Kristabella: Full of Snark Since 1977

Posted By Kristabella on August 7, 2012

I went to BlogHer. Well, that isn’t really true. I went to New York City the same weekend that a giant blogging conference was being held. My friends were going to be there and the conference organizers score an awesome hotel rate for NYC in the summer.

I had no intentions of going to any part of the conference. I bought a Party/Expo Only pass for this reason. And when Slynnro didn’t buy a party pass at all, and we made dinner reservations for every night, I knew my appearance at the actual conference hotel would be limited.

And that is why I had a really great time!

We (me, Slynnro, Regan and Rhi) spent the mornings and afternoons enjoying the City, eating brunch in SoHo, shopping on 5th Avenue, riding the subway. Before dinner, we’d head back to the hotel, Slynnro and I would nap and then we’d all reconvene in the lobby for dinner. It was a perfect vacation.

The only things I did that was related to the conference was watching the opening address, from none other than the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! Yes, Barack Obama spoke to 5,000 women. Even he laughed when a giant ballroom of women screamed and hollered excitedly for him. (Yay for election years!)

The other thing I did was go to the Expo Hall. It was OK. It was bigger than it had been, and was super spread out. There weren’t as many cool freebies, or drawings for prizes. I entered a few, but my BlogHer winning streak has come to an end. Which only pisses me off because of the hoops I went through to enter for an iPad!

But the Hot Wheels suite had a photo booth.

And that was it. Thursday night we had late dinner plans and didn’t even make it to the hotel for any parties. Friday night after dinner we went to the Sparklecorn party. It was loud and dark and there was a shit ton of people. I’m just too old (and was too sober) for that atmosphere. So we left and went back to the hotel to watch the Olympics. It was awesome. We learned so much (not really) about track cycling. Does anyone understand this sport???

On Saturday we went to the CheeseburgHer party. It also had a photo booth.

This will now be known as the weekend where I was confused by photo booths and cameras, apparently.

After the party, we went down to the lobby. My friend Erin (The EOB) lives in NYC and she was nice enough to come meet us at the hotel for a drink. Everyone else went to sleep, because they are smart, and we ended up closing down the bar. Then Heather came along and told us we were going to karaoke.

Several hours (and MANY drinks) later, I strolled into my hotel room at 5 AM. And passed out for about 3 hours until my lovely roommate reminded me I had to get up and catch a flight. (Thanks, S!)

I rode to the airport with her and her and then passed out on the flight home, got to Chicago, grabbed a burrito and then slept for 14 hours. A perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

For me, this was the only way to do BlogHer. Long gone are the days of small gatherings and walking into a room and running into at least 12 people that you know. It has gotten too big for me. I’m excited for the BlogHer founders. This is an amazing conference that Presidents and Martha Stewart and Katie Couric speak at. But it isn’t for me.

I would rather spend a weekend with my friends – laughing, eating, shopping and discovering amazing places like Uniqlo.

Category: All Things Blogging, BlawgHer, Gotta Have Friends, Travel | 9 Comments »
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Posted By Kristabella on August 1, 2012

So I, along with a million other people (OK, maybe not that many, but it will feel that way), am heading to BlogHer in New York City this weekend. This will be my fourth BlogHer conference. So in true to form, I’m basically skipping the conference altogether and just going to eat my way through the city.

I do have some business cards. And on the off chance I give any of those out, they will direct you to this “blog”, which is pretty dormant, save for some sponsored posts. So I figured I should write something here in case the first thing you see after meeting me is a photo of me naked in the shower and covered in shampoo.

So here are some things about me:

• My name is Kristin. Kristabella was a name my dad called me. It seemed cool when I was starting a blog. I wanted to have a “name” like Amalah. (True story.)
• I’m really tall. Well, not really, but I hang out with her and her and her a lot, and they are not tall.
• Seeing as it is BlogHer, I will mention 1,000 times the best BlogHer story ever, when I stole a bowl of Cheetos from a Maggie Mason party I wasn’t even invited to.
• Mayhaps I shall try to top that this year. I can usually be talked into just about anything after I’ve had a few libations. And when she’s around.
• I love Twitter.
• Facebook, not as much.
• I really like red wine. So much so that it turns my entire mouth a lovely shade I refer to as Cat Shit Brown. Do not be alarmed.
• I will probably talk about public transportation a lot.
• I will probably just talk a lot. Period.
• And laugh at my own jokes. I’m the funniest person I know.
• I started doing Paleo/Primal Diet last week. I aim for about 70% of the time, so I can enjoy booze and times like this. The only problem is that it makes me super tired because I cut out all the sugar. Whatever you do, no matter how desperate, do not feed me any sugar. There is a $200 fine.
• I went to Arizona State. I have a Sun Devil tattooed on my right ankle.
• I do not enjoy fruit in anything except for banana bread, apple pie and his orange poppyseed cake. Fruit is a self-contained snack. NOT TO BE MIXED WITH THINGS.
• I’m currently watching The West Wing. I’m almost through season two. Please don’t ruin anything for me.
• On that note, I’ve decided my ideal man is Josh Lyman.
• So of course I follow the fake one on Twitter.

This is what I look like. Sober. I’m the one without the big poof on her head.

If you see me in NYC, please come say hello to me. Even just to buy me a drink. Or let me buy you one.

Category: All Things Blogging | 7 Comments »
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Posted By Kristabella on July 30, 2012

I hate showering. I know I shouldn’t because it is gross not to shower and just the thought of living in the times when there was no daily showering skeeves me out. But there are so many better things I can do with my time (sleep!) than shower in the mornings or nights.

And then the summer of 2012 hit. And it was my first HOT, HUMID summer commuting to work via public transportation. That means I’m walking quite a bit in the HOT and HUMID and then once I’m done walking, I get on buses and trains that are HOT and HUMID. By the time I get home every night, I’m dripping with sweat and am just a hot, hot mess.

Now, as of this summer, I love showers. I stand on the trains and buses home, sweating, DREAMING about the ice cold shower I’m going to take the minute I walk in the door. I dream of relaxing, rinsing off the day, enjoying the shower because I know then I will be clean! And refreshed! And not sweaty! And ready to take on the evening! Full of watching The West Wing on DVD!

The beauty of these showers is that I can enjoy them and really take some time to myself to get some energy back into my deflated, melted, humidity-ridden body. And it helps that I get to use the New Dove® VisibleCare Toning Crème Body Wash to help me rejuvenate my skin.

This new body wash combines the combines the best of Dove® technology into a luxurious experience for beauty seekers. With the highest concentration of NutriumMoisture technology across the Dove® portfolio, Dove VisibleCare Toning actually improves the look of skin. The body washes are available in three varieties – this one for toning, Dove® VisibleCare™ Renewing Crème Body Wash and Dove® VisibleCare™ Softening Crème Body Wash.

The best part of this body wash? Well for me, anyway? The design of the bottle! I really hate body wash bottles that open at the top and then when I’m trying to get every penny’s worth out of the bottle, I spend my precious morning shower time trying to get the soap out of the bottle. Gravity is an amazing thing! Just ask Newton! Thanks for realizing this Dove!

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Category: All Things Blogging, Contests, Reviews, Sponsored | 1 Comment »
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Posted By Kristabella on June 27, 2012

Tuesday morning was the very first time in my entire 34 1/2 years on this planet that I got up early to go work out. I’d like to say I’m surprised it took this long, but really, I never thought it would happen ever in my life. I love sleep. So, so much.

Recently I wrote about how I haven’t been working out or running at all and that I needed to get back in the habit. My biggest excuse these days is that it is hot and I’m tired. And honestly, walking home from the bus after an hour-long sweaty commute does not make me want to, by choice, go sweat more. It makes me want to drink cold beverages and eat ice cream.

I decided last week that I would give working out in the AM a try. And by that, I mean that last Thursday I told myself I would attempt it come this Monday. I gave myself plenty of buffer days to get used to this horrible idea of forgoing sleep.

I asked her about her routine, since she a) lives in a way hotter climate and b) runs way farther than I do. My main concern was thinking I needed to eat and drink a lot before going out, which would mean getting up even EARLIER. And let’s face facts here people, that is even less likely. Also, I’m not hungry in the mornings.

She said she was fine as long as it wasn’t a long run. Since I don’t do long runs, I figured I could skip eating unless I was starving. I told myself I’d get up and have some water before leaving, just to help hydrate. And I would plan to bring my water bottle with me so I didn’t pass out.

My second issue is actually physically getting up out of bed. My brain, hoo boy, it’s a smart one. If the alarm goes off at an odd time, it knows. It knows that technically, we could sleep another hour or so. So brain controls the hand to hit the snooze button and there you go. This is what happened Monday morning.

I decided I needed some sort of alarm that would force me to get out of bed to shut it off. Once I’m out of bed, I mean, come on, even I can’t make an excuse to go back to bed. I mean, I can, but it is a lot harder.

The problem is that I like to have my phone next to me at night. It’s a safety blanket of sorts. I know someone could reach me in an emergency and also I would have my phone close in a burglar type of emergency. So the idea of setting the alarm on my phone in another room didn’t sound so good.

I compromised with my brain. I plugged it in on the other side of the bedroom, far enough away from the reach of my giant monkey arms so that I would have to get up to turn it off. And I turned it on the most obnoxious ring tone.

On Monday night I also set out my water bottle, my keys, my clothes and my shoes. NO EXCUSES. It was going to happen. Even if it killed me or I ended up sleeping at my desk later in the afternoon.

Tuesday morning rolled around and alarm one went off. I hit snooze. But then 10 minutes later (I did that in an attempt to wake brain up and fool him) the phone alarm went off. It was faint at first, trying to be heard over the AC and my nightstand fan. But finally it was loud and annoying and enough to get me out of bed.

SUCCESS! It worked! I was up! I brushed my teeth, put in my contacts and got dressed to run! I even left the house and actually went for a run in the park! WHO KNEW?

I get it now, all you morning exercisers. I totally get it. It was so awesome to come home at 7 AM and be done with my workout for the whole day! And be awake and ready to face the day! It was empowering! It made me feel really good. One morning and I’m a convert!

Well, sort of. Because then Wednesday morning rolled around and I did all the same things. Except I had a horrible night’s sleep and was up for two hours at 3 AM and was exhausted. I actually got out of bed, turned off the phone alarm, stood for a few minutes and decided it was better for my sanity to go back to bed. My body needed the rest. And that was OK.

Because I KNOW I can do it. This is something I never thought I could do. Granted it is easier in the summer when it is light in the mornings, but what a good time to start the habit, right? So Thursday morning, I’m going to get up and go outside and exercise. I’ll either go for another jog, go for a brisk walk or hell! I can even go to the gym.

It’s like this whole new world has been opened to me! I love it!

*That’s what time I’m getting up. It’s not even EARLY.

Category: A Day in the Life of Me, Healthy Living, Run Forrest, Working On My Fitness | 11 Comments »
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Posted By Kristabella on June 25, 2012

I am a huge beer drinker. I love most kinds. I usually prefer the hoppier beers and wish they wouldn’t have so many calories so I could indulge on the regular and not have to buy new pants.

I have never been much of a cider fan because I don’t like fruity-tasting beer. So when BlogHer approached me to do a review of the new Anheuser-Busch Michelob ULTRA Light Cider, I jumped at the chance. Here was a cider I could get behind – it was lighter and more refreshing and it was lower in calories so I didn’t have to go buy new pants. Win-win!

I spent the weekend at my brother’s and spent all Saturday morning sitting in the hot, hot sun watching my niece and nephew’s soccer games. By the time the games were over, my clothes were drenched and I needed an ice cold beverage.

This cider was perfect for that! It’s light and refreshing and not too sweet. And it doesn’t taste like someone added apples to my beer. It tastes how I’ve always thought hard cider should taste – like actual cider.

It is made with real apples, so it tastes like apples. It isn’t artificially sweet so you can enjoy a few and not get gut rot from so much sugar. It is the quintessential summer time drink, perfect for drinking on the porch when the temperatures climb into the 80s.

I made my sister-in-law try Michelob ULTRA Light Cider. She is NOT a beer drinker at all. She likes fruity mixed drinks and sweet wines. After my first sip, I told her she had to try it because it didn’t taste like beer. She loved it. In fact she said, and I quote, “You tell those people in the review that your beer-hating sister-in-law loved it and would definitely drink it again!”

Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is naturally gluten-free and is an ideal alternative to wine, champagne and the heavier typical ciders. I highly encourage you to give it a try this summer for a refreshing change of pace to your typical adult beverages. For more information, check out the Michelob ULTRA Light Cider page on Blogher.com or the Sponsor’s site.

Tell me, which favorite summer meal or activity do you think would go best with Michelob ULTRA Light Cider?

Category: All Things Blogging, Reviews | 6 Comments »
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