Lian Dolan's Blog, page 34
January 5, 2012
Attention Entrepeneurial Women: Win a Pass to ltdLive, a conference to Inspire, Inform and Educate
Attention Dreamers, Tinkerers and Makers of Stuff…
I'm so excited announce a great give-away for those of you in the Southern California: a chance to win a two-day pass for you and your Satellite Sister to attend the ltdLive Conference for Entrepreneurial Women. That's right, a two-day pass for two to this inspiring conference.
Last year I was a panelist for this new conference and I hung around to hear all the speakers and attend several other panel discussions, including a fantastic panel on venture capital with some real smartypants- types. I left the event feeling inspired, with a renewed focus on my business. For those of you working away on your own on your Big Idea, you know how hard it can be to start something and stick with it. This is an opportunity to connect, learn and eat lunch with people other than your dog!
This year, I'll be the emcee for the day so I'll definitely get a chance to hear some great women talk about their businesses. And, if you are the lucky winner, you'll be there, too, with your Satellite Sister. If you don't win, please consider buying tickets for the event anyway. It's a worthwhile investment in your business, I promise.
Here are the Rules for the Give-away:
Leave a comment at chaoschronicles.com. Include your number one work goal for the year if you'd like. By leaving a comment, you are entered in the give-away and have given permission for your comment to be used on The Chaos Chronicles Podcast.
Comments must be posted by 5 pm PST , Monday January 16th, 2012
The winner will be picked by Random Drawing on January 17, 2012. The winner will be contacted by email.
The prize includes the Gal Pal pass only. No travel or parking.
Here is the more information on the event:
WHAT: ltdLIVE connects entrepreneurial women to the best experts, tools, tips, communities and organizations that will move their ventures forward.
Returning to Pasadena, California for two days on February 1 and 2, 2012, the conference offers women the opportunity to hear from inspiring entrepreneurs like Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the filmmaker behind "Miss Representation," Gina Bianchini, Leah Busque, Holly Bohn, skincare pioneer Kate Somerville and learn from dozens of experts on breakout session panels covering a range of topics to meet the needs of entrepreneurs in any stage of pursuing their passion, (or venture, or dream). Attendees will also be able to peruse the product and service offerings of women-owned lifestyle businesses in the ltdMarketplace and the business solutions provided by a range of companies in the ltdResource Lounge.
Six substantive seminars offered on Day 2 round out the conference to ensure that 2012 is the year women THRIVE!
WHEN: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 / 8AM – 5PM
Morning Breakout Sessions:
"Financial Literacy" (Everything you need to know about MONEY–it's not evil, just misunderstood)
"This is How She Does it" (Hear four women share the good, the bad and the ugly of how they do it)
"Social Entrepreneurship" (Doing good and giving back whether your for profit or non-profit)
"Social Media" (We all know we need it, come find out how to effectively use and build a loyal tribe)
"Profounder Exercise" (Everything you need BEFORE you ask for cash)
Afternoon Breakout Sessions:
"PR/Marketing" (How to build a strategic marketing, PR and advertising plan)
"Digitally Enhanced" (How to use technology to make your business efficient and effective)
"Building a Great Team" (Hiring, Firing and building a strong team)
"Fund It" (How to raise the funds you need to launch, grow and thrive)
"Gate Keepers" (What are agents, editors, producers and publishers looking for.)
8:00 a.m. Registration
9:00 a.m. Opening Speaker – Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King
10:00 a.m. Breakout Sessions
11:30 a.m. Keynote Address by Kate Somerville
1:00 p.m. Breakout Sessions
2:45 p.m. Shop & Connect in the ltdMarketplace and ltdResource Lounge
3:45 p.m. Closing Remarks by ltd365 Founder Nada Jones
Thursday, February 2, 2012 / 9AM – 3PM
9:00 a.m. Check-In
9:30 a.m. Master Class
11:30 a.m. Lunch Break
1:00 p.m. Master Class
ltdLIVE is proud to have Wells Fargo returning as the Presenting Sponsor and to welcome Microsoft as the Lunch Sponsor for Year Two of the conference.
WHO: ltdLIVE is part of ltd365, a new publishing company founded by Nada Jones, a long-time entrepreneur and author of "Sixteen Weeks to Your Dream Business" (McGraw Hill 2009). After 12 years of working with entrepreneurial women, Nada is a firm believer that all women have a dream – an idea/venture – inside her that's worthy of pursuing and that entrepreneurship is the vehicle for making that dream a reality. She's pulled all of her connections and resources together to help women who want to monetize a hobby, write a book or blog, launch a charity and of course, launch a business. ltd365 curates the entrepreneurial life to provide women the information, introductions, tools and inspiration they need to harness their entrepreneurial spirit to launch or grow their dream venture.
WHERE: Pasadena Convention Center – 300 E. Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101
-more-
TICKET INF0: Tickets can be purchased online at www.ltd365live.com and priced as follows:
Day 1 Only Single Tickets: $175, Gal Pal (2 tickets): $150 each
Days 1 & 2: Single Tickets: $225, Gal Pal (2 tickets): $175 each
Good luck! Lian
January 3, 2012
I Resolve: Resolutions 2012
I resolve to eat five of the seven foods that burn stomach fat.
I resolve to stop buying "desk organizers" and just organize my desk.
I resolve to be smarter than my water, even if I can't be smarter than my phone.
I resolve to make it to Regionals.
I resolve to party rock in the house tonight.
I resolve to embrace the Color of the Year: Tangerine Tango.
I resolve to stop buying Groupon coupons I never use.
I resolve not to turn against the buyers on House Hunters when they demand 4 bedrooms for $300,000.
I resolve not to use "Lady Gaga" as a punchline like every other writer.
I resolve not to cry at Olympic montages that feature mothers of athletes.
I resolve to cook more farro, the supergrain of 2012.
I resolve not to wear my Uggs in public because I am older than 17.
I resolve to stop blaming the dryer for "shrinking my clothes."
I resolve to wag more, bark less.
Embracing my Chaos,
Lian
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After the year of Let'er Rip, What's Next? Let's Dance in 2011
December 30, 2011
Go Badgers! Go Ducks! Go Girl Scouts! Go Rose Parade !
These are my kind of Badgers.
The pre-Rose Parade activities are really in full swing here in Pasadena, and by that I mean, people with large blocks of cheese on their heads are walking around town with no shame. Plus, there tons of incredibly bad driving by cars with out-of-state license plates. (Yes, hitting your brakes at random intervals while driving around the Rose Bowl is annoying… but we love you anyway!)
Must be Rose Bowl Week!
If you are a Duck, a Badger, a Bandie or a Girl Scout headed to Pasadena, here are a few resources to make your week a little more enjoyable:
From HGTV.com My Insider's View of The Rose Parade. Whether you're watching on it on HGTV or camping out on Colorado Boulevard, here are some insider tips to know and tell.
From Hometown Pasadena All kinds of local Pasadena resources for visitors from restaurants to hotels. Plus, where to get the Best Cheeseball in town. Did you hear that, Badgers? Best Cheeseball.
From the Pasadena Star News Our local paper's website is chock full of information with a specail section for parade-goers.
Wish me luck as I attempt to drive across town to the grocery store. Sta out of my way, Ducks! And I hope those Badgers have bought all the cheese.
Embracing my chaos, Lian
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Insider's Guide to Pasadena Rose Bowl and Rose Parade Activities
December 27, 2011
The Triumph of the Mashed Potato Bar
On Chaos Chronicles Podcast 441, I mentioned my Christmas Eve menu breakthrough: the Mashed Potato Bar. I was looking for a meal to serve that satisfied many appetites, could be eaten informally without a knife, and frankly, gave the guests something to talk about because we'd had quite a few family events lately and we needed some fresh topics besides the movie "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." I'd pulled off a Mashed Potato Bar last year — and eaten at many more as they've been in vogue here in Pasadena for a good 5 years. But this was Christmas Eve, and my mother has big expectations. Good news! The Mashed Potato Bar passed the Edna Dolan Good Taste Test!
So many of you asked for directions/instructions/reviews, I thought I'd let you know it was a huge hit. No photos from mine, unfortunately, as I was too busy getting out the gourmet toppings to take photos… but I did find others online to give you a sense of what one looks like:
Mashed potatoes + Gourmet Toppings + Martini Glasses = Happy Guests. Thanks to San Diego Cooks for this photo. Click here to see their spread.
Here are a few details from my Mashed Potato Bar:
Simple Mashed Pots: I went with simple, butter-free mashed potatoes so as not to compete with toppings. I used a combination of russet and Yukon Gold potatoes mashed with chicken stock and low-fat buttermilk. Creamy, but with a crisp bite thanks to the buttermilk. I served them hot, hot, hot in two serving dishes to keep the guests moving around the table.
Martini Glasses and Lots of Glass Bowls: I bought a case of martini glasses ($20) and lots o' glass bowls to serve the many, many toppings. The table looked sparkly and fun. And now I'm all set to repeat the whole menu over and over again!
Gourmet Toppings: I went for it, knowing that anything left-over would make fantastic dinners, hors d'ouevres or pasta toppings in the day after. Plus, the fun is including topping that you wouldn't normally eat on mashed potatoes– like crabmeat. Several items were traditional food gifts from family, like the Honeybaked Ham or the Smoked Salmon my brother sends from Alaska every year. My "stations" were:
Roasted Ratatouille. Made the day before to let the flavors mingle.
Smokes Salmon and Lump Crabmeat Louis with Chopped Egg, Capers, Chives, Sour Cream and Remoulade.
The Barefoot Contessa's Pot Roast for Company, shredded for easy eating. Click here for The Most delicious Pot Roast Recipe Ever! Made the day before for best flavor.
Honeybaked Ham and Cranberry Sauce
Give Instructions: It was a new experiences for most guests. I had to give an "overview" of the concept, a "tour" over the bar and kept encouraging guests to "return to the bar." I caught several people trying to use the 7.5 ounce martni glass as a buffet plate! No, no… one topping sttaion at a time, then come back. You don't have to squeeze the pot roast in next to the crabmeat!
I think I've stumbled on a new tradition for Christmas Eve. It would be perfect for New Year's Eve as well!
Embracing my Chaos, Lian
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Holiday Entertaining To Do List
December 21, 2011
My Annual Holiday Letter About My Fabulous Life 2011
Greetings to Family, friends and Ryan Gosling …
What a whirlwind year we had in 2011! We ate, we drank, we danced. We watched untold hours of soccer and The Simpsons. We even re-did the bathroom With Our Bare Hands. About the only thing we didn't manage to squeeze in was a run for the Republican nomination. But, there's still a week left, who knows if one of us might jump in? Get on the bus, kids, we're going to Iowa.
I'll start with my perfect children because, honestly, there's not much to say when every day is a joy and every night is a feeding frenzy. Having two teen-aged boys in the house means never having to say you're sorry… when you tell them shower because they stink. But surely by the time they are ready for those Ivy League interviews, they'll have washed or Hell will have frozen over, the cold rendering the odor indistinguishable. But I don't worry about their future because they have charm in spades. No matter how many times I remind them to turn off the bathroom light, they leave it on. How charming is that?
And, while being parents is the Most Fulfilling Human Endeavor Possible, at least that's what I chant to myself when I'm doing a mountain of laundry, occasionally my husband Berick and I feel the need to take a break from our bliss and work for a bit. You know, for the sheer thrill of it and to pay the electric bill. Berick takes his "work break" about 14 hours a day. With that kind of time for personal growth, let's hope the economy nevers recovers. Wouldn't want to deprive my man of his passion! Those aren't wrinkles; those are laugh lines, Babe.
As for me, I have no complaints about my work in 2011. Seriously, not one. except maybe that chicken salad I ordered back in May. (Too many Mandarin oranges, not enough almonds.) I wrote a TV pilot, went on a book tour, did 41 podcasts, countless blog posts, and managed to blow dry my own hair about 87 times. Thanks to all who showed up, purchased, listened, read and complimented me on my Diane Keaton haircut. Truth is, 2011 was such a hit, I'm scared of 2012. Part of me hopes the Mayans ARE right, because I can't top this year.
Over the holiday, my family plans to throw a few logs on the fire, eat popcorn and sing lots of carols. Or maybe, we'll just gather around that island in the kitchen and eat chips straight out of the bag. Either way, it will be perfect, because that's the way we are!
Embracing my Chaos, Lian
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December 19, 2011
Monday Morning To Do List: Holiday Letter; Rose Parade; and Mission Impossible
My big brother, Batman Brendan, celebrated his 50th birthday.
Good Monday, Chaos Crew! I survived two holiday parties and a surprise birthday party and can still button my pants, so I feel a sense of accomplishment already this Monday morning. And, the pink eye has cleared up and the swelling from my root canal is down, so I look familiar to myself in the mirror. What more could a mom ask for on the Monday before Christmas.
Here's what's on my To Do List this week:
Holiday Letter I vowed in 2008 to write an annual holiday letter to family and friends. I enjoy the Holiday Letter, both writing and reading others, but somehow, I feel off my own bandwagon. My "tradition" last one year and ever since, I've been wracked by guilt at letters not sent Yes, and a thick sense of irony that the writer can't manage to write a holiday letter. (I have written some for the blog. Click here to see last year's letter.) Today, I write that letter! Tomorrow, I stick'em in the mail!
Rose Parade Coverage for HGTV.com A few weeks ago, I mentioned on the Satellite Sisters podcast that I had the opportunity to pitch some ideas to the people at HGTV. I was invited to "crowd" pitch, with HGTV hearing back-to-back pitches in ten minute intervals from all manners of designers ( floral, handbag,home, graphic, food) in Los Angeles. And me. Knowing I had no real design cred, I pitched myself as an insider on the Rose Parade to bolster HGTV's stellar coverage of the Rose Parade. Friday, I got a gig writing a column for this website. Totally worth the cost of the blow-out and the drive to Venice for the pitch! So, I'm working on that this week. Thanks to those of you who bombarded HGTV with comments! I think it actually worked.
Movie Week We are miserably behind on our movie-going thanks to weekends full of soccer and family events. But that changes this afternoon. Colin and I are off to MI:Ghost Protocol later today. And, we're psyched for Hugo, Sherlock Holmes and War Horse. If Moneyball is still playing somewhere, we're going to that, too!
What's on your To Do List this week? Holiday Chaos? Or Holiday Calm?
Need to find the Recipes from early December ? Click here to find them all on the makinglifebetter.com Facebook page.
Don't forget, there's still time to sign up for the 31 Days of Confection Perfection newsletter. Great holiday desserts and a chance to win a stand mixer. All the technical kinks have been worked out, so those of you waiting for recipes should now be receiving them. If you want to find the recipes from early December, click here to find the link on the makinglifebetter.com Facebook page. Thanks, makinglifebetter.com for supporting the Chaos Chronicles Podcast and Website.
Embracing my Chaos, Lian
December 15, 2011
Winter Formal Confidential: How can they dance in those shoes?
Attention Mothers of Girls! I need a Girl Gutcheck. What's the deal with Monster Heels? My son Brookes escorted a lovely young lady to her Winter Formal last weekend. You'll hear a few details on the podcast about Dances and Driving in the Age of Driving Restriction Laws. Now, I know better than to post the pre-dance pictures I snapped. I value my relationship and his trust! But I thought the women in the Chaos Crew may appreciate the shoes that these (poor) girls were wearing.
If you have teenaged daughters, maybe you've fought the battle over these 4-inch heels. But as a card-carrying member of the Clogs For Life movement and a Mother of Boys, I was astounded at these skyscrapers. Call the Podiatry Society! Do we blame the Kardashians for these, too?
My bunions hurt just looking at these.
Ouch.The smallest toe box in recorded history.
These shoes were declared "not high enough" by the wearer, at "only" 3.5 inches high. Good thing my son is tall!
When I asked how they danced in these heels, one adorable girl said, "Oh, we don't dance in them. We keep them on for pictures then take them off. " At least THAT'S sensible!
Embracing my Chaos, Lian
Happy 16th Birthday, Son. Please, please… stay safe
December 12, 2011
It's Good to be Santa Claus in Santa Barbara & What to Do with Leftover Halloween Candy
The North Pole is for suckers. Santa Claus enjoying a drink at a local wateringhole in Santa Barbara. Ho, ho, ho.
I think this picture says it all: it's good to be Santa Claus in Santa Barbara. It's a wonder that Jolly Ol' St. Nick spends anytime in the North Pole, knowing that he has a place on the California Riveria or, as I like to call Santa Barbara, The Place Everyone Would Live If They Could Afford It. My husband and I were window-shopping on after watching a high school soccer game when we spotted Santa on Saturday afternoon kicking back State St. along with the rest of Barbara's glamorati. But wait, where's Mrs. Claus? Oh, Santa, were you naughty or nice?
Also spotted in a gallery in SB, a fabulous idea for all that left over Halloween candy! Toss it on the ground and call it "art." You can hold an "opening," sell the piece and re-coup your Halloween costs.
I didn't get the price for this candy-strewn masterpiece, but I think we can say the concept is priceless.
A close up in case you wanted to study the artist's technique.
Embracing my Chaos, Lian
December 9, 2011
Chaos Chronicles Podcast 439 is up and Friday To Do List: "Like" Operation in Touch
Hi all… a small flooding incident in my bathroom prevented an early morning post. But, I swabbed the decks and we're all set here. So… I wanted to post those links like I promised on Chaos Chronicles Podcast 439.
First and Foremost in our To Do List for the Weekend:
Click here to Like the Operation in Touch Facebook Page. And then share the link with your Facebook or Twitter community.
Operation in Touch Want to help military families this holiday season. here's an easy way: 'Like' the Operation in Touch Facebook Page. For every "like", a one dollar donation will be given to Fisher House thanks to makinglifebetter.com and Unilever. Fisher House serves wounded servicemen and women and their families much like the Ronald McDonald House serves the civilian population. When a wounded service person is seeking specialized medical care, families are welcome to stay at Fisher House free of charge. You can find a Fisher House on many military bases that provide medical care. Unilever will donate up to P,000 to Fisher House– but they need those "likes" by December 15th! Click here to like the Operation in Touch Facebook Page — and then please share the link amongst your Facebook community. I can see the number inching up already! Let's make it happen, Chaos Crew.
On the show this week:
The Chaos Chronicles: I leave the house for 24 hours and come back to find a chainsaw. How did that happen?
Moms, Dads and Multi-tasking Stress: A new study finds that even though moms are getting more help from dads at home, we're still stressed and unhappy. What's wrong with us?
Hostess Gifts: Thanks to all who comments on the Queen Edna Goes to TJ Maxx post. The winners of the gift cards are Karrie, Amber and Mary Catherine. Even if you didn't win, listen to the show or read the post for GREAT hostess gift ideas. Thanks, TJ Maxx for supplying the gift cards.
This weekend, a school dance tonight, a soccer game in Santa Barbara tomorrow and my sister Julie stops by to visit on Sunday. Plus, hours of enjoyment putting the lights on the tree.
Have a great weekend all. Embracing my Chaos, Lian
The Chaos Chronicles podcast and website is sponsored by makinglifebetter.com . Lian Dolan is the Family Expert for makinglifebetter.com . For expert advice, recipes, beauty tips and coupons and special offers, visit makinglifebetter.com.
December 6, 2011
School Project Madness: Are you the Project Mom?
Tis the season for all those school projects to get turned in. The "semester long" combo platters of maps/food/calculations/iMovies/dramatic readings/costumed monologues that invariably get done the week they are due. The dreaded Group Projects that sound so good at the beginning of the year that become a scheduling nightmare around the due date. But in the midst of all the Chaos, one person stands out: The Project Mom!
A tip of the hat to all you Project Moms out there! You know who you are: you're the ones with endless patience, organizational skills and a glue gun. You have a ready supply of snacks, construction paper and the generosity to give up your weekends and after- school hours for the benefit of other people's kids' grade. While the teachers may assign and the kids may turn them in, it's you, Project Mom that gets the job done.
Which Project Mom are you?
Top Chef Project Mom You excel at quickfires and elimination challenges. You don't blink an eye when Junior arrives home on Tuesday and announces that "a vegetarian dish from Turkey" is due in class on Wednesday. You have a ready supply of cutting boards, wooden spoons and the good will to schlep to the store, buy the ingredients and oversee the "cooking" by 7th graders who have no interest in food prep. You plate like Top Chef, even if you don't look like Padma. Please pack your knives, Top Chef Project Mom, and head to the top of the class.
Dancing with the Stars Project Mom Yes, teaching the kids to tango would be an excellent supplement to their Spanish class, but does it really have to be at your house? Apparently, it does. But nothing scares off our DWTS Project Mom. She danced in her high school production of Grease in 1993. How hard could it be to teach tweens to tango? Clear out the living room, grab a rose and give it up for DWTS Project Mom because somehow she got those boys to dip the girls without the girls landing on the floor. Three "10s" for you!
Extreme Makeover Project Mom Who sez moms can't hammer? Don't let Extreme Makeover Project Mom let you hear that. She's ready to oversee any large scale construction project that is science-related. She is, after all, the one who hangs the Christmas lights in the house. How hard can it be to wire a dollhouse for extra credit? She knows her way around the hardware store and how to keep 5th graders on task. Get that mom an orange apron.
Project Greenlight Project Mom Technology is great, isn't it? Now kids have to write term papers about the Civil War and then turn them into 8 minute documentaries that they write, narrate, and edit themselves. Which is, for those of you beyond The Project Years, about ten times the amount of work that a plain old term paper required! Thanks, Freakin' Ken Burns. But nobody loves a multi-media challenge more than Project Greenlight Project Mom. She understands the need to storyboard, how to use graphic to stretch the visuals and why a great soundtrack improves even a middle schoolers writing. There's no Oscar for you, Project Greenlight Project Mom. But maybe an A-.
Breathe deeply, Project Moms. The semester break is almost here!
Embracing my Chaos, Lian
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