More coolness from recent weeks…
Francophiles rejoice, for Nicholas is here. And he speaks English too.
Every kid needs a Nicholas in his life. That is, the endearing French storybook by René Gosciny (of Asterix and Obelix fame) with charming illustrations by the beloved New Yorker cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé. The series was an instant hit from its first publication...
I scream, you scream
It may be a while before the babies I know can slurp down a triple scoop, but that wouldn't stop me from parading them around town in this adorable Ice Cream Cheerleading Stunt onesie. Designed by Ava-Marie Guerrero and available at the always wonderful Threadless, I...
Cool art everyone can afford. That is, if you can afford free.
Cool Mom Picks internet crush (we would totally braid each other's hair at summer camp) Indie Fixx has done it again with indie coolness for the masses; this time, founder Jen Wallace has set her sights on affordable art for all.In fact, affordable isn't quite right....
Rick Springfield comes out with a lullaby album, and thousands of moms fall in love with him all over again
My love affair with Rick started when I was just young girl and I heard Jessie's Girl come blasting on the radio. Twenty something years later, it's still my favorite song of all time. (And there is a video of me singing it at a karaoke bar somewhere in New York City...
Anything but utilitarian
The name is something of a misnomer, because everything at designer Susan Fisher's utility:home is a bright, shiny reminder that even the ordinary can look extraordinary.Their greeting cards are fabulous, of course -- the patterns pop, and even the brightly-colored...
Frenchy Baby Organics – Hold me back from the cuteness
It's tough finding organic play clothes with a bit of a modern twist. But the folks at Frenchy Baby Organics do just that with their ridiculously cute 100% organic children's basics. While the website could use a little work, in person the clothes are absolutely...
Rick rack is back
Even with the adjustable waistband pants, my skinny-minnie still needs some help to prevent the little plumber's bottom, and Holly Stewart of Jane Edward makes belts that do just that. I admit that the sight of rick rack reminds me of the little pinafore dresses of my...
Mighty B: My kind of hero
I don't watch a heck of a lot of kid TV, but I've been making an exception for the new DVD release of We Got the Bee which features a bunch of episodes from Nickelodeon's series, The Mighty B!Haven't seen it yet? Let's just say the heroine of this show, Bessie...
Oh my oh my oh dinosaurs
Kids love dinosaurs and are fascinated with the idea of monstrous animals that roamed the earth and ate each other for breakfast. It's only natural that they start asking more questions than sometimes we know how to answer-- how the dinosaurs got here, what came...
Shower the people you love with love – and baby gifts
After many weeks in the making, we're so excited to launch the Cool Mom Picks Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide!You'll find a full 100 of our editors' favorite baby gifts to give in 2009, from the cutest organic onesies to affordable personalized baby blankets, to...
More of Me Maternity – The must-have maternity dress for 2009
When I was pregnant, I was always amazed about how little I felt like myself. Yes, having babies is a beautiful, glorious thing, but darn if I didn't feel like a beached whale stuffed in some boring tenty t-shirt. Oh how I longed to feel like former sexy(er) self. I'm...
Emphatical Piratical: Kids music that strikes pirate gold
Pirates may be lawless, mean and smelly, but I'm having a blast listening to the buccaneering rock of Portland, Oregon's Captain Bogg & Salty on their new CD, Emphatical Piratical. And fortunately, instead of telling my kids to rob and pillage, they've taught them...
Thank your lucky stars
With my mother-in-law the faithful member of her local Irish Club who makes Irish Potatoes from scratch every year, you can bet we're pretty big on the Saint Patrick's Day celebration. But while I might slug the green beer and and chow down on corn beef and cabbage, I...
Just when you thought there was nothing new in the world of baby wash cloths
Since falling in love with muslin swaddling blankets, I've donated most of my daughter's other blankets to my kids' play bin. So when Jessica Burros of the shop Bambino Land told me she was designing muslin wash cloths, I scrambled to get my hands on them -- and they...
Cloud shelf, silver lining included
What do I see when I look at this cloud? I see a floor free from clutter. The metal Cloud Shelf is the perfect place to stash toys, books and even my son's prized Spongebob baseball hat. It's deep enough to actually put stuff on at 6 inches, the lip keeps books from...
Sarah Waldo – 21st century organics for girls
If ever there were a sign that organics had bypassed the crunchy crowd and hit the mainstream, it's the label Sarah Waldo Organics. The sweet, girlie spring line from Providence designer Sarah Waldo are as lovely as anything in any high-end department store. Only with...
Oh, hello cutest tooth fairy pillows ever in the history of tooth fairy pillows
If I were the tooth fairy, I would not be all fair and diplomatic with my reward system. No ma'am. I would give the most money to the toothless child who lured me in with the cutest tooth fairy pillow and made the biggest production out of the whole lost tooth thing....
Whereby hard-living rock god meets furry woodland creature
It's hard to resist a designer whose bio proclaims that she draws inspiration from "the intersection between geeks and guitars." Hey - that's us, too! Except for the designer part. So yeah, we fell instantly in love with San Francisco artist/designer Willo O'Brien and...
The luck of the mallow
St Patrick's day treats don't exactly inspire me the way say, Halloween or Valentine's Day treats do. And frankly, some of them just plain freak me out. (I'm looking at you, Shamrock Shake.) So leave it to our friends at The Nibble to point us towards a really cool...
Childrens rugs get a much needed makeover
Modern children's rugs are that one item that hasn't quite proliferated at the same speed as other modern nursery decor. Mostly your rug choices for the kids' room are stripes, butterflies, or um . . . stripes. But I've just discovered the really lovely children's...
Kids slippers with values parents love too
Oh how I love the adorable children's slippers from Satch and Sol. But more importantly, my daughters love them. They don't know that these soft slippers are handmade from felted wool and suede soles by a fair trade artisan cooperative. They don't know that the...