Bay Area Baby Blog

Mad Science Search

2011-02-16T13:03:00.001-08:00

Things I've learned while hunting down mad science birthday accouterments: meth lab kits are readily available to anyone with a Paypal account, EBAY SELLERS LIKE TO RANT IN ALL CAPS (with a name like crazydave, I should have known better), and 20mm petri dishes come in orders of 1 and 1,000 only.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-15T17:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry! It's been a while since I've blogged, but my New Year's Resolution is to get back to it.

Last year was rather exciting for us, but full of lots of changes, too.

Last spring we moved to Menlo Park and spent most of the year settling into a new neighborhood and home.

I've come to realize some interesting things about myself:

I'm pretty indecisive when it comes to picking out furniture.

I have a bunch of half finished projects laying around my life like Christmas tree needles in February (coincidently, I've yet to take down the holiday decorations and it's the middle of January).

I've become more dumber since hiring a nanny/personal assistant (she's more patient and better organized than I am, and I'm okay with it).

I'm am totally enjoying every minute of this thing I call my life (so long as coffee is within arms reach).

Other crazy happenings in 2010:

The Hubs: started commuting to work by train, signed up for an Electric car that has yet to be constructed (it ain't looking good), and has turned into a bigger foodie than I.

Thing 1: was love-sick over a girl, discovered to be dyslexic, changed schools, discovered the game Yhatzee, and STILL wants to be a spy when he grows up.

Thing 2: was diagnosed with sleep apnea, had his tonsils out, started pre-school, and asked for a dog (the answer was decidedly no).

I took a bunch of photos, planned a bunch of trips, and ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to keep up with it all.

2011 is looking up, and we're excited to see what the year may bring.

Tick...tick...tick...

2010-05-09T22:36:00.001-07:00

Want to go on an adventure? J.M. Barrie's beloved childhood story, Peter Pan, comes to San Francisco for it's U.S premier 360 production. Housed in a state of the art CGI theater, Peter Pan is performed in a round tent that is surrounded with high resolution video to fully immerse the audience in a multi-media experience that won't be soon forgotten! Actors and professionals integrate stage performance, music, computers, and video to create a sensory adventure for all ages.

We're heading to SF for our viewing this Wednesday (Math can't wait!)...I'll be sure to provide a more detailed review after!

Peter Pan will be performing Tue & Thur at 7PM, Fri & Sat at 7:30 PM, Wed & Sat at 2PM and Sundays at 1PM and 5PM. It's located at The threesixty Theatre at Ferry Park.

Tickets can be purchased here or you can call 415.551.2056

Have You Read "Three Cups of Tea"?

2010-03-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Last year the the bookgroup I'm part of read the book "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson, and then we had a tea party to celebrate this wonderful inspirational story. Unfortunately, at the time, we were unable to procure any rancid yak butter, but a member made some fantastic traditional Chai in it's stead...omg, yum!

Synapse Institute, the progressive lab school my son attends, has been inspired by the book, too! The students have decided to put on a garage sale to raise money for Pennies for Peace, an organization put together by the author. The proceeds will be sent to help students in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This is a fun and interactive way to show your kids the spirit of citizenship in action, and heck, you might pick up a used Burberry bag for a steal ;0)

Located at 305 N. California Ave in Palo Alto from 8:30am-2pm this Saturday, March 20th.

Any donations to put up for sale are welcome, and can be dropped off at the above location anytime before Friday afternoon.

For the Facebook info page go here .
For more info go here .
For more info about the organization Pennies for Peace go here .

Exploratorium!

2010-03-03T14:43:00.001-08:00

We did our first trip to the Exploratorium last month for a field trip with Math's school. Woah! So cool...especially the grounds surrounding the building. All the moms were all saying how we'd love to have gotten married right under one of those amazing arches...

First off, place was fantastic for kids of all ages (though toddlers might be a little tough, there was a space for them to play, too). We had kids ages 5-12 and all of them had a blast! There was tons of things to touch and explore and experiment. The kids got to watch a cow eye dissection (their faces were pretty priceless), and they enjoyed roaming around with free-reign of the entire space. We went during a week-day and there were plenty of schools there for field trips. The food from the cafeteria was pretty decent, and they had a nice selection of healthy options. I noticed that as we were leaving (around 2pm), the whole place was near empty...so if you are visiting during during the week that would be an ideal time to start!

To quote The Terminator, "We'll be back..."

Baby Shower Blvd!

2010-02-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

I have a wonderful friend in my neighborhood who makes the most fantastic shower gifts! She also happens to be a very accomplished cook and baker. She recently started her own business called Baby Shower Blvd that specializes in beautiful custom diaper cakes and party favors. Wouldn't these be a perfect centerpiece to any beloved new mom's celebration or child's birthday party?

Photos by Sharma Podila

Why You Need a Network of Moms...

2010-02-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

I have this group of friends who I've made over the years. We met when my oldest started Kindergarten and our children have grown up together through the years. Most of us had moved to California away from home and family. Our children now go to different schools, but we still maintain a friendship and connection. Together we created our own family of moms...we've grown together as parents and friends. We meet for coffee, we meet to discuss books, we meet at the park, we meet to discuss marriage. We've supported each other through hard times, and shared each other's triumphs and joys. We've cried together, and laughed together, and commiserated the pains of childhood and parenthood.

And yesterday, while I was hopped up on pain meds, and covered in ice packs I totally appreciated yet again how wonderful my network of moms is. They took the son, gave me time to sleep and recover, called to see how I was feeling...

Thanks ladies, love and appreciate you more than you can ever know :0)

Monterey Bay Aquarium

2010-02-20T21:02:00.000-08:00

Alexi and his best friend went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium this week. The kids had a blast exploring and seeing all the fish and aquatic animals. The splash zone was a huge hit with the under 3 crowd. There were tons of things to touch and feel. Alexi liked dressing up as a fish, and in the end, ran himself to exhaustion. He fell asleep on the way out...perfect trip!

Puddle Play Camp List!

2010-01-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

I started this blog as a resource for other moms in the Bay Area looking for places to take their tots, and I enjoy creating exposés on kid-friendly dining spots. While I tend to focus on destinations and review them individually my friend Lena, founder of Puddle Play, has outdone herself completely!

Lena's a chic Menlo Mom who has three of the CUTEST kids you'll ever lay eyes on (mine don't even stand a chance in comparison). When she's not running around after them, she's created a fantastic website choked full of lists containing EVERY Bay Area resource you can imagine. From mile long Bay Area specific birthday rental vendors to a detailed map indicating all the train activities from here to Sacramento; she's got you covered. PuddlePlay is also one of the only lists around that indicates every child related recall on The Net (with pictures!).

Right now PuddlePlay is focusing on Summer Camps for kids. Incredibly she's got them filtered not just by area, but by age, too! It's always a good idea to start perusing options since some of the camps will give you a discount if you sign up early.

It's not easy to find a well laid out Bay Area kid resource on the internet these days, but this one's a sure thing!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-18T12:12:00.001-08:00

Oh, I've been very bad about blogging lately. Now that we're back to normal(ish) life I'm putting forth more of an effort to keep up with the blogging!

This year is going to be quite an interesting experience for all of us. The Hubs is working harder than ever before. Alexi has started Spanish Immersion preschool, and will likely move into a full time pre-school program in the fall. Math is turning into a full blown big kid right in front of our eyes, and I've decided to go pro on the photographing front. Should be a wild ride :0)

LEGO-cy Exhibit

2009-12-04T09:50:00.000-08:00

Ever year, the Bay Area Lego Users Group puts together an exhibit at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto. Any budding builder is bound to LOVE this moving, brick creation! A whole scene is created out of legos by members from age pre-school all the way up to grandparents!

Admission is $2. The event opens December 11th (Friday, Sat, Sun) and runs through Jan 17th of next year.

Galileo Lab Festival!

2009-12-01T09:55:00.001-08:00

If you live in the Bay Area you should definitely check out this fun event to celebrate the 400th birthday of Galileo. Kids will get to partake in interactive demonstrations of physics and astrology, eat some Renaissance food, and test their budding science skills.

Open to all ages, and is a free event. Put on by Synapse Institute (a lab school for gifted learning), and Six Seconds an emotional intelligence firm.

If you're researching schools, and in search of an alternative, high quality education, this might be a great way to get a feel for the school and how your child might fit into this creative community!

Beautifull Event

2009-11-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

Photo from Beautifull website

Today, November 18th, Beautifull is hosting a "Nutrition for Pregnancy" series going in the Laurel Village from 7:00-8pm. Director of Nutrion, Lisa Sawrey-Kubicek, MS, RD, is going to speak about maintaining a healthy body during pregnancy! There's contest prizes, appetizers, and other goodies that will be available to all you expecting mommies out there in the Bay Area. Might be a good way to meet other prospective play date buddies, too!

Located at 3401 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94118. You can RSVP by calling (415) 738-9080.

P.S. - They have frozen yogurt! That would have sealed the deal for me...

Do you have a color-coded life?

2009-11-10T22:12:00.001-08:00

Yes, I'm nuts. I know this, but not for the reason you'd think...

This is the ONLY way to organize all the things in my life. I used to write everything down on little scraps of paper and leave them all over the house. I still do this to some extent (much to my husband's chagrin), but I've massively consolidated over the years. From tutoring sessions to dentist appointments I needed a way to organize it all, and a way to have it with me at all times. Thankfully iCal syncs up with my phone and back again to my computer so I always have an updated copy of what is going on and when and where I'm supposed to be.

Still, I realize I look like a complete OCD nut when you see the picture. Seriously, if you saw my desk you'd know this is not the case ;0)

For the Eloise in All of Us...

2009-11-06T22:43:00.001-08:00

I'm in Pittsburgh, PA right now visiting my family, and met a friend for High Tea at the Omni William Penn hotel. Coincidentally, this is also the place where I had my wedding reception, but hadn't been back in 6 years! We had so much fun. You can read about it here.

Anyway, it got me thinking that High Tea would be a super fun thing to do with any little kid who's into Eloise. And you know, you don't have to go to the Plaza to partake! Spurred on by my love of fine dining, or drinking as it were, I decided to investigate some kid-friendly places to do High Tea in the Bay Area.

Here's the list!

Lovejoy's Tea Room (San Francisco) - One of the best and most well known spots for High Tea.

Secret Garden Tea House (San Francisco) - Another tea lover favorite.

The Terrace at the Ritz-Carlton (San Francisco) - High class tea time.

The Rotunda (San Francisco) - Do some shopping at Neiman's then freshen-up with some tea.

Laurel Court at the Fairmont (San Francisco) - Opulent surroundings!

Lisa's Tea Treasures (Menlo Park, San Jose, Campbell) Victorian, frilly, girly tea! They do party bookings, too.

The English Rose (San Carlos) - Nice, homey, traditional English Tea service

High Tea at the Fairmont (San Jose) - Specialty kid's menu is especially cute!

Why you have to have a Mac when you travel...

2009-11-05T00:35:00.000-08:00

Alexi and I are currently in Pennsylvania visiting family. Math and The Hubs stayed behind since they both had school and work. I took my MacBook with built in iSight with us, and we were able to use iChat video conferencing to talk about our day and say our goodnights. Alexi's favorite part was when his dad and brother superimposed themselves into an aquarium and did a bunch of other zany special effects for his benefit :0)

We Made It!!!

2009-11-05T00:02:00.001-08:00

Don't Eat the Marshmallow!

2009-10-31T00:51:00.000-07:00

This is by far one of my favorite lectures this year. Joachim de Posada explains the importance of self-control and life-long success. The little kids are pretty adorable, too ;0)

Check it out!

I'm going on a trip, and with me I'm takin'...

2009-10-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

1 toddler (2.4 year old, 36-pound body of pure obstinate bliss)
1 stuffed panda
1 ultra-light FAA approved booster carseat with restraint system (I checked out the CARES restraint but it's not 5 point)
1 Cheeky Monkey Pac Back
1 fully loaded 64 GB, 6 hour run time iPod Touch with protective cover and headphones
1 Silver Cross Mini pushchair (to be checked at gate)
1 Patemm pad (airplane bathrooms are gross)
1 spill proof sippy cup
1 backpack stuffed to the hilt with wrapped, inexpensive treats, toys, and distractions.
2 Pre-filled Children's Benadryl packets (don't judge, it works for us), and a pack of Hyland's Calms Forte.
1 mini first aid kit (band aids, Tylenol, a few horse tranquilizers for myself)
2 plastic bags (vomit happens)
2 change of clothes (again, vomit happens)
3 magazines for me (it might happen, or at the very least he can rip them to shreds...might provide 10 minutes of fun)
5 organic lollipops
10 diapers and full pack of wipes (because you never know how many you'll need)
Various snacks and pre-packaged favorite foods
Cash

Halloween Fiesta!

2009-10-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Our friends threw a Halloween birthday party last weekend for their son who was born on October 31st! The kids all dressed up in their costumes, and we ate some pretty incredible paella, too! :0)

SuiteTrip.com

2009-10-29T15:30:00.001-07:00

It's on! I'm lucky enough to count myself as one of the Trekaroo contributors for SuiteTrip.com. Fellow Treakroo writer, Esther Lee, and I join an awesome group of writers: Beth Blair, Jennifer Miner, and Kara Williams (The Vacation Gals), Grant Martin and Scott Carmichael (Gadling), Lisa McElroy (Suite Living), and fellow Bay Area Mom, Jamie Pearson of (Travel Savvy Mom).

Today SuiteTrip launched their site for all the world to see. Under the umbrella of Homewood Suites Hilton, the site allows you to check out awesome travel tips like budget vacations, family friendly destination spots, and what to pack!

Parent Dish Daily Cuties

2009-10-27T18:54:00.001-07:00

I got a message from a friend on Facebook today informing me she saw my kids featured as the "Daily Cutie" on Parentdish.com today!

Makes me happy since I love this photo :0)

Alexander Peers Park

2009-10-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Our family has really come to enjoy Alexander Peers Park. Having two kids that are very spread out in age (6 years) there's something for both of them to enjoy, and plenty of shade for us parental units. There are several tennis courts, a wide open space for running, and a really cool rock-form play structure. It's also set back from the street, and is along the train line. Every now and then you get an opportunity to point and hear the Caltrain whoosh by!

Oregon Shakespeare Festival

2009-10-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

We went to Ashland, Oregon last weekend for our annual meet up with family, and to catch a few plays. If you've got yourself a budding thespian (and we do), don't miss an opportunity to partake in some incredible shows! Ashland is located about 6 hours north of here in a tiny hamlet town that's reminiscent of an Old World society full of scholars and poets (and there are troubadours!). It's also worth mentioning the killer coffee shops, the great dining options, fantasy stores, hiking trails, and parks.

Lilith Park

OSF plays 9 months of the year, and boasts one of the largest repertories in the country. They bring in notable actors and artists from all around, and were even written up in NY Times this year!

There are several different theaters including an outdoor venue. It's so wonderful to drink mulled wine under the stars listening to iambic pentameter lilt away. Insanely enough, the kids pick up on it pretty quickly, and the actors are typically very physical with lots of gestures and body language. The minimum age to see a play is 6. Every year there are several family friendly plays and musicals both by Shakespeare and other notable writers. This year we saw Much Ado about Nothing, Don Quixote, and Music Man. If you have other younger ones and no one to watch the kids there are reputable daycare providers available (and pet sitters that will massage and walk fido, too, go figure).

The nicest thing about OSF is most of the actors in the company are down to earth, friendly, and typically live in town. Last year, we took the backstage tour and were guided by one of the leads from the show we saw the previous night! Matthew thought that was totally cool! We learned about how sets were designed, and how costumes are made. We even hung out in the green room, and learned more about life as a new actor!

Mark Bredard, our tour guide and principle actor

Can't make it up to Oregon? Arrange for OSF to come to your child's school! The company has a visit program that will work directly with your curriculum and teacher to bring Shakespeare to your young ones in a fun and dynamic way.

"My Son is Inigo Montoya...Prepare to Die"

2009-09-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

My son started fencing this year. Surprise, surprise...he LOVES it.

We signed up for classes at the new Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto. No, we're not Jewish, but the facility is very friendly and welcoming to all interested parties. The staff was super helpful in getting us all set-up even though the center hadn't officially opened yet, and they were super nice about my crazy kids running around like they owned the joint. The facility is state-of-the-art, eco-friendly, and very fabulous. Alexi can run around out in the courtyard while Math's in his class. As long as the weather holds out it's a win-win.

The class itself is wonderful! The teachers are very, very thorough and encouraging. They kids are all very collaborative, and advise each other. I love that the older boys mentor the younger ones. There is a huge amount of etiquette involved, and I appreciate that the game melds competitiveness and good sportsmanship together. And, of course, there are swords, right? What's better than that?

Samuraí Exhibit

2009-09-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last day of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum's Samuraí exhibit. So cool! We both learned tons of stuff and took in the glorious sunny weather. While the Samuri exhibit is no longer going on, the museum itself is chock full of intersting art, programs, and resources. Not to mention it's in a gorgeous building full of amazing architecture at every turn.

My older son and I have been exploring what it means to be Asian, or in his case half Asian, together. I'm adopted and growing up I didn't really think much about what it means to be Asian. I grew up in an Irish Catholic family and was loved and happy...really it didn't occur to me to question my cultural identity till I had kids of my own.

I've explained to my son for awhile now that he is half Korean and half Caucasian, and he is also adopted and he is also American. He's more obsessed with making time travel happen at the moment so this isn't a subject that comes up often. Again, yesterday we talked about how he was of Asian decent and how the cultures and foods and folkways and mores are different than the ones he's grown up with. He seemed to think the whole thing was pretty cool since, in his mind, being Asian makes him half ninja warrior...okay, kid, okay.

Synapse Institute

2009-09-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Looking for a school for your gifted/talented child? I can't emphasize enough how great this school is!

Located in Palo Alto Synapse Institute offers an academic program that guides students in transforming knowledge into real-world projects. Theoretical concepts in the forms of hypotheses or social theories as well as creative visions, are grounded in the daily experiences of research, innovation and creation.

Students learn how to develop emotional skills, including emotional literacy, optimism, empathy, consequential thinking, and self-motivation. These socio-emotional skills equip the young change-makers with emotional intelligence tools and resources so they can make optimal use of their gifts and talents.

Synapse Institute provides a learning environment with:

Accelerated and dynamic curriculum
Inquiry based projects that drive content mastery
Differentiated strategies for diverse learning styles and levels
Knowledge, skills, and attitudes transferable to future careers
Students connect classroom experiences to actual professions.
Real-life and imaginative applications of knowledge
Creative Communication Arts Program
Learners explore multiple ways to express themselves.
Technology integral to learning.
The school day begins with yoga or tai-chi!

Now offering 3 levels of mixed age classes:

Five/Six Year Olds
Seven/Eight Year Olds
Nine/Eleven Year Olds

Come to the Open House on September 23, Wednesday, 6:30-8:30PM
305 N California Ave Palo Alto CA 94301
Please RSVP for a space. Contact Marsha Rideout at marsha@6seconds.org or call 650 685 9885

Pizza Antica

2009-09-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

We were at Santana Row and went to Pizza Antica for dinner the other night. The kids love this place and so do we for several reasons:

1. Call ahead seating up to a half hour in advance. If we know we're on our way here for dinner we call ahead and put our name on the list...it shaves off wait time by a good 20 minutes!

2. The kid food is good! Math scarfs down their spaghetti every time, and for him that's saying something (boy is the pickiest eater alive).

3. Affordable prices as far as Santana Row dining goes.

4. Kid friendly environment. There are lots of families who eat here, so you don't feel like you're ruining anyone's nice meal out. The open room makes for noisy acoustics, but really if you're kid throws out the occasional screech no one's going to bat an eye. There's also outdoor seating if you're in the mood for alfresco dining.

Really, what's not to like?

101st Post

2009-09-10T13:19:00.001-07:00

I just blew by my 100th post and didn't even realize it! Feels good, though :0)

Zeum

2009-09-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

Last week the kids and I had the incredible opportunity to check out Zeum located in downtown San Francisco. Joy Daniels, the PR and Marketing manager of Zeum, invited us for a personal tour and, being the last week before school started, we gladly took her up on the offer.

First off, I can't believe I never knew about Zeum. It's a multimedia, art-integrated museum located just behind the Carousel. The Carousel, oddly enough, almost EVERYONE knows about. I did a little back-research on the place before I decided to take Alexi with me. A few people mentioned it was mostly geared for older kids. I also looked at the website and it seems that way as well, though it did mention a toddler zone. Well, just for the record, Alexi went and he had a blast!

We arrived and Joy met us at the entrance. We hit it off immediately, and I can honestly say I'd enjoy hanging out with her without the kids anytime! She was friendly and easy to talk to, and the conversation was fresh and engaging. She told me a lot about the museum and how it offers many cool programs including apprenticeships for high schoolers, birthday parties and field trips. The field trips sounded the most amazing to me! A professional educator collaborates with your teacher before the field trip to create a visit that will integrate with the class' current curriculum or study theme. How cool is that?

The whole downstairs was completely "touchable" for Alexi and Matthew, my 8 year old. When we first rounded the corner there was a green screen play structure with slide (this is where Alexi spent the majority of his time). A special camera loaded with some nifty software superimposed my tot onto a computer screen of fiery flames...that'll teach him next time he misbehaves! Math ran in the other direction toward the nearest computer monitor and set to work. I didn't see him again for another 30 minutes. The whole downstairs floor was pretty open so I could see both kids as they ran around and explored the puppet theater, dress up station, and block building space. Matthew eventually set up shop in the Animators Studio and didn't come out for over an hour.

The Animators Studio was something most kids don't get to see or experience till their first year of film school. There were tables of tools and "gut clay," or trash clay, that Math used to flesh out his designs over wire frames. Then he was given more expensive, colored clay to "skin" his creations. Math decided to make a scary flying ghost so the animator assistant provided him with some fishing line (hey, they thought of everything). After he'd made his ghosts, he chose a set complete with model ghost house and backdrop. A mounted camera was connected to a computer with iStopMotion software, which was pretty easy and intuitive to use. After some simple instructions he put together the short clip that's shown at the bottom of this post. They e-mailed me the clip before we left. All tolled the whole process took about an hour start to finish...and he was totally engrossed the whole time. Kid was on fire, he was so interested and excited!

There were a ton more things to explore at Zeum (a music production lab where you can make your own rock video, a multimedia lab, and lots more). If we'd had the time (and Alexi hadn't hit his breaking point...you see, he needs to eat a lot) we'd have stayed another 3 million hours, I'm sure. While there were a lot of things for the big kids to do, I have to say, Alexi had his fair share of things to play with, too. I'm glad I brought him.

After we left the Zeum, we checked out their store (hey, it's hard to resist). We picked up some great birthday gifts for some upcoming parties that weekend. Then, as luck would have it, the Metreon was right across the street. We had ourselves a wonderful lunch at our favorite Pizza joint, and then took a ride on the Carousel before heading home. In all, a very fun day in The City!

Zeum Claymation Short made by my 8 year old

9-09-09!

2009-09-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday, 9-09-09, join in the fun and a help a great cause at Baby Buzz downtown in Willow Glen. A couple months ago I attended one of these events thrown by Karen and Sarah, and it was so fun! Help A Mother Out is a non-profit organization that provides diapers to families in need. Do a little shopping while you check out the cool digs, and partake in some food and prizes. Enjoy a little discount from the store when you contribute some diapers, and show your kids what it means to help other moms and kids out in a fresh, fun way! The event is located at 1314 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, 95126 and is from 3-6PM.

Court Couture...

2009-08-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Dressed to play.

Natural Light Photography

2009-08-21T16:30:00.001-07:00

Apeture f/2.2, 1/200, ISO 800, 50mm fixed.

I'm still dabbling in the whole photography thing. I'm really concentrating on tweaking natural light to work to my advantage and trying not to get lured in by softboxes and strobes... I went out of my comfort range and bumped up my ISO to 800...not bad, eh?

Ulistac Natural Area

2009-08-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Right behind my neighborhood is a nature preserve that runs along the Guadalupe River and trail. It's called Ulistac Natural Area and it's home to several different types of habitats and multiple forms of wildlife. Today a bunch of us took a walk over with the kids and set down a few picnic blankets under the foliage. We had ourselves lunch, and the kids went on their own adventure running around picking up sticks and hunting for bobcats and snakes (none of which they encountered thank goodness!).

Along the trails are informative plaques about the native wildlife and vegetation. On past days we've seen jackrabbits, foxes, bunnies, and various birds. On some weekends there are park events such as art exhibits and nature talks, too! There are no picnic tables (we just sat on the ground...don't forget to bring a trash bag!), but Lick Mill Park is also located directly across the street with a playstructure, bathrooms, and tables, too.

In all a nice place to visit when you've got a house full of antsy kids and nowhere to go.

DeYoung Museum: King Tut Exhibit

2009-08-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday some friends and I took our kids to the de Young Fine Art Museum in San Francisco to see the traveling King Tut Exhibit.

I pre-paid our tickets using Ticketmaster, and it paid off (no pun intended) I'd spent the extra $2.50 to print them immediately. The line to even gather your paid tickets looked rather daunting. I got a discount by paying with my American Express, but I saw that Costco was also selling packaged tickets including the audio tour. Kids under 6 are free.

The big kids all really enjoyed the exhibit. I felt a little bad that my older son would have liked to spend a lot more time in there, but there was not much in the way of distractions for Alexi (2). He liked looking at the boats and pointed out the birds and shapes and animals he recognized, but he grew bored very quickly. It's a good thing there were a bunch of us so we could divide and conquer. I can say all the kids thoroughly enjoyed the gift-shop at the end, though. There was also a kiosk where the kids printed out their names in hieroglyphics, too.

After our educational excursion we headed to the cafe for lunch. I'm always pleased with the food, and they added a fantastic infused water stand that really made me giddy!

And after lunch we spent a few hours chilling in the sculpture yard while the kids ran around and played. A great day!

Almaden Lake Park...

2009-08-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

The summers of my childhood were on a military base beachfront on Seneca Lake in up-state New York. It didn't have nice sand, or cabanas, or even a snack shop....heck, I don't even think we had a lifeguard. We were forced into hideously colored water shoes to keep us from slipping on slime covered rocks and from slicing our feet open on broken glass. But, we had a dock to jump off, and an endless supply of Kool-Aid Squeeze-Its (ironically because my mom didn't allow us soda due to a belief it contained too much sugar) so life was pretty good.

Fast forward 20 years. Wanna relive that summer by the lake feel, but without the broken glass and the added bonus of an on-duty lifeguard? Try out Almaden Lake Park! I was pleasantly surprised that it still retained a lot of lake feel (and smell) of yesteryear. A mere 15 minutes away from my home, within the confines of a local suburban park, lay an oasis of sorts. There were ducks and geese swimming around, you could rent paddle boats by the hour, and the sand floor reached out to the roped off area. No slimy rocks! The lake was regularly tested for safe swimming conditions (I swam in toxic dump drainage as a kid so I figure anything is better than that, but hey, it might be important to some people). There was also a nearby snack hut, and a water park for those too squeamish to swim with the fishes.

In any case, we had a great time, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy some lake adventures for just the day.

There is a minimal parking and swim fee so don't forget to bring some cash.

Back to School Clothes...

2009-08-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the older son is now 8. He's small for his age so the big kid clothes at Abercrombie Kids don't quite fit yet, but the clothes at Gymboree and Janie and Jack look too babyish. Any suggestions on fresh kid clothes for the in between years?

Back to School Book Bag...

2009-07-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

Math starts his new school September 1st so we're on the look-out for back to school paraphernalia. One of the requirements is each student must have a laptop so I've been searching for a new backpack. Math's not a big kid so it can't be overly cumbersome, and he wants it to be cool looking.

Here's some ideas thus far:

This JCrew one is by far my favorite. Math has a whole Indiana Jones thing going so this would fit nicely.

The Chrome Mini-Metro has a cool belt buckle strap.

Lacoste makes a nice looking messenger bag.

The Counter

2009-07-29T14:56:00.001-07:00

Last night we hit up The Counter for dinner. They have two locations Bay Area, one in Palo Alto and the other at Santana Row. It's a gourmet burger joint, but it's still a very family friendly spot. The Counter at Santana Row is located right across from a gated tot lot, and it makes for easy waiting during busy times. The restaurant is always a little on the noisy side and always chock full of families with young kids.

I've got to say The Counter's food is consistently tasty. The burgers are pretty good (you create your own by checking off a list of selections). The onion strings are out of this world! I'd definitely recommend getting the 3x3. It comes with onion strings, potato fries, and sweet potato fries...a little bit of everything plus a bunch of dipping sauces. Waitstaff tends to be a little hit or miss, but really it doesn't stop us from coming back again and again.

Dinner Club

2009-07-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

If you love food and aren't part of a Dinner Club you should join or start one immediately. Here's why:

It's a great way to meet new people
New recipe ideas are never a bad thing
You get to experience new foods you might not otherwise try or run across
It's a good way to get some "me" time away from the kids
It'll inspire you to get creative
It's a ton of fun

I like to meet new people. I especially like to meet people who aren't just like me and don't think just like me. Or maybe I hang out with other people who also enjoy hanging out with people unlike themselves...in which case then I do like to be with people just like me. Maybe it's because I know and am happy with who I am. Or maybe it's because I don't and I'm not. I'm not really sure which, but I still like meeting new people regardless. *shrug*

I started a book club several years back, and it's taken off in many ways. We have a diverse group of smart and insightful women who return month after month to discuss life with kids, relationships, politics and religion, which leading man of the hour looks the hottest with his shirt off, gripes, and hopes for the future. Sparked by books that have made us horrified, dreamy, angry, or blissfully haunted we've shared tears and laughs and our most embarrassing moments enveloped by a supportive and warm environment. Oh, we cover it all in our beautifully open minded, fun-loving forum. So far it's been free from insincerity or designs. It's great! It's almost Utopian really...

Anyway, one thing we do to make things interesting is try to bring a potluck item that coincides with the theme of the book we've read (i.e. Suite Française: French food, French wine, French fries...just kidding...no one brought French fries). The gastronomic portion of the evening is one most of us look forward to the most. And while I won't ever give up Book Club I did think it'd be fun to have food be the main event.

This year one of my New Year Goals was to start a Dinner Club because I am a glutton for punishment (I love to cook and eat, and it's taking a toll on my middle regions). I sent out a post into our neighborhood moms group and told anyone who liked to cook and/or eat to contact me. I got a great response back, and we formed a group that would prepare and enjoy foods based on our pre-determined themes once a month.

First, we picked 11 themes for the year so everyone would know ahead. Some themes for this year were Budget Meals, International Tapas, 30 minute meals with 5 ingredients or less. And the whole thing has been fantastic. Again, much like book club it's full of diverse women from diverse cultures and backgrounds with diverse opinions. The one thing that brings us all together each month is a mutual love of food and cooking.

Last weekend we decided to share the fun with our families and had a kid themed (Camp Food) get together for the members of our family that have only heard in whispers of the good time they're missing out on. A member pitched a few tents in her garage and backyard, and her hubby made a campfire complete with s'more fixings. Here's some photos from the night:

We're on Vacation!

2009-07-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Check out our current adventures on my personal blog :0)

Help A Mother Out at Baby Buzz

2009-07-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very long day, but one of the highlights was a diaper drive hosted by Baby Buzz in Willow Glen through the organization Help a Mother Out. Help a Mother Out is a non-profit that collects and distributes diapers to families in need. I found out about it via Twitter and fellow tweep, Sarah. Karen, the owner of Baby Buzz, was also on hand to host the festivities.

I grabbed the rest of Alexi's diaper stash and we headed out for a day on the town. By the time we got to Baby Buzz I was burnt out from a long day. But Sarah and Karen were two laid back friendly ladies! They offloaded the diapers, gave the boys a snack, and poured me a nice glass of wine. Hello? Can we say new best friends to moms everywhere?

I thoroughly enjoyed my little rest, and explored the glorious store. I picked up a beautiful shower gift, and a really cool water bottle for Math. Before we left we got to witness an amazing surprise! The goal of the evening had been to hit 1,000 diapers. The Willow Glen branch from Valley Credit Union apparently got wind of this over Twitter and walked in with over 1,000 diapers! Totally unexpected, and a very ecstatic Sarah was overjoyed. It was a great night!

Just goes to show the power of cool people, and a little Twitter action, goes a long way for a great cause :0)

Labels...

2009-06-27T02:14:00.001-07:00

At the park yesterday Alexi tossed his brand new Sigg water bottle out of his diaper bag. This prompted me to wonder why I've never labeled any of my kids things before. I think I'm going to go with Oliver's Labels. They have a bunch of cute designs and they offer a "Found-it" program. Interesting, no?

Woops and Joy...

2009-06-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, comments were down for awhile with the new blog design, but now back up again.

Alexi gave me a break today and was pretty much an angel baby (except for the last half of the movie we took him to, but that was kindof a given). Makes days like yesterday seem like a distant memory :0)

Terrible 2s...and then some

2009-06-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Seriously, where did my sweet, happy-go-lucky baby go? I want him back! From one moment to the next I never know what's going to set him off...a toy? a book? popcorn? I feel like I'm stuck with a manic-depressive ex-boyfriend (on speed) all the time. Help!

Baby Brain

2009-06-20T21:12:00.001-07:00

If you're expecting or have a newborn, and you have an iPhone or iPod Touch this one's for you...

All I can say is Woah! How is wish, wish, wish Baby Brain had been in existence when my kids were babies because I know my husband and I would have flipped over it! I'm not really much of a number analyst in my family so maybe I'd have slacked off on some of the capabilities, but The Hubster thrives when working with raw data. I know he'd be the one constantly logging info and being tickled to death by the nice data charts and graphical representations.

This app does it all (nap length, diapers/day, breast feeding timer, bottle calculator) in one neat, affordably priced package! I love it gives the option of bottle and breast since I was an exclusive expresser. Also, the graphical interface is intuitive, fast and simple to add info, and really nice looking!

The creators of this app are a San Francisco husband and wife team who have two young children of their own so they know their stuff!

You can download Baby Brain off iTunes here.

The Tech

2009-06-19T13:59:00.001-07:00

Summer is here! We took the kids to The Tech Museum for the afternoon on Wednesday, and it was so much fun! We also did the iMAX theater viewing of Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs...very cool!

First Birthday Gift Arrived...

2009-06-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

Alexi is going to be so excited when he wakes up from his nap to find this amazing push cart from his Aunt Kiki!

Biking babies

2009-06-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

So it's official...Math can now ride a two wheeler! Alexi is trying his best to keep up!

Birthday Gifting...

2009-06-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Want a unique and cool, but inexpensive birthday gift? Make a shirt! I bought a simple outfit from Target's Circo line ($8 for the set), and ironed on a vintage cut-out I picked up at a boutique in LA. The cut out is made from a few vintage fabrics that have been quilted together and cut into a bird shape. Iron it on, and then sew in a zig-zag to ensure it won't come off in the wash. Voila! Totally hip, one-of-a-kind baby gift that's straight from the heart :0)

Tree Frog Treks

2009-06-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Tree Frog Treks is a science facility that runs programs, camps, and classes for kids of all ages. I have a friend who lives in the Haight and we dropped our two boys off at the camp for a "rocket science" Kid's Play Night, and then the two of us were able to go out for dinner and dessert sans children. Awesome.

Math came home with wild stories about touching all sorts of cool reptiles, learned how the frog cycle works, and built a small rocket. Dinner, drinks, and a movie were also included.

You do need to register ahead, but if you're coming to SF and want to do some grownup time this might be the perfect way! Drop off is at 5:30, pick up is at 9.

Perfect picnic...

2009-06-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

We are meeting a friend and her daughter for lunch this afternoon. Here are a few of the picnic portables we're bringing along :0)

Vignette Wine Country Soda, made from California varietal wine grapes, yum!

Mollie Stone's has the best selection of crackers, cookies, and cheeses from around the world :0)

Fresh picked Brentwood cherries

Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam brie

Paxton Gate Curiosities for Kids

2009-06-01T11:28:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been to Paxton Gate you know it's like a David Sedaris Wonderland Emporium. Seriously, they have some really weird stuff in there! But fascinating...

Anyway, Paxton Gate has a kid's store! I was in the Mission with a friend over the weekend and we took a peek inside. This whimsical store was chock full of unique art, vintage and handmade treasures, and other beautiful gift ideas for kids of all ages. Unfortunately all I had was my iPhone with me, but here's a glimpse of some of the amazingly cool, quirky things I came across. My favorite was a shaddow puppet stage.

They also offer kid yoga classes in the back room Mondays 2-4. You need to enroll ahead of time with the instructor.

Biking Mama

2009-05-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

So it's official, I'm now the proud owner of and Electra bike :0) I love it so very much! It's perfect for cruising around my little neighborhood or to the grocery store or to the park. After much thought I decided not to get the coveted Bobike Mini. I realized I was a tad too klutzy to put the extra weight on my bike, and I picked up a trailer from a friend instead. This turned out to be a good decision since I can haul the kids in the trailer and my stuff in the front tray.

I was told I can now be the neighborhood bread girl since in Europe it's a very common style of bike for bakers to deliver bread ;0)

This morning we all did a family bike trip to Hobees for breakfast. So loving this new found mode of transportation :0)

I also picked up a Wordlock bike lock since I'm notorious for forgetting my combination. This is so much simpler since it's just a 4 letter word...much easier to remember!

And lastly, I've asked The Hubster to get me a Yakkay bike helmet as an anniversary gift, lol. Sure it doesn't sparkle, but it's way cute as far as bike helmets go. Safty first!

Electra bikes can be purchased from The Off Ramp in Santa Clara and Mountain View. Wordlocks can be found at all Targets. Yakkay helmets are only available internationally, but are sold on-line through a UK retailer called 50cycles.

Tie Ts

2009-05-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

Look what I just picked up for Alexi! Designer Tie T-shirts are all the rage right now, but the designer price made me want to faint. Check out this swank Etsy shop that sells a huge variety of Tie T's for a great price!

Vintage Finds!

2009-05-26T15:40:00.001-07:00

While down in Los Angeles I scored some really cool looking sake cups while perusing inside a vintage clothing store. What's weirder is they were found and purchased from a vintage wholesaler in Oakland! Since we don't actually drink sake I figured they'll make great egg cups, or shot glasses, or maybe a nifty spot to put all Math's microscopic Lego bits...

Succulents

2009-05-26T01:37:00.000-07:00

Photo by Caitlin Atkinson

What I wouldn't give for the vertical masterpiece above! It was created by a San Francisco artist named Flora Grubb (that's her real name!). She owns and runs a garden nursery, and specializes in works of art made from succulents and other cacti variations. And I'm oh, so smitten!

I'm no green thumb. In fact, I kill almost every plant I touch which is why I find succulents so fascinating! They are hearty little buggers, and beautiful, and require almost no botanical know-how to survive. Plus, since this is mounted on a wall, it would be up and away from my kids (who would invariably try to rip up each of those little suckers as cargo fodder for their toy trucks)! I have dreams of owning such a work of art someday *sigh*

Haven't Disappeared...

2009-05-19T00:38:00.000-07:00

Thing have been busy and haven't been able to give the blog proper attention of late! I will get back to being a faithful blogger in the near future, hopefully as soon as things settle down a bit.

Preparing for a trip to LA starting tomorrow! Dinner at Bazaar, Disney delirium, Sister in Law's graduation, and then chillaxin' with the family! Good times, good times :0) Updates when I return!

I think we need to get one of these...

2009-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

It's swim season already here in The Valley. Alexi has become fearless when it comes to the pool, but he's not a huge fan of swim lessons atm. He regularly likes to get in and out of the pool making me a sopping mess most of the time running in and out after him. He mostly just likes to stand on the stairs, and I've got about 5 pairs of eyes besides my own always on him, but I need something that gives me a tiny piece of mind just in case he falls in. I think it's time to invest in one of these. He hates his infant float because his mobility is severely obstructed, and he's not strong enough to stay afloat with the regular arm swimmies. I'm not touting floats as life saving devices, but they might give you a few extra seconds to jump in after them...

This thing just might do the trick!

I wonder if my kids would eat these...

2009-05-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

It's ice cream, but it looks like fruits and veggies! I want to try it...Yum!

Community School of Music and Art

2009-05-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

The Community School of Music and Art in Mountain View is by far the most amazing place! I signed Math up for a comic book drawing class last month and he's been digging it big time! The class has some classic components like learning basic anatomy drawing and pen and ink filling, but it's also very fun and laid back. Math is learning a lot, but having a blast all the while. I have a feeling we are going to be here a lot for the foreseeable future.

If you're not sure your wee-one is ready for a full fledged series of classes you can sign-up ahead of time to take part in a One-Day Saturday Funshop class. For $35 you and Junior can enjoy a two part music and art session with some of the finest early childhood education facilities around. The class is broken into two 45 minute sessions with a snack break in-between. Classes are developmentally appropriate, and is wonderful hands on exploration for any youngster.

Here's some photos of Alexander chilling at CSMA while we waited for Math's class to be over.

For the mom in your life

2009-05-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

I love my mom. In many ways she's a lot like me which is probably why we are able to piss each other off so completely at times, but she's the one who made me who I am for better and for worse. Being adopted I appreciate so much more the power to love another person despite birth or circumstance. I understand unconditional love without prejudice or discretion. Being a mother, I appreciate the visceral possession of a child who will forever be irrecoverably yours no matter how old they get. And being a daughter, I understand that no rules apply when it comes to what your mom can and can't say to you!

With Mother's Day it seems almost unfathomable that a gift could represent or convey the aforementioned feelings. But since it is fast approaching I suppose it's time to think about what to bestow Mom. Can a gift even begin to scratch the surface of your appreciation for her? Heck no! But you gotta get something for the woman who mothered you (and a nice card, too!).

Here's some options:

I love this tea set from Teavana! It's got just a touch of Euro-chic and comes with a removable infuser insert.

For the mom who loves a nice soak why not these amazing smelling bath cubes by Fresh (lychee is my favorite)?

All moms love reminicing about memories past. How about a wonderful photo book? If you have a Mac it's easy...or you can use Snapfish, too!

And lastly, for the mom who loves to give back how about a donation in her name? Charity Choice offers over a hundred different reputable organizations to choose from!

Fun with Firefighters!!!

2009-05-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hey, if you live in the South Bay area come to Rivermark's Red Robin this Monday to chill with some Firefighters! They'll have a vintage and giant fire truck for the kiddies to play on. There will be REAL firefighters around to answer questions, show kids their gear, and a raffle to win a private tour of the fire station!

The event is to raise money for a wonderful FF volunteer program, Santa Clara Firefighters Foundation. These amazing men, who's job is to risk their lives on a regular basis, VOLUNTEER to help other local charities in a variety of ways. Some of these works would include Senior Assist programs (like helping older folks clear out their back yards of debris and possible fire hazards), disaster relief, mentoring and leadership programs, and outreach for the disabled.

Rivermark Moms and The SC Firefighters have partnered with Red Robin, who will be hosting this event. All proceeds are tax-deductible, and will go to the Firefighter's Foundation! So come enjoy the trucks, eat some dinner with the fam, and support a great cause!

Flipping Indiana Jones!

2009-05-01T00:36:00.000-07:00

My son's kindof (okay, really really really) obsessed with Indiana Jones. He can be regularly found sporting a fedora, brown corduroy jacket, and spouting off Harrison Ford one-liners. When his birthday came around it was no surprise he wanted an Indiana Jones themed party.

Besides scrounging e-bay for archeological themed favors and decorations I ran across a post on Craigslist. His name was Dustin, and this was his ad "Indiana Jones! At your Store or event !!!!" I mean, come on...what are the chances, right? Indiana Jones lives in my backyard? And he's for hire? I contacted Dustin right away, and he got back to me promptly. He was very professional and easy going (even when it rained on the day of our event and everything got moved to our hideously disorganized garage!). He arrived with his partner, and the two of them put on a FANTASTIC adventure complete with life-size props and stunts! The kids went wild over the show. After the skit, Indiana and Elizabeth Sweet stayed in character and took the kids on a treasure hunt around the house (it was raining else we'd have done it at the park), and played some games. It was a day my son will never forget :0) He still asks if Indiana Jones will come back looking for his idol.

Dustin has a company called DeadmanFX up in Marin County. He's a stuntman who spent time down in LA working in movie industry. He now runs a company that specializes in cast molds and special effect artistry here. He also does a very convincing Indiana Jones, complete with whip demonstrations. The kids went gaga...so did quite a few of the moms ;0)

Per Matthew's request, his birthday gift was a Flip MinoHD. He said he wanted to make movies of himself on tv (we have hours of him bouncing around with a light saber finding treasures meant for museums, and lengthy clips of his Lego creations). In a lot of ways though, this was a gift for myself (shhh, he still thinks it's all his!). I've enjoyed shooting video of the kids, and documenting their cute sayings and new accomplishments. I also appreciate how EASY it is to use! So here's a little movie of the birthday using his (my) new Flip. I editied using iMovie.

Flipping Indiana Jones from Bay Area Baby Blog on Vimeo.

Trekaroo I Love You Too!

2009-04-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

I got named Review of the Day (for a Pittsburgh location, no less...fams will be proud)!

I stumbled across this great up-and-coming website the other day and got hooked. If Yelp and CitySearch got together and had a baby Trekaroo would be it. It's Yelp-Search for parents! What's not to like about that? I love Yelp, don't get my wrong, but this new site is where it's gonna be for the traveling moms and dads of the world. It's got a great, easily navigated website, and a boat load of great Yelp-like features (ratings, comments, photos, votes). Once they add the restaurant guide there's not going to be a parent activity/travel site that can touch it.

Mancala Love

2009-04-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

I remember playing Mancala in middle school. We made a board out of egg cartons, and I fell in love. It was simple, yet addictive. Then after burning out on it, I totally forgot about it. While recently shopping for last minute Easter gifts, you guessed it...I saw it! You can buy Mancala boards made from all sorts of materials, but I bought a simple one from the Toys R Us' exclusive line that was made from bamboo (a sustainable resource). It's actually pretty nice, and entertaining me once again.

Hubs and I come from a long line of board game lovers so it was no surprise that Math was quite taken with the game. He and I were playing today (for the millionth time). He's getting good...so good he beat the pants off me twice! Maybe we should move on to chess soon?

Pasta Pomodoro and Pinkberry

2009-04-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (and Saturday, too) we had dinner at Santana Row followed by Pinkberry. We were actually there only for the Pinkberry, but it seemed wrong somehow to spend all that time finding parking just for yogurt.

Pasta Pomodoro is our idea of fast food. We don't really like chains as a general rule, but there are a few local chains that we enjoy when we're looking for family friendly, yummy, and inexpensive. Pasta Pomodoro is great before a concert, for lunch, or just an impromptu dinner out. We've been to just about every location in the Bay Area, and the food is consistent, the waitstaff efficient, and the locations convenient. I really enjoy their salad and soup. Matthew likes the spaghetti and lasagna (he wants to be Garfield when he grows up), and The Hubs likes the portobella pasta.

After that we jaunted over to Pinkberry aka Crackberry. Pinkberry opened about 3 months ago at Santana Row. You know you're in the right spot when you run into a line trailing out to the street. Pinkberry is the hottest craze since pogs, but likely has enough staying power to last. I'm loving the new Pomegranate flavor and the chocolate shavings! Taste-wise I think it's almost as good as Fraîche, but Fraîche gets the extra thumbs up for being organic and having indoor seating.

Speaking of yogurt, my sister in law just started her own yogurt blog. Check it out here! She's also the creator of my new photo watermarks. Cute, no?

The One Eyed Monster

2009-04-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

This the name my mother had dubbed the television during my youth. When I was an adolescent she relegated "One Eyed Monster" to something else entirely, but we won't get into that.

The Hubs and I both grew up with limited to no TV for a period of our lives. My Hubs grew up in the Oregon wilderness so there literally was no cable to speak of, and I grew up in Europe for several years where all programming was in German. Don't get me wrong...we LOVE television. We love movies, and sitcoms, and even a few of the dreaded reality shows. But now that I have children of my own, the monster of my youth has returned. It sucks my sons in and glazes over their eyes over in just a few short minutes with banal gibberish and flashes of color.

To counteract the addiction we've taken steps to reduce the lure. We bought a TiVo about 5 years ago...that cut down a lot on advertisements. We got an AppleTV about two years ago, that made it easier to limit shows to educational programs and movies. We cut our cable about 6 months ago, and so far we'd seen a greater reduction in the amount of tube time all of us are exposed to. I bought volumes of Fraggle Rock and Scooby-Doo and Wallace and Gromit in a nostalgic attempt to recreate the programming of yesteryear.

Alas, we're still a techie family. The Hubs works for Apple, and we have iPhones and iPods and iCrap coming out of our eyes, but I think I've finally had it. I'll admit it...too long has the TV been used as my 25 minute babysitter. I'm going to have to come up with some more creative ideas to keep the kids busy while I try to do my own thing around the house. I'm pledging a week to not use the TV at all. I'm going to need help! Advice? I need some!

Hat Happiness

2009-04-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

I don't think it's a secret that I'm a huge fan of hats. My kids like them, too!

Here's a few new hats that are fresh and fun for upcoming sunny summer days.

These are a staple for the pool and the park. They're light and fast drying, hold up to sand and chlorine, and stay put on Junior's head. Can be found at Mel Cottons in SJ and PA Sport Shop and Toy World, Sports Basement Presidio in SF.

Isn't this the cutest? And it's reversible!

My sons have an endless supply of newsboy caps. They're timeless, and they always look good dressed up or down. Found at Janie and Jack.

Now for the Moms:
Lacoste Sun Hat is not only sporty and cute, but functional for tennis lessons and the pool! Can be found at Valley Fair, Union Square in SF, and Stanford Shopping in PA.

This one is sweet and has a vintage throwback feel.

And the omg hat...isn't it fab? Found at Saks Fifth Ave.

Pretty Pictures

2009-04-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

I've spent my day searching how to combine photos. Finally figured it out. Check it:

Taken by my 8 year old son with a tripod and some good lighting :0)

Cool Cuffs

2009-04-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I'm really loving cuffs lately. I don't why. Maybe it's because they look kind of alternative, but are easily mixed with more traditional casual wear.

Anyway, here's an awesome one by SouleMama...she has far superior sewing skills than I, but this is so cute and fresh and easy looking.

I might try to tackle this one this weekend.

Here's a more simple one I made out of my son's old necktie.

The Cheese Board Collective

2009-04-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

So after my romp around Cal, I made arrangements to meet up with my neighborhood mom pal, bookgroup compadre, and friend, Ariele. Okay, let me start of by giving you some amazing background about Ariele.

She's sharp as a tack funny and smarter than most everyone I know.
She grew up in Berkeley going to a hippy dippy school across the street from where her dad started Berkeley Free Clinic.
For many years she was a HS Math teacher providing progressive education to some of the most depressed schools in California. She speaks of her old students with nothing but heartfelt love and admiration, and she has an innate understanding of teenagers few can fathom.
She's a true, blue friend. And for the life of me, I couldn't imagine my first visit to Berkley without her!

So we met up at The Cheese Board Collective, she with her two boys and me with mine. After the greetings we got down to business. Ariele promptly handed me a shopping bag (she came prepared!), grabbed us a playing card, and started piling her arms full of the most amazing looking pastries and breads I've ever laid eyes on. CBC make all their own baked goods on site, and there is a constant overturn of hot crusty goodness every few hours. The cases also had a wide variety of olives, French and local honeys, and other noshes. Since CBC is a co-op they take their cheese very seriously. It is mandatory that you "try before you buy" so when our card was called we spent the next 30 minutes trying every cheese known to man...and then some! You wanna try a cheddar? Well they have like 20 different varieties of varying sharpness, some with chives, some without, some white, some yellow. Wanna brie? How about a stinky one? How about a blue that's creamy? How about a crumbly blue that's slightly different in texture, but very different in taste? It went on and on like this. I was starting to get scared...the wrapped packages of cut cheeses were piling up, and it didn't look like we had any sign of stopping soon. Ariele assured me it was all good, and kept on ordering. Finally, when the tally was rung up I balked...it coudln't be that cheap! So I added another three selections to top it off. We weren't allowed to tip the proprietors, but they said we could donate to the homeless initiative they support instead. After this, we stopped next door to the produce co-op and bought some fruit and berries. Then again next door to the Cheese Board Pizza. There was a live jazz duet playing while we waited in line to grab a few slices of the daily offering. Finally, we took all the kids by the hand and walked a half block up to a fenced in park. We found a big tree and set to work on our impromptu picnic.

I can't imagine a better first trip to Berkeley, and I'll be back soon for sure.

Walk from Cal to the Cheese Board.

That's a LOT of cheese.

If you pull the Joker you get to skip to the head of the line.

Freshly baked bread...and it was hot, too!

Weird ass cow bread god?

Cheese, glorious cheese!

Our cheese pile...we're about halfway done at this point.

Best pizza I've had in a long time! Zucchini, red onion, feta, with pesto and pignoli nuts.

Don't I look manically happy?

Cal Day at UC Berkeley

2009-04-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is a shame, but for the past three years I'd yet to set foot in Berkeley. It's not that I wasn't interested, it's just that I've been busy exploring all other aspects of the Bay Area, and the opportunity just hadn't presented itself yet.

Then, prompted by the homeschooling thing, I saw an add through the Society for California Archaeology that UC Berkeley would have a "dig day" through the Archaeological Research Facility. This sounded great since I have a budding archeologist/Indiana Jones wanna be under my roof. Little did I know, that this "dig" was in conjunction with Cal's largest annual event of the year. Cal Day is a collection of activities, lectures, events, and open exhibits for the whole public, and reportedly drew in more than 35,000 people (now I feel like it was a small miracle I even found a place to park!).

We arrived promptly at ARF at 9:00, and were greeted by a really sweet PhD student who explainted to Math all the ins and outs of grid system mappings, excavation, and why archaeology is important. He also made a clay pot, and had a great time learning about what it takes to be a "real life" Indiana Jones.

After that we went around exploring the rest of the campus. I had some major nostalgic moments surrounded by all the old buildings, nerdy undergrads, and excentric professors. Since it was an event day the public was free to wander into all the museums, buildings, and labs. We had some majorly good tailgate chicken kabobs while we waited for my friend to arrive. Math picked up a stuffed tiger with the "Cal" logo emblazoned on a little blue shirt from the school store. Why a tiger was even availiable for purchase is beyond me, but I went with it (it was Mom and Me time afterall). So desipite the massive crowds, and the fact I have no ties to UC Berkeley at all (and kinda felt like a fraud for lapping up the school pride)...it was a really nice morning!

Learning the ropes

Inside the Anthropology Museum

I love collegiate gothic buildings

This is the kind a thing you see in college towns

Plane Pains...

2009-04-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

So I'm kindof addicted to Facebook and recently saw this defense comment response to a status complaint about children on planes:

"My kids have flown all over the place in both coach and first class, including Hawaii 3x and have been complete angels. It is all in parenting. You must have things to keep them occupied and entertained. Sorry you have had bad experiences, but it's not all children."

I've gotta say I totally relate to the complainer, not the defender. Having fulfilled both roles as a parent and innocent patron (who's had her seat kicked for 5 straight hours), I believe when it all boils down; traveling with kids via air is pretty awful. There's the packing of all necessities for the flight, the prepping to the airport, the crazy security lines, the medicate vs don't medicate battle, the actual flight, the lack of services to help parents with small children. I mean the list goes on and on.

Here in the Bay Area, with parents flying all over the place both internationally and domestically, would you take offense to this? Does bad behavior on a flight really equate to bad parenting? How could the airline industry help accommodate parents and non-parents alike?

Shameless Shooting Shoutout

2009-04-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Seems like everyone these days is a budding photographer. I don't claim to be one, nor even close by any standards, but I really do enjoy it a lot! I'm also enjoying the learning process even though it's grueling...sometimes it seems like great photographers don't want to share how they do it, and the others want you to pay for it, lol. But, there's a wealth of information and technique tips if you know where to look!

I love the Pioneer Woman. She breaks everything down into easy to follow directions - recipes, decorating, heck, even Photoshop! She had a guest blog post by a photographer who did a tutorial on doorway photography. I tried it out...so fun! So cute!

Lens was an 85mm fixed, 1.8f. ISO 200. I used Photoshop to sharpen up the eyes and a minor boost, but the lighting is all natural :0)

Silliman Swmming

2009-04-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

This week has been spring break time for all the local schools in our area. Since we rather unexpectedly started doing the homeschool thing it was fun to enjoy our usual after-school friends for lots of fun activities during the day.

5 other moms and I caravaned up to Silliman Activity Center in Newark on the East Bay yesterday. Why we had to go by caravan I still haven't figured out, but it was kinda fun, lol.

Silliman is an indoor aquatic park with a variety of different entertaining features for your water babies (or kids). There is a zero-depth entry pool with a play structure full of slides, water fountains, and water cannons. A lazy river with inter tubes to ride on, a large lap pool, a hot tub, and a giant double water side. Math was SO disappointed he wasn't tall enough to slide yet (48 inches, he was 2 inches shy!). There were some very nice features such as the family changing rooms (complete with private shower, hair dryer, and changing station), and the food was pretty decent as well. I think the main drawback was we went during spring break and it was packed!

Some things that are nice to know beforehand:

No outside rafts, floats, or swim fins are allowed (Silliman provides inter tubes for the lazy river and life vests of varying sizes (though you can bring your own vest)).
Apparently you're not supposed to bring outside food, but we saw lots of people who brought their own healthy snacks.
You need to ask the front desk to un-lock the family changing room, and bring shampoo unless you don't mind using hand soap.

Alexander right before we had to switch out the swimmies for a life-vest

The giant slides

My reward

I'm Wasted on Boys

2009-04-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

It's been no secret my desire for a daughter someday. So much in fact that we are hoping to adopt from Korea sometime in the next few years. I'm adopted from the country myself so I think it's predestined to be this way...a sort of closing the circle if you will. Recently, I think this desire has reached all new heights. We've been invited to an astonishing number of girl birthday parties this past month, and I've gotta say I LOVE girl birthday parties! It gives me an excuse to get in touch with my fru-fru side. This has been compounded even further by my newly contracted crafting condition. So what does a craft-sick mom with a fru-fru side make the girls in her sons lives? Well, tutus of course!

I found some simple "how-to" instructions on RookieMoms here. I took it a step further by doubling up the amount of tulle (to make them fluffier) and adding some ribbons of varriying widths and colors as well. Paired with a cute, inexpensive top these make the most fabulous, one-of-a-kind gifts! They can be worn over jeans, leotards, sweats...Hell, I've half a mind to make one for myself!

Poor Alexander - he was my test manequin. I had to make sure it was going to fit, right??? ;0)

A Week in Silicon Valley on Rookie Moms

2009-04-13T12:35:00.001-07:00

A bit back I was tickled pink when asked to do a guest "Spend a week..." blog piece for Rookie Moms. My piece detailed a week-long series of outings here in The Valley, and it's up on their site now!

Whitney and Heather are two cool ladies living in San Francisco. They write a fresh and cheeky blog about all sorts of parenting and kid related topics. Their frank anecdotes on being a mom are refreshing, quintessentially real, and a daily read for me. And as if the blog isn't enough, these ladies found the time to write a handbook which I think would make a very excellent baby gift for any mom-to-be!

Calling All Moms....

2009-04-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been on the hut for some really cute mom calling cards. If you've never heard of mom cards before they are basically business cards with your kid's names and your contact info. This card thing brings back memories of reading Little Town on the Prairie and the name cards Laura used to exchange with her friends. Her mom gave her some money to purchase them and she was so tickled about it. I am, too!

Anyway, in these modern times, I am often at the park, or at a playdate, or at a class and invariably I run into a cool new mom and we hit it off. Then one of us says, "We should totally get together! What's your number?" And I never have a pen, and I've usually forgotten my phone (which is a crime according to my husband). So I think I have a real need for these ;0) Stash a few in the diaper bag, you know? I bet these would make a really sweet baby shower or new mom gift, too!

It's down to these two options. They're both awesome for different reasons. Which do you think?

I really like these cards because you can add photos! And the prints are really fresh and modern.

And then I saw these on Etsy, and they are really cute in a sorta Victorian vintage sortof way.

Tough decision!

Alviso Bay

2009-04-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend we took a little walk around Alviso Bay. The marina is a 5 minute drive from our home. As you approach Alviso, crowded industrial tech buildings give way to cute little beach houses and small owner-run restaurants. It's a place that time forgot in many ways, but has a very East Coasty, Cape-Cod feel to it. Alviso was once a booming port that shipped agricultural products all over The Valley, but then in 1864 a new railroad line was put in. Alviso's become a veritable ghost town compared to it's micro-chipped neighbors over the years, but is listed on the National Register as a historic gem.

Alviso now attracts nature lovers and health enthusiasts from all around. One can capitalize on the miles and miles of dirt trails surrounding the bay. There are thousands of acres of marshes and salt ponds. Wildlife is dense, and bird-watchers would probably find this place paradise. There are informative plaques explaining more about marshes and indigenous species of plants and animals, too.

We had a nice time walking around the desolate, windy bay. After exploring a bit it got sortof creepy how devoid of human life the place was, but in a beautiful way. It seemed strange to find so much nature right in the backyard of the largest tech community in the country. But, it was a lovely way to spend some weekend family time apart from the computers and video games and televisions and iPods and iPhones and AppleTVs and DVRs and DVDs and CD-ROMs and Facebooks and Twitters. Apparently my camera was spared such neglect, though ;0)

Summer Sun Means Sandal Fun!

2009-04-03T16:35:00.001-07:00

YAY! The weather is warm, the pool is open, and the only thing that's missing is footwear for the kiddies. I'm listing off my personal favorites...

Sride Rite Wyatt. The name keeps changing, the style does not. I've been buying Matthew the same pair of shoes each year for the past 8 years, and there's a good reason why. They are industructable, they look great dressed up or down, and they come in widths (anyone with a child with wide feet can attest to this particular woe). Even better, Great Mall in Milpitas has a Stride Rite outlet store so you can get them much cheaper, too.

I'm told (from very good sources) Havaianas are the hottest footware in Latin America and Spain. These Brazilian made sandals are fast becoming popular here in the States, too. Matthew was gifted a pair last summer, and they easily became his favorite pool sandals. They are rubber so you can wear them in the shower, come in a huge array of fresh colors and styles. and are very comfy. If you aren't fortunate enough to have a Latin-American traveling girlfriend, then these can be found at Nordstrom and I also hear reports of people finding them at Marshalls, too!

Here's another international gem I've come across. S'avarca's are favorites of the Spanish Royals, and look so comfortable and cute. I think Alexi would look very cute in them, but he's got a huge collection of gorgeous Spanish hand me downs that he can't seem to tear through fast enough :0) Might have to break down and get them anyway. 3 Soles is the only distributer here in the US selling these shoes.

And lastly, a more local brand, Rainbow Sandals. Math has outgrown two pairs of these, and is coming up on his third this summer! Until recentely, if you lived outside of California it's doubtful you'd heard of Rainbows before. I think they were SoCal's best kept secret for a long time, alas, no longer. Rainbows are super comfy board sandals that come with built in arch support. Customer service is reportably excellent as well. Rainbows are now becoming mainstream for the rest of us mere mortals. Pick up a pair at your local Nordstrom or Pac Sun.

PS - Moms, all but the Stride Rites come in your size, too! :0)

Brunch Bashing???

2009-04-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

Another weekend, another opportunity for brunch...at least that's how I always look at it! On University Ave in Palo Alto there is a place called University Cafe that consistently serves tasty, no-frills brunch fare. I was just looking at the reviews and was really disappointed to see some do not share the same love I have for this establishment. Many complaints were about slow service, but in my experience (and we eat here about 2-3 times a month) service has been just fine. I wouldn't call it over the top, but it's an order/seat yourself joint. There's not much service to be procured other than food being brought out. *shrug*

It's advisable not to come during peak hours because it's seat yourself, and unless you have a rather aggressive personality finding space for a group of 6 can be cut-throat. You order at the bar, you get a number, and then your food is brought to you. The tables are lined with paper so the kids always love coloring while we wait for our food. I love the open airy atmosphere of this place, and the outdoor seating is nice in the summer. The old school looking coffee roaster is always wafting off some rather pleasing aromas, too. Add that to the yummy breakfast food and I'm a happy camper.

Coffee roaster

Coffee is good (so is milk).

Eggs Bruschetta, my favorite.

Hubbs like the pankcakes...

So do the kids.

Buffalo Bills Brewery and Zuckersüss

2009-03-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

Let me preface this by boasting about my father-in-law. He is the Grandpa of all Grandpas...he is a big-rig truck driver! This might not sound like much if your a mom without boys, but if you do have boys you know what I mean. The In-laws were in the restaurant industry for most of their lives, but when they sold the business/semi-retired Grandpa decided to try something out. Something he's always wanted to do since he was a little boy. And my little boy gets major benefits out of it :0)

One benefit is Grandpa's truck route often brings him down through the Bay Area so we get to see him quite often! And another benefit is we get to go to our favorite East Bay restaurant, Buffalo Bills Brewery, when he drives into Hayward. This weekend we got the added bonus of my MIL, too. And since she has heard lots about our eating at Buffalo Bills, but never been, of course we had to take her!

Our family is pretty fond of pub/brewery dining. For one thing, the food is almost always affordable and it's usually pretty good (especially if you have picky eaters). Secondly, brewpubs tend to be rather loud so you don't have to worry about your kids making too much noise. And lastly, brewpubs specialize in alcohol...what's not to like? Buffalo Bills satisfies all these qualities, and the food is actually better than pretty good...it's downright great! We've yet to have a bad meal here, and the service is always very friendly.

I'm actually not a beer drinker, but the Hubs and his parents are serious beer connoisseurs (no, all three of those aren't just for him!).

Teriyaki chicken sandwich (without the sandwich). Comes with caramelized onions, grilled pineapple, mushrooms and potatoes, and two dipping sauces.

Matthew likes BB's pepperoni pizza. Alexander had a kid's cheese quesidellia with fruit.

After dinner we headed across the street to a new frozen yogurt shop that just opened. It was called Zuckersüss, and they touted organic self-serve'n'weight European style tart yogurt. Zuckersüss also was sporting a baby grand piano in the corner, some rad throw-back tunes, and some pretty swank furnishings. Initially when we arrived their card machine was down, but we got some cash down the street. The owners were so incredibly sweet (hence the name) they offered us ALL free seconds for the price of one to see if their card-reader was back up and running! Unfortunately, we were so full we didn't get to take them up on their offer!

Math really got into the whole serve yourself thing. He's got more toppings than he does yogurt.

Gotta say, this was really good (and I'm a die-hard Fraîche/Pinkberry fan).

Wiggling Works!

2009-03-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

My wiggly kid during morning calisthenics

"Stop wiggling, and pay attention!" How many times have you as a parent said this? If you're the mom of a "wiggle worm" you know what I mean. Homework time is a chore, teachers mention your child can't seem to sit still and concentrate in class, and you can't help but feel that your child is a bit more sensitive to his environment than most (these are the shirt tag haters and the toe seam complainers). Kids wiggle. It's a fact. But some kids wiggle more than others, and sometimes those wiggles take over all other forms of concentration. Most kids don't have sensory integration issues, but I'm always surprised how many parents don't know the helpfulness of OT for typical kids. In comes the Movein'Sit, because sometimes a little movement is all you need (any of you leg jigglers out there can relate).

The Movein'Sit is an inflatable air-cushon with little nubby bumps all over it. It helps improve proper posture while sitting, and provides just enough "wiggle room" for children with attention and sensory integration issues. My son liked that he could wiggle just a tiny bit without anyone noticing, and it helped him get the wiggles out without being a distraction to anyone else.

You can buy the Movin'sit via Berkley's Beyond Play website.

In-law Interludes

2009-03-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

The in-laws dropped in for a surprise visit today and yesterday. A visit from the in-laws, I'm happy to report, is actually a good thing in my book! We had the whole day together so we decided to spend it up in The City. Being rather limited on time, we did one touristy thing and then one "off-the-beaten-path" thing. Our family is comprised of serious foodies. The in-laws have spent the better part of their lives in the food-business (owning both a coffee/patisserie house and a restaurant) so it's no surprise this day was full of feasting. We made our way to the Ferry Building Marketplace and comprised ourselves a fabulous make-shift lunch fit for any foodie, and then headed our way to Caffe Trieste, a funky little coffee house with excellent java.

The Ferry Building is a veritable cornucopia of high end foodstuffs. From caviar to wine this place has got you covered!

Caffee Trieste is located right around the corner from the Ferry Building in North Beach (aka Little Italy). There are cute outdoor bistros and romantic cafes lined all along the streets. Crowds seemed to be mostly locals milling about enjoying their afternoon riposo...perfecto!

Check it:

These would make such cute baby shower favors!

At this stand all I could think about was mushroom lasagna.

Cheese, glorious cheese!

Olive oil much?

Our lunch: Acme Bread Co. selection, Mt. Tam brie, St George cheddar, 3 peppercorn salame, Sicilian cracked olives, and extra virgin olive-oil for dipping.

Mocha and a cappuccino.

Stroll Around My Hood...

2009-03-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

Here's a little photo tour of my neighborhood...spring has sprung!

The Play Store

2009-03-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with an associate at The Play Store on University Ave in Palo Alto. She was very gracious about letting me take pictures, and answered all sorts of questions about their stock and play philosophy.

The Play Store is a small independent toy store for children of all ages. It is unique in that it almost exclusively sells natural, wooden, and/or organic toys and accessories. I was also told they don't buy from any one particular region (though European toys seemed to have a heavy influence). Instead they specifically chose items based on child-centered functionality, and quality. The Play Store has a Waldorf inspired methodology regarding their beliefs about play and learning, and also believe that toys should be made to grow with a child (not ceasing to be useful after a certain age).

The associate also emphasized that safety was very important to them, and they did not purchase from countries known to have toxins in their paints. In fact, they try to veer away from paints all together, and mostly stock items that have been naturally dyed. And on top of all these great perks, they store has a conscience, too! They only purchase from companies and sources that treat workers fairly, and are environmentally friendly.

The store itself is very child-friendly, too. They have a wooden train table set up with a simple assortment of Plan City and wooden train pieces. Alexander spent much of his time playing there while I took some photos of the rest of the space...

Busy playing

Front of the shop

For the budding culinary virtuoso

Adorable wooden foods

Beautiful and naturally dyed wooden vehicles

Organic baby section. The Play store also partners with a local woman who makes unique knitwear, too!

Thaiphoon

2009-03-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

I was back in Pali this afternoon with a friend and her son. We call the kids Alex ^2 or Alex squared because they both have the same name. They're pretty different in many ways...my Alex is short and chubby, her Alex is long and lean. My Alex is impulsive and mischievous, her Alex is thoughtful and intelligent. But, both our Alexes are VERY cute, and it's cool to see their budding personalities take shape.

Anyway, we did our usual park routine, and then hit up Thaiphoon for lunch. Thaiphoon is located on Emerson a block off University. It's a nice little restaurant with polite, efficient service. The hostess was very accommodating on seating, and we choose to sit outside since it was nice out. The lunch menu was extensive, and most meals (consisting of soup, salad, main course, and rice) cost around $8-$10. The kids behaved, the waitstaff was attentive, and we enjoyed a nice relaxing meal in the warm California sunshine. Bliss...

Veggie soup was light, and a slightly spicy. Very nice.

Isn't this pretty? I like how it came bento style, and was just the right amount of food!

Alexander enjoying his meal, eating like a civilized child for once.

Alex waiting for the bill.

Useless Usables

2009-03-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

I've had two babies, and with both of their arrivals came a lot of "stuff." A lot of stuff I needed...stuff that I had to have in order to care for and raise a baby. One would think after the 6 years I had to get used to the first kid, I'd have learned a thing or two about what I needed when the second one came around. Nope. The pricey lesson was: junk gets shinier and the packaging gets spiffier, but in the end it is still the same junk you bought before.

Let me enumerate some of the best examples of useless usables so you might save yourself the same follies (starting with most useless first):

1. Wipes Warmer: I bought this for the second child because I felt guilty the first one didn't have one. The point of this contraption is self-evident by it's name, but the actual execution of the thing is lacking. First off...yes, the wipe is warm for the first .2 seconds, but the moment it's completely out of the warmer it's cold. Second, many of these warmers cause your wipes to go drier than the Sahara Dessert, thus rendering whole packages of wipes unusable. And lastly...I can't think of a 3rd reason because the first two were reason enough not to buy.

2. iCrib Sound System: I bought this for the second baby because I liked the idea of playing customized playlists. This purchase was in conjunction with the Symphonic Ultra Deluxe Brain Boosting Mobile, and the pull string musical hippo that was already attached to his crib. There was no auto-shutoff for the iPod so the battery died every-day, and I always forgot to charge the battery so the thing sat on the edge of the crib (making sheet changes almost impossible) for the better part of a year. I just recently took it off...if anyone wants a free iCrib let me know.

3. Shopping cart cover: This is just another cumbersome thing you have to carry with you (and most of them come in the most hideous fabrics/patterns). If your concern is germs, most shopping centers have a anti-bacterial wipe you can cleanse your cart with if it really bugs you. If you must cover your shopping cart, though, just use your sling, or a blanket, or anything but this useless piece of fabric.

4. Baby bathtub: What a gigantic waste of plastic! And I bought two, one for each! They both got too big to be washed in the tub for longer than a few weeks. By the time they were both 2 months old, half of baby was submerged in a pitiful amount of dirty water, and the other half was freezing cold. Rinsing was a pain. I abandoned both tubs after several washes and went right back to my mom's old standby - the sink. The baby tub sat in our unused guest shower gathering mildew before I finally threw it out to sit in a landfill for a gazillion, billion years *ashamed of myself*.

5. The bath thermometer is another ridiculous purchase. Put hand into water...if it's cold, add more hot water. If it burns off your skin...DON'T PUT YOUR KID IN, and seek medical attention.

6. Pee-Pee TeePee: Okay, I'll admit these are really, really cute. Diaper changes don't take that long, and it's pretty easy to just place a wipe over Junior's wee-bits while you get on with business.

7. Diaper pail: Our diaper pail is the thing that diapers get placed on top of. If you put a dirty diaper in one (I've tried both popular brands, Dekkor gets points for having bio-degradable liners), it's only a matter of hours before it stinks up the room, floor, and house. There is a reason for modern indoor plumbing, and it's the same reason why excrement should not be wrapped in permeable plastic and forgotten about for days on end.

8. Sleep positioner: Okay, this thing just turned out to be plain dangerous. I remember walking in to check on my infant, and he'd managed to wiggle in such a way this thing was pressed up against his face. Sure it was made out of a NASA space aged material that was supposed to be "breathable." It still freaked me out. Just keep the crib empty (forget the cute little bumper, too).

9. Video/Baby Monitor - We paid something like $200 for a top of the line infant video monitoring camera ($50 extra because it came with color). The colors were bad and looked like it was in black and white, anyway. Unless you live in a 6,000 sq ft house, or your kids sleep on a separate floor, the likeliness of you being unable to even hear your baby is low, especially if they are sleeping in the room next to yours. I found it particularly distracting trying to sleep when I could hear every snarffle, snuffle, and sigh coming from the next room, too. Alas, ours ended up on Craigslist, but fetched a decent resale price. I hate to say it, but if you really need a video monitor go to Costco or Walmart and get a camera surveillance pack. Same thing, less moolah.

10. Infant carseat: We bought an infant carseat both times because it was nice to be able to snap-and-go from the car to the stroller. In the long run, though, I wish I'd just bought a top of the line convertible car-seat. They last from infant to toddler, and really it was more often I was transferring our youngster from the carseat to the sling or his full recline cot anyway.

Aqui Cal-Mex and Powell's Sweet Shop

2009-03-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend we met up with some friends in Willow Glen for dinner. We arrived at Aqui Cal-Mex on the early side. Saturdays can make for some pretty busy dining on Lincoln, so we saved ourselves the hassle of finding seating by arriving at 5:30. All of us being night people this timing equated itself to a relatively late lunch, but I digress.

Aqui's is known for serving healthy Mexican fusion foods, hence "Cal-Mex." They boast all natural, organic ingredients, and daily and seasonal offerings. If you're looking for authentic Mexican food this definitely isn't the place, but the grub is tasty and the margaritas are large. The kid's menu is affordable, and I like they offer a side of beans, rice, or fruit along with the main meal.

We found a table in the corner, and there was a huge supply of high-chairs that basically shouted "kid friendly!" Alexander set to work on some guacamole and chips, and Matthew slurped up his rootbeer in 30 seconds flat. Jesse and I both ordered margaritas (his strawberry, mine blended with salt). I have no idea what is in these badboys, but they are good..and your face goes numb in about 15 minutes. The sangria is also pretty tasty.

I've tried a lot on the menu at Aqui's, but the turkey meatball stroganoff special I had last night was pretty much awesome.

After dinner we sidled over to Powell's Sweet Shop. Entering Powell's is tantamount to stepping back in time. Victorian England comes to mind. Charlie Bucket would not feel out of place in this shop (not surprisingly, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory plays on a movie screen in the back of the store). There is candy everywhere; some of it mainstream, some of it nostalgic, some of it obscure, and all of it mouth-watering.

Both of these shops are located on Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen, San Jose. Powell's is also located in Burlingame and Los Gatos.

Springtime in Cali

2009-03-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

Day at the park...

Baby Gifting...

2009-03-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

For some reason everyone I know is pregnant right now! There must be something in the water :0)

Anyway, here's a list of some great items to bestow any new mom...

Serena & Lily 'Market' Baby Sling sold at Nordstrom. Beautiful sling!

This German wooden activity gym is eco-friendly and cute! Can be found at The Play Store.

Glass, BPA/phthalate-free, silicon sheathed wee•go baby bottles. Found at your nearest BabyGap.

Baby Bunch apparel starter set, all wrapped up to look like a beautiful nosegay! Saw these at Right Start awhile ago. Don't if they still have them.

Mustela baby bath and skin products. Smells great, and it's French! Line at Pure Beauty, Sephora, Nordstrom, and Babies R Us.

"The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance." My MIL got this book for my husband before our son was born, and he used it all the time!

Maggie's Functional Organic Panda Set! Sooo cute! Found at Whole Foods.

Check out this pudgy panda!

Nice day for a walk...

2009-03-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

I drank the Kool-aid...

2009-03-10T13:07:00.001-07:00

So, if you're like me you heard whispers of this new thing called Zumba, but didn't pay too much attention. Then suddenly you look around, and it seems like all the moms you know are partaking in this Zumba thing, but you still have no clue what is going on. So finally you ask, "What the hell is Zumba???" And they tell you, "It's exercise." *shrug*

BUT, what they didn't tell you is it's the Latin-dance workout that's sweeping the globe. What they didn't tell you is that even if you are a spastic, rhythmless nerd you'll go back for more, wanting to salsa your way to cardiovascular bliss. What they didn't tell you is it's the most fun you'll ever have. They didn't tell you any of this because the classes are so full it's impossible to sign up fast enough. And once you're in, you're irrevocably hooked...

Check our your nearest community rec-center or gym to see if they offer classes. The rec-center is great since some have morning drop-in classes and cheap babysitting to boot :0)

Mom shoes...

2009-03-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

"Mom shoes" are kindof an obligatory essential to any mother's wardrobe. I've always been partial to flats since I'm accident prone on top of being a spaz. I don't like Crocs. I haven't joined an "I hate Crocs" fan club or anything, but do hold a deep-seated resentment towards the whole clog movement in general. Comfort is key, but who said comfort had to be traded in for fashion?

Here are some great spring finds:

I had a giftcard to blow so I just picked up a pair of these at the Coach store. They are SO comfortable, and they look pretty snazzy on. But, I just saw these on the web and they are even cuter!

I love Lacoste shoes so much it's kindof ridiculous. These look a little sporty, go with anything, and they're great for at the park.

Saw these at Nordstrom the other day. They are pretty and feminine, but look like they'd hold up out and about.

Chucks are all the rage again, so why not grab a pair to complete your shoe collection? I like that these don't have laces so they are easy to put on and kick off.

And lastly, this is a shameless Burton shout out. My hipster brother in law works for the company, and introduced me to the Gravis shoe line that came out several years back. Skate shoes are notorious for being very comfortable, and Burton for being very fashion forward. These would go great with a pair of jeans!

Bebe au Lait

2009-03-07T14:02:00.000-08:00

I like to think I'm progressive, but I'm also a prude. Maybe it was my Irish-Catholic upbringing that made me this way (I'm adopted, so take that nature vs. nuture), but the idea of breastfeeding my baby in public was mortifying. When I was living in Oregon I really admired the mothers who could just rip off their shirt and bear-all, staring down anyone who might dare say otherwise. For me, I was desperate to find some way to keep things "under-wraps," and not be forced to slink back to the car or a dirty bathroom.

In comes Bebe au Lait! Bebe au Lait is a small company started out of Los Gatos that offers chic, cleverly designed print and organic nursing covers. They come in so many hip, contemporary fabrics it's impossible to choose just one. The simple rectangle of fabric is packed full of little features, too. On the back side there is a built in pocket made out of terrycloth that holds small essentials and also works as a burp cloth. The neck line has a thin strip of rigid plastic that allows you to see your baby, and keep air-flow breezy. It machine washes beautifully. And lastly, they have a great sense of humor about it all. The company used to be called, "Hooter Hiders," and you can still buy the covers with the old company name on them. I love that!

Even if you don't breastfeed your baby, I found this cover to be useful. It made a great impromptu sun/wind shade, especially if you do the baby-wearing thing at the park or the beach. I'd just sling up Alexander and then hang the Bebe au Lait over my neck to keep him snuggly and protected (better than a blanket since you can't drop it!). So for any new mom out there...this one's for you!

Using the Bebe au Lait as a makeshift stroller liner at Disneyland

You can purchase Bebe au Lait covers at Maternal Connections within El Camino Hospital, Right Start in Palo Alto, The Children's Shoppe in Menlo Park, Due Maternity in San Francisco, Nordstrom, and a bunch of other places all around The Valley.

Sprinkles Cupcakes

2009-03-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry, but you haven't had a cupcake till you've had a Sprinkles Cupcake.

These aren't your everyday, run of the mill cupcakes, either. These are high-end, gourmet cupcakes that come in a wide array of flavors. The cake itself is not very sweet, but the sugary frosting balances the whole entirely. Each and every cake is scrumptious, but we're nuts about the strawberry flavored ones in this house. Next week's book group meeting is about breast cancer survival so I'm thinking about bringing the pink ones since they kinda go with the theme ;0)

This Beverly Hills establishment is sweeping the nation, and I am glad we have one in The Valley to call our own. Don't have a Sprinkles in your hometown? No problem! Buy the mix at your local Williams Sonoma.

Sprinkles is located in the Stanford Shopping Center.

Bakfiet Lustings

2009-03-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

3 in 1

What I wouldn't give for any one of these bicycles! Aren't they gorgeous? And practical. I could totally see myself riding around my little neighborhood in one of these...preferably looking as relaxed and care-free as that model.

Light and compact

Bakfiets, pronounced "bach feets" are adult cargo bikes that are very popular in The Netherlands for hauling children, groceries, and any other sort of thing you might put in the back of your car. Bakfiets are now being imported into the US, and I want one bad...

Favorite of the Danish Royals

Art Museum Musings

2009-03-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

I grew up in museums as a child. My dad was in the military so we traveled all over, and we lived in Europe for several years. We explored places like the Louvre (the Mona Lisa is tiny), the Palace of Versailles (almost got kicked out for sitting on some old chairs), perfume factories, glass blowing facilities, old castles, zoos, planetariums, art museums, natural history museums, science museums, the list went on and on...and my sister and I complained the WHOLE time. "This is BORING! We want to go home! Why did you bring us here??? We want to go to Disneyland!" And over and over they told us, "Someday you'll appreciate this, damnit!" So now, as a parent, I realize the value in what they were trying instill in their unwilling, wretched children: Art and history and exploration is COOL! And Disney World, while entertaining, doesn't even compare to the real thing...

If you have relatively well behaved kids, I don't see why parents can't feel welcome to take them into "grown-up" museums. Docents following around kindergartners, begging them not to touch anything, are underestimating kid abilities and self-control. There is real intrinsic value in learning to appreciate creativity and imagination, and kids today are the ones who will be supporting these museums in 30 years!

The San Jose Museum of Art is a great kid resource in the south bay. It's not too big, they usually have a wide selection of different art mediums to look at, and the ticket admissions are more than reasonably priced. They also offer youth and summer programs that look like a lot of fun!

I've taken Matthew to see the M.C. Escher and Op Art exhibits in the past, and was recently there for an event opening of the Frida Khalo exhibit.

The DeYoung Fine Art is also a great resource for art exploration. The food is good, the art is plentiful and varied, and the Music Concourse is a great place to get some energy out after being indoors.

Etsy Ecstasy

2009-03-02T18:31:00.000-08:00

When I see stuff like this, I always think, "I could do that..."

Or this.

*sigh* or this.

But then I never do. Doh.