On Saturday my daughter and I headed into NYC for an event at the Benefit Boutique in Soho.  It was coined a “Bonding Over Beauty” event for mothers and daughters.  We hopped on the train with her girlfriend and sped into town, all eager for a day of pampering. Who doesn’t deserve that? Even my daughter, at age 9, knows that she deserves one every now and then.  She learned that from me.

Back in the day, pre-marriage, I actually wore make-up and guess what brand it was….Benefit!  I remember taking a trip to the brand’s flag ship store in San Francisco and picking up a bottle of Benetint, which would quickly whip my cheeks into a rosy state.

I’ve always been attracted to to Benefit’s fun packaging. It’s very trendy, retro and speaks to the inner child inside me. Their cosmetics stand out in in the marketplace and spoke to a non-make-up wearer like me.

Since then, and please don’t ask me how many years it has been, I have gone to a very cosmetic-less state, so I was anxious for this event and excited to spend some  girly time with my oldest child and her friend.

The folks at Benefit put on a wonderful event(so did the folks at MamaDrama, although I am biased).  We were greeted by flutes of champagne (which I had several of) and yummy cupcakes and then whisked into the shop for make-overs.  My daughter loved the first-rate treatment and was glowing before, during and after her make-over.  I’d forgotten how terrific the brand is was reminded during my session.  Benetint, boi-ing (concealer), The Pore-fessional (pro-balm to minimize the appearance of pores, lord knows I need that),  They’re Real Mascara were all hits at the party.

I love the service at the Soho boutique.  The women and men who work there really want you to feel good.  When one whisked me aside to tint my eyebrows, I had no idea what that meant and left feeling like a changed woman. All tinting services are performed with a specialty dye designed to be used on brows and around the eyes. and there was no waxing or plucking involved.  Love that. Several women made appointments to return and I can’t blame them.  Maybe I will, too.

Disclosure: I was invited by MamaDrama, which happens to be my own company, and am posting on their behalf.  I was compensated to run a short campaign for Benefit but all opinions are my own.  

It started with a true high when the play I’ve been working on, THE BEST OF EVERYTHING based on the book by Rona Jaffe, got a 4 star rating and was the “critic’s pick” in the New York Times and my name was mentioned.  I’m not kidding, scroll down to the bottom of the piece and there is my name in lights!  This play is so deserving and I can’t tell you how honored I am to have my name attached. The writing, the casting, the direction, the set, the costumes and the fact that the story is utterly timeless make the experience absolutely delicious.  As a woman involved in a women led production, I am kvelling.  Tickets have sold so fast and furious that we’ve had to add two additional performances — Monday, Oct. 15 at 8:30pm & Saturday, Oct. 20 at 4pm.  Order your tickets today.

Then it was time to make some tough decisions.  I have officially left my single consulting job of nearly 2-1/2 years and am joining the team of a very interesting start-up on Monday.  Letting go of the client I was working for was a tough decision, but a necessary one.  As I finalized my work there today, it all felt good.  Really good. This is the new company, and I’ll talk more about it in the upcoming month or two.

And MamaDrama, the social media boutique that my partner, Erin Leigh Peck, and I created turned one!  We are one year old and we are headed to the New Victory Theater tomorrow for a wonderful event with 20 members of our network.  I’ll write more about that on Sunday. I can’t believe that in one year we have worked with the likes of Playwright Horizons, the Public Theatre, Godspell, Annie, Avenue Q, Save the Children, Rosacea Facts with Cynthia Nixon as the spokesperson and more.  We’re hoping to announce a fantastic new client next week.

And now it’s the weekend. Sigh.  Deep breath.

How was your week?

During the Jewish holidays, our families look to us to lead them through. Some of us are looking for ideas. How do we make Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur meaningful? How do we keep things interesting without breaking tradition? Are a round Challah and some apples and honey really enough?

Join me and MamaDrama on Twitter this Thursday night at 9pm EST…the ultimate diaspora…for a special High Holiday hour. We’ll talk about our traditions, food/recipes and all things Rosh Hashanah (and if you want to throw in talk about Yom Kippur, why not?  We just haven’t thought that far ahead). We’ll swap ideas, recipes and stories.  Ring in the New Year, Twitter Style.

When: Thursday, September 13th, 9-10pm EST ( (8-9 pm CT; 7-8 pm MT; 6-7 pm PT)

Hashtag: #HighHolidayHappyHour

Moderators: @peekababy, @primetimeparent, @mommymusings001, @randomhandprints

Prizes:

*Two (2)  Manischewitz bundle of goodies, great for makin’ some fab Rosh Hashana meals

*Two copies (2) of  Get Cooking: A Jewish American Family Cookbook  &  Rockin’ Mama Doni Celebration

*Two sets of Hot Mamalah: The Ultimate Guide for Every Woman of the Tribe and Cool Jew: The Ultimate Guide for Every Member of the Tribe by Lisa Alcalay Klug

RSVP: Let MamaDrama know here if you plan on joining and please invite your friends.  The more, the merrier!

Shana Tova from all of us at MamaDrama!

Did you know that every year, more than 7 million newborns and children die before their 5^th birthday—mostly from preventable and treatable causes, such as pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria?  Wondering what you can do so that more children survive?

How can we make basic life-saving health care available to children around the world and improve children’s health in the world’s poorest and most remote communities?

To discuss this and more, come to the next MamaDrama (my alter ego) Twitter Party. We’ll have several members on hand who are passionate about the cause including Kristin Wald and Serena Norr.

When: Wednesday, August 29th, 2012, 9-10pm EST

Hashtag: #EveryBeatMatters

Follow: @MamaDramaNY, @EveryBeat, @SavetheChildren, @kdwald, @mamagoesnatural

We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Save the Children to promote their new Every Beat Matters campaign for newborn and child survival, coinciding with OneRepublic’s release release of their new single, “Feel Again”.  A portion of proceeds from each download will benefit Save the Children (the download will be available at midnight Sunday).

OneRepublic lead singer Ryan Tedder wrote this special song, drawing on recordings of heartbeats of children in remote villages of Malawi and Guatemala for inspiration.

Every Beat Matters, a campaign from Save the Children and the Ad Council champions training and supporting frontline health workers as the best investment to sustainably improve children’s health in the world’s poorest and most remote communities.

Watch this video to learn more about the initiative:

And, of course, check out this clip from this morning’s Good Morning America, when OneRepublic debuted its new single “Feel Again” that will benefit Save the Children’s Every Beat Matters campaign:

The “100,000 voices that just can’t sing” represent the children who will die of preventable causes this week, and every week, until we take action.  We must put an end to these needless deaths of children because Every Beat Matters.

Join us to talk about making a difference and changing lives. 

Like the EveryBeatMatters Facebook page / Follow @EveryBeat on Twitter:

-          if you believe that every child deserves to survive!

-          If you believe that every child’s heartbeat matters!

-          if you support OneRepublic’s effort to save children’s lives

-          for news on OneRepublic’s partnership with Save the Children

-          to help frontline health workers bring hope to millions of children around the world.

-          To help children and families around the world to “Feel Again.”

-          To help the “100,000 voices that just can’t sing”

No RSVP is necessary, but if you know that you’re coming, please do leave a note in the comment section here.  See you on Wednesday.

But there’s also my free-lance writing.  I have deadlines every week, at least one or two.  I’m not sure if you know, I hope you do, that I do a lot of travel writing for several sites as a regular contributor and I also write about Social Media and Marketing from time to time for other sites.  Sometimes I’m even mentioned on other sites, always a treat.

I thought I’d mention some of my recent links outside this site.

Where I was mentioned:

Recaps and Reflections of Mom 2.0 

Meet Our Newest Blogger: Holly Rosen Fink 

Some of my recent articles include:

The Emergence of Social Media and Theater

Legos Come to Life at Bronx Zoo

London on a Budget During the Olympics

London with Kids During the Olympics

1000 Acres Stony Creek, New York 

All the World’s a Stage

NYC from A to Z

Hooray for Summer 10 Things to Do in NYC 

Let Freedom Ring Celebrating the Fourth in NYC

Best Spots for a Summer Picnic in NYC

New Yorker’s Weekend Getaway Guide: Lehigh Valley with Kids

When I ventured into the city for a Sunday night performance of RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN at Playwright Horizons after a long, exhausting weekend full of work & personal obligations, domesticity and exhaustion, I had no idea that I was headed exactly where I needed to be.  As soon as the curtain went up, there was a certain vibe that generated on the stage both from the actors, the set and music, and when they started to speak the words off the brilliant script by Gina Gionfriddo, I was mesmorized for the next two hours.  The script deals with issues of feminism, media, the Internet, relationships and the choices we make that impact our lives, all issues of utmost importance to me.  The play ponders: If a woman has a child, she wonders what would have happened to her career and life; if a woman bypasses the whole child thing, she wonders what would have been and will never be.

Gionfriddio, who wrote Becky Shaw, clearly did her homework or was a Women’s Studies Major in Graduate School.  Apparently, she was deeply influenced by Wendy Wasserstein and I can definitely see what these two female playwrights have in common.  They both believe that women have choices, and we are all pretty much not happy with the ones we make, no matter what they are.

Amy Brenneman plays Catherine, a writer and academic, who visits her best friend, Gwen, played by Beth Dixon, and her family 15 years after they lasted parted.  Gwen, played by Kellie Overbey, gave up grad school to marry Don, played by Lee Tergessen, who happened to be Catherine’s boyfriend at the time.  When we first meet them, it appears to be an impromptu visit while Catherine is visiting her ailing mother in the town where she went to University, but we soon learn that one of them planned it with ulterior motives that are not very Kosher.

They are two very women who chose different paths in life.  Catherine chose to move to London after Grad School, leaving Don behind, to head into the life of a successful writer in the feminist genre.  Gwen is a stay-at-home mom who’s husband is pot-smoking, porn loving and not very interested in climbing the ladder.  He is the Dean at a small university and is largely disgruntled with his own choices in life.  Together, they’re in a rut.  As Gwen states early on in the show, “At 43, you start to think about the life not lived.”  Interestingly enough, all three are faced with futures they never thought they’d pave for themselves.  It’s kind of a “how did I get here?” play, only with a twist.  The twist being that do they do switch places, something that women never get to do, but I don’t want to reveal how that happens.

In the midst of the complex love triangle, there is much to be learned in this play.  As Catherine starts to teach Gwen and her babysitter, played by the marvelous Virginia Kull who I just saw in Assistance at Playwrights Horizons, a class about “The Fall of Civilization” (yes, it’s very funny when they turn up as the only students in the class), the play offers a brief overview of modern history of Feminism in America.  The women start to debate Betty Friedan and Phyllis Schlafly and their differences in order to understand where each other stands on their individual roles in life.  The discussion becomes focused on Gwen, who made very different choices to Catherine. Friedan was all about choice, Schlafly believed that women were the weaker sex.  As their discussion ensues, using philosophy as their base, they reveal truths about their lives. While Catherine thinks that it’s “much easier to be driven with no attachments,” she also believes that it’s easier to get a family than a career and we see a big switch in the second act.

Still in previews, the actors performed with a few mishaps – a few forgotten words here and there.  But for the most part, it was a solid performance by all the female actors.  Brenneman, known best from “Private Practice,” “Judging Amy,” and “NYPD Blue” is a seasoned stage performer and really seems to understand Catherine’s complexities; Dixon, known from Wings, Major Barbara, Vieux Carre is excellent as Gwen – she’s smart enough to know that the grass is not always greener and she knows how to prove it to her husband; Kull from Assistance at PH, Man and Boy, Dividing the Estate, Old Acquaintance is savvy as the young apprentice who thinks Catherine is the bomb and plays her role with a sense of curiosity and as ingenue to the three experienced actresses; Overbey starred in PH’s The Savannah Disputation and Betty’s Summer Vacation and is funny and memorable as Catherine’s mother; Tergesen’s credits include Good Boys and True, The Exonerated, “Oz,” “The Big C”.  Unfortunately, he is the show’s weak link.  I never felt a connection to his character and the lack of spark between him and Brenneman took away from the play’s conflict.  I needed more heat, more romance to believe Catherine would leave her life for him, but I didn’t get that.

But that didn’t completely take away from my enjoyment of the show.  The play is about lost potential, the choices we make and how we hold ourselves to unachievable standards.  I’m a huge Wendy Wasserstein fan, and now that she is sadly no longer with us, I’ll follow Gionfriddio anywhere.  I won’t deny that these concepts are all on my mind, and I love the way a show zeroed some of the issues that are really important to me at this time of my life.

I am hosting a Twitter Party for MamaDrama on May 30th at 9pm on the show – please come!  More info here.

Visit PlaywrightsHorizons.org for more information on the show, including ticket information.

Disclosure: I was provided with these tickets by PLAYTIME! which offers affordable childcare for you and your friends while you’re seeing a show, but all opinions are my own.

Please Join MamaDrama (that’s me) for a Very Special Twitter Party

     TONIGHT 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

Hashtag: #RosaceaFacts

 Let’s talk rosacea awareness and check out the new RosaceaFacts public service announcement (PSA) featuring actress and rosacea sufferer Cynthia Nixon!

Tonight join MamaDrama NY for a RosaceaFacts Twitter Party to educate others about the common skin condition, rosacea.  Please visit www.RosaceaFacts.com and view the PSA starring Cynthia Nixon, who reveals her personal experiences with rosacea.

We’ll tweet with women who have been impacted by rosacea to talk about its symptoms, emotional effects and more.  We’re also pleased to welcome Dr. Doris Day, dermatologist and rosacea expert who will be on hand to answer questions.

About Rosacea

Did you know that rosacea is a common skin condition that affects over 16 million Americans, while only 10% of sufferers are being treated?  Rosacea is a vascular condition believed to be caused by inflammation with symptoms that include facial redness, pimples and eye irritation.  But the real damage often lies underneath the skin with a person’s self-esteem.  Because rosacea affects the face, people with this condition can often experience embarrassment and stress.

During the chat, we’ll be giving away four Summer Skincare Survival Prize Packs with lotions, sunscreen and cleansers. To win, participants must be the first to correctly answer trivia questions about rosacea and the PSA.  A total of four participants who are the first to answer trivia questions will be selected to win the prize packs.  Please see giveaway rules below.

Please RSVP here: bit.ly/Jjnyb7.

The official rules can be found here.

Disclosure: The Twitter Party is sponsored by Galderma Laboratories, L.P.

And this show is a good example of the kind of entertainment that I am lucky to see while living here.  Written by Lipton and directed by Leigh Silverman, this show is an ode to the unemployed and to employment, in general.  It puts work in perspective.  Interestingly enough, one of my companions last night had just left his job due to dissatisfaction and this play hit home.  Part love letter to his coworkers, part query to the universe, part protest to his company and country, NO PLACE TO GO is both relevant and meaningful in a day and age where jobs aren’t easy to keep, and many aren’t easy to love.

Lipton is joined by musicians Vito Dieterle, Eben Levy and Ian M. Riggs. Together they create music that is sultry and creates a sense of uncertainty as Lipton tells his story.  His company is moving to Mars to make things more efficient.  His voice is a cross between Tom Waits and Woody Guthrie, and his words are a kin to Woody Allen as they suggest a certain amount of stress and anxiety.   About work, he expresses ambivalence:

“I’ve got a place to go and no one that I love goes there, too.”

“Dear staff, I pray that someone can hear me.”

“Anxiety is excitement in disguise!”

It’s part melancholy, part hilarious, part relatable and really very enjoyable.  For us, it was a true night out, as we drank wine and shared a truly unique performance in the city that we adore, while a babysitter put the kids back to bed back home (always a treat).

To get discount tickets to the show, use code NOPLACE for $25 tickets, which can be purchased by calling 212‐967‐7555, going to JoesPub‘s web site, or visiting the Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street.

In addition, the Public is offering a fantastic contest: four grand prize winners will receive a pair of VIP tickets and a $40 food/drink voucher for NO PLACE TO GO – go here to enter.

Also, follow the Public Theater on Twitter or Facebook for more information on the show, and check out this video about it:

Disclosure: I was provided complimentary tickets by MamaDrama, but all opinions are my own.

This is the description I read before encountering THE BIG MEAL, a new show at Playwrights Horizons by Dan LeFranc and directed by one of the hottest directors in theater right now, Sam Gold. When I read that crypt, I wondered how a play could span 80 years in the life of two people. Well, you may just have to see this show yourself to find out how.  I don’t want to have too many spoilers in this piece.

But I will tell you that in just 80 minutes, LeFranc’s play reveals so many truths about every stage of life.  It tells us that life isn’t easy and as mad as our family makes us, they don’t go away.

The other amazing thing about this play is that it takes place in one room, around one table.  A young couple meets there and then we see their life evolve through marriage, divorce, children, grandchildren and great-children. As they age, different actors take over their roles, and they take over other roles.

Don’t get me wrong, we don’t see all the dysfunction and turmoil on stage, but we see some of it.  We see enough of it to know who’s not getting along and who has to make amends.  We also see how an argument can impact the whole family and how important it is to make up before things explode. One character asks, “Where did the time go?” and when you leave this play, it will make you want to call your parents or anyone and everyone you haven’t spoken to in a while.

The show features Featuring David Wilson Barnes, Griffin Birney, Tom Bloom, Anita Gillette, Jennifer Mudge, Rachel Resheff, Cameron Scoggins, Phoebe Strole and Molly Ward and they are the perfect ensemble.  It’s playing through April 22nd at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater and you can get tickets here.

So, while my husband I were chilling out at Playwright Horizons, in the first row, we had an unusual experience in its own rite.  Our kids happened to be upstairs rather than at home.  We put them in a child enrichment program called PLAYTIME  that takes place at Playwrights Horizon.  It’s convenient and very affordable, only $15 per child for the entire running time of any show at PH or the Signature Theater.  Childcare is provided by Sitters Studio, a bonded agency.

The sitters are all working actors, so it’s not your typical childcare.  It’s very arts-driven and while I was getting a dose of the arts, so were my kids.  They made artistic masterpieces, learned songs, danced and had fun with other kids their age.  It happened to be “Pirate Night” so everything was focused on pirates, which my seven year-old son really cared for. They were given a snack during the two hours they were being cared for and at the end of the night, I was given a hand-written report card for both of my child, reporting what they did and how they behaved, as well as what they both ate.  My kids absolutely loved the experience, and my son talked about this group sitter for days afterwards. My daughter, nearly 9, also enjoyed the experience.  She didn’t complain about being with younger kids or doing anything beneath her age.  I think that she bonded with another older girl and together, they embraced the experience.  She’s also quite artistic, so I am sure she enjoyed that aspect that oozes through its core.

I can’t tell you what a lifesaver it is not to have worry about booking a sitter, or paying a ton of money so that my husband and I can enjoy a night out.  It’s a relief and the fact that they both enjoyed it means we can do it again.

Disclosure: Theater tickets and child care option were provided courtesy of PLAYTIME  for the purpose of  this review. The views and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.  I am a co-founder of MamaDrama which also coordinated my tickets.

Join @MamaDramaNY, @phnyc, @playtime_nyc and friends 9pm ET, to chat about THE BIG MEAL, the newest play at Playwrights Horizons by Dan LeFranc at hashtag #TheBigMeal.

In THE BIG MEAL, we glimpse five generations of a modern family through the various meals that make up a lifetime — from milestone first dates and celebratory dinners to everyday outings with the kids. At the twitter party, we’ll talk about this stunning new play and how the meals we eat with our families fit into our relationships and lives.

Joining the party fun are four fab bloggers:

Donna Drake from Macaroni Kid Riverdale who tweets at @mackidriverdale

Michelle Spreckles from Everything’s Abuzz who tweets at @queentob

Kristin Wald from BaristaKids and That Unique Blog who tweets at  @kdwald

Samantha Feuss from Have Sippy Will Travel who tweets at  @havesippy.

RSVP here for the party where you’ll be up for a chance  to win a pair of tickets + childcare  + 2 drink vouchers to an otherwise sold-out performance (winner must use Playtime! services), 2 copies of The Big Meal Script, 2 vouchers to PLAYTIME! and more!

To RSVP:

1. Comment here.
2. Join Playtime! on Twitter and Facebook (optional)
   
3. Spread the word and RT on Twitter: I’m going to #TheBigMeal Twitter Party on 3/12 at 9pm EST hosted by @playtime_nyc http://bit.ly/wUwpni
4. Join on Tweetchat or Tweetgrid (#TheBigMeal) the night of the party.
5. Tell your Twitter followers and Facebook fans!

This party is sponsored by PLAYTIME! which offers affordable childcare for you and your friends right in Playwrights Horizon’s building while you see a show.