Posts by Dina in New York
Soul Cycle just opened an amazing new space in Tribeca and while I totally TOTALLY dread working out I decided to just suck it up and force myself to go. After all, as mentioned before, the only cardio routine I have these days is courtesy of the Dancey Dance segments from Yo Gabba Gabba.
So anyway– Soul Cycle has had a following for quite some time in other areas of the city and I was nervous as hell to go. I had never done a “spin class” before and I was pretty confident that I was going to die on the bike and make a total scene. As I stood in the lobby waiting for class to start I tried my best to look like a pro but when I saw the sweat drenched people emerge from the prior class I started to panic.
Anyway – long story, longer… I snapped my shoes into the bike, said a prayer, jumped on and just did it. The teacher was amazing and led the class on what felt like a 45-minute spiritual journey through the mountains. The music was loud and excellent, the dark room and the vibe made you want to really push yourself. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be and I felt like a new human being when it was over. I am now hooked and I would highly recommend it to all the sluggish, sleep deprived moms and dads out there. It’s a boost both physically and mentally.
-Dina
Dina in New York
March 10th, 2010
While I would really love for my kids to play with handcrafted, eco-friendly and artistically stunning toys, I also know full well that I might as well just set a pile of money on fire. The beautiful wooden farm house with hand painted animals is coated in a layer of dust. The hand-sewn finger puppet theater has yet to be touched by a human hand. That being said, I don’t want a house full of flashing plastic junk but I do like to find items that my kids will actually play with.
Kidding Around is a toy store in Chelsea that I really love as it does a great job stocking toys which are both parent savvy and ones that your kids will love. The website is in dire need of a makeover but if you visit the store in person you will be extremely pleased with what you find inside. Not only is it huge but it has everything that a child could want from birth through the teen years — all of which is thoughtfully edited and categorized. It is my go-to place for amazing birthday gifts and I always stumble upon something new when I go.
I have my sights set on this little red accordian to buy as a gift for someone who bought my girls two recorders last month. Payback time!
-Dina
Dina in New York
March 5th, 2010
Clearly I have been living under some sort of rock. Am I the only person who didn’t know this thing existed!?!? I mean, “technically”, I suppose I knew it was out there but I never actually owned one and nobody ever mentioned it to me before. I am totally and completely devastated that I have lived so long with so many pilled sweaters and even more cashmere baby sweaters and blankets that I have tossed over the years. You know what I am talking about right? Those little balls of fluff that gather within minutes of wearing a new sweater. Anyway I went to Amazon — read the reviews — and the Izumi Sweater Shaver came in the mail the other day. Needless to say, I could not put the thing down. I figured it would work wonders on kids sweaters and baby blankets, so I just wanted to share as clearly people were holding out on me! It’s made in Japan so it looks pretty cool, if not a bit sinister. So if like me, you are sick of all the nice things you buy looking beat up so quickly – this might be the answer to your prayers. It really does work.
-Dina
Dina in New York
March 3rd, 2010
I do love New York but there are also a lot of things that I really hate about it.… the lack of parks and open spaces, and the complete absence of places to just sit down. The other day I took my girls to the New Museum on the Bowery. I have been wanting to go since it opened and there was an exhibition by Urs Fisher which looked bizarre and cool. There was, after all, a croissant hanging from the ceiling on fishing wire with a butterfly on it! Anyway– the exhibition was indeed cool but the best discovery of the day was the little cafeteria with tables and chairs that they had in the back of the main lobby. It’s a nice place to sit (for free!) and shockingly, it was very kid friendly – they even serve peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So for those roaming around Soho or the East Village with a stroller looking for a place to just sit for a few minutes — stop in. Admission is free for everyone under 18.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 27th, 2010
Seems like everyone I know is having a baby all of a sudden. Funny how it always happens in waves.
With “three being the new two” and “twins being the new singleton” in NYC, the maternity business is booming! When I was pregnant I was determined to remain somewhat stylish (well with the roots growing in and the adult onset acne, the least I could do was wear a semi-decent outfit.) One of my very favorite brands to discover along the way was Nom de Naissance, which is based out of LA and is carried at my very favorite maternity store in NYC, Belly Dance Maternity. This adorable West Village shop carries a well edited selection of labels like Splendid, Diane Von Furstenburg and Ripe with the premise being that you can still dress like you did before you got prego. Two other amazing stores that I discovered along the way were Cappucine in Tribeca which does not have an on-line website but is definitely worth the visit. The owner carries both maternity wear and adorable regular clothes in larger sizes (and the owner is French so you know it’s cool). The other place that I found was Bump in Brooklyn which opened after I had the girls but it looks ultra, ultra swank. For the gals that are not into “Pea in a Pod” and “Liz Lange” – these stores are for you.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 22nd, 2010
I always like to find special gifts that are useful and practical for friends with a new baby. In a cramped NYC apartment the last thing you need is more stuff, especially if you are on kid number 2 or 3, which is why I love these adorable little square quilts from Pomme. They are small, plush, easy to wash and cheery.
Pomme is an adorable little store in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn that carries a well-edited and unique array of items for young children. You can call the store direct to get matching pillows or if you are feeling particularly fashionable there are booties to match!
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 18th, 2010
This year I am getting organized! And this year, unlike the last few years, I am really serious. I totally triple swear.
While I have never been a “Type A” person and have always led a life of total chaos behind the scenes, I have finally hit a breaking point. My girls are turning four next month and I have yet to put together a single photo album or memory book. I have everything from sonogram pictures to photos of their 3rd birthday party in the same box stashed in my closet. I have amassed piles of all of the cute clothing that they outgrew because I simply can’t let go of the memories. And that is just their stuff — let’s not even begin to talk about mine.
The other day I stumbled upon the book One Year to an Organized Life which seemed heaven sent. I have tried to organize in vain before but it seems that the piles always get bigger and the work is never done. The more I try — the worse it becomes. I always wind up feeling defeated and run out of steam. I did have someone help me with my closet last year but that was just a starting point. In a perfect world I would just love to always put my keys in the same place, have a streamlined file cabinet, and stop constantly looking for my cell phone in my bag… but most importantly, I want to have the memories of my girls growing put in order.
What I love about this book is that it is not a quick fix and actually has you doing projects over the course of a YEAR! It also asks a lot of emotional questions as to what you really need and why you hold on to things. At times the writing can be maddeningly corny but it’s working wonders for me so far. I have purged myself of a ton of stuff and have started to get a system in place and it feels really good. Everything is starting to have a place. Even better, I also like the fact that I am setting a good example for my girls to streamline and live simply — at least that’s the goal.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 14th, 2010
How cute are these cupcake kits!!!! What a simple solution to make you look like a baking rock star! Meri Meri has something for just about every occasion and the quality is just beautiful. Now that the coldest months are rolling into the city I like doing cooking projects in the afternoon to deal with those often painfully long hours between the “end-of-school” and the “start-of-dinner”. There are tons of other really adorable and creative things on the website as well — invitations, thank you cards and notepads. And speaking of cupcakes… I want one.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 10th, 2010
On New Years Eve, during a major snowstorm, one of my daughters became violently ill. The timing, of course, could not have been worse and after a call to the doctor we were put at ease, told to stay in, to push fluids and to ride it out. “There’s a stomach bug going around and it will pass” — we were told. But “stomach bug” I knew this was not. This thing, whatever she had, was far more sinister. A day later and two separate trips to the emergency room we wound up in the hospital for seven days of pure agony. Not only were we quarantined in a room that we were not allowed to leave but my potty-trained daughter was back in diapers –- going to the bathroom up to 30 times a day and screaming every time (sorry tmi). The poor thing was finally diagnosed with Salmonella (it takes 3 days to show up in a blood culture), and even rarer, it had spread to her bloodstream. Where she got it – I still don’t know. Salmonella is one of those things that you can get from food, playing with a turtle, anywhere really – nobody knows. And when a kid gets it, especially if it gets into the blood, it is nothing short of terrifying.
After my own bouts with food poisoning in the past (I have been hospitalized twice for food contaminated illnesses from work, once with Salmonella from a CANTALOUPE!), I have been fearful of food and have become very particular about what I eat and what I feed my children. But you can’t be vigilant 100% of the time, and sadly, there is really no control over the situation. The food supply in the US is worrisome to say the least and unless you are shopping at local farmers markets or paying top dollar at Whole Foods you really have no idea where your food is coming from.
So where am I going with this? I guess after seeing my daughter go through such an excruciating situation I am on mega high alert which reminded me of two books that are worth reading. Two excellent books about the state of the food supply in the US are The Omnivores Delimma and In Defense of Food. I was lucky to have grown up with a mother who was a hippie so I was quite aware of what was healthy to eat, but these two books were eye opening to say the least.
And last week I finally watched the documentary, Food Inc. If you have not seen it – watch it now! Oprah just did a special on it. Buy it or rent it or get it on demand. It will blow your mind, make you sick and might even make you a vegan overnight. I hate to bring this up and scare people but I am worried and I don’t even know what to eat anymore — if you have ideas, please send them my way. I am pretty confident this is a US related issue but not sure. I just get the feeling that in Europe there are more markets and access to fresh food. Please let me know. I am just curious.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 3rd, 2010
So someone dared one of my husband’s very conservative and straight-laced co-workers to grow a shaggy 1970’s style moustashe last month. I guess everyone chipped in $10 and pretty soon the guy was going to make a small killing — so he did it. Anyway, after a month or so the moustache was in full force and he looked, as predicted, ridiculous. So after the jokes were told ad nauseum the poor guy got his loot and was free to shave it off. As a parting gift, they took a picture and printed out his face on an M&M and gave tiny tin boxes to the entire staff. I thought it was a cool idea! Who knew you could print an image on that tiny thing? While I don’t advocate the eating of junky candy per se, I do like silly ideas. We just ordered a bunch with a picture of the girls to give out at their birthday party next month.
-Dina
Dina in New York
February 2nd, 2010
Bubble Baths are considered a real treat at our house. Lately, my girls seem to go suddenly deaf when I call them to come in for an evening bath, but when I mention that bubbles will be present… it’s party time! That being said, I have spent countless dollars trying all sorts of “organic” and “all-natural” products from Whole Foods and the like… but to be honest, I really don’t like any of them. The bubbles are totally lame, they don’t smell all that great and they are expensive to boot! Look, my thought is… if you are going to take a bubble bath then you just have to make the commitment. Mr. Bubble didn’t kill any of us and it’s all going to be ok. I received this Lollia Bubble Bath as a gift and I absolutely love it — I mean, how cool that it’s in a wine bottle! A small quantity makes a ton of bubbles, it smells great without being too overpowering and my girls don’t come out covered in hives. I would give this to a mommy in need in a heartbeat as it is great for the whole family and even better as a housewarming gift for a new mom!
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 29th, 2010
This adorable little West Village shop is a perfect place to go for kid’s haircuts – especially the very first one when most kids have the potential to totally flip out. Courtney wrote a post some time ago about a place called Tantrum which we visited during our stay in London and absolutely loved! Doodle Doo’s is its New York equivalent. The staff is beyond nice and when we went last week my daughters left not only with adorable new chic hairdos but also with a barrette, some sparkle hairspray and a lollipop. The premise is simple… place kid in car or boat seat… insert princess video… bribe with future delivery of treat… snip away. It just makes the whole experience a win win. They also have a wonderful selection of toys and children’s clothing for parents to browse while you wait and if you are up for it, it’s a block away from New York’s famed Magnolia Bakery.
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 26th, 2010
Whoever is behind this show is a complete and total genius (and clearly on major drugs!) Yo Gabba Gabba is the most bizarre and entertaining thing that I have seen on TV in a long long time. I am hooked! I know most have you have probably seen the show at some point but have you ever sat down to really watch it??? It’s bananas!!! I love the songs — all of which sound like they are made up as they go along, the strange characters, and the total weirdness of it. The show also has great guest appearances –- like Jack Black, MGMT, and Biz Markie and they have a recurring segment that features excellent dance moves (which by the way serve as my cardio routine). Oh yeah, my kids really like it too. Guess that’s important to note.
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 22nd, 2010
I have wanted to write a post on this for a while now as it is a topic that I unfortunately hear about way too often. Infertility is an issue that I have dealt with personally and continue to think about every single day of my life. To be honest, I don’t even know where to begin as there is just so much to talk about and I am sure you will hear a lot more from me on this. I thought I would just start with talking about some of the things that helped me get through the endurance contest of it all.
I kind of relate the whole experience to having, say, a panic attack or getting hit by a car… unless you have been there, it is hard to really tap into the emotional and physical toil of it all. Statistics say that 10% of the population is affected but to me, and it’s perhaps just the age demographic that I am in, the numbers seem even higher. Without going into too much of the background detail “infertility” is diagnosed as a “failure to conceive naturally within a year.” Some of the main reasons as to why so many women are affected are attributed to factors such as 1) age – women are putting off childbearing until later in life resulting in poorer egg quality, 2) a medical problem such as endometriosis or a male factor problem) or 3) it is simply “unexplained”.
For most women who have been down this road, it’s like getting the wind completely knocked out of you — it turns your entire world upside down. In a time where women are used to achieving so much in school, their careers., etc; being faced with something as devastating as not being able to start a much longed for family really hits to the core. To add insult to injury, there is also a shame that comes when it doesn’t happen “naturally” or when one can’t carry a pregnancy to term that women feel inadequate and very alone – like their bodies have failed them.
Along my journey as an “unexplained” case, I felt like I had to take my health and emotional well-being into my own hands. Even living in New York where I have access to the top doctors, the experience is still one that is very isolating and takes work. After several miscarriages I was sent to the ole “fertility clinic” for tests, tests and more tests. I was poked, prodded and felt like a complete and total lab rat. I sat in waiting rooms filled with women just like me, month after month. I was always sent away with a band-aid on my arm and told I was just having “bad luck” and to “keep trying.”
I sought out the medical community, nutrition experts and the advice of Easter Healers. I did acupuncture and read book after book to keep me on track. I learned so much about myself during this time and it gave me inspiration to push ahead. In the end, I was indeed one of the lucky ones and wound up with healthy twin girls after it was discovered, by a new doctor, that I had a progesterone deficiency.
The road to pregnancy can be an endurance contest. For some it is easy, for others, not so much, but in the end I think that the journey to motherhood is was really bonds women together. What I found is that when I opened my mouth to talk about what I was going through how the flood gates opened with other people who have experienced the same thing and it made me feel less alone.
Here are some of books that really helped keep me strong through it all and gave me the confidence to keep going. I have passed these books along to many friends who found them comforting in what I would consider the most stressful time in a woman’s life.
1.) Conquering Infertility: Dr. Alice Domar’s Mind/Body Guide to Enhancing Fertility and Coping with Infertility
2.) A Few Good Eggs: Two Chicks Dish on Overcoming the Insanity of Infertility
3.) Inconceivable: A Woman’s Triumph over Despair and Statistics
Other things worth looking into:
Resolve is a wonderful organization that has a lot of support groups and fights for reproductive rights.
In her own sweet time – A single woman’s investigation of modern day reproductive options.
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 20th, 2010
My girls are all about playing “house” these days… so when I found this sling in a local kids store a few weeks ago I nearly passed out and died from the cuteness. I was never a “sling” person really, more of a Baby Bjorn gal myself, but the doll sling was just too cute to resist. When the girls put them on they instantly looked like two little hippie mothers on route to the local food co-op. I was almost expecting them to start swapping Quinoa recipes and stories about the joys of their home births in their apartment bathtubs (I am so going to get killed for this).
No offense to the “sling” wearers of course. I am totally kidding. I think they are cute on adults as well. I also found these adorable ones on Etsy from SnuggyBaby. So adorable!
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 18th, 2010
Just had to share this little adorable dress that I found the other day at The Gap. Honestly, if you threw a Prada label on the thing it would be worth zillions. I love the Gap for basics but every now and then they put out something really great for kids.
The dress runs true to size, and it’s just such a sweet little party dress. The photo really does not do it justice at all. There are also matching shoes (that I would pair with cropped jeans) for maximum cuteness. Why don’t they make this stuff in my size? No fair.
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 8th, 2010
My name is Dina, I live in New York and I am a Moomah-holic.
When I was in the other day I finally asked who did the graphics for the place as I love everything on the walls. The owner, who is the mom of two young children in the neighborhood, has clearly thought of every little detail of the environment down to the take-away coffee cups (which are almost too beautiful to toss.) I always go there to buy little note cards and I was so excited to see that the designer of all the amazing stuff in Moomah has a website. Screech Owl Designs has beautiful prints, t-shirts and stationery. I especially love their note cards – I think it would even be nice to frame a few and hang on the wall, and I am planning to get some as birthday invitations this year.
-Dina
Dina in New York
January 6th, 2010
This morning, conveniently before we were about to leave the house, the girls decided that they were going to take out ALL of their puzzles and “build a bridge to a princess island” across the entire apartment with the pieces. While I didn’t want to interrupt their burst of ill-timed creativity I was not all that excited about who would be cleaning it all up. Anyway – while scanning down the “princess bridge”, I was reminded of one of my favorite on-line haunts for puzzles and crafts. Lakeshore Learning is my go-to source for amazing games, paper products and crafts. The website is first and foremost a resource for school teachers and most of the items that you will find are used in classrooms. A few things that I literally can not live without are the peel and stick boards and the bags of craft materials. The other items that are great are the early learning toys, like the one pictured. All in all, everything that you will find on the site is is high quality, mindful and engaging.
-Dina
Dina in New York
December 30th, 2009
So I went to see “New Moon” this weekend. I have been looking forward to it for months! And yes, I was one of the older people in the theater. And yes, I think Robert Patterson is hotter than hell! But in the final analysis I did not think the movie was as good as “Twilight”, a movie which reminded me that 1) vampires are actually much cooler and better dressed then I expected and 2) I needed to plan more “date nights.”
I really don’t like the term “date night.” I feel like there is so much pressure — like we are supposed to easily switch off our day-to-day roles and somehow slip back to the carefree days of our old selves…. days, say, when my husband did not openly pick his nose in front of me…. days when I could drink a bottle of wine and not be completely incapacitated the next day.
People talk about it a lot here but rarely stick to it and I totally get it. It’s just so hard to feel romantic and energized when you have young kids pulling at you all day long and what’s worse, a dinner out at a restaurant really just does not cut it.
But it is so important to do! To feel connected to your significant other as well as reclaim the side of yourself that exists outside of your daily role.
That being said, I decided to do a little internet search to find what cyberspace suggested to do on a “Date” and I nearly had an aneurysm at the thought of some of these suggestions. Surely they can’t be serious? Granted it’s from RedBook mag but COME ON!!!!
Run don’t walk to read this…..100 Date Ideas
So when I was finished feeling VERY creeped out out over the RedBook list I tried to think of date ideas in NYC that would be transporting and memorable. Since I can’t ride in a hot air balloon over NYC without getting shot down by the military and I certainly can’t ask the pizza guy to cut a pie into the shape of a heart without being laughed out of town I thought that it’s best to look for ideas that put you in a new environment.
And just this morning, literally, I was at the checkout counter at Whole Foods when I noticed the new Time Out Magazine. The cover said “Great Dates! – the most romantic New York nights out.” Check it out.
Do you have a date night? What do you like to do?
-Dina
Dina in New York
December 15th, 2009
I knew being pregnant with twins was not going to be a walk in the park but when I went into pre-term labor at 27 weeks I was shocked and terrified. After a short stint in the hospital I spent the next ten weeks on an IV drip at home, in bed, on my side, exactly 23 hours and 55 minutes a day.
You would be surprised how much of a routine you can make for yourself from bed and I must say, as the days wore on I did fall into a rhythm that made the time pass. While I did purchase a few books offering ideas on what to do while on bed rest, most suggested things that were not up my alley, like scrap-booking or knitting. I turned to Plan B which was to just suck it up and deal the best I could. I watched A LOT of television. I read all of the books that I have been meaning to read for years. I made special appointments with family and friends to come visit and bring me food. And most importantly I leaned on my husband a lot and would call him at work to just cry for a few minutes every day.
One of the best finds that come out of the whole experience was the gigantic U-shapped pillow which I would recommend to anyone who is pregnant. We found it on-line and it was life changing. I lived in that U. We still laugh about “the U”. We would joke about me being in U-niversity during the day and would sing all sorts of songs about it. Corny, yes….but your mind goes to mush when you are pregnant as you know.
-Dina
Dina in New York
December 11th, 2009
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