Archive for the 'Laptop Television' Category

2010 Oscars Recap

My family has an annual tradition of watching the Academy Awards with our friends Lisa and Clay. We take turns hosting, and we love it when the party moves to Lisa’s house because she is the Silicon Valley’s very own Martha Stewart. (That woman can prepare a spread like I’ve never seen!) This year’s party was great, the food was amazing, the wine was delicious, the five-year-old daughter was awesome… and I won the most Oscar picks! All that said, here are LTV Mom’s highlights from this year’s Academy Awards:

Best Dressed Female: Well, this was the year of my favorite color: RED. I know the TV pundits and critics have been praising the metallics, but I am a red girl. So, my best dressed is the gorgeous Penelope Cruz, with Vera Farmiga as a close second (was that red or magenta?). That said, I love a RED LIP, so the awesome Sandra Bullock gets a special nod for her luscious red lips (and the Oscar award for Best Actress!)

Best Dressed Male: Duh, it’s George Clooney (even though he needs a haircut). I forget, where there other men at this year’s show? I do have to give a nod to my fantasy-BFF Neil Patrick Harris. I had no idea he was performing this year, and he is adorable as always. Like I always say, he and I would be GREAT friends!

Best Line: Maybe it’s my age, but the best line has to be Steve Martin pulling out the “I was born a poor black child” when referring to the movie Precious. That line received a round of laughter and a DVR rewind so we could hear it again! I do have to say I thought Steve and Alec Baldwin were great, and I would easily ask them back for 2011.

Best Moment: Again, maybe it’s my age, but the tribute to John Hughes brought tears to my eyes. I grew up on his movies. I still quote Ferris Bueller. And I am so glad to see the Academy honor the man who influenced my generation, even if his movies are not Oscar-worthy. I challenge you, read the list of John Hughes movies on IMDB… you will be surprised how many you have seen (and how many you love!) Watch the tribute HERE.

Best (or worst) Fast Forward Moment: Sandy Powell wins Best Costume Design for The Young Victoria and begins her speech with “I already have two of these.” Lame. The only redeeming moment is that I picked her win at random, because period pieces always win Best Costume Design.

Worst Speech: Easy. The “what the hell happened” moment when the team from Music by Prudence won Documentary Short. I’m not going to take sides on the drama, but you can read about it HERE.

Best Presenter: Easy, Sandra Bullock. “Dude, make me look good!” when explaining the role of the cinematographer during her presentation of the award for Best Cinematography.

Best Milestone: To quote Barbara Streisand, “The time has come!” Katherine Bigelow is the first woman to win Best Director for The Hurt Locker. Just awesome…

Best Wine of the Night: Easy. The red sparking wine from Mumm, recommended by my cousin Sheryl. (Thanks a ton, and you were so right, it was delicious!)

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit: Yahoo! Images and AP

Published
by
Stacy Libby
on March 10, 2010
in Film and Laptop Television
. 0 Comments

Why I missed the 2010 Mom 2.0 Summit

I was really looking forward to attending the Mom 2.0 Summit this year. I purchased my conference ticket in December, I had my hotel booked, I was even going to travel with one of my favorite clients. It was going to be a great conference with some of my favorite blogging women.

And then, I learned my daughter’s dance team would be performing at Disneyland that same weekend. No contest.  (I love my fellow blogging-mamas… but I love my kid more.)  I quickly found a new owner for my Mom 2.0 ticket, and booked a flight to the OC. I’m not sure who was more excited: my little dancer or her mama (who has impressive stage-mom potential).

My husband and I gathered our best friends in Silicon Valley, and our best friends in Orange County, and we all trekked to Disneyland. We braved roller coasters, consumed cotton candy, hugged Mickey and Minnie, and marveled at my five-year-old dancing on stage! Our family had a good time at Disneyland and a great time watching the Big Show. My little girl may not be the next Cyd Charisse, but she is cute as a button!

Take a look at the video, and you too will understand why I can wait until 2011 to attend the Mom 2.0 Summit.

– LTV Mom

Video Credit: totally goes to Tulia’s Dad (not only is he a Bay Area firefighter and EMT, he’s awesome at getting video off his video camera and to a place where people can actually see it!)

Published
by
Stacy Libby
on March 2, 2010
in Family, Laptop Television, The Kid and Travel
. 11 Comments

WINOS Pick of the Week: Elodian Cabernet Sauvignon

Elodian Cabernet Sauvignon

Elodian Cabernet Sauvignon

We love the “BevMo! Five Cent Sale” at our house. If you live hear a BevMo! (which is magical liquor store that is really called Beverages and More), you probably know about the regular sales where you buy one bottle of wine and you get an identical bottle for (you guessed it) a mere five cents.  It’s a great opportunity to try new wines, even get out of your viticultural comfort zone. My hubby hit the sale this weekend and discovered a gold-mine: Elodian 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by the Eddy Family Wines.

About the Wine: This is a special wine, and I think we paid $30 for the bottle (and five-cents for the second bottle… score!) It is a complex cab that tasted like wonderful berries with a hint of an oak flavor. After one sip, I told my husband “go back to the store and buy a case!” The wine is smooth and flavorful and easy to drink. We enjoyed the wine with our favorite accompaniment: filet mignon and roasted asparagus. I am going to try a cheese pairing with my next bottle, er I mean glass.  Read the winemaker’s tasting notes HERE.

In case you are wondering, an elodian is a sea turtle found in the Galapagos Islands, where owner Kerry Eddy’s family lived years ago. The family brought elodians with them when they moved to San Francisco, and sold them with the ship’s cargo (and they “went like hotcakes!”)

About the Eddy Family:  The winery is a family-owned and operated winery located in Calistoga, California. They produce less than 1,500 cases annually. And I can’t wait to discover more of their wonderful wines.

Photo credit:Eddy Family Wines

Published
by
Stacy Libby
on March 2, 2010
in Laptop Television and WINOS Pick of the Week
. 0 Comments

My Life Scoop: Top 10 Wired Mom Blogs

Well, I am blushing. I was on vacation with my family last week, and began my Thursday with a Twitter check where I discovered some great news. Turns out that Laptop TV Mom made the list of Top 10 Wired Mom Blogs by My Life Scoop. Even better, I am listed with some great company including some of my friends and co-bloggers. Thank you so much, I appreciate the nod.

Top 10 Wired Mom Blogs

The list is designed to highight the blogs that share how everyday moms are using the Web and mobile devices to manage our crazy lives. Whether we have one kid or a dozen, whether we work outside the home or not, we all use technology to keep our families (and sanity!) in check. And heck, we even use technology to create a source of entertainment.

The List

There are some high-powered moms on this list, including the ladies from BlogHer and Silicon Valley Moms Blog (where I also write). I also am a personal fan of list-makers TechMamas, TechSavvyMama, Who’s the Boss, Cool Mom Picks, and Rox and Roll. I’ve also recently discovered Topsie Techie and Help Me, Obi-Mom Kenobi, You’re My Only Hope! and hope to meet them soon!

Other new lists from My Life Scoop include Top 10 Home Office Idea Blogs and Top 10 Homework Help Blogs. A complete list of their Top 10 lists can be found HERE.

About My Life Scoop

My Life Scoop is a blog dedicated to showing how people use technology to run their lives. Yep, this is my kind of blog. I use technology to run my household, keep track of my family, manage my paying job, and (you guessed it) entertain myself in my spare time.

– LTV Mom

Photo Credit: My Life Scoop

Published
by
Stacy Libby
on February 22, 2010
in Laptop Television, Silicon Valley Moms Group, Technology and Trying to be Cool
. 1 Comment

Wordless Wednesday: My Kid and Travis Wall from SYTYCD

Published
by
Stacy Libby
on February 17, 2010
in Laptop Television, SYTYCD, The Kid, Trying to be Cool and Wordless Wednesday
. 1 Comment

Coco Chanel and Tiger Woods = Same Lesson

Coco Chanel & Igor StravinskyCoco 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
by
Stacy Libby
on January 27, 2010
in Books, Laptop Television and Silicon Valley Moms Group
. 4 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
by
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
by
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

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
by
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
by
Stacy Libby
on November 4, 2009
in Laptop Television
. 1 Comment