Since I’ve been blogging for a number of years it would be fair to say that I’ve experienced a number of press events first hand. I’ve reviewed products, been invited to restaurants to try new cuisine, and traveled on a number of occasions. Each experience has been a journey and a new adventure. But earlier this month I took part in one of the most extraordinary press events that I have been invited to … to date. It all started on July 7th when I headed to the airport early on Thursday morning and boarded a plane to visit a city that I have become rather well acquainted with in the past year. This time, this trip though was going to be different.
For starters, while I was heading to Los Angeles, I was adventuring into new territory. We were going to be staying and working in Beverly Hills. Rodeo Drive was right up the street and there was beauty all around. Next door to our hotel, the beautiful SIXTY Beverly Hills, was a Ferrari dealership that was showcasing a car that costs a cool 2 million dollars. We’re talking glamour and wow at every turn. Absolutely gorgeous!
Even cooler, I was invited to LA to attend Press Junkets for not one movie premiere but two! Kubo and the Two Strings which hits theaters on August 19, 2016 and Bad Moms which debuts on July 29, 2016. We spent two days in Los Angeles covering numerous events and I can’t wait to share all of the fun with you. There will be more about our experience in the coming days but today, I want to share with you some of the fun that was had courtesy of Bad Moms!!
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO PARTY LIKE A MOTHER?
Around 5 PM these beautiful chariots, aka large vans, pulled up to take us to a Cocktail Party and Screening of Bad Moms at iHeartRadio Theater. First, yes, I totally just said I went to LA to attend a Cocktail Party. Second, the vans were AMAZING! Let me explain why I am pointing this out. We had the same drivers throughout the trip and they were absolutely fantastic and amazingly friendly. The vans were cozy and comfortable and the first set of seats on each side were even accompanied by a table so you could have a snack or dare I say, partake in a beverage along the way. There were outlets in the van that allowed us to charge our cellphones as we journeyed from Point A to Point B which is always a huge relief when a blogger is along for the ride.
AND, perhaps the most important thing to make note of … the vans smelled WOW!
Now, I must take a moment to point out that I am really strange when it comes to smells. I’m the chick that walks into a shoe store and inhales at least three times before I am able to start shopping. When we head to our favorite Warehouse Store, I step into the tire section just to take in the sweet scent of the rubber on the tires (yes, don’t laugh). And in this van, I came into contact with my favorite smell of all time … LEATHER! I don’t know what they used to clean/polish/freshen the upholstery but it worked for me and I was graced with the smell of leather every time we had to be transported. It was truly magical.
AHEM … where was I?
Oh yes, BAD MOMS!
Upon our arrival we stopped off to pick up our Press Credentials. Oh yes, we were totally legit and even had badges to prove it …
Then it was time for fun! We noticed that there was a large group gathered around a setup with boas, sunglasses, glitter, a camera crew, and more. If I were home in Cincinnati I would have ran the other way but since I was in LA, I stepped into line and motioned a few friends to join me. Little did I know, we were preparing to make our debut in the Bad Moms #iHeartBadMoms Slow-Mo Booth. I’m normally the person that will shy away from a camera, avoids selfies, and wouldn’t be caught dead dancing in front of anyone but I have to say IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! And, to boot, we don’t look too bad in slow motion! Maybe a little of rhythm but I think we showed LA what Mommy Bloggers are made of!
Then it was time to have our IDs checked, go through security, and head inside for a night that I couldn’t have dreamed up in my wildest dreams. A night that I will never forget, a night that makes me smile even as I type this, a night that made me feel young again!
A HUGE shout out and THANK YOU to Bad Moms and STX Entertainment for reminding me that I am still young, there is fun to be had, and it’s okay to PARTY LIKE A MOTHER!
Once inside we made our way to the Media floor for the Cocktail Party. As we finished our walk up the stairs we were immediately hit with two choices: turn left for food or turn right for drinks. We turned RIGHT and headed straight to the bar. The bartender was very nice and chuckled a bit when I explained that I don’t drink much and asked what he suggested.
As a side note, if you are curious, he was quite attractive and had a great smile to boot. I swear he was placed on purpose since the majority of the attendees were female.
He said the popular drink of the night was something called a Bad Madre. Now, I don’t know if this a legit drink or something he renamed for the night but I told him it sounded fantastic and promised that I would be back for another. Being a major lightweight I knew this was highly unlikely but HEY, I was at a Cocktail Party! The drink consisted of (mostly) Vodka, finished off with a splash of cranberry juice and orange juice. It was pleasant, refreshing, and tasted fantastic but I have to admit, I hadn’t eaten hardly at all on Thursday so I decided it was best to sip and take my time.
See the red carpet? Notice who is on the big screen?! 😉
Our seats were in the balcony or upper level area, then there was a section below us where there was a red carpet, and then the lower level where VIP and other guests were seated. I’m horrible when it comes to celebrities but I kept an eye out for the who’s who of the night to see if any of the stars from the movie would appear. I was able to spot Suzanne Todd, the Producer of Bad Moms and a few other faces but I can’t even begin to say who was who.
It was also about this point that I realized I was drinking a Bud Light while holding my third Bad Madre. Needless to say, the bites that I had at the beginning of the party were doing little to ease the amount of alcohol that was in my system. I was primed and ready for a good show when suddenly our attention was drawn to the stage.
Sorry about the “quality” ~ I only had my cellphone and I was in the balcony!!
A local radio DJ welcomed us to the party and assured us that she had a number of surprises in store for us for the evening. With that, she introduced Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, Kathryn Hahn, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Annie Mumolo to the stage. They talked a little bit about the film, shared a few jokes, and then … THEN they introduced the next surprise … FLO RIDA!
Yes. Flo Rida!!
He was there live and he put on a special performance for us! Now, I’m not talking about him coming out on stage, singing a song, blowing a kiss, and exiting stage left. HE PUT ON A CONCERT! He had us up out of our seats, chair dancing, and singing along like a group of high school girls. I was having the time of my life. Okay, this is what I likened it to, others may see it differently. If I told you the last time I was at a concert, think senior year of high school, you would totally understand.
I couldn’t help but smile. There was a moment there when I felt like a Bad Mom because I was out partying without my husband and daughter. So I lifted my Bad Madre in the air, toasted my family, and went along with the fun. He performed a full set and I’m excited to share that I knew EVERY SONG HE SANG! Maybe not all of the words but I was able to bebop along with the best of them (yeah, I totally just aged myself). It was a great party and I was sad to see him see the stage but I loved every second of the fun.
Then again … this meant it was time for the main event … the BAD MOMS SCREENING!!!
Stay tuned for more fun from our adventures in Los Angeles. Keep an eye on the blog for everything BAD MOMS in the coming days. AND, be sure to follow #BadMoms on social media for up to the minute
In the meantime, grab a drink, sit back, and prepare to laugh with BAD MOMS!!
BAD MOMS – In Theaters July 29
In this new comedy from the grateful husbands and devoted fathers who wrote The Hangover, Amy has a seemingly perfect life – a great marriage, over-achieving kids, beautiful home and a career. However she’s over-worked, over-committed and exhausted to the point that she’s about to snap.
Fed up, she joins forces with two other over-stressed moms on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities – going on a wild, un-mom-like binge of long overdue freedom, fun and self-indulgence – putting them on a collision course with PTA Queen Bee Gwendolyn and her clique of devoted perfect moms.
Cast: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Jay Hernandez, Clark Duke, Annie Mumolo, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Christina Applegate
Studio: STX Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
Writers/Directors: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore
Producers: Suzanne Todd, Bill Block
CONNECT WITH BAD MOMS
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
#BadMoms
I was sent on an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles for the Bad Moms Press Junket. Regardless, all opinions expressed are still 100% my own.
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