NYC Archives - Look What Mom Found

A Visit to NFL Offices with Verizon Wireless #VZWBuzz

March 30, 2015 by Melissa

Who would’ve thought that I would one day be a guest in the NFL Headquarters and also enjoy myself.

Even though I’ve watched football most of my life I’ve only been a fan for the last 12 years.You can thank my son for that one. His name comes from hearing a players name while reading a baby name book and instantly turning to Rob saying “That’s it”. My son is named after former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander. I’ve been a Seattle fan ever since.

Back in November after being invited to be a part of the #VZWBuzz team I was also invited to hang out in NYC with some of the other team members. I’m always excited to meet other bloggers, influencers and of course great thinkers like Monica Vila, co-founder of Online Mom Media. Monica is recognized as an expert in marketing to women — the most powerful demographic in consumer spending in the US.

Working with this team has opened my eyes to so much. I’ve learned that little device in my hand can do much more than I ever imagined. Back to NFL Headquarters. I always wondered what my husband was looking at on his phone during football games. I knew he was checking scores but I didn’t know he was getting instant replays, following trades and watching live video feeds from other games.

We also learned of other initiatives from the NFL that bring together the fans and community.

#PassitForward is a way players can directly interact with fans by completing random acts of kindness. See here how the New Orleans Saints take simple gestures to change someone’s day and motivate them to pay it forward again

On the heels of some devastating footage of domestic violence within the NFL community, Commissioner Roger Goodell has worked hard to learn as much as they can about these issues and how best to address them. With it came a moving and strategic platform called #NoMore as a push to end and bring awareness to Domestic and Sexual Assault. With the start of public address announcements condemning the use of violence came new policy and regulations about such misconduct within the NFL.

MADD and the National Football League joined forces in 2010 to collaborate on player and employee programs, game day initiatives, community relations and awareness programs to promote MADD’s efforts to prevent drunk driving. As a first step in this partnership, MADD representatives presented to incoming NFL players at the 2010 NFL Rookie Symposium.

NFL PLAY 60 is the National Football League’s campaign to encourage kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity. It’s time to put the electronics down, put the snacks away and get outside.

Verizon is more than just a communications company. The NFL is more than just football. Together they bring people together, create awareness for causes all over the world and show you new ways to play smart in this thing we call life.

That Time I Met Bruce Willis

June 16, 2014 by Melissa

The elevator doors opened and the room took my breath away. In front of me was a room full of A-List Celebrities dressed to the nines, camera ready because I was prepared with mine. I took a few steps to the face that first caught my attention, Bruce Willis. He was gorgeous, cold and rigid but perfectly handsome and rugged at the same time. Madame Tussauds outdid themselves with this one.
Bruce Willis may have been the first “celebrity sighting” of the day but he was far from the last. Rob and I spent the next couple of hours investigating the figures housed at Madame Tussauds New York location. We posed and took “photobombed” selfies with the figures we loved the most.

Madame Tussauds is rich in history but also has it’s finger on the pulse of pop culture and glamour. In the London display you’ll find original pieces from Madame Tussaud herself like aristocratic death masks and artifacts from the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Alongside you’ll find current and sports figures, The Royal Family Bollywood stars and of course the most famous stars of stage and screen.
I’ll be honest, I was a little creeped out at first. The first room is overwhelming with all the eyes looking around. Once you embrace your curiosity you’re all in. Rob and I were amazed as some the details, life-like was an understatement. We sent this picture to Shaun and he went nuts thinking we really got the chance to meet “The Rock”. Dwayne Johnson is a sexy man, the wax figure definitely did him justice.

The many floors of figures spanned many genres, rock and roll, government, Horror(we didn’t go in there), NYC including images from 911 and of course pop culture. Tony Bennett was another favorite of mine as well as Regis and Kelly even though Regis is no longer with the show.

Admission is a bit pricey but if you buy your tickets in advance you can get a 20% discount, this is how we paid for ours. I’d make this a definite stop if your touring NYC and Times Square. If you aren’t in the NYC area don’t worry there are almost 20 locations worldwide to see the magic that is Madame Tussauds.

Ritz-Carlton, Central Park #NYC #weekendgetaway

March 18, 2014 by Melissa

A couple of weeks back we were invited into NYC for Mr. Peabody and Sherman screening and press day. This post isn’t about that. This is about our time walking and experiencing the city and hotel and food. I love staying in hotels. I love messing up both beds, leaving my shoes in the middle of the floor and channel surfing like my life depended on it. We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. Did you just OOOOH? I did when I saw the accommodations the first time. I was excited to stay at a “fancy” hotel. I expected cream of the crop, top- notch customer service from the second I walked up to the moment I checked out.

That didn’t happen. I will start off with saying that the hotel was booked solid for the press junket. The enormous trunks of camera equipment were taking up space in the small lobby, doormen weren’t paying attention to guests but instead truck drivers uploading MORE enormous trunks of media equipment, guestz were standing around waiting for their rooms.

image courtesy of Ritz-Carlton

This was problem number one. We arrived at 3:00, check in time and were told our room wasn’t ready. The story started about being super busy, rooms booked solid, production company being very demanding, blah blah. Rob and I are pretty easy going so we decided to take to Central Park while it was still sunny. There was snow and ice on the ground but walking through the park was nice. We held hands, which we never do and even managed to snap this pic of ourselves.

We walked and walked and ended up walking through the Upper West Side looking at gorgeous architecture and crazy cute French Bulldogs (are French Bulldogs the dog of rich New Yorkers). We ventured to Amsterdam to Broadway and back to the hotel only to find out our room was still not ready.

At this point we were freezing and annoyed. After some complaining we were let into the 2nd floor Club Lounge to warm up and grab a drink and some food. This was right up Rob’s alley. He’s loves perks and in his book shrimp cocktail, cookies and Mary Janes for free is a HUGE perk. This made up for delay in our room being ready. We are easy to please. I made a bit of an ass of myself though. We were seated next to a window overlooking Central Park and I leaned on the window sill to look at something passing by and somehow dislodged a panel on the wall. The staff comes rushing over and I’m clueless as to what’s going on and why they are touching me and scooting my legs over trying to fix it.

We got message about a 1/2 hour later that our room was ready and we headed up. At this point I sit on the beds and chairs checking for comfort, examine the bathroom for cleanliness and see all the goodies I can’t consume in the mini fridge.

One look at the massive, luxurious tub and I knew it needed to be filled with bubbles, hot water and me. I looked around for bubble bath and could find any. A quick trip to Duane Reade fixed that problem. Robes are my weakness. Even if it’s just for a few minutes I must wear it. I have a plush robe at home but hotel room robes are special.

The room had a terrible view but was furnished beautifully. The beds were very cozy and covered in silky-smooth crisp white sheets. Rob claims it was more comfortable than our Sleep Number. I think we should invest in a feather bed at home.

The bathroom was spacious, spotless and brightly lit. I did end up finding body wash in the shower that could’ve doubled as bubble bath, DUH.

Rob ventured out for ice only to find out we had to get it delivered from someone in the kitchen. It took way too long to arrive for something not being cooked.

Rob wanted to take advantage of beautiful Auden Bistro and Bar for dinner. The staff was very attentive. Our server must’ve noticed my face when I looked at the menu because he came over and said the kitchen will make whatever I wanted even if it wasn’t on the menu. It was late and I really just wanted a good burger, that’s what we both ordered. I also ordered their signature AUDEN FRITES WITH TRUFFLE AND PECORINO. YUM. I love truffle fries and I wish I had more room in my belly to eat them all. The burger was AH-MAZ-ING. It’s so hard to mess up a burger but this was perfect. Juicy, seasoned, hot and with great bread. The restaurant was very dimly lit otherwise I’d have 13 pictures of just my burger to share.

Staying at the Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park wasn’t everything I expected. That name suggests a taste of grandeur and sophistication from the top to the bottom. It fell flat on some levels of attentiveness and communication but the accommodations felt like an oasis full of comfort and luxury.

This is NOT a sponsored post. We were not required nor compensated to share our experience about the hotel.

Pictures of Summer in NYC

September 6, 2012 by Melissa

a couple months back on one of the hottest days of the summer Steph and Kelly and I ventured into New York City for an event. The event sucked but we made the best of it while walking the streets of NYC, through Chelsea Markets and Union Square and doing a little bargain shopping.

Here are some pictures I took while there.

Here is Matthew Silver, The Great Performer. I spotted him half a block away across the street doing his thing in Union Square.

Where did you go this summer?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid in NYC

August 3, 2012 by Melissa

This weekend Shaun and I were in NYC to catch a special screening of Diary of a Wimoy Kid: Dog Days. This trip was more than just a chance to watch a movie before it was released in theaters we also were able to participate in a Q&A session with author Jeff Kinney and the main actors Zachary Gordon and Robert Cabron. Create your own Wimpy Kid character from the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid at Wimp Yourself!

The movie itself was great. I’m sad to say that Ihadn’t watched the first film but I’m definitely going to now. This film of the Wimpy Kid, Greg Heffley, is about how his WANTS to spend his summer. Ideally it would be video games but of course plans go awry. The family in the series of Diary of a Wimpy Kid feels very familiar to me. There is a point in the story where the father takes drastic measures to ensure his children get OUTSIDE during the summer; it’s something that could have happened in our own home.

After the move we headed to the Q & A session . I personnaly didn’t ask any questions because I was impressed that mostly children were raising their hands to speak with the actors and author. They asked very good, well thought out questions about their personal lives and making of the film.

After a very successful Q&A the children were able to get books signed . Here is Shaun along with his new friends showing off their newly signed books.

Next was a Parent Round Table Discussion with author Jeff Kinney. This is where the parents got a chance to talk with Jeff Kinney and ask pretty much anything we wanted. The questions ranged from personal to the future of Diary of a Wimpy Kid to what projects are on the horizon.

Here is my own question to Jeff Kinney and his response

Melinda I want to express the same thing others have said, I have a son who was a very reluctant reader and last summer he found one of your books and we since then have bought them all.
Mr. Jeff Kinney: Oh, really? Wow. Thank you.
Melinda: When did you realize “I made something good?”
Mr. Jeff Kinney: What’s funny was that I didn’t think that the books would get published. I eventually decided that I would put them online first. I wrote about 1,300 pages and I figured that it didn’t have a chance –because I had experienced three years of being rejected by cartoon syndicates.
I thought that the book was too strange.
As far as when I thought it might catch on was pretty early on. I think it was about two or three weeks after it came out it became a New York Times bestseller. It started at the number seven position. And then, it went eight, nine, and then I thought for sure that it would drop off. And then, it recovered and it’s stayed on continuously for five years. Amazing.
Mr. Jeff Kinney: The run has been shocking to me. Everything in my life is really strange. In a good way.
Mr. Jeff Kinney: By strange I mean because it’s been all in one chunk. From that moment that the book got published until now, it’s gets crazier and crazier.
One day I’ll be able to look back and say, “Wow, that was a neat time in my life.”
The round table brought out lots of laughs and personal stories from Jeff Kinney and his family. I look forward to what happens next with the Heffley family.

The general sentiment from many of the bloggers was this series has made a postive impact on their children. It has been able to give many children who haven’t yet developed a love of reading a glimmer of something good to come.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Press Event

July 28, 2012 by Melissa

Greg Heffley, the kid who made “wimpy” cool, is back in DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS, an all-new family comedy in the hit movie franchise based on the publishing phenomenon by Jeff Kinney.

Reading is not Shaun’s favorite pastime but since last summer he’s been hooked on DIARY OF A WIMPY KID book series. He’s collected each book along with the Do It Yourself Book. He brings one of the book everywhere we go, just in case there is some down time while running errands or spending a lot of time in the car.

Tomorrow Shaun and I will be hoping on a train to NYC to participate in the DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS press day. We’re not only going to see a sneak peek of the movie we are going to be meeting with author Jeff Kinney and stars of the film.
Shaun is obviously very excited not just for the movie but for the entire experience. He’s trying to decide what book to bring with him.
I’ll let you know how the event goes.

Where did you go this summer?

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