A Walk Through New Amsterdam Theater New York

Thanks to Disney we had a backstage tour of the Amsterdam Theater. Our tour guide gave us the whole history of the theater which is quite impressive.

IMG_6400The theater is actually so old it’s a historical landmark.

When they refurbished it, they had to remove a tree, mushrooms on the walls and rats. Yuck! The renovation cost about 45 million dollars which was also the price if you consider inflation that it cost to build the building originally. During the renovation they found that they were quite lucky really because before the theater ran down, all the walls were painted a chocolate brown that preserved everything underneath it. It was so well preserved that they had to actually go in and antique the walls to make the building look historical.

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There was only one mishap during the renovation. One of the men cleaning the walls broke off the finger on the lady below. To fix it they had to make sure that it looked different from the original so the man made a mold of his thumb and plastered it in place.

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The details on the walls, the elevator and ceilings were ornate and so very beautiful. They did a fantastic job with the renovation if you ask me.

I got to be the Little Mermaid, even though I bet my husband says I look like a cylon. (it’s an inside joke)

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Look at Costumes:

These costumes are from The Little Mermaid

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These costumes are from Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins Broadway Costume

And Try on head pieces from The Lion king and other hats from other productions

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I had such a great time back stage at the New Amsterdam Theater. You might remember that I love to try on costumes and get dressed up. Learning about the history of the theater was interesting and getting to play around with everything was priceless. Some things that looked incredibly heavy were actually lighter than air. And it makes sense, how can a dancer jump around the stage while singing if they have to worry about losing parts of their costumes. Which reminds me, each costume is tailored to fit the cast member specifically. Once you are in you shouldn’t lose or gain any weight and forget about changing your hair at all. If you change your hair then how would your head piece fit. Ready for some fun? Can you guess what this costume is?

Beauty & The Beast Dresser Costume

Travel and Expenses were covered by Disney/DreamWorks.

Bloggers Amazing Race New York: The Race To War Horse

This is the most amazing experience, stressful at times but something I’ll always remember. Yesterday was the world premier of Steven Spielberg’s movie War Horse. It was an amazing movie. Each character in the movie took me down a different emotional journey. I even experienced an adrenaline rush, but that, was the journey to get to the movie.

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We all met down in the lobby to get in our vans at 4:30, for a half mile trip to the Lincoln Center. The world premier of War Horse started at 6:00. When we got outside we found there was only 1 van able to hold 14 people other than the driver. There were 20 bloggers not including Marshall (our PR rep) so you do the math. 14 of us got on the van and we waited for the other van to show up. We waited and waited and waited, and then finally the other van came so we got the green light to get moving.

We started moving and 15 minutes later started actually worrying that we weren’t going to make it. Because we only moved 1 block, not even a block, it was more like 3 feet!!! We asked the driver and he said as soon as he gets to the other block traffic will speed up. NO WAY! I never believed him. Oh and I forgot to mention that we called the PR rep and told him we weren’t moving and he said he was already there. The other van had pulled a u-turn and got to the theater in 3 minutes. We told our driver to do a u-turn and he yelled something back at us that wasn’t quite as nice as a simple no. So we moved at our turtle speed and he turned and we still weren’t moving very quickly. We got to a street that he could turn on and then we found a police officer that said we can’t turn. He blocked our path and said to keep going. We went another block and that street was blocked off too. Frustrated I started asking how far it was to walk. The girls pulled up the GPS and said we’re getting farther and farther away from our destination, a few blocks had turned into a mile. We were going the wrong way! Jeana said, “I want to get off” but no one moved, not even the van. She said it again, then she said, “Seriously, I want off: and she started climbing over people. I wanted to get off too, our van driver protested saying we did not want to walk that far. Almost all of us piled out of the van anyways and guess what? We had to start running! In our glamorous attire and high heals we were running in the streets of New York.

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I turned around to find that we lost some bloggers along the way, Crystal and Jeana, I asked Kas where they were and she said, they went another way. Then I suddenly thought to myself, are we going the right way? Again I started asking people to pull up the GPS, and yelled at the girls in front of me to find out if they knew where they were going. They both said no! So we stopped for just a second because we wanted to keep moving. We got the GPS up and off we went again in our heels Someone decided to take a pedi cab and as soon as we stopped one, I jumped on. The Pedi-cab only seated 3. So our group split again. Now we had the girls in the van, the girls still on the street who ended up getting a taxi, and the girls on foot.

Knowing I had a $20 in my pocket. Another blogger said she had cash so I figured we were good for the pedi-cab. It was nice to be off my heals. I started looking for my $20 and I couldn’t find it. Turns out the other blogger only had $31. Ahh, next step was breaking the news to the pedi cab driver. I told him, You might want to stop, we can’t pay you. Hmmm, he said it’s 20 per person just to stop now, I said, yeah we don’t even have that. He kindly finished out the block and said this is the street you want, go down this street and turn left on 57th. We took off running again because we only had 8 minutes to make it to the premier at this point.

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As we were getting closer we were stopped at an intersection waiting for the light to change and we ran into an actor who asked us where we were going so dressed up and in a hurry. We told him what we were doing and he said he was going to the same place. I wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation and I didn’t even realize he was an actor none of us did until much later in the evening. We finally get across the street and start looking for the entrance to the Lincoln Center, I was just looking for Marshall (our PR rep). I saw him and started running towards him and he saw me too and he smiled. I was thinking I hope everyone made it since he was smiling. When I reached Marshall, he said, don’t worry you’re not eliminated you’re the second group to arrive in the Amazing Race. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to crack up laughing or have a stress break down. I decided it was funny! The three groups that abandoned the van got there at about the same time. The ones that ran the whole way got there first, my group got there second and the taxi group got there third. The van got there a little after six, but guess what…

All that worrying about getting there on time and the premier didn’t even start until 6:30pm, a half our late in typical Hollywood fashion! But be sure to check back later this week for my recap of the actual premier with photos from the red carpet. As for now, I still need that foot massage after all that running!

This Week’s Savvy Savings

5 % of the proceeds of sales from these links will go to charity!

Atlanta:
$10 for: Admission for 4 to an improv puppet show, just for the kids
($20 value)

Giggle, grin and guffaw at Uncle Grampa’s Hoo-Dilly Storytime, only at Dad’s Garage Theatre.

Boston:
$21 for: Family 4-pack of admission tickets to the Discovery Museums
($42 value)

Children discover the world around them (along with the world in their imagination) at these two wonderful museums

Dallas Fort Worth:
$5 for: Frozen yogurt from Cassie’s Yogurt Shop
($10 value)

Enjoy a sweet treat while watching your wallet and your waistline.

Denver:
$40 for: Family Premium Membership to the Colorado Railroad Museum
($80 value)

Climb aboard and let your imagination start you on your own rail adventure as you lose track of time.

Houston:
$42.5 for: 10-pack of open play time at Wonderwild
($85 value)

Nurture your child’s sense of wonder and indulge his wild side, all under one roof.

Minneapolis:
$5 for: Half off a $10 coupon to Wild Rumpus Bookstore
($10 value)

Books, animals, children, and all the Wild Things of their imagination live cozily together at the Wild Rumpus Bookstore

New York:
$25 for: Coupon to Steiner’s Last Licks plus a free sundae
($50 value)

A place for a sweet treat and some sports history

Philadelphia:
$25 for: Half off a coupon to Kids on 12th: Philadelphia Kids Club
($50 value)

A fun environment where your child’s mind and body will thrive

San Francisco Bay Area:
$47 for: Family membership to the Oakland Zoo
($95 value)

Have a zoo-per day with the bears, elephants, lions and more.

Seattle:
$30 for: Family membership to the Burke Museum of Natural History
($55 value)

Take a journey into the rich history and culture of the Pacific Northwest

Savvy Savings Across The US Tampa FL, To Seattle WA

Boston:
$13 for: Family 4 pack of tickets to the Wenham Museum
($26 value)

Discover the treasures of childhood, from the 17th century to today

Charlotte:
$19 for: Day pass for 4 to Ray’s Splash Planet
($38 value)

117,000 gallons of splashing, sliding fun

Chicago:
$50 for: Pack of 10 passes to the Chicago Children’s Museum
($100 value)

Playing while they learn, learning while they play

Dallas Fort Worth:
$5 for: 50% Off Admission and Skate Rental at Americas Ice Garden
($10 value)

Skate away for a day

Denver:
$24 for: Half off a family 4 pack of tickets
($48 value)

Corn mazes, pumpkin patches, a visit to the barnyard – all the makings for the perfect autumn outing

Houston:
$120 for: 6 pack of classes at Art Mix Creative Learning Center
($240 value)

A perfect introduction to the beautiful world of art

Indianapolis:
$22 for: 4 Daytime general admission tickets to Conner Prairie Interactive History Park
($44 value)

Discover what it was like to live and play in Indiana’s past

Minneapolis:
$25 for: Family fun time at Abrakadoodle
($50 value)

Spark their imaginations with an afternoon of art

New York:
$150 for: Family membership to The Art Farm
($295 value)

Art and animals: a perfect combination for our littlest learners

Philadelphia:
$50 for: Super Six Month Membership to Sahara Sam’s
($100 value)

A tidal wave of fun for the whole family

Phoenix:
$6.75 for: All-day park pass to Enchanted Island
($13.65 value)

Experience the thrill and delight of this one-of-a-kind park

Portland:
$40 for: 10 pack of open play tickets
($80 value)

A creative, nurturing environment for fitness and fun

San Diego:
$18 for: 3 public skating sessions and 4 free ice hockey classes at San Diego Ice Arena
($96 value)

The perfect way to ‘chill out’ with your family

San Francisco Bay Area:
$42 for: Family membership to Lawrence Hall of Science
($85 value)

Making science exciting and discovery fun for all ages

Seattle:
$75 for: Annual Standard Family Membership to the Orange Blossom Society
($150 value)

Arts, inspiration and laughter for the whole family

Tampa:
$25 for: Month of membership to My Gym Children’s Fitness Center and a lifetime registration fee
($100 value)

Fun and fitness in a nurturing environment

New Samsung Home Appliances from New York Samsung Show Room

During my time at BlogHer, I visited with Samsung about their Home Appliances department. I knew Samsung made a lot of technical products, like laptops, TV’s and video cameras, but I never realized they made Home Appliances. We were winded and dined by the Samsung Home Appliance team. They shared commercials and answered a lot of questions about their different home appliances.

It was shortly after my trip that I realized that my next door neighbors actually have a few of the Samsung appliances. They have a Samsung TV, A Samsung Refrigerator and a Samsung Washer and Dryer. Well, after going to the Samsung Home Appliance Event at BlogHer and seeing how happy my neighbors are, I truly want some of their appliances and have Home Appliance Envy.

The Samsung Range Oven:

I want the Samsung Induction Oven because it heats up quickly, is easily cleaned by Windex and cools off just as fast. It is energy efficient and will make my life a whole lot easier.

clip_image002The Big Kicker is the self-cleaning feature.

Pour 10 ounces of tap water in the oven, close the door and press the button. Twenty minutes later, simply wipe the oven clean!

No high heat, no bad smell, no waiting for hours. SteamQuick™ is the fast, easy and energy efficient way to keep your oven clean all the time.

The Samsung Washer and Samsung Dryer:

The Washer:

I want the Washer because it has a self washing unit, doesn’t require you to leave the door open to air it out or need to be wiped down after each use.

PureCycle™

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clip_image002[8]Clean your machine with the press of a button! The combination of hot water and high speed spinning of PureCycle™ provides long lasting washer maintenance for a clean and hygienic drum. With a gentle buzz that goes off after 40 times of cleaning, you’ll never have to worry about how clean your clothes really are.

 

 

The Dryer:

Well, because I have to have a matching set

The Samsung Four Door French Door Refrigerator:

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clip_image002[4]I want this refrigerator for many reasons. One being that it has a fourth door that the kids can use, it is the perfect size for keeping juice boxes and other items for the kids to just reach in and grab. The shelves are the most adjustable shelves that I have ever seen, and it is just huge.

Features a large internal storage capacity of 28 cu.ft., a beautiful stainless steel design with a stylish Blue LED digital display, and bright, space-saving LED lighting on the interior that illuminates every corner.

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The Samsung Dishwasher:800_front__136176657_136176658_127702145

The Dishwasher is extremely quiet and will save moms time. Don’t pre-rinse, StormWash instead. This heavy-duty wash system saves you time because there’s no need to pre-rinse.

Still Time to Host some Children this Summer: Fresh Air Fund

The Summer of 2010 is almost over, but The Fresh Air Fund still needs loving host families. They are looking for families in the following areas to host Red Hook, Columbia County, Saugerties, Delmar, Guilderland & Altamont, Latham and Rensselaer, NY.  If you or someone you know is able to host, please sign up now.

In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund‘s Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

The Fresh Air Fund relies on donations to provide memorable summers to NYC children.

The majority of Fresh Air children are from low-income communities. These are often families without the resources to send their children on summer vacations. Most inner-city youngsters grow up in towering apartment buildings without large, open, outdoor play spaces. Concrete playgrounds cannot replace the freedom of running barefoot through the grass or riding bikes down country lanes.