– October 22nd Fete Celebrates Successful First Year–

Fairfield, CT—Today, the owners of Fairfield’s Tasti D-Lite announced the location’s first anniversary party.

“We are looking forward to celebrating a major milestone on October 22nd – our first anniversary!” said Mark Smith, owner, Fairfield Tasti D-Lite. “We have had an incredible year of serving up healthy, lower-calorie frozen desserts to health-conscious Fairfielders. As a huge thank you to the community for their unwavering support, we’ll be giving away a free small cup or cone of our famous frozen dessert to everyone who shows up.”

WHAT: The first anniversary party of the Black Rock Turnpike Tasti D-Lite location. The party will celebrate an incredible initial year of serving Fairfielders the great tasting, lower calorie frozen dessert that has reached cult status among health-conscious consumers as well as celebrities. The celebration includes:
• Free Tasti D-Lite small cup or cone
• Tasti door prizes – including Tasti D-Lite pints, quarts, pies, TreatCards, T-shirts, and more – will be given out throughout the weekend
• Special Tasti offers, good for future treats

WHEN: October 22nd, 2011
10am to 2pm

WHERE: Tasti D-Lite Fairfield
1201 Kings Highway
Fairfield, CT 06825

About Tasti D-Lite
Since its inception in 1987, Tasti D-Lite’s popularity has grown largely by word of mouth and has resulted in a huge base of raving fans who line up day and night to get their favorite guilt-free treat. Thanks to unsolicited international exposure on TV shows such as “30 Rock,” “Sex and the City” and “The Apprentice” along with new store openings, demand for the brand has grown worldwide. Tasti D-Lite first launched its franchise program in 2008. Since then, the company has grown to over 55 locations and has secured commitments to open over 500 locations in the coming years. Today it has locations in 12 U.S. states. Internationally, the company already has centers in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates and will be opening locations in Australia and Panama in 2011.

For more information, visit www.tastidlite.com.

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Media Inquiries:
Stef Rubino, SR Publicity
stef@srpublicity.com or 203-394-2134

Sent to ModMa from a member, Amy:
Imagine one day you get a phone call from your 5-year old child’s school that said “meet us at the hospital, something has happened to your son”. A seemingly healthy, active, sweet loving boy is dropped off at school..hours later an aneurysm bursts in his brain, leaving him with catastrophic brain damage, changing his life forever and left struggling to survive emotionally and financially is his family.
This is reality for a life-long friend of mine and I am asking for anyone who reads this to pass it on and help in any way they can. My friend Sue & I have known each other since elementary school & she was actually with me the night I met my dear hubby John in 1997! The last few months have been hell for her since getting that horrible call about her son Vaughn & getting through every day is a struggle. Her baby daughter Kya is what keeps her going most days. I know this auction/bake sale will help take away a little of their burden, so please help.
My sister Robyn (who lives in the area where we all grew up & went to school together), along with many other family members and friends, are organizing a benefit auction & bake sale to be held Sunday October 30th in the town of Warwick, NY. ALL proceeds will go directly to the family of this little angel.
We are looking for donations- they can be monetary, items to be auctioned, baked goods to sell, or even just your time. EVERYONE can help in some way. Need ideas for things to donate?

new baby/bridal shower/birthday gifts that you received but won’t use
Longaberger/Lia Sophia/Pampered Chef
stemware
jewelry- costume & gold/silver
antiques
artwork
accent furniture
collectibles
designer handbags/shoes/coats
sports/broadway tickets
gift certificates (dog grooming/dance lessons/music lessons/spa packages/haircuts)
free classes (yoga/karate/fitness)
vacation/VT retreats
wine/dog/baby gift baskets
pies, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, banana bread, etc.
Even if you only have a couple of small items, please consider donating them because we can make larger box lot’s of mixed items.

We will also be selling 50/50 raffle tickets!

Here is a link to the Caring Bridge website that Sue set up that explains Vaughn’s story- please take a moment to read it…

http://m.caringbridge.org/visit/vaughnziegler/mystory

Please contact me or my sister Robyn Yearwood at robyn1870@yahoo.com with any questions, donations or suggestions.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. It means a lot. More details to follow as they become available. Please forward to anyone you think may be interested…

-Amy

Link for free pass to 2011 Women’s Expo

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Grab a girlfriend and head to the CT Women’s Expo–lots of free samples and shopping! Admission is normally $10 per person, but print off this free pass and get in FREE (click link twice for the PDF to come up so you can print off)!

Studies have shown that exposing children at a young age to another language has numerous benefits over a lifetime. North of Darien, however, there are not any Toddler language programs–until now! In addition, we are piloting a fun way to brush up on your mama Spanish skills through a social night with Spanish conversation. For those of you looking for just a light exposure, Tasti D Lite will be sponsoring a FREE Spanish Story night each Thursday night for the fall. Information is below on each program as well as links to find more information or to RSVP.

Spanish Music and Movement Classes:
Teaching your child a second language is so important these days! Studies have proven that children that speak more than one language achieve greater divergent thinking, creativity, and cognitive development compared to monolingual children. A number of studies have also shown that when students learn an additional language they have a tendency of outscoring those who are proficient in only a single language on tests of nonverbal and verbal intelligence.

Spanish Music Movement™ will be offered to youngsters from 0 mos. to 6 years of age during 10 week, 1 hour, sessions. Our program includes a CD* to take home, games, songs, puppets, instruments and arts in crafts, all while learning Spanish. Drop Ins are also welcome. Ingrid Prueher, founder of Spanish Music Movement™, was born in Guatemala and brings her 35 years of Hispanic/Spanish heritage to her classes. Ingrid also has 10 years of formal dance training, seven years of singing training, fifteen years of babysitting experience and most importantly, almost four years of parental experience. For more information or to register for classes visit: www.spanishmusicmovement.com

Spanish Story Hour for Kids-A Story and a Sweet:
Join Ingrid Prueher as she reads children’s stories in Spanish! After dinner stop in for some dessert (all natural ingredient and carob chips=good for you without the caffeine ) and a story. Feel free to bring the kids in PJ’s if they go to bed afterwards. Books geared for kids 0-6 years. These events are FREE events!

Spanish Conversations for Women:
How many of us have taken Spanish in high school or by doing a semester abroad in college only to have lost the language? The best way to get it back is emersion in conversation! Join Ingrid Prueher for some conversations and drinks. Ingrid will provide a curriculum of topics for discussion each night with some vocabulary to be familiar with before the class. Then we will spend an hour chatting in Spanish while she provides feedback and help to get back up knowledge skills. Each woman will need to purchase a 5-punch card for the classes for $50 or $10 per class and drop ins are $15 per session. Please RSVP to secure your spot as space is limited for these events: www.meetup.com/modma-fairfield

As I have been storming the sidewalk sales up the coast of CT these past few weekends searching for some great deals, I sometimes forget about all of the great deals that are on the web every day. Most people know about Living Social and Groupon, but there are some great mom-specific deal sites. One of the ones that always has TONS of daily deals is Zulily. They have Chocolate Brand NYC handbags at 70% off for the next two days. There is also 50% off of Skip Hop brand today–check out MANY daily deals all at once rather than just one a day–click on the link below to sign up for the deals or just check out the super cheap Chocolate bags today!

http://www.zulily.com/invite/modma

This weekend there are lots of good deal to be found! After a big disappointment last weekend with Westport’s sidewalk sale, I am excited for Wilton’s with the addition of the chance to win even more while shopping! Some of our favorite stores, such as Une Minette and Krikit are participating. The sale is on from the 13-16th. Text or scan the QR code hanging in the participating businesses’ windows or displayed in the store and a special promotion or message will be delivered directly to your phone. Participants who scan/text the most codes will be entered to win a $100 gift certificate from a participating business of their choosing. The winners will be notified by text message and Hersam Acorn Newspapers will provide the gift certificate to the winner.

Also this weekend is Westport Library’s Book sale. The sale doesn’t start until Saturday, however, the big tents and THOUSANDS of books are already out. Sale Hours are Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 9 am to 6 pm (Monday everything half-price) and Tuesday, 9 am to 1 pm (everything free with donations welcome)

In addition to children’s books, records, DVDs, and audiobooks, this year’s sale will feature manga books and magazines, contemporary graphic novels, sci-fi and fantasy paperbacks from first editions to popular titles.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

Enjoy the great deals this weekend around our area!!

So after a month hiatus to have a baby, we are back in business! For those of you expecting baby #1 or that haven’t had #2 as of yet, I can give you first-hand experience that what they say is true—1+1 does NOT equal 2. Two kids is so much more work in that there really isn’t down time. Those five minutes you took to shower while hubby watched the baby don’t exist anymore. While it is still lots of work, one thought I must share is that all the work has an end in sight. When you are on baby #1, when issues happen (baby screaming all night, excessive nursing, constipation issues, etc), you can’t see an end in sight. On baby #2, you really can confidently tell yourself in the middle of being peed on again, spit up on or brushing your teeth for the second time because you can’t remember the first time due to sheer exhaustion…THIS TOO WILL PASS!!
With that…I have found a few products this time around that I wanted to share some thoughts on—
1. Medela’s Lanolin Cream—First time through the first weeks of nursing, I used the Lansinoh. While it worked, I have to tell you that some free samples of the Medela brand turned into full product purchases. Their cream is much smoother going on, doesn’t leave residue for when the baby begins nursing and is generally pain relieving. If you haven’t tried it, at Giant Steps in Fairfield you can find a full line of Medela and they will give you free samples.
2. While giving a plug on Medela’s cream, I have to give a not so great review of the Medela Soothies. While some people swear by these, I didn’t have such a great experience. If you don’t know what they are, for $9.95 for one set (comes with two—one for each side) you get a gel pad that gives you an immediate soothing sensation on the raw nipple area. It feels great, however, they do not absorb the excess. As a result, you get stopped up and it actually led to me having a case of mastitis. I thought I was getting sick—I spiked a fever and thought that I was actually septic or something. I stopped using them, took a really hot bath and made my baby nurse on that side for about 45 minutes and it was gone. Since I stopped using the soothies, no issues with clogging or mastitis. I am sure that the doctors and medical types out there may say that it was a combination of factors, but I can tell you that I also had issues with clogging that all stopped after I stopped the soothies.
Feel free to share any comments and suggestions (this mom would love to hear them as well) for things that you have learned second time around or any other great or not so great products that are out there today!

The spring sample sale at Kate Spade is on! 75% off and $5 shipping–stock up for yourself or get a great gift for someone! Sale ends May 19th.

http://www.katespade.com/SampleshopHome-Landing-Page/SampleshopHome-landing,default,pg.html

Also, Once Upon a Child is having a members only event where you can take 25% off everything just for May 19th only! Print the shopping pass below for 25% off everything in the store!
______________________________________
One Day Pass 25% OFF
HERE IS YOUR PRIVATE SALE PASS! PRINT OUT NOW. Offer good on Apparel only. Not to be combined with any other offer or coupon. Not to be used on previously purchased items. Customer Appreciation Card discounts cannot be used on sale day. Offer only good on Thursday May 19, 2011. Must print out coupon or visible on smart phones. No Exceptions.
Offer Expires: May 19,2011

You may be glad to hear that the biggest mistake women can make in fashion today is to get caught up in the idea that they need a new wardrobe each season. Before you jump in and buy, buy, buy, consider what you need! Maybe it is something classic that will last you forever. You need time to live with clothes or a new accessory to truly appreciate it for what it is and to experiment with it in your wardrobe — making outfits using your new piece. So, get in your closet, turn the light on and start appreciating what you have in there. If it is not good — get rid of it so you can see the good things in there and use those good pieces to make GREAT outfits!

With that said, when you are clearing out the old and bringing in some new things to freshen up your wardrobe for Spring 2011, here are some gender-neutral things to keep in mind — especially for those in leadership positions or those who aspire to take on larger roles in leadership!

1. Dress above industry standards. Many workplaces have moved to casual attire, but it does not mean weekend attire.  Polished, professional and pulled-together are words that should describe your look every day you show up in the office.

2. Appear effortlessly pulled together at all times. This is not easy, and it takes time. When it comes to managing your professional image, what you do behind the scenes on your own time is critical to showing up for work confident and pulled together every day. When you look pulled together, others have confidence that you can pull ANYTHING together. The same goes for your office.  If your office looks like a natural disaster area it is going to be hard for people to see you in a different light.

3. Fit in while standing out. This is important – you want to fit in and give that extra 20% to stand out in a subtle way. A well-chosen watch, a designer tote that is organized and functional, and a fashion-forward coat in a cut that sets a business tone are three examples of how we have added fashion and style to the professional image of executives working in more conservative industries. Invest in good basics (your columns, all black, all brown, all white, all off-white):  skirts, slacks and dresses all topped off with unique blouses, shirts, jackets, sweaters and accessories.

Men, you have a tendency to overlook belts and shoes and tend to keep wearing them as long as they still fit. Invest here. I know you may not believe me, but brown shoes and belts are stylish and they look different than the ones you bought 15 years ago! Stylish footwear can also significantly “up” your fashion quotient when coordinated wisely for work.

4. Come across at ease and be perceived as approachable. When your clothing fits you well, is appropriate for business, and sets good business boundaries, you feel more comfortable in your own skin. When you are more comfortable with yourself, others are more comfortable in your company. It really is as simple as that!

5. Set the tone for what is expected from others. If you are struggling with a workforce that is overly casual and lax in their appearance (and attitude!), a good way to start reversing this trend is to enhance your own style of dress. For example, if you hardly ever wear a jacket, start wearing one. Spring is the best time to start this — white is BIG this Spring and you can easily incorporate a white jacket into your wardrobe! Jackets tend to instantly communicate a higher level of expectation from others you interact with, both on and off the job. Jean days are another trap for leaders.
Let’s Talk Trends in Women’s Attire…

Bright Colors:  Stand out in fresh shades of orange, pink, green and blue. You will see the neon colors out this Spring and it is OK to invest in a few tops, a belt, or necklace…if you must, a purse. But do not overdo it! You do not want to look like a big orange walking down the hallway at the office. You can easily do a tasteful hot pink top or orange top with chocolate brown pants and stay subtle on your accessories… silver or gold with brown. You will also see color blocking this Spring: here are a few examples…

A green bag or a dress to capitalize on the color trend. 

Nude Shoes:  Nude pumps are big this year and are well worth the investment.  Pick a color that matches your skin tone, as the objective is to create a long, lean line.

Envelope Bags: Wear the slim and refined accessory day or night in candy colors, pastels or neutrals. This does NOT mean that you can ditch the designer tote that you have been using to tote your laptop to and fro…You can carry an alternative envelope bag too, if you wish. But, it is important that you keep your big tote for work!                       

Vests:  STAY AWAY from vests at all costs! I could put up pictures and give you ideas of how you COULD wear them…then I would see some of you try, and if you miss it – it will be bad! Just better not to do vests! Oh, if you must – try them on the weekend! This is one of those “blanket general statements” that will not work for everyone. Some people actually look good in vests, but it is a very small minority.

Snakeskin:  Yes, there are now snakeskin dresses and jackets…I am serious. Please limit your snakeskin to one item at a time. And it can be a totally neutral tan with snakeskin texture — you do not have to have all the colors! If you have to do a snakeskin dress, please do not tell me or let me see you wear it to the office!

Peasant Blouses:  They are a perfect fit for Spring’s easy mood. In lots of colors and prints — you will want more than one. We all know what peasant blouses look like – the 70’s! If you must do a peasant blouse — do it with your trouser jeans on a Friday and belt it — PLEASE belt it — so that it looks finished! A nice big croc belt over an off-white blouse would be preferred! And you can accessorize with minimal jewelry.

Bright Gold:  In bracelets or necklaces, dramatic chains are a key accent piece — and they seem to go with anything! Silver is not gone! You can still use silver, and we are seeing silver pop back up again in clothing too! But, gold is dominant this Spring.

Modern Whites:  White is big this year, as it is most years. Now is a good time to refresh tired white shirts in your closet that are starting to yellow from too many trips to the dry cleaner’s. This is also the year to find the white jacket you have needed. Channel stylish simplicity with clean lines and delicate details in this pristine shade of white. Check your white shirts outside against a white sheet of paper to see if they are still white! You will certainly be able to find the perfect white dress this summer. White can work well in the workplace. Invest in a white jacket — you can do great things with it with black pants, tan pants, navy too! You can play up a nice modern print skirt with white in it, using your white jacket… 

Also, if you are in the market for a trench coat, now is the time! I am attaching pictures of trench styles that take you from classic to “classic-with-an-edge”…little edge for the office, but you can do an edge!

Let’s Talk Trends in Men’s Attire…

We’ll keep this short and sweet because your attention span at this point is going to be short!

Four big trends to see this Spring:

1. Black on black. Black shirt, black pants, black shoes – black from head to toe. This look will be better in certain offices rather than others, but it is something that can be incorporated into your wardrobe. I personally prefer it with a sport coat in more formal environments or in a t-shirt and black jeans in more casual situations.
2. Pleated trousers. Triple-pleats are back. Choose wisely. Most men look good in pleated pants. Unless you have an aversion to them, I would incorporate some into your overall wardrobe.
3. Shorter pant legs on pants. This is the equivalent of a GQ DON’T! People will make fun of you if you are the trendsetter in such a fashion look. Give this a couple of years, see if it sticks, and then buy in.
4. Finally, khaki and beige. These colors are big this Spring and work well for some and not so well with others, depending on your coloring. Use this look sparingly as it has a tendency to wash people out when worn as shirts.

To wrap it up — these are the trends and how you can incorporate them into the workplace. Remember — there may be only one trend that works for “Your Style” and people know it if you push out of your comfort zone too much. Stay true to who you are and do not try more than one trend at a time with your style. Confidence is the best image of all!

Submitted by Rebecca Esposito
www.espositocommunications.com

So it probably seems fairly random to have a blog article about mayonnaise on our site, however, being in third trimester of baby # 2 I have found that I am obsessed with having mayonnaise on my sandwiches.  Normally I HATE mayonnaise and even if I didn’t hate it, I would probably avoid it because of the perception that I have that it is chocked with fat and zero nutrition.  However, one day my BK Veggie at Burger King came with mayonnaise rather than without as requested and since that time I can’t have it without the mayonnaise.  With that in mind, I set out to determine if there were any redeeming qualities of mayonnaise that I could point to as justification for growing my unborn child on the stuff. 

So first—the PROS!  When I started looking online, I was actually really surprised about the differing opinions of mayonnaise.  According to the Association for Dressings and Sauces (yes, this is actually a legit Association—www.dressing-sauces.org) “Mayonnaise and creamy salad dressings may protect postmenopausal women against strokes, according to research published in the August 2000 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”  Further, “A 1996 study published by The New England Journal of Medicine found a significant reduction in risk of heart disease among women who ate the most vitamin E-rich foods, such as mayonnaise and creamy salad dressings.”

However, it appears that this association may be self-serving.  Web MD says “While many foods — such as walnuts, flaxseed oil, and some mayonnaise brands — claim the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, Somer cautions that only the DHA or EPA forms of omega-3 can be directly used by the body.”  That means, mayonnaise fat not necessarily the best for you. 

According to a diet and health blog (http://dietandhealthblog.net/diet-and-health/mayonnaise-good-or-bad), mayonnaise is a great source of vitamin E, but then goes on to say that the drawbacks of mayonnaise include:

• High in fat and calories
• May trigger an allergic reaction in people sensitive to eggs and molds
• May contain gluten, which should be avoided by those with celiac disease
• Raw eggs used in mayonnaise may pose a risk of samonella
• Anyone allergic to eggs should avoid mayonnaise all together

And there was more, but I just couldn’t read any more. 

So why is the moral of this tale of mayonnaise?  Well, there are lots of things that are not so great for you—for the last four weeks of this pregnancy, however, I am going to keep the mayonnaise on my sandwichJ