I seem to know a lot of people writing books lately.  One of these friends happens to be Una La Marche, author of the new book Five Summers.  It’s coined Young Adult but I enjoyed it every much as my 10 year-old who happens to be heading off to sleep-a-way camp this summer for the first time.

FIve Summers is very much a homage, if not a love letter, to a child’s camp experience. It couldn’t have been published, or fallen into my hands, at a better time.  I admit that I’m the driver of my daughter’s pending camp experience.  She wasn’t that keen, nor was my British husband who didn’t grow up going to camp.  But I did, and the memories and friendships have lasted a lifetime.  I want her to sing songs by campfire, learn to build a fire in the woods, play archery, have talent shows at night and wake up to the sounds of birds singing every morning.  This book reminded me of what it was like: All the changes that took place during these pivotal summers; the friendships that were formed and nurtured every summer; the memories that would…and did… last forever. Una has taken me back in time to the days I was at camp and that’s the sign of a very good writer when you’re transported back in time.  Her writing is exciting and innovative with her use of plot twists, flashbacks and real life dialogue.

The story revolves around five summers at Camp Nedoba.  The girls, Jo, Emma, Maddie and Skyler, have been together since puberty and are about to embark into adulthood as they meet at age 17 at camp for one last reunion.  We go back in time to when they first met at age 10 and promised each other they’d be best friends forever. As the summers went on, they endured heart breaks, secrets, lies and typical friendship jealousies. Una puts right back in the thick of the experiences which are now memories for each teenaged girl.

Emma is the Ivy League bound college student, so it makes sense that she’s the main story teller.  She is interning for a teen magazine in NYC and appears to be the most ambitious of the group.  She has maintained a crush on a boy from camp and she can’t wait to reunite with him to see if he still has feelings for her. Her best friend, Skylar, dates more than the others and has a secret she has been keeping from Emma since their last year at camp together. Maddie has the most secrets.  She comes from a troubled family and has lied about them for years, and she’s tired of keeping up a facade.  And Jo is the daughter of the camp owner who is determined that their friendships will never change.  They all come to the reunion with different hopes but they’re older.  The background helps us understand the events that unfold at the reunion.

I’m thrilled to be giving away a copy of the book (I may even be able to get it SIGNED)!

To win, tell me if you ever went to sleep away camp and your fondest memory of the experience.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

Winners will be selected randomly.  This giveaway will end on Sunday, June 2nd  at noon EST. Winner will be posted here, on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

I’m in awe of Una for writing such a powerful story for young adults, and I suspect this book is just the start of a bright future as a book writer. I liked going back to my own days of summer camp and I also like that my daughter will read this and become more familiar with camp experience.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to run this giveaway, but I was provided with a copy of the book.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

What are you doing on Mother’s Day?  I have a brilliant idea for you.

Spend the morning and early afternoon with your family. Make the day about them and you and celebrate being together.  At 4pm tell them you are taking a few hours to yourself.  You will be doing something for YOU. As part of your celebration, it’s important for you to nourish your soul with a certain something that isn’t necessarily meant for kids under the age of 12, hence you need to go alone, or with your mother, your sisters, your aunts, your girlfriends  That certain something is LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER.

Created by humorist (and now someone I am so proud to call my friend), Ann Imig of Ann’s Rants, the show is a “live reading by local writers on the beauty, the beast, and the barely-rested of motherhood” and is coming to NYC for the second time. I happen to be a member of the producing team, quite proudly as a matter of fact.

Showcasing moving, socially relevant and humorous stories about a range of modern mothering experiences, the Listen To Your Mother Reading Series is a unique national event taking place this May in 24 cities across the United States. NYC is one of them.  Included in the cast of the New York City show are former Editor in Chief of Redbook Magazine Stacy Morrison (now Editor in Chief of BlogHer.com), comedian Jaime Fernandez, New York City creative writing teacher Susan Buttenwieser, social justice attorney and LGBT activist Nívea Castro and author Tracy Beckerman (whose book Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir comes out in early April).

Also featured in the NYC cast are preschool teacher and day camp director Sasha Schreiner, actors Laura Pruden and Elizabeth Robinson, Harlem native DeBorah Gray, novelist Rebecca Land Soodak (Henny on the Couch), and writers Mary Beth Coudal, Kim Forde, Nicole Goodwin, Marinka, Barb Patrick, Sofia Quintero (who recently won a Women’s Media Center Social Media Award), Sandy Rustin (who wrote the hit Off-Broadway show Rated P for Parenthood) and Virginia Watkins. Also included are my fellow crew members Amy Wilson, Varda Steinhardt and Shari Simpson.

Their stories will make you laugh, make you cry and make you reflect on the institution of motherhood.  Whether you are a mother or a daughter, you will experience a deep connection to our show.

The Listen To Your Mother Reading Series NYC Show will take place on Mother’s Day, Sunday, 5/12 at 5pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space (2537 Broadway at 95^th Street). Tickets are $25 (advance), $30 (at the door) and can be purchased in advance online at www.ListenToYourMotherShow.com/NYC.

I’m thrilled to be giving away a pair of tickets to the show.  To win the pair, tell me who you plan on bringing to the show.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter and tweet about the contest using hash tag #LTYM.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, May 8th at midnight. Winner will be posted here and on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to run this giveaway.  The tickets to the show were also complimentary but all opinions expressed are my own.

I have a confession.  I’m not the kind of mom that gets on the floor and plays board games with my kids every day.  I do get on the floor with them, but not as often as I should.  I tend to have a million things to do and my focus is not always where it should be.

However, since I came back from Vietnam a few weeks ago, I have been more focused on spending time with them.  After two weeks on my own without the family, I was able to think about necessary change.  I knew that I wanted to be more engaged as a parent when I got back, so I implemented Family Game Night on the weekends.  I admit we’ve only done it once or twice, but I’m working on doing it more.

So, when I was offered a copy of Wii Sing POP!, I jumped.  I love to sing in the car with my kids.  And recently I’ve gotten very embarrassingly and addictively into an app called Song POP that’s plugging into my passion for music.  What could be more fun than singing pop songs with my kids?

When night falls, when homework is done, and we are all done with our chores, we settle in the den, microphones in hand.

And then it’s all rock and roll!  I’m on the floor, playing with my kids, just as I’d hoped to more of after my trip to a place far, far away.

Well, I didn’t realize how much we were enjoying it until my son tossed a microphone into the air and caused the disk to get stuck in the machine the other day.

We Sing POP! is the first game in the We Sing karaoke series to feature 30 sensational pop hits from the World’s leading pop stars. It offers decades of original hits to choose from including modern day pop icons and chart legends like Adele, Jessie J, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and more (basically a dozen bands I’ve never heard but they’re SO good).  There are eight multiplayer party modes to choose from, making it a great addition to family game night or a sleepover with friends. Some other features include, singing lessons to help train your voice, performance replay that allows you to add cool effects to your voice and player statistics with a detailed breakdown of how you performed.

I’m thrilled to be giving away a copy of Wii Sing POP!   It comes with two microphones and you must have the Wii game to play and has a retail value of $39.99.

To win, tell me who you’ll give the game to in the comments below.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Thusday, March 14th  at noon EST. Winner will be posted here, on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: I was not compensated to run this giveaway, but I was provided with a copy of the game.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

UPDATE: The winner is Jacqui who was first to enter.  Thanks to everyone for entering!

One of the most talked about shows coming to Broadway this season is Orphans, starring Alec Baldwin and and Tom Sturridge.

After seven seasons playing network executive Jack Donaghy  on the NBC comedy “30 Rock,” Baldwin is returning to Broadway.  The play is directed by the Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (“The Columnist,” “Proof”), who directed “Glengarry Glen Ross” last year.

This is the story: Two orphaned brothers live in their decrepit North Philadelphia row house. They survive by petty thievery and a steady diet of tuna fish and daytime television until the violent older brother decides to kidnap Harold (Baldwin), a notorious Chicago gangster. Harold soon becomes the force that will forever change their lives. The play is written by Lyle Kessler, directed by Daniel Sullivan (including Glengarry Glen Ross, Proof and Rabbit Hole – all fantastic) and featuring a critically acclaimed cast including Ben Foster and Tom Sturridge.

According to http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com: “Orphans” played Off Broadway in 1985, starring John Mahoney (“Frasier”) as Harold and Terry Kinney and Kevin Anderson as the brothers, Treat and Phillip. That production, directed by Gary Sinise, started at Steppenwolf Theater Company in Chicago, and it was one of several New York transfers that brought Steppenwolf to wider attention in the 1980s. “Orphans” was also made into a movie in 1987 by Alan J. Pakula, which featured Albert Finney as Harold.

I’m thrilled to be giving away a pair of tickets to Orphans!   The tickets will be valid for a performance Tues-Thurs from March 19th-April 18th, 2013. 

To win the pair, tell me your favorite Broadway drama in the comments below (mine is True West by Sam Shephard).

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Monday, March 4th at noon EST. Winner will be posted here and on the Culture Mom Facebook page and via email and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

For information about individual ticket sales, call (212) 239-6200. If you reside outside the NY metro area, call (800) 432-7250.  To buy tickets in person, visit the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Box Office, located at 236 West 45th Street. 

Disclosure: I was not compensated to run this giveaway.  The tickets to the show were also complimentary but all opinions expressed are my own.

The show Nice Work if You Can Get It is a show with fabulous music, choreography and some of the best singers on Broadway. It’s a real crowd pleaser and if you don’t love musicals, this may change your mind.

Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes) with the book by Joe DiPietro (Memphis), the show is about the Roaring Twenties and features a cast of outrageous characters gather in New York to celebrate the wedding of a wealthy playboy. But things don’t go as planned when the playboy meets a bubbly and feisty bootlegger who melts his heart.

The champagne flows and the gin fizzes in the hilarious, Tony-winning new musical comedy, starring two-time Tony Award winner Matthew Broderick and three-time Tony Award  nominee Kelli O’Hara. Featuring Tony  winners Judy Kaye (Best Featured Actress in a Musical) and Michael McGrath (Best Featured Actor in a Musical).  I’m a bit of a sucker for O’Hara and Broderick so it was a real treat to see them on stage.

Now you can see them live, too, as I’m giving away a pair of tickets to Nice Work if You Can Get It.

To win the pair, tell me your favorite Broadway Musical in the comments below.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Monday, February 17th at noon EST. Winner will be posted here and on the Culture Mom Facebook page and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

TCM: Where did you get the idea to create a new line of children’s clothing?

Anna: My love of fabrics and sewing goes back to my childhood. I apprenticed with the most amazingly talented seamstress in the world! My mom created entire wardrobes and gowns for women in the 70′s and 80′s. I remember her clients bringing dozens of fabrics to our house to meet with her. I was mesmerized by the colors and textures as they spread out fabrics on our dining room table and went through fashion magazines.  Needless to say, she made most of my clothes when I was a kid and I learned to sew at an early age.  My daughter was fortunate enough recently, to wear a sweet dress my mom made for me when I was seven.  My sense of style, love of texture and color and the need to create with my hands definitely comes from my mother.

TCM: Where did the training come in?

Anna: I went to business school, had numerous marketing jobs and for 12 years owned a very successful furniture showroom in Atlanta—importing modern furniture from Italy, England, Canada, and Brazil–catering to designers and architects. But, having two children 15 months apart in my late thirties and working 24/7 made me feel I was missing out on my children’s growth and development.

TCM: So the inspiration came from your children?

Anna: Yes. After I had my daughter, I was inspired by her early love of colorful and whimsical clothes. What better way to work from home and consolidate what I did best? So, I established GirlyGirl Productions in 2008. GirlyGirl Productions makes dresses and adorns little girls ages 2-10 in cheerful and bright, hip yet age-appropriate clothes influenced by vintage styles. As a mom who loves stylish, well -made clothes for my girl, I make sure all the pieces in my line are little girl and mom approved! GirlyGirl garments are hand-crafted in the USA, with beautiful details and special attention to quality garment construction, by women like me who have made the choice to work from home. I am proud to be part of a cottage industry that empowers women and continues the beautiful tradition of hand-sewn clothing.

TCM: Who is GirlyGirl?

Anna: GirlyGirl is the moniker (along with numerous others) I’ve given my daughter.  She’s an “I do by-self” doer;  “not like that mommy” crafter; “I’m ok, it doesn’t hurt” faller; “how do I look?” Pink flower, plaid and stripes-wearing very funny, happy girl!

I’m thrilled to be giving away a Girl in the World skirt (valued at $42)  and matching Big Bow tank top  (valued at $25) – see above for pictures.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

- Follow GirlyGirl on Etsy.

- Follow GirlyGirl on Facebook.

This giveaway will end on Tuesday, February 19th at noon EST. Winner will be posted here and on the Culture Mom Facebook page and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Sound like the next movie on your list?

To win a $50 American Express Gift cards for a night at the movies, tell me your favorite Bill Murray film in the comments below.

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Friday, February 11th at noon EST. Winner will be posted here and on the Culture Mom Facebook page and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: Prizing provided by Focus Features

Later at her children’s elementary school, an old lady comes up to her and says, “Are you 40 yet? I remember when I turned 40.  I blinked.  And then I was 90!” Leslie Mann looks dumbfounded.  We can’t turn back time, can we?

Later she tells her husband, played by Paul Rudd, that the happiest period of their lives is NOW between ages 40-60.  They basically have twenty good years left.  She gets down to business and makes a list of how the two of them are going to radically alter their lives to improve their remaining years: Exercise, spend more time alone, see a therapist together, stop stressing, work on anger and have less resentment, stop smoking.

Then we see them both going to the doctor – her mammogram, her annual pap smear, his dreaded prostate exam.

Oh, welcome to the good old days.  When I turned 30, I was living in NYC and I was working in a god-forsaken job with a nightmare boss.  I was in a relationship that was very on/off (he happens to be my husband now) and I was worried that my life was going nowhere.  A year later, I was in a new job, married and going in a new direction.

The truth is that I don’t deal well with entering new decades.  I put a lot of pressure on myself and think that I have a limited time to get things done.  It happened again when I turned 40, only I was in a very different place.  I had kids; I had already spent seven years of dealing with the whole family balance/work issue. My life was no longer my own.

Now like the Leslie Mann character in the film, I deal with children who won’t put electronic toys down, aging parents, financial issues, job and marriage issues and a desire to be happy everyday in the midst of complete and utter chaos.  All this while trying to be a good role model for my children.  I had to laugh when the couple in the film’s oldest daughter, played brilliantly by Maude Apatow, the writer/director’s daughter, cursed the parents and Mann’s character proclaimed, “Where did she learn to talk like that?” Paul Rudd’s answer: “No fucking idea.”

That’s the thing, if everything I do reflects on my children’s future forever more, I’m screwed.  I do the best I can in every area of my life, but I always fall short.  It’s hard to say what my kids want to hear all the time, it’s hard to make the right decision when I have too much on my plate.

And if all that wasn’t enough to deal with, then there’s the going grey, developing a middle age spread and going on job interviews where I’m interviewed by 20-30 somethings.  That all kind of sucks.

This is 40 doesn’t touch on any of that (Leslie Mann actually looks WAY too good for her age), but it is a very funny, touching and realistic portrayal of what it’s like to hit 40 as a woman.  Judd Apatow is very intuitive and he practically sees life through the eyes of a woman.  The way he portrays marriage and parenthood hit home and I think I drove my sister talking out loud during the film – “That’s my husband!”… “That’s my daughter!”…”That’s me!” That was my life on celluloid.  I related on so many levels that it would embarrass people in my family if I told you exactly how (some of it had to do with inner body functions).  I don’t embarrass people here on my little blog here, it’s not worth the outcry that might (scratch that, and let’s say has and will) ensue.

And that’s what being 40 is all about – being able to laugh at caricatures of yourself and knowing that at the end of the day, it will be okay. Everyone will survive.

Oh, and don’t blink.

This is 40 premieres on Friday, December 21st in theaters nationwide.

To win a mid-life crisis package that includes a $10 Fandango gift card, a plush robe, a personal fitness kit (ankle weights, hand grips, exercise band & jump rope), and a This is 40 t-shirt, to, all you have to do is comment below and tell me how you feel about the 40s. About to turn 40 or is it years away?

You can get additional entries by doing one of or more of the following:

- Follow The Culture Mom on Facebook.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Twitter.

- Follow The Culture Mom on Pinterest.

This giveaway will end on Christmas Day. Winner will be posted here as well and will have 24 hours to accept their prize.

Disclosure: I went to a preview of This is 40 as a guest of Universal Pictures and was asked to write a piece about being 40, but all opinions are my own. I was not compensated to write this post nor feature the giveaway.