Let Them Eat BRAINS...

For Lucas' 6th birthday he was given a choice between a weekend at Disneyland, go-kart racing with 5 friends, lazer tag for 10 friends, or a mad scientist party where he could invite everyone. Guess which one he chose?

This may be one of the last years we do this. I rely on my yard to host 30 sugar crazed 6 year olds, and with the threat of rain, it was pretty stressful. In the end the rain held off until after the party ended and the kids had a wonderful time. But there for awhile I was really nervous.

Lucas declared about 2 weeks before that he wanted a brain cake. {Yes, he IS my child} So I set forth to figure this one out. My sister-in-law Heather, who is queen of the cute cakes turned me onto Coolest Birthday Cakes.com for inspiration. And low and behold, there was a brain cake. I pretty much copied it exactly - thrilled that someone else had gone through the trouble of figuring out how to make Jell-O opaque and gray. 

In addition to the brain cake, I decided this year to make the favors and other decorations by using chocolate molds. I was surprised at how easy they were to make and the kids loved the chocolate brains. 

Feeling a bit cocky after making brain chocolate candies, I moved on to another idea I saw on Hostess with the Mostess - chocolate dipped marshmallow pops. These were super simple to make (marshmallows, lollipop sticks, melted chocolate and sprinkles) and were a huge WOW with the kids as their eyes lit up like a christmas tress when I passed them out. 

The periodic table signs and banners were an extremely creative package I got off Etsy and while I had to replace my printer ink 2x in one week, I was really happy with how they turned out. 

 

I also found  Steve Spanger's Science Website and ordered some fun table decor such as beakers, test tubes, polymar water cubes and atomic glow goo. I ended up using the black light and the glow goo by the "adult drink" section.. and yes, we offer beer and wine at kids parties. How else do you expect a parent to get through 30+ hyper kids yelling for 2 hours? 

Upon arrival, all of the kids got a "lab coat" (L men's white under-shirt cut up the front) and scientist glasses (from Oriental Trading Company), which while adorable on little Austin, was probably something I wouldn't recommend doing. The kids liked it for about 5 minutes, and it was a cute quick "thing" to do when they first got here. But the moment the science show was over all the white t-shirts were thrown in a pile and left in the (eventual) rain. I felt horribly wasteful throwing away $50 worth of t-shirts that were worn for an hour at most. 

But hey, it looked cute.

And last but not least, we brought in "Radical Rob" the Science Guy from Mad Scientists San Diego who was AMAZING. The kids were all riveted by his face-melting, smoke making, rocket launching science show and are apparently all still talking about it. 

Pucker Up, Buttercup

Did you know that lipstick is actually a pretty accurate economic indicator? I find this tid-bit fascinating, but so true. In times or war, depression or uncertainty, when budgets are low and women need to lift their spirits, they turn to lipstick. An indulgence that gives you a new look, makes you feel good about yourself, but that you can justify a helluva' lot easier than a $700 pair of Christian Louboutin platforms. Which, if you have discovered a justification for a work at home mom who's main activities include Target and shuttling to karate classes to purchase Louboutin's, please please let me know. I beg you. 

So while I've been obsessing casually thinking about the Chanel clogs and flipping through magazines to help me find a decent alternate, another Chanel product has been enticing my must-have-now senses, The new Channel Coco Rouge lipstick collection.

These ads, featuring the stunning Vanessa Paradis, have been in every magazine this month promoting these HOT new lipsticks. Originally scheduled for a March release, Chanel actually upped the release date to just last week and, at least according to the sales lady at my Ghetto Mall Macy's, they have been flying off the shelves. (*please note, the Macy's and the Gap at the Ghetto Mall are 2 of the best of those chains in the county, the mall itself and the stores surrounding the Gap and Macy's are what is quite, well, ghetto. But I say that in the most loving way possible).

Walking into Macy's and being the super informed shopper I am, I told the lady "I want the color in the ad" - and she whipped out one of the last of her two in-stock Mademoiselle colored tubes.

Here is the thing.. when was the last time you bought a LIPSTICK? We are of the "lipgloss generation" starting in our teens with our tubes of sticky, sparkly vials of Wet 'n Wild we would smother our lips in, to the popular "Juicy Tubes", lipglosses have been a staple in make-ups bags of women around the country for years and years.. lipsticks, well.. there was the year in the '90's that everyone I knew wore MAC's Twig with the Spice liner.. (now actually being displayed in a show about the "VINTAGE 1990's." Sigh. DEPRESSING.) but for the most part it's been all gloss all the time. *Scary side note, I still have the Stella Jane color lipstick I wore (under gloss, lol) on my WEDDING DAY 10 almost years ago in my bathroom drawer. I can't bring myself to toss it.. may have to put it in a shadow box or something.

Chanel is trying to change that. They are looking to "reinvent" the lipstick with this new formula. 

This lipstick is expected to attract young ladies as well as women, who enjoy using lip-gloss. Chanel Coco Rouge is forecasted to become a real revolutionary lipstick. First of all, this product has a nourishing formula with effective moisturizing components and phyto-ceramides. Second of all, the lipstick has uniquely smooth and volumizing texture, which was previously achievable only with lip-gloss formulas. 

Of COURSE, I bought it... tho slightly jealous that I didn't get it gifted in a gorge tote bag - {what Chanel PR peeps? You've never heard of HipMamaB?! ;-) } .. and it is beautiful. It's soft and this color is really a perfect combo of neutral and put together. At $30 it still is a bit of a splurge, but WAY more justifiable than the clogs or platforms... and add in the cost per wear? It's practically free! 

Obsession with a ghost

I'm a little obsessed with home decor at the moment... and obsessed with pieces that I've recently decided I need. I've always liked to decorate, but I don't think I have a real flair for it. I can't look at an old house and see what it can become. I can't even really look at furniture and see them in my house. Our house is a big ole mix of this and that.. and some things have been around forever (like, since college). 

In the past few years our friends have all "grown up" decor wise - really doing things like investing in pieces and putting together amazing living spaces and I've become a little more conscious of our home style and liking more than things you find in a Pottery Barn catalog. I also realized that our house was way more than just an old beach house - but a classic "mid-century modern" with amazing atomic ranch features. All of a sudden it clicks why our couches and chairs never have looked quite right in the space.

It's also made me want ALL NEW EVERYTHING. 

If you haven't noticed this about me, I'm not good with "one thing at a time". So, needless to say, this is painful for me. 

One thing I figure out how to incorporate into my house are Ghost Chairs. Ideally, they would be around a large turquoise table like the the on in this Mantauk beach house. They are just so clean and have such a great shape to them. 

And apparently they also come MINI SIZED. SQUEE.

The only thing standing in my way of Ghost Chair happiness? The price tag. Just like everything else I lust for, the price tag is just that much too high to justify. I've been on a search to find them used, and while they are out there, the ones I've seen have been a tad too beat up for even the used price tag. 

Oh dear Ghost Chair - one day you WILL be mine! And I will sit in you while wearing my Chanel Clogs.. sigh. 

Clog me over the head

The other night I was chatting on the phone with my mom when she noted that the NYT Fashion Section was saying that CLOGS ARE BACK. She was thrilled, as she has been wearing a hot pair of silver ones for a few months now. (She's so ahead of her time)

I get off the phone and open the new Vogue (Hello, Tina Fey!) and it opens on the Chanel ad for these clogs - part of their 2010 Spring Collection. Hhhmmm...

2 pages later there is an editorial piece about them.

The next day, Rachel Zoe features them her daily email. 

These clogs are stalking me. I swear.

Unfortunately these beauties are SO far out my league that might as well be astronaut shoes. They are actually so far out of my league, that Ms. Zoe's "cheap" alternative are still slightly unjustifiable. 

But a girl can admire and lust from afar. 

It's up to you...

bada dum da da da da da-dum, da da dada...

Lemme' tell you. We DID NYC. Did it. Done. 

We crammed so much into our 4 night trip it was insane. Statue of Liberty - Check! Central Park - Check! The Met - Check! Pizza - Check! Scary homeless man in Starbucks - Check! Subway ride - Check! Top Shop in Soho - Check! Magnolia Bakery - Check! Pastrami - Check! Wall Street - Check! Hogs n' Heifers - Check! Art Gallery - Check! Times Square - Check! The Plaza - Check! Empire State Building - Check! 30 Rock/Today Show - Check! Check!

And now we are beat.. and bit frost bitten. Because, wow. It was cold.

and the Met. The Met just blew my mind. The size of that place is pure insanity.

It takes my breath away to be that close to some of the most amazing pieces of art in the world. To look at the pieces close up and see the brush strokes and clumps of paint. We wandered... and wandered some more.

The city was spell binding and so different from anything that we live on a day to day basis.