This week’s iCapture gives you a taste of Beverly Hills, where I’m currently staying to cover the upcoming 3D animated film The Lorax.  Here are just a few photos I took on a leisurely Sunday afternoon stroll through the city.

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!

Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama

Shot with an iPhone, filtered with Instagram

1. Know your numbers.

2. Get and stay active.

3. Eat a heart healthy diet

4.  Manage your stress

5. Know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack

Go Red For Women is an incredibly resourceful site that actually provides targeted information about heart disease for women in all ages and stages of life.

Mimi’s Cafe is the first restaurant to support the movement and is raising awareness for heart disease all month long.  You can lend your support via donation at the restaurant and for every $1 donation, guests can post a red heart-shaped tribute card on the red dress display inside the restaurant. For every $5 donation, guests will also receive a commemorative red dress lapel pin.  Guests who donate will also receive up to $35 in savings.

Win It!  Two of you will win $25 gift cards to Mimi’s Cafe. Simply leave a comment with something you learned about heart disease from the site.  Comments will close on February 20th, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a GC to @Mimis_Cafe @rockinmama  ” Daily tweets are allowed but please put the permalink so I can keep track.

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments

No compensation was received for this post. Gift Certificates for review and giveaway provided which helped facilitate this review.

California-based flower retailer ProFlowers is currently offering beautiful Valentine’s day flower bouquets and gourmet gifts to celebrate the loved one in your life.  The company hand-picks their flowers and guarantees they’ll be fresh for seven days since they’re shipped directly versus going through a second-party.  Here are just a few hand-picked favorites from the site:

I like this Romantic Red Rose Plant because I imagine it would last well beyond Valentine’s Day

This Azalea Bonsai Plant rocks as one of the most unique ideas on the site

I’m loving the modern look and feel of these Valentine’s Day Orchids

This Hugs and Kisses Bouquet, which features red tulips and blue iris, exudes modern romance

One of ProFlowers’ sister companies is Shari’s Berries, a company specializing in chocolate covered strawberries.  Their strawberries are sun-ripened, hand selected, and dipped to create gorgeous gourmet edible gifts.   Here are a few of my handpicked favorites:

These Gourmet Dipped Fancy Berries include three varieties including milk chocolate with chopped almonds, dark chocolate with chocolate chips, and white chocolate with dark chocolate drizzles. YUM!

Kids will love these ladybug-inspired Love Bug Chocolate Cake Pops

Add in a gift certificate to the spa with this Ultimate Spa Gift Basket and I’d be a happy, relaxed mama!

For more Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas, visit ProFlowers and Shari’s Berries!

Right now, you can save 20% off your order with these Valentine’s Deals

Win It!  One of you will win a $50 GC that can be used at either ProFlowers or Shari’s Berries. Simply leave me a comment with your favorite Valentine’s Day Gift Idea (one that hasn’t already been mentioned in this post).  Comments will close on February 10th, 2012 at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it) “ I just entered a #giveaway to win a GC to @ProFlowers @rockinmama http://tinyurl.com/6qdtpnz ” Daily tweets are allowed but please put the permalink so I can keep track.

Rockin’ Mama Facebook fans automatically receive an extra entry

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments

No compensation was received for this post. Gift Certificates for review and giveaway provided which helped facilitate this review.

I walked into the elevator and immediately recognized her from You Again and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  Despite the fact that I lived in LA most of my life, I still find it surreal to walk into an elevator and come face to face with Kristen Bell, who plays one of the few fictional characters in the film Big Miracle. The character of Jill Jerard (Bell), a TV reporter from Los Angeles, was actually based on several news men and women who made the trek up to Barrow, Alaska to cover Operation Breakthrough in 1988.

We sat down to chat with Bell about her role in the film Big Miracle, her father’s influence on her character, and what it was like to shoot in Alaska.  Having grown up “playing with a teleprompter,” Bell felt at ease in the role of the ambitious reporter, given the fact that her father was a news director and she grew up around news anchors.  “It was kind of my little homage to my dad,” Bell states.  Media was really the catalyst for the international effort in 1988 and it wasn’t until I sat down to speak with some of the talent from the film that I fully grasped this concept.

From a historical perspective, Jill Jerard’s character is integral to the film’s plot and the depiction of the effort.  If you were a journalist at the time (particularly if you were a woman), it was important to be the first person to break a news story.  And as much as media drew attention and garnered support, it was manipulated by many for personal gains.

The story, as impossible as it seems, was only feasible because the world came together to brainstorm and physically assist with the rescue effort. Bell hopes that viewers “will realize how unreasonably powerful it is when human beings can come together for a common goal.  Anything is accomplishable if you’re working together.”

Despite Bell’s accolades, she’s actually quite grounded.  She is confident and “doesn’t identify whether or not [she is] a good human being based on how respected [she is] in the acting community.” And while her travels have brought her to a number of exotic and picturesque locations, she prefers to be at home because she is “such a home body.”

Big Miracle is in theaters on February 3rd, 2012.

If you watch the trailer for the film on Facebook, Universal Pictures will donate $1 to Oceana!

You can read my previous interview with Vinessa Shaw and Bonnie Carroll here.

You can read my interview with Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski here.

No compensation was received for this post.  I was invited to the Big Miracle Press Junket, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

The very first foods we introduced to my children were fruits and veggies.  Their little palates were shaped early on…some studies even suggest that they began developing in utero.  Rather than succumb to societal norms that suggest children should eat different meals, my husband and I decided our children would eat the foods we prepared and consumed ourselves.  I never understood why, as a society, we feel children aren’t capable of enjoying fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and sustainable fish.  My children eat all of the above and more.

One of the most important things I did when my children were very young was to involve them in the meal preparation process. I started cooking and baking with my son around 3, when he was verbal enough to follow simple commands and had the dexterity to manipulate some of the bigger utensils.  To this day, you’ll often find him standing next to me in the kitchen…observing, asking questions, pouring, and mixing.

So how is it that my children eat and enjoy healthy, flavorful, diverse dishes?  Here are my best tips for cooking healthy meals with kids.

1. Plan the meals together.  Children are little people with opinions and ideas of their own.  While my son doesn’t always have the final say when it comes to the meals that get served each day, I’ll often ask him, to get a feel for the type of food he’s craving on any given day.  Not only does this show him that his opinions matter, it typically ensures that he’s going to eat without complaint.

2. Shop for meals together. My son knows the difference between asparagus and squash because each shopping venture is also a learning experience.  While I do admit that shopping with two kids in tow can be stressful, there are times when I don’t have a choice.  I use the shopping trip as an opportunity to help him practice counting, teach him about new foods, and talk about the meals we’re going to prepare that week.

3.  Keep it simple.  On those days when my son and I are going to prepare a meal, I opt for simple recipes that don’t require a lot of prep. This helps keep him engaged and prevents boredom or impatience.

4.  Prep as much as possible ahead of time.  If the recipe is moderate to difficult, I’ll chop vegetables, slice chicken, peel potatoes, etc. so that my son can be very involved with putting the meal together.  For example, we recently created an Allergen-Friendly Spanish-Inspired Rice Bowl which is a great example of a dish that can be easily assembled with a bit of help from a parent.

5. Give children autonomy.  Each of my children are working on mastering a variety of skills and asserting their independence.  When cooking with children, it’s important to give them tasks they can complete to boost confidence and keep them interested and involved.

6.  Teach by example.  My children are constantly observing and even imitating my husband and I.  If I ask my son to eat broccoli, I should be prepared to eat it myself which really goes for any food I’m encouraging him to try.

7.  Inspire creativity. While you’re planning and prepping a meal, think about ways to creatively serve that dish.  For example, you may find that shapes, colors, and even characters may inspire children, particularly when it comes to getting them to try new foods.

8. Get messy.  As much as I don’t like cleaning up messes, there is something to be learned from the messes children make.  Children are naturally inquisitive and messes are usually the result of that curiosity

As I mentioned above, we recently created Allergen-Friendly Spanish-Inspired Rice Bowls with Homemade Guacamole. This is a particularly flavorful dish, packed with delicious vegetables and rich in flavor.

Ingredients:

1 cup Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Fast & Natural Instant Brown Rice (dry)

1 3/4 cup Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Paprika

2 boneless, skinless Organic Chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 Green Pepper

1/2 Red Pepper

1/2 Yellow Onion

1 can Organic Black Beans

1 ears of Fresh Corn (grilled)

1/2 cup Vegan Cheese

Add spices and chicken broth to dried rice and prepare according to the rice cooker’s instructions.

While the rice is cooking, sauté the chicken with the diced onion, green and red bell peppers.  Season with a dash of cumin and a splash of lemon juice.
Fresh Guacamole:

1 Avocado, Mashed

1  Roma tomato, diced

1/2  yellow onion, diced

1 handful of chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lemon juice (this adds flavor and prevents the avocado from turning brown)

Combine all of the ingredients above, making sure to mix well.

Once black beans and grilled corn are ready, begin assembling the bowls in this order:

In a bowl, start with 1 scoop of rice. Add black beans. Add chicken and sauteed veggies.  Add Corn.  Top with Vegan cheese and Guacamole.

In the above recipe, you’ll want to chop the veggies and prepare the chicken.  Once both are complete, older children can assemble the bowl without a lot of assistance.

This kid-friendly recipe is flavorful and full of veggies and whole grains. It’s also relatively easy to re-create.

With the start of the new year come resolutions, particularly those focused around health and nutrition. This year, Uncle Ben’s wants parents to spend some time in the kitchen, cooking with their kids.  The company recently launched a national contest entitled Ben’s Beginners. The grand prize is $20,000 plus a $50,000 grant towards a cafeteria makeover for your child’s school. The winner will also appear on The Rachael Ray show. To enter, submit a 2-3 minute video of you cooking a rice-based dish with your children (ages 5-12).  You can visit their Facebook page to learn more about the contest.

This is a compensated post written while participating in the SocialMoms and Uncle Ben’s blogging program.   For more information on how you can participate, click here.

February is the month we typically associate with love. But there is something even more important to think about this February…heart disease. It’s the leading cause of death in the US, according to the CDC and one that affects both men and women.

This Friday, February 3rd, Mimi’s Cafe is “going red for women.” The French-inspired bistro is the first restaurant to nationally support the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement, which is dedicated to fighting heart disease. If you visit the restaurant wearing red, you’ll receive a free cup of soup with any purchase.  The restaurant is celebrating all month and for every $1 donation, guests can post a red heart-shaped tribute card on the red dress display inside the restaurant. For every $5 donation, guests will also receive a commemorative red dress lapel pin.  Guests who donate will also receive up to $35 in savings.

You can visit Mimi’s Cafe on Facebook where they’ll be going red.  They currently have an app that will allow you to share an inspirational message with the Red Dress icon to show friends and family why they are going red this February. I’m heading into my local restaurant today to show my support. : )

No compensation was received for this post. Gift cards were provided to take a few of my friends out for lunch in honor of the movement.

Combine my love for baking with my favorite meal of the day and the result is the most delicious Vegan Blueberry Muffins I’ve yet to taste. This super easy recipe can be made in a short amount of time with just a few simple ingredients.  I typically cut the recipe in half since we like our muffins fresh!

Vegan Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups flour (I like whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup raw organic sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter ( we use the soy-free version)
•  2 1/4 teaspoons of Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 3 tablespoons of warm water
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 container of fresh blueberries (you can also substitute frozen blueberries but don’t defrost them…just add them straight into the batter)

She is one of the most versatile women in the film industry, having accomplished everything from starring in numerous hit motion pictures and lending her voice in animated films, to producing and directing film and television projects and achieving a Golden Globe.

He has established himself in both the television and film industry and added writer, director, and producer to his resume for his work in the 2009 film Brief Interviews With Hideous Men.

Together, they make a delightful, complimentary team both onscreen and in person.  Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski star in the soon-to-be released film Big Miracle, which depicts the incredible story of three whales that brought the world together in one of the most unifying international efforts to date.  The film is based on the Tom Rose’s book Freeing the Whales and Operation Breakthrough.

As we sat down to speak with Barrymore and Krasinski, we talked about the preparation involved with portraying characters in a film that is based on a true story. “You can’t get it wrong,” states Krasinski.  “The story [is] so incredible that you want to make sure the movie [is] as incredible as the story, which is very, very difficult to achieve.”   Krasinski recalls the very first time he read the script. “It’s really, really good,” stated Krasinski.  “I just think we’ve got to pull back some of these storylines, [because] nobody [is] going to believe them,” he remembers telling Director Ken Kwapis.  As Kwapis explained to Krasinski that the stories were all true, it blew his mind and he knew that there was something very special about the film that would bring people together.

What’s interesting about the relief effort is the integral role media played in uniting people all over the world to rally and garner support.  “It was media that got this story out to begin with,” states Barrymore.  In the 80′s, where social media was virtually non-existent, news was spread via paper and television.  Social media has revolutionized everything from online shopping to breaking news, giving users access to information in real time.  The amount of support and resources that were generated for Operation Breakthrough was incredible. Can you imagine the response today?  Both Krasinski and Barrymore recognize the power of social media.  “I personally believe that the time to believe in speaking up and having a voice and what can I do to help and all that is now,” remarks Krasinski.  ” One Tweet, one Facebook page, one anything can start an entire movement for your favorite charity. You can get a pothole filled on Main Street.  Or, you can go all the way and start a revolution and be out in the streets of New York and start a national campaign, you know?”

As I mentioned above, the film is based on a true story, and while there are a few fictional characters added in, most are people who had a very real presence during this operation.  Drew Barrymore portrays Rachel Kramer, a character based on environmentalist Cindy Lowry.  To prepare for the role, Barrymore and Lowry spent quite a bit of time together. The initial relationship began as you might expect with Barrymore interviewing her to get a true sense of this woman and her role during the operation.  “We would hike and we would eat and we would wake up and talk, and we just really got to know each other, Barrymore recalled. Eventually, “the recording devices went by the wayside because I just really enjoyed being with her, and it all started to resonate.”

Barrymore, like her character, is simply amazing and I really got a sense of that during her interview. She’s passionate, humble, eloquent, and poised.  In the film, Rachel Kramer (played by Barrymore), repeatedly puts herself on the line to save the three California gray whales, including going so far as to jump in with them (which Barrymore in fact did), which was actually quite a dangerous endeavor given the fact that they are highly protective of their calves. It’s that passion…that resolve to make a difference that I appreciate in Barrymore and Lowry.

During our interview, Barrymore recounted a particularly intriguing story that sheds some light on Lowry’s personality. While up in Alaska, Lowry attempted to gather information about a man who she suspected was hunting wolf (which is illegal) by peering at him at night with a pair of binoculars, in an attempt to gather information to take him to court. At the time, Barrymore thought, “That’s creepy and awesome and cool and thorough and must have been cold and dedicated and sneaky, and I just like you.” Before filming, Barrymore and Director Ken Kwapis discussed Cindy and Rachel’s character.  “[She] is the type of person who is very passionate and sometimes makes a mess when she is trying to get her passion across and I think you’re a lot like that, too,” recalls Barrymore of her conversation with Kwapis.  Barrymore appreciated Kwapis’ insight and really utilized that as her character developed throughout the film.

Drew Barrymore is a longtime animal and human rights activist.  She continually strives to become “more philanthropically aware.” See her and John Krasinski in the soon-to-be released film Big Miracle, which opens in theaters this Friday, February 3rd.

Do you love Pinterest? Check out the film’s boards  and enter to win one of three Big Miracle prize packs which include a $100 Fandango Gift Card, a Big Miracle Whale Plus and a Big Miracle T-Shirt.

Are you on Twitter? One hundred randomly selected followers who tweet with the hashtag #everybodyloveswhales will win a Big Miracle T-shirt! Be sure to visit the Big Miracle Infographic for some interesting facts about whales.

You can read my previous interview with Vinessa Shaw and Bonnie Carroll here.

No compensation was received for this post.  I was invited to the Big Miracle Press Junket, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Make a plan.  For some, cleaning and organizing comes naturally.  I know women who constantly have some type of organization project in the works.  I’m not that person.  Without a plan, I’ll continue to put it off….week after week until I realize that I’m right back where I started.  My plan this year is to go room by room, one week (or more) at a time.  I do much better with small goals that I know I’ll be able to achieve success with.

Make it routine.  I am totally guilty of putting off, procrastinating, and making excuses as to why said cleaning or organization project should wait until next year month week.  I KNOW that if I spent a small amount of time each day going through the mail, pulling out those clothes that don’t fit my children (or myself), and purging our home of the things we haven’t used or looked at in the last 6 months, I wouldn’t be so overwhelmed by the process come January.  So I’m going to commit to doing just a small amount of picking up/organizing each day so that I’m not spending entire weekends trying to catch up.

Make time to organize.  As I mentioned above, I won’t work on organizing my home if I don’t schedule time to do so.  It is so easy to find other things to do, so I’m working on actually writing in “cleaning and organization” times on our family calendar.

Make it work for you.  Do you find that bins and baskets help keep your items organized and in place?  Do you prefer filing cabinets or folders?  Do you use an online calendar or a traditional paper calendar?  How one organizes really depends on the person’s personality.  I am a very visual person, so I use bins and baskets or I’d never go back to those filing cabinets or folders.

Make it pretty.  The goal of my organization projects is to make our home a pleasant, comfortable, pretty place to spend time together.  Why not select some pretty organizing tools to help achieve that?

Last week, I headed over to The Shops at Mission Viejo in search of some fashionably functional organization solutions.  There are a handful of stores in this particular mall that I could readily recommend for such a project. My first stop was Restoration Hardware.

The very first part of my organization project is to organize my time, so I picked up a small moleskine day planner that was on sale for just $8.49.

I walked the entire store and happened upon some upscale, modern organization ideas, including several iron wire baskets I could see myself storing towels, mail, and a host of other items.

I also dreamed of one day having a workspace that looks this organized.

Alas, I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so I headed over to Pottery Barn.

It just so happens they were having a sale on several home organizing products so I picked up a package of Parisian-inspired file folders from Cavallini & Co. (see tip number 5) and a small Havana Lidded Basket to store important documents and our latest mail.

I ended up spending $52.25 which was just a bit over the $50 I was allotted for this organizational challenge. But I’m off to a great start towards getting and staying organized this year.

What are your best organizational tips? Share them below!

Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. A Simon Malls Gift Card was provided by Simon Malls to help facilitate this review and this post does not necessarily represent Simon Property Group’s positions, strategies or opinion

Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama

As Vinessa Shaw and Bonnie Carroll sat down together to chat with us for a few moments, I sensed a connection between them…a friendship that extends beyond that which would be required to accurately portray the White House aide’s important role in the effort. When asked whether Shaw found it intimidating to portray a real person (in this instance Bonnie), Shaw explains, “at first, yes, because Bonnie’s life is so amazing and she has a reputation that precedes her.”  It was only after Shaw met the “wonderfully joyful” Carroll that she felt “more relaxed to perhaps try to portray her.”  “It’s been such an honor to do it because I know only a fraction of it is on film” Shaw continues. “Getting to know Bonnie and to know the kind of person she is and what she did after the death of her husband, [taking that] darkness and putting [it] into helping others such as TAPS was just really inspiring.”  As I suspected, the two became close as they spent time together working on the film.  “Here I was just thinking I was doing a role in a film, but then I gained friendship and I gained an understanding,” states Shaw.  The two became so close that Shaw wore Carroll’s hat and coat in the final scenes of the movie.

At first glance, it seems the principle romantic focus is on Alaska newsman Adam Carlson (played by John Krasinski) and animal activist/environmentalist Rachel Kramer (played by Drew Barrymore).  A look deeper into the story reveals a true-to-life romance that budded as a result of this effort.  Carroll and her husband met and wedded as a result of Operation Breakthrough.  As I listened to her recount that moment when she first spoke with her future husband on the phone, I could hear the love in her voice and see the sparkle in her eye.  In the midst of the effort, President Reagan asked her to call someone in The National Guard who might be able to assist and give insight into the effort.  She was up working at two in the morning when the phone rang. “We talked for a few minutes about the whale rescue and how things [were] going, and it just took my breath away” she states.  “And we just stopped, and I just wondered, “Where have you been?” From that moment, the two were inseparable and agreed to be married before they ever met in person.

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

During the 1988 rescue effort, Carroll felt like her husband truly saw “the bigger picture in the world.” “There were so many things that happened with the Alaska Natives that were not portrayed [in the film] that he was very attuned to,” Carroll states.  “And when he was killed, many of the Native Elders told me he was one of the few white men that could walk in both worlds.”  As a man who was in touch with the Alaska Natives, he was in many ways ahead of this time. Sadly, he died in 1992 in an Army plane crash.

Following the death of her husband, Carroll founded the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors to provide comfort and care to those who have been affected by the loss of a loved one who served in the armed forces.  As she spoke of her late husband, I found myself tearing up at the loss of such a great man and the pain that this inspirational woman endured.  Having undergone training to handle trauma and having served as a leader in the National Guard, she thought, “this horrible thing has happened but I’m going be okay, I’m going to help these other families, I’m going to help my family.”  That lasted 30 seconds, according to Carroll, and “life just stopped.”  And just like those three whales, struggling to survive, all she had “was this tiny little breathing hole, and it’s just all you can do every day to kind of take a breath and gasp for air.”  During her time of grieving and recovery, she found that no support program was in place for military families, thus was born TAPS.  This peer-based support program assists grieving military families with support and resources.  I’m still in awe of this woman who took something so tragic and turned it into something beneficial. As Shaw stated, “I’ve learned since meeting her [Carroll] how you can really take darkness and put it into something great.”

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

As someone who is passionate about film, I always find it intriguing to get an inside look at the talent, the development of the story and characters, and all the intricate details involved in creating the masterpiece that appears on the big screen.  As we near opening day, I will be sharing exclusive interviews and information on Universal Pictures’ theatrical release of Big Miracle on February 3rd.

You can read my interview with Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski here.

No compensation was received for this post.  I was invited to the Big Miracle Press Junket, courtesy of Universal Pictures.