Book Report: Z

With the recent release of the movie The Great Gatsby, came a sudden worldwide infatuation with (the author) Scott Fitzgerald and the era of the flapper girls, otherwise known as the 1920's. Personally, the "roaring 20's" is an era that has long piqued my interest. My love of Jazz likely had something to do with it (when I studied for a year abroad in Sydney, I would spend my Sundays holed up next to the live jazz band at Darling Harbour's Pontoon bar with a gin-and-tonic, scribbling away in my Hemingway-esque Moleskin notebook), but I think what really triggered an interest in the 20's for me was when I was a young girl, about 12 or 13, I read the book "Zelda", and something about her struck a chord. Something about her wild southern spirit, and her party-girl attitude clouded by her inner demons, made me - and likely most other teenage girls - feel like I could really understand her...

I had almost completely forgotten about my childhood historical heroine, until a few years ago when I saw the movie Midnight in Paris. I'm a sucker for anything from Woody Allen, never mind a film about a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight! I fell completely in love with Zelda Fitzgerald's character in the movie, and I even almost named Hudi, Zelda - not after Zelda Fitzgerald! - but because I had grown to love the name itself. Anyways! A friend of mine (thanks Chanie!) recently lent me her book Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Ann Fowler, and I was completely smitten by it all weekend long. If you have a "thing" for history, or specifically the 20's, get your hands on Z!

What I loved most about reading the life of Zelda again now years later, is the aspect of the Fitzgerald's romantic relationship. The whole theme of 'the beautiful and the damned' pretty much went right over my head when I was a girl, and now, it, unfortunately, resonated with me in a huge way. It was so fascinating to read about the ins-and-outs of their marriage and madness their love brought to their lives...

The New York Times summed up their appeal:

They were, arguably, the first celebrity couple of the modern age, Jazz-era avatars running wild in a new century. In the 1920s, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald careered through New York City and Great Neck, Paris and the South of France, leaving in their wake a trail of splintered Champagne glasses and glittering bons mots. But theirs was surely one of the most fascinating literary and romantic partnerships.

Reading about their love - it allured me, and made me weep at the same time. It was awesome as it was tragic. So if you're looking for a good read...

P.S. Just for fun, I thought I'd share this photo of Woody Allen sporting aviators in lieu of his ever-present iconic wayfarers. I got a kick out of this!

Babyccino In Space!

Just wanted to put it out there. If any of you want to join our mod moms meet on Monday mornings, now's the time! We're already 3 weeks into our Spring series, but there is still an astronomical amount of outer-galactic fun to be had!! Here are the deets:

While creating this space-themed series, I spent lots of time browsing the www in search of any and all creative concepts revolving around space, galaxies, planets, elements, and anything other-worldly. There is such a plethora of creative people and projects out there - doing creative research like that always makes me reflect on what a magical place the internet is!!

There were many many things that caught my eye, but this animated short film by Pixar called La Luna, totally stole my heart - the way a great film should. Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/60381274

P.S. We also had a great time with these simple yet wonderful sensory discoveries: Moonsand, Galaxy Dough, and Space Putty (scroll down a bit)!

Raising Girls

Last night I went out with a friend of mine, just to grab a drink or two and gab about life. While sitting in a darkened industrial-chic bar and exchanging thoughts about childrearing and upbringing, we haphazardly dappled in the topic of little girls - it was a few short sentences, and then it was over, we continued talking about something else. But I was still thinking about it by the time I settled into bed a few hours later. Little Girls...

I often catch myself wondering about the way I'm raising Freida, and how it sometimes feels like instead of empowering her I'm stifling her. It's not that I really notice it while I'm doing it, but every once in a while she'll say something that will completely make me cringe ("Do I look really beautiful today?") and leaves me pensively combing the way I treat her and her little girlfriends. The truth is, I do often say things about her looks - it just comes out so naturally, the same way I smother her in kisses all day, I tell her she's a little beauty. But! When I hear it out of her own mouth, it gives me a bit of a sinking feeling, and I know it's not the greatest way for a 4 year old to be talking...

It's not so much the concept of her being aware of her looks or her clothes or her hair - that I find natural, normal, and even wonderful; it's the fact that I don't want her to be misguided into possibly thinking that looks are the only thing, or the most important thing, that matters in social life. I want her to be deeply aware of the fact that her peers throughout life will value her for her character more than her wardrobe!

A few years ago I read a really wonderful article about How to Talk to Little Girls, and after a bit of web browsing I found what I was looking for. It was a piece written by Lisa Bloom for Huffington Post, and it touched upon this topic in such a simple practical way!

"Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells them that looks are more important than anything. I always bite my tongue when I meet little girls, restraining myself from my first impulse, which is to tell them how darn cute/ pretty/ beautiful/ well-dressed/ well-manicured/ well-coiffed they are... It's our culture's standard talking-to-little-girls icebreaker, isn't it?"

And it's so true! Whenever I meet a little girl, the first thing out of my mouth is something about her looks! It's almost instinctual to me to compliment her on something as a way of striking up a conversation. But what I fail to realize is that striking up a conversation that begins with looks is setting up for a conversation about looks. That's not much of a conversation at all. How exciting can it really be to talk about how her mommy made her pigtails and braided them like this or that...? What a waste of an introduction to a little person who likely has so much creativity/imagination/curiosity to offer up!

"Try this the next time you meet a little girl. She may be surprised and unsure at first, because few ask her about her mind, but be patient and stick with it. Ask her what she's reading. What does she like and dislike, and why? There are no wrong answers. You're just generating an intelligent conversation that respects her brain.  You may get some intriguing answers. Tell her about your ideas and accomplishments and your favorite books. Model for her what a thinking woman says and does."

Isn't this a fantastic fix to a common problem? I'm so excited to put this new tactic to use, and I can't wait to meet or greet a little girl and see where our conversation goes. It can be as simple as what she ate for breakfast, why she's most excited for summer, what kind of music she likes best, or even what her favorite color is (contrary to popular belief, it just might not be pink!). I know I would love the refreshment of someone meeting Freida at the park and asking her something about herself, or even complimenting her on her monkey bar skills instead of her blue eyes. And I know for certain that Freida would react marvelously to a question that actually makes her think, and values her being and opinion.

So ladies, let's get to it and fix the world problem of self-sexualization one little girl at a time! Who's with me?

Mod Men

Like most of my neighborhood right now, I've been completely enwrapped in the new season of Mad Men. The 2 hour premiere had me benched in its iconic riveting drama (I'm usually too ADD to sit through a full-feature film of 90 minutes or more!), and this weeks episode, To Have and to Hold, left me entrapped in their mid-century modern world - thinking about their lifestyles and relationships in a way one usually only thinks about themselves... Aside from obsessing over the time-period pieces of furniture and fashion, I've been thinking lots about the contrast in the roles of the sexes, racism, and even politics. TV has gotten seriously thought provoking, ladies. And I'm loving it.

Anyways! While the world was waiting anxiously for the premiere of Season 6, heaps of graphic artists and designers produced pieces inspired by the Mad Men time warp. This collection from Shutterstock made me look: Mod Men, The World of Man Men Through a 21st-Century Lens:

Yogurt Covered Cranberries

I've been looking for some new additive-free snack ideas, some munchies that both the adults and the kids could enjoy, and these yogurt covered cranberries (via the kitchn) are at the top of my list for new things to try. Thought I'd share the recipe here, especially since it's been breaking news that cholov yisroel Greek Yogurt has finally made it onto the market (thanks for the tip-off Jana!)!!

Yogurt Covered Cranberries

1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon gelatin 1/4 cup Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon honey Pinch salt 2 cups powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting cranberries 8 ounces (about 3 cups) dried cranberries

Combine the water and vanilla in a small dish or ramekin. Sprinkle the gelatin over top and whisk with a fork until the gelatin is evenly distributed in the liquid. Set aside for about 5 minutes or until needed. It will set into a thick paste.

In another small dish or ramekin, whisk together the yogurt, honey, and salt. Microwave on HIGH in 5 second bursts, stirring in between each burst, until the yogurt is liquidy and very warm to the touch. Don't let it start to boil or the yogurt will curdle.

Whisk the gelatin into the warm yogurt mixture. Whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Scrape the yogurt mixture into a small mixing bowl. Pour the powdered sugar on top. Whisk gently until the yogurt and powdered sugar combine into a thick, but pourable, frosting (see image above).

In a separate bowl, toss the cranberries with a tablespoon of powdered sugar until they are completely dusted. Pour about half of the yogurt coating over the cranberries. Stir until the cranberries are completely coated and you can see no more dry powdered sugar.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper or silpat. Drop the coated cranberries in clumps onto the baking sheet, separating them as much as you like with your fingers. They will be very sticky. Let the cranberries sit, uncovered, until dry to the touch, about 30-45 minutes.

Transfer the cranberries back into a mixing bowl and toss with the remaining yogurt coating to give them a second, thicker coat. Drop them back onto the lined baking sheet. When the tops are dry to the touch, move the cranberries around to make sure the undersides also have a chance to dry. (If you have a cooling rack with a small enough grating, you can scatter the cranberries on top for quicker and more even drying.) In total, the cranberries will take at least 6 hours or overnight to dry.

Store yogurt-covered cranberries in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for several weeks.