Halloween By The Numbers and Chocolate By The Book

As you may know by now, I hate Halloween. I don't like putting on a costume, I don't like going to Halloween parties and I'm not a huge fan of candy corn – so really, what is there left for me? But my kids (and to a certain degree my husband) are waaay into it, so every year I do my best to take part. I help with the costumes, I buy the candy, I throw up a few decorations – sure I complain incessantly while I'm doing it, but everything has a price. I even carve a really mean pumpkin if I must say so myself:

Something to go along with my chocolate

To get me in the Halloween spirit, the people at Mars offered to send me some TWIX bars, which went over VERY big in this house. TWIX happens to be my girls' favorite candy, and I'm not just saying that because they offered to send me a box. Look, I've got enough candy laying around the house so if someone offered to send me, say, a box of wax lips or a bag of Tootsie Rolls I would politely decline. Well, maybe not the wax lips since I could always melt those down and make a big candle.

A huge box of TWIX. My teenagers refer to it as "a two day supply."

And here's another reason we are digging our TWIX bars: In the controversy surrounding some chocolate manufacturers' unfair labor practices (including the use of child labor on their farms), Mars is one of the few companies who are taking steps toward using only cocoa that is produced in an ethical and sustainable way. The company is partnering with certification organizations like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance and has pledged to certify 100% of its cocoa as sustainably produced by 2020.

On a lighter note, they also sent along an amusing survey pertaining to Halloween candy, and it certainly rings true, especially the item about hiding candy from a loved one. How else would I ever get to enjoy those twenty mini-Snickers bars if I didn't stash them away in the video cabinet? 

• The 30 year-old trick-or-treater: Nearly 7 out of 10 adults (69 percent) ages 18 to 24, and half of adults ages 25 to 34 said they would do it if they could. Trick-or-treating, that is. The only thing holding them back is dirty looks from the neighbors.
• Hide and seek: More than half of all adults surveyed (52 percent) admit to hiding a treat from their loved ones to keep the treat for themselves. Most hide their treat stash in their room (41 percent) or in another “super-secret place” (41 percent).
• Fruit-flavored non-chocolate Halloween treats get no respect: Only 3 percent of all adults surveyed listed fruit-flavored non-chocolate treats as their Halloween favorite. The winning treat combination? Chocolate with peanuts or peanut butter topped the list at 39 percent, followed by a chocolate and caramel combination as a close second (30 percent).
• Men seek the crunch; the ladies prefer something they can chew on: When it comes to treats, women prefer chewy treats more than men do (42 percent to 33 percent), while more men than women seek out treats with a crunch (33 percent to 23 percent).
• Taking candy from a baby: One quarter of all adults surveyed (26 percent) admit to taking candy from their child’s Halloween stash or a friend’s or co-worker’s candy dish and denying it.
• Sweets are social: Two out of three adults (64 percent) would rather enjoy treats with others than alone.

Any of these statistics sound like you? Don't be afraid to speak up - we're all friends here, and besides I've already told you where I hide my candy.

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Cody Simpson Is In Da House! And Probably In Your Living Room

I have to admit that when I first got the invitation to the Cody Simpson concert at the House Of Blues in Downtown Disney last month I had no idea who he was. Was he another Disney protege? A Nickelodeon star? One of my daughter's friends having an elaborate birthday party? Which is why I initially ignored it, until I asked my 13-year-old if she wanted to go and she let out one of those little gasps that's usually reserved for the premiere of a new Harry Potter movie or when I let her get the grande size at Starbucks.

My daughter describes Cody as the "Australian Justin Bieber" and I think that's pretty accurate. And judging by the fawning crowd of teenagers gathered outside, it looks like he might be on his way to honing in on some of the Biebs' action.

Waitin' on Cody

(In fact, Bieber's manager Scooter Braun was at the show and attracted a fair amount of attention on his own. Was he checking out the competition?)

Cody's music seems to be straight-ahead teen pop; catchy choruses, simple beats and slick choreography - perfect for the legions of tween and teen girls screaming and professing their love. It was hard to fathom that the object of all this attention is only 14-years-old, a fact that the older girls behind me – who appeared to be 17 or 18-years-old – didn't seem to mind. (I believe I heard my daughter refer to them as 'Cody Cougars.')

You should have heard the screaming

The show started much later than they had said on the invite, which I know was a problem for some of the other parents there who had younger kids. However, for my teen and her friend it was nothing but excitement – besides, they remarked, they often stayed up much later than that just doing homework. Plus, they were extra amped because they managed to score a couple of seats near Cody's entourage and chatted up a couple of his friends. I think I heard the words 'hot' and 'awesome' mentioned. They sure were disappointed when I had the sudden urge to sit right between them and start talking about homework.

The 'Meet and Greet' that was promised afterward turned out to be disappointing, a long wait and then a rushed photo with Cody while standing in front of a backdrop. There was also a stern warning not to take any of our own photos, which was confusing since one of the staff just previously had told us we could take a quick shot if we used our camera phones. Overall I think his staff could have been a little friendlier and a little less militant, especially in light of the fact that some of these kids had been waiting for hours for this moment.

In the end, the late start and their rushed Cody moment didn't seem to dampen the spirits of my daughter and her friend, who thought that going to a concert at Downtown Disney on a school night was pretty cool, and hey – a hug from Cody Simpson is a HUG FROM CODY SIMPSON. There'd be a lot to talk about on the 8th grade lawn the next day for sure.

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The concert was sponsored by Dove Go Fresh and the 'Don't Fret the Sweat' campaign. I received two passes to the concert and transportation was provided to and from the venue. No restrictions were placed on the content of my review nor was the posting of a review required as part of my participation in this event. All opinions are 100% mine. 

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HalloweenTime at Disneyland: Teenagers Unleashed Edition

A couple of weeks ago we were invited to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure to check out the park in all it's Halloween Time glory. I've said this before, but Disneyland is one of those places that my teenage daughters, 13 and 15, still get as excited about as when they were 3 and 5. What is it about this place that makes them squeal like a couple of toddlers in an all-you-can-eat ice cream store? And here's the true test: A trip to Disneyland still works as an effective bribe, even on a couple of jaded teens. Just one mention of, "Clean up the living room or we're not going to Disneyland" and I practically had to hold them back from shining the hardwood floors with their tongues.

But on our visit this time, my husband and I decided to try something new. With him completely wiped out from grueling couple of weeks at work and me nursing a sprained foot, we decided to let the teens loose on their own, and we would meet up with them periodically to eat and ride a few rides together.

(I realize "let the teens loose" sounds like we were releasing a couple of animals into the wild, but don't worry – we put bells on them so they wouldn't startle the old people.)

And trust me - they certainly didn't mind being on their own as evidenced by how quickly they took off once we said our goodbyes. I was barely finished with my "Don't talk to weirdos" speech before i was looking at their backs running off down Main Street. Plus they were able to get on twice as many rides as they would've if we were with them, holding them back with our slow walk and our refusal to stand in any line that isn't completely in the shade.

They couldn't get away fast enough

And then there's the food. Did you know that teenagers can last an entire day on a churro and a Coke? And who knew they actually don't like sitting down and eating a meal and listening to their parents discuss the wine list while the screams and laughter of the Matterhorn called to them in the background.

But my husband and I had to eat, and we had a relaxing, leisurely lunch at the Uva Bar in Downtown Disney while the girls hit Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones and Buzz Lightyear, all before I had even taken the first bite of my chicken wing. We rode my favorite ride of all time, Soarin' Over California, and then sat on the patio of La Brea Bakery sipping espresso before meeting up with the girls.

We deserve it, after waiting in line for Dumbo all those years

Although we were there to see Disneyland in all its Halloween glory – the scary Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, the awesome Haunted Mansion Holiday (beautifully inspired by Tim Burton and still one of my girls' favorites), the Tower Of Terror (populated with phantom patrons in honor of Halloween) – my girls would still be just as mad-crazy over the place without all the extra ghoulish and spooky touches. In fact, they could be given a math quiz before every ride and that wouldn't dampen their enthusiasm. (Note to Disney: Don't try it, though.)

The rest of the day we spent together - the girls insisted I ride Ariel's Undersea Adventure with them for our first time (my husband opted out of that one)(Newsflash: Men aren't as nostalgic about The Little Mermaid as women are). We were disappointed that California Screamin' was closed for the day, though - that is traditionally a ride that my husband and daughters ride together, while I get to park myself on a bench on the Boardwalk and fantasize about getting a tattoo.

I admit it - I teared up a little hearing my teenagers singing along.

All in all, the unleashing of the teenagers was a huge success, an idea that we've enthusiastically shared with many of friends who have older kids. While we are absolutely not suggesting you let your younger kids run free in the park (can you imagine HOW many churros a 5-year-old would eat if left to their own devices) I think it's possible to have a uniquely adult experience while giving your older kids some (safe) independent time.

At the end of the night my husband and I made a last minute decision to check out the revamped Star Tours ride right before it closed, and we got a text message while we were in line, one that made us laugh  – it was from our girls, telling us to hurry because they were tired and waiting for us by the front gate.

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HalloweenTime is at Disneyland and California Adventure until October 31. (But since when did you need an excuse to go to Disneyland?)

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'Sing Your Song': HBO Documentary on Harry Belafonte Will Make Your Day-O

Recently I was invited to a screening of 'Sing Your Song,' the HBO documentary about Harry Belafonte that is airing tonight. Like me, you're probably most familiar with him because of the song 'Day-O.' You can listen to it here. Trust me, you'll be singing, "Daylight come and me wanna go home," for the rest of the day. You're welcome.

But what I didn't know about Belafonte was what a passionate activist and dedicated humanitarian he is. He's been a hands-on participant in political and social movements since the Civil Rights Movement and was a close friend and confidant of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as being one of the earliest figures to rally the support of celebrities to support causes he fought for, such as fighting apartheid in South Africa and the fight against AIDS in Africa. He also coordinated Nelson Mandela’s first visit to the United States after his release from prison.



One of the most moving moments in the evening came before the screening started and filmmaker Susanne Rostock relayed a conversation she had with Belafonte. He said to her, with tears in his eyes, "I'm so worried that I'm not going to be passing the baton." It gave such a vivid portrait of the actor and his dedication to his fight for equality and social justice not just for himself and his peers, but for generations to come.

The documentary contains moving footage of Belafonte with King and John F. Kennedy among others, and also interviews with friends including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Tony Bennett, Sidney Poitier and Quincey Jones. But the documentary also touches on the actor's shortcomings as a husband and a father, and he talks openly about his two failed marriages and he voices his regret at being an absentee father.

I loved getting this glimpse of the active and dedicated, yet modest life of Harry Belafonte and I have such admiration for his dedication to fighting for social causes that continues to this day - he recently lent his support to the Occupy Wall Street movement.

And, as my friend and I remarked to each other at the screening - we forget that Belafonte was – and is – so suave and such a stunner. Check out this video of him singing the title song from his 1957 movie 'Island In The Sun.' Take a lesson in class, all you 20-year-old hipsters on MTV:




Watch 'Sing Your Song' on HBO tonight (Monday, October 17) at 10pm.

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Real Deal! Real Steel Giveaway

Have you seen Dreamworks' Real Steel yet, the new movie starring the beautiful Hugh Jackman and an equally stunning robot? I have to admit, I'm a little partial because my husband worked on the ad campaign and had been raving about it for awhile. So I knew it was going to be good and apparently everyone else agrees – it just opened and is already number one, taking in $27.3 million this past weekend. Man, that's a lot of change in Hugh's wallet – I wonder how much the robot made? Here, check out a clip from the movie:



And in case you're waiting to see it until you have something awesome to wear, you've come to the right place. I'm giving away this fly t-shirt, along with a prize pack that includes some other Real Steel merch like stickers, a bottle opener and temporary tattoos. Just leave me a comment here by midnight on Monday, October 17 and I'll use random.org to pick a winner. Or maybe I'll get my robot to do it.

(One comment per person, and make sure you leave me a valid email address. Sorry, only US and Canada, please.)

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How 'A Widow Of No Importance' Got Her Groove Back

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to see the premiere of 'A Widow Of No Importance' at East West Players. I have to admit, the title of the play didn't exactly draw me in at first glance. Widow? No importance? Look, if I wanted to hear a story about someone sad with self-esteem issues I'd just record one of my talks I have with myself in the mirror.

But I was wrong. 'A Widow Of No Importance' is funny. Really funny. With a great cast, snappy writing and filled with laugh-out-loud moments. A cougar love story, but not in a creepy way – more of a seize-life-by-the-arms-and-shake-it kind of way. You'll love Lina Patel as the repressed widow Deepa who finds love and gets her groove back with her much-younger neighbor Vinod (Sunil Malhotra.) Bonus: He's easy on the eyes. Bonus-Bonus: Bollywood music and dance scenes! Here's the official synopsis:

Deepa has been a widow for two years. Her only desire now is to see her daughter married so that she can die in peace. But when her recently divorced neighbor, also her son's best friend, professes his love for her, her inner-cougar emerges to break tradition and start living again. A smart and sexy comedy about carving new paths and leaping for the stars.

Absolutely, positively go and see 'A Widow Of No Importance.' You'll find she's anything but.

Playing through October 9 so get over there!

8pm Wednesdays thru Saturdays, 2pm. Sundays. Click here for more info and to purchase tickets.

David Henry Hwang Theater
at the Union Center for the Arts
(Little Tokyo, downtown L.A.)
120 Judge John Aiso Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90012

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Cirque du Soleil's Iris: See It NOW! (Ten Years Will Just Fly By)

A couple of months ago I was invited to preview Iris, the new Cirque du Soleil show that premiered last night and will be taking up permanent residence at the beautiful Kodak Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland complex. I've written before about my love for Cirque du Soleil, and the fact that it will be in one place for an extended period of time (I hear the lease is for ten years) is good news for someone like me, who usually decides to order tickets just as a show is ending its run (I'm shaking my fist at you, Rock Of Ages.)

This latest installment of the successful Cirque franchise is being billed as 'A Journey Through The World Of Cinema.'

From the Iris website:

This new production from Cirque du Soleil is a lyrical, fanciful, kinetic foray into the seventh art. Bringing together dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation, the show takes spectators on a fantastic voyage through the history of cinema and its genres, taking them into the heart of the movie-making process. From illustration to animation, black and white to colour, silent films to talkies, fixed shots to swooping camera movements, spectators witness the poetic construction/deconstruction of this art as an object and as a way of transcending reality.

The portions of the show we were treated to were amazing and reminded me of my very favorite Cirque du Soleil production – the Beatles' LOVE show in Las Vegas. They use every inch of the stage and the I especially loved the rooftops sequence that's included in this clip –  it takes place in an old Hollywood neighborhood and cleverly utilizes hidden trampolines. No smartass remarks, please, about them leaving out the hookers and panhandlers:



For anyone who's seen a Cirque Du Soleil performance before I don't think you'll need any convincing to see Iris – you already know what unique, breathtaking experience all of their shows are. But for you Cirque virgins out there, I highly recommend going to see Iris during its run at the Kodak – you'll be glad you did. Plus, you have plenty of time to order tickets – don't tell me you can't carve out a few hours away from your computer in the next ten years.


Buy tickets at the Kodak Theatre box office, 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Located at Hollywood & Highland Complex on the 1st floor. or click here to order tickets online.

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House and Senate Both Agree: Nintendo 3DS Price Drop Is Awesome

Tired of hearing about debt ceilings and deficits and defaults? Why not take a break, kick back with a non-partisan beer and play a few games on your Nintendo 3DS. Haven't had a chance to pick one of these beauties up? Well, this is your lucky day - Nintendo just announced they're dropping the suggested retail price for the Nintendo 3DS™ system to $169.99 (from $249.99.)

This bill will no doubt be swiftly passed by all parties in your house.

The price drop, effective August 12, obviously makes the Nintendo 3DS an even better value, and it comes just as some of the most popular video game franchises head to the system – these include Super Mario™ 3D Land in November, Mario Kart™ 7 in December and Kid Icarus™: Uprising during the holiday season.

Also, check out these new features to the system:

The new Nintendo Video™ service, automatically delivering short 3D videos from the worlds of music, comedy, animation and Hollywood.

The Nintendo eShop, a recently opened digital store for Nintendo 3DS owners that provides access to a wide variety of downloadable content, such as original 3D software, classic games that have been re-mastered in 3D called 3D Classics, Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color “Virtual Console” games in their original 2D glory, and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare™ games.

And don't kick yourself if you purchased a Nintendo 3DS before the price drop – us early devotees will be rewarded with 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop. These free games are available to anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS system and uses a wireless broadband Internet signal to connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11. Huzzah!

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I'm very fond of my Nintendo 3DS - you can read all about the beginning of our love affair:

Party Like a Game Star: Nintendo 3DS Launch in Seattle

Nintendo 3DS Launch in New York City

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Chillin' At The Got Milk Event

A few weeks ago the fantastic Got Milk? people invited me to a Summer Drinks event to share some of their favorite recipes for cool warm-weather drinks you can mix-up using milk. If you don't think milk is refreshing, then obviously you haven't tried this:

That there is a Red Velvet Frappé, and yes it tastes as amazing as it looks. In fact, when I asked my daughter if she thought it tasted like a red velvet cupcake she said, "No. It tastes BETTER." 

On hand to show us the fine art of summer drink mixing was Heather Perry, who is the two-time United States Barista Champion and who also holds a Guinness Book Record for building the world’s largest espresso machine. Can you imagine what you could do with the world's largest espresso machine? But enough of my deep dark fantasies.

Of course, no Got Milk event would be complete without an awesome spread of food. Here's just a sampling: their clever Chicken Finger BLT Sliders and some cones filled with delicious Spiced Nuts & Popcorn. I may or may not have eaten more than my share.

As they have done at other events, they had these ingenious drink stations set up where you could mix up your own frappés and smoothies. They supplied the ingredients and the recipes and you provided the muscle. Or, in my case my daughters' muscles.

I think I've mentioned before that the Got Milk events always take place at the coolest locations. This one was held at Art Works studio in Larchmont Village. So that while we were sipping on our refreshing concoctions we got to enjoy this as well:

Here's another delicious drink I had, gulped down so quickly I don't even remember what was in it. Some sort of combination of coffee, milk, cinnamon and a few other things that made me glad to be alive.

And because even just writing about these delectable beverages has put me in a generous, giving mood, I'm going to share a couple of recipes we sampled that day.

Red Velvet Frappé
Ingredients:
2 oz espresso or strongly brewed coffee
5 oz milk
1 tbsp cocoa
1 oz red food coloring
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup ice
whipped cream to taste

Directions:
Combine espresso and cocoa, stirring until cocoa is dissolved. Put mixture in blender along with ice cream, ice, milk, and food coloring. Blend until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and top with whipped cream.


Bananas Fosters Frappé 
Ingredients:
2 oz espresso or strongly brewed coffee
5 oz milk
1 tsp butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 cup ice

Directions:
Mix espresso, butter and brown sugar until they are thoroughly combined. Put in blender and add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a slice of banana.

(These two drinks were my girls' favorites. And since they're their mother's daughters [and teenagers] they love coffee. But you can find coffee-free versions of all the drinks on the Got Milk website. Click on 'Recipes.')

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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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