Ghost The Musical

Last week, I headed to Times Square after work for a performance of Ghost, The Musical at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. I've been in love with the movie since I first laid eyes on it (Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.... can you blame me?!) so you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to participate in this Blogger Night, right?! Yup... psyched!

I certainly wasn't expecting the live show to live up to the movie. And, in many ways, it didn't. I mean, who can out-perform Mr. Swayze himself and how can one convey ghosts and the after-life on stage?! However, I was excited to see the younger, promising actors on stage that I've heard so much about these past few weeks.

And they did not disappoint. Richard Fleeshman embodies Sam Wheat, Cassie Levy plays a great Molly, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph delivers a stellar performance as the always-funny Oda Mae Brown. I'm not just saying that to say it -- the audience loved them, and the show was special in its own right.

I especially liked the special effects during the performance used to convey the after-life and Sam Wheat passing through walls and doors and subway cars. It topped all of my expectations and felt like somewhat of a magic show as well as a musical.

All in all, it was a good night for Mommy Delicious to hit the town and a good night on Broadway.

Ghost, The Musical will run through August 18th at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street) so be sure to get your tickets if you want to check out all the magic! Tickets run from $55.50 -- $145.50, with specials on group sales.

{Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I received two tickets to Ghost, The Musical in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.}

On Fostering Resilience in Our Children

[Photo via]

A couple weeks ago, I met my guy friend D for dinner. We've known each other for almost 15 years and we're pretty close friends. We sat at the outdoor eatery in Hell's Kitchen, catching up and practically inhaling our burgers and booze.

Our "light and funny" conversation soon shifted to something a little more serious. To me. (And, apparently to D as well).

We began talking about Aiden and I bought up something that's constantly on my mind. Am I doing enough to foster resilience in this child? Am I doing enough to help mold and shape him into a well-adjusted, socially competent, self-sufficient young man?


I think about these things.

A lot.

Aiden's other parent has chosen to not be apart of his life, and I know that as his mother, I can not completely fill the void that may result because of this. I can teach Aiden that the world is filled with different types of family structures; I can make sure he knows that he is loved and cherished; I can make sure that he gets a damn good education; I can make certain that he's well-read and well-traveled and that his weekends are filled with swimming and soccer and kid-friendly outings. And I can work hard and get the high-paying dream job to pay for all of these things.

But...

I can't replace his father.

And as I try to foster resilience in this child, it worries me.

But...

I think I found a solution.

As I was having dinner with D, I rallied him up as Aiden's newest mentor. Heck, Aiden already loves and looks up to him so I might as well milk it for all it's worth! He'll be spending a couple Saturdays per month with the kid doing "boy stuff," whatever that means.

I say all this to make one point: single parents can create protective factors in our children that far outweigh their risk factors. We can foster resilience in them and they can grow up to be well-adjusted and socially responsible.

It can be done.

We just have to put in the work.

Bottom line: never underestimate the life that you can create for yourself. And your children.

Summer Activities: Woodworking Crafts for Kids

Written by Marie Hunter

[photo via Parents.com]

If your kids are stuck indoors because of summer rains or are taking a break from the hot sun, woodworking crafts can be a fun and creative way to keep kids busy during the summer. Most parents don't consider woodworking crafts for children because of the safety risks involved. But there are plenty of craft ideas your kids can participate in that are safe for every age.

Wood Collages for Young Children


Any age group can make a wood collage, but it's especially fun for children who are too young to use woodworking tools. For this project you’ll need an unfinished wood base that's approximately 1 square foot, decorative craft items, a paintbrush and wood glue.

A great way to start the project is by taking your kids on a nature walk to collect decorations for the collage. Depending on where you live, kids can use small pine cones, seashells, colorful pebbles, small rocks or pieces of wood and twigs as decorations.

Spread a thick layer of glue over the surface of the wood. Let your kids place the decorations on the surface however they want. Have them brush wood glue over the top of the project when it’s finished and let it dry for 24 hours. Drill holes at the top of the canvas so you can proudly hang your child’s artwork on the wall.

Hand-Painted Jewelry


This project allows kids to paint wooden beads for jewelry. All you need is wooden beads, paint, paint brushes, masking tape and a piece of string or ribbon for the finished beads.

To start, have your kids select the colors of paint they want to use for their beads. They can paint freestyle and make their own designs, or they can use the masking tape to cover parts of the bead so they’ll paint a more structured design. For a handmade Mother’s Day gift, kids can paint large beads to look like their faces and string them on a necklace or bracelet.

Decoupage Furniture


By the time they reach a certain age, most kids aren't interested in doing projects with their parents. But a decoupage table, desktop or chair will allow your teens to personalize their spaces, enjoy some craft time with you or, if desired, by themselves. This project requires wood furniture, photos or pictures from magazines and decoupage glue.

Have your teen gather some favorite photos and meaningful magazine pictures, such as favorite singers, celebrities, places or activities. Arrange the photos over the piece of furniture, securing each with a drop of glue. Brush decoupage glue over the entire wood surface and allow it to dry for 24 hours.

Creating Lifelong Hobbies


Helping kids experiment with woodworking allows them to explore new activities, and it may spark their interest and become a lifelong hobby. As your children get older, talk to them about other woodworking crafts they'd like to try. This encourages independence while maintaining a common interest you can share with your kids.

About the author:
Maire likes to read romance novels, jog, practice hot yoga and walk her Scottish Terrier, Pete. She also enjoys baking and experimenting with new craft projects.

{Personal Style} Color-Coordinated, Mother-Son Style

[skinnies: American Eagle; blouse: Target; flats and ring: Aldos;
watch: Nautica; stacked rings and necklace: H&M; sunnies: David Yurman]

Lately, I've been slightly obsessed with the neon-cobalt color-blocked combo, and have tried it out with different pieces. Finally, this weekend I remembered to take a shot of one of the outfits as Aiden and I headed to Manhattan (the Flatiron District and the Upper West Side) for a play date.

I styled the cobalt skinnies and neon/gray color-blocked loose-fitting tank with a Tory Burch purse of the same color combo, sparkly flats, and an oversized bold pink ring (for another pop of color). The outfit screams "summer" and for a play date where I was going to get down and dirty, it was pure perfection.

But even better? I dressed my little man in the exact same color combo!

[sweater, shirt, shorts: H&M;
cap and sneakers: The Children's Place]

I think it's super cute, but umm, how many more years do you think I'll have before Aiden gets tired of the color-coordinating outfits?

For now, I'll soak it all up.

Have a fabulous and stylish week, everyone!

A PlayDate To Remember

If you hang out with me over on Instagram, then you would have caught a glimpse of some of the cuteness that was Aiden's playdate abroad The Queen of Hearts boat. Last Sunday, we met up with my girl T and her daughter A at The Hudson River Park, Pier 40 for an afternoon Kiddie Cruise -- A Princess and Pirate Adventure.

Aiden and A seem to have a love/hate relationship, but they always have a great time when they hangout. They do damage and it's totally a four-year-old's definition of "mayhem and madness."

But I digress...

The 2-hour cruise that sails along the Hudson River features a full schedule of events -- live music that the kids are encouraged to dance along to, a magic show, a puppet show on the upper deck with Captain Michael and the Fairy Godmother, and another one on the lower deck where the children are on a mission to help Buzz Lightyear, face painting, and arts and crafts.

Suffice to say, Aiden and A had a really good time, even in the heat and humidity that is Summer in NYC. Actually, I was expecting it to feel much hotter than it did on the boat. But... because we were sailing, there was a nice breeze on the upper deck, which did not have air conditioning.

The lower deck, however, did have air conditioning. And I spent a lot of my time trying to pry Aiden away from the magic show on the upper deck and convince him to hang out downstairs. At first, he didn't budge, but once Soccer Super Stars introduced a mini soccer tournament, he was all game. Literally.

Our friend A stayed on the upper deck to hangout with one of the princesses on the cruise. She was in love! And the crew members remained true to their characters the entire time, welcoming the kids to sit next to them (or on their laps!) and engage in activities.

Aiden and I headed back to the upper deck once we got to Lady Liberty because, well, who can resist getting this picture?

After the cruise, we spent some time at the Hudson River Park, and while I was loving on my maxi dress, Aiden and A's love/hate relationship became more evident:

[Starbucks break]

Totally a good time.

If you're in the NYC area, the Kiddie Cruise is a really fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The next cruise is Sunday, July 29th and will take place twice each month until October 28th. Call 212.987.9200 or visit the Kiddie Cruise website for more information.

{Disclaimer: I was provided with tickets to the Kiddie Cruise: A Princess and Pirate Adventure to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.}

Beauty and Brains: Essential Makeup and Money Tips

[L to R: Sarah of The Stroller Ballet, Nicole of Momtrends, Yours Truly.
Photo via Momtrends]

Last week, I headed to NYC's Meatpacking District to the salon, blow NY for an event hosted by the Momtrends events team. Along with other Bloggers (some of my fave NYC all-stars) and other media personnel, we enjoyed mini-makeovers and blowouts, as well as chatted about all things make-up and money (or beauty and brains, as I like to call it).

Make-up tips:
In-between makeup touch ups from QVC bareMinerals -- the makeup that is 100% natural and without preservatives -- bareMinerals expert, Jessica Foust shared tips and tricks with the crowd. Here are a few of the take-away points (you know, just in case you missed my tweets about it):

• Less is more. No really! I've said this before, and I'll say it again: most of the time, all you'll need is tinted moisturizer, black mascara, blush, and a lipgloss (or lipstain depending on your preference)
• Get the right brush! You'll need a different brush for your foundation and blush application. And as Nicole says, "When it comes to makeup, you're only as good as your brush." Ditto!
• "Pretty is; beauty does." (Take from that what you will...)

[L to R: Me, Jill, Brianne, Serena, Nicole, and Kerri. Photo via Momtrends.]

Money tips:

After discussing makeup (or the "beauty" portion of the event), we moved on to talking about money (or "brains"). Personal Finance Expert and author of the "My Money Matters" kit, Galia Gichon, shared a load of useful information and I'm excited to share it with you. Here are Galia's three personal finance strategies that every mom needs to know:

Create a Customized Spending Plan

• Calculate your fixed expenses, then "pay yourself" so you'll be able to save for vacation, emergency savings, debt payments, college for the kids, and whatever else comes up
• Use an online budgeting tool such as mint.com

Make Retirement A Priority

• Consolidate your old IRAs or 401Ks into one firm such as Vanguard.com
• Continue saving for your retirement with a ROTH IRA, Spousal IRA, or SEP IRA -- no matter what! 
• And my all time favorite? Start. Saving. Now. I've said this back in January after attending the GoGirl Finance event with Glamamom: If you save $5,000/year in your 20's, by the time you're ready to retire around the ages of 65 or 70, you'll have... err... a lot more money saved up than if you were to start saving in your 40's. 

Make Sure You're Covered

• Be sure to have an updated will (guardian, trustee, living will, and health care proxy).
• Be sure to have enough life insurance -- stick with a term life insurance unless your finances are in excellent order.

Part of being beautiful is making sure that your finances are in order and setting up systems so that you are as financially stable as possible. Then and only then can you feel just as beautiful as you look!

Thanks to Momtrends for hosting such a fun and necessary event!

{Disclaimer: Event attendees received gift bags. All opinions expressed herein are my own.}

{Personal Style} Maxi Love

[maxi dress: Target, sparkly sandals: Aldos]

This weekend, my life was filled with celebrations and cocktails, because, you know, I got a new job and all. (Have you read that post about me getting my dream job, yet? Check it out!)

The weekend began with sangria and happy hour on Friday night, which was followed by clubbing on the Lower East Side. Saturday morning, Aiden and I headed to Governor's Island (I shared a bit about that on the Mommy Delicious Facebook page) and enjoyed a day of fun in the sun and bike riding. Saturday night, I enjoyed martinis, dinner, and dessert in the East Village. And Sunday, Aiden and I went on a Kiddie Cruise that sailed along the Hudson River, with a stop to check out Lady Liberty on Ellis Island. It was a playdate to remember. And this weekend was one that'll go down in history.

Whew! Just thinking about it makes me excited again.

For the Kiddie Cruise (more on that later this week), I wore a fun maxi dress that featured a halter and V-neck neckline. It was colorful, lightweight, simplistic, and fun -- perfect for a cruise around Manhattan.

["mommy" necklace: Michael C. Fina;
signature necklace: Lauren Nicole Gifts]

[stacked bracelets and stacked rings: H&M]

I've been hesitant to purchase a maxi dress because I didn't think that I could pull it off with flats, but I really loved this look. What do you think? 

[Check out my lil man in this picture?
This photo is totally getting blown up and framed. I LOVE it!]

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend and wishing you all a very stylish week!