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Archive for the ‘Family’ Category

Rhumba Through Life: To My Kids on Their B’nai Mitzvah

Posted in Family, tagged , , , , , , , on April 15, 2013 | 12 Comments »


kiss_cutout My children became B’nai Mitzvah this weekend.  It was a wonderful event.  So happy and filled with family and friends.  And I was so proud of my kids.  Qvelling, as my people say. A lot of people have already asked for a copy of the speech I gave to my kids.  So here it is.  Enjoy.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

When you guys were in second grade or so, Dad and I took you with us to our ballroom dancing class for your own lesson.  They taught you the Rhumba.  You were only kind of sort of into it.  But after a few bits of instruction, and maybe a few missteps – you were good at it.  And I remember thinking as I stood there, “is there anything more heartbreakingly sweet than watching your son and daughter dance the Rhumba?”

Well, having watched the two of you up here today – the answer is a resounding yes. (more…)

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KidzVuz FashionTweenStas Event

Posted in Entertainment, Family, tagged , , , , , , , on December 4, 2012 | 3 Comments »


Kidz_Vuz 055The Sunday before Thanksgiving, KidzVuz hosted our fifth event — but by far our biggest one!  It was FashionTweenStas: Get your Girl On.  100 tween girls (yes, I am insane!) and their moms (less insane) in NYC  for a fashionable, fabulous, and fun day filled with all kind of great stuff for the girls to try, touch, experience, and learn.

Here’s what the girls did:

1. They got to Get Their Fashion On, by styling The Children’s Place mannequins with fabulous Holiday looks.  The folks from Children’s Place set up basic mannequins, and the girls got to use the huge selection of fabulous accessories and layers to give the mannequins their own special flair! (more…)

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Why You Need to Talk to Your Tweens About Internet Porn

Posted in Family, tagged , , , on September 27, 2012 | 8 Comments »


Last week, I wrote about how I got to teach my daughter a lesson about real life and the online world when she got into a bit of virtual trouble. This week, I’m writing about acting pre-emptively. Because, well, watch this:


The internet is for porn
The internet is for porn,
Why you think the net was born?
Porn porn porn

Despite the fact that Forbes Magazine recently reported that only 4% of internet traffic worldwide is to pornographic sites,  (a heartening statistic), the internet kind of is for porn. And the amount of porn is besides the point.  It’s the accessibility I’m worried about. (more…)

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Mothers’ Day: Thank God it’s Over

Posted in Family, Humor, tagged , , , , , , , on May 14, 2012 | 15 Comments »


A Long Ago Mothers Day

As I write this, Mothers’  Day (Mothers? Mother’s? I never know) is, thankfully, almost over. I hate Mothers’ Day.

It’s not that I don’t think mothers matter or  that I don’t like being given breakfast in bed, or beautiful gifts (Missoni from Loehmann’s!), or handmade cards that really mean something.  I like all of that. It’s not that I don’t appreciate my own mother. Hey, my mother went back to grad school in her early 50′s, got a Masters in Fine Arts, and has since written four books, two libretti, and won two major literary prizes…one of them a Guggenheim. And she still rocks a creative, hip look. I appreciate her plenty.

My daughter pointed out that I shouldn’t mind Mothers Day – after all, she said, it doesn’t mean you’re getting older.  True. And yet I still hate Mothers’ Day. Let me count the ways:

1. When your child whines on a normal day, it’s annoying.  When she whines on Mothers’ Day, it’s a personal affront. (more…)

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Giuliana and Bill: A Not So Guilty Pleasure

Posted in Family, tagged , , , , , , on May 8, 2012 | 2 Comments »


Style Network logo

Style Network logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My name is Nancy, and I’m a fan of Giuliana and Bill on the Style Network.

I’m not a big reality TV fan.  I’ve never seen an episode of Survivor or Big Brother.  I never watched the Bachelorette (though I did watch the first season of The Bachelor.). I do not know the names of any of the Real Housewives of anywhere. I’ve even missed the show my old camp friend, Evan Weinstein, has won seven Emmy Awards producing – The Amazing Race.

This is not to say I don’t ever watch reality TV.  I just like either makeover shows, or reality shows that are truly, irrefutably awful.  That means I watch What Not to Wear, Tabatha Takes Over, and Jerseylicious, the Style network series about a bunch of inane – but lovable -  New Jersey hairdressers.  Mind numbingly bad. I love it.

But when I was on a plane to LA recently, there was a Giuliana and Bill marathon on.  I had seen a few moments of a few episodes here and there, and thought they should have re-named the show Giuliana and that Guy She Married. And I couldn’t understand why anyone cared.  To me Giuliana was a pretty, preternaturally thin b-lister (at best) with an even more preternaturally big head, and Bill was a pretty bland, perfectly nice seeming guy who – aside from the fact that he lives his entire life in front of camera, and won the first Apprentice, seemed generically handsome and kinda boring.

But when you’re trapped on a plane and you’ve finished your book, well, you watch what’s there.  And I watched Giuliana and Bill.  And here’s the thing: I kinda liked them. (more…)

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KidzVuz Family Photo Day at J and R jr

Posted in Family, tagged , , , , , , , on April 12, 2012 | Leave a Comment »


Last year, we took a family vacation to South Africa.  My parents gave the kids camera.  I gave the kids Digital photography lessons with Jess Levey.

These are some of the phIMG_0206otos they took.

 

Pretty awesome, right?

DSC_1405

Now you can give your chDSC_0366ild a lesson with Jess, too.   KidzVuz.com is teaming up with J&R Jr. for a unique, hands-on day of family photography workshops, information sessions and creative learning for kids and their parents and the J&R jr store in downtown Manhattan.

Kids can pre-register for a 45- minute lesson on how to create original, artistic and exciting photos with their own digital cameras.  (Cameras will be provided for those without their own.) They will learn the basics of the menu options, manual settings and composition.  There will be 3 separate hands-on workshops throughout the day and each child will go home with a list of photography tips and a print of one their favorite photos.  (Head on over to Eventbrite to reserve your space.)

But this is a Family Photo Day, so while the kids learn how to take photos like a pro, you can check out the best new cameras, photo printers and accessories from top camera brands such as Nikon, Canon, Sony, HP, and more. The brands will all have representatives there, and we’ll also have J&R’s expert staff (hey, 40 years in the business!) , so you’ll get to see, touch and try the cameras,  and get find out what the differences are between them all.

Parents and kids will leave with photography tips, a photo print of their favorite shot, and special opportunities to purchase a new camera for mom for Mother’s Day at J&R. (deals, deals, deals!  You’ll have to come to know what they are!)

The Family Photography Day is free and open to the public.  But, since space is limited for the workshops to ensure the kids get the attention they deserve,  the workshops are $5.00 each.  You can register your child ages 7 and up (sorry, but younger kids just aren’t ready for the finer points of photography!) by clicking here. Limited space will be available on a walk-in basis.

Springtime in NY – particularly this year, is just GORGEOUS.  Why not teach your kids how to record it for posterity?  Oh, and you might want to suggest they give you a gorgeous picture of themselves for Mother’s Day, too!.

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Wordless Wednesday: Hanging 10

Posted in Family, Travel, tagged , , , , on April 11, 2012 | 4 Comments »


A couple of weeks ago when I was at SheStreams in Ft. Lauderdale, my husband took the kids surfing.  Seriously.  Two NY kids surfing.  I love it.  He shot it with my Sony Bloggie HD camera. (Thanks Clever Girls)  So small, yet works so well!  I mean, if he can take video with it, anyone can! (Sorry – but he still doesn’t know how to work the DVR!)

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Why I’ll Never Get a Brazilian Bikini Wax

Posted in Beauty, Family, Rants, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 23, 2012 | 5 Comments »


In Brazil, this counts as a one-pieceI love Brazil.  On my vacation there years ago, I saw beautiful countryside, sophisticated cities, and rockin’ nightlife. I love Brazilians.  They are warm and loving.  They are awesome plastic surgeons, and they are singlehandedly reviving the NY Real Estate market. Some of my best friends are Brazilian. No, really. Bruno and Elizabeth.  I love them.

In fact, I like Brazil so much, I’m hoping that, lexicographically speaking, “Brazilian” bikini wax is kind of like “French” Fries. No one really knows why it’s called Brazilian. But I’m guessing it’s more like French Kissing. Anyone who spent her Junior year abroad in Paris knows where that came from.  And it ain’t lexicography. Trust me on that.

What I don’t love, is the Brazilian Bikini Wax.

Remember that episode of Sex and the City where the girls all go to LA and Carrie gets waxed?  She’s surprised by what the waxer leaves her: nada.  nothing. zip.

It’s called a Brazillian, she tells Samantha and Miranda. Out here in LA, everybody’s doing it.

Well, here in NY everybody is, too.  And the other day, not on purpose, I came close.  First of all, ouch. And second of all, I don’t think so. Why am I so opposed? Here goes:

1. I am not a porn star. (more…)

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Bar Mitzvah Blues

Posted in Family, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 7, 2012 | 23 Comments »


My twins will be having their B’nai Mitzvah – that’s a Bar/Bat Mitzvah for two – just over a year from now.  But this being NY, and me being neurotic, I’ve already started planning.

Oy. (more…)

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Wordless Wednesday: Baby Days

Posted in Family, tagged , , on February 2, 2012 | 3 Comments »


Ok, Ok, so they’re pre-teens now.  But lately, I’ve been nostalgic for the baby days.  Maybe it’s seeing all those uber-delicious pics of Momma’s Gone City‘s new wee one.  But whatever. I don’t miss the no sleeping, or the endless laundry, or the inability to even pee without an audience.  But I still miss the baby-ness of it all. How easy it was to get them to laugh, or smile, or run over and give me a hug.   So I’m indulging my nostalgia!  Enjoy.

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