RIP

I’ve been wanting to write a little tribute to Ray Bradbury after his passing, but realized that it’s been some time since I read his books and thought revisiting his work was long overdue.

Jim and I have amassed quite a collection of his books from our teen years and I settled on The Vintage Bradbury, which I enjoyed immensely and only made his death sadder.

The stories I always most vividly remembered were of far away places like Mars or distant futures with wild (but not completely unrealistic) technologies (as in the memorable story The Veldt) but this time around, I responded more to his universal and terrestrial imaginings.

Many of his stories tackle relatable human fears and paranoia, whether giving birth or simply becoming aware of ones body, whether losing one’s status and sense of safety or finding out who you really are in your last moments – the horrors that face us daily.

A Vintage Bradbury is a “best of” collection, but one curated by the author himself and is a varied and thoroughly compelling read.

He was a prolific writer who helped bring speculative fiction to the main steam. A true original and an inspiration.

See more: Books,Style Icons: Male Authors Sci-Fi Short Stories

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Posted on June 15, 2012

“Adorable Shoes for Adorable Feet”

Van needed sandals. I asked my moms’ group for suggestions and read online reviews. In the end, I am almost ashamed to admit, I was swayed by cuteness.

Rocket ships! And such an adorable design!

Lucky for us, the maker Livie and Luca is also globally conscious and the shoes are completely comfortable and fit perfectly.

Hooray for form and function!

See more: Spend a Couple Minutes Children’s Shops

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Posted on June 14, 2012

Kent Ave. between N. 7th and N. 10th

Not everyone will agree with me because it’s over grown, is adjacent to construction, and frankly, rather odd, but I find the playground at the East River State Park charming and strangely dreamy.

It’s like a faraway, mixed up childhood memory: abandoned tracks lead to a wooden child sized train, ancient looking ruins from jut up beside pint sized hidden bridges.

It’s especially special on overcast mornings when no one else is around and as for the construction, well, nothing could make a playground visit cooler to Van than the view of a real live digger.

As it’s nestled among a larger park, I didn’t even know about it until fairly recently. It’s a neighborhood gem and, selfishly, one I hope stays a bit hidden.

See more: Spend a Couple Hours Children’s Parks Williamsburg

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Posted on June 13, 2012

141 India St., Greenpoint

With Maria’s of Ria Nailz eye popping, jaw dropping nail art that calls to mind the most fun styles of the late 80’s and early 90’s (think Stephen Sprouse, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and Keith Haring), you half expect her to greet you Betsy Johnson style – cartwheeling out of the back room.Instead you find a young stylish entrepreneur who’s professional, soft spoken, sweet, and immensely talented.

I discovered the Greenpoint artist via instagram and couldn’t wait to book an appointment. She recommends you call at least a week in advance. I assume as word of mouth spreads, you might need to wait even longer.

It would be worth the wait. I look at my hands and feel happy and awesome. This could possibly be my coolest manicure ever??

Watching her work – quickly and deftly is fascinating. She has a wide range of styles to choose from and the salon, which is nestled within a family run unisex hair salon is adorned with murals for additional inspiration.

Comparatively, she’s cheap – my art with gel top and base was only $36. So tip generously!!

See more: Spend a Couple Hours Greenpoint Health/Beauty

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Posted on June 10, 2012

by Taro Gomi

There’s a lot of junky stuff made for kids but for every poorly written and illustrated book, there’s one as charming as the work of Taro Gomi.

I found this adorable box set browsing the children’s section at Word and fell in love. Van and I adore the simple, quirky, colorful watercolors and short stories.

His personal favorite of the three, which includes Spring is Here and My Friends, is Bus Stops.

This is a most fabulous gift to new parents and likely one they won’t already have.

Gomi is a prolific Japanese children’s book illustrator best known in the states for his classic Everybody Poops, which I will be getting once potty training begins.

See more: Books 1980s Children’s

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Posted on June 10, 2012