Food Fun Family

There’s a New Queen in Town – Medieval Times’ New Storyline

Lolli — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 20:10:17 +0000

Over the years, I’ve had many opportunities to participate in fun family activities with my husband and kids, and I’ve noticed that there are some outings that are more popular than others. Medieval Times is one place that we’ve been to on several occasions but I can guarantee that my family will be excited and eager to go each time. This past week, I was invited to a media night (along with my daughter) to enjoy the new show, meet and chat with the Queen and Head Knight, and even tour the stables to meet the real stars of the show – the horses! Our meals and entertainment were covered, but all thoughts and opinions and photos are our own.

I must say – after seeing the “old” story line half a dozen times or so, I never got tired of the show. However, seeing a totally new story line this past week totally kept me on my toes! It was exciting and action-packed, and it felt like a natural progression to the show I’d seen so many times before. Don’t worry…I’m not going to spoil anything for you if you haven’t been to Medieval Times recently. Just know that the Queen is WONDERFUL (a true leader!) and there IS a twist at the end that is the perfect way to wrap up the knights’ competition.

About the New Show at Medieval Times

For the first time since 2012, Medieval Times has just unveiled a new storyline, featuring a Queen, at its castle located in Hanover, Maryland at Arundel Mills. The Maryland/DC castle is the 8th Medieval Times location in North America to roll out the new show. This new story line is a major break from Medieval Times’ 35-year tradition of casting a king in the show’s lead role. The queen is now in charge and sole ruler of the land, and inherited the throne after the passing of her father, the previous king. She is a firm but kind ruler, respected throughout the kingdom.

The decision to change the story line to feature a queen was based in part on guest feedback that they would like to see women having more significant roles in the show.

What else is new at Medieval Times?

We love Medieval Times for the hot, four-course feast (eaten with your hands!), jousting, swordplay, and the horses (of course!) – and those elements are still there in abundance. Some of the changes, in addition to the updated script are:

• More than 700 new costumes for all nine castles’ performers, including horses, all of which are custom-designed and handmade at a dedicated costume shop in-house.
• The new suits of armour, shields and helmets are custom-designed and handmade at a dedicated armoury in-house.

• Over 200 team members and 20 horses trained and rehearsed new interactions and fight scenes for three months while still presenting the former show.
• For the first time, audiences will see a Queen riding horseback in the Castle.

• New music was composed by Dr. Daniel May, composer and jazz pianist who scored “Everest” and other films and who worked with Sting, The Moody Blues and others. He directed and recorded Medieval Times’ new show composition in Kiev with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. He directed the choir in Ukraine with lyrics written by poet and choir member, Solomia Gorokhivska, solo cellist, Gloria Caceres, and violinist, Maksym Grinchenko, concertmaster at the National Symphony of Ukraine.

Behind the Scenes at Medieval Times

I loved seeing the horses “backstage” after the show. They are so much bigger up close than I imagined they would be! We were reminded that these horses are work horses – not pets – and at over 1000 lbs each, they are not animals to play around with.

I loved the attitudes of all of the head knight and head horse trainer. They said that the horses didn’t volunteer for this job, so they try to make sure that the horses are treated very well. The horses get more “vacation” days than the people involved in the show – they get to spend a lot of time at the ranch about 15 minutes away from the castle.

Horses used in the Maryland/DC castle, as well as the eight other working castles in North America, are bred and raised on a 280 acre ranch in Texas. Did you know that all of the horses seen at Medieval Times are stallions? They start training at the castles at around three years old, and they practice and exercise every single day. They are athletes and would not be happy if they weren’t exercised regularly.

I can’t wait to go back to Medieval Times again! Have you been? What was your favorite part?

Storks – See it FREE at Tysons Corner

Lolli — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 04:00:32 +0000

I am excited to give 20 family 4-packs of tickets to see an early screening of Storks on Saturday, August 27 at Tysons Corner Center! I’ll be taking my family to see the movie, and would love for a bunch of local friends and their families to see it with us! No compensation has been received for this post – I’m just excited to share this opportunity for DC/MD/VA families to see a movie for free!

Please note: the download links have been a little finicky so if you aren’t led to the correct download page the first time around (it will be very clear), try clicking one of the other links in the post. I have tried and tested the links, and they just seem to have a mind of their own. Apologies for any confusion!

Here are the details:

WHEN: Saturday, August 27 – 11:00 AM

WHERE: AMC Tysons Corner | 7850 Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA 22102

>> Download tickets here (each download is for a 4-pack of tickets!) <<

Please note: These tickets are completely FREE! However, it is important to arrive early to get a seat. Screenings may give out more passes than they have seats for, so to ensure that you get a seat, please arrive up to an hour before the screening time. Also, the above link is limited to 20 downloads. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

About STORKS

Storks deliver babies…or at least they used to. Now they deliver packages for a global internet retail giant. Junior (Andy Samberg), the company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly unauthorized baby girl.

Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in the world.

The animated adventure “Storks” stars Andy Samberg (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “Hotel Transylvania”), Kelsey Grammer (“Toy Story 2,” “The Simpsons”), Katie Crown (Cartoon Network’s “Clarence”), Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele (Comedy Central’s “Key & Peele”), and Danny Trejo (“The Book of Life”).

The film is directed by Nicholas Stoller (“Neighbors,” BAFTA nominee for “Muppets Most Wanted”), and Doug Sweetland (supervising animator on “Cars,” Oscar-nominated director of the animated short “Presto”).

Stoller also wrote the “Storks” screenplay, and serves as a producer along with Brad Lewis (“Ratatouille”). The executive producers are Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa and Jared Stern.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation | In Theaters Friday, September 23, 2016, in 2D and 3D

Rated PG for “mild action and some thematic elements.”

Run time: 86 mins

storksmovie.com| twitter.com/storksthemovie | Instagram.com/storksmovie | www.pinterest.com/storksmovie/ | #Storks

Don’t forget to download your free tickets!

Johnny Rockets Georgetown Restaurant Refresh

Lolli — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 03:10:47 +0000

My family and I were invited to experience Johnny Rockets’ new look at their DC Georgetown location last week. This post has been sponsored by Johnny Rockets, but all thoughts and opinions are my own and my family’s.

Johnny Rockets has a special place in my heart. After my daughter got married this spring…after the wedding and the pictures and the reception were over, the kids went home to grandma and grandpa’s house and my husband and I crashed from exhaustion – both physical and emotional. Being the mother and father-of-the-bride is a big deal.

Because we ended early in the evening and knew that we’d need to eat some real food before the night was over, we decided to walk around the hotel to see if we could find something to eat. Our walk took us to Johnny Rockets, where we were finally able to decompress, relax, and fill our bellies.

We left Johnny Rockets that night feeling so content. It was the perfect way to end the wedding day.

Fast forward to last week, when we finally got the vacation that I had so desperately needed all summer. We were driving home on Friday afternoon, but quickly realized that the DC-area traffic was not going to make it easy for us to get home before we stopped by the media event at Johnny Rockets. We headed to Georgetown straight from our vacation and walked along the canal until it was time for us to check in at the restaurant.

A funny thing happened when we sat down for our dinner. We were tired from our 4+ hour drive. We were sweaty from spending 30+ minutes walking outside in the oppressive heat and humidity that we had last week. But when we started eating, the heat and the fatigue washed away. It was the most perfect way to end our 4-day vacation. Instead of arriving home tired from hours in the car, we got home feeling rested and well-fed.

While we were at Johnny Rockets, we had the chance to sit down with Joel Bulger, Chief Marketing Officer. We got a little off topic as we chatted with Joel – for the first 15 minutes or so, he asked us more questions about us than we asked him about the restaurant! Here are 10 things we learned about Johnny Rockets while we chatted with him:

Johnny Rockets is a global restaurant chain that has been around for 30 years and is in 28 different countries with over 350 restaurants. The Georgetown location has been there for 18 years.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary year, Johnny Rockets is debuting a brand refresh, with a new logo and a “modern evolution” of the iconic images, style, food, and experience that we’ve known and loved for the last 30 years.
Johnny Rockets’ hand-spun shakes are made with premium ice cream – a proprietary blend made just for Johnny Rockets by Blue Bunny.
“If you’re going to go get a burger and fries, get the best one you can get.” (my favorite quote directly from Joel Bulger)
Johnny Rockets’ cooked-to-order burgers are available in 4 protein options: fresh, never frozen 100% domestic farm-raised beef, farm-fresh chicken, ground turkey, and Boca Burger.
Everything – from the classic made-to-order burgers to the new design – is inspired by lots and lots of consumer testing. They really care about what their customers think and want.
In the new restaurant design, they’ve included elements of the classic diner, including counter seating. But they’ve updated the layout so that everything is not fixed in place. There are communal tables for friends and family, and room for many different sized groups.
The 50s diner look that Johnny Rockets has been known for – complete with jukeboxes and servers dressed in soda fountain uniforms – has been replaced with remixes of classic music an pop music of today and new uniforms for the servers.
Johnny Rockets trains their team members with easy to access online training guides as well as on-location training.
If you order a burger in China, you’ll get the same burger you’ll get here in DC. That’s because the chefs make sure to develop recipes that are easily replicated, no matter where they are.

In the near future, all Johnny Rockets franchises will be updated to the new design and logo. As for our family, we can’t wait to head back to our local Georgetown location!

My Behind-the-Counter Experience

Shortly after we arrived at Johnny Rockets, I was taken behind the counter to see where all the magic happened…and to see the new cooking equipment in the kitchen. The grill was impressive – it’s computerized with a tablet-like touch screen and everything. But perhaps the most impressive part was how fast it cooked the burgers! If only I had a massive grill like that in my kitchen so that I could make my family’s dinner in just a few minutes…

About Johnny Rockets

Johnny Rockets is an international restaurant franchise that offers high quality, innovative menu items including fresh, never frozen 100% beef cooked-to-order hamburgers, veggie burger, chicken sandwiches, crispy fries and rich, delicious hand-spun shakes and malts. This dynamic lifestyle brand offers friendly service and upbeat music contributing to the chain’s signature atmosphere of relaxed, casual fun. Founded in 1986, Johnny Rockets operates more than 350 franchise and corporate locations in 28 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.johnnyrockets.com.

Star Spangled Celebration at Kings Dominion

Lolli — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 19:35:34 +0000

This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Can you believe that it’s almost 4th of July weekend? The summer is flying by! I can’t believe we’re in the last week of June and it will be July before we know it.

I’m excited to let you guys know about the Star Spangled Celebration at Kings Dominion in Virginia. You will LOVE all that they’ve got planned to make this 4th of July weekend your BEST one ever.

Kings Dominion is celebrating July 4th all weekend long (July 2, 3, and 4) with live entertainment, fireworks, and more!

Because what would the Fourth of July be without fireworks?

Plus – and this is the BEST part – all active and retired military personnel get FREE admission to the park! What better way to celebrate Independence Day than by giving back to those who serve our country and their families?

Note: Military who qualify for the free admission ticket include but are not limited to active military, retired military, and veterans with honorable or medical discharge. Either a DD 214 or government issued ID will be accepted.

Here’s what makes the Star Spangled Celebration so much fun:

Kings Dominion will start each day with a live performance of the National Anthem
This year Kings Dominion has expanded their fireworks display, with even more fireworks than ever
You can see the full schedule of events HERE
PLUS….all your favorite roller coaster rides
And the Fastest Rollercoaster (I can’t wait to ride it again!)
And while you’re there, be sure to check out MORE things to do in Richmond Virginia

They’re going to be kicking off the fun with the Military Chef’s BBQ Challenge on Saturday, July 2. Some of the military’s best Chefs will battle head-to-head right under the Eiffel Tower. Guests can watch their favorite military teams fight for the championship. The cook-off will be judged by an all-star panel of local Chefs. The Military Chef’s BBQ Challenge is an official qualifier for the World Food Championships held later this year.

Can’t wait to head to Kings Dominion? There’s MORE FUN to look forward to for the rest of the year, with festivals and celebrations including KidsFest (7/16-7/24), BBQ and Brewfest (8/6-8/21), and Great Pumpkin Festival (9/19-10/30). I can’t wait for KidsFest (we’re going in a few weeks!) and the Great Pumpkin Festival (because I love amusement parks when they’re all dressed up for Halloween! Which event are you most excited to attend?

Connect with Kings Dominion for all the latest news!

Get tickets HERE!
Kings Dominion on Facebook
Kings Dominion on Twitter: @kingsdominionva
Kings Dominion on Instagram: @kingsdominionva
#ThisIsYourKidsFun #KDFirstTimer

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.

Future City Competition 2016: Waste Not Want Not

Lolli — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 20:00:08 +0000

Have you heard of Future City Competition? I hadn’t heard of it, either…before this month. Now I am fascinated and HOOKED!

This past Tuesday, my two youngest kids and I had the opportunity to head down to Washington DC for the day. School was cancelled because of ice, but the metro was running so we took advantage of the day off to do a little learning of a different sort. Although I was compensated for my time to cover the event, all thoughts and opinions and photos are my own.

When I woke up on Tuesday morning and realized that the kids didn’t have school, I was thrilled about the prospect of having them experience Future City Competition Finals with me. My almost-13-year-old daughter is extremely conscious of environmental concerns. She’s our resident activist. I knew that she would get excited about this year’s Future City challenge – Waste Not, Want Not. And my 10-year-old son might be a little younger than the middle school kids who participated in this year’s competition, but I knew that his interest in all things math, science, and engineering would make this an inspiring day for him.

As we left, both kids were imagining what it would be like to form teams of their own for next year. Fun note: the team that won our region was from are cluster’s magnet school, just around the corner from us!

What is Future City Competition?

Future City asks students to answer the question, “How can we make our world a better place?” This year, Future City challenged students to design and build models of “future cities” with innovative solid waste management systems. The systems had to be safe, environmentally sounds, and energy efficient.

Teams from the United States, Egypt and China started gathering, brainstorming, researching, and working on the Future City challenge back in September, and the groups that gathered in DC this week represented the very best designs from all of the students (over 40,000 this year!) that participated.

These students work together in teams of at least 3 fellow middle school students with educators and mentors to guide them. The students are tasked to think like engineers as they identify problems, brainstorm ideas, design solutions, test and build. Then 3 students present their city’s model and concept to be judged for design, description, model, presentation, and project plan.

Here are just a few of the Future City models that we saw:

Why Future City?

The kids that I saw and heard on Tuesday were smart, engaged, dynamic. They were thinkers. They were builders. They were problem solvers. A few years ago, Concord Evaluation Group conducted an independent evaluation of the Future City program. This is what they found:

84% of students said that Future City helped them see math and science as important to their future.
85% of students said they learned they could create something on their own, without an adult.
90% of students said that Future City helped them appreciate all of the engineering that goes into building and running a city.
65% of students said that they could see themselves as engineers someday.
46% of Future City participants are girls.
95% of educators said that Future City helped improve students’ ability to work in teams.
92% of mentors said that students’ project management skills were improved from participation.

They learn. They actively work together in a group. And they have fun while doing it.

And I love that my own middle school aged kids got to feel their passion and excitement.

Find out more about the Future City Competition HERE. You can find Future City on Facebook and by searching #FutureCity2016 on Twitter

I love that I captured the look of shock on the faces of the students from Alabama when they realized that they had won!

The BEST Car Buying Advice Ever & The Washington Auto Show

Lolli — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 17:47:08 +0000

This past week, just days before THE STORM began (and, yes, THE STORM has to be all caps. It has been that epic) I ventured to downtown Washington DC, where I met up with a few dozen of my local DC-area blogging friends to explore the Washington Auto Show. Although I was asked to attend the auto show as a paid ambassador with Chevrolet as part of the Chevy-SheBuysCars Women’s Influencer Event, all thoughts, opinions, and photos are my own.

For several weeks leading up to the Washington Auto Show, the kids and I heard radio commercials advertising the auto show every morning on the way to school. The main message? You can’t buy a car until you’ve SMELLED it. The kids laughed every time they heard it, and I totally understood where the commercial was coming from, but I had a different approach. Sure, I do love the smell of a new car, but that’s not my first priority.

You can’t buy a car until you have seen felt, handled, and compared several cars, and the BEST way to do that – without spending every single weekend at ALL of the local dealerships (which I’m SURE you guys don’t want to do) – is to attend the auto show and see all of your options before making a decision.

It was at the Washington Auto Show this past week that I was given the BEST CAR BUYING ADVICE EVER.

Someone Told Me The Best Car Buying Advice Ever….

Ready for it?

This is actually several tidbits of advice compiled together into one glorious piece of advice…

When you are in the market for a new car, decide what options and features you are looking for. Do your initial research at home. Then look at each car that fits your criteria (yes, from ALL of the different car makers) and test them out one by one. But DO NOT buy the first car you test drive, because that first car will ALWAYS feel amazing and wonderful and you’ll want to say LET’S BUY IT RIGHT NOW because it feels and looks and drives so much better than the old piece of junk I WAS driving. Now, that may be the car you end up buying, but don’t plop money down quite yet. Go to a few more stops and handle a few more cars and then go back to that first car to test it out again. That second experience with the first car will undoubtedly be different.

I am reminded of something that used to happen to me all the time when I was running a photography business (before my blog became too busy for me to handle both jobs). People used to ask me all the time which camera they should buy. At the time, the 2 main options that 99% of the people asking me were looking at were Canon and Nikon. I would tell them what my sister (the Nikon girl) had told me (a Canon girl): “Both cameras are amazing, but sometimes it comes down to how it fits in your hand. Go to a store. Hold both cameras. And then you’ll know which one is right for you.”

I’ve test driven a lot of cars. I have driven cars that were SO MUCH FUN, but only a handful of them felt right – something that felt like it was made for me.

I might not love to go around the Washington Auto Show smelling the car interiors, like the commercial suggests, but I LOVE sitting inside the cars, touching and inspecting and handling the cars. I love that I can look and touch (and click all of the buttons just to see what they do) with NO PRESSURE to buy.

I love that Chevy trucks have added this handy step to make it easier to get into or see into the back of the bed of the truck!

The Coolest Thing I Learned at the Washington Auto Show

I’m a paper and pencil kind of note-taker, and when I was looking back at the notes I took during our auto show tour, it was this piece of information that stuck out to me the most:

Luxury cars benefit ALL consumers. Because luxury car makers put a lot of money and resources into having the best, the latest, and the most cutting edge innovations, ALL cars can eventually benefit from those same innovations. So those luxury cars might be ahead of the game when they come up with cool tech and innovations, but those same innovations that the luxury cars specialize in will show up in the everyday person cars shortly, too.

My Favorite Feature From the Washington Auto Show

I saw a lot of cars with a lot of cool features (like cars that are a wifi hotspot) but the features that were SO COOL to me, especially as a mom to a daughter who will be getting her driver’s license within a month or so, were the teen driver safety features in the Chevy Malibu. Did you know that you can log on to see how your teen is driving – not just where but HOW? I love that the radio doesn’t turn on until the seat belt is fastened. I can’t wait to see this feature move to more vehicles!

The Washington Auto Show is open now thru January 31. Check the website for details on hours, what’s happening each day and to purchase tickets (you can get tickets at the show as well).

Have you ever been to an Auto Show? What was your favorite part?

Hamilton Crowne Plaza Washington DC Hotel

Lolli — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 17:10:35 +0000

I was recently invited to visit the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel in Washington DC, and I jumped at the chance to have a short staycation with my husband. Although we were hosted at the Washington DC hotel, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Since I have lived in the Washington DC metro area for the last 17 years, I’ve been asked countless times for DC-area hotel recommendations. DC is a fabulous place to visit and I know I’m fortunate to live within close driving distance. But because I do live a short drive from the city, I don’t often pay attention to the hotels that are available so that I can give friends a good recommendation.

I’m so happy that I finally have a DC hotel that I can wholeheartedly recommend! Our stay at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza was refreshing and rejuvenating, the staff was some of the nicest and most helpful I’ve EVER come across, in all of my travels, and I could have spent all day enjoying the beauty of the building.

Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel: Luxury Washington DC Hotel

The Hamilton is not only a beautiful AAA 4-diamond luxury hotel in Washington DC, but it is an official historical DC landmark. Built in the 1920s and fully restored in recent years, the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel evokes the glamour of the Roaring 20s while providing the comforts and conveniences that we expect today. The Hamilton was the location of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s War Room as well as one of his Inaugural Balls.

As soon as I walked through the front doors of the hotel, I noticed the gorgeous entry ceiling, with its original 14-karat gold features, as well as the grand staircase off to the right featuring a mural of Alexander Hamilton. Original artwork can still be found throughout the hotel. The recent refurbishment and redesign of the hotel was inspired by the style of Alexander Hamilton. In the guest rooms, you can find mirrored antique DC maps above the nightstands, silhouettes of Alexander Hamilton filled in with his quotes, and gorgeous deep espresso furniture.

The guest rooms also feature high-speed internet access, seven-layer bedding (I slept beautifully!), luxury bath amenities, and more. We stayed on the Women’s Floor, which caters specifically to women travelers. Each room on the women’s floor is equipped with a yoga mat, a bathroom scale, plush spa bathrobes, and larger skin and hair care products. The rooms also boast a full bath, magnifying mirror, magazines, personalized concierge services, and exclusive elevator key access.

The Hamilton is also equipped with meeting and event space for your business meetings or social celebrations. The hotel has two large-size ballrooms, five meeting rooms and over 6,700 square feet of indoor event space.

14K Restaurant

One of the highlights of our stay at the Hamilton was our dinner at 14K Restaurant. 14K offers classic American cuisine with a contemporary flair. We could definitely tell that each dish was given special attention from the kitchen. My husband swears that the steak that he ordered was one of the best steaks he has ever had. The highlight of my meal was the unique feta watermelon salad with baby arugula and bibb hearts, cucumber, dates, red onion, almonds, watermelon and feta cheese. It was so good! We were also completely smitten by the pesto dip for the pre-dinner bread. I’ve never seen my husband enjoy bread quite as much as he did during our dinner.

Convenient Hotel For DC Attractions

The Hamilton is a quick 7 minute walk to The White House; other popular monuments and attractions in DC, like The National Mall and The Smithsonian Museums, are a slightly longer walk or a quick Metro ride away. The McPherson Square Station (blue or orange line) is across the street, so it’s very convenient to get to any DC attractions without having a car or worrying about parking.

The view from our hotel room at the Hamilton

Connect With the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel

The Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel is located in the heart of Downtown DC at 1001 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20005.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Monumental [Give Me Your Best Shot] #PSF

Lolli — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 01:38:38 +0000

I couldn’t think of a title for today’s Give Me Your Best Shot – Photostory Friday post. The fact is, my brain isn’t working too well today. I have had one of those “I’m so stressed and have so much on my to-do list that I can’t focus on anything or get anything done” days. Have you had a day (or two) like that? I call it stress-paralyzed. There’s too much so I just shut down.

And I often get stress-paralyzed before I travel…because work doesn’t stop and there’s so much to plan and prepare. I know that I will have a fantastic, relaxing, rejuvenating time once I’m there, but until I’m gone I will concentrate on all of those things that I haven’t finished yet.

Oh! By the way, I’m heading to Hershey, Pennsylvania for the weekend for the ?#?SweetWelcome2015 press event. Be sure to follow me on Instagram all weekend for all of the fun – from Hershey Park to Zoo America, a Hershey Bears Hockey game to a Chocolate Spa treatment (yes, Chocolate + spa treatments!) and lots and lots of good restaurant food. I’ll be posting pictures on Instagram and tweeting while I’m in Hershey, but I’ll also be posting even more details on the blog soon. Hershey is one of my favorite places ever!

So…let’s look at some pretty pictures. Sound good?

This past week’s highlight was our family’s post-Thanksgiving trip to DC to take some family photos

What have you been up to this past week? Are you in full holiday mode yet? I am eager to get a Christmas tree up, but we’ve been too busy to get it done. Instead, I’ve got bins full of Christmas decorations filling up the floor space in my room. Oh, the joys of living in a small house! Soon we’ll be trading a crowded bedroom for a crowded family room as we try to fit a Christmas tree where a couch goes (and move the couch in front of the piano…..it’s so fun, I tell you!).

Feel free to link up your photo posts from this week. And have a fantastic weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

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.

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.

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.

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).