Adventures With Mother's Day and megabus.com

The best Mother's Day present I ever received was my daughter, Sage, who was actually born on Mother's Day 2003! This happy coincidence comes with an added bonus. My parents want to spend the kids' birthdays with them, so for the past five years they've been booking travel with megabus.com and coming to Chicago for visits every March and May. In fact, they're coming again in a few days! I'm lucky to get to celebrate Mother's Day in person with both my mom and my kids, so I was thrilled when megabus.com asked me to partner up with them on a sponsored post for Mother's day 2016 and their 10th anniversary.

It's amazing megabus.com is celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year and my parents have been making multiple megabus.com trips for half that time now. They've actually befriended other passengers that they have stayed in touch with for years. They love the free wifi, affordable tickets, and the ease of booking and travel. To me, one of the best benefits of megabus.com is the peace of mind I feel knowing my parents aren't alone, weaving around speeding semi trucks on a 6 hour drive. They're traveling in comfort and leaving the driving to the pros. 

They've even taken my son home with them, for a multigenerational vacation. A trip with megabus.com is an adventure for accompanied kids. The grandparents and my son could relax and read books and play games together instead of negotiating traffic. My parents said all their drivers have been friendly and professional and some are comedians with witty one liners that had the whole bus laughing. 

Over the years, for Mother's Day, I've given and received jewelry, handmade art, spa visits, flowers and more. It's great to feel appreciated and pampered. Still, the things I adore most are travel and spending time with my family and friends. 

Mother's Day is a time for many wistful long distance calls from kids scattered across the country. In a survey megabus.com did, it's not surprising a majority of megabus.com customers miss their moms (64%). Many say mom would cry tears of joy if they surprised her with a trip (53%) or an unannounced visit (46%). We've never popped in unannounced, but some of the best trips we've had have been 3 generation vacations where we traveled with my parents and kids. 

Sometime the best present is your presence! According to the megabus.com survey, more people are planning to go home for Mother’s Day, over a spa or the beach. Book your own trip home to surprise your mom, or take her with you on a fun getaway. It's an eco-friendly way to travel that's easy on the earth and easy on your wallet. You'll stress less when you book travel with megabus.com. Read more about their history and 10 year anniversary right here.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of megabus.com . The opinions and text are all mine.

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

Final ChiTAG Ticket Winner Announced #winningwednesday #giveaway

Happy Winning Wednesday!    Did you win?   Congrats to our SIXTH and final family ticket winner for ChiTAG--Lori M.   Check your e-mail for your free passes for this weekend.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

We had a rockin' response with 220 entries!! Thanks to ChiTAG for once again providing us with 6 sets of 4 tickets for our give aways.

All our readers are winners. 

**Click here for a $2 off coupon per 

ticket and more ChiTAG info.**

ChiIL Mama will be rockin' playCHIC tonight and we'll have a fun, photo filled recap for you soon.   This weekend we'll be covering both days of the 10th Anniversary of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair!   See you out there!

TOY & GAME-INSPIRED HAUTE COUTURE FASHION SHOW TO KICK-OFF CHICAGO TOY & GAME WEEK WHAT: The runway will become the ‘fun-way’ as models don haute couture styles created by some of Chicago’s most innovative fashion designers, inspired by hot toy and game brands, many of which will be featured at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair - the nation’s largest public toy and game event. Dubbed playCHIC, the concept fashion show will showcase the creativity and style of the Chicago fashion industry, paired with the playfulness of toy and game designers, and will be the first in a week’s worth of events that will culminate with the 10th anniversary Chicago Toy & Game Fair. Toy & Game Sponsors: playCHIC fashion concepts will be created based on these brands: Settlers of Catan®, one of the fastest-selling board games in the US with a die-hard cult following of fans including Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook) and Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn) Moshi Monsters®, virtual pet monsters that have already been adopted online by over 65 million kids worldwide! Word Winder®, The Game of Winding Words” is a new brand of board games, mobile apps, puzzle books and more created by the world’s most syndicated puzzle creator. Annie®, the beloved musical based on the Tribune comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, is back on Broadway with an all-new, star-studded production premiering at the famous Palace Theatre in Times Square on November 8 Brenda Starr, Reporter™,  one of the most popular comic strip characters-turned-dolls of all time, and a woman noted for being a pioneering fashionista Pony Royale®, the award-winning fashion doll line featuring 12 beautiful princess ponies, that delivers open-ended creative play with interchangeable manes, tails, and mix-and-match fashions.      Chicago Fashion Designers:  Nade Baer Mariam Cecilia  Edla De La Rosa Gibeon Tolbert playCHIC is presented by The Tribune Media Services WHY: “The Chicago Toy & Game Week, lead by industry luminary Mary Couzin continues to push innovation boundaries and inspire the public with yet another historic event,” said Anna Van Slee, The playCHIC Fashion Show Director. “Ours is the first haute couture runway to feature a variety of new and iconic kids’ brands interpreted by different designers. Perhaps more than any other industry, the fashion business-at its core-is closely related to play, to playing ’dress up.’” “When you consider that kids have been dressing up toys and dolls for pretty much all of human civilization, you realize that there are a lot of inherent synergies between fashion and play,” said Mary Couzin, founder and CEO of the Chicago Toy & Game Group. “The fashion designers are really excited to play with some new looks based on popular toys and games, and the toy and game companies are anxious to see how their brands inspire other creative people.” WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, November 14 6-8PM City Winery 1200 W. Randolph Chicago, IL 60607 ABOUT THE CHICAGO TOY & GAME FAIR Founded in 2003, the Chicago Toy & Game Fair is the only non-hobby consumer toy and game fair in the U.S. Held annually on the weekend before Thanksgiving at Chicago’s historic Navy Pier, ChiTAG brings together consumers, toy and game inventors, toy industry trade and members of the media to celebrate the creation of toys and games and their inventors. Its mission is to build community through play by providing opportunities for people of all ages to connect with one another and experience the joy and educational value of traditional play. ABOUT THE CHICAGO TOY & GAME GROUP  The Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc. is a family of toy industry initiatives designed to encourage and promote the power of play and invention in social, educational, and professional environments.  The Chicago Toy & Game Group consists of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair; the International Toy & Game Inventor and Industry Conference; the Social Media @Play Conference; the International Summit for Professional Inventors; the Toy & Game Inventor Awards; Games for Educators; and Discover Games.  For more information visitwww.ChiTag.com, become a fan at  Facebook.com/ChicagoToyandGameFair or follow the fun on Twitter @ChicagoToyNGame.

Win 4 Free Tickets to ChiTAG--Chicago Toy & Game Fair #chiTAG

Click here for more of ChiIL Mama's original, photo filled coverage from ChiTAG 2011

ChiTAG or The Chicago Toy & Game Fair is one of our family's favorite annual events!!   This year we'll be celebrating 10 years of ChiTAG fun with 6 weeks of great give aways for our readers.   

On our Winning Wednesdays we'll pick a new family 4 pack winner EVERY week starting now through 11/14-that's 6 winners!   

We'll be featuring our past, photo filled ChiTAG coverage, original hot toy reviews, inventor features, and more every week as we count down to ChiTAG on November 17th & 18th.   Enter here for your chance to win.   Enter early and often.   Entries from prior weeks do carry over.

*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title or "a Rafflecopter giveaway link" and it should pop right up).   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to ChiTAG for once again providing us with 6 sets of 4 tickets for our give aways.


**Click here for a $2 off coupon per ticket and more ChiTAG info.**

10th ANNIVERSARY of NATION’S LARGEST PUBLIC TOY & GAME FAIR TO FEATURE MORE EXHIBITORS, GIANT-SIZED GAMES, WORLD-RECORD ATTEMPTS 

25,000 Visitors Expected To Kick-Off Holiday Season at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair the Weekend before Thanksgiving

The North Pole might as well be in Chicago the week before Thanksgiving, as over 25,000 visitors will head to Navy Pier to shop and play with thousands of toys and games on display from over 250 exhibitors. The 10th anniversary Chicago Toy & Game Fair, the largest public toy and game show in the nation, features the holiday season’s newest offerings from some of the bestselling brands in the world, as well as critically acclaimed, award-winning games from independent retailers.

“We’re so excited about this year’s Fair,” said Mary Couzin, founder and CEO of the Chicago Toy & Game Group which hosts the Fair as the culmination of an entire week of industry conferences and playful events. “For our 10th anniversary we’re pulling out all of the stops with more toys, giant-sized games, awesome tournaments and contests, specialty programming and much, much more. It’s like a giant interactive and bottomless toy box!”

The Chicago Toy & Game Fair will be held at Navy Pier in Festival Hall A on Saturday, November 17th and Sunday, November 18th.

ALL WEEKEND - Giant-sized games such as: Bananagrams, Perplexus, Doggie Doo, Word on the Street, Pajaggle, and more - Settlers of Catan North American Catan Championship -Meet the Moshi Monsters -Autographs from renowned toy and game inventors -Free contests and game tournaments -Speed Stacks sport stacking demonstrations and tournaments.

HIGHLIGHTS:

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17: 

*(10AM-6PM) Stars Wars Lunch (12 Noon – 1PM): Kids and adults alike can dress up as their favorite characters for an interactive lunch and playtime that features a Star Wars-themed Top Trumps tournament. $30/$36 kids under 12/adults. Tickets will sell out, but are available for purchase now at www.ChiTagFair.com

*Official Illinois State Yo-Yo Contest (10AM-4PM): A dynamic performance competition (featuring ladder climbs) that will be judged by former Illinois and World Champions as well as a quarter-finalist from the hit TV shot “America’s Got Talent.” Hands-on tips for all skill levels; online and day-of registration available. Sponsored by Cat ‘n Mouse Toy Store.

**Top Trumps Guinness Book of World Records Attempt (3PM): Girl Scouts from all across the Midwest will join together in an attempt to break the world record for the most people playing a single card game at one time.

***Young Inventor Challenge (10AM-2PM): Nearly 200 young inventors in two age groups (6-11, 12-18) will display their original inventions of toys and games to be voted on by the public as well as professionals from the United Inventors Association of America. Previous participants have had their inventions licensed by major toy companies. Sponsored by PlaSmart.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18: (10AM-5PM) Stage Performances from Radio Disney, Blues Clues LIVE! presented by Naperville’s Center Stage Players, Elan Dance Company, Music from 4 A.M., as seen on Fox-TV’s The X-Factor, Ben’s Bubble Show, Lil’ Buds Theater and more.

Boy Scouts Top Trump Tournament (9AM): Boy Scouts are admitted into the Fair an hour early.

ADMISSION:  $10: ages 14+ $5: ages 3-13
FREE ADMISSION FOR: Teachers, librarians, members of the military, Boy/Girl Scouts in uniform, children under 3 years of age. On Sunday, grandparents accompanied by kids admitted free of charge.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO TOY & GAME GROUP

The Chicago Toy & Game Group, Inc. is a family of toy industry initiatives designed to encourage and promote the power of play and invention in social, educational, and professional environments. The Chicago Toy & Game Group consists of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair; the International Toy & Game Inventor and Industry Conference; the Social Media @Play Conference; the International Summit for Professional Inventors, the Toy & Game Inventor Awards; Games for Educators; and Discover Games. For more information become a fan at Facebook.com/ChicagoToyandGameFair or follow the fun on Twitter @ChicagoToyNGame.

Check out ChiTAG's main site here.

Act Out: Theatre Round Up-Broadway in Chicago Special including Fiddler on the Roof, Memphis, Ann, Pinkalicious, Love Loss and What I Wore

Chi-Town is undoubtedly a theatre town.

We'll have longer reviews, photo filled features, and loads of interviews coming up soon.    But there are some amazing shows that just opened, so we'll do a quickie highly recommended list here first.    

Theatre is a great way to entertain family members who are in for the holidays.    And show tickets or season subscriptions are a great clutter buster gift idea.    Shows make lasting memories and don't end up in landfills or storage, like many well intentioned presents.   

We'll have an Act Out feature specific to holiday themed shows and one on other highly recommended productions that just opened.   First, we have an all Broadway in Chicago feature.    They've got a lot going on, and some are short runs that should not be missed!   Check out ChiIL Mama's quick reference guide below.


Broadway in Chicago:
We are extremely lucky to have Broadway in Chicago.   They have been bringing world class touring productions to the windy city for 10 years now!


Fiddler on the Roof  

opens tonight at Auditorium Theatre.   I can't wait to check out the Broadway version.   This was one of my high school musicals that I played a part in, back in the day, so I've always had a soft spot for it.  I was almost cast as Yentl, the matchmaker, and got a special call back, but was beaten out for the part by Julie Greenberg.   Ah, well.   She did an excellent job, so it was all for the best.   We'll have a full review up soon. This one's a classic with multigenerational appeal.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the Tony Award®-winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal. Based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has been lauded by critics again and again, and won the hearts of people all around the world. Filled with a rousing, heartwarming score, which includes “Tradition,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “If I Were A Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset,” FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is a timeless classic. No other musical has so magically woven music, dance, poignancy and laughter into such an electrifying and unforgettable experience. Relive a glorious tradition of the musical theatre with FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

Ticket prices are $26 to $85

Theatre : Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Chicago Illinois

Dates : November 22, 2011 - November 27, 2011

Memphis 

opened last night at Cadillac Palace.   This fantastic, award winning production wholeheartedly deserves all the praise.   I can see why it won 4 Tony Awards in 2010.   We loved it!   The show was particularly interesting to me, since I saw it book ended by two Fitz and The Tantrums Shows.   Both feature an incredibly talented black, female singer, a white boy and R&B music!   

Fortunately, we're no longer in 1950's Tennessee, where interracial marriage was illegal and racism was rampant, like the setting of Memphis the musical.  Thankfully, in 2011 racists rarely throw bricks through windows, beat people with baseball bats, or fire guns about white kids dancing to "race music".   However, even in 2011 Chicago, neighborhoods are racially and economically divided and some archaic stereotypes still resurface.   We highly recommend Memphis for the whole family.   The Performers, the score, and the story line are superb and serve as an entertaining and enlightening reminder of an era.   Ultimately, great music triumphs, to unite a new generation and trump the race card.

TURN UP THAT DIAL...From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves -- filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll.

Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, MEMPHIS features a Tony-winning book by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and a Tony-winning original score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Directing is Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu), and choreography is by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).
 

Ticket prices are $32 to $100.
 

Theatre : Cadillac Palace Theatre, Chicago Illinois
Dates : November 22, 2011 - December 04, 2011

ANN - A New Play Written and Performed by Emmy-Winner Holland Taylor  

We caught opening night and were blown away by the show.    This one's only here through December 4th, so don't miss out.   We may be the 2nd city, but we get to see Ann first, in this sweet, pre-Broadway engagement!   Holland Taylor's writing and acting is something to see.   This show gives me hope for politics.   We need more outspoken, feisty women in seats of power.    Ann had the mouth of a trucker, the soul of a liberal, and the energy, passion and charisma of a true leader.    I enjoyed getting to know her better, through such an entertaining production.   Highly recommended!   Here's our prior Ann coverage.

 

 Pre-Broadway Engagement!

A hilarious new play that reveals the complex and iconic female Governor of the Lone Star State. Written and performed by Emmy® Award-winning actress Holland Taylor (from “Two and a Half Men”) this play delivers a no holds barred look at Texan Ann Richards that captivates and packs an emotional and inspiring punch.

Ticket prices are $20 to $85.

Theatre : Bank of America Theatre, Chicago Illinois
Dates : November 13, 2011 - December 04, 2011

Pinkalicious 
We've reviewed, interviewed and been tickled pink about Pinkalicious since it opened at Broadway Playhouse in July.   Check out ChiIL Mama's review here and our print interview with Pinkalicious and her brother, here.

“Can’t I have just one more?” When Pinkalicious eats one too many pink cupcakes, she catches a case of Pinkititis and turns pink from head to toe! It'll take the wisdom of her broccoli-eating little brother to help her get out of this predicament. Don't miss Chicago’s Emerald City Theatre production of this smash hit musical based on the popular book by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann. Best suited for cupcake lovers ages 3 and up. 




Ticket prices are $16 to $22.
 

Theatre : Broadway Playhouse, Chicago Illinois
Dates : July 08, 2011 - January 07, 2012 
Emerald City Theatre
presents
PINKALICIOUS

Love, Loss & What I Wore
We saw the original cast on opening night and thoroughly enjoyed this production.   The cast rotates, and always features a powerhouse line up of great theatre women.    Since the show is set up as a staged reading, rather than a blocked production, it's got a casual coffee with friends vibe.    The stories come off as intimate recollections of events, and are all the more powerful for the presentation.

I laughed when I saw the production disclaimer that there is nothing particularly inappropriate for kids, but that they might be bored by it, like they are by adult chats.   This is very true.   While the adults in the audience laughed frequently and empathetically, and gave the show a unanimous standing ovation, I didn't bring my kids to this one.    It's more of a girls' night out or date play.  I brought my neighbor and we enjoyed a glass of wine, a lot of laughs, and no little people who needed the bathroom.

Rotating Cast includes Roni Geva, Cindy Gold, Taylor Miller, Loretta Swit, Dawn Wells and Whitney White!
 

Proving that a great show is always in fashion, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, with its starry rotating cast and compulsively entertaining subject matter, has become an international hit. This intimate collection of stories by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron is based on the best-selling book, as well as on the recollections of the Ephrons’ friends. Like the popular book, the show uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to, creating one of the most enduring theatergoing experiences in New York and now across the country.

“Goes directly to the heart, soul and vanity
of every woman, young and old.”
–Liz Smith, Variety

“Funny and Poignant!”
-Associated Press

“A show about matters of the heart and matters of the closet!”
-The New York Times

Ticket prices are $68 to $78

Theatre : Broadway Playhouse, Chicago Illinois


Dates : September 14, 2011 - January 01, 2012


Running time: Approximately 100 minutes with no intermission

Check out Broadway in Chicago's main site for ticket information, videos, and detailed production information for all shows.  

We're looking forward to a bunch of upcoming productions, including The Book of Mormon, La Cage Aux Folles, The Addams Family, and Cats!   Highly recommended.