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I couldn’t recommend the Bklyn Birth preparation classes more. Our instructor, Sabrina was understanding, open, communicative and extremely helpful. Run and taught by local midwives, it’s a no agenda, open forum that is laid back but full of pertinent information. We opted for a weekend intensive that was an easier schedule for us, but shorter, month long classes are also given.

Most of the other ladies were opting for a natural childbirth and videos (that admittedly resembled home made exorcisms) prepped us for the amazing experience. Breathing and comfort techniques were taught and practiced and perhaps most comforting was learning how to navigate the often sterile and confusing hospital landscape.

The classes take place in Park Slope and are comparable to others price wise.

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Posted on August 15, 2010

A Big Job

Well technically, this should be in a new category called “things to do with a couple weeks or months”. Like most home improvements, this bathroom remodeling has taken much, much longer with much more inconvenience than expected.. but it’s truly all worth it. Some people scoffed at the idea of an all black bathroom (inspired by this photo) but I knew it was going to turn out divine!

We have Jim’s friend from High School and current contractor to thank for coordinating the job and were especially impressed with the tub reglazing (a cheaper option to getting a new tub) courtesy of The Painted Otter. Tiles came from Nemo and we used build.com for the fixtures – an extremely easy and affordable site for all your building needs. We had some hiccups at the Home Depot for paint (we rejected cans of paint that were meant to be grey but were green) and decided to pay the extra cash for Sherwin Williams. Our ceiling fixture was a refurbished art nouveau light that I found on ebay and spray painted white.

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Posted on August 1, 2010

592 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

I am not a regular manicure pedicure customer. I treat it as an indulgence so am always open to other’s opinions and reviews for the service. Honey Spa received glowing reviews compared to the many slightly cheaper nail spots that dot my neighborhood, so I gave them a call. Cleanliness was a particular concern (especially while pregnant) and Honey is spotless, pleasant and relaxing. It fits someplace between a super high end (and high priced experience – I spent as much on just a pedicure in the city) and those hole in the wall cheap spots, which makes it just right for so many local girls, myself included. The staff is friendly and very professional. Natalia, an expert with the polish, was even kind enough to fix a toe smear before I left. They also offer other spa services like facials, messages, and waxing. Be sure to book ahead of time. They were getting phone calls all day and booked until closing.

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Posted on July 11, 2010

at Madison Square Park

We’ve braved the long lines (that actually go very quickly) and major crowds many times now to enjoy the outdoor Big Apple BBQ, which features pitmasters from around the country. We went in with a plan this year. We came when the festivities began to help ease some of the crowding and made for two specific places. First, 17th Street Bar and Grill, the Mike Mills Illinois based stand that featured baby back ribs and baked beans. I’d heard so many raves about the cue, that constantly, throughout the festival boasts incredibly long lines. There’s a reason – these are incredible! Slightly sweet, but mild, but flavorful and moist, I was thoroughly impressed. The baked beans that featured a variety of beans beyond the basic haricot beans.

Second, we made our way to the sandwich that we look forward to eating once every year – the whole hog from Ed Mitchell’s Pit. Perfectly, subtly vinegary and incredibly moist, like always it didn’t disappoint. I am psyched Van got to develop such good taste for BBQ so early in his life – I was hoping there’d be a baby onesie among the merchandise but no such luck.

There were less sweets than other years, only Blue Smoke offered them (we got the rootbeer float) and I was bummed to see there was no Brunswick Stew, but all in all, despite all the grumbling I heard and the crowds, I always love the Big Apple BBQ and look forward to it annually.

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Posted on June 13, 2010

at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I will always be giddily happy with any museum or gallery show that lets me ogle unbelievable bead work, divine draping, stunning silhouettes, and incredible fabrics. The vintage clothes, from the 1900s to the 1940s presented with great headpieces and backdrops at the Met’s American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity made me and friend Stacy dizzy with pleasure and whispering about details we col hardly contain our excitement about.

Still, like all the fashion oriented shows at the Met, it was not without its flaws. I can only guess that the Costume Institute is limited in its funds compared to other wings, because the shows are always boxed off into some very tight corridors that become at times wildly packed with visitors exclaiming that “no one would really wear that” (ha!). Any room with video playing gets instantly bottle-necked and with no room to really stand back from the garments, much patience is needed to get a good, unobstructed view.

We were a little surprised to find the first “Heiress” room filled exclusively with Worths (not that we’d say no to a Worth or, pun intended under estimate his Worth as one of the most amazing couturiers if his time) but there were other designers of the era. The room for the suffragettes pretty much screamed “boring!” – all the wool suits were pushed in the corners with little fanfare, but my biggest gripe was the abrupt and undignified end. After the dreamy Starlet clothes of the  and 40s, we’re accosted by a bright screen of alternating images of modern beauties (like Jennifer Aniston, of course) and a blaring loop of the title sharing Lenny Kravitz song. After all this dimly lit beauty what were they trying to say? That true style ended in the over 60 years ago and now it’s all pop and noise? Probably not the intention.

Still, with the unusual limited time frame of the show (would have assumed The American Woman had some sartorial significance for the past few decades) and the limits of the space, once again The Met delivered with the actual clothes and styling, both amazing. Worth a visit before it closes August 1.

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Posted on May 31, 2010