Goldenberg's Peanut Chews

It was news to me when we moved to Philadelphia last summer that Goldenberg's Peanut Chews are a local product.

Since I'm a sucker for 70s nostalgia (makes me feel 6 years old again), I naturally love this current ad campaign.  Not quite the same font, but reminds me of the video in this recent post about a classic 70s movie.

Kind of funny that the company has been around since 1917, and yet it has the 70s look it.  If they were really going old school, wouldn't they have invoked flapper (1920s) or art deco (1930s) imagery?

I guess they were at a loss for what would be Old School 1917.

For the Kosher among us, I do know that it was a sad day in the late 80s or 90s when they went from parve to dairy.  They were a favorite handout at my Jewish day school by one of the rabbis.  I heard through the grapevine that he was very sad about that.  There were no longer a reliable and readily available non-dairy sweet treat in every drug store.

I was never a big fan, but I like their ad campaign.

Leon Leonwood Bean, You Always Did Good By Me

Growing up in New England, the old-money world educated in prep schools was always within a few minutes' drive away.  When The Official Preppy Handbook came out in 1980 when I was not even yet a preteen, I read with great interest its various humor essays and studied its diagrams about WASP culture.  

If I wanted to see a 65 year-old bluish gray haired, elegant woman sporting navy blue slacks covered in green embroidered whales, all I had to do was head down to the local A&P supermarket.  A Preppy Yuppie could easily be seen coming off the 5:07, Burberry coat in one hand, Prince racket in another. These type of folks were never part of my family's social network, but there is one thing that we definitely had in common.  The L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bag.

Here's what I have done with our L.L. Bean Boat & Tote Bag.  Our Shoe repair shop sewed on each patch for $5.  Should I fully cover with patches?  Might be overkill.  It really needs a Hotchkiss or Andover patch to round out the look.  

We took ours to the swim club and to the beach at my grandparents' (which was most definitely not down in Cape May or up in Newport).  The annual display of fireworks was a common place we brought our boat bag.  We took it on a trip to Nantucket.  I saw many in Tanglewood.  My dad took it on his fishing trips with his buddy Donny.  There were only a few colors and it was only available with an open top.  I don't even recall too many sizes.  We always had a big bag, the size of the one above.  And we had it for years.  Many, many years.  Until the handles unraveled.

It didn't really matter who you were or where you came from.  The bag itself was durable, affordable, and well-designed.  It still is.  LL Bean's boat bag was always a go-to reliable.  Nowadays you can get a zippered-top bag.  What an innovation!  And the varied sizes and colors!  And now, there is free shipping!

Oh, L.L. Bean How I Love Thee.

Food Tip #3: Girl Scout Cookie Mint Pie

It's Girl Scout Cookie time, and you know what that means.

That means I bought 3, count 'em, only 3, boxes of Thin Mints.  But wait, how do I manage even those 3 boxes which are so easily hidden away from my husband and children?  It's not even like I love Thin Mints.  I would rather eat homemade chocolate chip cookies.  But they do have that addictive quality that even I, not an ardent chocoholic, have trouble with when it comes to eating only 2.

That brings me to Girl Scout Cookie Mint Pie.  We entertain a lot on the weekends (Shabbat dinners and lunches), and tonight we have a table of 9 people for dinner.

That means I am all good with this pie.  Everyone will get a slice and maybe there will be leftovers.

My mom found this recipe in Theatrical Seasons:  Encore! a cookbook published by the Syracuse Stage.

It is essentially a meringue with crushed Thin Mints and nuts folded in.

I added a sorbet filling, so it is more of a crust now.
You could add whipped cream.
Or eat just plain.
Just make sure you have guests over or you will eat the whole thing.

It is sublime.

Girl Scout Cookie Mint Pie

preheat oven to 325

16 Thin Mint cookies, crushed
3 egg whites, room temperature
dash salt
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 additional Thin Mint cookies, crumbled

Beat egg whites till soft peaks form.
Gradually add sugar till stiff peaks form.
(yes, a Kitchen-Aid mixer is what I use.  Ideally, freeze whisk and bowl first for ultimate egg whites)
Fold in vanilla, crumbs, nuts.
Spread into a greased 9 inch pie pan.
Bake 35 minutes.
Cool in fridge 3 hours

1 pint chocolate sorbet, softened at room temp for 15 minutes

Spread sorbet into pie.
garnish with Thin Mint cookie crumbles

Cover with Stretch-Tite (my preferred plastic wrap).

Freeze 1 hour at least

Cut into pie slices and your guests will be singing to high heavens.

*N.B. to my Jewish and Kosher readers:  Lest you be thinking, wait, how is Rachel serving this to her guests which is obviously on Shabbat and I am assuming correctly she cooks meat on that day, since the hechsher on the box is OU-D which means they are Dairy, and is Rachel this huge apikores?

Rest assured, dear reader, that I am a savvy mama and consumer as well as Kosher food eater.  I have full knowledge, in case you didn't, that the Orthodox Union discontinued its OU-DE designation years ago because the whole conecpt of Dairy Equipment, which is what the DE stands for, was apparantly too confusing for the average individual.  I do not consider myself to be the average individual.  We fully hold by Dairy Equipment and Thin Mints have zero dairy in them (they are made on shared equipment, as the box states).  Don't try to convince me there is a trace of dairy in these cookies.  It would say Milk as an ingredient.  No, no, this are fully OU-DE, and our practice is to remove all the meat food from the table before we serve DE food.  However, you might have a different practice and that is ok.  You might be that  individual who doesn't remove that meat from the table.  And guess what, you're still good!  You  might be that more machmir person who no longer holds by DE because you have joined the wave of humras that have swept our people.  And that is ok, too (I realize I might be exaggerating or misinformed, thinking that people aren't holding by DE because of humras.   Your Talmudic interpretation may not really be a stringency but a middle of the road thing.  Nah, it ain't middle of the road in my book if you don't hold by DE.  Could be you aren't well-versed on the halachot of DE.  Am I, you ask?  If you're curious about if there is a nafkamina involved, I really couldn't answer because I am the furthest from an illui that you'll every meet.  Oh, if I could only match up to Elie Weisel and Rabbi Weiss HaLivni.  Now, those men could really take this whole DE rant somewhere.  Who am I, anyway, just a pisher.  Back to the DE discussion, if I feel sad if you don't even hold by DE.  You just won't be enjoying this fully acceptable dessert after your Shabbes meal.  There's always Shavuos.  Girl Scout Cookies don't go bad.  They have enough preservatives in them to last a while.  Oh, I guess if you're Cholov Yisroel  all of this is a moot point, to which I say:  Chassidus totally rocks!  And if you're not chassidish, I am curious why you don't hold by Rav Moshe's tshuva on this issue.  (Assuming of course you are living in the United States.  And maybe Canada?  I am not really sure on that.  Naturally if you are in J-Burg or Zurich or if you're lucky enough to be traveling through India and for whatever reason you have found yourself on www.wholephamily.com then this assumption is clearly irrelevant.  At which point I let you know you have wasted way too much of your time reading this horrific paragraph.)  

Dreams That We Dream Of In Hawaii

For reasons unknown to me, it appears to me that many people confuse Australian artist Jason Mraz's lovely tune "I'm Yours," which hit the tops of countless international music charts, with Hawaiian artist Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's beautiful remake of  "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

You likely have heard both.
They have a similar sound.
It turns out both official videos were filmed in Hawaii.
You possibly know the name Jason Mraz.
You less likely know about Iz, and about his tragic death too early in life.

Here is the Official YouTube video of "I'm Yours"




And here is the Official YouTube video of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"





Years back, Dan Zanes, one of our favorite family musicians, suggested that a ukelele revolution was passing through the world.

Boy, was he ever right.

It's a Rainy Day in Philly

The Wolfman's Brother's response to this classic Sesame Street segment is:

"Yes you can go outside if you have boots."




Oh, that intelligent 4 1/2 year old of mine.

Not Your Mama's Uncle

This offered great comic relief this morning to the Wolfman and Concealed Light.


 


If only Uncle Moishy still sported those glasses which have now become hipster, he could pretty much fit in at a Williamsburg bar.

For the sake of the Jews out there who love his work, I actually contacted his management company, Suki and Ding, a few years ago to tell them it would be simply great if he had a YouTube channel.   Think of all of those yeshiva kids in Brooklyn (i.e. my cousins) who are allowed to access certain things on the Internet but not others?  Uncle Moishy is signed, sealed, delivered, and most of all approved, and it would be a boon to his fame and notoriety!

You think they take my advice?

An Age of Miracles...Before You Go To Sleep, Say a Little Prayer

Do Western people think of overt miracles happening on a daily basis in their very own lives?  Certainly, the types of miracles that appear in The Bible which detail discussions between man and God do not happen in our day.  Plagues such as blood on the Nile River are of the past.  No sea is going to split open and an oppressed people will just prance on through to the Promised Land.  These grandiose, larger-than-life miracles are difficult for some to believe, and yet.

My esteemed teacher Rabbanit Chana Henkin taught me a few lessons about everyday miracles for which we should be grateful.  The daily sunrise at a beautiful shoreline.  Waking up after a night's slumber.  The first flowers of a fruit bearing tree.  The appearance of a rainbow serves as a reminder of the covenant between God and Noah that the world will never again be destroyed, as was the case after the Great Flood.

TV On The Radio is a Brooklyn-based band which came out with the song "Golden Age" a few years ago.  Only today did I watch the video.




I presume the use of symbols connected to no organized religion was purposeful:  I like it.  I love their glasses, too.  The white-clad-angelic figures versus the dark-clad-law enforcement-evil figures set the stage in a place somewhere between heaven and earth.  Except that eventually the presumed bad guys (the fuzz) end up turning good, grooving and sending out love-hearts.  The angels send their symbols of peace upward.  Are they turning into animals that will be ultimately used, in a positive way if you can believe it, for animal sacrifice (korbanot)?  I don't purport to fully understand the genius behind that one, but it is there.

Everyone loves a rainbow, but do viewers realize its symbolism with regard to the promise of world peace, unity, and ultimate redemption?  This video got a lotta rainbows coming down from the heavens.  It's all good.

Thank you to TV on the Radio for an artful, insightful interpretation of the world's state of affairs.  Let's hope it keeps getting better and better.

This is not a spiritual blog.  Just in case you thought that.

Bindi: Every Women's Like, or Dirt on Your Face?

I thank my friend Abby for introducing me to bindi, which are Indian facial stick-on gems.  Abby's sister appears in this wedding video I blogged about recently.  We used to live across the street from Abby, and I  sometimes saw her daughter wearing bindi.   They are not Indian, but does that matter?  Saraswathi Vedam, the midwife for my first two children, is Indian and she is quite wise.  Bindi are fun and girls love them.  What a beautiful way to liven up one's female self.  I respect its Indian and Bangladeshi spiritual roots, but since I am Jewish I choose to not place bindi in the traditional between-the-eyebrow location.

Indian bindi can be found at your local Indian clothing store

I bought this package when I was last in Manhattan.  I went to 28th and Lexington, sometimes referred to as Curry Hill, and found hundreds of different styles.  You can get bindi on Ebay, naturally.  I wore bindi later that night, and my new friend, Cute Indian Girl, complimented me.  Yay.

My brother, The Goalie, saw my daughter, Concealed Light, wearing bindi this past weekend for her Aunt Reba's birthday celebration.  The Goalie said, "Um, I think you've got some dirt on your cheek."  Thanks a lot, Uncle Goalie.  We all laughed about it.

Don't think my mom is going to like this ridiculous photo of me. 

I did not go out with the faux nose pierce.
I am laughing terribly at that photo.

And if you want to see Saras, who I hold in the highest regard when it comes to childbirth, look no further!

Mommies Are People, But Am I A Grownup?

On our drive this weekend to visit my parents and to celebrate my sister's birthday, my children and I listened to the "Free to Be You and Me" soundtrack.   The close-quarters of being in the minivan enabled me to ponder this song, and I started thinking about how it has poignantly come full-circle.

there is a YouTube video  here, so if you get this in an email link you might need to click through to the wholephamily.com website itself to see this video link

Like so many children of my generation, I grew up listening to this record.
I picked it up again in college and then started thinking of its message that all people can be whomever they choose to be.  I doubt my mom ever read Ms. Magazine cover-to-cover like I did in 2004 while nursing Conealed Light in New Haven (I have been told I need to clarify that Ms. is pronounced mizz, and it was part of the foundation that backed this record), but she knew the good stuff and Free To Be You and Me was it in the 70s.

When I was little, I was the girl listener, envisioning all of the mommies and daddies and all the things they can do.  And now I am the mama.  And while I haven't become a professional baker, doctor, or funny joke-teller, I have done a lot of things so far.

This song sends the message that parents can and should shoot for the moon.  And that college isn't necessary to get there.  I have told Stango that our children can become skilled tradespeople.  He doesn't see it my way.  Despite that I am the first woman in my immediate family to obtain a college degree, I wonder if it is necessary.  Can't Concealed Light become a pastry chef if she so desires?  Can't The Wolfman apprentice as an electrician?  Better yet, he can become the pastry chef and she can become the electrician.  Two years ago,  my former HBO colleague James Altucher made a compelling argument for this in "Don't Send Your Kids to College."  One of the reactions to Altucher's argument was that unless you are a superstar in your field like Bill Gates or Madonna, a college degree is still necessary.

As for me, I am a mama.  With a lot of interests (read any one of my blog entries and you will get an idea). While it is still hard for me to swallow the reality pill that makes me a grownup and not a little girl riding her banana seat bike in 1979, Marlo Thomas' message for children and adults alike is fresh and current in 2012.  And because of that, a tear of joy rolls down my cheek.


   

Drawings From The Film Beginners By Mike Mills

I was recently gifted with this book, a limited edition companion to the film Beginners by Mike Mills.

courtesy of Reprizent

Thank you, Michael Arkin!  (to the blogosphere:  I also wrote Michael a thoughtful, hand-written note of thanks.  Long before I was acquainted with Derek Blasberg's work, I was trained in proper etiquette by my mother).

My college boyfriend's father was gay.   I remember the great secrecy and emotion surrounding him telling me about his father in the early 90s.  Times are so different today for the gay community and this film gives a broader historical perspective about the lifestyles of closeted gays in the 20th century.

I have been told that I will like Mike Mills' style if I like Wes Anderson's.  This is too delicious!



Naturally, I have great affection for Christopher Plummer, who stars in this film, as he will always be the Captain singing "Edelweiss" in my memory.

She Was Not Asking For It, From One Dov to Another

Dov Charney, founder of American Apparel.  photo source:   www.dovcharney.com

“Last month, an innocent, modestly dressed 8-year old girl, Naama Margolese, living in Beit Shemesh, described being spat on and vilified by religious extremists - - all men who believed that she did not dress modestly enough while walking past them to the religious school she attends.” 

-Dov Linzer, “Lechery, Immodesty and the Talmud,”  New York Times, 1/19/12

Well-spoken.  Well-said.  Well-written.  Kol hakavod (kudos).

This op-ed piece is written by a very wise Rabbi named Dov Linzer in New York.

photo courtesy of Rabbi Dov Linzer's Facebook profile

I wonder if he knows that he shares the same first name as the wise, creative, successful shmatta tycoon Dov Charney in Los Angeles who is noted for his provocative American Apparel ad campaigns.

Does Mr. Charney knows that yeshiva girls and Jewish women are forever grateful for his interlock pencil skirt which enables them to dress both fashionably and modestly?  Hypersexualized ad campaigns?  No matter.  You make the goods and the smart shoppers have found your shmattas and wear them in a tznius (modest) way.  I hope he's kvelling.  What a way to repurpose an item in an all good way.

Jewish women time and again prove that they are wise beyond their words and actions.

Thank you to both Dovs for your good work on this earth.

Thank God It's Friday, Hollywood Disco-Style

This comes via my friend Big Josh aka The Coach. He is such a gregarious soul, dare I call him a social butterfly? xoxo to Big Josh, and I can't agree more with this song, part of the film that launched Donna Summer's career!

 As I played field hockey in high school (though about 10 years after this film, and therefore no red tube socks), I naturally love the opening sequence with the girls getting on the bus and their field hockey sticks in hand.

 Thank you, Barry Bernstein and Rob Cohen, writer and producer respectively, for this beacon of light!

(there is a YouTube video link below:  If you are not seeing the image, click through to the website itself and it will appear.  Sometimes in the email digest you won't see it)


 

My-Not-So-Random Connection to Tara Stiles, My Favorite Yoga Teacher

A few months ago, I decided to stop simply thinking about yoga and start doing it.

So, I went to the Kripalu website, hoping to find some good yoga YouTube videos.  Without rhyme or reason, I clicked on a couple of their graduates' profiles.  At the 3rd click, I got to Tara Stiles.  I never heard of her.  Something drew me to her name specifically.  I don't believe it was random.

Tara's outlook and style speaks to me.  Her whole lifestyle is yoga.  She recently YouTube blogged about eating salad for breakfast.  Not such a novel idea, but coming from her lips it sounded magical and attainable.  She has a great YouTube on doing yoga in bed right as you're waking up.  Of course, normally I stretch anyway in the morning, but she showed me how to take it to the next level.  Her videos are not just instructional, but also entertaining with her dry-wit sense of humor.  I love how she starts off her videos with the following standard phrase, "Hey guys, how are you, I'm Tara Stiles."  Totally chill.

She is Deepak Chopra's yoga teacher and also the proprietor of Strala Yoga in Manhattan.

Looks like she's doing a new series for LIVESTRONG Woman.



there is a YouTube video here, so if you are reading this as an email feed, you might not be able to see it.  click through to the website www.wholephamily.com and you can see the video link.



Since I have no current plans to visit Strala Yoga, I continue to rely on her most excellent YouTube channel.

Thanks, Tara!

An Advertisement I Loved in W Magazine

I love W Magazine not just for its articles but also for its smart, artful, zeitgeisty advertisements.  

Here is a Marc Jacobs ad from their Spring Fashion Issue, which appeared in the first few pages.

It could be Berlin or Amsterdam.

It could be Jason Schwartzman's character from The Darjeeling Limited*.

It could also be New York, since there is a Prius-looking car in the background.

It's got that International Style mid-century modern building in the background.

Or it could just be some dude in Manhattan wishing he were back in Holland since they are the masters of city cycling.

*One of my favorite films.  My life is most definitely a living Wes Anderson film, with a bit of ta'am (Jewish flavor) thrown in.

Hostess Gift #1: Glendale Organic Grape Juice & Taza Chocolate

We get invited to friends' homes frequently for Shabbat lunch on Saturday afternoon after synagogue.  There is always good food, many children, and yummy challah involved.  The traditional gift to bring is a bottle of wine or other readily edible food for that meal, but I put together something a little more original.

Glendale Farm Grape Juice from the Finger Lakes, NY with waiter-style table crumber.  Buy NOW as by Passover 2012 it will no longer be under the O-U

Organic Glendale Farm Grape juice, 2010 vintage.

Waiter-style table crumber

Tag made from PEZ candy cardboard package.

Bringing to our hosts for shabbat lunch.

Table crumber is essential for the challah crumbs!  Easily found in Judaica stores and Kosher food markets.  Or, just ask your waiter at Maialino if he has an extra to spare.

With children, grape juice is a necessity for the kiddush (blessing over the wine).  It is a 100% acceptable substitute.  It's even legit for adults to use it.

Enter the upscale organic Kosher grape juice.  Mix half with seltzer for a "juicy beverage," or, what many folks might know better as a spritzer.  Call it homemade soda, it's all the same goodness.  We have been buying this for years at Fairway in New York City.  It is available via special order through Whole Foods on the East Coast.  You need to order a case, and only this size bottle, 22 ounce, is available.  [If you are familiar, they used to be in a bottle that looked like the Santa Cruz juices bottle (not kosher),  but those days are currently over].

I spoke with the proprietor of Glendale Farm recently. He explained that the juice is now in a bottle that looks like his competitor Kedem (which, in my opinion taste-wise doesn't stand any comparison) because the Orthodox Union gave him no other option.  This is getting political and not my bag...

He was not bought out by Kedem.

He is hoping to get certification for his 2012 vintage with the OK Laboratories.

I plan to bring one bottle from my stash coupled with a nice bar of Parve Taza chocolate (also available at Whole Foods).

Taza chocolate is Parve, organic, made locally in Somerville, MA, under the OU

Go here to see more Taza Chocolate

Go here to see more Glendale Farms  (he is a small company, very under-the-radar, but highest quality).

More V Magazine, And Oh the Advertisements!

I got to V initially because I was subscribing to W.

And I got into W because, like guys who read Playboy "for the articles," I found such interesting information there.  I learned about Richard Gere's B&B in Bedford.  And Michael Steinhardt's private animal sanctuary. And so much more.

I strive for information and it also helps me with my wardrobe.  I think Derek Blasberg would like all of this. Derek, I will blog about you another time.  You are *the best.*  I heart Derek, even though we haven't met in person.

But check out this awesome LV ad:

The see-through bag reminds me of what all the women have to carry when they work in the department stores.  A total upgrade for Bloomie's employees.  And the ice cream shop chairs:  Oh, how Peppermint Park (which I hope to blog about another time).  It was an end of a Manhattan era when they shut them down.  Derek, ask some of your friends who grew up in and around Manhattan.  They will tell you how much they loved Peppermint Park.  And, nary a good reminiscence online.

And of course, about one year ago I blogged about Smashbox Studios.

Factors got some style and class.

 

This is their newest ad in V Magazine.

I am grateful to be literate.

My New "V" Magazine Arrived Today

If you look carefully, you can see the mini Tootsie Roll on resting to the right of and just below Justin's left shoulder (to orient yourself, put yourself in Justin's shoes...now that's a tough one, but c'mon, you can do it). 

And that is why I love V.

They placed one Tootsie Roll right in front of him.

Not a fan of his work, but if that ain't art, I don't know what is.

Alas, I couldn't imagine that my favorite band is in this issue, despite that they sell out New Years at MSG year after year after golden grand year.

And that is all good with me.

Favorite Birthday YouTube Video: Altered Images

It is my friend Seth's 40th birthday today, and I just posted my favorite thing to post on friends' Facebook profiles when it is their birthday.  It jazzes up the typical "Happy Birthday."  I mean, c'mon, that is so unoriginal.

FYI, Sixteen Candles was one.of.my.favorite.movies.growing.up.

My sister Reba and I can go on ad nauseum with the quotes.  Naturally, I longed for a Jake Ryan in my life.  Never did happen.  But Stango is way better.


 

Don't Be Shy If You Want World Unity

I'm getting back onto my Harold and Maude kick lately.  I don't care what is out there about Cat Stevens from the past.  I don't care about the current politics.  What is in a name, anyway.  Break down the barriers and just have lots of love, love, love.  Yusuf Islam still believes the same message:  peace.  We'll get there.


 


There is much to be learned from Ruth Gordon's character in Harold and Maude. And we have Cat to thanks for writing those words.


 


 So, go ahead, do some cartwheels and have lots of fun.

I'm going to the gym.

More Shtuff Folks Say...This Time It's Those New York (Jews) Again

Oh those New Yorkers.  Clever they are.  Watching this video reminded me of my first subway ride alone in Manhattan in January 1995.  I know that My People are so small in numbers, and yet it warmed me when I overheard two women on the subway talking about upcoming bar mitzvah plans.

Eliot and Ilana Glazer capture good stuff here.  And when you include the words shlep (Yiddish for "lug stuff."  Not derogatory) and schmuck (Yiddish for "complete and inane jerk."  Fully derogatory, yet accepted as ok to use in casual conversation.)  in your "generic" parody of the original Sh*t Girls Say, you gotta remember that in New York you don't have to be Jewish but it don't hurt to be.  Pat Kiernan, what do you think?

Why is it that countless Elliots and Eliots are yidden (Yiddish word for Jews.  Not derogatory).  One of life's mysteries.  Also, guys named Yale.

From Rihanna to Eddie Murphy in 30 Seconds Flat...Mama Say What?!

(disclaimer: if you really want to get it done in 30 seconds, do not watch the embedded videos!)


 Yesterday, towards the end of spin class, Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music" came on the speakers.  Ever so conveniently placed, indeed I didn't want the music to end, since I was finally getting my spin groove on.  I am not very contemporary with popular music, so I owe much of my knowledge and exposure to it via my excellent spin instructors.  In truth, I don't connect much to the music:  the beat seems somewhat empty to me.  I am a classic rock and Jam band type of mama.  I don't like how women are objectified.  I certainly don't want my children watching this video.  Stango would definitely not be into it.

Rihanna is beautiful despite the fact that I don't agree that she uses her body, sex and overall image to sell herself.  Isn't that Hollywood, though?  She has made a career out of it, and I give her that.  I am sure she is a hard worker.



Ever interested in connections, I love how she borrows from Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something" when she says "mama say mama sah mama makusa"




Ever thirsty for knowledge, I researched that phrase, which, according to this Wikipedia entry, has its roots in Makossa music, which is popularized in Camaroon cities.

Call me an ignorant American, but I don't know much about Camaroon.

Except for this classic scene from "Trading Places," where Eddie Murphy pretends to be an exchange student from Camaroon.






Which leads me back to the City of Brotherly Love, where this film is largely based.

It is my new city and it is a good one!

Knowing Where Your Children's Stories Come From

Despite growing up strongly identified as Jewish (kosher house, Hebrew day school, liberal Orthodox synagogue), my parents were totally fine with me watching the Sunday morning Davey and Goliath series.  Who cared about the cross in the beginning of the show:  they offered a good message, and they were cute. I knew that it was from a church, but I knew that wasn't my church.


 

Jump from 1977 to 2012, and to my surprise, just today at my grocery store I noticed on the rounder of spiritual/inspirational books (which just so happens to be located right next to the Kosher section, go figure!) the following:

Who knew that Jan & Stan Berenstain were coming from a Christian perspective!

Invoking Jerry Seinfeld's famous phrase, "not that there's anything wrong with that," I am beginning to realize that it actually is a good idea to know where my children's values are coming from.  As strongly-identified Jews, I want them to have Jewish values.  We have plenty of Jewish children's books, but publishing is a tough industry, and sadly there aren't many high-quality Jewish children's picture books.

Interestingly, there was a Strawberry Shortcake book on this rounder as well.  Was That Character From Cleveland also a Christian?  This character is owned by American Greetings, a company owned and operated by the Rose-Stone family in Cleveland.  That family has done tremendous acts of kindness in philanthropy for the Jewish community.   When Strawberry debuted in the early 80s, my mom collaborated with her friends to collect a few copies of the NY Times Sunday Magazine so I could have a full display of the multi-page advertisement showing various parts of Strawberry Shortcake's body.

Do these things matter, really?

At the end of the day, the message is the same:  be a good person, do acts of kindness, give charity, help the elderly.  And if my children learn that from Mama Bear, I think that is ok.

But, if know where you come from, who you are, and where you are going...

that is ideal.

Taste of Hazon in Philly Will Sell Out Soon!

I recently wrote on the upcoming event "Taste of Hazon" at the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Rachel Loebl, Hazon's Chief of Staff, has notified me that they will likely sell out this week.  This is no surprise as it sounds like an amazing evening line-up of food and music.

Read a great review here at Main Line Dish.

I can't wait to have delicious food prepared by some of the city's most renown chefs like Michael Solomonov and Chris Scarduzio.

Mama Tip #6: Fun Snacks and The Original Fun Healthy Snacks

I know it's been done, but here is how easy it is to make a healthy snack fun and a fun snack healthy.

The Wolfman's Brother enjoying:  2 dried plums, 2 sugar cookies, 3 veggie straws, 4 chocolate chips, 10 almond slivers.  Dill will surely not get eaten.  I know, I need more fresh options but at least the dried plums are a good start.

In 4th Grade my classmate Jason brought in this cookbook and demonstrated the recipe for the vegetable monsters.  It was a lot of fun.  Mother subsequently purchased for me, during Cook Book Book Report Month.  My friend, the author and cartoonist Marc Tyler Nobleman always loved that I had this book on my shelf, as he is a super hero all-knowing guru.

Very early adopters of healthy eating guidelines in the early 80s, this book's messages of  healthy eating stayed with me throughout my childhood.  I believe this is out of print but you can currently get it on Amazon for $75.00

I actually ended up taking Dr. Joan Gussow's course on Nutritional Ecology at Teacher's College of Columbia University.  I recently wrote her a note thanking her for her work.  I mentioned this book and how much it meant to me.  Dr. Gussow didn't remember me, but that didn't matter.  She is a trailblazer when it comes to healthy eating.  For her I have the highest regard.

Yeah, some locally-sourced fruits would have been a good addition to the Wolfman Brother's snack.

At least he had organic milk for those cookies.

Mama Tip #5: Buy Laundry Detergent When it is On Sale at the Grocery Store or Pharmacy

I admit I love the convenience of Costco just like anyone else, and I have gotten used to purchasing my laundry detergent there.

But like my mom has always told me, buying Arm & Hammer detergent when on sale for $1.99 per bottle is the best buy out there.

Easy for you to say, mom, since you are in the suburbs.
Not so easy for the urban mama.

on sale at $1.99 per 50 ounces, this is the best buy for  laundry detergent!

If Tide Ultra at Costco is $14.29 for 50 ounces, who cares if what is on sale is not the same brand!  This is a no-brainer, and one need not be so brand-loyal when it comes to laundry detergent.

Plus, due to skin sensitivities, we only use Fragrance Free.

Yes, you can and should use Fragrance Free for babies.
Forget about Dreft (I know, you like the smell, but it isn't good for the baby's skin.  Trust me).

So, if you find yourself in the suburbs, get to an A&P or SuperFresh or Waldbaum's or Food Emporium where you might find, as I did, a great deal.

Limit of 3.

I think I will go back tomorrow for some more Via Roma Marinara sauce and get more detergent.

Been to the Gas Station in Philadelphia This Week?

When we moved to Philly from NYC last summer, one thing that helped me feel so civilized in my new city is that the gas pumps still had the locking mechanism under the handles that enabled me to let the fuel pump on its own.  I had done some online research while I was living in the hardscrabble neighborhood of the Northwest Bronx, and learned that due to safety issues the locks are being removed.  Each state has its own laws.

Ah, what do they know!  Pennsylvania has it right and kept the locks.

Well, I enjoyed about 6 months of gas-station bliss, until this appears yesterday at my local Cumberland Farms gas station:

Note the two holes under the metal lever.  Locks have been removed!

Alas, this is the way of the world, and I guess this is just the way it is.

I don't know enough to say if it's safer, but some online resources indicate this as such.

Personally, I am a skeptic to all online information, and I do have to wonder what type of State or Federal regulations are behind all of this, but one thing is for sure:

Just gotta go with it and move on!

Mama Tip #4: The Wipeable Plastic Placemat

You might be thinking, "um, Loony?  That is a no-brainer."

But it wasn't to me when I first had children.  It sort of evolved after seeing more and more friends who had these.

Initially I was totally jazzed with the educational placemats.  You can get them at any good independent toy store or brainy toy-type store.  Or online our cousins Ellen and Ken Levinsohn's Learning Express store in Bedford and Scarsdale, NY.

However, at $3.99 each, after about 6 months of getting junky and moldy, it is simply another disposable expense.  But they are indeed educational and even I have learned more about the United States Presidents than I did in Ms. Gibson's A.P. US History class in 11th grade.

Our table with the learning placemat.  It offers a great opportunity to learn!

IKEA has their own version of the plastic placemat, which at $2.99 for 4 is truly the frugal way to go.  It is also a totally cool design.

Our table with the IKEA placemats.  It offers great design and looks so pretty!

I am having a feng-shui moment of confusion.
Do I keep the somewhat junked-up ones, but my children will still learn?
Or,
do I get rid of them and use the more trendy IKEA ones, and my children will just be looking at birds, without a lot of educational enrichment.

For the sake of feng-shui, I am choosing to purge.
Old learning placemats are getting put in the giveaway bag.  Some other child whose parents didn't or couldn't spend the $3.99 per placemat are now going to benefit.

Plus, the IKEA ones take up less space on the table, fulfilling a true minimalist's dream.

My budding scientists or historians will just have to suffer.

Phood Tip #2: The Best Jarred Marinara Sauce for the Money

My family has been eating the private label jarred marinara sauce produced by On Point for years.  Initially it was produced under the label Master's Choice and we bought it at the Food Emporium, A&P,and Waldbaum's.  All the flavors were delicious:  Four Cheese, Bolognese, Tomato Basil, Marinara to name a few.  All natural ingredients, made with olive oil, no additives or hidden spices.  Always the best price for the homemade-quality taste when compared to the specialty brands like Rao's, Patsy's and the like.  Also, they were all Kosher.  Even the Bolognese was OU-Glatt.

No longer Master's Choice, the sauce is now marketed under the more attractive label of Via Roma.  This is still the private label for A&P, and mama mia are they doing a good thing!

For the Kosher folks out there, only the Marinara is certified Kosher parve.  (Please, bring back the other flavors!  You are very good for the kosher world!).  This is the best quality, best tasting, best priced jarred Parve sauce any Kosher consumer will ever have.  It is a necessity for Friday night sweet & sour meatballs.  I recently tried substituting ketchup, and my kinderlach could taste the difference.

For everyone else:  try out all the flavors and see what you like best.

Via Roma Marinara Sauce, $3.99 per jar, currently on sale for $2.49 at my local SuperFresh, Certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union (the O-U)

At $3.99 a jar, this is the best homemade-tasting sauce for your buck.

It is made locally in Pennsylvania, too!

Currently it is on sale at SuperFresh (also an A&P affiliate) for $2.49 a jar, no limit.

My sister Reba dismisses this sauce, as she is more of a food purist and immersion-blends a can of san marzano tomatoes as her sauce, but she doesn't have children yet, and so I wonder if she will start relying more on the convenience foods that most families use when God-willing she has children of her own.  But, I hear her.  And, she remembers the glory days of when this was part of her after-school snack atop a piece of vegetarian schnitzel (aka tivall in Israel) with melted cheese on top.

The Marinara is higher in fat than the others at 6g per serving, but the Tomato Basil is lower and similarly tasty.

Manga!


And, if this type of stuff matters to you, for further info on the company, read this recent Forbes article on A&P's CEO.

How CEO Sam Martin is Driving the Imperative to Overhaul A&P

Mama Tip #3: Great $20 Birthday Gift Idea for Kayla or Oliver

Our new Wild Animal Baby arrived today, published by the National Wildlife Federation.

This is a good publication for early childhood, but they have others for older ages:  Ranger Rick and Your Big Backyard.

I know what you're thinking:  It takes advance planning, and I need to bring a wrapped gift to the party.

Yes, that is sort of true.  The child will not receive this magazine the day of.

However, you can order the magazine online at the last minute, wrap up (better yet, place in a regifted gift-bag from your bag of bags) a nature-themed toy or goody bag prize that has lost its way in your home, write up a mock-certificate that they are to receive a subscription to this magazine and call it a day!

Who needs more toys in their house?

Only snag is that you will continue to receive the renewal for this gift at which point you say:  let Kayla or Oliver's parents figure that one out!

However, a potential bonus is if you order during one of their promotions, you will get the free gift, not the gift recipient.  That means one more pair of binoculars for your child.

Parents will so appreciate it, you get the credit for giving a useful, thoughtful gift without creating more garbage in the house, and everyone will now know the difference between a macaw and a manatee.

Order here    (and, no, I am not currently receiving financial support from anyone, be it a company or individual, as it relates to the Whole Phamily.  The products I am endorsing are those I believe in.)

Oops...I Used My Husband's Toothbrush. Again.

(or, insert your own significant other's title there.   Or friend.  Or dog.  Point is that is An Other)

For some reason, the past few weeks we have had toothbrushes that are too alike in look for me to deal with.  I use his toothbrush, by accident, a lot.  I try not to.  I know about the spread of germs, gingivitis, all sorts of dental jargon.  So, it happens.

But I know that Stango will just go with it.  At the end of the day he will just go with the flow.  Yes, he will clearly remind me that we need to maintain separate dental care tools.

The lesson learned is that famous quotation by a famous person who made a lot of money:

"Don't sweat the small stuff."

But what I really need to sweat is at the gym.

Since I am heading out to spin class *right*  now.  (you do see that it is 5:15am, right?  And my Tuesday spin teacher likes to start 15 minutes early and not at the regularly scheduled 5:45am).

And so this use of the toothbrush fiasco only turned into such because I decided to blog about it and now will be a few minutes later than I wanted to get to the gym.

We'll get there.

Phood Tip #1: What Every Balabusta Needs; Or, The Best Martha Stewart Soup Suggestion Out There

For those of us who cook meat-based soups, we know that plentiful bones are essential for optimum, full-bodied flavor.  No bouillons, no cans of stock, no boxed soups masquerading as more healthful stock options.  Just lots and lots of bones that enable the stock to achieve its sublime rich taste.   But it gets pretty tedious when the time arrives and you have to remove all of those bones and cartilage.  I have tried many methods to get a nice golden, stuff-free broth:  cheesecloth, collander, and removal piece-by-tiny piece.

I present to you the product that brings the preparation of chicken soup to a new level for the balabusta  (female head of household who does the cooking but you can be a balabus too, I am all good with that).  The trick:   I have seen it only in the kosher supermarkets.  Oh, the products they invent for the woman who  juggles numerous children, work, and communal commitments!  With cooking for shabbes weekly (which, let's face it, is Thanksgiving every week), these bags are truly manna from the heavens.

It is so under-the-radar here in Philadelphia that even our kosher supermarket manager was unfamiliar with them, despite that they were sitting on his shelves.

I use one bag for two packages of chicken bones and an extra chicken thigh thrown in there for some extra meat.  The holes in the bag allow the soup to cook thoroughly.  They stretch a lot so you can fit in more than you think when you first look at it.  I put my vegetables directly into the pot, but these work well for the various herbs and other vegetables like onion that you might not want floating around in the pot.  For those of you concerned with the issue of borer (a Jewish law forbidding separation on shabbat), since some of the good soup is being taken away with the thing you don't want in the soup, I can't see why there would be an issue  (note:  I am not an authority on Jewish law).

Though they don't list them on their website, Rockland Kosher for sure carries them, most likely from 2 or 3 different companies.

Give 'em a call and see if they'll send you a case.

Better yet, take a trip to Monsey and get thineself to the supermarket of kosher supermarkets.

Just make sure you dress appropriately.

You've Got a Friend...James Taylor or Not

If you went to summer camp, likely you sang "You've Got a Friend," arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder, tears eventually rolling down your cheeks.

I haven't heard it in a long time or thought of it, but along comes this nice cover by Nigel Hall  and friends from last week's JamCruise.  This talented musician is friends with my friend The Coach.  Actually I think I will call him Big Josh from now on, since that is how he referred to himself in another recent online post.  Ok, Big Josh?

Jump to start around 2:00

Remember the Neville Brothers?  At least one of these musicians, Ivan Neville, is related.




My friend Lisa and I did a cover of this song during our teen tour at a make-your-own-cassette-tape kiosk on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco and called ourselves, tongue-in-cheek, The Japettes.  Lisa is a good friend to this day and very much *not* that derogatory cultural stereotype.

Here we are, me wearing my Vuarnets, those very 80s preppy sunglasses I referred to in this recent post. when I mentioned the song "Prep School Hippie."

Prophecy in Our Day

That Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke these words the day before he was assassinated tells me one thing:

He was a Righteous Gentile and a True Prophet, in the larger world picture.


 

This is one step closer to the true messianic redemption.

The security guard at my kinderlach's school said something I have heard numerous times before:  that he knew the end was near for him.  What a wise, wise, wise man who did greatness for the people of the United States.

I Am Jewish by Andrew Lustig

This comes from my mom's Syracuse Facebook friend...

 


Start at 1:00b to get past the intro.

My mom isn't such a big fan of when Andrew says "I'm the $100 challah cover that you'll never use."

Mom:  "What does that mean?  Why don't you use your challah cover?  At least put it in a frame."

Yep, that's right, go to 1:43 and this fellow Jew is also, "going to all 3 Phish shows this weekend."

Andrew:  you do know that there were 4 Phish shows over New Years, right?  I imagine you said that because you didn't go to the one on Friday night.  But, then, why weren't you using your challah cover?

Marcel the Shell or Marcellus Shale? It Would Be My Pleasure.

A new friend suggested the sound-alike connection between Marcellus Shale (I do *not* support Fracking) and a very cute child-friendly YouTube video Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.

Your children will like.

At 1:40:

Marcel:  "Guess what I use as a pen?
Film Guy:  "What?"
Marcel:   "I use the pen but it takes the whole phamily."





 Marcel the Shell is such a great way to turn lemons into lemonade.


  No Fracking!

Flowers for our Shabbat Table...DIY style!

A Shabbat custom is to have flowers on your table.  It is a nice one.  We don't do it a lot for various reasons, but I love having flowers.  Our shabbes guests brought us tulips on Friday afternoon.

Here is my arrangement:

The Schweppes Bitter lemon came from my trip to Berlin.  The Gold's Horseradish is a way of turning zayde's favorite condiment into something hip, and the San Pellegrino is one of my favorite "fancy" sodas that is more readily available here in the states.  All are glass bottles.

We got a 2nd bunch of tulips.  My mom gave us this cool disposable Made in Israel vase that comes folded up, called the Vazu.

It is throwaway, which isn't my inclination, but it was pretty handy!


Shabbat shalom!

Shtuff girls say

A few weeks ago, actress Juliette Lewis was in a YouTube viral video (wow, it is over 10 million hits!) , entitled Sh*t Girls Say.  Really funny stuff.  Not quite kosher, but I found it great.





There are a few episodes. Love them all...

Circulating today in the Jewish blogosphere, just before shabbes, is Sh*t Frum Girls Say.  Listen for the Canadian accent, as it reminds me of Kids In The Hall.  Haha "koisel"...




I gotta say, coming from a frum perspective that is good SHTUFF!  (Though I do think the "baruch hashem" could  have flowed better from the tongue.)

Lest you think Frum (observant) Jews are the epicenter of the world, they are not.

Jews are so small in numbers.  Frum Jews?  Even smaller.

The Black girls and Asian girls also have parodies.

.

Mama Tip #2: Become a Creature of Habit With Room to Wiggle

Early this morning, I found myself 10 minutes late to spin class.  Normally I sit in the same area, but I saw a friend with an open seat in her vicinity and was tempted to sit next to her.  I am glad I didn't.  I have my reasons:  it is near the windows, I like to be up front in the mirrors, and it offers more privacy.  It is my makom kavua, or dedicated space, that I return to day after day.

If I succumbed to impulse just to be social, I would have lost out.  Don't get me wrong:  I love to mix it up.  But I would have given up the reasons why I am there in the first place.  And one of those is not to catch up with my girlfriends.  (actually, we did get a chance to chat, but it was after the class, which is the appropriate time and place).   

When it comes to children, routines are essential.  They enable them to thrive and yet getting them to stick to the routine is challenging.  One area where I have been successful due to sticking to consistency with my kinderlach is in clearing the table.  We use the Hebrew word  toranut to refer to clean-up.  When the Wolfman leaves the table with his breakfast dishes still there, I will say simply, "Did you do your toranut?"  Repetition of this question has instilled that he knows it is his responsibility.  When he acts like he doesn't want to do this job, I will ask probing questions such as:  "Is there something you need help with?  Are the dishes too heavy?"  Often, this helps.

There is a time and a place for everything, and routines help us get there.

Pete Seeger captured this  Jewish concept in "Turn, Turn, Turn," a song popularized by the Byrds.  It is based on the Book of Ecclesiastes (which appears in the Old Testament or Tanach).  It is called  Kohelet in Hebrew and is read in synagogue during the holiday of Sukkot, a harvest festival all about changes of the seasons.  As creatures of habit, every year our sukkah has the same look and feel, but the people who come to it bring variety of all stripes.  

I like that.

Mama Tip #1: Let Your Children Pour Their Own Beverages

The Wolfman's Brother is eating his oatmeal with strawberries, a bit of maple syrup and a chocolate syrup drizzle as I type.



If there is one thing that I learned while teaching early childhood with the lovely Original PurpleGirl, it is to use small pitchers for the children so they can pour their own.  Here, we have an Arcoroc glass pitcher you can pick up at Crate and Barrel.

This is the perfect size for small hands, and even my older two (The Wolfman is 6 and Concealed Light is 8) find it useful.

Easier than trying to get them to pour from a gallon container.

And empowering.

Finding the Good Stuff in Lake Placid While on Break from Andover (or Hotchkiss)

My sister, Reba, is confused as to what type of blog this is.

It is a me blog.

And a big part of me is seeking out the good stuff.

I am posting stuff here that I like and hopefully it will all make sense.

We have spent a day in Lake Placid the past couple of years en route to our Adirondack Mountain vacation.  I love the ADKs, having gone to summer camp there.

On Mirror Lake Drive, the main drag in Lake Placid, you are sure to find touristy shops and restaurants.  I believe I found the best one of all, and even on the outside of the store which is called "ADK Outlet" you will not know the goodness unless you go inside.

photo courtesy of the ADK outlet's Facebook page

Awesome oversized patch from ADK Outlet, 2472 Mirror Lake Drive, Lake Placid, NY  12946

There is nothing touristy-cheesy about the ADK Outlet.

Last summer we finally met the proprietor of ADK Outlet.  His name is Tom Dalton.  He played guitar in the store with my children.  He currently has no web site but produces a lot of preppy-inspired reproductions.  Rugbies, felt college banners, vintage-looking college shirts for Syracuse, Michigan and other popular schools.  He himself exudes the prep-school boy ski bum image, though he is well past the school years and is from Upstate New York.  You feel like he is Ralph Lauren (nee Lifshitz)'s long-lost brother. He is doing preppy for cheaper.

Tom lives in China half of the year where his quality goods are produced.  Last summer I purchased some jersey-knit knee-length skirts that I have not found anywhere else.  The quality is is superb.  He embroiders the skirts right on-site.  For those frum readers among you, these are the best comfy "sweatshirt" A-line skirts you will ever find.  They are elastic waist with drawstrings.  They are really the perfect skirt I have been looking for years for.  Colors include:  cobalt blue, black, hunter green, gray.  I sniff a business idea.  Not.

His shop is decorated beautifully with a plethora of vintage collegiate memorabilia including felt pennants, sporting equipment, and Adirondack hiking gear.  If someone blindfolded you and brought you into his store, you would think it was Ralph Lauren.  

This all reminds me that I have never heard "Prep School Hippie" and there isn't even a YouTube since Phish no longer plays it, but here are the lyrics:

Prep school hippie

Or hip school preppie

I can't decide

Should I spend my adolescent days wearing tie dyes or Vuarnets

I can't decide

Big ten kegger at the frat

Or watching Jerry shake his fat

Prep school hippie

Or hip school preppie

I can't decide

I can't wait till I'm 21

Doesn't this give you the hankering to get back to Oak Bluffs?