Around Town
Meet Samara – and Stand with Israel Event!
Local mom of two, Samara works for the Jewish National Fund-USA, motivated at an early age to support Jewish non-profits after spending time during college living in Tel Aviv. When she was hired as the Director of Westchester and Southern CT shortly after her move to the area, it felt truly meant to be. She is currently working on a big event on Thursday, January 18th called “All in for Israel- Casino Night” to help provide additional support for humanitarian need on the ground in Israel following October 7th, and hopes many in the community will attend! In a past life, Samara was an avid ski racer and thought she’d become a school psychologist, but is so glad her path took her where It did! Samara loves to travel with her husband, wishes she could sing, dreams of going to the Winter Olympics one day, and loves how social and involved the Westport community is! We are lucky to have you Samara!
Strategies for Returning to School After Breaks
Heading back to school after taking time off can feel like stepping into a brand-new world. Whether it’s catching up on missed work or fitting back in with friends, these tips are your trusty guide to getting back on track without the stress.
Winter Landscaping Protection for Springtime Splendor
As the brisk winter weather sets in, many of us tend to retreat indoors, often overlooking the landscape outside that bears the brunt of the harsh weather. However, landscape preparation in winter is crucial for protecting your plants and setting the stage for a healthy, beautiful spring landscape. Laurel Rock shares some tips on what you can do to best protect your lawn for spring!
Spicy Blueberry Margarita
Looking for a fun new drink this New Year? This Spicy Blackberry Margarita made with 21Seeds Cucumber Jalapeño tequila is the perfect batch cocktail to make ahead for your next festive fête!
2024 Health and Wellness Guide!
IT’S HERE! Your 2024 Health & Wellness Guide! If you are looking to kick off the New Year right, check out some of these amazing local businesses offering great meal delivery services, fitness offerings, reset options and more! Wishing everyone a Happy & Healthy new year!
When is the best time to Install a New Roof?
When is the best time to install a new roof? This is a question commonly asked among homeowners. Brown Roofing shared their thoughts with us! Many think their roof is “fine” or in “good condition” and replacement can be pushed off until another week, month, or year, but this is not always the case. Due to inflation and material shortages, it is almost guaranteed that prices will rise no matter where you go (roughly 5% a year). So when it comes to “when should I replace my roof”?, the truth is It is typically a few years before you even knew you needed it.
New Year’s Eve at Home!
New Year’s Eve at home this year? If so, we’re sharing a round up of fun and family-friendly ideas from our local Moms to make your low-key celebrations extra special. The best part? You can all be in bed well before midnight to start 2024 ready to go!
Pomegranate Cosmo Recipe!
We’re loving this Pomegranate Cosmopolitan, created by the moms of Habitual Hostess! It’s the perfect thing to cheers to while watching the new Sex & the City sequel series, as well as to serve at any holiday gathering. Check out the recipe below–including directions for making it into batches for a holiday or New Year’s Eve soiree!
3 Ways to Transform your New Year’s resolution into Healthy Habits
Tired of making New Year’s resolutions that quickly fizzle out? You’re not alone — 80% of people abandon them by February. But this year, we have good news! Hartford HealthCare Medical Group has the inside scoop on beating those odds and turning your health goals into sustainable habits. Our latest blog post features Dr. Muhammad Bhutta, a family medicine provider in Stamford, who spills the beans on 3 game-changing ways to transform your resolutions into healthy lifestyle changes.
Meet Melissa Bernstein
Meet Melissa Bernstein, the co-founder of inimitable toy brand Melissa & Doug, and now Lifelines, a collection of physical tools designed for stress relief using a revolutionary wellness technique called Sensory Immersion™: using your senses to send calming signals to your brain. In addition to becoming an incredibly successful entrepreneur, Melissa built a beautiful family; she is mom to six children ranging in ages from 30 to 15. Underneath all the success, though, was an undercurrent of depression. After facing her mental health struggles and sharing them in her memoir to help others, Lifelines was born. Already, the brand is receiving praise for being as innovative for the wellness space as Melissa & Doug was for the toy industry. Learn more about Lifelines and Melissa at the link in our bio.
Meet Amanda, Founder of Rebel & Rose
Mom to a little baby boy, Amanda is the Founder and Owner of Rebel & Rose Tattoo Studio in Downtown Westport, which opened in 2022. After over a decade tattooing in Long Island, and more recently in Connecticut, Amanda found the industry to be very male dominated, and decided to create a space for herself – and other like-minded female artists. Rebel & Rose is the first female founded and operated Tattoo Studio in Fairfield County! An artist at heart, Amanda thought she would work in Art Therapy prior to finding tattooing, and resurfaced her love for painting during COVID. Amanda loves the mountains (she dreams of visiting Montana one day), swears by her Apple pencil for all of her designs, is a morning person, and she owns a 1932 Ford Coupe which her grandfather built for her and gave to her before passing away. Amanda’s love for her work is evidenced by her amazing studio and clientele, and she loves nothing more than sharing her passion with others.
Ear Molding with Dr. Jandali
Dr. Shareef Jandali is a board-certified plastic surgeon with offices in Trumbull, Connecticut and Manhattan, NY. He specializes in non-surgical ear molding for newborn ear deformities such as prominent ears, ear lidding, pointed ears, Stahl’s ear, constricted ear, and cup ear. Ear molding is a painless procedure performed in his office that gently corrects the misshapen ear cartilage. It is best to start in the first few weeks after birth for full correction, but improvements in shape can still be obtained up to 4 months of age. Ear molding does not affect hearing development, breastfeeding, or sleeping. Ear molding is usually covered by insurance. Visit www.ear-molding.com for more information.
Calling all Moms! Join us for a Sip ‘n Shop Event at Trumpet Thursday, 11/30!
Join us THIS Thursday for a fun Sip ‘n Shop event at Southport’s Trumpet Boutique from 6PM-9PM. There will be food, drinks and a special gift with purchase, and 20% off all night, as well as all day 11/30 and 12/1! See you there!
Meet a Founder – Lydia Thibodeau of Sommet Nannies
Finding reliable and top-notch childcare is at the top of every new mom’s list—but can often feel next to impossible, akin to finding a unicorn. Lydia Thibodeau founded Sommet Nannies, which currently has offices in Boston, Chicago, Washington, Connecticut and soon, New York City, after working as a nanny through high school and college, and has been helping families find their own childcare unicorn since 2015. Want to try SommetNannies? Mention LOCALMOMS or put it in the notes section to waive the $500 registration fee!
Nanny Holiday Bonus – All Your Questions Answered!
Holiday bonuses are common in many industries, and household employees should be included. The big question is, “What should you give for a holiday bonus?” Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny’s team of experts will share the different options you can provide your professional nanny.
Portion Sizes for Kids: How Much Food Is Healthy for My Child’s Age?
Do you struggle with meal planning (and creative lunch packing!) as much as we do? Some days, figuring out WHAT to feed your child is hard enough. Figuring out HOW MUCH can seem downright impossible. The recommended portions for a child depend on their age and even gender – and unfortunately, the serving size listed on grocery store labels doesn’t have much to do with It. Connecticut Children’s is here to help. Here’s a guide to understanding healthy food portions for kids, including some time-saving tips.
Tree Farms for Cutting and Buying Christmas Trees this Holiday Season!
If you are looking to get the Holiday Season started, check out some of these local tree farms with pre-cut and cut your own options!
9 Things to Say No to this Month
No-vember: This new term is all over social media, and moms everywhere are embracing it in real life, with good reason. It describes the act of saying no to protect your physical, emotional and spiritual energy this month—a reserve all parents will need once the holidays hit. Saying no to things that don’t serve you, or your family, can be the most powerful thing in the world, because it frees you to say yes to things that do. From 7 meetings with Santa for the kids, to helming every event at school, not everything has to get the go-ahead. Here are 20 things to consider turning down—but you’ll know your own No-vember boundaries best.
3 Sheet Pan Dinners for Busy Weeknights
Sheet pan dinners are one of the easiest ways to get dinner on the table, fast. Plus, if you line your baking pans with foil or parchment paper, there’s virtually no clean-up! We love the collection of Sheet Pan Dinners Maegan Brown of The BakerMama shard, which include recipes for pizza, shrimp pad thai and even chicken fried rice. Indeed, you might think these fuss-free meals are limited to a protein and vegetable, but you can easily incorporate carbs like pasta and rice, making sheet pan dinners as versatile as other easy cooking techniques. See some family faves!
Mom Spotlight – Meet Ailsa Emmel, Certified Nurse Midwife
Ailsa Emmel is a mom to 25-year-old twins who currently lives in eastern North Carolina with her husband, a U.S. Marine on active duty. Born in NYC, she moved to FL as a teenager, and she herself is also a Veteran, who served in the U.S. Navy. She has built a career as a nurse practitioner with a specialty in Midwifery, but her side gig—as a “lifestyle influencer who loves clothes”—is how she’s quickly gaining a following on social media. “I love to share what I am wearing and what I am loving. I use fashion to express and represent myself. I believe getting dressed even in a baggy pair of sweats makes the biggest difference in my overall mental state,” says Ailsa. We asked Ailsa about growing her social media presence through her Instagram handle @_happygocurly, how her military background has contributed to her career and motherhood, and more.