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June 1, 2012

El Paso Positivo – The Summer of Getting Fit

This is the summer of getting fit for me. In March, 2011 I ran the LA marathon and gained about 10 pounds during the training. It didn’t help that I was injured and stopped running for months. My muscle turned soft and I was tired from not exercising as much. I’ve lost a few pounds and I’m determined to get back to my pre marathon fitness level and then some.

I had already made that decision and changed my exercise habits and my diet when I was contacted by the Latina Mom Bloggers. I will once again be a Positivity Ambassador for the California Milk Processor Board. And what a great coincidence, the theme is Shape Up For Summer! The campaign is encouraging families to get on a bike, go for a walk, or do a little dance.

This is the theme song for the campaign (that is strangely catchy) and the dance.

When you’re done learning the steps, make sure to drink your milk. The steps are definitely a workout and milk, especially chocolate milk, can help your muscles recover.

1) Milk contains proteins like casein and whey that can help muscles rebuild after physical activity.

2) Milk also has minerals that are important in preventing muscle cramping.

3) Chocolate milk can be a smart alternative to sports drinks for cooling off after a good workout. – California Milk Processor’s Board

Hope you can join me in getting fit this summer. For more information, please visit El Maestro Del Vaso Medio Lleno on Facebook or Twitter

This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

May 28, 2012

PS Vita Review By My 8-year-old Son

One of the perks of being a member of PlayStation Family is that I get to review the PS Vita. The Vita is a handheld gaming device that my kids have fallen in love with. It has a rear touch pad plus a touchscreen in front, a motion sensor, front and back camera, and a 5 inch OLED screen, which makes the games incredible to play and watch. You can also connect the Vita to PS3 and play games in both places, and the best part, watch movies.

Here is my son reviews his favorite games and PS Vita features.

I was not compensated for this post, but I received the PS Vita and games for review.

April 26, 2012

Wikets Rec To Make Camping Comfortable Plus a Contest

el capitan santa barbara camping mom blogger los angeles

I am from the hot, hot desert of Tucson, Arizona. The cold is not my friend. If it gets below 65 degrees I wear a scarf. Any lower, I’m head to toe in wool.

So camping has been a bit of a challenge for me. The week before Easter, we headed to Santa Barbara to camp at El Capitan State Beach. It’s beautiful there and the spring weather is usually fine; cool in the evening and warm during the day.

This year it was freezing. Plus it was windy. There was no way to get warm. I didn’t have gloves or a hat or a parka. (My kids were fine because they never stopped running around.) I know the older I get the more whiny I am about the elements, but it was arctic cold. It might have been in the 40s.

Which is what leads me to this post today. One of our friends on the camping trip had this camp love seat.

It doesn’t seem like it would keep you warm, but it allows you to sit by the fire with someone, in my case 2 warm little boys or my equally warm husband, with a blanket and be toasty warm. I put the Camp Couch on my list of things I really want to have and I recommended (rec’d) it on Wikets and put it on the my wishlist in the hopes that it would show up on Mother’s Day.

Wikets is having a contest where you can recommend something you like a lot to someone you like a lot. While I really want an REI Camp Couch, I think my adorable husband would like this Byer Traveller Lite Hammock.

It’s $22.95, is 16 oz. and can hold up to 250 pounds. My husband can go to a quiet corner of the campsite, put up the hammock, and relax trying to forget all of the complaining I do about the cold.

You too can win a gift for someone you love by entering to win one of 10 prizes in this contest on Wikets. All you have to do is look for the Wikets man (it’s Batman on Wikets) and answer his question “What product $25 or less would you most want a friend to have?” Ten of the most heartfelt, funny, clever, answer recs will be selected. If your rec is selected you can send one of the products rec’d to a friend on Wikets.

I’m not eligible to win because I’m working with Wikets, but I did put that Hammock on my wishlist so I’ll remember to get it for my husband on Father’s Day.

If you’d like to enter the contest, you must first have the Wikets app on your iphone or ipad. I love Wikets, which was listed Number 1 in Catalog apps on itunes earlier in the week, especially because I can get and give apps from people I know. It’s so much more reliable, in my opinion, to try a product or restaurant that one of my friends liked. Not only that, they now they have offers. Here’s today’s which I am seriously considering:

This post was sponsored by Wikets, but my opinions are all my own.

March 26, 2012

Wikets Recs From the Natural Products Expo West

The Natural Products Expo West came to Anaheim in March and I was overwhelmed by all of the great products. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the word out about everything I saw until I realized it was a great way to use the Wikets app for iPad and iPhone.

Wikets let you recommend, or ‘Rec,” products that you love. I’ve been working with Wikets for a while and I’m still genuinely into it. It’s a way to get real recommendations to and from real people that you know and trust.

Here are my top 5 recs from the Natural products expo:

1) Lucy’s Cookies –I was able to meet Dr. Lucy Gibney at the show and she was delightful. More importantly, her gluten free, peanut-free, vegan cookies are delicious. My husband, who has Celiac Disease and can’t have gluten, loves the ginger snaps.

lucy's gluten free cookies — Dr. Lucy Gibney of Lucy’s Gluten-Free Cookies

2) Udi’s Gluten Free – My boys and I devoured the box of Snickerdoodles I brought home from the show in about a half hour. Udi’s does an amazing job making gluten-free breads, muffins, and cookies taste like great.

3) Emergen-C Kidz – I’ve been starting my mornings with Emergen-C for months now. It has electrolytes and vitamins, which are a great way to begin each day. I know kids (and adults) should get their vitamins through food, but I like to give my boys a little extra help.

emergen-C Kidz expo west — Emergen-C Kidz at Expo West

4) Luna Protein Bars – Everything from Clif is good to me, but I especially love the Luna Protein Bars. It’s a great breakfast on the go and it tastes like candy. I just need to make sure I don’t eat it as a second breakfast. It has a lot of protein and calories. I also really liked the new Kit’s Organic Fruit and Nut Bar from Clif, which is just fruit and nuts.

5) Gluten Freeda – I rec’d the gluten-free Oatmeal, but I very much liked the gluten-free burritos. The tortillas were soft and tasted like wheat flour tortillas. So good.

There were many more products like Begley’s Best Environmentally Friendly products and Julie’s Organics gluten-free ice cream sandwich cookies. Not only that, but there were so many products I never even made it to. It was a huge expo this year.

If you’d like more information about Wikets, visit http://wikets.com. Wikets isn’t just a great place to find out what to do and where to shop. You can earn points by rec’ing and just by signing up you get double points. I highly recommend you check it out.

This is a sponsored post. The recommendations are not sponsored and these are products I really like.

February 2, 2012

Wikets App for iPad and iPhone

I have a new obsession and its name is Wikets. It’s an app that allows you to recommend places, products, and apps to Facebook friends, Twitter followers or other Wiket app users.

At first, when I was approached about working with Wikets, I thought it wasn’t for me because I’m not one of those people who “check in” when they go places. But you don’t need to check in. You can go and enjoy a lovely breakfast at a new-to-you restaurant, like I did after I went to Huckleberry in Santa Monica and then share with friends about why you loved it.

And that’s what’s great about Wikets. I don’t always have time to write a post about the amazing potatoes with goat cheese and spinach topped with an over easy egg, but with Wikets I can quickly people about my good experience and full stomach.

The app is not just about hearing myself talk about what I like. I follow people I know and whose recommendations I trust. If Elise Crane Derby tells me a movie is good, I’m pretty sure it will be good. And my rec of a the Yoobao iPad 2 cover was seen by Sarah Auerswald and she was spared all of the comparison shopping for the perfect Ipad cover I did and went out and got one for herself.

When someone buys something you rec through one of the app’s online partners you get points based on the price. You also get points if someone re-recs your recommendation. Once you reach 2,500 points you can turn in those points for a $25 Amazon gift card.

If you want to try out Wikets, you can sign up here and use the promo code YvonneInLA to get started with 200 bonus points.

The app is still in Beta and more retailers are being added all the time. I’m hoping for Anthropologie and Lucy.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post and for working with Wikets. My opinions are all my own.

January 13, 2012

Starbucks New Blonde Roast Coffee

Coffee. I love it. I drink a lot of it and I’m very particular about it. This week I went to a tasting of a new brew at Starbucks in Westwood Village. It’s a “Blonde Roast” and the beans are roasted for a shorter amount of time for a lighter-bodied coffee.

Now, I drink very strong coffee every morning and sometime sall day long. At home I drink Starbucks Café Verona, which is a dark roast. But I also buy Pike Place, which is a medium bodied coffee.

At the tasting we got to try all 3 side by side. The one I liked best was surprisingly the Pike Place, which isn’t what I drink every day.It tasted different brewed in the store from the way I make it at home. Fresher beans? Finer grind? I’m not sure. But it was really good. Not bitter, but strong and full of flavor.

That morning, the Blonde Roast, which is called the Veranda and packed in a pretty yellow highlighted bag, seemed a little too light for my taste.

Then this afternoon, as I envisioned a long night looming in front of me, I decided to try the sample bag I got at the tasting. It was perfect for that time of day. It was lighter, but still had flavor.

Starting this week, customers can order the Veranda in Starbucks stores and buy the beans in grocery stores around the US. It’s worth trying out. You may find, like me, that it’s your new afternoon coffee.

January 12, 2012

Beauty and the Beast in 3D

Sometimes you just need to lay down the law. This is what I had to do with my two boys recently when I told them we were going to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D. They did not want to go because they felt it was a princess movie. Okay, it is a princess movie, but it’s such a good one.

The music is great. The animation is wonderful. And the story has a beast and a lot of dark and scary elements. I sold my boys on the darkand scary elements, but mainly they went because I told them they had to.
And of course Mom Knows Best and they had a great time.Actually, they really did have a great time and they loved the movie.

It didn’t hurt that we saw it at a screening at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and Beauty and the Beast came on stage before the movie started. It also didn’t hurt that there was a funny, new animated short, Tangled Ever After, that played before the film.
Here’s a clip from Beauty and the Beast 3D that starts tomorrow for a limited engagement.

January 2, 2012

Road Trip to Tucson, Arizona in a Lincoln MKT

I love Tucson in the winter. It’s crisp and cold and the desert is quiet and beautiful. It’s been years since my husband and I have taken the kids to spend Christmas there so this year we packed the car and made the 8-hour road trip from Los Angeles.

lincoln car road trip mom blogger los angeles

The car in question was graciously provided by Ford. We borrowed a Lincoln MKT for a week and put about 1,200 miles on it. It was a fabulous roadtrip car. It was roomy and luxurious with leather seats and so much leg room.

We were able to pack two kids, 5 suitcases, Christmas presents, blankets, and pillows and we could still see out of the back of the car. Once we got to Tucson and unpacked the car, we could fit 2 more people once we put up the seats in the third row.

My favorite features in this car-full-of-cool-features were the built in cooler that we used for cheese sticks, sodas, and water, and also the AC outlet that I used to run and charge my laptop while we were driving. I didn’t use the laptop while I was driving, but it was great for the passenger. The only thing I didn’t like about the Lincoln was the gas mileage. We got 21 miles per gallon on the highway, which seems good for a vehicle of this size, but less than we were hoping for. It drove wonderfully and we loved the GPS telling us how far we had to go.

It was interesting to get to use all of the new technology and safety features that are available in new cars these days. The Lincoln had adaptive cruise control that would automatically slow down in traffic. In normal driving, if the car sensed that we were approaching something too rapidly an alarm would go off to warn us to brake quickly. When backing up, not only was there a rear camera, but an alarm would sound if we were getting too close to something. And then there was the mood lighting. The interior accent lights could be changed to a variety of fun colors.

yvonne condes mom blogger los angeles tucson san xavier gingerbread

The cars features combined with my kids’ good moods and lack of traffic made for the best drive to Tucson I’ve ever had. We left late morning from West LA and arrived at Loews Ventana Canyon in the early evening. We got a great deal on the hotel and had a fabulous time there. The first night an astronomer had set up a telescope and allowed guests to look at the stars while she gave a talk. Weeks earlier, the hotel had a gingerbread making party and decorated the gingerbread men that stood guard around the gingerbread replica of the San Xavier del Bac Mission in the lobby.

yvonne condes mom blogger los angeles tucson saguaro national

After a day visiting with friends, we took the kids to my favorite place in Tucson, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The desert zoo has outdoor walking trails where you can see coyote, mountain lions, javelina, gila monsters, and hawks in their natural habitat. I think we did the entire 2 miles of desert path while we were there. The Raptor Free Flight was amazing. We watched as group of hawks flew from cactus to cactus and then swooped down and attacked and ate an animal on the ground.

mountain lion saguaro tucson mom blogger los angeles

On Christmas Eve, we packed up and headed to my brother’s house. But first we stopped at the DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun. DeGrazia was a Tucson artist that interned for Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco and became well-known in the late 50s after Unicef chose one of his paintings for a worldwide holiday card. The picture below is from the chapel next to the gallery.

degrazia chapel tucson museum mom blogger los angeles

A mural in DeGrazia’s Chapel at the Gallery of the Sun
in Tucson, Arizona

On our last day before we left Tucson, we visited Nogales, Arizona to see more family. I haven’t been there in years and I was saddened to learn that my late Aunt Tita’s house had been torn down . It was beautiful and old and spooky and I wish it were still there so I could show it to my kids. We were able to see my late grandmother’s house from the outside and the old church that we would visit on Christmas Day.

Then we packed up the Lincoln and headed back to Tucson. It was a really wonderful trip and in a very sweet ride.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I was loaned a Lincoln MKT for a week.

December 16, 2011

A Lovely Day of Wine Tasting

There are certain people in my life that when they call, text, or email I know it’s going to be good. When Ana Flores sent a message about wine tasting in Santa Barbara with the lovely ladies of Latina Bloggers Connect and Sprint, I knew I had to go.

And I was so right. Really nice people and a beautiful day made it relaxing and fun. And even more amazing is that I won a Sprint Boost Mobile phone. Thank you, Sprint!

First we hit Fess Parker Winery and were treated to lunch by Nicole Presley of Presley’s Pantry and Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles and Feasts.

Then we hit Saarloos and Sons where flights of wine were paired with cupcakes. I’m picky about cupcakes especially the frosting and these cupcakes were delightful.

Cupcakes and Wine at Saarloos and Sons (photo by Yvonne Condes)

Cupcakes at Saarloos and Sons (photo by Yvonne Condes)

Then we took a nice walk around Los Olivos to end our great day together.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I did win a Sprint Boost phone, was given a bottle of wine, and enjoyed a fabulous day of wine tasting.

December 3, 2011

Holidays at Disneyland

Disneyland is a pretty magical place for me as I’ve said before, but Disneyland during the Holidays is even more special. For example, take the tree shown above. It’s 60 feet tall, has 1,800 ornaments, and 70,000 lights. That’s not your average tree.

But of course, Disneyland is anything but average especially at this time of year. Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure are decorated for the holidays including “It’s a Small World” and “Haunted Mansion.”

There’s a special fireworks show called “Believe in Holiday Magic.”

And my kids especially loved the “Christmas Fantasy Parade.”

I was there with a group of bloggers and we spent part of the day running around the park looking for stuff to fulfill “Merriest of Holidays Scavenger Hunt.” I was lucky enough to be on Team Mickey.

We ended the day with a holiday party where the bloggers and their families were treated to dinner and special holiday desserts including these s’mores.

And these Dulce de Leche Nachos from Disneyland’s Cocina Cucamonga.

If you can swing it, there’s nothing like spending the holidays at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but I was given 4 tickets to Disneyland for me and my family

December 1, 2011

Chocolate Milk – Not Just For Kids

The older I get the harder it is for my body to recover after a workout. Way, way back in the day I used to be able to run as much as I wanted and then stay out all night. Well, now if I go on a run that’s longer than 4 miles, I’m nodding off during 6 pm dinner.

I’ve tried everything. My favorite was a fizzy drink that had electrolytes and vitamins. Perfect for recovery and also because I often forget to take vitamins. It turned out to be not so perfect. I was getting terrible stomach aches and couldn’t figure out why. My husband, who is always supportive, said “Hmmm, let’s try to figure this out. You’ve had a stomach a cheat the same time every day after doing the same thing…What could that be?”

But it’s vitamins! Once I stopped taking the drink, the stomach aches stopped. So much for that kind of recovery. I tried a few more new drink mixes and sports drinks, but I’m always so hungry after a run. I end up taking in so many “recovery” calories that I was starting to ask myself, What is the point of burning 600 calories when I’m taking in 250 the first 5 minutes after I burn them?

Now, I’ve turned to protein. And not the sports drinks that have protein in them. I’m a Positivity Ambassador for the California Milk Processor’s Board and last week we talked on Twitter about, among other things, the benefits of milk. One of my tips was to drink chocolate milk after a run. I do that occasionally, but I’ve started replacing my sports drinks with chocolate milk.Sound crazy? It’s not! Sports enthusiasts have been saying this for years. For example, Runners World Magazine says that chocolate milk has just the right amount of protein and carbohydrates to aid in recovery. And it has calcium and vitamin D. It also recommends buying single serving containers so you don’t overdo it. Really good advice because I can drink a lot of chocolate milk.

What’s great about chocolate milk after doing endurance sports such as running, cycling, and swimming is that it can also curb hunger. Milk is food not just a drink and having protein along with carbs will help so I’m not as hungry. I have issues with eating too much after long runs. To break it down; milk makes me full and sugary chocolate makes me happy.

For more information about the benefits of milk visit the Master of the Glass Half Full on Facebook orTwitter.

Disclosure:This is post is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor’s Board and Latina Mom Bloggers.