Boston Mamas

Estelle's Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

2010-09-02T12:51:17Z

A couple of weeks ago I hosted my mom's birthday party and asked my siblings to bring dishes for potluck. Since my family is so large, it's always fun to see what people bring, and for this event, they did not disappoint; to accommodate my mom's food preferences we prepared mostly vegetarian and the array of colors and flavors was fantastic. There was a lot of great food that day, but the dish I went back for seconds (and, admittedly, thirds) on was my sister-in-law Estelle's quinoa and black bean salad. I've heard a lot of talk about quinoa this year (it's a good source of protein and is high in fiber, among other things) but hadn't gotten around to trying it yet. Now I'm a total convert.

]]> Estelle revised a recipe that she found online; here's what she brought to the party:

Estelle's Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

3 cups cooked quinoa (cooked in water)

3/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped finely

1/4 cup scallions, chopped finely

1 can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn, defrosted

1 tsp sea salt, fine

1 1/4 tsp. cumin

Juice of 1 lime

1/3 cup olive oil

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Quinoa is usually a 1:2 ratio of grain to liquid. If not using pre-rinsed quinoa, then rinse the quinoa three to five times.

2. To make three cups of quinoa, boil three cups water, place rinsed quinoa and water in saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). Once cooked, cool the quinoa.

3. Chop the peppers and scallions. Drain and rinse the black beans. If using frozen corn, defrost and pat dry. If fresh corn, slice from the cob.

4. In a large bowl combine the quinoa, beans, red peppers, corn, and scallion. In a separate bowl, mix the salt and cumin. Juice the lime (removing the seeds) and add to the spices. Using a whisk, add the olive oil to the lime/spice mixture to create the dressing. Add dressing to quinoa mixture.

Salad will keep for up to a week refrigerated. Serves 12.

Image credits: Christine Koh

Back to School Books

2010-09-01T12:21:14Z

For help with back to school transitions, consider these book recommendations from parent educator Hetti Wohlgemuth of Alphabet Soup 4 Parents:

In realizing that the first weeks of school are fast approaching (or have already started for some), and as a firm believer in bibliotherapy, I recently headed to the Lincoln Library children's section to ask about back to school books. I expect to browse through a half dozen titles and instead the librarians handed me a list of over 75 books! I perused the shelves and wanted to recommend four books as superb reading with your elementary school aged child during those trying back to school moments.

]]> Bo Flood's I'll Go to School If... is a wonderfully short and simple book that might help with big and complex worries: looking inadequate in front of your school chums, making mistakes, shaming yourself by crying or wetting your pants, getting teased, missing Mom or the bus, etc. When mom reveals her own fears, our little school girl feels the need to comfort mom and suddenly there's a sweet resolution. This book had me at its cover, showing a disgruntled child with arms folded across her chest, seeming to indicate that she was determined to go to school only on certain conditions. The book delivers straight through to the back page, which offers handy and helpful questions and conversations that may serve to elicit your own child's concerns.

Lauren Child's book I Am Too Absolutely Small for School had me with its title and illustrations, the latter including lots of colors and combinations of patterns. The story again confronts (nicely and with gentle humor) the insecurities of a small child heading back to school: leaving home, eating lunch alone, and not being smart enough or quick enough to learn numbers, letters, and words. An imaginary friend plays a nice role in that he takes on the fears of Lola, the little girl who's way too little to go to school. All's well that ends well and this story ends well.

I absolutely positively adore Audrey Penn's book The Kissing Hand. I might just read this book over and over even though I don't have an elementary school aged child heading back to the early grades. Chester doesn't want to go to school for all the usual reasons, but mostly because he's worried about separating from his mother. When his mom offers him something special, the kissing hand, he feels the permanence of love that Chester and the child (in all of us) need to move on. Honestly, I tried kissing the palm of my hand and I felt the love Mrs. Raccoon promises. What back to schoolers need is love and this book suggests how to package and make permanent that love.

A short list of back to school books would be complete without Rosemary Wells' My Kindergarten. This book is a virtual tome for the young back to schooler. Wells includes poems, songs, activities, lessons, dances, friendships, weather, seasons, international stamps, personality differences, football games, clean-up days, and everything else a young student might confront during the first year of kindergarten. I particularly loved the very first song on the very first page, "Starlight, Starbright," and also toward the end of the book, the inclusion of the importance of libraries.

Wishing all of you sending kids to school this fall all the best!

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And for more great tips on school adjustments, check out Hetti's column on fall structure strategies, Sheri's post on easing back to school jitters, Heather's post on transitioning to kindergarten, and my posts on coping with kindergarten transitions, coping with end of year transitions, and the keepsake item that helped Laurel make it through her first year of elementary school.

How To Quilt With Kids

2010-08-31T12:54:34Z

As a designer, it feels like a huge gift to have a daughter who digs crafts; we're always working on something, be it in my studio (when the sitter bailed yesterday, I taught Laurel to screen print!) or the kitchen (Laurel wants to be the next Ace of Cakes). This summer I thought it would be fun to have a creative project to chip away at once school was out. Check out my how to quilt with kids guest tutorial at Craft, which includes photos of what Laurel and I have come up with so far.

I'm Back

2010-08-30T13:21:59Z

Hello friends! I hope you had a fantastic week while I was away. Other than dealing with a pesky head cold, I had a wonderful, reflective week off; I'm excited to be back sharing all sorts of useful and clever awesomeness with you, and I'm also feeling very happy about a new perspective I developed on parenting, work, and balance this past week. It only seems fitting to share these thoughts with you in my first post back. Enjoy!

]]> Image credit: Christine Koh

Gone Fishing!

2010-08-23T13:52:46Z

Friends, if this summer has been to you what it has been to me, it's sort of been like the summer that never was; full of awesome visits and events and projects but also crazy, crazy busy. As an independent businessperson with an endless number of ideas, it's always hard for me to step away from work (my model was my parents who never, ever took a vacation), but for the good of my body and soul, I'm going to take a break from the internet this week. I want to enjoy time with loved ones, make and eat delicious food, exercise, enjoy growing the baby, and allow some creative ideas proper percolation. Meanwhile, if you need your Boston Mamas fix, scroll down in the left column to peruse over 2000 posts in the archives. And of course, feel free to write in if you have ideas for content you want to see, or to share any other thoughts about the site. I've so enjoyed answering questions via Dear Boston Mamas, and also seeing what other readers share. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Dear Boston Mamas: Friendship Anniversaries

2010-08-22T13:58:07Z

Today's Dear Boston Mamas question comes from Liz via e-mail:

Hey Christine! A friend and I are celebrating our "friendship anniversary" and wanted some new ideas of things to do. What's a friendship anniversary? My best friend and I wanted to make sure we took the time each year to celebrate what a fantastic and rewarding friendship we have -- we've been friends for 29 years! Think about it -- we never really think about the close relationships we have with our friends... a lot of the time we have relationships with friends longer than we've been with our significant others. Though thick & thin (waists), good times and bad, celebrations and memorials -- our friendship has always been there for us -- why not celebrate it!? On our anniversary "night out" (day/night) we try to do something other than just going out for drinks and dinner (which is nice, but not as special as we'd like). One year we did indoor skydiving, which was a blast, and we're looking for new, fun ideas (that don't cost an arm and a leg). Any ideas?

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Dear Liz,

Thanks for writing in. As someone who has a number of friendships dating back to elementary school, I think this is a fantastic idea. Really, I'm going to need to steal it. But before I do that, let me address your question.

Given the longevity of your friendship and the general pulse of the blogosphere these days, the first thing that came to mind was life lists. I'm not sure where the idea originated from, but the lovely Maggie Mason has become well known for hers (she's even had major companies sponsor her to achieve items on her life list) and the equally lovely Karen Walrond is very active in pursuing her life list (which was inspired by Maggie).

So you may be wondering, why is Christine babbling on about life lists? The point is, I think it would be really cool for you and your friend to generate life lists together. Don't be self conscious; simply jot down anything that springs to mind, no matter how small or grand. You'll likely end up with a list that varies in terms of spendy-ness and geographic proximity. Then, see where your life lists intersect. Given your long running friendship, I have a feeling one or more things on your lists will overlap (or at least be in the same ballpark). Then see if you can tackle one of your shared life list items for your friendship anniversary. (Though honestly, the prospect of drafting life lists together over some awesome food and a bottle of wine would be a pretty fitting anniversary event too!)

Now, I don't want to shirk my responsibilities here so I will toss out a few fun ideas that came to mind, suitable for a life list or just general fun:

Take an aerial class (my sister Stephanie is currently rocking classes at Aircraft Aerial Arts).

Take a lesson from a chocolatier (I know vianne chocolat offers chocolate parties; I'd recommend calling to see if she'll give you and your friend a private lesson).

Hike a mountain (there's no shortage of location ideas at Local Hikes).

Make ravioli from scratch. (Kate recently purchased a ravioli maker and I have been drooling over the possibilities.)

Indulge in a day spa session, including the full body treatment (locally, Bliss Spa is a great option, or here are a collection of spa getaways in striking distance of Boston).

Spend an afternoon shopping together with a stylist (you'll need more in the coffers here, but would be so fun).

Learn a new paper craft (check out Paper Source's workshops).

Om your way through a yoga retreat.

Learn how to knit (why have I not been to Newbury Yarns yet?).

Learn how to make wine (remind me to visit Boston Winery when I'm done being pregnant).

I hope these ideas are helpful Liz! I'd love to here what you and your friend end up doing for your friendship anniversary.

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Image credit: Douglas Levy via Aircraft Aerial Arts

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Have a question for Christine? Drop her a line! And of course feel free to comment in if you have recommendations beyond those made above.

OceanQuest

2010-08-21T12:58:54Z

Today, Heather recommends a fantastic ocean adventure for the whole family:

No visit to Cape Cod would be complete without some type of water excursion. And OceanQuest -- a non-profit marine education program out of Woods Hole -- was one of the highlights of our vacation. The 90-minute cruise is a hands-on, marine educational experience for kids and parents of all ages and truly has something for everyone. Passengers are introduced to the major disciplines within oceanography and are actively involved in manipulating equipment, collecting data, and discovering the wonder of ocean sciences.

]]> As the boat cruises around the sound, passengers are divided into three groups that rotate through three stations on the boat to experience and learn about oceanography. One child is named "chief scientist" in each group and is assigned special tasks such as asking the captain a question. Children have many opportunities to help, experience, and ask questions.

At the stern of the vessel, the focus was on the biological aspects of oceanography. The kids took turns pulling and opening a lobster trap and exploring a live 'touch' tank where they could handle and learn about sea creatures such as starfish, horseshoe crabs, spider crabs, lobster, whelk, and more.

In the bow, we learned about and were able to operate the instrumentation and equipment to study physical and meteorological oceanography. We collected water samples from the ocean floor, measured the water depth and temperature, and learned how to measure waves. And in the cabin, the group was able to conduct basic chemistry experiments using seawater and other items.

I found the staff to be well organized, friendly, and knowledgeable. And they clearly loved their jobs! They were terrific with kids of all ages and prompted questions that were answered at a level that kids could easily understand.
It was also a great learning experience for adults. I never knew that horseshoe crab blood is blue or that whelks (which look like conch) are carnivorous and dine on lobster and crab!

My four children didn't want OceanQuest to end and have made me promise to take them again next year. Any activity that can hold both my six-year-old plus my three three-year-old's attention for a full 1.5 hours gets my top rating!

Parking in Woods Hole can be limited and expensive. I recommend taking the Whoosh Trolley from the Falmouth Mall. It takes about 20 minutes and mall parking is free. Adult fare is $1 and kids under 5 ride the trolley free.

Located a few steps away from the aquarium in Woods Hole and right next to where the research ships and submarines dock, OceanQuest is a trip worth taking. The summer schedule runs until September 4.

And don't forget to bring your camera!

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Image credit: Heather

Family Friendly Weekend Festivals

2010-08-20T12:03:10Z

We've got an utterly perfect forecast on tap for this weekend, so why not get out and enjoy one (or more) of these family friendly events? Check out: Boston GreenFest, the West End Children's Festival (Boston), the Southeast Asian Water Festival (Lowell), the Marshfield Fair, and (a little further afield but I can't resist craft festivals) the Cotuit Arts & Crafts Festival.

Image credit: Cotuit Arts & Crafts Festival

Island Fun

2010-08-19T12:07:06Z

Today, Jennifer recommends George's Island for a little island fun:

With my husband on vacation for a few weeks in July, we took advantage of the many wonderful sites and day trips around Beantown. One of our favorites? A trip out to Georges lsland. My husband (a native of the area) loved going there all the time as a kid and was anxious to show our kiddos how fun an old fort on an island can be!

]]> We had a blast. My son, age 7, with flashlight in hand and an Indiana Jones-style taste for adventure, loved walking through the echo-filled halls of the old Fort Warren structure. I loved hearing about the island's history and taking in the views of Boston harbor. My daughter, age 5, loved braving the dark corners and passageways with her big brother and Dad, as well as the little playground next to the cafe.

Georges Island is a great day out. You pick up the boat right near the Long Wharf hotel and Aquarium. The ride is just about 30 minutes and the crew was friendly and knowledgeable. Once you get to the island (don't forget to take a good look at the awesome view behind you!) the newly renovated visitor's center offers a wonderfully produced short film about the history of the island. The amenities overall are great for families, including the lemonade (out of this world on a hot day) and fried clams at the Summer Shack cafe. We plan to go back to explore some of the other Boston Harbor Islands, including Spectacle Island, which offers all kinds of great summer fun -- sunset clambakes, painting by the sea, and music in the park!

Dear Boston Mamas: Handling Formula Obsessed Relatives

2010-08-18T16:58:52Z

Now, the second of two Dear Boston Mamas questions from Susan via e-mail:

Dear Christine, My mother-in-law is obsessed with feeding everyone, and apparently this includes the baby! She keeps pressuring me to use formula even though I keep telling her that I am breastfeeding. She will not relent and got to the point where she actually did bring me formula. It makes me feel incredibly unsupported with breastfeeding and I am going to lose my cool soon. She knows I go back to work soon and now asks every week what kind of formula we plan to use. This is just one item that I really do not want her to provide and she won't lay off. Any advice on how to handle a formula obsessed MIL?

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Dear Susan,

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. This topic hurts my heart because whether you are breast or bottle feeding from the start, what a new mom needs is support, not opposition and judgment. I don't know the comfort level between you and your MIL so I'm going to throw out a range of suggestions; of course use whatever might help while also preserving the relationship.

Have empathy. I know I'm starting with a challenging suggestion, but at the risk of sounding too much like my former psychologist self, I think a major issue here -- given that you mention that your MIL is obsessed with feeding people -- is that with you breastfeeding, she feels powerless to help. See if you can take a breath and remember that this issue is really about her, not you (though of course it impacts you).

Present her with the facts. The next time your MIL tries to push formula, acknowledge that you appreciate that she is trying to help and make your life easier (this is mostly a diplomatic tactic since she actually is making your life harder) and (not but...psychological thing) that you are very committed to breastfeeding for scientific reasons X, Y, and Z.

Return to sender. If she keeps sending formula, mail it back. Tell her you don't need it and don't want it to go to waste so hopefully she still has the receipt.

Donate the formula to an organization in need. If returning the formula seems too aggressive, you could consider donating it to an organization in need. Just be sure to check the guidelines of baby-oriented charities in your neighborhood because sometimes formula is on the list of items not approved for donation.

Have your husband intervene. Sometimes in-laws push boundaries in odd ways. Have your husband intervene and express how much harder she is making this transition for you.

Redirect her intentions. When your MIL next says she wants to send formula, redirect her intentions. In the vein of her effort being to help feed the baby, say something like, "Thanks, but I don't need formula because I'm committed to breastfeeding (isn't it awesome that breastfeeding is free?). Instead, if you would like to help, we could really use [insert an alternative feeding tool, e.g., a food mill to make baby purees when your baby is ready for solids]."

Tune her out. If none of the above works, simply ignore her advances. One of the best things I ever learned from my therapist is that you cannot change people, you can only modulate your reaction to them. If your MIL refuses to listen to you on this topic despite your best efforts to communicate, I would literally stop answering the phone or even looking at her e-mails (or perhaps have your husband screen for you in case she comes around to see your perspective), because clearly, she is not respecting your choices. I know this is challenging and I hope one of the other communicative methods works better, but maybe it's best to limit your contact with her until it's time to move on to solid foods and she can participate more directly.

I hope these suggestions are helpful Susan. Please let me know if you have questions about any of the tactics. I'm wishing you lots of luck as you return to work!

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Have a question for Christine? Drop her a line! And of course feel free to comment in if you have recommendations beyond those made above.

Dear Boston Mamas: Return to Work Strategies

2010-08-18T12:42:57Z

Today I'll be fielding two Dear Boston Mamas questions -- from Susan via e-mail -- in separate posts:

Dear Christine, I am returning to work from maternity leave next month and I am really nervous about being able to handle everything when I get home at night. So I am trying to make a bunch of dinners to freeze and microwave when I get home for hubby and me. Seems like there is other stuff I could be doing now to make things easier for later. Do you have ideas on how to make the transition back to work easier?

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Dear Susan,

Thanks for writing in. Returning to work from maternity leave is so challenging, for reasons both logistical and emotional. Here are some thoughts on managing household matters:

A lot of the chaos of returning to work involves maintaining the chaos once you are back. You've already covered freezing food in advance (which some folks also recommended when I canvassed for ideas on Facebook and Twitter); most of the tips below will revolve around maintaining your household + sanity after you return to work.

Go through your closet in advance. Check what fits, since your body likely has continued to evolve since you delivered your baby. Make sure whatever fits is clean (or clean enough) and ironed (or ironed enough) so you don't get to your first day of work and realize you have nothing to wear. If need be, shop for clothing. A lot of women hesitate buying transition clothes, but you will be more comfortable and much happier if you aren't swimming in or trying to squeeze into clothing.

Start a take-out fund. One piece of advice we received before delivering Laurel was to start a take-out fund. This advice actually was meant to sustain us during the initial crazy months of parenthood, but we were so blessed to have lots of food drop offs that we didn't really need it. Where it really came in handy was when I returned to work and was too exhausted some days to think about cooking. It's remarkable how far $20 (e.g., a pizza and salad) can go to save sanity.

Prep the night before. Mornings are always crazy, particularly if you are factoring in day care drop offs for the first time. We always pack grownup and kid lunches the night before, and if you're sending your child to day care, where things need to be labeled and you'll need to pack breast milk, it will be essential to take care of this stuff the night before so you can start your day off a little more calmly.

Prep over the weekend. One thing I like to do on the weekends is prep food for the week; this could be fresh items to supplement your frozen stock pile of meals. It can be as simple as cutting up a bunch of vegetables so they're ready for snacking or cooking, or prepping food as you have already started to do. Via the Boston Mamas Facebook fan page, Erin also shared: "I've also been going to Dream Dinners to assemble meals. So nice to fill the freezer with yummy meals once a month!"

Take turns. Do not try to do it all yourself. I recommend explicitly splitting up tasks with your husband, and keeping up on household tasks so they don't get onerous (I'm specifically thinking of laundry here...chip away at it through the week instead of being buried in dirty laundry over the weekend).

Outsource if possible. Hire help with cleaning if you can afford it (several readers also chimed in with this as one of their favorite return to work solutions). Also, via the Boston Mamas Facebook fan page, Brooke recommended saving an in-store errand by using diapers.com and also recommended grocery delivery service.

Think about timing. Via Twitter, @jlfmama made the good suggestion of making your first week back a short one; specifically, to avoid starting on Monday. Alternately, see if you can do shorter days your first week back.

Prepare your pumping tools. From the nature of your second question (next post), I know you will continue breastfeeding when you return to work. Get all of your gear lined up and purchase a system that will make it easy to store, rotate, and use stocked milk. Via the Boston Mamas Facebook fan page, Brooke recommended buying two sets of breast pump attachments so you can have one for work and one for home.

Cut yourself some slack. This is probably the most important tip of all. Returning to work as a new mom is so challenging. Returning to work as a nursing new mom is even more challenging. Cut yourself some slack all along the way and ask for help when you need it. Remember, if mama is unhappy, everyone will be unhappy.

I hope these tips are helpful Susan. I'm wishing you the best during this upcoming transition!

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Have a question for Christine? Drop her a line! And of course feel free to comment in if you have recommendations beyond those made above.

Activity Books For Summer & Beyond

2010-08-17T12:26:38Z

Since Laurel is academically oriented by nature, this summer I've been all about simply playing and getting her outside and active. However, she loves activity books and they are my go-to item to bring to restaurants and when we travel, and we also use them for quiet time at home. And whether you want to use activity books to warm your child up before the school year starts, or simply want to use them on the go or at home as we do, check out Carson-Dellosa's Summer Bridge Activities. Though these activity books are marketed as a tool to prevent summer learning loss, you really can use them any time of year. The workbooks cover language arts, math, science, and social studies for Pre-K through 8th grade via colorful illustrations and activities. My one recommendation is to consider adjusting the level depending on your child; since Laurel is very good at reading and math, the K-1 book was too easy for her, but the 1st-2nd grade book has proven fun yet challenging.

Now, want to be one of three winners to receive a Summer Bridge book? Here's how:

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winners Melanie, Lela, and Colleen!
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Rules:

Hop on over and check out the Carson-Dellosa store locator, e-mail contests@bostonmamas.com with "Summer Bridge" in the subject, and name a store near you where you can purchase Carson-Dellosa products.

US entrants welcome.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Thursday, August 19, 2010.

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* Three lucky winners (drawn randomly via Random.org) will each receive one Summer Bridge activity book in their choice of level (subject to stock availability). The winners will be notified directly via e-mail, then listed back at this post using first name only.

Birthday Thanks

2010-08-16T16:12:08Z

Today is the last day to enter the final giveaway (an amazing hushamok organic baby hammock valued at $195) in the Boston Mamas Fourth Birthday Giveaway Series. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you again to all of the wonderful companies who helped celebrate the fourth birthday of Boston Mamas in such fine fashion. If you haven't already, I hope you will check out these fantastic companies (many of them local and independent!), bookmark them, and shop from them soon. They rock. Which, of course, is why they were involved in the first place.

]]> Heartfelt thanks again to:

Artistic Sensations
Backyard Safari Outfitters
Barefoot Books
Bliss Boston
BornFree
Clevergreen Cleaners
Crabapple Photography
Diaper Lab
Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics
Equal Exchange
Harvard Sweet Boutique
hushamok
Jute and Jackfruit
Mabel's Labels
Marika
Moody Mamas
Olivia Browning
Safety 1st
Stella & Dot - Paige Lewin
Telefora
vianne chocolat

The Magic of Gap

2010-08-16T12:42:16Z

I must admit that I've been a tad "meh" about Gap clothing for some time. I primarily shop online and though I realize the in-store experience is important, I haven't felt particularly motivated to head to the store after browsing periodically from the comfort of my home. Yes, I'm a big fan of mix and match basics, but their collection often struck me as largely basic. I will now, however, look at Gap's offerings with a whole new perspective, thanks to a recent outing with one of their stylists.

]]> The impetus for meeting with a Gap stylist was this: In advance of BlogHer New York, I was one of a group of bloggers approached about being styled in two complimentary Gap outfits that we were welcome to wear at the conference (or not). Blogging about the experience, of course, was completely optional (as I make clear on my disclosure page, I don't engage in any opportunities that defeat the purpose of editorial by requiring posts to participate).

Now, I consider myself a reasonably fashionable person. I love clothing and accessories and shoes and generally clean up well, but my style tends to be simple. And I lack vision when it comes to layering. Or utilizing belts anywhere other than through the loopholes of jeans or pants.

So when I met with Leah at the CambridgeSide Galleria, I was in awe of her vision. It was the first time I have ever been styled, and as a designer myself I was impressed with how she worked; she listened to what I liked in terms of color palette and general style, asked me to pull things that caught my eye, then selected coordinating pieces I never would have thought of picking up. She also capitalized on my desire to step out of the box regarding jeans (I always get boot cut) and helped me see that it's possible for someone who is neither tall nor stick thin to wear skinny jeans. And actually, not just skinny jeans -- legging jeans.

So here's what happened with the two outfits; the mission was to create two looks, one based on their "magic" black pants and the other on denim.

Black Pants Outfit

I pulled several styles of black pants, but by far, the winning fit was the modern boot pants; they were slimming and super comfortable. I also picked out the white ribbon t. Leah then pulled a variety of coordinating options for me to try on. Ultimately, the look involved a gray lace cami (never would have thought to put a tank under the t), white ribbon t, gray lightweight wool blazer, skinny contrast studded belt over the jacket (again, never would have thought to do that), and the modern boot pants. I told Leah I would be walking a lot and she recommended the black city flats. I decided to wear my Stella & Dot deco drop earrings and carried a yellow tote to add some color.

I cannot express how much I adore this outfit. For BlogHer, I was a little concerned about this outfit because I wanted to wear it the first day of my trip, and of course it was going to be 95 degrees. But I went for it, happily found myself in air conditioning most of the time while visiting the TODAY show, and then stowed the belt and blazer during my event at Ellis Island. The look was ridiculously cute and professional looking -- perfect for work. See?

Also of note, the city flats are ridiculously comfortable; they're cushioned inside and have a good rubber sole. I walked many blocks and trekked all over Ellis Island in them on the first wear ever. I highly recommend getting a pair to stow in your handbag (they handily come in a fabric bag) when you need to ditch your heels.

Denim Outfit

Now, denim. As I mentioned, I am a tried and true member of Boot Cut Nation. The last time I visited Gap I did, without the help of a stylist, attempt to explore other cuts (including skinny jeans) and was rather horrified. But since I was open to experimentation, Leah encouraged me to go for skinny jeans -- particularly recommending the legging jeans -- and helped show me how to make them work.

Similar to my black pants outfit, at the outset, all I selected was the legging jeans (in a dark blue rinse that no longer appears available on the website; I wanted a wash that could be dressed up or down) and a white cascading ruffle tank (length here is key, i.e., cover your seat!). Leah selected a variety of coordinating options and we landed on a brown cami to go under the ruffle tank and a fabulously snuggly shawl cardigan to go over top (I figured it would be great as a layer at the hotel and also for non-maternity maternity wear this winter). Leah also selected a fantastic wide jute/cotton belt that tragically no longer is on the website -- it could be worn over the ruffle tank or over the sweater. I figured I would wear heels or wedges and statement earrings. Here are the pieces, minus the belt, shoes, and jewelry.

Now, even though the shawl cardigan seemed like the perfect in-an-air-conditioned-conference choice while I was in the store, when I was packing, I realized I wasn't going to wear this more casual outfit until the last day, when I did have one event but otherwise was largely going to be sweltering through three legs of transit to pick Laurel up from my in-laws and get back home to Boston. So I swapped out the brown cami and shawl cardigan in favor of a white tank and super lightweight shell colored cardigan that no longer is on Target's website (I sub in this gray cardigan to show length, but the cardigan I have is way cuter). By the last day of the conference my feet were tired so I opted for flat gold sandals (these
Bernardo Miami Woven sandals are close in look), wore this Stella & Dot Mimi necklace, and carried a taupe leather handbag.

Though the denim outfit didn't work out exactly as planned while at Gap (and it's kind of a bummer that I can't show you the exact cardigan and shoes...I failed to take a full length picture that day), I was really happy because: a) the legging jeans were crazy comfortable (lots of softness and stretch) and looked really cute; and b) the experience with Leah at Gap enabled me to improvise and think beyond simply tossing on an embellished tee; I ended up with a layered but lightweight look that was perfect for New York. (Jon actually looked a little shocked when he saw me because he hadn't seen the new look yet.)

In short, Gap totally is back on my shopping radar, and the experience with Leah gave me a new outlook on layering and accessories. And whether you're in a big fashion rut or want an outside perspective to freshen up your look, I highly recommend responding in the affirmative to those working the retail floor when they ask if they can help you (if you're like me, you usually decline). I also recommend really scrutinizing fit (or having a salesperson help you) for look, not based on number. I usually wear a size 6 or S/M and tend to pull clothing based on size marking, but Leah adjusted several of my pieces to achieve the best fit and I ended up with some pieces that were XS or size 2 (which, in my pregnant state, is a function of variability in cut not some magical shrinking of my person).

I can't guarantee that there will always be someone as fashion savvy as Leah on staff (in fact, she was requested to come to CambridgeSide from the Burlington Mall for this styling session), but it's worth a shot. And she said working creatively with customers in that fashion is one of her favorite parts of the job. It's win-win, see?

Dear Boston Mamas: Awesome Backpacks

2010-08-15T12:11:13Z

Today's Dear Boston Mamas question comes from @Rhoosting via Twitter:

Dear Christine, What are your recommendations for the best, hip backpacks for toddlers? I'm sure others would appreciate your thoughts, given that back to school season is upon us.

]]> Dear @Rhoosting,

Thanks for writing in, great question. I adore hip and awesome school supplies!

The first thing I recommend before you shop for backpacks is to think about what is going inside the pack; for example, do you need something that can hold a standard sized folder (e.g., parent-teacher communication folder), or do you just need to stow a change of clothes and snacks? One of the things that troubles me about kids backpacks is some of them are ridiculously huge; if filled to capacity, it seems like the child is doomed to struggle against the weight and end up belly up, turtle style. So, resist the urge for bigger is better.

Now, on to some specific recommendations:

Dabbawalla. I adore the backpacks and lunch bags by Dabbawalla Bags. This indie operation out of Seattle makes a ridiculously cute collection of soft and flexible bags. In addition to the creative designs, I especially love that the backpacks truly are a reasonable size for toddlers. And the lunch bags are great; Laurel used the Holy Cow lunch bag all last year (and probably will use it this year as well) and we received compliments on it wherever we went.

Four Peas. Another option for backpacks is Four Peas. This bag outlet offers regular and toddler sized PVC-free backpacks that you can personalize. As a former musician and wife of a budding rock star, I love the Rocker backpack. Totally rad.

Land of Nod. Land of Nod carries a collection of really cute backpacks. There are small and adorable animal-themed backpacks by Skip Hop (these are phthalate-, PVC- and BPA-free; the absurdly adorable All-Nighter backpack is pictured here), and larger backpacks for older kids (by Beatrix). I think the Bookosaurus pack is a really cute pick for little bookworms.

Gap. I don't see measurements on the site, but the small collection of backpacks at Gap is cute. However, because of the unusual shapes of some of the bags, I recommend checking them out in person to see if they will fit what you need to stow.

Oompa. Finally, I decided to take a peek at Oompa because this retailer always has an awesome selection. They have a great collection of bags and backpacks, separated into preschool and kindergarten sections. They actually carry the Dabbawalla, Four Peas, Skip Hop, and Beatrix packs mentioned above, as well as cool styles from Pooki and Co, Fleurville, Dwell Studio, Crocodile Creek, and other vendors. I think this world flag backpack is particularly awesome and globally minded (it also comes in a messenger bag style for bigger kids).

I hope you find these recommendations helpful! I'd love to hear what you end up choosing.

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Image credit: Land of Nod

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Have a question for Christine? Drop her a line! And of course feel free to comment in if you have recommendations beyond those made above.