You talked and we LISTENED (what a novel idea!) Nonchalantmom up to size 12 year!!

lucky fish sizes 2 year - 12 year!

Makie sizes 2 year - 10 year!

One of the questions on our survey last year (oheww.. was it THAT long ago!) was to give us an idea of what you would like from Nonchalant Mom and overwhelmingly it was larger sizes... this isn't something that works overnight and I had to convince many of the collections that I buy to MAKE larger sizes! I am happy to say that most of the collections that we carry at Nonchalant Mom we now have up to size 12 year! and it's been a resounding success!

So Drumroll please.... The following lovely collections are now available at Nonchalantmom up to size 12 year!

NICO NICO  (size 2 year - 12 year)
LUCKY FISH (size 2 year - 12 year)
MAKIE (size 2 year - 10 year)
ESP no 1 (size 2 year - 12 year)

(and more to come as we convince more people to do this!)

lucky fish up to size 12!

ESP no 1 up to size 12!

In some of these collections we do not have everything up to size 12 but most of it we do!
so take a look and we will keep going with this... TELL US if you like it!

nico nico up to size 12!

Makie up to size 10!

nico nico up to size 12!

shop all of Nonchalantmom here - from size baby - size 12 year!

Makie up to size 10!

makie up to size 10!

Nico Nico :: Just ARRIVED! Spring 2012

and it's SOOOOOO cute! My kids couldn't wait to jump into these very special SPRING clothes! But SUE put together the most beautiful photo shoot of them ALL! I love these California shots of this delightful collection that is a favorite of just about everyone I know!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP!
at Nonchalnatmom

yummy snack!

This is really my new favorite breakfast! I was introduced to it at Rushmeyers on our trip to Montauk, NY last summer. It's probably nothing new to many of you folks in California but I just wanted to share it because it's so DARN delicious! I like to have it on toast for breakfast but it would make a great snack any time of day!

1/2 avocado
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
juice of 1/4 lemon
really GOOD olive oil*
red pepper flakes (invest in some good red pepper flakes from any gourmet store, they make just about any dish fantastic!)

mash them all together and put on toast or rye crisp, adjust your flavors to your own taste, I like a lot of pepper and a lot of lemon!

* I keep a bottle of REALLY good olive oil just for topping off brown rice or any grain and pasta... don't cook with this oil, you are throwing your money away (I put a big label on it that says "NOT FOR COOKING" so everyone in the house knows what to do!), just use it for topping and salad dressing - sometimes these will cost you as much as $25 or so but they are really worth it! Your cooking flavors will improve exponentially!

happy snacking!

kimmel kids :: crafting community

These are the type of vacation I would LOVE to participate in... crafting together with kids and friends, some sunshine and a REALLY great place... the ACE in Palm Springs, California. Sounds GREAT right... well you can join in too!

WHEN: April 27 - 29, 2012 at The ACE hotel, Palm Springs
reserve by April 13th, 2012
call the Ace Hotel: 760-325-9900 and use code word: CRAFTING COMMUNITY

Here is the scoop: shift gears from the hectic hustle of city life top a poolside getaway filled with craft, recreation and creativity! This simple weekend retreat can boost your engine and relax yourself while you and your kids have fun and make things together with other kids... meet new friends, or bring old friends with you! I love these kind of things because you can throw yourself into a group that you KNOW you will have something in common with, which means fun for all, kids AND their parents!

This little brainchild is put together by Karen Kimmel, she will lead the group along with her talented team for funsters from Yellow Owl Workshop. There is fun and recreation - skateboarding, pool, relay races, obstacle courses and a ping pong tournament! YAY!

Poolside fun kicks off with morning yoga and continues into the evening with a family BBQ, game night and a desert disco - there is story telling planned and lots more fun!

Visit the Kimmel Kids website for more information and details!
But this is a great deal and don't miss your chance for some family FUN!!

pssst... new Jess Brown rag dolls are in!!!

some of the new ladies!

jess brown dolls laid out on my bed! (yes, I want them ALL and so does Franny!)

Hello all... New Jess Brown has arrived!! I am not going to send an emailer out on them until Monday... so get in there and get'em!! while they are HOT... I have been having trouble keeping them in stock and this is a particular good bunch that I had the handy chance to hand pick (YES! lucky ME!). Jess has been crazy busy since she had the story in the February issue of Martha Stewart Living, and I don't wonder why.. it's a beautiful article! and her story is such a great one!

beautiful layout in Martha Stewart - for a better view click here!

Thank you Jess! we love your dolls!
See all the NEW Jess Brown Rag Dolls at Nonchalantmom - click here!

New York City - Playtime childrens trade show

entrance to Mondrian NYC (isn't it pretty!)

The trade shows at this time of year are always a special challenge for our family, and each time we do it I realize that you can't plan this stuff out too much -- just let it happen and hope for the best, a rule I like to live by whenever I can. I attend the kids trade shows Playtime and ENK Childrens Club (we are looking at next Fall so if you have any requests.. bring them on... and send me an email!) and my husband  attends the Art shows - an this particular time he was chosen to be a part of Volta, a curated group of artists that runs together with the Armory show. Every year these shows, somehow, run at the SAME TIME.. so there we are in NYC with the kids in tow (because we have no family that lives nearby) to work intensely AND hang out with the kids... AND it's our sons birthday - yowza!

hotel room - NYC small, but terrific view and VERY quiet!

We got a fancy hotel room, because 1) I can't sleep at my friends apartment anymore because I am used to the peace and quiet now.. and 2) both my husband and myself had so much work to do that I wanted to keep the kids occupied by staying in a 'fancy' place! (it WORKED...) and 3) it may not have been my sons favorite birthday idea but it certainly was mine!

don't yell at me.. they are only riding them inside for the photo-op.. NEVER scooter inside! ;)

Playtime - kids trade show in NYC (& Paris)

The only thing I did have planned was a babysitter for one of the days, I have an amazing NYC babysitter and I feel lucky to know her! The kids were SUPER excited to have a sitter (why? I don't know..) and they went off to Moomah, and Pier 25 (with the Lucky Wang crew!) and had a great day while I got down to work at 'Playtime'! (My husband was schmoozing at the Art shows...)

a quiet morning at the show but things picked up quickly in the afternoon

Jann always has a happy booth!

the beautiful Sue Tsai of nico nico!

Playtime exhibition

the teeming halls in the afternoon

atsuyo et akiko busy like the stock exchange!

I'm not showing you too much because I don't want to give away anybodies secrets! But obviously you will be seeing more of these guys at Nonchalantmom! After a busy day or writing orders.. (all day long!) We came home to Mondrian and how could we pass up a beautiful dinner in their Completely lovely Dining room.. the Imperial No. Nine. The food was amazing, the decor... really the most elegant room in Manhattan (in my humble opinion), and the staff was sweet and nice (even to kids)

Imperial No. Nine - dining at Mondrian Hotel

super beautiful bar... why do I feel like Martha Stewart had a hand in it.. that's her color isn't it!?

We had dinner from early evening into sort of late at night (well for the kids that is...) Both my kids are in LOVE with Jann's daughter so they have such a good time whatever they do... there was of course a bit of lego action at the table (Bringing up Bébé - wouldn't approve!) but I think that we take our kids out often enough that they know how to behave by now and well, it helps that there is a swing outside! (don't tell them I told you about that!)

terrace at Mondrian - scooters w/baby baggu bags (I sell them!!)

The view from the top of the Mondrian! we heard that in the summertime they do Mondrian Mondays up there!

Mila and Franny

some kind of giant banana split contraption for sanders birthday (loved it!)

and the ladies got to have a few drinks (we were so tired we only had one... but we tried!)

When we hustle around the streets of Manhattan I use scooters (razors) for the kids, they never get tired, from time to time you need to remind them it's not a racetrack (but the bumpy uneven streets of Soho help you with that!) - I strap a baby Baggu bag out front for whatever then need (hat, mittens, legoss...) and they are set for the day! Oh maybe a quick trip in the morning to KidRobot sets them straight - it's amazing how a little $3.95 toy can be so delightful.

Somehow staying at the Mondrian made this the most delightful trip I have had to NYC in a LONG time - it was a combination of a sincerely sweet staff (the note in our room for happy birthday to Sander signed by all the staff with cookies was REALLY the top of the cake!), probably the BEST location possible - completely groovy shopping; DeVera, Jil Sander, Opening Ceremony... which if it doesn't turn you on at least its fun to look at (just the people standing outside will make you stare and wonder!) and don't you DARE go to Starbucks when you have Saturdays Surf NYC nearby!

When we left the hotel for some reason... I don't know why, I actually gave the doorman a hug (and it wasn't because he got me a cap at 4pm.. it was because I thought they were SO darn nice to my kids! Then it was off to Grand Central Station - we took the Metro North in so that we could come into Grand Central and the kids just about fell over when they saw it for the first time! it was FANTASTIC!

Next time you are in NYC give Mondrian a try and tell them Nonchalantmom sent you... (I 'think' they like us...??)

Hotel Mondrian

iPhone camera attachments to enhance your photos

I am not really a camera geek, I take ALL the photos for my website with a Cannon G10, it's a little banged up but I get amazing results with it! (well, I HOPE you think I do!). Although just like the next girl I would LOVE to move onto a Leica! Recently I stumbled onto this post on T-tablet hotels blog, and what GOOD THING (as martha would say!). These attachments don't cost much (well some of them do) and I think they would enhance the iPhone images just enough to use it all the time!

Personally I don't think iPhone images are good enough, I just them in a pinch but not for travel and family photos, but MAYBE with these it would work. My husband uses ONLY his iPhone and it's a bit frustrating when he gets good shots and we can't blow them up.

Here are some of the details:
Start first with the Olloclip ($70), which is incredibly easy to use. The attachment is about the size of a nickel in diameter and slips snuggly over your iPhone (4 or 4S) lens. Three different effects — fish-eye, wide-angle, and macro — are produced by two interchangeable lenses that come inside a micro-fiber bag, small enough to throw in your pocket. The macro lens produces the most impressive results, though the wide-angle and fish-eye are great for shooting city-scapes and panoramas. If you’re looking to boost your zoom, Photojojo’s telephoto lens kit ($35) gets you eight times as close as a regular iPhone with very little compromise in image quality. The lens also comes with a miniature collapsible tripod to help steady your shots. And for the most serious of iPhoneographers, Photojojo also makes a lens dial ($249), an attachment that embraces retro roots. Turn the wheel to produce either a fish-eye, wide-angle, or telephoto lens. Compared to other add-ons, the price is steep, but the materials are high quality — lenses are made with glass, not plastic, and the case with aircraft grade aluminum.

click here to read more on tablet hotels blog

tortoise general store - Abbott Kinney, CA

tortoise general store on abbott kinney in CA

stop stop stop... talking about tortoise general store, NO I can't!! I am SO not cool, and these guys are! if only I could live in LA I would join forces with them OR at least hang out at their store every DAY! (if you want to be cool too you can sign up for their newsletter and then get your information first hand!).

For ME, I would not miss this event: "STRANGE"

last years event at TGS

Naomi Kazama, a crew from the travelling Live screen print group "STRANGE" from Tokyo is visiting Tortoise General Store again!

March 17th (Sat) noon - 4pm @ TGS patio

You can purchase their original organic cotton T shirt ($25 - $35) and print for $5, or bring your own T-shirt and have it printed for $10/piece! (cash only)

Come create your one-of-a-kind T-shirt, sweatshirt, bag, etc!



watch the above video and get an idea of what they do...

I had to learn more about these guys so I took a look at their website and... HELL-O get up and dance!

STRANGE is a live screenprint group, they travel to screen print with YOU. What makes the group so special and comtemporary are not only thier modern Japanese rooted original designs on silkscreen but also the live screenprinting for making of one of kind T-shirt at various events such as shop in shop event, music festivals, and just been on the street.

"People pick up our organic cotton T's body or they can also bring anything to get printed on from home, Choose the screen designs like DJs selects vinals, and print on the favorite spot and the color for $10 per print for bring in items and for $5 with purchase of our organic cotton T-shirts."

They also works on Live PPP (for Print, Paste, & Paint). "It just happenned while printing on the T's. It was like Why not printing on the paper and the wall direct. And made the layer of posters. Then ripped some off, pasted over it, painted on it. It became an abustract piece of art."

OR you can do this:

Tea Ceremony at the Eames House

Tortoise shares news from their friends a the Eames House

"On March 10, 2012, the Eames Foundation will be hosting a very special evening with an authentic tea ceremony and kaiseki dinner celebrating the historic gathering of Charles and Ray Eames with Isamu Noguchi, Shirley Yamaguchi and Charlie Chaplin in 1951.  We are thrilled that the original Tea Master, Mrs. Matsumoto – a National Heritage Fellow – will guide this evening’s ceremony!  All proceeds of ticket sales will fund crucial maintenance on the Eames House."
 

March 10th, 2012 (saturday) at the Eames House

203 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

for more information from the Eames Foundation on the event click here

Okay now I am going to crawl off into my little town and have coffee... life seems boring now!

Tortoise General Store
1208 abbot kinney blvd
venice, ca 90291
tel/fax 310-314-8448

tortoise
1342 1/2 abbot kinney blvd.
venice, ca 90291
tel/fax 310-396-7335
 

www.tortoiselife.com