Like many of you who attended Blogher, I'm still recovering! It's taken a little longer than expected since I seem to have picked up a rather nasty bug from one of the 3,500 or so ladies I spent the weekend with. I hate being sick! It really gets me down. So I decided to cheer myself up by doing a little GIVEAWAY!
I admit it, I'm a Ross-aholic!
Before Blogher, I was contacted by the good folks at Ross Dress for Less to do a follow up post to the "Dress for Less" challenge we did a couple of months ago. THIS time, it's all about "Back to School". How much "Back to School" swag can I score at Ross for $25? A LOT!
Since I generously gave my "Blogher Bug" to my daughter, I figured she needed some cheering up too. So I found some seriously peppy school supplies that will keep her smiling well into the fall. WARNING: the following photo contains quantities of pink that may be unsuitable for cynical readers.
Here's the breakdown:
$10 Hello Kitty Backpack
$7 Hello Kitty Lunchbox
$2 Disney Princess notebook with matching pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, memo pad and calculator
$2 Assorted pink fancy hair scrunchy-thingys
$4 4-pack pink socks
NOT BAD, right? Think you can do better? Then BRING IT. That's right, I'm challenging one of you to take the Ross "Back to School" Challenge! One of you will win a $25 Ross gift card to help your kid(s) look forward to Fall.
Here's how to enter:
1. Leave a comment sharing what part of "Back to School" you're most looking forward to.
2. Like Ross Dress for Less on Facebook and leave a comment saying you did (or leave a comment letting us know you already do)
3. Like Nacho Mama's Blog on Facebook and leave a comment saying you did (or leave a comment letting us know you already do)
Maximum 3 entries per person, US residents only. Contest closes midnight PST, August 14th. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org and announced here Monday, August 15th.
Wishing you love and GOOD LUCK with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
PS-Those heels I wore while dancing in the Blogher flashmob? Got 'em at Ross.
Disclosure: The items mentioned in this post and the gift card for the giveaway were gifted by Ross Dress for Less. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own, folks.
Me and 174 close friends FLASHMOB @Blogher photo via Manny Ruiz
Hello Everyone!
Well, it's the day after Blogher and I am BEAT!! The food, the drink, the friends-it was all a GIGANTE BLAST! (plus? I got soooo many questions about my cute Jockey Person to Person clothes!)
I'm way too pooped to do a real post about it right now, but I wanted to share one of the highlights of the whole conference for me: I DANCED IN A FLASHMOB! It was put together by sistah Momfia-members Theresa (@rockonmommies) and Mary (@mamamaryshow) and somehow 175 gabby bloggers managed to keep #OPERATIONGLORY a secret for weeks!
While I recover from last nights closing festivities-please enjoy this video taken by one of the 3,000+ bloggers who were there (I'm in the font row, middle left of the screen, in my black and hot pink Jockey Person to Person, of course!)
Thanks again to my wonderful sponsors, Jockey Person to Person-please like their facebook page! I'll be doing a post on the 12 outfits I wore at Blogher (put together from only 10 garments!) a little later.
Wishing you love and RHYTHM with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
*disclosure: I was sponsored to attend Blogher 2011 by Jockey Person to Person, for whom I am a Comfort Consultant. The opinions expressed above are mine and mine alone.
This morning I woke up and saw that my friends and sistah bloggers were on Facebook talking about me. And it was ALL GOOD! Seems I'm the FEATURED BLOGGER at Latina Mom Bloggers. Thanks ladies!! I'm truly honored.
THANK YOU!
I was especially touched that they would post their interview with me right before Blogher, where I'll get to meet so many of my favorite bloggers, many of whom are (you guessed it) Latina Mom Bloggers. You can read it all HERE. And if you are a Latina Mom Blogger, or know one, I hope you'll check out the rest of the site and sign up!
I can't WAIT for Blogher! Now, off to light a vela so that it will cool off a little here in San Diego by then, lol!
Wishing you love and GRATITUDE with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
Hi everyone! I'm still trying to get back into the groove after my whirlwind trip to Chicago. Yes, I was there during "the storm" but I didn't let the lightning and flash floods dampen my spirits! I was there to check out some serious fashion so that I could come back and share all the goodies Jockey Person to Person is offering this fall with YOU.
So what did I see? Many stylish ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages losing their minds for this new collection!
I'm going to just jump right in to the BIG news of the fashion show: Jockey P2P now has JEANS. Let's all just pause for a moment, here. O.M.G! The Jeans. Where to begin? Like everything else in the line, they are comfy, soft and have 4-way stretch. The professional models in the runway show could not stop talking about how much they loved them-and these were women who could wear any jeans on the planet. Believe me when I tell you that I saw 70+ year old, size 18 women who looked HOT in these jeans, ok? They come in 2 styles, Classic Bootcut and Modern Straightleg, which pretty much covers every bodytype out there.
Jockey P2P Classic Bootcut Jeans, $78
Jockey P2P Modern Straightleg Jeans, $78
My other favorite item? The AVIATOR JACKET. So chic! And sooooo comfy too. This is a jacket that you could wear ANYWHERE. I had to have one! It's made from bonded fleece (which makes it uber-soft) and is machine washable. What? That's right, Nacho Mama does NOT do "Dry Clean Only"! I know I'll be reaching for this jacket again and again this fall and winter.
Jockey P2P Aviator Jacket, $169
Jockey P2P is definitely about "value dressing" - EVERY SINGLE PIECE in the collection is extremely versatile and can be worn a number of ways (like the Modal Cardigan). This gives you tremendous bang for your clothing buck and helps us all look fabulous whether we're sitting in a business meeting or chasing our kids-or grandkids!
One of my favorite pieces from last year's collection was P2P's Little Black Dress which, like the cardigan, can be worn dozens of ways. THIS season they've given us this stylish "wardrobe workhorse" in RED! Perfect for the holidays. It is as hard-wearing as it is soft and comfy. I'll be wearing it several different ways at Blogher-you'll just have to wait and see!
Jockey P2P Convertible Dress in "True Love" (also avail. in Black), $95
And here's a video that really showcases how brilliantly designed this dress is, just imagine how cute all these looks will be in RED!
One of the things that most impresses me about this new collection is how well the designers, Sunil Ramchandani and Maria Rosenthal, have integrated new textile technology. I adore this "burnout" fabric; soft enough to be called Jockey and totally on the cutting edge! It comes in an elegant cowl-neck top for $52.00 and a more casual hoodie for $59.00. Like most of the line, it is available in sizes XS to 3X.
I also loved the colors! Of course, Gray is HUGE this fall and "Black is Back" but color-blocking is still a big trend and the Jockey P2P Fall color palette is really fun to play with. I especially love this turquoise/teal, called "Marrakech Turquoise"-
Jockey P2P Ruched Turtleneck in Marrakech Turquoise, $62
And this RICH pink, almost a raspberry, called "Pink Scarlett"-
Jockey P2P Tie Tank in Pink Scarlett, $59 and Crepe Jacket (yes, it's machine washable!) $98
Last but not least, I was THRILLED to see my beloved Modal Convertible Cardigan back in the Marrakech Turquoise, the Pink Scarlett, Black, and this AWESOME Gray and Black stripe!!! Que Rockstar, no?
Jockey P2P Modal Convertible Cardigan in Black/Graphite Stripe, $82
I can't believe it, but in Chicago I actually learned MORE ways to wear the Modal Convertible Cardigan! Did you know it can even be worn as a SKIRT? REALLY! Check out this cool video with Jockey P2P Designer Maria Rosenthal as she demonstrates more ways to wear this versatile, cozy piece in it's new Fall 2011 colors:
Can you stand it? Jockey is also providing me with a 10-piece wardrobe for Blogher. From these 10 pieces I can create 10-16 different looks! These pieces will take me from the seminars to the lunches to the fanciest of parties next weekend, all for well under $50 an outfit . If you're coming to Blogher, I hope we get to meet just so you can FEEL MY CLOTHES! Seriously, I will not be at all offended if you ask to try on my jacket or touch that burnout fabric.
I absolutely adore this company! The clothes get better with every season and they've been so wonderfully supportive of me and all their Comfort Specialists, from it's Founder, Debra Waller, all the way down. PLEASE LIKE JOCKEY PERSON TO PERSON ON FACEBOOK to get their updates and see fun new ways to wear their pieces.
You can click HERE to see the complete Fall 2011 Catalog online, but you really have to try the clothes on for yourself to believe them. Contact your local Comfort Specialist (especially if she happens to be me) to schedule a Jockey P2P Trunk Show or Personal Styling Session.
See you at BLOGHER! Please be sure and look for me-I just might be the cutest blogger there. I'll definitely be the COMFIEST!
Wishing you love with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
Disclosure: I was sponsored to attend Blogher 2011 and view the debut of the Jockey P2P Fall 2011 collection by Jockey Person to Person, for whom I am a Comfort Specialist. The above is my honest, personal opinion and does not reflect the views of anyone but me, folks.
I am SO excited about the Blogher conference! Somehow having it in my own hometown makes it extra special. Of course there's the seminars, and the parties-but what I'm looking forward to most is meeting the bloggers I've been following and chatting with for years. If you're coming to Blogher, you've probably noticed that the conference chatter always leads to "What are you going to wear?"
If you read my previous post, you know that I'll be wearing Jockey Person to Person, since they're sponsoring me to attend Blogher. I don't know exactly what I'll be wearing yet, since my wardrobe is coming from the Fall Collection which becomes available only a few days before the conference. SUSPENSE! This has made it a little challenging to plan very important things like shoes and jewelry, so I decided to start with the hair.
I get a lot of questions about my hair! I guess short hair is still pretty unusual? I went short about 12 years ago because I have a TON of hair and when it was long it 1. Gave me headaches and 2. Never dried. When I lived in the NYC metro area I got my hair cut at Bumble and Bumble in Manhattan (which was awesome) but after we moved back to San Diego, I had a very hard time finding someone to tame the mane. One day I was flipping though a fashion spread in San Diego Magazine and I loved the hair on all the models, so I looked up the stylist and made an appointment. And that's how I found Lisa.
Lisa @Saylula Salon (I designed that desk!)
No one else has touched my hair with a sharp implement in over 9 years. I never tell Lisa "I want you to..." because frankly? She knows about hair and I don't. I completely trust her to do her thing. I've followed her to at least 4 different salons, including her own, Saylula, which we designed together.
I'd put off getting this haircut for aaaaages, mostly because (if you follow me on twitter you know) I've had a very busy summer! My hair is out of control-let's just say I've been wearing a lot of hats! Here I am before:
And here I am after:
Is this the hair style I'll be sporting with my Jockey P2P? You'll have to wait for the tweets to find out!
Thanks Lisa, you're the BEST! If you're in the SD area and want an appointment with Lisa, just contact her at 619-702-6592 or email her at saylula@gmail.com.
Are YOU coming to Blogher? If so, I hope we can meet! Wishing you love with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
I love their clothes, they're pretty much all I wear and I became a comfort specialist with them just for the discount! I am so excited that they're giving me this awesome opportunity. I just wanted to let you all know that I am DEFINITELY going to be attending "the mother of all Social Media conferences". Follow me on twitter @shesnachomama and on facebook-I'll be live tweeting and postin' the entire conference.
I wanted to hurry up and get this posted for you folks right away because I heard that San Diego is going to the #2 Vacation Destination this holiday weekend (after Vegas, can that be true?) I also know that many of you who'll be coming to town for Blogher in August are bringing your families and staying through the weekend to enjoy San Diego. I figured some of you have got to be planning to visit Legoland, and maybe for the first time-like me!
Today my husband, kids and I had the privilege of attending the opening of "Splash Zoo"-a new feature at Legoland Water Park, along with the other moms of San Diego Momfia. It was a BEAUTIFUL day to hang out by the water in a cabana...
The Momfia Cabana at Splash Safari
I have to admit that, until today, it never crossed my mind that I could take my 2-year-old to a waterpark. So when I heard that Splash Zoo was designed for TODDLERS to enjoy the waterpark experience, I was a little concerned that my husband, 8-year-old and I might not be enjoying the day as much as our little guy. I needn't have worried-we had a FABULOUS time! We ALL enjoyed the toddler-safe "lazy rizer" innertube ride, the slides and especially splashing around with the Lego animal fountains. We all had a BLAST!
Now as I mentioned, I was a Legoland virgin. However, I've grown up regularly visiting pretty much every theme park in Southern California. There are things I really love about theme parks: I love rides and OK, I'm a huge sucker for anything with a "theme." There are also things I generally don't care for: pricey food, lack of shade, crowds. Here's what I loved about Legoland:
-The WHOLE family had fun, even though we spent the day in the "little kid" parts of the park.
-Most of the attractions were interactive, like this musical fountain. You can play the different instruments by jumping or dancing on the yellow circular pads. They also had fountains where the kids can aim the water stream at the Lego animals or targets-my kids LOVED those!
-Another thing I REALLY appreciated was the lush landscaping and abundance of shady places to sit. This is a big beef I have with a lot of theme parks. You're tired, maybe your toddler has fallen asleep in his stroller, and you have no choice but to broil while waiting for your older child to go on a ride. This is exactly what happened when my 8-year-old wanted to go to "Volvo Driving School." BUT, instead of turning into a chicharron? I got to sit on a nice cool shady bench to watch my kid drive the Legoland grand prix!
-Although the line to get our tickets was pretty long, it didn't feel crowded inside the park at all. We hit the waterpark at about 11:30 and it didn't start to get busy until we were leaving to visit the main park at about 2:30.
I can't really say what kind of food was on offer. I didn't want to risk being stuck with something my super-picky kids wouldn't be in the mood for, so we packed our own drinks and snacks and had a lovely poolside picnic under one of Splash Safari's GIANT umbrellas (really-they were like a Christo installation!) It was delightful :)
We had "Resort Hopper" passes, but my kids were wiped out after Legoland and the Legoland Water Park, so we didn't get a chance to see the aquarium. I was a little disappointed about that, I love aquariums and it looked pretty awesome! I believe you can pay $10 and extend your passes for an extra day, so that might be something you'd want to consider.
Another tip: instead of taking the exit off Interstate 5 marked for "Legoland" you can get there by taking the Palomar Airport Road exit, then turning left onto Armada. The roundabout will lead you to Legoland. We took this way home and got a jaw-dropping view of the coast, I wish we could have seen it at sunset!
Hope you find these Legoland tips helpful for your next family trip :)
MANY, MANY, THANKS to Legoland and San Diego Momfia for the invite. My kids are already begging to go back!
Wishing you love with extra cheese- Nacho Mama
Disclosure: The tickets to this event were gifted to me by Legoland. The above is my honest opinion and I have not been compensated in any way for what is written here.
If you're one of the 3,000 attendees expected at this year's Blogher conference this August here in San Diego, I hope you've set aside a little time for exploring America's Finest City (yes, I still have trouble typing that with a straight face :) but San Diego is awfully pretty!)
The conference will be downtown at the San Diego Marriott and Convention Center. There are scads of parties being planned all over the city but what about daytime, family or after-hours fun? From the Convention Center, it's just 2.5 miles down Fifth Avenue to my lovable, colorful stomping grounds, the neighborhood of Hillcrest.
R Gang Eatery? Yeah, it's in Hillcrest!
I've compiled a Top 10 list of places in Hillcrest to see, eat and shop for San Diego Momfia. You can check it out HERE! Writing this post kind of reminded me of this...
Because you can buy Kale in Hillcrest too!
