OC Family - Moms. Kids. Life. - (Hip Mom)

Hip hangs OC. Laguna Beach farmers' market.

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:31:00 GMT

I am a sucker for fresh produce and my favorite place to score some is at the Laguna Beach Farmers' Market. My kids actually love it too. And the weirdest thing is that they go insane over a lot of the things we buy there. Why? Because farm-fresh produce tastes so much better than the stuff we buy from the big chain stores that has been flown here from other countries. It's fresher and I, personally, like knowing where it came from.

Check out my Whrrl below and find a Certified Farmers' Market near you by clicking here.

Not quite as fresh as farmers' market produce but even more juicy is my website hipmomswhowork.com
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Orange County oddities

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:29:00 GMT

I really love Orange County - the weather, the beaches, the sunsets...

But, I've lived here for over 10 years now and there are still a bunch of things that just strike me as odd about this place. Although I've gotten used to much of what was a culture-shock for me, many OC / SoCal idiosyncrasies still amuse me. I'm not ripping on this lovely place we call home. I'm just making some observations, as an 'outsider'.

Dressing up to go shopping. People here are always SO dressed up. Even when they're dressed down, they're dressed up. If they're wearing yoga pants, they have an entire yoga ensemble...even when they've never done yoga. In Chicago, you can walk down Michigan Avenue in sweat pants and a baseball cap and no one will notice or find that odd. Here, I often feel under-dressed just running to Vons.

Not watching the weather report. Where I come from, we constantly monitor the weather, because in the Midwest the weather can be quite unpredictable. It's gotta be 90% of why people back home watch the local news. After my first two weeks here, I realized that virtually everyday is sunny and 75 degrees. The weathermen here have the easiest weather forecasting job in the entire country.

Apologizing about the weather. Heaven forbid SoCal experiences some non-75-degrees-and-sunny weather. When that happens people keep apologizing for the weather to visitors. "I'm sorry we're not having better weather." Few things wrong here: (A) don't apologize for something over which you have absolutely zero control; (B) barring fires and mudslides, the weather here is never THAT bad.

Warm clothes when the temperature dips below 60-degrees. As long as we're on the topic of weather, I can't NOT comment on how people break out the full-on winter gear the minute the temp dips below 60-degrees. I remember when my husband and I first got here and how we would laugh uncontrollably at people in gloves, hats. scarves, even DOWN parkas. The absolute best is when I saw a woman at Starbucks wearing a Russian fur hat on her head, no jacket and strappy, kitten heels on her feet. That just kinda summed it up for me.

Fear of tornadoes, but not of earthquakes. People who've grown up out here are terrified of tornadoes, but seem pretty non-chalant when discussing earthquakes. I AM SCARED TO DEATH OF EARTHQUAKES! Tornadoes? Not so much. You get warned when a tornado is coming and you can take shelter. Earthquakes come out of nowhere. Oh, I get freaked out just thinking about it. (That's why I have an emergency kit.)

Surf culture. I am fascinated by SoCal surf culture. I love it. I'm so intrigued by all these people who are so crazy about being in the ocean and riding waves that they basically organize their life around it. They work to support their surf habit. I admire that in a way...

The way surfers shuffle-prance down to the water. Did you ever notice that surfers never just walk to the beach from their car? It's like secret surfer code that you have the hold your board and run in these short, shuffling, prancing strides down to the water. Seriously. Pay attention next time and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Driving easily walkable distances. This is one of the greatest contradictions of SoCal for me. This place is obsessed with health and fitness, yet people cannot walk across a strip mall to visit a store on the opposite end. They must drive from one end to the other and park again. One of the most memorable scenes from the Steve Martin movie, LA Story is when his character is going down the block to a friend's house and gets in his car to make the trip. He declares, "This is LA! Nobody walks here!" (or something like that). I really thought that was just a joke. Apparently, it was a completely accurate representation. For the record, we folks in places like IL, IN and MI park once and walk across the strip mall...in sub-zero temperatures...barefoot...backwards...uphill...in the snow.

Pushing a $800 baby stroller, driving a $60,000 car but living in an apartment, barely able to make the rent. I think this has recently gotten a bit better due to the economy but many here place enormous importance on anything that externally signals material success at the expense of basic needs. Really, people. Food and shelter are more important than carrying a Gucci diaper bag. Seriously. No one will judge you if you DON'T have those things.

Cougars and cougar night. This still stands out to me as one of the more freakish aspects of life in Orange County. Have you ever been at Javier's or Mastro's in Crystal Cove? It is a sight to be seen. It's like watching a reality tv show...LIVE. Older women, younger men. Rrrroar.

Cosmetic surgery. Oh, where to begin...where to begin...I'm not sure what I find most interesting, the people who get it and formally introduce you to their new body part(s) or those who get a nose job and claim they did it because they had a "deviated septum" or the women who get Botox and say they did it "to cure" their migraines. Um, yeah, ok.

I know I'm forgetting some...help me out. What else stands out to you about life here?

You know what else is odd but you should do anyway?
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If disaster strikes, is your family prepared?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:04:00 GMT

When I was pregnant with my 3rd child (3+ years ago), I was spurred by a combination of hormones, scary reports about Asian Bird Flu, the horrific aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and an intense fear of earthquakes into creating an emergency kit plan for my family. It was a good exercise to go through, especially on pregnancy-hormone-nesting-hyper-overdrive, and I put together a solid kit and plan.

The recent events - the earthquake in Haiti, the torrential rains and "weather" in SoCal, the threat of H1N1 flu pandemic - have motivated me to take review my emergency kit and revisit our family emergency plan.

I'm glad to say that it's a lot easier to find really good, consolidated information to guide you through creating an emergency kit and plan now. FEMA has developed a great site, which I would venture to guess came out of the Hurricane Katrina debacle. I was going give you a nice checklist here of things you need in your kit. etc, but I've decided to just list some resources for you that do a better job than I could:

ready.gov (FEMA site): I love this site. They give you lots of great checklists, tips, and printable forms. They also have a micro-site for kids (ReadyKids) to help prepare them for emergencies. It has games and provides a way for you to get kids to think about emergency situations and to encourage them to learn your family plan.

72hours.org: Developed by the City of San Francisco, this site offers lots of great information and tips on "what to do if..." you experience almost any kind of disaster, from earthquake to contagious disease to tsunami.

RedCross.org: The good, old American Red Cross. Of course, this site is another great resource. And, their online store also sells emergency kits and preparedness items as well.

Other things to consider...

A man in Haiti survived because he used an iPhone First Aid app called Pocket First Aid and CPR to treat himself while trapped after the earthquake. I'll be downloading that today.

And, make sure to read Suz Broughton's recent post about using Twitter in emergencies. (Thanks, Suz, for putting down your In-n-Out #2 with cheese to give us the 411 on the 911)

Oh, and since it seems like we now get tornadoes in SoCal, you may want to know what to do. FEMA.gov explains it here.

We can't control natural disasters, but we can control how prepared we are when they occur. Just a little bit of effort and planning could minimize the impact a disaster could have on your family.

Stay safe!

Hip hangs OC: Strand Vista Park

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:41:00 GMT

A little over a week ago, Strand Vista Park opened in Dana Point. For those of you familiar with Strands Beach, you know what a big deal this is. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, you need to come check it out for yourself.

Dana Strands Beach, located adjacent to the South of the better-known Salt Creek Beach, is well-known among Dana Point locals. Years ago, the land above this stretch of beach was home to trailer park, as you can see in this photo below taken in 1956. (swiped from here)

For the 10 years I've lived in South OC, that land was empty and surrounded by a fence. But, the beach was spectacular. Parking in the lot was free and if you could make it down and up the 100+ stairs, you got a great stretch of beautiful OC beach. Of course, the land was slated for custom housing development and we all worried what that would mean to our beloved Strands.

Well, they're building massive homes on the land now (the development is called the Strand at Headlands), but as part of the deal for the land, the developer had to build all sorts of public amenities. HOLY COW! They did a phenomenal job.

To make the entire situation even sweeter, the Center for Natural Lands Management has developed nature trails nearby on the Dana Point Headlands.

Last weekend, I decided to take it all in and have already been back twice. Check out my Whrrl for my walking tour of both Strand Vista Park and of the new Dana Point Headlands Preserve Trail.

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32 ways to tick people off

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:17:00 GMT

One day while cruising the interwebs, I found this list here. It is so hilarious, I had to share it. Hope you enjoy.

How to Tick People Off

Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 99 copies.
In the memo field of all your checks, write “for sexual favors.”
Specify that your drive-through order is “TO-GO.”
If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.
Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.
Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions “to keep them tuned up.”
Reply to everything someone says with “that’s what you think.”
Practice making fax and modem noises.
Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and “cc” them to your boss.
Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.
Finish all your sentences with the words “in accordance with prophesy.”
Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.
Disassemble your pen and “accidentally” flip the ink cartridge across the room.
Holler random numbers while someone is counting.
Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you “like it that way.”
Staple pages in the middle of the page.
Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.
Honk and wave to strangers.
Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints at the cash register.
TYPE IN UPPERCASE.
type only in lowercase.
dont use any punctuation either
Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.
Repeat the following conversation a dozen times: “DO YOU HEAR THAT?” “What?” “Never mind, it’s gone now.”
As much as possible, skip rather than walk.
Try playing the William Tell Overture by tapping on the bottom of your chin. When nearly done, announce “No, wait, I messed it up,” and repeat.
Ask people what gender they are.
While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.
Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.
Sing along at the opera.
Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn’t rhyme.
Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about “psychological profiles.”

Forget resolutions. Try a to-do list instead.

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:13:00 GMT

The past decade contained some of the best and worst moments of my life. (Read here for the full scoop.) But, I have an GREAT feeling for the decade ahead.

And because I want the coming year to be different than the past 10, I am going to leave "resolutions" in the previous decade. "Resolutions" are things you say you're gonna do and then by mid-February are nothing but a distant memory. C'ya, resolution suckas! I'm moving on.

I'm building myself a good, old-fashioned "To-Do List" for 2010. I live by my to-do lists. I make a new one every day (sometimes two). I even go back and add things to my list that I have completed but may not have had on my original list - just so I can cross them off. (Btw, my favorite online to-do list program is TeuxDeux.com. So simple. I use it daily.)

To-do lists are specific and, most importantly, they are action-oriented. They stare you in the face until you finish them. When's the last time a resolution did that? Also, I think there's something to focusing on tactics to get you to your goals rather than just focusing on the lofty goals we call resolutions like, "I'm going to lose weight" or "I'm going to get organized". You need the bigger goals, but you need the plan to get them done. That's your to-do list.

My list goes like this (I know you could probably care less about what's ON my list, but I'm just offering it as an example of what yours could look like)

Wellness

Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
Work out for at least 30 minutes, 4x/wk
Eat a more plant-based diet (I would go vegan if I could stand living without bacon, but since that's not possible I will eat meat, occasionally)

Family

Get down on the ground and play with my kids everyday.
Vow to not work from 5pm until my kids go to bed. This means no email checking on iPhone. Facebooking and/or tweeting during these hours is also off-limits. (Sadly, my 8YO son told me that one of my resolutions this year should be to spend less time on my computer and my iPhone. I'm gonna listen to him on this one.)
Get my kids to eat new (healthy) foods. Introduce one new food to them per week.
Every other month plan an excursion or activity (theater, museum, historical landmark, etc) to expose my children to new things in order to grow their world and build a sense of appreciation for life.
Find ways in which my entire family can help those who are a needy in a very direct way (work at a soup kitchen, help build a house, adopt a family for the holidays, etc). Do this 2x per year.
Schedule at least one date night with my husband every 6-8 weeks.

Professional

Complete repositioning my company and develop a new brand identity by March 2010
Start a marketing blog by March 2010
Build an interactive platform for my new service offering by June 2010
Sign 1 new client a quarter

Environmental

Reduce my family's carbon footprint by taking small steps - reducing our consumption of bottled water, composting, unplugging not regularly used electronics, etc. Track progress with carbonfootprintcalculator.com .

All About Me - Perhaps the most important category ;)

Go to the theater at least 3x this year
Read at least 8 books this year
Spend time alone
Visit 2 museums I've never been to
Go bowling
Go rollerskating (inspired by Suz Broughton)
Learn to knit (yes, I am totally serious)
Take a photography class
Blog 3x week and begin incorporating video into posts
Turn 40 years old gracefully (because, I'll be turning 40 anyway and trust me, I could do it very 'ungracefully')

So, whaddya say - resolution or to-do? What's on your list?

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Cherry chocolate-chunk cookies

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:07:00 GMT

I almost cannot believe I'm sharing this with you. It's my secret-weapon holiday cookie recipe. Just read the ingredients and you'll understand why.

I've been baking these for several years since I found this recipe on martahstewart.com. They're pretty decadent so I only make them around the holidays - the time of year when I pull the rip cord and eat whatever I want (thank goodness for Spanx!)

Torie's Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies

1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. packed light-brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 c. oats
1 c. dried cherries (I buy these at Trader Joe's and throw in extra)
4-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 c. toffee pieces (you can find these in the baking aisle)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In large bowl, sift together flour and baking soda.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Add the egg and vanilla; mix on high speed to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix on low speed until well combined. Add the oats, cherries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine after each addition.

4. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of dough onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat, spacing two inches apart.

5. Bake cookies until golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to two days.

I usually bake an extra batch when I make these and freeze a bunch to have on hand when unexpected guests show up around the holidays. Or, I wrap a stack in cellophane that I tie with a pretty bow and give it to my neighbors.

Make these and then come back here and write about how everyone SWOONED over these little baked bits of awesomeness.

Happy Holidays!

I've been known to whip up trouble in places
other than just the kitchen.
Visit me at hipmomswhowork.com to check it out.

Photo swiped from here.

Hip hangs OC: Holiday Shopping in Laguna Beach

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:25:00 GMT

I was at the mall the other day. It was pretty hellish and I couldn't find anything unique for anyone on my holiday gift list. Everything there was all mass-produced, cookie-cutter stuff.

I had a hole in my schedule one day this week, so I bolted over to downtown Laguna Beach to do some indie shop shopping. Below is a whrrl of my hour or so in LB...Am hoping it inspires you to get out and shop local this holiday season. So many great shops out there with the perfect gift for those on your list.

If you want to see some truly awful holiday gifts
(none of which I saw in LB, thankfully),
visit my list of The Worst Christmas Gifts Ever at hipmomswhowork.com.

Fallen Princesses

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:39:00 GMT

I have a three-year-old daughter, ergo I have a princess-obsessed little girl living under my roof. We read the stories. Every. Single. Day. And, each time I kind of throw up in my mouth. The stories always follow the same general plot: poor, innocent girl is wronged (usually by a wicked woman), girl gets in some sort of terrible predicament, girl is saved by prince and lives happily ever after. Yeah, complete b.s.

I was having this conversation with another MOG (mother of girls) a couple of months ago and she told me about a series of photos called Fallen Princesses. I found them and had to share them with you in case you haven’t seen them. Created by a mother of three-year-old girls, Dina Goldstein was pretty fascinated by the Disney Princess spell that seems to overcome every young girl in the US. Below is what is written on Dina’s website:

"Fallen Princesses place Fairy Tale characters in modern day scenarios. In all of the images the Princess is placed in an environment that articulates her conflict. The ‘…happily ever after’ is replaced with a realistic outcome and addresses current issues."

I have gone ahead and reposted some of the images below. You can see she’s even altered a few of the Princesses’ names. Snowy and her predicament has to be my favorite…

SNOWY

CINDER

BELLE

ARIEL

JASMINE AT WAR

An elf is watching my kids

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:14:00 GMT

I love this time of year because my children are so well-behaved. They make their beds, keep their room clean, brush their teeth and rarely talk back to me. I don't even have to ask or yell or offer them candy in return for this behavior.

You are DYING to know my secret, aren't you? It's killing you! No, it's not Nanny Jo. It's an elf...The Elf on the Shelf.

My sister-in-law tipped me off last year and I ran out as fast as I could and found him (I guess he could also be a she. The red tights and elfin shoes are kinda girlie) at The Wee Loft in Dana Point. The Elf came in a beautiful box accompanied by a lovely book giving us his story and "rules" - like that you can't touch him or he'll lose his magic. During the day he/she/it sits somewhere in your house and at night flies to the North Pole to tell Santa whether your children have been naughty or nice. Each morning he comes back before the kiddies wake, claiming a new perch somewhere.

But, perfect behavior from your children is not the best part of giving one of Santa's workshop whipping boys a spot on your shelf. The best part is the complete innocence and belief the kids have in the magic of the Elf.

The first thing my boys do every morning is wake up together to go find the Elf (who we have named "Spike"). They run around the house until they locate him and then yell. "OH. MY. GOSH!" when they find him.

My 7YO talks to him, leaves him hand-drawn pictures and thank you notes. It's so adorable. It melts your heart and makes you realize that soon your kids will no longer believe in Santa and elves and that these are moments we need to cherish.

Elf on the Shelf is a family tradition in our home now. I'm milking the "magic" for as long as I can. You can purchase your own Elf on the Shelf for about $30 at www.elfontheshelf.com. I suggest you do.

The contents of this post are 100% just me telling you about a cool item. I was not compensated, wooed or bribed in any way to write about this product.

Visit hipmomswhowork.com to judge if I've been naughty or nice this year.
I'm preparing myself for coal in my stocking...Just sayin'.

Hip Hangs OC: Alice Supply Company

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:54:00 GMT

Hip Hang of the Week: Alice Supply Company.

Have cleaning supplies ever looked so fun before?

The vision for Alice Supply Company was hatched – as most fabulous ideas are – over margaritas. A couple of girlfriends from Newport Beach were in Mexico and after some local shopping and tequila, determined they were going to design dustpans, brooms, toilet plungers and more that look like fashion accessories rather than depressing icons of drudgery. I learned about them while [window] shopping in Laguna Beach a couple of months ago…in a small boutique. There, nestled between the $300 jeans and $175 t-shirts were Alice Supply Company’s goodies. And, they fit right in – equally as fashionable, but far less expensive than the clothing in the joint.

Do you think cute housewares like this will make me more motivated to clean the way cute work-out clothes make me kinda, sorta, sometimes on occasion, consider for a moment to work out?

Check out all of the goodies for yourself here, and get a list of retailers here.

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Text lingo for moms

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:49:00 GMT

Seems like everything under the sun has a text shorthand equivalent. There's no Mom Text Lingo. We deserve our own secret language!

I've taken the liberty of starting a list of acronyms we can use when we text one another. Of course, this is based upon phrases commonly used in the current Mom lexicon.

MKRDMN - My Kids Are Driving Me Nuts
MHIDMN - My Husband Is Driving Me Nuts
MNC - Mommy needs coffee
MNW - Mommy needs wine
MNM - Mommy needs margaritas
MNV - Mommy needs vodka
ITHNNIHH- I Told Him Not Now I Have a Headache
CTMA - Calgon Take Me Away
WHIJCTPU - What Happened I Just Cleaned This Place Up
MV - Minivan
MNANO - Mommy Needs A Night Out
GTT - Going To Target
GTC - Going To Costco
GGS - Going Grocery Shopping
MHNTGAV - My Husband Needs To Get A Vasectomy
IIHTGTASGIWLMM - If I Have to Go To Another Soccer Game I Will Lose My Mind
LCKMA - Laundry Can Kiss My A**
GMOH - Get Me Outta Here
LGAT&L - Let's Go All Thelma & Louise
WRWGFDBINMA - Where Are We Going For Dinner Because I'm Not Making Any
WYPSP# - What's Your Plastic Surgeon's Phone Number
IHSMLIAW - I Haven't Shaved My Legs In A Week
IHTASYT - I Haven't Taken A Shower Yet Today
IHBMTYT - I Haven't Brushed My Teeth Yet Today
INAM/P - I Need A Mani/Pedi
IHNTW - I Have Nothing To Wear
INTGOM - I Need To Get Out More
INTGAB - I Need To Get A Babysitter
IGCYWC - I'm Going Crazy You Wanna Come
WYSP# - What's Your Shrink's Phone Number

Got any others you can think of?

To see a longer list of Mom Text Lingo, visit hipmomswhowork.com.

Hip Hangs OC: LUCCA CAFE

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:25:00 GMT

Business:
LUCCA CAFE

Location:
6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine; (949) 725-1773

Product/Service:
Yummy, scrumptious European/Mediterranean-inspired cuisine

I know this because:
I have eaten there several times and have never had a meal short of TOTALLY AWESOME.

Top 10 reasons you should eat at LUCCA CAFE:
1. The food is a-flippin'-mazing. When I eat there, I never think to myself, "This meal is OK." I always think, "OMG, I cannot believe how completely, absolutely, mind-blowingly delicious this is!"

2. It's owned by a husband and wife couple - Elliot and Cathy Pavlos. Cathy is the Executive Chef. I've met her and she rocks. She's super hard-working, loves food and wine and is committed to excellence.

3. LUCCA CAFE uses "high-quality ingredients, including free-range, hormone-free meats and locally grown organic produce." (source: LUCCA CAFE Facebook Fan Page). I especially love the "locally grown organic produce" aspect. You support LUCCA CAFE and LUCCA CAFE supports the local economy. Gotta love the way that works.

4. Cheese. Lots of cheese. Lots of really good cheese.

5. Last weekend Cathy catered for over 300 WWII veterans. She's gearing up to feed troops at Pendleton this holiday season too. She loves the troops!

6. It's a great place to meet a friend or business colleague for lunch/dinner because it's conveniently located off the 405 in Irvine. Great alternative to meeting up at the Spectrum.

7. LUCCA CAFE has an amazing selection of wines and microbrewed beers for whatever tickles your fancy.

8. They are not only a full-service restaurant but are also a cafe and wine bar.

9. They can cater your Thanksgiving dinner. (My mouth is watering at the mere prospect of this...)

10. Did I mention the cheese?

I was not paid or bribed in any way to do this review. These are my own observations and opinions. But, trust me, because I have phenomenal taste. ;)

Learn more about LUCCA CAFE on their website or become a fan of LUCCA CAFE on Facebook.

I don't write about restaurants on hipmomswhowork.com
but I do cover things like the goofiest USB gadgets and reasons why we should eradicate the goodie bag.
You should really stop by and see it for yourself. Really.

Moms rock.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:51:00 GMT

Moms kick butt. Seriously. No one understands what we do or what we go through like we do. No one bands together when someone is in need and within minutes can whip up solutions and ways to help like we can. As snarky as we can be, at the end of the day, moms have the back of their fellow moms - single, married, working, stay-at-home.

I do firmly believe women are the stronger sex. We do more. We work harder. We bare pain - physical and emotional - that others cannot comprehend. We experience joy others cannot imagine. We judge each other, sure. But, when push comes to shove, we will fight to defend one another, putting all differences aside.

Moms rock.

(You ever see anyone tattoo "Dad" across their arm? Just sayin'.)

This post was inspired by all of the amazing moms at my kids' school who came together with a speed and fervor I've never witnessed before...all to support a very sick 6YO girl and her family.

Are you a glutton for punishment?
If so, visit me at hipmomswhowork.com
to subject yourself to more of my writing.

Hip Hangs OC: Best. Coffee. Ever.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:28:00 GMT

Friends don't let friends patronize chain establishments. I'm starting a crusade to keep the mom-and-pop stores and restaurants of OC in business so we retain some local flavor and prevent the behemoth chains of the world from completely swallowing up Orange County - stucco strip malls and all.

And with that in mind, I'm starting a weekly series called Hip Hangs OC in which I'll be featuring locally owned and operated businesses.

Since my epicenter is South County I will kick off Hip Hangs OC with one of my local faves in quaint, little Dana Point...

Business: J.C. Beans Coffee House

Location: 34114 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point

Product/Service: Best coffee around

I know this because: I mainline coffee on a daily basis

Background: J.C. Beans opened up 15 years ago in Dana Point by a mother-daughter team, Janice and Cozette. That's where the "J.C." comes from. Adorable. They claim to be "one of the last remaining independent coffee houses in the solar system."

Top 10...okay, 11 reasons you should visit J.C. Beans:

Tasty coffee that packs a punch but is never bitter (unlike some coffee chains I know)

Fresh pastries baked on site

Friendly staff that strives to recognize you and know your drink order
Drive thru so you don't have to take the kids out of the car. BONUS!

Cozy fireplace and "antique-y" decor (to be honest, it looks like your grandma's living room, but her living room was always comfy, wasn't it?)
Free Wi-Fi with purchase
Lots of used books to 'borrow' - $3 'buys' you a used book that you can take home and then bring back and trade in for another. All money goes to the Dana Point Public Library.
Covered outdoor patio with tables. You can even bring your dog and they'll give him/her a biscuit and some water.
Pajama Storytime for kids at 6:30pm on Thursdays during summer months (not happening currently, but what a cute thing to offer, huh?)
You need a serious break from some coffee chains I know
Cheeky signs like this one below

Other great local hangs nearby: Head over to Girl in the Curl Surf Shop right next door. Or, cross the street and head north a block to Bella Bazaar. It's a shop full of everything from furniture to art to clothing to jewelry to ceramic pots for your yard - all hand-made by local artisans.

SHOP LOCAL! And, if you have any suggestions on shops/restaurants/cool hangs to feature, please leave it in the comment section below.

You can find more of my ramblings and random observations at HipMomsWhoWork.com.

What Have You Done For YOU Lately?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:12:00 GMT

At 4pm on Halloween night I abandoned my husband and kids with 30-minutes notice…and I would do it all over again.

My favorite band while I was in my 20’s was Phish. For those who don’t know who Phish is, they’re a really inventive, eclectic jam band in the spirit of the Grateful Dead (also a personal fave), but with a totally different sound. I’ve seen them over 30 times, which may sound like a lot, but compared to other die-hards it’s not.

I associate their music and their shows with some of the happiest, most carefree moments of my life. The band broke up in 2004 and everyone thought that was it, but they reunited earlier this year for a set of dates, none of which were within reasonable driving distance from where we live.

A couple of months ago they announced they were going to host a 3-day festival in Indio, CA – about 2-hrs from home – over Halloween weekend. Their Halloween shows are legendary. They come in “musical costume”, choosing a famous album from a famous band and cover it start to finish. They hadn’t played a Halloween show since 1998.

I was dying to go, but responsibilities (i.e., work and family) made going seem unreasonable. But that didn’t stop me from still dying to go. I listened to Friday night’s show via live stream. Saturday, after a morning of running errands and in the midst of being up to my elbows in pumpkin bread batter, I became so bummed out I wasn’t going to be there. It’s so close I can touch it and I’m doing basically what I do day-in and day-out. I decided to go. My husband was super-cool and encouraging. Within 30 minutes of deciding I was going, I was in my car – sunroof open, giddy with excitement, driving as fast as I could without getting caught, heading to Indio by myself. I got there about 10 minutes before the show started and spent the next 4.5 hours listening to my favorite band…with an enormous grin on my face the entire time – a natural high from being alone (aside from the other 39,999 people there) doing something 100% for myself for no other reason than because it’s fun.

I was totally happy.

I wasn’t anyone’s mother or wife. I was just me, living in that very moment, shaking my butt in the middle of the desert to some great tunes. I wish I could bottle that feeling so I could dab it on my wrists whenever life becomes mundane.

I had a 2-hour drive home after the show so there was a lot of time to think about why it’s so hard nowadays to feel like THAT. It’s not rocket science but the entire experience became a proof point for what I already know. And now I will generalize to include all of you too.

We mothers don’t do enough for ourselves. We don’t take enough time away from our husbands, partners, children. They are our priority and we give up a lot of who we are to be present for them and, in the process, forget who we are and what makes us happy.

When is the last time you did something strictly for yourself because it’s what you absolutely LOVE to do? And, squeezing in a pedicure before you pick up the kids from school does not count. Neither does working out, because who in their right minds would really do that purely for the joy of it? Therefore, exercise is disqualified due to ulterior motives. I’m talking about something that requires at least 4 hours of time away from your family and immerses you in something that is only about what you love.

I think need we need to take a break from our families more often then we do. It will make us better mothers, partners, wives. I only slept two hours last night but I feel great because I got back in touch – at least a little- with who I am. You should try it. What will you do?

Photo swiped from here.