musical inspiration..

It all started with T magazine, I began to get interested in music again. Somehow in each issue they mention a band here or there as inspiration and I think, hhmmm I'm going to have to give them a go, and I have made some good music choices lately, thanks to T. I love how T is never inspired by movie stars, but much of the time it IS inspired by everyone else in the world! (not to mention every PLACE in the world!). Sally Singer I love you! (that's not music, that's editor)

Along with the T inspiration I figured that needed to ask my old friend Wayne what his music inspiration was right now. Wayne is a California guy at heart, but found himself in New York City for too many years, then ejected himself off to work in Italy for the past few years. Wayne knows more about music than anyone I know, and his taste is pretty out there, but most of the time he hit's it on the head. He is also the best Graphics man I know (he created the Nonchalant Mom website back in 2004 and it still works for me!). So without further A-do, here is Waynes current music list, he didn't say much about anything, except to say that it's mostly new music (he used to be very into old stuff, lots of jazz). I left it in his stream-of-consciousness kind of text because that's the way he is:

LANA DEL REY-VIDEO GAMES out in oct, Anna Calvi, john maus, Richard Buckner, wooden shjips, Benjamin Biolay, the war on drugs, chris smither (folk), Amina Alaoui (ECM), Anouar Brahem (ECM). Richard Galliano-Luz Negra. Rediscovered Violent Femmes-Hallowed Ground yesterday. All bert jansch from 60s, early 70s and 2000s (bert jansch, last cd black swan is excellent and his first simply called bert jansch is a classic).

I am sure that everyone is more tuned in than I am but I had not heard of ANY of these bands, I went through iTunes and ended up buying just about every one (except for the Violent Femmes, not into that but hey... I'm sure it's great) and I feel pretty good now thank you!

thanks Wayne! I am going to ask him if he will keep us in the loop every once in awhile, I have begged him to start a music blog... but I can't seem to get him to do it. COME ON Wayne!

hermes birthday party... what!?

I took a visit to the beautiful blog of Simple Lovely today and last weekend she went to the anniversary party for the Dallas Hermes store... holy COW! It was the 25th Anniversary of Hermes in Dallas and boy did they do it right.

There are so many ideas here... LOTS of wonderful inspiration that you can use for your own over-the-top amazing party! face painting can be sweet if you put your mind to it...

And these silver Mylar horses... just gorgeous! 

Fun can be in the simplest things... done right!

Josclyn takes such great images and I hope that they inspire you for a perfect party of your own... I think those horse shaped silver balloons have to be the BEST of all!

Jane Foster - genius!

genius! is Jane Foster... I found her etsy shop today via Design Mom, who ran a house tour which is fantastic as well (click here to see). I loved her house so much that when I went to her etsy shop I felt I had just hit PAYDIRT! bright and exciting prints that are colorful and simple (and ah, yes, SCANDINAVIAN influenced..). So far she completely delights me with her things and I can't imagine anything better

so watch out American Girl... here comes Tilda!!

She will come to you direct from Janes hands in Totnes, Devon in the UK - so you can buy her already stuffed ($56) or you can buy a kit to make her yourself! ($22/usd)

HOOO HOOO! who!? Jane also makes these perfect Owls! (love them all!)

I am going to give all of my friends these for christmas... there DONE!

click here to visit the Etsy site for Jane Foster
or to find out more visit her blog here

hello shiso...

Are you looking for simple, sweet, easy and just darn cute for your kids hair? Or maybe a cute little bib or ditty for yourself... hello shiso has some simple answers for you! Hello shiso accessories are made by an easy going Berkley mom who just comes up with enough cuties to make your life smile upon you more. I love these heart clips.

but here simple bibs, with just a bit of delightful embroidery make a perfect everyday soft bib

or catchy necklaces!?

And these new bracelets!

See how a tiny pretty thing can brighten up your day!

Thank you shiso mama! - visit hello shiso here

my favorite dinner!

Last night I made my favorite dinner in a long time... I don't know about you but my husband has been traveling for the last couple of weeks and although we do eat fine dinners just me and the kids, we tend to be VERY simple. The night before it was sushi rolls w/salad, a really simple pasta the night before.. you get the picture. But last night I went all out, it was like a date night at home with the kids (AND it was just a plain old Wednesday...).

We had Branzino (Mediterranean sea bass) baked 'sotto sale' or in salt, steamed radish tops and roasted potatoes (or as my son says - french fries!). Lately our local Whole Foods has had Branzino on hand and I think it's really nice to cook a whole fish (would rather CATCH the fish but maybe next time!) so that the kids see that we are eating fish and don't think that it's chicken all the time! For this reason I like to bring it to the table and serve it that way so that they can see me fillet the fish and everything.

Baking the fish in salt makes it incredibly tender and delicious, it just melts in your mouth. It's very easy, lie the fish on a bed of salt, add some olive oil to fish, fill the cavity with whatever herbs you have on hand (in this case I only had basil, oregano and sage), and then take salt and pack it onto the top of the fish too. Depending on the size of the fish you will use about 1/2 - 3/4 cup salt, and you can see how it almost cracks off when you are done. Use a good salt too like Si salt or a good sea salt. Italians like to add more olive oil (really GOOD quality olive oil) and salt and pepper to the fish on your plate but I don't think it needs it! You decide!?

Toss potatoes cut into large slivers with olive oil and rosemary, salt and pepper and put them on a roasting sheet and bake for a bit before you put the fish in a 400 degree oven. Put the fish in for the last 20 minutes. In the meantime cut the tops off radishes and wash really well (they are usually grown in sandy/dirt so it's always hard to get all that dirt out!) chop up and steam just a bit. Add a bit of salt and pepper before serving. The kids really like radish tops, they have just a watery flavor, radish tops are very high in vitamin C and an amazing source of calcium, they clean your blood, and all they while taste great! I also like to garnish the plate with some cut up radishes for color!

There you go... a REALLY easy DELICIOUS meal for you and your kids!

Oh and I almost forgot... the whole meal cost = Branzino $8.60 + 4 potatoes $2 + radishes (2 bunches) $2.40 = approx. $13

can't beat that for three people! even at McDonalds....

of A kind

I was brought to this website via Clare Vivier, who made a lovely wallet/type thing for  'of a kind' (long since sold out) - as in one of a kind... they ask their favorite designers to make something specifically for them and then they sell it to YOU the audience! These are a unique list of designers, so they give you the story behind them... how they came to 'of a kind' and explores their mission. I think it's a great opportunity for everyone, we win because we get to see these lovely things that they come up with, the designer wins because they are introduced to bevy of new customers and there you go - the American dream in action!

Today I got an email for The Fete collection necklaces by Alyson Fox, which I love... they have that quirky color/shape thing going on that I love... and they look super stacked with many other necklaces (maybe even one of my nonchalant mom necklaces!?) - sign up for their mailing list now and get some great tips-offs on some fun designers that are making GREAT things!


click here to visit of a kind

bunions

IF YOU HAVE THESE....

GET THESE....

Do you remember when this split toe Nike shoe came out (maybe it was in the 90's - I remember being in Italy and it became all the RAGE) I was certain then and I still am that these were made by someone who has bunions... or maybe Nike hasn't figured that out yet... anyway, if you have bunions, like I do (that's my feet above) your feet will feel delighted to wear these shoes!

My bunions are one of the main reasons that I love yoga, I am constantly checking my stance (and it's probably why I like Iyengar so much) and making sure my big toes are straight (it's not easy if you have bunions, you have to concentrate on it!) - I thought it would come down to a book one day that I could write... I have solved the problem of bunions... YOGA! Well it hasn't made them disappear, but I think that they do not cause me to much hassle because I do yoga. And I hope that I will not have to have surgery or have trouble walking like some of my cousins and aunts.

The fact is, they run in my family. I know, I know... everyone says they are from my shoes, or sugar (macrobiotic) or what have you... but honestly they just run in the family. I would like to add here that they could run in the family because the people in our family that have them are a little crazy for sweets, but I am not going to go down that avenue...

In Macrobiotics they suggest that these bunions are from sugar, which I can tell you, when I eat a lot of sugar my bunions become inflamed and red... so yes, sugar is NOT good for them. But they are not going to go away if I do NOT eat sugar, it's too late for that and I think it has something to do with my constitution. The other time that my bunions get aggravated is when the weather changes drastically, in a humid direction that is... so I could be a weather girl instead of a shop owner... hhhhmmmm??

At any rate I would like to offer these delightful Nike shoes to you if you have bunions and tell me what you think, it's wonderful to have a shoe to keep your toe in-line and straight. I honestly feel great in them and I also run in them (which is NOT suggested but feels great for me!) - not the most attractive shoe I can imagine, the black lace does this shoe no favors, but hey... maybe Nike will let me design a pair for them?? that's a good idea, no!?

get your Nike - it's called The Rift - black w/neon pink soles from Nike here (I didn't find them in ANY stores!

20% off jewelry and accessories!

If it's not clothing then it's probably on sale! --until FRIDAY take 20% off on all jewelry and accessories - use code: 'accessories' at checkout and the discount will be applied to your order. This discount shows up for just about each collection but this is a very rare opportunity to get 20% off:

jess brown! - this could be a good time to pick up a Christmas present for someone very special!?

atsuyo et akiko! - this collection of accessories sells very fast... so it rarely goes on sale, this is a great opportunity to get a deal on some very cute jewels for your kids or yourself!

clare vivier - have you been holding off on getting yourself an amazing handbag... well jump on it now!!

nikki b - get a friendship bracelet for you AND your friends! (and get 20% off!!)

Maison de Vacanses - get these chic accessories for the home... last chance!

This sale does NOT include personalized jewelry - jump in now and get something before the sale ends on FIRDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd (the first day of Autumn!!)

don't forget the code: 'accessories'

love - carina

more lucky fish!

BACK IN STOCK! yes, they always go fast... and it's hard for us to keep up, but this season we were really on the ball and we knew what to re-order in the first weeks! Things from Lucky Fish were flying out the door fast and it didn't take us long to realize that sizes 6 - 8 - 10 and even size 12 were going, going, GONE! So we re-ordered the following t-shirts for your kids!

blue foil spider on olive thermal T

glow in the dark moon on black thermal t

safari T on organic cinder t

giraffe printed on front and back in orange on slate t

fade bunnies on white thermal t

click here to see the entire Lucky Fish collection on Nonchalant Mom

new issue small magazine !! Fall 2011

I love this new issue of Small Magazine... from the first page onward, maybe it's the green, but most likely its for what's inside! Always inspiring and always a barrel of fun!

like this great idea for snow globe cards! - easy and fun, good for Christmas cards!

 Always the BEST!

click here to see the whole magazine!

oops and these...

should I get them?... should I not get them? .... I have 50% talked myself into them....
(the shoes that is...)

No. 6 sling back clogs at Totokaelo

what am I doing now, you ask!?

It's been such a long time since I have posted one of these, and I have a few obsessions at the moment that I have been dying to share...

bruce webber at lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota

1. I don't know how I got onto this, I think it's because I thought it was THE Bruce Webber that was cycling across America (it's not THE Bruce, but it's Bruce Webber columnist for the New York Times). I think it's just about a wish for everybody to drive across America, but this guy is BIKING it for the second time! I am not a twitter fan but it must be his easiest way for him to post so I have been checking in with his photos, recently he was in the very town in Minnesota where our family had a lake house, Garrison, Minnesota - on Lake Mille Lacs! at the moment he is making his way across Wisconsin, but he has come all the way from Oregon and it's so much fun to watch his route. click here to see the story in the NYT and here is link to photos on twitter.

2. I have been looking for chap stick with the perfect color red since Dr. Hauschka pulled their pot-gloss back in the 90's (I bought up as much stock as I could find when I heard it was going away, sound familiar!?). And when I find myself at the Beauty counter my favorite question has always been, "Is there a lipstick, the goes on like chap stick that has just enough of a hint of red?" - I usually get a silly look and as they walk away from me, they say "no". Burt Bees has been my solution until now.... I just ordered the new Fresh Passion tinted lip treatment - it's PERFECTION! my answer to lipstick!! - get it by clicking here

3. Although it is the end of summer, I will tell you that this Solar Recover has been the lifesaver of the season! Especially on our trip to Austin, TX. We would come in from the heat and my family would line up to get misted down and cool off! This product is so delightful to your nose and body it's just great.. we never burned and never peeled, in fact no skin issues at all! It has distilled water, vitamin E, essential oils of calendula, lavender, sesame, geranium, roman chamomile, sandalwood and french seaweed extract... it all equals something that smells great and is soothing to your skin (I got this tip from Joslyn at Simple Lovely!) - get it at Whole Foods or click here.

4. It's hard for me to go to bed without washing my face... I can't help it! but my current favorite night time product is Midnight Recovery Concentrate by Kiehls - it smells delightful, feels lovely and I look younger when I wake up! (Just kidding!) - get it at Kiehls

5. My kids are crazy for Mango Tango smoothie drink by Odwalla, I love it too, but it's been nice to get away from apple juice and have a change on hand!


I hope that these ideas are helpful to you... and make your life more FUN!