Style Report: Rockets of Awesome

Have you heard of Rockets of Awesome? This new children's clothing service (specializing in sizes 2-14) offers high-quality, on-trend items that make shopping for the girls SO much easier and less hectic than dragging them to a store (where the excitement lasts about 3 minutes).

HOW IT WORKS: after creating a style profile on the site, Rockets of Awesome will deliver 8-12 seasonally-appropriate items based on your child's preferences 4 times a year. With zero membership or shipping fees, you're only charged for the items you decide to keep. Return the things you don't with a pre-paid shipping label & envelope. Everything you'll receive is $40 or under, and all items are easy to mix & match together (that gets a big THUMBS UP from mama).

The girls were sent a box to try out a couple months ago, and they've had so much fun wearing these styles. Meanwhile, I've been impressed with the quality, comfort and variety of clothing that arrived (from casual to dressy and sporty). Of everything we received, I probably would only have sent back 2 or 3 items, so they really seem to have a good sense of the styles the girls like from their profile. I'm all about simplifying our lives these days, and this is an easy way for us to make clothing decisions. Plus, it's kind of fun to have the fashion show when the box arrives!

A few of their favorite styles this winter:

Viv has never been afraid of color: she loves this bright orange skirt!

Rockets of Awesome signature silver jackets - so cool!

Love these sweaters!

This is only a small sampling of what arrived, so I encourage you to check out Rockets of Awesome and see their durable and creative styles for yourself. So much fun!

Disclosure: I was provided with product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions herein of my own. 

Celebrating Roald Dahl's 100th Birthday at Wave Hill

We spent the first weekend of fall at Wave Hill, celebrating what would have been Roald Dahl's 100th birthday. Since we just finished reading James and The Giant Peach with the girls recently, heading to the Bronx for James-themed activities (including a special arts-n-crafts project, storytelling and bug demonstration) seemed like a perfect fit. And what a fun day it was!

This was our first visit to one of NYC's treasured gems, and I have no doubt we'll be returning soon. As you can see from these pics, the grounds and gardens bordering the Hudson River are just GORGEOUS. After we finished the kids' programming, we got a snack at the cafe and spent the rest of our time exploring... don't you want to come for a visit, too?

Loving my new infinity scarf from J.Jill! The girls' cute outfits (Millie's shirt & pants & Vivian's dress & shoes)
are from Garnet Hill. Love their stylish duds for kids!

Insider tip: If you arrive between 9am-12pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays, Wave Hill is FREE (though you still have to pay for parking, which is $8). If you're coming via mass transit, see here.

Back to School with Garnet Hill

As summer winds down & the first day of school approaches (many kids around the country have already STARTED school!), I wanted to spread a quick deal happening from one of my favorite brands, Garnet Hill. From now until August 31st, when you purchase one of their backpacks, they'll include a matching lunchbox for FREE. Hurrah! Here's to one less thing to think about.

With their durable, ergonomic design, Garnet Hill backpacks are a great value at $34.95-$44.95. I also love that they come in 2 different sizes depending on the height/age of your child, the shoulders are soft and padded, and there are plenty of pockets with enough room inside to carry all those school essentials.

The girls particularly love the fact that you can attach the lunch box to the back of the backpack without having to put it inside, and also the clip that goes across the shoulder straps "so it doesn't fall off," according to Millie. And how cute are these designs?

If you've been procrastinating on back-to-school shopping, I hear you, believe me. But this deal is too good to pass up, so I had to share the love!




Disclosure: I was provided with product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions herein are my own.

Be Gone Flip Flops: SOAK Slides to the Rescue (& a giveaway!)

Confession: I used to be a chronic flip flop-wearer in the summer, and not like, in a cute "strolling on the beach" kind of way. In like a, "switch my work shoes for my flip flops and wear them all the way home on the gritty streets of New York City" kind of way. And sad but true, I wasn't alone. I've seen many a flip flop flopping down the street in my day.

At the ripe ol' age of 38, I've realized a thing or two, and one of those things is flip flops are not for city streets. The eww factor is just way too high. Fortunately, I've discovered SOAK slides, and I'm loving everything about this company. First, it's mom-owned & made in the USA (Maine) & the shoes themselves are made out of vegan, recyclable materials. How cool is that? And oh yeah, they're super comfy and come in a whole bunch of cool colors. The look goes easily from the playground or laundry room to out for the evening... finally, a shoe that gets it.

Be gone, flip flops, be gone! Unless I am in some way near a body of water, in which case, perfectly acceptable.

And now for the fun news! I'm excited to partner with SOAK on a giveaway of their fabulous shoes. Go HERE to enter a super duper easy contest to win a pair for yourself. Good luck!! SOAK will be in touch in 2 weeks if you're the winner.

Disclosure: I was given a pair of SOAK slides for review. All opinions are my own.

The Week in Photos: Spring Break

I have to admit I was slightly dreading Spring Break. I had a few things scheduled, but I always worry that too much free time leads to bickering and whining (which leads to wine consumption by parents, though that's not such a bad thing). Luckily, though, the girls behaved pretty well over the week and we had some fun in the midst of things. Vivian was sick off and on which was a bummer, but I do feel like we made the most of their time off from school. Will elaborate a bit more on a couple activities in future posts, but for now, here are a few pictures of our time off:

We kicked things off with a promotional party for #NationalSuperHeroDay & the PJ Masks at the New York Fire Museum in Soho. The girls hadn't really watched the show before, but saw a couple episodes which they really liked. If your kids are into this crime-fighting trio, check out these PJ Mask-related activities you can do online!

Windy days call for kite flying, wouldn't you say?

I am still trying to process the awesomeness that is Brooklyn Boulders. We checked out their Long Island City location, and I was so impressed with the space. Not to mention, the girls had a blast! More information on their programs coming soon...

Towards the end of the week, we checked out the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater's new production of Little Red's Hood (with a modern twist). Hilarious! One of my favorite activities for kids in the city. Afterwards, we hung out at the newly renovated Discovery Playground in Central Park (next to Tavern on the Green). Millie is rocking her new Chuck Taylor kicks from Converse, proving that what's old & classic is definitely new again.

How could I not mention Mr. Bo?!?! Mr. Bo is Vivian's class guinea pig and he has been with us all week. ALL. WEEK. LONG. The girls have loved having him and I will love returning him on Monday (we were in the midst of cleaning out his cage when I took this photo).

Ended the week with cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery. Because why not, right? More details on Brooklyn Boulders and Little Red's Hood coming soon. Have a great week!

Stepping into Spring (Slowly, Very Slowly)

Nothing says SPRING like a fresh layer of snow on the ground! Oh, winter, you are hanging on like a champ. We've had some warm-ish days here and there, but official spring temps cannot arrive soon enough. If nothing else, it would be nice to put our hats and gloves away once and for all. And speaking of clothes, the girls are itching to put their new spring wardrobes to the test! In our warmer moments, we've tried out a few options, which only leaves us wanting more.

Spring, we're ready anytime you are... 

These fleece jackets from Garnet Hill Kids are the perfect lightweight spring jacket. Super comfy with fun colors and patterns (Vivi especially loves her horse print!), easy-to-manage zippers and an affordable price point. 

Next up, how about Little MissMatched's new spring line for active little girls? My gals love their new NYC-themed shirts, and the pants are such fun, vibrant colors. Hearts on the knees is such a fun addition, and I've been impressed with the obvious quality after a couple times in the wash.

Oh, and you also have the added bonus of being able to climb trees in them. 

Last but not least, the new line of dresses from Children's Place! Perfect for spring celebrations -- the girls already have these lined up for their annual spring concert at school. Too bad these were taken indoors on another COLD day. Boo! C'mon warm weather.... we're rooting for ya.

         

 

KidPik: A New Way to Shop for Your Little Gal

A few weeks ago, I attended the launch party of a new kind of subscription box company for girls' clothing called Kidpik. Geared towards little gals sizes 4-14, the site offers mini fashionistas a chance to really tailor their clothing choices. By filling out a personal style profile, they'll decide on everything from the sort of patterns & colors they like to wear to style of clothing they prefer (Classic, Trendy, Girly Glam, Always Active, Miss Modest). Then, Kidpik stylists get to work putting together a box of gorgeous, high-quality, seasonally appropriate clothes based on those results.

An affordable alternative to shopping in-store (we all know what a challenge that can be!), you'll receive approximately six items in your Kidpik box (on average $12.50/piece) to try on & decide whether or not to keep. With free shipping & returns, the process is a breeze (and if you keep everything, there's a 30% discount)!

Millie went through the process (she's a polka dots & stripes kind of girl, so we were sure to pick out those options!) & we are currently waiting for our first box to arrive. Stay tuned for more details! Here's to making kids' clothes shopping easy & FUN with Kidpik.

Disclosure: I am receiving a complimentary Kidpik box for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Little Me Makes Me Want Another Mini Me (EEK!)

Last weekend, I stopped by the children's department of Lord & Taylor to check out the latest from Little Me at a holiday-themed event hosted by Brianne of Stroller in the City. So much fun! Specializing in newborn through size 4T clothing, Little Me basically makes me want to try for #3... every item is so sweet! From finding the perfect "going home from the hospital" outfit to Christmas jammies (& everything in between), Little Me is truly a classic children's brand staple at an affordable price point, no less.

While at the event, which offered photos with Santa Claus himself & makeovers from Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, I got a chance to do a little shopping. Just look at the precious sweater & hat set that I brought home for a friend's baby shower gift! Little Me offered complimentary monogramming with purchase, so naturally I couldn't resist.

As I continue to buy for the little babies in my life, I'll keep Little Me in mind for baby essentials, every day outfits as well as special occasion wear. Now here's the fun part... Little Me is getting in on the holiday gift-giving action and would like to give one lucky (US only) Baby Meets City reader a Little Me item of their choice. See Rafflecopter instructions below - this will be a short one as Christmas is coming quickly!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Apple/Pumpkin Picking Adventure in the Country

It's true, I really don't feel like it's fall until I've been out to the country for a little apple & pumpkin picking. I realize this makes me sound like A TOTAL YUPPIE (cringe), but in this particular case, you may be right. We are only just beginning to see our outdoor landscape change here in the city, but in the country, the leaves are simply spectacular already. Grab a pumpkin spiced latte & an apple cider donut & check out our pics! A gorgeous day for an adventure to Dubois Farms in the mid-Hudson Valley...

And yes, along with my apple cider, I do also love that with the changing of seasons comes fall clothes. It's my favorite season of the year for dressing, and not just because I get to cover up my arms again. There's just something about a long sweater and boots, what can I say. LOVE the Southwestern print & colors in this sweater from J.Jill, which now has 2 stores here in NYC! Will be sharing more of their fall seasonal looks in future posts...

The little gals are wearing dresses by the adorable children's wear brand from England, JoJo Maman Bebe, which is now available here in the US! The girls love these dresses because they're soft with pretty patterns, & I appreciate that this brand really focuses on classic, comfortable, affordable styles for children, not to mention their charitable efforts behind the scenes. I look forward to watching JoJo Maman Bebe as it grows on this side of the pond.

A special thanks to my friend April for helping me take some of these photos. Happy Fall, Y'all!