Red red wine

I'm a Cali wine girl, actually I'm a Cali everything girl at heart, but I branched out the other day and tried a Spanish red called Protocolo at the suggestion of my favorite wine guy. It's about $8, and fantastic. One for a splurge (for me, $14 is splurge) is Temptation Zin from Alexander Valley Vineyards. With an alcohol content of 14.5%, one glass of this and you're feelin' gooooood. I am slowly but surely trying every Zin known to man. It's a goal of mine.

So, after half a year, I'm back and plan to share more coolstuff for you Hot Mamas more often. Are you even out there?

~R

My New Feet

I haven't been here in eons, and I'm vowing to start posting weekly. I mean, I find cool stuff all the time and I haven been failing to share.

This time, I'm sure the people at Ped Egg need me. I mean, having their product at the checkout line in every Walmart, Walgreen's and Target (?), they really need some advertising. But I got one a few weeks ago, and I have to say this little plastic and metal egg is amazing. I have tried every kind of pumice, buffer and scrub known to woman, and none have worked, really. This PedEgg thing gave me new feet, literally. My husband noticed that night. Now, if you are one of the lucky, perfect people with no rough skin on your feet, well, then good for you. But mine haven't been smooth like that since childhood.

So, I guess I just want to thank PedEgg, and I owe them the 2 people I send their way because they gave me new feet.

Next time: my Super Bargain Clothes Shopping Secrets!

~R

Plan toys

A few months ago a friend emailed me about Plan toys, during the whole China-lead paint recall stuff. When i found a local store that carried them, I realized how awesome they are.

Now that some of you crazy people are starting to shop for Christmas (we don't even have Halloween costumes yet!), thought I'd tell you about them (http://www.plantoys.com). Their motto is "green toys, green company," and they are eco-friendly as well as stylish. We've been searching over a year for a dollhouse, one that isn't tacky and doesn't take over the room, and Plan's chalet is perfect. Architecturally unique aesthetically pleasing, I want one for myself. There are plenty of other things to choose from, such as pull-toys and blocks 9all lead paint-free, of course) for babies.

~R

Heart the Target Dolla Bins

I am lovin the Hello Kitty paraphernalia in the dolla bins at Target lately. Hello Kitty magnetic notepads for my never-ending Ta-Do lists, grocery lists, etc., little shiny HK notebooks for Izzy, packs of little colored pens, socks, lipgloss. You namei t, it's in the Target dolla bins.
When exactly are they giving me a P/R job over there at Target?
~R

More Yummy California Wines

This past weekend at a friend's house in Denver, I discovered some new wine: Benziger from Sonoma. Not to be confused with Beringer - we tried a fantastical Sauv Blanc comparable to one of the much-loved New Zealand ones, and a good and heartier than usual Pinot Noir. Paired with chevre, gouda, and swiss rye cheeses and honey, jalepeno and blackberry jellies, OMG what an indulgence.

So I'm on the lookout for Benziger, which I think I've seen around, but it will be for a special occassion for around $40 a bottle.

~R

Adorable Batik Children's Clothing!

After blogging now for about eight months, I have never taken advantage of ya'll (yep, all three of ya) fellow bloggers out there for shameless self-promotion, so I figured it's about time.
No, I haven't published a book (not YET!), I just have a little Ebay store, and besides the tiny (yet super cool, right?) logo at the bottom of my page, I haven't really advertised it here. Guess I'm not exactly the shrewdest business woman. I'm more of the creative persuasion.
So the store's called RhoRho's Baby Bungalow. Every year, the MIL travels to Bali for her retail store, and a couple years ago I had her pick me up some of the adorable batik children's clothes to sell after seeing all the cute things she had been bringing back for Izzy. After selling some at Izzy's school, and having little "trunk shows," my inventory is down to almost nothing, and I'm trying to decide whether I'll re-stock when MIL goes back to Bali in January or not. Otherwise, I'm keeping my store, if for no other reason than the kickass logo my girl Kemmy in KC created for me. I'll just sell used stuff, whatever I can dig up. In my experience, that stuff sells better than new stuff anyway.
So, blogger mamas, witness this cuteness(see photos), and visit my store if you get a chance, where I'm selling the remainder of the pieces DIRT cheap! These are handmade batik fabrics, ya'll! I also have one silver rope baby bracelet in the style of j. hardy (I can't say his name on EBay or they'll remove the item). If you buy anything, tell me you came from my blog and I'll knock off the shipping, even if you only buy one thing.
(I took these shots this morning with little cooperation, and let me just say, god love child photographers, I don't know how the hell they do it.)
So, ladies and gents, C'mon over to:
RhoRho's Baby Bungalow
Danka
~R

Weleda spray deodorant

I don't know bout you guys, but I've been freaked out by the whole aluminum thing in antiperspirants for years. So, after going around smelling like a hippie to caving in and using Ban when I simply had to not stink, I experimented with all of the natural deos: the chrystal, Jason, Avalon organics, and so on. Finally, I found Weleda sage deodorant spray. Costly, at about $9 a bottle, it's worth it. I got it on sale, but when I run out, I'll be back, cause I haven't had stank in months.
~R

Burt's Bees Lipgloss

I am so excited, again about Target, and their ever-increasing organic-ey aisle of beauty products. I am loving Burt's Bees lipgloss, very shiny, about $7; however, Walmart finally is exploring organic territory and carries it for like $2 less. Sorry, Target, my love. At this point I'm on the consumer's side; I know both you and Wally are rich rich rich. However we can save a buck, dammit, we have to do it.
burtsbees.com

2 Buck Chuck

I've been back from Cali for 3 weeks and failed to share my fleeting love, Two Buck Chuck wines from Trader Joe's. For those of us not lucky enough to live near a TJ's, it's pretty exciting to have one at your fingertips. I had tried some $2 Buck in Atlanta once, and I've been trying to scheme a way into getting myself a case or so. But they won't ship it. After about ten bottles of it, well it's not the best wine in the world but it was helpful to find some on vacation for $1.99! Saved us tons of money. Brought a few bottles home via car and they vanished within a couple weeks. They have your basic varietals: cab, merlot, red zinfandel, shiraz, chardonnay and sauv blanc. Seriously, every now and again, what a great wine for almost nothing! (it's actually called Charles Shaw, FYI.

Wat da What? Wine

That other bottle of organic wine I mentioned, Our Daily Red, was another Cali one. I just recently drank it. It has a blue label. Although it only cost $6.99, It was actually better than the other Lodi one. I can't tell you why; it just was. Less sediment for one thing. Anyway, be on the lookout.
~R