A Day in my NYDJ Maternity Jeans

At 5 months pregnant I may be just starting to "show", but I'm in full swing maternity pants mode! My friends used to notice how I never wear jeans. In my 20's I realized how uncomfortable jeans were and naturally phased them out of my wardrobe. This ALL changed with my first pregnancy with Chase. Discovering maternity jeans was like tasting a donut for the first time. It's a whole new world with the elastic waist band, I honestly wonder why we don't wear them all the time! I wore them for at least a year after birth as it was too hard to let them go just yet.

Working from home, I can get away with pjs all day. But on the weekends, my husband and I like to go out for a little adventure. Here's a day in my NYDJ jeans running after Chase and staying comfy all day long at the Botanical Garden!

I love watching him explore!

It was "giant pumpkin weekend"!

Costume I made for him last year.

Chrysanthemums exhibit

'Can you see my bump now?' pose

Watering plants in the green house.

Another successful play date with Charlotte and her family filled with lots of hugs!

I learned an awesome trick to fold the bottom of the pants long-ways, and then rolling them up for a more fitted ankle. 

Shop the look:

I like skinny jeans because as you are expanding, it helps give you more polished look. I recommend getting a size smaller than usual as they run a little loose. 

Maternity Boyfriend

Maternity Legging

Maternity Legging

You can be casual, put together and playful all in one look - I styled my jeans with a neutral palette as this pregnancy is really making me feel neutrals these days. But I'm always one for a little touch of whimsical! 

sale

Pumpkin Patch

IF YOU PLAN ON TRAVELING HERE READ THESE TIPS FIRST:

Over the weekend we took the Metro North from Grand Central to Croton Falls station for a fun day at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard up in North Salem, NY! Wear comfy shoes and be warned - they only have porta potties.. You can use the bathroom at Gordon's Deli as soon as you get off the train from Croton Falls station where they happen to have yummy sandwiches! We envisioned a quiet day in nature. Not so~ There's loud (fun) music and dust kicked up by what reminded me of a "Times Square crowd" if you go on a weekend. Last year we were faced with a lot of traffic (from the station to the orchard) and long lines for everything, so we went earlier in the morning this year and it was much better traffic wise. Also prepare to stand still often, there are quite a lot of bees. Lastly, bring cash.

First things first! I've learned that as a parent, your greatest joy comes from watching your child have a blast. Chase quickly spotted the row of bouncy castles in the back so we zipped there first. At 2.5 years old, he was only allowed on 2 of the 3 inflatables. We paid $3 for the bouncy castle where Chase waited patiently on line. Once he got in he realized it is not connected to the slide he saw and stayed for less than 30 seconds. I pushed him back in but he wasn't interested in jumping. So to the big slide we went! It was $2 per turn or $5/3 turns. I paid the $2 to see if he can handle it and he LOVED it! I got him the bundle ticket and let him go 3 more times in a row. I thought it was worth it because he rarely comes across such a giant slide and laughed the entire time. Plus I really enjoyed watching him come down in an "X shape". The 3rd inflatable was an obstacle course for kids older than 6 years.

Pumpkin picking! Got one!

Dancing with his friend Charlotte to the live music during our (second) lunch break! I'll share a video on Instagram - they were soo cute!!

The tacos were pretty good! Do'h - Don't forget to try the homemade cider donuts like we did this time~ Had them last year and they were really good. 

Apple picking: Apparently due to many circumstances such as an extremely hot summer, apples (and pears) were no longer on the trees and only in bins. You can only enter this "picking" section if you are buying a $20 bag. It's worth the short, but steep hike up because there is a great view, fresh air and you can get away from the crowds.

I'm including this because they had the longest line of all. Just FYI: might want to go early if you're interested!

We only picked a couple of mini pumpkins for easier traveling. I would have picked some larger pumpkins had we drove. Grab a single serving cold apple cider while you're paying inside the store - it's so fresh!

Once we got back to Grand Central Station my friend Nancy (Charlotte's mom), whose family spent the day with us, pointed us to Joe & the Juice. I ordered "Joe's Green Mile" and guess who stole it from me. I was happy to share it because he has gotten pickier about his vegetables and it has spinach, avocado and broccoli! It was one of the tastiest juices I got so I am curious to go back and try every flavor. I was a little surprised when I was paying because at $10, it was pricier than Juice Generation which I already find a bit expensive. It will be the occasional treat!

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Memory Lane from exactly a year ago at the same place - looks like we are starting a tradition!

I can't believe he was small enough to put in the bin. Today, those pumpkins would have been squashed to pumpkin pie!

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Shop the Look

I got this pumpkin costume last year for the same event and it still fit~ Milking it ;)

Perfect Picnic, Birthday Edition

It's our second year that Perfect Picnic has created the most incredible spread for Hank's birthday picnic! He is so loved and is the most selfless person. He is always giving all of himself for Chase and I and I wanted him to have a beautiful day to celebrate him!

And you can see why I chose Perfect Picnic - their attention to detail is flawless and they really know how to make your day special. I love their classic blanksets, and the pillows make the long hours spent at the park much more comfortable (something you wouldn't normally bring out to the park yourself). On this hot Saturday, you can bet their fans and umbrellas came in hand - they thought of everything!

This was a customized event spread that was ordered for 20 people in mind, we had close to 30 friends and family show up with plenty of food still! Perfect Picnic has all sorts of picnics starting as low as $10 for a Kid's meal, $15 for an adult's Grab & Go bags, to delivery boxes and catering. My personal favorites are the Soppressata with Spicy Dilly Green Bean baguettini, Kale Salad, and the Fig Spread. Though honestly, they're all amazing! The baguettinis are unique and explode with flavor - you might remember that they happen to be perfectly Chase sized from this image last year:

When I'm walking around Central Park I'll see beautiful engagement spreads on the weekends, or people having a relaxing lunch~ If you're interested, it's really simple to use. We arranged a date and time, showed up, enjoyed, and left! They set up and clean up everything for you if you choose to do a spread. Here is their site for more info - Happy Picnicking!

PerfectPicnic.com

1. Make your picnic selection.

2. Pick your date and time to enjoy.

3. Choose delivery or experience location.

A taste of Rivington Street

My sister and I went to taste Morgenstern's coconut ash flavor ice cream. I was curious since I don't know that I've seen black ice cream before - it's more messy than it is tasty - prepare a napkin, maybe some water to rinse out your teeth and don't forget a mirror to reapply your lips because they will be messed up. I did enjoy the coconut flavor, but I'd probably order another flavor next time! We got some good laughs out of it though (at each other).

As we were heading to Black Seed Bagel for brunch, we got distracted by a shop next door called Leekan Designs - oriental bird cages with blue and white porcelain feeders in the window caught my eye. So we popped in and stayed for about 10-15 mins because there's a lot of things to cover. My sister left with a metal horse necklace charm with turquoise eyes. I'm trying not to be a hoarder anymore so I sadly left the cages at the store. Its always fun to explore and find new gems around town - which is endless here in NY!

I based my outfit around this dress that I was drawn to for it's simplicity with a twist (pun intended). It's more comfortable in person and under $100, which is a win win. I think it would be cute for early pregnancy, though my sister thinks it draws attention to the belly - what do you think? I'm wearing a size M here, and I am 5'5".

Once I wore the dress I was feeling monochrome vibes and opted for a gray bag rather than a pop of color. So I styled it with this mouse bag, which is a classic from my handbag line, but the metallic color is new and coming out any day now! Next, it was a no brainer to pick the shoes - a pair of neutral Josefinas sneakers. This style is also new, but you may recognize the furry pair from the same brand that I wore everyday thus far! Only after I put it altogether did I realize I had a bow-on-bow situation going on~ To keep the "simple" look a bit more interesting, I finished it off with pigtail braids and a rose gold choker for an edgy vibe.

• Photography by Deborah Chang and myself

Oasis in the City: 20 Ways to stay cool this summer

Summer has officially arrived~ It can get very hot and humid here in the city and everyone migrates to the park to laze under some shade. I personally get drained very quickly by the sun so I will grab a sun hat (with a wide brim), shades and layers of SPF before leaving the house. Here are more tricks to help beat the heat!

1. Wear loose fitting clothes
2. Wear lighter colors that reflect light, darker colors hold in heat
3. Wear cotton or linen
4. Tie your hair so heat doesn't get trapped around your neck
5. Avoid metallic jewelry
6. Keep your feet cool - wear breathable shoes
7. Iced beverage - don't wait to be thirsty to drink, drink every 15 mins
8. Put an iced bottle to your ankles, wrists, or behind the knees
9. Chrysanthemum tea lowers body temperature
10. Avoid caffeine and alcohol which dehydrate you
11. Avoid soda - your body will find it more difficult to store water
12. Eat frequent smaller meals instead of a big meal
13. Enjoy frozen snacks
14. Eat spicy foods: increases blood circulation and makes you sweat (which will feel cool as it dries)
15. Avoid meat - increases metabolic heat production (oops, I ate a hot dog)
16. Stay in the shade - feels 15 degrees cooler
17. Breathe deep, learn yoga's cooling breathing technique
18. Splash cool water on yourself - you can also bring a spray bottle
19. Use a cooling aloe vera aftersun product 
20. Plan ahead: 10am~4pm is the hottest time of day

Stay cool everyone!!

Packing: Beach Essentials for Mom and Toddler

My family and I just came back from the beach this weekend with my in-laws down in New Jersey. The water was still too cold for swimming, but the weather was perfect for beach bumming - breezy and not too hot. Now that summer is officially upon us I thought I'd share what I packed and hopefully save you some time & planning!

Let's start with this photo above of Chase's hands covered in sand and baby powder. For those of you who don't know this life hack: Baby Powder helps get sand off instantly! I learned this while packing last week and I'm thrilled to report that it really works. I started calling it "magic powder"! Chase would rub his eyes with his sandy hands which bothered him and all wet wipes did was waste time. I will never go to the beach (or sand box) without it from now on.

Many may brush off the 'First Aid Kit', but we did have a small incident where my husband cut his hand - so at minimum I suggest packing Band-Aids and Neosporin. 

Clothing wise, I forgot to pack long sleeves. I just thought 'hot beach hot beach hot beach'. Fortunately my husband was better prepared and I was able to borrow his during the trip. You will likely come across an air conditioned environment or a chilly night time, so it's best to bring a couple layers. Thankfully I managed to pack my toddler a hoodie and long pants which came in handy. While we are on the topic of baby clothes - pack double what you plan to! Their clothes are so small anyway, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for anything.

When we travel with our toddler I always bring a baggie and leave it out within reach. He tends to get nauseous quite easily especially if he just had a meal (he threw up twice on the bus ride home). If you plan on going on a boat or long car ride - you can salvage everyone's clothes and seat by having this and lots of wipes out.

Last note - sun protection. I love the sunblock that you can spray - it's so easy to apply (especially on kids that don't sit still or can't be bothered) and applies much more evenly. Don't forget to cover your ears and feet and reapply every few hours.  I also recommend a canopy if you are going with a family instead of lugging multiple umbrellas. Tip: I got Chase to wear his sunhat by telling him he can only play in the sand if he wears it! 

Save this Check List - It's a printable image I made just for you!

Napping tip: Chase sleeps best if he eats and drinks after play time. Change them out of their swim diaper and put on normal ones - Chase once got a diaper rash because we didn't know that swim diapers don't breathe. Find or provide shade, then sneak on sunglasses since there are no black out shades on the open beach for a longer nap. Your little one will appreciate a small pillow if you can manage one (I used my spare dress and his small blanket). Now you can really kick back and relax!

If you're packing food - this chicken wing recipe and corn will be a crowd favorite for both kids and adults! My sister-in-law Linda is an amazing home cook and of course she would find this! From Bonappetit.com, serves 4 - marinade altogether for at least one hour or overnight and grill for 15-20 minutes on medium heat.

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/4 chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt, pepper
• 2 pounds chicken wings

Now have a blast and make lots of memories!! Thanks for reading!

Postcards from Barcelona, Part 3

Park Güell

Park Güell

Brunch and Cake

Park Güell

Chok

Park Güell

Sagrada Familia

La Rambla

Brunch and Cake

Park Güell

Sagrada Familia

Park Güell

Palau Guell

Dunkin Coffee on La Rambla

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Casa Batllo 

El Nacional

Pika Pika

Chok

El Born CC

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

View of Passeig de Gracia from Airbnb

Oh man, how do you put into words the work of Gaudi. It's no secret that he is a huge part of what makes Barcelona a special place. Sagrada Familia (angels chiming *ahhhhhh*) is TRULY a gem. My jaw dropped to see the stained glass in this enormous space is ombre! The sun light piercing through was just magical and breath taking to say the least. I was lucky to have come back 16 years later and it caught me off guard to see new parts of the building I did not remember from 2000 (a 10th grade Spanish class trip). Turns out it was only half built back then. I remember climbing the spiral stairs up a tower, terrified that there's no guard rail, holding onto the wall as I courageously made it to the top. Now they have an elevator! It's pretty cool to see people still working on it both from the outside and inside (by the museum) on a structure started over a hundred years ago. Can't wait to come back with Chase when he's old enough to appreciate it and perhaps it will finally be complete by then! Each of Gaudi's creations are pretty spectacular, Park Guell is a sunny day in tangible form and FYI Palau Guell is free on the first Sunday of each month. If you like visiting historic and architectural spaces, the MUHBA was more interesting than I honestly expected it to be - you can walk around Roman ruins discovered under street level with all sorts of shops and homes in a rather small vicinity.

Tamara from Theglamandglitter was in Barcelona just before me and recommended Chok, a chocolate and donut specialty shop. Don't expect a sit down cafe, just a couple seats for a quick bite and the most fabulous concoctions! I am so glad she recommended this spot because we went back anytime we were near one. The cronuts are beautifully garnished, we got a white chocolate one with edible flowers and a an amazing tarty crunchy topping. Contrary to how they look, they're not too sweet so you can manage to eat an entire donut. It's really hard to choose a flavor - their combos are really sophisticated and interesting! I also got a package of dark chocolate covered potato chips for the road which is perfect for a salty tooth like me.

I absolutely have loved this Self Portrait dress for ages! The powder blue was perfect for Park Guell but a lot of shoes were dressing the dress too up. I wanted to wear it casually and the weather was non committal, so I paired it with boots. Try wearing your favorite dresses this spring whenever or wherever you want by accessorizing appropriately!