Chic and Bubbly

"Sarah Jessica Parker talks to Eve MacSweeney (for Vogue ) about juggling three children, acting, producing, fashion, charity work, and her new movie, the aptly named I Don't Know How She Does It ." (Click on the images to enlarge.) Read " Sarah Jessica Parker: Show and Tell " by Eve MacSweeney, photographed by Mario Testino, on Vogue.com .

Have you ever babysat before? Well, I haven’t until… ♥ ♥ ♥ Last Friday night, I was struggling between the ideas of “I am going to paint tonight”, “I am going to clean my house”, “I am going to write that article for my blog”, and “I am going to cook.” Not getting anything done, it came to a point where I couldn’t take this indecisiveness of mine anymore so I decided to call Meghann (Meg, you’ve been on almost all my posts recently! You are my Superstar! ♥) to see what she’s up to and if she could save me from my misery. She was driving home from work and the traffic was not cooperating with her. She said: -Meg: “Did you wanna go to the beach with me this weekend to help babysit my friends’ kids?” -Z: “Did you say beach? Count me in!” What I didn’t hear in that conversation, unconsciously or consciously, was the word “kid” in a plural form: Kids! And when she said kids, she meant five boys, ages ranging from 3 to 9, and one 1.5 year-old baby girl. Destination: Stone Harbo...

Check this out ladies! So a few weeks ago I went to visit my “Chic & Bubbly” friend, Melissa, at her and her husband’s gorgeous farm in Pittsgrove, New Jersey (lovingly called The Grove.) We had dinner together and it was getting late so they offered me to spend the night at their house. I didn’t even think for a second and said “yes.” The place where they live is absolutely beautiful. If you want to spend some time on your own with truly purely fresh air and great scenic views, The Grove is the place where you want to be! It was time for me to go to bed but because this was not a planned tripped, I didn’t have my make up remover, moisturizer, toothbrush or PJs. So Melissa gave me a pair of PJs, new toothbrush and JOHNSON'S® HEAD-TO-TOE® Baby Wash to remove my makeup. Yes, that’s right…it was a baby wash by Johnson’s to wash off my makeup. I had been using high-end makeup removers since I started using makeup, and hearing that Johnson’s could clean off mak...

Ever heard the sentiment “All the good guys are either married or gay (…or just plain old uninterested)”? Ok, well, I added the uninterested part, but just because that’s been my experience doesn’t mean it’s true. Believe it or not, good guys do exist, and they’re out there somewhere. They might already (and will always) have a place in your heart. Story time! I was rocking out to my iPod this weekend and in true let-your-hair-down-cause-you’re-home-alone fashion was singing this one song at the top of my lungs. Since it’s all hip to like country music now, I can tell you this. It’s a rousing little number sung by Danielle Peck called Here’s To Findin’ A Good Man . Girls, I gotta tell you, it’s badass… and I’m willing to bet that most of you would laugh listening to it, because you can most certainly relate to some part of it. So, as I sang along with Danielle and girls’ lists (see Relationships 101 for more details on The List ) Julie, I know you want perfection/Angie, you want ...

For only $12 get yourself a six piece set of Cork Candles and be a bubbly hostess! These candles will illuminate the conversation on Wine Night with your friends. Place a Cork Candle on a wine bottle and light up the fun! The scent is delicious, too-- merlot scented. If your Wine Night continues into the morning, switch to these Coffee Travel Cup Candles with a freshly-brewed coffee scent:

Visit AlexanderMcQueen.com .

Hey Kids! There’s a new hot spot on the block…Sweet Elizabeth’s! (4409 Main Street, Manayunk, PA 19127) Cupcakes… Wedding Cakes…Birthday Cakes…You name it! Whatever your occasion is, Sweet Elizabeth’s will help make your special occasion more fun and yummy with their elegant and unique custom designed cakes. They use the freshest ingredients and ripest fruits from local farms, and choose the creamiest butter, the most decadent chocolate, most fragrant Madagascar vanilla and vanilla beans for their cakes. If you ever stop by Manayunk, don’t forget to visit Sweet Elizabeth’s, and enjoy a cup of coffee and their daily selection of ‘Hot-Off-The-Presses” cupcakes. Check out their menu at SweetElizabethsCakes.com . (P.S.: They also offer Wedding Cake Tastings!)

A good pair of Louboutins or Prada pumps might just change your life. Dorothy’s story can teach us a lot about life; on her journey to truly discover the power of her shoes, she empowers others to see themselves as having courage, brains and heart. Midwestern girl or Wonder Woman? Dorothy was wise beyond her years. Yes, shoes can change your life, but can they also change the lives of others? Absolutely. Thanks to hipsters and trendsetters across the nation, TOMS  has risen to fame in the fashion world. You know the mantra, “With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One”. What a great concept….guilt free shoes! What an even better concept…helping those in need. Shoes with heart. Inspired to clean out your closet to make room for some TOMS? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Shoe Revolt is a company that accepts donations of gently used shoes (clean out those closets!) and resells them to generate proceeds for victims of hu...

A few weeks ago, I received the cutest card in the mail (shown in the picture) from one of my very good friends, Meghann. It was a handwritten note from her, saying “Thank You” for organizing her surprise birthday dinner party. When I was putting together her party, I had no expectations to receive anything back from her, other than seeing her happy with all of her close friends. She is a very dear friend to me and I wanted to do something special for her. When I received her thank you note, she made me feel so special and put a huge smile on my face! :) For many of us, saying “Thank You” after receiving a gift, or getting help from someone who has gone out of his/her way for us, might seem enough to show our appreciation. However, I guess we all just underestimate the power of the tiniest personal touch such as a thank you note until we receive one. I believe that no matter how busy we are, composing a few lines on a card and dropping it in the mail is a very magical and pe...

Outdoor furniture design at a whole new level! This hammock called "Wave" floods you with comfort and style. Drool over the electro polished stainless steel and perforated fabric....and balance on the one leg only! The "Wave"'s unique wave design modification is designed by Royal Botania , a famous furniture design company.

Happy belated 4th to all of my U.S.A. readers, and (to my absolute astonishment that you’re out there…) Happy Tuesday to my international readers. It occurred to me (after rereading my last contribution to Chic & Bubbly,) that it may be a wise decision to introduce myself and give a little insight to where these astounding words of wisdom come from. First, I am not a professional. I have no formal training in psychobabble or mediation. I’m not a doctor. I don’t even play one on TV. What I DO have is experience. Of course, in the wise words of Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, “Experience is cheap.” Take that however you want to, but I’ve run the gamut of relationships: good, bad, ugly, committed, non-committed, real, fake, laughable… you name it. I can’t provide you with invaluable advice, or maybe I can, but what I definitely, 100%, without a shadow of a doubt CAN give is… a whole lot of hilariously funny depictions of actual events that might make you smile and say, “Wow. It ...

Sun on my shoulders, warm, black pavement under my purple-painted toenails, and an old ice cream bucket of multicolor chalk at my side...sounds like a summertime favorite summer activity--sidewalk chart art! This impermanent artistic expression has been part of my life since I can remember continues to be so, but now with nieces, nephews, and (okay okay) me and my husband too! Learn how to pass on this warm-weather ritual, read How to Play Creatively with Sidewalk Chalk Art! Step on a crack, get a creative whack! And know that art is in the eye of the beholder...just as Julian Beever, a pavement drawer  for over 20 years. He knows what it takes to be bubbly!

'Tis the season for Drop By'ers so make 'em feel comfy 'n cozy while their stay with you. Find a chair with character and display it in your spare bedroom with a few fine items found in a high-end hotel room. "Set out essentials such as towels and an alarm clock, then provide little luxuries as well: bottles of water, foil-wrapped chocolates, and a few cut blooms in a vase." For more ideas, read MarthaStewart.com Prepping for Houseguests .

Ferit Odman  Quartet (Ferit Odman - Drums , İmer Demirer - Trumpet , Burak Bedikyan - Piano, Kagan Yıldız -  Acoustic Bass ) will be accompanied by Italian alto-soprano saxophonist Stefano di Battista  on: July 4 @ 50th International Bursa Festival Starts at 9:00 p.m. Free event July 5 @ 18th International Istanbul Jazz Festival Starts at 10:30 p.m. Tickets: Seated 40 TL/ Standing 25 TL/ Student (Standing) 15 TL About Ferit Odman: Ferit Odman (1982) is an on demand jazz drummer based in Istanbul. He started his music studies in Sweden as an AFS exchange student (1999), got a full scholarship to get his B.A. in Music at Istanbul Bilgi University (2001), attended the School For Improvisation workshops in NYC (2004), and has been granted a Fulbright Scholarship to further build on his studies at William Paterson University (2006). He spent/played two years in NYC, studied with jazz greats like Mulgrew Miller, Harold Mabern and Bill Goodwin ...

Kick off your weekend with Friday Nights Under the Stars  hosted by the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail and Rolling Barrel Events. Every Friday night from June 3 through August 26 at the Brandywine Polo Club, enjoy a relaxing evening under the stars with your friends and family combined with intra-club polo matches, good regional wines and great local bands. “Beautiful Chester County provides the perfect setting for this series that is sure to be an annual favorite,” says Brandon Walsh, Board Member at the Brandywine Polo Club. Location: Brandywine Polo Club 232 Polo Rd, Toughkenamon, PA 19374 Tickets: $20 online/$25 at gate You can also buy a season pass if you are looking to attend more than one concert. Check out Brandywine Polo Club’s Concert Calendar for the upcoming local bands and regional wineries. About Brandywine Polo Club: Nestled amongst the rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley in Kennett Square, PA, the Brandywine Polo Club is one of the East Coast’s oldest ...

This travel dog bowl from LLBean is leakproof nylon that folds flat for traveling...tuck it in the back of the driver's seat, in your bike saddle bag, in your kayak pouch, or hiking bag. Get your handy H20 for a $15 must have! Available in red, blue, or green. p.s. Travel feed bags , too!

Ever been a navigator in a car when the driver turns the key and the "Toddler Tunes" blasts through the speakers? Well, now, you can be just as cool as a parent for your four-legged kids. This season when you find yourself hitting the road to the beach, the park, on a cross country trip, the mountains, your Aunt's pool, or even to Grandma's house, roll down your windows and crank up Through A Dog's Ear: Driving Edition, Music to Calm Your Dog In The Car . The classical music eliminates stress, anxiety, and motion sickness. Get rockin' and rollin'.

Keep your pooch sittin' pretty 'n cool in this KoolCollar Cooling Dog Collar . It'll cost ya only 15 1/2 biscuits.