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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Here’s a list of gifts that I’d love to get or give.

I’m a married woman, so whatever he spends is my money too. If I could pick anything in the world, it would be a Porsche Panamera with yachting trim or a collection of Clean Legged Bantam hens from McMurray Hatchery.  At the moment, my husband is not amenable to either plan, so I recommend the following.

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I have been an AT&T Uverse subscriber for about two months now. As Uverse becomes available in your neighborhood, you may be looking to add it in your home.

Let me tell you about my experience with AT&T Uverse.

I was very unhappy with Time Warner Cable, as it was unreliable at best. I spoke with the folks at the AT&T home office in Texas and I was assured that I would have a pleasant installation. I explained to them that I needed their installer to be respectful of my home and of my time.

Apparently we had a miscommunication.

I had an appointment with them for a Wednesday between 1 and 3. On Wednesday night at 7.30 I got a phone call from an installers cell phone saying he was really sorry that they hadn’t shown up, could they come at my convenience any day? He was nice and apologetic, and I asked them to send someone between 8 and 9 the next morning. He was incredibly enthusiastic and said, “we will be there at 8 sharp!”

At 11 o’clock the next day an installer showed up. He was a know it all. I asked for the the modem to be installed in my family room so that my wireless would work in the entire house and back yard. He installed it in my office, in the front of my house. That means that there is no wireless Internet in children’s rooms or in the back yard. He also used my bathroom twice. In fact the second time he used it he said to me, “I’m just going to drop a load and then I’ll be on my way.”

This is all happening while I’m alone in my house with him.

So, I deal with the improperly placed modem, the holes unnecessarily drilled in my walls and cleaning a toilet after the AT&T repairman. I call the offices, and they send someone out to reinstall. It’s done properly, he’s clearly senior and declines even a glass of water. It is perfect.

It is perfect for about 5 weeks. Now it is slow. I’m paying for an 18 megabit download speed and I’m getting an average of 8 to 11. It’s not okay. I spent 2 hours on the phone with their technical support a few days ago and once he got me up to 13 he was ready to hang up the phone. Again, not acceptable. If I wanted a 13 megabit download speed that’s exactly what I’d be paying for, right?

Then there was a whole song and dance about how the wireless wouldn’t deliver exactly 18 megabits all the time. I realize that, when it was installed, and for a full month thereafter I was getting about 17.5 to 18 Mbps in exactly the same location.

Today our internet is still very slow, but the bill arrives right on time. I’m getting about 11 mbps for download speed

and the queue for technical support is 51 people long

Of course there is always e-repair, right?

Although I can offer no alternative (I’m seeking one myself) I would not recommend AT&T Uverse. I had a few good weeks, but mostly it’s been a dismal experience.

Recently I was with my friend Joanne and we were watching The Househusbands of Hollywood. Joanne’s friend Lisa is one of the moms on the show and Lisa has a skincare line that Joanne has been raving about.

I called Lisa and asked her if she had samples I could try, she was super sweet and sent some for Jane to try, and then she sent The Eyecream That Changed My Life. Not kidding.

The LA Girlfriend skincare line is brilliant. It’s a two step process, and for an 11 year old girl that’s just perfect. It’s enough to teach my daughter to wash and moisturize each day without being overwhelming. Jane was starting to get a few whiteheads around her nose and they were gone within a few days of starting with the Hope Kit. It works, it’s pretty (do not underestimate this for a tween), and it smells delicious. I think one of the things that makes it so effective is that the wash is a foam. Since little girls get breakouts right next to their noses the foam delivery is great and Jane didn’t miss those tiny corners.

Everything about the skincare system for tweens and teens is good. We love it, and I’ve just bought Jane a full sized set. If you’re lucky enough to get Lisa on the phone you’ll realize that this is more than just a business. Lisa understands that the ability to put your best face forward is critical in adolescence and the awkward years that surround it. Lisa is letting girls be pretty again. It’s nice to feel confident.

Here’s what I didn’t expect. Lisa Ashley sent me an eye cream that will put plastic surgeons out of business. It took me a few minutes to figure it out, but this eye cream is in a tube with a metal roller ball. You twist the bottom and then push up a teeny tiny bit of the cream. It’s going to look weird, do not worry, weird is good. Now you take the whole thing and just start rubbing it around your eyes. It’s going to look bad, keep rolling, the metal ball is cold around your eyes, rub lightly and the puffiness starts to go away. After a few more seconds you’ll see a bright glow around your eyes, it’s because this eye cream is a brightener too. Lisa is a makeup artist and apparently she thinks of everything.

I was feeling pretty bad about the look of my eyes, and after a few days of the Ultimate Eyecream, I’m really happy with how I’m looking. I love that a local mom is creating great products.

To Purchase:

Lisa Ashely Beauty
LA Girlfriend

Disclosure: Lisa is a friend of a friend, I received small samples from her, and bought the rest.

I noticed that a lot of you were looking for reviews of the Tony Hawk Ride. I loved it, my kids loved it and I predict that it will be impossible to find right before X-Mas.

Right now I’m giving away a X-Mas Tree. What good is a Christmas Tree without a gift to put under it?

Tony Hawk has a fantastic Gaming peripheral that’s just come on the market. The Tony Hawk Ride behaves like a skateboard would attached to your gaming system.

Activision kindly let me and the kids have a preview of  The Ride, and we loved it. In fact, I loved it so much I asked them if I could have one for a friend.

Activision said, “No.”

I said, “but wait, I have blackmail pictures.”

“Oh really?” They said, “Of what?”

“Of Tony Hawk being mean to kids”

“Tony Hawk is a really nice guy, you said so yourself.” Activision sounded worried.

“Okay then, explain this!” And I showed them this picture (more…)

Every X-Mas my family goes to someone’s home to enjoy their X-Mas party. We love the scent of the pine trees, the decorations and we really love the candy canes.

What I don’t love is seeing X-Mas trees all over the streets waiting for trash pickup at the New Year. I am not alone, the folks at The Living Christmas Company felt the same way, and they’re out to change the way California celebrates X-Mas.

This year you can rent a living X-Mas Tree. That’s right, rather than chopping down a tree to celebrate, you can borrow a living tree, decorate it in your home and later return it to the nursery so it (like you) can continue to thrive in 2010. The details of X-Mas Tree rentals are here.

The Living X-Mas Tree Company is right here in Redondo Beach, CA. They are offering one of my readers $135 credit. This will rent you a 6-7 foot X-Mas tree or a smaller one accompanied with some ornaments.* (more…)

Stunning. Go see it now.

Earlier in the month the folks at Cirque Du Soliel gave my family passes to see their newest show Kooza. As the Sunday evening rolled around my husband and son were too tired from baseball and soccer to attend. My son is eight years old, I think on a good day Kooza would be a little much for an eight year old boy with shpilkes.

Since I had two extra seats I was a little surprised when our neighbor’s nine year old daughter asked if she could join us. She had seen the show just a week before and enjoyed it. I thought she was nuts, but we took her along with.

Kooza is startling in it’s beauty. If you’ve ever been to a Cirque show you know that they are dramatic storytellers. Kooza speaks to it’s audience in a way that I’ve never before seen. There’s a tale of being an outcast, moments of inclusion, humor, beauty for it’s own sake and the embrace of something a little gritty, and outside your comfort zone.

The costumes are spectacular. The colors are swirls of heaven that reach from the tips of the performer’s hair to the soles of their shoes, and at times it’s difficult to discern the difference between makeup, costume and fantasy.

Kooza was a treat that delighted my eyes and lifted my spirits. If you attend at the Santa Monica location leave plenty of time for parking, as the lots will fill early. Also Moms, if you bring your children make sure they are ready. We sat next to a little one who not only couldn’t sit still but he had light up shoes. Since I know a lot of parents read me, I’ll ask you now to ditch the light up shoes for Kooza, for movie theaters and any other setting where you might disturb someone else in the dark.

I’m going to recommend Kooza for everyone 10 and up and matinees for everyone 5 and up. It’s expensive, and it’s worth every penny.