This school year is definitely going to be unique so how about you pick out some school supplies that go along with that theme. Etsy has you covered with all the personalized pens, pencils, pencil cases and more, and every rainbow item under the sun. Place your order today!
—Kate Loweth
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Check your Crock Pots! In a safety alert shared from Whystle, Sunbeam Products is recalling Crock-Pot 6-Quart Express Crock Multi-Cookers because they can pressurize when the lid is not fully locked, which can cause the lid to detach and eject hot food and liquids.
Affected crock pots have Model Number SCCPPC600-V1 on the label on the bottom of the unit and were manufactured between Jul. 1, 2017 and Oct. 1, 2018. They bear date codes K196JN through K365JN and L001JN through L273JN, which is engraved on one of the prongs of the electrical plug and on the bottom of the base.
photo: Crock Pot
The recalled Crock-Pots were sold at Walmart, Target, Amazon and other retailers from July 2017 through November 2020 for $70 to $100. Sunbeam has received 119 reports of lids detaching and 99 reports of injuries ranging from first-degree to third-degree burns.
If you have a recalled product, stop using it immediately in pressure cooker mode. While it is safe to use in slow cooking and sautéing modes, customers can contact Crock-Pot to obtain a free replacement lid.
Crock-Pot can be reached by phone at 800-323-9519 or you can visit recall.crockpot.com to check if you own an affected product and to request a replacement lid.
––Karly Wood
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You and your littles look forward to playing Dreidel every year. It’s a blast to watch the piles of gelt grow (or shrink!) with every shin, nun, hey and gimel—the shrieks of glee are an added bonus. But, even go-to holiday traditions can use a little shaking up, once in a while. For Hanukkah 2020 you can get creative with a classic Hanukkah tradition by checking out these six ideas that’ll have you looking at spinning tops in a whole new light.
Related: Totally Unique Menorahs You Can Make at Home
We think the idea to create a board game, from Therapy Fun Zone, is pure genius. Instead of collecting goodies and sweets, have each spin represent a move on a gameboard, which has fun activities and simple actions spread out among the game squares. Download the free PDF here, or, create one of your own. Want to know how many moves each symbol represents? Jump over to Therapy Fun Zone for more info, and other clever ways to use dreidels.
Be the first to stack up all your blocks and win! Up to six people can play Staccabees, a twist on the dreidel game that includes the fun of the spin but adds the excitement of stacking pieces higher and higher until it all comes crashing down. Each set includes 36 wood game pieces, one engraved wood dreidel and a canvas tote to keep it all together. Grab your own set here. Don’t feel like buying the game? DIY a version with Jenga pieces or building blocks and your own set of dreidels.
If you’ve ever played Dreidel, then you’ll remember how long it can take for someone to be declared the champion. For a speedy take on the game, check out a revamped version created by Ben Blatt over at Slate. Speed Dreidel™ calls for players to spin their dreidels together (no more watching your bubbe spin while the kids squirm!), and then wiggles with the rules just a bit (like how much gelt you win or lose with each roll), to make the game more interesting for every player. Trying this version will ensure your latkes don’t get cold while you try to collect everyone else's stash of goodies. Grab the full instructions by clicking here.
Related: 14 Easy Hanukkah Crafts to Try This Year
Make an artistic statement instead of playing for gelt, this year. Give your kids a box, a top and drop in paint, then watch them create their own spin art right at home. It’s an easy way to add a new twist to a timeless Festival of Light family activity.
Instead of waiting for everyone to have a turn with the dreidel and divvying up the goodies accordingly, why not conduct spin-offs? It's fun and easy to grab a timer and see which family member has been perfecting those spinning skills since last Hanukkah. Each time someone out-spins another player, reward the record holder with chocolates and goodies.
We love this idea from A Dime Saved. Every person has to pick 4 things that start with the 4 letters on the dreidel. Take all the items and put them in 4 separate baskets. Each time you land on a letter you have to pick an item from that bag and put it in. Game ends when everyone gets bored or there are no more items in the basket.
Kay Jewelers is expanding its’ Disney Treasures Fine Jewelry Collection! Initially launched to a limited number of stores and Kay.com, shoppers can now find the the entire line in 900 Kay stores across the U.S.
Disney Treasures includes pendants, rings and earrings, all themed around your fave characters. Each item comes with specialty packaging, a Certificate of Authenticity and ranges in price from $129.99 to $499.99.
Kay Jewelers shares some of the top pieces from the collection which include:
• Mickey Mouse & Minnie styles in Mother of pearl and onyx
• Simba and elephant designs from Lion King
• Pooh Bear and red balloons from Winnie the Pooh
• Marie and Eiffel Tower pieces from The Aristocats
• Dalmatians and paw prints from 101 Dalmatians
All pieces in the Disney Treasures collection are engraved for authenticity and are set in sterling silver with 10K yellow or rose gold accent. You can shop the complete collection at your local Kay Jewelers are on kay.com.
––Karly Wood
All photos: Courtesy of Kay Jewelers
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The wait is over! After initially announcing the magical collab last summer, Pandora and Warner Bros. Consumer Products are ready to release a 12-product capsule collection featuring charms, a bracelet and pendants from the Harry Potter film series.
The capsule collection will include some of the most recognizable symbols from the Wizarding World (such as Hogwarts Castle and the Golden Snitch) along with film fave charcaters Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
Pandora’s Chief Creative and Brand Officer Stephen Fairchild said in a press release, “Through our Harry Potter-inspired jewelry, Pandora and Harry Potter fans can express their love for magic, fantasy, bravery and the power of friendship. Pandora fans have asked for this collection for years, and we are really excited that it is here.”
Fans of the film can look forward to sterling silver double dangle charms featuring all four Hogwarts houses, a Golden Snitch bangle with the iconic Quidditch symbol at the clasp, a Hogwart’s Express charm with, “Anything from the trolley, dears?” engraved on it and so much more.
You can get the Harry Potter x Pandora collection starting Nov. 28 in Pandora stores or on pandora.net.
—Erica Loop
Photos: Courtesy of PRNewsfoto/Pandora Jewelry
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Another day, another NYC/Brooklyn food trend. Some are not so kid-friendly. (Artisanal mayonaise, gin, relish?: Eh.) However, a recent addition to the burgeoning Gowanus, Brooklyn restaurant row of Third Avenue is serving up novelty nosh tiny diners can probably get behind: pierogies. With a real grandma providing the shop’s namesake and culinary inspiration, Baba’s Pierogies recently opened its doors, and we stopped by to sample the goods.
photo: Baba’s Pierogies
The Story
A few years ago, Helena Fabiankovic started a side business catering pierogies on a lark. The venture was inspired by her childhood memory of the savory dumplings her grandmother (AKA “Baba”), an immigrant from Slovakia, would whip up every Friday. Needless to say, the concept snowballed, and this April, Fabiankovic and partner Robert Gardiner opened Baba’s Pierogies to much buzz and long lines. (An hour wait on opening weekend!) Now Fabiankovic, family, and friends are working overtime to meet what is apparently, a pent-up demand for a nouveau Brooklyn version of the comfort food.
The Scene
While Brooklyn’s Third Avenue is hardly bustling like the nearby commercial arteries of Fifth Avenue or Smith Street, funky retail spots and restaurants are increasingly cropping up here. (Twig Terrariums, The Robot Foundry, Runner & Stone, and The Pines are all a stone’s throw from Baba’s. Whole Foods Brooklyn is around the corner and of course, Barclays Center isn’t too far away as well.)
The restaurant itself is cozy, with a few more than a dozen seats. (Not a problem when we stopped by on a weekday for lunch, but you may wait on the weekends.) It’s a bright space with lots of raw wood touches: the walls are lined with weathered wood from pallets, the tables, engraved with the restaurant’s logo, are made from salvaged bowling alley lanes. The decor pays homage to Baba and her home country, with family photos hung against a backdrop of a map (you get to see grandma cooking over the years).
Added bonus: the restaurant is specifically designed so you can see your pierogies being fashioned back in the kitchen.
The Food
As the name promises: pierogies. Lots and lots of pierogies both boiled or fried (you get to pick your preparation). Varieties range from classic potato and sauerkraut, to mac and cheese, bacon cheddar, and more — and for dessert: crunchy hazelnut chocolate or blueberry. Toppings include sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions, and you’ll find an assortment of dips such as horseradish and blue cheese.
Baba’s also offers sandwiches such as the Hamwich or the Sloppy Kielbasy (sort of a sloppy joe with sausage) as well as colorful palate-cleansing slaw salads made from carrots, cucumbers and beets. Additional menu items include grilled kilebasy, schnitzel bites, and kielbasy sliders.
The Future
Fabiankovic says that in time, more exotic fillings, as well as dishes such as soups and goulashes will be offered at Baba’s. Right now, the restaurant is cash only and doesn’t deliver, but that will change in the coming weeks, and beer and wine will be added to the drinks selection of sodas and iced teas.
Baba’s Pierogies
295 Third Ave.
Gowanus
718-222-0777
Online: babasbk.com
Have you been to Baba’s Pierogies? What kind did you try? Tell us in the comments below!
— Mimi O’Connor
This holiday season, why not shop for gifts that truly keep on giving? Read on to find local companies that not only offer unique gifts, but they also give all or a portion of their proceeds to a worthy cause. Giving never felt so good.
See Beautiful
Founded by a former GSU professor who wanted to change the way women and girls defined themselves as beautiful, the See Beautiful movement has grown beyond “self-image” and instead rallies around the everyday, intentional act of finding the beauty in life as it comes at you. And guess what? See Beautiful has really cool products, including funky t-shirts, bracelets, onesies, and organic scarves that return a portion of all proceeds to a non-profit of your choice. Be sure to check out the eco-friendly (and dishwasher safe) Re-Hy engraved glass bottles.
Details: See Beautiful, and See Beautiful Blog
Plywood People
While Plywood People deal in big-picture social ideas driven by creative, innovative people, they also put rubber to the road (or billboards to the sewing machine) by training and hiring refugees in Atlanta to make their incredibly cool Billboard Bags. More than a bag, the Billboard Bag Project even has corporate partners who have gotten behind their mission. And did we mention that the bags are cool, like really, really cool? Best part (other than the fact that you’re helping to create jobs for refugees in Atlanta)? You can wipe them down with a damp cloth, mom. Score.
Details: Plywood People, and Plywood People Blog
Kula Project
This Marietta-based non-profit invests in small-scale farmers in Rwanda by helping them access high-quality seeds and by plugging them in to a fair-market buyer for their crops, even before they’ve planted those seeds. You can support the Kula Project by shopping their products (we especially love their burlap bow ties), or by directly providing Rwandan farmers with coffee trees, banana trees, or farming tools.
Details: Kula Project, and Kula Project on Facebook
Defend Atlanta
Founded by childhood friends who grew up in our fair city, Defend Atlanta makes apparel that touts the city’s diversity, innovation, and uniqueness. And, by purchasing Defend Atlanta’s t-shirts, you’ll also be supporting a local non-profit (organizations change occasionally, but all are rooted in the community). Currently, a portion of the t-shirt sales support the Kindezi School in southwest Atlanta.
Details: Defend Atlanta, and Defend Atlanta on Facebook
HollyBeth Organics
This local entrepreneur began hand-crafting skincare products based on her grandmother’s knowledge of plants in the north Georgia mountains decades ago, and thank goodness (for us), she started producing small batches of her wonder creams, lotions, and potions full-time in Atlanta in 2007. Perfect for mamas with dry skin stemming from a lack of sleep, dehydration, and life in general, a portion of her proceeds go to cancer research and children’s charities.
Details: HollyBeth Organics, and HollyBeth Organics Blog
Did we miss one? What local companies do you love that give back? Share with us in the comments section below!
—Shelley Massey
Photos courtesy of See Beautiful, Kula Project on Facebook, Defend Atlanta, and HollyBeth Organics via Facebook
You’re a mom and proud of it — but that doesn’t mean you sacrifice your fundamental sense of cool. (Mom jeans? Yeah, right.) While you once rolled your eyes at the thought of announcing your mommyhood with engraved trinkets, now there’s jewelry that says, “Okay, I’m a little obsessed with my baby” in stylish and subtle ways. Here are a few favorites. They’re splurges … you deserve it!
Satin Braid Bracelet
When Kate Middleton was spotted last winter wearing “the Duchess” charm necklace from UK e-boutique Merci Maman, the site was flooded with orders. We love the brand’s satin braid bracelets with sterling silver intertwined circles that can be subtly engraved with your baby’s name. Available in a rainbow of colors, they’re casual and nicely priced — perfect for gifts, or moms with babies who like to grab necklaces. $83; delivery takes 9 to 11 days when shipped to the U.S.; mercimamanboutique.com
Silhouette Pendant
Email your little one’s best profile pic to CadenceLee, and the jewelry line run by an enterprising mother of two and Rhode Island School of Design grad will make a custom necklace showcasing that kissable ski slope nose framed by 14k yellow gold, white gold or sterling silver. Layer with other strands of necklaces or choose a design that includes a few diamonds to bump up the look. $250 and up, delivery in about three weeks; cadencelee.com
Monogrammed Rings
Let your fingers do the talking with stackable bronze rings by Chicago designer and chic mother of one Winifred Grace Gundeck. Include the initials of your newest family member plus your spouse, your pet and yourself. Let them take on bronze’s burnished patina or polish with the special included cloth to keep them mirror-shiny. $184 for set of three rings (initials $3 per ring); delivery in two weeks or less; winifredgrace.com
Asymmetrical Letter Necklace & Earrings
Celebrity favorite and California-based designer Maya Brenner is the queen of jewelry with personal meaning—everyone from Cameron Diaz to Julianne Hough has been spotted representing her roots with Brenner’s state necklaces. We love her mini initials that sit to one side of a super thin chain and are available in rose, white or yellow gold. They’re a sweet, barely-there statement of your love for your little ones, and the letters can be strung up to five per necklace. (Mini letters also available as stud earrings for $196 per pair.) Necklaces $240 with one letter plus $60 per additional letter; delivery within 9 days, mayabrenner.com
What would your dream push present be? Let us know in the Comments!
— Amalie Drury
Pure Pretty Poetry
Your daughter’s jewelry box overflows with things that sparkle and glitter. But how many of those dollar metal bracelets and plastic necklaces will still be there in five years? It may be time to buy her a real keepsake, one she will cherish year after year. On her next birthday, honor the passage of time with a specially engraved, signature Jeanine Payer piece that will outlast her princess jewelry box.
Payer’s clients include a long celebrity roster, with the likes of Johnny Depp, Susan Sarandon, and Seal digging her emotionally engaging jewelry that features hand-engraved poetry on precious metals. Send your child or a young one in your life a personal, thoughtful message that only a poet can express, one that will resonate through the ages–past bad hair days, pimples, and heartbreaks.
Items for children include the $145 Laloue bracelet for him or her with a French ribbon and textured, sterling silver charm with 18k gold rivets. Laloue reads “love grows love,” quoting Casey Haymes. Other keepsakes for godchildren, nephews, or nieces include a cylindrical First Tooth Box for $275, with a quote by J.M. Barrie, and the $300 sterling silver Lili Spoon with 22k gold inlay and engraved Susan Stauter quote. Give a gift they can take with them into adulthood, as a reminder of the love that greeted them in this life.
–Renee M. Rutledge
