You Could Win this Emergency Readiness Kit

So here’s the thing about living in Manhattan: It’s culture filled and exciting.  It has great shopping and even better food.  It’s never boring, it sometimes smells. It’s where my family has lived since the late 19th century.  And it’s an island, which means that if there’s an emergency here, well, we’re kind of stuck.

So to us, being prepared for an emergency is a necessity.  Yet in a ridiculously un-scientific survey of the other moms waiting outside school for pickup one day last week, not one of them was.  Not even me.

Well, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) wants to change that.  They want  to give New Yorkers in all of the boroughs the resources to help them take the first steps towards being prepared in case of any emergency.  Not just horrifying attacks, but big snowstorms, or hurricanes, or who knows what else?

Here in NY, the closing of H&H bagels is an emergency.  But really, nothing can prepare you for that.

One way to prepare for more universal emergencies – like water main breaks or black outs – is by taking the new Readiness Challenge – an online emergency simulation that forces you  to make quick decisions at every turn.  It’s not like the answers aren’t obvious once you see them.  It’s just that when you take the test, you see just how many of those “obvious” things you haven’t done.  Luckily, the Readiness Challenge also guides you to the My Meeting Place Facebook application and other OEM resources to help you get started on your own emergency plans.

The OEM even has a link where you can go to find out when your NYC street will be plowed. (If we ever get an snow this year.  I mean, it’s January, and today it was 60 degrees!)

The OEM sent me an emergency preparedness kit (first aid kit, flashlight, batteries and other items you may need in an emergency) and they want to send one randomly chosen winner one, too.  All you have to do is:

Take the Readiness Challenge and navigate your way through the online tool to find out how prepared you are for an emergency.  Once you’ve finished, leave a comment telling us how it helped you get started on your emergency plans.  One lucky winner will be selected to get their own readiness pack.  But everyone who takes the challenge will get the knowledge and information they need to be ready in case of emergency, no matter where you live..

Like if Loehmann’s ever closes. Or, well, something like that.

But I’m not going to let that stop me.

This week’s Duane Reade Shopping assignment was supposed to be about bundling up for winter.  But all that happens to me when the cold weather blows, is that I want to leave the city, and head somewhere warm.  So though I went into the store thinking I would be scoping out hats, scarves and hand warmers, when I got there, all I could think was escape.

Luckily DR has plenty of travel supplies…so my fantasy of a warm winter getaway was good to go.

First of all, I love the little sample sizes of products.  When I was in middle school, I remember writing away for EVERYthing in the back of Seventeen Magazine.  Well DR has just about everything, too.  Perfectly sized for getting through security fast.

They also have a pretty impressive array of cosmetic bags – from the cutesy to the sophisticated.  At Duane Reade!  Who knew? I happen to like the polka dotted ones.  But the solids (except not in that green…ugh) are nice, too.

And then there’s the stuff to put in them.  I’d been looking for a pair of super low peds that wouldn’t show in my ballet flats that I wear all summer long, and I found ‘em here.  Score.

And I’m still not deep enough into my warm weather fantasy life to forget that in the summer, you have no coat to hide your figure flaws.  So I noticed this handy lump smoothing item.

Since my fantasy also includes air travel (first class, of course.  It’s MY fanstasy) I checked out the nifty airplane items – like the blow up neck pillow, the eye shades and the chargers of all kinds.

But once I left the store, and was hit with the reality of the weather , I realized that to really beat the heat, I could only go to one of two places: Fairway or Citarella.  Both conveniently located across the street.  Why there?  Because the only way to really deal with the cold is to make a nice hearty stew. So I did. Here’s the recipe:

Lamb Stew (adapted from Mark Bittman)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3.5 lbs. lamb shoulder, trimmed of extra fat and cut into stew-sized cubes

Salt and Pepper

1 cup chopped onion

1 Bay leaf

1 Cinnamon Stick

2 star anise (optional – but good)

1 cup pearl onions (use frozen, it’s easier)

1 6oz can tomato paste

1 cup chopped dried dates

3 Tablespoons raisins

Parsley to garnish

1. Brown the meat in the olive oil over medium high heat, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.  You may have to do this in batches.  When they are all browned, return everything to the pan, add the chopped onion, and stir until the onions are soft. (Use a pot with a cover, you’ll need it later.)

2. Add  the next 5 ingredients and stir to blend.  Cover the pot and cook about 1hr, until the lamb is almost tender.  Add the figs and raisins, cook 20 minutes more, or until the lamb is super tender.

3. Garnish with the parsley and serve over a hearty noodle, like bow ties, orchiette, or wide egg noodles.  Tip: It’s best to wait and eat the stew the next day – rather than the day you cook it. That gives the flavors time to combine and penetrate the meat while in the rerfrigerator.

Sadly, the stew didn’t do the trick.  And I was left with having to go back to Duane Reade and buy this.

Bummer.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for CollectiveBias. #CBias The money spent and the opinions given are my own. #duanereade

You can see more photos from my trip – and check out the goods for yourself by clicking here.

When they were this age, no tech was no problem!

Family vacations are supposed to be all about togetherness.  So does that mean that no one can be on their phone or handheld game, or ipad, or computer the entire time?

Yikes. I mean, can you get the DTs from electronic withdrawal syndrome?

Kim Orlando gave that a shot on her recent family vacation to Aruba (the no tech – not the DTs)…and I commend her for it.  But the truth is, I’m not really willing to give up tech entirely while I’m on a trip – so I can’t really expect my kids to be. What we’ve done – without hard and fast rules, but with some success, is make the rule that tech is only for checking in with your email in the morning, and checking out a bit at the end of a long day. I do not check my phone all the time while we are away.  My kids do not carry around their various electronic accessories.  But for a plane ride, let’s face it, nothing beats a bit of DS or a movie on your iPad.

I think we’ve struck up a compromise. Works for us.  And maybe it will work for you — (and you have to read this next line in a game-show announcer voice) on your vacation to beautiful Aruba!!!! Yes Traveling Mom (where I am a contributor) is giving away a fabulous trip for a family of four to Aruba.  (including air fare!)

It’s easy to enter.  All you have to do is watch the video below about how Traveling Mom founder Kim Orlando dealt with electronics on vacation,  and her tech-deprived kids (and husband) on her trip to Aruba, and answer the question of the day. The details about the contest are all here.  Where you can learn about more ways/chances to win.

The Traveling Mom crew is also hosting a Twitter Party all about traveling with tech.  And I’m gonna be there.   January 23, 9-10 pm eastern. Wanna come?  If you’ve never been to a Twitter Party, it’s easy.  Just click here and find out how to RSVP. Still not sure? Well, just so you know, TMOM always give out awesome prizes!

But for now, check out Kim’s video.  Once you’ve watched that, you’re REALLY gonna want to win the trip!

I also heard someone call it The Consumer Exhaustion Show.

I agree with both.  Although the “best week” part can be hard to agree with sometimes.  What with the crowds, the jacked up prices, the long lines, the Japanese businessmen overly buoyant as they slip the bellman a $20 bill to put them and their bevy of hookers to the front of the taxi line.

And then there’s the tech.  Miles and miles and miles of it. 1.861 million square feet, to be exact.  So you don’t get to see everything..to say the least.  But here were a few of my favorites:

The refrigerator of my dreams, from LG.  I live in an apartment, and my kitchen is a classic NYC galley style.  That means, that when I open the refrigerator door, I completely block the back door. Not THAT big a deal, but annoying.  This LG French door fridge just looked awesome. With a very cool feature that puts bottles of juice or water at kid level, and accessible through a door-in-door feature that means you don’t have to open the whole fridge just to grab a drink. Isn’t it gorgeous?

I also really liked the wireless Wi Drive from Kingston that I got at the Clever Girls Ladies Who Tech party. It’s a wireless USB drive that allows multiple devices to access it at the same time. That means you can watch a grown up movie on your computer while your kids watch something else on the iPad.  All without wires.

Verizon showed off a new in-store giant wall that makes shopping easier.  It’s a touch screen wall that doesn’t just help you with Verizon shopping, but helps you find restaurants, stores…whatever in a super-cool interface with circles of proximity and connections. Could it be that they’ve found a way to make going to a Verizon store less than horrifying?

I saw wireless TV’s that you can move from room to room. The latest trend in cameras – both video and non- is that they are WiFi enabled. I got a SONY WiFi Bloggie camera (also from the fabulous and wonderful Clever Girls) that lets you post your video to Facebook, an email address, a blog…whatever, right after you take it – wirelessly.  It can live stream too.  And even though it’s no bigger than a cell phone, it can hold up to 3 hours of HD video. I would have liked it to have a reversible screen – or a front screen -so it would be useful for vlogging as well.  But I guess that’s why they call it a Bloggie, and not a vloggie.

The cases you can get now for all your devices are amazing.  From custom DIY versions, and adorable wearable purse-type ones from Case Mate (here’s the wall of their booth.  Covered entirely with cases!), to blinged out versions from just about everyone,to this one from Griffin Tech that @beccasara called The Mr. Potatohead of Iphone Cases. So cute!

Much of what people talked about was the Cloud – and being able to use things across all your devices. It doesn’t make for exciting blogging, but it could make our lives even more seamlessly connected.

Want to know more about my trip to CES 2012? Take a listen to the Blogging Angels podcasts we made while we were there.

One with Ben the PC Guy. (though he really ought to change his name to Ben the  Windows Phone Guy)

And the other with Beth Blecherman of TechMamas.  And she is the Tech Mama!

But I leave you with this – lest you think CES is all high level gadgetry:

Because Who Doesn't Want to Rest Their Wrist on a Boob or Butt Cheek Whilst Typing?

Yes, it’s a mouse pad.  And those? Those are the wrist rests.  You gotta love CES.

Yes, this woman was working the floor last year.

Like a lot of techies, techie wanabees, and social media junkies who just got sucked into it, I’m headed to CES this week.

Unlike a lot of techies, I’m dreading it.  But I’ve developed a few survival skills.  So here they are -   – especially for women. Hope they help.

1. Wear comfortable shoes. I live in NY.  We walk here.  A lot.  But schlepping around the convention floor is exhausting, and there’s really no where to sit. So leave the heels at home. No one will be oggling you anyway; that’s what booth babes are for.

2. Bring healthy snacks. It may sound crazy, but you may not have time to eat during the day. The convention is HHHHHUUUUUUGE. And just getting from one appointment to another can take forever.  The only food is convention food. Which means it’s unhealthy and kind of sucks, and you’ll wait on a ridiculously long line for it.  So stick a few granola bars in your bag.  You’ll thank me later.

3. Give yourself time to get to and from the Convention Center:  There are shuttle buses.  But you could wait on line for them for 45 minutes.  No joke.  The taxi lines aren’t much better.  So plan for that.

4.  Be wary of those who want to live by the “What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” motto. Believe me, they won’t be people you want anything to happen with.  Ewww.  Again: that’s what booth babes are for.

5. If you must gamble, set yourself a budget and STICK TO IT.  Basic advice, I know.  But you’d be surprised how easy it is to tell yourself, “I’ll just try one more time to win it back.”  You won’t win it back.  Look at it this way: if the odds were in your favor, the gambling industry would have been out of business a long time ago.

6. Get ready to be in the minority.  If you’re a woman, you will be SERIOUSLY in the minority.  There are 150,000 people at this thing and 149,000 of them are men.  And not in a good way.  This is a serious geek fest.  Aside from the few hoodie wearing, high-top sporting hipster types who look young enough to be my kids (some of them might be), this is not a hip crowd.  These are tech geeks.  With all the cliche social failings that go with the moniker.

7. Don’t be fooled.  Every year, there’s something that’s the “BIG THING.”  Last year, it was 3D TVs.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t know a whole lot of people who ran out and bought those just because the powers that be at CES said they would.  As a matter of fact, I don’t know ANYONE who got one. Did anyone?

8. Get Outside Last year, I do believe that the only fresh air I got was while waiting for the shuttle bus. And by fresh air, I mean air saturated by the exhaust of dozens of transport buses and the body odor of thousands of tech geeks who just spent the day rushing around from appointment to appointment in a windowless concrete box.

9. Don’t get drunk. I know it’s Vegas.  I know there will be parties.  I know you will be tired and maybe jet lagged, or oxygen deprived.  But this is a business trip.  You will not want to call someone you met while there and have them say “Oh, right! YOU’RE the one.”  That’s bad for business.  Very very bad.

10.Try not to overhear what the hookers in the lobby of your hotel are saying.  Yes, there will be hookers.  Everywhere.  And I beg of you, BLOCK YOUR EARS.  Trust me on this, the things you hear them say will haunt you forever. (Can you feel me shuddering?  I’m shuddering.)

11. When in doubt, go with glitter.  This is Vegas, baby.  I know I said no big gambling, no big drinking, but here in Vegas, you can dress BIG.  Sequins, leather, high heels (only at night), flash!  Wear your most outrageous “I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought this and I’m never going to have anywhere to wear it” outfit and I guarantee, you’ll fit right in.  And if you don’t, who cares?  What happens in Vegas…well, you know the rest.

]]> http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/09/ces-survival-strategies/feed/ 3 nancyjrab Vegas Showgirl http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/05/new-year-new-look-a-duane-reade-shopping-trip/ http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/05/new-year-new-look-a-duane-reade-shopping-trip/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:09:21 +0000 nancyjrab http://fromhiptohousewife.com/?p=2439 ]]> Resolution, schmesolution, you want new things in the new year?  Just do it. (Sorry, Nike)

Not so new hair for the New Year!

I started with my hair.  The other day I posted about my new super short ‘do.  I left that hairdresser looking TOTALLY different.  Of course, that was when she blow dried it.  This morning, I did it myself — and it doesn’t look all that different than it did before I got it cut. Sigh.

So I needed something else to shake things up.  And since Duane Reade is sponsoring this post (though not paying for the stuff  I buy when I’m at the store.) I figured – why not start there with a new make-up and hair regimen for the new year.  Because, let’s face it, nobody did a bigger makeover than Duane Reade itself.  They must know something about this stuff.

I headed to the DR on 79th and Broadway because it’s the closest one, and it was zero degrees outside.  This DR isn/t as glam as the 72nd Street one, but it has been completely redone, and still feels pretty brand spanking new.

First things first:  I need new product to go with my new hair, to keep it looking like new hair.  They have quite the selection.  From the usual drug store brands to the higher end stuff.  I go high end, spending $18 on Slept In, by Short Sexy Hair , which is, I gather, supposed to give me sexy hair.

Next, eyes.  I am a big fan on Bobbi Brown gel eye liner.  But its not really the sort of thing you can throw in your purse – You need a brush to apply it, you need another brush to smudge it.  So I need a good old fashioned eye pencil.  For $2.99 Wet n Wild self sharpening eye pencil works for me. Plus, a L’Oreal quad of eyeshadows in Desert Sunrise…basically the same colors I always get – muted earth tones – but mine are old and gross and this one is fresh and new.  (At this point, all my picture taking is freaking the store employees out.  So either they’re offering to help to keep an eye on me, or because they really, really care. Maybe a bit of both!)

On my way to get cream for my dark under eye circles, I notice they even have a Men’s high end selection. And this isn’t even Chelsea!  There’s WAY too much to choose from.  But at the new Duane Reade, that’s not a problem.  Shakira (who hasn’t seen me take any pics and so isn’t wary of me) offers advice on the active ingredients of several brands. She’s so good at what she does that instead of getting the mass market brand I would have chosen, I shell out $38 for a fancy French brand. (eating into my sponsorship fee again.  Sigh.)

Now that DR has fresh food, I can save myself a trip to West End Market (too cold to walk all the way to Fairway.)  All I need to complete my recipe for Salmon Loaf made from leftover roast salmon is some yogurt.  I get Chobani for a good price, and then notice Siggi’s Icelandic Style yogurt.  I have no idea what that means, but it’s pomegranate/passion fruit flavor – two of my all time favorite fruits – so I shell out – (are you ready?) $3.98 for a 5.3 oz container.  It had better be good.  And it is.  Not too sweet, super thick and creamy, and 0% fat! Bummer, now I’ll have to buy Siggi’s more often.

Some of the new things I notice aren’t quite as fabulous  – like these plastic heel protectors.  Basically, they’re the fashion equivalent of plastic on the furniture – but I digress.

This is going to be the year of no complaining from my dental hygienist, so I get Glide dental floss and the hard to find oral b little brushes.

Done.

New Hair. (ish). New products.  New Duane Reade.

hey, it’s a start.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study forCollectiveBias. #CBias The money spent and the opinions given are my own. #duanereade

You can see more photos from my trip – and check out the goods for yourself by clicking here.

]]> http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/05/new-year-new-look-a-duane-reade-shopping-trip/feed/ 0 nancyjrab Photo_00009 WP_000164 WP_000169 I bought one of these in my usual (boring) shade of neutral. Shakira: awesome. And knows her skin care! The plastic on the furniture of fashion. http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/04/new-year-new-do-wordless-wednesday/ http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/04/new-year-new-do-wordless-wednesday/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:58:54 +0000 nancyjrab https://fromhiptohousewife.wordpress.com/?p=2432 ]]> Yesterday I got a new very short ‘do. Not on purpose…but there you go. I kinda like it. But it is SHORT!

]]> http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2012/01/04/new-year-new-do-wordless-wednesday/feed/ 13 nancyjrab http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2011/12/16/duane-reade-the-times-square-of-ny-stores/ http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2011/12/16/duane-reade-the-times-square-of-ny-stores/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:00:28 +0000 nancyjrab http://fromhiptohousewife.com/?p=2405 ]]> Recently, I went shopping at Duane Reade, the New York convenience store, and it made me think of Times Square.

If you grew up in New York, or if you’ve been here more than 20 years, or if you’ve seen any Scorcese movie made in the 1970′s, then you remember when Times Square was seedy.  You remember – maybe even with fondness -  the way there were creepy men hanging around the peep shows, how Robin Byrd was headlining at Show World.  You remember that certain combination of grime, sleaze and glitz that was Times Square.

Now, Times Square isn’t gritty, it’s glitzy and glamorous.  Now there are brand name stores, like the new American Eagle Outfitters, and Sephora, and the flagship Toys R Us complete with indoor ferris wheel.

It’s a bit disconcerting.

And that is kind of like Duane Reade.  For decades, Duane Reade, a NYC chain of pharmacy/snack/drug store/convenience stores, was famously – oh, how can I put this kindly – seedy.  Oh, we all shopped there.  Duane Reade had everything. Need Shampoo?  You’ve got it.  Need a mop? Check.  Need bandaids, aspirin, Leggs pantyhose in a plastic egg, pork rinds, Spam in a can? Duane Reade was the place to go.

But it was also famous for being maybe not the most service oriented place.  Maybe not the cleanest. Definitely not glam.

My how times have changed.

Fancy Schmancy Fragrance at DR on 72nd and Broadway

And while there’s a part of me that thinks it’s a bit sad – the Walgreens-i-fication of the chain has taken out the New Yorkiness of the place (Walgreen recently bought all 257 DR stores for $1.1 billion)  – it didn’t stop me from heading there to do a little bit of last minute stocking stuffer (well, you can’t stuff a Menorah) shopping at my newly glammed up DR.

The first thing you notice when you walk in, is the case of fresh donuts. Now, the old DR didn’t have fresh anything.  So this is a surprise. Next, is all the private label stuff: Delish is the brand. Then, you see that the linoleum floors are not blackened from years of neglect.  The place kind of sparkles. It’s sleek.

But I’m not here to gawk, I’m here to shop.  So upstairs I go.  The store is heavily staffed.  People actually smile and greet you, offer you help.  It’s like an alternate DR universe.  And the stuff they have!  I see a display of Demeter fragrances, Klorane products, a hip line of cosmetics called Pop.  I choose some sparkly nail polish and even more sparkly lip gloss for my teen niece. One down.

There’s a brow bar.  A sign announcing a doctor on site. I grab some needed tin foil and some plastic hangars.

For my own daughter, I peruse the fan mags. She loves J-14.  That’s going to be good for the plane ride for our vacation. I

throw it into my cart. I feel guilty that we’re leaving  the dog behind, and since he’s adopted, I figure he’s not Jewish, so I buy him a Santa Dog Toy. Gift cards are always good.  Two itunes cards for my two kids, and one for the college nephew.  Some sunscreen for the trip. Done.

On my way out, I buy some soft chocolate chip cookies to bring to pick up. There’s sushi – but frankly, that scares me.  There’s an artisinal beer bar (no, I’m not kidding), there is fresh looking fresh produce – nothing withered – I checked. They even have a Facebook Page and a Twitter account.

It’s kind of freaking me out. Where is the skeevy looking box of snacks?  Whence the surly clerk?

I’m cheered by the fact that even though they seem to have gotten everything right, I still find one thing wrong – we’re on the Upper West Side of Manattan – Jew territory – and yet there is not even one Hannukah anything. No decorations.  No plastic dreidels. Nothing.

It’s not grit or New York attitude – but it will have to do.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study forCollectiveBias. #CBias The money spent and the opinions given are my own. #duanereade

You can see more photos from my trip – and check out the glam for yourself by clicking here.

]]> http://fromhiptohousewife.com/2011/12/16/duane-reade-the-times-square-of-ny-stores/feed/ 5 nancyjrab WP_000126 WP_000112 WP_000111 cards