Author Archives: LA Blogger Gal

Kurvee: A Shopping Experience for the More Curvy Fashionistas

Leave a reply

Now it should be known, this LA Blogger Gal likes to shop just as much as the next gal. But…as a plus-sized gal, we don’t always get to same shopping experience our not-so-curvy counterparts get.

For the first time, plus-size, curvy gals had a day of beauty and shopping that they could call their own…Kurvee.

Now don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t quite the event that Shecky’s or Lucky Shops might have been (let’s face it, we just don’t have that many designers making clothes in larger sizes), but for a first time event, they had plenty of fun ways to spend your money.

They really had all the bases covered: hot clothes, cute bags, sparkly jewels, fun shoes, sexy lingerie, make up, chocolate and cupcakes, yummy bath products and even boudoir photographers.

I think for a first attempt they did a great job. So much so that I’m anxiously awaiting the next Kurvee event.

Who Doesn’t Love a Good Bargain?

Leave a reply

I think one of my favorite things about living in Los Angeles has to be the access to all the various sample sales around town. And not just sample sales, but whole, full-on events devoted to shopping the samples.

We have Shecky’s (though I’ve yet to go), Sassy City Chicks (love them), Pretty City (really looking forward to the next on coming soon) and the premiere Lucky Shops. But I must say, I’m most looking forward to Kurvee. An entire shopping event for the plus-sized gal. Awesome!

If you’re not up for a sample sale event, then be sure to check out Bargains LA and their killer sample sale app (available on iTunes). With the Bargains LA gang and their handy app, you’ll never be far from a sample sale.

Happy Shopping!!!

The Jury Duty that Didn’t

Leave a reply

After a fun-filled weekend celebrating my husband’s birthday, I was more than ready to take part in my civil obligation and sit for jury duty.  That was until I called in to register and see if I was scheduled to show up.

Turns out, out of all the repeated, highlighted and bolded information…phone numbers, juror ID numbers, circuit court numbers, websites, hours, scheduled date, address, etc.,…they felt the need to write out, only once, on the back side of the paper, that you have to register within 5 days of receipt of the summons.  No date, just the phrase “required to register using the telephone withing 5 days of receiving the summons.”  No urgency or date noted in the outlined, boxed, 4-step instructions, merely a mention in step 3 that you need to “register by phone”.

And now, apparently you can’t register the night before. So um…no jury duty for me this week.  This works for me.

I had planned for the week, so I have nothing at all on my schedule.  An entire week without any outside obligations.  Awesome.

Luckily, it was easy enough to reschedule.  So I looked over my calendar and made sure to pick a date far enough away that I could once again schedule around the entire week.  And the minute I received my confirmation of my new dates and hung up I realized that I chose the very week that we had planned our vacation weekend on.

ARGH!!!

So now we spend most of yesterday and today trying to see if there’s any way we can still swing our vacation (and the member party at our favorite vineyard) and still get back in time.

I call back into the system to see if I can reschedule again.  I figured I’d poke around until I reached a person and try to plead my case for a one week extension.  Luckily, I didn’t have to.  On a fluke I was able to reschedule my week without any problems (even though the recording assured me that this date would not change under any circumstances).

So now we get to go back to planning our vacation.  And you better believe, this vacation will be totally and completely appreciated.

Oh and in case you were wondering…I wouldn’t suggest trying to call in and reschedule your jury duty while you hungover on a weekend’s worth of migraine meds.  Just sayin’.

Oh Noz…It’s Shiny Object Syndrome

Leave a reply

Did you know that there’s such a thing as Shiny Object Syndrome?

Have you ever had one of those days where you know you have work to do, you’re trying to get something done (oh, I don’t know, like a newsletter or a blog post…let’s just say), but you find your attention being pulled in 20 different directions?

Did you know there’s actually a name for that?  It’s called Shiny Object Syndrome.  And boy howdy do I seem to have it this week!

You see, it’s not quite ADD or ADHD where you can’t focus on anything longer than for a few moments.  It’s more like while you’re trying to focus on a particular task, your mind gets pulled into another direction and then another.  It becomes really frustrating when you have something that really needs to get done.

I’m set up for jury duty next week so I’m trying to get ahead on things like blog posts, newsletter articles and status updates and tweets for my business.  But somehow, instead of focusing on the tasks at hand, I’m out there thinking about a whole bunch of other, non-business, non-task oriented things…

  • How the dog needs to be groomed and will that help to finally get the fleas and his itching under control?
  • What are we going to do my husband’s upcoming birthday and when will I have time to buy his gift and should I wrap it and does that really matter?
  • What should I get the little nephews for their birthdays and is there an easy and inexpensive way to get them something?  What do little boys even want?
  • Where is that book I wanted to give to my friend for part of her baby gift?  If I can’t find it what do I get instead?
  • Why did I donate all those baby gifts last year thinking that all my friends were done having babies?
  • When will I have time to get all these gifts?  Is it possible to buy everything at one store?  Target maybe?
  • Can you believe it’s birthday season already?  From this week through the next 4 months I’ll have over 10 gifts to buy for family…yikes!
  • What can I do to do to get the garden in better shape and with all this rain, when will I have the time to do that?
  • Will the Square Foot Gardening class still be going on in the rain this weekend?
  • Will ordering some worms be enough to salvage the dirt, or will I need to do more?
  • What am I going to wear tonight to the Sassy City Fashion Bash and will it rain and how will that affect what I’m going to wear?
  • what’s for dinner and when am I going to get around to washing the sink full of dishes if I have work to do today and somewhere to go tonight?

Oh Lordy!

Hopefully now that I’ve gotten all these raging questions out of my head I’ll be able to get back to work on the 3 other articles I’d like to write today before heading out.

Win FREE Tickets to the Sassy City Chicks Spring Fashion Bash

Leave a reply

SPRING INTO FASHION: SASSY CITY CHICKS RETURN TO THE PETERSEN FOR ANOTHER FASHION BASH

click image to enlarge for more information

WHO: Sassy City Chicks Los Angeles Fashion Bash

WHAT: A highly-anticipated Shopping Event for women in Los Angeles, hosted at The Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Blvd.- the opportunity to shop spring fashions at prices up to 80% off retail and a raffle to include select media to promote the event. Find deep discounts from labels like Kova & T, Genetic Denim, Ella Moss, BB Dakota, LNA, and more! Featuring fab swag bags, complimentary spa services, and FREE Svedka martinis.

WHEN: Thursday, March 24th 2011 from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

WIN FREE TICKETS! The first 25 shoppers to enter ‘BLOGGER GAL’ at checkout will receive a FREE Sassy Tote Ticket!

Don’t want to risk not winning? Then enter ‘LA12’ at checkout for 50% OFF a Sassy Tote Ticket or ‘GEN AD’ for free general admission (gift bag not included).

I was lucky enough to attend last year and had a blast!  I left with a new necklace, two new rings and was *this* close to leaving with a hot new purse.  They’ve got some great deals and it’s in a great and fun venue.

Would love to see you there!

Braised Pork Ragu with Pappardelle

Leave a reply

Last week I stumbled across this beyond awesome (and super simple) recipe thanks to a friend’s Facebook post.  It was so good, I thought I needed to share it here as well.

This was beyond simple to make in the crockpot (I think I did about 2.5 hours on high and about 2 hours on low – it was done when it was fall apart tender).  It made enough that we had leftovers for sandwiches AND froze some to enjoy later.

I was able to pick up all of the ingredients during my standard, Wednesday Henry’s Market and fresh veggies run (well, all except the pappardelle – so I subbed in rigatoni).  I didn’t feel like buying fresh herbs and didn’t have any in the garden (yet!) so I just used dried herbs instead.  I also think that a little tomato paste might be a flavorful addition.

A key thing to keep in mind here…use a wine that you enjoy drinking.  We were running a little low on un-corked red wines (don’t ask) so I just used the first red that hadn’t gone bad (took me three bottles to find one).  I think if I had used a more full-bodied red, it would have tasted that much better.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Bon Appetit!!

2 to 2 1/2-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small pat butter
1 large can whole tomatoes, with juice
1 cup red wine
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh oregano
Small handful of fennel seeds
1 tablespoon hot sauce, for smokiness (I used Chalupa since that’s what I had on hand – didn’t do much for me)
Pappardelle (or rigatoni)
Freshly grated Parmesean

Preheat oven to 325°F. Liberally salt and pepper the pork roast. Add olive oil and butter to large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high until butter melts, but does not burn. Add pork roast to pan and brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes in all. Add tomatoes, wine, thyme, oregano, and hot sauce and bring to a boil. Cover, and put in oven.

Braise for 3-4 hours, turning every hour or so. Add more liquid (water, wine, or tomato sauce) if needed. (The liquid should come to about 1/3 of the way up the pork.) Meat is done when it’s practically falling apart. Put on a cutting board and pull it apart with two forks, then add back to pot and stir. Cook 1 to 2 pounds pasta according to package directions. When it’s is ready, put into individual bowls and top with ragu and lots of Parm.

When you decide to make this, let me know what you think.  And of course, be sure to let the folks at Dinner: A Love Story know as well.

Calling All You Crazy Cat Ladies

Leave a reply

I normally don’t post stuff like this (in fact, it came through as a comment and I marked it as Spam).  But hey, this is LA where anything happens…including new reality shows.

Good luck to you and your cat(s)!

Casting SINGLE Ladies that LOVE their pet CAT(s) for a New refreshing Makeover/Dating TV Pilot!!!

Emmy-award winning Television Production Company is looking for single women with pet cats who want to get back into the dating scene as soon as possible and receive a free makeover!

Do you know someone that…
•       Prefers to stay home with her pet cat(s) instead of hanging out with her girlfriends on a weekend night?
•       Is worried about leaving her cats at home alone at night?
•       Rejects a date if her pet doesn’t like them?
•       Has more pictures of her pets in her purse, and no one else?
•       Owns a sweater or hat that features a cat (or cat hair)?
•       Dresses up her cat for any holiday?

We want to hear from you!  This is a light-hearted show that will give someone a fresh start in the dating world and offer a few pointers along the way about how to balance pet-care with heavy petting!  We want to give your friend a New Look and a New Attitude on life! We are here to help!

We are looking for women who:
•       Are located in the greater Los Angeles area
•       Are at least 18 years old and over
•       Have at least one pet cat or more

The show will provide her a FREE STYLE and LIFESTYLE makeover!

ACT NOW!!! Email us ASAP! We’re only casting for a couple of weeks, so hurry!

•       Your name (Nominator)
•       Your contact info
•       Nominee’s Name (Cat Lady)
•       Her contact info
•       City the Nominee lives
•       Pictures of the Nominee with her cat(s)
•       Picture of the Nominator
•       A short paragraph that describes her lifestyle and why she would make a great candidate for this show.
•       If this describes YOU, please send all pertinent information above

Feeling Kinda Zen and Groovy

Leave a reply

Well, not exactly. Truth be told, I’m feeling a little pain for yesterday’s Zen yoga experience…but still good.

I’ve come to the realization that I’ve been so focused on work and reaching clients, that I’ve been spending far too much time slumped over my desk. Which means more and more creakiness when getting out of (and sadly, sometimes into) bed.

So I cashed in a Groupon-like coupon and headed to one of my local yoga joints.

This place touted itself as being a bit more “funky” than your traditional studio. Instead of the standard new agey blend of music and tones, they go for the straight out rock and pop mix. There was also a lot more cursing and loudly affirming just how “fucking beautiful” we all were than the soft, meditative, contemplative suggestions.

Overall though, I loved everything about the class. And I learned a bit about myself. Like…

  • don’t forget to breath – breathing in a pose helps you go deeper into the pose and holding your breath, well, that’s just no bueno (and sadly, a bit of a constricting habit of mine).
  • don’t be afraid to close your eyes – this is right up there with remembering to still the mind. Seems I had some challenges here. Don’t know if it was more mind-body related (as closing my eyes messed with my balance) or mental (as I found myself looking at the floor, the walls or the ceiling instead of closing my eyes).
  • don’t be afraid to stop thinking – I was able to leave my cares at the door (for the most part), but I did get busted for looking at my iPhone during class (just to check the time). In which case, I’m thinking if I’m wondering about the time, that I’m not quite stilling my mind.
  • know when it’s okay to adapt what you’re doing – sometimes you just can’t do 5 push-ups in a row (let alone three sets of them). And let’s be honest, the average yoga newbie is NOT going to be able to go from a plank to a table top…just not gonna happen! So just adapt…downward dog it is!

I will say though, when all was said and done, by the time I made the walk back to my car (and wiped off the dripping sweat – did I mention that they also like to keep the studio warmer than usual?) I was actually feel great.

I feel like I did finally reach that zen and calm moment.

And then the pain kicked in. Turns out all that downward dog and warrior posing means a LOT of stretching muscles that haven’t been stretched quite that much in a while.

I’m already looking forward to next Monday’s class. And I keep telling myself that the recovery from the pain shouldn’t last nearly as long each time I go back 😉  Please tell me I’m not making that up!!!

ChickChat LA: There’s a New Women’s Networking Group in Town

Leave a reply

click image to enlarge for more information

Ladies, there’s a new networking group in town for professional, savvy women and I’m honored to be a part of their “Let Them Eat Cake” ChickChat LA launch party on Wednesday, February 23rd.

It’s sure to be a decadent, French-themed soiree. And instead of feeling guilty for letting those New Year resolutions fall to the wayside, we’ll all be toasting the remainder of the year with wine, martinis, champagne, and of course…cake.

And because they believe that a woman can have her cake and eat it too, you’ll have the opportunity to Speed Network with Coaches (like avec moi!) who will help you create a plan for moving forward with your goals in 2011…or maybe they’ll help you find some better and more exciting goals 😉

Included in your ($40 door) ticket price are:

  • Wine Tasting
  • Moet Hennessy Champagne
  • French Martinis, sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka
  • Dry Soda
  • And of course…French nibbles

A portion of the proceeds from the evening will benefit Dress For Success. And anyone who brings a business/work appropriate belt to donate to Dress For Success will be entered into a raffle to win a Zune MP3 Player.

For more information About ChickChat LA and the Let Them Eat Cake launch party, click here.

Hope to see you there!!

Soup is On at Soup-a-Palooza!

1 Reply

Soupapalooza

I first heard about Soup-a-Palooza about a week ago.  Since then, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the time to share my own recipe.  One of my very simple, right out of the pantry, go to soups.

I discovered this recipe back in about 2004 or so when I first stumbled upon Karen Duffy’s (of MTV|Reality Bites|Dumb & Dumber fame) A Slob in the Kitchen cookbook at Book Soup while waiting on my husband after work one day.  Since then, I have made a version of her White Bean and Pesto soup many, many times.

And please, keep in mind that I am  in no way, shape or form a food or recipe blogger.  So there’s no fancy photo to accompany this recipe.  Which makes sense as it’s really too simple to even worry about anything else.

Karen Duffy’s White Bean and Pesto Soup

2 cups chicken broth or stock
2 19-ounce  cans of white beans (drained & rinsed)
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the white beans and simmer for about 2 minutes, then stir in the pesto.  Once you’ve plated the soup, top with grated parmesan cheese.

That’s it.  Super simple.  If you keep frozen cubes or a tube of pesto on hand, you’ll be able to put this soup together in under 5 minutes.  Serve with a crusty bread and a side salad and you’re good to go.

One word of advice…do NOT add any extra salt.  Depending on the pesto and the broth, this soup can sometimes get a little too salty.

For access to more soup recipes, I invite you to Come join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers and share your favorite soup recipe.  You never know, you could win some fun prizes.