You may remember my story about Jamie Lynne of I Am Not the Babysitter. Since she originally wrote to me our families have become fast friends, and today her face (and her left breast) are ALL OVER the internet and television. Jamie is being interviewed about her views as an attachment parent, a parenting style followed by the fans of Dr. Bill Sears. She will be on the cover of the print edition of TIME magazine tomorrow and there’s already fallout – pro breast feeding older kids, anti breast feeding kids, all choices of parents are on the fire today. All I know is that she’s one of the sweetest smartest people I know, and she has exceptionally cool kids. Please pray for my sweet friend’s sanity as the world now knows her name.
Update: Jamie’s blog is currently down (for obvious reasons), but make sure to visit the foundation she created this year – The Faye Foundation.
I’ve been writing about how much I love Madame Chocolat since she opened her fabulous factory/atelier. Her latest addition to the scrumptious lineup of chocolate treats? Champagne truffles, made with Domaine Carneros champagne! Barrie and I recently attended the very sweet launch of the fabulous duet and confirmed yet again that we are addicts of Madame.
Made by infusing 43% Belgium milk chocolate ganache truffle with Brut sparkling wine, Domaine Carneros Founding Winemaker and CEO Eileen Crane is SO right in stating “ It makes a simple yet indulgent dessert – if the meal is even necessary.†I for one, could definitely exist on brut and chocolate – who needs food?
The things I would miss if I didn’t keep up with the PBS Parents Facebook page! I can’t begin to say all the things I love about this story – Caine built an entire arcade with business systems in place out of cardboard and repurposed objects out of his dad’s East LA auto parts business. Watch what happens when filmmaker Nirvan Mullick noticed ths little genius.
I’ve tried not to post about the situation that is currently happening with the MTA and Beverly Hills, but the mud has been flung in a way that prompts me to share. We (the citizens of this lovely town) are being assaulted by the MTA’s political minions as an exclusionary, uncaring, classist population who don’t want people from other parts of Los Angeles and that we are fighting to block the tunneling under Beverly Hills High School. I am really glad that Clif Smith, the publisher of the Beverly Hills Courier has loudly begun to take a stand against the project. What to us seems like the most ridiculous disaster on earth is being foisted upon us – our city is fighting it hard.
I am not qualified to comment on Environmental Impact Reports (EIR), however, I know a lot about construction, and the main thing that anyone needs to know about construction is that it is fraught with unplanned problems. The fact that there are OIL WELLS on BHHS property should be enough to detour the project right back to running along major thoroughfares without any discussion. Please watch this video of Mr. Smith saying the things we all want people to know but often aren’t able to get through because we’re immediately bashed as a@%holes by the MTA Press Room.
I have been keeping some great news under my hat until I could do a proper announcement. See that little button over there to the right on my home page? I was recently asked to be A PBS Kids VIP! I have been a fervent supporter of all things PBS, and now that I have the Critter, the educational programs of PBS Kids have enriched our lives so much. My new designation as a “VIP, or Very Involved Parent”, is basically a backstage pass to the wonderful resources including programming, apps, tools and toys that the teams at PBS Kids successfully produce time and time again. I will, of course continue to share news and information with y’all about all the stuff we love and great news and events, including attending the PBS Annual meeting, where I’ll learn more (and share with you) about how the folks at PBS Kids continue to deliver wonderful educational moments for our children.
The HUB always has such fun launches to their programming. When I received the invitation to the “Bridle Party” for the My Little Pony Wedding, I immediately called my husband’s stand in (it’s STILL snowing in Mammoth, can you believe?) Barrie and asked if he wanted to escort myself and the Critter. Since he was just on Tori Spelling’s mom’s show Selling Spelling Mansion, and occasionally he chats with her very handsome hubby on the beach while Dean walks their pet pig, I figured he’d love it. Barrie said yes and we were ON!
As you may know, Tori is VERY pregnant with baby number three, and was thus ordered to bed rest by her doctor. Fortunately the very glamorous Brooke Burke, another patron saint of sexy Malibu mom’hood stepped in, made a very eloquent toast to the Bridle Party, and saved the day. There was enough cuteness to last us quite a while, as the kids were able to screen the new show which airs TODAY, make gorgeous little wedding cakes, create flower bouquets, play horseshoes, and have photos taken with characters from My Little Pony. The adults were as enthralled with the event as the children (with our own subtexts of course) – it was a great way to kick off Spring!
I am slowly becoming accustomed to the fact that Spring Break is always going to be right after Easter. Since my Perfect Husband is trying to wrench the last bit of snow out of the ski season during this time,he’s in and out of Mammoth, leaving the Critter and I with some of our own quality time. As a family we REALLY enjoyed our Spring Break this year by having an Easter party for our friends in our home, playing hard at Giggles and Hugs, walks in the neighborhood, and watching LOTS of movies. We relaxed and just did what we wanted to do. Glad to be back in school this week and start gearing up for summer!
Never have I felt such empathy with a reality show as when I was watching Rosie Pope in Bravo’s Pregnant in Heels. The reality series made her a household name to stylish mommies to be, and I found myself wishing that not only did I wish I had had her fashions and practical advice during my pregnancy, but that I SO felt her pain with regard to all the foibles of dealing with eccentric clients. It was the first show (Million Dollar Decorators hadn’t aired yet) that I saw a reality star really WORK like we have to in the design trade. I recall the season finale showing her dialing her cell while hanging out a Manhattan apartment window, face flushed from all the requisite schlepping in the summer heat, to confirm with her ob-gyn that yes, she was indeed pregnant.
And now, with baby number three’s imminent arrival, Rosie is here on the West Coast! I was really happy to attend the grand opening soiree at her beautiful new store on Montana, the Rodeo Drive of the West LA chic set. Not only was the soiree happening, but the reality series was in full shooting mode! When I first arrived, I found myself a comfy seat on a beautifully upholstered Louis XV setee and took it all in: a conversation between Brooke Burke, Molly Sims, and Rosie, with three full sets of cameras aimed at each of their backs; Alyson Hannigan and Andrea Orbeck chatting with fans and friends, and my pals Jill, Sarah, Laura, and Natalie were there too! As we all mingled about, I really enjoyed chatting with Andrea about my new diet – she was very generous with ideas and advice; and I had a quick and funny chat with Allyson about how much we’ve loved her as Lilly in How I Met Your Mother.
Once the pesky Bravo shoot was out of the way, we were able to spend some time with Rosie. We talked about crazy clients, compared shoes, and I gave her some of our favorite local mom lowdown that she’ll need for Momprep, her boutique baby preparedness consultations. When I asked what was the biggest difference between shooting the first season of Pregnant in Heels and the upcoming second season, she said that the clients are even more eccentric this time around, and that now SO much more is possible, so she is faced daily with arranging priorities that all entrepreneurial moms face – how to get it all done and be present for your babies. We agreed that moms seem to judge one another so much about each others’ choices in that arena – to work or not to work, to nanny or not to nanny, and that today’s moms really need to support each other more rather than criticize.
Considering last week’s insult debacle, it seems the whole country needs to lighten up. And for that we have Rosie.
I was feeling a bit guilty for leaving the Perfect Husband and the Critter home to attend the premiere of Mirror Mirror with my two main gays, it being a “family” movie and all. A ski trip for my hubs and kidlet had been postponed, and my plus two had already been invited. Truth be told, the PH was relieved; for neither he nor the Critter could possibly have appreciated how perfectly FABULOUS it is! We arrived at the Chinese Theatre in the rain, and despite the precipitation. the show went on in a very festive way. First we were allowed to choose princess accoutrements, then we walked the frenzied red carpet, then on to watch the film.
The movie is a feast for designers and wisecrackers. I think we literally squealed each time a new part of the set or an exquisite costume was revealed. There are balls, and garden parties, and well, of course a fairytale wedding, but don’t think you know the story. There’s a clever twist to how the inevitable comes to be, and I give it my full approval. Clearly this movie is for girls and “girls” but rough and tumble little boys will love the dwarves, the amazing special effects, and they won’t be able to resist Snow, the lovely Lily Collins. Her handsome prince is Armie Hammer (yes, those Hammers), and yes, he’s completely adorable and not in a weenie way, although my evil queens and I kept saying that Armie is the doppelganger of Jeff Colby. Julia Roberts sinks her teeth into the role like it’s a juicy apple, and it was really nice to see her in a more maternal (albeit cruel, delusional, narcissistic, gold digging) role, making way for the new ingenue.
A huge thank you to Relativity Media for inviting us to the premiere and then the after party, held at the Hollywood Roosevelt, which was transformed into a chalet garden party, in fact, it was Lily’s birthday! As I stood watching her pose for photos in that gorgeous dress, I kept thinking that her dad looked familiar. Duh – it was Phil Collins! It was a beautifully executed event with plenty of celebrities, food and libations, sweets and special treats like being able to see the gowns up close that had us in awe and to sit on the opposite-of-phallic-style throne of The Queen. I was really glad to be able to speak with Real Housewife Taylor Armstrong and give her a hug. She was with Kennedy, herself no stranger to a glamorous tea party (or a tempest in a teapot) I was glad to see the Armstrongs out and looking strong.
A rainy day on Hollywood Boulevard never looked so glamorous – thanks again Relativity for the great movie and party!
I’m so glad that my wise beyond her years friend Jamie posted about Elizabeth Glaser today. I remember the first time I became aware that there was this terrible disease called AIDS. It was the Sunday before classes started back at Millsaps after Christmas break, and my roommate and I were at the local gay bar for Beer Bash. For those who aren’t gay heteros like myself, Sunday is beer bash day. For a college freshman, Beer bash=cheap beer and fun guys to dance with. We got there really early so there was only other person at the bar with us. He was kind of scary to us because he was shirtless and had rings through his nipples. Piercings like that were pretty unheard of in those days and we struck up a conversation with him regarding whether those things hurt and why on earth would he do something like that.
He was very good natured, answered our questions, and then pulled several flair buttons out of his pocket that had different designs on them in pink and black. One said AIDS=Death. He said that he was selling these buttons to raise money for research on “the gay cancer”. I was really worried when I heard this, because I had some really good friends who were gay, and I definitely didn’t want them to get cancer. He explained that it was a disease that gay guys were getting and no one know why and that lots of guys in New York were dying. I bought the buttons and pinned them on my Calvin Klein denim jacket (also racy for Jackson at the time), but I didn’t think much more about it.
And then my friend Buff’s brother died. And the most talented florist in our town. In 1985, five minutes into watching one of my favorite movies Pillow Talk, an emergency breakthrough came on the television announcing that my heartthrob Rock Hudson had just died. And then Willie Smith, Perry Ellis, Keith Haring, Ricky Wilson and Halston. It was as though there was a punishment for being gay, people were starting to feel desperate about catching a virus that ensured you’d die a really ugly death WITH pain and suffering. In 1988 I heard from my best friend the neonatal nurse that she was attending to a set of twins who were born three months prematurely, crack addicted and HIV positive. Her words and tears over the futility of the situation still haunt me as I think about the phone call I got when the babies died.
Since watching the video above, I have been randomly bursting into tears because toward the end I saw that her son Jake is still alive. This is a person who was born with HIV and is now approaching his third decade on this earth. As a mother I just can’t wrap my mind around what it must have felt like in the early days of their story and how terrifying that must’ve been to have this mysterious illness, to lose a child to it, and to know that another could die as well. Jake’s mother’s fortitude so profoundly affected medical science so that at least one of her babies could go on – to see him there on the screen smiling and handsome like his daddy just breaks my heart and inspires me at the same time. That’s one amazing legacy. I want us never to forget her.
