Baby Shower Preggatinis on Fox 10 in Phoenix Arizona

Shamrock Shakes are BACK!

Southern California McDonald’s® restaurants are bringing back Shamrock Shakes in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day for the next month! The minty green milkshakes were first launched in 1970 and have been a recurring promotion ever since.

If you’re in the mood to feel like a kid again this would be a good excuse to pat the Hamburgler on the head, give Ronald a hug and sail through the golden arches.

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Hydrate While You Incubate

I’m already a big fan of all things Kiwi (“kiwi” as in “hailing from New Zealand”). It has one of the lowest population densities on the planet, nature reigns supreme and is regarded as one of the purist places in the world.

So, when Waiwera Water crossed my path, I was excited to try it. The word “waiwera” comes from the indigenous Maori word ‘Te Rata’ or ‘The Doctor.’Legend has it that New Zealand’s Maori warriors would go to Waiwera to bathe in the waters to recover from the rigors of battle. Scottish-born Robert Graham found Waiwera in 1875, decided to sell this “elixir of health” and the family-owned business still thrives.

According to the company, Waiwera water is carbon dated between 7.6 and 15.3 thousand years old, and pumped directly from one of the largest aquifers in the world. The bore is sunk 400m (1/4 mile) to protect against surface contamination and goes through an advanced filtration process before it is bottled, capped, and shipped out.

Waiwera was voted the world’s best water in 2008 by Decanter Magazine and its bottle won several prestigious design awards including “Best Bottle in Glass” at the Bottledwaterworld Design Awards in Milan and the Gold Medal for “People’s Choice for Package Design” at the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Awards.

What I like about both the still and sparkling versions is that Waiwera is not too salty and has low minerality, so it tastes “clean,” and its alkaline (ph 8.5) is believed to help counter the naturally acidic conditions of the modern human body. Waiwera is available at upscale hotels, restaurants and gourmet stores in California and Hawaii. Plus, after hydrating our bodies with refreshing, pure Kiwi water, reusing the decorative glass bottle is a way to keep our whole planet pure.

Bellies and Babies Expo, Indianapolis

I am so excited to go to the Bellies and Babies Expo this Saturday, September 26. In addition to selling signed copies of my book “Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-To-Be,” I’ll be doing four 15-minute Preggatini(TM) presentations so you can see how easy it is to shake and mix your own drinks at home. I’ll also give away one Preggatinis(TM) gift pack after each demo, which will include:

• a signed Preggatinis(TM) book
• a Preggatinis(TM) muddler
• a Preggatinis(TM) cocktail glass
• a bottle of Fre alcohol-removed sparkling wine

Please come by and say hello. I look forward to meeting you.

For more info on The Liquid Muse, please visit my main website. Sign up for the Preggatinis Newsletter and get new recipes each month!

Preggatinis™ Now on Kindle

Take your Preggatini Bar with you when you’re away from home with the new Kindle edition!

Are You Multi-Functional?

Vital Action Performance Water burst on the scene late last summer touting itself as a multi-functional beverage. Equipped with herbal-based supplements such to boost Energy (Panax ginseng), Stamina (Arginine), Immunity (Echinacea) and Recovery (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine), it also claims to have 100% of recommended daily intake of B3, B5, B6, B12, otherwise known as the “feel good” vitamins.

VAPW comes in a rainbow of fruit flavors (cherry, tropical, strawberry, etc.) and has only 45 calories per serving. Although bright, not-so-natural colors aren’t usually my first choice, this vitamin-enhanced water actually tastes pretty good. It is not sweet or tart but rather refreshing and lightly flavored making it a good take-along for hikes, the gym, road trips, picnics or pack lunches, or any combination thereof… keeping you functioning at optimum level.

On the GoGo

It is costing me $12.95 to write this blog post. But, the novelty of blogging from 38,000 feet on an American Airlines flight between NYC and LA is worth it. (We’re currently somewhere over upstate New York.)

Sure, in- flight internet is probably not a surprise to some. I first saw the GoGo In-Flight Internet stands in airports about 5 or 6 months ago. I picked up a flyer and thought “Gee, I’ll have to blog about that sometime.” And, as these things go, time slips by… I get backed up on work… and the topic gets buried in my “to blog” folder.

However, today, I am compelled to finally take the plunge, sign on to GoGo and tell you all about it! Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

• Quick & easy enrollment
• Although I’m loathe to pay for internet, particularly at a fancy hotel or sitting in an airline seat that cost several hundred dollars, the $12.95 price tag to have Internet access all the way across the U.S. airspace doesn’t seem out of line.
• I can use this time to catch up on emails without other distractions

Cons:

• Being on trapped on an airplane is a wonderful excuse to “disconnect” from the world for a while. I’m forced to “step away from the compter,” watch a movie, read a book or write something in a Word document, rather than get caught in the usual whirlwind of nonstop email conversations on as many as 5 topics at once. (I call it my “technological schitzophrenia.”) Having Go-Go at my fingertips, I am consciously aware that I CAN catch up on emails, am ‘contactable,’ and am once again glued to my computer.
• While I can retrieve my messages from my mail application, I am not able to connect to my inbox on Yahoo.
  

I believe that GoGo is not yet available on all airlines, but it is on my U.S. carrier of choice, American… so now a travel day doesn’t have to cost me precious ‘business time’ and I am relieved to know that I won’t have to work double-time to catch up on all the correspondence I missed while en route to or from a far-flung destination. Not to mention, that being a member of the ‘mile high club’ now has an additional meaning. Have YOU GoGo’d? C’mon, join the club of uninterrupted global connection.

But, a word to the wise, I will be watching the online movie and enjoying my $6 mini bottle of Pinot Grigio for the next couple of hours. So, if Idon’t get back to you right away, you’ll have to catch me on the ground. Once in a while, I need to step of the Merry GoGo Round.

Organica? Totally!

Most people start out gung-ho with their New Year’s resolutions. Work out more. Eat healthily. Drink less alcohol. Blah, blah, blah. Luckily, a few new beverage products help make that a little easier.

Since the release of “Preggatinis,” my book offering nonalcoholic cocktail alternatives for pregnant women and other non-boozers, I’ve had more liquor-free products submitted to The Liquid Muse Blog. And, I have to admit that it’s a nice change of pace. For one thing, I can ‘get to work’ first thing in the morning and sample the new beverages without feeling like I have to pull down the shades. (Swiging bourbon – even for professional purposes – before my morning coffee could raise a few eyebrows among my neighbors.)

Totally Organica ™ calls itself “a line of organically infused beverages…with zero sugars, carbs, calories, sodium or artificial flavorings, sweeteners or color.” Essentially, its flavored sparkling water dressed up in colorful packaging and spruced up with organic essences such as lemon lime, cranberry, berry, green apple, raspberry, pomegranate, melon and mint.

I am particularly enjoying them because one of my New Year’s Resolutions is to (surprise) shape up, and that means cutting my calorie intake. But, I am cocktail and wine lover, and have gotten into the habit of having a little tipple after dinner while watching TV or relaxing with the hubby. So, now when I’ve hit my caloric max for the day, a champagne flute filled with Totally Organica is a tasty treat, which won’t undo my butt-busting workouts, when I actually make it to the gym.

So, if you’re looking to work a little more water into your daily routine, cut down on ‘the sauce,’ and ‘go organic,’ this might be something for you to try. At least for the first few weeks of the year. And, if you fall off the wagon by March, feel free to come ‘round to my place for 9 am happy hour…

About.com reviews "Preggatinis"

When I read Colleen Graham’s review of Preggatinis on about.com, I held my breath… and was so relieved and thrilled when she liked it. (To echo Sally Field “She really liked it!”) Woo-hoo, thank you about.com!

Guide Review – Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-Be

Virgin cocktails do not have to be boring and the preconception of many women when they are pregnant is that the fun of drinking has to stop. Yes, you shouldn’t be drinking your favorite Cosmopolitan, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have one of The Liquid Muse’s Cosmoms. That is where the beauty lies in Preggatinis: Bovis-Nelsen has given life to the mocktail so that even when you cannot drink alcohol you can still have a drink that makes you feel like the adult you are.

There is not one of the recipes in Preggatinis that is not enjoyable and for Bovis-Nelsen to share her original drinks with us in such an enlightening fashion is excellent. Beyond just being a list of drinks, these drinks have a purpose. From the ginger-laden drinks for quieting morning sickness to “drinks” like the Funky Monkey that cure the ice cream and pickle craving, through light beer and wine cocktails to slowly reintroduce alcohol to your system and a few trimming tinis for shedding those extra pounds – all of the steps are covered.

My other favorite aspect of Preggatinis are the “De-Virginize for Dad” tips – because the pregnancy trip does not just affect the ladies. Throughout the book there are options for the sympathetic father who wants a slightly stiffer drink without making his wife feel left out. That is a win-win situation for the whole family and a great concept for keeping everyone happy.

So, ladies, your social life does not have to end when you get pregnant, you can still have fun and enjoy fine drinks. I would highly recommend Preggatinis for any family with a new addition on the way – it’s fun, it’s enjoyable and it’s filled with great ideas. Not to mention that I now have the perfect gift for every one of my friends when they make the “big” announcement.

DIY Nonalcoholic Cocktails for the Holidays!

Watch my appearance on Good Morning New Orleans to pick up some nonalcoholic cocktail tips for your holiday entertaining!!