uptown, girls!

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There’s sawdust, there’s tools, but no clothes yet.  The newest Pink Chicken Boutique on New York’s upper east side is quickly taking shape.  We’ll have the girls, tweens and womens’ line all under one roof – something for girls of all ages. Between discussions of paint colors and punch lists, we’ve done some exploring and are settling into our new neighborhood.


We’ll be making regular stops at the Gagosian Shop – besides the great  kid’s T’s and rompers, we’re mad for the Damien Hirst Spot series – tea towels and note cards to keep and to give.
We’re also thrilled to have Malia Mills right next door.  Sophisticated colors and shapes fit the average women’s body perfectly.  Plus, they’re well-made and long wearing – worth every penny!

Baby Cottons has the softest pajama’s we’ve ever felt (why do they not make onesies for adults?),  definitely on our baby gift go-to list.

The newly opened Ankasa, features textile-driven bedding and pillows that we LOVE –

we can totally imagine a little one in an AVA dress spilling chocolate milk on these beautiful pillows and coverlets.

And at the top of our Spring list of things to do:  Tea at the Carlyle.  The Plaza may have Eloise but the Carlyle has Madeline.  After energizing with tea and scones the Central Park Children’s Zoo is a short walk where all New York children visit their friends the polar bears.

Hope you’ll visit us at 1223 Madison and enjoy our new neighborhood as much as we do!  In the meanwhile, check our newly designed website – and can you tell us where to get the best coffee?
Stay tuned for opening details…

paul’s daughter

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While winter is finally getting under way (it’s officially COLD in New York) we at Pink Chicken are already in full swing for spring.  As we get ready to unveil our 2012 Spring/Summer line,we can’t help but smile when we look through our coming-soon ecologue, shot entirely on the Coney Island Boardwalk, (“the quintessential American boardwalk where preppy meets bohemia”).  Producing this was as much fun as we’ve ever had on a photo shoot.

With our base camp in the shadow of the Cyclone, the kids enjoyed primo working conditions:  breaks included rides on the log flume, and snacks galore.  The environment made for happy work days with kids who couldn’t stop smiling – in other words, perfect for a photo shoot.

Providing local color and corn dogs for our shoot was the Coney Island landmark, Paul’s Daughter.  Serving seaside snacks for almost 50 years, the future of this iconic snack stand was uncertain when development plans threatened it’s future but luckily – thankfully – this piece of Brooklyn history will live on.  We were delighted to have this amazing family business as the backdrop to our look book.  Thank you Paul and Tina for your generosity :)

We love Amagansett but we’ll be going back to the boardwalk for years to come!

The weeks ahead are jam packed with excitement.  Along with our Spring/Summer line, we’ve got a brand new WEBSITE coming your way.  It goes live the first week in February and will showcase the kids, tween, and women’s line in a new and vibrant way and make for easy one-stop Pink Chicken shopping.

We’re also thrilled to be hard at work on our first New York City boutique – details and updates coming to you daily on Facebook and Twitter.  We’ve got a new home to settle in to and we can’t wait to meet the neighbors.

Stay tuned for:
How to open a boutique in 1,600 easy steps.

brightening up

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When the last of the holiday season is boxed up and stored, it seems like a long cold road to spring.  Here’s how I cozy up my home for the cold days ahead:  a faux fur throw to curl up with (from Restoration Hardware) is my constant companion.   I’ve added a little shine and shimmer with these great finds from Dwell Studio.  The gold ribbon vase holds the last of my summer hydrangeas, dried and deepened in color.  The peacocks move every few days, taking up residence here, there, everywhere.

I’ve also added a little subtle shine and pattern in the bookcases – this wallpaper added life and texture to the whole room – it’s one of my favorite little touches.  Adele is being played in heavy rotation around our house (the vinyl LP comes from Urban Outfitters).

This little reading nook is warmed up with textured wool and flokati pillows.  And who doesn’t love a little zebra print?

And honestly, I miss the lights of the christmas tree.   Lighted flower branches will replace them from now until spring.  A selection is available here or on Amazon.

But when I really want to feel warm, I just look at this and remember last summer.

i’m in a deer valley state of mind…

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Hmm, lots of equipment, an early start time, and it’s cold – these three things often add up to a kid deal-breaker, but somehow skiing transcends this list of dislikes and instead adds up to love – total love.

When a friend offered us his house in Deer Valley for the week before Christmas, I logged onto kayak.com and booked the tickets to Salt Lake City in about 3.2 seconds.  It was too good an offer to pass up and we’d be back home in time to leave cookies for Santa on Christmas eve.

We had skied as a family in Vermont and New England but I was blown away by the whole Deer Valley experience.  From the gorgeous weather to the great atmosphere on the mountain we had one of our best mini vacations ever.

Let’s start with the ski school.  It’s NUT FREE which, when you have a highly allergic child, allows you to actually relax after you drop your kids off.  Belle and Sadie adored their instructors (shout out to Annie and Megan!) and were thrilled to show us their skills after class.  John and I were so proud to watch them schuss down the mountain and happier still to see the sense of accomplishment they both felt.  Deer Valley held another great surprise – real food!  From coffee at the Deer Valley Grocery to an actually healthy lunch at the Empire Lodge we were happily well fed – a total change from the standard grilled cheese and questionable burger cuisine of the northeast.

The Deer Valley blog offers some tips on skiing with kids and advised me to carry some treats to keep the kids happy.  Instead, we stopped at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for apres ski caramel apples.  My kids were very happy.  Belle and Sadie gave Daly’s Pub the Best Restaurant title.  With onsite bowling alleys and Wii, Daly’s has the club rec room that parents dream of in a restaurant – the girls actually skipped dessert to fit in more game time.  But I have to say my favorite meal was the grilled steaks and salsa verde we made back at the house.  Dinner, followed by a little ping pong and a screening of Back to the Future was the perfect ending to a few days of skiing with my crew.

Getting kids skiing from an early age (when they’re fearless!) is a gift they’ll appreciate their whole lives. The shared joy of skiing together as a family is, from a mom’s perspective, simply a treasure.  Sign me up for season lift tickets.

Here’s what I’m packing for the kids:  snow pants from Lands End – one of the greatest cold weather kid items ever, and a fabulous value, and a Burton Girls Mistique Jacket, (room to grow features means two seasons of wear and inside straps mean your little one can carry the jacket like a backpack when not wearing it), and Tecnica Moon Boots with leggings, turtleneck and the Fiona Fur Vest for a kicky kid apres ski look.


And don’t forget the sunscreen:  California Baby gets a great rating from Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database, my go-to guide for everything I use on my kids.

Next dilemma – how to fit a fondue pot fit in my carry-on?

2012 resolutions

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For me, New Year’s resolutions aren’t so much a commitment to doing something new, but more a return to goals gone off track during the impossibly busy stretch of time between the first day of school and New Years Day.  From getting the kids settled into school and activities through Thanksgiving, travel, and the shopping and celebrating that takes us through to January 31, it’s difficult to even remember some of my goals let alone enact them.

So, my New Year’s resolutions are more of a renewal (like a book I borrowed from the library but I didn’t get to finish).

MORE GREEN

I say this amid a pile of spent gift wrap and boxes, all of which will become art projects over the next couple of months. Reducing plastic and synthetics in our home is a work in progress:

Lunchskins are adorable reusable sandwich bags (and the cheerful patterns brighten any lunch or snack period). Bye bye ziplocs.

A friend gave me The Concious Kitchen by Alexandra Zissu back in the fall. It’s a common sense guide to improving the health of your family by changing the way you shop and stock your kitchen – all of which seems obvious as you read it but somehow her book inspires me with its quick style and practical information. Check out her blog here.

In homage to the Girl Scout pledge which requires that we “use resources wisely,” I’m turning down the heat and adding a sweater.  Uniqlo’s $49 cashmeres fit in with this plan beautifully.

MORE PATIENCE

All mothers want this. Sadly, it’s not sold in any catalog. Ommmm.

MORE OUTDOORS

I was once at a wedding where the rabbi told the happy newlyweds to appreciate something in nature everyday. Great advice.

Ice skating at the Standard Hotel here in New York, or the Buckskill Winter Club on Long Island are two of our favorite family spots.

Bash Bish Falls in the Berkshires is a scenic short hike that ends at a rather magnificent water fall, iced over in winter, and is achievable by even the youngest of hikers.  Bear Mountain State Park offers beautiful trails and views for family hiking. Getting outside with the kids keeps us all moving and talking, away from the television, away from the KindleFire (which I’m told was one of this year’s hottest gifts).

SKIING

Skiing, skiing, skiing – it’s on.  Upstate, Vermont, out west.  If you have any family skiing information you’d like to share with the Pink Chicken community, please email me here and I’ll share.  Now that my kids are old enough to fully participate, we intend to do plenty of downhill in the months and years to come.

MORE MUSIC

Selena Gomez has taken over my ipod.  I would describe myself as an avid music fan. I’d like to get back to making that a true statement.  Bands I like to get know better:  Airborne Toxic Event, Bon Iver, Florence and the Machine.  I welcome any and all suggestions for updating my playlists.

MORE SPONTANEITY

Plan ahead, but not too much.  Quiet down Siri.

LEARN MANDARIN

I had to throw in at least one standard issue unlikely-to-be-achieved resolution. In case I make good on it, Rosetta Stone will show me the way.

Wishing everyone a happy healthy and wonderful New Year and thank you for your continued support of Pink Chicken!  Stay tuned for our spring collection, our new website, and so much more.

mommy, can I skype santa?

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While Christmas Eve remains cookies-and-milk low-tech, there have been some changes in the ways that our kids (“digital natives” as they’re called) want to communicate with the Pole.

It seems Santa’s gmail account has been hacked, but the US Postal Service continues to offer reliable delivery system to the North Pole, with many letters answered by Operation Santa Volunteers (you’ve go to love that).  There’s something to be said for the handwritten envelope and its lack of appeal to hacktivists.

While there are a number of sites that offer email addresses for Santa and promise one back in return,  we can’t recommend any of them (bad graphics and the endless stream of daily advertisements that will no doubt result).

One thing we’ve enjoyed is Portable North Pole, where Santa will send a pre-Christmas video to your child, complimenting them on a variety of pre-selected achievements (from eating their vegetables to breaking up with thumb sucking).  Santa addresses them by name and hints at their most desired gifts (all pre-programmed by you).  Be ready for priceless expressions with the under-seven-not-yet-jaded crowd.

But if anyone knows how to ichat Santa, please contact us here.

holiday shopping

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I have to remind myself each year not to let the holidays get hijacked.  Parties and shopping can take over, leaving not nearly enough relaxed time to enjoy the holiday with my family.  One thing that makes life easier is to streamline gift-giving.  This is my go-to list this year for friends and their kids.

(And don’t forget the power of baking…)

FOR LITTLE GIRLS

Make a Wish Necklace – sentiment meets style, these necklaces are just the right mix of “grown up” for tween girls.

Hampton Popcorn – delicious – greatly enhances any viewing of Merry Christmas Charlie Brown.

Kid Robot Zipper Pulls – cute, cool stocking stuffers that help little fingers zip up giant winter jackets.

Pink Chicken Gift Certificates – the kids can make their choices on-line with mom’s help.

Crosley Turntable – in our minds, this replaces the old Close and Play Phonograph.  A cool turntable with a USB port, this bridges our kids digital world with our favorite classic albums.  Vinyl can live in harmony with your ipod.

FOR BIG GIRLS

Nunu Chocolates – these salted caramels are special.  Made in Brooklyn and unusually delicious.  Great hostess gift too.

Kenneth Jay Lane Ring – Kenneth Jay Lane is the king of quality costume jewelry – this is a great signature piece.

Epicurean Cutting Boards – upbeat and colorful, these dishwasher-safe cutting boards enliven any counter top with their modernist illustrations.

Soda Stream – for sparkling water drinkers, this is life changing.  Add an aquasana in-sink water filter and you’re giving the greenest way to save money and the planet.

Baggu Tote Bags – Like the NY Times says, it’s all about the tote.  Monogram it to show how much you care!

Shorouk necklaces – these colorful necklaces (especially in pink!) can dress up anything.  Glitzy, playful, what’s not to love?

Glassy Baby – The colors are amazing and these hand blown votives look great in groups.  Give one now, and one for a birthday to start an ongoing theme.

Initial Mugs – from Anthropology, these are lively, personal, and feel good in the hand.  Love the patterns and the colors.

MY WISH LIST

Alexander McQueen Skull Ring -

And as always, more time to hang with my little chickens.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU!