Crafty One?

I built a castle.

When you're a parent, you'll pretty much do anything to make your kid(s) happy (within reason). You have such a keen interest in their likes and dislikes, and seeing them happy just makes your day. Kids can be SO fickle, andwhen they find a toy that they just adore, mom and dad go all-in. Many parents will feel compelled to buy the hottest new toy and all of the accessories that go with it simply because their little ones played with one during a play date.

That is pretty much what happened... We went bananas on some toys for Bee. You see, Bee likes to watch short videos on YouTube hosted by DisneyCollector. One day, we all became aware of the Disney Magic Clip dolls. The dolls are the Disney Princesses, and their dresses are interchangeable, so you can mix and match as you please. 

"What a fun little toy," I thought. Maybe we can get some when Bee turns three. I hadn't seen the dolls in the store before (well, I wasn't actively looking for them). In the past, I made it a point to stay far from the toy department at Target, and whenever we've gone grocery shopping, I hope that Bee doesn't notice the nearby Toys R Us while we're in the parking lot.

Bee and I went over to our friends' house, a little over a month ago, and she finally saw and played with a Magic Clip doll in real life. Destiny.

I have generally railed against the whole princess bonanza that exists in the realm of girls' toys and life. My own mom is quick to tell me that I was all about princesses when I was little. I think she exaggerates. The most princess-y thing I had was a canopy bed in a checkered pastel print. It was dreamy.

Anyway, Bee loved playing with that little doll, so I decided to pick (only) one up during my net trip to Target. I was hoping that I could choose from the full range of princesses (Mulan and Pocahontas included), but the supply was meager. Bee had a choice of two, and good old Cinderella came home with us.

No less than one day later, hubby was online ordering a set of seven princesses (Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Belle, Tiana, and Rapunzel) in addition to Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Three days after that, I was back at Target, and looking for Princess Merida.

Of course, the dolls don't come with a carrying case. But they have to have a home, right? Well, I wasn't willing to shell out triple digits for a play set, so I grabbed a leftover box from the Honest Company and got to work building a castle. It was really fun, and Bee loves to sit and play in it. I even added on a slide after she and Hubby had the dolls using books for the same purpose.

It's been around 6 weeks, and she's SO into them. She plays with them every day, multiple times a day. Hubby even ordered some backup dolls in case of future mishaps. It's on and strong with the princesses here. I give in.

Peony Perfection

Hello, spring... maybe summer is more appropriate. It has been a veritable inferno this week, and it will finally be cooling down over the weekend. While we haven't had rain showers in months, I did pick up some pretty May flowers.

Peonies are ferociously beautiful. Every time I see them, they are so unabashedly feminine, delicate, and wild. Just gorgeous.

Paris Baguette

I haven't been very inspired to post anything over the last two months. But hardly anything inspires me as much as baked goods. My husband would say that anything French inspires joy in me. Combine the two, and I'm in heaven. Enter Paris Baguette.

When we go out to dinner, I often crave dessert. Most of the time, the offerings leave me cold, and I complain that there aren't any bakeries open after 7pm. Last Sunday evening we were looking for something to do to pass the time (no Super Bowl for us) and then this pastry oasis appeared before my eyes. They even keep late hours!

Though I'm not one for imitation anything, I had to partake in their "croissant donut." Kudos to Paris Baguette for respecting Mr. Ansel's trademark. Let me tell you, these flaky delights are LETHAL. Okay, you won't actually keel over from eating one, but you could do some serious damage (and buy far more than is wise) in a moment of weakness. 

Look for a location near you!

Mandela

Never underestimate the difference that one person can make. Rest in peace, Madiba.

Here's a flashback, from The Specials. 

On the Surfas

Cold and flu season is in full swing, and one of the only upsides of being sick (apart from wearing your pajamas all day) is tucking into a delicious bowl of hot soup. Our whole family recently fell ill with a cold, but Baby Bee and I didn't suffer much. Hubby, on the other hand, was hit pretty hard. So, on the way back home after getting our flu shots, Bee and I stopped at Surfas to get lunch for her ailing father (and me). 

I'm a sucker for great packaging, and I just love their neat, simple, and fantastic presentation of a boxed lunch. Complete with a quote from the late Charlie Trotter on the inside of the box, I immediately felt like an insider in the gourmet world. The tomato and orzo soup was zesty, and the accompanying salad was almost too pretty to eat, with edible flowers sprinkled on it. We also picked up a crusty baguette, which Bee and I almost finished on the way home...

Surfas is a food-lover's paradise. You can go to the cafe for delicious food, and then into the store itself to pick up pretty much any cooking tool that comes to mind. The grocery section with imported pastas, cheeses, sugar, honey, chocolate, cured meats, dairy, etc. is divine.

What excuse can I conjure up so that I can go back? Do I really need one?

Your Child Does Not Belong to You

Yesterday, we met up with friends at the Getty Center and had a lovely afternoon, picnicking on the grass in the garden. Toward the end of our visit, we bemoaned the fact that our kids are growing up so fast. In a bittersweet moment of reflection, we acknowledged that the intense love that we feel for our little ones is how our parents felt about us, and that one day (before we know it), our sweet babies will be ready to go out into the world on their own.

So, how difficult is it going to be to let go? As Charles Blow puts it, children don't really belong to their parents because they truly belong to life. 

Oh, Baby Bee! I love you so! Stay this little forever...

Happy Halloween!

When was the last time that you were tremendously excited about a holiday? I'm talking excitement to the point that it was all you could talk about. Most likely, you were a little kid when the wonderment of special occasions took over.

We are just starting to experience this new level of excitement with Baby Bee. A couple of weeks ago, we ventured out to a pumpkin patch in Santa Monica. Bee knows her fruits and vegetables and loves to say "pampum," so when we told her that we were going to the pumpkin patch, she grabbed her Hello Kitty, Hello Fall! book and showed us the page with HK and her friends hanging out with the pumpkins. 

All afternoon, before we left, she'd say "Mama/Dada... pampum, go!" It was so incredibly precious and made us even more excited to take her out to choose a pumpkin to carve for Halloween. At the end of our fun outing, we came back with two pumpkins, two dried ears of wild corn, and one odd-looking bumpy gourd that Hubby thought was too ugly to bring home (but I couldn't resist it). All are now happily displayed on our dining table.

It was such a treat to watch Bee run around the aisles of pumpkins, peer in to the petting zoo (full of chickens, bunnies, and goats), and gasp with joy at all the festive surroundings. We're off to a great start for the upcoming holiday season! 

Happy Halloween, all!