What did I do on my birthday weekend? On Saturday Dave took me to a special advanced screening of Beauty & the Beast 3D. Another fun fact? It is my favorite Disney movie ever. Can you believe it is over 20 years old? Yeah, me either. It was fun to see it on the big screen again, even though I think 3D movies are overrated. I may have even teared up during the dance scene. Quite a few parents even brought their daughters dressed as Belle. If I had a daughter I would have done that too. Afterward we went to La Madeleine and lunched like we were at a Paris cafe. The tables were so close together (just like in France) that we were practically touching our neighbor’s chairs. Parisians certain like to pack in the people. It was a very Ooh La La day if I do say so myself. And I do!

On Sunday we brunched with friends at Blue Mesa and did some shopping in the afternoon. Yet another fun fact? I was born on a Sunday around 3:30 PM. Dave made my birthday dinner reservations at Craft. It is my favorite restaurant in Dallas, and it didn’t disappoint again this year. I almost always get braised beef or pork, and it is always amazing.

Yes, it looks a little like baby food, but trust me it is the best food ever even if Chef Tom didn’t cook it this time. We had: braised pork belly and pineapples , swordfish, braised beef short ribs, butternut squash puree, yukon gold mashed potato puree, sticky toffee pudding, and chocolate cake.

They always serve several amuse bouches also. We had a sweet potato and pecan soup, as well as fresh pears and caramel. They also served a trio of cookies. I was disappointed that caramel corn wasn’t on the menu that night, but they brought me a special bag to take home anyway. I have never been so full, ever.

I took Monday off to renew my drivers license, and we wasted 3 hours standing out in the rain and in a waiting room. Not the most glamorous ending to a long birthday weekend, but we munched on caramel corn while we waited and caramel corn makes everything better. What is even better? Having an awesome husband who took me to do all of the above, not to mention all the fabulous gifts including new Coach sunglasses and perfume plus more charms for my new Pandora bracelet. Spoiled. xoxo

I didn’t have a wallet I felt matched my new LV, and I definitely was not going to shell out more money to be matchy-matchy. I usually don’t even like gold (or brass) hardware, but this Stacy does a good job of blending in without being too flashy. Kate Spade has sales pretty frequently, so I would suggest getting on their e-mail list.

Winter temperatures (even the mild ones in Texas this year) bring chapped lips. I recently discovered Fresh Sugar lip treatment. Love it. It is a little pricey, but you can also buy tinted varieties and it doubles as lip gloss. Also? During your birthday month you can get a free mini lip duo (Sugar and Sugar Rosé) if you are a Sephora Beauty Insider.

My parents gave me a giftcard to Macy’s for Christmas. I got these houndstooth Sperry Top-Sider slip ons. No I’m not a boater, but it did rain every single day for a week after I got them so I had a lot of opportunities to break them in. They are super comfy, and I also love the silver laces. Bring it, rain!

I have always wanted to try extensions, and my wish came true thanks to Shammah at Additions. I wanted longer hair, but I was constantly getting it cut due to split ends from heat styling. It was fun to get my desired length overnight, and she matched my color perfectly. I love the thickness, and I have been enjoying trying different styles. Surprisingly I have been wearing it curly more often. If you are near Dallas and have been wanting to give extensions a try, I definitely recommend Shammah. She put my fears to rest, and has been amazing every step of the way from the consultation to maintenance.

Do you have any favorites so far this year?

While BlogHer ’11 is still months away, airfare prices are steadily increasing. I would like to get ahead of the game and finalize arrangements as early as possible to secure my place.

BlogHer is particularly focused on highlighting the skills and talents of women who blog. All genders, ages, ethnicities, and levels of blogging experience are encouraged to attend! There’s something for everyone. (And in case you’re curious, about 10-15% of attendees are men.)

More than 3,000 influential women are expected to attend this year, not to mention the thousands of others who will watch coverage of the event in the blogosphere as well as on Twitter and Facebook. This is the perfect opportunity to get your name out there! In the past I have represented brands at both SXSW Interactive in Austin as well as Affiliate Summit East in New York. I would love to do the same for you at BlogHer in San Diego!

I take promoting your brand very seriously, and enjoy spreading the word to my blog, Facebook and Twitter followers. Feel free to ask for examples of my work – I would love to share them.

What will I offer you in exchange for sponsorship? Below is an example of services I can provide for full or partial sponsorship of the event:

All blog posts related to BlogHer ’11 will specifically mention your brand with a link and image of your choice. I plan to post before, during and following the conference.

You will also receive coverage and acknowledgment to my more than 3,000 followers on Twitter and Facebook before, during and following the conference.

During the conference I will commit to wearing your logo during sessions and other events as arranged in advance. I can also host a product giveaway on my blog and/or at the event.

I will add your brand logo and information to my business cards to acknowledge your sponsorship. Typically I pass out over 500 business cards at each event.

125x 125 side bar advertising acknowledging your sponsorship.

I would be happy to discuss any additional ways you would like me to promote your product or brand during the conference. The above items are certainly not an all-inclusive list, and we can work together to come up with the perfect marketing strategy that will work for you.

I am not charging a fee for my attendance or work leading up to the event. I am seeking either full ($1500) or partial sponsorships that will cover conference admission, airfare (currently $500) from Dallas/Ft. Worth to San Diego, hotel accommodations and car rental. If you are interested, please contact Laurie with your proposal. I look forward to working with you!

American Airlines Center

Join Bon Jovi’s text updates and he’ll call your phone.

Most of the t-shirts were $50. No lie. I passed.

Jon.

Jon and Richie

Helen and Laurie

It was a fun show. I was sad they didn’t do Blaze of Glory. You have no idea how much I loved Young Guns 2 back in the day. A lot. I used to be able to quote every single word. That’s how many times I’ve seen it. And I knew every single word to every single song on that tape. Yes, I said tape. Most of my Bon Jovi collection was on cassette. I wish I knew where they were… not that I even own a tape player anymore.

You are not a god! Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out?

Thanks to Helen for inviting me and Special K who gave me her ticket.

I took to the bathroom with a bucket full of new products from MyBlogSpark and Seventh Generation and you can too. Just follow the directions at the end of this post to win your very own Spring Cleaning prize pack that is pictured below complete with bathroom and kitchen sprays, wipes, paper towels, a handy tote and a copy of The Conscious Kitchen.

The best part? All of the products are Green and good for the Earth. What better present for Earth Day this Thursday than to start changing to products with less harsh chemicals that are better for you and for the planet? I especially liked that they did not smell like chemicals. The bathroom spray had a nice clean scent and the wipes worked just as well as the Clorox ones I usually buy (and love). The recycled paper towels were pretty awesome too, and cleaned my mirrors and left no streaks. I was definitely impressed.

Here is a before and after picture of my shower. We have a glass door that is always getting soap scum and has to be cleaned pretty regularly. It just took a little spray and some elbow grease and voila!

See? You can actually see into the shower now! Also, as a Bzz Agent, I was sent a Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower cleaner which is now helping me keep that clean shower look. All you have to do is press the button once per day (after you shower) and it sprays clear cleaning solution in a 360 degree circle, reducing mold and soap scum buildup. It’s really kind of fabulous, people! If you want a $5 off coupon, follow the link. I can also send you a $3 coupon (snail mail) for future use. Just leave me a comment if you’d like one. You can also get Seventh Generation coupons on their website.

Are you inspired to clean your bathroom now? Good! You can win your own Seventh Generation Spring Cleaning prize pack (see photo). Answer one of these two questions: 1) Go to Seventh Generation‘s website and tell me one thing you learned about their products or 2) Tell me what your plans for Earth Day are this year.

If you would like to earn extra entries:
1) Follow me @laurie_pooh and @SeventhGen on Twitter and send the following message:
I entered to win a Spring Cleaning gift pack from @laurie_pooh and @SeventhGen: http://tinyurl.com/SeventhGenGift
2) Follow my blog using the Google Connect in my sidebar to the right.
3) Subscribe to my blog in a reader.

You can also help me raise money for Susan G. Komen by:
4) Becoming a fan of Hotels Combined on Facebook. They will donate $5. You can mention in their comments that you are supporting Laurie B. and Susan G. Komen.
5) Tweet the following message from your Twitter account and they will donate $10:
Please RT @laurie_pooh: Check out HotelsCombined.com! I’m spreading the word and supporting Susan G Komen http://tinyurl.com/ao2rgj

U.S only, please. The winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on or around May 3. You must leave a comment letting me know your answer to one of the two questions above, as well as additional comments letting me know what else you have done to earn extra entries. Please also use your real first name and leave a valid way for me to contact you should you be selected as the winner. You will have 48 hours to respond.

Disclosure: I received the Seventh Generation products pictured in order to write my review. The prize pack, information, and giveaway were provided by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark. In addition, I also received a Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower cleaner and coupons as part of my membership in Bzz Agent. I was not compensated monetarily for this post, nor was my opinion of the products mentioned altered.

Yes, THE Oprah! Can you believe she was actually at the State Fair of Texas on the same day as me? Can you believe that I actually got this close to my idol? David is somewhere scoffing at me, I’m sure. She bought this Stetson hat at the fair as we (and a crowd) looked on. I think it may be part of the segment for her show when it airs. I don’t think they filmed any of the bystanders, so don’t bother looking for me, I won’t be on TV. Trust me, I’m okay with that!

I don’t know that I would go as far as to say that I was a fan of Michael Jackson, but it was hard not to be influenced or touched by him. I will say that there’s no doubt that he was a talented individual. In the past few weeks, I have looked back at what I knew of his life. The things he accomplished and did were amazing. Of course there were the negative tabloid accusations and strange behavior too. Putting all of those things aside, I cannot think of a better entertainer in my own lifetime. No, not even Madonna or Britney.

Growing up in the 80s, he really was a big part of my childhood. My parents listened to oldies, so I grew up on the Jackson 5. Eventually when I got my Barbie doll a Ken, he had a red Michael Jackson outfit and sequined glove. Who’s Bad? My Ken was Bad.

I also remember when “We Are the World” came out. Whatever school I was going to at the time had all of the kids go outside, clasp hands, and sing with the rest of the world. For whatever reason, I still cannot hear the song without crying.

When I was in high school, a friend in my French class was selling some of his CD collection. I bought his copy of Dangerous for $5. I played that on repeat on my stereo for months. I had all of the songs memorized and sang them into my hairbrush in the mirror.

I watched the memorial service on CNN and taped it on our DVR for Dave. I cried the first time, and when I watched it the second time with Dave I cried again. Michael Jackson was an odd person. We will probably never know if he did the terrible things he was accused of. What I do know is that he was one of the most talented and best entertainers the world has ever seen.

I will miss his voice.

I have more pictures in a larger format on my Facebook profile. Happy Monday!