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Tag Archive for new york city blogger

Fun @CoinStar Promotions

September 5, 2012 Uncategorized One comment

Do you save your pennies and dimes? In a random jar? And they never get spent?

I know how it go.

Coinstar has a couple of cool promos going on, one is that you can get a free Coin Sherpa bag using a code on your receipt after you “pour” at a Coinstar kiosk.

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I am in fact a Coin Sherpa user now, and it feels all fancy having a bag of coin hanging on my coat hook.

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ALSO, Pour $20 at a participating Coinstar kiosk for any Amazon.com Gift Card and get $5 in Amazon MP3 credit printed on your receipt. And there’s No Fee. Cointastic! Offer available 8/27/12 to 9/23/12. Yay! Free credits!

Lets spend stuff!

Shopping At @RookieUSA NYC #RookieUSA #CBias #SocialFabric

September 3, 2012 Uncategorized One comment

This weekend I went shopping at Rookie USA on the upper west side of Manhattan.

Rookie USA has all kinds of hip urban-cool clothing for kids.

When I arrived at the store on 808 Columbus Ave, I was greeted by a cheery store associate who had balloons. I don’t know if she was handing them out to kids, but it still made me be all, “Ooo, balloons!”.

Next, upon entering the store, I was met by talking hologram Carmelo Anthony.

I didn’t really pay attention to what Hologram Carmelo Anthony was saying, but I just thought to myself how cool it was that Rookie USA had a hologram greeter.

I was very impressed by the selection of girl-targeted sporty clothes at Rookie USA. They had gym clothes, bags, and all kinds of athletic shoes.

I was actually expecting to see sporting equipment at Rookie USA, and there wasn’t any. I was hoping to purchase shin guards for soccer, and cleats. Rookie USA does not carry shin guards or cleats.

But I did like these pink shoes:

I decided on some Converse shoes to replace a worn-out pair of chucks that need to be retired.

The sales associate was very helpful in offering tips to get the best size, since different brands seem to be sized differently.

We have a winner!

I think the best part of Rookie USA is the extensive kids athletic shoe selection, but I also saw plenty of cute “street style” sporty clothes that caught my eye.

Just look at this adorable warm-up suit:

I would like to dress both of my kids in that and force them to perform Beastie Boys songs on the subway for money.

With a sweet suit like that, your kid would be illin for sure. Awwww yeah #RookieUSA!

There were so many cute clothes that I took 34 photos of my shopping trip and made a Google + album of all of the cool stuff I saw at Rookie USA! Go see!

Rookie USA is on twitter and facebook, too!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Rookie USA #CBias #SocialFabric

How My Four Year Old Learned To Tell Time In One Afternoon: WonderMind

July 13, 2012 Uncategorized One comment

I have more than twelve years of teaching experience under my belt, and 2 of those years were in Early Childhood.

However, with my own children, I find it difficult to separate the “mom” role and the “teacher” role. The result is, I feel that I am a crappy mom-teacher.

Recently we were sent a learning system from WonderMind to try out.

The WonderMind multi-sensory learning system has been super popular in Japan for years, but it only recently made its debut in America.

Since debuting in Japan in 1988, WonderMind is used today by one out of every five kids in Japan.

Each complete five-piece interactive learning system designed with the help of experts in child development, WonderMind’s Summer Adventure is available as two separate kits for toddlers ages 1 to 2 and kids 4 to 5 years old.

The system includes age-appropriate books, educational toys and DVDs.

The kit we were sent, designed for children aged 4 to 5, contained Tick-Tock’s Talking Toy Clock.

The clock is what we call, in educational speak, “self correcting”, meaning that the child can play with it alone, and it is impossible for the child to do the activity incorrectly. The child sets the hands on the clock and presses a button, then the clock says the time out loud.

The custom interactive timer is perfect for explaining the abstract nature of time itself.

Tick-Tock’s concepts are further illustrated in the DVD, workbook, picture book and parents guide included in the package.

Deeds will be 5 years old in August. We got the kit, and I will say that I have never worked with him on analog clocks before.

Within about 10 minutes of following the parent guide of how to present the material, Deeds was able to tell time “on the hour”, such as recognizing or setting hourly times like 6:00, 3:00, etc.

It was pretty amazing!

I am crazy busy, especially now that I am a single mom. WonderMind lets you spend good, educational time with your child broken into just 20 minute blocks.

I love this.

WonderMind’s Summer Adventure kits are $29.99 each, with free shipping for the summer.

For more information or to order by phone, call the WonderMind Information Center at 1-855-88-TEEGY (1-855-888-3349) or visit www.wondermindkids.com.

Follow WonderMind on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WondermindKids and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WonderMindKids !

Live NYC @miraclesuitswim Giveaways & Twitter #Giveaway June 21st #miraclesuitcelebratessummer

June 18, 2012 Uncategorized 8 comments

On June 21, Miraclesuit Swimwear is celebrating the start of summer with a loop around Manhattan in a double decker bus with giveaways, mini fashion presentations and fun treats for press and bloggers!

Roshumba Williams (television fashion and style expert, Wilhelmina model and a five-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Hall of Famer) will be the host of the Double Decker bus tour, which will depart from Rockefeller Center at 11 am with 20 real women, showcasing the latest trends in this year’s swim fashions.

Miraclesuit Swimwear (which makes women look 10 pounds lighter in 10 seconds) will spread the miracle love at each bus stop, will be giving passersby and twitter followers the chance to win THOUSANDS of dollars of swimwear and other summery blessings!

NewImage Miraclesuit is partnering with Momtrends, an influential style site for moms, to bring top bloggers to the bus tour.

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On June 21st more than 100 Miraclesuit swimsuits will be given away between the hours of 11-1 pm to lucky consumers who see the bus at one of its 6 stops!

Not in NYC? No worries! There will also be twitter contests, AND Miraclesuit will also offer free shipping on all purchases made that day!

To enter the Twitter contest to win your own Miraclesuit on June 21st, just follow @miraclesuitswim, and tweet @miraclesuitswim and @momtrends during the hours of 11-1 EST, Winner will be selected at random.

Follow @miraclesuitswim and @momtrends for additional info.

….

ENTER TO WIN THE MIRACLESUIT OF YOUR CHOICE ON THIS BLOG POST, TOO!

To enter for your chance to win, you MUST follow @miraclesuitswim and “like” miraclesuit on Facebook.

After you do that, leave a comment on this blog post with your best or worst swim suit story.

Winner will be selected at random. This blog giveaway will close on July 1st, 2012 at 12 midnight.

U.S. entrants only, please.

Blogging Advice From My Seven Year Old

June 18, 2012 Uncategorized 11 comments

My 7-year-old son Jojo said that he wanted to help me with my work “like, make a list on paper,” was his idea.

So I told him to make a list of things I could write about on my website.

Things to Blog About. By Jojo, age 7:

1. Write about the things you did and the places you go to.

2. You can tell what you like to eat and drink and how you make it. And even start a cooking class.

3. You can make signs and put them the things you should put on them is don’t dump trash on the ground, follow rules.

4. You can make stuff like artist. Be criative. Draw make wonder.

5. when me and dede get home to alabamha were going to play something fun you should write about that.

To everyone who has ever said, “I just don’t know what to blog about”, there you have it.

Write about the things you did and the places you go to.

Tell what you eat and drink and how to make it.

Blog about causes and rights and rules that you are passionate about.

Make stuff. Be CriAtive.

And when you play something fun, write about that.

How Do You Skype?

June 16, 2012 Uncategorized No comments

What is an unexpected yet awesome way you have used Skype?

Before Skype, when I lived overseas, I only spoke to friends and family on the phone less than once a month. And, since the call cost about 33 cents a minute, I was far to stressed to actually have a conversation.

Skype makes my world go round!

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You might know that Skype allows you to do video calls over the internet, but did you know that for $60 a year, you can get your very own PHONE NUMBER on Skype?

Why would you want a phone number? Well, for example, when I was working in Asia, I bought a phone number on Skype with an Alabama area code. This allowed my parents to be able to call me with a normal telephone at no cost to them, before they ever were able to figure out how to use the internet.

I also was able to do conference calls from Asia to the US without racking up an astronomical phone bill. In fact, many people I worked with didn’t even know that I was living in Asia.

How’s that for sneaky? Another cool thing about Skype is that you can download the Skype app on to your smartphone, and then just use it like a regular phone. Its kind of awesome.

In the old days when I first started using Skype, I had to stay in front of the computer with my little microphone headset on. Not anymore!

I have video Skyped on my smartphone whilst driving in the US, or whilst working late in my office back in Laos a few years ago.

And I would Skype you in a boat!

And I would Skype you with a goat…

And I will Skype you in the rain.

And in the dark.

And on a train.

And in a car.

And in a tree.

Skype is so good so good you see!

Check out the Skype Facebook Page!

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Skype. I received Skype credits to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.”

Disney Pixar BRAVE OPENS JUNE 22 Movie Review

June 15, 2012 Uncategorized No comments

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I was a part of a select audience in a select theatre in an undisclosed location in a select city to get a sneak preview of the new Disney/Pixar movie BRAVE….in 3-D no less.

BRAVE is the story of a Scottish princess, Merida and her struggle to change her fate. Merida is an inspiring heroine with beautiful red hair and skills with a bow and arrow.

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After you catch the film, be prepared for your kids to want to shoot a bow and arrow.

BRAVE had all of the elements of other favorite Disney films: a plucky heroine who wants to go her own way, dark magic, a lovable yet misunderstood father figure, comical sidekicks, and scenes that make moms start to get a little misty-eyed.

The movie seemed very fast paced, but even my 4-year-old caught on to some key plot points. When a character was about to make a bad decision, Deeds predicted (out loud) what would happen if they chose the wrong course. Which clued me in that he was following the storyline and not just enamored by the flashing screen.

Kudos to Disney for making films that families can enjoy together.

Besides the novelty of watching BRAVE in 3-D, I really enjoyed the quirky Scottish words and the adorable accent.

Luckily, I read the BRAVE Scottish Glossary before the film. You might want to do the same:

Here is a sample of words from the BRAVE Scottish Glossary:

BUNCH OF GALOOTS

Many fools

galoot = clumsy, oafish person

DREADFUL COLLYWOBBLES

Unwanted stomachache or a bad case of the nerves

collywobbles = upset stomach; intestinal disturbances or a feeling of apprehension

JIGGERY POKERY

Nonsense

JINGS CRIVENS HELP MA BOAB

Oh my!

Exclamation of bewilderment or exasperation

LASS

Girl

LAD

Boy

MICHTY ME

Wow! Holy cow!

An exclamation of surprise, shock or being overwhelmed

NUMPTY

Useless individual

If this puts Scotland on your MUST VISIT list, VisitScotland has just launched a new series of travel itineraries that showcase various themes from the movie – from Ancient Scotland to Myths and Legends and Scottish Castles.

Families can use the itineraries to plan a trip that brings to life the history, culture, traditions and countryside that inspired the film’s creators: http://www.visitscotland.com/brave/itinerary.

More here: http://www.visitscotland.com/brave/travel-experiences/.

“Like” BRAVE on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PixarBrave

Click To Clean Housekeeping Service in NYC @MyCleanDotCom

June 14, 2012 Uncategorized No comments

Confession: my house isn’t always clean.

I know. So embarassing.

I had the best opportunity in the whole wide world to review a FREE professional home clean from NYC’s revolutionary “click-to-clean” housekeeping service, MyClean.

MyClean.com professional housekeeping services are available in Manhattan, the Bronx and parts of Brooklyn. To see if your home is within the MyClean area, type in your zipcode at http://www.myclean.com/.

I got a DEEP CLEAN, in which a MyClean housekeeper came to my home and went through a 50 point checklist. She even cleaned the inside of the fridge AND the inside of the oven. I know. I did not know that needed to be done. Like, ever.

But now that I have a clean oven, I feel fancy.

MyClean’s mission is to take the hassle out of home cleaning in NYC and make it easy to book a trusted, high quality and affordable cleaning service with the click of a button.

I LOVE having the clean apartment, but I also think it would be useful to get a quick clean once in a while if you were planning a party or hosting an event in your home.

It would be one less thing to worry about, am I right?

How it Works:
To use the service, just enter your zip code, number of bedrooms/bathrooms and total square footage… and you’ll get an “on the spot” estimate.

MyClean not only gives you the price in advance, they’ll also tell you how long the service will take. If that’s not enough, you can give them extra instructions, just in case you have an area that needs extra special attention.

Look! The toilet paper sticker of cleanliness!

Look, they organized my toiletries! SQUEE!

“Like” MyClean on Facebook for special offers… like receiving 20% off your first home clean by using the discount code: ClicktoClean!

The cleanest my house has ever been, ever:

Thank you, MyClean.com!

Pinterest for Dummies #Giveaway

May 21, 2012 Uncategorized 5 comments

I have been interviewing for social media jobs, and many times in the interview, the would-be employer wants to know my experience witn Pinterest.

Its funny that three years ago Pinterest didn’t exist, and now almost every consumer brand wants a piece of the Pinterest pie!

Whether you want to use Pinterest for personal reasons or to promote your blog or business, you need to jump in to it now….it is one of the fastest-growing social networking sites!

Pinterest For Dummies starts at square one, from how join Pinterest, connect it to your Twitter and Facebook accounts, set up your profile, and start following other members, to using all of the features and driving the Pinterest community to your own site or products.

So while Pinterest For Dummies does start in authentic “dummy!” territory, it does get advanced by the end of the book. So you can glean knowledge no matter how hopeless or advanced you are in social media.

I am going to keep this in my social media tool box, whether I need to refer to it for myself or to help give me the right angle to explain Pinterest to a client!

Would you like to enter to win a copy? If you have a US or Canadian mailing address, leave a comment on this post with the answer to this question:

· What one thing about Pinterest confuses you the most?

This contest will close at midnight EST, Monday, May 28th. One winner will be chosen at random.

Mighty Fine film: Premiers in Select Cities May 25th

May 10, 2012 Uncategorized No comments

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Have you experienced emotional abuse?

Many families cover up their hostile home environments; everything looks idyllic on the outside.

When a family member has an anger problem, others in the household walk on eggshells in attempts to avoid flaming tempers and abrasive personalities.

Through Mom Central Consulting, I got the opportunity to preview a film about one family dealing with emotional abuse issues.

Mighty Fine, premiering in select cities May 25th, follows a chapter in the life of The Fine family, exploring how the effects of an explosive parent can ripple through a family.

The film strikes a chord among those who’ve experienced the often incomprehensible behavior of an abusive parent, and demonstrates the impact of economic uncertainty on people whose mental health is already precarious.

The film, based on writer/director Debbie Goodstein’s childhood experiences, touches upon the controversial and difficult roles that anger and aggression can play in a family.

The film is set in 1970′s Brooklyn; the Fine family decides to move from Brooklyn to New Orleans in search of a better, more prosperous life.

Joe Fine (Chazz Palminteri) has love for his wife (Andie MacDowell) and daughters (Jodelle Ferland and Rainey Qualley), but their closeness to him leaves them vulnerable to his explosive rage.

The emotional abuse leaves Stella, Maddie, and Natalie to walk a wire between their love for this charismatic, generous man, and the terror of his unpredictable mood swings.

I think everyone can relate to this film on some level, even if your parents were saints, there are still times in memory where a trusted adult really lost control in your presence.

‘Like’ the Mighty Fine Facebook page!

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Mighty Fine and the distributor. I received access to an online showing of the film and a promotional item to thank me for participating”

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