Fifteen

Sorry, Swifies.

This post is not an anthem to freshmen year and first loves. It IS about the fact that this here lil blog turned 15 today!

Isn't she pretty? 

And much like when Tay Tay wrote Fifteen, I feel like I'm in my Fearless Era when I write here. Or at least I try to be.

I mean, does it seem a little silly for a 50 year old woman to keep what is essentially an online diary?

Sure. Maybe. Ok.

But I don't care. 

To celebrate this space that I created on a whim back in 2008, I'm currently in a sparkly ball gown, wearing winged eyeliner, and making hand hearts, just like Taylor. 

At least I am in my mind!

So, as we've done in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 - 2022, let's take a look back at the past Era... I mean year.

Total Posts I've Written (including this one):
349

Average Number of Posts I Write Per Month:
0.7 (UP from 0.6 last time -- still bad, but a teensy bit better!)

Average Number of Unique Visitors Per Month:
410 (UP from 398 last time)

Average Pageviews Per Month:
2,247 (UP from 2,005 last year)

Most Traffic Comes From:
Still a tie between Google and Pinterest

Most-Read Blog Posts in the Past Year (Tie):

2023: Celebs Turning 50 and I'm a Barbie Girl

Most-Read Blog Posts Ever (in order of popularity):
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Pinterest (December 2012)
Which Christmas Cookie Are You? (December 2015)
A Gluten-Free Holiday Feast (December 2014)
Farewell, Crawleys (March 2016)

Grease Is the Word (January 2016)
Dear Stores that Close on Thanksgiving (November 2015)
Election Eve (November 2016)
Freedom (July 2016)

To Date or Not to Date (October 2008)
20 Apps I Adore (January 2012)

Post Nobody Gave a Crap About:

2023: Made in 73

Most Comments:
Ummm, nobody comments anymore... better luck next year!

Most Popular Poll:
I didn't do any this year.  Poo.
Up in the Air (all-time)

Most Frequently-Used Tag for the Posts I Write:
It used to be Pop Culture

This year it was Holidays

Most Popular Search by Visitors:
Dating

Lastly, My Favorite Posts I've Written in the Past Year (Tie):

2023: The One Where Jen Turns 50 and Iron Woman

So, there you have it.  A look back to remind myself -- and hopefully you -- that I really do love this blog.  I am still writing about TV shows when the mood strikes, but this one has a special place in my heart.

Thanks (as always) for reading!

Fourteen

What do Amy Winehouse the singer, Katie Lee the chef, Nas the rapper, Robert Herjavec the millionaire from Shark Tank, and this blog have in common?

They were all born on September 14th, of course!

If my blog were my kid, she'd be a freshman (freshwoman? freshperson? I dunno.) in high school by now. 

Can you believe it?  Do you still read it?

Probably not, considering how infrequently I write it.  

But for the true fans (aka my blood relatives) that still do pop in periodically, I know I haven't done an anniversary post in a couple years.  

You know why.

Let's fix that today!  So, as we've done in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, let's take a look back at the past THREE years.

Total Posts I've Written (including this one):
341

Average Number of Posts I Write Per Month:
0.6 (DOWN from 0.7 last time -- must do better!)

Average Number of Unique Visitors Per Month:
398 (DOWN from 526 last time -- I blame the pandemic, and the fact that I never write anything new)

Average Pageviews Per Month:
2,005 (DOWN from 2,981 last year)

Most Traffic Comes From:
Tie between Google and Pinterest

Most-Read Blog Posts in the Past Three Years:

2020: Day 60

2021: Never Forget & Bye Bye Boken (tie)

2022: Enough

Most-Read Blog Posts Ever (in order of popularity):
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Pinterest (December 2012)
Which Christmas Cookie Are You? (December 2015)
A Gluten-Free Holiday Feast (December 2014)
Farewell, Crawleys (March 2016)
Dear Stores that Close on Thanksgiving (November 2015)
Grease Is the Word (January 2016)
Election Eve (November 2016)
Freedom (July 2016)

To Date or Not to Date (October 2008)
20 Apps I Adore (January 2012)

Posts Nobody Gave a Crap About:
2020: My Corona

2021: Dear 2021

2022: Happy Birthday, George Jetson

Most Comments:
Ummm, nobody comments anymore... better luck next year!

Most Popular Poll:
I didn't do any this year.  Poo.
Up in the Air (all-time)

Most Frequently-Used Tag for the Posts I Write:
It used to be Pop Culture

Now it's Rants (a sign of the times?)

Most Popular Search by Visitors:
Dating

Lastly, My Favorite Posts I've Written in the Past Three Years (tie):

2020: 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before My Mom Spent 5 Weeks in ICU

2021: Two Truths and a Lie

2022: The Last Time & Dear 1800-FLOWERS


So, there you have it.  A look back to remind myself -- and hopefully you -- that I really do love this blog.  I am still writing about TV shows when the mood strikes, but this one has a special place in my heart.

And finally, if the frosted chocolate cake above looks delicious to you, here's how you can make it. 

For me.

Thanks (as always) for reading!

Eleven

Hi! Did I get your attention?

Unfortunately, this post is NOT about the iPhone 11. But it honestly should be because I got one in midnight green aaaaand it's awesome.

Also, if you stumbled in here thinking this is an appreciation post for Stranger Things and Millie Bobby Brown, I'm about to disappoint you.

This IS about my blog turning eleven years old today. 

If my blog were a kid, she'd be a 6th grader (shoutout Mrs. Tubbs!). Can you believe it?  It seems like just yesterday I started... 

I'm kidding.  

It seems like a REALLY freaking long time ago that I started writing this blog. But I've loved having this outlet for my random thoughts. And I'm glad a few people still read it!

As we've done in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 let's take a look back at the last year...

Total Posts I've Written (including this one):
318

Average Number of Posts I Write Per Month:
0.7 (UP from 0.5 last year -- still not great, but a tiny bit better!)

Average Number of Unique Visitors Per Month:
526 (UP from 478 last year)

Average Pageviews Per Month:
2,981 (about even with 2,967 last year)

Most Traffic Comes From:
Tie between Google and Pinterest

Most-Read Blog Posts This Year:

To My Future Boyfriend
Packing Light

Most-Read Blog Posts Ever (in order of popularity):
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Pinterest (December 2012)
Which Christmas Cookie Are You? (December 2015)
A Gluten-Free Holiday Feast (December 2014)
Farewell, Crawleys (March 2016)
Dear Stores that Close on Thanksgiving (November 2015)
Grease Is the Word (January 2016)
Election Eve (November 2016)
Freedom (July 2016)
New View (September 2014)
20 Apps I Adore (January 2012)

Posts Nobody Gave a Crap About:
A Star Is Reborn
Dear DMV

Most Comments:
Beauty Products I Can't Live Without

Most Popular Poll:
I didn't do any this year.  Poo.
Up in the Air (all-time)

Most Frequently-Used Tag for the Posts I Write:
Pop Culture

Most Popular Search by Visitors:
Dating

Lastly, My Favorite Post I Wrote This Year (tie):
City of Angels
Eat Blog Love



Next on deck will be a recap of an event I helped produce in Brooklyn, the Loveseat Potato's annual review of Fall 2019 TV shows and I officially need glasses... 

Thanks (as always) for reading!

Ten

I started writing this blog in 2008, when I moved from my sleepy hometown of Pine Brook, NJ to the city that never sleeps.  

I lived in the Bronx for the first 6 years of my life and I've always worked in NYC, but living here was a very different story. After a bizarre work event at The Box (a LES burlesque club), I definitely had that swirly "Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" vibe.

And a blog was born.

Now, with a click of my sparkly red shoes, it's 10! 

Some other cool things born in 2008 include:
-- 23 & Me DNA tests
-- The Tesla Roadster
-- Hulu

We're basically twins.

Ok, okaaaay.  On the surface, it seems like this silly blog doesn't have ANYTHING in common with these gamechangers.  But I disagree.

The thing I've always loved most about blogging, social media, and the internet in general is the sheer possibility of it all.  

Anyone can create anything.  Anyone can know anything.  Anyone can find anything.

Pretty mindblowing, right?

Thank God Al Gore invented it.

Anyway, as we've done in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016  and 2017, let's take a look back at the last year...

Total Posts I've Written (including this one):
310

Average Number of Posts I Write Per Month:
0.5 (down from 0.7 last year -- UGH... Must. Do. Better.)

Average Number of Unique Visitors Per Month:
478 (down from 619 last year -- double UGH)

Average Pageviews Per Month:
2,967 (down from 3,140 last year -- triple UGHHHH)

Most Traffic Comes From:
Tie between Google and Pinterest

Most-Read Blog Posts This Year:
Here's to Your Health
Refried Potatoes
Summer at the Seaport

Most-Read Blog Posts Ever (in order of popularity):
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Pinterest (December 2012)
Which Christmas Cookie Are You? (December 2015)
Farewell, Crawleys (March 2016)
A Gluten-Free Holiday Feast (December 2014)
Dear Stores that Close on Thanksgiving (November 2015)
Grease Is the Word (January 2016)
Election Eve (November 2016)
Freedom (July 2016)
New View (September 2014)
20 Apps I Adore (January 2012)

Post Nobody Gave a Crap About:
Say Cheese

Most Comments (tie):
Nine
Refried Potatoes

Most Popular Poll:
I didn't do any this year.  Poo.
Up in the Air (all-time)

Most Frequently-Used Tag for the Posts I Write:
Pop Culture

Most Popular Search by Visitors:
Dating

Lastly, My Favorite Post I Wrote This Year (tie):
The Essentials -- it was interesting to think about the things I can't live without
7 Lazy (Not Lame) Halloween Costumes -- I had fun putting the ideas together

Next on deck will be the Loveseat Potato's annual review of new Fall TV shows and I think I need glasses... 

Thanks (as always) for reading!

Summer at the Seaport

Soooo... it's been a while, huh?  I think even my mom has given up on reading my blog at this point, since I've been the WORST at posting.

But, here YOU are. Even if you stumbled here by accident, thanks for stopping by!

The summer was a blur, work was crazy busy, I got a $500 Keratin treatment and HATED it, this here blog officially turned 10 years old (!!!).

And somewhere in there, I turned 45.

Forty effing five. Wtaf.

I just might be having a midlife crisis.  So I'm thisclose to buying a sportscar and dating a 26 year old.  I've even started working out.  Kind of.

Who am I?

Anyhoo... I'm still not sure where my life is going, but my work is going pretty well. We had a big event back in August for female social media influencers, so let's both pretend that I posted this back then...

In my whole career, I've only worked on my bday 3 times.
I had no choice this year because our big event was just days away,
but these lovely ladies made it much better.

And tastier! My friends got me a special delivery from my fave Otto,
and cupcakes from Buttercup Bake Shop, near my old NYC apt.

In another room, our magical interns stuffed 2,000 tote bags. 

Our event was at the beautiful and brand-new Pier 17,
in the Seaport District, which was right on the East River.

Inside was a different story... so I needed to find tons of vendors to help me 
transform this raw space. It didn't even have light or electrical outlets.  
It did have AC, luckily.  After all, it was August -- they aren't monsters!

This was the day I learned about construction,
as we widened the entryway for our thousands of attendees.  

We had a crew of about 100 guys for move in,
and they transformed the whole floor for us, all 40,000 sqft of it.
It took us about 25 hours to move in, and about 12 hours to move out.

Day one, and our view of the Brooklyn Bridge couldn't be prettier.

Follow the pink and purple balloons...

Our florist used over 2500 real roses and carnations on this photo wall.

This is my friend, Justine, making Kelly Kapowski
(aka Valerie Malone, aka Tiffani Thiessen) laugh.
I wonder if she knows that when Lifetime makes the story of my life,
she will be playing me?

Gabrielle Union! As beautiful in person as you imagine she would be.

That little green lady on stage is Amy Schumer.
She wasn't going to come. Then she was. Then she wasn't.
Then she did. As you can see, nobody noticed... 

Pret a Manger sponsored all our food,
and whenever you see one of the stores, you should go in and eat there.  
ALL their food is made fresh, on site, each day. 
That meant they baked 1500 croissants each morning, 
assembled 1500 salads & wraps, and baked 1500 cookies every afternoon. 
Just for us. Mind-blowing. And delicious.

These are the amazing designers on my team. They are v creative.

This is the view from the ladies' room. Now, they're just showing off!

Fast forward to day two, the gracious and stunning Christy Turlington Burns 
interviewed Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on women's health. 
Before she came in, I met with her Secret Service guy,
former NYPD, who was massive and extremely polite.

I've known these girls since they were 8, as part of a program we run for Gen Z.
They're now 13 and interviewing Angie Thomas, author of The Hate You Give.
So so proud of the women they are becoming!

Best Buy was a sponsor and brought a cool sequin wall that you could write on,
a box that dry cleans your clothes, and a fridge you can see inside without opening the door.
The future is now, my friends.

Honest Beauty brought their new makeup line,
and there was a line wrapped around the place with women wanting to try it. 

Baked by Melissa wrote our name in yummy mini cupcakes.
I may or may not have eaten the whole G.

Ever wonder what 1500 Barbies look like?
It's nothing compared to the stampede of grown women wanting to get one!

Who is that girl in the middle taking a picture with me and my friends?
Oh hi, Jessica Alba!

And just like that, it was over.  Bye bye, Brooklyn Bridge.

Say cheese if you are exhausted!

So, that's that. I wish you could have been there!

I'll find the time to post again soon, I promise.  I need to pretend it's still September, so I can write about my 10 year Blogiversary, and I hope it is still October when I post about all the new fall TV shows I like.

Until then...