2010 September

ZUMBA FITNESS® VIDEO GAME

September 30, 2010 in LIFESTYLE

Ditch the workout, Join the party! is the mantra of Zumba Fitness®, and yesterday, I did just that at a showcase celebrating Majestic Entertainment’s launch of the Zumba Fitness® Video Game for Wii™, Playstation® Move, and Kinect™ for Xbox 360®, available in stores November 18th.

Created in the 90’s by Miami-based celebrity fitness trainer and Colombian native “Beto” Perez, Zumba® has become one of the fastest growing fitness programs, pairing international dance steps with sexy Latin music to create a fun fitness party.

The interactive video game includes 9 different dance styles and more than 30 Zumba® routines to tone and build strength and endurance as you dance.

Now tell me that didn’t get you moving in your seat. By the way, Grant is a mother of FOUR. Yes, you read that correctly.

Have no fear if you’re as uncoordinated as me. The game includes “Learn the Steps” training routines for all skill levels, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.

{PR director, Sandra Fine and me in sync and having a ball}

{Blogger friends: Mitch of Gay NYC Dad & Yakini of The Prissy Mommy}

So what do you think of Zumba®? Have you tried it yet? Will you?

{ 14 Comments }

WALL STREET 2: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

September 28, 2010 in LIFESTYLE, NYC

Friday night, Glamadad and I attended a private screening of Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps at Regal Cinema Battery Park Stadium. After the film, we were ushered, via double-decker bus, around Lower Manhattan to the physical Wall Street for a cocktail reception at the New York Stock Exchange.

As a member of the generation labeled “the children of Gordon Gekko,” I was eagerly anticipating the follow up but reserving myself for the inevitable disappointment. Money Never Sleeps, Oliver Stone’s first ever sequel, begins with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, for those who have been living under a rock, gecko-style, snort) emerging from prison and is loosely based on the financial crisis of late.

The general consensus from insiders (and out) is that Wall Street 2 fails to deliver due to the lack of insight into the financial collapse it depicts and its sappy, Hollywood ending, but is entertaining, especially the inspiring images of Manhattan’s skyline. A surprise for me was that Shia LaBeouf, despite conjuring up images of steak every time I hear his name, didn’t offend nearly as much as I thought he would. Same applies to the rest of the cast, with the exception of Susan Sarandon. Oh. Dear. Susan. What dialect coach approved that Long Island accent? You should have called me!

Wall Street, New York

Following the screening, we were treated to double-decker bus accommodations (my first ever) to the New York Stock Exchange. At nine at night, the streets downtown are mostly abandoned and dark except for the street lights and florescent office windows. The weather was warm and foggy, making the ride feel almost dream-like. Passing Ground Zero, then the cemeteries of St. Paul’s and Trinity Church, added to the eeriness of the commute. Arriving at Broadway and Wall, the long security line at the NYSE provided yet another reminder that Lower Manhattan has forever been transformed.

Trinity Church

The New York Stock Exchange

Inside the NYSE, we were free to roam, enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, and pretend to be stock brokers. Well, I pretended to be Maria Bartiromo, naturally.

: Inside the NYSE

It was a unique evening and a sobering reminder of how different the world is since I saw the original Wall Street and first arrived on Wall Street 12 years ago with big dreams. Our economic future remains uncertain and continues to beg the question, is greed good or the root of all evil?

P.S. I highly recommend seeing Manhattan from atop a double-decker bus!

{ 22 Comments }

GLAMAMOM FEATURED ON THE TRAVELING JOURNAL

September 27, 2010 in LIFESTYLE

Do you maintain long distance friendships? How?

Today, my story is featured on The Traveling Journal‘s blog in The Friendship Files.

Check out what a great idea the Travel Journal is and how it can help friends stay connected.

{ 10 Comments }

AQUAPHOR SKINCARE {GIVEAWAY} CLOSED

September 25, 2010 in LIFESTYLE

When I interviewed top New York City dermatologist Debra Wattenberg for Moms Who Rock, she named Aquaphor as one of her favorite personal care products: Aquaphor can be used as a moisturizer as well as a lip balm and can be put on cuts and scrapes. She even keeps Aquaphor on her nightstand and applies it before bedtime.

Now Aquaphor’s skincare line includes a brand-new lip therapy. Aquaphor Lip Repair provides immediate and long-lasting relief for dry lips, seals in moisture and prevents dryness. It’s fragrance-free, preservative-free, dye-free, and appropriate for sensitive lips. I’ve been using it ever since I received a sample at BlogHer and it’s now taken up permanent residence in my make-up bag.

Another one of my favorites is Aquaphor Gentle Wash & Shampoo. It’s a convenient cleanser that gently cleanses both skin and hair. Enriched with soothing chamomile and provitamin B5, it is specially designed to be gentle for babies’ sensitive skin. Plus, it’s soap-free, fragrance-free, tear-free, and pediatrician recommended. What I like best is that it doesn’t leave any residue in Big Bub’s FULL head of hair:

And of course, the original- Aquaphor Healing Ointment protects extremely dry, chapped, cracked or irritated skin and helps enhance the skin’s natural healing process. The multi-purpose ointment is safe to use on babies’ sensitive skin; it relieves chapped cheeks, treats diaper rash, and relieves dry skin associated with eczema.

BUY ‘EM! All products are conveniently available at Amazon, all food, drug, and mass merchandisers nationwide. For more information, visit Aquaphor.

WIN ‘EM! I’m thrilled to offer two Glamamom readers the Aquaphor Wonder Set, including: a .35 oz tube of Aquaphor Lip Repair, an 8.4 FL oz. Aquaphor Gentle Wash & Shampoo, a 1.75 oz tube and 14 oz jar of Aquaphor Healing Ointment.

(1) Leave a comment below that you would like to win (and your contact email if you do not Google Follow Glamamom).

Additional entries (3 total):
(2) “Like” Glamamom on Facebook.
(3) Add Glamamom to your Google Friend Connect.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry or it will not be counted.

This giveaway ends Monday, October 4th at midnight.

Two winners will be picked via Random.org on Monday and announced here on Glamamom. Each comment will be assigned a number corresponding to the order in which it was left. If you leave the comment(s) anonymously, please be sure to leave a contact name or email address.

Thanks and good luck!

{Complimentary product was provided but has no impact whatsoever on the opinions or recommendations herein.}

{ 117 Comments }

WHO WORE IT BEST?

September 22, 2010 in LIFESTYLE

In honor of The View’s 3,000th episode on Thursday, they’re taking a look back at each of the hosts’ best moments. One of Sherri Shepherd’s is her birthday celebration with the Clarke Sisters where she belted the black and white print Diane von Furstenberg dress with a gold chain link belt.

Glamamom wore it throughout her pregnancy and recently belted it like Shepherd underneath a Madewell Midnight Blazer for the DVF/HP event at Fashion’s Night Out 2010. It was also featured on Glamamom when she appeared on The View in June for a TJMaxx/Marshalls Designer Looks for Less segment.

{ 28 Comments }

"BACK TO BLOGGING" DAY 5: WHY I BLOG

September 20, 2010 in LIFESTYLE

If you missed my Back to Blogging Day 1 post, you can read it here: The First Glamamom Post I Ever Wrote; Day 2 post, here: A Post I Wish More People Had Read, Day 3, here: A Post Title I Am Particularly Proud Of, and Day 4 here: Women Who Inspire.

Day 5′s assignment is to answer the question: Why do you blog?

Excellent question! When people learn that I write a blog, that’s always the first response. Not, What do you write about? But, Why?

I often wonder myself So here it goes. I, Glamamom, blog because:
- I’ve always been lousy at keeping a journal.
- I’m excited by social media and how it has forever changed marketing and communication.
- I want to preserve the memories for my son and show him how we’ve grown.
- Some days motherhood is so tiring, I need the inspiration to take a shower, get out of the apartment, and take advantage of living in NYC.
- I have some incredible friends doing trememdous things and I want a platform to showcase them and all of my recommendations.
- I like a challenge and let’s face it, if I wasn’t writing this, I’d probably be watching Real Housewives of somewhere and nothing good would ever come of that.

Why do you blog? If you don’t, have you ever considered it?

Back to Blogging is sponsored by SITS, Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

{ 14 Comments }

"BACK TO BLOGGING" DAY 4: WOMEN WHO INSPIRE

September 20, 2010 in LIFESTYLE

Day 4′s challenge is to write about a woman who inspires me. I could choose one woman but it just so happens that I was in Philadelphia last weekend for a blogging conference, SITS Girls’ Bloggy Boot Camp, and met dozens of inspirational women. I’ve been meaning to recap the event so this post will address both the conference and the women that inspire me.

My first blogging conference, BlogHer, was a tad overwhelming so I was really looking forward to a smaller, more intimate event where I could meet local bloggers and learn ways to stretch myself creatively.

Bloggy Boot Camp didn’t disappoint. It was one day only and capped at 100 +/- attendees. I drove down the morning of, attended the conference, then had dinner (if you can call it that) with my cousin Jimmy, who’s a freshman at my alma mater, Penn.

Seating at the conference changed for each speaker session so that attendees had the opportunity to meet almost everyone. The networking alone was invaluable. I met so many fantastic bloggers that I’ve been stalking reading- like Scary Mommy, Life Without Pink, Complicated Mama, Theta Mom, and Mommy’s Still Fabulous, and have a whole new list of blogs to visit.

Additionally, I gained insight into how to build an audience, find my voice as a writer, take better photographs, optimize my blog design, improve SEO, market myself to brands and PR firms, and even open my own online store. I started blogging primarily for entertainment so I never thought these things were important to me but after listening to the ways in which bloggers are utilizing their platforms, I’m thankful to have gained this knowledge.

Anytime you get a group of women together to share their experiences is inspiring. But to meet mothers who regularly step outside their comfort zones to communicate the naked truth of their realities, to share their mistakes so that others may not make the same, to raise awareness and money for their causes, to heal, to cope, to laugh, to better themselves- it’s magical. I’m so honored to be part of this community and am learning more about myself than I thought possible through this fun little project.

************************************

Back to Blogging is sponsored by SITS, Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

{ 7 Comments }

EATALY NEW YORK & LIDIA BASTIANICH’S RISOTTO AL BAROLO

September 16, 2010 in NYC

TV food personality, author, and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich, along with her son Joe and his longtime restaurant partner, celebrity chef Mario Batali, teamed up with Oscar Farinetti, to open Eataly New York, a 50,000 square-foot Italian market, devoted to the food and culinary traditions of Italy. The emporium opened earlier this month in the Flatiron District of Manhattan on 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue, across from Madison Square Park.

I couldn’t wait to check out the new market since I’m a big fan of both Batali’s and Bastianich’s restaurants. Big Bub and I popped in on opening day but were forced to retreat without a single morsel due to the overzealous crowd. We tried again today and were surprised and excited to meet Lidia while she greeted customers and served her Risotto Al Barolo. She even shared the recipe. Eataly sells it for $12/bowl so this recipe has some serious value!

Risotto Al Barolo
Adapted from Lidia’s Italian Table

Yield: makes 6 servings

This risotto is typical of the cooking of the Piemonte- a region where good red wine abounds and rice is king; their marriage is a natural. Any good wine can be used to make the risotto, but I prefer Barolo- in the “tradizione Piedmonstese.”

For the risotto:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (preferably Roi Olio Extra Vergine Di Oliva “Mosto”)
1 cup minced onions
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice (preferably Falasco Carnaroli Rice)
1 1/2 to 2 cups of good Barolo wine (preferably Borogno Barolo 2003)
5 cups hot Chicken Stock or Beef Stock or canned chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon of salt, or as needed
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Castelmagno cheese (preferably Giolito Castelmagno DOP)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 1/2 1/3

In a heavy, wide 3- to 4- quart casserole or pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and shallots and cook them until golden, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Toast the rice until the edges become translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup of the wine and stir well until all the wine is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining wine in half cup batches. Add 1/2 cup of the hot stock and the salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until all the stock has been absorbed. Continue to add hot stock in small batches- just enough to completely moisten the rice- and cook until each successive batch has been absorbed. Stir constantly and adjust the level of heat so the rice is simmering very gently while adding the stock until the rice mixture is creamy but al dente. This will take 16 to 20 minutes, from the time the wine was added.

Remove the casserole from the heat. Beat in the butter first until completely melted, then half the grated Parmigiano and Castelmagno cheeses. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary, and pepper. To serve, spoon the risotto into six warm shallow bowls. Top each serving with additional grated cheese to taste. Serve immediately.

More Eataly:

Risotto is the perfect fall food! If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by to check out Eataly. A 50,000 square foot Italian market is no small feat in NYC.

Buon appetito!

{ 8 Comments }

"BACK TO BLOGGING" DAY 3: A POST TITLE I AM PARTICULARLY PROUD OF

September 15, 2010 in NYC

If you missed my Back to Blogging Day 1 post, you can read it here: The First Glamamom Post I Ever Wrote; Day 2 post, here: A Post I Wish More People Had Read.

Today’s assignment is to share a post with a title that I am particularly proud of. Coming up with cute titles is one of my favorite aspects of writing so I’m having a really hard time narrowing them down to just 1. Instead, I’ll share my top 5 in descending order:

5. There Once Was a Glamamom in Nantucket
4. Will the Empire Dinner Strike Back?
3. When Babies Attack
2. Shear Stupidity

My #1 favorite post title is…I’ll Have What’s He’s Having. Watch the video and you’ll understand why! This post was also published on iblognewyork.net.

************************************

Originally published May 27, 2010

I’LL HAVE WHAT HE’S HAVING

Walking the streets of New York City, you get caught up in a lot of commotion, whether you want to or not.

It’s typical of New Yorkers to feign indifference towards distractions like excessive displays of affection, nudity, celebrity sightings, street performers, evangelists, taxidents (taxi accidents), knock-off handbag and Pashmina stands, fortune tellers, Falun Gong activists, ginormous cockroaches, Greenpeace, comedy club, and hair salon solicitors, the guy running towards the bus yelling for you to hold the door, etc.

After all, we live here and have places to go, dammit.

If I stopped to rubberneck every time I saw a Jew for Jesus, I swear I wouldn’t make it one single avenue.

But the other day, I couldn’t help but admire this happy fella dancing prancing floating jogging alongside Big Bub and I.

We strolled over 10 blocks before it occurred to me that my Blackberry has a video camera to preserve the memory for posterity a rainy day.

Notice no one else is paying any attention!

What’s the funniest/craziest thing you’ve encountered on the streets of NY?

************************************

Back to Blogging is sponsored by SITS, Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

{ 8 Comments }

"BACK TO BLOGGING" DAY 2: A POST I WISH MORE PEOPLE HAD READ

September 14, 2010 in MOTHERHOOD

If you missed my Back to Blogging Day 1 post, you can read it here: The First Glamamom Post I Ever Wrote. Today’s assignment is to re-upload a post I wish more people had paid attention to. Push Love Doula is another one of the earlier posts I wrote before debuting Glamamom.

Giving birth was undoubtedly the most intimate and vulnerable experience of my life. It is a true testament to the value of doulas, specifically the one that I worked with. The support that doulas can bring to such a personal situation, empowering mothers and giving them confidence and control despite all of the variables of labor, lays the foundation for motherhood. As you will read, I highly recommend using with one…

************************************

Originally published May 27, 2010

PUSH LOVE DOULA

At around 20 weeks pregnant (and 20 lbs more to love), Mapuche and I were engaging in a debate over global warming cuddling on the couch flipping through the channels when we landed on the documentary The Business of Being Born. I had heard about it and figured I’d better start getting up to speed on the whole birth thing. Given the onslaught of information detailing horror stories and possible complications, I’d pretty much avoided consuming anything other than those fun BabyCenter weekly updates (21 weeks: “if you’re having a girl, her vagina has begun to form!”) I think the film is a must-see for expectant parents, although I would have preferred to watch it sans the mood-altering hormones. In any case, I watched, I cried, I got angry. I vowed to have my baby drug-free, at home, and in Iceland, which boasts the lowest infant mortality rate in the world.

After the sobbing subsided and Glamadad calmed me down enough so that I could resume speaking in full sentences, I called an Ob/Gyn friend to reassure me that not all doctors were looking to cut (pun intended) my birthing experience short so that they could make it out for Happy Hour. She suggested that if I felt strongly about having a natural birth that I consider using a doula. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, research studies have shown that using a doula results in shorter labors, reduced need for pain medication, fewer cesarean sections, fewer episiotimies, fewer operative vaginal deliveries, improved neonatal outcomes, better mother-infant interaction, improved breastfeeding rates, and greater maternal satisfaction. After weighing the pros and cons of a home birth (and when I write “cons” I mean Glamadad’s emphatic, “hell no!”), I concluded that using a doula was the best way to help facilitate my desired birth plan at a hospital. My friend recommended a doula that several of her clients had a successful relationship with and whom she as a doctor found most professional and easy to work with. Enter London King, Push Love Doula.

From the moment I met London I was awestruck by her confidence and positive energy. She radiates happiness and sunshine but not in a nauseating way. She’s confident and graceful, maternal but girlie; the perfect balance between mother and friend. Mapuche took to her immediately, which I love to use as a litmus test. I had planned to meet with a few different doulas but knew after only a few minutes that London was the right match, the one who was going to join Glamadad and I on the most intensely personal and uncharted journey of our lives.

There were 5 or 6 visits, I can’t remember exactly. London patiently answered all of our questions as a couple and gave us positive “reading assignments” to give us some idea of what to expect. We had one-on-one sessions, she and I, where I confided in her my worst fears about labor (“what if I poop?!) and becoming a mom (“what if I’m just no good?!”). She taught me to meditate and breathe deeply, techniques I still refer to when I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed. We did simulated pushing exercises and since I’m a runner, she used runner’s jargon and the marathon as a metaphor for labor. She also took pictures. Lots and lots of magical pictures that she compiled and presented to me postpartum as our birth story.

Of course my labor didn’t go as planned. After laboring for many hours, going for walks and hopping on and off the birthing ball, night turned into day, then night again, dilation stalled, I got an epidural, and I was eventually induced. But London was there with us, every step of the way: finessing the doctor and nurses, updating family, feeding me ice chips (who knew they were so delish?), and giving me eucalyptus rubs and words of encouragement. When I resigned myself to the epidural, I searched her eyes for judgement or disappointment but all I got was empathy, tenderness, and a “baby girl, rest now.” When it finally came time to push, everything London had taught me came into play. It took less than a half hour to meet the reason behind it all. Big Bub weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and while labor didn’t go exactly the way I had anticipated, it was the most memorable and empowering experience of my life. I am forever grateful to London for her unwavering support and friendship, and for pushing me her love.

A few pics from Big Bub’s birth story. Every time I look at them I get weepy (sniff):