After I arrived in New Jersey, Johnson & Johnson had a person waiting for me at the airport and a driver took me and two other bloggers to our hotel, which is really nice, btw. I don't think our driver had a license and I'm pretty sure he'd never driven that car before. And I'm positive that he didn't know where he was going because he was holding a Google map in one hand and driving with the other. The other blogger in the backseat, Amy, and I held onto the arm rests for dear life. Not to mention the fact that we passed a mini van with two bullet holes in the door. I kid you not.
Anyway, we got here in one piece. The weather is beautiful. I've had the chance to meet many other mommy bloggers which has been a hoot! What a cool, fun group of ladies!
And when I got to my room, there was a goody bag filled with Neutrogena products! How nice! I'm currently trying out this foaming sunless tanner. On the suggestion of a fellow blogger, I'm doing an experiment to see how well it works. I applied it only to my left arm. It's like a light mousse and it goes on really easily and evenly. I've always had issues with sunless tanners because they all, no matter what brand, have that "sunless tanner" chemical smell to them. On the other hand, I love the golden glow of tanned skin and don't really want to risk skin cancer to get it. Anyway, I'm giving it a try. I'll see if I look orange and streaky tomorrow.
Not a good look for Dawn.
And the highlight of the day was a wine tasting class with Ted Allen from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Iron Chef America and Top Chef! This guy was incredibly entertaining! Or maybe it was just the wine... Nah, he was funny, intelligent, and all around fun. I learned a little about wine. Like getting the kids to bed is so much easier after you've had a glass or two. And a nice Merlot goes very well with macaroni and cheese (thanks Jenifer for that suggestion!) I also learned that during a wine tasting, you're supposed to taste the wine and not down the whole glass at once or you'll find yourself in the position of having an empty glass and won't know what to do when he says something like, "Now eat a bite of the mango and taste the chardonnay. Do you think it complements the mango?" Oops.
I was hoping to get my picture taken with him to show my kiddos who LOVE Food Network and watch Iron Chef regularly, but alas, I think we scared him off because boy, did he disappear after his talk! Oh well, that's what Photoshop's for. ;)
Well, I'm off to bed now. I have to be up and going way too early tomorrow!
25 comments:
Good luck with the Neutrogena tanning foam--I hope they reformulated 'cause I was not a fan last time I tried it. Which is odd because I normally love everything Neutrogena.
Just to leave the kiddos behind makes it a killer vacation, eh?
Scholarly brain working here...Dawn has separated the swag reviews from her regular blog...add footnote to "Friendship of Buzz, Blog and Swag"...wonder if I can get in on this racket and win a wild ride in the back of a Joisey cab with superstar Mommy Bloggers. And wine.
(I didn't know Karen was from New Jersey! Here we are skewering -- er, chatting up Sandra Day O'Connor's majority opinion in Casey and she never even mentions it.)
Hey Dawn,
Welcome to my state...have fun!
BTW, the bullet holes may have been stickers, lol. I know, sick joke!
Won't the chemicals in the fake tanner give us cancer also? Just wondering...
Yes, there are a bunch of bad drivers in NJ; but it just adds to the ambience. Also, he was probably exaggerating it a bit just to freak out you naive Midwesterners.
Glad you are enjoying my home state, Dawn - but you haven't experienced it until you get some of the great food there - the real Italian pizza, the fantastic Jewish deli...too bad you aren't there in the summer, our salad of Jersey tomatoes with chunks of mozzarella cheese cannot be bea
Sounds like you are having a good time! Enjoy and keep writing for all of us "stuck" at home!!!
Dawn, I'm just a little curious. Do the other bloggers know who you are?
Also, I believe you about the bullet-hole ridden vehicle you saw in Newark. And watch out for the bathrooms at the rest stops on the Turnpike (some of the worst I've seen.)
But also true is the beauty of South Jersey. (Can't comment on North Jersey - never been.) Cape May is lovely, as someone else said.
Have a great time!
Karla
Well, you haven't had a fun ride in NJ, until you take a bus up to NYC, and as you sit, with other busses and trucks mere millimeters from your window, it darts in and out of traffic, as it navigates the traffic into the tunnel! Then, you think that 18 wheeler next to you is going to take the whole side out of the bus. Now, that is a ride you have to try some time!
seriously...how do you have time for all these blogs?
Sooo way cool, Dawn! Glad you made it safely, and I hope you have a great time. It does sound lovely. Ok, except for the potentially streaky left arm.
Well you do know that NJ is not that far from PA, infact Philly is a great place to visit, but then again you do have to deal with the people driving like thaty don't have a brain, but you should be safe from getting shot as long as you stay way from N. Philly.
Have fun in NJ!!
Have you read any of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels ("One for the Money"...etc)? They are set in New Jersey and OOooOOooh so hillarious. I think you'd get a kick out of them, especially after visiting NJ. You probably don't get much time to read with 6 kiddos, but maybe for the plane?
As for the sunless tanner smell--I like to put on the tanner at night right before bed. It has a chance to "set" overnight while I'm sleeping (thus not noticing the smell) and in the morning when I shower the smell goes away. Just a suggestion! :)
Sounds fun! cc: me on that next invite to a blogger conference. I wanna go!
Now you understand why they call a little wine after dinner "mama's helper."
Welcome to Jersey!
Sadly, if you were near Newark, those probably were bullet holes in that van's door.
But please, do not judge Jersey based on what you see in the area surrounding the airport. It is actually a beautiful state with a lot to offer.
Although, I cannot deny that the area surrounding Newark Airport is MOST DEFINATELY the armpit of the country. No doubt.
Enjoy.
better be careful about what you say about jersey....all the rumors are true, we all carry guns! LOL. no not really. in reality, i was in newark yesterday and it scared the crap out of me. i live in the valley of a mountain across the street from cows about 45 minutes from newark.
Ooooh how fun! Very jealous of your adventure! Loving the look of your new blog! Classy, clean!
Ooh, and the comments are so easy to read!
Have fun in my old stomping grounds!
"On the other hand, I love the golden glow of tanned skin and don't really want to risk skin cancer to get it."
Something to think about here...those Chemicals in the sunless tanner are more cancer causing than the sun!
The drivers you talked about...hate to tell you... that is NJ. LOL It has nothing to do with if he has a license. heehee
Already sounds like a lot of fun though! Who wouldn't love wine tasting, except a recovered alcoholic?
Dawn - I did the exact same thing at my wine tasting. Downed the whole glass. Then the wine guru gets to the "now we sip the wine" part and had to hold up the whole group as he signaled to the server to refill my glass. A couple more refills later and I was "swirling the wine" all over myself and the floor.
I think different tanning products work differently on eac person. If that one doesn't look right, I like Banana Boat. Have fun!
Hi Dawn,
I'm adding you to my favorites, I absolutely adore you and really laugh out loud at your entries. Feel free to check out my blog of my life with my two girls.
OMG! You mean you are actually doing two different blogs? Have you lost your mind? Now, I have to read TWO of them? Just kidding, Dawn, Good luck to you and with all you do! ~Just Me
I noticed you don't have the feeder option on this blog like your other one? I love getting them in my email when I don't have time to get to your actual site or when I am traveling and do not have access to my favorites! So you plan to in the future?
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