Dangerous Dress-Up

These images are part of a photo shoot editorial in the latest issue of Vogue Paris. Seriously, what ever happened to little girls?!

Maybe I'm overreacting - are these photos meant to be cute?? The make-up is heavy, the necklines are plunging, and the body language/facial expressions are not what you see when little girls play dress-up! These images are obviously adult-staged and adult-choreographed... Personally, as a mom of a little girl, I find this even more disturbing than appalling.

Welcoming any thoughts on the subject from all you other moms out there...!! Want to know I'm not alone in shock here....

I'm thinking:

- What happens subconsciously when people look at these pictures?

- Can these images make people associate young girls with adult sexuality?

- Can these possibly make us perceive kids as more sophisticated than they really are?

- Will photos like these put inappropriate and unfair pressure on little girls to grow up?

Apples & Beatles

I've been so fascinated by the outcome of Beatles on iTunes, and I can't seem to get over it! I just find it so incredible that the music my parents grew up on is top-selling on iTunes today!! Am I the only one who finds this so impeccably enthralling?? Maybe it's because I grew up listening to a "Best of the Beatles" cassette tape on my walkman and felt very cool that I was enjoying the music of my parent's era, or maybe because my childhood best friend and I would put on "Beatles Shows" on the couch in her family's living room, or maybe because I thought "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was about Candy Land - either way, somehow, I'm completely inspired by the awesomeness of Apple's ability in managing to completely erase the five-decade difference between generations - bringing the Beatles on vinyl to the Beatles on iPod. Simply wondrous!

This video clip gives me chills:

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

Plus, this commercial makes me laugh!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X75XahmP3x8&feature=related]

Their ad campaign has been simplistically incredible, as well. I guess their music will never really die... My husband and I sat in the second row at the broadway Rain (we loved it!!), and my 2 year old is a little die-hard Ringo Starr wannabe (and one of her favorite songs is "All you Need is Love")! Some things are simply too good to grow old...

Now if only we could reduce the parent/child generation gap in a few more ways than music. :)

P.S. I'm totally smitten by this "Beatles Ten Great Years" print from Max Dalton! How cute?? (via A Cup of Jo)

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]

Collaborate, baby!

Now this is why the "collaboration thing" totally rocks!! When Gwyneth Paltrow (who was surprisingly fabulous singing at the CMA Awards last night! Watch her performance here.)  spent months in Nashville on set for the indie film "Country Strong", she had an interior decorator work with an empty, raw space and turn it into something she and her family could live in peacefully, albeit temporarily. I read about the renovations on (one of my favorite online-spots!) Goop, and spotted a Blu Dot  sofa in her children's bedroom - almost identical to our Blu Dot for Urban Outfitters find in Freida's room. Here's the catch: her's was retail for $900 vs. ours which was a BD for UO collaboration ($648) swaged on clearance for a measly $125!! Our "Benzo" has wooden legs instead of steel ones, and I'm sure the "Flat Out" is a lot more comfortable to sleep on, but there are ways to score big on design, ladies!

Dunstan Baby Language

I'm sure most of you heard of the Dunstan Baby Language by now... I first heard about it from my mother, but unfortunately never really bothered to check it out back when Freida was a newborn. Someone (thanks Rach!) just mentioned it again - I never knew her famous debut was on Oprah - and I thought I'd share the wisdom: [googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4052428020269668962&hl=iw#]

This should definitely be added to every new-moms essential tools!! That is, in addition to (the completely amazing!!) Dr. Harvey Karp!