CityMama™

Blogalicious '09: Wish I could just bottle up this feeling and take it with me everywhere

I've been busy for the past couple of weeks getting ready to attend the Blogalicious Conference in Atlanta. My company, Clever Girls Collective, was an official sponsor and hosted one of the parties which was such a blast! (More on that in another post!)

Swag bags in the Clever Girls Suite--We match the swank decor!

When I first heard about Blogalicious, I knew I wanted to attend, but to be able to be there as a partner--to help to support the efforts of Justices Jones, Fergie and Ny--was a distinct honor. Their vision became a reality last weekend and every aspect of the conference, down to the very last detail, was a reflection of their grace, wisdom, community-building skills, and, most importantly, welcoming and generous spirit.

Panel session on social media basics

I made new friends that I can't wait to see again.

My soul was filled by seeing old friends and being able to just bask in their presence without feeling hurried or rushed or interrupted.

I saw incredible beauty. Everywhere.

I shared smiles that I will remember for a long, long time.

I had inspiring conversations with so many women that my brain hasn't stopped spinning long enough yet for me to process (and act upon) everything I heard.

I delivered opening remarks about where we've come since 2007 when a marketer famously told me regarding reaching out to women of color, "We just don't know what to do with you" to an audience empowered to foment change. (The take-away after this weekend: Look out, marketers.)

I witnessed the generosity and camaraderie that make small women's conferences so great and can't stop thinking that niche conferences are the way to go.

For a weekend, I was immersed in a world that felt right and real and like home and I can't wait for next year.

Weekend on Mackinac Island

Words cannot possibly do Mackinac Island, Michigan justice.  And neither do the pictures, quite frankly. It is far more spectacular in person.  You'll just have to go.

No, really.  Put this place on your bucket list.

We went on an 8 mile bike trip around the island today and after returning the bikes to the rental shop, I turned a corner and was greeted by this "Grand" lady. Hello, gorgeous.

Weekend in Southern Oregon: Antiques and Wineries

I went up to Southern Oregon with a couple of girlfriends—and no kids, woohoo!—this weekend.  Our goal was to check out the annual antiques fair in the hopes of scoring some excellent, tax-free finds.  My personal goal was to have a tamale at the Southern Oregon Grower's Market (mission deliciously accomplished), to relax after a couple of very busy weeks, and to spend time with my brother and his kids which is always a pleasure.

The antiques fair was well-worth it despite the searing heat.  We all found lots of treasures for not too much money.  My favorite find was a copy of Conran's The House Book published in 1974.  I was eyeing my parents' worn copy at my brother's house and even asked him if I could borrow it. Not necessary!  The next day, Alisyn found a copy (with cover!) on an antique store book shelf and after negotiating a 10% discount, it came home with me. 

My brother gifted us moms with belated Mother's Day gifts-- tickets to the Applegate Valley wineries' barrel tasting event so we spent Sunday afternoon at Wooldridge Creek, Troon, and Schmidt wineries tasting their selections.

On Monday we were back on the road heading down I-5 hoping to make it home before school got out, which we did. I came home to a nice, clean house (thanks, J!) and a two hour power nap. It was a great time.

Here are some of my favorite pics from the weekend:

Saturday night dinner: grilled veggies and grass-fed tri-tip from the farmer's market and wild, local salmon caught in the Rogue River by my sister. The yellow bowl holds grilled spring onions, garlic, and jalapeños.

At the Antiques Fair.

20% off Bauer bowls in my favorite colors...

Home

Our flight to San Francisco was as uneventful as the flight to Hawaii. Wallie, who was feeling a little warm to the touch and possibly slightly feverish, slept almost the whole way home. Bunny watched a couple of movies and I did a little work writing up our trip as a travel article.

When we landed, J. said, "Was the flight over this easy?"

"Yep," I responded.

"Well, shoot. We're flying everywhere now!"

Despite having two more bags than we started with, we packed everything, including ourselves into our teensy car and made it home just ahead of the pizza guy whom we called from the freeway.

When we pulled up to the house our driveway was covered with newspapers since I forgot to have the deliveries stopped while J. was gone. The hydrangea on the front porch was dead, a sure sign of a lifeless house, but still, no one robbed the place. Amazing.

What's that smell?  J. didn't change the bedding or clean out the coffee pot (including the coffee grounds in the filter), and left wet laundry in the washer for a week. But despite the house smelling like mold and stank, it was, at least, clean.

I went from room to room like a little kid looking at and touching everything. The girls' rooms were just as we left them—beds made, stuffed animals keeping watch—and Bunny immediately went to check on all her horses in their stable.

The girls were scrub-a-dubbed in the tub, then they had a slice of pizza and went to sleep in their own beds for the first time in a month. I can tell that they are happy to be home.

Just now I swept up a little sand that fell out of our suitcase and got a little wistful, but I can't wait to putter in the yard tomorrow and take a long walk through our neighborhood.

Peaceful, gecko-free house, o how I miseed you!

Postcard from Hawaii

It's been a fun (and tiring) month. Yesterday Bunny said, "I don't remember what my room looks like."

Time to go home.

Bunny with yellow hibiscus.

Pleh. Sand.

Hello, goggles!

My little Hawaiian girl.

I'm in Honolulu for a month...

So I won't be cooking at home as much.  I will be sharing lots of photos, however, starting with these.

Dim Sum lunch at Mei Sum in Honolulu's Chinatown. The cart-pushers are incredibly rude (you say "excuse me" and they look at you with disgust and roll right by you), but the waitress/manager fell in love my kids (she was so sweet, pinching their cheeks and encouraging them to eat) and that sorta made up for the bad service. Plus, the dim sum was amazing.

assorted dim sum

you are rude but them baskets on your cart contain yumminess.

my sesame ball!


custard tartlets

Don't be envious, I'm working my tail off

honolulu, sunset ("my grandfather's island")*

I'm serious. I could be anywhere, I've seen more of my laptop than the beach. Which brings me to this:

Have you checked out the newest Babble blogs yet? (No? Go now!)

For you celeb goss junkies, may I present: FameCrawler. The bloggers, people you know and love, are bringing it.

For the product fiends, Droolicious, is baby and kid gear central. The Droolicious bloggers, some more people you know and love, are scouring the ends of the earth for the most fabulous, interesting, and useful baby gear they can find. P.S. If you have a product you'd like featured, email me!
.
.
.
The blogs launched while I was on a plane to Honolulu. Despite my angst and worry about not being available for half a day during the launch, it actually was a fantastic flight. The girls and I had a marvelous time. I brought just enough snackage and diversions (a video iPod loaded with movies and the first season of WonderPets is a godsend, lemme tell you), and best of all, they are old enough to entertain themselves while mamma gets up to go to the bathroom. Wallie fell asleep for a couple hours, Bunny worked on her giant book of kindergarten activities (the girls is a dot-to-dot addict, it's her "sudoku"), and I actually got read Harper's and doze. Finally, we've hit the point where we can travel with relative ease. Like normal people.

I haven't slept much since I've been here, because I've been working. And checking email. And putting out fires. And did I mention I'm working? Our beloved sitter from San Francisco, "Adridri," arrived tonight so hopefully my kids will be able to enjoy their time here. She's with us for two weeks, and for two weeks we will love all over her and treat her like the queen that she is.

We haven't actually dipped our toes into the Pacific yet since my kids prefer to swim in the pool at my mom's. No pesky sand there, though it is weird to be in the pool and have the beach be literally 10 steps away. The pool water is salty from the ocean.

Both days we visited the pool, it was empty. "No kids are in the pool," noticed Bun who remembered the kid-fest that was last winter. Today when went to swim, two guys were walking towards the pool with towels and Bun perked up. Full of hope, she exclaimed, "Oh, good!  The pool isn't alone!"  But...then...the guys walked past the pool and headed out to the beach.

Bunny took it all in then walked to the edge of the pool and said, "Don't worry, pool. We'll keep you company!"  And then she jumped in to the inviting blueness.

I can't wait until the end of the month when my real vacation starts. Then I will really be able to keep the pool company, too, instead of just passing time.

*man-made island designed by my grandfather who was a landscape architect

The thing about business trips

On the way down the Southern California on Friday, I was all "Woohoo!  No kids for the day!" Before the flight Beth, Charlene and I bought a stack of trashy mags and spent the entire flight doing our own Oscar red carpet commentary. Seriously. The E! Channel should hire us next year.

On the way home, I was willing the plane to fly faster. Plus the guy next to me had his arms crossed the entire flight which had me leaning into the aisle for 50 minutes because I don't like touching strangers. When I arrived home, I found J. and the girls snuggled up on the couch watching a movie and they barely looked up. They had so much fun with Pops they didn't have time to miss me.

How was the meeting? Short (and marked by the most egregious meeting hijack I have ever witnessed), but it was nice to briefly catch up with other bloggers and even nicer to finally meet others that I've admired from afar.

Next time I travel, family comes with. As much as I talk a good talk about wanting a vacation away from my kids, it's all bullshit. I'm not ready.

To the hen party in the swimming pool (a rant)

Wow, this post sure pissed off the anti-child contigent who say lovely things like "die breeders," if I get pregnant I should give myself and abortion with a "rusty coat hanger," and "you (parents) should all be killed with a chainsaw,"  therefore comments are closed (something I think I've only done once before). Note: this pool isn't at an exercise club or a spa, this is a complex where the pool (as the rules state) is for everyone's enjoyment. Not all the people in the class were elderly, just the ones being jerks, and we've put up with their crankiness and stink-eye for years. When we see people swimming laps, we move to the side.  When adults are in a circle talking we move away so we don't bother them. We keep the kids quiet so as not to disturb the people relaxing and tanning, but we're "entitled" and others who don't provide the same courtesy aren't? Yeah.

As stated in the title, this is a rant. If you don't like rants, don't read this post.

Every morning we've waited patiently in the shallow end of the pool for your "water aerobics" class to finish. We haven't complained once that we're penned in by your flock which takes up almost the entire pool for over an hour while you bounce and twist in waist-deep water and talk about what kind of Chinese food you ate last night under the guise that you are "exercising."

I'd love to be able to swim laps or even get to the deep end without having to get out of the pool, walk around it and get in on the other side because you stretch yourselves out across the entire width of the pool.

We've ignored your dirty looks when our children accidentally splash you because they are having fun. We remind not to kick near you or jump in near you, but they are young. They don't always remember to be as courteous as we'd like them to be. Plus, you're in a friggin' pool.

I fully realize that most of the people in the complex don't have young children, and you aren't used to seeing them in the pool all year. But in the summer and in the winter, when children and grandchildren come to visit, the thing they want to do most in get into that pool and swim.

So when one of you pinched, cackling hens muttered under your breath that you'd "sure like to call security on the kids and have them kicked out of the pool," you betchyerass we went off on you. All I can say is you are lucky that I needed to take Bunny on a bathroom run and it wasn't me.

When I came out and my brother was telling you (as politely as he could muster) that you were (essentially) being assholes, I was delighted. It was long overdue. When he asked you if you remember what it was like being kids and you stared as if you had no idea what he was talking about,
I wanted to line you up along the side of the pool and force you to do cannonballs. I know you are old, but you're not that old. After all, you slip on your sensible-legged suits and get your wrinkled asses into the pool every day.

As for the Bird Lady with the "Irish menopause haircut"* and receding chin (a.k.a. the woman who made the bitchy "security guard" comment). You were nosing around the pool today (as you have done for years) while we—along with about 6 other kids—were having a fanfuckingtastic time. I'm sure you hated the fact that when the security guard walked by on his rounds and Bunny and Wallie waved "Hi Police Officer!" (as they do every day), he replied with a warm "Aloha, kids!"

Maybe it's time for some of you to revisit the movie Cocoon.

*Another brilliant term coined by my friend Bad Kitty to describe that short, "no muss, no fuss" haircut that "women of a certain age" tend to get.

Scenes from Christmas in Hawaii

A Christmas tree adorned with leis. So pretty.

Pink muumuus and flashing reindeer antlers.

My mom and her Jimmy Choo fabulosity. Yes, those are rhinestones on her toes.

Victorian carolers at a Christmas party. They looked hot but sounded beautiful.

Christmas decor, island-style.

Barefoot Santa and "Tutu" Claus wearing muumuu and kukui nut lei. (grrrr!) The light post is blocking his "Shaka, brah!"  hand sign.


My mom forced us to wear ridiculous muumuus to a holiday party because she told us everyone else would be wearing one. ...We were the only ones.


Christmas morning.

For more photos, click here.