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A Blogazine, based out of Park Slope, Brooklyn, that features fun and interesting articles. Topics include: parenting, society, real estate, career, style, spirituality and more. Written contributions are always welcome!


Friday, June 19, 2009

This Week on Hip Slope Mama!

Click on "headlines" or scroll down to read all these new HSM articles....


Scope the Slope:
BKLYN Larder, Lily
& Goldy & Mac








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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Friday, June 19, 2009 0 comments

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The 3/50 Project: Buy Local and Help Businesses Stay Afloat



By Mark Caserta

It has been a while since I last contributed to this blog. Why? Well, the truth is, I've had a lot on my mind. Since last September, business along Park Slope's commercial streets has fallen off significantly and my store, 3r Living, has struggled to stay afloat in these difficult, uncertain times.


Of course, many of our customers are feeling the same pain, which is why business is down in the first place and why empty storefronts are starting to litter 5th and 7th Avenues. The economy, of course, will one day make a comeback. In the meantime, though, I want to make a pitch to our Park Slope neighbors to try to support their local stores and restaurants, more than ever.


Why? Well, the truth is that our stores and restaurants bring walkable services to our community, increase the number of concerned eyeballs on the streets (improving safety) and contribute to increased property values for nearby residents. Even better, money spent on local businesses tends to stay in the community and borough, making it more like an investment.


If you are concerned about small businesses in Park Slope, I am asking that you check out the website the350project.net, which asks you to do something simple, but critical:

* Pick your 3 favorite small, locally-owned businesses,
* Spend at least $50 total in theses stores on a monthly basis.


According to the 3/50 Project, if just half of the employed population spent $50 a month on locally-owned businesses, it would generate $42.6 billion of revenue! Now that's an economic stimulus plan that we can all live with!


Do I have your attention? Good. So, please, take a look at the350project.net, consider participating and spread the word!

Related Links:
Mark Caserta has over 10 years of experience in environmental policy and politics. In 2004, he opened an eco-friendly home and lifestyle store in Park Slope, Brooklyn known as 3r Living, with his wife Samantha.

Their products are carefully selected with the principles of reducing waste, reusing unwanted or discarded materials, and recycling in mind. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 3r. Mark is also a regular contributor to Hip Slope Mama.

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

Subscribe by Email to Win Secrets of Simplicity


Good news! All of Hip Slope Mama's current e-mail subscribers will be automatically entered into a raffle to win the book Secrets of Simplicity - Learn to Live Better with Less by Mary Carlomagno. A beautifully illustrated book that doubles as a journal. Readers can record their successes, as they de-clutter their homes and in the process, their minds".


If you are not subscribed, please take this opportunity to Subscribe to Hip Slope Mama by Email between June 2009 and August 2009 and you'll automatically be entered into a raffle to win Secrets of Simplicity. The sweepstakes will end on 8/31/2009 and the winner will be notified by e-mail. Good Luck!


FYI: Hip Slope Mama Email Subscribers are always automatically entered to win every sweepstakes on this site. They also get special offers, discounts and exclusive invitations to free, glamorous local events hosted by Hip Slope Mama. HSM e-mail subscribers will get a bi-monthly email with various, great new articles.

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

Living Life Creatively: Hello Brooklyn



By Ellen Bari

I can still remember sitting at the window of my 23rd floor Upper West Side apartment, looking out somewhat hopelessly at the midday sky. The urban roofscape filled with water towers of every shape and size looked like an African village gone heavy metal. As the mother of a 14 month old, trying to make sense of my new existence, I remember corresponding with a cousin of mine, who had by default become my email lifeline. When I bemoaned my lack of creativity she said: the most important thing is to live your life creatively. I don’t think I quite realized it at the time, but with that statement she had planted seeds that would take root and bear fruit forever after. Thanks Rita!

Shortly after that interchange I started taking a magical green compound, the kind that’s only available through entrepreneurial friends, which was supposed to restore health and vitality to my bones. I also embarked on a 12 week journey with The Artist’s Way. I have never been one for self-help books, although I once read Smart Women, Foolish Choices. I can’t say that it helped me much, other than that I learned that my girlfriends might in fact seem as dumb and unattractive as some of the men I date, if I had to date them! Despite my previous aversion to self-help books, I took this 12 week course quite seriously. I was on a mission to reconnect with my creative center, and as the weeks passed, I began to look forward to the hour or two that I would spend alone late at night, responding to the book’s prompts by revisiting the past and dreaming up a bright and colorful future.


I’m not sure exactly how the magic worked, but sometime that fall, not long after I had finished the course, I went to visit a friend who had recently moved to a very large apartment in a lovely area of Brooklyn. As I walked with her from room to room I began to realize that this was the answer to the question I didn’t know I had been asking. As a newly single mom, without any adult relatives nearby, how could I maintain a job and social life without 24/7 help? It became clear that a live-in nanny was the answer and that having a room for her was the challenge. I immediately inquired if there were any other apartments available in the building and went back to look at two smaller ones, that were crying out to be rejoined at the hip. Apparently, after the stock market crash in the 1920’s, many spacious apartments in the city were ungracefully cut in two, as was the case with this one. The apartment in the back was so unappealing, that the family of pigeons that had settled in the kitchen had scared off all previous potential buyers. I was sure that pigeons don’t squat, so after getting them out, I immediately closed the window… and put in a bid. I believe it was the power of the book’s process that gave me the courage and creative vision to buy these two dumps (the appraiser thought they were so worthless, his number came in below the asking price!) and tear down their walls to create a new haven in Brooklyn. In my daughter’s younger years…nanny made three.



Many years later I still write ‘morning pages,’ one of the key elements of the Artist’s Way, and believe that they foster growth and inspiration as I continue to find creative solutions to life’s challenges. I have met women all over the country at art exhibits, film openings and book readings, who singularly point to The Artist’s Way as the vehicle that helped them find their creative bliss. I actually turned to a ‘work’ version of the book years later, and again experienced great results, this time from the ‘artist’s date,’ but more on that another time. The most important thing has been to recognize the importance of making space for creativity in my life and enabling my daughter to do the same. And needless to say, in hindsight, the move to Brooklyn before it became a destination worthy of double-decker bus tours, was truly inspired!




Ellen Bari, a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and creative consultant, curates and produces award-winning programs and exhibits for children and adults. Her upcoming children’s book Jumping Jenny (Lerner Publishing) is about a passionate little girl whose bouyant bounce, truly knows no bounds. Ellen’s ‘creative compass’ navigates her life as a mom, globe trekker, and designer of one-of-a-kind ceramics and jewelry- her necklaces are on display at Proteus Gowanus Gallery. She is also a regular contributor to Hip Slope Mama. Current exhibits in NYC include The Future Beneath Us @ the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL/NYPL), Transit Museum Gallery @ Grand Central; American Express Tower in the World Financial Center lobby.



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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 1 comments

Nursery University


By Joyce Szuflita

I was excited to go to a screening of Nursery University a while back and interested to speak to the directors, Marc Simon and Matthew Makar, about some of the behind the scenes details of making this documentary as well as the Manhattan nursery school admissions process. The DVD will be available July 7th, 2009. I recommend this entertaining movie for anyone who isn’t involved in the nursery admissions process, and for parents in the midst of the process who will see it as a window into the admissions office after the applicants have gone home. If you are already stressed out about the whole thing, this won’t necessarily calm you down, but it is a respectful and balanced look at the parents and the schools. It is not an expose’ or a comic send-up of out of control parents and it isn’t the whole story either. Like all good documentaries, they follow compelling stories and you get to love the quirkiest characters because in the end they are all just trying to do the best for their children.


The documentary follows several families during the fall touring, application and spring admissions seasons. Among them are families from Harlem, the Upper East Side and the Village each with their own focus and expectations. A few Manhattan schools also tell their side of the admissions story. We hear their public presentations and their private thoughts on the strains of the process. The scenes I found most interesting were the ones that showed the discussions in the admissions office after the kids and parents went home; what the teachers discussed about the children at the play-date, and the review of application essays. On the whole it is responsible educators making heartbreaking decisions.


We also see the whole arc of the stories from optimistic or bemused applications to acceptance, rejection or waitlist. This was the part that was most interesting to talk to the directors about. The stories were not staged, but occasionally things were left out. SPOILER ALERT: The type A Upper East Side father, who is charming comic relief because of his obsessive school focus, receives his daughter’s multiple acceptances with shock and delight. It looks like she didn’t receive any rejections. Actually, one came the next day but lets face it, the arc of their story didn’t change. When asked how they were able to have such a splendidly positive outcome, the director said that because of his seemingly over the top preparation the family made very wise and appropriate choices and applied to schools that were really a very good fit. When asked about the mother whose son was waitlisted at her heart’s desire and finally moves out of town, the director said that she chose mostly lottery schools and was out of luck because she didn’t have a large enough range of choices. Did the mom who was best friends with the School Consultant have an edge because she knew someone or her family represented diversity, probably a little bit of both, but we will never know. And how did the family in the village breeze into the lovely parent run co-op? Sometimes miracles happen.



(Email subscribers and certain RSS readers will need to click through to the actual Hip Slope Mama website in order to see the trailer of Nursery University located directly above).

Pre-order the Nursery University DVD on Amazon today (officially available on 7/9/09).


Joyce Szuflita is a working mother of twins. She has been a Brooklyn resident for 28 years. As NYC School Help, she consults with families who are doing the school search; public or private, nursery school through high school. Her aim is to save you time, clarify your priorities, present you with thorough information in a clear uniform format so that you can make an informed decision about your child's education. She takes a crazy stressful process and makes it clear and manageable. Joyce is also a regular contributor to Hip Slope Mama.

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 1 comments

Scope the Slope: BKLYN Larder, Lily and Goldy & Mac

BKLYN Larder


I visited BKLYN Larder, the new store on Flatbush Ave., a few days ago and enjoyed the clean, white-walled and airy decor. I was pleasantly surprised to see the store full of a variety of hard to find gourmet delicacies amidst the comforting order and minimalism. BKLYN Larder is bought to us by the owners of Franny's, Francine Stephens and Andrew Feinberg. They created it in order to make the products that are used at Franny's available to the public. Bklyn Larder shares the same value of commitment to sustainable agriculture has been part of Franny’s since it’s inception. Currently, they sell delicious sausages straight from Italy, but they are in the process of making their own sausages and curing their own meats. It takes about a month and a half to cure meats so their signature meats won't be available until after July 2009. They also sell Creminelli hand made salami which is produced in Utah and made in the same way as Italian artisanal salami. The shop also boasts shelf on top of shelf of select olive oils. All the chocolates they sell are made in the US and produced locally. They also have a few items that are only exclusively sold at BKLYN Larder. One of these is a favorite tea that is offered at Franny's called Chaiwalia. BKLYN Larder, 228 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217 (Bet. Bergen St & 6th Ave) - 718.783.1250.



Goldy & Mac - Flirty, feathered hairpieces



There is something so chic and whimsical about wearing a feathered hairpiece. It brings to mind the coquettish, popular trend in the roaring 1920's. A time when women rebelled against society's expectations of young females. Somehow, every time I see this super feminine, revived trend it brings the ideals of being a flapper into the modern world and I love it! Goldy & Mac sell beautiful, delicate feathered hairpieces at their store on Seventh Ave. Check it out! Goldy & Mac, 396 7th Avenue (betw. 12th St & 13th St) Brooklyn, NY 11215 - 718.832.4868





Lily - Mad Imports Opal Clutches



Lily on Seventh Ave., is one of my favorite stores in Park Slope. It carries a great selection of affordable boutique clothing and accessories. My favorite are shirts and dresses from Free People which is a young, hip & bohemian inspired look. They also carry Tulle, Kimono Scarves and Michael Stars. Last week I noticed that the store had stocked up on lots of bags and styles with bold colors and patterns just in time for the summer. The MAD IMPORTS OPAL CLUTCHES (see photo above) by the door seem to be going quickly. They are made Fair Trade in Madagascar of handwoven raffia with an over sized wood button. The Opal clutch is sophisticated and exotic. A rainbow of colors is perfect for a playful mood and a solid neutral for a more refined look. They are also displaying bold patterned kirtans made of 100% cotton from India (see photo below). These look great worn in the summer with pants or just as a dress with sandals.




Lily - Fun, Patterned Cotton Kirtans


They also sell Flogos, a flat, popular sandal in fun and vibrant colors. Flogos have a padded footbed, an arch support and a thin strap all in a soft lamy material. Who knew you could have so much comfort in such a small package? Lily in Park Slope, 435 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11215 - 718.832.1805 (Closed Mondays).




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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

Follow Hip Slope Mama On Twitter & Facebook!


Hip Slope Mama is on Twitter and Facebook now. Follow us! Below are some of the more interesting articles that we linked to on Twitter in the last month:

  • Time's are tough. Thinking about having a staycation this summer. Great ideas 2 replace a trip abroad w/Park Slope http://tinyurl.com/lw9a55
  • I'm meeting with the owner of Melt this week to plan a "Mommy Needs a Cocktail" night in Brooklyn for Hip Slope Mama readers. More to come.
  • Excellent new iPhone app, based on research, prompts you to engage in happiness-boosting activities on yr phone. http://bit.ly/nEbxC
  • http://tinyurl.com/5n6wcx Free online guide to finding local, sustainable, organic food near you in the US & Canada. Just plug in your zip.
  • Self control spells success! Read about how kids who succeeded at the "marshmallow experiment" succeeded as adults too http://tiny.cc/u8Hia
  • “If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.” - Buddhist Proverb quote
  • "The Moth" podcasts, slams and on the road shows: "NY's hottest hippest literary ticket"- WSJ. Listen to podcasts here: http://tiny.cc/RaMNO

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

5 Tips to Provide Learning and Healthy Development for Your Kids at Home



By Rebecca Caban

As a mom, I know how strapped for time we all feel and how much we want what’s best for our kiddos. That’s why at www.eensies.com we strive to provide parents with advice that requires little preparation and is super easy to implement. The good news is that some of the best things you can do at home to promote learning and healthy development requires only a little tweaking to what you’re already doing. Take a look at my top 5 below and you’ll see what I mean.


Read, read, read and read!

Reading to your children is one of the most important things you can do at home to ensure their success at school (and in life). It’s really never too early to start, but please remember that school aged children also benefit tremendously from read alouds. Being read to helps teach children that reading is an enjoyable activity, while at the same time it builds listening and comprehension skills, increases vocabulary, improves memory and much, much more. No matter how you squeeze it into your day, do it!


Be a top model

Modeling (okay, not the Heidi Klum kind) is the most powerful teaching tool and as parents we’re the number one models our kiddos follow. Viewing ones parents as “readers” and “writers” makes those acts that much more inviting to our wee ones. Let your child observe you reading and writing regularly. Get “caught” reading the paper, your fave magazine, a good book, recipes, etc. Share that shopping or to-do list, the thank-you letter you just wrote, or the notes you put together for the sitter.


Allow plenty of time for free, unstructured play

The importance of play cannot be overemphasized. It’s essential for healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development. Yet, sadly, in today’s hurried environment play is in serious jeopardy. Therefore, we must find the time to support it at home! It couldn’t be easier to encourage and www.eensies.com has TONS of tips to help.


Do things together

You may not think of assembling that new toy, setting the table, or baking a cake as learning opportunities, but they are! When you make something together you often have to read instructions or a recipe and discuss them, which helps develop literacy. When you bake or cook you have to measure and do conversions, which demonstrates the real-world application of mathematics. But more important than the skills you’ll be building, doing things together strengthens the parent-child bond. Spending quality time with our children is extremely important- it reminds them that we love and care for them. And what’s more important than that?


Praise your kiddos

A little positive reinforcement goes a loooooong way! Trust me, it’s much easier to praise good behavior than to correct bad behaviors. And when you let your child know that they're doing something well, it silently encourages them to do it again- bonus! Make sure you “catch” your kiddo in the act of something positive everyday. “I love the way you…”

Related Links:


After teaching in NYC public schools for 10 years, Rebecca Caban is now spending her time at home in Brooklyn being “taught” by her 2 year old daughter. While in the classroom, she taught pre-K through the 3rd grade and then spent some time coaching other teachers.

Inspired by the frequently asked question many parents have, “What should we be doing at home?” Rebecca started a blog with a former colleague, www.eensies.com, to help inspire parents and promote learning and healthy development outside of the classroom. Eensies are small, easily digestible bits of advice for parents.

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

What Age To Start Music Lessons?



By Andrew Ingkavet
As a teacher of music here in Park Slope, this is a common question I hear. Every child is unique and while there is no one right answer, I can offer a few guidelines.



ABCs

One of the first “games” I play with my younger students is to have them order the letters of the alphabet. This is a chance for them to show off their knowledge, build confidence and break the ice with their new teacher. I do this by giving them a stack of flash cards, each with one letter on it. By connecting this to the musical alphabet, thereʼs usually an “a-ha” moment. So if youʼre child knows their ABCs, it will be easier to connect the dots to the musical alphabet.



Interest

Having a child who is passionate about music is probably the most important thing. The amount of time required to master these new skills and concepts is great. Has your child been asking about music lessons? Do you listen to music around the house? Does your child sing spontaneously? If so, these are all great signs that your child is ready for more musical challenges and instruction.



Fine Motor Skills

Many kids, especially younger ones, have difficulty controlling different fingers. With these children, I usually spend more time on singing, clapping and movement activities designed to internalize basic music concepts. With piano, these kids can play melodies with one finger. Other instruments may need to wait.



Which Instrument?

Voice is the instrument we already own. With all of my students, we sing, clap and speak out all of the songs we are working on first, to internalize their rhythms, pitches and phrasing. As we develop our voices, we can start to work on specific techniques like diction, phrasing, acting etc. Piano is the easiest external instrument for anyone to learn. It does not require physical strength nor the building up of calluses or specific breathing techniques or lip tension.


For all of my students, regardless of instrument, we spend some time learning the notes on the piano. Guitar requires strength to press and hold down the strings. This gets easier the older the student. Check my website for recommended half-size guitars for younger students.


I would recommend piano as the first instrument anyone learns and then if there is interest, to move to other instruments. I currently teach piano, voice and guitar and may offer wind instruments at a later date.



Curriculum

A previous article about the Goals of Beginning Music Lessons will also give you a better idea of our first weeks of lessons and whether your child is ready to embark the magical journey of music.


Andrew Ingkavet teaches early music, guitar, voice, songwriting and piano to children in Park Slope. He has a BA of Music from NYU with additional studies at Juilliard and Mannes. His website is ParkSlopeMusicLessons.com
.

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

Susie's Supper Club Delivers Happiness



The utter guilt of lacking the domestic gene keeps me on a constant quest to find quick, no hassle ways to feed my family tasty & nutritious meals. Recently, I started researching options for gourmet, locally prepared meals for delivery. Having a toddler in the house with a notoriously picky palette, makes it difficult to choose foods that will satisfy everyone. I'd tried everything including cooking separate, organic meals for the baby. This is obviously time consuming. I've bought frozen meals intended for kids but have some concerns about the recent widespread contamination of frozen foods. What's worse is that major frozen food purveyors admit they can no longer ensure the safety of their products. Finally, I sometimes resort to ordering from our favorite restaurants. However, restaurant food is often high in salt and additives.

A new online service called Susie's Supper Club was the perfect solution to my dilemma. The business provides nutritious, home-cooked meals to local families. Based out of Brooklyn, it was founded by four mothers:


Susie Cover, Claude Wasserstein, Marcia Mishaan and Samantha Schlumberger – give New York City families an alternative to standard take-out and delivery options. While working as a personal chef in a home with three children, Susie Cover learned that by crafting family versions of classic recipes, as opposed to “kids’ food,” the children readily consumed a larger range and healthier variety of foods. Susie uses the same techniques when creating meals for the Club, making it easier for families to dine together enjoying the same food. For example, Susie’s Supper Club’s Chicken Milanese will delight children thanks to the accompanying Homemade Ketchup and Lemon Dipping Sauce. Salmon served kebab-style turns a typical “adult” food into a kid-friendly dish. Macaroni and Cheese Muffins are crispy and creamy when heated in the oven for just a few minutes and Lamb Pizza provides a gourmet twist on a family favorite. For delectable desserts, there are Apple Pie Bars with brown sugar and cinnamon and Mini Banana Bread Muffins.

At the Susie’s Supper Club kitchen in Brooklyn, Susie and her team of French Culinary Institute-trained chefs hand-prepare each dish. Fresh deliveries from local farmers and purveyors arrive weekly, and all-natural, sustainable and organic ingredients are used whenever possible. While the company emphasizes flavor, providing a nutritious meal to customers is also a priority: One of the chefs, Lise Cruz, is also a nutrition expert and ensures that everything coming out of the kitchen is well-balanced. A certified nutritionist also consults to provide precise nutrition information for each dish, all of which is available online. Once an order leaves Susie’s kitchen and arrives at the customer’s home, getting dinner on the table is effortless – meals are ready to be enjoyed after just five minutes of heating in the oven or microwave.

Simple online ordering lets parents plan meals for their family at any time of the day. The interactive system also allows children to get involved; they can look at photos and descriptions and help place the next order. Parents can alleviate the stress of last-minute planning by ordering meals for lunch or dinner a few days in advance; Susie’s Supper Club dishes can be enjoyed up to three days after delivery. With Susie’s Supper Club, ordering food delivery never tasted so good.


Order Susie’s Supper Club at www.susiessupperclub.com or call 347-529-5259. Delivery is available Monday-Friday. Order by 5pm for delivery the next day, $30 minimum; $5 delivery charge. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Susie’s Supper Club Gift Cards are accepted.

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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Wednesday, June 17, 2009 0 comments

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

This Week On Hip Slope Mama!

Click on "headlines" or scroll down to read all these new HSM articles....


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Posted by Monkeydoodle at Tuesday, June 02, 2009 0 comments

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