Category Archives: Shopping Blogs

Not so shabby cute vintage like clothes

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One consequence of my site remodel is that I am behind on some posts.  My reviews have been stacking up, which is saying something, because I don’t think of this as a review site.

Nonetheless, sometimes something crosses my desk that jumps out at me as “oh, that is me!”  Shabby Apple was one of those things.   They they feminine clothing online.  I wanted to try them out partly cause I love that name.  I had never heard of them till they contacted me, but go to the site and you will see lots of cool vintage inspired women’s clothing. I love vintage, but my body is not vintage and they can smell and have sweat stains.  Sometimes better to get a new reworking on vintage. Shabby Apple’s clothes are not cookie cutter. If you like “Mad Men” style, this is for you. They asked me to pick an outfit and say what I thought of it.

Their clothes are divided into themes.  I picked from the “Mad Hatter” collection.  I chose separates.  This navy skirt with little fabric circles that dangle off of it. And this cream coloured  lattice top.  I picked them because

a) they were different, yet classic

b) I had been wanting more narrow skirts

c) I thought they would suit my body

Ordering on their site is easy.  They have a little quiz to help you shop your body type no surprise I am an apple. 

 

 

When I opened the plastic pouches they arrived I was surprised at the quality of the clothes.  Seriously.  So often things look good in the pictures, and then disappoint.  But these felt sturdy, not junior department feel at all.   They looked like the picture in  person, I however don’t look like this model. I still thought it was a pretty smart outfit.  My daughter liked it and my friend who was over at the time asked me if I would be wearing it to a wedding this summer.  Yes, I suppose I could.that first picture I took I look so serious, I decided I needed to catalogue it up!

Fit?  The skirt is high waisted with a side zipper.  At first I was worried that I would never get  the zipper shut over my hips and gut.  But, I did and once done it was totally comfortable. Not in a “now I will go jogging” way, but in a “I could go eat dinner in this” way, which is what you would wear a skirt like this to anyhow.  I think it would look great at a wedding.

 

I loved the structure of the top.  I got “8″‘s in both, but with my breasts I think I should have gotten a “10″ in the top.  It fit well, but smashed the girls down a bit.  As much as I hate to get a “10′ I think I will need to exchange it for one.  For the girls’ sake.

The clothes had really nice details.  

The skirt would be fun to dance in because the fabric discs move. 

I also tried on the skirt with a tank and sweater, because I wanted I thought it would work well as a day to night item.  

I was alone at this point and couldn’t figure out my timer.

Shabby Apple also has Maternity dresses.

Check out the site for some nice women’s dresses and if you like their FB page they have promotions posted there.  and if you do like something as a Cool Mom reader you can get 10% off. ( “coolmom10off”at check out)

Not shabby!

Post Christmas wish list

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There is a reason why the holidays really need to be focused on the kids.  They will love some hunk of plastic for $15 .  I will not.

Anything that is easy to purchase looks like fodder for a white elephant party.

Take these gems I stumbled upon recently. On sale, if you can believe it!

Who doesn’t need an Elvis stocking?
bad gifts

Or better yet, Christmas at Graceland, which was on sale from it’s original $119.00.  Good burnt gravy!  That’s a lot of of after tax dollars for that tribute. Bring me the head of whoever paid full price for that.
bad gifts
What I want can’t be shoved into a stocking.  It’s boring, grown up stuff.  Someone to pay off my mortgage. Botox for life, the usual. How about daily massage?

I would like Santa to drive so much traffic to Cool Mom that I could derive a good income from it. Or whatever one does for such things. ( Dear Santa, why didn’t I go to Law School?).

The best gifts I got I’m paying for myself.  My bannister on my deck.  The steps were pretty scary without them.  This is like a pair of earrings under the tree for me. Except they would weigh me down and catch on a sweater.
wish list

The new roof on our back house.  Now, mind you we still don’t know what to do with this thing, but if we didn’t put a new roof on the “clubhouse”, as I call it, it would have melted in the next few months.  Look at that roofing tile!  Beautiful, like a little black dress.. but made out of fire retardent shingles!
wish list

You can see the front steps to the clubhouse look a bit Tobacco Road.  Well, maybe for my birthday…
wish list
While I’m making my wish list I would ask the present gods for a railing that’s not rusted and a redo of this fine crafted back stairs. They were a homemade job from a couple of owners ago. Each step is a different level. It’s a bit like a fun house.
wish list

This is why I love watching “Desperate Landscapes”.  I keep hoping that hunky dude with  the big arms is going to show up and fix my yard. But, sadly, like “Curb appeal” they only work on front yards.

Oh, of course the very best gifts don’t fit under the tree, but sometimes sleep next to it.
xmas

Finding the Good in Back To School (sponsored)

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Can you smell it?  Can you smell the tension of trying to get your kids dressed, hair brushed and “for the love of God, put on your shoes” as you try not to get a tardy?  You’d think it was my report card at stake.
Yes, I can smell back to school time is close.  Oh, those last gleeful moments of summer.  Outdoor dining in the back yard, staying up late and mosquito bites. Lathering up the kids with sunblock, glasses, sun hat and the rose of summer: Cherries!

summer

I know some parents think summer creates more work for them, but I have really enjoyed it this year.  But, I have to look for the bright side as summer wanes.

Brightside #1

When Rex starts his two day a week school I will have two mornings I can work out and get into supermodel shape…if you can with two days a week workout.

Brightside #2 when it gets dark earlier, I get the kids to sleep sooner thereby leaving more time to read ( also known as watch DVR’d “House Hunter International”)

Brightside #3 Continuing the tradition of “Day Outs”.  When I was growing up my mom took each of us on our own day out with mom.  We bought our school clothes and then got to pick where we would go to eat for lunch.

“Anywhere you want!”  She would say.  Did I pick legendary restaurants of LA that are long shuttered?  Scandia, Chasen’s, Brown Derby?  No.

“Howard Johnsons!”

Last year was the first year I started it with Vivien.  It is magical being the mom in this equation as it was being the daughter.  I love our time together.  When we shop we discuss likes and dislikes, style and what is appropriate.  She is no longer at the age that I can dress her up like a paper doll, but is not giving me the sullen teen push back.  I know which colors she gravitates too.

But, since she is still a little kid I can’t wear her out and risk a meltdown mid “happy day”.  So I’m doing my research before we set out.  I know from my niece ( 10) the kids are still digging the Peace signs and graphic tees.  Denim is hot, check.  Sears Style helps you do your homework so you know what the kids are into.  I do prefer to go to a place I can pick up a few t- shirts for my stepson as well.  ( sidebar, there was the cutest yellow dress with white lace in the junior department that I wonder if my childbearing hips could fit into).  Sears also has a Sears Personal Shopper app this year for iPhone and Android’s (my phone) that I want to use.  Snap a picture of something you want for back to school and expert shoppers find it and contact you on where you can get it, even if it’s not at Sears.
I smell smart shopping.

This is one of three posts sponsored by Sears.  I was pleased to be asked to be a spokesperson for their back to school tween clothing.  Next post: favorites from the media tour.

What to wear back to school? Survey Results (sponsored)

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What are the back to school items you want to skip?  Which ones are on your to do list?

If I was to fill out a survey on the topic I would say

1) One of  my back to school items is trying not to look like the frumpiest lady at drop off.

2) closed toed shoes for Vivien.  She can’t wear her favorite foot wear at her school, sandals, so I will be looking for closed toe shoes that are EASY TO PUT ON.  When we are trying to get out the door I can’t stand wrestling with the hard to slip on shoes.

3) good price.  Yes, I have seen $130 jeans for little kids.  I have also seen people bungee jump.  I plan on doing neither.  They grow out of their clothes so fast it’s koo-koo to spend that kind of money on kid clothes.

Well, speaking of surveys Sears and Blogher did a survey about parent’s shopping habits for this Back to School period. Here are some of the results

–two-thirds of parents say they are inclined to spend more on apparel items like jeans, tops and shoes for this school year versus last year.

So, even in a downturn, kiddos still keep growing.  I am more likely to buy something for my kids than myself.

But according to the survey, parents are spending more on KEY items, but, they using newspaper ads, circulars and loyalty programs to track down the best deals. All those services that rhyme with boo pon, you know.

Okay, so what are the key items?  For my 10 year old niece it’s cool pants and graphic tee’s.  Preferably, with a peace sign.  For my 17 year old stepson, it’s tight legged blue jeans and plan t shirts.  For Vivien it’s anything in pink.  So, to make the purchase worthwhile… the maximize your time, here a few results of my own:

1) pick stuff they are really going to wear.  Yes, I would love it if I could still dress my niece up in fancy dresses, but it ain’t going to happen.

2) lay out a few rules.  there will be no midriff showing, a non starter. I’m fine with a peace sign, or Love or American flag, but nothing with a negative or snarky saying thanks.

I know I will soon be made irrelevant, but right now I still a little input.

3) don’t shop at a place that is not your food group.  Make sure it’s a store that has stuff you feel okay with.

4) Sears has a great Facebook application called, “Mom’s Amazing List”, which allows you to actually create your own shopping list and get suggestions based on your child’s gender and age.

5) Avoid the impulse.  I could buy my daughter cute, flowery dresses all day, but her closet is choking with them, so until she gets a little bigger, I can’t justify that purchase.

I should ) my own shopping better.

this is the first of three posts sponsored by Sears about Back to School shopping.  I am going to be doing some media appearances in support of their program.  I love me some Sears.

What the F–eather?

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One of the perks of being a blogger is you get invited to get together’s where people give you some free stuff.  Now, we are not talking Emmy gift suites like I reported on when I worked at TV Guide Channel.  It’s more baby lotion, cookies, coupons for stuff.  Honestly, I don’t go to many.  One reason is I feel like if I do I need to write about it and I’m not a product review site and if I don’t really love it I don’t want to write about it.  Also, if I don’t love it I don’t want to slam it…well, till now.  I’m NOT going to name names, but more indict a trend and my passiveness in participating in it.

So, I went to a crowded room and was shown the way to the “pamper” room.  Nail polish?  No, thanks, rarely do my nails these days. Chair back rub?  No, hurts my neck.  I was trying to make out what looked like cool make up brushes- interested, when I was told they were feathers to put in your hair.  I almost laughed.

“Oh, not for me.  I’m too old for that.”

The nice hair/feather lady said that was not true.

Me: ” this is what the kids are doing, right?”

Her: ” yes, everyone!  We get the supplies from tackle shops and the flyfisherman hate us.  They sell out.”

Fly fisherman, my hair, yes, I should have moved on to the cupcake table.  But, no.  I allowed the eager lady to put a little feather in my hair, ala hair extension.  The feather was almost the color of my own processed hair.

“if I put it like this you can pull it forward to show it or hide it .” She said moving my hair around. I thought of Cher in the ’70′s and the feather on the roach clip.  When I saw the lady coming at me with a PLIERS!.

“Can I just take this out myself?”

“No, you need a professional.”

OH, Crap.  Once for a TVG shoot I had eyelash extensions put on me and it was like having trantula’s surgically attached to your eyelids.  I had to go back the next day and have a very uncomfortable process to have them removed.

For the next couple of days I showed people my feather.  A nice YOUNG girl who bartends at The Tar Pit thought it was great, my husband said he could barely see it     ( of course he also says “where’s the butter?” as he stands in front of an open fridge) finally a mom friend who is close in age to myself said flat out, “Take that out.”

“it looks ridiculous on me, right?”

“yes.” she said bluntly.  Later it was really bugging me physically.  The feather was clamped on to my hair with metal.  I couldn’t see how to get it off.  I pulled out a scissors and cut it all off.  I have enough hair, I won’t miss that little bit of hair.Fwd: Feather

I ask myself , why did I allow to be put in my hair in the first place?  Lucky she wasn’t offering up free tatoos.

Face Mixer

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I don’t go to a lot of mom blogger gatherings.  Was it something I vlogged?  There are bloggers that seem to know everyone, I don’t think I’m that person.  I haven’t been to any of the BIG events, but over the last year I have been invited to a few smaller gatherings and it is nice to meet the sisters.  One a few weeks back was hosted by Romy Raves in the SF Valley.  It was the OPI Salon where I actually had done a segment as host of the Fashion Team there ( you know, before they downsized me to occasional correspondent) it’s a nice place where you can get a massage and pretty nails.

This soiree was sponsored by Therapon skin.  I can’t give a review of it yet as I still haven’t cracked open the sampler box they tucked under my arm that night.  If that cute gal Christina who reps them is any indication I’ll be dropping my dreams of a scapel. She said this is stuff for your skin that was developed by a plastic surgeon. She is a darling Southern Belle who made the party possible and allowed me to gorge myself on LASAGNE cupcakes.  Sounds gross?  well, It’s in the form of a cupcake, but no batter, more like a lasagna bomb. Also cupcakes from Magnolia bakery ( just ordered some mini’s for Rex’s bday party) Ran into Candice of fashionably organized.  We love to talk charter schools and fringe neighborhoods we can afford.

Lots of the gals were getting that new Katy Perry crackle nail thing, not my bag.  But, nice to have a little color on these worn paws.

That’s why I need to listen to my friend Carolyn who always says, “go where your invited.”  Highlight for me was when a gal said, “I just watched Rex’s wallet service!”  Felt like a star.

Laptop for kids 5-10yrs: A review

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“Vivien, would you like your own laptop?” I had been approached by a PR firm reagrding a laptop for kids age 5 to 10 that Best Buy was selling exclusively.  I do very few product reviews, but this sounded intriguing.  It’s also a big issue now.  Kids want access to a computer and the net, but their are reservations on the parent of parents.  Me included. The laptop is the FIRST SPARK™ kids PC . Featuring the Toshiba L635. (retails for $499.00)

(from the Best Buy website) This full-sized laptop was made specifically for kids and their parents. Get peace of mind with hardware features like a wipeable keyboard, and software to help you keep your kids secure while playing games or browsing the Internet.

Toshiba L635 Laptop
Preloaded with
  • Internet filtering service (1 year)
  • kid-friendly Internet browser (1 year)
  • Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 2 movie*
  • Disney’s The Princess and the Frog movie*
  • LEGO Batman: The Videogame

Vivien’s reaction?

“no, thanks”  she said flopping onto the couch.  Her 16 year old brother, “Well, wouldn’t you like to at least see it and then decide?” not understanding why she would refuse such an offer.

“okay” She shrugged.  Obviously a computer is essential in a teens life, but maybe not in a child’s.  Questionable whether one should be.  Nonetheless I agreed to receive it for FREE to give a review. they wanted a child’s review of it.

When we unwrapped it Vivien was excited to see it.  I thought it was quite good looking. She sat with me as we did the intial logging on and figuring the various programs out.  She was a trooper and hung in there, but in retrospect I think that was a mistake on my part.  She was getting anxious waiting for the fun to start.  ”Princess and the Frog” and “Toy Story 2″ are said to be loaded on the hard drive, but we couldn’t get that going.  I subsequently received further directions about playing them, but it was no go for us.

The Net Nanny comes loaded on it which I really like a lot as my chief problem with kids having a computer is being exposed to unsavory sites and people.

“I want to play games”  Vivien said.  Great, we started a few, but the dexterity required her to move the thumb to click and the index finger as a mouse was impossible for her five year old hand.  I became the clicker, she the mouse while we went through some games.  Rex was grabbing at my leg for attention, I saw the sun set behind us.  All of the games had written directions and she can only read a few words, so I had to be at her side the whole time for literacy and fingers.  I realized unlike the the TV babysitter, this was not going to make life easier for me.

“is this the best use of our time? ” I thought.

Finally Vivien’s frustration blew.  We had been at it for over an hour. “Enough, I’ve had it.”

Me: “Should we give this to Lily?” My 9 year old niece

Viv: “yes, Lily, will have a better time with it than me.”  She climbed off her perch and started to play with the neglected Rex.

Lily and my sister Cecily were thrilled when I called, “want a laptop?”

Cecily took possesion of it.

From Cecily:

“I took it to a coffee house to get to know it before I gave it to Lily, so I could get the lay of the land. Took me a little while just to know a PC, I’ve been working with a Mac for years.The first thing that struck me was it was nice and light and had a good feel. It felt like little hands could use it.  I really like the washable key board because I can’t stand the crap that falls within the cracks of a regular keyboard.

I was confused by the net nanny.  It came up intially and I like the idea of it for protecting my child, but I haven’t been able to test it. I think it’s partly because Daphne set it up and we need to reconfigure passwords and such.

I went home and gave it to Lily who was very excited to have her own laptop. IMG_0285.JPG Then I let her noodle around with it.  I showed her the kids browser.  Then last night we sat down together and I had her show me what she was doing.  We used the KidZui browser which is great because everything that is shown has been vetted by teachers and parents.  We tested it to see if playboy.com would come up and it doesn’t.  This is very important.  There are cute touches like you can make an avatar and name it and if their friends are on they can talk to each other, but it’s protected.  The parent has to approve them. It’s not chat roulette.

As long as the net nanny is activated  and the Kidzui is up they can’t get through to something you don’t want them to.  Also you get weekly reports on where they have gone and length of time online.”

Here is what the 9 year old Lily has to say about it. My questions are in bold.

Lily: ” I thought it was pretty for a laptop.”

was it easy for you to figure it out?

Lily: “yes, it was self explanatory”IMG_0285.JPG

did you need your parents to help you?

Lily “not much, if I got confused or if wanted to change a name or if it got frozen.”

what have you most enjoyed?

Lily:  ”going on the internet, it saves time it has categories, like ‘totally girl” it takes me to non violent videos from you tube” ( note: you can not get on you tube directly) You could use it for homework, they have “homework helper” like multiplication tables.”

what will you use this computer for the most?

Lily: “probably going online and playing games and going to disney.com”

will your friends like it?

“yes, because there is a web came and we can talk on kidzui. I haven’t done the skype, but I’m going to ask my friend if she will with me.”

To wrap it up here is a video of Lily and her mom Cecily ( the sister making her first Coolmom appearance) summing up their thoughts.

Josie Maran

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This little sprite of gal, model Josie Maran was on The Fashion Team last year.  She had just been bumped from Dancing with the Stars (first one off, ouch) and was launching her green cosmetic line.  A year later she came back and has been selling her line like gangbusters.  She has also been helping fellow Momversation panelist Rebecca Woolf with her five minute makeovers. Here she dishes on DWTS experience, being a working mom and touts her Argon oil.  Okay, QVC gal, I’m sold!  Well, actually she gave it to me, but I’ve been slathering it on my face night and day.

I wonder if I put it all over my body, will I look like her in a swimsuit?

Wee Little Notes (& a Coupon for You!)

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I love stationery for kids. It might seem funny to get cards made up with my children’s names on them and then write the thank you notes myself, but they can’t, so why not? I figure that over the years they will get that THEY are suppose to write thank you notes when they receive a gift. And they will pick up manual dexterity. I think I should let my friends and family know that I appreciate their generosity and one day, hopefully so will my offspring.

I paid through the nose for Viv’s first set of stationary, but you know that was 2005; we did things like that. It was cute, but I couldn’t figure out what to do with her name. It’s long: Vivien Tiana Brogdon Peel. Peel is legally her last name, although she thinks she has a hyphen last name, and if she ever wanted to change it, that would be fine. So, she has two middle names. I thought it was overkill to have all four names on the note cards but didn’t want to trash can my last name. (This also seems so 2005 that I could spend time thinking about this)

So the cards read:  Vivien T.B. Peel

Yeah, her middle initials are a disease. I should have give her the middle name Irene. That would have been some cool initials.

Well, those cards ran out, and I scanned around for some replacements. I liked the Paper Culture cards. They are modern and pretty. And instead of the long list o’ names I went for this:

Just a a pretty V and her first name. Seems regal… and less complicated. Personal, yet stopping short of her social security number. It’s an old-fashioned-type illustration, but it’s on a one-page card with rounded corners, so its not too fussy.

For now we can leave it at that. I told them I was going to blog about the cards, and they said if any Cool Mom readers wanted to get some, they would offer a 20% discount. Put in the code COOLMOM at check out. They are not pricey to begin with. This isn’t 2005.

COOLMOM code is good through 3/31/10 for 20% off their order (not to be combined with any other offer, and not applicable to shipping & handling or taxes).

My New Scent, a.k.a. I’m Obsessed

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Years ago in the Clinton era, I was a swinging single in San Francisco. I used to wear Issey Miyake perfume. I’d put on my short skirts, vest without shirt, short blazer (think Melrose Place), chunky high heel loafers, a splash of Miyake and work it! A guy friend used to inhale me as I came near. It actually was kind of a problem as we were always dating different people, but my scent made him wild, and I was wild for the attention.

Then one day I saw that friend, and he didn’t inhale.

“It doesn’t work anymore.”

“What?”

“Your scent, it changed. The Miyake, it doesn’t work. It’s gone,” and he walked off to crush on another woman’s smell.

I had sensed what he said. My scent wasn’t working.

Then in the zeros, it was Michael Kors. That was my smell. I put on jeans, with high heels, an empire shirt, and rode the ups and downs of the ’00s with Michael Kors. I landed a husband, so it must have been okay.

But while my previous scents were about attracting men and feeling sexy, my newest scent holds for me the association of prosperity, security, a newly remodeled bathroom in a big house. In short, what most woman want as they approach middle age. Let me explain.

Shortly after we got the bad Madoff news, my co-host Lawrence Zarian gave me a bottle of Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin bath oil.

I took it home to my beautiful house that I knew we would have to sell soon and plunged my big pregnant body in a warm bath with a splash of this new scent. I was transported. Does it smell like Lime basil and mandarian? No, it smells like a fresh start. It smells like my bills are paid, and I’m pretty. I can’t explain it, I need a scratch and sniff web site. What else are you going to do to unwind when you are pregnant? Run? No. Drink? No. Pop a tranquilizer? That would be another no. I would breathe in the clean, fresh, spring, soapy-like scent of the Jo Malone and tell myself that it was all going to be OK. That my baby would healthy and we would have another nice home one day, and I wouldn’t be eating cat food at 70. That smell always made me feel better.

Cut to this past Christmas when I asked my husband for knee-high boots and Jo Malone Lime Basil and Mandarin bath oil. They ain’t giving it away, but I figured, hey, we got through this year, time for a treat. Christmas day I got the wrong boots (took them back, added money and got the ones I wanted), and no Jo Malone. I said to Mark, “Um, you said you were at Nordstorms. I told you EXACTLY what I wanted.”

Him, “But then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” Argh! I am slightly embarrassed to say how bummed I was about this. I was, a tad furious. I had been waiting to sniff the stuff in my smaller, but nice, rented house and do my affirmations for the new year.

Once again I had to take matters in my own hands. And Voila, here it is. (I also got their vitamin E body balm. The smell is different; see if that shapes up my arm skin.)

And on a rough day, the smell still makes me happy.

Hello, scent for the teens.