Victor et Victorine

Lilli Bulle has had us in love with Victor et Victorine's handmade shoes from Argentina for quite some time. 

Now that the range of styles has grown, so has our enthusiasm for these gorgeous shoes.  

Aren't they just the sweetest?

A Day at the Pond

Growing up in an area surrounded by farmland, we were raised with unlimited access to the outdoors.  Maybe that is part of the reason we are so passionate about children spending time in nature.  We understand both cognitively and emotionally how wonderful childhood days spent outside can be.  Little  needs to be considered when outside other than obvious safety rules.  Children follow these rules naturally because when outdoors they sense their need to be aware of their surroundings.  When you get to spend a day outside with children it is glorious!
(When you capture that day using the Hipstamatic app, it's priceless.)

Having spent a charming day by the pond with delightful children, it reminds us how lucky we are to be surrounded by nature in most areas of our lives. The children that we love lead lives filled with time spent climbing trees, hiking trails, searching for frogs and lizards, and generally running amok :). But for a great number of children nature isn't out their backdoor. They need someone to help them find it.
The wonderful Children and Nature Network is dedicated to allowing children access to nature. They have partnered with ecoAmerica to bring parents: Nature Rocks a very user friendly website which gives parents hundreds of ways to connect with nature.
April is Children and Nature awareness month:
As our moms used to say- "Go Outside and Play!"

Fun Times

Summer is on the way... be the hit at all those summer birthday parties with some of the many fantastic things  Imagine Childhood has to offer.  If you are trying to find toys Made in the USA, are wonderfully imaginative, and just pure fun this is the store for you. We love this store and have for some time. We just can't get enough!

Seedlings

If the sun isn't shining where you are don't let that stop you from starting a garden with your tots.  Green toys has a kit complete with recycled pots, tray and trowel; plus seed and soil to get you started.

Or if you still have Spring Fever why not use some of those eggs you didn't have a chance to dye for Easter and do a true do-it-yourself version.  How adorable are these?

Find the instructions on Biothrift.com

be sure to check out the terrariums, too!  Happy planting!

Buy This/ Not That!

 We care that our children are given the future that they deserve. We care about getting our children moving. Sometimes, as adults, we want to fix problems for children in the same way that we would fix them for ourselves.  Adults solve the weight battle all too often by restricting calories and employing a demanding exercise regimen.  Now well intentioned adults are rolling out products to make children do the same. Unfortunately, these products are misguided.  As anyone who has struggled with weight knows, moving just for the sake of burning calories gets pretty boring and eventually people flake.  Studies link healthy lifestyles, better overall health and keeping the weight off longer to moving for fun and companionship not hopping on a machine!
 So instead of  buying these (found at Neiman Marcus)   (which we doubt are effective and are likely to end up in the garage or landfill)

You could . . .

 (photo by Miguel Vieira via Flickr)

 BUY THIS!
 Why not give your family an entire year's worth of fun in California's State Parks for the same dollar amount!!

Let's Move!

First Lady Michelle Obama has been making American children healthier a top priority since moving into the White House in 2009. First her initative in bringing a garden to the White House and helping schools in the Washington, DC area, brought much needed awareness to where we get our food. Now she is expanding her focus onto childhood obesity. This generation of children is the first who will live shorter lives than their parents entirely due to their weight related health problems.

Let's Move.Gov  "has an ambitious but important goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation." (from website)
With a blog and links to facebook and youtube, this website allows you access to what our first lady is working towards. We can all offer our support and energy by joining in the fight!

We realize we are probably preaching to the choir on this, but if those of us who know better speak up and pitch in then there is a real possibility to enact change!

April Showers

Baby Showers that is!  Oh, Bergdorf Goodman where are you when we need you?  You have registries to mark the celebration of anniversaries and weddings but not for the arrival of a baby?  How is a new mother or shower planning friend to stay organized?  In the era of technology surely you could help us.  Perhaps you should take a cue from the The Little Seed.  They have a cult following because not only do they make tree hugging hip; they make shopping easy with an online registry.

Or take a hint from  Giggle not only do they offer a registry but a personal shopper, too.  Who couldn't use a little extra guidance when setting up a nursery?

Be more than a name.

Sorry to keep harping on Bergdorf's, but we just can't help ourselves...
While we would never compare children, we can't stop the words from slipping out-
Bergdorf's, why can't you be more like Saks?

 Here's why we say it-  it's April and we can't get a Burberry Coat for our tots at BG's? Or a pair of Hunter Rain Boots?

And Saks Children Section is full of our favorite classics:
1.Burberry
2.Bonnie Young
3.Chloe
4.Dolce and Gabbana
5.Little Marc Jacob
6.Armani
7. Petite Bateau
8.  Album di Famiglia
9. Fendi


But at the end of the day it's not about the brands. It's not about a label. Or a logo. 
It's about a point of view. It's about a philosophy. These brands equate luxury. And so does Bergdorf's.  But what's more- Bergdorf Goodman is iconic. It's hard to think of that corner on 5th Ave and not envision that name, those windows, that building. While we understand that they are now owned by larger retailer Neiman Marcus (maybe we should wag a finger at them as well), Bergdorf Goodman still holds a piece of that city's image in their hands. Why not feature these luxury brands, fabulous designers, and Save the Garment Center while you are at it? Plenty of designers are working very hard to keep their production in the United States. Why not be part of something? Of a movement? A revolution? You could lead the way!


Post Script:
We stand corrected. Apparently, the actual children's floor at Bergdorf Goodman is quite lovely. And they do feature most of the labels identified above. What's more they also have handcrafted toys from around the world.  So we stand corrected. And we look forward to going there and getting to take it all in!

Happy Easter!

Imagine that you had a favorite Coconut Cake recipe. We are sure most of you do. Now imagine having that heartwarming classic challenged!  Too make a very long story short there was a favorite Coconut Cake from Martha Stewart. It's been a fan favorite for a long, long time.
 Then there was a birthday party where a Coconut Cake was shipped in from  The Peninsula Grill in Charleston, South Carolina. This lead to an awkward exchange of claims of greatness. Both cakes were named the greatest cake of all time. There was only one way to make sure- A Coconut Cake Off! Two cakes and a root canal later led to the taste test winner. But we can't cake and tell. You'll have to try them both and decide for yourselves!
Some pointers...
If you happen to have a Barefoot Contessa Cookbook- we usually use her White Sheet Cake recipe as the cake part of the Martha Stewart Cake, but don't tell Martha!

Both Cakes taste better the next day. The Martha cake works great to make the cake and filling a day or two ahead and then wrapping it up tight and putting in the fridge. Make the Seven Minute Frosting the day of event and pray that it's not too hot or it will sweat!
The Peninsula Grill cake is a doosey! PLAN AHEAD AND START TODAY.  This cake is a great cake to make when you are the one bringing the dessert but can lead to a feeling of overwhelm if you are in charge of the main event. Or plan ahead and order one!

Kale and Kids

Can you believe kale is all the rage in Los Angeles?  Others may nosh on Pringles but the LA preschool set is devouring kale chips.  Our first introduction was years ago working for a celeb family whose raw chef magically dehydrated this oft-bitter veggie into pure deliciousness. But it's only recently this leafy green has risen to cult status.  So imagine our surprise while reading a favorite blog, Smitten Kitchen and we see kale chips!  Hooray! Healthy food really is on the nation's brain.  Here is their recipe for kale chips.  We're sure you'll stay at their site awhile and enjoy the recipes and gorgeous photos.  Or try the raw version at Foods for Long Life.