Esti’s Big Day Out To The Rachel Ray Show

Today I went to The Rachel Ray Show with some friends and it was an all-star show, seriously.First, I would like to give a shout out to the amazing babysitter that watched my friend’s three year old and almost two year old children as well as my three year old and almost two year old children. She really saved the day and is a true gem. So, you’re probably wondering how two busy moms got tickets to the Rachel Ray Show?

About one year ago, I had requested tickets for The Rachel Ray Show. I had completely forgotten about this until I received an email from the show on February 8. I immediately called my friend (she is superwoman  and has five children) and asked her to go with me. And go we did!

With our tickets in hand, we waited patiently in line for about 45 minutes. It wasn’t so cold, or maybe it was because I was so excited to be out with friends. We waited in another line for security, another line for the elevator, and then we were seated in a waiting room outside the studio. There was coffee, water bottles, and Sarah Lee Bran Muffins (kosher certified, I could eat them). This was also our last opportunity to use some very nice facilities until the end of the taping. If somebody had to go while we were in teh studio, a member of the stage crew would escort them to the nearest bathroom while another stage crew member would sit in their seat (I’ve never seen an empty seat in a studio audience, have you?).  

Even though my morning had started at 5:30 am, I wasn’t tired at all and Rachel Ray’s warm-up guy, RCSmith, kept us laughing the entire time. We waited our turn to enter the studio and take our seats. These weren’t just any seats.  In fact, all of the seats were built on top of a platform that moved to where the segment was to be filmed.

This was an extra long taping and we were sitting on our tushies for a couple of hours, but it was so worth it. Rachel had well known celebrities on and her first guest was, Precious” Star Gabourey Sidibe, what a delight she was. She’s up for an Oscar for best actress for her first acting role in the film Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire. She is totally down to earth, as is Rachel Ray.  After Ms. Sidbe left the studio to appaer  on other morning shows in New York, we saw the first live performance in America of a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. She is also a model and is heading to Italy to model clothing this coming week . I can’t think of her name right now, but will update when I get it.  Speaking of models and clothing, if you are wondering what Joan Rivers thought about the Oscars, she will be discussing that the day after the Oscars (at least she is wating this year to insult people) She was also on the show this morning and she is super slim and funny as ever! You will be able to catch her interview with Rachel Ray, sometime next week. You will laugh your arse off, big time! We sure did!

There was also s segment on physical (or lack of) relationships between two very exhausted parents of twin babies. Rachel and Dr. Logan Levkoff had the exhausted couple in the audience and had a live pep talk. Being a parent is the most rewarding  job, but it can take up all your energy and leave nothing for doing anything else. Dr Levkoff suggested that going out on a date, even to a movie and holding  hands is romantic.  Giving birth is an amazing miracle, but the body needs time to heal. It is not necessary to push physicality, even six weeks  past delivery.  Couples should be honest about their feelings in this arena.In these economic times it is most challenging to find anything extra to spend on babysitting. So, remember those friends or single nephews that offered to help? Call them and ask them.  Speaking of babysitters, my friend and I were a little bit anxious about how things with our kids were going. We hoped for the best and enjoyed the last segment; Rachel doing her shtick in the kitchen!

Rachel Ray can slice and dice garlic and onions to perfection and fast. She made a whole grain spaghetti dish with a meat sauce. The sauce was unusual because it was madewith soup broth and sun dried tomatoes . Once it had cooked for a few minutes, it was mixed well in a blender until smooth. She added this unique sauce to ground beef and gave it a good stir. She drained the whole grain pasta, tossed it around a bit, and then chopped up fresh basil and put it on top. Ymu-O-rama.

As we were on our way to the subway,we passed by a bakery called Crumbs. It just so happens that this chain has a kosher certificate and has this statement on their website, “All of Crumbs products are dairy and certified Kosher under the supervision of Orthodox Kashrut Services in New York and U.S. Kosher

 Supervision in California. Our products are Kosher for year-round use, excluding Passover”. Some people may not be familiar with this kosher certification (there are more than I’d like to admit and it does get confusing at times). When in doubt, contact your Rabbi and have him check it out for you. My friends hip and young Aunt bought us some to take home to our kids and they loved them!

 These beautiful cupcakes are pricey (about $3 to $5 per cupcake), but they are huge and overflowing with sprinkles and icing. This is definitely a “sometimes food”.

We really enjoyed our experience in the audience of The Rachel Ray Show. Have you been to The Rachel Ray Show? If not, sign up for tickets online http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show-info/be-on-the-show/.

Who Put The Oy In Toy? Birthday Parties!

Once again, we celebrated a birthday party in our home. We had 16 five year old children, one three year old and one almost two year old all in one room. The theme was a birthday breakfast bash in pajamas. This actually got the children excited and they picked out their pajamas a week in advance. My husband and I decided that we would skip the baloon blower and magician and be completely original. The plan was simple and clear, and clear out is what we did – with all visible toys – strategic move. There is a time and a place for our toy collection to be shared, but a birthday party with this amount of children with three adults, not happening.

In prepation for the party,we had a family outing to the newest kosher supermarket in our neighborhood, Aron’s Kissena Farms. We found some fantastic prices on the items necessary to make Pas Yisroel pancakes with Cholov Yisroel milk, apple and banana pies, and chocolate cake, and frosting. Yes, my dear husband made all of these yummy items from scratch. We also purchased Klein’s Ice Cream, which was a terrific price, just 4.99 for 56 oz. What’s a big cup of ice cream or a large, plain pancake without whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate syrup, and maple syrup on top? Exactly. We  made our birthday breakfast bash into a “breakfeast”.

In between the pancakes and before the chocolate birthday cake was served, I organized a few games of freeze dance using our own instruments.  These weren’t just regular instruments, but kid friendly musical toys that made a lot of noise. This was really fun because we only had three instruments and all of the children wanted a chance to be in the “band”. This activity went much  better than I had anticipated. In fact, my husband had to give me the “let’s rap it up”  sign because we were all having so much fun, I didn’t realize that we only had 40 minutes left to serve the birthday bcake and open presents.

Speaking of presents, a birthday party like this definitely puts the “oy” in “toy”, but once the spills have been cleaned up and the water that ran over from the sink in the bathroom  soaked up-this really happened- we’ll always remember how much fun we had. Now, my daughter is having a blast with all of the puzzles, games, and arts and crafts that she received this year. I must say that Disney was the most popular item, with melissa & doug coming in second. Everything else was either a puzzle or picture and drawing set, including some really cool twist and turn crayola markers. This is something I’ve been looking for that should be required of all markers. I seriously feel that those caps are a waste of time, not too mention a serious choking hazard! The writing is on the package loud and clear, but that doesn’t help when my daughter leaves the art box open. The shelf life of these markers without a cap is very brief. I love when my older kids draw, but my two year old just waits for those caps to drop on the floor, and they always do. He puts them right in his mouth and runs over to me with a smile. Oy!

With all of this toy business fresh on my mind, I am really looking forward to meeting up with some other mom bloggers tomorrow morning at The Goldberger Company for breakfast. Super mom blogger and connector ComplicatedMama has helped arrange this event which will give mom bloggers the opportunity to learn about The Goldberger Company. I’m already impressed by this company. The Goldberger Company is a 94-year-old family owned and operated toy company that specializes in dolls and playthings for children ages 0-3 years. I love family owned businesses, there is just something so special about a family biz that can last so many years. I look forward to shmoozing over breakfast -the bagels are kosher, I already checked – with Goldberger President and CEO Jeff Holtzman and VP of Consumer and Family Advocacy Bette Holtzman. We will also get an exclusive sneak peek at their 2010 baby dolls.  

Following the breakfast, I will be attending my very first Toy Fair at the Javitz Center in Manhattan. I figured, as long as I have already arranged for a babysitter complete with both pick-ups and playdates, why not see what’s going on over at The Toy Fair.  I am also excited to see what all the buzz is about furry toys that move, Zhu Zhu Pets and the newest toys from Hasbro. 

Talk about new meets old, some of my favorite toy memories from childhood are from Hasbro, like Baby Alive, and Playdough. My kids love the “old school” toys as well. Sometimes it is fun to just play with items that don’t light up or make a lot of noise. Simply the best, and they can always play with them on Shabbos.

Eli Kirshtein Will Be Cooking Up Something Kosher, Something New at Solo

If you are looking for an elegant place to dine with some kosher dishes prepared by Top Chef, Eli Kirshtein, Solo in Manhattan has the solution. Today, just one day after the New York Times posted an article titled, For Some, ‘Kosher’ Equals Pure  yesterday Solo Restaurant announced  the newest addition to its kitchen, Guest Executive Chef and former Top Chef chef’testant Eli Kirshtein. Taking on a new culinary challenge, Kirshtein joins the New American and Kosher restaurant in the atrium of The Sony Building in Midtown Manhattan, to offer an eclectic mix of prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus, with new additions daily.

With all of the hundreds of restaurants in Manhattan, why did Eli decide to pick a kosher one? Eli told reporters his reason, and it’s something this kosher foodie mom can be very proud of,“Solo is a fantastic restaurant, where New York City tastemakers have created a new culinary trend in the Kosher-style of preparing food,” said Kirshtein. “I’m am thrilled that a restaurant with such a unique combination of New American and Kosher fare, currently making an important impact on the New York City culinary scene, has approached me to re-vamp an already exciting menu. While I am not a Kosher chef by training, with my team at Solo, I plan to create excellent dishes in a new and exciting genre, that just happens to be prepared with specific ingredients in mind. Almost like a Top Chef challenge, my tenure at Solo is a project I look forward to conquering.”

I am really looking forward to trying out Solo with my husband to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary-even though it is on the pricey side-there are some things you just don’t skimp on.

Solo is part of New York City ’s The Prime Grill Group, comprised of restaurants including Kosher institution The Prime Grill. Recognized by celebrities ranging from Donald Trump to Madonna, Solo has successfully integrated a unique alchemy of New American fare with classic Kosher technique.

Solo is located at 550 Madison Avenue between 55^th and 56^th Streets in New York City . Lunch is served Monday – Friday from 11 AM to 3 PM, and dinner is served Sunday – Thursday from 5 PM to 11 PM. For more information, please call 212.833.7800 or visit www.primegrillny.com/solo

Swiffer 360 Dusters Giveaway To Keep The Dustmites Away And Kids In School

Swiffer brand put on an educational and entertaining event at Appleseeds NYC, a 2,500 square foot indoor playground in Manhattan.  Our kids were well entertained while an intimate group of us mom bloggers listened to Dr. Paul Ehrlich, doctor for Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, NY, discuss the indoor allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites that are lurking in our child’s classroom – and in our homes – this fall season. I will never look at a pile of books or stuffed animals the same way again!

“Understanding that children spend more than six hours a day in their classrooms, it is inevitable that with all of the dust-collecting hot spots, such as bookshelves, planters and stuffed animals, allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites are lurking,” said Dr. Ehrlich. “I’m glad to be a part of Swiffer’s Allergen Reduction Campaign because most parents don’t realize that there are simple ways to reduce a child’s exposure to allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites and that it should be a topic of discussion inside and outside the classroom.”

As part of this campaign, Swiffer has also partnered with School Family Media and PTO Today to share tips and information from Dr. Ehrlich with over 6,600 PTO/PTA mom leaders across America. These leaders are encouraged to share the information from Dr. Ehrlich with the parents and teachers in their community to help raise awareness and take steps to reduce indoor allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites in their schools and homes.

“Since Swiffer 360 Degree Dusters fit almost anywhere to help clean large items, like tables and electronics, and easily get into tight spaces, like blinds and spindles, they are a great tool to help teachers reduce allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites in the classroom,” said Dewayne Guy, external relations manager, Swiffer. “This Campaign allows us to interact with Swiffer’s loyal following and give them the information they need to keep their families informed during this busy back-to-school season.”

To educate parents and teachers on how to reduce allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites this back-to-school season, Dr. Ehrlich has provided the five key tips below:

1. Remove piles of unused books from common spaces, as they can be a cause for in-door allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites.
2. Keep an electrostatic duster handy to swipe over desks, chairs and windowsills to trap and lock dust. The Swiffer 360 Degree Dusters help reduce up to 90 percent of common household allergens from cats, dogs, and dust mites.
3. Thoroughly clean your child’s cubby or toy storage bin weekly, as it can be a collector of dust and pet dander.

If you don’t have a Swiffer 360 Duster, which can help to reduce up to 90 percent of allergens from cats, dogs and dust mites, you could win one right here.

All you have to do is leave a comment with what Swiffer Dusters is great for from the  Swiffer Dusters Feature Page. For example, my comment would be “Swiffer Dusters Is Great For Plants”. If you have a twitter account, please leave your twitter name as well.

To earn extra entries, after you have left a comment, do one of the following, but make sure you leave a separate comment entry for each extra thing you do. This gives you additional ways to win the contest:

• Follow @primetimeparent on twitter and tweet about this giveaway with hashtag #swiffer360win and leave a comment (this is another entry). For example: @primetimeparent Win A Swiffer 360 Duster at primetimeparenting.com #swiffer360win http://tinyurl.com/qzxyhp

This giveaway will end by 11:59pm, October 28^th, 2009. I received the Swiffer 360 Duster from MS&L (Swiffer’s PR agency) and these opinions are my own.

I really loved this event and I want to thank the organizers for treating us mom bloggers and our kids with care. Not only did the organizers provide a car service that brought us and our children safely into Manhattan, there were babysitters that played with our kids during Dr. Ehrlich’s presentation. After all, these precious gems are what make us mom bloggers, it’s a package deal! Thank you!

Our Play Day With The Kool-Aid Man and Kaboom!

Check out this great shot of some super cool mom bloggers hanging out with the Kool-Aid Man! (From left to right: Kimberly at Mom in the City, Esti at Primetime Parenting, Katja at Skimbaco Lifestyle, Beth at Role Mommy, Liz at Cool Mom Picks & Mom 101 and Anna at Mommy Poppins).

I normally don’t take my babysitter with me to mom blogger events, however, on August 11, I did. When I go places with my 3 kids, 4, 2, and 1, we definitely make an impression both entering and exiting the building. Even with my babysitter in tow, we contriuted to the booming afternoon of fun, food and family photos at Studio 450 in NYC. Beth Feldman, a.k.a., Role Mommy, put together a fantstic event complete with some of my favorite mom bloggers and their children on Tuesday, August 11th. We also had a chance to meet the Kool-Aid Man and members of the KABOOM team and celebrate and promote KaBOOM! PLAY DAYS*

My kids loved all of the activities going on, including arts & crafts, cupcake decorating, balloon playing, and sipping delicious Kool-Aid. This was most appreciated after our interesting commute using public transportation from Queens (to be posted in another post). I’m so glad that we had our very own photo session with renowned celebrity family photographer Jade Albert, (www.jadealbert.com). She was a real trooper, especially when my 2 year old took off her diaper (not kidding) and tried to walk it over to her during our family photo session. It was and experience she had not known in all of her years of photographing families. Despite this curve ball of soiled diaper,  she did an incredible job of capturing a calm moment and the  image can be seen below.

You can also catch the play-by-play of the entire event by listening to Beth Feldman and her live broadcast on Blog Talk Radio. I even had a chance to schmooze with Beth and Liz of coolmompicks.com for a few minutes! Thanks to Rachel, our babysitter, who kept up with my 3 kids running in 3 different directions. 

*Host a KaBOOM! Play Day and be a hero to the kids in your community! Between Sept. 19-27, 2009, thousands of communities across the U.S. will host free, fun-for-the-whole-family events that celebrate play and demonstrate the importance of play in children’s development. Plan your event with our free planner tool and you could receive a free Play Day kit. Register today at: kaboom.org/playday! KaBOOM!. It starts with a playground.

Eyes That Pop And Stop

When I was approached to review Pond’s Towelettes I wasn’t sure I’d ever have a reason to use them. What would  a make-up free,  41 year old mom of 3 children need to remove to make this review of any value?  Let’s face it, I never put eye make-up on during the day.  I barely put on lip gloss or even a little blush when my husband and I do have an occassional date outside of the house.  

Don’t get me wrong, I had the MAC attack years ago and bought the entire package. My friend signed me up with a  make-up stylist and he showed me how my eyes could “pop” with my very own selection of MAC products. I was hooked! I had officially become part of a MAC Pack and frequented the MAC counter whenever a new product was launched.  It was a lot of fun, while it lasted.  Thank G-d, the MAC Pack has moved on and we now have our very own “packs of kids”. Just because I am a now a mom is no excuse not to put on make-up once in awhile, or is it?

 Just as the Pond’s Towelettes were sitting pretty on my bathroom counter, my babysitter told me that she really wanted to apply make-up on me before my “date night” with my husband.  So, I dusted off my make- up box and showed her the interesting mix of make-up products that had been unused for a very long time. Like a true artist ready to paint her canvas, she carefully selected various eye shadows, lipsticks, eye liners, mascaras, concealers, and blush.  She sat me down and told me to relax. Even with my1 year old playing at our feet, she did an exceptional job.  She made my eyes “pop” and my lips “shine”. She’s definitely a keeper.

I was ready to walk out the door and meet my husband at our favoarite coffee shop. I glanced in the mirror again on the way out and my eyes popped back at me. I had forgotten how it had felt to feel pretty and go out with my husband. When I saw him at the coffee shop, he was all smiles. He commented on how nice my eyebrows looked, that’s okay.  It’s important that he noticed that I had made an effort to do something extra with myself.

When our coffee was finshed, we went home and the exhaustion from a humid, August day with my kids at the park hit me . I was ready to just climb into bed with my make-up on and go to sleep.  I just couldn’t be bothered with taking off that make-up.  Wait. What about that  fresh pack of POND’S® WET CLEANSING TOWELETTES , now is the perfect opportunity.

Clean. Fresh. Removed. The make-up removal process went so well that I now put on make-up more often. In other words, I am more motiviated to put eye make-up on now that I know how  easy it can be removed with POND’S Wet Cleansing Towelettes, the No. 1 brand of wet cleansing towelettes, gently remove make-up and even waterproof mascara. Clinical studies have shown that Pond’s towelettes remove the  make-up that other brands leave behind – taking off up to 40 percent more than other leading towelettes.

Available in three varieties, they are ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested for a gentle face cleansing experience.

• More effective at removing make-up than any other leading towelette
• Contains Triple Tea Antioxidant Complex, Vitamin E and Chamomile
• Luxuriously quilted cloths with a unique diamond texture allow for a deep clean without leaving any residue behind
• SRP: $4.79 to $5.07 (30/pack)

The price is right and the results are exactly what I expect from a long, hot summer day with my 3 blessings. Speaking of summer, visit Pond’s Lifestyle for summer beauty tips from fashion and beauty guru Jenn Falik, download coupons for Pond’s Towelettes and get more infromation on the Pond’s money-back guarantee.