Birthdays at Bella Capelli Academy can be Beautiful!

Well, it is official....my baby girl has entered the realm of teenager!  Yikes!  So as you know, no ordinary birthday party would do for one who is turning 13.  It has to be a big deal.  What to have that hasn't already been done in the friend circle is such an ordeal. 

 

My Diva wanted a spa party but to take a group of 13-14 year olds to a spa for a make over was way too expensive for us.  Then my sister-in-law suggested I contact a local beauty school.  Thank goodness she did. 

 

We found the Bella Capelli Academy and they had several birthday party packages to choose from.  I had no idea this even existed. We were so excited. 

 

 We kept the decorations simple since the bulk of the party was going to be taking place out on the floor and in a separate room for the nails. (This is our before shot of the room - waiting for the guests to arrive.)

The package we chose was for 9 girls to get a shampoo, style, make-up and manicure.  Sure can't go wrong with that for a group of teens!  

We had cupcakes (with disco dust on them) and a local pizza place delivered pizza to us.

 

 

 

There were smiles all around for three hours. These girls loved it.

It was great fun for them to feel so pampered and they got to act all crazy with each other in the lively atmosphere that the great bunch of students were supplying. All the stylist were great with the girls and keep things moving and grooving!

 This was one of the best parties my daughter has had.  They all want to come back and get this same package for their Christmas dance.  Success!

 I found it funny that they all wanted curls put into their hair. Everyday they use the straighteners like a religion but today they wanted curls.  Teenagers are a odd bunch.



Blue Man Group in Pittsburgh

I'm not even sure where to start - music, lights, floating LED screens, dancing and percussion.  Those words cannot even begin to sum up the experience you will have at the Blue Man Group show being held at the Benedum Center from May 15-20, 2012 as part of the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series. 

My son and I were at the opening night performance yesterday evening and all we can say is WOW!  This was an absolutely incredible show.  We laughed and danced and learned and ducked from flying or spraying objects.  We had the time of our lives. 

I had never been to a Blue Man Group show but several of my family members have and they loved it.  When the opportunity presented itself to see them here in Pittsburgh I jumped on it. 

The musical talent these folks have is amazing.  They also have a live band  that is quite spectacular as well.  The fun and entertainment these three blue mute men exude from the stage is fantastic.  The visual displays and the music really come together in such an artistic way and the acting these guys do to get their points across without ever uttering a word is phenomenal even hysterical.  The group comes out into the audience and interacts with the crowd and they even select people to join them on stage. 

This is a show for all age groups.  To my left were an elderly couple, to my right was my 8 year old and in front of me was a 20ish dating couple.  We all were enjoying ourselves and at one point up on our feet dancing and shaking our booties! 

It was also  nice to get an educational aspect with the teaching of rods and cones for understanding how our eye perceives color - my son really loved that.  If schools could teach all subjects this way everyone would be A students!

There is no intermission at this show but I can tell you that you don't even notice because there is so much going on that you wouldn't want to miss a thing or have the momentum stop.

My son couldn't stop thanking me for bringing him to this show.  My husband was peeved that I took my son and not him.  I'm just saying, everyone should go see the Blue Man Group show.  It is absolutely the most fun you will have. 

Disclosure ~ I was provided free tickets to the opening night performance of Blue Man Group.  I was not asked nor required to provide any review at all and these opinions are explicitly my own.

Pop Goes The Rock by Cirque Dreams - Pittsburgh

Diva and I had the chance to go see the Pop Goes The Rock show that is being held at Heinz Hall this week as part of PNC Broadway Across America. 

Pop Goes The Rock is the newest musical stage show from Cirque Dreams and is created by Neil Goldberg.   He also created the Broadway hit “Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy” and the Cirque Dreams entertainment brand.

This show is a bit odd because it's theme is a carnival fun house set to a pop and rock 'n roll music.  Sometimes I was confused on what to look at because there were so many cool things going on at the same time on the stage.  Cirque Dreams has crazy aerialists, I cannot figure out how they do it balancers and strongmen, weird looking background characters, fun dancers, truly amazing singers and a live band performing chart topping hits all right on the stage.

Two of my favorite acts were the strongmen Qiang Xie and Jian Zhang who balance in poses that made me hold my breath in wonderment and Vladimir Dovgan and Anatoliy Yeniy's act of balancing atop a board and small tables which were set over a stack of cylinders. Talk about talent!

You don't want to miss this show so go buy your tickets now!  Really it is quite a performance!


Disclosure ~ I was provided free tickets to the opening night performance of Pop Goes The Rock by Cirque Dreams, I was not required to provide any review and all opinions are explicitly my own.

Billy Elliot the Musical

PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh Presents 2009 Tony Award-Winning Best Musical: Billy Elliot the Musical, making its Pittsburgh premiere at the Benedum Center, January 31 – February 12, 2012
 
 
I had the great pleasure of seeing this show last night for their opening night. 
 
My sister-in-law and I had a fun girls night out.  First we dined at Bravo Franco Ristorante which was fantastic and very reasonably priced and then we headed to the show.  It was so much fun.  I hadn't been out of the house without it being a kid function in probably a year so I was very much looking forward to this musical.
 
I was not disappointed.  This show had it all.  I laughed a lot, I was mesmerized by the dancing and I even shed a tear.  It was a very good performance and if you have the time it is definitely one to see.
 
I think that a lot of folks thought though that the show was focused on the child character so it was more of a children's show and brought their kids but in my opinion I think that this show is really a PG-13 show.  I would not have wanted my 8 year old to attend and I think that my 12 year old may have been a bit uncomfortable to be with her parents during the cussing parts. 
 
   
 
Billy Elliot the Musical is the journey of one boy to make his dreams come true. It is set in a small town and the story follows Billy as he stays after his boxing class one night to give the keys for the building to the dance teacher in the ballet class but then discovers he has a surprising talent that inspires his family and his whole community and changes his life forever.  There is a lot going on in his community also with the strike of the mining union and some family turmoil as well.


Billy Elliot the Musical features Ty Forhan, Kylend Hetherington, Zach Manske and J.P. Viernes in the role of ‘Billy.’

Also featured are Leah Hocking (Mrs. Wilkinson); Rich Hebert (Dad); Cynthia Darlow (Grandma); Cullen Titmas (Tony); Joel Blum (George); Ben Cook and Jacob Zelonky (Michael); and Samantha Blaire Cutler (Debbie).

Go see for yourself how talented the folks are - you won't be sorry.

'Tis the Season for a Build-A-Bear Workshop

Truly there is always a season for a Build-A-Bear Workshop not just at Christmas.  This place is just magical.  My kids love Build-A-Bear and they are 8 and 12!

Here are just a few reasons to go and check them out for yourselves:

• One of the best things about Build-A-Bear Workshop is the opportunity to make or buy a unique gift, add a customized, signature sound or embroidered message and give it to someone special. From newlyweds to new parents, sports fans to foodies, tweens to tough guys, Build-A-Bear Workshop has something for everyone and every budget.
• What could be more personal than LIVE elves, ready to talk to your child about his/her wishlist? Thanks to our friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop, your family has a direct line to Santa and his little helpers! By visiting http://play.buildabear.com/, your child can create their own wish list with one of Santa's elves and tell them what they want for Christmas! Parental agreement is needed for all children under 13.
• Who doesn't love a great deal, especially during the holidays? Build-A-Bear Workshop knows Moms want to stretch our "bear bucks" as much as possible, which is why they're introducing a great promotion this season. Starting today through 12/18/11, you can purchase any animal PLUS any outfit for just $24.99 (USD). That's a great price for a friend that will last a lifetime!

 Seriously, check out my review of the first time my son experienced Build-A-Bear Workshop here and don't say I didn't tell you so!

"Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Build-A-Bear Workshop gift card in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place. All opinions are my own."

What do Crest® and Oral-B® Pro-Health FOR ME and Oral-B® Stages and Disney's Cars II Movie have in common?

Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a MommyParties sponsored by Oral-B Stage III & Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME.  I received this wonderful package of Oral-B Stage III Brushes, Oral-B Stages Flossers, Pro-Health FOR ME Brushes, Pro-Health FOR ME toothpaste, Pro-Health FOR ME Floss Picks, Pro-Health FOR ME Rinse and Cars II Gummy Vitamins.  That wasn't all, I also received a Disney's Cars II movie DVD and popcorn/popcorn boxes! 

Oh yeah - party in the house!! 

I had my 12 year old and 7 year old invite some friends over on Cyber Monday.  Yes, their moms were glad to have them out of their hair for a few hours - you're welcome ladies. 

We shared some tips and trivia for healthier teeth.  I actually learned a thing or two also.  We played a game of Yucky Mouth vs. Healthy Mouth and discussed the benefits of using the products I received.  Fortunately for me my kids are very good with their oral hygiene.  My son actually loves going to the dentist and asks me all the time when is it time for his next cleaning.  My daughter is beginning the braces phase so keeping her teeth clean is a must. 

The tweens headed for the hills but the younger crowd couldn't wait to watch the Cars II movie. 

Each child went home with a goodie bag of products to try out and some great coupons to use when it is time to replace their supply.

My kids love the products.  We had actually received a very small sample tube of the Pro-Health FOR ME paste some time ago from our dentist and my son has been begging me to buy it for him because he loves the flavor of it.  Now he is in love with the floss picks and rinse.  The floss picks are great because now I won't find balls of floss stuffed down my sink drain - LOL! 

Disclaimer: This post and my home party made possible by MomSelect in partnership with Crest® and Oral-B® Pro-Health FOR ME and Oral-B® Stages who provided us with the products mentioned above to keep and to share with our friends. I was not paid in any form of cash for this posting. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are purely my own and the product itself did not persuade my personal beliefs or views. I was under no obligation to write a positive review.

Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac and Spring Flowers Review

I'm a pretty tough sell on anything that smells.  As an asthma sufferer and she with an allergy to anything and everything (other than food - go figure), I cannot tolerate smelly things.  Smelly things include air fresheners, fabric softeners, laundry detergent, perfumes, etc.  So when Smiley360.com wanted to provide me with a free product to review I was a bit hesitant.  I was getting bored with my current fabric softener though so I thought I'd give it a try.

Smiley360.com mailed me a free bottle of Snuggle Exhilarations - White Lilac and Spring Flowers.  When I first opened the bottle I was expecting the review to end there, but I was lured further by the wonderful aroma.  I cannot explain the scent while it is in the bottle but it almost smells like a delicious tropical umbrella drink.  I have done laundry almost every day for the last week and have used the Snuggle for each load.  I love the scent.  Seriously, it is not overpowering, it does not aggravate my asthma and the scent stays for days on the laundry. I hate it when you change your bedding and it smells so nice and clean but then in a day or two that fresh scent is already faded.  That is not the case with this. 

The other morning my daughter blurted out loud - "Oh my, it's me that smells so good.  I thought it was the hand soap in the bathroom but it is my sweater.  Are you using something new for the laundry?"  Really, true story.  She loved it. 

The Snuggle Exhilarations line comes a in variety of scents such as Black Raspberry and Hydrangea, White Lavender and Sandalwood, Sweet Blossom and Pomegranate, Blue Iris and Bamboo Silk,Wild Orchid and Vanilla, and White Lilac and Spring Flowers. Exhilarations also come in a dryer sheet form for those of you that prefer not use the liquid or if you just want to add to the softness of your laundry.


So my take on this fabric softener is that it is fantastic.  I will most definitely be buying this brand. 

Snuggle is excited to also announce their special Snuggle Facebook Sweepstakes. Enter for a chance to win the grand prize of a washer and dryer and a year’s supply of Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac and Spring Flowers. Or for a chance to win a first prize, your very own Snuggle Bear. Go to the Snuggle Facebook Page:

Disclosure:  I was given a free sample of the Snuggle Exhilarations White Lilac and Spring Flowers product by Smiley360.com to try in exchange for my honest opinion of it. My opinion is my own and not swayed in any way.  If I hated this product I would have said that but the truth is I really do love it!