Arts and Crafts

Austin's 2009 Turkey

I love celebrating and decorating for the holidays, I just don’t like the commercialization of them. So a great thing to do with your kid(s) is to make some decorations to hang on the door. Every year for Thanksgiving Austin and I make a construction paper turkey for our front door. Yesterday we ran into our neighbor in the elevator and he asked Austin if he was going to make another turkey this year — this spurred us into action. You might want to make one at your house, too. Your involvement really depends on the age and ability of your kids, but it really is a fun project to do together.

All you need is some construction paper in fall colors and one piece of black, scissors, glue and some crayons.

Cut out a shape that resembles a turkey’s body and head — you can use brown or yellow paper. Let your child color it and draw the face on. While they’re coloring, start to cut out some “feathers” in all different colors. The actual size doesn’t matter (they should be appropriate for your turkey’s body), but try and make them uniform. Put them in a pile. Once your child is ready, let them start to glue the feathers onto the top of the turkey’s body. I like to glue them behind so they look nice sticking out from the front, but either way is fine.

Cut out some black legs to glue on, and a pilgrim-esque top hat if you feel the urge. Remember, it doesn’t need to look perfect, that’s part of its charm. Allow the glue to dry and voila! Instant holiday cheer, and time to bond with your kid to boot. Gobble gobble!

Save Me

If you head on over to bloomingdales.com now through November 15th, enter “HOLIDAY” at checkout and you can get 20% off just about everything for yourself, kids and home. It’s the friends and family sale, and since you’re my friend and this is “family favs,” you’re in!

Mad, Mad World

Well I watched the season finale of Mad Men last night, and it did not disappoint. It really is the best show on TV — just when you think it’s going to take the Hollywood way out, it doesn’t. It’s well acted, well written, well plotted…well, well, well — I won’t spoil anything here. I’ll just say that you have until next summer to catch up on the three seasons you haven’t seen. So excellent!

Etc.

We had out first parent-teacher conference for Austin today. He brought home his first report card yesterday and he did really well! So cute. It’s so interesting to hear how your child is away from home, with his daily interactions. I really wonder if he’ll end up doing something artistic, because both his nursery school teachers and his current teacher have talked about how well he draws and that his pictures are so detailed. Time will tell!

Almost halfway through the work week!

The Price is Right

Addison has a really nice pair of Stride Rite Mary Janes, all dark brown suede and embroidered flowers. But now that it’s starting to get colder, I wanted to get her a little pair of boots to keep her tootsies warm, especially in the stroller. I was at Old Navy, and they had the cutest pair of embroidered Ugg-knock offs for $19.50! (You can’t really see the embroidered flowers in this pic, but they’re on the side toward the back.) The fur lining is super warm and they look very cute and stylish on her little legs. I’d say it’s a bargain!

Stroller Recall: What Next?

I’ve only been using my Maclaren Techno XT for close to five years, and now they decide to recall it? Apparently when you close it down, the uncovered part of the hinges can amputate little fingers. Ouch! Consumers can contact Maclaren at 877-688-2326 or visit www.maclaren.us/recall to receive a free repair kit, which apparently consists of covers for the rest of the hinges.

Not This Nor That

Yesterday we decided to try this organic restaurant a couple of blocks away, Gusto Organics (6th Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets). We sat down and I didn’t realize for a while that Ugly Betty (aka the actress America Ferrara) was having lunch right next to us. She is not only cute, she’s very petite — which is so disgusting, because Hollywood makes her out to be this heifer, on the show and off. H-wood is seriously out of control in many ways. Anyway she was with a guy and a girl, enjoying the zen-like ambiance which was all but ruined when my kids walked in. The food was pretty good — the kids got little pizzas and Ken and I opted for the arugula salad, featuring mango and walnuts and to which I added some organic chicken. The service is spotty. But I like that everything is organic and sustainable, and the prices are fairly reasonable.

Mickey D’s goes for Hip

For several weeks they have been remodeling the McDonald’s around the corner. I know this because we walk by it on the way to school and Austin is always telling me about their progress. This weekend I walked by and did a double take — I thought it was a new, hip coffee bar with Paul Smith-esque striped wallpaper and Knoll furniture. But no, it’s serving the same old MSG-laden crap that will make you thirsty for days. I’m not sure if this is something they plan on rolling out or it’s unique to my neighborhood.  I definitely give them points for trying. If you want one of their new coffee drinks, I can think of worse places to sit. Good luck getting that fry smell off of your clothes.

Diva Meets Diva

I had Rachel Ray on this morning and apparently on Thursday on her show, she and Martha Stewart are going to face off in the kitchen. I think it could be highly entertaining, given that Martha is not good at hiding her disdain for anything. Either way, it has to be better than the mother and daughter Rachel had on today. Why are they feuding? Over who makes the better apple pie. Riveting!

Etc.

Today was school picture day so Austin and I made sure he looked nice. He was so cute, asking me to comb his hair with water and to wipe his face. We decided to go for a green and white gingham checked Ralph Lauren button down, with jeans and a brown leather belt. So handsome!

I had the day off and it was so gorgeous out! We walked a lot outside and just explored the hood, hit the park with the kids and ran some errands. A great day!

Hollywood Inbreeding

Saturday night we had a great date night: dinner at Eatery and then off to see Carrie Fisher — that’s Princess Leia to you — on Broadway in Wishful Drinking.

I’d recommend making a reservation if you’re headed to Eatery (53rd and 9th) pre-theater. They have a varied menu, all at reasonable prices, which isn’t always easy to find in mid-town. The Asian Chicken Salad is tasty, as is the fried calamari appetizer, and the peanut-crusted salmon. The people next to us had the meatloaf, which also looked delicious, with mashed potatoes underneath and thick onion rings on top. Unless you’re drinking to oblivion, two people can have a nice meal for around $75.

Then it was on to the old Studio 54, which is now a theater and currently features Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show. It had gotten good reviews and she’s a funny writer, so we decided to give it a whirl. It did not disappoint. She has had a truly crazy life as the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, the Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt of their day. Until her father left her mother for Elizabeth Taylor (Angelina!). And from there things get crazier, including her marriage to Paul Simon (when describing them being apart due to work, she says he was off “Simon and Garfunkeling”), her marriage to agent Bryan Lourds, who then decided he was gay, her bouts of addiction, her use of electro shock therapy for her bi-polar disorder, her best friend dying next to her in her bed, her feelings about George Lucas owning her likeness, and on and on. She really is gifted with the one-liners, and I won’t ruin most of the surprises here, but one of my favorites is that “celebrity is just obscurity biding its time.”

It always amazes me when someone can stand onstage for close to two and a half hours and keep a packed house entertained with just words. I highly recommend it for a fun night out if you’re at all into pop culture. There’s no moral to the story, really, it’s just that the story’s oh so good.

You can always find women dressed as Princess Leia handing out discount flyers for the show in Times Square. But I would buy in advance, particularly for a weekend, as our show was sold out. Any seat in the theater is good for this production — we sat upstairs and saw everything fine.

Bitter Pill

What? The House of Representatives actually passed some legislation that’s going to help people and improve our lives?! If you are out of a job, or lower income, and without health insurance, and you vote Republican in the next elections, well, no one can save you from yourself. With very, very few exceptions, they have done NOTHING to advance the cause, they have only tried to block every attempt at progress and offer no meaningful alternative except scare tactics and empty rhetoric. Let’s hope the Senate can bring this one home, truly for the people.

Consumer Reports does the job of the Government

I’ve talked about BPA in water bottles, now comes word that Consumer Reports went and did what the FDA should have — they tested food that comes in cans, and lo and behold, the liner in cans that contains BPA is leaching into the food. It’s so disturbing — Canada has outlawed the chemical, which is essentially synthetic estrogen, but we just let it ride, allowing companies to voluntarily eliminate it. Nicholas Kristof wrote an interesting/disturbing piece on it today; read it here.

Etc.

Ken went to the Eagles vs. Cowboys game in Philadelphia tonight with my sister, made all the more logistically complicated by the fact that SEPTA, the transit workers’ union of Philly, is on strike. Good luck to them getting out of there before 2am tonight with all of the traffic.

Don’t the weekends go so fast? It was a beauty out there today — in the 60s and sunny. Everyone was eating outside. The kids loved not having to wear a jacket. Hope you had a good one!

Uh Oh

Today I’m cranky…so let’s talk about a few things…

Schick Quattro razors for Women suck. Can no one make a decent razor for women??

Beauty.com has lost my business. They are running a friends and family promotion (it’s a click through from an email or else I would have given you the code). So last night during the Yankee game (go Yanks!) I ordered a few things that I use on a regular basis, figuring I may as well save 20%. Everything was fine, I ordered my stuff and it showed the correct prices, up until I hit “place order.” When I got the confirmation email, I noticed it charged me full price. So I called their customer service number, explained the situation and she gave me some crazy explanation and said there was no way she could change it. What?! After some back and forth, she cancelled the order, gave me a credit for the 20% and then reinstated my order.  My feeling is, either offer a discount promotion or don’t, but don’t bait and switch and blatantly try and rip people off. Last order with them.

According to Snopes, the onion cure I posted with hope yesterday is a falsehood. Check out their rationale here. I still say even if there’s no scientific evidence, it’s worth a shot. If you’re really sick, I wouldn’t avoid going to the doctor by putting onions on your feet, but hey…

And finally, dear husbands of the land, if your wife pleads with you to please try and deal with some of the tons and tons of details that make up the logistics of getting the family through the day, please do not come back with, “I got the kids dressed.” Puh-leeze. We moms can use our teeth to get the kids dressed with both hands tied behind our backs. We’re talking about every last detail concerning school papers, playdates, after school activities, babysitters, medications, doctor appointments, groceries, snacks for the class, donations, pie sales, fundraisers and on and on.

OK I feel a little better now.

Single of the Week

Here’s Ken:

Manufacturing woes. Outsourcing. Immigration. Lost educational opportunities.
Sugarland sees it, and tries to give the heartland some heart with their single Something More, an interesting look into the psyche of the man in the middle states. The song was written well before the mortgage meltdown era, but encapsulates the angst and drudgery of those feeling left behind and overwhelmed. Yet what is that something more? Healthcare? Vacation? A sense of purpose? The new Coetzee novel? I’ve always been a fan of Sugarland, but never really thought about their life-ain’t-always-fair songs being anything more than a means to carry along a great tune. And is it true commiseration and identification with their fan base, or plain ol’ down home marketing? (One marketing note: the band turned from a trio to a duo after this album. Guess who got kicked out: the cute blonde lead singer, the dude in the cowboy hat or the heavy-set woman with the short, spiky haircut?)
Click here to see the video.

Etc.

Thank goodness the weekend is almost here.

We went to a benefit for the National Breast Cancer Coalition at Cipriani tonight. I love their bellinis! We had a couple. Dana Delaney of Desperate Housewives was there — she looked good. John Legend performed. He was great — I really like Ordinary People. The gift bag was pretty good, too (which is  the main reason I go, frankly) — lipstick, blush, Gucci perfume, Allure magazine, John Legend CD, all in a nice pink tote. And all for a great cause!

I’m giving a lecture tomorrow night. I hope it goes well as over 150 people have rsvp’d.

After that I can relax — we’ve got tickets to see Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show on Saturday night. It has gotten good reviews so it should be fun.

Have a good one!

Buy Stock in Onions

I get those forwarded emails all the time about different remedies, wives’ tales, etc, but this one caught my eye and if it’s true, well, it’s worth a shot. Here’s the deal, straight from the email:

A friend of mine told me a story about how when he was a kid he was in the hospital & near dying.  His Italian grandmother came to the hospital & told a family member to go buy her a large onion & a new pair of white cotton socks.  She sliced the onion open then put a slice on the bottom of each of his feet & put the white cotton socks on him.  In the morning when he awoke they removed the socks.  The slices of onion were black & his fever was gone.  The following story that someone sent to me might have some truth in it & we are going to try this winter.

In 1919 when the flu killed 40  million people there was this Doctor that visited the many  farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and  many died.The doctor came upon this
one farmer and to his surprise,  everyone was very healthy.
When the doctor asked what  the farmer was doing that was different
the wife replied  that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in
the rooms  of the home, (probably only two rooms back then).
The  doctor couldn’t believe it and asked if he could have one
of  the onions and place it under the microscope.  She
gave  him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus
in  the onion.  It obviously absorbed the bacteria,
therefore, keeping the family healthy.

 

Now, I heard
this story from my hairdresser in AZ.   She said that several
years ago many of her employees were  coming down with the flu and so
were many of her  customers.  The next year she placed several
bowls with  onions around in her shop.  To her surprise, none
of  her staff got sick.  It must work..  (And no, she
is not in the onion business.)The moral of the story is,
buy some onions and place them  in bowls around your home.  If
you work at a desk,  place one or two in your office or under your
desk or even  on top somewhere.  Try it and see what
happens.   We did it last year and we never  got the
flu.

If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick,  all the better.  If you do get the flu, it just might  be a mild case.. Whatever, what have you to lose?  Just a few bucks on  onions!!!!!!

Now there is a P. S.: I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues.  She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:Weldon,thanks for the reminder.  I don’t know about the farmers
story…but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia and needless to say I
was very ill…I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an
onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty
jar…..placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion
would be black in the morning from the germs…sure enough it happened
just like that…the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic
placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They
have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

Hmmmm! Look, anything’s possible. And there’s no harm in cutting up an onion! I forwarded this to one of my friends who happens to have pneumonia right now, and she said she’s going to try the onion on the fork tonight in her room. I’ll check in with her tomorrow and see how it worked, and I’ll report back. I may try it in my kids’ room since there’s ALWAYS germs floating around in there. Knowing my daughter’s luck, she’ll give her doll a bath in her play bathtub and unearth the Bubonic Plague.

Enough with the Animal Prints

MObama (I love that nickname) has this whole leopard thing going on. She cannot get enough. She wore it on Halloween and tried to turn it into a costume with some ears. Her latest was a sequined leopard print cardigan. I don’t think I approve. She does get stuck in her ruts — if it’s not this it’s one of her big old belts.

Oh wait — here, she’s rockin’ both! Oy…

Oscars, Anyone?

Apparently Hugh Jackman turned them down to host the Oscars again this year, and now apparently Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. turned them down (they would have hosted as a pair). So who will  step up to the plate? Well, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will, of course. They’ve just been confirmed to host the March 7th ceremonies. Note to producers: give Neil Patrick Harris something, anything, to do. And you might want to tell Kim Basinger to stay home that night.

Etc.

Why in the world is James Franco taking an acting job on General Hospital? Is his agent high?

Addison is somewhat better — no appendicitis, thank goodness. Just general sore throat/ear infection/cough, etc. Come to think of it, maybe I should just shove onions down that poor girl’s pants.

All of the Halloween candy at work is just about down to the dregs. It’s so funny to see what’s always left: lollipops, those caramels with the white center, and sweet tarts. Grody.

Will the Yankees do it? Austin will have to wear his Matsui jersey tomorrow. It’s the top of the 6th and he already has 6 RBIs…

See you tomorrow!

One of Those Days

We started out in the early morning voting as a family, complete with Austin pulling the lever back halfway too soon, leaving Ken to wonder if his votes were even counted at all.

We are ending the day watching Addison for signs of appendicitis. (She has a confirmed ear infection, sore throat and respiratory distress. Hello nebulizer!)

Never a dull moment in this house! I really need a night where I can just put the kids to bed and watch bad TV. Not gonna happen.

Presto Pasta Salad

This weekend we went to a spooktacular Halloween party at a friend’s home, and they served a Pesto Pasta Salad that was delish. Even Austin enjoyed a plateful. Whereas many pasta salads are dry or way too oily, this one is tasty with just enough heft to it. So I got the recipe (my friend Nikki adapted it from the Barefoot Contessa) and of course, I had to share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 pounds fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto:

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Yield: 4 cups

Stella Slums It

I gave you all the heads up a few weeks ago that Stella McCartney was designing a collection for babyGap. And now it’s here! Check it out at gap.com. I wasn’t so into the stuff for boys — there’s a cool puffer jacket, but for $88 I’ll pass. The girls stuff is cuter (big surprise). And of course, it’s going fast! I got Addison a few things at 6am this morning, including a hot pink anorak that is now sold out. I also got her this cute corduroy flutter top (pictured) and a turtleneck. There was a dress that I liked but it was silk and the kiss of death for me on kids clothes are the words “Dry Clean Only.” I think the pricepoints are ok — they won’t let you use the 10% off Tuesday discount, but if you have credit card rewards, you can apply those. Overall, I give the collaboration a B+. Some stuff I wish they had in my size!

Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood

When we went to vote this am, on 18th Street between 7th and 8th, right by Barneys Coop, Westville Chelsea is opening late fall. Score! Westville West on Bleecker is a cute little place that serves up delicious food, all with a market menu that serves up only what’s fresh. We are just out of their delivery zone, but this new Chelsea location is perfectly located. it’s great because it’s another nearby kid-friendly spot. Between this and the soon to open Grey Dog Chelsea on 16th Street, I’ll never move!

Etc.

As I mentioned, it has been one of those days…maybe I should just go to bed and cut my losses. Hope your Tuesday was much, much better!

What Matters Most in a Cell Phone?

Family Favs reader Liz from Australia wrote in recently with this question and a helpful site about it, so we asked her to be our guest blogger for the day. Here she is:

Recently, my phone was either stolen or lost.  Fortunately, I had the good sense to have signed up for the insurance coverage when signing up for the plan.  Having a smartphone, the insurance plan was the way to go with my particular cell phone company.  My husband, Matt, broke his iphone and the replacement cost, at the time, was in the hundreds.

Having lived with the Blackberry Storm for the past 9 months, I realized that using it hadn’t gotten much easier and that it was still a bit cumbersome.  So, I asked the insurance rep if I would be able to switch phones, as long as they were sending me a new one.  They gave me a couple of Nokia options.

I came across an excellent web site that helped me greatly to make the decision.  It wasn’t about the ratings of the phone, the ease of use or the newer and better features, it ranks the phones with regard to the level of radiation output.  It ranks the top 10 best and worst phones and smartphones.  You can also plug in your phone’s model number to see the level of radiation output.

The web site if from a group in Washington called the Environmental Working Group and the web site is:

http://www.ewg.org/project/2009cellphone/get-a-safer-phone.php

The truth is, there is a lot of confusing information out there.  There have been scientific studies linking brain and salivary gland tumors with cell phone use, while the FDA claims that there is no scientific correlation between cell phone use and health problems.  Frankly, it’s an ambiguous risk that’s not worth taking.

In the end, while the Nokia models presented to me were newer, shinier and looked like more fun, they fall on the bottom of the rankings with regard to radiation output.

My cumbersome Blackberry Storm happens to be one of the 10 best smartphones for low radiation output.  So, I guess my priorities are changing. I don’t need the sleekest and coolest smartphone on the market, but I do need one that is a little bit safer, especially when my 6 year old asks me to play a game on it.

Thanks Liz!

This is Probably It As Long As We Can’t Make Any More Money

Friday night Suzanne and I went to see the Michael Jackson movie, This Is It. If you’re a Michael Jackson fan, it’s definitely worth seeing. He really was such a talented individual, and yes, it also confirms how freakish he was. I found it interesting how awkward he was in dealing with other people — when he had to give feedback, he almost couldn’t. He was a perfectionist who was nervous about delivering his marching orders. (When trying to explain to the band how to play something, he repeated “I say it with love” about ten times, almost like, “Don’t be mad at me.”) The one thing I thought was missing was any footage from after Michael died. It would have been interesting to hear the reaction from those who were working so closely with him. Instead it ends with them all hopeful about the tour that was supposed to begin in a few weeks. Again I say, such a needless death, and such a waste. RIP.

Etc.

The clocks turning back is killing me. The kids are up so early, I am falling asleep by 9pm, and it’s dark out by 4:30.

So I will say good night with the Phillies leading!

Support or Bust

Is it just me, or is this hour shift killing everyone? Oh, daylight savings…

I saw a friend this weekend and she has been going through a rough time for about a year now. (I’m not sure she wants her story broadcast, so we’ll call her Missy.) I should preface this by saying that Missy is in general a really positive person, so to see how the stress of this ordeal has taken its toll is truly terrible. Anyway, Missy owns an apartment on the Upper West Side on the top floor of her building. The roof went into disrepair from years of neglect and she had massive leaks in her apartment, leading to a dreaded mold problem. She tried to deal with the coop directly, but they were unresponsive. So she dealt with the city housing authority (not very helpful since they weren’t renters), arbitrators, lawyers, insurance companies — the list goes on and on. In the meantime, she and her family had no where to live. For over a year they have been staying at different friends’ and family’s apartments. And even though she has won in court and the coop is legally supposed to clean up the mold, they haven’t.

Then, about six months ago, her husband’s non-profit arts organization began re-negotiating its lease with the landlord. At first, even in this economy, the guy wanted to raise the rent by an outrageous amount. Then, part-way through negotiations, they discovered that the space is zoned by law to only be available to an arts organization, severely limiting who the owner can rent to.  Missy took over negotiations and started an online petition to convince the landlord that he should want the group to stay as his tenants. She told me this morning that while she has gotten some concessions, the whole process has been so unpleasant that she has re-examined her life and come to a simple conclusion: neither their home nor place of business was supporting them in what they wanted to accomplish in life. So now she has a two year plan to get them out of both places.

Which got me thinking: next time I have a tough decision, a time when something doesn’t feel quite right, I am going to ask the question, “Is this situation supportive of me?” Seems simple, but if the answer is no, I think it becomes that much clearer what needs to change. So good luck to Missy and her family, and thanks for the clarity.

Life is not always easy.

Halloween Wrap Up

I don’t remember Halloween being such a jam-packed holiday when I was a kid. It’s crazy! My kids got a lot of wear out of their costumes, which is a good thing. We had a late afternoon party yesterday at some friends of ours, and the food was delicious. There was an amazing pesto pasta salad which I will have to post the recipe for, and for dessert there were pumpkin whoopee pies with a cream cheese filling that were pretty amazing. We were some of the last people there, mostly because I was so tired from being out all day and I just wanted to sit on their couch.

I have tried really hard to not let my kids know that in NYC, just about every store is open for trick or treating. So the kids literally go up and down the avenues filling their buckets. Well, on our way home, we ran into our super and his family trick or treating. His kids were like, “Come on, Austin!” And he went inside with them to get some candy. It was like a whole new world had been opened to him.

The amount of sugar ingested in one day by these kids is just astounding — and disturbing. I was talking to a mother at another party we had today, and she was telling me that her son basically passed out of Halloween because his entire day’s diet consisted of candy. Lovely.

I actually don’t mind the chocolate, but the hard candies and lollipops gross me out — it’s just pure sugar. So we make a deal with the kids — if they get rid of all of their non-chocolate candies, they can get a toy. Or, this year, they traded it for kinder eggs, which we brought back from France. It’s essentially a chocolate egg with an amazing little toy inside.

Another Halloween is over. Enough treats — we need more tricks for a healthier nation!

Etc.

It’s a little after 8:15pm and I am already falling asleep. I’ll never make it through the baseball game!

Isn’t it a little odd that today’s NY Times Magazine is about the Obama’s marriage? Weirder still is that they actually sat for interviews for it. I read the piece and got no new revelations, so don’t feel you missed anything if you haven’t seen it yet.

I can’t believe another Monday is upon us. Make it a good one!

Single of the Week

Here’s Ken:

When your kid becomes a disaffected, morose teen, she’ll be listening to the kind of emo/punk/alt-pop stuff that Paramore churns out. It’s some serious power chords coupled with the emotional turbulence of teen life. In this way, Tennessee-born lead singer Hayley Williams is the perfect encapsulation of the band and its music – she’s got the punk pink cut, but also has the disarming smile. See what you’ll soon be up against here.

Etc.

Short post today — we had the potluck for Austin’s class, and met a lot of the parents. I brought dessert — brownies and cream cheese bars that Austin and I made. I was psyched because two different people were raving about my cream cheese bars! I’ll have to put the recipe up next week.

Have a great weekend. Happy Halloween — and don’t forget to turn your clocks back!!

Rocky Mountain High

I’m back from Denver and can report that I won’t be moving there. Ha ha…to be fair, I really wasn’t there long and only was in the downtown district. LoDo! They have a free shuttle that runs up and down 16th Street and makes it easy to get around, and there’s a strip on Larimer that has a lot of cute restaurants and shops. It was snowing and overcast on day one (in October!) so we couldn’t see the mountains, but when the sun came out it made a beautiful backdrop to the city. When I go back I’d like to venture out and see the beauty of the land.

Rioja

As for restaurants, clearly all of the snow leads to days inside experimenting in the kitchen. Which isn’t a bad thing. Two I tried and recommend are TAG Continental Social Food (1441 Larimer), an inventive little place that changes its menu often and focuses on using fresh ingredients in interesting ways. The highlight was a ceviche which included Pop Rocks (yes, those Pop Rocks) in the marinade. The sweet cherry pop cut through the salty fish nicely to create a flavorful sensation. They also had a great wine list. Rioja (1433 Larimer) puts its story on the table when you take your seat. They are all about sustainable ingredients and recycling (not the food, but everything else). Homemade pastas, hand carved meats and other lovingly created morsels are the stars here, and the attention to detail remains even when the sugar-coated mint leaves arrive with the check. The highlight here was the s’more dessert, a high end version with graham cracker sticks, rich chocolate and a perfectly toasted layer of marshmallow.

Pop Culture

Finally, the suits came around to realizing what we all a did a few Emmys ago and they went and hired Ricky Gervais to host this year’s Golden Globes. Awesome, as my kids would say. That’s my favorite awards show anyway, but this seriously puts it over the top. And since Hugh Jackman apparently doesn’t want to host the Oscars again, this may be the main event.

People are asking me who I am rooting for but I would be truly happy with either the Yanks or the Phillies!

I am sorry to report that I think Gossip Girl has jumped the proverbial shark. Moving them out of high school just makes them all seem petty, vapid and mean. In high school it was all so…fun. Not anymore. I may have to give it up, which kills me! I remember when it was SO good…

Etc.

I am so glad I got out of Denver on a flight last night as they were scheduled to get a foot of snow today. Yikes! Guess all those hooligans outside of the Starbucks had to bundle up. We don’t really have this phenomenon in NYC. I don’t know if they’re young and homeless or just young and annoying, but these kids are pretty aggressive beggars and just seem to hang out, harassing passers-by.  Believe me, we here in the Big Apple have many problems, just not this one.

I can’t believe Halloween is just about here. After that it always feels like auto-pilot til the end of the year. Now that’s scary!!

Hope you’re well!