CityMama's™ Stuff People Send Me

Wii Fit

The fine folks at Nintendo asked me if I wanted to host a Wii Fit party for 12 blogging friends in advance of the Wii Fit US release. In exchange for opening up my home, they gave me a Wii Fit. They also gave me one to give away which I did last month.

We played with the Wii Fits for about an hour, then we had some Mediterranean munchies and sangria. Then we played some more. I am pretty sure that just about everyone who attended eventually bought their own Wii Fit.

Nintendo is a great company to work with from a mom's point of view. They understand that we are the decision makers in the family. If you get Mama hooked on the Wii chances are one will find its way into that household. Smart.

What I like about it: It really does get you up and moving. You feel it later after you've hula hooped or step-boxed. I really dig the balance games and the slalom and ski jump. I also like that it's fun to do with the whole family. Bunny and Wallie love it even if they aren't really playing it "properly."

What I don't like about it: The yoga is terrible. There is no teaching of proper form so it's really easy to do poses wrong increasing the risk of injury.  I have practiced yoga for a long time so I know what proper form for each pose entails (and am a stickler about it). I wouldn't not recommend people attempt most of the poses unless they have taken yoga regularly. Wii yoga is not "real" yoga. Don't hurt yourself.

Cost to me: Free
Cost to you: $100-$150 (varies)

CityMama's Wii Party flickr set.

Sex and the City The Movie (The Book)

Two copies of the Sex and the City book arrived on my doorstep recently. Yes, now people just send me stuff, books especially, without asking first. I don't mind when it's books. I really like books.

This book highlights the storyline, backstory, and all the clothes in the SATC movie with lots of pretty pictures.

What I like about it: All the clothes, shoes, purses, jewelry, make up, and hair from the movie photographed and talked about. Nuff said. Even Miranda's ridiculous wardrobe. What did Cynthia Nixon do to piss-off the costume department so badly?

What I didn't like about it: It wasn't 10 times longer.

Cost to me: Free
Cost to you: $19.77

Turducken from Cajun Grocer

cross-section of our turducken

I love Cajun food. Whenever we have people visit us from outside the U.S. I always cook up a big Cajun meal because it's such a uniquely American style of cooking. Usually my menu includes: seafood gumbo, andouille sausage jambalaya, fried chicken, blackened catfish, cornbread, and garlicky collard greens. And beer. Plenty of ice cold beer. I have cooked this meal for people from all over the world to rave reviews.

But I have never cooked a turducken.

Until now.

The fine folks at Cajun Grocer sent one to me and while I could have stuck it in the freezer and saved it for a special occasion, I decided to make my own special occasion and cooked it up for friends. I served it alongside broccoli-bacon salad and potato salad on one of the hottest days of they year, but the beer and sangria helped.

What I liked about it: Although a turducken is a duck (breast) inside a chicken inside a turkey, because everything was boned, it wasn't huge. It had a deliciously seasoned cornbread dressing in between the layers. It cooked up beautifully, just as the directions said it would.  It was carefully packed on ice and was cold when it arrived at my house.

What I didn't like about it: This is a small nit-pick. Even though it was cajun, I thought it could have been more seasoned. It was flavorful, but I was expecting lots more kick. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I will salt and pepper it before roasting it.

Cost to me: Free
Cost to you: $64.95

My turducken set on flickr.

Designer Skins Laptop Sleeves

Designer Skins makes all kinds of computery stuff. Laptop sleeves are one of the things they make. They sent me this one.

Why I like it: It's a cozy, lightly padded neoprene sleeve that protects my MacBook. It's much better than just tossing my laptop into my purse which I have been known to do. It also has a cool outer pocket (other laptop sleeves don't). I use the pocket to stash little things: my phone, notebook, pen, keys, whatevs.

Why I don't: When I first pulled it out of the package, it had a really strong chemically smell. I am big on how things smell. Kind of a stinky first impression.  The designs seem geared toward 20-year-old gamer kids. I wish they offered more sophisticated designs. The orange Hawaiian sunset design they sent me won't appeal to everyone.

Cost to me: Free
Cost to you: $47.99