Archive for 2006
Tuesday, November 21st, 2006
This morning, Page Six reports that Elvis Costello and Diana Krall were seen at Da Silvano and that the expectant couple was carrying a bag from Agent Provocateur. So we love, love , love these two together (come on – we are talking crazy amounts of very inspiring talent – plus what white, Jewish girl from Philly turned pregnancy and baby guru has not got 100+ memories tied to “Alison” — oh wait – that is just me) and are thrilled to see that Diana is sharing her most excellent pregnancy cravings with Elvis – this is the good stuff!!! According to the Post:
November 21, 2006 — ELVIS Costello at Da Silvano handing his very pregnant wife, Diana Krall, a large pink Agent Provocateur bag presumably filled with the label’s sex lingerie . . .
Finally something positive about celebrity pregnancy — I consider carbs and couple time to be a good story (ok, I am easy)…and thank you NY Post for giving me a something to smile about.
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Monday, November 20th, 2006
Salon.com has a lot to say about celebrity pregnancy and parenting — so many words and accusations and still I am wondering, what was Daniel Harris really saying? Mosty it is an angry, nasty tirade…against the affluent and influential. And here, pitting celebrity parents against the masses – is just another example of how the battle continues – harming many and helping none.
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Friday, November 17th, 2006
Celebrity Baby Blog calls Bravado the perfect nursing bras…the review covers the entire line, celebrity fans (such as Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Garner) and some great insights from a nursing mother in the know. About the latest from Bravado! The Essential Nursing Bra Tank:The Essential Nursing Bra Tank is great. Not only does it have a molded, seamless bra on the inside that offers great support and shapes you nicely, but the design is really cute. It kind of gathers at the cleavage area and the nursing clips are really subtle (you wouldn’t even know they were nursing clips if you weren’t a savvy nursing mama yourself) but still easy to access. I can wear it as a shirt and no one is the wiser. I really love it.
Expect more excitement from Bravado! Designs in 2007 – I would tell you more but you know, I’d have to kill you.
Stay tuned…
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Friday, November 17th, 2006
The rains have finally ended. And today is a sunny, picture-perfect ending to the week. As usual, half of my week was spent in NYC and half in DC. So what stands out the most this week? Fairly true to form – the food and the company! What a lucky life – filled with interesting people with whom I share a crazy passion for food. Some highlights:
Lunch at Olives with my new friend, Conceive Publisher Megan Sullivan
Drinks at Cafeteria with two major GODESSES, Lisa Bernstein, executive director of the What to Expect Foundation and Denise Sparafora, founder of Born Clear.
Dinner at Philippe with real-life BFF and sage of In Style, Lisa Jordan Helms
Lunch at Beppe with the ever in-the-know Deb Mignucci and Courtney Thom from Fit Pregnancy.
So – I am now well informed, and well-padded for the cold weather ahead!!!!
Thank you ladies….
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Thursday, November 16th, 2006
Can we please all try to leave Rachel Weisz alone? The headline I just saw out of the UK says:
Oscar Winner’s Pregnancy Gaffe
Can someone explain to me, please, please, please – how her honesty became a gaffe? She is not WRONG, she is not EVIL. Rather, Rachel Weisz is a beautiful, talented and intelligent woman with an opinion. She is a loving a respected mother. And perhaps if we all closed our eyes, and clicked our heals three times we could find ourselves in a kinder world where we don’t need to attack each other and read about mothers and booze in the papers every day. As usual, I am just hoping….
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Thursday, November 16th, 2006
When I discuss the key factors involved with the changing state of pregnancy (look for Leslie Rotchford’s piece in next month’s Cosmopolitan Magazine) one of the most important, and one of the first to come up (always), is the expanding age range of pregnant women in this country. And it continues to make headlines. Page Six reports today that Donald Trump Jr. is about to follow in his father, Donald Trump’s footsteps and become a father. Young Barron Trump will become an Uncle at the age of 15 months.
And the two mothers? Vanessa Trump is 28. Melania Trump is 36. And while there is nothing shocking about this, it does remind of the widening age range of expectant women in the US. And, the value in finding the right information (and an appropriate voice and vehicle with which to share it) that will resonate with expectant women is made ever-more challenging by the fact that women have babies in their twenties and well into their forties. These age gaps represent generational differences that create significant questions and considerations for anyone looking to connect with this highly desirable target.
Recent campaigns developed by Forty Weeks with this particular challenge in mind include the Graco -Cynthia Rowley launch. Key goals included reaching influencers, trend-setters and more urban based women — this means also reaching a broader range of mothers. Certainly, in the case of Graco, this was a new target for their product line. Our work included helping to guide the process to better suit both their products and their messaging to the target via a higher level of sophistication (on all levels) and thus attracting a wider range of mother –to- be.
Expect this widening age range of expectant mothers to continue. And not just on Melrose and Madison but on Main Street as well!
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Tuesday, November 14th, 2006
Matt Drudge reports that Marie Claire admits to a little Photoshop work – ya know, no biggie, just plunk Elizbeth Vargas’ head on a nursing woman’s body and declare her to be breastfeeding on set….
I am loosing track here –what is the point?
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Tuesday, November 14th, 2006
Back to the mothers who drink…
A few months back, while attending the ABC Trade Show in Vegas (the same show, you will remember where I literally FOUND a $100 chip!!!) I surveyed the landscape of new products. And, I did share with you some of my winners. I kept the ones that scared me to myself. OK, not completely to myself – many of you have heard me gripe about this one in person. And thanks to all of you who have shared your feed back on…DRUM ROLL PLEASE…the first ever product to allow a woman to self test her breast milk for alcohol content. No, I did not make this up and Yes, somehow they have found a way to gain a bit of traction and it is a sad day as they landed in the WSJ today (Hilary, I will be calling!!!!!). According to the article:
Texas mothers who say it will allow women to enjoy occasional drinks while nursing. The product will provide an alternative for mothers who might have otherwise weaned their babies before the holiday party season or a major celebration such as a wedding, says Julie Jumonville, co-owner of closely held Milkscreen Inc. of Austin, Texas.
HUH?
When I first saw this at the trade show, I was lucky enough to be in the company of some of the best minds in breastfeeding, my client, Bravado. And so I confirmed with them something that NYC lactation consultant Heather Kelly (featured in THE REAL DEAL ON BREASTFEEDING) once told me. She said that drinking alcohol (moderate amounts, yes) immediately before or even during a feeding is the best strategy as the alcohol will be out of a woman’s system by the time of the next feeding. To the WSJ’s credit – they do confirm this fact. “Easy, breezy” as my associate Amanda would say. Basic guidelines, personal choices. Maybe not….
Unfortunately, based on the current climate of motherhood in America, we can not possibly allow it to be easy. No, now we need to:
1. create more fear and doubt
2. create more “rights and wrongs”
3. create and add on another unnecessary expense
4. create more barriers to success for mothers
And of course, we have to do so in a very public debate…so way to go “two Texas women” who invented this product. You have given us yet another reason to quiet our instincts, seek out more rules and start another day of bashing away at each other.
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Monday, November 13th, 2006
This is my must read for the day – a letter to the editor from the DesMoines Register…This makes me want to go and eat a ton of corn plus buy every publication that the Meredith corporation puts out just to show some love to the Great State of Iowa!
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Sunday, November 12th, 2006
Wait, wait – before we read, or see one more piece about women and their desires to seek out and participate in a balanced life – let’s please cue the maniacal laughter sound-track. Let’s please just call it like you keep alluding to it – shall we?
Here is the real truth – there is no evil motive. There is no “wrong” – not in staying home, not in going outside of the home to work. There is not “wrong” in early or late motherhood. There are no “wrong” choices. And, still – it keeps coming right at us — day after day.
And for those of you who were hoping I would blog a bit more today about something super fab like Jen Myers’ new baby girl or dressing Lauren Ambrose (she is so lovely) or all the super beautiful Isabella Oliver clothes that Tori Spelling has requested, I do promise to get back to that, very soon…
And for those of you who thought perhaps the last day or two found me closer to some Zen state …no…. so to review:
Elizabeth Vargas – good start and please take the prelude (which was in fact your story) and keep going! You accomplished the near impossible by showing real women, real lives and real choices and the role our government has played in this scenario. Well chosen interviews and I loved the map puzzle visual…strong indeed! You concluded with a call for women to do the hard work, the difficult thing. What do you propose? I know we care and are honestly and eagerly listening. And to be clear, that was a very well done segment. And the fact that it left me wishing you had more time to explore the topic, through your very honest lens, means you are doing just what you set out to do. I think you have got what it takes to keep this dialog going… Please don’t stop now…
Slate – are you kidding? Women are not looking to take over ANYTHING; rather we are looking for options and balance. We don’t want to keep our womanhood in cold storage until we are 65 – we want an opportunity to find unique and individual plans for combining our interests, passions and ambitions (I just did not want to say balance again, I give). Again, the glimpse the extreme is distracting from the real issues and questions in play.
OK – cue Counting Crows now — it is Sunday and I need to chill!
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