Kidsfest is put together by Free Arts NYC and is an incredible local event that aims to unite the community and celebrate artists and cultural institutions in New York City. The best part? 100% of the proceeds benefit Free Arts programing where students gain access to 1-on-1 mentorship, leading contemporary artists, cultural institutions and career readiness workshops.
This year Kidsfest will be held at Sotheby’s on September 30th from 10 – 2pm. Tickets can be purchased here. The event is family friendly and there will be so many amazing activities to participate in – a braid bar, a dance contest, face painting, pony races, and a ton of cool art booths. The food will be from some of theeee yummiest NYC spots (Jack’s Wife Frida, La Esquina) and I for one am super excited to eat!
I hope to see some of you there to celebrate the arts in NYC and stand behind an amazing organization. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out!
I guess you could say my family is a typical NYC household in that we don’t own a car. It doesn’t make much sense for us (crazy parking garage fees, moving the car early in the morning, not finding parking at all..). So instead we walk, take public transportation, and utilize ride sharing services. Since having Lillie and becoming a family of four we choose to order a car for many of our adventures for a plethora of reasons. It’s surprisingly affordable, the train service is often unreliable on the weekends, and it’s just plain easier! We absolutely love Lyft and have been users of the app for years now. When traveling with Lillie we always choose the “Car Seat Mode” option – to ensure she is safe and secure within the car. I got the opportunity to chat with Lyft to learn even more about “Car Seat Mode”, like if the drivers are trained to install the car seat (they are!) and specific safety requirements. I am so thrilled I get to share this with you!
A few important facts:
+ Every Lyft car that has Car Seat Mode uses the IMMI Go car seat. It is forward facing for children over 12 months and between 31-52 inches tall and within 22-48 pounds.
+ Every Lyft driver who participates in Car Seat Mode are extensively trained and tested by third-party child passenger safety technicians. This really stood out to me because installation is one of the very most important steps in protecting your child and one less thing I need to worry about as a parent.
+ The fee to make sure you have a car seat is extremely low. On this particular trip I first requested a regular car before requesting one using the Car Seat Mode to see the estimates. The difference was only $5!
I also would like to add that I have always had lovely and pleasant experiences with the drivers. They are friendly, attentive, and our cars are always clean (and often times the drivers have extras such as chargers and bottled water available, which is so nice when traveling with kids and longer distances such as borough to borough). It was such a pleasure working with Lyft on this post, and I truly hope it encourages families to use Car Seat Mode and keep our little ones safe while traveling throughout NYC. Use the code LILLIESANDLEON for $5 off your next Car Seat Mode ride using Lyft! Download the app here.
This post is sponsored and in partnership with Lyft, a company we use and love.
After 8 days in Florida it was SO nice to finally be reunited with my love. Florida was amazing and a much needed break from city life but I truly missed my other half something fierce. On Saturday we headed to Brooklyn and the weather was insanely beautiful. The kids ran around, we took in the beautiful views, and Lucas requested a ride on the Dumbo carrousel. Lillie passed out on the cab ride home and I rested my head on Ivan’s shoulder and listened to boys discuss Pokemon. As Lucas likes to say “sweet home, sweet home”.
Ivan’s backpack (formerly mine 😉 is from State Bags. We both alternate wearing it and it is the perfect everyday/diaper bag. You can shop it here. Added bonus, for every Luxe Lorimer purchased, a bag filled with essentials is sent to a child in need. #givebackpack
On the first official day of 2017 we headed out to Central Park for a family day. We also got to test drive our new Bugaboo Donkey Weekender. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining and the park was full of New Yorker’s excited to welcome the new year.
I love being part of the Bugaboo family. You can see our previous collaborations here and here. Lillie has been riding in her Bugaboo since birth and I am a life long Bugaboo mama. I was beyond excited when we received the Donkey Weekender. It is a real dream come true. The stroller comes with a detachable side luggage bag which can hold up to 20 pounds and the under seat basket is incredibly roomy. We carry a ton (A TON) of stuff when we head out for the day with both kiddos – snacks, more snacks, ninja turtles, pokemon, pacifiers, diapers, wipes, change of clothes, etc. etc. – so I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing it is to have ample room to store all of our things. Often times we make additional stops at the grocery store/market/florist, and having everything fit into our stroller is essential especially since we walk everywhere (New Yorkers here!).
Ivan is not a stroller man by any means. In fact he is pretty indifferent as I’m the one who primarily uses our stroller on a daily basis. When he put the Weekender together (which was incredibly easy btw!) the first thing he said was “wow, this is a good looking stroller”. Then as we were strolling through the park he turned to me and said “this thing rides like a dream”. He also made a few comments on how beautifully the wheels turned! I can’t make this stuff up haha! This means a lot coming from a man who has no real opinion on baby gear as long as I like it and the kids are happy. Bugaboo, you are winning big time over here in the Vargas house!
If I’m being honest, I was a bit nervous about the size of the stroller and how it would fit in our little apartment. BUT. It’s only .4″ wider than the Bugaboo Cameleon and fits perfectly in our small hallway. I’m in love with the colors of the stroller (the handle bars are a cognac faux leather and they are absolutely beautifulllll). The side bag can also be used solo for travel which I think is awesome and perfect for quick overnight family trips. Another great perk is that eventually the stroller can be converted into a side-by-side duo or twin stroller. It’s a classic, gorgeous stroller that can be used for years and years to come. It’s incredibly important to me that my kids ride in a well made, durable stroller. It doesn’t hurt that all of bugaboo’s strollers are also aesthetically beautiful. We take out our stroller everyday and use it for daily errands, school picks ups, and adventures. It also needs to ride well in all weather conditions (rain or snow, NYC schools really ever close!) and get Lillie and I to school pick up. Bugaboo checks all these requirements for my family and I can’t imagine ever choosing another stroller.
You can check out the Weekender here for more details and purchasing info. Happy New Year!
Summertime in NYC. It’s my absolute favorite (after Fall of course). The warm, muggy air, the buzz of children playing, music blaring from corner stores and late night get togethers on stoops. Another plus are the birthday parties. Lots of friends gathering in local parks, pizza take-out, and love. So much love. We kicked off the summer in Brooklyn to celebrate little Oak who turned two and the day was absolute perfection. We are so ready for more warm, beautiful days just like this.
For over a decade Reed Krakoff was the man behind the creative direction for Coach. In 2013 he ventured off to design his own collection and this year he joined forces with Kohl’s to bring a limited edition collection to the masses. The line features his signature handbags (at an amazing price point: $59-$129) as well as ready to wear and small accessories.
I feel so honored to have been able to work with the amazing Kohls team and the incredibly talented Reed Krakoff to bring you a taste of this fab collection. I spent the day shooting with Melodie Jeng a few weeks back and we hit up some of my favorite NYC gems – Cafe Ost, Tompkins Square Park, and beautiful Park Avenue. It was such an awesome experience. My absolute favorite piece is that sunny yellow gem of a satchel you see in the photos. The color is everything and it’s the perfect size for every day use. Totally my #1 pick for pairing with blue jeans and a white tank.
Below is a brief Q&A I had with Reed Krakoff:
What was your inspiration behind the collection? Colors, patterns, etc.?
+ I drew the biggest inspiration for the REED for Kohl’s collection from some of the items from my luxury collection. I was so intrigued to reintroduce some iconic pieces to a wider audience. When designing, I always think about the most exciting, impactful and aesthetically pleasing outcome, which is when the color blocking concept went into full swing. It’s always been a part of my design philosophy to create things that are bold, exciting, and happy, and generating excitement in the affordable accessories category is one of our main goals with the REED line at Kohl’s.
What kind of woman do you see wearing your collection? What is her style?
+ The target customer for the REED for Kohl’s collection is really anyone who appreciates fashion, someone that might be new to designer collections, but loves style and of course value.
You can get more inspiration and style ideas over on Pinterest. Also, shop the entire collection here.
Photos by Melodie Jeng This post is sponsored by Kohl’s. Thank you for supporting the companies I love and trust!
One of the many, many perks of living in NYC – absolutely amazing parties in the best parks. Seriously. It does not get better than this. Last weekend we headed down to the East Village to celebrate sweet Lucien’s 3rd birthday party. It was super hero themed and Lucas was pretty stoked to be Kid Flash. There was pizza, cake, and in true NYC fashion – live guitar playing right in the middle of the playground. The weather was perfect and it was a sweet taste of the magical Spring weekends to come.
On a side note, that black book bag in the photos? It’s our new XLR8 Diaper Bag. I wanted to mention it here because I’m obsessed. Ready for this? Besides the standard diaper bag features (changing mat, tons of storage, insulated pockets) it has a CHARGING STATION. AND A SPEAKER. Say what?! So you can be our of the house all day and charge your phones on the go (when your battery dies after taking 1000 pics of the kids ;). The speaker has been amazing for our family picnics. Who doesn’t love music in the park?
Weekend adventures. We sorta, kinda, really love you. When Friday evening rolls around the wheels start turning and I start brainstorming what and where we can go with the kiddos. I love having my hubby around and our weekends are seriously good for my soul. On this particular day we made it out to Target and strolled around Harlem. We ended the day with a trip to Applebees. Nothing fancy but man was it perfect. I’m so looking forward to our holiday adventures. Reindeers at the Bronx Zoo? Yes, please! Wishing you all a fab holiday week ahead!
A few adventure game changers: Our amazing bugaboo bee makes our outings so much easier (and chic ;). Lucas is obsessed with his board and Lillie stays snug and warm in her bassinet. Thank you, Bugaboo! Our diaper bag is from storksac and is a multi-functioning book bag that I can’t get enough of. H&M is killing it this season and this mama is staying warm and chic in wrap coat and amazing scarf (that can double as a nursing cover!). Wins!
I haven’t been to Coney Island in yearssss. Our niece is visiting from Canada and exploring Coney was on her NYC bucket list so off we went on the N train with our bags packed with sunscreen, shovels, and snacks. First thing. THE CROWDS. Wow! I can’t remember the last time we were around so many people. Second thing. The colors. The people. Talk about intense yet awesome stimulation. We parked ourselves by the kiddie sand park and spent about 2 hours on the beach before heading to the boardwalk. Lucas had a blast – especially when he joined in what seemed to be a day time trance/techno party going on by Luna Park. We finished off the day at the Smorgasbord with amazing french fries and mofongo (smashed plantain). We probably won’t be back this summer..with less than 4 weeks to go until baby makes her appearance it just does’t seem doable..but we will definitely be back during the fall and next summer with two little ones in tow.
A few weeks ago I got to spend the morning with Well Rounded NY, shooting with my dear friend Lindsey, around my hood. Having these photos mean the world – a little reminder I will always have of what a normal morning with my girl looked like before she was Earth side.
I also got to chat with the amazing Well Rounded mamas (ps – follow them on Instagram here!) about pregnancy, life in NYC with my family, and some of my favorite neighborhood spots in case you are local or ever thinking of visiting. You can check it out here.
