Steve Madden Tsunami Boots
Having spent a decent amount of time in London I have come to respect the need for comfortable and stylish “Wellies”. In New York City, it doesn’t rain nearly as much, but when it does the streets suddenly fill with women wearing Hunter Boots. No offense to Hunter Boots of course, but I was seriously starting to wonder if there were any other brands out there! I saw these in a store window this week and I was psyched — cool looking rain boots, great colors, and no logo! I love these Tsunami boots from Steve Madden with their contrast colored piping and zipper on the back. The are super comfortable and better yet, not everywhere you turn. At least not yet. You can also find them at my favourite place, Zappos.
-Dina
Cyber Cupcakes!
After having come back from a recent vacation with the kids I have developed a new-found love and appreciation for the I-Pad. True — I was skeptical at first… but there are actually a bunch of really great applications you can download to thwart meltdowns, kill time on rainy days or simply to secure time when you just need a few minutes to yourself. As a family, we have all became obsessed with Cupcakes! by Maverick Software. It’s so simple yet so satisfying. You can select your batter, tin liners and all the icing and toppings you can imagine (sprinkles, jelly beans, even bacon!) to build the most elaborately delicious cupcakes you can conjure up. At the end you can even light birthday candles, blow them out, and “cyber eat” them. It’s so oddly fun and engaging you have to check it out for yourself. I am planning to get the rest of their delicious apps — cookies, pizza and even grilling!
-Dina
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Screech Owl Designs• Kids clothes in France… don’t have to break the bank
Two-Tone Tights
Last week I went to American Apparel to seek out these two-tone tights (pictured above) which I noticed cropping up in the pre-school scene, and I am LOVING their kids collection. It’s all ’70s an ’80s inspired (but in a good way). Not only did I pick up a few of these two tone tights which are completely adorable, but they also have a vast and very well-priced selection for adults (in solid colors). Also check out this adorable pettitcoat skirt and leotard — cheap and cheerful.
-Dina
Kit + Lili
I have to hand it to my mother-in-law who has a knack for tracking down the most fabulous clothes for my girls. One of my daughters practically lives in the dress pictured above from Kit + Lili and I can see why. It’s cool, comfortable and can be worn with anything – leggings and tights being the front-runners. I just took a peek at their website and I am walking away with a few new dresses. Since we all tend to rock the leggings/dress combo here in NYC, this brand suits us just fine.
-Dina
Subway Line to Bedtime — A Book of Delays
Bedtime. Sometimes it goes off without a hitch. Most of the time it can involve negotiations more intense and complex than an international hostage release. I can’t count the number of times that my girls have tried to bargain for “just ONE more book” or claimed to be “completely starving” as I tried to gently escape out the door. The author of this book also found herself in the same predicament when night after night her son wanted to talk about the Subway for as long as he possibly could before going to bed. “Subway Line to Bedtime” is her genius solution to the problem at hand. It’s the tale of an exciting journey on the New York City subway where the last stop is (hopefully) SLEEP! Although this book will certainly appeal to New York kids, it really is a story that all will enjoy — even those who have not been to New York, as it’s a nice taste of what it is like to ride on the train — hitting all the major points from Coney Island to the Empire State Building to the Museum of Natural History. The book is beautifully illustrated and published independently, and best of all it’s a story about a journey towards a destination of peace and quiet.
-Dina
Hippopota
A friend of mine just tipped me off to Hippopota and I think it is such a cool idea! As we all know, when you have children you wind up taking on an extended, and often “fuzzy”, family over time. By that I mean all the sentimental, can’t-live-without objects that our kids acquire – the “blankies”, the dilapidated teddy bears, the worn-out snugglies, etc… stuff that, quite frankly, are as important to YOUR day-t0-day survival as air.
Hippopota sprang from the artist’s son’s love of his stuffed hippopotamus and the desire to capture these childhood objects in order to “suspend both time and sentimentality.” I thought the idea of photographing these early obsessions in a whimsical and bold way was a great idea. A photo would be a nice addition to a child’s room or just something to have as a keepsake for down the road when the kids grow up (wedding present?). These snuggly things are, after all, members of our family, so why not give them some wall space as well?
-Dina
Twinkle Toes
I am seriously risking my reputation here by writing about this obscenely tacky sneaker… but let’s face it, kids love this stuff!!!! These “Twinkle Toe” sneakers are super popular here in NYC and all the little girls I know are totally obsessed. Comfortable as they are stylish (ah-hem) these are not the boring old light-up shoes where you just get a flash in the heel. Oh no. In THIS particular sneaker the entire front of this glitters like a diamond encrusted castle. They add an element of flair to any outfit and could actually serve as a life saving beacon in the event of a black-out. They come in a variety of colors (white, purple, pink) and styles (lace up, velcro) and they are available on my favorite website Zappos. Trust me, just suck it up, your kids will absolutely love them!
Favourite Toy: Zingo!
Zingo was the first real board-game, so to speak, that we played at home on a regular basis. The concept is simple — it’s “Bingo” but using pictures and words. What I like about it is that it’s not only great for teaching visual recognition and learning first basic words but that it helps to plant the seeds for learning how to “take turns”, “help each other out”, and for one of my daughters, perfect the fine art of “cheating.” It’s a game that young kids like and one that an adult won’t mind playing as well. Available on Amazon (US
Quadrilla
Try as I might to keep our toys organized, there is clearly some sort of hidden vortex in my house that steals our stuff. I live in a land of puzzles missing a piece, half-naked dolls with one shoe… even a complete porcelain tea set – vanished! And while I am very wary of bringing anything else into my house that consists of more than one piece, I am SO tempted to get Quadrilla! Even the name sounds a bit daunting doesn’t it? QUADRILLA! This wood-crafted, German-engineered toy is simply fantastic looking and the marble madness that one can create with it seems endless. You can find it on Amazon 
Available in the Babyccino bookstore (US and UK).
-Dina
Blanca Gomez Prints and Wall Stickers
I recently learned about Blanca Gomez after purchasing this bold and beautiful wall-sticker (pictured above) from a friend’s store in Perth. Gomez, a graphic designer based out of Madrid, creates prints that appeal to children and adults alike and her playful, simple designs are the type that work anywhere and will, most importantly, make you smile. I just purchased a few of the prints on Etsy (a bargain at $30 a piece) and plan to have them nicely framed and hung in a series. I found the balloon man sticker at Theo and Tilly (they will ship internationally) and also noticed that a larger selection of the Gomez collection is sold on the French site PoissonBulle — really beautiful wall decor here — run don’t walk.
Sweet William opens in Manhattan!
One of my very favorite children’s shops from Brooklyn recently opened in Nolita last month — dangerously close to where I live (uh oh). I have always admired Sweet William as it is a store that gets it just right. The space is adorable and the clothes are incredibly well edited, wearable and unique. I assure you, you will want it all. I am especially drawn to the store as a great source for newborn gifts — the teeny tiny outfits from the likes of Ketiketa and Tuss are criminal they are so cute.
-Dina
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Babyccino birthday — Personalised gift tags• Babyccino Birthday — Djeco Stacking Game
Insourcing the Birthday Party — Customized Decor by Love the Day
If the idea of throwing a birthday party for your kids at home sends you into a total panic, I understand completely. For me, nothing causes more constricted breathing than the thought of having twenty some odd kids over to spend two hours at my place sugar-infused and running wild. I do have to say though, there is something really nice (and financially sound) about having a party at home — I mean isn’t that what we all grew up with?
A friend recently tipped me off to this adorable Etsy shop called Love the Day when she threw a princess-themed tea party for her daughter last month. Love the Day offers customized paper party decor and will help to develop a complete party theme — making everything from invitations, to banners, to cupcake holders to customized water bottles and these adorable chocolate wrappers, and it is all VERY reasonable and with a quick turnaround. The designs are all emailed to you directly and all you have to do is take them to your local print shop to produce the goods. If I do decide to bite the bullet and bring the party home this year, Love the Day will be the first stop in the process.
-Dina
Happy Birthday to ME! Jemma Lulu’s Charm Necklaces
When my twin girls were born I really wanted something beautiful and wearable to celebrate their arrival. I loved the idea of having a simple charm necklace that was beautiful and that I could wear every single day. Lucky for me, I knew where to go to get the job done - I turned to Jemma Lulu to help me create what has become my single solitary favorite piece of jewelry ever. Her simple and beautiful disks make for an incredible gift for a new mom or grandmother and although part of me is reluctant to give out my secret, especially in New York where there are a gazillion jewelry designers, I just wanted to share.
Each of her pieces is handmade and can be as customized as you see fit. I chose simple brushed gold disks with birthstones and had her engrave their first names on the front and birth-dates on the back, but you can mix the metals, the stones and the details as you wish. Some people even add charms for their husbands (and pets) as well — hey why not?!. Jemma Lulu ships internationally and be sure to check out the rest of her line because everything she makes is truly beautiful and one of a kind. And even better, she offers a 3-week delivery. This one shown is called the “Valentina”….
-Dina
Fleeceleaves — A unique and versatile newborn gift
I love finding baby-gifts that stand out from the crowd and I adore this set from Fleeceleaves. It’s a plush, double-faced, no-pill fleece blanket in the shape of a leaf with a matching acorn hat! beyond cute! The story behind the leaf is equally sweet….the designer’s son (Max) first conceived of the idea of a leaf shaped blanket when was only 4 years old (he is now 18). They were watching the animated version of Han Christian Anderson’s fairytale “Thumbelina” when he noticed that a tiny girl, no bigger than an acorn, pulled a leaf over her as she went to sleep at the base of a massive tree. Max simply asked “Mom can you make me a leaf blanket?” and so it was that the first leaf blanket was born.
Each one is hand-made, high-quality and I love that it can be used in many ways — as a cozy wrap for a newborn, a changing pad, a warm cover-up for the stroller or a cuddly blanket for a toddler. If you are looking for a unique baby gift that will make a new mom smile, you can’t go wrong here.
-Dina
The Coolest Day Planner Ever!
My friends still mock me whenever they see my day-planner. Not only are some of them horrified that I don’t just put my whole schedule on IPhone (which I don’t own, thank you) but I could never part with my beat up book with all my notes and random papers sticking out of it. Anyway — whilst out to dinner the other night, my friend pulled this incredible LIFE planner from Erin Condren out of her bag and I nearly passed out. On it she had her name in big colorful bold letters and a picture of her two adorable kids. Needless to say, I had to have one immediately! On the website you can “build your own planner” and it’s easy to upload a favorite picture and have your name printed on the cover. There are also lots of bonus extras such as a zip-lock pouch and month/year at a glance pages. Erin Condren also has beautiful, high quality stationary, holiday cards, address labels and these much-appreciated week at a glance tear sheets. I am planning to do some damage on this site for sure.
-Dina
Resolution 4 of 999,999 — Eliminate Mailbox Clutter
I am not sure if the phenomenon exists in other parts of the world but here in the States, if you use your credit card, especially on-line, you will 100% start to get random cataloges in the mail. For years and years I have been meaning to call to unsubscribe from all the junk that fills up our mailbox but it’s just such a headache and I keep thinking that they will go away. But they don’t. In fact, last week I got a giant magazine filled with ‘Boating and Fishing Supplies’ and I just had to put my foot down. That’s when my web-savvy husband discovered Cataloge Choice to take care of the issue once and for all. It’s free, simple to use, and best of all you can always update it when needed. With a few clicks you can unsubscribe from all the junk and there is a running-log that gives you status updates that your name has been removed from the lists.
(Image found here)
-Dina
Allsaints children’s clothing
I am not sure if Allsaints is considered hip or cheesy in London but I am totally digging it, and a sprawling flagship store just opened up in lower Manhattan. As a New Yorker, I appreciate Allsaints. The modern clothes are meant to be layered, shirts are cut long to hide “problem areas” and the pallate, at least for the fall, is black, grey, beige, white and maybe, something with a slight pattern. I stopped by the other day and found a bunch of cool t-shirts and sweaters for myself as well as an amazing pair of shoes for my husband. Anyway, they also have an adorable children’s line which is essentially shrunken down versions of the adult stuff but if your kids are hip and arty and don’t want to wear flouncy rhinestone studded party dresses all the time like mine do — you should check their website. I picked up some of these cute sweater dresses for the winter and their knitwear is especially cozy and adorable.
-Dina
WasteNot Sandwich Saks
With school now back in full swing (finally!), I must say I am quite happy to be back in the routine… and yet, on the flip side, I am not at all psyched about the part about making and packing the daily lunch. That being said, I recently stumbled upon this Etsy site the other day and thought it was such a great idea, especially for those, like me, who have relied on the plastic “baggie” for my sandwich and snack packing needs as I didn’t really know of an alternative.
The WasteNot Saks are not only stylish and easy to open but are lined with water and stain-resistant nylon. On the website it says “After using, you may simply shake out the crumbs, turn the bag inside-out and wipe the liner down, or if you have a particularly goopy PB&J that day just toss it in the washing machine and line dry.” The other plus — they come in a variety of very cute and kid-friendly fabrics making lunch-time at least pleasurable for someone!
-Dina
Amazing Grass Kidz Superfood
Confession. One of my daughters is completely addicted to chocolate milk. What started so innocently as a special treat is now pleaded for (multiple million times) daily by the four-year-old junkie who lives in my house. I usually cave to keep the peace. Thankfully, a while back I learned about this miracle powder made by Amazing Grass Kidz that offers a healthy, quick-mix version of chocolate milk! The powder is organic, gluten-free and packed with 31 hidden fruits and veggies and I must tell you the taste comes pretty darn close to the real thing. I weave it in a few times a week as an alternative to the “real thing” and she loves it (and trust me, she is a very tough customer). You can find the brand at health food stores, Whole Foods or on-line. It also comes in Berry flavor.
-Dina
My Formerly Hot Life
I can SO SO SO relate to this very funny book
