A few months ago, my co-founder and Editor in Chief of SDMOMfiaStefanie and I were asked by Catherine Garcia to swing by and chat about we were talking about in our little neck of the internet. Our appearance has now turned into a some-what regular feature where we talk about hot topics of the moment, current events and new technologies that we are obsessing over.
Last week we talked one of my new favorite topics. BRONIES.
Friday night was the event we SDMOMfia Mamas have been planning for months...200 women lounging in robes and bathing suits, enjoying drinks, food and a beautiful spring night at Spa La Costa at the La Costa Resort.
I kept an eye on the weather all week. Two weeks before it was raining. The week before it was chilly. But by Wednesday of event week the sun was shining, the sky was blue and temps were climbing. And by Friday? Pure. Weather. Perfection.
Now there is La Costa Resort and then there is the Spa La Costa. The resort, which is finishing up a major renovation, is one of my favorite recommendations for people to stay when they come to visit us - especially with kids. The grounds are stunning, the newly remodeled rooms are fantastic and the pools are beautiful. Honestly, when I need to mentally go to my happy place, it's poolside at La Costa on an 80 degree day with a fruity drink in my hand.
But the Spa...the spa is on a different level. It's in a different area of the property than the main pools, making it secluded and quiet...unless you have about 200 of your closest blogging/twittering/facebook ladies sipping champagne, and munching on sliders and lobster sandwiches...
Regardless, my obsession with Spa La Costa is known. So when the Spa La Costa team came to the SDMOMfia a few months back and said they wanted to host us for a fabulous event, it was hard to contain our excitement. Remember going on a first date, being so excited about it that you're worried that you look desperate? Yeah. We honestly were so excited about this event that we had to check ourselves a few times. And just like a good first date, the more we met with them, the more we talked to them, the more we LOVED them. After 12 years of marketing, PR and events, I have to say that I have NEVER had a more enjoyable work experience than dealing with the people at La Costa.
At first, the Spa Social event was going to be an intimate event with about 50 people. When that "sold out" in a day, we went back and asked about making the event a little bigger. La Costa was thrilled and we upped the number to 100. When those tickets were gone the next week, we sat down and re-evaluated once again.... next thing we knew we had 200 ladies RSVP'ed and even a few more on a waiting list.
The event itself went off amazingly. A bunch of people won prizes ranging from a weekend at Rancho Las Palmas (a sister resort in Palm Desert) to Starbucks gift cards to passes to Legoland. We even raised money for a local non-profit, Home Start, with their Quarters Count initiative, helping them get a little closer to reaching their goal of raising $1million to help prevent child abuse in San Diego. And while the intention was just a wonderful relaxing evening that introduced all the fabulous new spa treatments and the remodeled spa area, the night turned into so much more....
Theresa, Stefanie and I have been working our booties off to make the SDMOMfia something different, something fabulous and new. A network of women that blog, that tweet, that facebook or that are just amazing MOMS...and Friday night was a perfect example of how our hard work and dedication is coming together...and creating something wonderful.
And yes, now it's time for a group hug and a round of Kum-ba-ya.
Photo from Petula Pea PhotographySo, just in case you didn't know this about me, I obsess. Yes, yes, I know it's a surprise for all of you, but when I get something in my head, I obsess about it non-stop. A few months ago my hairstylist at Detour Salon in Encinitas showed me the hair extensions that she was getting put in later that week. I was intrigued. I thought extensions were only for Paris Hilton and the Real Housewives. But then she started pointing out all the other girls in the salon that had them in...and I began to obsess. See, I love trying out new beauty trends. I've done spray tans, sugaring, waxing, eyelash extensions, Latisse, Shellac nails and a crackle pedicure...anything that can make something longer, fuller, shiny/bright and/or 10 lbs skinner I have tried.
Yes, I am a product/service whore like that.
So extensions?! I NEEDED them.
As luck would have it, a few weeks later a woman who had seen me speak at the San Diego Social Media Symposium came to me asking if we would be interested in doing a SDMOMfia Blow Out Bootcamp event at Detour Salon. Little did she know that I had been a client (and huge fan) of the salon for the past 4 years - and I jumped on it! I mean who DOESN'T want to learn how to get those Victoria's Secret Supermodel curls? After chatting back and forth, they asked if I would be interested in modeling and trying out hair extensions - they would put them in for me that night and I could model the new procedure during the event. I was thrilled...I may finally have the long, thick hair that I've spent years, and possibly thousands of dollars in products, trying to achieve.
I've had them in for 1 1/2 weeks now and I can tell you that I love them. I'm thrilled with not only the length but the thickness of "my hair." But I have gotten a few questions that I thought I would answer:
- How did they put them in?
Unlike the individual extensions that you always see half grown out on Brittany Spears, these ones are a band of hair that is sewn into my hair about 1/2 way down the back of my head. They use my real hair to sew the band on, and then a tiny metal clap is used to secure the hair.
Did it hurt?
No - but I will let you know that I have an abnormally high tolerance to head/hair pain. I always joke that my head was desensitized after years of having to have massive tangles combed out of the back of my head.
Is it human hair? Yes - from Europe. But it has gone through a huge process to clean it and sanitize it. Here is more information on the actual extensions: www.nxshair.com
Can you wash it and brush it as normal?
Yes. I wash it in the shower with my normal shampoo. I'm just careful when washing it. When I brush it, I have to use a boar's hair brush.
Does it itch? A little. Not enough that I would get them removed. And let's be honest, I'm not sure if it's the extensions that itch or the constant talk of head lice being found at Lucas' school that's causing my head to tingle.
How long does it last? According to the information on the hair, the piece will last 4-6 months. I do have to go in every 4-6 weeks to get it tightened.
Will it ruin my hair? I really hope not. :) I've been told no. The clamps are not permanent and can be removed without damaging the hair. Which is why they can remove the piece and tighten it.
Final Thoughts:
I will admit that that I was worried about it. For about a week, NOT ONE PERSON mentioned it. While on one hand I thought it meant it looked totally natural, the paranoia in me took over and I kept thinking that it looked really bad/fake and no one wanted to tell me that it looked like I had plastic Barbie hair. Not to mention that Zoe kept stroking it while singing songs from Tangled...I was getting a little nervous. Then it happened - someone commented on how long my hair had gotten, then a few more people noted about how beautiful and thick my hair is. And now? I'm hooked. And tossing my head around a lot.
*If you would like to see what all the other SDMOMfia Mama's said about Blow Dry Boot Camp at Detour Salon, please check out the post here. If you want to join the MOMfia at one of our fun events, "like" us on Facebook and keep an eye out for our next great event!
So what better way to spend a night of your first week on Weight Watchers than attending a VIP Grand Opening party for Sprinkles Cupcakes. Veuve Clicquot and Red Velvet - enough goodness to test the willpower of even the most anorexic celebrity.
The event was amazing. Candace Nelson, CUPCAKE QUEEN OF THE WORLD, spent about 45 minutes with us, talking about everything from how she started her cupcake empire to how many cupcakes she eats a week. It was a fantastic evening. Check out the whole post, the video and the AMAZING cupcake GIVEAWAY over on The San Diego MOMfia site.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 3:08PM 
Photo by Kimberly of the Go to Mom
The Smurfette Drink from the Clever Girls Collective "I'm with the BRAND" party
MobHer - #Operation Glory Photo by Lindsey G (@modchik)
SDMOMfia on the Smashburger party bus SWAG
Goodness from @RomyRaves #WineRaves party
