Ohio local businesses!

Featured today on a local Realty One website/blog!

We love to feature local businesses as well!  Do you know someone who shoud be featured?

ListPlanIt … encouraging traditions of giving.

ListPlanit.com is one of the great sponsors for November’s Rock-n-Tot in Cleveland.  They posted a poignant list today of ways your family can create a tradition of giving.

Read on and visit them at List Plan It.com

List of Ways to Demonstrate a Tradition of Giving

I once read an article about a woman who talked about her family’s tradition of giving at the holidays and how it began. Her son was a wrestler on his high school’s team. One day, the meet was against another school in a more impoverished district of the city. She recalled watching her son’s team file in with new uniforms and shiny shoes and all the gear that wrestlers need to protection. The other team came in with holes in their uniforms, well-worn shoes, and many were wearing no protective gear whatsoever. Her heart went out and a tradition was born. That Christmas, she bought some gear to donate to the other team. Her children came down to unwrap their gifts on Christmas morning, but were surprised to see an envelope hanging on the tree. When they opened it, it told about the donation and how it affected their family. Each year after that, she was on the lookout for a worthy cause and each year she placed it in an envelope and stuck it in the branches of their tree.

I want my children to know and understand that we are a family that strives to help out those less fortunate than ourselves, that we should always be on the lookout to do good. Here are some ways you might start or continue your own tradition of giving.

1. Pick an angel off the Angel Tree in your local shopping area or mall.
2. Contact a local human services office and ask if there are any families that you can sponsor for Christmas. Get friends involved if it is a larger family.
3. Ask your local humane society for a list of supplies that they need, go shopping, and then deliver the supplies to the shelter. Take home a homeless animal while you are there
4. Go on a baking spree and deliver baked goods to nursing homes and hospitals. Call ahead to find out about dietary restrictions.
5. Donate to the Box Project. Since 1962, The Box Project has been working to help people living in America’s worst areas of rural poverty.
6. JustGive is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect people with the charities and causes they care about and to increase overall giving.
7. For those families with animal lovers, adopt an endangered animal at the World Wildlife Fund’s website.
8. Buy a new book for your local library (be sure to ask what books are on their wish list).
9. Deliver a stocking full of toiletries to your local homeless shelter.
10. Keep your eyes and ears open. This holiday season will offer plenty of ways to demonstrate human kindness and compassion.

Does your family have a tradition of giving? What is one of your favorite ways to give?

Let the contest begin!

Ready to enter our contest?

Simply tell your friends about Rock-n-Tot on November 23rd! It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Between TODAY and October 30th, the one family that refers the most ticket purchases wins a prize package with a retail value of $150!

The rules are simple. Talk about Rock-n-Tot … share our website address … encourage those you know to pencil us in on Sunday, November 23rd.

When your folks purchase tickets, ask them to email us at rock.n.tot.info@gmail.com with YOUR last name as the subject line.

Easy as pie, right?

Let the contest begin!

~Naomi

Birthday Cake it is!

Do you live in the Cleveland area and have a birthday to celebrate in November or December and don’t know what to do?

Don’t despair! Rock-n-Tot is here!

If you’re tired of the same party places and don’t want to make a mess of your home, we’re here to help. We take the work out of planning a party and provide you with everything you need for a rockin’ good time (parents and kiddos alike!)

Schedule your big event with us to coincide with the November 23rd event at MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) and delight in the ease of a Rock-n-Tot party, not to mention the “cool vibe” you’ll get from hosting a birthday party at MOCA!

We only book a certain number of parties per event, so contact us today! “Drop us a line” and we’ll get started right away in making this the best birthday you’ve ever thrown!

We will provide the space, the cake, spa services for the parents, a VIP room just for your group, along with the airbrush tattoos, facepainting, cookie decorating, chalk drawings, and of course … the dancing!

Rock-n-Tot makes for a fresh, new and fantastic birthday party!

~Naomi

Cleveland Rocks … right?

We have canceled the Cleveland October Rock-n-Tot event, which was slated to be held at Swingos Grand Tavern.

Without sufficient ticket purchases at least a week in advance of the event, we had no other choice and we’re bummed, right along with you about the cancelation!
November has been scheduled … we’ll be at the awesome Museum of Contemporary Art and we’re stoked!

Does it get much better than combining music, dancing, great food, free massages, adult beverages, goody bags AND art and culture?

Show your support … keep Rock-n-Tot around this winter when it’s cold and there’s nothing else going on!!
Buy your tickets early … show some love … and we’ll see you on November 23rd!

(If you have the ability to help us spread the word, please let us know!  We’d love to reward you with some prizes and even free Rock-n-Tot tickets, if you’ve got some marketing ideas and solutions!)

Signing off …

This blog post brings important news.  Please take the time to read our thoughts… we appreciate it!

~

First and foremost, we are announcing that the days of Rock-n-Tot Washington DC have come to a close.

~

We have canceled the September 6th and November 1st events at Ultra Bar in Washington DC.  There will not be any further events scheduled in Washington DC.  These events have been canceled due to lack of ticket sales.

If you purchased tickets for either event, your money has been refunded in full.  We apologize for any inconvenience.  We trust that you will search out another fantastic way to spend those two afternoons with your family!

~

We have more news!

I am pleased as punch to announce that we are adding to my family, with the much anticipated arrival of kiddo #2 in Spring of 2009!!!

There has always been a desire to put our families first….and the Rock-n-Tot venture second.  It only makes the decision easier to cease the RnT DC events, so that my husband and I can focus 100% on growing our wonderful family!

~

There is more to the end of RnT DC though, that we feel obligated to talk to you about.  We feel that some of you have truly become Rock-n-Tot Family!  The greatest fan club ever!  We know that we can share our thoughts and feelings with you, since it’s close to both of our hearts.

With the increasing number of parents looking for ways to make ends meet, while spending as much time with their families as possible, it is ever so important to remember to support local businesses.

~

Frequent the true mom/pop businesses first.  Give your business to the homegrown shops.  Purchase produce at the area farmer’s markets.  Seek out and then shop at the online boutiques that are run my moms like you.  Stop for coffee at the corner building where a fellow dad just wants to make a go of it.

We started Rock-n-Tot to fill a need. We saw a need and felt that we filled it. Without ticket sales though, our events cannot go on.  We made a promise to ourselves that we would not undertake this experiment in perfecting a fabulous family afternoon at the expense of our own families.

We cannot personally afford to throw Rock-n-Tot events from our own personal checking accounts, and truly hoped that our ticket prices (that have never reflected a profit for me and Naomi) would be affordable enough for families…. since Rock-n-Tot provides an amazing alternative to the movie theatres or that obnoxious arcade with the big costume mouse!!

~

The Rock-n-Tot DC events will always hold a special place in our memories… we rocked out, played hard and had a fabulous time!! Thank you so much for your support of Rock-n-Tot DC.  It means more than I can express.

It was great fun throwing the events, meeting those that were able to attend, and creating a relationship with you … my community!

Continue to buy and shop local!

Spend quality time with your family!  Blow bubbles, play board games, cook together, create memories!

~ Liz

Summer of Giveaways

Well folks we have now had 6 weeks of awesome Things That Rock giveaways. It is official (as soon as the UPS guy gets here) prizes for every winner from the first 6 weeks are on their way via USPS and UPS.

There are only 4 more weeks of prizes so if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet sign up for our mailing list and next Tuesday you will be eligible to enter.

Happy Hot Summer Days!!
Liz & Naomi

Ready or not!

We’re gearing up . . . are you?

It’s been a summer of enjoying our families, lots of road trips for Naomi . . . lots of hospital time for Liz – - – and loads and loads of bubbles for everyone!

We both hope that you and your families have been able to find the magic in this summer.  Whether it be catching lightning bugs, or enjoying a local fireworks show.  Maybe simply letting your popsicles drip, or grilling with neighbors. 

We know that the first day of school is rapidly approaching, and for those of you with little ones entering kindergarten, may we recommend the book “The Kissing Hand.”  Precious book for both parent and child about the butterflies in your tummy on the first day of school.

Remember to join our mailing list for the last bit of summer giveaways, check out our Things That Rock and BUY your tickets for our fall events! 

You won’t want to miss our September events:

9/6 – UltraBar in Washington DC

9/13 – Swingos Grand Tavern in Cleveland (Avon Lake) 

See you soon . . . wishing you a happy rest of your summer!

Liz & Naomi

September is just around the corner!

This summer is just about halfway over.  September is coming soon. 

Rock-n-Tot DC has all fall dates scheduled – back at Ultra and ready for a strong return for the fall events!

Rock-n-Tot Cleveland has scheduled September and October at The Tavern in Avon Lake - A new venue brought to us by the Swingos family.   A beautiful location with the atmosphere a bit less club and a bit more cozy, we’re excited about our location for fall!

Have you been entering our summer giveaway contests?  We have such great things to pass along . . . just join our mailing list if you haven’t already done so.

Whether you’re traveling this summer, staying put by the pool, or plugging in hours at the office – - we wish you a summer (what’s left of it) full of lightning bugs, bubbles, splish-splashing (in the rain or at the pool) and lots of friends, family and memories!

See you in September!!

RnT Cleveland – our summer home

Many of you have asked . . .

Why is RnT Cleveland moving from Velvet Dog in downtown Cleveland?

 

Some of the top reasons we’re excited to be at Glow Teen Club in North Olmsted?

• Free Parking!
• Super easy interstate access
• No stairs!
• Smaller venue for the summer months in anticipation of smaller crowds. Since RnT does not make us a profit, we need to be very conscious about the amount of money we are spending on our venues.  We’ll be back downtown for the fall/winter months, but not necessarily at Velvet Dog, though we love that place!

We are also exploring a visit to the Akron/Canton area, and maybe Toledo & Columbus?

We hope to see you on June 14th at Glow Teen Club (29047 Lorain Road in North Olmsted)! 

It’s a super fun space with neon paint, flashy disco lights, a cozy room for the crawlers only/nursing moms and of course, all of the other super fun activities you’ve become accustomed to at RnT events!

Spread the word, tell your friends, bring your family. 

See you on the dance floor,

Naomi