Unilever's Back To School Bash

I was recently invited to a "Back to School Bash" in NYC hosted by Unilever and PR firm Weber Shandwick. The party was a back-to-school fashion event for tween girls to promote Unilever's newest scent for Dove® gofresh(TM), Rebalance. I brought my daughter and my niece, who are both 11.

The company really went above and beyond to make the guests feel special and pampered. Servers circled the room with trays of delicious, finger foods like mini-hamburgers and tiny grilled cheese squares and fruity mixed drinks like pink lemonade and citrus punch. A fashion consultant introduced the girls to the newest trends in tween fashion, showing off racks of clothes and rows of shoes.

Parenting expert and author, Rosalind Wiseman gave back-to-school tips and signed free copies of her books Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials and Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends and the New Realities of Girl World (the book that helped inspire the movie Mean Girls and personally helped me get through a tough situation with my daughter a few years ago).

Professional stylists did the girls' makeup and hair, before they had a fun photo shoot courtesy of Stardoll. Each guest went home with a copy of their best photograph in a picture frame decorated with stickers, jewels and pom-poms, a mini Caboodles makeup case, and free samples of gofresh Rebalance deodorant and body mist.

I have to say that the event was amazing... both of the girls had a great time.

The brand really made them feel special and grown-up and important. They couldn't stop gazing at their photographs - marveling at how pretty their hair and makeup was - and raving about how delicious everything tasted. On the ride home they both devoured the first two chapters of Wiseman's book and both mentioned that they can keep the mini deodorant sample in their lockers when they start middle school this September. 

Shortly after dropping my niece off at her house, I received a call from her mom thanking me again and again for bringing her, saying how she wouldn't shut up about what a great time she had.

The event was part of Unilever's "Don't Fret The Sweat" campaign, the mission of which is to help parents and children to "successfully navigate the tricky tween years". Unilever has aligned with community partners to provide parents with the tools they need to help build their tweens’ confidence during these critical years and help their children transition into confident and self-reliant teens.

Disclosure: There was no charge for this event. I was invited by a representative from Weber Shandwick. I was not compensated for this blog entry and all of the opinions stated in this blog entry are my own.

More Mailboxes

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know that I really like shopping (and window shopping) for cool outdoor and garden decor and accessories, like planters, garden statues, mail boxes, benches, etc. My taste is pretty eclectic so I'm always looking for new stuff that I like.

Today's a mailbox day so I'm looking at a site that sells all kinds of residential mailboxes as well as multi-unit mailboxes, drop boxes, address plaques, and other decor. I really like this shadowbox style mailbox:



I love the contrast of the white and a bright color (they have several different colors to choose from), and I like that it's different from a "traditional" looking mailbox, but also a decent size and totally functional.

Aside from mailboxes, they also have some other great decorative items for the house and garden. This doorbell is really cool:



And I absolutely love this Times & Seasons outdoor thermometer:



What do you think? What's your favorite decorative piece in your garden?

Shopping for Scrubs

A friend of mine recently got a job at a doctor's office. It's her first job in the medical field, so she's excited but also a little nervous. One of the things that she has to do is buy herself some scrubs to wear to work, and since she knows that I've had to wear scrubs at a couple of previous jobs, she asked me for advice.

Scrubs don't have to be very expensive - there's nothing wrong with buying cheap scrubs as long as they're good quality. You want a pair that's comfortable and that fits properly. Most scrub bottoms come with a drawstring waist, but if they're really too big the drawstring won't help. Nothing is worse than having to constantly pull up your pants while you're trying to look professional and treat patients. Darker colors are always more slimming and flattering. However, if you're very fair you'll look totally washed out if you go with scrubs that are too dark. You don't want to look sicker than your patients!

I sent this link to my friend, because this site a great place to start for anyone who is in the market for some scrubs:

http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/

They have so many colors to choose from, and everything is really affordable, so you really can't go wrong. Happy scrubs shopping!

Printer Shopping

My old printer finally bit the dust, so I've started shopping around for a new one. There are so many different printers out there these days, I kinda don't know where to begin.

I found this site that sells all kinds of Brother printers, and I've had good luck with Brother products in the past so I figure this is a good place to start. They've got tons of printers to choose from, including a bunch of multifunction options. My office space is pretty small, so if I can't find a printer/copier/scanner that does all three things well, I'm always happy to save the space.

One thing this site has that's really helpful is a find and compare function that lets you choose several printers and compare their features and benefits. This makes it so much easier to make a decision about which printer is best for me. And if I manage to get a good deal, I can save a little money. And by save it of course I mean spend it on cute office supplies. It's a win-win situation.

Taking A Hike

Yeah, okay, so I couldn't resist the cheesy title. Some friends of mine are organizing a hiking trip for next month and I've decided to join the group. I haven't been hiking in a long time, but the scenery in the area that they've picked is supposed to be really beautiful, and it sounds like a fun trip. Of course, since I'm still me, I'm also using the trip as an excuse to shop around for some new hiking boots.

So I found a website with a great selection of hiking gear, including boots, and I've been checking it out. Of course, there's always the classic leather style of hiking boots like this Barigan boot:



I do like those, but on the other hand I really don't go hiking that often, so I'm not sure how much use I would get out of them. I'm thinking that I might be better off with something that has all of the benefits of hiking boots, but doesn't look so much like the classic style. I'm really liking these light hiking shoes from Teva:



Cute, right? And they're still waterproof and durable like regular hiking boots. I say there's nothing wrong with being prepared and being stylish at the same time.

Spring Shoe Shopping

The beautiful spring weather is finally here (at least some of the time), which means a few things - spring cleaning, eating healthy to get ready for swimsuit season, sitting outside with an iced coffee, and checking my favorite women's shoe blog and websites for some cute new spring shoes. You know, all the essentials.

I really love Stuart Weitzman shoes, and he has some great new styles for the spring. Some of them are a little on the expensive side, but at least I know that the quality is good, so if I invest in a pair they'll last me a lot longer than one spring. I think these Botanical Plum snake print sandals are gorgeous:



Of course, this season also means dealing with those spring showers, so I've been looking at rain boots too. I was never really a rain boots kind of girl before, but these Hunter boots come in so many cute colors that I'm seriously reconsidering:




So cute, I love them. Has anyone else been doing some spring shoe shopping? Got any cute styles to share?

Father's Day Shopping: Belt Buckles

I'm continuing my Father's Day gift search for my super hard to shop for dad. At the moment it's taken me to a site that sells belt buckles. (I said I like to think outside the box when it comes to this task, remember?) I figure he already has all of the ties and cufflinks that he could ever need, so this would be something a little different.

This site does custom belt buckles as well as things like money clips, lapel pins, and golf bag tags, so I feel like I should be able to find something interesting and unique here. I've been browsing and I think this one has got to be my favorite:


They also have a bunch of military belt buckles, so I think I may get something for my grandfather while I'm at it. He was in the Navy and I know this kind of gift is something that he would get a kick out of. And he's just as hard to shop for as my dad, so if I could get something for both of them at the same time, I'm all for it.

Anyone else working on Father's Day shopping? How's it going so far?

Father's Day Shopping: Tarps

So I've started shopping around for Father's Day gift ideas. My dad is super hard to shop for, so I'm constantly on the lookout for things that I think he might actually need or want, and I'm willing to think outside the box sometimes if I have to. That's the reason why I'm currently browsing a website that sells nothing but tarps.

I guess that requires a little bit of explanation. See, my dad has been really into doing projects around the house lately, including painting the guest room and some other spaces in the house. The thing is, knowing him like I do, I'm sure that he's doing it using a "dropcloth" made out of old sheets or a plastic shower curtain or something. So I was thinking of getting him a real canvas dropcloth that he can use for all of his painting projects. That way, he can focus on the painting part without worrying about whether he's making a mess out of the floor.

While I'm at it, I may also get him a couple of heavy duty silver tarps that he can use for any projects he does out in the yard or garage. These things are resistant to just about everything - water resistant, mildew and rot resistant, acid resistant, alien attack resistant (just kidding on that last one) - so I think they'd be great to protect whatever current project of the moment he's got going on outside.

Anyone else have people in their lives that are hard to shop for? What creative gifts have you found?

Getting Vaporized

I was talking to a friend of mine who is really into alternative health and aromatherapy and things like that, and she just introduced me to vaporizers. A vaporizer is a smoking alternative that allows you to inhale various herbs and other materials without actually burning them with a flame. Since there's no flame involved, the process is cleaner and can last longer and, probably most importantly, significantly reduces any toxins or carcinogens that may be present.

So I've been looking at this really interesting website that sells lots of different kinds of vaporizers and has a ton of helpful information. I've been reading up and learning about the different types of vaporizers that are available and the benefits of each kind. One of the most impressive looking ones is called the Volcano Vaporizer (even the name is cool, it sounds like something a superhero would use). It's a high quality German product that uses a method called a balloon valve to safely create scented and flavored vapor.

Yeah, I know, if you're unfamiliar with this it kinda sounds like science fiction, but it's all legit and I find it really interesting. I'll definitely be looking into vaporizers more and maybe investing in a Volcano of my own.

Patio Planning

The weather is supposed to be really nice here this weekend, so I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in my backyard and working on my garden. One of the things that I want to do this year is get some new yard furniture and kinda rearrange the layout of my yard a little.

So I've been looking online and shopping around for some new patio furniture and other decorations for my yard...or site furnishings, as they'd be called if my yard was a park, and I like to think that my yard is totally that important. I need a new table for my yard, so I've been looking at picnic tables. I really like this Octagon Table because it's cute and it offers a lot of seating without taking up a huge amount of space.


I also like the look of Park Benches in a garden, both for seating and also to put planters on.


And for even more seating, I'm thinking Adirondack chairs - benches and picnic tables are great, but I also need a place to lounge with some lemonade and a book. I found these really cool Adirondack chairs that are made from recycled plastic, so they're both durable and eco-friendly. (And no splinters!) I'm loving this sunny yellow color:


What are your plans for your yard or garden this summer?

Prom Shopping

The other day I talked to a friend of mine who had just taken her little sister prom dress shopping, which of course led us to talking about our own proms and all of the crazy styles and fashion disasters that have come and gone over the years.

Of course there will always be looks that are questionable style-wise, but these days I feel like it's easier to find lots of cute (and affordable) options for prom dresses, especially since there are so many more options as far as online shopping. There are even sites where you have the option of getting a custom dress by choosing your own colors and things like that.




Those of us who are too old for the prom can still recapture some of that dress shopping magic by buying evening dresses from the same sites.





Maybe we should just start getting together and throwing our own grown up prom parties. All of the fun of dancing and dressing up but without all of that teenage angst and drama? Sounds good to me!

Getting Inked

I just did my semi-annual stock up on printer ink. It seems like I always run out at the most inconvenient times possible, so I've learned to always have at least one backup set of printer ink on hand.

I used to just go to an office supply store to buy my ink, or try to order it from Target or some other random store. But this time I decided to shop around a little and I found a site called Ink Grabber that's a great resource for cheap ink. I seriously think that they have ink available for every single printer on the market today, and really good prices too. I never have to worry about going into a store and not being able to find the inkjet cartridges that I need again. They even have a "green" carbon neutral shipping program. Love it.

They have a bunch of active coupons right now, including a spring promotion where you can get 10% off with the coupon code SUNSHINE10. You can also get free shipping on orders over $55, or 10% off of any size order if you like them on facebook. Happy inking!

Camera Shopping

So I've been shopping around for a new digital camera. I'm not an expert photographer or anything - in fact pretty much the only thing I'm "expert" at is taking photos that are out of focus or cut the tops of people's heads off. But I've been trying to learn and improve, and I think I'm ready to graduate from the basic camera that I have now. But I want to make sure I get the camera that's right for me, so I'm doing a lot of research on compact digital cameras.

I want something that's good quality without being crazy expensive, and relatively user-friendly since like I said I'm not exactly a professional photographer. I've got a list of different options and I'm weighing the pros and cons of each one, because I want to be sure that I make the right investment.

One of the cameras that's probably too "advanced" for me right now, but is definitely at the top of my list for the future, is the Nikon D90. It's a DSLR camera with a big LCD monitor that can also shoot video. I've read a lot of reviews and almost all of them highly recommend the D90, so I think it's going to be my choice when I'm ready to take my photography to the next level.

Smart Shapewear

It's officially spring, which means it's time for spring cleaning, spring clothing shopping, pedicures...and the first freakouts about the upcoming swimsuits and tank tops weather.

One thing that I find helpful when I'm wearing spring staples like light jackets and thin tees is having the right undergarments. (Sounds kinda retro, I know, but it's not like I'm talking slips and garters here.) In warm weather nobody wants to be wearing an overly tight body shaper or any other uncomfy (and sweaty!) underthings, but if you can find the right comfortable and seamless shape wear and the best bra for your body type, it can really help you to put a look together.

I've been doing some shopping around for new spring stuff and I think Unbelievabra.com has the best body shaper that I've found so far. (As well as the coolest name.) It's a bra, body shaper, and lace cami all in one, which is great because it saves you from having to put a million layers on, which is a big plus in warm weather. And since it has the lace on the top and the bottom, you don't have to worry about it sticking out from under whatever top or jacket you're wearing and announcing to the world that you're wearing a body shaper. Love that. It's also great to wear under those tops that we all have that are just a tiny bit too low-cut to wear in certain situations or without adjusting yourself every five minutes. It's a little bit on the expensive side, but I feel like a piece like this is worth it because it can work with so many different outfits and help you wear more of the clothes that you already have. I think I just might be ready for spring fashion.

Lugging My Laptop

I love my laptop. It does everything that I need it to do, from blogging to photoshopping to wasting countless hours playing The Sims. The only problem is that it's heavy, so taking it places with me can be a bit of a pain. I've been through quite a few laptop bags and still haven't found one that can stand up to my laptop and is comfortable for me to carry around.

So I've been looking at this laptop messenger bag from Rickshaw. It's a little on the expensive side but it looks like it's really well made with a comfortable strap, a waterproof laptop sleeve and a bunch of pockets to hold all of my necessities and accessories. If it lasts a long time, it'll be worth the investment because I won't have to replace my bag every couple of months.

I think this might be the laptop bag for me, but one very important question remains. What color to get? Do I go bright red, basic black, or girlie pink? I think I might go with this nice gray:



What does everyone think? Anyone else have any laptop bag recommendations?

Chicago Car Shopping

My cousin recently moved to Chicago for school. She found a great apartment and is pretty much settled at this point - the last big thing she needs to do is get herself a car. It's the first time she's gone car shopping on her own, so she asked me to help her find something. Thanks to the magical wonders of the internet, I can help her find used cars in Chicago from here on the East Coast.

She's looking for something relatively small. And of course being a student she's on a budget, so she needs something affordable, but also wants something reliable that won't give her any problems. So we've been looking at cars like the Toyota Corolla and the Ford Focus. And yes, if she finds one in a cute color that would be the icing on the cake.

I found this really helpful site called Used Cars Chicago 101 that has a lot of great information about buying a car in the Chicago area as well as listings from a bunch of local dealerships. It's been the perfect site for my cousin to use to start her search. They even have a blog, which is a bonus because you can never been too well-informed when you're trying to buy a car. (This is especially true for women because there are still some dealers out there who assume that women are clueless when it comes to cars.) For example, their current featured blog post is on Used Car Economy and the Recession, which has some interesting insights on how the economy has affected the used car market.

My cousin is going to go out to some dealerships this weekend, and based on the research that we've been able to do I'm pretty confident that she'll find a great deal.

Is it summer yet?

I'm way too excited about summer coming. It's not even technically spring yet, but it's been so nice the last few days that I'm just really getting for beach season! I love the summer so much... swimming and tanning and beach volleyball.


And right now, it's a very special season that I like to call "shopping-for-beach-season season"! Yes, that's right, it's time to shop for beach apparel! Fun!!

Unlike most people, I really don't mind swimsuit shopping... because I'm just so happy thinking about going to the beach! And with swimsuits comes coverups and shorts and beach hats and sunglasses and flip flops and tote bags! Love it. I'm obsessed with shopping almost as much as I'm obsessed with summer.

I found a website for this really cool store called A Shore Thing. No, it's not in New Jersey, haha (and it has nothing to do with Snookie's novel of the same name) although a lot of the items would be appropriate for hanging at the Jersey Shore.

Look how cute this stuff is!

This year I've decided to move beyond just lounging on the beach getting a tan... I already found myself a hot surfer (yummy) to give me surfing lessons this summer.  Another excuse to shop... because now I need surfing apparel. (I'm not crazy enough to shop for a surf board just yet... but if I get good enough, you know I'm getting my own for next summer!)

What gets you excited about the summer coming?

Tips for Medical Professionals: Buying Scrubs

Despite the fact that I am completely squeamish about all things medical (I even faint at the sight of blood sometimes!) a lot of people don't know that many of the lousy jobs I've held over the years have been in the medial field. Don't worry - I wasn't performing surgery or anything... that would've been scary, haha! But I'm way too familiar with medical offices than anyone with my fear of blood and stuff like that should ever be...

Usually my responsibilities were restricted to 'safe' stuff like making appointments and answering the phones, but that was at 'people' doctors. Working for veterinarians was usually a whole other story. Sometimes I had to clean out cages and prepare fecal tests (let's just say it was the job was overall... shitty). Puppies and kittens are cute. The stuff that comes out of them? NOT SO CUTE. 

But every once in a while I did get stuck holding down a squirmy cat while the vet drew blood or petting a dog as it came out of anesthesia post-surgery. Scary... and sometimes gross.  Although my responsibilities varied from job to job - and from day to day - one thing was always the same. The uniform. Yep, I'm talking about scrubs.

At the 'clean' jobs (the people jobs) the scrubs I was required to wear were purely... ornamental. They were for show only. I guess they just wanted us to all match... or maybe they didn't trust us not to come to work dressed inappropriately (I am prone to showing excessive cleavage when left to my own devices). Or maybe it was a 'just in case' policy. It's not your job to treat patients - and we would probably get sued if we let you - but god forbid someone bleeds or pees on you by accident at least you didn't ruin any real clothes. Don't worry, no one ever did... at least no people ever did.

As I already said, the 'not-so-clean' jobs (the animal jobs) were... not so clean. So the scrubs were absolutely a necessity. 

Did I mention that they made me buy my own scrubs? They didn't even provide them for me. And since every office had their own separate, different 'theme' going on, every time I started a new job, I had to buy a new pair of womens scrubs. If I was dealing with children or animals, I wore those ridiculous scrubs with cartoon characters or puppy paw prints. If I was dealing with adult human beings, it was respectable solid colors only.

Over the years, I've held so many jobs like this that I've become somewhat of an expert at buying nursing uniforms. So for those of you who work in this industry... here are a few tips:

•  Wear the right size! It sucks to have to constantly pull up your pants while you're trying to look professional and treat patients. And if your scrubs are too snug you'll look - and feel - ridiculous.

Photo courtesy of Blue Sky Scrubs

•  If you're able to pick your own colors (that is, if you don't have to follow the office dress code) make sure you pick a color that doesn't make you look washed out or sickly. Patients do not feel like they're being taken well care of if their doctor/nurse/technician looks sicker than they do.

Photo courtesy of Blue Sky Scrubs

•  The better you look, the better you'll feel and the better you will do your job... and the happier your bosses and patients will be. 

• On the same note - you  need to be comfortable. How can you take care of others if you're not feeling good? When possible, look for all cotton scrubs or anything else that won't be itchy and annoying.

BONUS: A couple of cheap scrub tops can also add to a some great Halloween costumes for the kids! But just don't wear these to the office or you might get fired! haha....

Smart Scion

I've been driving my current car for quite awhile now, so I've started to think about what kind of car I might want to get next. I'm not really ready to get serious about car shopping right now, but let's say I'm in the research phase. Can't hurt to look, right?

One of the things that I've been interested in researching is hybrid and other smart cars. When I got my car there weren't a lot of options along those lines, so I'm definitely interested in seeing what's available now. If I can help the environment a little bit and also get something that's a good value for me, of course I'm going to be up for that.

My current car is a Toyota, so I started off by seeing what they offer. They've got a couple of new cars in their Scion line that look pretty cool. I'm especially liking the 2011 Scion iQ, which is a micro-subcompact. (Yeah, I know everyone's into big honking SUVs and stuff, but I've always liked a small car.) It seems to have a lot of the comforts and features of a larger car in a small package, and it's got this unique "3 + 1 seating" - room for three passengers plus a smaller space for a kid, pet, or package. It's expected to have ultra low emissions and great fuel economy. It also seems like the Scion iQ pricing is going to be just as impressive as its features.

So, I'm not quite ready to buy a new car tomorrow, but I think I'm definitely going to add the Scion iQ to my "must test drive" list.

Brightening Up The Winter

It's been a cold and snowy winter here so far, and it's getting to that point where you feel like the freezing weather is never going to end. So I've been thinking about what I can do to brighten up the rest of the winter a little bit.

One of the things I decided to do was bust out the indoor planters and get some new house plants. It's nice to bring a little life and color into the house during the winter - it's a good reminder that we will eventually see some green outside too.

Of course, a side effect of all of this indoor planter action is that it makes me start thinking ahead to when I can get the outdoor planters going again. And that makes me want to shop for new planters and garden accessories, because I'm one of those people who believes that you can never have too much garden stuff.


After doing a little "window shopping", I'm thinking that I might just have to look into getting a new evergreen or some winter flowering plants so that I can bring an outddor planter or two out of the garage early. I'll just pretend it's spring.