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Cool New Tech Products for the Summer

Lolli — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 03:12:25 +0000

This past week, I spent the day at the Tech and Travel Luncheon at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC (check out the VIEW from this room that I posted on Instagram!).

While at the luncheon, we were able to meet with major tech brands showcased by the Consumer Technology Association as well as tour the gorgeous historic hotel (just down the street from the White House, no less!). The luncheon, a small travel fee, and some fun tech swag were provided but all thoughts within this post are my own. Amazon affiliate links are used in this post.

I love being introduced to new tech products. I swear I felt like I kid in a toy store when I met with the men and women from the Consumer Technology Association and had the chance to play around with some of their favorite tech products.

Here are a few of the products that we got to test out (and some, we even got to bring home!):

HButler Orbit Key Finder

Did you know? The average person loses 9 items per day…and the most misplaced items are cell phones, keys, and paperwork. While I can’t help you with your lost paperwork, the Orbit is better than a mom at finding lost things!

Put it on your keys and use your phone to find your missing keys. Can’t find your keys? Open up the Orbit app on your phone and find your keys. Voila!

But perhaps my favorite part of the Orbit? You can use the Orbit device on your key ring as a selfie remote. We had lots of fun testing that out!

You can get the Orbit HERE

OlloClip

I LOVE taking pictures with my phone, but sometimes I wish I had a little more control over the pictures I take. A few years ago and as many phones ago, I had a lens that I could attach to my phone’s camera with a little magnet ring I attached to my phone. Once I got rid of that phone, I could no longer use the lenses.

I fell in love with the OlloClip – the lenses stay together in a convenient clip that fits right onto your phone. It has a FISHEYE lens; unscrew fisheye lens to reveal MACRO 15X. On the other side, it has a WIDE-ANGLE lens; unscrew wide-angle lens to reveal MACRO 10X. How awesome is that?

Buy the OlloClip HERE

Waka Waka Power+

Does your phone ever run low on battery when you’re out and about? I’m guessing it does – I know it’s a constant problem for me. The solution…carry along a portable power source! Waka Waka showcased two devices that stand out above the rest, and I’ll let them tell you why…

When you buy a WakaWaka, you give Light! With every purchase, a solar light will be given to leading humanitarian aid organization, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), to provide to a child or family living without access to electricity. Included in each WakaWaka Power+ package is a unique Give Code, which allows you to go online and choose which project around the word you want your Give One to go.

1.2 billion people around the world have no access to electricity, and hundreds of millions more face regular blackouts. The effects of this energy poverty are enormous. Lacking power and light severely reduces the quality of life. Kerosene lamps are widely used for lighting, yet they are very inefficient, dangerous and expensive, and have extensive health and environmental drawbacks.

WakaWaka (‘Shine Bright’ in Swahili) develops, manufactures and markets high-tech low-cost solar powered lamps and chargers that are indispensable products both in the developing world and in developed markets. Using the latest in patented solar technology, developed by our partner and market leader Intivation, the WakaWaka Light and WakaWaka Power are true lifesavers for those without electricity.

You can get the Waka Waka Power+ HERE or find out more about Waka Waka products, including the Waka Waka Base 10 on their site.

TinyPhones by JVC

Tinyphones are compact kids headphones ideal for travel…and perfectly fit and designed for kids’ ears. How often do your kids ask to use your headphones on trips? I worry about hearing damage from too much headphone use….but not anymore!

Get TinyPhones by JVC HERE.

Knomo Elektronista Clutch

About the gorgeous Knomo Elektronista Clutch: Designed with Danish blogger and Broadcaster, Christiane Vejlø, the Elektronista is a luxury clutch bag that unfolds into a practical organiser to keep digital devices, cables & other essentials sorted. An integrated battery keeps you charged on the go.

I wish I could have taken this beautiful clutch home. It looks incredibly stylish, has a place to hold all my tech, AND charges my devices? Who wouldn’t love this purse?

You can get your very own Knomo Clutch HERE.

Adobe Spark

See that graphic up at the top of this post? That was created using Adobe Spark (along with a coordinating featured image to be shown on my home page (go take a peek – I love how it turned out!). It’s so easy to create gorgeous images for social media and blog posts. The coolest thing about Adobe Spark, other than the fact that it’s FREE to use, is that you can create one image and with a click of a button create different sized images for your different platforms. Try Adobe Spark out for yourself HERE.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella On Tour

Lolli — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 20:39:37 +0000

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella tickets, photos, and production information were provided, but all thoughts are my own. Affiliate links used within post.

Chances are, you’ve seen Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on TV. I loved the original 1957 Julie Andrews version growing up, and am still a huge fan of the 1997 remake starring Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother. But did you know that just a few years ago (2013) Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella debuted on Broadway in a brand new stage version? I had the great privilege of attending the opening night performance of Cinderella at the National Theatre in DC this past Wednesday night, and I fell in love with the music and the story and the characters all over again. Note: Cinderella is at the National Theatre for a limited engagement from November 18-29, 2015. There are still tickets available!

Andy Huntington Jones, Kaitlyn Davidson, and the Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella tour company, making its Washington-area premiere at the National Theatre November 18 – 29, 2015. Photo © Carol Rosegg.

What I Thought of Cinderella:

I have seen several Broadway shows over the years, but I was particularly captivated by the performance of Cinderella this week. It was magical!

One of the things that stood out to me about Cinderella was that it was so family-friendly. I brought my 16-year-old daughter with me, and she commented before the performance that she loved that there were so many kids and teenagers there. There were several little girls sitting right behind us in the theater, and I loved hearing their comments every now and then throughout the night. One of my favorites was “Did that really happen? I don’t think that was real. I think I am just imagining that!” She was referring to Cinderella’s magical transformation from “country bumpkin” to beautiful princess. The three dress transformations (two for Cinderella and one for the Fairy Godmother) are truly spectacular (lots of oohs and ahhs from the audience). Even though I knew that the dresses would change on stage, I was still impressed when I saw it happen live.

Liz McCartney and Kaitlyn Davidson from the Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella tour | Photo © Carol Rosegg

The cast was perfect…my favorites were Madame and Cinderella (with Prince Topher and the step sisters close behind). The script was flawlessly acted and the songs were beautifully sung. I thought that the humor was very nicely sprinkled throughout the performance and seemed very natural. And since there were so many children in attendance, it was very appreciated that the humor was family-friendly, too. There was a wonderful chemistry between the cast, too, which I loved.

(L to R) Blair Ross, Kaitlyn Davidson, Aymee Garcia and Kimberly Fauré from the Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella tour | Photo © Carol Rosegg

About Cinderella’s Touring Cast:

Kaitlyn Davidson steps into the glass slippers in the title role of Cinderella, which she also understudied in the Broadway production. Davidson previously played the role of Gabrielle on tour. Andy Huntington Jones plays the role of Prince Topher, Cinderella’s dashing love interest. Jones was a member of the original Broadway company of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella where he understudied the role of Prince Topher.

The touring cast also features Liz McCartney (Annie, Phantom of the Opera) as Marie, the Fairy Godmother; Blair Ross (Side Show, Jekyll & Hyde) as Madame, Ella’s wicked stepmother; David Andino (50 Shades! The Musical) as Jean-Michele; Kimberly Fauré (R+H’s Cinderella, Bullets Over Broadway) as Gabrielle; Aymee Garcia (Shrek The Musical, Avenue Q) as Charlotte; Blake Hammond (Living on Love, First Date) as Sebastian; and Chauncey Packer (Porgy & Bess First National Tour) as Lord Pinkleton.

Kaitlyn Davidson from the Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella tour | Photo © Carol Rosegg

One of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s most popular titles, Cinderella was written for television — debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews. In 2013, the show made its long-overdue Broadway debut. Along with Cinderella, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s legendary musicals include OKLAHOMA!, Carousel, The King and I, South Pacific, and The Sound of Music.

The creative team includes scenic design by Tony® Award nominee Anna Louizos, costume design by six-time Tony® Award-winner William Ivey Long, lighting design by Tony® Award-winner Kenneth Posner and sound design by Tony® Award nominee Nevin Steinberg.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella tour company | Photo © Carol Rosegg

The CINDERELLA tour is produced by Robyn Goodman, Jill Furman, Stephen Kocis, Edward Walson, Venetian Glass Productions, The Araca Group, Caiola Productions, Roy Furman, Peter May, Sanford Robertson, Eric Schmidt, James Spry and Blanket Fort Productions.

For more information, visit thenationaldc.com or CinderellaOnBroadway.com, where you can see if the tour is coming to a city near you!

About the National Theatre

Celebrating its 180th anniversary this year, the National Theatre opened in 1835 and is one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in the nation. Over the years, the National, located at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., has hosted a multitude of memorable events, including the pre-Broadway presentations of the musicals Show Boat; Hello, Dolly!; and West Side Story. Many of the world’s greatest performers have graced the National Theatre stage including Angela Lansbury, Robert Redford, George C. Scott, Will Rogers, Helen Hayes, James Earl Jones, Eartha Kitt, Sir Laurence Olivier, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, Katherine Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Ian McKellen, Debbie Reynolds, and Audrey Hepburn.

Connect with Cinderella and the National Theatre:

facebook.com/NationalTheatreWashingtonDC
twitter.com/NatTheatreDC
Hashtag: #NTCinderella

I’m Giving Away 5 FREE Songs From Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella!

I love the music of Cinderella! While I was at the National Theatre, I was given several codes for 5 free song downloads and was encouraged to give them away. If you would like 5 free song downloads from Cinderella, simply let me know by commenting below and I was email you a code. First come, first served. I will update this post when all codes are claimed. You can preview the songs here (included in the free download are tracks 4, 7, 10, 13, 22).

Madame Tussauds DC #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 03:37:16 +0000

I have to start off by saying that this week has taken a lot out of me. I am sitting down to write this post with hardly an ounce of energy left in me. So don’t mistake my lack of words in this post to mean that I didn’t have a blast with my kids in DC this week. Because I did. We had a blast together.

I received a last-minute invitation to attend a press day at Madame Tussauds DC to welcome back Albert Einstein to the museum (which means that our admittance was free, but photos and enthusiasm are my own). Since we were free that day…and since Albert Einstein is one of my son, AJ’s, heroes, I figured we should jump at the chance to check out the museum.

I didn’t know before we left that we would also be catching the last day of the Royal family (which was my personal favorite exhibit).

Did you know that Madame Tussauds DC location has wax figures of all 44 Presidents of the United States? They’ve also got many historical figures, celebrities, media, athletes, and more. I found it a fascinating and educational place – for both the kids and for me. I loved seeing the kids get excited about seeing a figure from history that they had learned about in school.

Here are a few of the highlights from our trip. Do you recognize all of the people we ran into?

This is my favorite selfie of the day. AJ was desperate to get a selfie with another A.J. (Andrew Jackson) and he couldn’t figure out how to get both of their faces in the shot at the same time.

This selfie cracks me up…because it looks almost real to me.

And this one may have been the most fun selfie of the day:

What have you been up to this week? Link up your favorite shots from this week!

An InLinkz Link-up