4.30.2012

playgrounds from Around the WORLD!..

Woods of Net in Hakone, Japan. Designed by Toshiko Horiuchi Macadam.

You may feel that your neighborhood has the greatest playground... I don't know about yours but our consists of two swings a slide and a lookout. Not much you may say, when it arrived about a year ago the kids seems lightly excited, NOW a year later... they just can't get enough of it and it has become a before school meeting place (you can't IMAGINE how fast your kids can get ready for school when they are going to go and play on the playground BEFORE school!). I'm so glad that it has hung on and the kids are still interested and love it!

Today I found this post on 'Flavorpill' (they always just know the great things that are going on...) it has great playground from all over the WORLD and there are some amazing playgrounds out there! So maybe you are on your way to one of these places... now you have a NEW destination... a GREAT playground!

Boadilla del Monte, Spain. Designed by Eduardo Navadijos and Csaba Tarsoly.

Monster footprints in Shenzhen, China. Designed by MAD Architects.

Sculptural playground in Schulberg, Germany. Designed by ANNABAU.

Belleville Park play­ground, Paris, France. Designed by BASE.

Paris, France.

New York City. Designed by Tom Otterness.

Water Playground in Tychy, Poland.

The Blue Whale in Plikta park, Gothenburg, Sweden. Designed by Monstrum.


click here to read the whole story on FLAVORPILL

4.25.2012

MOthers DAY SALE!


Yes, I am a BIG fan of the mothers day sale... I am a fan of the DAY in particular! Any day celebrating mom is TOPs in my book. We are offering 20% off on selected items:

Julie Rofman jewelry
Robin Mollicone jewelry
Margaret Solow jewelry
Ishi artisan Mexican jewelry
Matta
Lucky Fish - womens items and HOME
Scosha friendship bracelets
Nikki b
Britt Beautiful Skin Brushing System

No codes or tricky hoops you have to jump through... just prices as marked!
Sale will go on until Monday April 30th, 2012
(offer not applicable to previous orders or order past April 30, 2012)

Here are a few of my FAVORITE things:
julie rofman hanna wrap bracelet

robin mollicone tiny tiny 36" bead necklaces - silver strand with 18k gold handmade clasp

margaret solow ruby necklace

ishii artisan mexican wrap bracelet

matta white mexican top

lucky fish LION HUGE pillow! (and that's my dog - marley, not for sale!)


lucky fish womens t's are marked down! - this one is MY FAVORITE!

scosha friendship bracelets, I give them as hostess gifts and they make great mothers day gifts!

a fancier friendship bracelet is by Nikki B.. very chic!

if you aren't skin brushing START NOW! it's a great to make your skin naturally glow and look radiant all summer long! (+ it's SUPER healthy!)

These are just a few of my favorites but there is a LOT more on SALE this week at Nonchalantmom!

Aviator Nation... just arrived!

And we had a mini photo shoot with all their terrific t-shirts and hoodies! I say 'mini' because it took all of about 30 minutes! The kids LOVE this stuff, everything about it that is... how soft it is, the colors, the messages! It's all great with Aviator Nation! - It should be up on the website later today so come and take a look! But for now just enjoy the photo shoot! Everything is shown with the ESP no 1 royal jeans (our FAVORITE!)

our first photo shoot with the new braces!! (I thought he would hid them but he was showing them off!)

FAVORITE smiley face hoodie (the sweatshirts have sew-on appliques! so cool!)


hoodie has stripes sew on the front and then 'Pray For Surf' printed on the back



heart hoodie has rainbow heart sewn on the front and LARGE heart on the back!

don't ask me how she knows this pose... but I always get this when we photograph...

new swatch had to be in the picture

smiley face hoodie







your kids will LOVE this stuff... in store TODAY... I hope..!!


www.nonchalantmom.com

4.07.2012

kushi institute mini-getaway


Find yourself interested in Macroboitics but you want to find out more first. Do the principles seem like a mystery to you or too complicated? This is a fantastic chance to take advantage of the Macrobiotic Principle with a special focus on the "Science of Relaxation", soothe your spirit, calm your mind and relax your body. You can UNwind and re-balance in this inspiring program that returns you to your innate wisdom, through sensing, recognizing, and managing the mind-body connection. Explore exciting, rejuvenating processes guided by experienced practitioners, suitable for every age, fitness level and condition.

You can experience a range of cooking classes, experience recipes and tastings designed to calm your nervous system, boost your immunity and bust your stress AND eat daily delicious organic macrobiotic meals all the while! Benefits include reductions in blood pressure and sugar, improvement in overall health, and can prevent, treat and reverse many, major diseases. Learn more about the Feldenkrais Method which is an internationally acclaimed movement program that brings awareness to a range of motion options, balancing the cellular relationship between muscle, bone and brain. Learn more about Ruthy Alon's 'Bones for Life', do some yoga, look into the toning affects of Yoga for your Face! and much more... This is a good chance to meet like-minded people and share in a bit of well-being.

This is an amazing opportunity you can start either Thursday, June 14th or Friday, June 15th through Sunday (for example Friday - Sunday with classes and meals is only $285).  You can add on (for an extra fee, Macrobiotic counseling or even a Shiatsu massage) You can also stay at the center for very low rates. The Kushi Institute is in Becket, Mass.

click here to see the full flyer on the weekend
click here for the Science of Relaxation Daily Schedule
click here to learn more about the Kushi Institute and Macrobiotics

and maybe I will see you there!!

Kushi Institute in Becket, Mass.

Easter Weekend... 10% off EVERYTHING!!


good friday - easter sunday.. take 10% off!
ENTIRE WEBSITE!

use code: 'easter' at checkout


get something for the kids or even for YOURSELF!
(not applicable on previous orders or after midnight on April 8th)

4.04.2012

hey... where are my blogs!?

You may be asking yourself?... Well, it's a conglomeration of many things that have equaled the total of my blogging absence. But I promise you I AM WORKING! It's just not on blogs, I have a list of blogs to WRITE but no time to write them.. is it the WEATHER, yes a bit (in a GOOD way!). Is it PINTEREST, yes, a bit (in fact if you want to keep up with me in images you can do so on Pinterest - I will explain why...). Is it my KIDS and how much I want to spend time with them... YES a bit... Is it that all of the COLLECTIONS have been arriving so I have been photographing with all my 'spare' blogging time! And it is also a project that I have been working on which is designing a home for a friend of ours (JUST the interiors, whew!... but it's pretty darn LARGE, much larger than our house at least! - but I'm talkin kitchens, bathrooms, etc.. ) it's VERY exciting but since it's not my home I am not sure you will ever get to see the outcome, I will try!

At any rate, life is exciting and every ounce of every moment is filled with "okay, that's done, what's NEXT!?" It's been a long time since I have released my current obsessions on you so I thought NOW is a good time. It's that time of year when maybe you want to start something new, with the new season and all. Since Spring is upon us so early this year, I don't know about you but I have already established my priorities and purchased my BAG and Shoes for the season... (HA! silly you may say but I've got my priorities straight!), or maybe you want to start a exercise regime for the season... or maybe you want to start a whole new life with your makeup.. WELL have no fear, I am here to HELP! :)

the woods behind our home (that's marley our dog!)

Let's start with the essentials... the RUN - one year after I have started and I am still running ONE MILE a day (sometimes I go faster but I just keep it to a mile... lazy I guess) it's perfect, it only takes me 10-15 minutes, I get myself outside and onto the beautiful paths behind our home AND my dog gets a walk every day... we are ALL happy! Somehow it works for me because of the 15 minutes TOPs I spend exercising, I can't seem to spend any more time than that other than the random yoga class here and there (ultimately I would like to do more yoga and just keep up the mile run). I also think it's good for the organs in your body to keep them tone and jumping around, it may not make that much sense to some people but it DOES to me and I love it!

matunuck beach
OR I like to take a long walk on the beach... if I have the time I LOVE our beach! (and so does Marley!!) during the off season it's always empty like this and it makes the walk so refreshing! (dogs are not allowed during the season July - August but otherwise it's fine.

from left to right top row: PRTTY peaushun, Dr. Hauschka firming eye cream, lifespa algae firming serum, lifespa exfoliating cream, Kiehls Rosa Arctica (it's like a cold creme deep moisture for aging skin), Weleda Skin Food (always take this with me for travel!), bottom row: Farmesthetics midnight honey oil for anywhere for anything.. great for bath!, Dr. Hauschka anti aging serum, Britt Beautiful skin for EVERYday, my costmetics are RMS beauty concealer (no chemicals.. you could EAT it!), my perfume Aveda Chakra 4 or whatever I need that day.. energy, mind, power...

I have a whole new bunch of products that I am using now and I think I look YOUNGER! :) Well maybe not but I FEEL like I do and that is what's important. Over Christmas I got a facial, I haven't done that since I was young and it felt terrific. I think I would do this more often if I could. She suggested that I exfoliate in the morning and so far I like that idea. I went to a place in Wayzata, Minnesota called Fusion Lifespa (terrific and using all natural ingredients no chemicals). I use a few things for anti-aging, but my favorite new product is Kiehls Rosa Arctica - its unscented smell is lightly of roses, it's so light you can hardly smell it (why doesn't everyone do that!) but it's perfect, I feel like it's like old fashioned cold cream and for serious dry skin - it's delightful! This last holiday season I had a booth and a holiday fundraiser for the Jamestown Art Center, I was next to the woman who started Farmesthetics and she is a Beautifully amazing woman (she IS beautiful!!) I was delighted to learn a whole bunch from her and I bought a whole bunch of products too! My favorite so far is the Midnight Honey oil, Bath Salts and Vapor Bath Elixir.

As far as makeup goes I have a new-to-me tip for you here, I am sure that everyone has been doing this for a long time and I can only image the toxic effect it has but having my eyelashes dyed is the most wonderful thing I have found... I NEVER wear mascara anymore and I can come out of the ocean and look fine! So all that I use now is RMS concealer and FRESH Passion lip balm... DONE!

Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Oil, Kinky Curly Gloss Pomade

I have kind-of curly hair, it's irritating, it's not curly it's not straight, so I use anything (natural that is..) to make it curly! I LOVE Dr. Hauschka Neem Hair Oil for everyday and Kinky Curly when I get tired of the neem... both products are terrific and I think that the Neem Hair oil is good for all sorts of hair (I have tried it on my kids and it's great..).

littl by lilit bart voile kurta

Loeffler Randall knot clog

Makie braided leather bag (fantastic!)

On to Spring shopping! I shop from my store mostly so I am wearing Littl by Lilit right now, and these great Loeffler and Randall shoes in silver (if it's a clog, I'm interested but I'm VERY picky and I love these.. nice and slim!) and then one of the NEW MakiƩ bags which I knew I just couldn't do without... the only question is BIG or small!? I have always loved Bottega Venetta but have never been in that kind of shopping bracket so I think it's amazing to have something like this from MakiƩ. And I always have one of our new plainMADE (new at Nonchalantmom) scarves on had because I am always cold!


The newest addition to our family is this great CAR! This will teach you that the girl with her eyes open always finds things... I saw this car at a local gas station with a FOR SALE sign in the window... it's a 1991 Mercedes station wagon (with a jump seat in the back!) 300TE 4 Matic... yes, it's that DREAM car you and everyone else has always wanted... it's in wonderful condition for its 216,000 miles!! (yikes!) let's just say I thank a lot of people whenever I make it to my destination. The kids LOVE it too and it's teaching them to take good care of things and they will last forever. Meanwhile I finally get to say "let's take the MERCEDES!"

what a MESS!

Lately I am busy working on a house design project... so our living room looks a little like this most of the time... So let's make this clear my store has boxes everywhere, our house has papers everywhere... there is hardly any place to go but OUTSIDE, thank god it's so nice out!


New York Times - T magazine

And last but not least I am keeping touch with all things FASHION and coolness via T magazine! Thank you Sally Singer for being so talented and keeping us too cool for school!