Laptop Television Mom

Coco Chanel and Tiger Woods = Same Lesson

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky

I am a proud writer for the Silicon Valley Moms Group, and every month, we have virtual book club meetings. A handful of mom-bloggers read the same book, and we each post our thoughts on our personal blogs. It’s a great way to be part of a book club, especially when I really don’t have time to attend meetings and really love books. All that said, this month’s book club selection had me stumped.

This month, members of the virtual book club read Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky by Chris Greenhalgh, a novel based on the life of an historic designer and revolutionary composer. I love a good biography, even if it’s in the form of a novel, and I love a strong, independent woman. But I had no idea what was in store for me.

It’s important to note: I am not a fashion plate (um, far from it), and I don’t own a thread of Coco Chanel. But I love to read about women who change history. (My two favorites are Personal History by Katharine Graham and Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton.) So, I was so excited to read about a woman who changed the face of the fashion industry — in Paris, nonetheless — in the early 1900s. And while I learned a lot about the brilliance and vision for this woman, I was greatly disappointed by her personal character.

What I love about Coco Chanel

Her goal was to make woman’s clothing more comfortable, more wearable. She dumped stiff corsets and made clothes out of comfortable fabrics. She even showed her ankles!
She was self-made. This woman came from literally nothing, the poorest of the poor in rural France. She earned her fortune by exercising on her vision and working hard.
She was a brilliant marketer. I read about how she crafted, and then sold, her now famous Chanel No. 5 perfume, and it was brilliant. I would even say she was the first viral marketer.
Her real name is Gabrielle Chanel, which is just beautiful

What shocked me about Coco Chanel

Where she was blessed with vision, intelligence and work-ethic, Coco Chanel lacked personal ethics. If the words of the book are true, she was a manipulative woman who had little concern about sleeping with married men. Well, as a woman who has a husband, reading this made me sick. The book tells the story of Coco’s obsession with composer Igor Stravinsky, and how she manipulated Igor and his family to move into her house as his wife was gravely ill. As Igor’s wife was bed-ridden and thought she was dying, Coco took Igor as her long-time lover. Now, don’t get me wrong, Igor was equally at fault here… but my point is while I was blindly impressed by Coco’s business sense, I was equally disappointed by her morals.

What I learned about myself

You know what, this book reminded me that no matter how much I admire someone or how revolutionary I think they are… my respect needs to stem from someone’s character rather than their accomplishments. Case in point: I am was a giant fan of Tiger Woods. That man made me want to watch golf on TV, which really is one of the most boring things ever. I liked his drive, his work-ethic, his intelligence (Stanford!), and his love for his parents. But you know the story, he cheated on his wife. And now I don’t care about Tiger Woods.
So, is Coco Chanel my Tiger Woods? Someone I held is high esteem until I read further? Yeah, I think so. It’s also a great reminder that we can admire someone, but we do not actually know these celebrities. They are not our friends, and they should not be our influencers. They are human, faults and all.

At the end of the day, this book was a good reminder that I need to judge and respect people based on their personal character… not their personal accomplishments.

– LTV Mom

Notes:

This book was provided by the publisher, but the words are mine and unedited.

Photo Credit: Amazon

Published

Stacy Libby

on January 27, 2010

in Books, Laptop Television and Silicon Valley Moms Group

. 4 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Happy 90th Birthday, Granny

Published

Stacy Libby

on January 21, 2010

in Family and Wordless Wednesday

. 1 Comment

WINOS pick of the week: 2007 Nemesis

2007 Nemesis

My husband and I recently invited our friends over for a wonderful evening of home-cooked food, a beautifully set table, dozens of lit candles, great conversation and amazing wine. One friend took this opportunity to introduce us to a wine we’d never heard of, but certainly a wine we will enjoy again.

When our friend handed us the bottle of 2007 Nemesis, we couldn’t take our eyes off the bottle. The beautiful blue label is striking against the dark glass, and we immediately realized it’s a wine we had never seen before. It turns out the wine is from Paso Robles, Calif. and is bottled by Linne Calodo Cellars. It’s 82 percent Syrah, 12 percent mourvedre and 6 percent grenache. And (you know this is coming) it’s 100 percent delicious.

Quite honestly, this wine was a pleasant surprise, especially since I rarely choose a bottle of Syrah. It’s hard for me to describe the flavors in this complex wine, but I can tell you it tasted awesome with brie and red meat. I found flavors of deep, rich berries and a smooth, almost sweet flavor. I read one review that said the wine almost tastes like blueberry cheesecake, and in a weird way, I can see that. Regardless, this wine has a unique flavor that is immediately drinkable and just delicious.

Suddenly obsessed with the wine, I checked-out the winemakers, Linne Calodo Cellars. I was so happy to discover the winery is family-owned and a sustainable business, which is “environmentally sound, economically feasible and socially equitable.”

The 2007 Nemesis can be purchased online at Paso Wines or by contacting the winery HERE to check availability.

Photo Credit: PasoWines.com

Published

Stacy Libby

on January 21, 2010

in Food and WINOS Pick of the Week

. 0 Comments

2010 Golden Globes Recap

I write this 2010 Golden Globes recap with a touch of hypocrisy. You see, I have not seen a single movie nominated this year. In fact, the only movie I have seen this year is The Princess and the Frog because I have a five-year-old daughter who loves Princesses. (It was a great movie by the way, made me cry!) That said, I watch a lot of television (um, I write a TV blog!) so here is my recap of this year’s Golden Globes:

Best dressed female: This one is easy. Halle Berry. That woman gets hotter and hotter every year. When she took the stage, my jaw dropped. I give a solid second place to Jodie Foster, partly because she looked beautiful and partly because she is a stud.

Best dressed male: I give this award to Neil Patrick Harris and his classic suit. (And his giant forehead… his words, not mine!) He is one guy I would like to take to dinner someday. (I’m quite sure we would drink wine and have a great time.)

Best speech: This nod is a tie between Mo’Nique and Sandra Bullock. Both speeches were filled with passion and emotion. I too have an amazing husband who makes my life possible, and I would love the chance to thank him in front of millions of people around the world.

Award that made me cry: I was so happy when Glee won for best TV show, comedy or musical. And I must echo the words of the show’s creator when he reminded us that we need the arts in our education system.

Award that made me yell “yeah!”: I am a long-time fan of Big Love and was so happy to see Chloe Sevingy win for her role as the uber-bitchy Nicki. (Sorry about the ripped dress!) That said, I love-love-love Sue Sylvester and will be cheering for her next year!

My take on the host: I liked Ricky Gervais. My first favorite moment was his take on the American view of The Office (and Steve Carrell’s dead-pan reaction). My second favorite was his introduction of Mel Gibson, it goes something like this: Ricky picks up a beer, takes a sip, and says, “I like a drink as much as the next man. Unless, of course, that next man is Mel Gibson.” D’oh!

So, if all goes well and I find 1) the time, 2) the money, and 3) the babysitter, I might see a few movies before the Academy Awards. And then we’ll be in business!

– LTV Mom

Published

Stacy Libby

on January 19, 2010

in Film and Laptop Television

. 0 Comments

Dear Girl Scouts: “Thank U Berry Munch!”

Since launching this site, I have had some dream opportunities in my life. I have interviewed celebrity chefs, A-list journalists, television stars, and even First Ladies. It’s mind-boggling that this former journalism student turned mom-blogger can have such opportunities, even 20 years after graduation.

All that said, every once and a while, I receive an opportunity that makes me giddy. Thanks to the power of Twitter (and the Girl Scouts in Garden City, NY, I was offered the chance to test and review the newest Girl Scout Cookie, just pulled out of the oven this year, called “Thank U Berry Munch.” (Um, you had me at Girl Scout Cookie.)

While I was excited to test-drive the newest treat, I must be clear about my loyalty to the Thin Mint and Samoas (which are called Caramel deLights in Northern California). I buy boxes and boxes of those cookies as soon as I see Girl Scouts in front of my Safeway grocery store. Honestly, I can eat an entire sleeve of Thin Mints in one sitting.

My family shares this love for Girl Scout Cookies (adding Lemon Cremes to my husband’s list of favorites), so we decided to make this taste-test a multi-generational experience. Today’s taste-testers are: LTV Mom, LTV Dad, LTV Kid (age 5), and our Granny (age 90). Here’s a recap of our taste buds:

LTV Mom: Thank U Berry Munch is a shortbread cookie with tiny bits of dried cranberries. I equate the cookie to a Pecan Sandie, with cranberries instead of pecans. I expected the cookie to be chewy, but it’s nice and crunchy. Honestly, the cookie is better than I expected and paired nicely with a cup of tea. Thumb’s up!

LTV Dad: Excellent. This cookie has nice flavors, in fact, better flavors than some other Girl Scout cookies. I still prefer the Thin Mint, Somoas and Lemon Creme. [Note: he made this statement as he reached for a second helping of Thank U Berry Munch.]

LTV Kid (age 5): Very good, and I love it til my heart.

Granny (age 90): Very good! Very! Very excellent! This is my new favorite. My daughter was a Girl Scout.

I am happy to report the Thank U Berry Munch cookie was a big hit in my family. While it did not displace the Thin Mint or Somoas, it certainly is a welcomed addition to our annual Girl Scout Cookie feast!

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit: www.GirlScouts.org

Published

Stacy Libby

on December 6, 2009

in Food, Laptop Television, Project Runway and Trying to be Cool

. 3 Comments

Next Iron Chef: Chef Jose Garces

Iron Chef Jose Garces

It’s no secret that I am a Food Network junkie. I’m addicted to the network’s line-up of foodie shows including Food Network Challenge, Next Food Network Star and Chopped. But, I have to say, my recent interview with the Next Iron Chef was a highlights for my blogging career.

If you are new to Food Network and the Iron Chef franchise, The Next Iron Chef is a TV show that has ten super-star chefs competing to achieve the status of Iron Chef. The few who achieve this status then cook and compete against the best chefs from around the world on the show Iron Chef America. The dramatic show features “kitchen stadium” (which is a completely tricked-out kitchen), a surprise theme ingredient (which ranges from eggnog to eggplant), and lots of drama (including a time-clock and feisty judges).

The winner of this season’s Next Iron Chef is early-season-favorite Chef Jose Garces, an Ecuadorian-American who was raised in Chicago and owns famed restaurants in both Chicago and Philadelphia. A handful of bloggers were invited to speak with Chef Garces the morning following his victory, including yours truly. Here is a snapshot of the conversation:

Q: I am a big fan of Chef Freitag and was disappointed to see her leave so early. Whose early exit was most surprising to you?

A: “Chef Appleman was most surprising to me.” Chef Garces said that Appleman was a strong chef from the beginning, and then added he was both “surprised and alleviated” when Appleman was cut from the show.

Q: There are moments when the “secret ingredient” is unveiled and I think to myself, “I would never eat that!” Throughout the season, what secret ingredient or menu-theme made you cringe?

A: Chef Garces quickly pointed to the episode where the Chefs had to cook with challenging ingredients including un-laid eggs, stinky tofu, dried grasshoppers and duck tongue. He reminded us that this episode was all the worst ingredients rolled into one heinous menu. [LTV Mom: I would rather cut off my right arm that eat those dishes.]

Q: Whose food would you most like to try?

A: Chef Garces said, “Chef Mehta’s food… I never got to try his food!” Note: Chef Mehta and Chef Garces competed head-to-head until the show’s finale! [LTV Mom: I am heading to NYC this week and hope to try Chef Mehta's Graffiti.]

Q: What’s the most important thing you took away from this competition?

A: Chef Garces said, “The show triggered my creative juices, I proved to myself that I can cook on the fly.”

Q: What was your favorite gadget in Kitchen Stadium?

A: Chef Garces likes the “blast chiller” which helps you quickly chill food. [LTV Mom says "I want one too!"]

Q: How will you be preparing your Thanksgiving Turkey this year?

A: I was shocked to learn that even Chef Garces will brine and fry his turkey this year. He says, “the product comes out the best.”

Q: Last and most important question: Chef Garces, you are from Chicago, so I have to ask: Cubs or Sox?

A: Cubs! [LTV Mom: Go Cubbies!]

At the end of the day, I have to say Chef Garces came across as a very kind, hard-working, down-to-Earth person. I hope to dine at one of his restaurants in the near future. In the meantime, I will root for him during his premiere on Iron Chef America on Sunday, January 17.

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit: Food Network

Published

Stacy Libby

on November 30, 2009

in Food, Laptop Television and Trying to be Cool

. 2 Comments

My Personal Gratitude

Earlier this year, I worked with online stationery retailer Tiny Prints to start an online movement encouraging people to express gratitude for even the littlest things that keep us smiling. The idea was to recognize how everyday experiences can be profound enough to provide a renewed perspective and hope for a happier tomorrow. We called this online movement the Gratitude Challenge and simply asked people to “take note, give thanks.”

The Voce team and I helped identify 14 bloggers who, along with Tiny Prints bloggers, would kick-off the online movement and encourage people everywhere to stop, take a moment, and take note of the brighter side of life. I worked with amazing women and men across the blogosphere who opened my eyes to a million things for which to be thankful. One person was thankful for surviving a car accident, while another simply appreciated the smell of a freshly baked pie. I highly recommend you watch the video above to see and experience the power of gratitude.

Working on this project was fun and uplifting; I was inspired and happy to be part of it. Ironically (and rather pathetically), I was so wrapped up in work and life that I did not actually take the Challenge. I felt I was just too busy to take the time for personal reflection and thanks.

Recently, I found myself “down in the dumps” and overwhelmed by my world. I had clients to please, dishes to clean, laundry to wash, birthday parties to plan. I missed my workouts, my books, my inner peace. And one day, out of the blue, my five-year-old daughter walked up to me, wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered, “I love you, Mommy.” I literally felt my heart warm and my concerns melt. With tears in my eyes, I suddenly realized that I was so focused on the things that burdened my mind, I was forgetting the people who uplift my soul.

At that moment, I decided that laundry can wait, dishes can sit overnight, and I am going to take time to reflect on my personal gratitude. Starting today, I am taking the Gratitude Challenge. And I couldn’t be happier. I have downloaded and signed the contract. Step One is to express why you are taking the challenge… and you just read what’s on my mind. If you want to take note and give thanks, go to www.gratitudechallenge.com to download the contract and join the online movement. As I have learned, it’s never too late.

– LTV Mom

Published

Stacy Libby

on November 4, 2009

in Laptop Television

. 1 Comment

WINOS Pick of the Week: 2006 Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon

: 2006 Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s time for a look at the new wines appearing in my wine-fridge. My husband and I have been wondering the aisles of CostCo looking for new — but not overpriced — wines to try. We recently stumbled across a 2006 Ghost Pines Cabernet. And it’s good.

We had never heard of Ghost Pines before buying a few bottles, but the Web site leads me to believe it’s owned by Louis M. Martini Winery in St. Helena. The online retail partner The Barrel Room calls the winemakers “young” and “hot-shot” so I’m not sure who they are. But their Cab is delicious.

The 2006 Cab is drinkable now, no need to cellar this one. It’s tasty with hints of jam and berries. It’s not a peppery or earthy Cab, so I have been drinking it without meals (just a little bite of salty cheese.) I think this Cab would be good with a medium rare filet mignon, but I say that about every red wine I enjoy. At the end of the day, we found a wine that will please most red-wine fans and we proudly serve it to our friends. It’s not too overbearing, it’s just smooth and tasty.

The Ghost Pines cab sells for about $23 at The Barrel Room. We found it at CostCo and Safeway for a lesser price of about $16. I see the winery also bottles a Chardonnay and a Merlot, but have not tried them yet.

As much as I enjoy the wine, I absolutely love the tagline: “Sonoma Spirit. Napa Elegance.” (Yes, I love Sonoma for is down-to-Earth goodness.) The label tells me the Cab is 72 percent Napa County, 28 percent Sonoma County. I think it’s 100 percent tasty.

– LTV Mom

Note: Following the new FTC rules, I’m going to confirm the opinions are my own and I bought this wine all by myself! And yes, I am more than 21 years old (just barely).

Published

Stacy Libby

on October 6, 2009

in Food, Laptop Television and WINOS Pick of the Week

. 0 Comments

Do One Nice Thing: and not just when it’s convenient

From time to time, the ladies and gents who write for the Silicon Valley Moms Group participate in a virtual book club. We all read the same book and share our thoughts on our personal blogs. I have been so overwhelmed with work and life, I skipped the past several books. But this month’s book selection was too intriguing to pass up. We read a book called “Do One Nice Thing” by Debbie Tenzer.

The concept of the book is quite simple: it offers more than a hundred easy ideas to show kindness to other people. The ideas range from donating baseball tickets to the Veterans Administration to smiling at everyone you pass on the sidewalk. Reading the book was a good exercise in self-reflection: Am I a nice person? Do I do nice things? Most importantly, am I teaching my daughter to be a nice person?

I grew up in a household that had one simple rule: if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. (And I guarantee unkind words resulted in big trouble, especially if I was talking to my sisters!) More importantly, I grew up in a Midwestern community that was just that… a community. We treated each other with respect, kindness and generosity each and every day. If a neighbor had a baby, the neighborhood would fill her refrigerator with casseroles and lasagnas. When our roof needed to be re-shingled, my dad’s buddies on the street spent an entire Saturday helping him. When the local downtown flooded after days and days of rainfall, the high school seniors filled and hauled sand-bags to help save the family-owned businesses.

Random acts of kindness, and making time to help others in need, fueled our community. It was who I was raised to be.

Sadly, reading this book made me realize that I have lost some of the kindness and generosity that is so important to me. I am so focused on getting through my days, so set on surviving the rat-race, I have forgotten to take time to care for others. Oh sure, I still make the goulash for the new mommy across the street and I gave my daughter’s stroller to a friend who was strapped for cash. But those things are done when they are convenient for me… not necessarily when they are needed most.

I already have working-mom guilt, always worrying about taking care of my family. But I have had a wake-up call that I need to look beyond my four walls and care for the people who need it… when they need it.

And not just when it’s convenient for me.

– LTV Mom

If you want to explore other thoughts and opinions on being nice, please follow the dialogue on the New Jersey Moms Blog.

Published

Stacy Libby

on September 29, 2009

in Books and Silicon Valley Moms Group

. 0 Comments

BlogHer Food 2009

I’m obviously not a food blogger, but I love to write about (and watch) food television. I’m a long-time fan of shows like Top Chef, Chopped and Next Food Network Star. Recently, I’ve been sucked into the cake decorating shows, and Cake Boss is a fan-favorite in my house.

I admittedly watch a lot of television after the kid goes to bed and I go back to work (hence the moniker Laptop TV Mom). But during waking hours, we limit TV-time in my house. My young daughter is allowed to watch cartoons during breakfast, but then has to “earn” TV time for her favorites like iCarly. But let’s be honest, there are times when this mama just wants to cuddle on the couch with her special girl, and chill with some TV. The challenge is finding TV that we both want to watch. And this is where cooking shows come in.

My 4.5 year-old daughter and I love to watch cooking shows together. We spend the time talking about the mystery ingredients, the decorations on the cakes, and which recipes we would eat for dinner. We can watch these shows, and I know there will be no sex, drugs and bad language. (Well, some of the shows have bad language, but I can usually work around a bleeped-out F-bomb.)

All that said, I’m also a closet foodie who loves to cook (and eat). I love cookbooks, entertaining, and experiencing new and exciting restaurants.

So, absorb all that information — and couple it with BlogHer Food 09 in San Francisco — and you have LTV Mom attending the upcoming conference for food bloggers. I am meeting up with cookbook author Gina von Esmarch, and we are going to see cooking demonstrations, learn about food photography, and meet the food bloggers we love to read.

But my favorite part? I am bringing my kid with me! My hubby is out of town, so the kid and I are hitting Highway 280 and joining the foodies in San Francisco. She says she wants to drink milk and watch people cook. (I told her the California Milk Board will be there, and milk is her absolute favorite drink!)

So, if you see a TV blogger (and closet foodie) with her super-cute kid, please say hello!

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit: BlogHer

Published

Stacy Libby

on September 26, 2009

in BlogHer, Laptop Television and The Kid

. 2 Comments