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

A few weeks ago I was whisked up to Seattle by Nintendo and Brand About Town for a whirlwind, fun-packed weekend centered around the release of their brand new Nintendo 3DS. I was part of a group of over a hundred bloggers who were lucky enough to tour the Nintendo headquarters and get an in-depth introduction to their newest gaming device. I also came home with shiny new Nintendo 3DS – I was so excited I didn't even bother to steal the soap and shampoo from the hotel. (I did take the shower cap – some things are too good to pass up.)

Speaking of places I get 99% of my toiletries from, here's a view from our hotel. I love Seattle.

The weekend started with a happening party complete with a DJ and fantastic food and drink. You don't know crazy until you let a bunch of bloggers loose in a room with Nelly on the speakers, martinis, pork sliders and cupcakes. Let's just say my shower cap came in really handy.

 

(And yes I used the word 'happening' to describe this party. I'm going to bring it back, along with 'boss' and 'hullabaloo.')

The next day was spent at Nintendo headquarters, trying out all of the new Nintendo 3DS games and getting a tour of the grounds. We were absolutely forbidden to take any photos except for in the main conference room we were in, but as you can imagine the facilities are beautiful, and extra impressive since they have taken great strides to make sure the entire campus is green and LEED certified. Definitely one of those places where you leave saying, "I'd sure like to work here." Or in my case, "I'd sure like one of my kids to work here so I could come visit."

Here we are listening to an into from Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. He's like the Steve Jobs of Nintendo.

The Nintendo 3DS is like nothing you've ever seen, and certainly one of the few gaming devices that I've been interested in enough to play that I had to actually fight my kids for it. (The other one is the Wii Fit, but that's a little easier just to push them off the balance board when I want a turn.) We played a variety of games that day, including Super Street Fighter (Asians really ARE good at martial arts!) Steel Diver and Nintendogs + Cats (which I brought home for each of my kids, courtesy of a gift card generously given to us by Nintendo.)

But my favorite game still remains the AR games that I was first introduced to in New York in January. Point the screen at a card you place on the table, and 3D images appear to come right out of the table. I can't wait to show this to someone after they've been drinking at a party. Here, take a look:



Something else I've become unreasonably fond of is the Street Pass feature. If you keep your Nintendo 3DS on (in sleep mode) while you're walking around, it will pick up on other Street Pass users and you'll see them 'walk on' to your screen. Kind of like a party in your purse! Or something like that. Here's another helpful video:



(I'll admit I've only used this around people I know, so that I usually recognize the other users who I'm interacting with. I may change my mind about this feature once the first 14-year-old boy walks onto my screen saying he's down with the ladies.)

Then there's the Face Raiders game, that lets you take a picture of your friends (or enemies. Or frenemies) and then put their face on a target that you can then shoot the hell out of. Saying this game speaks to me is an understatement - I feel as if the game developer must have been right there in the car with me the last time I was cut off in the school drop-off line.

After bringing down my enemies in a hail of virtual bullets I was pretty hungry, and since Nintendo knows exactly how to make a gamer happy they had a reception for us in the hotel lobby that night. I had my fill of oyster shooters at their seafood bar they had set up just for us – these people are classy. Then we were all taken out to dinner at various restaurants in the Seattle area. I chose Branzino, which was just perfection.

It was a great trip. Thanks, Nintendo and Brand About Town for giving me a fantastic weekend where I got to hang out with great people, gain some knowledge and party like a rock star. Or at least a game star.

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Cirque du Soleil's Quidam: Just Do It

Ever want to run away and join the circus? That's how I feel every time I see a performance by Cirque du Soleil, and last week's Quidam show at the Long Beach Arena was no exception. Doesn't matter that I can't juggle, have horrendous balance and am afraid of heights – maybe I could just be the person who drives the van or who runs out for coffee. I think circus performers drink a lot of coffee. (I know I wouldn't have to shovel poop, since Cirque du Soleil performances are animal-free.)

I've seen several versions of the Cirque du Soleil show, starting with their first shows in a tent in Santa Monica over 20 years ago all the way up to the current Beatles' LOVE show in Las Vegas. My kids have grown up with these shows, too, and I have to say we've never tired of them. This is the second time I'm seeing Quidam (I believe the first time was in Santa Monica in the late 90's) but, to quote some overused song lyrics, it feels like the first time. (I'm almost certain Foreigner was thinking about the circus when they wrote that song back in the 70's.)

From the diabolo (Chinese yo-yos) to the skipping ropes to the balancing acts, the entire show is such an inspirational, artistic, magical, visually stunning performance that will make you think, laugh, gaze in awe and get chills all at the same time. Not to sound corny, but throughout the show I kept thinking how happy I was that my kids were getting to see such beautifully crafted art. Funny, I never felt like that once during an episode of Hannah Montana.

If you've never seen a Cirque du Soleil performance, do yourself a favor and go now. And take your kids. And yes, you'll probably want to join the circus so bring a suitcase.

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Quidam is currently playing in Ontario, CA at the Citizens Business Bank Arena through May 1. After that it moves on to Reno and then on to Sacramento.

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Fresh & Easy Wine Tasting: Party, People, Pinot Noir

A while back I was invited to a party introducing several new varieties of California wines from Fresh & Easy. I'm a big fan of their wines, and even though my local store doesn't carry alcohol I'll often drive to another location in another city just to stock up on my favorites. ('Stock up' makes me sound like some sort of wino who needs sixty bottles of liquor lined up in her pantry at all times, but it's not like that at all. There's only forty, and they're not in my pantry they're in my office.)

I've grown to love F&E's wine, and the last time I was there someone working in the wine aisle actually knew a lot about their different varieties and helped me pick out a few bottles. Imagine that - an employee who knows something about the product they're selling! So different from when I was at another market recently, and someone working there told me they had never seen chicken thighs sold separate from the rest of the chicken. (True story.)

The party was held at a space called the Smog Shoppe, an event space in L.A. that used to be – you guessed it - a smog-check shop. It's a beautifully designed green space built with recycled and sustainable materials – an outdoor setting that lent itself perfectly to an evening spent sipping great wine and eating great food. I wish they'd turn all smog-check shops into something as cool as this:

(Disclaimer and credit: These photos were all taken by a F&E photographer. Usually I like to take my own photos, but I was having so much fun [wine] on this night I kept forgetting to take any. Actually, I did but they all look like this:

See? Wouldn't you rather look at their nice photos rather than those taken by a slightly inebriated person wielding an iPhone? I thought so.)

They had these beautiful tables set up for us for the tasting. I was sitting with Amy Anderson, Bernadette Batts and Janine Hayes, all comediennes. As you can imagine the witty repartee was flowing as fast as the wine. It took me three glasses of chardonnay just to be half as funny as them.

But on to the wine.

We tried four varieties that evening:

Open Field Pinot Gris - Open Field wines are from Santa Barbara and are crafted exclusively for Fresh & Easy. I'm not a big fan of Pinot Gris so I'm not the best person to judge this, but personally I prefer a good Chardonnay. 

The Open Field Pinot Noir, however, was hands down my favorite wine of the night. I went out and bought a few bottles for a dinner party, and they were a big hit. At $9.99 to $19.99 the Open Field wines were considered the pricey wines of the night compared to the other selections, but a really great value given the quality.

(Plus, the Open Field wines have the best label designs. That's usually how I pick wines, by how much I like the label illustration and the typeface. Almost as bad as picking a doctor because you like his shoes.)

Cloud Valley Chardonnay - I love a good Chardonnay so I drank this right up, but I have to say it was immediately overshadowed by the Open Field Pinot Noir that was up next. But I was intrigued enough to want to give other Cloud Valley wines a try, and they're a steal at $7.99 to $8.99 a bottle.

Barrel Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon – This was my second favorite wine of the night, but that's an easy one because I'm just a big sucker for cabs. Still an impressive wine for the money - all Barrel Ranch varieties are priced at $10.99 to $15.99.

And the food they served was equally memorable. I'm a big F&E shopper so I was already familiar with many of the items on the pre-tasting table: Their excellent hummus, charcuterie and cheese spread and bowls of luscious olives.

But what came out afterward during the tasting was even more exciting: beef and veggie skewers, crostini with brie, raviolis, and my favorite - an amazing cevice served in martini glasses. These were all prepared on site by F&E chefs. Here I am attacking one of the servers for her platter of meat.

It was a great night, and I'm an even bigger fan of the F&E wine aisle now. Check it out for yourself – they've got 27 new varieties of California wines, and lots of other ones too (one of my faves is the The Vine Yard Late Harvest Riesling.) Cheers, and remember to drink responsibly and take pictures.

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'In Mother Words': Bring Your Girlfriends and Your Tissues

Want a good laugh? How about a good mascara-smearing cry? I think I have the perfect girls' night out for you.

I was recently invited to preview 'In Mother Words' which is currently playing at the beautiful Geffen Playhouse. More of a series of monologues rather than a play, 'In Mother Words' takes the audience through the phases of a parent's life from pregnancy through the empty-nest stage via the funny, poignant and touching words of celebrated writers including Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley (Steel Magnolias) and Peabody Award winner Theresa Rebeck. The cast changes, but the lineup I saw featured actors Jane Kaczmarek, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, James Lecesne and Amy Pietz, who really reminded me of Marissa Tomei. From far away. And through my tears.

And boy, will you cry. From the mother recounting the harsh words hurled at her and her adopted children, to the details of an autistic child's first date, to the couple suddenly aware of the silence in their home after their children have moved out - there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Or should I make that my row – my friend and I, my contest winner and her guest seemed to be out to set the record for Worst Attempt At Stifling Sobs and Biggest Wad Of Crumpled Kleenex In Lap. Although, a friend who arrived at intermission said she was handed an entire box of tissues as she entered the theater so I'm guessing we weren't the only ones making a scene.

But there were laughs, too, like Marco Pennette's autobiographical vignette about gay parenting and we all stopped crying momentarily to laugh out loud at Cheryl L. West's piece, where a mother gives her daughter advice on keeping the machinery well-oiled post baby. Although by that point I think I was just crying nonstop, but now mostly because I was seriously afraid of what I was going to look like when I emerged from the theater, makeup smeared beyond repair and nose rubbed raw.

(We all came out of there wanting a nice drink to soothe our nerves. But be warned the bar only takes cash. More crying.)

I've been recommending 'In Mother Words' to all of my girlfriends whether they're moms or not - it's the perfect play to take your mom, who will no doubt be sobbing by the end of the segment about kids leaving home. Just be prepared to keep your lap free for all of her tissues.

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'In Mother Words' is playing at the Geffen Playhouse through May 1, 2011. Check here for details and to purchase tickets.

Also check out Girls Night Out, a post-show event at the LUXE hotel with hosted bar, food, photo booths and makeup artists that is FREE for ticketholders. Other FREE events include Wine Down Sundays (music and pre-show wine tastings), Lounge Fridays (pre-show champagne and appetizers from WEST Restaurant) and Talk Back Tuesdays, a pre-show discussion over Peet's Coffee.

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Disneyland Hotel: I Remember It Well. Sort Of.

Around the holidays I was invited to stay at the Disneyland Hotel while attending a blogger's event at Disneyland. In case you're not familiar with the hotel, it looks like this:

Actually, that's not how it looks today - that's the picture that's been stuck in my mind since the 60's. Rattling around in there with Monkees songs and episodes of Leave It To Beaver.

 [ MY BRAIN ]

Here's how the hotel looks today:

Memory is a funny thing. The one thing that I remember, unequivocally, is that the coolest thing about the hotel was the Monorail going directly through the lobby. In fact, I distinctly remember stepping off of the Monorail and practically right into the gift shop. Yes, that Monorail would blaze straight through the hotel, mere feet away from guests toting suitcases and children running in from the pool. It was the 60's, a time of free love and reckless transport.

Except it turns out that the Monorail actually never ran right through the hotel, it ran near the hotel, a fact I wasn't willing to accept until my husband showed me some vintage photos that happened to be on display in the lobby. Even then I thought he was just playing with my head, like the time he tried to tell me that the Cleavers weren't a real family and Beaver wasn't his real name. Yeah, right.

But the Monorail just running near the hotel is fine, in fact it's one of my favorite things about the place. After a short stroll through Downtown Disney, you can actually enter Disneyland by going through security and showing your passes at the Monorail station, avoiding the long lines that you usually find at the main entrance. (Although one of the times we did this, there was a delay with one of the cars and we ended up waiting far longer there than the time it would have taken us to walk to the main gate.)

As for the rooms, I found them to be clean and comfortable and able to fit my husband and I, our two teens and one of their friends. Also, there was this lamp and 'magic' mirror that were a big hit with my girls:

It turns out that we weren't in one of their newly remodeled rooms, that apparently feature beds with light-up headboards. Which is just as well – when I mentioned that to my husband he just groaned and said sarcastically, "I'm crushed we missed it," which is what I would expect – I mean he wasn't jumping up and down about that lamp and mirror, either. I'm wondering if there isn't some sort of special Disney Man Suite, one that features shrunken heads on the bedposts, sawdust on the floors, skeleton hands holding the lamps and a toilet seat permanently in the 'up' position. (Disney Hotel Design People - call me!)

Also, if you are staying at the hotel, or even just in the vicinity, I suggest taking a stroll through the lobby. While we were there they had some beautiful vintage celebrity photographs on display, and then there's this huge collage of Disney memorabilia. I only got a portion of it here, but you get the idea:

 (Do you see eyes behind that mask? Kinda creepy, or most clever security camera ever?)

We didn't have time to use the Neverland Pool, which looks like it would be fun for the kids – it was recently remodeled and features a pirate ship. Here's a photo from their site. I think it's time for that woman sunning herself in the first chair to turn over:

I do recommend the hotel, especially for it's close proximity to Disneyland, California Adventure and Downtown Disney. The service was excellent, as I've found it is in any of the hotels on the property. The one restaurant we ate in, Steakhouse 55, was good but pricey for breakfast, but that's expected for any hotel dining. Overall the hotel is a sensible choice for families and anyone going to the park on multiple days who are looking for accomodations close to the park.

Now, if they could only get that Monorail to run through the lobby...

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Geffen Playhouse Giveaway: And the Winner Is...

Sorry for the delay in picking a winner. I threw my back out (true story, I swear) and everytime I tried to sit up and do anything on my computer my back would feel like it was being rolled over by a tanker and I'd scream out in pain. And yes that's as sexy as it sounds.

I used the magical List Randomizer at Random.org to swirl up the names of the entries, and this is the one that rose to the top:

Congratulations Kathleen! Your tickets will be on hold at the Geffen Playhouse on Saturday, February 19 for the 3pm show of In Mother Words. See you there!

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My Fresh & Easy Super Bowl Party Was Intercepted

I'm not sure if you heard, but there was this big football game on TV yesterday. I think a few people went to go see it in person at a big stadium, too, although I'm not sure why you would want to do that when the line for the bathroom is much shorter at home. (Sometimes they're cleaner, too. I said sometimes.)

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market offered to provide some food and drink for a Super Bowl party, so I decided to invite my family over to watch the big game. We're the only ones who don't own a huge plasma screen TV, although ours was considered big back when we bought it in 1958. Needless to say I had to lure everyone over with the free food, even though I knew I'd have to endure some more cracks about our "sissy miniature TV" (my 90-year-old mom is pretty harsh.)

This is what the nice people at Fresh & Easy delivered on Saturday. It's just a sampling of what they provided – they sent over enough of food for 15 people. (As well as those roses in the background, which they gave me because they felt bad for the delivery being late. Don't you wish the cable guy was as conscientious?)

Unfortunately, as usually happens when you spend two days cleaning your house in preparation for guests, the party Gods laugh in your Lysol-smeared face. My 14-year-old woke up with a 102° fever on Sunday morning, and we had to cancel the whole thing. She was pretty miserable, and I didn't want to spread the germs to the rest of the family, especially my elderly mom – you think she's harsh when she doesn't like your TV, you should see how she gets when she thinks you've given her a cold.

So most of the food is in the freezer, but we did have one of their Vegetable & Cheese Trays, some of their Buffalo Roasted Chicken Wings and we cracked open the Spinach Artichoke Dip, my daughter's favorite which made her feel a little better and apparently pairs well with ibuprofen. We're thinking of rescheduling the party to sample the rest of the food, even if there isn't  football game to watch it with. Maybe a Grammy party? Hopefully we'll have a new TV by then, one that's in color and has sound.

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Win Two Tickets To 'In Mother Words' at the Geffen Playhouse

Need a little culture? How about a play about parenting written by a group of funny, witty women including a Pulitzer Prize winner and presented at the beautiful Geffen Playhouse? And how about if the tickets were free and also included a food and drink reception after the show? Okay then, read on!

In Mother Words, written by some of contemporary theater’s most talented voices including Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley (Crimes Of The Heart), humorously takes on the subject of motherhood. The play is making its West Coast debut at the Geffen Playhouse with award-winning actors Jane Kaczmarek, Saidah Arrika Ekulona and James Lecesne.

I've got TWO tickets to giveaway to In Mother Words for Saturday, February 19 at 3pm. This would include the reception from 4:30 to 7:30pm.

Here's how you win: Leave me a comment here sometime before Midnight on Wednesday, February 9. (Make sure you leave a valid email address.) I'll use random.org to pick a winner and will announce it on Friday, February 11. Good luck!

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Nintendo 3DS Launch In NYC: Best. Week. Ever.

Thanks to the wonderful people at Nintendo and BrandAboutTown, I was able to attend the launch party for the Nintendo 3DS in New York City. To say it was a wonderful trip is an understatement – let's just say when Nintendo launches something, they don't mess around. I'm still reeling from all of the excitement, the food and of course the blistering NYC cold. Did you know that it snows in New York? Also they pay no attention whatsoever to 'Don't Walk' signs which was both frightening and exhilarating.

But on to my trip!

We stayed in the fabulous Empire Hotel, which made my teenage daughters insanely happy, since it's the hotel from their favorite show, Gossip Girl. (I decided to turn the trip into a family vacation, and brought my family along. You can read about that adventure here.)

There we were, in an iconic hotel across from Lincoln Center in New York City, and what's the first thing they did when we got into the hotel room? Set up my laptop and pop in a DVD of X-Files that they had brought with them. I love my little fangirls.

On our first night, all of the Nintendo Ambassadors had an elegant dinner at the swanky Asiate on the top of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. I want to stop right here and declare that it was there that I had THE MOST AMAZING PIECE OF MEAT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. It was called Wagyu Beef, and is apparently a type of Kobe Beef. Seriously, I couldn't stop thinking about that steak. I could go on about it's juiciness and it's fine marbling but I don't want to scare you.

This is the view of Columbus Circle from Asiate. Also, a cranberry sphere, which I'll explain later in mind-numbing detail. Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the Wagyu because I was in a coma while I was eating it.

The next day we went to the Nintendo World Store, which was like being in video game heaven. Nintendo generously gave us some spending money, and we scooped up some t-shirts and DS games. I bought Just Dance 2 for myself so I could bust out some Ke$ha moves in the privacy of my own living room. That's my daughter, hugging her shopping bag – it really was like the mothership calling her home.

Also, the store had a Nintendo 'museum,' where they laid out the history of the game. (I was surprised to learn that the company started from a playing card company.) I love these old consoles – I'm sad to say that I'm so old that I remember owning one of these. Along with a bow and arrow and something called a 'pager.'

And, as if they hadn't spoiled us enough, they took us all to a salon, fed us food and champagne, and got our hair did and our makeup done for the big launch event that night. Someone must have tipped the Nintendo people off to the fact that my party prep was going to consist of just running a comb through my hair and putting on some ChapStick.

Finally it was on to the party, and it didn't disappoint. A beautiful space, plenty of pleasing beverages and lots of killer food being passed around on trays. I got really good at hunting them down and grabbing my fill – it gave me an idea for a new 3DS game, where your character goes on a dangerous hunt for beef skewers and tiny gourmet polenta pizzas.

That's Samantha Ronson DJ'ing!

And of course we got to try out the fabled Nintendo 3DS! (I'm going write about the actual device and the games in a later post.)

Each game had their own cleverly themed area with their own game experts standing by – here are the spaces for Nintendogs+Cats and Steel Diver. I tried out every one of them, although I was better at some than others. I discovered if you don't know a thing about football, Madden NFL Football is probably not for you. However, I kicked several asses playing Super Street Fighter in spite of the fact that the only physical altercation I've ever had was a shoving match with Andrew Sherman in second grade.

 

That's my trip in a nutshell, although I want to leave you with this totally unrelated photo of an elevator that we found in a jazz club near our hotel. I love New York. Thanks, Nintendo for taking me there!

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So Civilized: Tea By The Sea at Getty Villa

Around the holidays I was invited to experience the new Tea By The Sea at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. I'm more of a coffee drinker, but I love going to tea – it's one of the few times I feel like my life takes on an air of civility. Plus, 'going to coffee' just doesn't have the same ring to it, and I never feel all that civilized when I'm knocking back coffee from a paper cup while sitting next to some stranger who's watching cat videos on his laptop.

Tea By The Sea is a new offering by the museum – a Mediterranean tea that's inspired by the herbs, vegetables, and fruits that are grown in the Getty Villa's gardens. (It was explained to us that they don't actually use the ingredients grown in the garden, since the gardens are public and there are issues with pesticides and other handling concerns.) The tea takes place in the Founder's Room, an upstairs space featuring floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Villa. (It's a few flights up, so I suggest you take the elevator. Then again, I get winded just stepping up into my van so what do I know.)

Along with our tea we were served a selection of sandwiches (my favorite was the prosciutto and brie with fig jam) a delicious variety of scones and breads and a nice selection of wines. See how civilized that all sounds? Plus it was laid out on this beautiful table – so fancy! I just wish someone had told me that big glass wasn't there to hold my iPhone.

I should also mention that we were served a mouth-watering variety of desserts – some beautiful tartlets and a dessert that I hear the Getty kitchen is famous for, Mrs. Garrett's Carrot Cake. It was sublime, but unfortunately no one else there was old enough to get the Facts Of Life references I kept throwing out. Damn - where's that stranger with the laptop when you need him?

Tea By The Sea takes place every Thursday at 1pm. At first I thought the timing was odd and a little inconvenient, but now I see the brilliance in it: No weekend crowds, and perfect for those of us who could use a little mid-week escape. Not that I'd admit to being so indulgent that I was going to tea in the Palisades on a work day – I'd probably just say I was going to a business lunch. With J Paul Getty.

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Tea By The Sea
When: Every Thursday at 1:00 p.m.
Location: Getty Villa, Founder's Room
Admission: $36 per person (Wine and prosecco are available for a small additional charge.) See website for sample menus and to purchase tickets.

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