A win win!!! I’m so happy - I better go have a drink to celebrate after all I got this news during Tales of the Cocktail!

I guess I’ll chronologically reverse the events of my adventure at my first Tales of the Cocktail @totc @mrs_cocktail @mr_cocktail #totc09

* My picture taken for Fleurty Girl shirts by the pool. I thing they are adorable and am now the proud owner of the French Quarter shirt @fleurtygirl and @julesybean I hope the pics come out OK - as I am a tad hungover (I’ll get to why later).

* My radio show this morning was the definition of grace under fire. Eric Asher had technical difficulties yesterday and he was so sweet and came in after a long night of partying to get me situated. Unfortunately, in one hour’s time, the show was cut off from the studio at least 4 times. It was pretty cool and novel being live from the Carousel Bar @carouselbar at the Hotel Monteleone @hotelmonteleone though. I must profusely thank all my guests and listeners for putting up with the fiascos! Thanks to Debbie Rizzo, Martin Miler, Andrea Thornton from the Hotel Monteleone and Stephen Beaumont .

* Bedtime by midnight - must be awake for my show in the AM!

* Arnaud’s French 75 - Chris is such a great bartender and made me the most wonderful Brandy Smash! That is such a great place to hang out and I really enjoyed meeting Kevin Jenkins, the host of Chef and the Fatman. He had his show with John Besh and Danny DeVito that afternoon in the Carousel Bar and I saw what I could from my seat at the bar.

* USBG Caipirinha Competition at Pat O’s on the river. Upon entering they gave us score cards and a little pencil. Everyone had to make a cocktail out of Cachaca. There were tables of 2 bar chefs/mixologists and you checked off which one you liked better. It was a blast, but there was a slight Robitussin flavor to the alcohol and some of the drinks were very painful to swallow. Regardless, it is cool seeing how much creativity and thought goes into some of these drinks. There were: rose petals, figs, watermelon - you name it!

* Our friends joined us at the Whiskey Blue in the W (where w happen to be staying) and we decided to sit down to eat at Zoe. Everything was delish and I enjoyed a Strawberry Mojitini.

* Our room at the W is very cool and hubby met me there after work. This is our first stay there and we are impressed with the hotel. It is ultra-modern in contrast to the Hotel Monteleone which is more classic romantic.

* The swag room for Tales was amazing. It was a freaking IKEA store of goodies to choose from. I loaded up 2 recyclable shopping bags full of alcohol and goodies. Amazing! I met up with @cajun_mama Shannon and we cabbed it back to the hotel with our bags of goodies!

* I got caught in the rain walking around the French Quarter with my friend Frank Stansbury. I had to take off my shoes to run out of the rain. I entered the Hotel looking like a drowned rat and glad I was not wearing white!!!

* The afternoon at the Carousel Bar by myself was a great opportunity to kick back a Pisco Sour and a Brandy Smash with Marvin my fave bartender. This was also my time to network and mingle. I met a ton of people and really enjoyed the company of my new friend @mojitoking Michael Hensel.

* Getting away from the house is always a challenge but I know it will be worth it when I get to my hotel in New Orleans!

Here’s how this went down

Hi Greta,

I’m writing to you on behalf of Ford to ask you to be the official co-host from New Orleans for Ford Executive, Noah Mass, Manager of Systems Architecture on Sunday, July 12 and Monday, July 13.

This summer, Ford Executives are hitting the road to introduce everyone around the country to the new 2010 Taurus and its story. On Sunday, Noah would like to take you and some other New Orleans bloggers out to dinner to hear from you what makes New Orleans special. Then on Monday, Noah will host an event at the dealership that’s open to the public and you and any of your readers would be more than welcome to attend. Schedule permitting, Noah will take the Taurus out to the places you and other bloggers have recommended.

We’re interested in you because you know the area and can help us find the right place to have dinner, invite other bloggers, and spend time with Noah; we’re eager to work with you to share the very best of New Orleans with the Ford community.

If you’re interested in being a co-host, we would promote you and your blog across Ford’s social media properties and compensate you $250 for your time. (Note that this not in exchange for any positive vehicle review or Ford testimonial, but rather for your guidance and expertise as a New Orleans social media insider!)

If you’d like more information, please let me know. If you’re not sure you can co-host, but would like to attend Sunday’s dinner or any of Monday’s events, we’d love to have you join us as well. I know it’s a holiday weekend, but I’d love to hear back from you by Tuesday of next week so we can begin to firm up the day!

Thanks so much. Hope to talk to you soon,

Karen

PS- Ogilvy Public Relations is a governing member of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association and our outreach is governed by the Ogilvy PR Blogger Outreach Code of Ethics.

Karen Untereker
Digital Strategist | 360 Digital Influence

OK - so now I have to suggest a few places for Noah to drive the Ford Taurus on Monday: The Roosevelt New Orleans (which just re-opened), Jackson Square and down to the French Market - past WIST studios (hint hint- need sponsors Ford). Gotta drive by the Superdome, maybe through the Garden District, and by Loyola University. Oh - past some cemeteries would be cool too. Gosh - I have so much more to see myself (2 1/2 years now).

The most diverse group in the world that I invited but adore each and every one of them and thank them for accepting the newbie with open arms:
* Charlotte Ash - @charlotteAsh - http://www.charleyana.wordpress.com
* Ed Branley - @yatpundit - http://yatpundit.com/ http://food.yatpundit.com/
* Jeff Crouere - http://ringsidepolitics.com/
* @nolanotes - http://www.nolanotes.com/

Chris’s guests so far…he is looking for 1 more.
* Tiffany Starnes - @tiffanystarnes - http://notsodorisdays.blogspot.com/
* Justin Shiels - @curioustribe - http://curioustribe.com/
* Brian Bordainick - @9wfieldofdreams - http://9thwardfieldofdreams.com/blog

This will be soooo much fun - thanks Ford!

This will be my first year attending Tales of the Cocktail, here is my previous post on it. I’ll be Tweeting @kissmygumbo and sharing my experiences on Facebook and this blog (drinking and blogging warning). Here is a little breakdown of my weekend schedule:

FRIDAY
Will be heading down to check into the W. I’ll register for Tales and shmooze around the Hotel Moteleone (headquarters for Tales).

8:30 PM: USBG Caipirinha Competition at Pat O’s on the water

Join Leblon Cachaça and the United States Bartenders Guild as some of the top bartenders muddle their way to victory at this year’s Caipirinha Competition. 18 bartenders from 9 cities have been chosen to represent their chapter to compete for the top prize and a golden muddler to bring back to the winning city Sponsored by: Leblon Cachaça, Pat O’Briens on the River, Über Bar Tools, Food & Beverage Magazine

SATURDAY
9:00 AM central: my radio show will be live from the Carousel Bar with my co-host Chuck Collins. WOOT WOOT!!!

My guests will be Debbie Rizzo representing House of Bols, Martin Miller from Martin Miller’s Gin
Andrea Thornton from the Hotel Monetleone, Stephen Beaumont from Waldorf Beer and author of

6:30 PM: Seven Deadly Sins

In celebration of our 7th anniversary we are once again hosting the popular Sippin with 7 event. The 2009 theme is 7 Deadly Sins.
Sponsored by: Fentimans Botanically Brewed Beverages, 10 Cane Rum, Kubler Absinthe, New Orleans Living Magazine & Television, Tommy Bahama Rum, Cabana Cachaça , Corazon Tequila, Nola.com, Scorpion Mezcal, Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka

I’m looking forward to this weekend so much!!!! Oh - and I haven’t mentioned the Sunday event with bloggers and Ford motors…more to come.

Cpl. Reynold Armand
21 years old from Rochester, New York
2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
August 7, 2007

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com with help from Kathi

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Ups, downs, highs, lows and I’m not just talking about what happens to me if I don’t get my hormone pills (seriously, 1 day without and I may hurt someone). Life is a rollercoaster, each day is a continuous ride…yadayadayada….and yours truly realizes she is on a pretty damn good ride. Evaluating the bumps and figuring out which ones I can get over and which ones need to be run over, is a constant challenge. I used to work with a gal in Florida whose favorite expression was, “Like a small picket fence, I’ll get over it,” that sums up most things. If you know me by now, by damn hamster NEVER stops running on the wheel inside my head either. Thank goodness there is a lot of fluff in there and I’m not a genius, or I certainly be one that would remembered for going mad and chopping off an ear or something.

Last week I was cruising through life, analyzing lots of things and situations, the usual. I try and juggle as much as I can voluntarily and occasionally one ball gets thrown in that I didn’t anticipate. For me last week, it was a series of small bouncy balls and one medicine ball, one that involved another in distress. I handled it the best way possible at the time, but second guessed myself. It turned out OK in the end but it really threw this camper for a loop. Afterwards, I put my tiara on and was thankful that a much needed family weekend away was in order. We had a fabulous time and it helped me realize that I may have been sweating too many of the stupid bouncy balls lately. I should just crush them in my hands and deal with the medicine balls. I think the toughest thing in life (and we can all agree) is the things we have no control over. Yep, the hardest to take.

So…after a weekend of family, friends and sunshine…I once again have my head on straight and realize how wonderful my life is. Life is so short and precious and rewarding. My kids, my husband, my family, my friends (many who are like family), and my contributions to society are all that really matters. My friend told me last week that everything else with a career will fall into place for me soon, because of who I am and what I do. I won’t sweat that right now as that is probably a self-imposed bowling ball:)

A CELEBRATION DAY

Today is America’s Birthday
so wave those banners high
be thankful for your freedom
as fireworks light the sky

Celebrate with honor
wear the colors proud
salute the flag Old Glory
show American pride

Hats off to America
land of the free and brave
our country stands united
God Bless the USA

Have a wonderful 4th of July…

~Rose Marie Streeter~

c/p at Hooah Wife

1. Who is @kissmygumbo?
My name is Greta Perry and I’m just some 41 yo stoopid housewife (hate that word - but I never sit on the couch and eat bon-bons), mom of 3 who supports the troops and bleeds red white and blue. Nah - actually I’m a little more complex than that:) You’ll have to read my bio for the rrrreeeeeesssst…of the story.

2. What drives me?
My husband retired from the Army in 2006 and I chose Soldiers’ Angels (actually it chose me) as the non-profit I would work with permanently. This happened after Patti Patton-Bader, the founder, invited me to spend a day at Walter Reed Army Medical Center during a Milblog conference in 2007. I realize how effective I (yes, there is an I sometimes) can be as a volunteer to help the troops and their families and put my heart and soul into it (sometimes neglecting having a hot meal on the table or keeping the house 100% spotless). Needs arise every day and some days it is morning until night SA - all as a volunteer! Yes, I would love to be paid for doing what I do - that would be a dream come true!!!!

3. How was #militarymon created?
Carson Daly and yours truly put our heads together to create this. Read here and here for that.

4. What is the mission of #militarymon?
To recognize our Veterans, those who are currently serving, honor our fallen heroes, recognize military family members, talk about military topics, recognize the Milblog community, recognize resources and non-profits that support the troops and let those serving know we support them!

5. What do I personally gain from #militarymon?
The satisfaction of knowing that this concept might work. Getting thank you’s from heroes and their families and being able to connect a hero or family member with resources. I have not used it to drive traffic to this blog (a banner day is 300 visitors) or my other one or beg for sponsors for my radio show ( I reserve that for other days & I really do need sponsors). All good things come back to you and that in itself is enough for me.

6. What are the issues with #militarymon?
I’ve heard from people trying to make money off of it, those that think Carson and I chit chat on the phone every day and want me to pass him a message and grumbling from people about getting the hashtags wrong. There also is a contest now, and though I don’t endorse or promote it, it is America and last time I checked, I do not control anyone else (heck, I can’t even get my kids to do their chores without a struggle). Some have found this contest disrespectful. Hopefully, we can all just put our differences aside and work together as a community! No time for squabbling, there is a war going on!

7. What is the future of #militarymon?
Well…if we all stand strong and unite, this will be a wonderful tool looked at by the world (who is now on Twitter - except my Mother - please don’t tell her about it) to show and recognize and strengthen the online presence of the military. I’m working on a growing database with others that will go public when it is complete (but it will need lots of tending to).

8. How can you help with #militarymon?
Every Monday come up with unique Tweets (Retweets don’t count you can replace RT with via) and add #militarymon to them. Link blogs and resources in your posts and thank people for their service. The #followfriday style is fine, but we are so much more than that. We need to reach out to the news and celebrities and those with mass Twitter followings to get them on board. We want this trend to grow and we must reach out to others to help that!

9. What does Carson think of all this?
Well, according to some of our conversations through Twitter, all he ever wanted to do is recognize the military on Twitter. He never thought it would become so complex. He will keep doing what he intended and will continue to support the troops as he does! He has my utmost respect and gets a big Hooah! from me.

10. What plans do I have for next Monday?
Monday is laundry day and hopefully I’ll be tending to only a mild weekend hangover. I’ll swim a mile and maybe run, try not to kill my children, feed my 4 cats, walk my dog and spend waaaay too much time on the computer TWEETING!!!! When hubby gets home from work, I’ll call for pizza!

FYI - my Twitter account is broken and I don’t even show up in their search - UGH!

Hubby and I will be down in the Quarter on the 10th and 11th, staying at the W Hotel. I’ll have my radio show live from the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone on the 11th at 9AM (hope I’m not hungover). I’ve got a full line-up of guests who will be in town for the event. Very excited about my last one who makes BEER COCKTAILS!!!! Woot woot!

I’ll keep you posted about all this and will be drunk Twittering and blogging while I’m there. OMG - I’ll be sampling on air for an hour - that is dangerous!!!

On with the post……soooo….I’m on Twitter this afternoon and see this Tweet from my left-wing friend @yatpundit

RT @charyl: I eagerly await the multiple Red State diaries screaming about her mistreatment of the flag. http://bit.ly/NL7Cv

This tweet brought me over to Balloon Juice and then to The Daily Dish which brought me to the picture that bares scrutinizing, even by me, a conservative who like Sarah.

I recently did a segment on my radio show segment (half way through) about flag etiquette with John Donovan of Arrgghhh!!!. This was not using your brain Sarah. No, it is not the worst thing in the world, but it borders on disrespectful. When you are in the public eye and everyone is waiting for you to mess up - this one screamed “d’oh.”

Yours truly would be happy to grace the cover of Runner’s World some day and would certainly be honored to have a flag hung properly in the background. And yes, I’m still envious of Sarah’s great athletic shape.

Others talking about this Argghhh! and Blackfive