save the ocean (gift idea #11)

When I asked my good friend, Jill Platner (brilliant jeweler– the next post is going to be about her) what she likes to do for the holidays, one of the things she talked about was giving. And as she is very into the ocean and all things aquatic, she likes to give to Oceana, an amazing organization devoted to preserving the 3/4 of the planet that lives under or near the water.

I checked out their site, and you can adopt an animal in someone’s name– say a polar bear or a killer whale. You receive a cookie cutter, a framed certificate as well as (most importantly) the knowledge that your money is going to preserve the way of life of these creatures who are in such peril these days thanks to global warming and oil spills.

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Even if you don’t chose to donate, the website is worth checking out. There’s an interesting blog by Oceana’s own Will Race about how he is making one small change in his habits each week to help move himself towards a greener way of life. Tiny steps, but huge impact. Even if we all did just one of these things, like cutting out bottled water or washing your laundry with cold water, the world would be a significantly better place.

radiance (gift idea #4)

This is the kind of gift that is both brilliant and a little mean. Because once you’ve tried this skin care line by red flower, you cannot go back. Which means you end up throwing out all of the products that you used to think were so incredible and perfect because they now feel like tar and dishwashing detergent in comparison.

Or maybe you’ll be like me, and slowly replace your old products with these new ones as they run out, everyday secretly using more of the old stuff than you should in order to more quickly deplete them.

However it happens, if you know somebody who is not already turned on to this stuff, hook her up. All natural (for real!) and light on fragrance, this little set is like getting to go to a super high end luxury eco spa in Costa Rica or something. Without the hassle of a full body scan at the airport.

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Mind you, you don’t get to go to the beach right afterwards or anything, but whatever. When I find the skin care line that includes a trip to paradise, I will let you know.

ps: sorry to have been off for a couple of days– we had a technical glitch that took a minute to solve. aaaah computers……

beauty and knowledge (gift #3)

When in doubt, a subscription to a brilliant, thoughtful, singularly constructed art and literature (oh and music) magazine can be just the ticket to happy gift-land. And by far the best mag out there (in my humble opinion) is Esopus. I have been hoarding issues of this inspirational work since it’s second issue (the first issue is completely sold out, though I have considered trading my husband in should one become available. He would understand.)

Each issue is built around a theme (the current one considers the medium of television) and includes written, musical and visual work that digs deeply into said theme. This issue, for example, includes an interview with Norman Lear by Claire Barliant, artist Alex Bag’s storyboards of parodic TV commercials, and a CD of original songs by various artists inspired by their favorite TV shows.

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SO click here to subscribe for yourself and as a gift for somebody else. The CDs alone are worth the price of admission. And I promise you, this magazine will not disappoint. It is actually an illuminating example of the power of the printed medium when it is at it’s best, and something that digital could never replace.

And that is a beautiful thing.

in memoriam

A moment of silence for my friend Josh Levine, a farmer who lived in Sag Harbor with his wife and two children. Their life was the stuff that dreams are made of– they left the city to live a more authentic life, Josh as a farmer and Anne, his wife, as a teacher at the local Waldorf school. Our daughters have similar spirits and play together. Josh lit up any space he was in and was loved by literally every person he met.We were not super close, but he made me happy every time I saw him. And I had been very much looking forward to and working toward a life in which he and his family played a much bigger part.

He was tragically killed on Tuesday beneatht the wheel of a tractor he was operating.

My little family feels so lucky that we were able to know him and that we will continue to know his amazing family. His light will continue to shine.

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My advice? Call everybody you cherish and tell them you love them. Right now and often.

I’ll go back to the usual topic of holiday shopping tomorrow. Just didn’t feel in the mood for that kind of thing today. 

crafty wonderland

I have a special place in my heart for Waldorf schools the world over. Some aspects of their educational philosophy may be a bit extreme for my taste, but in general, every experience I have had with their teachings has been a positive one, and the kids in my life have benefited quite a bit from their Waldorf-inspired activities.

And speaking of benefiting, this Sunday, if you are out and about in Brooklyn looking for something to do with your kids, you should check out the Brooklyn Waldorf School’s Winter Fair. Which I have actually been looking forward to for weeks now.  For real. There will be all sorts of creative, hands-on activities for the kids that don’t involve sponge bob or dora or video games (thank god or allah akbar or whatever) plus an assortment of the most beautiful handcrafted objects you could possibly want to populate a playroom with. I’m actually so excited about this shopping opportunity– oh no wait– fair, that I have had not one, but several dreams about it.

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Now granted, my dreams have all featured my friend (and one of the most talented photographers out there) Roe Ethridge in his role as the pocket fairy, which promises to be an outstanding performance filled with irony for the adults and prizes for the kids. That alone should be worth a trip across the river. I’ll be the one with the video camera.

the perfect case (gift idea #2)

SO I got a new computer (woo hoo!!) after 8 years or so (yep. 8 years. close your mouths) and was 100% thrilled until I started looking for a new case. I hate to say it, but pretty much all of the commercially available cases out there are lame.

My husband, of all people, suggested I check out Etsy, which I did. And happily discovered a few options that I really quite liked. But this one actually took my breath away. Beautifully constructed by Blythe King out of Richmond, VA, the entire line of  i-socket cases are individually (and beautifully) made from vintage fabrics– which addresses all of my issues (ie, is it cool? are they limited in number? and is it somehow friendly to the environment?) So you can be pretty damned sure that your boyfriend or sister or teenaged daughter won’t already own one. And if they do, they are living pretty far ahead of the curve.

She’ll also make a custom size for you if she has enough fabric on hand. And there is plenty of padding, so your precious machine is kept snug and safe, as well as looking good.

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In the interest of full disclosure, I lifted this photo from Blythe’s Etsy page… I’m hoping that the good vibes (and sales) engendered from this post will make up for the unautherized use of the image! The photos that I just tried to shoot (in the dark) of my own case just didn’t do her work justice.

swept up (gift idea #1)

So the person in your life who has everything (except maybe a live-in cleaning staff) most likely does not have this Japanese street broom. Available at Kiosk, one of my all time favorite stores for buying unusual versions of everyday objects, this doesn’t say ‘I think you’re a mess’ as much as it says ‘you are the type who cleans with style.’

What makes Kiosk a place worth returning to again and again is the fact that they choose a country, go there, and bring back hard to find useful (or just cool) items that bring a smile to any design obsessed person each time they are used. I mean, I even love the fly swatter I bought there last summer and am horribly upset with myself for not buying 10 of them. Cause now they’re gone. Oh, will I ever learn?

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I would be happy if somebody got this broom for me, if that counts for anything. Actually, I would be happy if anybody got me any of the things I’m about to share with you guys in the next couple of weeks. Unless I already have it, in which case I will happily save said item until the one I currently have wears out.

Bring on the red velvet

I’m not a huge baker, but, not too long ago, I found myself in the position of having to make a pink cake with pink turtles on top for my daughter’s birthday. Which sent me in a panic to epicurious.com. Which supplied me with an incredible recipe for red velvet cake. A dash of red color added to the icing and voila! the rose-hued cake of my little girl’s dreams. That particular version was devoured before I had a chance to photograph it, alas, but no worries, the cake made a repeat performance at Thanksgiving dinner, this time in it’s more adult, white-frosted, berry-coverd glory. (see above)

So many people asked me for the recipe that I figured I may as well put it up here, should any of you people out there be in search of a festive cake. What with the holidays already upon us, I’m figuring there should be lots of opportunities for this little number.

Here’s the recipe for the cake. I went the traditional (aka lazy) route and used food coloring to create the sumptuous hue, but would love to hear from anybody who has a more natural way to turn white cake into red…

Happy baking!!

Oh and stay tuned for the annual Brooke Williams holiday gift guide… the next week plus promises to be filled with near daily entries chock full of ideas of things to get your loved ones or coworkers or in-laws for kwanza or hanukkah or christmas, or for that poor soul in your life that was born on December 28th…

dinosaurs!

I know I haven’t been around in a long time and yet now here I am back, promising never again to leave you stranded for so long. Famous last words, I know. To be perfectly honest, the loss of regular babysitting has put a bit of a crimp in almost every aspect of my life. Except face time with my daughter, which for the most part is really rewarding, when she’s not driving me crazy. The challenge in this particular new phase of life is to come up with fun things to do constantly, lest I end up in a showdown with a cranky toddler. Plus I have to keep myself amused, too. Because a bored mother is not the kind of example I’d like to set for my little angel.

Which leads us to the American Museum of Natural History. A semi forgotten treasure from my own childhood growing up in the big city, this place ROCKS. It’s huge, and filled with endless exhibits, little (educational!) movies narrated by the likes of Meryl Streep, HUGE dinosaur skeletons and more. The butterfly conservatory was a particular favorite– we even had one land on us! Next time we will hit the plantetarium for one of the space shows, my own personal favorite from my oh so distant youth.

Plus if you brave the crowds on a Sunday as we recently did, you will be rewarded with an extensive farmer’s market right outside the museum door, where you can pick up brussels sprouts and apples and wine and cheese and all sorts of other seasonal goodies for your supper. So you can fortify your bodies as well as your brains, supporting the Earth as you learn about it’s history.

Can’t get much better than that, can you?

no more tears

Well, almost. Hair combing is never a 100% pleasant activity around my house. To get through my own tresses, I have to soak my head in conditioner and then go at it piece by piece– the entire process takes the better part of 45 minutes. My daughter, unbeknownst to her, has it easier. We just get her hair wet during the bath (easier said than done) and then spray some of this fantastic Black Vanilla leave in conditioner/detangling spray by Carol’s Daughter on her head and voila, the comb slides through without too much of a struggle.

And believe me, I know from struggle. I’ve used nothing (impossible!) California Baby’s detangler (next to impossible!) Once I even slathered her noggin with some Bumble and Bumble stuff I got in a gift bag. Which worked but she smelled like a beauty salon for a week. I am as dedicated as a sane parent can be to using all-natural products but was reching the end of my rope when some kind soul recommended that I check out Carol’s Daughter. And I have been singing the praises of this miracle elixer ever since. They also make a kid-specific detangler that I am sure is as superb as the black vanilla, but I prefer the scent and, yes, the subtler packaging of the grown up product. We do share a bathroom, after all.

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If you aren’t lucky enough to live in Ft Greene or Harlem, you can find this life saver online by clicking here. I’m telling you, your life will be changed for the better, I promise. And you can spend less time struggling and more time doing fun stuff like blowing bubbles and reading extra bedtime stories… Which is the whole point, right?