Dress up your Holiday table with Pottery Barn Kids

December has arrived, and it's finally time to dress up our home for the holidays! One of the easiest ways to give your dining room a festive mood is to use a holiday-themed table runner. I love this whimsical holiday table runner from the Pottery Barn Kids 2011 holiday tabletop collection. It will definitely keep your kids entertained during mealtimes as they look at the illustrations and imagine what is going on. The table runner shows a snowy scene with forest animals scurrying to and fro, getting their little corner of the woods all decked up for the holidays and helping Santa load up his sled. Even though it's from the Pottery Barn Kids line, I think it looks great on our dining room table. It has a vintage feel which goes perfectly in our Arts and Crafts bungalow, and the bright red accents throughout the design are anything but faded or musty-looking! Check it out:



If you want to keep things simple, this table runner is all the decoration you need, but to make things even more festive, I put out a pair of pillar candles, covered with candle sleeves in a bright-red scroll. Instead of those candle sleeves, you could also put a couple of small evergreen wreaths and nestle the candles in the middle. For tableware, you could use plain red plates, or the Pottery Barn Kids Christmas Plates Set:


Adorable! This weekend The Pea is hosting a cookie exchange party, and I will definitely be using this table runner. Stay tuned for more photos!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Staying Healthy this winter with Safeway (and a giveaway for you!)

Cold weather has definitely arrived in the Bay Area, and of wouldn't you know it, the whole family celebrated by catching bad colds last month. We were all pretty miserable, and it took a lot of decongestants, expectorants, steamy showers, warm liquids, tissues, and in Alfie's case, antibiotics so we're not really looking forward to repeating the experience.

Our immune systems are already pretty tired from all the battles they've been through, and combined with the cold weather and the stress of the holidays, I've stocked up on the chicken soup, Vicks Vaporub and cough syrup. But while treatment is great, prevention is even better, and I'd much rather not get a cold in the first place! That's why I was happy to receive an invitation to a Safeway Shop-Along blogger event with Heather and Whitney from Rookie Moms. We received flu vaccinations at the Safeway pharmacy, and met Dr. Risa Vatanka, Safeway pharmacist and Kerry Neville, Registered Dietitian, who shared their tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy family all winter long. Here are some of their best tips:

1) Get the flu vaccine -- the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that getting vaccinated every year is the single best way to protect against the flu. Numerous scientific studies have shown that the flu vaccine is safe, has mild side effects, and does not cause autism in children (and if you are really concerned, you can always ask for a mercury-free, or thimerosal-free, formulation for your child ). Many people say,

"Why should I get the vaccine? I never get the flu!"

I've never known what to say to that, other than

"That's like smokers living till age ninety-eight. You've been lucky, but if you ever do get the flu, you'll wish you had been vaccinated, trust me"

Thanks to Safeway pharmacist Dr. Risa, I now have a better answer:

"You may have a strong immune system -- but your children and your elderly parents don't. You can still pass the virus onto them, so getting the flu shot is still important so you don't become a carrier".




2) Stay germ-free. That seems pretty obvious, but germs are actually hardy little buggers, and spreading them --and catching them -- is easier than you think. Here's an interesting snippet if information that Safeway gave me:


According to James M. Steckelberg, M.D., Mayo Clinic Internist, [how long a virus lives] varies, depending partly on where the germ-laden droplets fall. Experiments with specific cold and flu germs have shown potential survival times ranging from a few minutes to 48 hours or more. How long such germs remain capable of infecting you in day-to-day life is harder to say.

Researchers have repeatedly found that cold and flu germs generally remain active longer on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces than on fabric and other soft surfaces. On any surface, though, flu viruses seem to live longer than cold viruses do. Other factors, such as the amount of virus deposited on a surface and the temperature and humidity of the environment, also have effects on how long cold and flu germs stay active outside the body.

If you have a cold or flu, you can avoid spreading germs by coughing and sneezing into a tissue, or into your elbows, not into your hands. And you can avoid becoming infected by washing your hands frequently, with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer. Note, your soap or sanitizer does not have to antibacterial -- as long as you wash that bacteria off your hands, it doesn't matter whether they're alive or dead! Try not to rub your eyes or bite your nails (and ask your kids to keep their hands out of their mouths and noses!). And when you use a public restrooom, don't forget to use a paper towel when you touch door handles -- or you'll undo all the good you did by washing your hands!


3) Drink plenty of liquids -- water, juice, soup, high-water content fruits and veggies -- to help clear up mucus. This is especially important if you take a decongestant, which can be dehydrating since it works by drying up mucus. Even tea and coffee count -- recent research shows that the diuretic effects of caffeine (i.e. increased urination which increases the chance of dehydration) only kick in if you consume large amounts of it — more than 500 to 600 milligrams (the equivalent of 5 to 7 cups of coffee) a day.


4) Eat healthy foods. A healthy diet leads to a strong body and a strong immune system! Go for lots of fresh fruits and veggies -- but if you can't get fresh fruits, you can rest easy knowing that canned and frozen veggies do have the same nutritional content as fresh vegetables -- just watch the sodium content, and choose low-sodium or no-salt versions.


Other ways to eat healthy are to choose whole grain pastas, minimally processed foods and mineral vitamin-fortified cereals with low sugar (10 grams or less). Having trouble figuring out which items in the supermarket are healthy choices? Just look for the green SimpleNutrition tags on Safeway supermarket shelves! Safeway puts them there to highlight items with key nutrition benefits like "Made with Whole Grains," "Sodium Smart", "Good Source of Fiber," "Low in Fat," "Good Source of Calcium", "Gluten Free," "Organic" and "Natural."



Win a $50 Safeway Gift Card
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a $50 Safeway gift card to help them stay well this cold and flu season!


Required entry:
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how Safeway can help you stay healthy during cold and flu season. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Safeway Wellness giveaway! http://bit.ly/uwIR6t

3) Leave a comment on any of my blog posts on Finding Bonggamom (leave a comment here with the link to the post that you commented on).

4) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):

Win a $50 Safeway gift card on @bonggafinds! Enter by 12/21 at http://bit.ly/uwIR6t #giveaways

5) Join my Shabby Apple giveaway (1 entry)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 21, 2011; I will draw 1 winner at random on December 22 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to Safeway's Shop-Along event with a guest: we both received free flu shots, a Safeway gift card and a bag of groceries especially pre-selected by Safeway to help stay healthy during flu season. Thanks also to Safeway for providing the gift card for the giveaway. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Celebrate the holidays with Thomas the Tank Engine at Holi-Day Out With Thomas

This weekend was crazy-busy for us: on both Saturday and Sunday, The Pea performed in The Nutcracker, the boys had soccer team tryouts, and we still had stuff to do for our kitchen renovation! But I'm so glad we were able to squeeze out a couple of hours from our busy schedule and enjoy a beautiful, sunny afternoon at The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with one of our favorite characters, Thomas the Tank Engine. We received tickets to Holi-Day Out With Thomas, and although my kids are not exactly the target age for this kind of event, we were all excited to go, because we had so much fun at this August's Day Out With Thomas, because we love the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk -- and because we couldn't pass up the chance to play a game of Laser Tag!


The Basics
Here's more information about the event:

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Roaring Camp Railroads are pleased to announce a very special holiday event - Holiday Out With Thomas! This year's Holiday Out With Thomas marks the first time everyone's favorite Number 1 engine rolls into the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

$28.00 per person (ages 2 & up) -- Ticket price includes:

• A twenty-five minute round-trip Thomas train ride departing from the Boardwalk featuring Santa and his elves, candy canes, holiday carols and a souvenir song book
• A ride on the historic Boardwalk Carousel
• Boardwalk attraction ticket good for choice of mini-golf, laser tag, or 12 arcade tokens
• "Make and take" Thomas ornament
• Photo opportunities with Sir Topham Hatt & Thomas the Tank Engine
• Other fun activities including face painting, temporary tattoos, bounce houses, and activity tables
  

The Bongga
What a fun day out for the family! Here's what I loved most about the event:


* It's every little kid's dream to ride the rails with Thomas the Tank, and once he sees this life-sized Thomas engine, the look of wonder on his face will be a sight to behold.


(Shhh, don't tell him, but the real work is actually done at the other end, by this bad boy. This Big Trees & Pacific Train is pretty cool: it makes regular runs between Roaring Camp Railroad and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and on December evenings, the Thomas Train actually turns into the Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train).


* All the cars on the train (and Thomas, too!) are decked out for the holidays, and it really gets you into the holiday spirit. Some cars have lights, some have wreaths, our have swags of greenery and ribbons. All throughout the 25-minute journey, carolers dressed in period clothing, or as elves, make the rounds throughout the cars, ringing bells and singing carols. Santa Claus also walks through the train and poses for photos, but unfortunately he didn't have time to get to our car :(



* Even the wall decorations are all dressed up for the holidays!



* My kids' favorite part of the train ride was the karaoke! The car in front of us had a guitar player singing carols, and his music was broadcasted throughout the train. Everyone was given a songbook with carols so they could sing along, and kids could walk up to the guitar player and sing on the mike.

3Po and Jammy were only too happy to sing We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and I think they did pretty well!


* There are plenty of activities for young Thomas fans, even after their train ride is over. There are several tables with train tracks and Thomas trains, so they can reenact their favorite scenes from the Island of Sodor. A few track layouts even have battery-operated trains, so they can watch Thomas and Percy chugging along, and operate the track switches to make them go different ways. They can get their faces painted, or get their hands or cheeks done with Thomas train tattoos. They can color a paper Thomas ornament, jump in a bouncy house, and pose for photos with Percy, Thomas, and Sir Topham Hatt!


* It's off-season at the Beach Boardwalk, so there are no crowds! You can actually stroll through the area without bumping into people every second, and you can walk on the beach without having to dodge frisbees and sandcastles. We were very lucky that the weather was gorgeous -- it was a warm, sunny day, so we had a wonderful time walking around.


* I loved that the ticket price includes a ride on the Loof Carousel and your choice of a game of mini-golf, laser tag or arcade tokens. It's a great way to get older siblings excited about coming to the event, so it can truly be a family outing. We really enjoyed our game of laser tag, and riding the Loof Carousel is so much fun, even for older kids, because it's quite a challenge to grab one of the small iron rings and throw them into the clown's mouth as your carousel horse spins around!



The Blah
My kids and I really enjoyed our Day Out With Thomas in August, so we had very high expectations for Holi-Day Out With Thomas -- and there were a few things that left us feeling a bit Scrooge-like:

* The train ride through the streets of Santa Cruz is not very exciting. It's very slow, and all you see are houses (albeit very nice ones in the bungalow and Victorian style -- although kids wouldn't really appreciate that, I'm sure they'd rather see holiday lights or pine trees!).

* Unless you are riding in the first or second car and can actually see Thomas, there is nothing that makes you feel like you are riding a train pulled by Thomas. Day Out With Thomas had Thomas's voice singing Thomas songs and talking to the kids from speakers, so the connection to Thomas was more apparent, even if you were riding in a car that was far away from the Thomas engine.

* Santa did not get around to our car at all! Not getting to see Santa was not a big deal for my kids, but younger children may be really disappointed if they don't get to say hi to Santa, so for the ticket price people pay, I think Santa should make it a point to visit all the train cars during the 25-minute ride. If that's not enough time, I think Sir Topham Hatt should also be making the rounds on the train cars that Santa can't get to, because obviously there can't be 2 Santas on a train, can there?!


The Bottom Line
I'm a big fan of the Day Out With Thomas event, but I'm kind of on the fence about whether Holi-Day Out With Thomas is worth the $28 price tag. It's a wonderful event, but I'd be much more eager if they lowered the cost to $20 per person. Of course, the carousel ride is worth $3 and the laser tag/mini golf/ arcade games are worth $5, which means the train ride and activities are only costing you $20.

If your child is under 5, and is a big Thomas fan, I'd say it may be worth the splurge -- especially if you plan to spend the day at Santa Cruz and do all the activities. And hey, you can't put a price tag on getting to meet Thomas and go for a ride on the rails with him!

Holi-Day Out With Thomas runs every weekend from December 3-18. I would buy my tickets early if I were you, because you get to choose the train car you ride in, and the early-bird ticket buyers get to reserve seats in the cars nearest to Thomas the Tank engine!


Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to this event. Event information was taken from the event website and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! This is always a time of year that's chock-full of giveaways, and I can't think of any better time to join a giveaway -- just in time for the holidays! There are tons of giveaways round the blogosphere, and many of them end soon enough for the winner to receive their prize before December 25. Hopefully you'll find some of those here.

As always, feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

Continue reading...

Shabby Apple holiday giveaway

December is here, and have I got a great holiday giveaway for you! One of my favorite online women's dresses sites, Shabby Apple, is giving away a Bali H'ai dress to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader! It's a simple, classic shift, made stylish with an elaborate floral neckline. As the name suggests, it's more of a summery dress, made with lightweight material, so it would be perfect for those holiday cruises or tropical wintertime getaways -- but you could easily pair it with grey tights and a grey sweater for the winter. The deep purple color is beautiful in any season!


Required Entry
"Like" Shabby Apple on Facebook, then leave a comment on this post and tell me which Shabby Apple dress you would love to receive as a holiday present (other than the Bali H'ai, of course!). This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

2) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Shabby Apple holiday giveaway! http://bit.ly/tiDLlo

5) Write this on the Shabby Apple Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a Shabby Apple Le Coeur dress on Bonggamom Finds! You can enter too at http://bit.ly/tiDLlo (ends 12/21)

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a Bali H'ai dress from @shabbyapple ! Enter by 12/21/11 http://bit.ly/tiDLlo #giveaways

6) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you've joined).


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 21, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on December 22 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!


Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Thanks to Shabby Apple for providing the giveaway prize. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Shop Sam's Club for the Holidays

How's that holiday shopping going? What? Didn't want to brave the crowds in the stores? I don't blame you! We spent all of Black Friday and the Thanksgiving weekend painting the insides of our kitchen cabinets, so we missed out on all the great deals..... or did we? Thank goodness for Cyber Monday! If you're like me and you don't feel like braving the Black Friday crowds, Cyber Monday is a godsend.

Except, of course, I missed Cyber Monday too. Oh, drat!

Are you a procrastinator like me? Never fear! Sam's Club still has incredible deals, because their Cyber Monday is actually Cyber Week -- their deals last all week! You still have 2 more days (until Friday, December 2) to take advantage of their exclusive savings. Here are some of the deals they've got going:

• Serta Mattress Set (King or Queen) & Cuisinart K-Cup Brewing System
• Diamond Heart Pendant with ½ Carat Diamond - $299
• Kobe Beef of Texas 14oz Strip Steaks (6-pack) - $132.46
• Skylanders with Exclusive Drill Sergeant Character Pack
• eZip TrailZ Electric Bike
• 14’ Round Trampoline
• Magnavox 32” LCD 720p HDTV - $248.88, including free shipping
• Canon T2i Digital SLR Bundle - $849, including free shipping
• Vizio 37” LED 1080p HDTV - $498, including free shipping
• Asus i5 Notebook - $479, including free shipping
• Dell Berry 4GB/640GB with AMD Processor and 15.6” screen in choice of Pink, Red, Blue or Black - $429, including free shipping

No doubt you've noticed the magic words, free shipping, on those last five items -- yes, it's true, Sam's Club is also offering free shipping on select items for Cyber Week. Even for those items that shipping isn't free, you still only pay an incredibly low rate -- I just bought a Mario Kart Wii game and 2 Mari Kart Wii wheels from Sam's Club, and I only had to pay $2.50 shipping! Even better, if you live near a Sam's Club, you can take advantage of their fabulous Click 'n' Pull service and pick your order up! Just submit your order online before 5 p.m., and they'll gather your items together and have them ready for you to pick up at your local Sam's Club the next day.

With great deals, free or inexpensive shipping, and Click 'n' Pull, Sam's Club makes it so easy for people to stay home and "cybernate" while shopping from home! You can go to SamsClub.com -- and with the introduction of their new Sam's Club iPad app and mobile apps for the iPhone and Android, it's easier than ever.

Last week I attended a Sam's Club blogger webinar where we were given a demo of the iPad app. You can shop for products available both in-Club and online, and checkout with a single tap to save time. You can use it to create a shopping list that syncs with the Sam's Club app on your phone, so you'll have it with you when you're in the store. You can use it to find recipes using Sam's Club food brands. You can even use it to find out which food companies are sampling items at your local Sam's Club -- yum yum! I downloaded the phone app to my Android phone, and just like the iPad app, it's really easy to use.

Visit SamsClub.com/holiday or download the Sam's Club mobile application to your iPad®, iPhone®, Android or BlackBerry. And don't forget, Sam's Club members can sign up for the Sam's Club daily “Holiday Value of the Day”—now through Dec. 24, 2011—to receive online exclusives, gifts with free shipping and instant savings.

Happy Holiday shopping!

Disclosure: I was compensated for attending the webinar and for writing this post via a Sam's Club gift card. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Dearfoams slippers review and giveaway

All I want for Christmas is..... some nice, warm feet? I usually go around the house in my bare feet, but this winter has been pretty cold, and Alfie is tired of me putting my ice-cold feet on his lap to warm them up! Luckily Dearfoams sent me a pair of their boot slippers, so not only my feet, but also my calves, stay nice and toasty-warm all evening. Check them out:



They're nice and comfy, but you won't ever need to feel the urge to run away in shame when you answer the front door while you're wearing them. I love the outrageous leopard print -- these are definitely not your old granny's slippers!

The Pea loves them too; in fact, I've had to buy her her own pair of Dearfoams slippers so she'll leave mine alone -- her new Velour Clog Booties are on their way!



To celebrate the holidays, Dearfoams is giving away tons of slippers! They're giving away a pair every single week on Facebook, as well as a great Design A Slipper contest in conjunction with the movie Happy Feet 2. You could win Dearfoams slippers prize packs every week, or the grand prize of $1,000! Here's the scoop on these two promos:

Win a pair of Dearfoams weekly on Facebook
Each Monday Dearfoams features a Dearfoams style of the week, along with a chance to win a pair of slippers. To enter, “like” the Dearfoams Facebook page, click on the giveaway tab, and follow the simple directions to enter.

Win $1,000 from Dearfoams
Dearfoams and Happy Feet Two have created a fun contest for a chance to win a $1000 gift card or a Dearfoams and Happy Feet Two Prize Package. Show Dearfoams your happy feet and you could win! To enter, go to the Dearfoams Facebook page by December 2, click on the Design a Slipper contest tab, and start designing your slipper. Six weekly winners (one per week over the course of six weeks) will each receive a pair of Dearfoams slippers, one Dearfoams robe, one Happy Feet Two Soundtrack, and one Happy Feet DVD. One grand prize winner will receive $1,000!

Want more chances to win some nice, comfy slippers? Join my giveaway below.....

Win a pair of Dearfoams slippers on Bonggamom Finds
Two lucky Bonggamom Finds readers will each receive a pair of Dearfoams slippers! The winners can choose from any of these four designs:




Tall pile boot, in black or leopard print




Fuzzy pile scuff, in cheetah or black


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which style of Dearfoams slippers is your favorite. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Dearfoams giveaway! http://bit.ly/w40SUZ

4) Write this on the Dearfoams Facebook page (1 entry).
Bonggamom is giving away two pairs of Dearfoams slippers on her blog! Enter by 12/15 at http://bit.ly/w40SUZ

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

7) Tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a pair of @dearfoams slippers (2 winners) on @bonggafinds http://bit.ly/w40SUZ #giveaways


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 15 2011; I will draw a winner at random on December16 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a pair of Dearfoams slippers to facilitate a future review. I purchased an additional pair for my daughter. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Introducing Holi-Day Out WithThomas

What true blue Thomas the Tank fan hasn't dreamed of riding the rails on the Island of Sodor? Now little engineers will get their chance, because Thomas is chugging into a train station near you! This December, families can ride on a rail car pulled by a real (okay, a 15-ton replica) Thomas the Tank Engine at the Holi-Day Out With Thomas event.

This August, we had the pleasure of attending Roaring Camp Railroad's Day Out With Thomas, and we had a blast -- so we know this event is going to be a real treat. Families from all over the Bay Area look forward to Day Out With Thomas every summer, and Holi-Day Out With Thomas is going to be even more special! This time, instead of going up Bear Mountain, Thomas will be traveling through Santa Cruz, starting and ending at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. They've got all kind of fun holiday activities planned, and with their Holi-Day Out With Thomas ticket, families even get to experience some of the most popular Boardwalk attractions -- namely, the Looff Carousel and the Boardwalk Arcade!

Here's more information about the event:

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Roaring Camp Railroads are pleased to announce a very special holiday event - Holiday Out With Thomas! This year's Holiday Out With Thomas marks the first time everyone's favorite Number 1 engine rolls into the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

$28.00 per person (ages 2 & up) -- Ticket price includes:

• A twenty-five minute round-trip Thomas train ride departing from the Boardwalk featuring Santa and his elves, candy canes, holiday carols and a souvenir song book
• A ride on the historic Boardwalk Carousel
• Boardwalk attraction ticket good for choice of mini-golf, laser tag, or 12 arcade tokens
• "Make and take" Thomas ornament
• Photo opportunities with Sir Topham Hatt & Thomas the Tank Engine
• Other fun activities including face painting, temporary tattoos, bounce houses, and activity tables

Holi-Day Out With Thomas runs every weekend from December 3-18. I would buy my tickets early if I were you, because you get to choose the train car you ride in, and the early-bird ticket buyers get to reserve seats in the cars nearest to Thomas the Tank engine!

Disclosure: I am receiving complimentary tickets to this event to facilitate a future review. Event information was taken from the event website and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

CoverYourHair.com for winter! (review and giveaway)

Although the long-held belief that body heat escapes faster through the head has been proven to be untrue, wearing a hat does keep you more comfortable in cold weather because the head, face and upper chest are more sensitive to sensations of cold. So I still tell my kids to wear hats when they walk to school, because it's cold and chilly, and they never wear much winter clothing to begin with. Besides, hats are such a great fashion statement!

Check out The Pea's latest winter accessory: a stylish knit cap from CoverYourHair.com. They invited us to check out their line of winter hats, and sent us this Cable Winter Pull-On Chaponne with Visor. The Pea chose to order it in lime green, because green is one of her favorite colors, and she happens to own a lime green pea coat in almost exactly the same shade.



I love the cable knit style, and the jaunty little buttons on either side of the visor that give it a nice accent. I'm kind of regretting giving her the hat, because it's a hat that actually fits me (I have a ginormous head and rarely fit into ladies' size hats) and my ski jacket also happens to have lime green accents. I guess I'll have to go back to CoverYourHair.com and get one of my own!


About CoverYourHair.com:
CoverYourHair.com sells all kinds of Head Accessories including crochet snoods, turbans, pony holders, studded clips, hair clips, bows, bridal hair accessories, wedding hair accessories and more. They come in all colors, designs and patterns! It's such a bright, cheerful website, and I love the variety and selection of products. They also have some great sales and specials.


Get 20% at CoverYourHair.com
Use promo code blog1231 to get 20% off your purchase at CoverYourHair.com! Promo code expires 12/31/11


Win a CoverYourHair.com Prize Pack
Just in time for winter, one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a $25 box of surprise Hair Accessories from CoverYourHair.com.



Required Entry
Visit http://www.CoverYourHair.com, then leave a comment on this post and tell me which of their Headbands or other Head Coverings you would love to have.


Extra Entries
1) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook fan page (1 entry):
I joined the CoverYourHair giveaway on Bonggamom Finds! http://bit.ly/sd9rp4

2) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

3) Subscribe to CoverYourHair on StumbleUpon (1 entry).

4) Subscribe to CoverYourHair on YouTube (1 entry).

5) Follow the Cover Your Hair blog on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

6) Write this on the CoverYourHair Facebook Fan page (1 entry):
I entered your giveaway for a $25 surprise box of hair accessories on Bonggamom Finds! http://bit.ly/sd9rp4

7) Follow CoverYourHair on twitter AND tweet this up to once a day (1 extra entry per day -- leave a comment each time with a link to your tweet):

RT @bonggafinds Win a $25 box of hair accessories from @coveryourhair! http://bit.ly/sd9rp4#giveaway pls RT


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on December 20, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on December 21 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US addresses only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Watch The Muppets in Theatres

I grew up on The Muppet Show, but I never really enjoyed any of the Muppet movies that came out in the 80's and 90's. So when I heard last year that they were doing yet another Muppet movie, I was skeptical. Is it going to be really corny? Will they be able to capture the spirit of Kermit and Miss Piggy now that Jim Henson and Frank Oz are no longer doing the voices? Will Miss Piggy be donning another 80's afro hairstyle?

I'm happy to say that my fears were unfounded. The new Muppet Movie is the best of them all (with the possible exception of the original Muppet Movie)!

Here's a brief synopsis:
When Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater, they help Kermit reunite the Muppets to stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater.

The movie does a great job taking old fans down memory lane, and it's great fun seeing what the Muppets are up to (Miss Piggy is the Paris Vogue editor, Gonzo is a toilet seat magnate, Animal is in anger therapy). The move does get corny at times, but it's deliberately corny; other times it is truly touching, and I had a hard time holding back a tear or two (while The Pea was sobbing unashamedly beside me).

As with all the Muppet Shows and Muppet Movies, there are tons of fun celebrity cameos; my favorites were Zach Galifianakis as Hobo Joe, Ken Jeong as the "Punch Teacher" Host, Jack Black as himself, Emily Blunt as Miss Piggy's receptionist and Mickey Rooney as a Smalltown USA resident.

The fun starts even before the movie does, with the hilarious Toy Story short, Small Fry (where Buzz Lightyear is kidnapped by a small fast food toy version of Buzz Lightyear), and continues after the movie ends; as the credits roll, moviegoers are treated to more celebrity cameos, set to everyone's favorite muppet song, Mahna Mahna!

Disclosure: I was invited to an advanced screening of The Muppets so I could write this review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Family Game Night Giveaway

When I was a kid, I was an avid follower of tv game shows like The Price Is Right, Family Feud and American Gladiators. My kids have no idea what those shows are, but they have their own favorite tv game show, namely Family Game Night. It's a show where families compete in life-sized versions of popular board games like Yahtzee, Bop It or Connect 4. They win fabulous prizes like trips to Disneyland, stereo systems, popcorn makers and more. It's my kids' dream to go on the show to compete and win!

To tell you the truth, I have no idea how to go about applying for the show, much less how to be good enough to actually get picked for the actual show and win prizes, but fortunately we're going to be able to enjoy all the fun of Family Game Night (minus the fabulous prizes) with EA Games' videogame version of the tv game show. They're sending us a copy of their latest version, Family Game Night 4 The Game Show, for the PS3 Move, and we can't wait to try it out!

About the game
Now you’re part of the action! In FAMILY GAME NIGHT 4 The Game Show, you can experience all the fun and excitement of the popular Hub Network TV show right in your own living room! This time you’re playing with larger-than-life pieces in re-imagined versions of your favorite Hasbro games. CONNECT 4 Basketball is more challenging than ever as you shoot hoops to score and YAHTZEE! Bowling puts a whole new spin on the popular dice game. You’ll also find fun new versions of SCRABBLE Flash, SORRY! Sliders, and BOP-IT Boptagon, and win MONOPOLY Crazy Cash, just like the game show! Use the motion-sensing technology of Kinect for Xbox 360 or PlayStation Move to turn your living room into a game board and compete to prove your family is the best!


If you're the kind who likes to try before you buy, you're in luck: EA Games has teamed up with Best Buy to bring a fun event to a store near you! Family Game Day will be held in Best Buy stores across the country. For example, the Best Buy at Santana Row in San Jose is hosting a Family Game Day. There will be a Wii, XBOX Kinect, and Playstation Move set up for people to test out each version of the game. Families will compete against one another in EA Games versions of classic Hasbro games, such as Sorry, Yahtzee, Life, and Scrabble, utilizing a variety of platforms, including console games, DLC games, Pogo, and mobile. The families will compete for prizes, with the possible grand prize being a gaming system. There will even be a balloon sculptor and hot dogs for the whole family!



About the San Jose event
Hello San Jose Families! To celebrate the launch of the new video game Family Game Night 4: The Game Show, EA and Best Buy are teaming up to present FAMILY GAME DAY! Bring the whole family to the Santana Row Best Buy at 3090 Stevens Creek Boulevard Sunday December 4th from Noon to 4pm, and play video game versions of your favorite HASBRO games like Connect 4 basketball and Scrabble Flash. Enter to win a fun-filled, family vacation or a new iPad 2 loaded with your favorite FAMILY GAME NIGHT games! For more information go to FACEBOOK.COM/EA PLAY. FAMILY GAME DAY, Sunday December 4th, Noon to 4pm at the Santana Row Best Buy.

If you don't live near San Jose, never fear: EA and Best Buy are hosting Family Game Days all around the country. Check EA's Facebook page to see all locations hosting the event.



Win a Family Game Night Gift Pack
To celebrate Family Game Day and the release of Family Game Night 4, EA Games is offering a fantastic gift pack to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader! The gift pack includes:

* A copy of Family Game Night 4 for Wii, XBox or Playstation Move
* A Hasbro board game
* A deck of playing cards
* A t-shirt
* Silly putty

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what kinds of games you and your family like to play together.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

2) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Family Game Night giveaway! http://bit.ly/uOe7tg


4) Write this on the EA Play Facebook wall (1 entry):

I entered to win a Family Game Night 4 gift pack on Bonggamom Finds: http://bit.ly/uOe7tg

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):

RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a gift pack fr @ea games featuring Family Game Night 4, Hasbro games and more! http://bit.ly/uOe7tg #FGN4

6) Tweet this, up to once per day, until December 3 (1 entry per day, max 4 entries):

RT @bonggafinds It's Family Game Day @ Best Buy on 12/4! Try the new #FGN4 game fr @ea, enjoy games & prizes! Locations: http://ow.ly/7I7zq



The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 10, 2011; I will draw 1 winner at random on December 11 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!


Want another chance to win? I'm giving away a second Family Game Night gift pack over on Finding Bonggamom (ends Dec. 17)!

Update: Here's another giveaway for a Family Game Night prize pack! Enter on Silicon Valley Mamas by midnight Dec. 7!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate a future product review, but have not been paid for this post or giveaway. Product and event information is provided by EA Games and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Share the True Spirit of Christmas with the World Vision Gift Catalog (and a giveaway for you!)

"Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”

I have always loved this quote. Contributing to self-sufficiency programs is such a wonderful way of giving because it sets the beneficiaries up for the long term, empowers them to help themselves, and preserves their dignity. But I think there's one part missing: the man's going to need a net, otherwise he's going to come home empty handed. The world is full of bright, hardworking people who just can't get a leg up because they don't have the infrastructure or can't afford a small capital investment to get started.

Making donations in someone else's name as a holiday present is nothing new, but the World Vision Gift Catalog puts a personalized twist to it. You not making a cash donation, you're buying actual items like donkeys or fish. Who would want a stinky old animal? A poor family in Rwanda would -- that's where your gift goes, and that's where the real Christmas spirit lies. Your gift recipient gets a happy, warm feeling, and the physical gift actually benefits people around the world who truly need a holiday gift.

There is such a wide variety of gifts and causes in this catalog to suit anyone's tastes. You can choose a cause that's especially close to your gift recipient's heart. For example, I would really be touched if someone donated a couple of ducks in my name as a present, because they benefit families in the Philippines, where I'm from. Or you can tailor the gift to your recipient's tastes and personality. For example, as a present to someone who loves soccer, you could give soccer balls to poor children in Africa in their name.

Another option is to donate to their Maximum Impact Fund, which enables World Vision to answer specific, urgent needs of children and families that might otherwise go unmet. Donate in honor of a friend or loved one and they will receive a card explaining the impact of the donation -- as well as a meaningful present to enjoy! Depending on the level of your donation, you can choose from dozens of items, from handcrafted jewelry and accessories to toys, cds and books.

World Vision sent me the Artisan Multi-Colored Necklace, which is available with a $100 donation to the Maximum Impact Fund, and it is as pretty as pretty can be. It's a strand of semiprecious stones and glass beads that you can wear as a necklace, a bracelet or a belt -- just wrap it around whatever part of your body you want to accessorize, then tie the ends together in a loose knot.



What a great win-win situation: you can give a meaningful and affordable gift for a loved one, and you can help make a difference in the lives of children and families living in poverty in the U.S. and around the world!


Win an Artisan Necklace from World Vision
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive the Artisan Multi-Colored Necklace from the World Vision Gift Catalog!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you and your family like to spread the true spirit of the holidays, or how you teach your children about the true meaning of the holidays.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

2) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the World Vision Catalog giveaway! http://bit.ly/rOU3OU

4) Write this on the True Spirit of Christmas Facebook wall (1 entry):

Help spread The True Spirit of Christmas, and you could win a beautiful artisan necklace from the World Vision Gift Catalog! Enter by 12/15 on Bonggamom Finds: http://bit.ly/rOU3OU

5) Write this on the World Vision Facebook wall (1 entry):

Help spread The True Spirit of Christmas, and you could win a beautiful artisan necklace from the World Vision Gift Catalog! Enter by 12/15 on Bonggamom Finds: http://bit.ly/rOU3OU

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):

RT @bonggafinds Help spread The True Spirit of Christmas & u could win a beautiful artisan necklace fr @WorldVisionUSA http://bit.ly/rOU3OU




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 15, 2011; I will draw 1 winner at random on December 16 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a sample necklace as a thank-you for posting this information and running the giveaway. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Leapfrog Peek A Shoe Octopus review and giveaway

If you're looking for a holiday present for a child, you can't go wrong with a ball. Kids of any age love balls -- they love throwing them, catching them, rolling them, dropping them, hiding them, doing just about anything with them! A ball is one of the first toys babies learn to play with, and there are so many ways parents can use these wonderful round objects to teach their children colors or number, not to mention more basic skills like motor skills or cause-and-effect.

When my kids were babies, one of their favorite toys was a ball drop where they could drop a ball in a hole and look to see where the ball came out. They had hours of fun with it -- which is why, when Leapfrog asked me to review their Peek-a-Shoe Talking Octopus, I just couldn't resist, even though my kids are no longer babies. I knew parents everywhere would love to hear about this cute little toy (and I just know my 2-year old niece and her new baby sister would enjoy it for the holidays!).

The Peek-A-Shoe Octopus is a brightly-colored, hollow octopus. Babies and toddlers drop colored plastic balls into the octopus' head (or into one of his tentacles), and wait for it to drop into one of the octopus' other five tentacles (the seventh tentacle is for holding the balls, and the eighth is just a plastic appendage at the back of the octopus). The octopus has colored shoes and numbered on these tentacles, and kids have to life the shoe to see whether the ball has rolled into that tentacle or not. The octopus helps them along with audio cues ("Not under the orange shoe!") and cheers them on when they lift the correct shoe ("You found it under the number 3 shoe! Way to go!"). It's such an adorable toy -- and a great way to get the little ones familiar with colors and numbers!

Win a Leapfrog Peek-A-Shoe Talking Octopus
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Peek-a-Shoe Octopus from LeapFrog -- just in time for the holidays!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which LeapFrog toy your child would most like to receive for the holidays. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Leapfrog Peek-a-Shoe Octopus giveaway! http://bit.ly/u6MfMY

3) Leave a comment on my Peek-a-Shoe video on YouTube (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggamom Win a @LeapFrog Peek-a-Shoe Octopus on @bonggafinds! Enter by 12/15 at http://bit.ly/u6MfMY #giveaways

6) Enter my Leapfrog My Own Story Time Pad giveaway (1 entry)



The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 15, 2011; I will draw 1 winner at random on December 11 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Welcome to the Black Friday edition of Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm posting extra-early because I know many of you are up and about and shopping already :) Hopefully you'll spread some of that holiday cheer around the blogosphere by sharing all your great giveaways!

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

Continue reading...

Giveaway- Stay healthy during the holidays with Wet Ones

Cold weather has definitely arrived in the Bay Area, and of wouldn't you know it, the whole family celebrated by catching bad colds last month. We were all pretty miserable, so we're not really looking forward to repeating the experience. Our immune systems are already pretty tired from all the battles they've been through, and combined with the cold weather and the stress of the holidays, we have to be extra vigilant in staying healthy!

That's why eating right, staying warm, staying hydrated, and staying clean are all high priority items for everyone in our family. Fortunately, Wet Ones® sent us a Winter Survival kit filled with wipes for the car, my purse and our home, so we've got a huge ally in our fight against any future colds and flu. As the kids discovered when we did Bill Nye the Science Guy's Wet Ones® Healthy Hands Zone experiments last December, it's all too easy for bacteria to grow and multiply, so they know how important it is for them to wash their hands (or wipe them with antibacterial wipes when they can't get to soap and water). They love the smell of Wet Ones (and the clean feeling their hands get afterwards), so it's not difficult for me to get them to wash or wipe their hands.


To help families stay healthy this season, Wet Ones® has brought Mom Expert Stacy DeBroff and Germ Expert Dr. Tanner together to come up with The Twice as Handy Guide:

Who doesn’t love the holidays? From the parties and presents to the delicious food and the time we get to spend with those we love, there’s a reason it’s called the most wonderful time of the year. But the holidays also bring crowded indoor parties, stressful travel on packed airplanes and increased time spent shopping at germ-infested malls and stores—do you know how many hands have touched those escalator handrails!? On top of all these elements, as the weather becomes colder cold and flu bugs become most active, and in between all the hustle and bustle it’s important to protect yourself and your family so you can spend more time celebrating and less time sick at home.

(Click to see the full-sized image)

Happy holidays, and stay healthy!



Win a Winter Survival Kit from Wet Ones
Just in time for the cold weather, one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a Wet Ones Survival Kit consisting of:

* One Wet Ones® Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 40 count canister
* One Wet Ones® Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 24 count singles pack
* One Wet Ones® Hand Wipes Fresh Scent 15 count travel pack



Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for staying healthy during the cold and flu season. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Wet Ones Winter Survival giveaway! http://bit.ly/t0SJ6D

4) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day): @bonggafinds is giving away a Wet Ones Hand Wipes gift pack! Enter by 12/17 at http://bit.ly/t0SJ6D

5) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)



The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on December 17, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on December 18 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: Energizer Personal Care is providing the prize for this promotion at no cost to me. They also sent me a Winter Survival Kit similar to the one being given away; no other form of compensation was received. This promotion is not being administered or sponsored in any way by Energizer Personal Care or its affiliates, but solely by Bonggamom Finds. Any questions or comments regarding this promotion must be sent to me at Bonggamom Finds and not to Energizer Personal Care. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...

What to expect when you get a spa treatment (courtesy of the Spa at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley)

The holidays are a busy, stressful time of the year, and Silicon Valley is a busy, frenetic kind of place. Who would have thought there would be a place right in the heart of it that you can escape to and get away from it all? The Four Seasons Hotel at Silicon Valley is located right off the busy, noisy 101 freeway. Right across the highway there's a huge strip mall with retailers like IKEA, Best Buy and the Home Depot. All around the place, people and buses and bikes and cars are hustling and bustling -- but from inside the hotel, you would never know. And once you step inside their Spa, you literally enter an oasis of calm and peace.

Last week the Spa at Four Seasons Silicon Valley invited me to try one of their spa treatments and experience their luxurious service. I'm not a regular spa-goer (although I probably would be if I could afford it!), but I love indulging in a pampering session as a special treat. I've been running myself ragged lately, so in keeping with my newly adopted mantra of Taking Care of Me, I gladly accepted -- and I'm sharing every step of my experience on this post. I know that many of you already know the drill (and some of you may even have a treatment every second Tuesday), but some of you may never have been to a spa and are wondering what the heck goes on in there! You might be hesitant to ask around (for fear of people saying, What? you've never been to a spa??), so this post will give you a general idea.


1) We started with a delicious lunch at the hotel restaurant, Quattro. I'll blog about their superb food in a future post, but for now I'll just say that it was everything a pre-spa lunch should be: nourishing, hydrating, but on the light side. The spa can actually put together a package for you that includes lunch, but if you don't avail of that service, just try to eat light before your treatment.

2) After lunch, we left the restaurant and headed to the spa. Once inside the women's locker room, I was given a spa robe, a pair of slippers, and a locker to put my things in. You are supposed to disrobe for spa body treatments, but if you are extremely uncomfortable about being totally naked, they will give you some disposable underpants to put on. In any case, you're wearing a thick spa robe, so you're not walking around in your birthday suit.

3) Before my treatment, I spent about 10 minutes in the steam room -- this isn't the case for every type of spa treatment, but the spa director suggested it for mine. The steam room is entirely optional, and spa guests can use it before or after their treatments if they wish. If you do use the steam room, just remember to stay well-hydrated (the Spa has a dispenser of iced water right outside the steam room) and watch the clock, because you shouldn't stay inside a steam room for longer than 12-15 minutes. If only there were some sort of clock inside the steam room! I had to keep poking my head outside the door to peek at the clock (maybe they did that on purpose, so people wouldn't stay inside for too long?).

4) Once I got out of the steam room, a spa attendant came to fetch me, and led me to a private spa room where I'd be receiving the treatment. I didn't take my phone into the room (yes, that's how relaxed and unplugged I was!), so I couldn't take a photo of the room, but here's a photo from their website:


Soft instrumental music was playing in the room, and my spa attendant dimmed the lights down even further, so everything was soothing, relaxing and utterly calming. And the treatment hadn't even started!

5) The attendant left the room so I could disrobe and slip underneath the sheets; she returned after about 5 minutes, and started the treatment that I had selected, a Body Sculpting Cellulite and Colon Therapy treatment. Here's a description:

Redefine and smooth your silhouette. A detoxifying fennel and birch peel-off body mask works in combination with specialist massage techniques to deeply cleanse the body’s systems, firm and smooth skin, stimulate circulation and reduce fluid retention. Cleansing of the colon through abdominal massage helps to detoxify the body from the inside out.

Pretty radical, huh? It sounded like quite a technical treatment, not something a first-timer or infrequent spa-goer would try. And abdominal massage? Colon Therapy? Gulp. I've always been a bit nervous about massages, because every time I get a hand or foot massage during a manicure or pedicure, they hurt. I didn't relish the thought of pain coursing through my body, but I decided to be a bit adventurous and put my trust in the Four Seasons.

I'm so glad I did! There was no unspeakable torture, just a wonderfully relaxing experience. The first thing the attendant did was lightly brush my body down with a cactus-bristle brush, in order to exfoliate the skin. Then she lightly massaged my legs, arms and abdomen. It didn't hurt at all; it felt absolutely wonderful! I think it was the first massage I've ever truly enjoyed.

Next up was the body wrap. The attendant slathered a body mask of fennel and birch all over my legs. The body mask was very cool and wet; the attendant warned me that some people find the smell a bit strong, but I had no problem with it.

Once I was covered in goo, she wrapped my legs up in plastic, then moved on to the Colon Therapy. She asked me to inhale slowly, then exhale, and as I exhaled she moved her hands over my abdomen in an upward, sideways, then downward motion, following the path of my intestine. When she first did it, I tensed my ab muscles because she was applying a bit of pressure, but once I got familiar with what she was doing, I relaxed, and it didn't hurt.

Next, she moved on to a head massage. I thought the pressure was a bit too much when she started massaging my temples, but before I could work up the energy to ask her to ease up, she moved on to massaging the nape of my neck, and I immediately dissolved into a contented heap. I drifted in and out of sleep throughout the entire 1-hour treatment, and before I knew it, the attendant was scrubbing the goo off my legs, and it was over.


6) After my treatment, I spent a few minutes relaxing in the spa lounge, sipping a cup of tea. It was a cold, rainy day, otherwise I probably would have spent some time at the pool, which is right outside the spa area. The Four Seasons Silicon Valley pool is amazing (I was there for an event a couple of years ago), and if you go to their spa, you should make sure you leave some time at the end of your treatment to relax.

7) Time to re-enter the real world -- but not without indulging in what I'm going to call their Rainforest Shower. The spa showers have showerheads directly above you and on two sides of the shower stall, as well as a handheld showerhead, so you are literally sprayed with water from all sides. I could have stayed in that shower all day! Here's a photo of it (the spa locker is not far from the showers so I quickly grabbed my phone and snapped this photo):


I left the Spa relaxed, but rejuvenated at the same time. It felt absolutely wonderful to have someone taking care of me for a change, and it's the perfect way to stay sane during the holidays! I highly recommend the Spa at Four Seasons Silicon Valley, and if the spas at the other Four Seasons locations are anything like this one, you should check them out!



If you live near the Four Seasons Silicon Valley, here are some great spa specials you can take advantage of (check your local Four Seasons property for spa rates, treatments and specials):

Happy Hour
Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, the Spa celebrates its happy hour with 15% off any Spa service – just mention happy hour pricing when you book your treatment.

Spa Escape with American Express
Spa Escape ... exclusively when you book and pay with any American Express® Card
Reserve and pay for a 75-minute massage or facial, Monday thru Friday, with any American Express® Card -- and you'll get it for the price of 60 minutes when you mention the Spa Escape promotion at time of reservation (ends 3/15/2012).

Holiday Open House
How's this for a discount -- a free mini spa facial! The Spa is hosting a Holiday Open House on Thursday, December 1, 2011, from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. They'll have nibbles to nosh and spa holiday gifts and stocking stuffers to browse and buy. RSVP and reserve your free mini spa facial session at 1 (650) 470-2865.

Disclosure: The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley treated me to a complimentary lunch and spa treatment . The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Continue reading...