Meet BethAnne Clayton

Last Friday night I got the rare opportunity to go out and see a singer from Monmouth County that I've been wanting to see for quite a while. I went to McCloone's Pier House (at Pier Village in Long Branch) to see BethAnne Clayton. She's an amazing performer that I've heard so much about for so long. And she's fantastic! She does all kinds of music but my favorite song is her own, called "Who I Am Today" from her latest cd of the same name (available at Jack's Music in Red Bank).

If you're looking for great entertainment, you can catch BethAnne when she's in town at upcoming events like opening day at Monmouth Park Racetrack, the Sandy Hook Concert Series, and the Monmouth County Fair. Oh and her drummer (and husband), Steve Paddack, is pretty good, too!!! (bethanneclayton.com)

Here's her website: bethanneclayton.com

Paper Art @ The Monmouth Museum

I never thought much about it, until someone sent me some pictures that were absolutely amazing. Wish I could do that! Marie Sturken's intricate handmade paper art designs are now on display at Monmouth Museum through April 9th. The museum is at Brookdale Community College. Also, if you have young children, check out the kid's hands-on museum, too. My kids love it!

Click here for more information

Stretch-A-Buck

From finance experts comes advice on how to cut your spending and stretch your dollars:

1. Consider dropping your home telephone line.
2. Cut back on trips to coffee shops.
3. Carry cash instead of credit cards. (They say psychologically it's harder to spend cash than it is to use a credit card.)
4. Use the 'envelope system' for groceries, dining out, entertainment, etc.
5. Buy regular gas instead of premium. Most cars don't need premium gasoline.
6. Go to the library instead of the bookstore.
7. Plan your purchases to avoid impulse buying. Take a list with you to the store and stick with it.
8. Take a vacation at home. Check out all the local sites and rediscover your hometown to save on travel and hotel costs.

After discussing this on the air, a listener sent in this advice:

Dear Lou and Liz,

I just wanted to quickly comment on your Stretch a Buck skit this morning. Cash in the pocket for me costs about $20-40 a week!

I find myself buying little things from the vending machine, coffee, or other things that are relatively inexpensive, but add up. These are things I really don't "need" but cost me some serious cash when you add them up. By only using my credit card, I find that I won't charge a small item (less than $2) because it's a little embarrassing for small purchases. As a result I save money on things I don't really "need".

Another good thing about using credit cards are the rewards programs. I put a lot of monthly expenses on my credit card and accumulate points which can be converted into gift cards, which I then use around the holidays as gifts. It works out really well. The key thing is that you have the discipline to know your limit and pay off the credit card in full every month. Otherwise it doesn't make sense.

I drink about 2-4 cups of coffee every day. I purchased a coffee machine with the auto timer so that coffee will be made for me every morning at 6am so I can take it to go. Its another thing that saves me cash in the long run.

How To Get In The Joy Zone

Here's some advice I recently read from author Susan Apollon. How to Get In the Joy Zone:

No one expects you to be bubbling over with cheer all the time. Joy can be experienced through quiet contentedness. Simply stay focused on good thoughts. Or take some shortcuts that instantly up your joy quotient, like indulging once in a while in a sinful dessert. Or sleep in sheets with a high thread count to feel pampered. Listen to your favorite feel-good album, sip a tasty wine, or attend a workshop or worship service to reconnect with a higher source. Others will see how empowered you become just by being happy.

You can also seek happiness by committing random acts of kindness. It can be something as little as saying 'have a great day' to a stranger, or donating money to a charity.

Every morning when you wake up, the ball is in your court in regard to how you want to spend your day. If you choose to put a smile on your face you'll actually feel better. You can spread the happiness you feel with a heartfelt 'I'm so glad to see you"' to set the tone for work or with your family. Don't wait for someone else to take the initiative.....take the lead in spreading cheer.

When you look better you feel better. So get plenty of sleep, eat well, keep your body strong. Try to spend some time each day alone and quiet, and get an occasional new outfit or hairstyle. When you're going out for a special event, take the time to put your make-up on, fix your hair, and find the perfect accessories for your outfit.

You deserve to be happy.....so try not to put yourself last!

The Hot 16

In honor of March Madness and the whole Sweet-16 bracket-basketball thing (I am clueless) going on in offices everywhere, Lou has decided that I'm going to come up with a Top 16 of the hottest celeb guys so that we can hold the same competition for hot Hollywood/Rock and Roll/Sports men. I'm all for it, and will be looking forward to seeing who comes out on top (as long as it's not Lou Russo!) So, if you'd like to throw in a suggestion by Friday morning, I'll take it into consideration while I continue to compile the list of possibilities. Then we'll all get to vote on the big winner! Here are just some of the names Monmouth and Ocean County listeners have nominated so far:

Johnny Depp

Brad Pitt

Chris Daughtry

Jon Bon Jovi

Patrick Dempsey

George Clooney

Gerard Butler

Matthew McConaughey

Nokolaj Coster Waldau

Justin Timberlake

Jason Lewis

Paul Blackthorne

Josh Duhamel

Wentworth Miller

Aaron Eckhart

Eric Dane

Tim McGraw

Keith Urban

Orlando Bloom

Hugh Jackman

Tom Brady

Matt Damon

Richie Sambora

Bruce Springsteen

Andrew McCarthy

Rob Thomas

and...Lou Russo

Also, if there's someone you think definitely should NOT be on the list, I'd be curious to hear that, too! You can imagine how hard this job is.....to narrow this great list down to only the top 16!!!

"Momnesia"

I've been saying it for years and many moms seem to agree....we seem to lose brain cells once we have kids. Now there's an actual term for this problem, "Momnesia", in an article in USA Today.

This term is (lovingly) used for mothers who hop in their cars and forget where they were supposed to go, who occassionally leave wet laundry in the washing machine, forget to return phone calls, burn their favorite teapot by leaving it on the stove or put milk in the cabinet rather than the fridge, and who otherwise can't even remember the things they've forgotten. Scientists say we're not losing our minds....Momnesia really exists!

But it's not that we get dumber after childbirth. It's actually that (along with getting less quality sleep) our brains are getting more of a workout. Once your mommy brain gets readjusted, you get more efficient and you actually learn things faster, although this could take a few years.

Momnesia happens because moms need to be "hyper-vigilant" about their kids, which requires other parts of their brain to be taken offline. A worthy cause as we do everything we can to keep our children safe from harm. So joke around all you like but I'll take the term, and the change in priorities that causes it, any day because my children will always come first.

• Read the story for yourself by clicking here.

Getting Ready For A Night Out Celebrity Style

Here's why celeb women can look THAT good and we can't.

This is what they do before a big event like the Oscars:
Anticellulite body scrub and wrap $1500
Spray tan $110
Mani-pedi touch-up $70
Hair color and highlights $400
Microdermabrasion and facial (series of six) $1560
Brow shaping $70
Botox underarm injection (prevents sweating) $1000
Restylane lip injection $350
Hairstylist for the day $4000
Makeup artist for the day $5000
Total $14,410

And, of course, they get their DESIGNER gown, shoes, and jewelry free for the evening. Must be nice, huh?

Meet Yosi

This past Saturday I hosted the Kid's Breakfast at Freehold Raceway Mall, as I do on the first Saturday morning of every month from 9 - 11. There is always a fun craft or guest there for the kids, but this past Saturday I met someone I had never heard of....someone who's like a rock star to little kids. So, for those of you like me who don't get out much and haven't seen him with your kids yet, let me tell you about Yosi.

Yosi (a dad of four with a degree in child psychology) and his band The Superdads, are just as good (if not better) than The Wiggles! And they're local! Yosi (who you can catch performing in Monmouth and Ocean Counties quite frequently with and without the band) puts on a fantastic concert for kids which has them on their feet dancing and singing with big grins on their faces. (He's made much of that music available on cd, too.) One critic writes "Move over Raffi: There's a new kids' musician on the block, and his name is Yosi!" Another writes "For those too young to stay up for 'American Idol', Yosi is the biggest rock star there is!" So thanks, Yosi, for making our Kid's Breakfast so memorable and fun! And thanks for signing all those autographs for the kids, too!

Adventures in the public rest room

This was sent to me by a listener.....something we girls can all relate to!

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Of course every stall is occupied, and after that long line you now have to go really badly. Finally a door opens and you dash in, and then find the door won't latch. And the dispenser for the paper seat covers is empty. You'd hang your purse on the door hook, but there isn't one, so you have to drape it around your neck or put it on the yucky floor. Then, since the bowl is a mess, you have to assume 'the stance', at which point your toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. Then you reach for what you discover is the empty toilet paper dispenser. You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday....the one that's still in your purse (which is now around your neck). Then someone pushes your door open because the latch isn't working. The door hits your purse, toppling you backward and onto the slimy toilet seat. Now your butt is covered with every imaginable germ because you didn't listen to your mother in the first place and cover the toilet seat with tissues or paper towels. By this time the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, spraying you with a fine mist of water. By now you're completely exhausted and grossed-out. You make it to the sink but can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors. Finally you are about to make your escape when you realize you have a piece of toilet paper stuck to your shoe (too bad it wasn't in the stall when you needed it). As you exit, your man, looking annoyed, asks "What took you so long?". Need I say more?

My response: Imagine this scenario times two or three when you have to go through this entire routine WITH YOUNG CHILDREN!!!!!!!

West Side Story Comes to Howell

When I was ten years old and painfully shy, my elementary school teachers decided to have the students put on a musical. It was "Oklahoma" and we all got a chance to learn the songs, read from the script, and audition.

That experience took away my shyness and introduced me to my love of performing. I am a big supporter of kids in theatre. I know there are many great local productions so if you'd like me to mention them, please send them to me.

Even though these young kids may not be ready for Broadway, the important thing is that they really believe in what they're doing and you can see it in the joy on their faces. It's inspirational and a very healthy outlet! This weekend and next at Howell High School the Drama Club presents "West Side Story" (in the top-three of my all-time favorite musicals!). Performance dates:Feb 29 and March 1March 7 and March 8 All seats $12 Reserved seating For more info:732-919-2131 or click dramaparents.com.