What better way to get in the holiday spirit than witnessing the extravagant window displays put up by the fancy schmancy retailers. I love this type of assault on my visual sense. Oh, where to look next…
The very best windows, though only ephemeral stages for the visual extravaganza, always offer some mystery and intrigue, a fantastical take on already fantastical fables. As Simon Doonan, Creative Director at Barney’s says it  “surprise is a very important element of a good window”, which explains his wacky take on the foodie culture of the moment.

As we mentioned in an article on the [...]

The Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison
Happy Thanks-giving!

You’ll Laugh. You’ll Cry. You’ll think about it. And you will want to show your daughters.
The word pretty is unworthy of everything you will be, and no child of mine will be contained in five letters. You will be pretty intelligent, pretty creative, pretty amazing, but you will never be merely “pretty.” Katie Makkai
Powerful stuff this poetry.

Like most of us, I really, really do make an effort to act green… as long as it doesn’t add yet another complication to my already endless To-Do list. I know, that’s almost lame, but it’s my reality. Still, in my defense, know that I’m a recycling tyrant.
So, when an item like the Green2 Laundry Washing Ball comes along, I can’t help but embrace it and spread the word. The Laundry Washing Ball is an earth friendly product that replaces the need for bleaches, harmful synthetic detergents or softeners.
I found out about this item on Alice.com (you know, my second [...]

BloggersUnite, in conjunction with WaterAidAmerica and megree.com, has invited bloggers to spread the word about the condition of water in developing countries: 4000 children die each day due to illnesses from lack of clean drinking water.

Clean water is essential for life but 1 in 8 of the world’s population doesn’t have access to it. WaterAid is looking to raise awareness about the need for clean water in developing countries, to convey the message that sanitation is a critical sector in human development outcomes.
Diarrheal diseases caused by poor sanitation and unsafe water kill more children than AIDS, malaria and [...]

This film is not out yet, but look for it to be released this fall. It’s one of those really “important” films, like Food, Inc. and an Inconvenient Truth (same filmmaker Davis Guggenheim) “Waiting for Superman” is one of those must-see movies. Through real-life children’s stories, this documentary tells us how the U.S. school system, once the best in the world, is now utterly failing our kids – to the point of calling the schools “drop-out factories” and “academic sinkholes”. Still, it seems that the documentary offers hope as Guggenheim explores alternative, innovative approaches that could revive the system.
The current [...]

My issues concerning my body size and all its various flaws? They have haunted me for years and have been the cause of sooooo much wasted energy. I look back on the photos of me in my mid-twenties when I thought then that I was “fat” (a size 4-6). What was I thinking? Why-o-why did I spend a single second torturing myself with those thoughts. And torture I did.
Now, that my beautiful daughter is thirteen, I’m hoping that she, somehow, miraculously, bypasses these issues. I tell her my “wasted energy” story all the time; I tell her that she should [...]

I looooooooooooove this video. If you remember (you should, it was one of last decades most viral videos), OK Go is the band that made the Treadmill video.

The “Machine” in this video was invented and created by 20 (yes 20!) engineers. The construction of the Machine – using 10,ooo sq. ft. of space over two floors – must have been a daunting though thrilling task. I don’t even want to guess how many trials they had to go through to make this work. And how many pianos, TVs, mannequins and other items had to be smashed to get to that [...]

A simple text will donate $5 to help the crisis in Haiti. Text HAITI to number 25383 to give $5.

Or go to the International Rescue Committee’s website to donate a tax-deductible gift in whichever amount you like. Either way, it shouldn’t take you more than a minute. And, if you have an extra minute, please spread the word on Facebook. Update your status to say:  “I am donating my status update to rescue lives in Haiti.  Text HAITI to 25383 to donate $5 to help the International Rescue Committee rescue lives.  COPY & PASS THIS ON AS YOUR [...]

I’m not a scotch drinker – and perhaps, neither are you – but I am an admirer of creative, brilliantly executed advertising. So, I thought I’d share this remarkable advertisement for Johnnie Walker Scotch Whiskey.
It stars Robert Carlyle who delivers an incredible six minutes monologue in a single take, while interacting with various props lined up along his (must be) mile-long walk as he recounts the history of the Johnnie Walker brand.
“The Man Who Walked Around The World” is truly a masterful production that demonstrates some agencies still know how to make a brilliant commercial with impeccable craftsmanship and storytelling [...]