Win Tickets to "In Mother Words" at The Geffen Playhouse

MOMS! This one is for you! You deserve a day out and today, I'm happy to offer the opportunity to win tickets to the West Coast premiere of the hit theater production "In Mother Words" starring Jane Kaczmarek, Saidah Arrika Ekulona and James Lecesne.


As the program states, "Whether you are a parent, have a parent or ever want to become a parent, this play will elate and terrify equally - much like motherhood itself." The other cool thing about this event is there will be a reception afterwards with food and drinks, goodies from the sponsors and special guests from the Geffen and the "In Mother Words" cast.


Please tell your friends about this giveaway and help me spread the word about the awesomeness of The Geffen Playhouse! Did you know that The Geffen Playouse is a non-profit that gives back to the community every year through six major education initiatives that engage over 18,000 students and community members in the live arts every year? Through programs like Saturday Scene and CREATE, the Geffen Playhouse reaches participants as young as toddlers through seniors as old as 100!


Here are the prize and giveaway entry details:


What: 2 tickets to the play "In Mother Words" with reception to follow 
Where: The Geffen Playhouse - 10886 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles 90024
When: Saturday, Feb 19 @ 3-7:30pm
*Winner will be announced on Sun, Feb 13, 2011 and you need to make sure you're able to get yourself to the West side of L.A. to attend. I'll see the winner there!


Four Different Ways To Enter - leave a separate comment for each entry:
1) Leave a comment about your favorite live theater experience (anything - your first school performance as a tree or Shakespeare at Lincoln Center)!
2) Follow this blog via GFC
3) Follow me on Twitter
4) Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in a comment:
"Enter to win 2 tickets to "In Mother Words" play/reception at Geffen Playhouse Feb 19 @ 3pm! http://tinyurl.com/6kvc8kf #giveaways "

Minnie's Masquerade And The Mickey Mote!

About three months ago, I wrote a review of the new Disney Mickey Mote, interactive kid's remote for use with special Disney DVDs. While we weren't thrilled with the Mickey Mote at that time, I knew it was just a little too soon for Aubrey to grasp the concept and have the patience to listen to the video's instructions before pushing the buttons. My prediction was that in a few months, she would get the hang of it and love it... and I was RIGHT! She LOVES the Mickey Mote now and just in time for a new interactive DVD. Am I clairvoyant or what?

Lucky for us, we got to preview the new Mickey Mouse Clubhouse : Minnie's Masquerade DVD with the Mickey Mote and she is hooked. She loves anything Disney, of course, but especially Mickey, Minnie and Pluto. They are her current faves.

In Minnie's Masquerade - Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Daisy - take families on a new adventure as they dress up in costumes for Minnie's Masquerade Ball. This DVD features four episodes previously seen on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse TV show, a never before seen episode and a fun masquerade paper mask that kids can personalize.

Ignore the basket of laundry behind my child - I'm such a professional photographer.

Aubrey is having a great time with this new Minnie DVD and she even insisted in teaching her 64 year old nanny how to use the Mickey Mote with it!

The DVD can be watched just like a regular DVD or used with the interactive Mickey Mote. I love the Mickey Mote feature too because Aubrey is actually engaged and thinking while watching rather than sitting like a couch potato (the way I like to watch tv - shhh) and it even works with our 3 year old, $39, total piece of crap DVD player. (Yes, I'm that cheap. Or broke. Or both.)

Look for this awesome new DVD in stores February 8th and you can pre-order on many websites now:
Single Disc DVD + Mickey Mote = $29.99
Single Disc DVD = $19.99

Aubrey Rocks Her Mullet

My daughter is three and a half years old and she really doesn't have much hair. What she does have is really thin and wispy and it seems to grow in a beautiful mullet shape. She's only had three haircuts in her life and it was because the front was finally starting to get in her eyes.


I know a lot of moms really want their little girls to have a glorious crown of locks and get upset when their little princess' hair ends up, well, like my kids hair. I, personally, could care less. Chances are it will grow into a beautiful, healthy mane and she will do something horrific to it in her early teens anyway - like chop it into a mohawk, color it orange or let her gay friend from drama class "style" it for her. Whatever.


I am the youngest of four kids in my family and the only girl, so my mom was chomping at the bit to play with my long hair. She braided it and put it up in pig tails and pony tails. In third grade, I got the Dorothy Hamil haircut that was all the rage and my mom sat every morning before school and tried to tame my stubborn Asian straightness with a curling iron, attempting to get the under-curl just right. This usually resulted in my neck getting burned and by the time I got to the bus, the curl probably straightened too. 


Aubrey is still a little tiny turkey and I don't want her worrying about her looks already. I'm not quite ready for that. So for now, we are enjoying the craziness of her little preschool mop and I wouldn't have it any other way. She's my little Muppet with a mullet and she's ready to ROCK!!

James Ellroy, A Bus & A Screw Top Bottle Of Wine

"Good evening peepers, prowlers, pederasts, panty-sniffers, punks and pimps. I'm James Ellroy, the demon dog, the foul owl with the death growl, the white knight of the far right, and the slick trick with the donkey dick. I'm the author of 16 books, masterpieces all; they precede all my future masterpieces. These books will leave you reamed, steamed and drycleaned, tie-dyed, swept to the side, true-blued, tattooed and bah fongooed. These are books for the whole fuckin' family, if the name of your family is the Manson Family."

I recently had the unique experience of touring around the City of Angels in a bus with legendary crime novelist and screenplay writer, James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential, The Black Dahlia, Blood's A Rover). Ellroy served as docent for this tour of famous murder sites in our fair city and to say it was interesting would be an understatement. We also were fed cheese and wine, so interesting and satiating. 


Ellroy is a character, himself, eccentric and brilliant and in Hollywood, this means you get your own tv show. The purpose of the bus tour was for Ellroy to pimp his new show on the I.D. (Investigation Discovery) network: James Ellroy's LA: City of Demons. It is described by Ellroy as a "Wildy Wicked Weekly Show written and hosted by the 'Demon Dog of American Literature'". Yes, Ellroy hosts and yes, he really does use that much alliteration in real life. I shant shit you shivering sheeps as I am no blundering blogger but beguiling at best. (I don't know what that meant, but it's all I could come up with right now. I'm no Ellroy. Sorry.)

Ellroy - tall, huh?

If you like Ellroy, if you like old school crime, if you like the noir stories of Hollywood yesteryear - then you should check it out.


James Ellroy's LA: City Of Demons premieres on Investigation Discovery on Wednesday, January 19 at 10pm with possibly the most interesting episode upfront - "Dead Women Own Me" - where Ellroy tells the dark and deeply personal story of his own mother's murder when he was only 10 yrs old. Fascinating story. Fascinating guy.

Pocoyo Giveaway for National Bubble Bath Day!!

Did you know that this Satrurday, January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day?!! Heck yeah! How do I celebrate, you ask? Full up the tub with hot water, pour in your favorite bubble bath, put on the outfit yo mama gave you and jump in! If you're a gorwn up, enjoy a magazine or a favorite book and if you're a kid, enjoy your favorite tub toys... like a Pocoyo toy!

Pocoyo is an award winning preschool animation series that originated in Spain and is now here in the States on Nick, Jr and PBS. My daughter, Aubrey, was in love with Pocoyo even before the American shows came out, as we discovered him on YouTube last year when she was two. She even wanted a Pocoyo party for her 3rd birthday but she didn't get one because there wasn't any merchandise in the States yet and I wasn't about to pay $50 dollars on Ebay for a Pocoyo table cloth and 8 plates. I'm a good mom, but I'm not THAT mom. Geez.

Anyway, to help spread the word about National Bubble Bath Day, I'm giving away a Pocoyo bath tub toy figurine (the one in the center of the photo below) and a 14-day Premium Pass subscription to Pocoyo's online virtual world, www.PocoyoWorld.com

The bath figurine is appropriate for children ages 18 months and older and can be purchased at Toys "R" Us stores nationwide and online at www.ToysRUs.com.

To enter the giveaway, just perform any or all of the following entry steps below. None are mandatory, but you should leave a separate comment for each one. Entries will be received until Monday, January 17 at midnight and winner will be chosen using Random.org.

Enter by:

1) Following my blog on GFC

2) Follow me on Twitter

3) Tweet this giveaway & leave the Twitter URL in a comment: "Enter to win a Pocoyo tub toy & 14-day Premium Pass to www.PocoyoWorld.com on FunnyYellowMom's blog: http://tinyurl.com/2a69tdq #giveaway"

4) Post this giveaway link on your Facebook wall: http://funnyyellowmom.blogspot.com/2011/01/pocoyo-giveaway-for-national-bubble.html

I was not compensated for this post and all opinions expressed here are my own. I didn't even get a toy. So there.

Happy New Year!

Celebrating another year of friendship: Amy, Sheri and Jennie

Happy 2011 Everyone! I know it's cliche to say it, but I can't believe 2010 is over. 2010 had a bit of a rough start for me, but it ended well and 2011 looks better than ever!


My friend, Jennie, is a great planner and executive coach and she gave me two simple exercises to help get in the right frame of mind for the new year.


First off, choose a word that you would like to set the tone for 2011. Just one word. I chose "GROWTH". Pretty self explanatory and it covers all areas of my life, both in career and personal relationships.


Secondly, a list! Many people make to-do lists, but we often forget to take the time to reflect on what we've accomplished. The end of the year is a great time to make a "Done" list! Here are some of the highlights from 2010:


- Aubrey turned three, started preschool, learned to swim and is 99% potty trained!! 
- Formed a relationship with a new talent manager
- Booked the most college shows ever (personally) off of a regional NACA showcase
- My sit-com pilot was selected as a top 5 finalist in the MAPID TV Pilot Shootout Contest
- Attended my 20th high school reunion and felt pretty darn good about myself
- Found and hired a nanny that doesn't appear to be a total nut case
- Headlined my first comedy club shows in Asia (Hong Kong)
- Joined forces with Wendy Liebman, Jennifer Rawlings and Judy Gold to form The Mom Squad comedy tour (coming soon to a club or theater near you!)


2010 was what I would consider a slow, difficult year but after looking at this list, I feel a little better about the things I did accomplish and it definitely helps me feel ready to move forward... GROWTH!


Here's to an amazing 2011! May your new year be filled with happiness, prosperity and joy!