William Congrove, the English author and poet, wisely penned in 1697, "Hell hath no furry like a woman scorned".

This week, Oprah featured a show called 'Harpo Hookups" where she helped fulfil a dream for lucky viewers. I love these "Oprah makes a dream come true" shows. I cry all the way through them. At the beginning of this particular episode she announced that on this show she would be giving ALL of her viewers a hook up - not just the people in the audience. Whoo hoo!

The "hook up" was a coupon to Kentucky Fried Chicken for a 2-piece grilled chicken meal. Did you know that KFC was now serving grilled chicken? Exactly. This is why it SEEMED like a brilliant move for KFC to partner with Oprah and get publicity for their new grilled menu items.

I love anything that's free, especially food. So, I went to Oprah.com and printed out the coupon.

Today, I thought I would redeem my fabulous Oprah offer so I drove to a KFC about a mile from my office. I drove up and saw that the restaurant had pulled a chair out by the driveway with a cardboard sign taped to the back of it that said "No coupons at drive-thru".

  I thought that was rather inefficient to make people come into the store vs. herding them through the drive-thru, but whatever. I parked and got out of my car. As I approached the door of the restaurant, I saw a sign taped to the door that said "We are not accepting the coupon from Oprah.com" I was so mad, I left and went to Pei Wei instead.

I got online after lunch to find an outlet to address my frustration and saw hundreds of articles and blog posts about others like me who were frustrated and disappointed all across the country. This is a promotional DISASTER. As someone who works in marketing - I am completely intolerant of people who do not think through a promotional idea. Before you launch something on this scale, you had better walk though the steps and make sure you can execute or you will have pissed off people like me blogging about it to anyone who will listen or read.

If you had a negative experience with this promotion also, let me save you some Google time. Email this address: KFC.PublicRelations@KFC.com and make your voice heard.

Don't take food away from a hungry woman! You will rue the day! Rue it!

First of all, can we talk about this lawn. What kind of grass are they using because my yard looks nothing like this. It's brown and patchy with weeds spouting up everywhere. This lawn looks like it's been trimmed with manicure scissors. It's so velvety soft I want to roll around on it and breathe in it's grassy goodness.

I think the house is cool because of the big square window trio that juts out. It's a very contemporary statement - but the house isn't overly contemporary in appearance. This is the front of the house, but it's not obvious. You don't see the front door. It's just different. And I like different, if it's well done. This, is well done my friends.

If the owners pulled up and I was rolling around on the front lawn, do you think they'd care? It's almost too irresistible. Good thing I took this photo several weeks ago and can't really remember where the house is now. If I find you again...

For more musings on daily life, visit me at Oh So Cynthia. 

 

A few days ago, I got a nice tweet (message) from neighborsGo! letting me know that I had been selected as their featured Twitterer! It's so nice to be recognized. And for something I'm good at! Usually I'm in the spotlight for blurting out an inappropriate comment in a sales meeting like, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

There's a lot of confusion and questions about Twitter. What is it? And why do I need to be on it? I am completely ADDICTED to Twitter. So much so that I probably only check Facebook once a day of late. Mostly, I find Twitter useful for information.

Yeah, there's people (Twitterers) on there posting about how they just ate a slice of pizza. Who cares. I follow a group of Media types who post really interesting links to articles that can help me with my job. I also follow different entertainment and dining venues around town and get information about deals and discounts that other people don't. And yeah, I also follow friends and hear about what they had for lunch!
Here's my analogy of these new forms of Social Media:
Your website is like an online brochure (stagnant but informative)
A blog is like a phone-call (chatty, fun and informal)
Facebook is like an e-mail (good for relaying photos and brief updates)
Twitter is like a text or an IM (What's up in 140 characters or less)

They provide different ways of establishing an emotional connection with your viewers/friends/audience. It's all about how you want to use it. Who knows, you might like it - give it a try!

Oh, and if you do... Follow me at www.twitter.com/OhSoCynthia You might be surprised at what you see me tweet about.

For more musings on daily life, visit me at Oh So Cynthia.

Pinch me, I have died and gone to reality TV show heaven. Tim Gunn, of Project Runway fame, was in Dallas today. He is working with Kate Spade to promote their Spring line and made a stop at their Northpark Center store today.

I must note that it is sooooo humid here today and I was having an awful time getting my hair to do anything I wanted it to do. So, while I am thrilled to have a Kodak memento with Tim, I am not happy with my frizzed out coif.

Anywho, let me tell you about the event. The Kate Spade gals kept the natives in hand by passing out citrus cookies and champagne.

Tim started right off by addressing the question of how to be fashionable in a recession without feeling guilty or breaking the bank by saying that it's "all about the accessories".

Tim encouraged shoppers to stick with tride and true style pieces in your wardrobe and splurge on less expensive pieces like jewelry, handbags and shoes to take an outfit from day to night, work to date night.

He then gave a style show using outfits that "everyone has in their closet" like jeans and a white T-shirt and a little black dress to illustrate his style points - and show off the Kate Spade collection which is varied, bright and fun!

When asked about what colors would be hot for spring he answered, "Look around the store! It's all about oranges, yellows, fuchsias - bright color!"

Another question was, "What is the biggest fashion mistake is that most people make?" Tim responded, "Wearing the wrong size. People tend to buy larger than they really are for comfort or because they are afraid to show off their shape. Wearing something too big will make you look heavier than you really are. And who wants that!"

Tim Gunn will be at Kate Spade in the Dallas Galleria tomorrow, April 30 from 6 to 8 pm. With $100 purchase, fans will be guaranteed a photograph and meet- and greet.

So, look at your schedule and "make it work" to get over there and meet Tim!

PS: The new season of Project Runway will finally air at its new home at Lifetime on August 20th. Set your Tivo!

For those of you who live outside the area, University Park and Highland Park are together called Park Cities. Citizens of these fabled towns are called "Parkies". Hence, my weekly fun feature which I call "Parkie Pic of the Week" in which I like to highlight an unusual or spectacular feature of my neighborhood.

I thought I would share with you today, some lovely examples of beautiful spring landscaping.

I like the starkness of the white house with this burst of bright pink azaleas. Like a slash of lipstick.

 

And we end with a pretty hodge-podge blast of color. I love all of the gorgeous spring flowers. I only wish they lasted longer. I won't show you my house, because it's a barren spanse of grass and rock. No color, except for the brown spots in the yard. Sigh. 

For more musings on daily life, visit me at OhSoCynthia

 

I have been selected as one of five Mommy Bloggers to test-drive a new Chevy Traverse for 8 weeks and blog about my experiences with the car and show how I am utilizing it into my everyday life.  The contest starts April 20th!

At the end of the promotion the "Favorite Mommy" will win a spa getaway to the Hyatt Creek Lost Pines Resort & Spa in Austin!  Plus, there's just braggin' rights at stake... 

Click here: http://www.mommymadnessdfw.com 
 
You can vote once and not have to give any personal information.  If you vote a second time, you will be required to give a bit of info. BUT this second vote will also register you to win the same trip for yourself! If you forward the contest to at least one other person (through the promtional site) you will be entered a third time to win!

So, ready?  Set?  VOTE!!

For those of you who live outside the area, University Park and Highland Park are together called Park Cities. Citizens of these fabled towns are called "Parkies". Hence, my weekly fun feature which I call "Parkie Pic of the Week" in which I like to highlight an unusual or spectacular feature of my neighborhood.

I noticed this charming cottge on my way to work recently. I love their landscaping. if I wasn't so broke and lazy, my house would totally look like this.

Look how cute their little courtyard is. Maybe it's a tad cluttered - but in a charming cozy cottage kind of way. And they have a fountain - so sweet!

For more musings on daily life, visit me at Oh So Cynthia

For those of you who live outside the area, University Park and Highland Park are together called Park Cities. Citizens of these fabled towns are called "Parkies". Hence, my weekly fun feature which I call "Parkie Pic of the Week" in which I like to highlight an unusual or spectacular feature of my neighborhood.

You can tell it's spring, because the Azealeas are in full bloom!

Park Cities unwavering desire for azaleas dates back to the mid 1930s. According to legend, Ruth Lechner, wife of oilman Walter Lechner, wanted to reproduce the breathtaking beauty of Tyler's residential azalea gardens at their new home at 6921 Lakewood Blvd. and the adjoining vacant lot. More than one local landscaper, however, told her it was not possible to cultivate acid-loving azaleas in Dallas' alkaline black clay. 

The couple met with Joe Lambert in their Lakewood living room, and he assured Mrs. Lechner she could have her azaleas if his men dug trenches 2 feet deep and replaced the heavy clay with peat moss and sandy loam. Three of Lambert's sons, Edwin, Henry and Joe, Jr., worked on the Lechner project. Within three years, according to the biography, "police were needed in the streets outside to direct the traffic that piled up as motorists paused to admire the magnificent blooms. One Sunday Walter counted the crowd. Over 5,000 people went through their yard." "Even the firemen would come out in fire wagons to look," reads the biography. "It drew people from all over the state and country."

Southern ladies love their gardens and their flowers. All you need is a green thumb. Or if you live in Park Cities, a great gardener.

 

For those of you who live outside the area, University Park and Highland Park are together called Park Cities. Citizens of these fabled towns are called "Parkies". Hence, my weekly fun feature which I call "Parkie Pic of the Week" in which I like to highlight an unusual or spectacular feature of my neighborhood.

I thought this was an interesting house. It's lines are very severe and there's no landscaping to warm it up. It looks like a contemporary church building.

I think I would like it more if it didn't have that triangle thing on the front right. It sort of doesn't go with the other more angular lines and serves no architectural purpose that I can see.

It's different. And for that alone, they get credit.