her phone. What's a Nest case? Here check it out:

(Contrary to what you may think, that picture on the right is not just a clever ploy to get you to watch this video again.)

It's a sturdy case for your iPhone that has grooves that enable you to use the case as a stand. Slip the bottom portion of the case off, slide your iPhone out and set it in either the vertical or horizontal position. Great for using it to stand up your phone vertically when you're using it as a clock, or horizontally to watch a video. Or maybe you use it when you need your alarm clock to wake you up to watch a video. The possibilities are mind boggling. At least for someone as feeble minded as me.

Besides the sturdiness and the dual functionality of the case, I love the design - sleek, clean and simple. It's the first iPhone case I've had that still looks good after a couple of months of use and seems durable enough to withstand my constant handling - not to mention a run-in with a 4-year-old, a bottle of ketchup and sixty solid minutes of Yo Gabba Gabba.

So in conclusion, the Nest case will not only protect your phone and stand it up, but will enable you to have more insightful, meaningful, uninterrupted conversations. If you don't believe me meet me for lunch with your 2-year-old and I'll tell you all about my hangnail.

The Nest case is currently available for iPhone 3G, 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod Touch.

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Small legal print to satisfy legal people: I received two Nest cases for the purpose of this review. I gave one to my husband for his birthday and he loves it. He may or may not know that I got it for free but I guess I'll tell him now.

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Fresh & Easy: I'm Stalking Your Cranberry Walnut Loaf

I got a box full of Holiday goodness from Fresh & Easy the other day. My 12-year-old insisted on staging a full-on photo shoot before we touched anything. It took awhile because the pine cones kept insisting we only shoot their 'good side.'

We haven't had a chance to sample the Pumpkin Pecan Waffle & Pancake Mix yet, but the Hot Chocolate Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings were put to immediate use topping off some homemade mochas. They can also be used to make a rich hot chocolate, or eaten straight out of the can with a spoon and a grin on your face. That last suggestion isn't on the can, by the way.

But let me tell you about my new best friend, the Cranberry Walnut Loaf. It's made by Il Fornaio especially for Fresh & Easy. The label says it's got cranberries, walnuts, raisins, citrus and pecans in it, but I think there are also diamonds, gold shavings and ground-up  leprechaun in there somewhere. It's magically delicious. (Sorry.)

We sliced it up, toasted it and spread a little butter on it and it was amazing. We finished the entire loaf within a couple of days, which says a lot since bread usually goes stale around here before we get around to eating it. We'll say, "Oh, let's make a sandwich," and then reach into the bread box to find something resembling a loaf of bread except it's covered in green spores and has grown some limbs. Don't worry – before we serve it to guests we scrape all of the fur off.

I've gotten a little obsessed with the Cranberry Walnut Loaf. In fact, I went to Fresh & Easy and bought all of the loaves they had left, because I'm going to give it away at my family gathering on Christmas day. Here, I'll prove it to you:

They only had four left, and I may or may not have had to push an old lady with a walker out of the way to score these (sorry, mom.) And since I have like 300 people in my family I'm planning to go back and buy some more. My husband is getting a little concerned with my obsession with the CWL (I've even given it an acronym – true love.) He's even started referring to it as "Your Bread," as in, "Would you like some of your bread with your coffee?" He says it in a slightly sarcastic tone, like he doesn't see its magical powers.

If you're on my gift list, you might be getting a loaf of my new best friend. If you decide to buy a loaf of your own, be prepared to fight me for it.

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I've talked about my love for Fresh & Easy before – here are some other products I recommend. Don't worry – it's a totally natural, harmonious kind of love.

Fresh & Easy Wine Tasting: Don't Make Me Drink Alone

Summertime And The Livin' Is (Fresh &) Easy

eatwell: Fresh & Easy's New Line of Healthy Meals Inspires My Terrible Taglines

Fresh & Easy Market: Be My Valentine

Hello Friend! Fresh & Easy On My Doorstep

Fresh & Easy: My New BFF

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Marie Callender's New Baked Meals: I'll eat that

I have to confess right up front here that I'm not a big fan of frozen meals. The preservatives and artificial ingredients have always scared me - something is just not right if a chicken breast can stay in your freezer longer than that chicken was actually alive.

That said, certain circumstances have made frozen food indispensable over the past year – an increased workload for both my husband and I, busier school schedules, and probably the biggest change - my oldest daughter stopped eating red meat. Since the rest of the family are still enthusiastic carnivores, I very often had to make two separate versions of our dinner (beef and vegetarian chili for example) and as you can imagine that got old really fast. You think I'm cranky when I have to cook one meal at the end of a crazy day – try telling me I have to cook TWO.

What I started doing was buying some frozen options for my daughter to have on those nights that the rest of us were eating meat. I tended to only buy them from stores like Trader Joes or Fresh & Easy, though, since their products tended to be healthier and with less artificial ingredients. My daughter figured out quickly which frozen items she liked best and which ones she'd avoid in the future - the soy cheese enchilada sounded like a bad idea from the start.

So when I was asked to test drive the new multi-serve baked meals from Marie Callender's I thought it'd be a good chance to broaden my frozen food horizons. I'm a big fan of the Marie Callender's restaurant (their chicken pot pie owns me) so the brand already had some clout with me. These new meals are 'family size' meals as opposed to individual serving portions that make up most of their line.

I set out to my friendly neighborhood grocer to pick up some items to sample. Before I left I let my family look over the options and pick out which ones they'd like – we decided on the Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese and the Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna. Unfortunately when I got to the store I found that they only carried three varieties – Scalloped Potatoes & Ham, Southwestern Chipotle Chicken Bake and the Three Meat & Four Cheese Lasagna. (And they were very difficult to find, pushed to the very edge of the freezer case.) I picked up one of each, and a pint of coffee ice cream. The ice cream had absolutely nothing to do with this review, but I wanted to make the most out of my frozen aisle experience.

We decided on the Chipotle Chicken Bake and the Meat Lasagna. The meals can be cooked in either the microwave or the oven - I cooked them 3/4 of the way in the microwave and then popped them in the oven to finish off, just to make it seem like I was actually cooking a meal. (While they are intended for multi-servings, the containers are fairly small and fit easily inside a standard microwave.)

Us flesh-eaters started in on the lasagna, and I have to say I was immediately impressed with the 'fresh' taste of it, and how you could really taste the sausage and the ricotta. The sauce had just the right amount of tang to it, and wasn't overly sweet like a lot of prepared sauces are. We gave it a thumbs up, and agreed it was something we'd buy again in the future.

My older daughter wasn't as excited about the Chipotle Chicken. (To be fair, I think she had her heart set on that Mac & Cheese, and you know how it is when you're looking forward to something and then get something else.) I think the mixture of the chicken, the corn and the black beans were fine, but the rice was too soggy and had an odd taste to it. (Then again, I'm pretty picky about my rice - hey I'm Asian, people.) I think that omitting the rice and then serving the rest of the ingredients inside a flour burrito with a little salsa would be FANTASTIC - back to the test kitchen!

(We haven't tried the Scalloped Potatoes yet, but I'm thinking it might be really good in the morning, served with some croissants and coffee. Now I don't have to cook breakfast, either.)

Here's a chance for you to check out these meals for yourself. I've got two coupons good for a free Marie Calender's Baked Meal ($5.69 value) and I'll include a $2 coupon for a Marie Callender's Frozen Pie. Mmmmm - pie.

Just leave a comment here by 11:59pm on Monday, November 29. I'll use random.org to pick a winner.

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I received coupons for free Marie Callender's Meals to purchase my test items, plus extra coupons for purposes of a giveaway. I also received a stipend for my participation in this program, but no restrictions were placed on the content of my review. All opinions are 100% mine. 

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Listening To the 'Band On The Run' Reissue & flashing back to detention

42 years ago today The Beatles released The White Album. While I sing Happy Birthday and go bake a cake, I'm going to listen to the recently reissued, remastered Band on the Run CD I received a few weeks back. For those of you not familiar with the third album from Paul McCartney and Wings, Rolling Stone named it one of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. TAKE THAT JUSTIN BEAVER.

I'm going to totally date myself here, but I remember seeing Wings at the Los Angeles Forum many years ago. Probably right after electricity was discovered, and somebody said, "Let's put on one of them newfangled rock and roll gitups!" I remember it being an amazing night, and it's further etched in my memory because in order to get tickets, a historic event took place – I ditched school for the very first time. And guess what? I GOT CAUGHT. (Note to Sir Paul McCartney: I got detention for you, man.)

And now all these years later my 12-year-old is a big Beatles fan. We saw McCartney's show at the Hollywood Bowl earlier this year and it definitely ranks as one of the best concerts I've seen. And to get tickets nobody got caught trying to hand in a forged absence note written by their science lab partner, either.

Here's some great footage on the band:

This new reissue was personally supervised by Paul McCartney and the remastering work was done at Abbey Road studios. It's 2 CDs with nine bonus tracks, plus a DVD with some great behind-the-scenes footage. We are all loving it over here.

Here are the tracks on the CD:

"Band on the Run"
"Jet"
"Bluebird"
"Mrs Vandebilt"
"Let Me Roll It"
"Mamunia"
"No Words"
"Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)"
"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five"

Bonus Audio Tracks
"Helen Wheels"
"Country Dreamer"
"Bluebird" [from One Hand Clapping]
"Jet" [from One Hand Clapping]
"Let Me Roll It" [from One Hand Clapping]
"Band on the Run" [from One Hand Clapping]
"Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five" [from One Hand Clapping]
"Country Dreamer" [from One Hand Clapping]
"Zoo Gang"

DVD
"Band on the Run" Music Video
"Mamunia" Music Video
Album Promo
"Helen Wheels" Music Video
Wings In Lagos
Osterley Park
One Hand Clapping

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Don't make me drink alone

Hey winos! I mean wine connoisseurs! I'll be participating in a Fresh & Easy Wine Tasting on Twitter tonight at 7pm pst. Fresh & Easy has provided me with three holiday wines to sample, and I'll be talking about them in real time on TasteLive.

You're probably thinking, "Who would want your opinion on wine? It's like asking a cat's opinion on seafood." Well, maybe so, but would a cat be able to say things like, "This is tasty and I'm going to hide a bottle in my church purse." Well, okay then.

If you'd like to participate, head on over to Fresh & Easy, pick up some wine, and join the conversation. You can find instructions on how to join by clicking here.

Here are the bottles we'll be tasting, with a short description from the wine expert at Fresh & Easy:

• La Gioiosa Prosecco – From the Veneto region of Italy, this crisp sparkling wine is perfect for toasting your friends and family with this holiday season.

• Hilltown Chardonnay - Offering a true taste of the magic of California's Monterey Country, this award-winning wine pairs well with that juicy holiday turkey.

• Castillo Rioja – From the Rioja Alavesa region of Spain, this full-bodied red is elegant and packed with fruit flavors. For those red-meat lovers, this wine will complement your holiday roast.

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Tranquilli Regali Jewelry: Not Your Momma's Keepsakes

When my oldest daughter was born, a friend's aunt gave me a 'mother's locket.' It was a gold-plated, oval-shaped pendant with 'MOM' spelled out in curlique letters and small pearls surrounding a space to put a photo of my baby. It was a keepsake of the miraculous birth of my first child.

It was the ugliest thing I had ever seen.

Of course I never told her that, and I did keep the pendant. In a drawer.

Which is why I was so excited when my friend Michele came out with her own line of jewelry, Tranquilli Regali, and among them keepsake items that I would actually wear. In fact, she'll be making me one using a photo of my two daughters, now 12 and 14, but she told me first she needs a photo of the two of them really close together. After she said that we both just laughed and laughed and realized how impossible that would be and I told her she would just have to make me two separate pendants.

I've known Michele for a long time. Her husband and mine have known each other since high school and are in a band together, and they were one of the first of my husband's friends I met when we were dating. Obviously he ignored their advice to 'get out while you still can.'

Michele spent 21 years at Disney in event planning before starting her own jewelry line, and moms everywhere should breath a sigh of relief – keepsake jewelry that you can actually wear.

Here's her business in a nutshell, in her own words:

As a mom, I always found it hard to find custom personal jewelry pieces that represented my children. It was rare to find anything other than engraved pieces, and I could never find jewelry that would incorporate their photo. So after all these years of purchasing overpriced, mediocre personalized jewelry, I decided to start my own line. School spirit is huge at my son's school among the parents, so in the line I also incorporated custom pendants and key chains with the school crest, the student's sport and jersey number.

I've had a love affair with jewelry most of my life. My maternal grandmother loved jewelry and always wore a lot of lovely pieces. Even as she got older, she was always decked out in her jewels. To this day I still think of her whenever I hear the tinkle of a charm bracelet .

The unusual, hard to remember name: 'Tranquilli' Regali Fatti a Mano, came from 'Tranquilli', my maiden name, and 'Regali fatti a mano' meaning 'Handmade Presents' in Italian. 

But mom keepsake jewelry doesn't make up the entire line – there are some beautiful vintage-inspired pieces and as she mentioned, a line of pieces to show your school spirit. She even has – and I can hear some of my friends squealing now - keepsakes of your pet. Me, I refuse to get a piece of jewelry with a photo of my cat until the lazy bum learns how to bury his own poop.

The holidays are fast approaching, so check out Tranquilli Regali and give your friends the gift that keeps on giving. And that won't end up in a drawer. Also, place your order in October and a portion of your purchase will go to Breast Cancer Research.

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My Daughter Takes On 'Dragon Quest' and Wins

A few weeks ago Nintendo sent over the new Dragon Quest game for the DS and as usual I just opened the package and handed the whole thing over to my 12-year-old. I can't even begin to understand these video games – it may as well have been a box filled with parts to build a pony. Although at least with a pony I could point out things I recognized, like 'ear' and 'bladder' before my daughter stepped in and said, "You're doing it wrong, mom."

This time Nintendo sent over several copies of the game so that my daughter could have her friends try it out, too, and it just so happens the package arrived the day before she was having a slumber party. How perfect is that? Unfortunately her friends all think that they'll get a new DS game every time they sleep over, and now they're just hanging out on our front porch till all hours just waiting for me to invite them in. Funny, they were never this enthusiastic when I handed out my pizza rolls.

(I will say this, though – those girls played this game for hours on end, nonstop that weekend. I woke up at 4am to find them all awake in the living room, their little DS screens glowing. There were also empty soda cans and potato chips strewn about – it was a tween girls' version of a frat party.)

The people at Nintendo wanted some sort of video reaction to their game, so not only did my daughter write an eloquent review but she put together this video with her best friend. We had just seen 'Inception' so it's a sort of homage to that, as much as a homage as two tween girls could muster after staying up till 4am and getting hopped up on root beer and Cheetos.



Here is the review my daughter wrote. It's a 100% her. Please read through to the end for the important life lessons she gleamed from this.

As I’ve heard, the Dragon Quest games are quite popular in Japan, as well many other role-playing action games. Although I’m not a big fan of action games as much as I like a game with a story-line, Dragon Quest quite generously balances them both.

When you first start off, you get to create your character known as a Celestrian. You can pick out the eyes, the hair, etc., either way creating an adorable hero to represent you through the game. Celestrians are basically angels, that are guardians to the many towns in the game. They go through the town and help people, gathering benevolessence, otherwise known as gratitude gained from helping the mortals in your town.

Your oh-so-adorable Celestrian hero guards over the small (But big in heart!) city of Angel Falls, where you invisibly float around listening to the many “Oh no he didn’t!"s and collecting benevolessence that you give to the great tree, Yggdrasil. The tree eventually bears magical, golden fruit, known as Fyggs, that can make the consumer’s desire come true. The bearing of the fruit also means the Starlight Express will arrive and take the Celestrians to the world of the Almighty. But, when the Yggdrasil finally bears fruit that’s when it all goes wrong. Right when The Starlight Express arrives, purple blasts of light shoot up, followed by many “Oh snap!"s as you plummet to the ground (Along with the Fyggs) without your wings or halo.

For all of the adventures, I think the stories that go along with it are very interesting, although sad, and make the game interesting and fun. The downside of the stories is that each one usually involves a death and creepy ghosts wandering around.

I’ve also found defeating the many monsters extremely difficult, in which some take days to defeat. Of course nothing is impossible, so after many tiring days of sitting on the couch fighting fictional monsters, I eventually defeat them.

I think one of my favorite things from the game is the clothes. You can explore different towns for their clothes and decorate your characters to match their personality. Cause I mean, when you’re fighting to your death, you might as well die fashionable.

Overall, I think the game is very creative, and while the entire story is quote confusing, the smaller stories are sweet, and give important messages as in: “Don’t eat magical Golden fruits from strangers.” and “Don’t go fighting Dragons after dark.”

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Summertime And The Livin' Is (Fresh &) Easy

Last weekend was a momentous occasion, one of great beginnings and the promise of hope. One that lifted my spirits and helped me look to the future with a renewed sense of well being.

No, I'm not referring to my 14-year-old graduating from middle school, I'm talking about the start of grilling season!

Not that it wasn't great seeing my beautiful daughter walk across that stage and into the next phase of her life. I'm just saying this 'next phase' might be just a little bit better with juicy steaks, ribs and burgers grilled to perfection and served on the patio.

And to get me started, Fresh & Easy sent over a box of grilling and cookout essentials. As you know I'm a F&E devotee so a package from them is always an exciting day. Okay I admit, not quite as exciting as my daughter graduating from middle school.

But check out what I got!

• The Vine Yard Pinot Gris This citrus-y wine goes perfectly with chicken and fish and is a bargain at $6.99. I'm becoming a huge fan of The Vine Yard label -- I just recently had their Riesling, and it's become one of my favorite wines. (Fresh & Easy has a huge selection of wines for under $10. Go see for yourself. And bring me a bottle.) 
• Condiments Fresh & Easy has their own line of Organic Ketchup, Mustard and Barbecue sauce and they're all under $3. This leaves more money to pick up several bags of...
• Fresh & Easy Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt Kettle Chips Trust me, you'll need more than one bag. Moments after the photo above was taken that bag was mercilessly ripped to shreds and the contents ingested in mere minutes. And no I didn't share but I did let the kids have the entire bottle of mustard.
• Fresh & Easy Gourmet Wheat Hamburger Buns These are baked daily by Il Fornaio. These taste great, but my only complaint is that they're a little big for the average sized hamburger patty. Or maybe I need to start making my burgers bigger?
• Fresh & Easy Soft Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Like the chips, these were gone pretty quickly. I set the bowl down a few feet from where my girls and their friends were sitting on the couch so they had to get up to reach them. It's the most I've seen them move all summer.

If you're planning on grilling this 4th of July weekend, Check out Fresh & Easy's famous Mixed Grill Pack, a variety of beef, sausages and chicken. And if I sound freakishly excited about that it's because I am.

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tags: fresh and easy supermarket | fresh and easy mixed grill pack | 4th of july barbecue 

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Perfect Timing: Summer Is Here and So Is Super Mario Galaxy 2

We're just starting the second week of summer vacation over here at Casa Sweatpants, and I'm not sure who's happier, me or the kids. Those last few weeks of school were so brutal that I think we all deserve a medal for surviving it, and we got something even better -- Nintendo sent over a copy of Super Mario Galaxy 2! They also sent over some freeze dried ice cream and some Tang to go with the intergalactic theme of the new game, but the edibles were gone before I even got to try them. That's the last time I say the words, "Open the package and I'll be right there."

To be honest, I haven't had a chance to try out the game, either. As with most of them, the kids don't have the time to ever show me how to play, so if I ever pick up a controller and try to jump in it's all, "Hey, you're doing it wrong" and "Can you just wait and try it when we're all done?" It's like being at my high school dance all over again.

So in order for this to be accurate, I had my 11-year-old, who is the video game expert in the house and has logged around seven-thousand-hours on the game, write this review. She's a fantastic writer, and I swear she came up with 'devilishly handsome Mario' all on her own.

Personally, I LOVED Super Mario Galaxy 2. I had the first Super Mario Galaxy and enjoyed it, so I had thought the next one would be just as good. Even though there are so many Mario games, this seems to be my favorite of them all. I’m not sure if it’s the creative planets they come up with, the devilishly handsome Mario, or adorable Lumas that fly around, but I’m completely addicted to this game.

The storyline in the first Super Mario Galaxy was the same old thing, Bowser captures Princess Peach, and Mario has to rescue her. The only thing that I found odd was that because this game was a sequel to the first, I expected the storyline to change. In the first game, what had happened was that Peach had invited Mario to this Star Festival or something, and Bowser had arrived, captured her, and took her to the center of the universe. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Princess Peach had managed to make the same mistake again of hosting the Star festival and was captured by Bowser to the center of the universe again. Other than that flaw though, the rest of the game was good.

Throughout your adventure through space, you travel to different galaxies and worlds, capturing stars and coins. I loved the worlds they had created, each with their own level(or levels) and a magical coin you could collect. Some worlds were engulfed with water, while others were dry as dust. Some even had a special items only found there, enabling Mario to transform and have a special power required for finishing the level.

The whole point of the game is to capture stars to power the starship(that strangely resembled Mario’s face) Mario rode on to reach Peach and save her. Each time you got a new star, the ship could go further, getting you closer to the center of the universe where Peach is. On your starship, you have Lumas (little star creatures) that fly around as well as their leader, a big plump purple Luma that guides you along the away. You also have your classic Toads(little dudes with Mushroom heads) that are aboard your starship helping out by delivering mail and working a small bank.

You also meet many new creatures that lurk around the Galaxy from dangerous Jellyfish and jittery bugs, to cute space bunnies and wide-eyed Penguins. I find that you can get VERY attached to this game, where to the point you are cussing at the monsters when you are losing, and not leaving the TV to even eat dinner. But overall, I think Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a super game and is sure to be a hit.

I couldn't have said it better myself.
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tags: super mario galaxy 2 | nintendo wii | video game reviews

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eatwell: Fresh & Easy's New Line of Healthy Meals Inspires My Terrible Taglines

I love parties. Also? I love food. Apparently Fresh & Easy is aware of this because a couple of weeks ago they invited me out to their headquarters for a tasting party for their new line of healthy entrees, eatwell. I along with a bunch of other bloggers were treated to an incredible meal consisting of dishes from their new line, and I'm here to tell you that along with tasting good, they're good for you.

So not only can you eatwell, you can feelwell, too. Fresh & Easy, there's your new tagline, and yes you can pay me in hummus.

I don't have any problem finding many items at Fresh & Easy in the 'healthy' range, so I wasn't necessarily thinking they needed a line of healthy foods, but the eatwell line is great for those on restricted diets, wanting to lose weight or just wanting to lighten up their diet a bit. The items are all low in calories, sodium and are all clearly labeled with their nutritional information on the front of the package. Best of all, they're fresh, not frozen -- so much more appetizing than reaching for that smashed cardboard box in your freezer that's wedged in between the ice cubes and the frozen peas. Also, with prices ranging from $1.99 to $4.99, they're an economic way to eat healthy. Cheap & Easy! There's another tagline for you, Fresh & Easy. Oh wait, on second thought that has a whole other connotation - I won't bill you for this one just yet.

That night we were treated to a variety of foods ranging from Teriyaki Salmon to Spicy Tuna Sushi to a Veggie Hummus wrap (my favorite), and I don't think there was anything that I had that I wouldn't readily buy and serve to my family. Also, I like the idea of being able to buy healthy, reasonably-priced, fresh entrees for my vegetarian teenager on those nights where the rest of the family is having a meat dish. (The items come fresh, but can be frozen, too.) I think she'd be much happier having their Singapore Noodles or Tuscan Vegetable Soup than a packet of macaroni and cheese, and the rest of us carnivores don't have to feel guilty about digging into our steaks. Well, I should say more guilty.

Check out this spread -- the presentation was beautiful. I asked the Fresh & Easy employees if they always ate like this and they just laughed and said of course not, they always got to eat off the good china.

The items are meals in themselves (for instance, the Teriyaki Salmon is served on a bed of brown rice with broccoli and bell peppers) so they're great for keeping on hand for lunches on the go, too. Wouldn't you rather take Creamy Basil Chicken over pasta to work than one of those pre-packaged sandwiches from the vending machine? How long have those sandwiches been in there, anyhow? Why don't we actually ever see anyone filling that thing up? Are there zombies involved?

Wait, I feel another tagline coming on: eatwell, Now With 50% Less Zombies. Okay, that one might need a little work.

After our great meal, we were treated to a tour of the Fresh & Easy offices and test kitchens. Further proof of the healthy nature of the eatwell line -- usually I can't move after I've eaten, let alone get up and walk around and take some pictures. And as I've said it before -- I want to work for this company. Not only are you surrounded by food all day, but you can park your rad bicycle in the hallway:



The eatwell line is available now at all Fresh & Easy stores. Taglines not included.

Important Disclosure-ish Jibberish I was not given any monetary compensation for attending this event or writing about Fresh & Easy's eatwell products, nor was I required to write a review. I've already talked about my love for Fresh & Easy here on this blog, so really it wasn't like they had to twist my arm to come out and sample some of their food. You can come over anytime and see my refrigerator stocked with Fresh & Easy products. Wait - did I just invite a bunch of strangers to my house to poke around my kitchen? On second thought, don't come over just take my word for it. We did receive a very nice gift bag at the end of the evening containing a bottle of wine and a gift card. But I repeat -- do not come over to my house.

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tags: fresh & easy eatwell | fresh & easy market

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Bosch Tassimo: The Coffee Maker That Inspired a Movie

I love getting products to review, but my favorite has got to be coffee makers. I've gotten a few, and it's safe to say I don't think I've ever met a coffee maker I didn't like. There's something instantly appealing about a machine that dispenses my favorite beverage at the touch of a button, and without smacking its gum or glaring at me when I ask for extra foam.

A few weeks ago I was sent the Bosch Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer. And while every machine I've reviewed has its strength and weaknesses, the Bosch was the only coffee maker that inspired a movie.

The Bosch works on the popular 'pod' coffee system, but one of the unique things about it is that you can use milk pods and the machine will produce frothy steamed milk. And you know what that means -- kids can make their own hot cocoa! I don't know about you, but to me this is an amazing thing! A revelation! I don't think I've been this happy about a child milestone since my youngest learned how to trim her own toenails.

And speaking of my youngest, that would be my 11-year-old Kiyomi. She was so moved by the Bosch that she made a movie showing how easy it is to make a cup of hot cocoa. I am in awe of her mad iMovie skillz -- with that and the fact that she can make her own hot beverage, I told her she was probably ready for a job at a major studio. Plus she can trim her own toenails which makes her over-qualified.

I give you, "Hot Cocoa."



And here's the small print that would normally roll by quickly along with the closing credits:

Aside from hot cocoa, the Bosch makes an excellent cup of coffee, and also has its own built-in water filter. I've picked up Tassimo pods at Target and online, but the milk pods are harder to find and are quite a bit more expensive than the coffee varieties. I would say the biggest drawback is the inability to use your own coffee -- some one-cup brewers come with small filter baskets that you can fill with your own grind and use in place of a pod. I really like that feature. Also, there's the environmental impact of disposing of a plastic pod with every cup of coffee -- developing a filter basket for the Bosch would at least alleviate part of this problem.

Like credit cards and black leggings, I say coffee makers are something you can never have enough of (I've got four on my counter right now.) And if you're looking to splurge on a new kitchen accessory, I think the Bosch would be a good choice. Besides, when was the last time a toaster inspired a movie?

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tags: bosch tassimo single serve coffee brewer | bosch | pod coffee makers

Oh look, more small print: I was not given any monetary compensation for writing about this product, nor was I required to write a review. I was given a Bosch Tassimo Coffee Brewer and three packages of coffee for the purposes of this review. No animals were harmed in the making of the movie or in the brewing of the hot cocoa, although the cat had to be put in a headlock a couple of times when he tried to lick the milk pod.

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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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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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