tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17260202870913924172024-03-05T18:16:27.071-08:00La Nanny AmericaineRachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-32941320244633368682011-02-17T14:18:00.000-08:002011-02-17T14:18:57.221-08:00Apologies are in order. I've been remiss. And while I'm not quite back to posting, I do, on the other hand, have some new eye candy to share.<br />
<br />
Not only is my <a href="http://www.bluestockingcreative.com/">website</a> live and running, but so is my <a href="http://bluestockingcreative.tumblr.com/">.tumblr diary</a>, where I share what I'm eating, reading, seeing, listening to, and just in general, loving. It's short, it's sweet, it's frequent, and it's pretty.<br />
<br />
Why not have a look?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bluestockingcreative.com/">http://www.bluestockingcreative.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://bluestockingcreative.tumblr.com/">http://bluestockingcreative.tumblr.com/</a><br />
<br />
And what is a bluestocking, you ask? A noun: a woman with strong scholarly or literary interests. From the Bluestocking Society, an 18th century London literary society whose members - predominately female - wore blue worsted stockings to their meetings.<br />
<br />
And bluestocking creative is all about being as collaborative, integrative, and creative as possible.<br />
<br />
PS Confession: N and M and I are officially in love. New post on N's most hilarious comments coming soon, but if you like reading them in real time, make sure to follow me on Twitter! New name: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/bluestocking_">@bluestocking_</a>(same girl).<br />
<br />
XOXORachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-23663896927616611652011-01-26T18:29:00.001-08:002011-01-26T18:29:55.276-08:00Dress Linda - Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Week Contest<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/dress_linda_bergdorf_goodman_fashion/set?id=27566651'><img alt='Dress Linda - Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Week Contest' title='Dress Linda - Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Week Contest' height='400' width='400' src='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFlJNYl9VTDBwNEJHckdzM2hwWW1OTWcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg'/></a><br/><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/dress_linda_bergdorf_goodman_fashion/set?id=27566651'>Dress Linda - Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Week Contest</a> by <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=2096221'>missrachel_lora</a> featuring <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/art_deco_necklaces/shop?query=art+deco+necklaces'>art deco necklaces</a></small><p/><br /></div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-35143583781600137432011-01-05T08:10:00.000-08:002011-01-05T08:10:25.226-08:00Please Excusemy absenteeism as I take a brief hiatus in order to get my website and other business in order. I will be back shortly (along with the much-requested recipe for my Buche de Noel). In the meantime, you can always follow me on Twitter at @missrachel_lora for article sharing, DIY-ing, style mantra-making, M & N's mischief-making, and more!Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-53064489799377949862010-12-22T12:59:00.000-08:002010-12-22T12:59:19.265-08:00Holiday PopsIt's a gray, cold day here in Kansas City, despite all the bustle I'm sure abounds out on the streets and in the shops. And, yet, with a few more Christmas parties on my social schedule, I've got my holiday look on my mind.<br />
<br />
'Tis certainly the season to sparkle, yes, and neutral minimalism has ruled the runways as well as of late. But for the holidays, I think it's just as appropriate to look forward to spring and celebrate by being, well, both cheery and bright.<br />
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Neons and bright solids are a hot trend for spring, both in beauty and apparel and even if you're somewhat color shy, a pop of color can be easily added to your go-to little black dress. Personally, as I'm always erring on the side of preppy, there's nothing I love more than to mix together brights. Here's how:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5goY2Oj68x1y0Ojzzg8Ih27W924lwthPLo7OzG6g4HgNLE8LXEN-YdrGVR7c_PnylamPQ3OPXSwATJhJzP3AYCgodgwRyE9zBshO1hIuDvjKxKWk_8M95_xVi6xvliqnz3bTt1lOZkg/s1600/trsl01_marc_by_marc_jacobs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5goY2Oj68x1y0Ojzzg8Ih27W924lwthPLo7OzG6g4HgNLE8LXEN-YdrGVR7c_PnylamPQ3OPXSwATJhJzP3AYCgodgwRyE9zBshO1hIuDvjKxKWk_8M95_xVi6xvliqnz3bTt1lOZkg/s400/trsl01_marc_by_marc_jacobs.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left">Coral's one of the hot colors, as seen in the Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 show (above). Take a cue from this monochromatic look by adding some coral color to your holiday look with a mix of bangles, and some bright lips. Coral looks brilliant when paired with blue, but would look especially fresh with a winter white. Or try coral on your nails; a good polish to try is Essie's Vermillionaire.</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8Oq8dtF_LUix0ich4SmA2M4nJ0pOHd2jCg_0ZYORWwZLTWdh8A1PqhNpwkqtPsXkykVSQJ9En4dMf-7HrheKGN-bTMG7A1aY9YZqeUHwgLu59E3fFhwh6Zu9NWCyoTu-oyDqicqiMqg/s1600/dvf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG8Oq8dtF_LUix0ich4SmA2M4nJ0pOHd2jCg_0ZYORWwZLTWdh8A1PqhNpwkqtPsXkykVSQJ9En4dMf-7HrheKGN-bTMG7A1aY9YZqeUHwgLu59E3fFhwh6Zu9NWCyoTu-oyDqicqiMqg/s400/dvf.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">The lips at Diane von Furstenberg's Spring 2011 RTW show were neon pink, as the makeup drew inspiration from Andy Warhol's silkscreens of the designer. Try neon pink with graphic black and/or white, a bare face, and simple hair. This look would especially pop with the bare shoulders of a strapless black dress, and perhaps a simple stud earring (turquoise, diamond, or pearl) and a tiny bangle on the wrist for jewelry.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAd6jEkkjMIgfDnxDgscH2nFiHZ5-vXm4dTLL40nRKjQYybqlc3HT5YT32qmtp1u9388e69JdT9PEeqZotsjtT2p0EjT7nuFpdmv0TSrEGJN_0GZ4bwvHNRcMqT5SdA2QfpZUFWPkO_s/s1600/gucci1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAd6jEkkjMIgfDnxDgscH2nFiHZ5-vXm4dTLL40nRKjQYybqlc3HT5YT32qmtp1u9388e69JdT9PEeqZotsjtT2p0EjT7nuFpdmv0TSrEGJN_0GZ4bwvHNRcMqT5SdA2QfpZUFWPkO_s/s400/gucci1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QntAcccmdJGA59VdivFcHIDCvUvDRC4xp5kTWioWnw40-akSAburK_AwGlwTTEPE6yE-6n-p-KfE1yaEflHRAJDXIR1W_xcA8kF13636b8_qxcS6GUYC8iK7e2MnLjWuhjQfb3jlL4s/s1600/gucci2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QntAcccmdJGA59VdivFcHIDCvUvDRC4xp5kTWioWnw40-akSAburK_AwGlwTTEPE6yE-6n-p-KfE1yaEflHRAJDXIR1W_xcA8kF13636b8_qxcS6GUYC8iK7e2MnLjWuhjQfb3jlL4s/s400/gucci2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
Feeling braver? Try mixing two or three or four. I myself am quite fond of a watermelon-pink blouse with a skinny neon orange belt, which I balance with a navy mini and navy tights. I've a new pair of turqouise studs that I could add, and still keep things subtle (of sorts). But if I'm going for a bolder look, I might try for more, as seen on the Gucci Spring 2011 runways, above.<br />
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Bonne chance! And may your holidays sparkle and pop!</div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-11892080111294818382010-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:002010-12-16T15:01:12.456-08:00The Picture of Gentleman GrayIf you'll recall, a few weeks ago, <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/every-other-inch-gentleman.html">I pondered the evolution of the modern gentleman</a>. More specifically, the modern American gentleman.<br />
<br />
It's a tricky area of discussion, sartorially speaking. Take the CBS show, How I Met Your Mother and Neil Patrick Harris's bro of a character Barney Stinson, who always, always suits up. There's even an occasional tuxedo night.<br />
<br />
This is done in order to set him apart from the rest of the t-shirt wearing generation, but Barney Stinson - though he may enjoy his Scotch and fine haberdashery - is no gentleman. Britney Spears might even name him Womanizer.<br />
<br />
The suit, it would seem, does not the gentleman make. Clothes do not make the man, but a man must possess style to make them more than clothes.<br />
<br />
No, and though while I would love to return to a day and age in which everyman suited up and never left home without a hat, the truth is, these days, a gentleman of style is more sartorially complicated than coat and tie. It's about as being as effortlessly stylish in a henley and denim, as in fedora and gabardine.<br />
<br />
There is a certain level of respect these days for the American-made tradition.<br />
<br />
Take Made-In-America brand Rag and Bone. Started by English gentlemen Marcus Wainwright and David Neville, the designing pair began their creation with a trip to the land of high cotton, the Southern United States, to discover for themselves the tradition of of denim making:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="column first"><div class="column first">Founded in 2002, rag & bone had one very clear vision in mind: to make clothes that they and their friends would love to wear every day. With no formal fashion training, Marcus Wainwright & David Neville set about learning how to make jeans. They believed that denim represented the history, authenticity and fundamentals of classic work wear that they would strive to reflect in their designs. </div></blockquote><blockquote class="column first"><div class="column first">Beginning in Kentucky, rag & bone surrounded themselves with people who had been making patterns, cutting fabric and sewing their whole lives. Working with these kinds of craftsmen taught them the importance of quality, craftsman-ship and attention to detail early on.</div></blockquote><blockquote class="column first"><div class="column first">These principles soon became the keystones of the rag & bone philosophy, the definition of what clothing can and should be. With these principles in mind, whenever possible rag & bone produces the majority of their garments in U.S. factories that still sew clothes the same way they did 50 years ago.</div></blockquote><div class="column first"><br />
Which is why they partner with craftsmen and established businesses such as Martin Greenfield Tailors of Brooklyn, Norton and Sons of Saville Row, and Waterbury Button, "the oldest button manufacturer in US."</div><div class="column first"><br />
</div><div class="column first">Which is why they're something of experts when it comes to a gentleman's aesthetic.</div><div class="column first"><br />
</div><div class="column first">The fashion world is having something more than the normal fall and winter love affair with plaid moment; it started with a hum as <a href="http://bit.ly/fswO08">preppy went mainstream</a>, grew with a low boom as hipsters collected the buffalo plaid woodsman look, and has all of a sudden become something you simply cannot miss; whether it's in <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/tartans-tidings.html">lowly blogs such as this</a>, in the pages of shelter mags such as <a href="http://www.lonnymag.com/">Lonny</a>, or in the pages of every fashion glossy from Nylon to Town and Country. </div><div class="column first"><br />
</div><div class="column first">And, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/fashion/16TRADE.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimesstyle">as the New York Times noted this week</a>, the preppy plaid spread a widespread panic among moody chromophobes everywhere. </div><div class="column first"><br />
</div><div class="column first">Rag & Bone's David Neville included.</div><blockquote>“This is a gentler interpretation of plaid,” said David Neville, one of the partners behind Rag & Bone, who himself confessed to a certain aversion toward color. “Today I am wearing a combination of light gray, dark gray and black, so I guess I fit into that mold. But I <em>can </em>be a bit more adventurous — perhaps around the holidays. I wouldn’t wear a bold, bright plaid, but I would wear a shadow plaid. Subtle is good, you know?” </blockquote>Shadow plaids. Gentle, subtle, yes, the colors allow a gentleman to remain distinguished, and un-dandified, yet the plaids add a pop, and betray him as a man of style and modernity. <br />
<blockquote>“Shadow plaids are the new solids,” said Eric Jennings, the men’s fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue. “They’re ideal for men’s suiting. From far away they read as a solid color, and up close the texture and fabric come to life. And they’re the perfect background for a pop of color.” </blockquote><blockquote>It is worth noting that “shadow plaid,” like many men’s-wear terms, has taken on different meanings. Mr. Jennings uses it to describe understated tone-on-tone plaids, like dark brown on medium brown. Others use it to describe gray-scale plaids. Still others use it to describe the ombré plaids popular in Western shirts in which two colors gradate from one to the other. </blockquote><blockquote>But there is no question that plaids in plain gray, black and white combinations are the ones that have come in this season." </blockquote>Chromophobia, indeed.<br />
<br />
If a gentleman is all class and polish, what does it mean for color?<br />
<br />
David Neville may have an aversion to color, but as a gentleman of style, he has come to recognize this as his personal style (bravery, be damned) and owns it, and up to it. I've never seen Chuck Bass turn away from a purple, or a double-breasted suit, which is a personal style he holds true to season after season, trend after trend. <br />
<br />
As I began work on this article this morning, I had the low hum of the television in the background and as I was re-reading the Times article, what should come on but Dolce & Gabbana's ad for their cologne, "The One," as in, the One True Gentleman. <br />
<br />
Italian brand. American spokesman. Black and white. Miles Davis in the forefront. Take a look:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m1AYy302Pi4?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
Interesting isn't it, how the mere absence of color renders a concept timeless? Yet, in the end, he is still a man, and the colors of his complexion are reflected in the cognacs and coffees of the cologne. <br />
<br />
The classic trappings of gentleman-hood, are, in fact, often without color: Scotch, cigars, leather. Cliche though they may be,are they not what you picture when you call up Humphrey Bogart to memory? Or perhaps you see him in the silver time freeze of <em>Casablanca</em>, as I often do.<br />
<br />
For now, though, <br />
<blockquote>“It’s a part of the Americana vibe we’ve seen,” Nick Sullivan, the fashion director of Esquire, explained...This is a little step forward to something more sophisticated, and at the same time a step back to something more normal.” </blockquote><blockquote>But don’t go thinking that the emergence of shadow plaid is a sign that men’s wear is headed back to the Italianate ’90s, when Prada and Gucci put entire ZIP codes into sleek gray suiting with all the warmth of a charcoal briquette. As the retro-volutionary style of the gentleman continues to grow, its adherents are ready and willing to ferret out its less obvious manifestations. Kick it up a notch? A gentleman would just as soon kick it down.</blockquote>It gives me pause: is it the gentleman's distinguished duty to leave the color to the ladies - and the dandies? Is the art of gentlemanly dressing in the power of restraint, in balancing sharp sartorial style while letting the lady grace the chromatic scale? Is it the art of modern gentlemanly dressing to do so? <br />
<br />
I wonder.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-33471212486664221902010-12-15T13:33:00.000-08:002010-12-15T13:33:33.180-08:00"I Can't! My Baby Alligator Just Fall Down!" - And Other Such Stories from NSometimes, these things just hit you like 25 pounds of funny and you forget what you were reprimanding, asking, thinking about. Often, it's the things that come out of your own mouth, as I experienced when I worked at the preschool. Never thought you'd ask someone to please stop running around with markers in their mouth with no underpants on? Work with kids. And think again.<br />
<br />
I still have some of the funniest things from my pre-school kids on file in my memory.<br />
<br />
One little girl walked into school one morning and announced to everyone, her mother in tow, that, "My mommy was naked when she woke up this morning." Sorry mommy.<br />
<br />
N and I have our fair share of moments around here too, many of them just completely out of the blue, and as its been awhile since I've done a post like this, I thought I'd catch up over here off the Twittersphere. <br />
<br />
Enjoy.<br />
<br />
Me: "Come on, you two!"<br />
N: "I can't! My baby alligator just fell."<br />
Me: "Oh no!"<br />
N: "Yeah. Her name Pinnoch-nio."<br />
<br />
N(looking up at the Christmas tree): "I need to grow bigger! (runs over to me) Rachel, I need to get bigger!"<br />
Me: "You might if you sat down and ate your lunch!"<br />
N: "I am eating!" Shows a mouthful of food.<br />
<br />
N's mom: "Tell Rachel you'll see her later.<br />
N: "Yeah."<br />
<br />
N: "This is how you jump over Tipper (dog). We don't step on her. That make her mean."<br />
Me: "Well, it probably hurts her too!"<br />
N: "Yep. That make sense and stuff."<br />
<br />
Me (as N and I are snugglin', and she's burying her face in my curls. She does this a lot as she likes to twirl them): "Does my hair smell good or something?"<br />
N: "Your hair smokin'!" <br />
<br />
N: "I princess just like you!" <br />
I swear I don't bribe her to tell me that. Bless her heart, she came up with it all her own.<br />
<br />
Me: "Morning, N!"<br />
N: "Excuse me, Rachel!"<br />
Me: "Excuse you?"<br />
N: "Excuse me, I just poop again!"<br />
<br />
N: "What's this?"<br />
Me: "My zipper."<br />
N: "Let's un-zip."<br />
Me: "No, no, let's not."<br />
N (pulls my dress up): "That your booty!"<br />
Me: "Yep, that's my booty."<br />
<br />
N: "I want this sticker for you." Sticks it on my forehead. Hello, Kitty.<br />
<br />
Me: "What'd you do at school today?"<br />
N: "Play."<br />
Me: "What kind of things did you play."<br />
N: "I not roll up my bottle."<br />
Me: "Ah. Okay."<br />
<br />
N: "Look, look!"<br />
Me: "Oh you're in my boots! Quick let's take a pic to send mommy!"<br />
N: "No. I too falling down."<br />
<br />
N: "I not tall just like you, Rachel!"<br />
Not nearly as complimentary as the princess comment.<br />
<br />
N: "I not feeling well. You not feeling well?"<br />
Me: "Yeah. Can we watch Cinderella pretty please?"<br />
N: "Okay, nanny. We not feel well."<br />
<br />
N: "I don't want to hit M on the head anymore."<br />
Note: she hadn't been hitting him at all at the time, actually, was sitting and coloring quietly. Then volunteered this.<br />
<br />
N: "Look at my Christmas!"<br />
Talking about her family's Christmas tree(s).<br />
<br />
N: "Why you have messy hair?"<br />
Me: "It's curly. I have curly hair."<br />
N: Why you have curly hair?"<br />
Me: "I don't know, sweetie, I guess I just do!"<br />
N: "No. You have messy hair."<br />
<br />
<br />
Still yearning for more? Don't worry, N will keep saying things, and I will keep doing my best to record them, but to tide you over, see also my older posts, <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/n-says.html">N Says</a> and <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/09/grammar-lessons-with-n.html">Grammar Lessons with N</a>.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-81888948027017116872010-12-09T11:27:00.000-08:002010-12-09T11:27:29.435-08:00No post today, but still looking for some reading? I've published a new piece of short fiction over at Fictionaut: <a href="http://bit.ly/enCq6n">http://bit.ly/enCq6n</a><br />
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Happy Thursday!Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-40361325684655672962010-12-08T08:08:00.000-08:002010-12-08T11:27:59.769-08:00Disney's Last Princess - Why Tangled's Rapunzel Is the Studio's Farewell to Fairy Tales<span lang="EN">I'm looking at my bookshelf and counting the fairy tales.<br />
<br />
A Little Princess<br />
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (this would be there had my sister not heisted it)<br />
The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm<br />
The Classic Fairy Tales<br />
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister<br />
Beauty<br />
The Book of Fairy and Folk Tales of Ireland<br />
<br />
A month ago, twenty glossy children's books on loan from the library stacked tall next to my own fairy tales. In the spirit of conducting research for my own children's book I wish to write, I checked out all of what I could find in the princess genre at one of the local libraries. <br />
<br />
I can say with confidence that there are a few more decorating the corners of my childhood bedroom, now stripped nearly bare. Save for two beds, two nightstands, a dresser, and books. <br />
<br />
Twenty years ago, and that room would have been filled with much more magic, like shimmering cobwebs of imagination: fairy wands, and wings; princess hats, and petticoats; whispers of dragon's breath and princes.<br />
<br />
But in young girl's rooms across our land, fairytale magic has become as flickering a hope as Tinkerbell's last light. For as Disney's "<a href="http://adisney.go.com/disneypictures/tangled/">Tangled</a>" - a take on Rapunzel - plays merrily down the street, the animation studio makes plans to abandon the princess and fairy tales motifs. <br />
<br />
But across the pond - and throughout the world - all eyes keep watch on a new fairytale princess story: that of Kate Middleton, and her Prince William. <br />
<br />
And yet, already it is different. <br />
<br />
True, Kate is not of royal blood, marrying a royal - a common theme in the Cinderella, or Bluebeard, tale types. <br />
<br />
But she is something that even Lady Di was not: college-educated. <br />
<br />
As recently recounted in <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine">Time Magazine's</a> feature, "<a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2031962,00.html">Marriage: What's It Good For</a>," this will be the first royal coupling in England in which the betrothed are equal in education, a high-profile representative of a current trend in Western marriages: </span><br />
<blockquote>"Modern brides and grooms tend to be older and more similar. In particular, Americans are increasingly marrying people who are on the same socioeconomic and educational level." </blockquote>Certainly a far cry from princesses waiting around for Prince Charming to rescue them from dire situations. We are no longer locked in towers; "since more women than men have graduated from college for several decades, it's more likely than it used to be that a male college graduate will meet, fall in love with, wed and share the salary of a woman with a degree. Women's advances in education have roughly paralleled the growth of the knowledge economy, so the slice of the family bacon she brings home will be substantial."<br />
<br />
What's even more of a change is that we're rescuing ourselves, in a sense:<br />
<blockquote>"Well-off women don't need to stay in a marriage that doesn't make them happy; two-thirds of all divorces, it's estimated, are initiated by wives."</blockquote>In the past 25 years or so, Disney's princesses have made the move from sweet, trilling pretty faces to strong, independent characters, but the bottom line hasn't changed: these princesses have all needed to be rescued. What has changed, however, is that the men in their lives all required a bit of rescuing as well, somewhat equaling out the dynamic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-mTXulCPp8ZGvGANnPiPVVFeB8YlenzIKe-cwlXd0SXH8vNsSEUjtr6Q1QHNk7W6NBm6g50C07kiVc36P_s881BKCWKd8w3ucpkGxG90Unkvb2TRezKTHfNjbL8X3_oJGdvEcZHHtrU/s1600/Disney-Princess-disney-princess-618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-mTXulCPp8ZGvGANnPiPVVFeB8YlenzIKe-cwlXd0SXH8vNsSEUjtr6Q1QHNk7W6NBm6g50C07kiVc36P_s881BKCWKd8w3ucpkGxG90Unkvb2TRezKTHfNjbL8X3_oJGdvEcZHHtrU/s400/Disney-Princess-disney-princess-618.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Take <a href="http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelittlemermaid/">Ariel</a>, for example: defiant, independent, imaginative girl with dreams and a voice all her own defies her father not simply for the love of the human world, but the love of a man. She becomes mute in order to meet him, and relies on her love to save her from the sea witch, and to elevate her to the world of her dreams.<br />
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However, we must not forget that it was Ariel who saved Prince Eric from drowning.<br />
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Then there was Jasmine: a fiercely defiant princess, confined by the laws of the land which mandated an arranged marriage, longs to escape palace life. When she does, she meets a pauper boy, who pretends to be a prince, then must defeat the evil Jafar in order to save the princess and her father, so that she can have her happy ending: a love match. This may be a triumph, yes, as she is allowed to choose her husband, something her predecessors have not been able to do, but ultimately, she is still being saved by her man. <br />
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Curiously though, Aladdin - the peasant boy and "street rat" is equally saved from his economic situation by Jasmine.<br />
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And in the latest princess installment, there was Tiana, of "<a href="http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/">The Princess and the Frog</a>," whose father always told her that with hard work, her dream of opening a restaurant would someday come true. She meets Naveen as the Frog Prince, a lazy prince whose fortunes are out of reach until he learns to sustain himself, but who is also in danger of being kept a frog forever by the voodoo man. <br />
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Tiana teaches Naveen love, patience, and pride in independence, and together, they save each other: they find happiness in love, which turns them human again, and Naveen's fortunes are restored, and Tiana is able to open the restaurant of her dreams (One could even argue that Tiana needed less rescuing than Naveen).<br />
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But, "although critically acclaimed, last year's "The Princess and the Frog" was the most poorly performing of Disney's recent fairy tales. In the age of mega-franchises when movies need to appeal to a broad audience to justify a sizable investment, Disney discovered too late the "Princess and the Frog" appealed to too narrow an audience: little girls. This prompted the studio to change the name of its Rapunzel movie to the gender-neutral "Tangled" and shift the lens of its marketing to the film's swashbuckling male costar, Flynn Rider."<br />
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But it's not just about attracting boys to the theatres. Apparently, girls' interests have shifted: <br />
<blockquote>" 'By the time they're 5 or 6, they're not interested in being princesses,' said Dafna Lemish, chairwoman of the radio and TV department at Southern Illinois University and an expert in the role of media in children's lives. 'They're interested in being hot, in being cool. Clearly, they see this is what society values.' (LA Times)."</blockquote> <br />
It is true that the fairy tale was born to another world entirely. When the Grimm brothers collected their tales, "they were intent on using the tales to document basic truths about the customs and practices of the German people and on preserving their authentic ties to the oral tradition" (Zipes). And while the brothers employed their own Disney-like editing - "eliminat[ing] erotic and sexual elements that might be offensive to middle-class morality, add[ing] numerous Christian expressions and references, emphasiz[ing] specific role models for male and female protagonists according to the dominant patriarchal code of that time," their belief was that the collection "should be, namely, an <em>Erzeihungsbuch,</em> an educational manual" (Zipes).<br />
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These tales - which, while fantastical, where primarily teaching tools - appeared in cultures throughout the world, beyond the realm of the Grimms', but "there is a basic plot structure (what folklorist refer to as a 'tale type') that appears despite rich cultural variation. 'Beauty and the Beast,' for example...has the following episodic structure:<br />
<br />
I. The monster as husband<br />
II. Disenchantment of the monster<br />
III. Loss of the husband<br />
IV. Search for the husband<br />
V. Recovery of the husband " (Tatar).<br />
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And while a tale such as this may, in these modern days, be "deemed of marginal cultural importance...they must be addressing issues that have a significant social function...In a study of mass-produced fantasies for women, Tania Modleski points out that genres such as the soap-opera, the Gothic novel, and the Harlequin romance 'speak to very real problems and tensions in women's lives. The narrative strategies which have evolved for smoothing over these tensions can tell us much about how women have managed not only to live in oppressive circumstances but to invest their situations with some degree of dignity.' " (Tatar).<br />
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These days, it is far less likely for a woman to enter a marriage not knowing her husband, and the relevance of the "Husband as Monster" at first meeting has certainly diminished.<br />
<br />
But when you look at Snow White, the existence of jealousy and rivalry among women is still very real to this day. And while "Tangled," has shed it's fairy-tale tropes and trappings, this element still remains: <br />
<blockquote>"The villain, Mother Gothel, isn't the enchantress of the Grimm tale. She's an incarnation of "Mommie Dearest."<br />
<br />
In one of the film's musical numbers, "Mother Knows Best," Mother Gothel tells Rapunzel she's "getting kind of chubby" — a line lifted directly from a real-life mother-daughter exchange recounted during a story brainstorming session (LA Times)."</blockquote>In a world where girls must grow up to hold their own in the world, attractiveness is put in our own hands, not in the family bank hold. There is a new pressure - to be educated, to be successful, to be, yes, "hot," and "cool," and the mean girl dynamic has not left, it has merely shifted. But the face of femininity has indeed changed.<br />
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Perhaps it's time, too, to give boys an equal focus in the market, but should we really bid fairy tales adieu, to be redeemed only as classics? Or should we continue to refocus them, so that they are reflective of our culture and time? In my opinion, Disney should continue to make their fairy tale films more like "Tangled," but as the axe has been brought down on projects like "The Snow Queen," and "Jack and the Beanstalk" (a very un-princessy fairy tale), we'll be getting more robots and super heroes for the time being.<br />
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In this house, fairy tale princess dresses hang next to commonplace coats, and Tiana, Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Aurora are household names. N is two, going on three in January and doesn't show signs of giving up on princesses anytime soon. She likes to twirl my curls, and brush my hair, and when she's finished, will pat my head and call me a "princess," a word she's associated with being pretty and feminine. Dresses and skirts make one a princess as well, as do painted nails. The girliest of girls - much like me when I was her age - will she grow up out of this as her peers do? If Disney has anything to say about it, yes. <br />
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<br />
Sources:<br />
"<a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-1121-tangled-20101121,0,3231909.story?page=2">Disney: After 'Tangled,' Disney Animation is Closing the Book on Fairy Tales</a>" - Dawn C. Chmielewski and Claudia Eller, Los Angeles Times, November 21, 2010<br />
"Marriage: What's It Good For?" - Belinda Luscombe, Time Magazine, November 29, 2010<br />
The Classic Fairy Tales - a Norton Critical Edition, edited by Maria Tatar<br />
The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, translated by Jack ZipesRachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-63712351806113110592010-12-06T14:15:00.000-08:002010-12-06T14:22:53.881-08:00Shoe-ing in the New YearIt's a Monday. I was up late ghostbusting with a friend. I'm gonna make this short and sweet.<br />
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Every holiday event has a different aesthetic, but is always one thing: festive. Therefore, it makes sense to be prepared with both a rockin' heel and a sweet flat for each occasion. Luckily, Payless has been collaborating with some super fierce designers as of late (hello, Mr. Siriano), so you can have your shoes, and still do your Christmas shopping (for others...of course) too.<br />
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First up, this peep-toe pump by <a href="http://www.payless.com/store/catalog/subsubcategory.jsp?trail=1016%3Acat130006&pageSize=20&subCatId=cat130008&catId=cat10088&changedFacetValue=&brandId=&categoryType=&addFacet=1016%3Acat130008">Christian Soriano for Payless</a> is expectedly edgy and trendy, yet subtle in its form. The python print in warm coppers and reds is right in tune with the season, and the chunky heel is both sky-high and sturdy. C'est parfait.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmGT8yC5NeKh3z3hFpB8ZfdyFzKtXtejPfChBBEoaaTEzeuy9uVtrQJgVOI08OdoHC_XyQLgST16-sf6klu8O6zVpuV_8mvqMPehFi6_Nf6ig9zKf7PyxO0qtX_fYPdVokUZXz2OpCKU/s1600/shoe1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmGT8yC5NeKh3z3hFpB8ZfdyFzKtXtejPfChBBEoaaTEzeuy9uVtrQJgVOI08OdoHC_XyQLgST16-sf6klu8O6zVpuV_8mvqMPehFi6_Nf6ig9zKf7PyxO0qtX_fYPdVokUZXz2OpCKU/s400/shoe1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christian Siriano for Payless pump: $44.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Secondly (and lastly), there's this charming ballet flat by <a href="http://www.payless.com/store/catalog/subsubcategory.jsp?trail=1016%3Acat130006&pageSize=20&subCatId=cat480004&catId=cat10088&changedFacetValue=&brandId=&categoryType=&addFacet=1016%3Acat480004">Isabel Toledo for Payless</a>. Metallic, therefore festive, witty in its detail, and with a clever grippy sole, this one will carry you all the way through the winter, dressing up jeans, and toning down minis. C'est parfait aussi.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZixe-1ehl4eolxnIEmslmlV5GAKokZf3LN3S0MM5nflA0slMTuaF6KF_HvB6WNB2cxJr63GKMShsL0PJdzKuISplrNW41ChTCkOW7pKlCpmr8v_DfA5p6JTHQdbwPK8o9xxMMA1haXQ/s1600/shoe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZixe-1ehl4eolxnIEmslmlV5GAKokZf3LN3S0MM5nflA0slMTuaF6KF_HvB6WNB2cxJr63GKMShsL0PJdzKuISplrNW41ChTCkOW7pKlCpmr8v_DfA5p6JTHQdbwPK8o9xxMMA1haXQ/s400/shoe2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isabel Toledo for Payless flat: $34.99</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Et voila. Now back to your Mondays.</div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-28099440853147675792010-12-03T09:02:00.000-08:002010-12-03T09:02:13.271-08:00Nanny Goes Shopping - A Holiday Gift GuideYou must forgive me if this turns out to be something of my own personal wish list. Hey - if I didn't love it, I wouldn't suggest it! It's a sign of love that I would recommend you to give something I love to someone you love. Or something.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">First up, in the thank-my-frozen-fingertips-they-came-up-with-this category, <a href="http://www.echodesign.com/">Echo Design</a> has come out with a line of gloves, for both men and women, with touch pads at the fingertips which allow you to use your touch-screen phone or other device whilst keeping your fingers toasty. Can I get a huzzah? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">There are 13 different styles, starting at around $30.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVibvgdepY5zGqsPzBmy52FAYNJYDKqKi5WBF8M3vJifxzVnuUC_I-jVGXdW1jjsBHFMMt2xjDyM-vxLf3MaGdU6LSn8q8H2uoQOdglSj18CaM-SrillT-KvM3U3mhwuXSug0orW_vURg/s1600/188403_xxx_1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVibvgdepY5zGqsPzBmy52FAYNJYDKqKi5WBF8M3vJifxzVnuUC_I-jVGXdW1jjsBHFMMt2xjDyM-vxLf3MaGdU6LSn8q8H2uoQOdglSj18CaM-SrillT-KvM3U3mhwuXSug0orW_vURg/s320/188403_xxx_1_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wn9iVVyYTXaYhwebskDHh990hOiFSOG1HL7Oh7sd9TmHsSzU78irnznusRXsCM4jZnk8gEXo39_WfsDmRvy4xcOPBEQbwLZBJliIBAmzYXOgVcxjfuC725xx8rVJDN-PmlRkjXO88G0/s1600/344071_xxx_1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wn9iVVyYTXaYhwebskDHh990hOiFSOG1HL7Oh7sd9TmHsSzU78irnznusRXsCM4jZnk8gEXo39_WfsDmRvy4xcOPBEQbwLZBJliIBAmzYXOgVcxjfuC725xx8rVJDN-PmlRkjXO88G0/s1600/344071_xxx_1_1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For the literary fashionista, genius<a href="http://www.katespade.com/"> Kate Spade </a>has come up with the Book of the Month Clutch, a series of clutches painted with most cleverly re-imagined book jackets of literary classics, such as these:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmHVZEo5dg63eVpX-or7BF660fF2wMn_jp20YBFIDdairNouZ9de9PmA3nSvB5cFDpjJbiSIYVNoTcH8NGgOG9UXxt3KwH5GPDYotKJd3zmjN1OOK8O2SpmiJ8WxLhyphenhyphen0mdF1ffiXuOz4/s1600/ge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmHVZEo5dg63eVpX-or7BF660fF2wMn_jp20YBFIDdairNouZ9de9PmA3nSvB5cFDpjJbiSIYVNoTcH8NGgOG9UXxt3KwH5GPDYotKJd3zmjN1OOK8O2SpmiJ8WxLhyphenhyphen0mdF1ffiXuOz4/s400/ge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2D7lD8VFF1onyDk3AjfeDvN0mQdRjMuvzhdjx-66sGEx47lYIlsOOebpRcmad53LxtuK-086S9QRodnhOYogzuY2CqkQIIstwGkwa9AvfTGg6mzS5_vTBXg1N_zNfACoCFfKjl4xC5HY/s1600/tgg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2D7lD8VFF1onyDk3AjfeDvN0mQdRjMuvzhdjx-66sGEx47lYIlsOOebpRcmad53LxtuK-086S9QRodnhOYogzuY2CqkQIIstwGkwa9AvfTGg6mzS5_vTBXg1N_zNfACoCFfKjl4xC5HY/s400/tgg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Clever, no? Each clutch can be purchased for $325 at <a href="http://www.katespade.com/">http://www.katespade.com/</a>, or wherever Kate Spade is sold.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">And, another item for the literary fashionista, on a budget is this darling print, in Jane Mount's Ideal Book Series: Robert Verdi:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLXhE9SdnTUQsHWkWL81eL-q5-hG4ay2kKmNWxFlb4HYjSM4HKAG5xOlOaMAuaXrMTQ9K48mBB4y5LYN5nYUOebePm_CxmkY9SN6F_-5fvhwuYk1x8Fj3h8-M-43B9RGms8wHZ1_rsn8/s1600/2861_artworkimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLXhE9SdnTUQsHWkWL81eL-q5-hG4ay2kKmNWxFlb4HYjSM4HKAG5xOlOaMAuaXrMTQ9K48mBB4y5LYN5nYUOebePm_CxmkY9SN6F_-5fvhwuYk1x8Fj3h8-M-43B9RGms8wHZ1_rsn8/s400/2861_artworkimage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>An 8x10 print of this can be purchased at http://www.20x200.com for $20, or a 14x11 for $50, or, a 20x16 for $200. These prices are uniform across the site, which is full of fabulous artists and prints. I also particularly liked this one, Lauren DiCioccio's interpretation of "Vogue March 2010: pg 230 (List of Contributors)":<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTEju4GgGVHhHoLWnD01ZtFkqKqb_-oglYwEj046T2b1M2BMf0wQs0Kfuv9GeDh5Y14FwBCwrJtjcDpzVqIq2aM8daIGSZMYfH_AEq38YiQhcrt1KzkF8LbK4dkvzAcsRvJOZ8TZ4gOI/s1600/2835_artworkimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTEju4GgGVHhHoLWnD01ZtFkqKqb_-oglYwEj046T2b1M2BMf0wQs0Kfuv9GeDh5Y14FwBCwrJtjcDpzVqIq2aM8daIGSZMYfH_AEq38YiQhcrt1KzkF8LbK4dkvzAcsRvJOZ8TZ4gOI/s640/2835_artworkimage.jpg" width="512" /></a><br />
Don't despair if you're not buying for a fashionista, either; there's a wide variety of artists and interests to be found on this site.<br />
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And while we're on the subject of books, an especially budget-friendly gift for a budget-loving fashionista would be the <a href="http://www.psimadethis/book">P.S. I Made This</a> book - the book inspired by the DIY diva's blog. If you haven't yet discovered her, she's seriously amazing. She takes high fashion looks and breaks down both the trends + easy ways, sources, tips, etc. to guide you in DIY-ing an item yourself. The book features more than twenty-five original looks and ideas based on iconic fashion pieces, such as the statement necklace. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uMrHIfpsfYR2-KeNfdyaidKiUhESxeARb24FzsPVxeM7ZTM16FO5aV9fBnaYgRBnTfejKBUWb-QYGGNtyVUwz1RowSStKTKXfQedRL2aHawOXjyj5xFMwG_M_SQYgzBQ5aDQ2ICnSaY/s1600/psbuyit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3uMrHIfpsfYR2-KeNfdyaidKiUhESxeARb24FzsPVxeM7ZTM16FO5aV9fBnaYgRBnTfejKBUWb-QYGGNtyVUwz1RowSStKTKXfQedRL2aHawOXjyj5xFMwG_M_SQYgzBQ5aDQ2ICnSaY/s400/psbuyit.png" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And as I found it on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/P-S-Made-This-PS/dp/0810996030">Amazon</a> for only $12.89, a super-cute gift idea might be to buy one of the main pieces to a project, and pair it with the book. <br />
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As I consider baking and cooking something of a DIY habit, this next gift is for the cook and hostess in your life. I gave one of these <a href="http://www.verabradley.com/product/Gift-Ideas/Our-Favorites/Apron-Gift-Set/1001118/mode/viewall/pc/731/c/0/sc/732/p/1001118.uts">Vera Bradley aprons</a> to my mother a few years back - monogrammed, of course - for Mother's Day, and while she is of the belief that aprons are not meant to get dirty and this one is too pretty to cook in, it makes a lovely hosting apron, in any case. Especially as they've paired it into a gift set with a matching recipe tin - and at $28, you might even pair it with a favorite cookbook, or a fancy whisk. Lovely. Don't forget the monogram.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXypnPvl5R5biIr5F6Wilcvmdve6Pr8pdceIa3M_gyAdLZHvGFccIC0t8Qjz8zUN-trfmcR_YLoxd9XlgpzL-j7t8paq8kHJh64eUO7QL6QXqEixphAP8P0tMNlrC5XB7RoRi5z_6wZc/s1600/apron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXypnPvl5R5biIr5F6Wilcvmdve6Pr8pdceIa3M_gyAdLZHvGFccIC0t8Qjz8zUN-trfmcR_YLoxd9XlgpzL-j7t8paq8kHJh64eUO7QL6QXqEixphAP8P0tMNlrC5XB7RoRi5z_6wZc/s400/apron.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix-DU6RXGMcD5hvfn2nsMSA4QSOtUba0EcXH9yGRo89tUWDzRuoz48hWA_XElw7SHXCwtmQAQafBMPgayog7DjTtrxxtXEFgtTHsdGt45sE8YmsbHJ4MH_Kzs-yF-kZF6L0HoUCyl-4c/s1600/recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix-DU6RXGMcD5hvfn2nsMSA4QSOtUba0EcXH9yGRo89tUWDzRuoz48hWA_XElw7SHXCwtmQAQafBMPgayog7DjTtrxxtXEFgtTHsdGt45sE8YmsbHJ4MH_Kzs-yF-kZF6L0HoUCyl-4c/s400/recipe.jpg" width="366" /></a></div>Oh, and for an extra-special touch, add a few of your own favorite, tried-and-true recipes into the recipe tin. (I especially recommend this, as I made and "illustrated" a cookbook as a wedding gift for newlywed friends and they have already offered to have me over so they can cook something for me out of the cookbook. Truly, the gift that keeps on giving).<br />
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Before we veer into the territory of seriously-long-blog-post (not that I haven't visited there many times before), I'm going to stop myself, because this Gift Guide is merely Part I in a series, where I will take you through my personal shortlist of books to give and read (don't worry, I'm qualified, I was an English major), DIY gifts, some of which I will be trying out this season, some of which I have created myself and made already, recipes, should you prefer your gifts to be edible (and why not?), and of course, more fashionista items. Also, as I'll be shopping for M&N (or creating...), there will be I'm sure a Gift Guide for Children.<br />
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Stay tuned for these posts and more - they will amaze the mind, and delight the senses. <br />
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Or something to that effect.<br />
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Happy Holidays!<br />
<br />
Oh and p.s., one more! The World Cup was this summer - have a newly converted football fan, or a long-term rabid fan? This illustrated book of soccer chants is perfect: <a href="http://marklongillustration.co.uk/">http://marklongillustration.co.uk/</a> and so cheap too - about 7 US dollars! Of course, you'd have to pay the shipping from the UK, but we couldn't make it too easy on you, now. <br />
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</div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-18920923331790618992010-12-02T18:04:00.000-08:002010-12-02T18:08:24.373-08:00CC is for Christmas Cookie (well, and Chanel)9:15 the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving. I was supposed to be at my parent's house at 9:00 am sharp. I've been awake since, oh, 7:30 or so. I won't leave until after 10 o'clock. <br />
<br />
It's Christmas Cookie baking day. And yes, per my request. But every year, as I'm icing my 200th cookie (really, truly), I wonder why it is I want to do it so badly. <br />
<br />
When I finally arrive at my parents', my twenty-year-old sister is still in bed, so the Peyton and I go jump on her to wake her up. My mom is grumbling around the kitchen; as the family's matron, she's in charge of making the dough, a laborious task, I assure you. Our German lebkuchen recipe is a few hundred years old and has never been updated to suit modern appliances or ingredients. Each year, my sister and I hear, "You two need to learn how to make this, you know." And we will. Someday. But for now, all I know is that part of the dough-making process involves chilling it outside, in a large tub, until it is cool enough for us to knead, but still very, very sticky.<br />
<br />
With the sister up (albeit still in pajamas), all members of the household are taking their traditional places for the day. As we have done since we were 1 or 2, my sister and I will knead the dough and cut the cookies, while my mother runs the ovens. In years past, our nana would help us with the cutting, and our great-grandmother would sometimes be on hand for the icing later in the day. The dogs lay around, heads and noses in our laps, and our grandpa will stop by later to help with the icing.<br />
<br />
No matter what, every year, my father is indisposed. Usually, this means occupying himself outdoors with the hanging of the Christmas lights, a task which both removes him from the cookie process indoors, and gets him in my mother's good graces. This year, however, we have celebrated Thanksgiving on a Friday, due to my sister's late flight in from Colorado, and Cookie Day is taking place on Rivalry Day. <br />
<br />
As we set up in the kitchen, our Volunteer dad is completely and fully plugged in, which means, out of the cookie loop. He sits on the couch, feet up, laptop open to a live feed of his game, headphones in, running Twitter simultaneously in another tab and on his iPhone. This year, the lights have already been (partially) hung. This year, he will watch the Vols beat Kentucky for the 26th year in a row. <br />
<br />
We used to break our process up into two days: one for baking, one for icing. We used to make two batches, which yields several hundred cookies. Now we make a batch and a half, which leaves plenty to divide among us all and give away. This year, I went back to my little apartment this year with a tin holding 65 cookies, which I pray to God I don't all eat.<br />
<br />
We used to listen to Christmas carols when we made the cookies. We used to start the Christmas carols with our beloved Alvin & the Chipmunks Christmas cassette tape. But a few years ago, around when my sister started grumbling about the process, she started grumbling about the Chipmunks, and then, a little while later, it was the music itself. Now, well, this year, the sounds of football fill the air.<br />
<br />
My sister hates making the Christmas cookies. My mother suspects she uses only the biggest cookie cutters so she doesn't have to make as many. She's always looking to pawn her job off on somebody, and she always drags her heels. There is always a fair amount of grumbling in her Christmas cheer.<br />
<br />
But rolling them out is nothing compared to icing them.<br />
<br />
You see, our mother is detail-oriented. Extremely so. Each and every cookie gets its own special treatment - a collar of sprinkles for the reindeer, and antlers as well. A Christmas tree has each of its limbs be-decked, and a star to top its boughs. <br />
<br />
I think we used to think this was the only way to ice. And maybe it should be - there was a time when I enjoyed it, after all - did we not try to make it through several hundred cookies - after baking them - in a day.<br />
<br />
Did I mention that icing these cookies is an especially important part of the process? Our particular lebkuchen, curious as they are, harden almost immediately out of the oven and it takes icing them - along with a few days wait - to soften them so that they are ready to eat. <br />
<br />
It's a process. <br />
<br />
A long process.<br />
<br />
An involved process.<br />
<br />
A thoroughly exhausting process.<br />
<br />
So why do we do it? Why do we make them every year, and why so many? Why do we continue to want to do this to ourselves, even though, the day of, I will lie in bed, putting it off as long as I can? And not rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor ill health (this year's cold + utter exhaustion did nothing to get me out of icing early), nor prior obligations (I also had a lingerie shower + bachelorette to attend that evening. Oh and did I mention, I wasn't feeling well?), nor age (we started at the tender age of 1, and my grandpa, in his 80's is still lending a hand) will get you out of the Cookies. And this year, not even football would, because for the first time since I can remember, we had my dad helping out, by running the iced cookies out to the sunroom to dry, away from sniffing dogs' noses. <br />
<br />
So why do we do it?<br />
<br />
Grumbling about these cookies has become as much our family tradition as giving them away to friends and telling them their story. They are a part of us as a family. The cookie cutters we use were given as gifts, handmade by great-grandparents and passed down through the years, or bought as souvenirs, or as a special treat: we make trumpets for my grandfather, trout for my dad, Montana moose for my sister, Jayhawks for my mother. We re-count stories and traditions and family lore surrounding them:<br />
<br />
"We used to go to grandma's house - my grandma - and for Christmas, that's what she would give all of us kids, one cookie each." - my grandpa<br />
<br />
"We started you at 1 or 2, and figured you'd just have fun putting your hands in the dough, but no, you stayed until the end (about me). Your sister, however, didn't like to get her hands dirty. When I was a little girl though, I remember all the grandma's, from both sides of the family used to come and help." - my mother<br />
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We discuss how difficult this process must've been for our ancestors, cooking on wood-burning stoves, without the aid of electric mixers, or two ovens, making their own icing (we fudge a little on this and buy canned frosting). <br />
<br />
We remember. And we make. And we do.<br />
<br />
We remember all those who came before us, and, amidst the grumbling, the complaining, the flour up our noses, and the sore backs, we are a family. <br />
<br />
Forgive me for asking, but isn't that just one of the many things that the holidays are really about?<br />
<br />
And so, after all of that, should your family decide that you too, might want to embrace (my family's) tradition and tackle this one out, here it is. The recipe. Enjoy. Don't forget to grumble a bit.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>2 Cups Karo syrup<br />
2 Cups sugar<br />
6-9 Cups flour<br />
4 eggs, well beaten<br />
1/4 tsp. salt<br />
2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in a little cold water<br />
1/2 tsp. anise oil (not extract)<br />
<br />
Mix together Karo syrup and sugar. Cook and let come to a boil but do not boil. Make a well in 6 Cups of flour, and pour over. Let cool until lukewarm (which can take well up to an hour - hence why it goes outside to cool). Don't let it get too cool or it won't mix up. Into the syrup, add soda first, then eggs, salt, and anise oil. Keep stirring in the flour well, gradually stirring out into a little more and more flour until all the flour has been stirred in. <br />
<br />
Then add enough flour (up to 3 Cups more) to roll out dough, being careful not to get dough too stiff. Roll out small amount of dough at a time, about 1/4 inch thick on flour board, adding flour as needed. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters.<br />
<br />
Bake at 375 F, arranging cookies of approximate same size on cookie sheet, for 8-10 minutes. Take cookies off sheet right out of the oven or they break. Cool. Makes approximately 200 cookies (varies according to cookie size).<br />
<br />
Ice and decorate when completely cool. Can make icing or buy plain vanilla icing. Store in layers between wax paper. Adding a piece of lettuce or apple will help to soften the cookies faster so they are soft enough to eat (can take up to a week).</blockquote><br />
<br />
Enjoy! Genlesen se!<br />
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P.S. If you'd rather we just did the work for you, which, well, who wouldn't, I've got 64 cookies at my place, and a few hundred with my mom. I bet your name's on at least one (really, ask my mom. She might have sprinkled your name on one).<br />
<br />
P.P.S. Happy #Cookie Week!Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-77276381827980624172010-12-01T13:27:00.000-08:002010-12-01T13:27:20.199-08:00A Little Bit of Holiday DIYOh my goodness. I'm finding it hard to focus over here, as Brooks Brothers just tweeted me complimentary words about my <a href="http://bit.ly/gY0miH">"Tartans & Tidings"</a> post.<br />
<br />
It's true. They did. <br />
<blockquote>@BrooksBrothers: @missrachel_lora Caught wind of your plaid post. “A few more plaid findings, for your own tartan tidings”—lovely line. <a href="http://bit.ly/gY0miH" onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "766ae", event);" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b5998;">http://bit.ly/gY0miH</span></a></blockquote>As my dad just put it: "Praise from Mecca."<br />
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I'm finding it hard to wipe a big grin off my face.<br />
<br />
But ever focused, I will press on.<br />
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On Wednesdays, I usually try to post something related to children, either the children - as in M & N - or relating to children, but as that's going to tie into tomorrow's Cookie Week post, well, I thought I'd try something a little different this Wednesday.<br />
<br />
As this is my first year in my own apartment, I've been quite excited to decorate it for the holiday season. I got started the other weekend when I hosted a small pre-Thanksgiving dinner for friends, which prompted me to go on a Paper Source shopping spree (gosh I love that place. It's so gosh darn pretty). They have these nifty little kits, and since I've always been quite terrible at folding - and gluing, for that matter - when it comes to making crafts out of paper, I find it helpful to buy these kits. Is that cheating? If it is, I'm happy to do it. <br />
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Plus they're always so pretty, and made from the nicest paper!<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I can't quite take all the credit for these.<br />
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You see, I had just finished baking the <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/its-baking-season-favorite-apple-pie.html">apple pie</a> when my friend C called. She would be unable to attend, but could she come over and offer me any help getting ready so we could hang out and chat? <br />
<br />
Of course!<br />
<br />
So when she knocks on the door, I'm full-on getting ready to stick my hands in some herb butter, and then inside two chickens and I answer, buttery hand, apron and all to find she has company!<br />
<br />
It's my upstairs neighbor (whom I've never met) and he's locked out of his apartment and saw Cory and thought she lived here, and, well, she directed him to me. <br />
<br />
So he came in, called management on my phone, and sat down. Cory asked what she could help with, and as buttering and roasting the chickens is really a one-person job, I directed her towards the craft portion of the preparations (plus she's an <a href="http://www.coryimig.com/">amazing visual artist</a>, bonus!). And my neighbor, poor kid, well he sat down and got to crafting too.<br />
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And he made these:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jCShuAjcVQPkInRJ_tRHOu8rBz9s4FcNcwrDQve0bjcSLtHib34tPscdeg-Jf2Xiynxua7-CC2kA5pt24EvKe4wQJXCf2cxMvud1wUl85lGA9N6QmKQrKX8BjilsVynAnvE55beqfsI/s1600/CameraBag_Photo_1019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jCShuAjcVQPkInRJ_tRHOu8rBz9s4FcNcwrDQve0bjcSLtHib34tPscdeg-Jf2Xiynxua7-CC2kA5pt24EvKe4wQJXCf2cxMvud1wUl85lGA9N6QmKQrKX8BjilsVynAnvE55beqfsI/s400/CameraBag_Photo_1019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Snowflake-Kit/300_345/4071295521.html">Snowflake Kit</a> from Paper Source</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Three to be exact, which are all hanging in my windows. C had a terrific suggestion: that I cover the ends in glue and glitter (man, I love glitter) to make them extra pretty, something I will surely accomplish over the next week or so. But didn't he do an excellent job? Such a wonderful guest; when he finally was let back into his apartment, after hours of waiting and crafting (it was a Sunday evening) we invited him to stay for dinner. <br />
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C got to work on another Paper Source craft of mine, this wreath - from their <a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Mums-Wreath-Kit/2704.020/4071295515.html">Mums Wreath Kit</a>:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZKug3-reJJJl8C6FEn9HswV5Dbk29grnj1BXN_vKAbJ717qwJCKT_NvyTWP0mTEHaODp_yL9TFFUjSf5nxh6DARTpCqMSVp-i_1LXPCyPeij5-FdOGFrFeLucNw9DYLWn26buh_jjcQ/s1600/wreath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZKug3-reJJJl8C6FEn9HswV5Dbk29grnj1BXN_vKAbJ717qwJCKT_NvyTWP0mTEHaODp_yL9TFFUjSf5nxh6DARTpCqMSVp-i_1LXPCyPeij5-FdOGFrFeLucNw9DYLWn26buh_jjcQ/s400/wreath.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Isn't it lovely? I just love the colors; I feel they work for both autumn and the holiday season. I'm currently working on finishing this one up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking for some DIY holiday projects of your own? Here's some decorating DIY's on my list:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also bought one of these <a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Large-Star-Kraft-Ornament/2906.014/46599805.html">large stars</a>, from Paper Source as well, which I plan on decorating with wrapping paper left over from last year (and probably some glitter, and who knows what else what. I swear it won't turn out tacky!):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25CFX9x9Ntuz8Dv7pU0rQbvqRtKduBlIEyY5j8Op9bwyw0kS4L9Lc9UJ9pQi1yaX0zPv4IgSaazb7C0VRzcKd4prwDce2R6nOwhtlZrfRWe4hO_3XfhgzMp9jtJasx7Q6bt0QuJw_jRs/s1600/46599804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25CFX9x9Ntuz8Dv7pU0rQbvqRtKduBlIEyY5j8Op9bwyw0kS4L9Lc9UJ9pQi1yaX0zPv4IgSaazb7C0VRzcKd4prwDce2R6nOwhtlZrfRWe4hO_3XfhgzMp9jtJasx7Q6bt0QuJw_jRs/s400/46599804.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm currently trying some DIY in the form of gardening, via a <a href="http://www.target.com/Holiday-Grow-Pot-Paperwhites-Red/dp/B003SNZ3WG/ref=br_1_21?ie=UTF8&id=Holiday%20Grow%20Pot%20Paperwhites%20Red&node=2234596011&searchSize=30&searchView=list&searchPage=1&sr=1-21&qid=1291238709&rh=&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchRank=pmrank&frombrowse=1">bulb kit bought at Target</a> this weekend. I'm trying my hand at some paperwhites and some amaryllis(es?), but in case that doesn't work out, Paper Source has me covered. I especially like this <a href="http://www.paper-source.com/cgi-bin/paper/item/Shimmery-Magnolia-Paper-Flower-Kit/2704.020/40712919.html">Shimmery Magnolia Kit</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been in search of advent wreaths all day, and while I planned on visiting <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/">Anthropologie</a> after work, I found this assortment of ideas while doing a little research for a <a href="http://www.creativecandles.com/">Creative Candles</a> post:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From Kevin Sharkey Home, over at Martha Stewart: <a href="http://homedesign.marthastewart.com/2010/12/the-first-day-of-hanukkah-in-2010.html">Beautiful Hanukkah Menorahs and Advent Calendars:</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Isn't this matchbox calendar adorable? I actually have quite a few matchoxes laying around, many of which were laying on a windowsill, next to an open window, during a rainstorm (oops) and the matches inside are no longer functionable. This would be a perfect way to repurpose them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarGZJjlmZBWy6ko9zMMuG2siBgpMQ1yPQEftzLF5pALYfNVS1esUzQtaeFApvFXmgptsMF5tXFW-RkHMvyTSbLWD4Gc99_KR-_flshZzwX4w63K6yqxXj-N8wRS3Ger9QTfP3sMyoxZM/s1600/matchbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarGZJjlmZBWy6ko9zMMuG2siBgpMQ1yPQEftzLF5pALYfNVS1esUzQtaeFApvFXmgptsMF5tXFW-RkHMvyTSbLWD4Gc99_KR-_flshZzwX4w63K6yqxXj-N8wRS3Ger9QTfP3sMyoxZM/s400/matchbox.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also loved this calendar made from socks. <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/mastering-pattern-play-and-hosiery-part.html">I'm obsessed with hosiery and socks this season</a>, and just bought quite a few at Target over the weekend, where they're selling them for $1 a pair, or $2 for knee socks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhE-W7pQh0taBmCK7D11eg7gOC7OtGzzZ605iBYHJMaTihi7etY2o6s134-WIogaXxxLkTjZ2UFWK-eG-Dfb8is-l23_NEwg6sPAU_cywhIG3R7TEqMKU__GR82mNnz56RBXyTEDmd0s/s1600/advent_calendar_socks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhE-W7pQh0taBmCK7D11eg7gOC7OtGzzZ605iBYHJMaTihi7etY2o6s134-WIogaXxxLkTjZ2UFWK-eG-Dfb8is-l23_NEwg6sPAU_cywhIG3R7TEqMKU__GR82mNnz56RBXyTEDmd0s/s400/advent_calendar_socks.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last March, DIY genius Eddie Ross visited the Creative Candles factory and helped us all make some quite lovely monogrammed etched hurricane glasses, for our pillar candles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's mine:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjld7GRaS2y0IYnqCK1Y_5KXxXF2rwtxFIqJb_KDruIYwH8DldIj8SlANrFltRFkj6G4Yo_Lk_WqC5d4WgbrM2VNlIgbcbFX5IW3v3v3xj9HqkBN5i-BT3uTkz4g70Z_7bSL78TXALT-iU/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjld7GRaS2y0IYnqCK1Y_5KXxXF2rwtxFIqJb_KDruIYwH8DldIj8SlANrFltRFkj6G4Yo_Lk_WqC5d4WgbrM2VNlIgbcbFX5IW3v3v3xj9HqkBN5i-BT3uTkz4g70Z_7bSL78TXALT-iU/s400/untitled.bmp" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've actually made two of these now, and I promise, they're so easy! Find instructions on<a href="http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2010/04/monogrammed-hurricane-workshop.html"> Eddie Ross's blog post about the workshop</a> - I think that I'll be switching out my pillars to holiday colors, and filling the hurricanes with cranberries, or something of the like. And you wouldn't have to etch your monogram either - snowflakes would make a lovely holiday hurricane!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well that's all the DIY I have for today, folks, but check back next week as I get into some fashion DIY's that I've both done and want to do. Happy Holiday season!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-88844063956238056692010-11-30T19:42:00.000-08:002010-11-30T19:42:29.135-08:00"Tartans & Tidings"I love a good plaid. I do. <br />
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Especially in the wintertime.<br />
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List of (a few of the ) woolen plaid things I own:<br />
<br />
- pea coat<br />
- scarves (from Ireland, no less!)<br />
- headbands<br />
- my favorite: a strapless wool tartan dress<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrwqaxLETcEBOvAXqM_pXPVqxKVTKWIn7yvDGUCEuXZ0n8_z2hVjcY9tnSnxmaeVtVPZWjRmMh3nY4ewxlWkTRYCE_l3sNy6F2zukOxYSu4OVh9ThDDIMBXwNI4Hj8FQjK7iFFo33Y-0/s1600/tartan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrwqaxLETcEBOvAXqM_pXPVqxKVTKWIn7yvDGUCEuXZ0n8_z2hVjcY9tnSnxmaeVtVPZWjRmMh3nY4ewxlWkTRYCE_l3sNy6F2zukOxYSu4OVh9ThDDIMBXwNI4Hj8FQjK7iFFo33Y-0/s400/tartan.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Here's me (on the right) - with lovely friend K - last year at the Kansas City Ballet's production of the Nutcracker, wearing my tartan dress (with yellow tights!).<br />
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And a close-up of the tartan:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mia_VNzgD3K6DSiZHsVzEAmbykWTHQcDmk-m8QoU2ZAfcrUG6Dj38brLVRmVuX1drDbG3EsykVofh4hxmcBiuFTmjE3T6fP7OwND_esqtqkRBFHn7Pe2SxA9y_p_1owo_QRZY22XyaQ/s1600/CameraBag_Photo_1018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mia_VNzgD3K6DSiZHsVzEAmbykWTHQcDmk-m8QoU2ZAfcrUG6Dj38brLVRmVuX1drDbG3EsykVofh4hxmcBiuFTmjE3T6fP7OwND_esqtqkRBFHn7Pe2SxA9y_p_1owo_QRZY22XyaQ/s400/CameraBag_Photo_1018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Just after this, I changed into my homemade ugly Christmas sweatshirt with clashing plaid ribbons of a large variety (and an obscene amount of glitter).<br />
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Did I mention I love plaid?<br />
<br />
Which is why I'm posting this in entry for Sky Blue Events' <a href="http://blog.skyblue-events.com/recentnews/2010/11/28/tt-news-win-2-vip-tickets-in-the-preppy-plaid-photo-contest.html">"Preppy Plaid Photo Contest"</a>, in the off-chance that I may be able to attend their "Tartans and Tidings event and see some local friends at the same time!<br />
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A few more plaid findings, for your own tartan tidings:<br />
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<br />
From Land's End Canvas, <a href="http://canvas.landsend.com/pp/PlaidWoolOvercoat~213901_-1.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::QHM&CM_MERCH=IDX_00017__0000002204&origin=index">the Woman's Plaid Wool Overcoat</a> - $180.00<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPY0gakdIXkP79JbRQnHJvfU3zf88_mGVP8l3R_Q1lk1qzGdaOPwAkEBKXHTuqu0zpWvAjMnn-yTovG7_NaqF-URtPjHz1Rfq6mW8HEyJfPXs3BpALsXHm4epGALKTPAzce0ENr5Jxik/s1600/tartancoat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPY0gakdIXkP79JbRQnHJvfU3zf88_mGVP8l3R_Q1lk1qzGdaOPwAkEBKXHTuqu0zpWvAjMnn-yTovG7_NaqF-URtPjHz1Rfq6mW8HEyJfPXs3BpALsXHm4epGALKTPAzce0ENr5Jxik/s400/tartancoat.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><br />
<div align="left">Also from Land's End Canvas, <a href="http://canvas.landsend.com/pp/PleatedTartanShirtdress~216081_-1.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::GPG&CM_MERCH=IDX_00017__0000002209&origin=index">the Tartan Shirtdress</a> - $79.50 </div><div align="left">(This one's officially Christmas-listed)</div><div align="left">And don't miss their <a href="http://canvas.landsend.com/pp/StylePage-396821_XP.html?amp;CM_MERCH=REC-_-CVPP-_-GGT-_-1-_-396821-_-397106">Plaid Wool Skirt</a> either - $49.50</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WjjVTdju_yFAjM6uUxJBMXINyOTmLh0crcCcgNS5hfSEq7UNDguWK7xIMfdjE-86mcvWRUYJNc6OZ5yfiAdYthRS2HA8QpbB3EZbj02klZEuD411hluKe7XBk3PPwMnhhnvVJId_t0s/s1600/tartanshirtdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WjjVTdju_yFAjM6uUxJBMXINyOTmLh0crcCcgNS5hfSEq7UNDguWK7xIMfdjE-86mcvWRUYJNc6OZ5yfiAdYthRS2HA8QpbB3EZbj02klZEuD411hluKe7XBk3PPwMnhhnvVJId_t0s/s400/tartanshirtdress.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="left">Brooks Brothers has some festive tartan offerings:</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Such as these <a href="http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=258&Parent_id=220&Product_Id=1486484&default_color=Multi">Tartan Santa Pants</a> - $198.00</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyN45cE4DqNB-EQRngFCSLevMQMvCfsniATH8DJvIRKtJs7TA7X9y8blpYRBwm3bMlhJ9b0R14gkLl2PiKYz5sOjUd0uyjvncMM4rQM9a8CWOvUzlPSxEmr1z_SWHvsLlsLVAKh-5wW0/s1600/tartan+santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDyN45cE4DqNB-EQRngFCSLevMQMvCfsniATH8DJvIRKtJs7TA7X9y8blpYRBwm3bMlhJ9b0R14gkLl2PiKYz5sOjUd0uyjvncMM4rQM9a8CWOvUzlPSxEmr1z_SWHvsLlsLVAKh-5wW0/s400/tartan+santa.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br />
Or this bow-tie - $59.50 - by <a href="http://www.socialprimer.com/">Social Primer</a> for Brooks Brothers:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenFWH7C2qesrFKUlUv24kqjaA66tYGvT5dpXHL_3NrXkM49m6ats2pDRfUV9Vsm7TwAMd8EPqa0rAmn7xBumFdHcWGB1PEYRX86XNvh2nI8pZgKq96wq7stV5gkNAVppWcaMlty30lug/s1600/88A5_RED-MULTI-AND-NAVY-MULTI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenFWH7C2qesrFKUlUv24kqjaA66tYGvT5dpXHL_3NrXkM49m6ats2pDRfUV9Vsm7TwAMd8EPqa0rAmn7xBumFdHcWGB1PEYRX86XNvh2nI8pZgKq96wq7stV5gkNAVppWcaMlty30lug/s400/88A5_RED-MULTI-AND-NAVY-MULTI.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><br />
Lest we forget (my dog) Peyton Manning, see also this line of tartan collars and leads from <a href="http://www.theheelanhound.com/collars.html">The Heelan' Hound.</a><br />
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</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Well, you get the point. Tartan's always a good thing, but it's an especially good Christmas thing.</div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-31894664784100740292010-11-24T14:43:00.000-08:002010-11-24T15:49:56.483-08:00If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...If You Give a Child a Story...As we enter the season of Christianity's favorite story, it's no wonder that - like so many things this time of year - storytelling enters an otherworldly realm of magic. In my household, a much-worn copy of <em>The Night Before Christmas</em> was lifted by my father's hands out of the Christmas box every Christmas eve after church, as he settled his reading glasses on his nose, and my sister and I snuggled into the warmth of his arms, drinking in his patient words and breathing in the cinnamon scented pages (somehow, in another type of Christmas magic, everything that came up out of the cardboard boxes full of decorations, advent candles and calendars, books and Wise Men, hiding in the depths of the basement all year, smelt of cinnamon, and other holiday smells, without fail, every year). <br />
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Would you be surprised that at 24 and 20, we still clamber for a reading of that tale (or at least, I do) on Christmas Eve each year? And my father - as he ages gently into a white beard, still with the glasses upon his nose (he was recently invited to join the <a href="http://www.aorbsinc.com/">Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santa Clauses</a>, and yes, Virginia, there is such a thing) - is no less patient, perhaps even more so, as a father must be with wistful adult daughters who still wish to hear nursery tales.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Night_Before_Christmas_2/images/02_Night_Before_Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Night_Before_Christmas_2/images/02_Night_Before_Christmas.jpg" width="327" /></a></div><br />
Be no less surprised that when gathering around our Advent Wreath each Sunday in December, the two of us fought and bickered predictably over who would get to read the words in the Christmas story that day. <br />
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In my adult years, I've begun the tradition of each year at Christmastime reading Charles Dickens' famed, <em>A Christmas Carol</em>, lest I forget it's lessons. <br />
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N and I (already!) read Dr. Seuss's <em>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</em> every day before nap - and she sounds in resoundingly ("<em>Giddap!")</em> at the parts she's already memorized in the past week or so - and her father reads it to her every night before bedtime. <br />
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But what if you were a child whose household never read you a story, not at Christmas, not ever? And what if you couldn't even find a book at your school?<br />
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As a recent tutor-in-training with Literacy KC, a local non-profit dedicated to improving the literacy skills of area adults through one-on-one tutoring, I've spent the last several weeks learning all the gory details of the state of literacy in this, our first-world country. And as a nanny, <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-if-real-life-was-just-like.html">I see a fair amount of Nick Jr</a>, whose campaign and partnership with <a href="http://www.firstbook.org/">First Book</a> has enlightened me with some scary statistics. While Literacy KC is working towards helping adults with, for what is for many students a lifetime struggle with reading, First Book is focused on children's access to books, another key to solving the literacy issue.<br />
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A few facts:<br />
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"A recent study shows that while in middle income neighborhoods the ratio of books per child is 13 to 1, in low-income neighborhoods, the ratio is 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children."<br />
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"80% of preschools and after-school programs serving low-income populations have no age-appropriate books for their children."<br />
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My own journey with <a href="http://www.literacykc.org/">Literacy KC</a> has been an emotional one; during training, I've heard testimonies from students who had sudden realizations that, when reading to their preschooler, they would never be able to read a book to their child again, to students who wanted to work, but couldn't fill out a job application. It's something I took for granted all of my life: parents who loved to read to me, and love to read themselves, access to all the books my book-crazy heart could desire, a quality education, and even a natural ability to read and write. So many of the students at Literacy KC struggle with poor phonemic awareness and learning disabilities, and because of their socioeconomic circumstances, were passed through as "stupid," by teachers, schools, and parents who didn't care, or grew up in households where nobody they knew could read either. Some of these people graduate their high schools reading at an 8th grade level, or far worse. And they will tell you themselves just how far you can't get at a 5th grade reading level, diploma, or not.<br />
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And this is just America.<br />
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Nick Jr has teamed up with First Book and <a href="http://www.wegivebooks.org/">We Give Books</a> as part of their Big Help initiative- a "commitment to engage kids to take action and make a difference by connecting them to issues and current events they are passionate about. The campaign focuses on four key concerns that affect the current generation of kids: the sustainability of the environment, the need to improve on health and wellness, the right to a quality education and becoming more active in their community." They've put together on-line book drive campaigns in order to provide books to children of the low-income neighborhoods, families, and schools. <br />
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Not only that, but they encourage you to encourage your own little reader (should you know one); We Give Books' campaign functions on the premise that you select a book from their digital library to read online, and they donate a book.<br />
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And then there's Anthropologie, who's teamed up with Penguin Books to create holiday story time sessions in their stores that coincide with local book drives. Your child can listen to a story while you shop this holiday season (which makes a happier shopping experience for everyone), and when you check out, you can pick a book or toy from their selection to donate. <br />
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Check out their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147298901985004">Facebook page for more info</a>; in Kansas City, our drive takes place at the Country Club Plaza store, on December 15, from 10-12 am (this time slot seems as though it might be wrong - I'm going to investigate, and changes will be posted if need be).<br />
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Also, locally, Churchill - located in the Fairway shops - will be donating a percentage of their November and December sales to Literacy KC. <br />
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I promise this isn't just me up on my soapbox; 'tis always the season to give and be thankful, but here's to helping children everywhere start fresh in the new year with a book to read.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-38699963555829952922010-11-23T15:54:00.000-08:002010-11-24T15:50:30.693-08:00Every other inch a gentlemanI'd venture to say that I of the men I know, see, and meet, but a few are true gentlemen, despite the fact that so many fraternities proclaim themselves houses of "True Gentlemen." Has the gentleman - and his aesthetic - become a thing of endangerment, or worse, headed towards extinction? No, I think not, but instead like to muse that perhaps the creation of casual Friday, and casual Monday, and casual Sunday, has instead made the true gentleman stand out from his previously disguised counterparts. <br />
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Perhaps. <br />
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It's a fine line of judging a book by it's cover to say that, because of course, a gentleman can be found in any clothes, and his enemy, found in tie and coat. The men of Mad Men come to mind... But in my perfect world, a gentleman possesses style in its truest essence: not an imitation, or a uniform, but a true personal style that only a confident man can carry, dandy or not.<br />
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This is, coincidentally, the case in Lesley M. M. Blume's new book, <a href="http://www.lesleymmblume.com/new/books">Let's Bring Back</a>, a collection of writings from her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/lets-bring-back">column of the same name on Huffington Post</a>. Of course, her wish list includes everything from "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesley-m-m-blume/25-things-that-need-to-st_b_779005.html#s175633">Hats on Men</a>" (yes, please!) to "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesley-m-m-blume/25-things-that-need-to-st_b_779005.html#s175940">Crudite platters</a>," but in general it reflects items, behaviors, manners, and ways of living that should be forever classically stylish, and universally held. Style, after all, both transforms and transcends trends.<br />
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[Mother, Father - I know you're reading (you're my biggest fans) - this book is definitely on my Christmas / Birthday wish list]. <br />
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What is it that makes a gentleman, though? A man of style? It seems that everywhere I look lately, somebody is offering their professional opinion (an excellent sign of optimism for this breed), so I thought I'd put together a summary of my recent readings on the subject. <br />
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If anyone can help us out, surely it's 192-year-old outfitter of gentlemen, <a href="http://www.brooksbrothers.com/">Brooks Brothers</a>. What's their latest take on the modern man of style? If their foray into Twitter this week is any indication, it's one who is social. I became an official follower yesterday, and thus received a DM, with instructions to follow a link this this image, which describes, in succinct style, what tweets to expect from the Brooks Brothers aesthetic:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH3A1mu0Em27tAFHzXFK2b1RGCcyUr6dBudoVrwqir40qRaxqWvhZmuX8Vg90H95avZpQ7jfnQa1vko5OcrfDrivEbXl8ZQKg3v0TN44QME5T7-gjxod8MsHplCANJtNFSFcLtxSuAu8/s1600/bbtweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH3A1mu0Em27tAFHzXFK2b1RGCcyUr6dBudoVrwqir40qRaxqWvhZmuX8Vg90H95avZpQ7jfnQa1vko5OcrfDrivEbXl8ZQKg3v0TN44QME5T7-gjxod8MsHplCANJtNFSFcLtxSuAu8/s400/bbtweet.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left">Take this tweet, as exemplary of their expertise: </div><blockquote>Theodore Roosevelt wore a Brooks Brothers military uniform in his famous march up San Juan<br />
Hill. <a href="http://bit.ly/d5PWJy" onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "98ed6", event);" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b5998;">http://bit.ly/d5PWJy</span></a>.</blockquote>Brooks Brothers is also on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/BrooksBrothers">Facebook</a>, where they hold polls meant for sparking "sartorial debate," pose customer style questions to their followers, and of course, share style tips for the gentleman and gentlewoman. They're in good company too; brands such as <a href="http://www.southernproper.com/">Southern Proper</a> and <a href="http://www.southerntide.com/">Southern Tide</a> regularly tweet and share "American Gentleman Lessons" and the like:<br />
<blockquote><br />
<span class="UIStory_Message"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/SouthernTide">Southern Tide</a>: American Gentleman Lesson No. 69:</span><br />
<div class="UIStoryAttachment" data-ft="{"type":"attach"}"><div class="UIStoryAttachment_Media UIStoryAttachment_MediaSingle" data-ft="{"type":"media"}"><div class="UIMediaItem"><a class="UIMediaItem_Wrapper" href="http://americangentleman.tumblr.com/post/1601890697/lesson-no-69-a-gentleman-always-dresses-to-impress" onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "98ed6", event);" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img class="img" src="http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=adfb14d8c30e84869f1c57c150d8f529&w=90&h=90&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twainquotes.com%2FHWBeecher.jpg" /></a></div></div><div class="UIStoryAttachment_Info "><div class="UIStoryAttachment_Title"><a __untrusted="true" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Famericangentleman.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F1601890697%2Flesson-no-69-a-gentleman-always-dresses-to-impress&h=98ed6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b5998;">The American Gentleman - Lesson No. 69: A Gentleman Always Dresses to Impress</span></a></div><div class="UIStoryAttachment_Caption">americangentleman.tumblr.com</div><div class="UIStoryAttachment_Copy">Lesson No. 69: A Gentleman Always Dresses to Impress - “The clothes don’t make the man, but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.” - Henry Ward Beecher, US Congressional Minister</div></div></div></blockquote><br />
Let's revisit the Mad Men topic; <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2009/11/dapper-don-draper-may-have-proved.html">as I wrote about a year ago</a>, Brooks Brothers is hip with the Mad Men, recruiting costume designer Janie Bryant to create a limited-edition Mad Men suit. And as we return full circle, one, Lesley M. M. Blume, possesses in her arsenal <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lesley-m-m-blume/lets-bring-back-the-mad-m_b_650491.html#s115572">a Mad-Men edition column</a>, a list which includes hats for men, hats for women, and of course, the three martini lunch - noting, that in those golden days, if you worked in advertising or journalism, a four martini lunch was the minimum. <br />
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Perhaps my affinity for men of this nature can be tied back to Cary Grant in the classic newspaper film, His Girl Friday. <br />
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</div>The newspaper man was the hard-working, hard-drinking, man's man of the intelligentsia (re-call also Brad Pitt's character in A River Runs Through It, the hardened Montana counterpart to his "softer" Dartmouth educated brother, nicknamed "the Professor"). This behavior always brings to mind male friends of mine from college - "Gentleman and Scholars," they called themselves - who used to have evenings in which they indulged in suits, Scotch, cigars, and philosophical debate. As I tend to romanticize a lot, film's such as His Girl Friday both resonate with me and develop in me a nostalgia for an age of journalism I never knew, and never will (as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington has developed a certain yearning for more filibusters). But, as my own father, and a true Southern gentleman of style raised me on the classics, it's my personal opinion that the modern gentleman will have studied style icons the likes of Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, and other such classic film stars.<br />
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<div align="left">But with shows such as Mad Men, and recent developments such as Janie Bryant being commissioned to design her own vintage-inspired line, will the growing affinity for the look - a major trend in Fall 2010 runway, as evidenced most clearly by Louis Vuitton's collection - and the nostalgia for the past bring back the behavior as well? Certainly as a culture we've moved forward in many, many positive ways, but if Blume's column and book - and their popularity - are evidence, we miss certain trappings of the lifestyle, even if - like myself - we were too young to have ever lived in such an era. </div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">The Wall Street Journal referenced both Grant, Bogart, Clark Gable and the men of Mad Men in their article the other week on the <a href="http://on.wsj.com/8YUd2d">return of the three-piece suit to menswear</a>:</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><blockquote>"The three-piece, a suit with a matching waistcoat (aka vest), is the most formal type of suit, long the provenance of dandies, 1930s film stars like Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Clark Gable, and later, bankers in London and on Wall Street. It's a fussy suit, one with an extra unit, which is why it disappeared for nearly 20 years after World War II as the result of fabric rationing. <br />
<div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-DV"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit"><img alt="[mens suits]" border="0" height="394" hspace="0" src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OD-AB683_mens_s_DV_20101028235553.jpg" width="262" /> </div><div class="insettipUnit"><cite>Ralph Lauren:</cite> Ralph Lauren Purple Label pinstripe three-piece suit. </div></div></div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="U401437139300H7H"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="U401437139300IXG"></a><br />
It vanished again in the '90s, suffering the dual blows of minimalism and casual Friday (which spread into casual Everyday). But some men are dressing up again, thank goodness, and not necessarily just for the office; they're even adding flourishes like pocket squares and tie bars. The three-piece suit makes a statement, literally, of one-upmanship in the dressing-up arms race."</blockquote>And in case you're looking for a more casual three piece look - and in further evidence that style encompasses more than one set look and is not, absolutely not, a uniform - have no fear, because corduroy's been making the waves again, also, often in the case of a three-piece ensemble: <a href="http://on.wsj.com/dhyLOV">http://on.wsj.com/dhyLOV</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nMjbleloiWn3FoMcw6ZeFxM1kE2k-clhIe7rYv5WssWRNsU2d-CnH4umHs7G1kJKzN9CYDDxp_6AluybldYdeL7g_ZiQ7Xa2pTd4tv98yJtC2drOZC4O7QJVdlvVBDnKjrQwlL8gMB4/s1600/OD-AC271_CORDUR_DV_20101117234411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nMjbleloiWn3FoMcw6ZeFxM1kE2k-clhIe7rYv5WssWRNsU2d-CnH4umHs7G1kJKzN9CYDDxp_6AluybldYdeL7g_ZiQ7Xa2pTd4tv98yJtC2drOZC4O7QJVdlvVBDnKjrQwlL8gMB4/s400/OD-AC271_CORDUR_DV_20101117234411.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also, Ralph Lauren</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To quote the former article, "men are dressing up again, thank goodness," but why? What's going on in our culture that's prompting this resurgence, and is it occurring in Midwestern cities such as mine? And why are we, in a recessionista's economy, less concerned about fabric rationing than our World War II counterparts? As I believe that style encompasses so much more than fashion - involving an invested interest in culture, the arts, the happenings of the world, in exploring all facets of life, and an inner beauty (or in this case, perhaps handsomeness) that is reflected confidently through a personal style and aesthetic - I'll be searching for the answers to all of today's raised questions and more this winter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(If you're a male friend or acquaintance of mine - be ready for some questions!)</div><div align="left"></div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-49240001872923393602010-11-22T14:26:00.000-08:002010-11-22T14:26:20.148-08:00Continuing the Case for NapsLast week in my post, <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-if-real-life-was-just-like.html">What if Real Life was just like Preschool</a>, I touched on the topic of continuing naps into adulthood. I think this a very good thing, especially given the number of hours we're all working these days, our filled-to-the-brim schedules, and our experience-everything attitudes. I'm a fan of experiencing everything and following all of my passions - including working - but what if there's just not enough hours in the day for that? The reality is, most of us aren't getting enough sleep these days, which was the topic of U.S. New's article, "<a href="http://health.yahoo.net/articles/sleep/why-power-naps-work-are-catching">Why Power Naps at Work are Finally Catching On</a>."<br />
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Business are setting up nap rooms, using tents, and lofted beds, or are, at Worman Publishing in New York, and <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-if-real-life-was-just-like.html">as seen in Nick Jr's ads</a>, simply sleeping on mats under their desks: <br />
<blockquote> " 'You can close your eyes for 10 or 15 minutes and wake up feeling completely refreshed,' says Susan Bolotin, Workman's editor in chief, which has been nap-friendly since 2007. 'We've <a class="hl-navLink" data-rapid_p="4" href="http://www.blogger.com/" id="hlnavlink_9">see</a>n very positive effects...'We have one guy who works here who likes to nap, and you'll walk by and he'll be lying down on a mat like a kid in nursery school,' she says."</blockquote> Why are naps finally catching on? Moodiness has something to do with it, as does productivity, but there's also the issue of employees' health and well-being. More sleep means a more efficient immune system, which means fewer sick days, certainly. But take this statistic: "People who take daily 30-minute naps are 37 percent less likely to die of heart disease than those who don't nap, according to a study published in the <em>Archives of Internal Medicine</em><span> in 2007."</span><br />
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<span>Short naps - meaning 20 to 30 minute refresher naps - are the key, however, to preventing slow-wake-ups and grogginess. </span><br />
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<span>Whatever the length - I'm in favor! </span><br />
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<span>For more nap reading, check out this 2008 post from Huffington Post on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/25/nap-without-guilt-its-goo_n_146364.html">how napping boosts "sophisticated memory."</a></span>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-14746186899485882392010-11-19T08:41:00.000-08:002010-11-19T08:41:11.825-08:00Now Ain't That Some Shhhhh<iframe frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dbZcYy6AAGg?fs=1" width="480"></iframe><br />
Glee cast with Gwyneth Paltrow - Umbrella/Singin' In the Rain<br />
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I've been kind of wearing myself out the past few weeks, so naptime around here has been quiet time for me as well, but I've also done my fair share of zoning out to Glee. Because the one sure thing that lifts me - besides watching runway - is a good Glee performance. I'm dead serious. The best high is a Glee high.<br />
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So I thought I'd end the week on a gleeful note (punny!), and do a post with links to all my favorite Glee videos / the ones I've been watching recently. This is a selfish post, I admit, because now it means they're all conveniently collected in one neat place, but, come'on, fellow Gleeks. You know you wanna see these too.<br />
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Also, the video above ties in nicely with a fashion article I read recently (courtesy of my dad). See, here are a few of the number of things I love about that number:<br />
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1) the water choreography. genius. so fun to watch.<br />
2) the marvelous mashup! I love Singin' in the Rain and I love this mashup.<br />
3) the clothes. the trenches, the wellies, the umbrellas - I love raingear! and then there's the men. I'm looking at you, Mr. Shuester. men in vests. yes.<br />
4) which brings me to this: <a href="http://on.wsj.com/8YUd2d">http://on.wsj.com/8YUd2d</a> - a recent article in the Wall Street Journal about the return of three-piece suits to mens' fashion. I certainly hope this is courtesy of Chuck Bass, but I'll take a little 1920's Gene Kelly nostalgia too. (and if you love Singin' - or really just regardless - you should really watch the full episode, <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/192338/glee-the-substitute#s-p1-so-i0">"The Substitute"</a> in which Mr. Shue and Mike Chang perform "Make 'em Laugh," and with that rolled cuff 20's pants leg I love too, I might add.<br />
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<ul><li>Also in this episode, Gwyneth and the Glee kids do Cee Lo's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1_B9FCZJMA&feature=channel">"Forget You"</a> - and it's pretty awesome. Just sayin'. Now ain't that some shhhh.</li>
<li>Now, if you watch the show, you'll know that as the only openly gay kid at McKinley, Kurt has been dealing with bullying, even more so than usually lately. This leads him to seek out all-boys school Dalton, home of The Warblers, a mens' a cappella group. I suspect he feels at home not only because everyone is nattily attired in sportscoats and ties, but also because Dalton has a no-tolerance policy on, well, intolerance. Here, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E46BhMIRujI&feature=related">Warblers perform a rockin' version of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream."</a></li>
<li>And now, from the "Duets" episode, because I love me some soul, and I love me some Santana, and I'm diggin' on the choreography: Santana and Mercedes performing Tina Turner's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk8oVhseiP8">"River Deep, Mountain High."</a> This is defiitely the number that gets belted he most in my car, shower, anywhere, really. </li>
<li>I've left the Britney for last. Because, I love the Britney (both Spears, and the Glee character - easily my favorite for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGPfNB2nKgU&feature=related">all of her deadpan comments</a>). Because, all my workouts recently are done to the Best of Britney (I wanna wanna get in zone). And because when "Me Against the Music" was an answer in the mashup category at trivia last night, I very nearly wrote, "It's Britney, B****" on our answer board. Here's Glee Brittany and Santana's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjaYviPXJXE&feature=related">"Me Against the Music."</a> </li>
<ul><li>Side note: If you notice Glee Brittany's phenomenal dance moves (see also: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGuKXQJdv2Y">I'm a Slave 4U</a>), well, it's because she's a pro. She's an original "Single Ladies" dancer, and when the show brought her in to teach the cast the moves for their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB4ynkkth0s">"Single Ladies,"</a> well, she was just so awesome, they asked her to stick around.</li>
</ul><li>Oh. And lest we forget my favorite non-musical cast member (well, with the exception of some Olivia Newton John, that is), here's how <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szascyjMY0k">Sue C's It. Halloween, that is</a>. Jane Lynch, thank you. Just, thank you.</li>
</ul><br />
Of course, there's no way I could share all of my favorite Glee moments and performances at once (Madonna episode, anyone?!). But, there you have a few, from this season, anyways. <br />
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Wow. Did I just reveal myself as a Gleek? Yes. Yes, I did.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-63622710791285305802010-11-18T08:49:00.000-08:002010-11-18T08:49:26.459-08:00What if Real Life was just like Preschool?Then we'd all be a lot happier. I mean, I'm just sayin'.<br />
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Nick Jr runs these ads centered around this idea. I searched and searched for a video, but alas, came up empty-handed so unfortunately you'll have to rely on my word-smithing to catch the idea.<br />
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Scenario 1: A mail clerk is attempting to make his rounds in your typical office, but as he calls out name after name, there's no responses. Nobody's sitting at their desk, cubicles are all empty, lights are off. Finally, a snore draws his gaze downwards, to the hard-working, suit-clad workers snoozing under their desks, teddy bears, blankies, thumb-sucking and all. <br />
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Wouldn't it be great if life was like preschool? There'd be naptime.<br />
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Scenario 2: A bustling surgery, doctors calling for scalpels, etc. For their tinkertoy creation, that is.<br />
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Wouldn't it be great if life was like preschool? There'd be arts and crafts.<br />
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You get the picture. There's a also a few in a mechanics shop involving story time and a class pet. These all make me smile, of course, but also give me pause, because in a lot of ways, my life is like preschool (even more so than when I worked in a preschool, actually):<br />
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1) There's naptime. Sweet, sweet naptime. Currently, M still takes a morning nap, and both M & N nap in the afternoon, giving me ample to time to recover, rest, take some quiet time of my own, and occasionally (okay, pretty much all the time) work on my other projects, of which there are many. But sometimes, if I really want to, I can close my eyes and enjoy the peace and quiet. Or watch endless Glee videos. Whichever.<br />
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I personally think America's working hours are too long - when I was in Dublin, I worked 10-4. And I gleefully walked to work everyday. Now, I loved my internship, but, I also never got burnt out, and neither did the editor. I love the Spanish idea of a siesta as well. There's been many a study about how productivity lags in the afternoons, and how Americans are putting in more and more hours, but getting less accomplished. Efficiency in shorter hours. When I have my pie shop / boutique, we just might have siesta time.<br />
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2) There's arts and crafts. Not just the kind N likes to do, which mean I come home and find dried playdough, beads, and hair elastics hiding inside my clothes, or marker on my nose. No, I've been lucky enough to find a group of artistically inclined girls and form a Craft Night - which makes us sound like a bunch of old biddies knitting and gossiping, but really, it's a bunch of wildly talented visual artists (and me) inspiring each other with the creative work they get up to when they're not doin' the daily grind. I love it. <br />
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3) There's storytime. Hellooo, blogging, writing, reading "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" a thousand times, memorizing "Goodnight Moon?" My parents nicknamed me "Belle" when I was little and this had entirely to do with the fact that I could be caught reading while brushing my teeth, walking, eating, watching tv, riding in the car, in the shower (I still do this, I read and re-read the back of all my bottles and what-not) - anywhere I could read, I would. My life is storytime because I am so caught up in language and literature. My imagination's vivid. And I'm always daydreaming.<br />
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4) There's a balance between worktime and playtime. Of course there's that old adage, "All work and no play makes Jack a dully boy," and then the European sentiment, "Work to live, don't live to work," but I saw this balance quite evident when I was working at a Montessori preschool. In Montessori, there is work, and while it may take on the appearance of toys, it is always exercises in counting, motor skills, letter learning, etc. but this is always balanced with playtime at other times of the day. Elementary school was like this, you had math, science, social studies, but you also had recess, music, art, P.E. <br />
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My life is exceptionally balanced in this way I find because taking care of the kids is both work and play, when they nap, I get a break for my own work and play time, and then I break up my evenings and weekends with work/writing time, gym time (which with my upcoming dance classes will be play time too), friend time, volunteer time, dating time, craft time, future planning time, music time, family time, cooking time, collapsing face first into my bed and turning off my phone time...<br />
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Okay, so sometimes, I add way too much onto my plate. I've always done this. I'm interested in doing too much. My life has become about finding a way to balance this, structure this, and to be able to do it all. Up next on my reading list is a book, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Renaissance-Soul-Design-People-Passions/dp/0767920880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290098713&sr=8-1">The Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One</a>," which, as you can read in the title, is all about figuring out how to accomplish all of these things. Recently, it's become about realizing different goals and projects should be tackled at different times in my life, not all at once.<br />
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5) There's always room for imagination. This goes back to everything I've mentioned above, the stories, the varied interests, the dreaming...fashion has a lot to do with this. It's dress up time, yes, and call me crazy, but I feel empowered when I love what I'm wearing (which tends to be always). And that's important for a nanny with a college degree. It's one of the reasons I go to the gym: I feel empowered when I feel strong, and I love feeling strong, always have. <br />
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Preschool is all about playing make-believe, which imitates real life. And what is the life of a twenty-something but that? We've just been thrusted out of a lifetime of school, into this "real world" thing, and I know but few people my age who really know what they want out of life. We're all trying new paths, new jobs, new hobbies, new people, and just trying to figure it all out. Some people know what they want and are figuring out how to get there. Others, have an inkling, or have no idea, but again, are figuring out how to figure that out and get there. We're all toddlers and pre-schoolers out here in the real world, learning how to walk, talk, and live. And with practice and play, we'll get it right.<br />
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What are your pre-life ambitions? Experiments? Hardships? I'd love to hear.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-24321880026960389392010-11-16T13:13:00.000-08:002010-11-16T13:18:18.231-08:00In Honor of Prince William's Engagement, a Journey through a few of Princess Diana's Best LooksToday I was supposed to write tips for pattern mixing, I know. But then, Prince William and Kate Middleton got engaged! And girls - and grown women - all around the world sigh in disappointment. I'm pretty sure, actually, it was my 14-year-old self's ambition to grow up to be that girl. Oh well, c'est la vie. <br />
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I don't know too much about Kate Middleton, but seeing as how she's now wearing the late Princess Diana's ring, I thought we'd trip through some fashion history briefly, starting, with that famous wedding gown:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.celebswedding.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/princess-diana-wedding-gown1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" px="true" src="http://www.celebswedding.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/princess-diana-wedding-gown1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Talk about your big wedding gown. I vaguely remember having a Princess Diana paper doll with this dress. What I can't remember is if I liked it. I very much doubt the future Princess Kate will wear a similar fashion, and long sleeves and puff shoulders are very much out of style. But one thing is for certain: this is certainly a princess's dress, and it is iconic of the princess's style.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.updoprincess.com/images/John_Travolta_and_Princess_Diana_dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" px="true" src="http://www.updoprincess.com/images/John_Travolta_and_Princess_Diana_dancing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="text-align: left;">Ah. Classic. Fishtail gown, sweetheart neckline. In this, she could've been Grace Kelly decades before, although Princess Di is no less a fashion icon than Princess Grace.</div><div align="left" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.people.com/jpgs/19931025/19931025-750-112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://storage.people.com/jpgs/19931025/19931025-750-112.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><div align="left" style="text-align: left;">Proper in pink, hat, and pearls, that's for sure, but that's quite a hemline for a princess to be sporting! Love it. The suit and the power shoulders was one of her signatures.</div><div align="left" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/09/24/article-1215756-068B704F000005DC-711_468x703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/09/24/article-1215756-068B704F000005DC-711_468x703.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">All mommy cas and cute in Laura Ashley. The sheer skirt over what I assume are leggings is quite interesting. In a good way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.rdujour.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/14653399crayolapink123728200975239pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://images.rdujour.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/14653399crayolapink123728200975239pm.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I. Love. This. Victorian collar + buttons + shoulders and that very jaunty cap! It's very British Isles of her. Plaid's having quite a moment right now, I could almost see this on someone today. . . in fact, I have a similar shirt, though a different plaid, elbow-length sleeves, and different buttons, but with the same collar and shoulders. Plus isn't this just a fantastic photo of her?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ris.fashion.telegraph.co.uk/RichImageService.svc/imagecontent/1/TMG8027121/p/DIANA-INTRO-1-RX_1725540a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://ris.fashion.telegraph.co.uk/RichImageService.svc/imagecontent/1/TMG8027121/p/DIANA-INTRO-1-RX_1725540a.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Poppin' her collar, royalty style. It's undeniably a great sillhouette. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's yet to see if the world will watch Kate as closely as we did the late Diana. Perhaps if she's lucky, we won't. I believe the tiara gets heavy after awhile. But no matter, best wishes to her, and congratulations to Prince William. May their future be filled with the sort of light it's said Princess Diana brought into the world.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-14368753783260920812010-11-15T08:32:00.000-08:002010-11-15T08:32:57.007-08:00Mastering Pattern Play and Hosiery: Part 1 <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7mZ2myG_kC3_EYCyZaJYMjT-gVW_Rv09v-1BlvnidaxGuhbJ4uksxPWene-eA67mtEFJ4hJmJ0k7Au6ZzMqsNCcd3IBYeb9zlc5Oc34cv_OKAK2Sa4lVwznbD89baJ7KZEOii7utv34/s1600/pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7mZ2myG_kC3_EYCyZaJYMjT-gVW_Rv09v-1BlvnidaxGuhbJ4uksxPWene-eA67mtEFJ4hJmJ0k7Au6ZzMqsNCcd3IBYeb9zlc5Oc34cv_OKAK2Sa4lVwznbD89baJ7KZEOii7utv34/s400/pattern.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my own recent adventure with hosiery and pattern mixing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well, ladies and gents, I've failed. I went shopping this weekend. It's a sad, sad truth. <br />
<br />
While I seem to have kicked my <a href="http://www.groupon.com/">Groupon</a> habit for the time being, it was about time for me to start using the things. Beginning with my Groupon to the Gap, which expires this week. The gateway drug, if you will. <br />
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No, I made it out of there alive, with but three things: the <a href="http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5727&vid=1&pid=791607&scid=791607002">skirt</a> pictured above, a <a href="http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=8993&vid=1&pid=789216">cream knit sweater</a>, and the <a href="http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=35300&vid=1&pid=795890&scid=795890022">biggest, softest scarf</a> I've ever seen or felt, which I just want to be around all the time. I spent more than my Groupon was worth, but I feel these items were all good decisions. <br />
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In a related miracle, I made it out of Forever 21 with naught but two basic stretchy pencil skirts (which I went in for, looking for a black one to pair with a certain Fair Isle sweater of mine) at $6.50 each and five pairs of socks (including the grey polka dot pair pictured above) for about $4. Who says I haven't tamed my ways? <br />
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Plus the additions to my wardrobe have given me renewed energy and creativity when it comes to cold weather dressing, two very important things when it's difficult to drag yourself out of the warmth of your bed on a November morning at 6:00 am. Especially when dressing is so often one of my favorite parts of my day. <br />
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This is made easier when hosiery is such a huge trend right now. Warm legs + toes and the ability to wear skirts, dresses, and shorts throughout the winter without freezing? Huge bonus. The Fall 2010 RTW runways ran the gambit when it came to hosiery, too, from socks with sandals to legwarmers and thigh highs. <br />
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On Friday, I made the (cold, very cold) decision to wear calf-length charcoal gray socks with a pair of sky-high black heeled sandals, with my little black dress for the evening. While that evening cemented with me the fact that it is past the time to wear bare legs, my sartorial choice struck up a conversation amongst friends.<br />
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Remember this?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fiw3.lookbooks.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/clueless_still_pk_9177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://fiw3.lookbooks.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/clueless_still_pk_9177.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>1995, Alicia Silverstone in "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112697">Clueless</a>." This is the last time I really remember knee socks being on trend. Shortly after, in middle school and all throughout high school, we suffered through winters with bare legs because hosiery was "just so not cool, mom." On Friday, when my friends and I were standing around talking socks at this event we were at - grown women now with strong holds on personal style - we were remembering when socks with shoes were just so gross. And then all of a sudden, when a year or so ago, I saw them paired together again, it seemed fresh and modern. And it clicked for me, so much so that I couldn't wait to wear it. Fashion is cyclical when it comes to so many trends out of necessity, I think. <br />
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And then a few years back, thankfully, opaque tights cycled through again and we all were warm again. And then a few seasons ago, sheer hosiery re-appeared with the "ladylike" trend. Followed by ankle and calf-length socks with shoes, and then finally, the explosion of all things hosiery with Fall 2010. Shall we walk through it?<br />
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In a collection that was mostly knitwear, sloutchy socks ground two very girly looks at Dolce & Gabbana: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTgjKSUXm5Wb6J3I4sk36-D_9YCouD3VkvzpeSWvyoYmel0riMzzT2U6nSnhFbFdCUF8d9EKthHlJDxeoZUuKibc9f_srq48xmxeIuzasLJPBhtGI50GZ7AmzeHCoCjIhDjNiZB4bDGE/s1600/Dolce1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTgjKSUXm5Wb6J3I4sk36-D_9YCouD3VkvzpeSWvyoYmel0riMzzT2U6nSnhFbFdCUF8d9EKthHlJDxeoZUuKibc9f_srq48xmxeIuzasLJPBhtGI50GZ7AmzeHCoCjIhDjNiZB4bDGE/s400/Dolce1.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4uvD-JXSV-2sdpiMkS52Mlsbfa_wn1z6IvfWN6TfwSGOyjMJuozCQo8LDqiQwVClvUiOBbW10Md6Mq46mI_WOBRPd27Q0SsgToH7Mk7zETqYC8OP5t-Igdy2JJDLelEt1UzbraPTsak/s1600/dolce2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4uvD-JXSV-2sdpiMkS52Mlsbfa_wn1z6IvfWN6TfwSGOyjMJuozCQo8LDqiQwVClvUiOBbW10Md6Mq46mI_WOBRPd27Q0SsgToH7Mk7zETqYC8OP5t-Igdy2JJDLelEt1UzbraPTsak/s400/dolce2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/F2010RTW-AWANG">Alexander Wang</a> takes legwarmers to new heights (and lows), and deconstructs suiting, with thick thigh highs that are actually pulled down over shoes:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcVwsH5K1ZIEUcWVXRHp2Ni0rp5rrjJ6_tRXpoDXA__ZE3hsgB63qxvBvm-1AcwHPCjxnt2RfUSHkFztq6g1fKkuTuWycViPEvvptXTYBFn8jPFO6Tyyc93n5Nn4inzQ3faFbv9bqBaQ/s1600/awang1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcVwsH5K1ZIEUcWVXRHp2Ni0rp5rrjJ6_tRXpoDXA__ZE3hsgB63qxvBvm-1AcwHPCjxnt2RfUSHkFztq6g1fKkuTuWycViPEvvptXTYBFn8jPFO6Tyyc93n5Nn4inzQ3faFbv9bqBaQ/s400/awang1.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGev0a9z_oxaOyJCEjtQmyOpDV2pcb2tf-ddXrUNvtv8Ca-lTvK1y68WX3X7B3vPFsDZlh1bDm8sZSRNmZrheixvNgrD385iV0f_q-4jb12ecCaoKTPpGIn8zvAh0yC4VZXgQdEgN8gDA/s1600/awang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGev0a9z_oxaOyJCEjtQmyOpDV2pcb2tf-ddXrUNvtv8Ca-lTvK1y68WX3X7B3vPFsDZlh1bDm8sZSRNmZrheixvNgrD385iV0f_q-4jb12ecCaoKTPpGIn8zvAh0yC4VZXgQdEgN8gDA/s400/awang.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
With Peter Som on hand as consultant, Tommy Hilfiger turned out polished prep as never before. This of course had to include hosiery:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwG936PPs9a61h7WmLVHPoRnuZ1HJmRXa3Q_mu5_fUZpZQBYGUhahPDaJD6LLm9b6SgcdPvrli1xfiUV4yjGGW2m-1j55BSJsbktuam58P_eyIIr2dZesUcsZ6_YCSXMwnRARzJy_iMI/s1600/th1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwG936PPs9a61h7WmLVHPoRnuZ1HJmRXa3Q_mu5_fUZpZQBYGUhahPDaJD6LLm9b6SgcdPvrli1xfiUV4yjGGW2m-1j55BSJsbktuam58P_eyIIr2dZesUcsZ6_YCSXMwnRARzJy_iMI/s400/th1.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wAI497KjsCrqjjtIn9yYhi5O0eIYAQyc1vRS6P1Fb_AiHJFC8f61sOIw0WhiamLHuIKGWT-yyC6UGziK06HhWrq6MFD4wbZWh0ptYyFtqkeFf7lXyw9Qwzu3u0dA8eXsQX3NCVZbSdM/s1600/th3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wAI497KjsCrqjjtIn9yYhi5O0eIYAQyc1vRS6P1Fb_AiHJFC8f61sOIw0WhiamLHuIKGWT-yyC6UGziK06HhWrq6MFD4wbZWh0ptYyFtqkeFf7lXyw9Qwzu3u0dA8eXsQX3NCVZbSdM/s400/th3.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
Over-the-Knee boots are notoriously hard to pull off. Especially duck boots, and they must be done with sass, as reviewer Meenal Mistry notes. And trickery. Note the dark tights and the polished buttoned-up-ness of the rest of the look. <br />
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An easy and budget-friendly way to simulate the OTK look would be with knee-high socks or leg-warmers. A key to remember though is to keep the colors on bottom all in the same color family, in order to avoid chopping up the leg. In the photo at the top, the reason I risked white + large print is precisely because they were ankle socks, small, and visually at the bottom of my look. They were also diluted by the shoe.<br />
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Previous to my shopping excursion this weekend, I had mostly updated my wardrobe with hosiery, as they're fresh, add variety, extend the life of summer and fall dresses, skirts and shorts, and can be found at any price point. And did I mention, they're fun? </div>Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-54250493561082273512010-11-12T13:39:00.000-08:002010-11-12T13:39:59.844-08:00Nanny's Tired<object height="344" style="background-image: url(http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/m5Lr2r4N1XM/hqdefault.jpg);" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m5Lr2r4N1XM?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m5Lr2r4N1XM?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="425" height="344" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br />
It's Friday. It's raining out. N had an epic meltdown a few hours ago involving broccoli throwing, and I'm conserving all my energy for an event I'm attending (hint: it involves 30 varieties of gourmet chili for me to eat). And since brevity, my dears, is the soul of wit, I'm sharing but two things.<br />
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Please find above in all of its glory the song, "I Eat Doughnuts," by artist Sibley, which I tracked down after enjoying so much in Stella McCartney's ad for her Kids line, as posted earlier this week (<a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/pour-les-enfants-stella-mccartney-kids.html">Pour les Enfants</a>).<br />
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Updates to come on what N has to say about the song, and "<a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/n-says.html">what it make her booty do</a>." <br />
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And lastly, because Fridays are supposed to be en Francais, I thought I would share my favorite French term of endearment:<br />
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mon petit chou chou - "my little cabbage"<br />
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As in, "Awwww, je t'adore, mon petit chou chou!"<br />
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<em>Je l'adore.</em><br />
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Voila! C'est bien. Bonne Vendredi.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-19582407928977664732010-11-11T07:31:00.000-08:002010-11-11T07:31:45.042-08:00It's Baking Season! (A Favorite Apple Pie Recipe)Okay, as I previously indulged in an "I Love Fall" post, September begins my favorite time of year (not that I don't love summer!). The following is a list of reasons why (recipe at the end!):<br />
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1) I've designated Halloween through my Birthday (in January) as the Official Season of Glitter. My friend B once said she wouldn't be surprised to find glitter in any place I had been (and then there was the campus-wide scrubbing for at least the week after I was Tinkerbell for Halloween and carried out a bag of glitter as pixie dust one evening). It's true I love the stuff. And Halloween, Christmas, New Year's, my birthday - everyone's automatically given leave to wear as much glitter, shine, sparkle, and sequins as possible, all in the name of festivity. Gotta love it.<br />
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2) Boot season.<br />
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3) Sweater season.<br />
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4) Light jacket season.<br />
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5) The lilting combination of leaves crunching underfoot, and campfire crackling. The smell of a campfire. And later, the hanging of the greens and the spicy-sweet smell of evergreen.<br />
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6) Apple cider and hot cocoa. I'd say hot toddies, but anyone who attended my Ugly Christmas Sweater Party a few years ago can attest to my less-than-perfect hot buttered rum. I'm working on that...in the meantime, I make a mean (and simple) warm spiced apple cider + rum.<br />
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7) Ice skating at Crown Center (+ sweaters + hot cocoa).<br />
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8) A Christmas Carol at the Rep and the Nutcracker at the Kansas City Ballet. This is the time of year my imagination really takes flight (reaching very lofty heights) and I get lost in the Nutcracker, my memories of being taken to the Midland as little girls, it's grandeur, the magic of the music, the dance, and of course, the never-lost dream of being a ballerina. <br />
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9) Shopping on the Plaza in the dark of evening, with the glow of the lights. No, really. I prefer to do my Christmas shopping in the black of dusk - it all just seems more mystical, and festive.<br />
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10) The food. I don't eat much in the summer; the heat keeps me from it, and I generally just snack on a lot of fruit, cold veggies, salsas and salads. This is good for me. Fall begins my love affair with the savory. I adore chilis, soups, and stews, crusty breads, green beans and sweet potatoes. But this is also the baking season.<br />
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I kicked off the week with a pumpkin pie (using the recipe from my post <a href="http://nannyamericaine.blogspot.com/2010/10/pumpkin-piewith-twist.html?spref=fb">Pumpkin Pie with a Twist</a>, and in two weeks, my mother, my sister, my grandpa and I will be spending two days creating our family's Christmas lebkuchen (Christmas cookies), but what to make in between? I haven't been to a farmer's market since I-don't-know-when and I'm all over that this weekend, because...I've decided it's the perfect time to make an apple pie. <br />
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Apple pie is one of the labor intensive pies there is, but one of my favorites. I tend to shy away from cheddar crusts (I like mine sweet) and caramel apple pies, and often gravitate towards recipes with crumb toppings versus lattice. I haven't decided what to try this year - the cinnamon crumble-bottom turned out well in my pumpkin pie, perhaps an adaptation for apple? The following is a recipe I used last fall that turned out exceptionally well:<br />
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Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie from Epicurious.com<br />
<em>(If you're on Epicurious, you can find me and my recipe box under simrl, though I still have yet to update it with all the recipes on my mobile app).</em><br />
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<strong>Crust:</strong><br />
1 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour (<em>I'm going to try this using wheat flour)</em><br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1/2 tsp. sugar<br />
1/4 Cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes<br />
1/4 Cup shortening, cut into 1/2 inch cubes<br />
Ice water (<em>I usually keep a cup of ice water handy, adding a little bit at a time. It always seems to vary how much you'll need).</em><br />
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (<em>Note: any more and your crust will taste strongly of vinegar).</em><br />
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<strong>Filling:</strong><br />
3 1/4 lbs. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick (<em>I used organic sweet red apples bought for a pittance at a road-side stand by my mom's garden. Granny Smith's are generally considered the best baking apples, but if you don't mind a sweet pie, use whatever you like. The red apples turned out a fantastic pie).</em><br />
2/3 Cup sugar<br />
2 TB all-purpose flour (<em>again, and also in the topping below, I will try wheat flour)</em><br />
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (<em>I'm always a little heavy-handed with the spices and don't measure this precisely)</em><br />
2 TB butter, melted<br />
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<strong>Topping:</strong><br />
1 Cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 Cup sugar<br />
1/4 Cup (packed) golden brown sugar<br />
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
6 TB chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes<br />
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preparation<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div class="instructions"><strong>For crust:</strong><br />
Mix flour, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms<em>(I'm so glad this is in here! I always use my hands for all parts of the crust-making process. Messy, but works best</em>). Mix 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Drizzle over flour mixture; stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes. </div><div class="instructions"><br />
</div><div class="instructions">Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch; turn edge under and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate while preparing filling and topping. </div><div class="instructions"><br />
</div><div class="instructions"><strong>For filling:</strong><br />
Mix all ingredients in large bowl to coat apples. </div><div class="instructions"><br />
</div><div class="instructions"><strong>For topping:</strong><br />
Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add chilled butter cubes; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles wet sand. </div><div class="instructions"><br />
</div><div class="instructions">Toss filling to redistribute juices; transfer to crust, mounding in center. Pack topping over and around apples. </div><div class="instructions"><br />
</div><div class="instructions">Bake pie on baking sheet until topping is golden, about 40 minutes (cover top with foil if browning too quickly). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until apples in center are tender when pierced and filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Cool until warm, about 1 hour. Serve with ice cream. </div><br />
<br />
Read More <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cinnamon-Crumble-Apple-Pie-108650#ixzz14zJMD3kS" style="color: #003399;">http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cinnamon-Crumble-Apple-Pie-108650#ixzz14zJMD3kS</a></div><br />
Bon appetit! Stay posted for my apple pie adventures this weekend.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-71427391675939685192010-11-10T08:25:00.000-08:002010-11-10T08:25:20.886-08:00N SaysAs I go off tonight to embark on training to become a literacy tutor (after an embarrassing snafu last night, as I apparently, the would-be tutor, can't read an e-mail, and showed up a night early...) my mind is on language. My assignment for tonight centered around phonemes, blended consonants, and all of that good stuff. I vaguely remember this from a History of the English Language class I took in college, but what this really calls to mind is my poetry professor's waxing (ha) on the sounds of language. The sounds of words. Poetry was a crash course in a love affair with speaking slowly and taking the time to listen, to let the syllables melt and drip over your tongue, your teeth, feeling their weight, or their airiness. It's true that one of the reasons I love to write is because I love to play: with word order, with juxtaposition of sounds, with meanings. And all of a sudden, I find myself surrounded by people - both toddlers and adults - who are just learning to listen to those sounds.<br />
<br />
M, at 15 months, is extremely vocal, though non-verbal. But he loves to make certain sounds and hear himself do this. We had a play-date at the park with my friend, J, and her adorable son, C, who is just 11 months. And as we pushed the two side by side in swings, it struck me, how each baby seems to have his or her own unique non-verbalisation. M is extremely fond of making these glottal noises in the back of his throat, for example. <br />
<br />
And then there's N, who's very vocal about nearly everything, but still very much learning the language. A typical sentence of hers might be: "Her not have pink." She hasn't yet learned to recognize the difference in pronouns, so it's something we work on, but, she is 2, after all. She adopts particular phrases that she loves to use in any situation, or words - "poop" is a favorite for just about everything, as is, "Whoa, dude!" Yet she still converses with M in his little language, or, at least, imitates it (I still have no idea if they have some sort of understanding of what he's saying or not) and frequently uses onomatopoeia. "Sook sook," is a recent one that is used with such variety that I haven't quite figured out it's true meaning, if it has one. <br />
<br />
Where am I going with this? When it comes to writing, to anything in life, really, I find that children inspire me. They have an uncanny way of revealing truths, and have not yet learned to shield, or control, their emotions. I think this is very good. So much so that I've found a focus for a collection of short stories centering around revealing childhood stories that friends, acquaintances, and so forth have told me (you can read one, <a href="http://www.fictionaut.com/stories/rachel-lora-simmons/sweet-baby-james">Sweet Baby James, published here</a>, as it were.<br />
<br />
One of my favorite moments with N happened when she was playing with her brother in the living room, and I got up to go do something in the kitchen. As I turned the corner, she came flying up, huge grin, arms open, halfway in the air, yelling, "I need Rachel right now!" And as I turned to lift her up, she gave me the biggest, sweetest, tightest hug you ever saw. "I need you too, sweet pea," I said. I tear up at, well, a lot of things, but still, that moment brought tears to my eyes, and validation to my heart, as it does now as I write this.<br />
<br />
So I've been steadily keeping track the past month or so of the funny, adorable, and sweet things N says, some of which ring with such resonance. I often tweet these things, but in case you've missed them, here they all are collected:<br />
<br />
Me: "We all have little colds, don't we? But I think yours is getting better!"<br />
N (crinkles her nose): "Um, sure." <br />
Me: "Well perhaps not."<br />
<br />
This remark happens nearly daily: <br />
N: You have booty, Rachel? That's your booty! I touching your booty!<br />
Me: Yes, I noticed.<br />
<br />
N: "I just pink right now."<br />
<br />
N: "Hey Rachel, you got messy hair right now."<br />
Me (as I strive to fix it): "Oh do I? Is that better?"<br />
N: "Hmm."<br />
<br />
N: "The leaves are falling down. Where they going?"<br />
<br />
Me: "I think you're being a little bossy today, N!"<br />
N: "Noooo I not!"<br />
Me: "Yes, I think you are!"<br />
N: "Nooo I not being bossy! I being Mommy!"<br />
<br />
Me: "Okay N, lunch is almost ready!"<br />
N: "Haauuuumm oookaaaay."<br />
<br />
Note: After I drove to work one day with bird poop on N's window, we spent a week discussing why it was there, what it was, why birdies poop on cars, why birdies live in trees, and so many more "why's." The following is one of the choicest quotes of the week, a running monologue from the back seat:<br />
<br />
N: "I potty in the toilet, birdies poop on the car. Your car dirty? Birdy do that. M, no, we don't poop on the car! We go in the potty!"<br />
<br />
N: "You not have a bow in your hair today? Why not?"<br />
Me: "Well, I don't know!"<br />
N: "I have a bow in my hair. You wear one again? Tomorrow? Hooray!"<br />
<br />
Me: "Please don't chew on my button, N. It's really not very nice. Nor good for your teeth!"<br />
N: "It is! I do it! I do it every morning!"<br />
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(At the park, from the top of the playground set) N: "HI RACHEL! LOOK AT ME RACHEL! WATCH THIS RACHEL! YOU A PRINCESS RACHEL!"<br />
<br />
Me: "How's that thumb taste, N?"<br />
N (as it's placed smackingly in her mouth to stay): "Icky!"<br />
<br />
N: "I want a car!"<br />
Me: "Can we say please? What kind of car?"<br />
N: "A pink one!"<br />
Me: "Oh? And where will you go in your pink car?"<br />
N: "I go to the store! I go to the store to buy chocolate milk!"<br />
<br />
N: "I want my lipstick."<br />
Me: "You don't want your snack?"<br />
N: "No, I just want my lipstick."<br />
<br />
Note: We're big fans of Pandora (although it's been increasingly difficult to explain why I cannot force the Disney station to only play Cinderella, Belle, and Ariel) and one of N's favorite stations is the Gaelic Storm station, which plays largely traditional Irish music. She calls it "her" music. So we like to put "N's" music on and dance.<br />
<br />
N (as she's crouching down, "booty" stuck in the air, and shaking it): "This music make my booty go like this."<br />
<br />
Me (as N wipes her runny nose on my shoulder): "Do you need a tissue, N?"<br />
N: "No."<br />
Me (as she continues to wipe her nose on me): "I think you might. 'Cause I'm not a tissue."<br />
N: "No. You a tissue!"<br />
Me: "No, I'm really not. I don't want to be!"<br />
N: Yes you do! You want to! You want to be tissue!"<br />
<br />
N: "You nanny. Is Mommy nanny?"<br />
Me: "No, Mommy's mommy."<br />
N: "Whoa dude!"<br />
<br />
N (surveying the aftermath of M's lunch, which was largely all over the floor): "Too icky."<br />
<br />
N: "We teach M, Rachel."Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-16451502018240832052010-11-09T08:43:00.000-08:002010-11-09T08:56:59.011-08:00Pour les Enfants: Stella McCartney Kids!<object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xufKU-prfCA?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xufKU-prfCA?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br />
"I eat doughnuts, man, I eat doughnuts."<br />
<br />
Ah! File this under if I would, I could: buy M&N some Stella McCartney Kids. Besides watching this adorably fun video, oh, maybe ten times this morning (and there will be more viewings to come. perhaps even a downloading of the song. which we'll add to our afternoon dance sessions), I've scoped out the seriously awesome and adorable kidswear to be found at <a href="http://www.stellamccartneykids.com/">http://www.stellamccartneykids.com/</a>.<br />
<br />
There's also a handy-dandy "Creat a Look" feature on the website, so of course, while M sleeps peacefully, and N learns away at school, I've taken it upon myself to pick out what I would dress them in (totally in my job description. Both of them). Um, yeah. If you follow me on Twitter, you'll probably be seeing a lot of these tweets (promise: they're adorable!). There's also a "Playground" with downloadables, such as lullabies and videos. Well done, Miss McCartney. And now, here are a few of my picks for M & N:<br />
<br />
Pour M (15 months, male):<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6G8y_uh8TFqYAufFjbMOdvE6P9PLBgOiJhwSUbmPCZPoSu-5rHi4bvFPKOe4j5hK2HOyS2tP6R1-WMfHRIn5w4c8mSDoSXbV87FizYA_U4GHBKLjRc5gA3LokLv7SLJhvnHM-F1_uMa0/s1600/smM1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6G8y_uh8TFqYAufFjbMOdvE6P9PLBgOiJhwSUbmPCZPoSu-5rHi4bvFPKOe4j5hK2HOyS2tP6R1-WMfHRIn5w4c8mSDoSXbV87FizYA_U4GHBKLjRc5gA3LokLv7SLJhvnHM-F1_uMa0/s320/smM1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you try to tell me footies aren't the most adorable things on earth. Stella's versions are organic cotton.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMZijyTMMNcNX8-ZyWt5gKgSk5ynui64txxKRdUjmCfTKoh30Ht836ZSkm7AvftYjrR1Zo9ZEmhRoNaqhQxssvv8WG6Gqi5SE30ha4NYI4jff-ot563ME4FibLElLDKhwGLoU7bLqebI/s1600/smM2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMZijyTMMNcNX8-ZyWt5gKgSk5ynui64txxKRdUjmCfTKoh30Ht836ZSkm7AvftYjrR1Zo9ZEmhRoNaqhQxssvv8WG6Gqi5SE30ha4NYI4jff-ot563ME4FibLElLDKhwGLoU7bLqebI/s320/smM2.png" width="320" /></a></div>Awww baby sweater<br />
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</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Pour N (will soon be 3, female):<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuECjX5wQo52LtexOqpuBPaE8BJ-ujqqlME_Comq5I2qAD6HrMGq2LHzjksZXA1SQtsfRDSsBqL5rDtLszLA7q6UXGV95EsoDkOST8-CBVaEH3VoJARMfb2FamWkWT-dO3G1p_U4yoOaE/s1600/smN1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuECjX5wQo52LtexOqpuBPaE8BJ-ujqqlME_Comq5I2qAD6HrMGq2LHzjksZXA1SQtsfRDSsBqL5rDtLszLA7q6UXGV95EsoDkOST8-CBVaEH3VoJARMfb2FamWkWT-dO3G1p_U4yoOaE/s320/smN1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just love grown-up looking clothes on children. <em>I'd </em>wear this.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOkETiStiIfxAhbXtz52whPjCaaeAJPySGmlSPAvqWdqu_bArks0WNqqI7iczevoggxqurlYp476YzOUhHAboDnHDq9fsrLquMmClzLF4P2TD1YuLuA-2BdisjXSYyqGlUfS7U7Pxkw0/s1600/smN4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOkETiStiIfxAhbXtz52whPjCaaeAJPySGmlSPAvqWdqu_bArks0WNqqI7iczevoggxqurlYp476YzOUhHAboDnHDq9fsrLquMmClzLF4P2TD1YuLuA-2BdisjXSYyqGlUfS7U7Pxkw0/s320/smN4.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Another</em> item I would wear! I really do love grown-up clothes cut for kids. I remember seeing once where now-designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson (obsession of my generation) used to have designer clothes cut down to their size. Grown-up clothes are fun too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc6RbYpeg6UoCOyJylVsyIvlcDQ_uWAhJYIUHqYw09NrYUv6Olms1OV_XCbQ4JxBCiyeRk-haxQPOKp07utezU0_K1JzNGXgiEAMg9MLYe3NWwgn8k779ib1VJjKO92wkg-hYGfnBuwA/s1600/smN3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDc6RbYpeg6UoCOyJylVsyIvlcDQ_uWAhJYIUHqYw09NrYUv6Olms1OV_XCbQ4JxBCiyeRk-haxQPOKp07utezU0_K1JzNGXgiEAMg9MLYe3NWwgn8k779ib1VJjKO92wkg-hYGfnBuwA/s320/smN3.png" width="320" /></a></div>I love that the softness of the palette seems to coincide with the softness of the materials used: organic cotton and cotton blends, wool and cashmere... Everything just seems so cute and comfy and cozy. <br />
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Should you have both the children and the budget (or, if you, like me, have neither, but are infinitely curious) visit <a href="http://www.stellamccartneykids.com/">http://www.stellamccartneykids.com/</a> - shipping is free (on orders over $90 - not hard to do...) through November 15, so I'm advising to just complete your Christmas shopping in one fell swoop.Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1726020287091392417.post-86583326143471004402010-11-09T06:47:00.000-08:002010-11-09T07:01:53.000-08:00This Is Obsession: Part Deux<object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-NqxL4uwqHE?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-NqxL4uwqHE?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br />
Lanvin for H&M Promo Video<br />
<br />
The line hits stores November 20, fashion media has been saturated with this video, interviews with Alber Elbaz and his thoughts on the line, the decision to bring luxury to H&M, etc. I particularly love this snippet from an interview with the New York Times' <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/11/video_alber_elbaz_discusses_la.html?mid=twitter_TheCut">Cut blog</a> (as did they), on the subject of the type of women he wants to wear Lanvin:<br />
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<blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>"A friend of mine told me that everytime she wears a Lanvin dress, a man falls in love with her, and I thought, 'Wow, that's great.' And then the day after I told her, 'I wish actually the next time you wear a Lanvin dress <em>you</em> fall in love with a man.' And she said, 'What’s the difference?' And I said, 'Active and passive.' So I like those active women, women in charge. So in any case I hope now that we have so many more dresses of Lanvin many more women will be falling in love and many more women will be fallen in love with."</blockquote>And I myself have been glamming out, trying to figure out how to get my hands on at least one frock. Live in a city with an H&M? Feel like being my personal shopper for a day? It's a matter of Lanvin and Death over here. <br />
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Paris will understand the delay in journey financing. C'est Lanvin!Rachel Lora Simmonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10788826690777537954noreply@blogger.com0