Julia Roberts Italian Lavazza Ad

Julia Roberts gets paid $1.5 million euros to do a Lavazza ad and doesn't have to say anything!
I guess she's still a hit overseas!

Anne Hathaway & The Other Guy Host The Oscars

James Franco and Anne Hathaway are now co-hosting the Oscars on February 27! All I know is that I'm watching and my cynical husband better be out of the room!

(phot0: Hollyscoop)

Yummy Pizza In My Town? It's Possible

Thanks to American Express for sponsoring my writing today about small businesses. American Express is presenting Small Business Saturday, a way to honor the local merchants who are the backbone of the economy, this Saturday, November 27. They're offering statement credits to people who shop at small businesses, advertising for small-business owners, and donations to Girls Inc. for "Likes" of the Small Business Saturday page on Facebook. Join the celebration by clicking the "Like" button and then visiting the Facebook page to learn more about the program and read the terms and conditions that apply.



Recently I was invited to a moms night out gathering at a pizza joint called Rhombus Guys downtown. I've heard of this place being recommend by friends before but have never been there. Even my husband, who recently checked the place out the week before, gave it a thumbs up and even said it was like stepping into a New York City restaurant. I was excited. Good pizza in this town? I admit, I've always been a New York City pizza snob and can't bear to eat from chains like Pizza Hut or Little Caesars. So when I had this chance of having a night out without my cute, but very demanding little ones I was in!

Firstly, I have to explain why I didn't even know this bar/restaurant existed. It's located on a side street where everything else is pretty much shut after 6pm. Also there's a sex shop on the corner so that always discouraged me to go down the street. Now...back to how my dinner turned out.

The group of ladies that came for the dinner were lovely and a couple of them were Rhombus Guys regulars and knew what to order. We got two large pizzas to share among us with mixed varieties. One had pork and another had shrimp, it was nice to taste actual flavors. I was very impressed. What's also interesting to know is that this local business was started by two college students who had an entrepreneurial spark. As a result, they've created a popular hangout among other college students in the town as well as middle age couples and moms like me (oh, and probably some customers from the sex shop too!) Below are a couple of images to gawk at.





Also, support your local economy and "like" the Small Business Saturday Facebook page!

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity as I do.

Holiday Gift Ideas For Kids

Here are some sweet products I've chosen as gift suggestions.

See more of my Mogul Baby 2010 Holiday Gift Guide list at ThisNext.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Singing In Glee

I actually was a little surprised on how good Gwyneth Paltrow's Glee performance was.

Kim and Kourtney Kardashian Take The 6 Train

Alright, now I've seen everything!

Bingo Was The Name-O

Last week while at a children's birthday party, the topic of gambling came up. One of the dads that showed up talked about going to a casino two hours from our town. My husband's eyes lit up and shared that he would like to go one day. He's very lucky, especially with Bingo. He used to take his grandmother all the time. Once he won $1000. I just laughed and said, "Why stop at a small casino? Let's do Vegas?"

Before we had kids, we had more time to book a trip and travel. Yes, we did our much-too-long-a-stay-in-Vegas before our first child was born and I have to say, I miss that freedom. Okay, so Vegas is a little sleazy but the glitz and lights make your senses go crazy which can be addictive.

The only sort of gambling I did this year was at Bingo Palace. The event was a moms night out as well as to celebrate a couple of birthdays. The people that showed up there varied. They were not the kind of people satisfied with just playing bingo online. They wanted to be in a big room with TV screens, cheap popcorn and sheets of paper. It was surprising to me that there were women I recognized from the supermarket and at the gym! They were regulars since they happily played alone.

As for me, I'm pretty much a Bingo novice. I just followed the lead of all the other ladies at the table. I realized that the bingo games were not straight forward. There are patterns to it! I had no idea there were so many variations. I was also surprised about the amount of money people won. I didn't win anything but I did have fun just looking at everyone. Will I go to Bingo Palace again? I'm not sure. Will I go to Vegas again? Yes! Just give me a babysitter and I'm there.