Tap in: Filter Out

Here's one of the most efficient ways to nix the cases of bottled water. Especially when it comes to all those kid's daily packed luches. Try Bobble. A reusable sport-spout water bottle with a built in filter. Fresh, clean water is now just a tap away!

Available in a variety of sizes, Bobbles are great for moms to stash their H20 fix in their diaper bags, dad's to keep a few on hand in their office, an attractive accessory for a high school locker (and a surefire way to reduce their weekly coffee shop bill!), a grade-schooler's lunchbox, and the tiniest size is easy enough for a pre-schooler to grasp and the spout delivers an steady, but spill less flow.

I'm totally going to upgrade to a water bobble, and start tapping into my free, safe, and ever-flowing tap water.

The Boho Braid

Stumbled upon this wonderfully boho-chic hairdo idea from the Beauty Department, and I'm feeling excited at the prospect of moving on from my ever-present fishtail. :) Braids are so especially fabulous for making do in the summer heat - helps keep those tresses off and away from sunbathed faces. Plus, how fun is this one??

Pure Peach Pops

Naturally it was my sister-in-law Rivky (I love your new-kosher-product radar!!) who introduced me to Trader Joe's Peach Pops; a freeze pop of natural proportions. Made simply of puréed peach + some fruit juice, this push-up-pop nixes the chemicals, dyes, and artificiality of iconic American summer chilling.

To be quite honest, while Freida seems to love these freezr-treats, I personally happen to think they taste like a tube of frozen canned peaches (good and refreshing, but not delicious and fresh!). Though, I did think of something these would be totally tubular for: Bellinis!! Seriously, who can pass up that sumptuously fizzy and refreshing cocktail?? The only complication in a Bellini is that the most important component is fresh peach purée - voilà! Girls night out just got a whole lot cooler. Simply combine 2 oz. peach purée and 4 oz. sparkling white wine (I love this most made with Prosecco!), and let the chilling begin. Summer happy hour simply can't get any sweeter!

P.S. If you have a young baby at home and have been making and storing your own baby food, or interested in trying it out, here's a way you can both benefit! Buy some fresh, ripe, organic peaches, score the base of the fruit, and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then immediately plunge into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove the skin and get to puréeing (check out this neat little gadget for super-easy baby food production!!). Store and freeze for baby, and use reserve for these summer cocktails... take a deep breathe and inhale the sweet peachiness of parenting after hours! :)

Baby Prints

Being that I have gotten a nice amount of inquiries about the bag hanging out on my From the Desk of post, I thought I'd let you dear readers in on this: spotted a nice stash of über-cute signature Oilily printed diaper bags at some generously reduced rates over at Zulily today. If you're a fellow print-lover, head on over there before the goods sell out!

Going Baroque

Obsessed is not even the word. I simply can't break free... even though I know my kitchen counters will slowly start to look like they're country-style-screaming!! :) I just gravitate toward baroque! My lovely Shavuot guests (thanks Briendy!!!) brought by a gift before the holiday - the most scrumptious mocha-coconut cake in the most awesome ceramic baroque cake dome! And she had never even been in my home!! I placed it right up on the bar, and as you can see - it fight in much too well! Things like that make me smile. Sometimes it's these little beautiful things that make being domestic (i.e. baking a Shabbos morning cake) that much more fun!