for the BOYS!

These are some of, not only MY favorites, but YOURS... I have to admit, sometimes I think I know what kids are going to wear for a coming season. And then sometimes we are completely surprised when everyone goes crazy for something else, but that's just how it goes! We love to be surprised!! Here are some of our FAVORITES for this Spring/Summer season.

 Boy + Girl - This collection is new to Nonchalantmom but it is a new favorite! I love their simple and easy looks. Their smart reversible pieces (your kids spill on their shirt, just flip it inside out! - viola!). When they design they make two specific collections, one for the boys and one for the girls, they may share some fabrics but they style for each. I actually like their shorts and I think they are unisex, along with everything here... but we had BOYS in mind!

 ESP no1 - This collection is pretty much jeans and t-shirts and what could be more BOY than that! My son wears everything from this collection, he loves the soft jeans (and stretchy for comfort) and their super soft t's (many of them are organic cotton too!). These guys have the jean thing down...

 Lucky Fish - really our FAVORITE for boys... these are just the greatest graphic T's that kids LOVE! Each season we get a new crop of T's because they are the kind of thing my kids wear EVERY SINGLE DAY! and they get totally consumed! But we love them and always get comments on how cute they are...

nico nico - This California Cool collection is right up any boys alley! We stocked up on nico nico's great shorts and t-shirts... it's just what boys wear... day in and day OUT! This collection was kind of a surfin safari! I love the prints and the great ikats used in this collection.

shop at nonchalantmom
shop boy+girl here
shop esp no1 here
shop lucky fish here
shop nico nico here

gn woodwork

Our friend Garett Neudeck, who did all of the renovations on our home (we LOVE his work), has just published his new website and while there is more to come, I loved some of the pieces and seriously wanted to share them with you. My favorite is this 70's bookshelf, which I would DIE for in our home... I love all of the detail work, and while you can customize it, I love it just the way it IS!

This piece is 9' x 9' x 12" its BIG and that's a great part of it... it would take up an entire wall! "Originally designed and built in the 00's, this thing should have been made in the 70's. Pictured version made from pine recycled by us from a building in Red Hook (Brooklyn) with painted plywood doors. Held together by joinery and old-school, straight slotted solid brass screws so that it can be (relatively) easily taken apart to go up any elevator/stairway or with you when you move from your apt in the city out to that old farmhouse in the country" I loved his description of how he detailed the piece.

For a smaller space I love this desk, what's it called... a writers desk... whatever I want it! (48" x 84" x 24") - there is even a secret door for secret storage on the side, he thinks of all the details!

He has more to come, but I was too excited to share these... I will let you know when more shows up but in the meantime.... get your STORAGE in order.

visit his website at: www.gnwoodwork.com

Spring Break! - hop in your car and take a r i d e...

ROAD TRIP!!

to SUNNY Florida! That's what we decided to do. It was a bit last minute so we had no time for airline tickets (well I should say, we don't have THAT kind of money for last minute tickets!). We are big fans of the road trip, we have a great time and this one in particular we rented a VAN... whoa! what fun was  t h a t... Previously I had not be a fan of the van, but this trip certainly changed my mind! We figured since we had such a big car we would take the dog with us, instead of missing him each day he got to enjoy the warm weather with us (not sure he liked it as much as WE did...).

Ikea!

Our road trip started in Rhode Island, the kids and I drove down to meet Dad at his show in NYC. We picked him up at 6pm and we were on the road by 7pm! We figured we would get ourselves out of the difficult part, which is NYC to DC... we made it just outside DC where we stopped for the night and in the morning we woke up, got on the road and found an IKEA which I made my husband pull over at for breakfast (my mom keeps telling me they have a great breakfast!). This stop was GENIUS, I managed to get some pillows for our giant VAN, some candles (you know how some of those roadside hotel rooms stink), and swedish knack (crackers) and then we were on the road again all the way down to Savannah, GA - our favorite stop on the way to Florida!

baggu - weekender bag in blue or red

What we pack (we pack light):
-we pack in two baggu weekender bags - girls get the blue one and boys get the red one!
-we bring a bag of food: fruit, oatmeal, cheese + crackers, avocados and lemons
-we only drink water because it's inevitable that someone is going to spill (although mom gets tea! ;0)
-some games, we LOVE Parcheesi and Uno!
-scooters and skateboard


SAVANNAH
We love Savannah for it's healthfood stores and good restaurants! And since we had our dog with us we walked the city and checked out all the shops and sights. We used the 'hotels.com' app to find hotels along the road each night, in Savannah we stayed at The Studio Homes at Ellis Square, it was the most clean, beautiful place I have seen in a long time, WITH a kitchen. It would be perfect for an extended stay in Savannah (which I think would be wonderful... I think I could even LIVE there!!) but there are lot's of beautiful places to stay, even an Andaz which was nearby looked modern and nice.

-their local health food store is Brighter Days Natural Foods - fantastic and has a great coffee and smoothie (etc) bar attached.
-shops: ARC on Broughton St. and just about across the street Sylvester & Co.

We went in and out a bit fast to give tips on dining... sorry.. next time!

beachside at Vero Beach (good ol'zinc.. best sunblock in the world!)

poolside at Costa d'Este

VERO BEACH, FL
This is our destination, we came here two years ago and really liked it for it's laid-back easy feeling, I suppose this speaks volumes that we came back AGAIN, need I say more. We stay at Costa d'Este and love it. The folks there are so casual and easy going, it's right on the beach (beach or pool is the question each day!), foot massage by the pool while watching the kids... that's just my speed. This trip we did NOTHING, which is perfect in Vero Beach. It's a very quiet town, we walk to everything (never used the car for the whole week). Costa d'Este has beautiful interiors, super comfortable sleeping, quiet location (just the waves!) and the restaurant has great fresh food with some organic choices.

night swimming! (neon style)

-restaurants:
Crave - this is just a sandwich place by the beach, with great healthy options (SO lucky it's there...) + ice cream.
Citrus Grillhouse - sit right on the beach and eat fresh, good Italian food with a great wine list.
Wave - located at the hotel (Costa d'Este) terrific cuban food!
-shopping: Maison on Ocean Drive and has lots of things I have in my store too! plus furniture, etc... really beautiful shop!
-massage: Orthoflexology by Scott Kingsbury - this is one of the best reflexology I have ever had... I STILL feel fantastic, almost a week later... he does reflexology and finds troublesome points as well as an adjustment. He works a lot with people who have specific issues or pain but he set both my husband and myself totally STRAIGHT! (thank you Scott!!)

Aperitif Lilet!

outside seating makes it good for dogs too!

The return drive is always a bit somber, leaving sunny Florida is never easy. Our highlight on the return trip was a stop in Jacksonville at a restaurant called: TAVERNA. It was the freshest, most simply delicious food I have had in a long time. Really uncomplicated but just the best choices. We shared an appetizer cheese and meat plate, the kids loved the home made fig compote and honey. Franny ate an entire pizza! Sander had a sopressata pizza with an egg which he LOVED (he is just starting to order from the adult menu so he's getting adventurous.. I'm SO happy about this!) - these are beautifully made pizza's with a delicate crust (not just ANY pizza! :). They had a delightful wine selection and we had a lovely Lilet on ice... the first of the Spring! Thank you Taverna for a perfect dinner!

the line at Carls Ice Cream

We also made a stop at Carls Ice Cream in Fredricksburg, VA - not to be missed, especially after a long drive it's a good place to get out of the car, have a treat and get back on the road again. Home made soft serve ice cream... super delicious! (don't worry about the line it goes fast!).

While on the drive we use the 'I-95 Gourmet' website for interesting spots to stop on the long drive down from Rhode Island to Florida (the guide starts in Maine!). It hasn't given us a bad steer yet... you have to be choosy about where you are going to stop and what looks good to you.. but we have found some treasures on this website!

Good Luck and have a happy road trip!

dinner :: easy salmon + stuff...

franny's 'people' having dinner with her!

I call this salmon and stuff... I juse whatever is in the fridge, mix it with brown rice (in this case it's the WONDERFUL mix that Whole Foods makes brown rice and wild rice... I LOVE it!) and then mix in some veggies!

I like to steam the salmon to make it easy and really fresh with lemon and dill, the kids lOVE the sauce I make with greek yogurt + mustard + salt/pepper + parsley or dill.

Just an easy simple dinner.. that's what it's all about! (plus the pet shop people!)

Socsha!

I love these little bracelets.. they make such great gifts for friends! any kind of jewelry that doesn't have to come off for the shower or anything else is GREAT in my book! They look amazing worn in multiples, I add colors for different seasons - just added bright pink!

scosha bracelets priced between $26 - $98

Best of all have fun with them and share them with your friends!

what does YOUR wrist look like!?

Scosha bracelets at nonchalantmom

Spring THING :: matta cashmere poncho + dupattas

matta cashmere poncho - lemon was: $350 now: $280

This Matta poncho is one of my favorite pieces for the Spring! It's small, cozy for those cool days/nights and I love this color for Spring! (and summer and fall... whenever!) It's a piece that is super lightweight and gives me the perfect warmth for this time of year. I just put this one on SALE just in case you still need to get YOURS! - it could make a GREAT Mothers day gift for yourself.

matta dupatta's on SALE was: $189-226 NOW:  $150-$180

We have also put the dupatta's on sale.. another perfect MOTHERS DAY gift!

stay chic!
shop Matta here

Your SPRING changing diet

I've talked about this before but since I always need reminding I thought you might too! At the major changes in the season you might find that you feel sick to your stomach... literally. It's almost a flu-like feeling, it doesn't last long but when it's there you may think it's the flu. Well it's not (well in some cases it may be - more on that later) it's just your body adjusting to the changes in the season and along with that you need to start to adjust your diet. Moving away from winter's well cooked stews and comfort food, into a more fresh cycle.

To be perfectly honest, when I get this feeling it's the perfect time for me to go on a bit of a diet or fast... because the thought of food doesn't even sound good to me. What a wonderful new movement we could start with a fast at the beginning of each season!

In the springtime, I move our family into more fresh cooking, smaller meals and not so much snacking. We need to shed that hibernating feeling! Walks outside, for kids playing outside, it's about being lighter and feeling lighter.

This is also a time when your immune system my be down and needs some boosting. It's easy to get colds and flu at this time of seasonal change, so help your body by boosting your immune system with whatever works for you, Echinacea or for the kids I use Astragalus. But it is also boosted by walks outside, sports, running, etc. And don't be fooled, if you (or your kids) are still eating their Easter candy that's NOT helping either (throw it all over the floor with wrappers all over the place... "oH! look! the DOG ate it" voila... chocolate GONE).

Think of your flowers.. you need to build healthy roots for your body to be strong and lean for the summer!

books I want to read... soon...

There are three books on my reading list right now, then a friend posted on facebook that she was looking for a book to read and wanted suggestions, what a GOOD idea! She got a bunch of good suggestions from her friends that were great! (I got some ideas too) just passing on the idea cause I thought it was a good one.

For me, these are the books that are on my list, I am quite a fan of biographies so... there you go.. all THREE are biographies (sometimes I slip something else in there, not this time).

I LOVE this woman! She has such an amazing wit, she's sharp and works super hard, everything I strive for... I love that she is such a behind the scenes person, or maybe not.. have to read the book! (plus, all my 'fashion friends' said it's a great read!)

There are many books on this woman, but I have heard that this one is great! What a powerhouse, I expect to get lots of tips from her on how to be chic ;) (isn't she the most elegant thing you have ever seen... and even better as she got older!)

and I don't know if you heard it but Sheryl Sandberg was on Terry Gros yesterday and I just decided I needed to read this book. I agree with her on many points - but then I don't agree either... which makes me think this will make for a good read!

I think you should buy them at your local book store but if you can't here are the links on amazon:

GRACE a memoir by Grace Coddington
Empress of Fashion - A life of Diana Vreeland by Amanda Meackenzie Stuart
Lean In - women, work, and the will to lead - Sheryl Sandberg

DIY project :: crochet rug

photo by ChiWei of blog: 1dogwoof.com

I have been trying my hand at crochet lately, and I think I like it better than knitting... or maybe it's just newer to me! This rug is one of the DIY projects I found that drove me to it. I haven't made it yet myself (it's on my LIST) but I wanted to pass it on - if anyone makes it please shoot me off a photo! I have found that sometimes if I blog about a project it helps me to do it quicker... and at least it's easier for me to find where the instructions for the project ARE!!  (on my BLOG!)

It looks super easy and really fun and I think the result is super cute! If you can get your kids turned onto crochet I think it's a great talent that they will never loose. So here are the instructions and the link to the full posting on 1dogwoof.com

click here to go to onedogwoof to see full instructions ::

Step 1.  Acquire fabric.  In this case, I used XXL men's t-shirts from Goodwill.  Choose t-shirts that are mostly or 100% cotton, and have no or very little print on them, preferably, only above the arm line.  You'll also want the fabric weight to be fairly consistent, so don't try to pair up a Hanes t-shirt with a paper thin cotton shirt from BR.

Step 2. Create your yarn.  There are oodles of t-shirt yarn tutorials out on the internet.  Feel free to choose any one of them, or try this one on for size.  The basic idea is that the shirt is already in the round, so you're cutting a continuous strip from the bottom hem up to the armpit.  Actually, remove the hem before cutting - it doesn't curl well (or, at all). Once you have the big strip, stretch the strip and allow the knit in the t-shirt to curl in on itself, thus creating the yarn.

 

 

Step 3. Ball up your yarn.  This is actually pretty important, but once I started to crochet, I realized I twisted the yarn as I balled it, so there was a lot of tension.  I ended up unraveling the whole darn thing before crocheting, which kind of defeats the purpose of balling it up in the first place.  C'est la vie.

then single crochet - visit ChiWei's blog for the full instructions and crochet tips!

Thank you 1dogwoof for such a great project!!

new FAVORITE cookbook :: Jerusalem

When our friends arrived (Jann, of course!) for Easter they had this beautiful cookbook in tow as a gift... (you will make serious and quick friends if YOU bring this as a hostess gift, just a suggestion!). They said that they have been cooking from this book for months now and LOVE it. I quickly dipped into the book and decided that OUR Easter brunch was going to follow Jerusalem!

I got maybe ten pages into the book and already had the meal plan (imagine if I would have made it through the WHOLE book, we could have fed the NEIGHBORHOOD!). We were doing brunch so we made:

Baby Spinach Salad with Dates & Almonds
Shakshuka
Pureed Beets with Yogurt & Za'atar
Turkey & Zucchini Burgers (which we made as meatballs) with green onion & cumin
(there is a beautiful sauce with this one!)

Our favorite part was trying to make each of the dishes look like the beautiful photos in the book! The recipes are simple, while you might think you don't have many of the ingredients, I am sure you will find them - we did in our small town! But Jann did bring the za'atar and some other spices. I am SO mad at myself for not taking photos... but honestly people ate everything SO fast it was gone, and the raves... DELICIOUS!

get the book - Jerusalem a Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

the beet puree has such a beautiful color... I DID take a photo!

FAVORITE thing of the WEEK! 04/11/13

If you are anything like me you have your eye on a bag for awhile before you decide it's time to get down to business and get it! But there is no better time to get yourself a delightful bag than SPRINGTIME! So if you had your eye on Clare Vivier's favorite 'Trop' bag -- here's your CHANCE!

These favorite Clare bags are now our FAVORITE THING OF THE WEEK!

La Tropezienne - black or navy (and make sure you get the handle you want 8" for a shoulder bag and 5" for a handle tote bag. This week, as our FAVORITE THING of the WEEK this bag is only $350!! (was $409)

La Tropezienne 8" handle

La Tropezienne 5" handle

or the Cartablle in natural leather... this makes a GREAT spring bag and the color naturally deepens with exposure to sun and FUN! The Cartablle comes with an insert for your $$ or lipstick or phone... or all of the above! NOW: $270 (was $320)

the Cartablle with zip pouche in natural leather and magnetic snap closure

Shop these bags and MORE at Nonchalantmom

LITTL by LILIT :: JUST ARRIVED!

This is really one of my favorite collections of the season! Lilit is a friend, a very talented one, who excels with her graphics and her simple and clean styling. Lilit lives in Germany but travels to India to oversee production of her collection quite often, what a PERK! She closely watches over her hand printing that results in a optimal colors and beautiful prints! Her pieces all have incredibly clean finishes with french seams, no sloppy edges here! and a real attention to detail.

Every piece is a favorite in my book so visit her page on my website to find YOUR favorite! and don't miss her kurta, really... I think everyone should own this piece, it's perfect for Spring/Summer and offers a cool solution to warm weather. Remember her breezy cotton prints are hand printed so there are imperfections, but that's why they are so beautiful!

lilit stripes! :: top left: women/kurta, top & bottom right: dress, bottom left: kids dress

lilit sunburst (gold print) :: in both kids and womens styles!

lilit zig zag :: in womens shirts + kids dresses and shirts!

Littl by Lilit! the best of Spring/Summer.. these are styles you can wear ALL season long...

shop lilit here at nonchalantmom

pop-UP gallery :: Victorious (SHOW EXTENDED through April 21st!)

my husband is in a pop-UP show this week (now - April 14th) called Victorious - located at:

520 W27th btw 10th & 11th - NYC 
through April 21st
please stop by!
www.truly-victorious.com

somehow none of my husbands work (Karim Hamid) is really in these photos so here is a shot from the opening with his work in the background!

for more info visit their website:
www.truly-victorious.com