Health & Beauty
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.
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.
Meet Diana
If you are looking for a fresh start health wise, some help recovering from childbirth or a surgery, or just looking for some lifestyle changes, Diana may be just who you are looking for! A family nurse practitioner at many leading hospitals (including NYU, Columbia and Mt. Sinai) before kids and COVID, Diana decided to enroll in a Nurse Health Coaching program, and is excited to assist clients recovering from surgery, guiding them through post-partum recovery, medication management or a broad-based program to achieve a healthier lifestyle. As a mom to a little boy, 3 dogs and 7 chickens, she is busy, but loves family time eating Mexican food, playing tennis, and swears by putting lemon on all things, including chips and popcorn! Her Columbian grandparents have always been her inspiration and she believes she was always destined to help others, and is so grateful to be in this community doing what she loves!
Molly Sims’ 5 Minute Beauty Routine!
Moms don’t have time for elaborate skincare routines – whether they’re mere mortals like us, or iconic model and entrepreneur Molly Sims. Recently, she shared her 5-minute skincare routine with The Local Moms Network CEO Layla Lisiewski. “We were in the sun for the last three months, so now it’s time to bring your retinols back, and incorporate brightening essentials to target any dark spots, hyperpigmentation and sun damage to the skin, while also continuing to protect your skin from the sun with SPF,” says Molly.
What a Psychotherapist Learned from Parenting a Child with Anxiety
I thought at 20 years in practice I had seen most of what there was to see when it came to anxiety. For the last two decades, I have treated adults and adolescents in private practice in Connecticut. When you work with young people, often you are also working with families to help support them and guide them in reinforcing treatment goals at home. There was a piece that I was missing, however, until I became a mom of a child with anxiety. Without sharing too many details, the past few months have been a struggle for our family. Having a child that developed a phobia that prevents them from attending school regularly impacts everyone in the family, including moms who are anxiety therapists…
Hey Westport, meet your new dentist!
In case you haven’t heard, the wait is finally over! The newest Tend studio (a full service dental office!) is now open at 1375 Post Road East in Westport (right next to Ulta and Balducci’s!) Haven’t heard about Tend? Here’s all you need to know….
Meet Allison…another Warrior!
If you know Allison Walmark, she has likely been making you laugh – and helping you keep perspective when the going gets tough for years! If you don’t know her, you’re welcome! Allison is a mom of two in Westport who truly is the definition of resilience and warrior. Just over 6 years ago, Allison was diagnosed with breast cancer, and given she had two kids, and was in her early 50s, she decided to do a double mastectomy without looking back (the day she refers to as “Jug Removal Day!”). Today she is sharing her story- and her journey with us – and It is unquestionably one that will make you laugh (because she’s hilarious), feel stronger, and remember that sharing with others is how we all heal, so thank you Allison!
Meet the Pink Aid Trio – Andi, Jill and Lindsey!
If you live locally, you have likely heard about PinkAid, an amazing organization that provides support and financial assistance to families (and patients) battling breast cancer. Founded in Westport by four amazing individuals impacted by Breast Cancer in a meaningful way, the organization has exploded, and now has a national reach. This Thursday, October 12th, the 13th Annual Pink Aid Luncheon and Warrior Fashion Show will take place at Mitchell’s in Westport. We had the chance to speak with the three amazing women chairing this event about their role in the organization, their passion for the cause, and why PinkAid matters so much to those in need.
Meet Ali Heitz (Kerri Rosenthal’s Daughter)…A True Warrior
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, another amazing warrior – Ali Heitz (daughter of beloved artist and local mom, Kerri Rosenthal) – shares her story of battling – and surviving – breast cancer! At the young age of just 30, Ali learned she had breast cancer through a routine visit to her OBGYN, reminding us that this disease does not discriminate against age. With the support of her mom – and her community – she did all that was needed to fight, including 20 rounds of radiation, chemotherapy, plus freezing her eggs before treatment started given her young age and life stage. We are thrilled to share that Ali is doing remarkably well! She is very excited about she and her mom’s recent collaboration with Pink Aid – and Bloomingdales – where Kerri painted an incredible piece of art to help support Pink Aid, a locally started- and now national organization, providing Compassionate Support and Rapid Emergency Financial Assistance to patients in treatment who do not have the resources needed. Learn more about Ali’s story- and the journey she and her mom are on.
Molly Sims 5 Minute Skincare Routine!
Moms don’t have time for elaborate skincare routines – whether they’re mere mortals like us, or iconic model and entrepreneur Molly Sims. Recently, she shared her 5-minute skincare routine with The Local Moms Network CEO Layla Lisiewski. “We were in the sun for the last three months, so now it’s time to bring your retinols back, and incorportate brightening essentials to target any dark spots, hyperpigmentation and sun damage to the skin, while also continuing to protect your skin from the sun with SPF,” says Molly. Below, she shares her daily routine, using her go-to Yse Beauty products, the skincare line she created.
Warrior Spotlight – Mammograms Save Lives…
Many in our community know Felicia Sale, mom of four, and co-founder of Restore Hyper Wellness in Westport! We are so grateful she was willing to share her story about how a recent mammogram led to detection of early stage breast cancer, and how proactive treatment and surgery likely saved her life. Through her experience, she was supported by friends and our amazing community, and has gotten involved (with her daughter Avery) in Pink Posse, an arm of Pink Aid where volunteers help those in dire need of resources going through breast cancer – and the treatment process. Felicia is a reminder to all of us to be proactive, to be positive, and to take care of ourselves, no matter how busy life gets!
Meet a Mom – Dr Corinna Franklin
Meet Dr. Corinna Franklin, MD, AB, FAOA, chief of pediatric orthopedics at Yale School of Medicine. She has been an orthopedic surgeon for almost 11 years, with a focus on female pediatric and adolescent athletes. She sees patients at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Specialty Centers in New Haven, North Haven, Trumbull and Old Saybrook, and lives in Hamden with her family, including a daughter, 6. We spoke to Dr. Franklin about her practice, tips for keeping kids healthy while playing sports, and more.
6 Ways to Raise Children with a Growth Mindset
Ever worry about your child’s desire to learn? Are you concerned that they do not feel as smart as other kids, but do not know how to change this outlook? A positive attitude can help them reshape their perspective on learning and what it means to achieve a goal. For years, researchers have looked into the effects of a “growth mindset,” where children focus on learning from their failures rather than worrying about being judged by them. We spoke to the experts at Connecticut Children’s to learn more about SIX ways to develop a child’s Growth Mindset to make them even more successful in life!
Mexican Street Corn Salad!
This Mexican Street Corn Salad is a crowd-pleaser for any summer barbecue. It lasts in the fridge for a few days, so make extra on the weekend for easy weekday lunches. Can’t find cotija cheese in your local grocery store? Substitute feta or parmesan.
Meet Ellie!
Mom to three, and a New Canaan native, Ellie has been practicing yoga for 17 years, and is now fully certified and finally followed her passion to teach – and to help others find the mind body connection! She originally found yoga after experiencing sports injuries, and loved how strong and flexible It made her feel! Ellie loves the recent show The Last Thing He Told Me! on Netflix, loves her Vanilla Sweet Cream in her coffee every morning and Golden Retrievers, and has strong Bucknell spirit across her extended family! Don’t miss our beach yoga with Ellie on Monday, July 24th at 930AM- stay tuned for more details!
Summer Skewers!
Skip the oven this summer with this assembly-only app from the talented moms behind Habitual Hostess. Below, you’ll find two versions, a sophisticated melon and prosciutto combo and a watermelon feta option that vegetarians will love.
Chic Cover Ups for Summer!
When it comes to making your beach or poolside outfit perfect, a cover-up completes the look. Fashion Contributor Kristin Koch, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen magazine and the mom of three behind Closetful of Clothes says cover-ups are not only pretty, but versatile too. No matter what style you choose, cover-ups can take you from daytime to dinner with a quick change of shoes and a few added accessories to elevate your look. Check out these recos – you’re welcome!
