In honor of National Pancake Day yesterday, I decided to forgo the free pancakes at IHOP and instead make pancakes for my family at home.   More specifically, I decided to make crepes.   The fact that I have never made crepes before didn’t stop me one bit; I knew that I could find a recipe online and that I probably already had the ingredients at home.   I used a basic recipe from WikiHow, but I added more milk, maybe as much as a cup more.   The batter has to be thin.   If it’s too thick, like pancake batter, add some more milk.   A YouTube video by Foodwishes.com was also very helpful in helping me learn how to work the crepe batter in the pan.   It was a little tricky at first, pouring just the right amount of batter and knowing when to flip the crepe, but by the third crepe I had it down (and I ate the first two “bad crepes”).

Now that I know that crepes are so easy, I’ll be making them all the time!

*Update April 24, 2010: I made crepes today and used organic stone ground whole wheat flour.  They were really good and more filling than they were before, and of course, healthier.

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I was invited to attend Disney’s first ever Social Media Moms Celebration in February of 2010 and since I love Disney, I jumped at the chance.  If you’ve been reading my blog within the last month, you have seen this badge proudly displayed:

Since our families were invited to join us at the Social Media Moms Celebration as well, I took my kids out of school for three days.  That was quite a hard decision for me, but besides our normal fun at Disney World, I knew that my family would experience special Disney magic on this trip and I didn’t want them to miss it.  Because my mother joined us on the trip as well, my husband was able to be an attendee like me and go to all the conference events; I was happy to share this with him and glad that he could join me.  There’s so much to tell about this fantastic event that you might have to read this blog post in stages, but do read it all because it’s an event worth hearing about.

The Social Media Moms (and Dads)

Quite awhile before the event at Disney World tweets were flying with the hashtag #DisneySMMoms and all the attendees were connecting via Twitter about what to wear, what to bring, and just general excitement about the event.   This is when I absolutely love Twitter because I “met” people that I hadn’t previously been following and developed a rapport even before we met in person.  Indeed most people knew each other’s Twitter name instead of real names and upon meeting each other it would go something like this: “Hi, I’m Sherrelle.”   I would get a pleasant smile and handshake.  Then I would say, “I’m Funkidivagirl on Twitter” and the smile would turn into a big grin and the handshake into a hug because we would realize that we “know” each other already.    A Facebook page was created with multiple discussion panels and one dad even created a Ning site for the dads to meet.  Yes, this was a social media event alright!   While at Disney World it was fun being with old friends that I know in real life or have met previously at other conferences while also meeting new friends.  There was never a dull moment or lack of somebody to talk to; everyone was friendly and engaging.  My husband, one of the few male attendees, remarked that at a predominately male conference there would never be so much chatter on an early morning bus to breakfast.  Hey, we talk a lot online and it doesn’t stop in person!

The Hotel

Our conference fee included three nights at the Polynesian resort and I was very excited because I had never stayed there before.  It is one of the few resorts on the monorail line and that was very convenient for our families to be able to travel around Disney World while we were in the conference sessions or at media events.  The hotel room was HUGE compared to the other resorts that I have stayed in (Animal Kingdom, Saratoga Springs and Riverside) and my family of 5 was very comfortable.  There was plenty of space for our clothes and enough room to lounge about or for my daughter to play.   We had a beach view and if it hadn’t been so cold, it would have been very nice to sit on the balcony.   We were able to watch the water parade from our balcony; my kids loved that.   Since we were there for a specific event (and it was very cold, I have to say that again, I mean freezing), we didn’t get to experience all the hotel amenities like the beach and volcano pool, but I have a feeling that we will return to the Polynesian on another visit. (more…)

© 2010 – 2011, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

I’ve just gotten back from the first ever Social Media Moms Celebration at Disney World and let me tell you that it was FABULOUS!  I’ll be writing about that later this week, but first I wanted to give you a few tips about planning your own vacation to Disney World—specifically how to save money.

My family has been to Disney World a few times and we plan to return often; it is one of our absolutely favorite vacation spots.  But as anyone who has been there knows, it is not an inexpensive vacation.   Fortunately, a little knowledge and research before your trip can help you save money.   I’ve taken a Disney vacation when money has not been a concern and I’ve been to Disney when I’m literally counting every penny that I spend.  In either case, I try to spend money on “the good stuff” and save money wherever I can.

Don’t pay for water.   Bring in your own water bottle.  This is by far one of the easiest ways to save money at Disney World.   A bottle of water in the parks can cost a few dollars, but if you bring in your own empty bottle and refill it throughout the day, you could save $12-$16 per day just in water alone.   Refilling a water bottle also cuts down on the consumption of soda.   The Florida sun is brutal and you need to keep hydrated, but it shouldn’t cost you money to do that.

Limit snacks.   Pack your own snacks such as pretzels or crackers to stave off hunger or boredom in line, but allow each person one Disney snack a day.   You’re on vacation after all and Disney World does have some fantastic snacks.  My family never leaves Magic Kingdom without having a Dole Whip.

In another park it might be the Mickey-shaped ice cream bar.  Epcot’s World Showcase is a great place to have a churro from Mexico, crepe from France or red bean ice cream from China and we always make sure to get a mango pie at Animal Kingdom.  We enjoy Disney snacks, but each person is only allowed one special snack per day.   By limiting my family to only one purchased snack a day, we can save $20 per day.  This tip not only saves us money, but it is healthier for our bodies as well.

Eat breakfast in your hotel room.   My family does take advantage of a few Disney breakfast buffets or character meals during our vacation, but most of our breakfast is consumed in the hotel room.  Either I bring food from home (we drive to Disney World) or go to the grocery store when we arrive.  Most Disney hotel rooms have a small refrigerator big enough for yogurt, juice and milk.  Add some cold cereal, fruit and bagels or muffins and that’s a complete breakfast.   Breakfast groceries for a week would cost about $50, while eating breakfast out every morning would be $200 or more for the week–and that’s just a quick counter meal breakfast.   A character breakfast or buffet costs my family $70 per meal, not including tax or tip.   Eating breakfast in our hotel room saves my family tons of money, but it also saves us time because we can eat and get dressed in shifts; we like getting to the parks early to beat the lines and heat.

Share a meal.   Disney World serves huge portions, especially at the table restaurants, so if you aren’t on the Dining Plan, share a meal.  Most of the time the meals are too much food for one person to eat anyway.  By sharing a meal, even just one meal a day, my family can save $175 over the course of a week’s vacation.

Check for special offers.   The official Disney World website is the place to find special offers for Disney World resorts and packages; the button is located on the upper right corner of the home page.  All of Disney’s officially advertised deals are here and depending on the time of the year, there can be some great deals to be had.   Last spring break vacation my family took advantage of the “Buy 4, Get 3 Free” offer and our hotel at Saratoga Springs, the Dining Plan and park tickets for 7 nights cost the same as 4 nights.  This saved us about $1,650.00 and because of the savings we were also able to stay in much nicer hotel than we had on a previous trip.

Let kids use their own money for souvenirs.   My kids often get money from relatives for Christmas and birthday presents, but really have nothing to spend it on at home.  Disney World is the perfect place to spend some Grandma Money.   What parent likes to deny their child–especially at Disney World?  But saying “yes” to every desire can really add up.  Kids are usually better consumers when they spend their own money and really think about their purchases instead of asking for everything that they see.

Buy souvenirs wisely.   Disney World is full of wonderful things to buy and your kids are going to want everything, but you should save your souvenir money for the good stuff.   Anything that you can buy in the mall at the Disney Store or Target back at home, don’t buy it at Disney World.   Instead, take advantage of the special items that only Disney sells.   Personalized mouse ears are always fun to buy.  My daughter loves going to Once Upon A Toy in Downtown Disney to buy new parts for her Mr. Potato.

Many of the gift shops outside of popular attractions have souvenirs related to that attraction.  For instance Tower of Terror has really neat hotel-related souvenirs and the gift shop at Star Tours is a perfect place for Star Wars fans.    Epcot’s World Showcase is a fun place to buy souvenirs from around the world.  My family’s favorite store is in Epcot’s Japan; we love Japanese candy and wind-up toys so this is where we spend our money.  It’s different, fun and not something that we can buy anywhere.

I hope that I’ve given you some tips about saving money on your next vacation to Disney World.  For a more detailed review of my trips to Disney World please read my 3 part series, How To Do Disney World Like Funkidivagirl.  You can read about all my Disney World experiences, including media events that I’ve been invited to, in the catergory T as in Tango: Disney World.   If you have any questions about Disney World, please leave me a comment and I will try to answer.

And come back later this week to read about my FABULOUS time at Disney’s Social Media Moms Celebration!

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

We all have them, those “blah” gray sort of days.  Days when we don’t feel like doing much of anything, but we have to anyway because our work/children/spouse/project demand that we do.  That’s when I put on my Get Happy playlist because these songs never fail to put me in a fantastic mood.  All of these songs either morph me into a happy, Sunday-afternoon-at-the-park sort of mood or make me want to get up and dance.  I’ve got good music and I’m good to go.

“Love Shack” by B-52s

I secretly think that I am a member of the B-52s; I have the white go-go boots already.  ”Love Shack” is my number one song to put me in a fantastic mood.  It makes me want to dance around and do the pony.   I would kill this song at karaoke!

“Pump” by B-52s

If you think the B-52s greatest hits are old school, think again.  Their latest release is just as rocking as songs of old.  ”Pump” is classic B-52s: addictive guitar riffs and esoteric (or just crazy) lyrics.  Listening to this song makes me wanna swing my hips wildly while shaking a tambourine.

“Back to Love” by The Brand New Heavies

Most of The Brand New Heavies music is funky and groovy–perfect for creating a sunny mood.  But this song has the benefit of uplifting lyrics as well.  It’s a message that everyone needs to remember: “…we seem to lose our way, somehow got lead astray, that’s why I’m here to say, got to get back, get back to love.”

“Groove is in The Heart” by Dee-Lite

Do you see a pattern here?  I like groovy music.  Peace signs, disco balls, go-go boots–give it to me, baby!  This song is a flower-child dance party, with a 90s house beat.  I dare you to listen and stay in your seat.

“Cherish” by Madonna

A bouncy, feel-good beat and sing-aloud lyrics about love keeps this song on my Get Happy playlist.  True, I can’t get the image of Madonna wearing all that lace out of my head, but I don’t hold it against her.  How can I?  I used to dress like her!

“I’m Every Woman” by Chaka-Khan

This song makes me feel like I can conquer the world.  Chaka is belting out those lyrics with the force of nature.  By the end of the song when the music crescendos,  all I need is a cape and a big W on my chest and I’m ready to fly!

“All This Time” by Sting

Soul Cages is one of my favorite albums by Sting; the writing is incredible.  Even though this song is about his father’s death, Sting’s poetic lyrics and great music makes it a up-beat tribute instead of a dirge.   You can feel the maritime intentions in the song–the waves rolling, the sea breeze, the boat rocking.   I love the beach and this song takes me right there.

“Dancing Queen” by ABBA

Yes, I know it’s clichéd, but despite the over-use of this song, it still puts me in a good mood.  With the disco ball twinkling, I can hear the DJ saying, “It’s time for ladies only skate, ladies only.”  In my tube socks and shiny shorts, I can see myself gliding around the roller rink.

“P.Y.T” by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson showed his talent through many songs, but whenever I play this song I feel his passion and happiness.  And that happiness is then transferred to me.  I don’t try to moon-walk though.

“I Like It Like That” by The Blackout All-Stars

There aren’t that many lyrics to this song, it’s all about the beat.  Latin music is made for dancing; the horns and Congo drums make me want to throw on a twirly skirt, some high heels and do the merengue.

“Haven’t You Heard” by Patrice Rushen

Another song with limited lyrics, “Haven’t You Heard” is all about the music.  Patrice Rushen is an incredible musician and arranger and her blend of jazz, funk and R&B always has me tapping my toes and bopping my head.  This is perfect Sunday afternoon, life-is-good type of music.

“Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince

A musical genius.   I love many a Prince song and different songs put me in different moods.  ”Let’s Go Crazy” is Prince in a zany mood and the song makes me feel zany too.   With lyrics like “let’s look for the purple banana ’til they put us in the truck” how can you not get in a great mood?

“Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol

I love to rock out to this song.  À la Jennifer Beals I want to wear ripped sweatshirts and leg warmers while dancing a scene out of Flashdance.  Or sometimes I play it really loud in my car when I’m frustrated and it never fails to make me calmer and more in control.

“The Biggest Part of Me” by Ambrosia

This is my singing in the shower song, the one that makes me croon into my pretend microphone.  Singing this song I have my audience in the palm of my hand; all eyes are closed and they’re doing the church wave.  This image never fails to put a smile on my face.

“Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5

Smooth, jazzy and groovy, “Sunday Morning” is what I want to hear while taking my dog for a walk.  Sometimes walking my dog can be a chore, but a song like this puts a skip in my step.  My dog thanks you Maroon 5.

“Flashlight” by Parliament

After the 9 second intro, right when the song really begins, I want to jump up, land in a splits, jump up again and do a James Brown spin.  From there I would go into an impressive robot dance, then snake on the floor.  If only.  Instead, I do my own version of a funky dance.

“8th Wonder” by Sugar Hill Gang

The beat is fresh and the rap lyrics memorable.   It’s my ring tone and I have a mini-dance party every time someone calls me.  An interactive party song asking you to sing along, how can you stay in a bad mood reciting lyrics like: “If you’re ready to party and you’re ready to jam, scream it out and say ‘I am (I am) somebody (somebody),’ now you know you are.  You go ah, ah, ah-ah, ooh, ooh.”

“Love of My Life Worldwide” by Erykah Badu (featuring Queen Latifah, Bahamadia & Angie Stone)

I used to love “Funk You Up” by Sequence back in the day and Erykah Badu took a good thing and made it even better.   The addition of Queen Latifah, Bahamadia and original member of Sequence, Angie Stone, adds multiple layers to an already smoking song.  If I could break dance to this song, I would.  Alas, I have to settle for wearing my shell-tops and doing a quick Kid ‘N Play step.

“Woo” by Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu was on fire with the Worldwide Underground album.  This song puts me in happy mood, but more like a mellow, funky, happy mood rather than maniacally happy.  I can’t be bouncing off the wall all the time.  Right here I’m tipping my fedora over one eye, sipping a glass of Prosecco or champagne and bopping my head to the beat.

“Good Life” by Kayne West

It samples one of my other Get Happy songs, Michael’s Jackson’s P.Y.T., and it gets me hyped.  Although Kayne’s version of the good life is not the same as mine, still I throw my hands up in the air and scream, “I’m good.”

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.

If you follow me on Twitter then you have seen me tweeting with the hashtag #DisneySMMoms.  SM stands for Social Media, in case you had other things in mind.  I’m going to a Social Media Moms Celebration at Disney World (check the badge to the left) and I’m really excited because #1 I love Disney World and #2 I get to meet other women in social media.  This time my family is going with me and my mother too.

Like my other recent trip to Disney World, it’s tricky packing the right clothes for business and pleasure while still being comfortable enough to navigate the parks and since it is a media event and it’s highly possible to be on film, fashionable and cute too.   I decided on my outfits last week, but still needed to pick up a few things, so I went shopping yesterday.

My first stop was TJ Maxx.  It’s always hit or miss, but if you hit it good there are deals to be had.  I hit it on a good day.  I went there for a black skinny belt and found a Michael Kors belt for $14.99.  Nice, because I hate paying a lot of money for a belt.  Next I needed a container for my puppy’s toys and I found one to match my living room.  Check; that was off my list.   I really should have left then because that’s all I had come to buy.  But you know TJ Maxx is perfect for finding things that you never knew you needed, like a new brush for the puppy.    And body scrub, I could always use that.   Didn’t I just lose my small umbrella?  I found another one to replace it.    Hmmm…we could use another piece of luggage for our trip and how about I found matching luggage to my laptop bag that I bought online months ago?  That was just spooky.   TJ Maxx is like that; sometimes it’s a bust, but sometimes they have everything you need want didn’t know you needed, but had to have anyway.

Next door was Old Navy.  Ugg, I hate that store.   It has a certain smell when you walk in, you know?  I think I identified it as rubber.  It’s all those cheap flip-flops giving off fumes; they are on display now even though it’s freezing outside.   I went in there because I needed some sweat pants for the drive to Disney World; I don’t really own any sweat pants except for cute Lucky Brand capris and it’s too cold to wear them.   Old Navy, as usual, was a bust for me.   The sweat pants were too big and too much money for how cheap they looked.

Gap, big brother to Old Navy, would have some sweat pants I thought.   Since the puppy was at daycare and I had time to spare, I went to the mall, thinking that I would go straight to Gap and still make it home in time for lunch.   Gap didn’t have sweats either, just yoga pants.   I must say that I used to love Gap, but it has been rather disappointing to me the last few years.  Just “meh”.

Ahhh, but there is one store that never disappoints me and that’s Anthropologie.  I LOVE THAT STORE–the merchandise, the layout, the smells; it is truly a shopping paradise.   It wasn’t crowded yet so I poked around and found a really cute necklace on sale; it will complete on of my Disney outfits perfectly.

A relatively new store to our mall is Madewell.  I had low expectations, thinking that it was going to be like American Eagle or something similarly teen-booperish, but I was pleasantly surprised; it’s like a well-edited, more fashionable Gap.  I didn’t buy anything this time, but I have bought a great-fitting tee from there.  I’m really digging Madewell.

On the way to the mall my iPod car adaptor cassette tape died, so next I went to the Apple store.  I think my husband feels the same way about the Apple store that I do about Anthropologie; he can stay in there forever just soaking up the atmosphere.    I hung for a bit, longer than I usually would shopping alone, because I needed a new iPhone case.   An Apple employee took great pleasure in helping me choose a new case, opening up the packages and actually putting them on my phone for my approval.  It was a very pleasant experience.

By now it’s lunchtime and I am too hungry to go home to eat.  The Corner Bakery is right across the hall, but I’ve been impressed by Panera Bread’s new menu, so I head there instead.   I decide on the Fuji Apple Salad, but since there is a long line I  look up the nutrition information while I wait.   This is when I just love my iPhone even more than I normally do, which is pretty darn much.    By taking a few minutes to look up that information, I was able to make a better choice of ordering the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad instead.

My last stop was J. Crew.   I want to shop at J. Crew; their catalog models always look so freshly scrubbed and happy, but for a few exceptions the clothes really aren’t my style and I just need to quit fighting it.   It’s like when I was a teenager in Minnesota wearing Izod sweaters and penny loafers; it wasn’t me then and it’s not me now.   I bought a tee shirt yesterday, against my better judgement, and now I have to take it back because it looks hideous on me.   I just need to stick with the shoes and accessories at J. Crew and leave the clothes to others.   Ironically, Madewell, the new store that I like, is owned by the same company that owns J. Crew.

So all in all, despite the tee that I have to return to J. Crew and the sweat pants that I didn’t find, it was a good shopping day.  I love when that happens!

© 2010, Funkidivagirl.com. All rights reserved. Republished only with permission.