Arts Through the Lens of: Andrew Zuckerman

The hot-topic right now is Andrew Zuckerman and his newly published project, Music. I don't know anyone who is not a fan of his work - his lens produces epic captures! And I'm especially fond of his publication for kids, Creature ABC. Come to think of it, his Creature Floor Puzzles ($24.95) are probably one of the most timeless ways to gift a Wii-era child... lend them an appreciation for beauty and affection for creatures of the earth. With Chanukah around the corner and kids receiving way too many high-tech toys,  this may inspire you to take it down a notch - spend some time puzzled over on the floor again! These images are quite incredible, check this:

I can't wait to check out Music:

"The Music project features dynamic portraits of over fifty musicians of all ages, from across genres, who provide their perspectives on one of the most universal and yet unexplainable art forms. Music is available as a book, which includes portraits and interviews as well as access to a feature-length film; it is also available as an iPad app, with text and portraits from the book as well as individual films for each contributor exclusive to the app."

Here's a sneak peek:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o1hP_Mlc_A]

Chalkboard Goes Green

I was teaching the concept of "blessings over food" with my Hebrew School class (3rd graders), and decided to do a little project to culminate the discussion of how special and significant natural sustenance is. Want to rev-up the planting process a bit? Terra-cotta planters + chalkboard spray-paint =

The kids really enjoyed decorating their planters with the blessing and all different sorts of vegetables and herb (we planted parsley - it grows in cooler weather) illustrations. This is such a great way to spruce up your kitchen window-sill (who doesn't want to cook with fresh herbs always on hand?), and a super-cute way to label and mark different species...

FreidaFroo Special Offer: WorldMark Resorts!

For those of you local lucky folk who get to vacation during those 8 crazy nights (Chanukah) as opposed to the popular "winter break", I have a fabulous family-vacation opportunity for you. We (our extended family) have spent many holidays vacationing in the WorldMark Indio Resorts, and we enjoyed heaps of family-style fun! These resorts are specifically incredible when vacationing with small children or large groups due to the diversity of activities and personal-suite amenities. Vacationing with a family is meant to be easy-going and relaxing - not over-the-top and stressful. I find that while going away to the most chic and up-scale hotels/resorts may be indulgent and luxurious - it is definitely not what I would look forward to when vacationing with tots-in-toe. The Indio resorts feature: 2 huge (gradual-depth) pools, a splash-pad, a lazy river (the kids love the tubing!), playgrounds, a full equipped gym (sweat out the stress!), a basketball court, a game room (pool tables, air hockey, ping-pong) plus an arcade area, a library, media room, and in-house spa treatments (a girl can do some time!).

All suites are equipped with central air/heat, full kitchen/living room/dining room, flat-screens, private outdoor space and BBQ, a washer and dryer (plus detergent!), and (towel-laden) bathrooms. There are 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites available - some with outdoor hot-tubs on deck! You can check out more about the resort here. At about a 2 hour drive from LA, this is really a fantastic place to vacation with the kiddies! I have a shareholder who is offering all you local FreidaFroo readers incredible rates (for off-peak times):

Monday - Thursday: 1 Bedroom (sleeps 4)  $85/night,  2 Bedroom  2 bath (sleeps 6) $120/night, 3 bedroom 3 bath (sleeps 8)   $150/night.

Friday - Saturday: 1 Bedroom $130/night, 2 Bedroom $165/night, 3 Bedroom $ 200/night.

You can book up to 60 days in advance (if you need to you can cancel without a fee up to a week in advance). These rates include all fees and taxes!

Feel free to e-mail me (freidafroo@gmail.com) for more information, or when you are ready to book your much-needed, much-deserved family-getaway!

Sweet, Sweet William

Got wind of the fact that charming little Sweet William opened a brand new shop in downtown Manhattan on Kenmare off of Lafayette. What sweet news!

New York mom-to-watch, Bronagh Staley, former editor at Cookie Magazine (if you can't tell, I'm still mourning its' end...), opened the original Sweet William shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn a few years ago - featuring small and socially responsible labels this boutique offers a unique, natural, and fanciful spot to pick up children's clothing, gifts, gear, and accessories.

I've been long-time loving the fabulous collection - she simply puts together all the greatest out there - and wanted to spread the word and wish her heaps of luck at the new location:

85 Kenmare Street New York, NY 10012 212 343 7301

Here's a little roundup of some of my favorites, so you can get an idea what all the fuss is about!

1. April Showers Dada Wool Baby Shoes

2. Atsuyo Et Akiko Alphabet Sweatshirt

3. Oeuf Moose Hat

4. Wovenplay Ribbon Socks

5. Finger in the Nose Snowbird Down Baby Warmer

6. Tane Organics Mushroom Rattles

7. Kidsonroof Totem Tree

8. Bear Feet Cool Boot

9. Oeuf Sparrow Grey Crib

Fill-in the Blanks

Whilst browsing around for projects, activities, and favors for Freida's birthday party, I came upon some of the most wonderful "blanks" ever! It's such a wonderfully creative venture for children to create "something from nothing" - starting a book (thinking of a story line/pictures), painting a set of dolls (the clothing/the expressions), coloring a puzzle (the challenge level/the color-coordinates), penning up a comic (the illustrations/the bubbles and starbursts) etc. It's just so expressive and inevitably heaps of fun!  Here's a little roundup of my favorites:

1. Blank Board Books

2. Blank Nesting Dolls

3. Blank Comics

4. Blank Hardcover Story Book

5. Blank Jigsaw Puzzle

6. Blank Ragdoll