Oye Como Va (Spring Break Picks)

That wonderful warm weather lasted about a second.  Good thing you didn't cancel your spring break plans right?  Below are some vacation picks so your little one can join you for shopping or a cafe con leche in style.  Oh and, don't forget the driving cap and supergas.  Your little dude will need them so he can tag along with Abuelo for a game of dominos at the park.



Old Navy Roll-up Cargo Pants/ Old Baby White and Blue Guayabera Shirts/ Linen Pants/ Old Navy Panama Hat and Driving Cap/ Superga Sneakers



Hats by Gap and Old Navy/ Jacadi Blue Smocked Dress/ Gap Flutter Dress/ Gladiator Sandals available at Giggle/ Gap Espadrilles

March Challenge (Drop Everything and Read)

March Challenge AKA HandlewithKaro's bookclub.

So my breakfast challenge last month was a success. Sure, I had one week that was a total fail, but it got me on the right track and now I'm eating breakfast at home out of habit.

This month, my goal is to read one book a week.  I've barely cracked a book since baby girl came to town, and I no longer want to use having a baby as an excuse for letting my brain turn to mush. I'm planning to read memoirs and other easy breezy books, because I'm not quite ready to read Tolstoy or Joyce just yet.

Last week I read Susana Sonnenberg's, memoir about friendships, She Matters. The short synopsis is: this book is like High Fidelity only it's about friendships between women, it is darker and it doesn't really have coherent start to finish.   Susan Chira wrote a wonderful review of the book in the New York Times (LINK). The longer synopsis is after the jump.

Why Didn't I Think of That? (Knock Knock Company Boxes)

For those of you who know me well you know that while organization might not come naturally to me, I love organizing and even more than organizing I love, love, love, making trips to the container store.  What you all might be surprised to know is that I have a box in my closet labeled "things I don't want to deal with," and other one labeled "clothes I'm not ready to say goodbye to."  Imagine how excited I was when I saw these storage boxes from Knock Knock. Too bad I didn't figure out how to market my own boxes. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bold Baby Florals (The War Against Winter Continues)

Mabo Bloomers/ Gap floral jeans sold out but similar here/ Marimekko Raincoat and Bib/Mabo on Model/ Gap Flower Pring One-Piece/ Bobux Red Hibuscus Shoes

Over here at Handle with Karo we have declared War against Winter.  This means all our free time is devoted to dreaming about the spring and summer with the hope that warm thoughts will ward off the cold weather.  (If you build it they will come.)

So today we are dressing up our babies in floral.  After all, how could mean old winter compete with a sweet child dressed up in spring flowers?  Don't worry just because I say flower doesn't mean your baby girl has to dress up all fru fru in a tutu.  There are lots of hip floral patterned clothing for your baby out there.  Think bold prints like Marimekko. 

How are you getting through this winter? 

Pancake Tuesday (Light and Fluffy Pancakes with Lemon)

Mark Bitmann's Light and Fluffy Pancakes with Lemon. 
If you have any tips for how to make pancakes look pretty, I'm all ears. 

Today, in Ireland, it’s Shrove Tuesday (A.KA. Pancake Tuesday).  I learned about Pancake Tuesday from one of my favorite professors in graduate school.  One day, we were discussing Carnival and I asked him how the Irish typically mark the day that precedes Ash Wednesday.  He responded that the Irish celebrate it by having pancakes as a meal, and they call the day Pancake Tuesday. 

I was intrigued and at the same time underwhelmed by this tradition.  I’m sure there’s also a lot of merrymaking that goes on in addition to the pancaking.  But, where I come from, you prepare for six weeks of atonement by dressing up in crazy outfits, and drinking and eating yourself silly.  Most Pan-American countries are shut down this week because the revelry is taken so seriously. 

For a long list of reasons, Carnival is not happening por moi this year:

• I live in Washington
• I have to go to work
• It’s cold outside

So in honor of my staid life and my Mother’s Irish Germanic roots, I decided to observe Pancake Tuesday, by trying Mark Bitman’s recipe for light and fluffy pancakes.  I added lemon juice and lemon zest to perk them up.  The pancakes taste like soufflés or mini-Yorkshire puddings.  If you try this at home, make sure to have some of the egg whites in each pancake. 

How do you celebrate the day before lent begins?

The recipe can be found here and in Mark Bittman's book, How to Cook Everything.

5 Floral Pieces (Spring is on its way!)

JCrew Racerback Tank/Matthew Williamson Floral Dress/ H&M Chiffon Blouse/ Antropologie Peasant Blouse/ Zara Trousers

Less than 20 days until spring begins.  Even though it seems like this winter will never end, spring weather is on its way and it is going to hit us like a big ton of pollinated bricks.  I almost always get blindsided by that first week of warm spring weather and end up feeling out of place walking to work in my black winter tights and black boots.  I'm not so sure this year will be any different, but here's to online browsing!

The Oscars (Lupita and Jordan Win the Oscars)

What I really mean is that Lupita won the Oscars. But Jared Leto also wins because I've been swooning over him for more than 20 years (even with that hair).

But let's get back to Lupita. Her performance in Twelve Years a Slave was beyond.  Her acceptance speech was so heartfelt and beautiful.  And now for some frivolity, she looked exquisite in her baby blue Prada dress.  Lupita you are one incredible woman!

I also have to give a round of applause to Lupita's younger brother Peter.  What younger brother would not have seized that opportunity to photobomb at the Oscars or anywhere else for that matter? I want to spend Christmas with this family.