I always say that you can tell how old someone is by asking them what their favorite Disney Movies were as a child. If they say Snow White, Cinderella, or Sleeping Beauty – you know you’re dealing with someone a bit older. But if they say Aladdin, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, or, my personal favorite Beauty and the Beast, then I know I’m dealing with someone who is close in age.

It’s funny how experiences that I treasured as a child have come back around full circle so that I can share them with our two kids. I can very vividly remember sitting in the theater watching Beauty and the Beast at age 9 – falling in love with the music, the story, and of course – that yellow dress. Naturally, at 29 I was totally geeked out to share that same experience with my family – to see the twinkle in my kids eyes as they watched the story unfold.

I’m so thankful to the folks at Disney, who were kind enough to invite the four of us to do just that last Saturday at the El Capitan Theater (the same place that I attended the premiere of Cars 2) in Hollywood. We didn’t tell them where we were going until we were almost there – and then they kept shouting “We’re going to HOLLYWOOD!”.

I’ll take awesome parents for 500, Alex.

We felt like royalty ourselves when we got to the check-in table and discovered that we were special guests and were allowed to skip the line. One day, when our kids no longer think I’m cool, I’m going to show them this post as proof that I am, indeed, cool.

Did I mention that Beauty and the Beast has been remastered and is being released in 3D? We rocked our 3D glasses didn’t we?

What the kids didn’t know was that two very special people were making a surprise appearance at this sneak peek – so imagine how my heart melted when Belle and the Beast waltzed out on stage and I see both of my kids sitting on their knees, stretching out their arms waving and yelling at them with the world’s biggest smiles on their faces. Belle and the Beast thanked us for coming to see their movie, and then there was a confetti explosion and I thought my kids might explode with excitement themselves. They were literally bouncing in their seats. Pure magic.

Before the movie itself started, we got a preview of something that we had been waiting a long time for – Tangled Ever After! My daughter is the world’s biggest Tangled fan so this was a real treat for her. She literally giggled throughout the entire short – she loves Pascal especially, and she even told her grandparents about how funny it was on the phone later that day. My son’s favorite line from Tangled is “They just can’t get my nose right!” and without spoiling anything from you I can tell you that there is a little tribute to that line in the short as well!

We loved every second of Beauty and the Beast in 3D – and it was an amazing experience. The movie still moves me to tears – I was sniffling at the end of the movie. Just wait until you see the ballroom scene in 3D – you will be blown away!

Beauty and the Beast 3D hits theaters TOMORROW, January 13th – so be sure and check it out with your kids this weekend! What a great way to introduce them to the movie that captured our hearts 20 years ago! By the way, you can like Beauty and the Beast on Facebook for up-to-the moment updates!

Thank you so much Disney for this very special day with my family – we are still talking about it!

PS – Do you watch Modern Family? We watched Beauty and the Beast in 3D all while sitting a few rows away from “Manny” who is played by Rico Rodriguez. Kinda awesome! We also got to see Zachary Levi who is the voice of Flynn in Tangled. :)

Read the original Beauty and the Beast 3D Hits Theaters Tomorrow on Chic Shopper Chick.

Yesterday I was in Costco and as I was perusing the vitamin section I hear the strains of a song I know, all too well, coming from the electronics section –

“Everybody looooook left!

Everybody loooooooook right!

Everywhere you looooook I’mmmmmmm

…standing in the spoootttttliiiiiight!”

And right there, in the middle of Costco, I surprised myself and everyone around me by practically shouting Zazu’s line –

“NOT YET!”

Which led to this tweet.

Oh yeah. I’m totally that girl.

The Lion King has always been my ultimate favorite Disney movie. I knew every line, every song, every word to this movie (and apparently still do). I even had the soundtrack. It didn’t hurt, of course, that I was 11 years old with a huge crush on Jonathan Taylor Thomas (who is the voice of Simbaa).

Then of course there is the very cool connection of my cousin, Ernie Sabella, being the voice of Pumbaa in the movie. Not that he knows me, or anything, but related we are. And at 11 years old? That made me like, totally cool.

Of course, The Lion King has just been re-released in theaters in 3D, but as of yesterday, October 4th, it’s also available as The Lion King: Diamond Edition on Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack. You can save $5 on your purchase with the coupon below (click the image to be redirected)!

And of course, the folks at Disney always have such fun items to go along with each release – I love these Fun Food Ideas (featuring Pumbaa, of course!).

And these coloring and activity pages (which are always such a hit in our house!).

So, if you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend with your kids, try out some of these fun food ideas and then pull up a tub of popcorn and pop in The Lion King. I know we will be. (And I’ll try not to annoy the kiddos by singing every single line, but hey – I’m not making any promises.)

Read the original Hakuna Matata: The Lion King is Now On DVD and Blu-Ray on Chic Shopper Chick.

Oh yeah baby, you read that right.

Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series is going to be available on DVD beginning October 11, 2011.

When I received the email telling me this very fact, I responded exactly like this…

O

M

G

When I was a little girl, Jem was my ABSOLUTE favorite show.

I can still sing the theme song.

You pretty much just made my month. And I’m not even kidding.

I would love to share Jem with my little girl, and share my obsession (and hidden rock-star dreams – pre Hannah Montana days, of course) with my readers.

I’d love a review copy of the entire Box Set if possible.

You have no idea how happy this makes me.

Thank you!!

Erika

And guess what, y’all? They sent it to me. I’m the proud owner of the 11 DVD Box set. I’m in Jem Heaven.

This is one of those giddy pieces of nostalgia that I want to hold on to forever. I had no idea I could even find Jem on DVD, much less have the complete series? Shut the front door.

Remember I said that I could still sing the theme song? I just tested myself out with this clip while my very kind and patient fiance’ pretended like he didn’t need to plug his ears. It’s official, I can totally still rock out to this, and sing almost all of the words. And oh man, lemme tell you, it’s 80′s-tastic, and I’m lovin’ it!

The series “JEM and The Holograms” ran from 1985-’88 in first-run syndication and still boasts a loyal and vocal fan base. It is frequently credited with influencing fashion in the late 1980s and beyond, and launching the careers of female pop-rock stars and music groups. The series follows Jerrica Benton, whose discovery of Synergy, a powerful computer companion, allows her to transform from co-owner of Starlight Music into rock star Jem. Teaming with her sister and best friends who form The Holograms, Jem sets out to make their musical dreams come true, even as she battles against the ruthless Eric Raymond and his musical protégés.

This would have been on my Christmas list in a heartbeat this year. I’m sure there are lots of other 30-40 somethings who would agree with me. I can’t wait to share Jem in all of her glory with my daughter – I have a feeling she will love it just as much as I do.

Read the original Jem and the Holograms: The Complete Series on DVD on Chic Shopper Chick.

You already know that I’m a huge Disney fan, especially classic Disney. So when I heard that Dumbo was being released on Blu-Ray and DVD in honor of the 70th anniversary, I knew it was something we had to have in our collection. After all, I’ve been riding the iconic Dumbo ride at Walt Disney World ever since I can remember…and it was especially nostalgic when I got to ride it with a film crew back in January for the Lifetime Moms / Disney Parks Commercial shoot!

This movie is being released for the first time in high-definition, and has been flying off shelves since it’s September 20, 2011 release date. We have the DVD/2 disc Blu-Ray combo pack, but it is also available as standard definition 1-disc edition, or just a high-definition 1 disc release – so it fits all budgets and preferences. They all come with quite a few “extras”, such as:

DVD:

• Deleted Scene – “The Mouse’s Tale
• Deleted Song – “Are You a Man or a Mouse?”
• Taking Flight: The Making of Dumbo – A journey back to the origins of the film as everybody’s favorite baby elephant takes wing.
• The Magic Of Dumbo: A Ride of Passage – Witness the excitement and magic of Disneyland’s most popular ride through the eyes of a child.
• Audio Commentary with Pete Docter, Paula Sigman and Andreas Deja
• Sound Design Excerpt from The Reluctant Dragon
• Original Walt Disney Television Introduction

Blu-ray:

Everything on the DVD plus:

• Cine-Explore
• Disney View
• “What Do You See?” Game
• “What Do You Know?” Game
• “Celebrating Dumbo” Featurette
• Animated Short: “The Flying Mouse”
• Animated Short: “Elmer Elephant”

Movie Download (Standard Definition & High Definition Versions):

• Deleted Scene – “The Mouse’s Tale”
• Deleted Song – “Are You a Man or a Mouse?”
• “Celebrating Dumbo” Featurette

Read the original Dumbo 70th Anniversary Edition on Chic Shopper Chick.

Every now and then Lifetime offers to send me a screener for a new show as a part of my role as a Lifetime Mom. Just reading the title for their newest unscripted show (that means “reality show”, y’all) Glamour Belles made me giddy. The title pretty much told me I all needed to know – I’d love it. For those of you not as convinced – here’s the recipe for Glamour Belles.

1 hearty dose of a hilarious Southern woman named Paige, who owns Joann’s, a dress shop

Add a dash of her mother, Joann, the store’s original owner, who has a penchant for leopard print

Mix in Jared, the store manager and the man that Paige calls her “gay work husband”

Top with a sprinkle of colorful customers, from brides and beauty queens aged 7-70

And BAM! Glamour Belles.

Trust me. It will give your current favorite show a run for it’s money. Warning: don’t watch this show if you don’t like to laugh.

I’ll admit that the night that I sat down to watch the screener I was grumpy. It was late, my daughter had gone to bed later than expected, and I could feel the weight of several deadlines pressing down upon my shoulders. By the time it was over, I had tears streaming down my face from laughter and was desperately pushing the menu button on the DVD player remote, hoping to God that there was an extra episode.

There wasn’t. I have to wait 2 more weeks to see the 2nd episode! Ack!

Check out the 30 second trailer below if you don’t believe me. It will definitely leave you giggling!

Check out Glamour Belles this Wednesday, April 6th, at 10 pm/ 9 pm CT on Lifetime. Guaranteed to cure all grumpiness.

Read the original Don’t Miss: Glamour Belles On Lifetime on Chic Shopper Chick.

That’s where Fancast comes in. It debuted in January 2008 and now has more than 10,000 hours of online video programming; with more than 60,000 videos available, including over 13,000 full-length shows. That translates into “Erika can watch episodes of Glee at 3 am anytime she wants to.” Squee!! Also of note – tons of behind the scenes stuff, gossip, news on what shows are on the brink of cancellation, etc. I enjoy that stuff almost as much as I enjoy watching the shows themselves!

So, if you are looking for a place to catch an episode of one of your favorite shows, or if you are looking for something new to watch – check out Fancast! Now, if you’ll excuse me…the cast of Glee is singing my name.

Read the original Fancast is FANtastic on Chic Shopper Chick.

Everyone here has a story about how they know a local celebrity. They sat on a plane next to Robin Roberts, or shopped alongside of Jamie-Lynn Spears in Walmart. (Please, she counts, ok?) My story is that my 3rd grade teacher was Harry Connick Jr.’s godmother. Heck, my best friend Emily from elementary school even dated her son and got to meet him on several occasions, if my 3rd grade memory serves me correctly.

See, the thing is…I don’t really get that excited about Ms. Spears in Walmart, but I’m pretty crazy about Harry. See how I did that, there? The whole calling him by his first name thing? Yeah, that’s how I roll. I’m sure it wouldn’t creep him out at ALL.

I love him in movies and on TV, but my favorite thing that he does, by far, is make music. Flat-out incredibly amazing music, if it’s even possible to use that many descriptive thingies in a sentence.

Told ya I was crazy about the guy…I mean, ahem, his music.

Harry (more first name basisness) has just released his newest album, Your Songs, which is a) one of the best collections of familiar songs that I’ve heard in a while and b) really, really good. I just caught a segment of him on the local news, and he seemed to think this was his 24th album to be released. TWENTY-FOURTH, PEOPLE. How many other modern musicians are this prolific? Not only does the guy sing the most amazing Christmas music that you’ve ever heard (sorry, Bing, it’s nothing personal) but with this album he proves that he sings the classics just as well!

Anyone from New Orleans will immediately hear the influence of the city on the CD, even in these very classic songs. My favorite track on Your Songs is “Your Song” coincidentally, enough – though “And I Love Her”, “And The Way You Look Tonight” also make me swoon. Aw heck, the entire album makes me swoon.

If you’re not crazy about Harry, you should be! Thanks to One 2 One Network I had the opportunity to get a first listen of this album, and now you can too! One lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader will win a copy of his new album, Your Songs. To be entered to win, leave a comment below letting me know why you are or want to be crazy about Harry! You may also tweet about this contest for an additional entry (by clicking the little button at the top of this page!)

PS – Already crazy about Harry? Then go check out some of the behind the scenes stuff that led up to making this album!

Contest ends October 15th, 2009 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.

Read the original Crazy About Harry {A Giveaway!} on Chic Shopper Chick.

For the rest of you with rowdy 2 year olds or simply not enough time on your hands to catch this movie in theaters, CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is being released on June 23rd on Blu-ray and DVD! If you aren’t familiar with the movie, the main character Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) takes a job for the less-than-glamorous Successful Saving in order to support her out-of-control spending habit. Hilarity ensues and romance blossoms with an amazing supporting cast including Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack, Kristin Scott Thomas, John Lithgow, Krysten Ritter, and John Goodman! Bonus material includes bloopers, deleted scenes, a music video, and much much more! I’ve been told it was hilarious, and I can’t wait to see it!

Check out the trailer from the film, and a bonus bloopers reel from the film below!

Win It! I’m so excited to have partnered with Touchstone Home Entertainment to provide one of my readers with her very own copy of the Blu-Ray Disc of Confessions of a Shopaholic! Leave a comment here to be entered to win. One runner-up will win a copy of the DVD as well! That’s two chances to win! Leave a comment here, and stumble, subscribe, or blog about this contest with a link back here for additional entries. This contest ends June 21st, 2009. US entries only, must be 18 or older to enter, no purchase necessary to win.

Read the original Confessions of a Shopaholic {Giveaway CLOSED} on Chic Shopper Chick.

PBS is airing a special of this talented group of singers which was a process 2 years in the making. Think of it as a sort of Making the Band, but um, with some serious talent and no emphasis on dancing. You can check out the airdate for the special in your city, check out a short promo video, or find out if Yanni Voices will be on tour in a city near you.

Thanks to the One2One Network, I had the opportunity to preview the Yanni Voices CD and DVD – and as I said above I was really very impressed. If this sounds like something you would like then it’s your lucky day, because I also have a copy of the CD and DVD to givaway to you, as well as some Godiva Chocolate Truffles to sweeten the deal. Talk about your ultimate de-stress package!

Win it! To enter just leave me a comment below telling me why you would like to win this for yourself or someone else! It’s that simple! After that, every other (pertinent) comment left on this site on other posts from now through February 23rd will count as an extra entry each. You don’t need to come back to this post and tell me you commented on another post, I can stalk track you via your email/ip address. As usual, extra entries are also available for stumbling Chic Shopper Chick (leave your stumble name), subscribing to my site, following me on Twitter, and blogging about this giveaway with a link back here. That’s it, so good luck!

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contest ends at 11:59 pm CST on February 23rd, 2009.

Read the original Yanni Voices {Giveaway Closed} on Chic Shopper Chick.

Don’t believe me? It’s got a great mix of going-out-with-my-girlfriends and rockin’ in the car tunes, mixed in with others that just make you want to sway a bit and sing along, mushed together with ones that make you want to bust out the hairbrush-microphone and pretend like you’re the opening act at the VMA’s.

What?! Ok, well, maybe that last one is just me. (But I would totally rock the VMA’s. Totally.)

The song I keep hitting repeat on is Erin McCarley’s “Love Save the Empty”, though I’m also totally lovin’ Lily Allen’s “Smile”, as well as the great stuff by The Cure, Wilco, R.E.M, and Maroon 5. Oh, and as an added treat – you can hear Scarlett Johansson sing “Last Goodbye”. For the record, I am totally impressed with her deep soulful voice – I am a sound believer that actresses do not automatically equal singers/musicians – but in this case it was a good call.

Be sure to grab a copy of the He’s Just Not That Into You Soundtrack – it was just released this past Tuesday, Feb. 3rd and the movie will make it’s premiere tomorrow, February 6th! (And give me a call if you’re going – I’m willing to bet this is one that hubby won’t want to go see with me!)

Win it! I have a copy of the soundtrack plus this super awesome hoodie to give away to one lucky CSC reader! (And wow, I don’t think it will look like that on me…) For your initial entry, leave a comment here on this post. Something more than “I want to win” would be great! After that, every other (pertinent) comment left on this site on other posts from now through February 13th will count as an extra entry each. As usual, extra entries are also available for stumbling Chic Shopper Chick (leave your stumble name), subscribing to my site, following me on Twitter, and blogging about this giveaway with a link back here. Good luck!

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contest ends at 11:59 pm CST on February 15th, 2009.

Read the original He’s Just Not That Into You – The Soundtrack {Giveaway Closed} on Chic Shopper Chick.

You can return to the magical world of Narnia in the second installment of C.S. Lewis’ timeless epic The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian which was released on DVD on December 2nd, and it’s a must-own! It is available on DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def, as well as a special two-disc Collectors Edition perfect for holiday giving. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian packaging also includes a special DisneyFile, a digital copy of the movie that can be viewed on a variety of portable devices for the whole family to enjoy anytime, anywhere. I recently loaded Wall-E onto my MacBook and watched it from the comfort of my bedroom while I was waiting for my hubby to get home. DigitalFile is a huge plus, in my opinion!

According to the press release, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian features even more groundbreaking special effects and breathtaking action than its predecessor. William Moseley, Georgie Henley, Anna Popplewell and Skandar Keynes return as Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, the Pevensie siblings, along with Academy Award

Read the original The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on Chic Shopper Chick.

There aren’t many things in the world that compares to the bond between women. A great friend can feellike a sister: someone to share secrets with, laugh with over embarrassing moments, or turn to for support. Growing up I didn’t have any siblings, though now I have 2 wonderful sisters and a great sister-in-law, but I had always relied on friends to step in where a sister would have been! Kate Jacobs first novel, The Friday Night Knitting Club, earned rave reviews because of it’s true understanding of this bond. The Sequel. Knit Two, is also really powerful, as it brings us back into the lives of the original characters five years after the first book left off. This time, 18-year-old Dakota runs her mother’s knitting store part-time with the help of the knitting club. With a focus on the challenges, joys, and friendships of these characters, this book is a powerful read for any woman.

I didn’t read the first novel, but after I finished the second one, I’m going to go out and buy the first one to fill in the blanks (hey, a lot of good movies were made that way!). The book was excellent, and even though I hadn’t read the first one, I was able to keep up and get really involved in the characters. If you are looking for a good read this Holiday Season on your break from work or a great gift for a girlfriend this would be an excellent choice! You can read more about the author, Kate Jacobs, as well as purchase Knit Two on her website.

Knit Two

Read the original Book Tour: Knit Two on Chic Shopper Chick.

Paramount Home Entertainment has completely simplified gift-giving for you last minute Holiday Shoppers! With their wrapped and ready DVDs, you have 3 great options for gifts for this year, including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Iron Man, and Kung Fu Panda. They come wrapped in adorable paper (that doesn’t give anything away) with a removable cardboard sleeve over the top. When you are ready to “gift it” you can just take the sleeve off, stick a bow on it, and you’re ready to go!

You can order them now on Amazon, or, if you freak out on Christmas Eve and remember that you forgot to get a gift for someone, you can always stop by the store and grab one — you won’t need anything else! I’m giving hubby his copy of Indiana Jones this year already wrapped and ready – it will be perfect for his stocking, and it saves me time wrapping gifts (because frankly, it’s a daunting task with a 22 month old wanting to “help”.) What gifts do you wish were already wrapped for you?

Read the original Last Minute Christmas Gifts on Chic Shopper Chick.

Horton hears a cry for help from a speck of dust, and spends his time trying to protect the tiny creatures who live on it (the inhabitants of Whoville). Meanwhile, the other animals in the forest think their favorite pachyderm friend has lost it. Matters just get worse when the clover that Whoville is on is picked up and carried away by a Eagle! This movie is really so fantastic, and we all loved it, from start to finish!

You can pre-order your copy of Horton Hears A Who! on DVD or Blu Ray Disc right now on Amazon! It would make a great stocking stuffer for anyone in your family!

Win it! I have 2 copies of Horton Hears A Who to give away to 2 lucky Chic Shopper Chick readers. Each winner will also receive a pair of these adorable Horton ears! To enter, follow the easy-peasy rules below!

• Leave a comment here telling me why you’d like to win. A little effort please, no “Enter me” or “I wanna win” type of entries will be accepted.
  
• Earn extra credit! You may do these for extra entries.
  
• • Blog about this giveaway and link back here. Tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Follow me on Twitter. Tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Subscribe to my RSS feed via email or in a reader and tell me about it in a separate comment.
  • Stumble my main webpage (www.chicshopperchick.com) and leave me your Stumble Upon name in a separate comment.

That’s it! Good luck! Oh, and the official rules and legal jargon are below.

US entries only, winner will be chosen via random.org at the end of the contest. Winners are posted here and on Prizey Fetch, please leave a valid email address or blog address if you’d like to be contacted should you win. Winner has 72 hours to claim their prize. This contest ends at 11:59 pm CST on December 14th, 2008.

Read the original Horton Hears a Who! (A Giveaway!) on Chic Shopper Chick.

Welcome to Day 4 of the Chic Shopper Chick Gift Guide! Today we are going to focus on Kids and Baby stuff — but don’t forget to check out the other great items we’ve discussed so far! Day One was all about Holiday Traditions, Day Two was about Entertaining and Hostess Gifts, and Day Three was all about finding the perfect Stocking Stuffers! Today is about one of my favorites — things for kids! Let’s jump in to some of my new faves for this Holiday, in no particular order!

Green Toys Tea Set – I am so so so so (did I mention so?) in love with this Tea Set from Green Toys! Made entirely of recycled milk jugs, it makes me feel good to give Little AG something fun to play with that also supports the earth. Check out my full review on the Green Toys Tea Set – I know you will love it too! You can buy the Green Toys Tea Set from Amazon for just under 25 bucks, or if tea isn’t your thing, check out the Green Toys Cookware and Dining Set which might be a little more gender-neutral. Stay tuned for a giveaway of the Green Toys Tea Set coming up really soon!

2008 Holiday Barbie – I couldn’t resist adding in this timeless classic to my guide this year. A collectors item in her own right, the 2008 Holiday™ Barbie

Read the original Christmas Gift Guide 2008: For Kids & Baby on Chic Shopper Chick.