FAMILY FUN NIGHT IN ROYAL OAK!

Royal Oak recently was selected by Disney as one of only 30 stops on its nationwide 'What Will You Celebrate?' tour, spotlighting Disney theme parks and offering chances to win a free 'celebration vacation'.

Royal Oak business owners enthusiastic about the Disney coming, quickly created a 'Family Fun Night' as a way to celebrate and bring more families into the downtown.

Radio Disney (AM 910) on Friday agreed to jump into the mix too. They'll be kicking out the Disney tunes from their base outside The Baldwin Theatre on Lafayette.

Family Fun Night activities are planned for this Friday, Oct. 3 from 5-8 p.m. Some Highlights Include:

Free Parking Downtown from 5-8 p.m.
Cool Disney-inspired, kids-eat-free menus or special discounts
Coloring Contests, Prizes, Games, Giveaways
Kids' Castle Moonwalk at Sixth and Main (Fresard's Auto Body Shop)
Late Shopping - 'til 8 p.m.
A Drive-In Movie at Dusk at Main Street & I-696
Kids can come dressed as their favorite Disney Character
Stagecrafters actors will wander about in costume
For more details please see this excerpt from the Press Release below...

Bob Murray, president of Contract Design Group and one of the business owners organizing 'Family Fun Night,' said tying the event's family theme to Disney was a natural.

'Who doesn't have a magical Disney memory?' Murray asked. 'Mickey, Minnie, Donald Goofy, they're all part of American culture. What child can't remember the first Disney movie they ever saw - Fantasia, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, The Little Mermaid, Lilo & Stitch, Toy Story, High School Musical? Each generation has their own special connection to a Disney tale. We'd like to tap into that magic for this event. We're even inviting kids to come dressed as their favorite Disney character.'

Sangria and Sky Club owner, Luigi Cutraro, says it’s just good business to roll out the red carpet for Disney and the families who will be flocking to town.

“We plan to give them the royal treatment. We want everyone to know that Royal Oak is a great place for families to enjoy,” said Cutraro, who also serves on the Downtown Development Authority that is funding the event.

Andiamo Osteria, operations manager Sandy Kowalski, said she loves the family-friendly theme of the event. Andiamo's is offering a 'Bella Notte' spaghetti and meatball special as a nod to Disney's Lady and The Tramp.

'The part of Lady and The Tramp where the dogs slurp the spaghetti noodle is one of the best parts of the movie - my kids love that,' Kowalski said. 'When kids order the 'Bella Notte Spaghetti and Meatball Special,' they will eat free that night.'

Not to be outdone, Bob Higgins at the Oxford Inn, the restaurant closest to the Drive-In location, plans to have his staff rock a Disney look.

“We’re going over the top,” Higgins said, noting that his staff would be wearing custom Disney-inspired uniforms. He said he also was going to offer an entire menu for kids that celebrated Disney memories and movies. “We’ve got some really healthy choices for the kids too.”

Memphis Smoke is pulling out the stops too with all sorts of Disney-influenced fare for the kids such as Pluto's Plate (hot dogs and fries), Nemo's Nibbles (fish and fries), the Rattatouille (mac 'n cheese bites with fries) and more. Kids 10 and under will eat free when an adult entree is ordered.

Over at The Rock on Third, they’ll be offering samples of their All-American fare. According to Carrie O’Neill, they also plan to create some fun Disney-related meals.

At O'Toole's kids will also eat free on Oct. 3. O'Toole's is also celebrating Disney's arrival with a tip of the hat to the movie Aristocats, with an O'Malley burger named after O'Malley the Alley Cat.

Zumba Mexican Grille is getting in on the fun with a Chihuahua Crunch Taco, to celebrate the new Disney release Beverly Hills Chihuahua, which launches nationwide on Oct. 3. Zumba Owner Tim Castaneda says the restaurant will create the special two-layer, soft and hard taco just for kids, who will eat free during 'Family Fun Night'

SONGWRITING CONTEST!

Hey kids (aged 1 to 99) the Mydols' present their first ever songwriting contest!!

Simply write a poem about bath time and send it to judy@mydols.com. The lucky winner will receive cool kid products from KISS MY FACE. You'll get shampoo, fun flying foam, detangler (great mane, no pain), tasty toothpaste and lots more.

PLUS!!! The Mydols will put your words to music! That's right. You'll get a recording of your tune performed by the world's greatest mom band!!

Please go to http://www.mydols.com/ for more info!

"THE CELEBRITY EXPERIENCE" BLOG TOUR

Shortly after I started the Mydols I had a conversation with comedian Thom Sharp. Thom said to me “Judy if you want to be in show business, your whole life will be an audition. You always have to be your best.”

I remembered that. And the times we played in empty bar rooms for 5 or 6 drunks, I gave it my all. And you know what? At a show like that, there always seemed to be one guy who would come up to us at the end of the evening and say “I really loved your show” and then tell us he was a music writer or maybe had a college radio show, and I was glad I played like it was Lollapalooza!

I just read a really cool book this week called “The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service” by Donna Cutting that offers the same sort of practical advice my friend Thom gave me for being successful.

It’s a really unique book for business owners and entrepreneurs (and even wannabe rock stars like me) on how to turn your clients (and fans) into lifelong customers by treating them like superstars. It combines the “best practices of the Hollywood celebrity scene with those of the business world”.

For example, there’s a section on swag (Stuff We All Get).

Celebrities, who have it all, still expect swag at award ceremonies and the like. They enjoy walking away with baskets filled with expensive gifts and gadgets. Cutting explains the business logic for giving away goodies—it creates buzz.

Cutting says swag can "go a long way toward making your customers feel as though they've been treated like someone special. And when you've made them feel special, they will tell their friends."

Over the past 6 years the Mydols have given away buttons, stickers, CDs, magnets—even paper dolls—yet after reading “The Celebrity Experience” I am determined to more. The book offers that sort of inspiration—to push the limits.

Cutting really covers a lot of red carpet in 226 pages. Each chapter has an action plan and “Celebrity Sightings”. It’s a must read!

Yesterday the blog tour stopped at these locations:
Sandra De Freitas / Tech Coach for Coaches

Dawn Goldberg / Write Well Mewill be doing her own book review.

Pam Archer / I Do Weddings to showcase Donna's guest post about tips for brides to be A-list customers

Today you can read more about Donna's book here:

Claudia Meydrech / Ebook & Book Reviews

Carol Deckert / Run Lancaster

And tomorrow, these blogs showcase a post about Donna's book:

Mary Eileen Williams / Fiesty Side of Fifty

Kirsten Harrell / I Pop In

Pam Archer / I Do Weddings

To pick up a copy for yourself, please go to Amazon

PRESS AND BENEFITS

I saved a LOT of newspapers this weekend. The story I wrote about D-PAN appeared in two publications--Filter and The Mirror. AND the Free Press ran a nice little story with a BIG picture about our fundraiser for Carolyn Steele. Carolyn, who plays soccer for the Mydols soccer club, lost her eye in a freak accident. Her out of pocket medical expenses to date were $2000 and we raised $1800 last night!

I also went to a beneift for D-PAN (Deaf Performing Artists Network) on Friday night. It was really special. It was fascinating to see just about everyone in the audience signing. Makes me want to learn American Sign Language. The organizers did some fairly exciting things--like the dance floor moved to the sound of the music, as did some of the seating and they had video screens everywhere and bands played and people got on stage and signed the lyrics. You really had to be there. It was incredible.

I also dragged my son Dylan to my video production class. We can now officially check out the cameras, mics etc. I have so many ideas for TV shows. I can't wait to get started!

BRAIN,CHILD

Check out the review of "Rock Star Mommy" by Lindsay Reed Maines in "Brain, Child"--the magazine for thinking mothers.

http://brainchildmag.com/essays/fall2008_maines.asp

RIDEN' WITH BIDEN

This has been such a crazy week I forgot to write about Joe Biden! I got to shake his hand at a rally in Flat Rock. I was given a VIP pass for taking a stranger into my house. (A campaign staffer from Georgia arrived last Saturday.)

It was kind of crazy--considering how little free time I have--to drive almost to Toledo. It ended up being great BECAUSE I got to talk to White House correspondent Don Gonyea of NPR. He was there covering the campaign and I actually know him from his days in Detroit on the U.A.W. beat for WDET. Get this, his daughter was born the day before Dylan at the same hospital. 15 1/2 years ago as we were driving to Beaumont we heard about the birth of Don's daughter. After I settled in, John took off to look for him leaving me to do my deep breathing by myself. (So much for the natural childbirth classes John took with me!) Well he found Don, and before they checked out of the hospital, the Gonyea's came into my room with their little girl who scored a perfect 10 APGAR score. I was so jealous. Dylan only got an 8.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Check out my article on Sean Forbes and D-PAN in the September 18 issue of Filter magazine. I can't wait to go to the D-PAN fundraiser this Friday night at the Magic Bag.

http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809180341

WILLIE'S IN THE NEWS

This photo appeared in the Farmngton Observer!

THE NEW MYDOLS

The new Mydols featuring April Boyle, Wensdy White and me!

Ben, our house guest, arrived late last night. He drove through the pouring rain all the way from Georgia. My son Willie couldn't wait to greet him. He's young and orginally from the DC area. We showed him his room, gave him the password to use the Internet and watched TV with him. We are so happy he is here to help Michigan for Change. Ben went to bed early because he had to get up at 8 AM. I made him some breakfast--his first homemade meal in months--and gave him a house key. He was out the door by 9 AM and it's almost 7:30 PM and he hasn't been home. His dedication is an inspiration.

It's rained all day. I wrote a story about D-PAN (Deaf Performing Artists Network) and turned it in. It will be in Filter magazine next Thursday. (I think.)

David Reed called and I made my only trip outdoors to go pick up the Mydols photo shoot disc. I was really happy with the pix.

FRIDAY FRENZY

Ok... Yesterday (Friday) I was gone from 9 AM to 9 PM. It was one of the craziest days of my life.

9 AM - I went shopping for cleaning supplies. On Thursday night I got a phone call from the Obama campaign asking if we could house a staffer from Georgia for a week or so. His name is Ben and he's here to help with Michigan for Change. We have plenty of room but we are the neatest people thus the cleaning supplies. His room is spic and span now.

10 AM - We had a meeting about a reality TV show starring the Mydols. We talked for 2 hours with a couple of producers.

1 PM - I had a meeting with Teri from the Bliss Network. I am helping her with her web site. I am also designing the DVD packaging for the documentary "Momz Hot Rocks."

2 PM - I spoke to my lit agent. The Mydols are doing a book together!! Yay!

2:30 PM - I drop off 6 stuffed pizzas for the JV soccer team at Royal Oak High School. I NEVER felt more popular. The boys were sooooooo happy to see those pies. They were gushing.

3 PM - I got my hair done at Flip in Ferndale. Color and cut. April (the Mydols lead singer) was also there. We look fantastic. They did Wensdy's hair earlier. They are the official hair salon of the Mydols and I could not be happier with the results.

6:30 PM - I had my first training class at CMN Public Access Television station. Look for Mydols' TV on local cable in January. I am super excited to produce a TV show dedicated to cool moms in metro Detroit.

9:30 PM - Dylan won his soccer game 7-0 in Anchor Bay and no sooner got home and he was out the door for a sleepover. Willie and I went to Blockbuster and rented "Bonneville".

11:00 PM - I crashed on the sofa. (John is in Traverse City at a conference)


Today (Saturday) the Mydols' had a photo shoot. The pix looked cute as Wensdy is 8 months pregnant. I hope to get a disc from David Reed as early as Sunday.

Ben is on his way!

UNCLE JOHN'S BATHROOM READER

So today I was at work and Joe comes up to me and says, "Is your husband's name John?"

"Er, yeah. Why?"

"I read a story about John and Judy Davids in 'Uncle John's Bathroom Reader."

"What?"

I have to admit I am a little flattered to be included in a book about pop culture. The story is about our fight to save Tiger Stadium. We spent 11 years of our life doing that in the 1990s and 8 years later people sitting on toilets are reading our names. So maybe I shouldn't be flattered.

FLIP

The Mydols are estatic to announce that Irene Petts' "Flip" is the official hair salon of the band. Flip is located at 251 W. Nine Mile in fabulous Ferndale, Michigan. We can't wait to show off our new dos. We are working on an upcoming photo shoot and the details of a salon discount for our fans. Stay tuned....