Monthly Archives: March 2011

Griffin’s Rock-n-Roll San Francisco Birthday

Kiddo Parties, , , , , ,

“Soooooo, I think we’re going to have Griffin’s birthday party in a bar. Is that weird??”

That’s how the conversation began. To be clear, the “bar” was actually a venue called Thee Parkside. It is sort of a bar/pub with a great outdoor patio area — not some dark, grotty hole-in-the-wall. I’ve been to many a rock show there and in the day time it has a very different vibe. So when my friend Toria asked me if I thought it was weird to have her son Griffin’s 5th birthday party there, I had to pause….it was definitely unconventional! But it was also kind of genius. Allow me to explain.

In this day in age the birthday party has evolved a bit. When I was younger it was more of a drop off scenario. Parents rarely hung around and your younger brother or sister wouldn’t even DREAM of crashing. Nowadays parents actually like to socialize with one another and it seems more often than not little siblings show up too. As my friend planned the party, she knew she wanted to do something fun/different and appealing to both parents and children. Griffin loves music so the idea of a rock-n-roll bash seemed just the ticket. I’ll be the first to admit that having a children’s party in a pub is very “San Francisco.” We don’t have the luxury of large backyards, so parties call for creative measures. Let me assure you that Toria executed it brilliantly! The place was shut down for the party (so no errant riff raff was wandering around) and the staff was extremely enthusiastic about the event and ensured it was utterly kiddo-appropriate. There were so many fun details I thought you guys would like to see how this Indie Birthday Party all came together.

1. Embrace Your Inner Rock Star!

The party began with a special table where all the kiddo’s could apply fun temporary tattoos and paint their faces. Lots of glittery stars, butterflies and lightning bolts made an appearance! You could take it even further and add costumes or wigs to the mix. I love the colorful signs Toria printed up for the various “stations”.

2. Encourage the Kids to Rock Out!

A collection of inflatable guitars, banjos and other instruments were available for all the kids. This was AWESOME. They loooooved it!

Super cutie birthday boy Griffin with his groovy clarinet. [You’ll notice he and Wolfie both have the same crazy curls!]

Toria cleverly had paint pens so kiddos could write their name on “their” instrument.

More of a lead singer? We’ve got you covered!

Wolfie ready to rock the mic……

3. Live Music Rules!

Griffin’s dad is a musician so he and some friends got together and formed an impromptu band that played loads of kid-friendly tunes—from They Might Be Giants and the The Beatles to fun standards. All the kiddos were invited on stage to “jam” with the band. Griffin took center stage and led the kid’s in a fantastic round of air guitar. It was SUPER cute! There were also tambourines and those percussion drum box thingies for the kids to bang on as well.

Little Santiago with the “keyboard” killed me….

Wolfie and Greg taking a breather….hey, it’s hard work rockin’ out!

4. Dance, Dance, Dance!

If a live band isn’t possible, then go with a DJ! Once again Toria had a fantastic idea. She emailed parents and asked them to send her a song or two that their child really loved. After the band played she had a friend DJ. The guy would announce each song with, “This one goes out to WOLFIE!” You can only imagine the grins on all the kiddo’s faces, “Mama I love this song!! How did he know???”

5. Nom.

Rockin’ out makes you hungry, so food is a must! Toria had tasty burgers and tater tots for everyone and can I just say these were the crispiest most deeeelicious tots EVER?? There was also a table of kid-friendly healthy snacks like apples, carrot sticks, cheese and crackers.

In the end, a really fun time was had by all. The parents felt like they had a little afternoon out (yes, the bar was serving drinks) and the kiddos REALLY had a blast.

Just goes to show ya that with a little creative thinking, kid’s and parents can both have a harmonious time at a birthday party!

I hope you got some fun tips for throwing your own rockin’ birthday bash! You could easily do this kind of a party at your house (especially if you have a big back yard!). If you live in a city like we do, and back yard space is not as readily available, consider holding it at a park or community center. Or go big and find a family-friendly pub like Toria did!

By the way, Toria has an awesome blog called “Tiny Reads” which is all about cool kid’s books. You should check it out for sure!

Later this afternoon I’m going to have a list of my Top Tunes for the Most Rockin’ Kiddo Dance Party! So c’mon back.

Vintage Monday :: Kooky Kid’s Ads.

Vintage Toys + Fun Stuff, ,

Is it me or is the weekend just too dang short?? We had two back-to-back bowling birthday parties….a little league game….mountains of laundry. It feels like there’s never enough time. I think Mondays are tough. But that’s ok, because I found something to distract me….I think you’ll agree with me here, peeps. These ads rule.

I appreciate that this version seems to be just as scientific as the dudes—but in a delicate shade of pink.

I looooooove this type face so much! But let’s be real. The true stars of this ad are THE WIGS. It’s like these girls are the long lost love children of John Waters and the Oompa Loompas.

This kid is so freakin’ hip:

Oh Barbie. You wanna bash her. And you wanna say, “NO WAY is my daughter going to ever have a Barbie.” And I believe you mean it. Truly. But *every* single mama I know with a little girl succumbs at some point. This is why:

She’s Stylish!

The picnic set and resort set are my faves.

She’s Going Places! The rad beach van? The dune buggy? C’mon now.

She’s Sporty! I totally remember that gymnastics bar where she would spin around and around:


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She Moves Like a Model! And dresses like a fabulous stained glass window. HOT!


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See? You will be powerless to resist….


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OK. Moving on. Sea Monkeys. These ads ran in the back of magazines and comic books—and logically you KNEW that those damn sea monkeys wouldn’t look like the picture, but secretly we all hoped. A bowlfull of happiness!

What kiddo wouldn’t want these super bouncy sneakers??

Aw yeah, it’s time to HULK IT UP for Halloween! You can also CAMP IT UP in your muscle tee Captain America ensemble!

And speaking of camp…..whoooo mama! Check out this scary drag–o-licous dolly. Not sure what’s more terrifiying, the fact that  she has “rubber wonderskin” or a full-on Betty Page hair-do at 9 months. Heww!

I take it back. Happy Monday, indeed!

Live from Austin :: Vintage Kiddo Retro Round Up!

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Hi Friends,
Well, here I sit in my hotel room in Austin admittedly a bit worse for wear—oof.  But more on that later.  Oh business travel, you are a cruel mistress. But even business travel and work couldn’t keep  me away from doing today’s vintage kiddo retro round up!  And because I’m deep in the heart of texas, I thought I would do a cowboy themed kiddo round up. And boy, did I found some goodies!

How could I not post these red vintage cowboy boots. The only thing that would make them cuter is if they were on your kiddo!  From Ebay seller, mandl.


Vintage cowboy records anyone?  Who doesn’t need to know all of the words to “Home on the Range, right?”  From Etsy seller, Bullseye Collectible.

Oh my, a Clumsy Cowboy?  Tee hee!  On the horse backwards!  From Etsy seller, Nomad Vintage.

Playskool always had the best puzzles, but this vintage cowboy one is just gorgeous.  From Etsy seller, Moxie Deluxe!
It’s always cowboy time with this wonderful vintage wild west clock. From Etsy seller, Sue Sue Gonzales.


Wouldn’t this sweet vintage cup make your milk extra tasty? I think so soo!  From Etsy seller, Dish Darlin.

You didn’t think I would have a cowboy round up without including a great vintage straw cowboy hat. And a great one in red!  From Etsy seller, BD Vintage.

I love the idea of a cowboy costume–and this one is in terrific condition too!  From Ebay seller, lellenberger.

Oh check out this sweet vintage fringe suede coat!  I gotta say just go to the page to listen to the music if nothing else.  From Ebay seller, Moon Sewing Cat Woman.  Seriously, where does she find this music? It’s GENIUS!

Oh, this vintage horse book-end will keep all of your Hardy Boys books organized! From Etsy seller, Amy’s Old School.

So, hopefully I’ll be able to keep up the posting for tomorrow, so I’ll see you all tomorrow!

Love + Prayers to Japan.

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Our hearts are very heavy as we think of the devastation that has hit Japan. I had the good fortune to visit Hiroshima and Kyoto for three months when I was 16, and the kindness and generosity of the people of Japan has stuck with me to this day. I can’t even fathom the fear and sadness coursing through the country at this time.

We send our love and prayers to everyone affected by last night’s events. It certainly puts life in perspective, doesn’t it?

image: snataly


image: source

Here is a wonderful compilation of ways in which you can help or get involved. Be safe everyone. And give your child an extra big hug tonight.

Real Life :: LA Sunshine + Work

Real Life

Last weekend I was in Los Angeles (Santa Monica to be specific) and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. I was there for work (shooting some print ads). I’m always torn when I travel. On the one hand it’s so nice to stay in a swanky hotel, in a big ol’ comfy bed, eat fancy meals and not have to pay for it all. On the other hand…..I always reeeally miss my guys. This was a short-n-sweet trip, so it wasn’t as involved as our Prague shoot this September and I was able to get back to Wolfie hugs asap! I thought it would be fun to share some photos with you —a little taste of California sunshine— and a little peek into my nutty job. Keep in mind, half the time I’m slaving away at a desk and in meetings. It’s not always palm trees and fancy fancies!

We stayed at the Viceroy, a hipstery hotel designed by Kelly Wearstler. It’s over-the-top fab:

The decor is very black and white with pops of color—mostly green or yellow.


I realized that I had packed mostly green and yellow. Not on purpose—pinkie swear.

The skies were so blue, alas we were inside most of the day once we started working.



Our first shot was at the historic Union Station. It was an amazing building, built in 1939 and loaded with tons of ornate, art deco flourishes. Even the drinking fountains were deco:



We had to cast about 50 extras to stage our shot. It was the oddest casting—the main criteria was a random cross-section of “normal” people who might be hanging out at a train station. “What do you think? He looks kinda normal.” “Yeah. Cool.” “Ok 49 more….”



The next day we were at the historic Saban Theater. It was a backstage shot that needed to look like “behind the scenes” at a big rock venue. There were three cool things to say about this space. For starters, it was where they film the sectionals episodes for GLEE. (They had been shooting on the stage the week before we got there.) I’m a fan so I thought that was pretty cool! And in seeing next week’s previews, I can confirm that they were indeed filmed on this stage:

 

The space was, once again, rather Deco fabulous. The walls were all gilt—it was a gorgeous space.

Oh, and did I mention AL PACINO stopped by?? (sorry guys…..couldn’t resist….I promise never to mention Al Pacino again. Unless, you know, I meet him again.)

The theater had these crazy black and white tile bathrooms that were filled with full length mirrors. That’s not one of the cool things, by the way. Just wanted to ‘splain why I took a photo in the bathroom.

The final “cool thing” was the fact that our visual director for the shoot was Rick Floyd, an utterly groovy/fascinating guy who worked for years as Annie Liebowitz’s right hand man. His style is impeccable and he had amazing stories to tell. (Check out his site, his work is fantastic—loads of Vanity Fair covers and lush photo shoots.) I was pleased as punch when he looked at my wacky little outfit and said, “Girl, you are CUTE.” Hey, nothing like getting a professional seal of approval, right??

The entire day I kept looking at this long aisle and envisioning the Glee kids running down it, while bursting into song. You know how they bust through the back doors whenever there is a performance? Oh, i t was soooo tempting.

What can I say? I’m a professional.