I hardly ever accept invitations to blog events with my kids because it’s hard to convince a four-year-old that it would be fun to hang out with me and my bloggy sistahs. I mean, he bawled his eyes out in hysteria at the first and only blog event I coordinated last month. So it’s safe to say that we stay away most of the time.
But when the kind PR folks of Catalyst Public Relations sent me an email that we were invited as VIPs to their Powerade Play event at Daley Bicentennial Plaza to schmooze with Venus Williams and Derrick Rose and try the samples of the new Powerade Play drink for kids, well, I responded yes faster than Venus’s serve.
We love tennis (okay, and my son likes the Bulls *as a Detroiter I cringe*) in our house.
My eldest and I geared up for the big day yesterday by watching countless Venus/ Serena matches on You Tube. He kept asking about Venus’s sister. I told him DO NOT SAY THAT IN FRONT OF VENUS.
If only he said anything at all.
After we saw MJ (man, she is EVERYWHERE!) at the event, we waited, and waited and waited for our chance to stalk brush hands with tennis greatness.
Here’s the photo play book of what happened next:
We played Bag-O (which, people, is not NEARLY as fun played with little kids sober.)
We got excited when a limo pulled up. False alarm.
We were bummed when we thought this was as close as we’d get.
And when we had the chance for the photo opp, this is what happened…
He chickened out. But Venus was super cool about it.
I should also mentioned the Powerade “Blue” color got a mixed review from the little guy. Maybe we’ll try the “Red” next time.
I was not compensated for posting about the Powerade Play event. I did receive a complimentary VIP Pass to the event, which had no monetary value to my knowledge, but worth a few good memories.
Remember that, there, uhm, slow blogging movement? I guess when people slow down on their blogging no one actually continues to talk about it.
It’s not that I don’t have anything to say here on this blog right now. I do.
I want to talk about all the craziness going on with sunscreen and the bad ingredients in various brands. I have a lot to say about a recent pitch I got for a Toys R Us Mom promotion and what it means and says for blogging (both good and bad.) I want to tell funny stories about my son’s last day of school. I have to talk about the process of calling and scheduling Early Intervention Illinois to come evaluate Baby Burrito. I still have to mention my fabulous ride in the Chevy Tahoe and show you all of my funny old camp letters. (That’s for you Alma and Robyn.)
I have a lot to say, but who has the time to write it with school out, friends in town, 8 zillion birthday parties and nice weather? It all just makes me really slow I guess. So because I’ll never likely get to writing all of this in a cogent manner, here’s my fast take on it all on my SLOW blog. With witty bullet titles!
- We all scream for healthy sunscreen! - Haven’t heard that our sunscreen is causing just as much cancer in us as the sun? Go and read the EWG site for all the details and the best brand to buy. Then scour the internet to find it. I ended up getting the stuff at Whole Foods because I like immediate gratification. When it doubt about it all, just avoid oxybenzone. It’s the new BPA.
- I want to be a Toys “R” Us Bomb – Perfectly nice PR lady. Perfectly nice email. Perfectly predatory PR program. I’m not gonna go and point fingers, or tell off anyone or say that you shouldn’t do it. I’m just gonna say that I personally am not going to be anyone’s free media ad buy on this blog.
- Neurotic Jewish Mother Wins – Sorry ladies, I had to have a pro come check out the little man to see why he isn’t rolling, or eating baby food. I’ll post an update Wednesday after the evaluation.
- Took the Chevy to the Levy - This, I will post in the future. There are too many good old camp letters and photos for me not to. But it might take me a really long time to do it.
This should hold you all over at least for the next day or so, right?
It’s not often that I can escape my bubble of SAHM-land and get together with my IRL blog friends, but occasionally it happens, and when it does, it’s great.
Last week, my old friend MJ invited me to be a part of a roundtable and brand “expo” at the Hard Rock Hotel all part of an SV Moms/ Chicago Moms Blog initative. I was really flattered to be invited because even though I helped to launch the CMB back in the day, I have the tendency to be a lame “slow blogger,” as Alma says, who hasn’t written over there in quite some time.
But that aside, it was great to see old friends like Jill, Kim and Caitlin, and to meet up again with new ones such as Meredith, Melissa, Beth and Lisa. I’ll always feel a connection to the CMB community even if I’m not online with them every day, and for that, I’m grateful!
I’d be remiss, though, if I didn’t mention the brands that attended the event. MJ brought a variety of companies into the room, and I thought while they were all eager to connect and chat with us, it never felt sales-y or pushy. I think the brands like Peapod, Energizer, Garrett Popcorn and The Oprah Store were as excited to be there as we were. It also helped that Peapod had read my recent post and tweets about saving my Passover and that the awesome Liz was on hand from Oprah to make it more personal, however, their genuine interest and social media savvy was impressive.
I couldn’t finish this post, though, without mentioning that the highlight of the event for sure was that I was one of 10 or so winners of Chevrolet’s #ChevyMissions. By winner, I mean that I get use of a Chevy vehicle for an entire weekend. I’m looking forward to my drive in the Chevy Tahoe on an upcoming trip to Michigan. I’m planning on utilizing all the cargo space that car offers as compared with my smaller SUV.
I always feel re-energized to become a “faster” blogger when I attend these get togethers and I am hopeful that as the Chicago blogging community continues to grow, we’ll all still get together in these smallish sessions.
Ever since I had my first son and started blogging, people are always asking me what pediatrician we see, what classes to take and other random baby-related questions. Now that I’m baby-fied again, I figured it was time to start sharing what little knowledge I have of raising a baby in the Second City.
Thus, I birthed a new blog, Second City Baby on ChicagoParent.com.
Many thanks to the folks at CP, who let me blog alongside other amazing Chicago bloggers!
I hate doing “touristy” things… especially in my adopted hometown of Chicago. I try to avoid crowds like the plague (except if I’m trying to score a really great deal on December 26… you know I like to shop), and since I don’t celebrate Christmas I can’t help but find that this time of year gets overly bogged down with jingly songs on the radio and altogether too many bad drivers heading downtown to do all those touristy things I try to avoid.
However, since we’re a little Chicago-bound this year because of the newborn, (Although I’m totally regretting getting sucked into flu scare so much to cancel any thought of traveling until the kid is like 15 or something.) I figure I have to bite the bullet and do a few things for my older son that would otherwise send shivers down my lululemon-clad (yes, still wearing it all) body.
Like eating at Ed Debevic’s tonight. Where I found myself honestly saying, “Honey, please eat your chicken finger. Please.” Like it was some sort of vegan tofu patty chock-full of vitamins. I figured it was better than the fries and rice krispie treat presented on the side of it. I even saw some meat in there.
Or, graciously accepting my friend Kim’s offer to go to the top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere because I’m not afraid of heights or anything and I thought the little man would enjoy eating a cookie 103 floors up. I was right. And I was so proud he spotted our health club from the top of the Willis (Sears!) Tower. He we is are seriously sheltered.
Look, mommy! The eliptical!
But in all honesty, when you have the time, are a little bored, and have friends that will motivate you, being all touristy in your hometown city can be rather exciting. I even have grand plans to take the kids to the Modern Wing of the Art Institute next week. It’ll make me feel a tad better about having worn a paper hat all night.
Happy Holidays to all!
