lifestyle Archives - Page 7 of 16 - Have Sippy Will Travel

Meeting Kristi Yamaguchi and Finding Alpine Lace’s Perfect Match

May 7, 2014 by Samantha 2 Comments

Yesterday, I was able to “Dine, dance and discover” with Kristi Yamaguchi, the Alpine Lace Deli Cheese brand spokesperson in New York City. At this event, we chatted about family life, what matters most to each of us, and the things that make out days that much better. We also tried out some fun and delicious pairings with Alpine Lace cheese, and learned some dance steps. Yep- we tore up the dance floor. OK- maybe there was no actual “Dance Floor”, but life is what you make of it, ay? We were dancing, it was a dance floor! 🙂

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Kristi Yamaguchi (who was on the TV Show “Dancing With the Stars”) even gave us a performance of the Rumba steps to inspire the wallflowers among us.

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At the Perfect pairings station, we spoke with the Alpine Lace test kitchen expert, who showed off a variety of food and wine pairings that go great with Alpine Lace Swiss. Some examples are chocolate, strawberries, crackers, cucumbers, and mortadella.
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Filed Under: food, lifestyle Tagged With: 7 Foodie Destinations in Southern France, celebrity, food, NY

Visit to the Set of General Hospital and the Nurses Ball

May 6, 2014 by Samantha 2 Comments

While on a recent trip to LA, we were able to visit the set of General Hospital. It was very cool to see where the show was made and meet some of the actors who play the characters on the show. It was also fun to see the greenroom, sets, props, and costumes from the show.

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While on the set, we met Frank Valentini, who was very nice and gave us a tour. There were times and places we were able to or not take photos, because he didn’t want to give things away. We also met Finola Hughes (Anna Devane), LuLu Spencer-Falconeri (Emme Rylan0), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri), William Devry (Julian Jerome), and Maura West (Ava Jerome )as well, it was a fun afternoon on the set of this iconic TV show.

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We were also able to see (while visiting) the Jerome Art Gallery, the hospital, the “patient rooms”, nurses station, police station, and Maxi’s apartment.

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We were able to check out a room full of props and costumes over the years the show has been on, including (interestingly) a track suit that Richard Simmons wore. I love him, I don’t care what any of you naysayers say! Ha. I was amused, he cracks me up, and so did his outfit. We also got to visit the green room while they wrapped up filming.
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Filed Under: entertainment, lifestyle Tagged With: ABC, disney, la, tv

Follow Your Heart to St. Kitts Marriott

May 1, 2014 by Samantha 1 Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is an island in the Caribbean where the beaches are open and eco-exploration is easy. Golfing, eating, and lounging are king, but in the land of sun and surf, the real king is the traveler. This island is St. Kitts, and the premiere resort to check out while in St. Kitts is the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & Royal Beach Casino. What separates this resort from others is your ability to not only have beach fun, golf fun, ecological exploration, and gourmet eating there is also the Royal Beach Casino to brings something to the table for everyone.

As of now St. Kitts Marriott is running a special promotion where if you book buy 4 nights get 3 free. It is called the St. Kitts Marriott Super Sand Dollars offer. With resorts like St. Kitts Marriott promotions this lucrative are few and far between so I would suggest jumping on this as soon as possible. There is also many other offers for a range of costs, including the Discover St. Kitts Package.
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Filed Under: lifestyle Tagged With: carribean, islands, resorts, travel

Quick Fixes for Your Garden

May 1, 2014 by Samantha Leave a Comment

For many green-fingered people, their garden is a source of joy and pleasure and a place to spend hours of time perfecting and creating a little haven.

But what if you fancy a quick change? What if you want to do something different for visitors, or a party? What if you’re selling your house? What if you have a spare day or two but want immediate results?

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For plant growth and care, the likes of agrarianorganics.com is worth a visit. For further tips on quick fixes, here are a few, just to get you going:

1. Sometimes a simple rearrangement of furniture can add comfort to a garden. For example, moving chairs into a more central position and adding an outdoor table for drinks or food, potted plants in adjacent positions, or placing a fire pit near the centre, become talking points. The furniture doesn’t have to be the same theme either – a quirky chair or outdoor shelf sometimes grabs the eye. RealSimple.com provides inspiration for outdoor furniture, and advises: “Make over a porch with a few items such as a day bed, potted plants, Chinese lanterns that will make the space comfortable and stylish. Thinking creatively can also help you stick to a budget. There’s no reason why a trunk from inside can’t step in as your outdoor coffee table.”

2. Paving slabs become worn with age or use, so a quick blast with a pressure washer can bring back the colors underneath. If that doesn’t work a big brush and some tile paint can add a whole new dimension, perhaps matching or contrasting with existing furniture. If a slab is cracked or badly worn why not cover it with a piece of furniture, or an outdoor mat?

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Filed Under: evergreen, lifestyle Tagged With: gardening

Meeting the Moms of ABC TV

April 14, 2014 by Samantha 1 Comment

While in LA, we were able to chat with the starts of several great ABC TV shows. Want to meet some of the lovely ladies yourself? Enter, and check out the mom’s (both on and offscreen) of some of the latest hit shows you love to watch.

The lovely Malin Akerman from “Trophy Wife” was a pleasure to talk to, and was excited to tell us about her young son and adventures in motherhood. You can read more about her and the show in this post, or watch the show Tuesdays at 9:30 eastern/8:30 central on ABC.

Photo-Bombing myself, ha. Got tired of the “posed” pictures- so this is what you get! Me and Patricia Heaton, of “The Middle”. Want to know more about her? Check out this post and get social with The Middle on Facebook on Twitter @TheMiddle_ABC. Keep up with the fun on Twitter with the hashtag #ABCTVEvent. You can watch on Wednesdays at 8 EST on ABC.
She has kids that are a bit older then mine, so she told us all what we were in for when they got older. She told us all about the set of “Everybody Loves Raymond”, raising kids “on sets” and how being a mother is a priority for her.

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Filed Under: entertainment, lifestyle Tagged With: ABC, la, tv

Hanging Out on the set of Grey’s Anatomy

April 10, 2014 by Samantha 1 Comment

While in LA, I had the chance to check out the set of Grey’s Anatomy. It was a lot of fun. We got to check out the set, as well as meet some of the actors and creative people behind the scenes, like costume designers and prop creators.

This is the outside of the set, which is really on the outside of the building. It was neat to see how and where they filmed. It also looked like a real hospital building, so that amused me as well.

This is the living room of the “Dream House” that belongs to Meredith Greys and Derek McDreamy. A lot nicer (and neater!) then my own, I will tell you that 😉

The very well organized kitchen in the McDreamy House 🙂

Costumes on the set of Grey’s Anatomy, all labeled and ready for the cast to use.

The hospital on the set, complete with toys and brochures, which made me laugh 🙂

I loved this picture, it was just the hospital floor, but still. Made it “authentic”.

The “guts” of Grey’s Anatomy, as shown to us by the prop master.

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Filed Under: entertainment, lifestyle Tagged With: ABC, Grey's Anatomy, la, tv

Interview with Sebastian Stan AKA The Winter Soldier

April 9, 2014 by Samantha 7 Comments

While we were in LA a few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to interview some of the cast of the new Captain America: The Winter Soldier movie, including Bucky himself. Most comic fans will tell you that there are two characters that NEVER come back to life- Uncle Ben and Bucky Barnes. Even I know that! So what’s it like to break ‘da rules, and risk the wrath of fanboys and girls everywhere, Sebastian Stan? (It’s cool! Most of them are over it- the comic cam out quite awhile ago.)

Question- Was it difficult to switch roles from Bucky to The Winter Soldier?

Sebastian Stan: Well, yes and no. I would say no in the sense that everything is so spelled out for me in the comic books that I sort of feel like I have that to follow as a guide. Yes, in that certain things from comic books often aren’t so easily translated to the screen. There were things visually that were new that we had to discover about the character.

I mean in the comic books there was a lot of information but in terms of how the Winter Soldier moved, how he behaved, what his presence was like on screen, those were all things I had to discover once I was in the outfit and we were actually shooting the movie. And that was more difficult I suppose. At the end of the day the most difficult part was playing someone that’s very different while at the same time the same person.

Question- How do you mentally prepare for a role like this in terms of playing someone who doesn’t even know who they are?
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Filed Under: disney, entertainment, interview, lifestyle Tagged With: disney, interview, la, movie

The New The Tom and Jerry Show

April 8, 2014 by Samantha 2 Comments

There is a new Warner Bros. Animation series, The Tom and Jerry Show coming out soon!

The series will be premiering Wednesday, April 9 on Cartoon Network. Entertainment Weekly just debut a trailer for the show yesterday which you can check out here: http://family-room.ew.com/2014/03/17/tom-and-jerry-exclusive-video/

As you can see the cat and mouse grudge match between these two continues with the same brand of slapstick humor that made Tom and Jerry two of the most beloved characters in animation history. In addition to their familiar suburban house setting, each 11 minute short of the new series will expand Tom and Jerry’s never-ending game of cat-and-mouse to include more fantastic worlds, from a witches cabin to a mad scientist’s lab.

Voiced with comedic stars such as Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) and Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) leading it’s talented cast, the show should be a hit with kids. Here is what Jay Bastian, the WBA creative executive had to say in an interview with me last week.

Q1- Have you always been a Tom and Jerry Fan?

Jay Bastian– Who isn’t? I always loved watching Tom and Jerry cartoons with my father, since he would laugh just as much as I did at them.

Q2- Who is your favorite, Tom, or Jerry? (And why)

Jay Bastian– This is a debate I have been in both at Cartoon Network and at Warner Bros. for years. People are entrenched on one side or the other and can speak at length about their respective stance. I guess I always root for the underdog, so I’ve always been firmly on Jerry’s side.

Q3- How is the new The Tom and Jerry Show different the the older cartoons?

Jay Bastian– Hopefully the characters, their relationship and the slapstick violence will still feel like what was established in the classic shorts. The newest thing we’ve added in this series is the reoccurring scenarios of the science lab, the witches’ house and Tom and Jerry’s detective agency. The idea was to keep them the same characters they have always been, but add in new locations and things to throw at one another.
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