Traded my BMW for a Minivan

La Romanella Oven Toasted Ravioli #LaRomanella Recipe

2012-02-22T00:05:00.000-08:00

La Romanella Oven Toasted Ravioli
serves 4
1/2 bag La Romanella precooked frozen medium cheese ravioli (approx. 40 ravioli)
1/2 28 0z can La Romanella marinara sauce
3 eggs beaten

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4 Tablespoons water
1/2 cup La Romanella Seasoned Bread Crumbs
2 cups First Street Panko Bread Crumbs
4 Tablespoons La Romanella Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Vegetable spray

Preheat oven to 450 f. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray with vegetable spray. Boil a pot of water, when it begins to boil, put raviolis in stirring lightly to separate. Leave in water with heat still on for 2 minutes, drain. Rinse gently in cold water and shake colander to separate raviolis and to remove excess water. In shallow bowl, beat 3 eggs with 4 tablespoons of water. On a dinner plate, mix together both kinds of bread crumbs and shredded parmesan cheese.
Start you 3 step assembly line by taking a cooled ravioli, dipping it in the egg, and dredging it through the bread crumb mixture and placing on the wire rack. Tip: You may find that you will want to repeat the egg dip and dredge process once to allow the coating to cover the ravioli. Bake for 15 minutes or until crispy. Serve with hot marinara sauce for dipping.

One of my favorite dishes is Toasted Ravioli and I always order it at my favorite restaurant back home. Traditional Toasted Ravioli is fried. Frying is one thing I try to avoid doing. Not that I don’t love fried food…I just don’t like dealing with the cooking and the mess part of it! Whenever I can, I try to recreate the fried effect in my oven. I find that red sauce Italian food is particularly easy for this because breadcrumbs toast up nicely and flavorful sauces are the main focus of the dishes.

I was invited to participate in a campaign for Smart & Final for their La Romanella line of products. I love the La Romanella line, especially love the fact that some of their offerings are organic. Creating a recipe was my main task so I set about looking at all the offerings at my local Smart & Final. I found the items generally categorized in specific areas. Produce had sundried tomatoes and fresh basil, refrigerated/dairy had cheese and sliced meats. The main grocery aisles had pasta and sauces together. The freezer section had frozen pasta and bread and finally, in separate grocery sections I located olive oil and bread crumbs. While I was in the store, an employee told me that La Romanella products vary by location.

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It seems that no matter how much I try to plan my day, I end up having the kids with me when I shop and underfoot when I try to cook. My goals were to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible and to have a recipe that would require minimum ingredients. I gave myself extra points for a recipe that could be prepared earlier in the day to be put in the oven just before meal time and one that easily allowed for leftovers. I do believe I checked off all of the above with my plan to make Oven Toasted Ravioli. I started in the refrigerator section where I picked up a bag of parmesan cheese, next I went to the freezer and got a bag of frozen ravioli. The aisle straight from the freezer shelf with the ravioli were the La Romanella bread crumba and The First Street Panko Bread Crumbs. I doubled back and pushed the cart, loaded with the kids, two aisles and pointed back to the front of the store stopping to grab a can of Marinara Sauce. I kept going and hit the check out, loaded the minivan and hit the gas. Everything else I needed, I already had at home. I have a Google+ photo album describing my trip, please take a look!

When you purchase La Romanella items from Smart & Final, you can go to www.smartandfinal.com/LaRomanella2012 between now and March 6, 2012, enter the code on your receipt with the purchase of La Romanella products. You will be entered to win some fabulous prizes! First Prize: a weekend trip to one of the most luxurious Italian inspired resorts in Las Vegas! Additional prizes include: (8) $50 SmartCash cards (2 per week given away) and (8) La Romanella Gift Baskets worth over $50 (2 per week given away. Also, when you are there, click the “recipes” button and you can vote for your favorite La Romanella blogger recipe!

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias #CBias. All content is my own.

Suze Orman – America’s Money Class

2012-02-10T01:19:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to have the opportunity earlier this week to have coffee with Suze Orman at the OWN offices here in Los Angeles. This was the second time I met Suze, the first one being the time I interviewed her at Smashbox Studios two years ago. When you are in Suze’s presence, one thing that you can be sure of is that she is intensely present with you. I love that. The eye contact, the intensity, the fact that she OWNS what she says. My kind of person. The meeting took place in a small conference room at OWN and was comprised of OWN execs and LA bloggers. I got a kick out of the $$$ cake pops and gold coins they had out for us. Good way to set the tone.

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The reason for the meeting was to promote Suze Orman’s “America’s Money Class” on The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The class is actually a series of 6 shows each with a topic, guests with money issues related to the topic and audience interactions. The classes are: Money Secrets Revealed, Family & Money, Financial Disasters, Hidden Money, Money Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make and this Monday is the 6th and final class airing at 9p/8p central time. After the show, a contest begins where one viewer will win $50,000 and five viewers will win $5,000. The contest is in the form of a “final exam” of 12 questions based on what you have learned watching the shows. The contest will be live starting a 12p eastern/9p pacific and will be up for 24 hours. If you have not been watching the series, don’t despair, there are lots of videos of the shows as well as supporting info to be found on the show’s site on OWN.com. Additionally, the entire first episode is available on the site, Money Secrets Revealed. I’m disappointed the shows aren’t available and guess what? Suze is disappointed too! She even said it during the meeting that she thought they should be online and free—this caused the OWN execs in the room to smile uncomfortably. But that is how Suze is. She freely shares her tools to help Americans learn how to take care of themselves financially. Also on the site, Suze is giving away subscriptions and free downloads, make sure to head over there to grab the codes now!

Ok, so, you know about the show and the contest. Before I headed to the meeting, I posted on Facebook and Twitter asking my followers if they had any questions for Suze. I tried to cover as much as I could. Here is what I learned sitting with Suze and what I can share with you: Suze Orman’s overwhelming theme is take care of yourself because no one else is going to. When saving for your children’s college funds, do that after maximizing your retirement contributions, having your debt paid off and an eight month cushion of emergency funds. When you have achieved your goal for saving for something, especially education, don’t “push your luck”, move the money into “safe” positions. Don’t rely on your portfolio’s plan to manage risk for you because a massive hit in the stock market could devastate your investments. When people lose their jobs, they do not make a lifestyle change to match the situation. You must cut everything down to the bare minimum and hunker down because you don’t know how long you will be out of work. Getting exercise is absolutely key to raising your mood and motivation. Set a regular time each day to move around…Starting with walking is absolutely fine. Take care of “needs” before “wants” and put “people before money and things”. She believes we are quite far from a housing recovery and that we have not seen the bottom in some markets. I got a lot of questions about asking Suze what to do if you are underwater in your home, whether they should rent or buy. Since I didn’t get to address specific areas of the country, I can’t answer those questions for everyone. Suze did mention an area where she owns property, Del Rey Beach, Florida and that condos in her community have gone down over $200,000. Have term life insurance and only term life insurance to cover the term during which you will have people dependent on you, ie: 20, 30 year term plans. You will be amazed at how inexpensive the rates are especially if you are under 40.

Another interesting theme that came up was her insistence on the “we” and not the “I”. Such as “we have 2 kids” not, “I have 2 kids”. I thought she might have been a bit intense about this with the people in the room. However, I understand her message. Managing your financial lives, especially when married and with young children, is a team effort. That means sharing the information about what is happening with the money, budgeting and being responsible together for managing your finances. Money secrets and money infidelity is something Suze has covered in this series. Several years of bad money management can be overcome if you tackle it as a team. If everyone is not on board, it will not work. A really powerful tool for people who have no savings is to get them on an automatic savings plan. If it can be deducted from their pay, great. But if they need to send it in themselves, getting into the habit has an amazing way of sticking. The middle class is shrinking. The poor are getting poorer. There are over 50 million Americans in poverty right now.

For investments that Suze recommends right now in the time of non-existent interest rates, Suze listed off some specific choices: Muni bonds (individual not funds), MLPs (Master Limited Partnerships), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Gold which she is predicting will be at $2100/oz in November, Revenue Bonds and General Obligation Bonds. This is Elizabeth speaking here: I have a background in investments and strongly urge anyone not familiar with the investments listed above to educate themselves thoroughly before putting money that they cannot afford to lose into them.

In closing, personal finance and investing has always been of interest to me. Money is something all of us need and therefore it means different things to different people. We all have our individual experiences that come forward when dealing with money. Suze’s message and one that I would echo to you as well is to take care of yourself and your own finances. There are plenty of people out there who will gladly help you part with your hard earned cash. Your future depends on you taking care of you. Now, go forth and prosper!

My friend, LA’s The Place, shot this video during our meeting. I thank her so much for doing this and graciously allowing me to share.

Family Getaway: Rancho Las Palmas

2012-02-10T00:58:00.000-08:00

I'm on CBS Los Angeles with Family Getaway: Rancho Las Palmas

Lunch Influential

2012-01-21T01:07:00.001-08:00

My kids have been eating lunch at school since they were 2 years and some change. Their nursery schools all have the option of staying for lunch on an as needed basis. Thank god. I don’t know how my mother coped. We even had half-day Kindergarten. Here it’s full day. The one annoying aspect is there is no “school lunch” program until after Kindergarten so I’ve been packing lunches. Chip is a lean, mean playing machine who usually brings home his lunch mostly uneaten. Lulu actually seems to eat her lunch AND take note of what those around here are consuming. Last year, Lulu started asking for a thermos one day at a store. I figured it was because it had Hello Kitty on it, but she started saying it was for “meatballs”. Random? My mother was there and said it was probably because some kid at school had meatballs in a thermos. My mother is very smart. I would still be wondering where the heck the meatballs idea came from.

Next came a request for a “fruit bar that you peel like string cheese”. A fruit roll-up? I asked wondering if that weird peel off the paper thing from MY childhood still even existed. Lulu shook her head. She explained Juliette has it in her lunch everyday. So, I asked the teachers who actually sit with the kids at lunch and they had no idea. They agreed to stalk Juliette’s lunch. I put a call into Juliette’s mother. Juliette’s mother is one of those moms who never checks her voicemail or e-mail. So unless I caught her in the parking lot, that was going to be a long wait. Then, at drop off, Lulu’s teacher waves a wrapper at me triumphantly, the evidence from Juliette’s lunch. Victory.

Then yesterday, Lulu relates a story of another girl in her class who “had an egg that looks like an egg, but you can eat it.” Lordy, say what? As luck would have it, Surfer Guy was in on the conversation and deduced it was a “hard boiled egg”. Lulu then queried, “How do you eat it with the shell?” Poor kid, clearly her food horizons are narrow. NOT! She has tried lobster, mussels, clams, sushi, Thai, Indian, Swedish…I could go on. I just haven’t given her a hard boiled egg. Who eats hard boiled eggs? Not. Me. I’m not a huge fan of eggs actually. I don’t NOT eat them, but I don’t boil eggs. Why would I? To make egg salad? Deviled eggs? No, because I don’t make those things. I don’t make much actually, but that’s for another post. So, tonight, Lulu asks for a “hard egg”. I asked her if she would eat it….Was she sure she would eat it? Oh, and Chip wanted in as well. They both assured me they would eat them. I thought about it for a millisecond and realized I didn’t know how to do it. This vaguely sounded like a “can’t even boil water” type joke. It’s boiling water and putting eggs in. But, for how long? How do you know they are done? Is there an easier way of doing it? Peeling?

So I looked it up. The first page of my search turned up a food blogger who absolutely has too much interest in hard boiled eggs. She has a fabulous 17 step process for making the most perfect hard boiled eggs. The preamble includes the tip that eggs that are 5 days old are the best for boiling. Are you kidding me? I don’t even know when I bought these eggs…Definitely last year…Sometime. Focusing on the actual directions: I was unable to follow around the point where she said to “sacrifice an egg” to see how it’s cooked. I was planning on making TWO eggs. She is telling us to essentially have an indicator egg in the “batch.” Because she “batch cooks” eggs. Of course. Don’t you? She doesn’t say what to do if that egg isn’t done. What"? You are screwed? Or…You sacrifice another egg. How do you therefore know how many eggs to have in the batch to sacrifice. Insane. I started to have science fiction type flashbacks to hard boiled eggs I’ve seen for purchase. I’m nearly convinced I’ve seen them for sale in the refrigerator at Fresh & Easy. But, maybe that’s my brain using a coping mechanism. Telling me that I CAN buy the finished product. I glance further down the page and see where she makes a reference to “forgetting to check” so she skips a step that she lists. Skips a step that she puts in as a step? My body does a convulsive shudder. I wonder if the kids will forget. Further down the page, it gets better. The comments. The fawning comments about how great her recipe is. How much each person loves hard boiled eggs. It’s like a happy walk down memory lane of egg eating by anonymous people. Sea salt seems to be a recurring theme. Sea salt is the ingredient “foodies” throw out there to let you know you are not QUITE as good as they are. I laugh out loud at the bitter commenter who wants instructions on boiling eggs at high altitudes. My reverie is jolted to reality by a repeated request for “eggs”.

Fine. I head to the kitchen whip out a pot and put water in it. Place on stove and put on “high”. I walk away. A while later Surfer Guy comes home and says the pot on the stove is boiling. Oh, forgot that. I grab 3 eggs because that’s all I have. I drop the first egg in and it cracks a little. Oh, that’s right, they are fragile. I put more wrist behind the next two and a boiling they go. The one thing I retained from the “food blogger” was 12 minutes. But 12 minutes from the beginning of putting the pot on, not 12 minutes from boiling. And these are wicked small eggs. Screw it, 12 minutes it is. I manage to keep an eye on the clock (a timer would be too easy). Done. I grab a bowl with cold water and put the eggs in. The kids have circled, wide eyed. I ask Surfer Guy if he knows how to peel the eggs? “Just peel them?” he offers. So I crack one gently on the counter and try to pick the bits off the egg. Chip wants the first one. I get through the second one. The kids sit down with their eggs. They bite in. Chip wants the yolk out. Really? So I grab a baby spoon and gouge the stuff out. Then Lulu wants the same. Then they try some more and announce they don’t like them. I slap their dishes on the ground and yell for Bjorn, my black Pomeranian. Bjorn, who is only influenced by the instinct to eat to survive.

Social Media: I’m quoted

2012-01-18T23:00:00.001-08:00

I’m quoted in this piece by Collective Bias about Influencers using social media and apps.

Twin Day

2012-01-18T22:06:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is “Twin Day” at Chip’s school. This is part of a week with a theme of “friendship, community and being nice to each other”. I think. It’s all fine by me. The kids are supposed to wear something with the color yellow everyday. Yellow isn’t a huge color for Chip but luckily he has a Swedish soccer shirt his Swedish grandmother sent him (Sweden’s colors are blue and yellow, in case you were going to google that). So Chip has been wearing that shirt all week. Tomorrow presents a new challenge: Twin Day. The gist is that you and a friend or group of friends are supposed to dress alike. Here’s the rub, Chip is in Kindergarten, he is 5 years old. He is illiterate, has never called a friend and all “plans” for his life are pretty much handled by ME. Not that his world will come crashing down if he isn’t “twinned”, but, you want to help the guy participate, right? Also, what if he gets to school and realizes all the kids are twinned and he isn’t? Ultimately, I will have let him down. There is much character building and personal growth that comes from harsh disappointment and I’m all in favor of building character. But, this is such “low hanging fruit” I’m thinking, so why not go for the save? So I started asking Chip yesterday if he had a plan for someone to twin with. He said, “I don’t know.” So I suggested a good buddy of his named Jack. “Ok,” says Chip. So I know Jack’s mother. I think I started off texting her about something else school related and she thought I was talking about Twin Day…Clearly it was weighing on her mind. So I jumped on the Twinning plans with her. She e-mails a simple idea of jeans and some shirt. But, I had to defend with the fact that Chip wears shorts…Everyday. Yes, since the first day of school, shorts everyday. Which is fine because we live in LA and we’ve had a mild Winter. At about this point in the day, I think I went to the dentist and was confined in a chair unable to text, e-mail or call even though I had my droid on my lap.

When I picked Chip up from school he mentioned that he thought Jack was being twins with a kid named Tom, but they were just going to wear the same shoes. Oy, the plot thickens. A few hours go by during which I’ve been on a skid with everything else I have going on that is ultimately more important than Twin Day. I’m driving off to meet some friends for dinner when I remember Twin Day. I quickly calculate that by the time I’m done with dinner it might be too late to connect with Jack’s mom. So I call her. Jack’s mom has a real job so I’m sure Twin Day has been at the fore of her concerns the past few hours as well. We are both driving and both “handsfree” so, effectively, we can’t really hear each other. I round back to the shorts idea. She thinks it’s too cold. I don’t disagree, but toss back a pithy, “I’m from Boston” which is the passive aggressive way of saying, “I know cold….And this isn’t cold.” She laughs politely. I decide to go for the kill: “How about they both wear their school t-shirt and whatever on the bottom, because who cares and that’s good enough.” Jack’s mom is all for it, she just has to make sure she can FIND his shirt when he gets home. We agree to communicate by 2200 hours. I get home from a dinner that included way too many nachos and seek out the shirt. As fate would have it, Chip wore it today after school, even though he never wears that shirt. He continued to wear it during dinner at which meal his father served him fettuccini with Marinara sauce. You figure it out. I debate running a load of laundry when I make a game day decision to text Jack’s mother: “about to toss shirt into wash. What is the sitch on your side? And whose idea is Twin Day in the first place?” Bing! Response: “Found it! We are good to go!” Me: “Ok, roger that.” Then…I felt a surge of empathy for the as yet faceless kids who will come into school tomorrow un-Twinned and texted a rhetorical: “I feel for the kids who don’t have a parent who speaks English or is illiterate or a flounder.”

Or, ultimately, does it even matter to anyone but me? (And possibly Jack’s mother?)

Christmas Eve & Fifth Night of Hanukkah

2011-12-24T22:07:00.001-08:00

Although I am Christian, I’ve always felt a connection to Judaism. My nursery school was at a JCC (Jewish Community Center) and, naturally, what we celebrated at school were Jewish holidays and traditions. I have preschoolers and because of my frame of reference, I feel the need to make sure they get exposure to Jewish traditions. Two years ago I made latkes with Chip’s class and this year I did the same thing in Lulu’s class. A couple of days ago we attended a menorah lighting and the kid’s choir from a local temple performed “Candlelight” by the Maccabeats. It’s a really fun song. So, herewith on Christmas eve as we prepare for Santa at our house (just put out his snack and something for the reindeer to munch on) I share a song that makes me smile.

Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood

2011-12-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

I'm on CBS LA today with It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Grinchmas Opening on Saturday!

Chevrolet at The Los Angeles Auto Show

2011-11-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

I've been having a blast at the LA Auto Show. Here is my latest post for CBS Los Angeles, Chevy Gets Star Power at the LA Auto Show

Invisalign Straight Talk

2011-11-20T21:32:00.000-08:00

I had heard of Invisalign. Having worn braces in 7th grade and still having the results "hold" plus, having kids who are too young for braces didn't cause me to pay much attention to Invisalign. Actually, I was fairly skeptical and figured they were some sort of fad that would soon be proven "not to work." I blissfully led my parallel life to Invisalign. I was invited to an event in 2009 but was unable to attend. Finally, I was able to attend an event last month in Laguna Beach and was told to invite my friends. Yay! So, I rounded up 4 of my good buddies and we went for girls night. Some great food and drinks and an amazing presentation later...I am a believer.

Invisalign is totally legitimate. It works for teens (some pre-teens are even able to use the aligners) and adults. Even people in retirement have benefited from Invisalign. I learned that the treatment typically takes a year. That you are given your treatment plan at the beginning and switch out your "aligners" (invisible trays that are molded to your teeth) every two weeks or so. You take the trays out to eat and brush your teeth. For those moms who remembers themselves or others fishing out retainers from the trash can at school...Invisalign Teen comes with 6 free replacements! If you think you would like to learn more about Invisalign, visit Invisalign and you can also search for a local provider. If you would like to see some of the photos from the Straight Talk event, visit my Facebook page: Facebook.com/ElizabethTraded and click on the photos. For moms who want to get more info on teeth straightening from other moms, I'd like to recommend momsonbraces.org

Here is an overview on the product: Invisalign takes a modern approach to straightening teeth,using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligners are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible plastic that you simply wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements your dentist or orthodontist plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You simply pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete and you achieve the confident smile that you’ve always wanted. The best part about the whole process is that most people won’t even know you’re straightening your teeth.

Disclosure: I attended at Straight Talk event hosted by Invisalign and received a gift bag and prizes. The thoughts and opinions expressed about the product in this post are my own. Invisalign Disclosure Statement

Thanksgiving 2011 - Recipe

2011-11-12T01:05:00.001-08:00

I’ve never cooked a Thanksgiving meal. I’ve reheated meals I’ve bought from gourmet markets and I’ve helped by making a side dish and bringing it to a dinner someone ELSE cooked. I’m on track to avoid cooking again this year…But we’ll see. I was recently inspired to get a grip on Thanksgiving early by attending an interesting cooking class that taught us some great tips on cooking the big meal as well, allowed us to eat it and sent us off with leftovers and recipes! One of my best blogging buddies, Debbie of Manhattan Beach Momma arranged for a bunch of us LA area bloggers to attend a Thanksgiving Cooking Class at Simple Gourmet.

I learned some useful tips: 1) Get a fresh turkey. Frozen birds tend to dry out quicker during cooking. 2) Don’t cook a turkey over 18 lbs because it takes too long. If you need more turkey buy additional breasts and you can even cook them the day before and refrigerate them. On Thanksgiving, carve the breast and put in a pan with some turkey stock and cover with foil. Reheat at 350 degrees for 30 min.

I like stuffing. I never understood why it was sometimes, by some people, called “dressing”. I learned that night that stuffing is what is INSIDE the bird and dressing is cooked outside the bird. What remains a puzzle to me is…What if you have the exact same thing inside the bird and you have more of the same on the side in a dish baking in the oven? See? Thus, I prefer to use the word “stuffing” and to use “dressing” when I eat salads. That said, I will share with you a particularly intriguing side dish that was my favorite. It is a stuffing (dressing if you must) that has NO bread. Shake things up with your in-laws this Turkey Day and this out. Score extra points if someone needs to eat gluten-free.

Caramelized Parsnip and Farro Dressing with Sage Browned Butter
Serves 10

3 tbl butter
1 white onion, finely diced
4 cups finely diced parsnips
1 cup finely diced celery
1 tbl fresh chopped thyme
salt and pepper
6 cups cooked farro (to cook: add 3 cups to rapidly boiling water or stock. Cook until tender and drain)
2 tbl poultry seasoning (I recommend Bell’s Seasoning if you can find it)
1 egg
1/3 cup turkey or chicken stock
1/2 cup grated parmesan
6 tbl butter
2 tbl chopped fresh sage
Preparation
Heat a large skillet and add the 3 tbl of butter. Add the onions, parsnips, celery and thyme. Cook for 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat until veggies are soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss together the farro, vegetable mixture and poultry (Bell’s) seasoning. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
In another small bowl, whisk together the egg, stock and parmesan. Pour this mixture and the parsley into the farro and toss to combine.
Place a small pan with the 6 tbl of butter and sage over medium-high heat and cook until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Butter a 9×13 casserole dish and fill with the farro mixture and drizzle with the browned butter. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes until golden on top. Serve warm with extra gravy from the turkey.

Our America with Lisa Ling on OWN

2011-11-06T23:23:00.001-08:00

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I recently had the opportunity to visit the OWN headquarters here in LA and have lunch with Lisa Ling along with a small group of bloggers. The opportunity to meet Lisa was something I definitely did not want to pass up. I have been a fan of Lisa’s since she was on The View and have watched her career as she moved on to The National Geographic Channel, making many appearances on Oprah and then to her new show on OWN. OWN is Oprah Winfrey’s network and it launched New Year’s Day 2011. I had the opportunity to attend the Television Critic’s Association events this past January where I was able to see Lisa speak about her forthcoming series, “Our America”. But, until you actually see the show, it’s difficult to really “know”. The first season was intriguing and successful. As I learned, the first season enabled Lisa and her team to secure even more fascinating people willing to be subjects in the second season. In “Our America”, Lisa goes deep inside the worlds of people who truly are “one of us” save that their lives have taken a different path.

This season Lisa covers the worlds of Amateur Porn, Polygamy, Sex Trafficking of American Girls, Veterans suffering from Invisible Wounds, The Lives of Twins, The cycle of Incarceration, and Extreme Parenting. Each topic, may on the surface, seem extremely foreign to you. But, as you watch each episode unfold, you will find yourself relating—as a human and as an American. You might even find yourself thinking, “I could be friends with that person” or “But for the grace of god….”

Speaking of relating, I felt very strongly that I could relate to Lisa and her quest to cover these stories. I’ve always been intrigued by people and who they are and what they do. I think it figures into my having made a point of living all over the world and learning several foreign languages. I want to know more people and understand them. I may not agree, but at least I can try to understand. Try to find the truth. Listening to Lisa talk about her series, I could tell how genuine her passion is for storytelling. To watch the episodes shows Lisa truly respecting her subjects. Regardless of how much she may disagree or not share their views, she is doing her job with grace. The shows are really works of art themselves with a cinematic feel. Even if you think you wouldn’t watch this show, I assure you, you would.

The episode that aired tonight is particularly important to me. The heroes of our overseas conflicts who are returning home with invisible wounds—PTSD. Lisa goes inside families to show us the raw humanity of these soldiers and those who love them. With Veteran’s Day coming up this Friday 11/11/11, be sure to watch the encore of Invisible Wounds of War at 5pm ET/PT. You can catch Our America at its regular time, Sundays, 10pm ET/PT. I highly recommend you pay a visit OWN’s website and the Our America pages where you can learn much more about the show and the topics as well as view deleted scenes from the shows.

Orange County, California – So much to see and do!

2011-10-31T23:27:00.001-07:00

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I live in Los Angeles County, but can hop in my minivan and be in Orange County in 20 minutes (traffic gods willing). I love Orange County, there is so much to do there. Most visitors to Los Angeles seem to make Orange County a “day trip” for Disneyland or Knott’s Berry Farm. When I was a kid and my family vacationed in California, I remember that exact scenario. Here’s the thing…There are lots of OTHER reasons to go to Orange County and lots of other things to do. The Anaheim/Orange County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, in conjunction with my gals of MomsLA, recently held The OC Blogger Bash and hosted 175 So Cal Bloggers at a really fun event with a Mad Men Theme. While at The Bash, I got the chance to learn so much more about what OC has to offer.

One really great attraction that I’m dying to check out myself is The Battle of The Dance in Anaheim. It’s funny, because I had heard of the show but I didn’t understand what it was. I met people from the show and learned more about it.

It is a dinner theater show that combines the disciplines of Irish, Flamenco, Pop and Bollywood dance into one spectacular event. Check out the video to get a glimpse. There were lots of giveaways through the night and I won a gift bag full of Aveda Products and a Gift Card from Lux Salon/Spa/Store in Fullerton. I just gotta find the time to get there….Maybe I can send Surfer Guy to Knott’s Berry Farm with the kid’s while I spa! Knott’s was generous to give each attendee 2 tickets to their amusement park. I love Knott’s. I love Mrs. Knott’s Restaurant and her chicken dinners. Maybe I can meet them for dinner after I spa? I was also super lucky to have my number selected to receive 2 tickets to Disneyland. Geez, maybe I should just move to the OC?

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Photo Booth Pro was there with some really fun props for us to use while we posed in front of backgrounds of well known Orange County locations. Here I am posing with two of my best online influencer buddies, Caryn Bailey of Rockinmama.net and Linda Perry of Peachhead.net. We also learned about the 100,000 sq.ft. expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center with an amazing Grand Plaza that will be completed next year.

It was fun to have Snoopy on hand representing Knott’s. It’s funny, actually, now that I’m, ahem, well into my adult years…I get to meet so many characters that I would have been crazy ecstatic to meet when I was a kid. I’m actually still really excited to meet them…I just try to remain cool, for my image. As well as Lux, Knott’s and Disneyland, the other event sponsors were: McDonald’s® of Southern California, 300 Anaheim, Anaheim Marriott, Angels Baseball, Aquarium of the Pacific, Casa Resorts, Costa Mesa CVB, Hilton Anaheim, Honda Center, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach CVB, Pacific Edge Hotel, Photo Booth Pro, Pretend City® Children’s Museum, Queen of Heartz Vintage Inspired Apparel, R.W.B. Party Props, Inc., Sheraton Park Anaheim, Sunset Flying, The Outlets at Orange, Anaheim White House, House of Blues® Anaheim, Huntington Beach Marketing and Convention Bureau, Irvine Barclay Theatre, Medieval Times® Dinner &Tournament, Montanya Spa, OC Wildlife and Travel, Universal Studios® Hollywood, Discovery Science Center, Hilton Anaheim Health Club, Lux Aveda Salon and Spa, RA Sushi, and Roy’s Anaheim. For sure I will be covering more of the fabulous offerings in my neighboring county. Love the OC!

Update: I'm totally blown away that The Anaheim/OC Convention & Visitors Bureau chose my post as the Grand Prize Winning post for their blogger contest. The OC Blogger Bash Team wrote, "Your creative post, inclusion of sponsors and links to the destination did an excellent job of featuring the destination of Anaheim/Orange County as well as the OC Blogger Bash!" What did I win? Two round-trip tickets on American Airlines!

Halloween Fun in So Cal

2011-10-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

Photo credit: Angry Julie Monday AngryJulieMonday.com

Have you missed me? I've spent the month scouring the best Halloween fun to be had in Southern California's amusement parks for CBS Los Angeles. I'm wiped out, on a sugar high and fresh out of costume ideas. And it's not even Halloween yet....

Disneyland-Mickey's Trick or Treat Party

Knott's Berry Farm - Knott's Scary Farm Haunt

Universal Studios - Halloween Horror Nights

LEGOLAND-California for Brick or Treat and SeaWorld Spooktacular

How To Start a Neighborhood Watch

2011-09-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm on CBS Los Angeles today with How To Start A Neighborhood Watch. Be safe!

September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T23:12:00.001-07:00

On the 10th anniversary of September 11, this is my view as I write this. I'm sitting poolside at Rancho las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage, CA. Lucky me. The glare is kind of uncomfortable on my laptop screen. I have to type through a reflection of myself, wearing a bathing suit and a sun hat. Contrast that with the dress code requirements of many Muslim women. The only reason I'm wearing a head covering is to keep the sun's harmful rays at bay. Not because I am "required" to do so. On September 11, 2001, we were attacked, in an act of war, by those who do not like us and our way of life. They seek to destroy it and continue to do so.

This is the first time I've written about "where I was on Sept. 11, 2001": My first recollection of that morning was being woken up by the phone ringing. I was asleep in my apartment in West Hollywood, CA. I answered the phone next to my bed. It must have been sometime between 7:00-8:00am PST. My mother, who lives outside of Boston (where I grew up) was on the phone. As best as I can recall from a dead sleep, she said something like, "They've flown planes into The World Trade Center and I can't get in touch with your sister." My sister had just graduated from college the previous May and lived and worked in Manhattan. There must have been some discussion about where she lived and worked because I recall stumbling out of bed to my bookshelf where I pulled out my "Fast Map-Manhattan" and began looking at points on the map as I discussed it with my mother. I must have also put the TV on. She also said she couldn't reach my brother, but that was kind of irrelevant, in my opinion, since he lived in Colorado. I started giving my mother the names and addresses of my friends in Manhattan in case my sister needed to go somewhere. I hung up, watched the news of the attacks and got dressed. I walked outside with my dog, Stella, to escape the solitary existence in my apartment. It was like any other day on my street. All hell was breaking loose on the other side of the country and in my neighborhood, everything was normal. Odd.

There are pieces that stick out in my mind from that day. I was clearly upset…Not crying, but worried. I had several good friends who lived within a short walk from the World Trade Center. One who I stayed with frequently and had just stayed with a month before. On that visit, I had bought an American Flag belt at Century 21, the discount designer department store with its flagship right across the street from the World Trade Center. I remembered debating over the belt because it was $70 and was a lot to spend on a belt. But I loved it and knew I’d wear it a lot, so I got it. Within days of 9/11, I looked at the receipt and saw that I had bought it on 8/11/01. I wondered if I had been directed to buy it by some sort of foreshadowing force? I still think I spent a lot on that belt, but I still wear it. I worried about my sister. I thought about American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles. That was my most traveled route and on that airline. People who knew called me or e-mailed. I had a friend from Kentucky e-mail me one sentence, “I want to make sure you weren’t on that plane.” Having known her for years, I wasn’t taken aback, she didn’t mince words. I suppose the lack of a return e-mail would have answered her question? I answered everyone with the same response, “No, I wasn’t on the planes, I never took the first flight in the morning.” Which was true. Those first flights to LA from Boston, on United and American, which at the time were the only non-stop airlines flying the route, left at around 7:45am. That was way too early for me to have to get up and get to the airport. I always took the 5:45pm-ish flight. Especially because I was flying “backward in time”, I’d get in at 9pm or so and then just go home and climb into bed. I guess I hung onto that a bit. When some people were saying “I could have been on that plane,” I knew I wouldn’t have. Okay. So what? What was my point? I recognized a lot of the flight attendants on that route. I knew it was a desirable route because there were usually celebrities on the plane for one. I remembered meeting a young flight attendant who told me she didn’t usually get to fly that route because it was a “senior route”. I was oddly familiar in a sort of, “American Airlines LA-Boston-LA frequently flier” way. I got into an argument with my personal trainer that day. I was on edge and although I can’t recall the exact circumstances, it had something to do with me trying to reschedule and assuming the gym would be closed anyway because this was the LA outpost of a chain of gyms founded in Manhattan. He was being a jerk, I thought, and denied the gym would be closed. I told him off, as I recall, about the circumstances and to have some sympathy. Turns out the gym was closed down that day. I switched trainers. My acting class was held as usual. I remembered asking my acting teacher why. He said that that’s what he does. He can’t do anything else to help the situation, so would be holding class as usual. It made sense. Probably made more sense than I can convey here. A guy I was doing some part-time work for was trapped in Atlanta at a conference. He was able to jump into a rental car with strangers and drive to Boston where his son lived to ride things out.

There are other things that stick out in my memory, although they most likely weren’t on September 11, but that week for sure. I found out that people from my hometown in MA had died on the United flight and the American flight. The brother of one of the officials in West Hollywood had been the pilot on one of the Boston-LA flights. I was studying at The Second City in LA and every one of my classmates had the same start to their story, “My mother called me and woke me up.” Even mothers who had no thought their kid was on one of those planes or in New York City called their kids. I remember telling my mother that and she said, “of course”. I wasn’t yet a mother. My sister talked to my mother at some point that day. She went and hung out with her boyfriend’s uncle in mid-town and then made her way to her apartment which wasn’t affected by the disaster. My mother was unhappy she couldn’t reach my brother in COLORADO?! So I logged a call into his voicemail. He called me from the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, in COLORADO, and told me he had blown off our mother’s initial calls because he had just talk to her the day before, which was his birthday. He now couldn’t get through so called me. (Yeah, I left him a voicemail for his birthday yesterday, along with Chip and Lulu chortling “Unc” in the background).

In December of that year, my whole family gathered in New York and stayed with my sister who had moved to Brooklyn with her boyfriend. We went down to Ground Zero to pay our respects and to support the local businesses. I remember peering through the fence a block away from where the WTC towers had stood and seeing that Century 21 was intact, closed for business, but entirely standing. So close to the devastation, I was surprised. We went to a Dunkin Donuts almost directly behind Century 21. It was so cold in NYC. Of course I had thinned blood from living in LA, but it was COLD! We huddled around a table drinking my beloved Dunkin Donuts coffee and some munchkins (donut holes for those uninitiated, poor you). The place was fairly empty and the sun was fading as NYC headed into a Winter night. I looked over and in the corner I noticed a man in a uniform, presumably on break. I looked closer at his patch on his jacket. It was an emblem and it said “New York City Morgue”. I think I was the only one in the group who noticed. It was as if I was sucked away from my family and didn’t hear anything or see anything. A complete sensory paralysis as I took in that man and his job. The streets were so quiet and empty. Of course I knew why he was there. My breath feels erratic now and tears are welling up in my eyes as I recall that moment as clearly as if I were still sitting on that hard plastic stool in that Dunkin Donuts in downtown Manhattan just after Christmas, 2001.

Here I am, ten years later. Much more is known. The heroes of that day. Of course the firefighters and policemen, so many of whom died that day. 324 NYFD lost. Unimaginable. But real. Especially after 10 years. The stories of the ordinary people who stepped up heroically to help people they didn’t even know. Encourage, save, carry and even give their own lives to help. It’s a true American who steps up when the need is the greatest. That echoes so much to me now and is the subtext of one of my favorite quotes: “We are our own first responders.” In a time of disaster, those around you are your best bet for help. Know thy neighbor. Make a plan. Be prepared. But, don’t let it consume your pursuit of the American dream. Realize there is true evil in the world. People who don’t like us simply for who we are. I will not be complacent. We have lost so much. The enemy is still there. God bless America.

Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe App – Guest Review

2011-08-14T18:08:00.001-07:00

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I’m pleased to present a guest review of the new Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe App for iPad. Katherine and I met in Mommy & Me when her son Flash and my son Chip were newborns. Flash and Chip have gone on to be pals and even just graduated from preschool together! Flash is a HUGE Cars fan. When the offer for this app review came in, I knew to turn to the expert. Plus, sadly, I do not have an iPad (Christmas is coming tho….). I now present to you the Katherine & Flash review:

I recently had the opportunity to review the latest Cars 2 Storybook app for the iPad thanks to my son Flash's preschool connections. Mind you, we are ridiculous Cars fans. Bedding, furniture, books, wall stickers, you name it and we've probably looked at it if not purchased it. So when we found out Cars 2 was coming out, we bought advanced tickets and saw it on opening day, etc. Ever since all the crazy marketing has begun for Cars 2, Flash has been telling me about one toy or another, pointing out cereal boxes and fruit snacks with some sort of connection hoping for a prize inside...so when I heard there was an app for the iPad, I was all over it. On top of that, this app was supposed to be an educational storybook. How perfect is that? Flash was thrilled when I surprised him with the new app. He navigated through the story with ease and was very interested in the "read to me" mode. The storyline is the same as the Cars 2 movie so if you've seen the movie it's easy to follow. I couldn't get the volume loud enough on the "record your own voice" mode, but that was probably user error.

The graphics are amazing!! Most pages have something interactive like pressing the sparkle and the car zooms off! Other pages have a coloring option where the scene turns to black and white and you can re-color it as you choose. There are also a few games included. Flash liked the games the best. Tire toss is his favorite where you slingshot a tire into a pile and try to pinball it off of other tires as many times as possible before it falls to the ground.
Overall, I would recommend the Cars 2 Storybook app to a) children who are totally into Cars, b) children up to age 4 who don't need things to keep changing to keep their interest, and c) older children who have not yet learned how to navigate the iPad as a gaming device and can't find on their own that there is actually a Cars 2 gaming app. It's an enjoyable storybook and a sure hit for any Cars enthusiast. Katherine

Katherine, thanks for giving the app a test drive along with Flash! Speaking of the movie, if you happen to be in Hollywood, definitely stop by The El Capitan Theater to see Cars 2 because along with the movie, you also get access to the Cars 2 World Grand Prix Experience afterwards! My super blogger spy camera was in action and I’ve got a pic here to entice you:

Now here is the official info from Disney:

Experience the action-packed story of Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 in this supercharged children’s book app filled with vibrant art, professional narration, exciting music and sound effects, plus A-list celebrity voices from the film.

In the app, Cars star Lightning McQueen zooms back into action with his best friend Mater by his side as they head to the World Grand Prix races. Readers of the Storybook Deluxe app will get to:

Choose between two reading modes that allow you to follow along as the story is read aloud, or to explore each page at your own pace.
Play exciting games inspired from the movie—test your memory in Tokyo Lights and try your hand at Mater’s Tire Toss.
Record your voice reading the story and hear it played back as narration.
Tap characters and objects for animated surprises.
Also includes 5 coloring pages and 5 interactive jigsaw puzzles for extra fun!

· Jump to your favorite page with a Visual Page Index.

The Cars 2 Storybook Deluxe App, originally $8.99, is available for $5.99 (for a limited time) from the App Store on the iPad or at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cars-2-storybook-deluxe/id445409124?mt=8#.

You can also see a demo video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uSeMCzZAzk

You can learn about all of Disney Publishing’s apps here: http://disneybookapps.com/

Save Tara – Victory!

2011-08-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

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For seven long years I have been a member of “Save Tara”, fighting West Hollywood City Hall to preserve a small piece of history and greenery for future generations. Team members have passed away, I had two babies and the fight went on. Today we won! Read about it here in The WeHo News. I knew we would win. Good vs. Evil. Evil destroys itself in the end. Grateful, yet sad for those who did not live to see this. Victory!!!!!!

Do You “Like” Me? Facebook Style?

2011-07-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

It is better to be liked than disliked, I do believe. In general, I don’t really care what others think about me. That’s the cut of my jib. Doing the right thing, honesty, loyalty, helping others in need and morality are important to me and I constantly try to follow that path. Hopefully I’m setting some examples for Chip and Lulu along the way. From that, I do find that although some people may disagree with me, I do have their respect and in return they have mine. But getting back to “Like” it’s like, y’know, how you, like use like in a sentence, like all the time….Heh. Well, if you are on Facebook and would like to “Like” me. Here is the link to my new likeable page: Facebook.com/ElizabethTraded. Even if you aren’t on Facebook, you can still check out my page, you just can’t say anything. Sadly. I’d love it if you’d “Like” me. At some point I’ll get a button on this here blog for easy access to my Facebook page. It’s on the list.

Family Getaway to Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite – CBS LA

2011-07-21T20:16:00.001-07:00

To get away, enjoy nature, yet be able to swing into the spa after a hard day of hiking….Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is where it’s at. I’m on CBS Los Angeles with Family Getaway to Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. Just wish I’d spotted Sasquatch…

The Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident for the Wii

2011-07-18T23:43:00.001-07:00

It’s always a bummer when you get invited to a really cool event….But you realize you are going to be out of town that day. Oh, and let’s add that your reason for being out of town is NOT very cool. I was recently invited to a party to try out the new game The Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident for the Wii. Luckily, my buddy Heather from That’s’ IT Mommy was “game” to attend and cover it. I followed the tweets from The East Coast and it sounded like everyone was having way too much fun playing. I love my games and this one looks like it will be high on my list to try. Thanks, Heather, great review!!!

Havaianas Pop Up Shop

2011-07-16T02:06:00.001-07:00

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The past couple of years have given rise, literally, to the fashion marketing concept known as a “pop-up shop”: A temporary retail outlet for a known brand or designer. I had the opportunity to attend a party at the West Coast’s first Havaianas (the famous flip flops from Brazil) pop-up shop located in the uber-conceptually-cool Space 15Twenty in Hollywood. Space 15Twenty is a mix of permanent retailers and restaurants along with spaces that allow for different brands and artists to step in and out of the mix. Havaianas Mercado is located in the Urban Outfitters rotating designer concept boutique with the storefront facing Cahuenga Blvd.

Once inside, it was an amazing and colorful space, like being in a tropical produce shop. Also in attendance were Lucy Marshall of “Pretty Little Liars” and musician Alex Marshall. I was really looking forward to stepping up to the fruit stand where you can “Make Your Own Havaianas”, with customizable soles, straps and embellishments. I picked black soles, silver straps and diamond and blue jewels along with tiny elephants as embellishments. It was really too much fun to choose EXACTLY what you wanted, right down the placement of your bling! For people who don’t live near a Havaianas that has a MYOH (Make Your Own Havaianas) you can make your own online.

Next it was on to the party which was hosted in one of the interior courtyards at Space 15Twenty. Much to everyone’s delight, right next door is an Umami Burger location and that’s who supplied the food and drink. The most amazing burgers, known as “The Fifth Taste” and fries were being served up straight off the outdoor grill. The barmaster mixed the most addicting coconut mojitos…What a perfect tropical evening. Get yourself over to Space 15Twenty, check out all there is, treat yourself to your very own Havaianas and then kick it Hollywood hipster style at Umami Burger. You so can. If you want to feel like you really were there, here is a link to Space 15Twenty’s site with coverage of the event including a video where you can catch a few glimpses of moi . Havaianas Mercado Pop Up, 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., LA 90028. Store Hours: Open daily from July 1st through July 24th; Monday-Friday, 11 AM-8 PM, and Saturday-Sunday 11 AM-9 PM. PS. Space 15Twenty has a parking lot, the entrance is on Selma between Cahuenga and Ivar.

To see my coverage on CBS Los Angeles click: Flip Flop Pop Up - Havaianas

LA Street Food Fest – CBS LA

2011-07-11T15:36:00.001-07:00

I’m over on CBS Los Angeles with Get Your Foodie Fix on the Other Side of the 405 at LA Street Food Festival in Pasadena. Geez, that’s a mouthful! So, go ahead, hit the streets all in one place and thus avoid Carmageddon.

Best Sunday Dinners in Los Angeles - CBS LA

2011-06-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

I can be found over on CBS Los Angeles recommending some of the Best Sunday Dinners in LA. Because, everyone has to eat, even on Sundays.

Random Review-Tween Bling

2011-06-20T00:30:00.001-07:00

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I was at the pre-Oscar gifting suite, well, back just before the Oscars. There was a lot of stuff to look at, lots of people to meet and samples kindly offered to me. One sample that I’ve been meaning to review, just because it catches my fancy, is Tween Bling. I’m not a tween, nor do I have a tween. But let’s put that aside. The company, Smart Mom Jewelry, started out with baby teething products. Particularly pendants made of food-safe, phthalate-free, federally-approved silicone. So mom can wear a cute pendant and baby can grab it and teeth on it. Brilliant! One of my key rules for reviews: Must do more than one thing. I don’t have any teething people in the house at the moment, nor tweens, but there are really no rules. I like camo so I selected the camo heart Tween Bling. It’s soft, flexible, you can fiddle around with it, twirl it, whatever a tween (or adult blogger) MIGHT do with Tween Bling. Even stick it in your mouth…Not that I’m there on that, but if I were a tween girl…Maybe. The major feature of all the Smart Mom Jewelry is the safety of the “breakaway clasp”. If the necklace gets yanked, it pops open and off. Tween Bling is dishwasher safe and federally approved. It’s fun for tweens and yes, I do believe this mom can get away with wearing it too.