Momathon Blog

Momathon Fave: Mom, Inc.

Ever wish you had a guide to help you develop and run a business from home? That's why I love the new book Mom, Inc.—a great guide to show you how to run a business at home while a mom. Written by two savvy professionals and moms, Meg Mateo Ilasco—mother of two, freelance artist and writer, and a serial entrepreneur—and her friend and coauthor Cat Seto—designer, illustrator, writer and stationery and wedding line creator. 

Book includes tips on how to:

• Write a business plan
• Attract clients
• Stay focused at home
• Market your business effectively
• Gracefully juggle parenting and work
• And so much more!

Meg wrote about her experiences as a mom and business person on Design*Sponge and offered 5 tips I thought were wonderful—be sure to read the full story on Design*Sponge. Here are Meg's tips :

1. Motherhood doesn’t mean sainthood. 

2. Yes, children should come first, but . . . sometimes so should your business! 

3. Think less about the word “balance” and think more about “making it work.”

4. Don’t forget your friends. 

5. Enjoy the process and learn to adapt. 

 

Check out the book trailer for Mom, Inc. below.

Mom, Inc. $16.95 : Chronicle Books

(Graphic above designed by Chris Olson with images from the book trailer.)

Wordless Wednesday: Boho bracelets

 

One of my favorite things to collect are bracelets. I consider them wearable art. Here are just a few:

 

Cooking with Kids: Mini German Pancakes Recipe

Here's a quick recipe that multi-tasks! My mini german pancakes are perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. My mom is a home economist and when I was a kid she made a similar recipe in a 13x9x2-inch pan. I modified the recipe and reduced the amount of butter (and calories) and also bake my "eggies" in a cupcake pan. This is an easy recipe--only four ingredients, plus the toppings. It's one you can make with your kids.

Click my blog link below to get recipe. You can find more of my easy recipes on Facebook too.

Blog for Digs: My childhood bedroom was...

My blog post today is part of Blog for Digs--a great charity blogging event for the non-profit Dwell with Dignity. This non-profit group of interior designers and volunteers is dedicated to creating soothing, inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessness and poverty". Learn how you can help make a difference, click here.

My childhood bedroom was...

If I close my eyes and imagine playing on the floor with my dolls in my childhood bedroom, I can almost feel the warm summer breeze coming in through the windows, hear the crickets chirping in the meadow grass outside and taste the sugar cookies baking in the always busy kitchen oven. I loved looking outside and my windows were a favorite feature of my tiny corner room. In the winter I would fall asleep warm and cozy under my pillowy comforter while listening to the snow machines rumbling as they magically blew man-made snow across the runs at the ski resort down the street.

Although my super organized parents might disagree, my childhood bedroom was very neat. Every toy, gadget, and doll had a special box, shelf, or drawer to call home. On one wall my parents added shelves to create a large dollhouse. In my closet they built another shelving system to house my other toys. My desk, my bed, my dresser and my chair were all antiques passed down through the generations. As a child I always wanted a bean bag chair, but when I grew up I realized the beauty of restored wood and handsewn cushions.

I will always be grateful that my parents neatly boxed up and saved many of my toys when I went to college. Here are just a few of my favorite childhood things that I photographed in my studio yesterday:

  

More childhood bedroom posts to come!

Sending special MOMMY HUGS to Claudia and Beth who organized this event and, of course, to everyone at Dwell with Dignity.

If you can, please donate so that we can help create special memories for some great and deserving children.

A talented group of bloggers will post about their childhood bedrooms and one decor item they wished they had. Claudia's Blog for Digs schedule over at StoneHouseLove features a few bloggers for each day.  

Passing the blogger keyboard over to blogger Emily at Notorious MLE. She will be posting her stories about childhood bedrooms tomorrow. Looking forward to reading all of the posts of blog for digs over the next few weeks. You can see the entire schedule for bloggers here.

 

Blog Red, Buy Red, and Support World AIDS Day

 

Last week the NIH announced a major advancement in HIV prevention research: A daily pill that treats HIV also apprears to help prevent HIV infection. A new vaginal gel shows promise in preventing HIV infection in women.

Research studies like this are key to helping save lives. Approximately 2.6 million people each year become infected with HIV worldwide. 56,000 become infected each year in the U.S. Today is World AIDS Day 2010 and the perfect time to be part of the cure.

Blog Red

Bloggers and Tweeters check out (BLOG) RED to find out how you can turn the World (RED) here. You can turn your profile picture red too.

Tweeting ideas from (BLOG) RED:

Dec 1 is World AIDS Day @joinred fact: 430,000 babies born with HIV last yr. By 2015 that could be 0. #turnred www.joinred.com 

Dec 1 is World AIDS Day. Tell the world that an AIDS Free Generation is due in 2015. #turnred to map it. @joinred www.joinred.com 

Tweet #turnred & turn this map of the world (RED). Dec 1 is World AIDS Day. Join @joinred www.joinred.com  

 

Buy Red

When you buy (PRODUCT)RED™ items, up to 50% of the profits go directly to those who need it. Some of the (PRODUCT) RED Partners include American Express, Apple, Bugaboo, Converse, Dell, Emporio Armani, GAP, Hallmark, NIKE, Penguin Classics, and Starbucks. Product Red Partners support the global fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Here are just a few examples of how the Partners are helping:

NIKE: 100% of the profits from every pair of Nike RED laces you buy go to help fight AIDS in Africa. 

GAP: 50% of profits from the sale of all (GAP)RED (GAP)RED products go to help eliminate AIDS in Africa

APPLE: Buy the Apple (PRODUCT)RED™  iPod nano and Apple donates portion of the purchase price to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. 

STARBUCKS: The (STARBUCKS)RED Ceramic To-Go Cup contributes $1US/L3/E3 from the sale of each Cup to the Global Fund. (STARBUCKS)RED Jonathan Adler Card. The (STARBUCKS) RED Card generates 5c/5p for the Global Fund every time it is used. 

Many more companies are involved in Buy (Red). Check out the link to see the many other companies are involved in BUY(RED). 

 

 

What's the story, Morning Glory?

Like the lyrics sung by Ella Fitzgerald suggest, in the new romantic comedy "Morning Glory" the story behind the public image of the newsroom might be more interesting than the news itself. 

 

  

The characters in the movie's over-the-top dysfunctional newsroom somehow manage to survive and even thrive in a cut-throat business.

Throw in the age factor--Diane Keaton plays a sixty-something veteran news anchor--and you might be tempted to ask, how can a woman in her sixties succeed in television? And while women's magazines like to tell us that 60 is the new 40, a clever slogan doesn't change everything. Thanks to the hardworking women who don't give up when they reach a "certain age," women of all ages are looking up to these women as role models in media, fashion, and business.

If it is possible to admire the "narcissistic" character of Colleen Peck played by Academy award winning actress Diane Keaton, then count me in her fan club. Peck's the epitome of the perfectly-imperfect, hard-working woman who triumphs when the going gets tough. Peck, a veteran news anchor who literally kicked some butt when she dressed up as a Sumo wrestler for her morning gig, might be considered a ditsy TV host except for the fact she is also a very hard worker. And perhaps best of all, she isn't afraid to stand up to her bitter co-host played by Harrison Ford who seems offended when co-host Peck, a former beauty queen, gets any respect in the newsroom. 

I have always admired Keaton's wit and self-depricating sense of humor. She's not afraid to tell it like it is. At 64 she knows what it takes for women in their 60s to survive in TV and films. As more and more women continue to thrive in the business world even as they age, Keaton and her contemporaries remind me why working hard and not taking myself too seriously might be the keys to success.

Morning Glory opens tomorrow, November 10th. Watch Keaton's interview with another hardworking journalist, Meredith Vieira, on the TODAY Show below. 

When no one understands your kid in school...

Moving beyond the labels and achieving great things is a big dream for children with learning difficulties. 

I remember being told my daughter would never be able read a book. I remember seeing my daughter banished to the hallway outside her third grade classroom because she was so far behind in class. I remember hearing teachers say my child would never go to college. I remember seeing my daughter crumple her homework papers with a big, red "INCOMPELTE" scribbled on them. I remember hearing my daughter would never achieve anything above a D or C in school. 

And I remember hearing my daughter say, "No one understands me."

In those moments I cried inside because I didn't have an answer. I did not understand my daughter's learning problems either. 

And then one day my daughter met a tutor who saw beyond the labels of her learning disability. She opened the door to learning. And that is when I knew someone understood her. 

If your child faces similar challenges, a new HBO documentary I Can't Do This But I CAN Do That offers hope and inspiration for children with learning difficulties and their families.

 

You can watch HBO trailer here.

This motivational film can even inspire adults to achieve more and move beyond the negative ideas holding them back. Photographer Scott Bourne blogged about it: 

Now here’s the important part. Start thinking about, talking about and living in the world of the stuff you CAN do. Concentrate on what you CAN do and not on what you CANNOT do... There’s a way to make this even more successful. Only surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Ask them to stop you dead in your tracks if they start hearing what you can’t do. Ask them to remind you what you CAN do. I bet you have more going for you than you realize.

According to Smart Kids With LD:

The film highlights the resourcefulness, creativity and strengths that schools frequently fail to acknowledge when students with LD are viewed as less capable than others, and are not given the help they need to succeed.  As director and producer Ellen Goosenberg Kent notes, the film “encourages students, families, and teachers to look beyond labels and discover the gifts each child possesses.”

According to the Denver Dyslexia Awareness Blog, the documentary is "hopeful, honest, emotional, empathetic, uplifting, vulnerable, riveting, inspiring, intelligent." 

To find the date and time for this documentary on HBO, check the listings.

(Photo by C. Olson.)

Heaven in a glass: Decadent hot chocolate, espresso, & cool heavy cream

  

I want this drink NOW!

Blame it on election day nerves, but I will need a fresh supply on the hour all day long. Read more about the Molto Mocha drink in New York Magazine. You can order your very own heaven in a glass drink at the Lavazza coffee bar in Eataly in NYC. ($4; Lavazza coffee bar at Eataly, 200 Fifth Ave., nr. W. 23rd St.; 212-229-2560)

Sending mommy hugs to my friends at newyork.grubstreet.com for finding this treat!

(Photo: Danny Kim/New York magazine)

A fun, sassy read: Someone Will Be With You Shortly

Lisa makes me smile wherever she is--on the pages of O, The Magazine; or hosting her show on Oprah Radio; or in her new book Someone Will Be with You Shortly. According to Harper Studio, in her new book: 

Kogan grapples with issues big (her 7-year-old daughter, Julia, and the 8,000 miles that separate them from Julia's father) and small (her recent apartment renovation, which consisted of turning over the sofa cushions, and then realizing that they looked better the other way) with the self-deprecating humor-and deep appreciation for what really matters-that have made her so beloved by her legions of fans. 

I know Lisa lives in NYC, but I wish someone could clone her and she could move in next door to me.

Lisa Kogan's book is available in paperback for $11.11 at Amazon.com. Or get the Kindle version at $9.99.

For more great reads, check out my reading list on Momathon books.

Quick Recipe: Tomato and lemon fettuccine

 

 

Tomato and lemon fettuccine

1 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes

3/4 lb fresh fettucine (spinach or egg fettuccine)

2 lemons 

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt

black pepper

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• In a smaller saucepan, mix together the cream, salt and pepper.
• Wash the lemon and then remove the rind from lemons in long strips using a vegetable peeler. Cut strips into thin strips. Set aside to use as a topping.
• Wash the tomatoes and slice in half. Set aside.
• Squeeze the juice from the lemons, strain the juice, and pour into the saucepan with the cream mixture. (You can also use pre-packaged lemon juice that equals 2 lemons.)
• Bring the creamy mixture to a boil for one minute and then reduce heat to simmer.
• Cook the fettuccine in the boiling water until barely done. This takes about 3-8 minutes depending on the freshness of the pasta. Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the cream sauce.
• Divide the pasta into 4 to 6 portions. Top each pasta portion with tomato halves, strips of julienned lemon rind, and freshly ground pepper.

Bon Appetit!

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

(Fettuccine photo by me.)

DIY: Homemade sugar bliss lip scrub

 

Feeling a bit flaky? I know the feeling. In the morning when I put on layer after layer of my favorite cotton candy gloss, sometimes the flakiness won't go away. 

If you are longing for the days when your lips felt soft and smooth, then try this homemade lip scrub to make your lips ultra kissable. The sugar in the recipe exfoliates and softens your lips and the Vaseline moisturizes and soothes your lips. 

Sugar Bliss Lip Scrub:

• Moisturize your lips generously with Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly.
• Add a tsp. of sugar into a small bowl.
• Lightly moisten your finger in water and dip it into the sugar.
• Apply sugar to both the upper and lower lips with your finger.
• Gently rub the sugar into the Vaseline for about 30 seconds in a circular motion and you will remove the dry, flaky skin.
• Rinse off your lips with warm (not cold) water.
• Dry off your lips and add your favorite lip gloss or lipstick.

(Lip photo by Apdk on Flickr)

I also posted this DIY lip scrub recipe in April.

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

I also posted this DIY lip scrub recipe in April.

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

It's so Etsy: Keep Calm and Eat a Cupcake

A twist on the "Keep Calm and Carry On" World War II poster from England. 

 

Keep Calm and Eat a Cupcake necklace pendant from repurposed Scrabble tiles (3/4") is available at PrettyWhimsical on Etsy. $6.95

This geeky mom loves Huff Post Tech

 

 

Met the talented Bianca Bosker, Huffington Post Tech Editor, at the sold-out BlogHer'10 in NYC. Bosker created a slideshow of Twitter users' reflections on BlogHer 10.

 

Seems like a new tech gadget is born every second. That's why I read the Huff Post Tech online to stay up with the latest trends. You can also keep up with tech news on Twitter: @bbosker and @HuffPostTech. 

Baby bootlegging (v): use this term when taking credit for another kid's work

We've all been there... You're sitting at the park next to the PR Mommy who can't stop bragging about how advanced her kid is. And then she inevitably adds a cutting comment: Don't worry, your child will catch up soon. 

Ouch. So what do you do? Sometimes I wish that when the PR Mommy stands up a gooey bird turd clings to the seat of her dry-clean only pants. (So far my fantasy has never come true.)

I admit I also have been tempted to try some baby bootlegging. If you don't think about what you just did it feels harmless, that is, until you get caught.

Mitch on the NBC show Modern Family in the clip below "borrows" another child's block tower in order to make his daughter look better. Everything is fine until this bad karma moment bites back. 

 

I admit it, sometimes I find awkward moments hilarious! 
 

Menus from NYC (and more) on your iPhone

 

Where do you want to go for lunch or dinner today? Now you can use your iPhone or iPod touch to check out restaurant menus using the free MenuPages app. You can search for restaurants by type, or location. One of the best features is skimming a list of nearby restaurants to decide where to dine. Once you decide on a restaurant, just tap the icon to bring up the menu as well as restaurant hours and location.

 

 

Cities included on MenuPages
MenuPages includes the following cities: 

• NYC
• San Francisco
• LA
• Philadelphia
• Washington DC
• South Florida. 
• NEW: Restaurant recommendations for travelers in London and Paris.

If you don't have an iPhone or iPad you can access MenuPages.com on your laptop.

MenuPages is also on Twitter.

(MenuPages artwork above from MenuPages.com.)

Read. Blog. Learn.

Summer is a favorite time for me because with the kids out of school and no annoying alarm clocks buzzing at 5:30 a.m. I can stay up as late as I want READING!

Ever wonder what other readers think about books they are reading? Now you can check out the Book blogger directory with all the book bloggers who attended the Book Blogger Convention this year in NYC. The directory also lists the links to their blogs. 

Have fun reading!

(Thanks for the blog tip via GalleyCat)

 

It's so Etsy: Pink sunhats for babies and toddlers

Looking for the perfect baby shower gift? Check out the handmade hats and bows and more at the Etsy.com store TinyTotsBows.

A mother of two in Wisconsin designs these adorable hats and bows. One of my personal faves is the Hot Pink Sunhat with Interchangeable Zebra Gerbera, $22.95. This hat set is available in a variety of sizes: infant (0-6+months) and toddler (6-18+months).

According to her Etsy store: 

"This sunhat is made of special water resistant UV fabric (50+ UPF) with an extra wide brim to provide excellent sun protection! It is adjustable to achieve the perfect fit and has a chin strap, so it can't be pulled off. Attached to the hat is an interchangeable strip, so all bows and flowers can be attached to create a custom look to match any outfit!"

(Photo above from the TinyTotsBows online store; photography by www.siribenrudphotography.com)

Make my life simpler: Back-of-the-cab makeup

 

 

Love it! Easy-to-use makeup for busy moms. This portable pen brightens eyes and erases the dark circles from middle of the night feedings or whatever else keeps you awake.

Tinted Eye Brightener by Bobbi Brown is available in eight shades. $38.00

(Photo: Bobbi Brown website)

Enhanced eBook app: Books that talk while you read

 

Imagine reading a book on your iPhone or IPad and hearing the book read to you at the same time. New enhanced eBook editions incorporate audio and video as well as text.

According to eBookNewser, The Carrie Diaries, the new prequel to the books by Candace Bushnell, comes out today with a new enhanced eBook app. 

"The app, created by Enhanced Editions for HarperCollins, features an audiobook that reads aloud while showing you the text (like a kids' eBook!), video content, and "night mode," which isn't anything sexy, just white text on a black background. It's $14.99 from iTunes. The Kindle edition costs good old $9.99."

For more information on the new enhanced eBook apps check out iTunes. 

For more news on books and publishing, check out my reading list on Momathon books.

Momathon Fave: New cuddly stamps help homeless pets

 

Starting April 30th, helping shelter dogs cats can be as simple as buying the new USPS stamps to raise awareness of the plight of homeless pets. During the launch Ellen DeGeneres's natural pet food company Halo will be donating a million meals to animal shelters. A pane of 20 stamps with 10 animal images is $8.80

To find out more about the US Postal Service's "Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet" stamps go to this link: USPS Stamps to the Rescue. 

How to get the cuddly stamps: 
Stamps will be available at post offices April 30th. You can pre-order them at www.stampstotherescue.com, or calling 1-800-STAMP -24 (1-800-782-6724).

About the pets featured:
The images of the five shelter cats and five dogs on the 44-cent stamps were taken by photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce. All the pets featured have been adopted! 

(Stamp photo: USPS Stamps to the Rescue.)

Plants + Friends = Community Gardens

Today is earth day. Seasoned gardeners and newbies across the U.S. are starting community gardens with the help of American Community Gardening Association. If you are interested in how to set up a community garden this association has plenty of tips. On the website you can download PDF files on organizing a garden committee, how to choose a site, preparing a site, insurance, and managing the garden.

 

 

Kids naturally like to dig in the dirt. And they like creepy crawly things like the garden slugs in the photo above. Gardening is a great family activity. Give a kid some ownership of the project and you will be amazed at how much kids love to plant, water, and even weed their own garden. The Community Gardening Assoc. offers great ideas in Ten tips for gardening with kids.

(Photos: Monica R: Boy with garden hose; D Sharon Pruitt, Child With Handful of Garden Slugs)

Will new "reality webisodes" help save marriages?

 

Can this marriage be saved? That's the question Ladies Home Journal has been asking in it's popular column of the same name since 1953. In the column, LHJ profiles real-life troubled marriages. 

LHJ adds a new dimension to the series with webisodes. Spouses tell their stories to a therapist who offers advice and also reveals how the marriage turns out. 

Will the new webisodes help marriages?
Throw in a little humor and you have me hooked. This humorous/serious combo works for me. The producers of the series tackle common marriage issues we probably wish we didn't have to think about. Denial is powerful force, webisodes make it easier to face the facts. 

Tweet therapy
LHJ also tweets (@marriagebesaved) about marriage, offering tips and advice. 

The three mini episodes produced so far available at Can This Marriage Be Saved?:

• Our Dog Is Coming Between Us
• We Never Have Sex Anymore
• His Mother Is Tearing Us Apart

It's so Etsy: Plant a wildflower garden

 

 

In honor of earth week...

Spring is here. Something about digging in the dirt makes me smile. Gardening mixes therapy with sunshine! So grab some seeds and a shovel. 

One of the best parts of gardening is the fact you don't need a lot of space. A corner garden with some sunshine works. Or plant seeds in a container garden on your patio or deck.  Planting seeds is a fun activity for the whole family. My kids love to design their own gardens. Keeping the plants happy with regular watering teaches responsibility too.

The Thebearfootshaman shop on Etsy offers a beautiful Wildflower Garden Seed Mix to Attract Birds. The mix contains:

Purple Coneflower, Black-Eyed Susan, Bachelor Buttons, Purple Prairie Clover, Mexican Hat, Rocky Mountain Beeplant, Sulphur Flower, Butterfly Plant, Indian Blanket, Goldenrod, Penstemon, Aster, Liatris, Cosmos, Daisy, Bee Balm, Blue Flax, Larkspur, Lupine, Sunflower, and Coreopsis. 

Go to this link to check out the Wildflower Garden Seed Mix. $3.29.

(Photo of wildflowers from the Etsy page of Thebearfootshaman)

DIY: Homemade sugar bliss lip scrub

 

 

Feeling a bit flaky? I know the feeling. In the morning when I put on layer after layer of my favorite cotton candy gloss, sometimes the flakiness won't go away. 

If you are longing for the days when your lips felt soft and smooth, then try this homemade lip scrub to make your lips ultra kissable. The sugar in the recipe exfoliates and softens your lips and the Vaseline moisturizes and soothes your lips. 

Sugar Bliss Lip Scrub:

• Moisturize your lips generously with Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly.
• Add a tsp. of sugar into a small bowl.
• Lightly moisten your finger in water and dip it into the sugar.
• Apply sugar to both the upper and lower lips with your finger.
• Gently rub the sugar into the Vaseline for about 30 seconds in a circular motion and you will remove the dry, flaky skin.
• Rinse off your lips with warm (not cold) water.
• Dry off your lips and add your favorite lip gloss or lipstick.

(Lip photo by Apdk on Flickr)

Best mom food bloggers according to Babble.com

 

I don't know how the editors could narrow it down to only 50--so many talented foodies write blogs. Check out Babble.com's 50 Best Mom Food Bloggers list including these yummy blogs Food Allergy Mama, Steamy Kitchen, Kayotic Kitchen and Seven Spoons.

One of the best things about these blogs is you don't have to be another Martha Stewart in the kitchen to enjoy reading them. Of course, great recipes are key to their success, but you can also check out these blogs for their humor and beautiful photography. 

The staff and contributors at Babble "picked these fifty because each demonstrated excellence in voice, photography, design, or all three."

Love, love, love the listing by the editors on Babble, but have to admit their photo of chocolate dripping off the mixer is making me very hungry. Cupcakes anyone?

Bon Appetit!

(Image: Babble.com post)

 

Move over cupcake, the macaroons are here

 

 
A new tasty treat is vying for the cupcakes top spot this year. Just in time for Easter. Could it be the coconut macaroon looks like the grass in your Easter basket. Or maybe we just love the outlandish unfoodly colors they come in--hot pink, sunshine orange, snowball white, and neon green. 

Macaroons are a classic French dessert. The first macaroons were an egg white and almond paste variety called almond meringues. The crisp crust and soft interior reminds me of the fabulous amaretti cookies so delicious with a latte.

Popular for the observation of Passover because they need no flour or leavening, the Italian Jews developed the coconut macaroons.

Recipe links:

Parisian Macaroons @ Martha Stewart

Coconut Macaroons II @ All Recipes

(Photo: Mezuni via Flickr)

The babies are coming... (to a theater near you)

Four new babies.

Four places on earth.

One year in their lives.

Babies: The Movie features one year in the life of four new babies, from birth to first steps, in four very different places on earth--the U.S., Japan, Mongolia, and Namibia. 

The documentary film by Thomas Balmes produced by Focus Features Movies will be coming to the big screen Mother's Day weekend, 2010. Keep up with the babies, join them on Facebook.

Gotta love those chubby cheeks. Can't wait to see the movie! 

All together now... Sooooo Cuuuuuute!

More frosting, please

Good news frosting lovers. According to Redbook, the popular cupcake frosting "shots" are only 45 calories apiece. That means you could eat seven to equal the calorie count in one cupcake! Plus you don't even have to leave the house. Just go to Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee and they will ship the shots to you. 

And if you can't get enough frosting or cupcakes, become a Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee friend on Facebook.

 

(photo: Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee)

Geeky Mom: Got iPad?

Apple calls the iPad magical and revolutionary. Without test driving it myself, I'm not so sure. Yes, the new ad shows the variety of ways the sleek iPad can be used. The features look pretty wonderful in the short ad. But an ad is only an ad. Has anyone heard from anyone who has played around on this device? All the mystery surrounding the launch makes it not so surprising that the ad above first appeared during the Academy Awards. 

Here's what I do know...
• I love the big multi-touch screen. 
• The Kindle killer e-book feature will definitely make this gadget a go-to device for students
• The plethora of amazing apps--150,000 and counting--is, well, amazing.
• Not so sure about how the iPad performs as an iPod too. And this seems odd since the iPad seems like an iPod on steroids. Too bad the new ad doesn't say much about iTunes or music features. What's up with that?

Pre-sales for the iPad begin next week. Sales of iPad begin April 3rd. Starting at $499.

10 reasons why this Geeky Mom loves the iPad

 

First of all, it only took me about 5 minutes to get over the name iPad. Yes, it does bring to mind all those feminine hygiene products that we giggled about when we were teens. I'm a grown-up now--at least most of the time--so I am moving on and thinking less about wings and more about apps.

The official Geeky Mom (that's me) list of iPad pros (list of cons coming tomorrow).

Pros:

--Size. Apple delivers a miracle: The iPad is compact but big. Except for the fact it won't fit easily in a purse or pocket, I love the size. The specs: 9.7 inch display (imagine your favorite video playing here), 0.5 inches thick, and weighs only 1.5 pounds. Some will complain that the iPad is still too heavy. Not such a big deal to us moms who lug around kids and pets and backpacks and groceries more than we want to admit. And don't even ask how much my purse weighs.

--Multi-touch. The multi-touch display screen acts like an iPhone and iPod. Familiar is good. After all, who takes the time to read the tech manual? This gadget is easy to use right out of the box. My kids think this feature makes all those games even cooler.

--Apps. Apps. Apps. Runs nearly 140,000 apps found at the app store. Even runs your favorite iPhone/iPod apps and you can sync them!

--iWork runs on iPad. I love Pages, a classy document creator with oh-so-cool templates and formatting on my laptop. I see one problem because the iPad lacks the multi-tasking cut and paste feature.

--Price. I was surprised by the relatively low $499 price for the basic 16GB model that uses Wi-Fi. Seems reasonable for a professional, but not really affordable for kids and teens who REALLY love gadgets. A Wi-Fi only 32GB model @ $599, a 64GB model @ $699. The Wi-Fi and 3G enabled iPad has 3 options: 16GB @ $629, a 32GB @ $729, and the fully loaded 64GB @ $829.

--3G. I admit it, I am a 3G snob. Wi-Fi is great--really great--but it isn't everywhere, yet. I know thinking I must have 3G is irrational. The 3G feature is either a decadent tech luxury or one more vice I should cut from my diet. You decide. A deal with AT&T gives iPad users 250 MB of data a month for $14.99... I'm warning you: Don't give your preteen/teens this option. The unlimited data go-ahead-and-surf-the-web-24/7-and-send-a-million-texts-a-day plan is $29.99.

--iBooks. I love books and I really love books with photos and lots of color. No, I am not talking about books for toddlers. I love photo-rich cookbooks, decorating books, travel books and--kids cover your eyes--I love textbooks. I watched the books feature on the introductory videos. Love the hi-res, LED-backlit screen with COLOR. However I read on the blogs and tweets that the iPad was introduced in a dim room. So how does it perform in normal light or sunlight? We'll see. Also, I didn't hear much talk about textbooks. I am crossing my fingers. Textbooks on the iPad is a dealbreaker in the decision to purchase an iPad for my high schooler.

--10 hour battery life while watching videos. And a month of standby. The critics are complaining that the battery is not removable. Not a big deal for me. Having a spare battery would just mean more to lug around.

--News. The intuitive NYT app is so much better on the larger iPad display. I was hoping more newspapers and magazines would be on board too. I can wait patiently for more digital news editions, but I hope they hurry.

--iPad keyboard. Of course you can use the virtual keyboard on the screen. But I also like the fact you can also use a standard sized keyboard with a soon to be released keyboard dock that lets you type and charge at the same time.

 

So many reasons why I love Paris are found in the new book "Paris: Made by Hand"

Pia Jane Bijkerk is an internationally acclaimed stylist, photographer and author specializing in interiors, still life & food.  Her first book titled Paris: Made by Hand is available now. The photos in her book are so lovely. I want to live in her book! Time to book a flight to visit this city again.

Here is what Pia has to say about her new book on her blog:

"This is a book for lovers of all things handmade, the chic and unique, and of course Paris. In this book I take you off the tourist streets of this incredible city in search of Parisian artisans whose work is truly inspirational, and secreted studio boutiques filled with exquisite Parisian handmade treasures. I’ve been collecting these special addresses in my stylist’s little black book over the past couple of years and now with great delight, share them all with you in Paris: Made by Hand. Expect to see this fine city in a whole new light…"

Web comics for dog lovers: Dog Eat Doug

 

While you drink your cuppa joe, check out Dog eat Doug and get your daily dose of canine humor by comic strip artist Brian Anderson. Web comic features the antics of Sophie the chocolate Lab and a baby named Doug. 

(Image from Dog eat Doug web comics.)

Blogs that make you smile: The City Sage

Blogger Anne Sage is a city girl who "craves good old-fashioned country mud now and again. Check out her blog The City Sage. Her California based blog features seasonally-themed styling, musings on fashion and interior design collections, and book reviews. Have fun reading.

 

Simply Delish Peppermint Bark Recipe

 

Looking for an easy last-minute holiday candy recipe? Here is one of my favorites: Last Christmas I wrote a post about an easy and delish recipe for classic peppermint bark. You can check out the recipe and a how-to video on the TODAY Show with Chef Kathleen Daelemans. Full recipe is available on the Today Show website.

The inexpensive homemade version is a great gift idea too. The candy recipe only has four ingredients:

• bittersweet chocolate wafers or chips
• white chocolate wafers or white chocolate
• canola oil
• peppermint candy

If you don't want to make the peppermint bark at home, check out the yummy Williams-Sonoma Original Peppermint Bark ($26.50 for a one-pound tin).

You can watch a short how-to video on making the peppermint candy on The TODAY Show. below. (Note: The TODAY Show clip starts out talking about cookie swaps with homemade gingerbread and then the next item they discuss is the peppermint bark.)

Holiday cooking: Bread pudding recipe for kids

 

 

Do you have fussy eaters at your house? Cooking for kids is always better if the kids join you in the kitchen.

At my house, if I want the cooking project to be a success, then the kids need to be in charge. And grown-ups need to chill. Don't worry about the mess while the kids cook, as long as all of the cooks agree to help with the clean up afterwards.

I love to hear about families cooking together. For example, Sisters Belle (13) and Liv (11) started cooking with their dad when they were only two. They started the Spatulatta: Cooking 4 Kids Online series in 2005 and won the prestigious James Beard award in 2006. 

Watch Belle make a yummy Bread Pudding recipe in this video link featured on their cooking for kids website. The complete recipe is on this link too.

 Bread pudding is a great way to use up leftover French bread. 

(Note: Lovely bread pudding photo at the top of this post is by WayTru.)

Geeky Mom: Comparison shopping made easy with TheFind.com app

 

 

I love finding a bargain. But I hate running from store to store to find the best deal. Now you can use your iPhone to find the best deals on a specific product at nearby stores with the free TheFind.com iPhone app.

In my testing, I was able to quickly type in the product name (or even the approximate name) and the app gave me a list of possible options with store locations and prices.

So easy. Plus the TheFind has a great desktop platform that works well with the app to help you comparison shop--even locate coupons and product reviews.

TheFind features

• search for product in nearby stores
• get addresses, phone numbers and directions to nearby stores
• find prices from both local stores and online retailers
• view maps to show stores
• get product details and photos
• calculate driving cost to each store from your current location

Happy shopping!

Who knew from pap-schmears!

Okay. I already know this CBS Cares PSA is controversial. But in this case, I think that's a very good thing.

See what you think...

Just a schmear could save her life. 

Geeky Mom: Free e-Books from Sesame Street

 

There is something magical about the characters on Sesame Street. Of course the TV show is great, but the Sesame Street books were a favorite with my kids too. Now you can listen to the lovable characters reading their books to your children with Sesame Street eBooks. You can read and listen to free e-book samples on this link. 

The free e-books featured this week are

• Celebrate
• Grover's Guide to Good Eating
• The Monster at the End of the Street
• 123 Count with Me

Sesame Street will sell e-books from its website. Approximately 100 titles are expected to launch this year. The books are downloadable and work with both Macs and PCs. The publisher is iPublishCentral.

Geeky Mom: Eat This, Not That app for the iPhone

You've probably already heard of the wildly successful Eat This, Not That book series by Men's Health editors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. Now you can get the book translated into an iPhone app format.

The ETNT app price at $4.99 is higher than many similar apps costing less than a buck, but the creators promise you get more.

Here is what the ETNT app offers according to their promo featured on the iPhone app store.

• complete no-diet weight loss solution
• discover thousands of simple food swaps
• track calories for over 13,000 menu items and 10,000 grocery products
• tools to build a healthier grocery list
• tools to view nutritional grades for over 13,000 adult and kid menu options at restaurants
• food comparison chart lets you put two foods head-to-toe to see which is the healthier option.

One obvious benefit of the app over lugging around the book is the fact you can take Zinczenko and Goulding's advice with you everywhere--in the grocery store, at a restaurant, or at a fast food place.

We all know that sometimes it is difficult to get kids to eat healthy, but this app could make the difference. The graphics and interactive features will make it more fun for you to help younger children decide which item is the healthier choice. Of course, older kids with an iPhone can use the app themselves--just don't tell them it was your idea.

Ooo La La! Raspberry Tiramisu

 

I can't take credit for this yummy recipe by Dorie Greenspan at Parade.com. Only 7 delicious ingredients. Looks easy enough to make with the kids. 

The fabulous red berries make this tiramisu the perfect holiday treat.

Now all I need to do is decide what to serve the desert in... Wine glasses? Martini glasses? Or just some pretty glass bowls?

Go to this link for Dorie's recipe for Raspberry Tiramisu

(Image by Bloggyboulga)

What makes a perfect brownie?

Are brownies with chewy edges better? Brownie lovers have definite opinions on this one. I took a poll at my house and two wanted chewy edges and two did not.

If you are like me and, of course, you know best, then chewy edges are deelish! In a regular 9"x13" pan, most of the brownies you make do not have chewy edges. Now with the Edge Brownie Pan by Baker's Edge every brownie serving has two yummy, chewy edges! The pan's unique design prevents burned edges and undercooked middles. I love the fact this pan fits most box mixes and recipes for 9"x9" or 9"x13" pans. 

Shopping links

$34.95 at CHEFS Catalog

$39.95 at Solutions

$34.95 at Amazon.com

$39.95 at Sur La Table

I don't have the brownie pan yet, but it's on my list. 

Bon Appetit!

(image from CHEFS Catalog)

Wow, Santa really outdid himself this year!

Kudos to all those Santas who are smart shoppers. Even when buying electronics!

I know Target has gotten more than a few complaints about their new holiday ad campaign. Is it anti-Santa? Is it sexist? In my highly opinionated opinion, I don't think the ad deserves to be the subject of controversy. In fact, I love it. Power to the smart shoppers--Santa included! 

You can check out the clever ad from Target below. 

Spritz cookie recipe

Okay, mommies. Show of hands. How many of you wait till the very last minute to make holiday cookies?

Here's a quick and easy recipe for those of you procrastinators like me. (It may look familiar to some of you, I posted this recipe last year too.) Enjoy! Note that you will need a cookie press to make them. Here is the recipe:

Buttery Spritz cookies are not just tempting, they are addictive. So make sure you whip up a batch with the kids so you don't eat the whole batch yourself! This spritz recipe is perfect for baking with the kids because mixing the 5-ingredient dough is a snap. Plus your kids will love using the cookie press to make the cookies.

Buttery Spritz

1 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp flavoring (almond or vanilla)

2 1/2 cups flour

Heat oven to 400. Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, and flavoring. Add flour to mixture. Select the cookie press shape you want to use. (Each time you fill the press you can change the cookie press shape.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, force the dough through the cookie press (see the photo below) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes--be careful not to overbake. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Happy baking!

The babies are coming... (to a theater near you)

Four new babies.

Four places on earth.

One year in their lives.

Babies: The Movie

    

Babies: The Movie features one year in the life of four new babies, from birth to first steps, in four very different places on earth--the U.S., Japan, Mongolia, and Namibia. The 2010 documentary is produced by Focus Features.

Gotta love those chubby cheeks. Can't wait to see the movie! It's coming to the big screen in April 2010. 

All together now... Sooooo Cuuuuuute!

Warm mommy hugs to Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep turned sixty this year and she still gets the greatest leading roles. Has Hollywood finally realized 'older' women are still sexy and smart? I am hoping Meryl is a trendsetter and more women her age--and older--grab those coveted leads in high-profile movies.

Streep even jokes about her continued success after all these years. "I've been given great, weird, interesting parts well past my 'sell-by date," says Meryl Streep in Boston.com.

 

Meryl Streep on Vanity Fair, January 2010

Why is Streep still so successful playing the lead in romantic comedies and more? I think she is successful and beautiful at 60--and throughout her career--because she is self-confident and seems to enjoy the fact she has experience. I don't like the phrase 'she looks good for her age' because it seems terribly sexist. (No one ever says that about a man.) I think Streep is amazing and successful because she is devoted to great acting.

You can read more about Streep online in the Vanity Fair preview cover story about the January 2010 issue. Still want to know more? Grab a copy of the January issue coming out today, December 2nd. (So very glad I am a VF subscriber.)

Girl talk

"You can have more than one best friend at a time," I said.

"No, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Because best means best."

I thought about that. "What about close?" I asked.

    – from Just as Long as We Are Together, by Judy Blume

  

Friendship. Body image. Parental divorce. Dating. School. Bullies. All are Judy Blume moments--events in the lives of girl that Judy Blume captured with her funny, poignant and honest voice. Chronicling the lives of girls from Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing to Smart Women, Blume is one of those teasured writers who captures the feelings of girls growing up and makes a difference in the lives of her readers.

 

If you want to get a glimpse of how the unforgettable stories by Judy Blume influenced other women writers, then check out this collection of 24 essays, Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume. The anthology is edited by Jennifer O'Connell--another favorite author (and a friend from PPWC). It features essays by acclaimed women writers including Meg Cabot, Megan McCafferty, and Melissa Senate.

Happy reading!

Free shipping day? No kidding!

 

(image by mysza831)

Practically everyone on my Christmas gift list lives out of town. That's why I was so excited to discover December 17th is National Free Shipping Day for participating merchants (see partial list below). And shipped items are guaranteed to arrive by Christmas eve.

Check out their website for participating merchants. So far, Free Shipping Day includes 407 participating merchants and counting. On Thursday, December 17th at 12:00AM EST the Free Shipping Day promotions for participating merchants will be revealed.

Here are a few of the National Free Shipping Day merchants as of this post date:

• Aeropostale
• American Eagle Outfitters
• Apple Store
• ShopAddidas.com
• BabiesRUs
• BabyAge.com
• Bebe
• Borders
• Brookstone
• Chronicle Books
• Crabtree & Evelyn
• Discovery Store
• Eddie Bauer
• FAO Schwarz
• Godiva Chocolatier
• The Land of Nod
• Macy's
• Nike
• Nordstrom
• OverStock.com
• PetSmart
• Red Envelope
• Sears
• Sephora
• 7 for all mankind
• The Body Shop
• Tommy Bahamas
• Toys R Us
• and many more

 
Mark December 17th on your calendar. Happy Shopping.

bored to death

I am bored to death by many shows on tv. That is, except for the offbeat comedy Bored To Death on HBO.

 

If you were a Sex in the City Fan, check out this show. Imagine the roles of Carrie and the girls played by a group of guys--George, Jonathan, and Ray. Well, already you can tell it is not exactly the same. For starters, the show is set in Brooklyn, not Manhattan. You won't get any fashion advice here, but the guys are hip in a quirky way. The guys have cool jobs and sound amazing except for the fact they keep getting themselves into trouble. Sound familiar? Instead of Carrie, meet Jonathan, a novelist working on his second novel. When Jonathan is dumped by his girlfriend, he begins offering his services as an unlicensed detective. Instead of sexy Samantha, insert a self-indulgent magazine editor named George who isn't afraid to talk about all the great sex he's had. In tonight's episode Jonathan plays detective again and "helps" his best friend Ray a talented but not-yet-financially-successful cartoonist, find out if the sperm George had donated was stolen.

The show created by Jonathan Ames stars Ted Danson, Jason Schwartzman and Zach Galifianakis.

Can vitamin D help you fight the flu?

 

(image by Tony the Misfit)

Flu season is normally a winter bug, but it came early this year with swine flu (H1N1) outbreaks even during the summer. Why does the flu come in the winter? I always thought it was because everyone was stuck in stuffy offices and classrooms instead of outside. Turns out that stuffiness factor is only part of the problem. New research links susceptibility with a vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sun during the shorter days of winter. Here's the scoop from a post this week on the NYT.com blog Freakonomics:

"One big risk factor for flu infection is a lack of vitamin D. We naturally produce vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight, and as the days shorten in the winter, we produce less and less of it. That led these researchers to think that flu epidemics could be a sign of widespread vitamin D deficiency, due in part to decreased solar radiation. So it seems darkness makes the flu go ’round."

I'm thinking this new research gives me an even better excuse to enjoy some sunshine and take that long walk during my lunch break. Even better, take a friend or your dogs along. 

Note: I am not a medical specialist. Before you run out and grab some vitamin D supplements, please check with your physician.

Find Recipes that Match Your Ingredients at SuperCook.com

Ever look in your fridge or pantry and wonder just what you can make for dinner without making a last-minute shopping run? That's exactly the problem solved by the clever folks at SuperCook.com--a user-friendly website that does a recipe search according to the ingredients you have at home. 

To start all you have to do enter the ingredients you have at home on the website, the more ingredients you list on SuperCook, the more recipe options you will get.

Bon appetit!