Ahhhh see, this is where not having cable bums me out. While we were away last weekend we had Cartoon Network playing in our hotel room and I peeped a commercial for Mad, as in Mad magazine, as in they’ve turned the mag into an entire show of animated shorts! I haven’t picked up a Mad magazine in probably fifteen years. On trips to the market with my parents I’d always escape to the magazine aisle to pick up the latest issues of Mad and Sassy. Those were hands down my favorite mags growing up. On the way home I would always start with the back page fold in. One of my favorite features was The Lighter Side Of…and I loved examining the tiny drawings in the margins. I had sort of forgotten about this bit of nostalgia until I saw the commercial. If we won’t be able to catch the premiere on T.V September 6th I can at least pick up the latest copy and introduce Fritz to a magazine that’s been entertaining kids for over half a century. Vote Alfred E. Neuman in 2012!

First of all, let me say that we’ve been away two weekends in a row and I had a mega anxiety attack yesterday afternoon when I tried to tackle some of the things that have been piling up here. I’m feeling overwhelmed with chores, projects, work-outs, back issues of magazines that need reading and looking for simple solutions to everyday problems. I’m a Virgo and there must be order in my chaos. So, pardon me if I’ve once again been slacking on the blogging. Finding a mere hour in a day to blog is a challenge. But I know you guys, of all people, understand. Ok, back to our regularly scheduled programing…

If one thing is certain we have definitely been making the most out of summer. We’ve gone on several weekend jaunts and mini-breaks. This past weekend was no exception. Months ago my dad planed a trip to Pennsylvania that was centered around going to see a car race. It was also my mom’s birthday so it was a super special weekend for all.

On Friday morning we piled into two cars and headed south. After 6-8 stops we finally made it to Pottstown, PA. Woooopidie Doooo! Now, I won’t take you through the minute by minute replay, I’ll just cover the highlights. I have to say ended up very pleasantly surprised with all that Pennsylvania had to offer. On with the show…

I’ll cover this trip in a few posts and I’ve decided to not save the best for last. Best first is what I say! On Saturday my dad wanted to take us to a flea market. Well, you don’t have to ask me twice but when we arrived, the flea market he intended us to go to was only on Sundays. After a bunch of bickering and little research on the handy dandy iPhone we found another flea that was going on in Kutztown, PA that day. When we finally arrived I jetted off leaving everyone in the dust to scan the hundred or so outdoor tables chock full of goodies mostly priced at fifty cents to a dollar. Score! Then there were the indoor tables and here is where I really lost my shit. I was overstimulated and practically began shaking at what was in front of my eyes. It felt too good to be true. This was like the fleas I remember. The ones before ebay. The ones where there were still treasures to be found and deals to be had. We visited two humongous flea markets this past weekend and I acquired some awesome goodies. I’ll follow this post with my finds but first I’d like to share a gallery of images I took of the booths. Enjoy!

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When I went to Berlin a a couple months ago I visited a kids shop that had an extensive assortment of the most amazing fabrics I had ever laid eyes on. Picking just a few to take back with me was agonizing. After an hour of browsing, I chose three. I think they were about eight euros for a half a yard. You can see my selections in this post.

I haven’t used the fabrics yet but I pulled them out yesterday and noticed a name on the selvage. I googled the name Michael Miller Fabrics and low and behold they’re from the US. There I was thinking I had stumbled upon a serious find. And that explains the price. I’m ecstatic that I’ll be able to buy these fabrics easily now and for a more reasonable price. The patterns are so inspiring it makes me want to sew again ( I went to fashion design school and haven’t touched my sewing machine in 8 years).

I picked out a few choice swatches but there are so many more it will blow your mind. They don’t sell off they’re site but you can check out all their designs there. Don’t let the home page fool you dig in and you’ll find all the fun crazy stuff. You can also buy Michael Miller fabrics at J&O and Fabrics.com.

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So, here I am on yet another vacation. With each trip comes a great escape and resolutions for a better, more efficient life at home. This little jaunt has brought us to Lake George, NY. I’ve rented a little cottage with my mom and the kids for the week. The cottage is nestled in a cute, family style ‘resort’. There are playgrounds, pools, picnic tables, bbq’s, a game room they call the ‘canteen’ and plenty of pine trees and little critters. Every cottage is occupied and there are kids running amok and parents drinking beer out of those foam beer cooler thingies. It’s all very Friday the 13th. I love it…so long as I don’t get murdered. If you’ve never been to Lake George it’s filled with 1950’s style motels and resorts, and exudes retro american family fun.

But this post isn’t about the trip itself, but a trip within a trip. On Monday we visited the Magic Forest. I’d been to Lake George prior to having kids and knew that beyond that gingerbread entrance was something spectacular. Years ago I had BD take my photo outside knowing that one day, I too would visit the Magic Forest, but it was not my time yet. Well the day finally arrived; the Magic Forest and all it’s whimsy awaited us.

The Magic Forest has been around since the 1940’s and looks like it’s hardly had an upgrade since its mid-century heyday. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find Americana like this and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It was beyond my wildest dreams. I geeked out like a high schooler on acid. I wished that I could have kicked out every last person and taken up residence like it was my Neverland Ranch. If I were an editor at a high fashion magazine I would make gorgeous models slank through the vintage forest village in trashy beautiful ensembles. I tortured Fritz with a million photos, made him wear a peter pan hat from the gift shop and was running around like a total spazz. If someone was to say to me “Samantha, now that you’ve won your tenth Super Bowl Championship, what are you going to do?”. I’d say “I’m going to the Magic Forest!”

The proof is in the pudding. Just look at this place….

This is who beckons you to escape reality for an afternoon and enter the Magic Forest zone. Isn’t he dreamy?

Beyond a sea of mini vans all your wishes can come true….if they involve fist-fulls of cotton candy, hokey magicians and humongos paper mache story folk.

Another friendly face.

I ran.
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Have you, or your kids, jumped on the Silly Bandz bandwagon yet? After seeing them in every deli and toy store in New York City for weeks I finally caved and bought Fritz a pack of fruit shaped bandz. They amused him for all of ten minutes at the lunch table. I tried to get him to wear a few but he wasn’t feeling it. I on the other hand mixed a a couple in with my existing bracelet assortment and admittedly, I kinda love them. I mean really what’s not to love? They’re neon and shaped like fruit! So, Silly Bandz yey or Ney?

I’m over T.V and all these damn ’shows’. Skins, Weeds, Damages, they’ll all be there in a few months. A show here and there, maybe, but marathon nights cracking-out on addictive cable series are over! I love getting lost in a good book and I’ve been stock piling. So you know, my favorite genres are coming of age, chick-lit, comedic fiction, mommy-lit and auto-biographies. I like to be entertained. I also love dark weird stuff a la Chuck Palahniuk and laugh-out-loud memoirs by authors like David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs (who doesn’t!). I’m also really into gritty, drug related tales from the likes of Iceberg Slim, Donald Goins, James Frey and Elizabeth Wurtzel. Here’s a few titles I’ve added to my summer reading list…

Currently reading: The Girl That Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Warring do not pick up the first in the series, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, if you don’t want to commit reading all three of these insanely addictive books which total nearly 3,000 pages. I’v never been one for crime/mystery books, but on our trip to Florida last month I picked the first up at a little book shop in the Keys with not much of a selection. I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a best seller. I spent the next two weeks reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo every chance I got. These books are incredible and now I’m engrossed in the second in the series. I can’t praise these books enough. Definition of page turner.

Next Up: The Seven Year Bitch by Jennifer Belle

Jennifer Belle is awesome. Her books are hilarious and fall into the chick-lit category. The characters are smart, ridiculous, neurotic and funny. I adore her books. High Maintenance is one of my all time favorites and Little Stalker made me giggle the whole way through. Now Jennifer Belle has crossed over to mommy-lit with The Seven Year Bitch. I’m so tempted to pick it up and simultaneously read this and the above. Call me crazy!

And The Heart Says Whatever by Emily Gould

I read the NYT’s Magazine cover story on the former Gawker editor a few years ago and wanted more. The article was an honest look into the life of a young writer and the consequences of over-sharing. I don’t know much more about her than what I read in that cover story but two months ago I saw that her book was coming out and I pre-ordered. I’m itching to dive into Emily Gould’s first book.

Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins

I’m going there! I absolutely judge a book by it’s cover and when I saw the cover for her latest novel, Poor Little Bitch Girl, I decided right then and there I needed to get into Jackie Collins. So I’ll start at the beginning with Hollywood Wives.

How could you resist this….

Tell All by Chuck Palahnluk

If you’re a fan read the review on Amazon from Publishers Weekly.  I like the pop-tastic feel of this one. Ekkkkkk!!!

Hey peeps! Long time no blog. I know. The whole Moeller clan is here in the Florida Keys on a serious family vay-kay. We came along with out best buddies the Lindahls. Yea, that’s what you do when you’re a family, you start calling other families by their last names. I think it’s fun. So anyway, here we are soaking up the sun, sipping on pina coladas and having us some good fun. I can’t really talk now but I wanted to let you all why I’d temporarily gone m.i.a and let you know that I’ll back to my regularly scheduled programing next Monday. Let me leave you with this:

What I’m reading: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

How Fritz is: Having the time of his life, refusing to nap and fishing a lot…in the pool.

How Lola is: Chilling.

What we’re eating: BBQ and shit loads of cookies.

My favorite thing about the vacation so far: Not checking my email, reading, swimming in our pool and staying up late with the grown ups playing cards and drinking beer.

XOXO, The Hipster Mom

It’s high time this beeotch made a come back. I have to say she looks damn good but who wouldn’t with a shit ton of MAC cosmetics on their grill. Am I right, or am I right? Any whoodles I just purchased her Viva Glam lipstick that’s half of a duo with Lady Gaga. Gaga’s was cute, very baby pink, but not an everyday shade for moi. The Cyndi shade is kinda like if a peach and a strawberry had a baby. I love it! Here are some Cyndi throwbacks. She’s a fucking inspiration!

We wanna see where these kids came from right? Mom’s please send along a picture of yourselves with your entries. Thanks! Let the Show Off Show Down commence!