THE TODAY SHOW!!

I DID IT!! THURSDAY MORNING -- I GOT THE HEY RITA TOTE ON THE TODAY SHOW...


When Ann & I went on Monday -- we never even got close. Although Al Roker did walk around the entire fence -- and we got to SHAKE HIS HAND -- the camera never came to where we were standing...

I was hoping that there would be a smaller crowd on Thursday. AND I went earlier. I got there at 6:15 AM. The line was small...I was hopeful...

AND I positioned myself squarely in the MIDDLE of the fence -- with Dean & Deluca behind me. This seemed like the hot spot...

Well, there's lots more to this story -- and I'll put up many photos and even a little video -- when I get things organized and have a chance to unpack...

IT WAS SOO EXCITING...!! I hope you were watching it. My niece "tivo-ed" it for me -- so I hope to see it myself one day soon....

YEAH HEY RITA...(here she is on the oldest escalator in America -- at Macy's!)



And here's a picture of the Hey Rita with Jan Potter and Bonne Swett. I called them the minute I KNEW THE TOTE GOT ON -- and because of the time delay, they were able to watch...


HEY -- IT WAS A VERY EXCITING few days in New York City!! I'll have lots more to tell you -- with some GREAT PICS, TOO..!!

Linda's Backsplash Tile

My cousin Linda is ALWAYS there for me when I have a big project(as you know). So, when she asked if I would help put up the new tile in her kitchen -- I was delighted to HELP...
Here's the kitchen wall -- BEFORE the new tile...

She is an artist, and selected a beautiful subway tile with an unusual border print to jazz it up...

I was delighted to get a GREAT picture of Linda...and you can see from the smile on her face, she was delighted with her new tile backsplash...

Last step -- GROUT. Her sister, Jackie, gave her the great idea of using a cake frosting bag to apply the grout. I think that's genius!!!

I'll post pictures when it's ALL DONE. Because now, of course, it needs new countertops...gheesh...why is it these projects always turn into a Domino game??

Team Lillian

Under the category of "I never get tired of posting pictures of this baby" -- here are Lillian's Most Important People...

Eating breakfast with Daddy...Elliott is eating, watching Sports Center, AND keeping his baby safe...who says men can't multi-task?

Here, in another "Mommy & Me" pic. THIS is a pose I will always carry in my head of this baby's first year...Emily, with Lillian on her hip...

And here -- Lillian is MOST DELIGHTED to relax with her best friend...Sophie...

Of course, I should have taken a picture of me and John holding Lillian -- but I forgot. Bummer. WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO UP THERE AGAIN, EH??

RENT adventure

As you know -- I love planning adventures for the little people in my life. It recently occurred to me that it would be fun to spend some time with their interesting 30-something-parents! So I planned an "adventure" with my two nieces, Amy & Nicole. (The last time I did something one-on-one with them -- Nicole was 9!)

These two sisters are busy young working mothers -- they both have three young elementary age children, a house, a husband, a job -- IT'S A LOT...So I was delighted when they managed to clear the decks for an "Aunt Rita Adventure"...

We started off with dinner at a downtown Davenport bistro -- the Front Street Brewery. Rare tuna steak and sweet potato fries -- yummo. Then, I had tickets for "RENT", altho the girls had NOOOOO idea where we were going.

The Harrison Hilltop Theater is a new professional theater group that is performing a very ambitious 2010 schedule. The theater only seats 60 people -- so we were right ON TOP of the stage...and I was a little worried when I saw the cramped theater and crummy folding chairs...

But their production of RENT was wonderful. Truly. The play is about a group of young people living in an abandoned building in New York City, many of them diagnosed with HIV -- and it is about one year in their life....

I love this play...and this cast had wonderful voices. As they sang Another Day...I cried...the same way I did 10 years ago, when I heard it for the very first time...

There Is No Future
There Is No Past
I Live This Moment
As My Last

There's Only Us
There's Only This
Forget Regret
Or Life Is Yours To Miss

No Other Road
No Other Way
No Day But Today

The first time I saw RENT in NYC....I had to walk 40 blocks in the rain to buy a single ticket. I bought the cast recording in the lobby after the show and wore out the cassette tape...I have listened to "Another Day" at least a thousand times since then....

On this night, in a small theater in Davenport, Iowa, I got to experience the play all over again -- with my beautiful nieces, Nicole and Amy. Here we are, outside the theater, with the guy who played the part of "Mark".

I know it's a fuzzy picture -- but it's the only one I have. And I will treasure it...WHAT A GREAT NIGHT...

what a great message...forget regret...or life is yours to miss...

Wednesday Learning Annex Class

Tonight, I'll be attending a "Learning Annex" class about -- guess what? BLOGGING...
While I'm in the city, I'll take lots of pictures of inspirational fashions and styles...like this shot from my trip last December.

AND I'll probably have to take Ann Sagawa and my friend Jeff up to Tom's restaurant at 112th & Broadway. Do you recognize it?

That's right! It's the restaurant from Seinfeld!! And the food is so reasonably priced, it's unbelievable. I send EVERYBODY there...

This is our last full day in the city. I promise to take LOTS OF PICTURES. Ann & I will be meeting with Kenneth King this morning...and we are hoping to hit Mood Fabrics at some point...but there is soooo little time...

Tuesday in New York City

Yesterday, both Ann and I shook hands with Al Roker at the TODAY SHOW. WE WERE THERE...and I have the pictures to prove it. Sadly, I can't get them out of my camera and into this blog until I get home...

BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY AGAIN TOMORROW. So -- watch the TODAY SHOW ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...I will not quit until the HEY RITA tote gets her 15 seconds of FAME...

My real-time plans for today involve my friend Jeff -- remember him?

Last August, on my way home from a weekend in Chicago -- I stopped to BUY SOME ART from my young friend, Jeff Lassiter -- who was MOVING TO NEW YORK CITY...


In November, the New Jersey ASG brought me to New York City -- and I got together with April Somboun (formerly from Seattle) and Jeff (formerly from Princeton, Iowa via Chicago) -- they BOTH moved to New York City last year. Here were are, in front of the Carnegie Deli...

THIS is a piece of REAL CARNEGIE DELI CHEESECAKE...I don't know what could be better than that.

Today, I'll be spending the day with Jeff. Tomorrow is his birthday -- and we're going to attend an art auction at Christie's Auction House. No kidding. We'll probably take the subway...

But I'm pretty sure we won't buy any art....
The last time I was there -- it was for the estate of Doris Duke. Accidentally picking my nose almost cost me $17,000...it's a dangerous place...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF...

New York City MONDAY PLANS

In 2008, my good friend Sandy Randolph, who does my hair -- asked me to GO TO NEW YORK CITY with her and her friends Carol and Evelyn. Since that trip -- whenever I see them -- we get to relive what a GREAT TIME we had. Here are our feet at Rockefeller Center...


I make EVERYBODY take the tour of Rockefeller Center. Here we are with our docent -- Sylvia, on the left -- then Carol, Sandy & Evelyn...three New York City virgins...


The architecture is STUNNING...this sculpture of Atlas -- across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral.


Radio City Music Hall is one corner of Rockefeller Center...I wonder what show will be there this week?

If I can figure out how to do a LIVE BLOG -- I'll post a little video of me and Ann Sagawa. We're getting a tour of Burdastyle.com today. Guess what? Their offices are at ROCKEFELLER CENTER...

Oh, yeah -- I LOVE MY LIFE...

ARRIVING IN NEW YORK CITY

My niece Kelcy is trying to get her baby -- Mason -- on the cover of Parent's magazine. It's easy to vote -- she posts a new link every day. Click on this for Kelcy's Family Blog

Once again, I'll be flying into Laguardia Airport...here's what it looked like LAST December...


Of course, the BIGGEST PROBLEM nowadays is what BAG to pack. Ugh...Last year, I paid $645 in BAGGAGE FEES. Wow. Don't even get me started...it's MAKING ME CRAZY...I'd like to seriously try it with just a carry-on....I'll only be in the city for four days....but, I mean -- really? You can imagine how much space my old lady panties take up...I don't think it's possible...


I always have to change planes...this time, in Chicaago. Here's a random shot of O'Hare Airport at Christmas.



I'm getting in about Noon. And Ann Sagawa is arriving at 3:00 -- at a different airport. We'll be hooking up with our friend Ryliss Bod from Bates Technical College. She's the LUCKY ONE...she actually gets to take classes at the Fashion Institute!!

Remember -- check out the TODAY SHOW MONDAY MORNING...!! I am determined to get the HEY RITA TOTE on the Today show...

I WILL BE THERE MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...until somebody walks over and says, "where did you get that great bag?"

Kelcy & Mason

Cloth BABY DIAPERS are back!! And -- would you believe -- they can cost $18 EACH??

I have TWO nieces who are doing the CLOTH DIAPER thing. Kelcy lives in Ames, Iowa and Marci is in Pittsburgh. They both SWEAR by cloth diapers.

Would you believe these new cloth diapers can cost $18 apiece??

Mason LOVES his cloth diapers...in his first six months, his Mom has taken at least half a million pictures of him...

I haven't tried it yet -- but if some of you want to try to SEW diapers -- and this is an excellent website, with very complete directions: sewing cloth diapers

Kelcy is a wonderful photographer -- and her pictures of Mason have been PRECIOUS. She submitted one of them to a special website -- where people can go "VOTE" -- and the winner will be on the cover of the next Parents magazine.

the LINK changes every day -- so Kelcy -- PLEASE GO TO KELCY'S BLOG TO GET THE right hyperlink. it changes every day -- and we've moved him up from #7300 to #297...

WE CAN DO IT, KELCY..!!

THE TODAY SHOW

And, if things go right -- on Monday, April 26 -- I'LL BE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE TODAY SHOW STUDIO. The last time I was there was the first weekend of December 2009. This is my sister Deborah (on the left) -- and two delightful strangers we met at the Dean & Deluca coffee shop across the street.



Because I was DETERMINED to get the Hey Rita tote on television -- even though the crowd was HUGE -- I handed the bag up over the heads of 200 people...there she goes...


And, for a brief moment in time, Hey Rita DID hang on the fence at the TODAY show...



But this time -- I've done some advance planning. MOSTLY, I WON'T BE THERE ON A FRIDAY...lol...The Monday-Friday crowds are much smaller...so BE LOOKING FOR THE HEY RITA TOTE...that's where I'll be.

And I intend to go EVERY SINGLE DAY until I talk to Al, Meridith, Matt or Ann...THIS TIME I AM DETERMINED...So -- mark your calendars -- on Monday, April 26 -- WATCH THE TODAY SHOW AND START LOOKING FOR THE HEY RITA TOTE...

I'll be getting up at 5:00 AM to walk to Rockefeller Center every day until it happens...I'll be in town Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday...AND I AM DETERMINED...

My question for Vicki Gunvalson

It was a large audience...at the Wild Rose Casino -- more than 300 women came to see Vicki Gunvalson speak...

After Vicki's presentation...she asked the audience if we had any questions...remember? I was DYING TO ASK A QUESTION...


I stood up and said that Vicki & Don were my favorite couple on the show -- which is SO TRUE. (Mostly because they both have REAL JOBS AND A work ethic.) But my burning question was about one of her cast-mates -- ALEXA.

Alexa is the new housewife. She is beyond shallow -- she's a self-centered, botox-poking-fake-boob-fake-everything-with-two-kids-and-three-nannies very vain woman. Her husband Jim puts her on a private jet to go to lunch -- their lifestyle is almost as phoney as it is excessive...and MAYBE THAT'S WHY I WATCH THIS SHOW??


So here's how my question went:

Rita: What does Alexa's husband do for a living?
Vicki: We don't know!
Rita: What do you mean?
Vicki: Everytime somebody asks that -- we're told he's "an entrepreneur".

The whole room laughed....then Vicki said, "What would that mean here in Iowa? HE'S AN ENREPRENEUR..?"

Rita: Here in Iowa? That's easy...an entrepreneur is somebody who is selling meth out of their trailer...

Liquid Starch + Fabric = ART WALL

Guess what? That old-fashioned technique of using liquid-fabric-starch-to-put-fabric-on-a-wall REALLY WORKS..!!

Here are a few tips:

• It's messy -- put down a plastic dropcloth.
• I used a paint tray to hold the liquid starch.
• My favorite tool was a small foam roller to get out the bubbles.
• Roll from the center of the piece out to the edges to remove all bubbles. (if you miss any -- you just poke the dry bubble with a pin and restarch the area)
• Once the fabric is completely soaked in the starch -- it can be difficult to tell which side is the "right side" -- so have a system. I laid the fabric in the starch, always with the wrong side down, then I folded it onto itself...so the WRONG side was always on the outside of the roll of fabric.
• If you're working with very large pieces -- the weight of the wet fabric can be a problem. Use tacks to hold the fabric in place...they can easily be removed when the fabric is dry.

I LOVED the smell of the starch...and it's such an easy cleanup. Just rinse with water.

WHAT A GREAT WAY TO DISPLAY SOME OF YOUR FABRIC STASH, EH??

I AM SOOO EXCITED..!!

I cannot remember when I've had more fun doing an art project...and it felt sooo good to actually find a use for my extensive FABRIC STASH.

It is as simple as 1-2-3.

1. Soak your fabric in the liquid starch.
2. Smooth it onto the wall.
3. Using a foam brush (or roller), or just your hand, gently squeeze out all air bubbles. Here's the beginning of my wall.

At this point, I'm really building some confidence...

WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE FINISHED WALL!! I LOVE IT SO MUCH...after I did the initial LAYER OF FABRIC -- I realized you can LAYER one fabric on top of another with the starch...WHO KNEW?? So, of course, when the whole wall was finished -- I starched some embroidery designs and t-shirt slogans -- to tone it all down..

And the great thing is -- you don't damage the fabric OR THE WALL in any way. When you get tired of it -- you just roll some water on to soften the starch -- and the fabric peels right off. Wash the wall -- and voila -- it's like it never happened!

I'm still putting the room ALL TOGETHER -- and it is sooo awesome, I may have to post a video of it. (which is always kinda painful for me -- but this may be worth it!)

Vicki's Assistant Heidi

This is a picture of Vicki Gunvalson, just arriving on the stage at the Clinton Women In Business spring event...

This is a picture of me, before the show, sucking up to Vicki's assistant -- Heidi. I wanted to make sure she understood the IMPORTANCE OF THE HEY RITA TOTE...and why, even though there would be a long book signing line, I'd have to take the time to get a picture of Vicki WITH the tote...


After all, THOUSANDS OF WOMEN READ THIS BLOG -- and they want to know what Hey Rita is up to.... Just in case I couldn't get close enough to Vicki -- I took this picture with Heidi...that's when I noticed her orange county shoes...


So -- are you wondering WHAT QUESTION I ASKED VICKI??

My House Is On American Pickers

Okay...if you have "On Demand" with your cable company -- and you know how to use it (I learned two days ago) -- you can SEE MY HOUSE.

On Episode #12 of American Pickers -- two minutes into the show -- Mike & Frank are driving to Wisconsin. They are actually on Hwy #67 just outside Princeton, Iowa.

As they come around a big curve -- YOU CAN SEE OUR HOUSE.

I watched this episode and never noticed it. It goes by in a very brief FLASH...

But when my son Ross watched the show -- he saw our house RIGHT AWAY.

So I'm telling everybody to watch the first 2 minutes of episodes #12 of American Pickers so you can SEE MY HOUSE.

After watching it -- my son Elliott called and said, "how smart are those guys? They're driving PAST MOM'S HOUSE to go to Wisconsin looking for junk?

Very funny, son...

P.S. The liquid starch fabric wall is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I have to take pictures so I can post it. It's funny now how EVERYTHING I DO is a candidate for a blog post. I can't remember when I have been sooo pleased with a project. It has a few surprises...I'm thinking I need to do a video...hummm...

Spring Flowers

No kidding. SPRING IS BEAUTIFUL. I love it, love it, love it. After the long, cold, dark winter -- the sky is bright blue and there is a fresh breeze blowing. Our first flowers are crocouses, then my favorites -- the DAFFODILLS.

The trees are loaded with blossoms...the magnolia trees, cherry trees, this is our pear tree (I think)..

John has a bleeding heart bush that grows so fast it's stunning. If I knew how to set up time-lapse photography --

THIS SEASON IS THE REASON I LIVE IN IOWA.

Ah, yes -- life is good.

And, during this busy, industrious, joyful season -- I wonder if maybe SPRING feels so GOOD because of the long, cold winter. Life is like that, y'know...I mean -- no matter who you are or what you do -- there's always good and bad. And maybe we only really appreciate the GOOD stuff after we've endured some of the BAD stuff...

Greenstock LUNCH

Our Greenstock day was an ALL DAY adventure -- and, of course, we had to take a break for lunch. Instead of the usual fast food kid spots, I opted for one of my favorite places -- the Family Square restaurant. It's owned by a Greek family...Garrett and Cale were perfect little gentlemen as we waited patiently for our made-to-order food...

Yes, that's my cup of coffee in front of the boys. I think they'll always remember when Aunt Rita let them "drink coffee" for the first time...(relax, Amy -- they each had one teaspoon!!)

I wanted to see the look on their faces when the waitress brought our special appetizer -- SAGANAKI --fried cheese that she has to LIGHT UP. The big flame doesn't show up in this picture...but it was quite a surprise!

Everything about this day was special. At one point, Cale said to Garrett, "Just wait until we tell Mom we had PANCAKES for lunch!"

Isn't that awesome?? Think of everything families do to "make memories" for children...they spend millions of dollars planning vacations to DisneyWorld...they borrow money to buy extravagant toys...

And maybe -- just maybe -- all they had to do was let them eat breakfast food for lunch...

My Lamp Fetish

At a recent auction, they lined up five floor lamps and announced, "so much apiece, take as many as you want." I won the first round with a $9 bid. Great. I chose the heaviest lamp -- the one with FIVE lightbulbs. It is exactly what I need...excellent...

Then, in the next bidding "go-round" -- they couldn't get an opening bid. So the auctioneer said, "okay -- one money gets them all".

Damn. OF COURSE I HAD TO BID $2.50....I mean -- you can understand that, right? What if I didn't pick the best lamp the first time? What if the best lamp is in this big gaggle of leftover lamps??

Of course, you know what happened....the next thing I know, I'm wondering how I'm going to get five floor lamps in the back seat of my car....



There were extra shades...and a desk lamp, and a wall sconce...

AND, oh, yeah, how lucky for me that I also bought a box of scrap mink pieces...they made a nice soft ride for all the light bulbs...



I'll let you know which lamps I KEEP. I need a reading lamp in the guest room...and next to my Lazy-boy...

Oops...that leaves me with 3 leftover lamps that I have to find homes for.

This treasure hunting can turn into a lot of work...