Disclaimer: This post is sponsored. All opinions are my own.

I have to admit that Bluey was not a show that we regularly watch in our house. Right now it is all Pokemon all day every day, cringe. So I had some catching up to do. I made a Bluey cake to get us in the mood. A supermarket cake that I did a little surgery on, cut it up, scraped off the frosting, made it multiple shades of blue, added some bits of chocolate for the eyes and nose and viola! Kids were impressed at this weeknight special treat!

So off in the early morning to the city to catch the Saturday 10am performance of Bluey. Two bigs and one little. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go with the little, could she handle 50 minutes of sitting in a seat? We were about to find out. Of course I forgot the snacks in the car, but luckily we were able to head downstairs where JP Licks was sampling their new Bluey flavored ice cream. Success! It was a hit all around, 4 thumbs up. We grabbed some Bluey coloring and activity sheets, some crayons and headed up to our seats.

Pleasantly surprised at the show. It kept the kids interest and even made me tear up for a hot second. The “puppets” were amazing. There was a little bit of audience participation in the middle of the show which was fun.

The best part came at the end when there was a surprise…

A big game of keepy uppy in the audience, using these enormous balls!

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There are a lot of food events out there, but not a many that let pastry chefs flex their culinary muscles. I had the opportunity earlier this year to attend the Sugar Rush event, but the Donut Rise and Rumble is the only other dessert event I have heard of. This is the fourth year for this event, and I asked myself, ‘why haven’t I heard about this sooner?’ The event took place last month at Post 390 in the Back Bay. The line once you got in was a bit long, and after you got the pairings, there wasn’t a seat to be found, but even scrunched and standing in a corner, we savored every.last.bite.

So for $35, attendees got to sample some delicious donut and ice cream pairings and the ticket price also included access to the brunch buffet and coffee and espresso bar. It was nice to see people of all ages attend this event: groups of girlfriends, families with young children, empty nesters, and people on brunch dates.

So who were the chefs at the event this year?

Team 1: Craig Williams, Williams Family Baking Company & Aaron Cohen, Gracie’s Ice Cream
Team 2: Meg Thompson, SRV & Jacqueline Dole, Parlor Ice Cream Co
Team 3: Ellie Wallock, Puritan & Co. & Tyler Whitehorn, Rancatores Ice Cream
Team 4: Lauren Kroesser, Honeycomb Hamilton & Kristen Hanlon, Honeycomb Creamery
Team 5: Joshua Livsey, Harvest & Ice Cream from Picco
Team 6: Christina Larson, Bar Mezzana & Deena Jalal, FoMu
Team 7: Danica Lockett, Post 390 & Vince Petryk JP Licks
Team 8: Jaime Schick, Johnson and Wales & Valerie Nin, Grill 23 & Bar

What kind of things did we see this year? Honeycomb Creamery and Honeycomb put our a mocha nut crunch pairing: a fried brioche donut dipped in a brown butter honey glaze and sprinkled with sea salt. Topped with a rich chocolate and coffee ice cream and garnished with a wedge of honeycomb candy (ooooh that honeycomb candy was delicious!!!). Harvest had a yeasted doughnut with a cinnamon apple filling and a cranberry glaze (check out the center photo – how cute are those?). Picco had a Tahitian vanilla ice cream with a salted maple syrup sesame swirl. Parlor Ice Cream Co. had a passionfruit ice cream with coconut crunch that I was absolutely in love with. Jaime Davis Schick from Johnson and Whales University and Valerie Inn from Grill 23 put together “The Nutty Professor”, a jalapeño donut with a peanut butter glaze and candied peanuts that was paired with a Thai basil lime ice cream. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the flavors in this one, but was seriously impressed when I tasted it. Puritan and Company and Rancatore’s paired a sticky toffee pudding donut with a burnt caramel ice cream.

I was really impressed with the quality of the pairings and am eager to go again next year!

So who reigned supreme this year? Best Donut went to Harvest Restaurant, Best Ice Cream went to Honeycomb Creamery and Best Donut and Ice Cream pairing went to The Parlor Ice Cream Co. and SRV Boston.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to sample the donut and ice cream pairings at the Donut Rise and Rumble event. All opinions are my own.

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Every year it is such a fun treat for the family to get to go to the Boston Christmas Festival and judge the gingerbread house competition. This was our second year judging the competition but we have been going to the festival for over a decade now. Nothing says holiday season to me like gingerbread houses – although, mine never turn out like this at home

The houses are made by local chefs and the creations are then sold, with all the proceeds going to benefit Housing Families, a non profit organization dedicated to ending family homelessness.

Check out the amount of detail chef’s put into their houses! This house by Harvest and Grill 23 got the ‘honorable mention’ award.

This was a pretty good replica of Tupper Manor. I had never heard of it before, but it was originally built to be the summer home for the Bryce Allen Family, known for their Canadian shipping company, allan Shipping Lines. The family sold the home to Endicott College and is now used for weddings and special events.

‘Best in Show’ went to Cupcake City. Their shop is located in Reading and if you can’t make it to the shop, try tracking down their mobile cupcake truck!

Just look at the detail of that chimney!

Did you miss the Christmas festival this year? Make sure to keep an eye out for it next year – click here to check out their website.

Check out some of my older posts to see past competitions:2016, 2014, 2013.

Davio’s in Lynnfield earned the title of “Best Decoration”.

High school student Brianna Ficaro picked up the ‘best tasting’ award.

Treat Cupcake Bar picked up the ‘most creative’ award.

The kids choice was the ‘house’ by Ginger Betty’s.

Thanks to all who participated, it was such a fun way to spend the morning. Looking forward to judging again next year!

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I have a confession to make. Thanksgiving is one of my least favorite holidays. I don’t even like turkey. (GASP!) So sometimes the idea of spending Thanksgiving away is very appealing. Cue the Boston Marriott Newton. A perfect place, close to home, where you don’t have to worry about making your bed or cleaning up the kitchen. I recently had the opportunity to check out their recently renovated rooms with my family. The views of the river from our room were amazing – while beautiful all year round, I was just imagining what fall foliage season would be like out this window! The hotel is easy to get to, with easy access to Route 128 and the Mass Pike. It’s close to Boston College and Brandeis University. The rooms have these amazing showers that are so much nicer than the one I have at home. And when traveling with a family, having a fridge in the room is such a pleasure. The kids can come back to a snack later in the day – perhaps a little something to refuel with after an afternoon of swimming in the heated pool. My kids are water babies, they love the pool. The pool at the Boston Marriott Newton is WARM, like amazingly warm that you never want to get out. We were in there for over and hour. There were some other families that were there so it was fun to play with other kids. The second day, we even met some kooky friends and had a Billy Joel sing along while swimming!

While there are some restaurants in the area, if you’re like us and having a staycation, why bother leaving the property? The Riverbend Bar and Grill was a perfect place for our family to catch an early dinner. We had the same great view from our room at dinner, overlooking the river. In the warmer weather, you can rent a canoe or a kayak and take in the scenery from a different viewpoint. The restaurant was super kid friendly, with coloring pages and stickers for the kids. The portion size for the kid’s meals were huge, we had leftovers – thank goodness for that in room fridge! It was a little chilly outside, so I was in the mood for some comfort food. I started with the Portuguese Mussels with chorizo sausage, peppers and onions in a spicy tomato broth. Such a good combination. Give me all of that Italian ciabatta bread to soak up every last bit of that sauce!! For my main meal I had the braised short rib ragu, served over orecchiette pasta. Again, huge portions and it was so stick to your ribs tasty. What other items can you find on the menu? Pollo Arrosto, a boneless chicken breast with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach; Roasted Atlantic Sea Scallops with grilled rainbow swiss chard; Grilled Australian Lamb Sirloin with mascarpone cheese polenta and roasted seasonal vegetables; and a Grass Fed Beef Ternderloin with fresh locally made herb butter. Many of the items on the menu can be made gluten free. Desserts were equally tasty, I finished my meal with a sweet and tart key lime pie – one of my favorites!

The lobby has a Starbucks kiosk, because mama needs her caffeine (am i right?). They have coffee, tea and snacks all day long. Need a snack to go? The lobby has you covered with sweet and salty snacks, cold drinks and fun souvenirs. Looking for something to do for the day? My kids liked checking out all the area had to offer. Additionally, they have a business center if you need to hop on a computer or print something out.

Breakfast the next morning was at the Riverbend Bar and Grill and we were enticed by the buffet (they also offer an a la carte menu). I’m a sucker for an omelette. The spread was so impressive that I almost missed the omelette station tucked into the corner. Fresh shellfish, tasty green beans, and holy chicken! The dessert bar was a favorite among most guest of the restaurant with lots of oohs and ahhh. I do love a mini cannoli or 3. Breakfast is all about balance, so I did stop at the fresh fruit station, where they had all my favorite things – that pineapple was oh so tart and I loved the mixed berry option. Service was top notch, both at dinner and at breakfast. We were well looked after but also given the space to catch up and chat about the day.

Have you ever spent Thanksgiving at a hotel?

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to stay at the Boston Marriott Newton. My stay and my meals were provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Boston Marriott Newton

2345 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosnt-boston-marriott-newton/

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I know a lot of families that don’t take weekend vacations because it’s just too much of a headache. You pack up your kids and your 85 suitcases with diapers, bottles and 8 changes of clothes per day (because you know food is going to get all over them at SOME point in the day) and you’re only out of your house for TWO DAYS. Well, yes, that is true. But you know what, someone is doing all the cooking and someone else is doing the cleaning. Sure, I’ll have my mountain of laundry waiting when I get home, but not having to clean my own bathroom for two days, worth it! So we pack up our bags an head over to Burlington, MA to the Boston Marriott Burlington hotel. A short drive from where we live, but it feels like a big new adventure. (I love to pack my kids up in Sea Bags. I just throw things in and zip them up, no muss no fuss. I have about 10 of them.) It’s an easy drive and unlike the city, parking is free.

I pulled up to the front and left my car while we checked in. The bellman helped us to our room with our 85 bags. The lobby is sleek – a water feature when you walk in the front door, a huge glass fireplace and comfy chairs welcome you to put your feet up. I loved the mood board in the lobby that shows you all of their design concepts. They offer complimentary cookies and lemonade in the afternoon/evenings which our family was a big fan of. Forget something at home? It’s inevitable. Don’t worry, the Boston Marriott Burlington has you covered. They have a great little store off the lobby where you can pick up toiletries, snacks, ice cream, or even a Red Sox shirt. They have a business area in the lobby where you can print out your boarding pass and they have these great maps that will get you to popular places nearby.

We stayed on the concierge level, in a corner room, which was a little more spacious than the regular rooms. Each room features a single serve coffee maker and a mini fridge (totally key if you have kids with you). I love the barn door inspired showers! The beds were super, super comfortable. Made waking up with the kids feel not as horrible :).

We had time to kill before my husband met us for dinner. So we headed to the Burlington Mall, just a short drive away. They have a complimentary shuttle that can take you there or to the movie theater as well. So what’s that great about the mall? It has your stores that you have in most places: Pottery Barn, GAP, J.Crew, Nordstrom etc. What are some things that you might not have where you live? Well, Primark to start. Head over for some affordable, trendy clothing and home goods. I love woops! macarons. You wouldn’t think much of mall macarons, but they are fresh and super yummy. The Keurig store is always fun to go into and browse. There are plenty of places to pick up your Boston themed goods to take home to friends, or head over to New Balance and pick up some super cool sneakers with “Boston” on the soles. (I picked up three pairs for all the guys in our family). I love Kneipp – a natural brand of bath and body care products. My kids love the pink sea princess bubble bath – it smells like raspberries! If it’s raining outside, this is a perfect place to let kids run around and tire themselves out. They have an indoor play space in the food court on the upper level of the mall as well. Mall not your thing? Make sure to check out HMart, an Asian grocery store that has a killer food court, just down the street from the mall. And pop into the Nordstrom Rack next door, they have a ton of great home decor items!

We headed back to the hotel for dinner at their signature restaurant, Chopps American Bar and Grill. The restaurant is cozy and dim in the front area by the bar and bright and spacious in the back dining rooms. We had the early, early, early dinner since we had the kids with us, which worked out really well. They are totally family friendly, and had a fun coloring sheet and stickers for the kids.

I was starving at this point, and ready to eat! Our waiter was personable, really great with the kids. First, let’s talk about those rolls. AMAZING. Warm, soft, so delicious I didn’t want to eat anything else. But I did. We shared the short rib mac and cheese ($15) which was so rich! Really nice flavors and I loved that it had toasted cornbread crumbs on it, just a little something different to make it stand out from all the other short rib mac and cheeses out there. So we were off to a great start. All the steaks here are served with whipped potatoes and Chopps sauce. I had the bone in ribeye ($54). The 20oz steak was 30 day dry aged and perfectly seasoned. The meat was tender, with just enough fat and cooked with a perfect cool pink center. The steak came from a local farmer in Brimfield, MA. I chose to swap my whipped potatoes for the loaded tots (for an upcharge). These enormous tots (top right) were stuffed with pancetta and cheese and just melted in my mouth. Literally swatted my husband’s hand when he went in to try one. Trust me on the not sharing. You’ll thank me later. They have a great menu of the kids too. We had the mac and cheese and the petit filet, which might just be the best deal in town. For $12, it came with fries and a side of fruit – just check out those grill marks!!

While I was completely full, I always have room for that something sweet at the end of any meal. I went with the hazelnut crusted ice cream sandwiches ($9). The vanilla gelato is from a local maker (Ice Haus Patissier from Natick, MA) and the dessert is topped off with a blood orange coulis. The ‘sandwich’ part of the cookies were dense, so the gelato was a nice way to cut through that. We all slept well, tired from our day and our bellies filled with delicious food.

The next morning we headed down to Chopps again for breakfast. They have a take out area where you can grab a muffin and a coffee if you’re in a rush, right at the entrance of the restaurant.

They offer a la carte and buffet style breakfast. We opted for the buffet, which was loaded with fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, eggs, bacon, potatoes, oatmeal, breads, muffins, and so much more. I made my own omelet and the kids ate their body weight in bacon and fresh fruit. (It’s all about balance right?)

We headed out from the Boston Marriott Burlington to the CambridgeSide Galleria mall. A short drive away, parking here is one of the least expensive in the area (as compared to Boston proper).The mall is undergoing massive renovations, looking forward to when it is completed. They had this super cool touch screen computer (pictured above right) where you could find local attractions, see photos and get directions to a number of tourist friendly places.

We were there to take a ride on the Charles Riverboat Company‘s sightseeing boat. We hopped on the first tour of the day at 10am, and it wasn’t that crowded, which was nice. You can stand outside on the front of the boat or grab a seat next to the window. You don’t have to stay seated throughout the whole tour. It was a 70 minute ride down the Charles River and you were entertained by the first mate – you may have even learned a little something too. For instance, did you know that you can only paint your state house roof gold if a president was born in your state? How about that the BU bridge (Go Terriers!) is the only place where you can sail a boat under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane. Tickets can be bought on line or at the boat (docked just outside the food court at the mall), and are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and military and $10 for children under 12.

We have lunch at the mall, because of convenience and timing after the ride. The Cheesecake Factory is great for kids and we were in and out pretty quickly.

After naps we headed over to the indoor pool. They do have an outdoor pool but it was being landscaped while we were there was thus, was closed. The pool is clean and warm and we practically had it to ourselves. They have locker rooms for changing and a water cooler on the deck. They have a great looking gym, split up into a cardio area and a weight room.

After a great swim and shower, we headed over to Chopps for dinner. This time, the weather was nice enough that we ate outside on their terrace. Such a great space – and the kids were able to walk around without bothering anyone else.

We had the same server as the night before, and had another good meal. I started with the clam chowder – served with an adorable mini corn muffin. It was thicker than soup but not cream based. Perfect for a fall-ish kind of night. Of course we had to try the crab cakes, my husband practically has Old Bay running through his veins. These were tasty – not a lot of binding, so it was jam packed with crab meat. I love the grapefruit slice on top, such a nice flavor pairing. I had the bolognese ($27), house made tagliatelle with pancetta, veal and beef ragu. The bolognese *felt* like it was healthy, it wasn’t a heavy cream based sauce. The swordfish ($32) was decadent, served with chorizo whipped potatoes, spinach and lobster nage. The kids had a grilled cheese sandwich served with fruit and the chicken fingers served with French fries. All items on the kids menu are $7-$12.

For dessert, we shared the house made cheesecake with blueberry topping and fruit coulis.

For breakfast on our final morning, we went with the pancakes off the a la carte menu (make sure you ask for a menu if you don’t feel like the buffet). I had sunny side up eggs made at the omelet bar with the buffet. Buffet breakfast is $19.95, while a la carte items range from about $10.75 – $14.95.

Thank you to the Boston Marriott Burlington for the great weekend staycation! It was just what we needed to finish out the summer!

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to stay at the Boston Marriott Burlington with my family. My room and meals were provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Boston Marriott Burlington

1 Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosbu-boston-marriott-burlington/

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I have to admit that when I first heard about Roche Bros. in Downtown Crossing, I didn’t realize that there was a downstairs. So here I am thinking, hmm… a market with just a salad bar, a hot bar and prepared foods? What’s so special about that. It was only after talking with a friend and finding out there’s an ENORMOUS downstairs, did I return and see the market in its full splendor. So let’s back track a little: upstairs. So many grab and go options, super convenient for the office workers looking to run down and grab a bite to wolf down in between conference calls. Me, I’d probably never make it past the hot cookies. Downstairs is the actual market where you can pick up produce and something more substantial for dinner.

This market is my happy place. I love Roche Bros. in general, and their sister brand, Brothers Market. They have great products and I love to just walk up and down the aisles and find new delicious things. The bakery has every kind of sweet you can imagine, their pastry case is to die for, they have a cookie bar, and the seasonal candy at the holidays would make santa proud. Let’s not even talk about the $200 chocolate covered almond christmas tree…I’m surprised I restrained myself.

They have a great floral department, perfect things here to bring home to a loved one or maybe pick up something for a hostess gift. Check out the photo in the bottom row, in the middle: a bud vase that attaches to a bottle of wine. BRILLIANT! They have a large liquor selection with a bunch of local brands as well as something a bit pricier if you are looking for a special something something.

Give me ALL.OF.THE.CHEESE. Great local options as well as some brands I hadn’t heard of. The seafood case is super fresh and if I cooked at home, which I don’t, I would definitely pick some shellfish up . Instead, I picked up the party platter of bacon wrapped potatoes and Swedish meatballs and fed my family that for dinner. Hey, don’t judge.

Here’s a cool and  unexpected thing about the market, they have a cute little tasting counter where you can grab lunch. Everything is made to order so they can accommodate most everyone. The housemade sodas were top on my list as well as the flatbreads – and what’s great is that you can buy all the ingredients for the flatbread right there at the market and make one at home for dinner. The tasting bar has a dozen seats around the U shaped bar – the service here is top notch.

We also sampled a selection of pastries from their bakery – each one was delicious, it was hard to pick a favorite, but that brownie/cake in the middle photo was probably the winner for me.

So yes, there is a great option available to you if you want to grab lunch out.  But can’t make it out of the office? Need some catering for a meeting in the office? Roche Bros. takes care of that too. They have a nice breakfast and lunch catering selection that are anything but ordinary: try 10 assorted muffins for $24.99 – trust me, they’re delish!; a create your own Greek yogurt bar that serves 8-10 is $39.99; how about a breakfast sandwich box? Egg and cheese with bacon, sausage or ham served on an English muffin. Way to be the office hero! For lunch they offer individual boxed lunches, sushi platters, carved pork tenderloin, poached dill salmon…again, office hero – because let’s face it, those sandwich platters from your “regular spot” are just getting old. Need a little extra something to impress the clients? They offer floral arrangements. Celebrating your CEO’s birthday? Yup, cake and balloons can be delivered.

So go. Run. Stop in immediately! You can thank me later.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest of Roche Bros. to visit their Downtown Crossing location. My meal at the Tasting Counter was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Tasting Counter at Roche Bros.

8 Summer Street, Boston, MA

www.rochebros.com

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About a week ago I was invited to check out the newest baby gear at Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower Ever. If I were a first time mom, this would be a great resource (and it is a great resource even if this isn’t your first rodeo). As a veteran mom, it was fun to see what was new on the market. Over 100 companies were represented at the event which took place at the Westin Hotel down in the Seaport. The event was 6-9pm, but you could buy a super pass ticket which gets you in 30 minutes before everyone else! Don’t get overwhelmed! In addition to walking around and getting samples from the vendors at the event, ticket holders went home with a swag bag FULL of goodies. And when I say full, I mean, you’ll need to workout to carry this bag home! Plus, at the event, you can play games and enter raffles to win EVEN MORE free stuff! If that wasn’t enough, during the event they have seminars where you can hear from experts on topics like work life balance, breast feeding or navigating Boston as a new mom. So you’ll have to wait until next year for the event to come back to Boston, but if you know someone in the San Francisco area, there is an event there on February 7th.

As a mom of a child who never wants to be put down or be still, I definitely had my eye on the Nuna Leaf. The product retails for a little over $200, and it grows with your child – from baby to big kid. The chair works without batteries or cords and the motion lasts, with a gentle push, unassisted for 2 minutes.

Joovy had some fun products that caught my eye as well. The caboose, top left, is great if you have 2 kids. The stroller looks like it’s for 1 child, but fits two! There is a seat in front that has 3 positions and the second child can either stand in back on the platform or sit in back on the bench seat. Kids not into that kind of thing? Try the side by side, twin groove ultralight (pictured top center). It is lightweight, has a carry shoulder strap, both seats can recline and the stroller has a large canopy (which you don’t find in a lot of umbrella strollers).

Glass bottles are all the rage these days and Joovy has a great line of them. I definitely plan to check those out!

In addition to baby products, other companies were out sampling such as Kind Snacks, Sweetgreen, Hint water, Essentia water and Vice Ice Cream (holy smokes, you have to try this ice cream – even if you’re not pregnant!!)

I’m a HUGE babyganics fan. I use a lot (read: mostly all) of their products. I use the fragrance free laundry detergent (even on my clothes) and their stain remover (almost daily), the shampoo and body wash, the moisturizing daily lotion (after bath time), the bubble bath, the surface cleaner, you get the idea I was excited to see their new product, the natural wool dryer balls. They are a reusable alternative to fabric softener, the reduce static and they decrease drying time up to 25%!! I’m all for lowering my energy consumption (hello heat on all the time, laundry non stop etc.)

Literally a week before I attended this event, I bought my son an oxo Nest booster seat (bottom right). It comes in 6 colors, has a three point harness and straps that can adjust to fit any chair style you might have. Kids as young as 9 months can use this chair and it brings them right up to table height. I love that it it lightweight so we can bring it with us if we go out and that it’s so easy to wipe down, because you all know that meal time can be a total tornado.

Check out Nosh Baby Munchable snacks (top left). How adorable is their packaging? I’d buy whatever they were selling just for the packaging! These rice teethers are made in “foodie flavors” like pomegranate & blueberry, broccoli pear & kale, strawberry & beet and banana & mango. They dissolve easily, are free of 8 common allergens (!!), are baked and have no artificial colors of flavors. My son, who is out of the teether phase, still loved eating these.

Fresh Wave makes all natural odor eliminating products. Stay tuned for a dedicated blog post.

My son LOVED the Happy Baby Organic Yogis. I couldn’t keep enough of them in the house and would buy out Babies R Us every time I went in. They are freeze dried yogurt drops that easily dissolve in your child’s mouth. They come in flavors like mixed berry, strawberry, strawberry banana and blueberry purple carrot.

I wasn’t a baby carrier mama, but if my son had enjoyed it, I would have loved the Tula carrier (top left). They come in fun patterns, just check out that lumberjack squirrel pattern! The carriers can be used for both front and back carry, from 15-45lbs (baby sized carrier) and from 25-60lbs (toddler sized carrier). There is an infant insert that can be used if your baby doesn’t have enough neck control or their legs aren’t long enough yet. There’s also a huge front pocket that is big enough to fit my iPhone 6 plus.

I love our Stokke Tripp Trapp chair (top center), it comes in over 10 colors and grows with your child.

And check out that stroller in the bottom right hand corner. It folds up to that cube on the table behind the stroller. Watch the video below to see it in action.

Disclaimer: I was invited to cover this event as press. I received a gift bag at the event. All opinions are my own.

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This holiday season has me feeling a little nostalgic. I was asked to participate in a campaign for Macy’s this year and it got me thinking back (WAY back) to when I was a kid and what shopping was like then. First, there was no Natick Collection. The Shopper’s World isn’t the one that you know now, although the old one was an outdoor mall too. I remember the OLD Natick Mall: getting our photos taken at Sears and having them made into necklaces, buying red pistachios from large barrels, going to the buffet (I can’t recall the name) with my grandparents and looking forward to the spinning dessert case. There was a store that pressed pictures onto t-shirts, I think my dad may still have one of them, and we always bought him one for his birthday or for the holidays (thanks for wearing the green rainbow sparkle shirt that I picked out dad!).

The OLD Shopper’s World was an outdoor mall with a cinema attached. Do you remember 5,7,9? Yup that was there. There was this stationary store on the top level in the corner near the theater where I would buy those troll dolls. At the holiday time the mall had these huge wooden toy soldiers (which you can still see around Framingham) and live reindeers. But maybe the most memorable thing about that mall was Jordan Marsh. Oh those blueberry muffins! Everyone claims to have the original recipe, but every time we try and make them, they just aren’t quite right, close but not the same. The store itself looked like a big flying saucer or a dome – I can remember when those hyper color shirts were in and I just HAD to have one. By the time we got there they only had one that was pink that changed to a darker shade of pink…so not cool, but I bought it anyway, just to have one.

Let’s fast forward. Jordan Marsh was converted into Macy’s and the Natick Collection is a sight to be seen. While I love to support local shops and makers whenever I can, sometimes (especially now that I have small children) it is just easier to go to a department store and do some one stop shopping. While holiday shopping I have good intentions of buying gifts for friends and family but usually end up seeing things I love and getting myself things instead.

I headed into Macy’s this past weekend and literally knocked off half of my holiday gift list. There is literally something for everyone:

For you: pick up that cute outfit you’ve been eyeing for your company holiday party (and don’t forget the shoes and something sparkly!)

For your bestie: grab her a Coach purse (that she will totally let you borrow)

For your coworker: some Godiva chocolates are always a crowd pleaser

For the techie in your life: a fashionable smart watch or those adorable cat headphones

For your mother in law: something Kate Spade for the home

For your mom: a Kitchenaid mini mixer in a cute color to match her kitchen

For your tween niece: MAC makeup is always a hit

For your siblings: some cozy pajamas (it’s supposed to be a COLD winter!!)

What are you buying at Macy’s this holiday season?

Disclaimer: I was invited to be a part of a blogger campaign for Macy’s. I was given a gift card in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

The post Happy Holidays from Macy’s appeared first on A Little Bit About a Lot of Things.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I was invited to attend the Straight No Chaser concert and was compensated with a complimentary ticket and dinner. All opinions are my own.

It’s that time of year – the holidays. Are you team Christmas or team grinch this year? I’ve been a little grinchy I have to admit…Thanksgiving snuck up on me and the holidays are right around the corner and I don’t feel very prepared. I’m hoping to avoid the mall this whole season, but haven’t really bought any gifts!! So I was in need of a night out with the ladies! We had a great night planned, dinner at PF Changs and then the Straight No Chaser concert. I have to admit that I didn’t really know who Straight No Chaser was, and had to look them up. When I found out that they were an a cappella group, I was excited to do something a little different. I met up with 7 other ladies, some old friends and a few new ones!

I hadn’t been to the Boch Center in quite some time. (Am I the only one who will forever just call it the Wang?) Here’s a fun tidbit about me, when I was a kid I was in the King and I at the Wang with Rudolf Nureyev and Liz Robertson.

I don’t go as often as I’d like these days, but growing up as a kid, I loved the theatre: the high ceilings, the grand staircases, the chandeliers – everything about it is just magical.

The concert was a blast! There were people of all ages at the show, young and old, some groupies and some newbies (like me). Not only was the singing amazing but there were moments that had the whole audience laughing hysterically. Head over to my Facebook page to hear some snippets of the show!

Thanks to Mom it Forward and Atlantic Records for the fun night!

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On the second night of the summit, I attended the Under 30 Food Festival at the State House. Chefs traveled from all over the world to compete for the title of world’s best chef. Here is the list of participants:

• Alexandra Clark, Founding Chocolatier, Bon Bon Bon (Detroit)
• John Lasater, Executive Chef, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken (Nashville)
• Tyler Malek, Head Ice Cream Maker, Salt & Straw Ice Cream (Portland, OR)
• Aditi Malhotra, Founder and Chocolatier, Tache Artisan Chocolate (New York)
• Laura Meyer, Head Chef and Pizzaiola, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (San Francisco)
• Jonah Miller, Chef and Owner, Huertas (New York)
• Jesse Schenker, Chef and Restaurateur, The Gander (New York)
• Kevin Fernandez, Strand Bistro @ Pulse Marriot Vacation Club (New York)
• Pooja Dhingra, Chef, Le15 Patisserie (Mumbai)
• Toni Toivanen, Chef, sandlådan (Denmark)
• Vinesh Johnny, Co-Founder/Chef, Founder of Lavonne Academy of Baking Science & Pastry Arts (India)
• Yasuhiro Fujio, Chef, La Cime (Osaka, Japan)

Laura Meyer of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana made a 5 grain autumnal focaccia with cranberries, thyme, bacon, and honey.

Kelvin Fernandez won the people’s choice award in the savory category with his arepa braised beef short rib with guacamole, pico de gallo, and lime scented crema.

My favorite savory dish of the night was the Hattie B’s Hot Chicken by John Lasater. My lips might still be tingling!

Winner of the judges choice was the beef and truffle donut by Henry Herbert of the UK’s Hobbs House Bakery. The line to get one of these was at least 30 people long!

Pooka Dhingra from Le15 Patisserie in Mumbia made chai hazelnut macarons topped with lemongrass foam.

We just missed Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend as we got to Aditi Malhotra’s table. She owns Tache chocolate in lower Manhattan and made these delicious chocolate covered coco puffs (right) which Chrissy just loved (she loved them smooch she took a container home with her!)

My favorite thing of the night was Ritz cracker mock apple pie that was paired with candied apples and toasted walnut ice cream and Parmesan. It won the judges choice award for the sweets category. Now I just need to get myself to  Portland to head over to Tyler Malek’s Salt and Straw.

Alexandra Clark’s Bon Bon Bon won the people’s choice in the sweet category for the chocolate shot with a milk chaser (not shown).  I got to bring a few samples home with me for a late night snack. Top right and going clockwise: #25 Mustachio Moscato wine caramel, pistachio gianduja, #11 Bumpy Chocolate cake cream, buttercream frosting, #15 Better Butter Crunch Detroit’s favorite potato chips, milk chocolate, sea salt.

For a recap of the summit, check out the Forbes website here.

Disclaimer: I was given a press pass to cover the Forbes Under 30 Summit.

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