When people ask me what my blog is about, I usually reply that West of the Loop is a food and parenting blog with a thoughtful bent. (The “thoughtful” part is really just a way to say that I write long posts.) Food and parenting are great topics to blog about because they are so [...]
 
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Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There’s no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com. This weekend we are hosting a small gathering of friends to celebrate Hanukkah, which starts on the night of December 20. The traditional food [...] This post originally appeared at this time last year on my local blogging community site, The Chicago Moms. It’s timely once again and my sentiments have not changed, so I am reposting for 2011. At this time of year, there is a lot of discussion in the media about what I call the Christmas culture wars. In [...] This post is sponsored by Tempur-Pedic, the brand millions of owners trust to deliver their best night’s sleep every night. Enjoy our Buy 2, get 1 free pillow offer now and give the gift of custom comfort to someone you love. Thanksgiving comes this week and with it the official start of the winter holiday season. [...] The baby calves at the dairy farm were adorable. What kind of milk does your family drink? Do you pay more for organic? Do you shop around for the best price? When I was a kid, the only question was whether you drank skim or 2% or maybe whether your mom let you have chocolate [...] Rock star-themed paper goods helped complete the look. One of the most viewed West of the Loop posts ever is this one about Zuzu’s 7th birthday party which was a DIY American Girl Doll party. Remember? That was the party where I made tiny doll-sized food. I’ll admit that that was a little hard-core. The [...] Zuzu demos how to drink hot chocolate with wet nails. Raise your hand if you are a mom who has ever hired a babysitter so that you could get a mani-pedi or a bikini wax or, dear Lord, just get your highlights done. I seriously don’t know any mom who hasn’t done this at some [...] Slices of brisket in a rich gravy This past week marked the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. Last year at this time, I wrote a post about enjoying Rosh Hashanah dinner with my friend and fellow blogger Vanessa AKA Chef Druck and I shared my recipe for sweet carrot tzimmes — the vegetables cut into [...] Building Blocks toy store in Wicker Park What makes a great independent toy store? In my view, it’s a magical combination of great customer service, a wide selection of imaginative and unusual toys, and enough room to play and hang out. The owner of this kind of toy store recognizes you after your first few [...] Zuzu in the raspberry bushes When I was a little girl growing up in Washington DC, we used to pick our Halloween pumpkins at a farm in western Howard County Maryland called Larriland Farms. (I’m happy to report that it is still in business and that the owners were savvy enough to buy the domain [...] Mornings are so busy, aren't they? Zuzu’s school starts forty-five minutes earlier this year than it did last year. Forty-five minutes earlier! Zuzu is not a morning person and it was hard enough to get her to school by 9 am. Getting her to school by 8:15 is proving to be a real challenge, especially because she insists on walking [...] My beloved father in happier times As some of you know, my beloved father passed away last month. He had courageously battled an extremely aggressive malignant brain tumor for 18 months before finally succumbing. Since my father’s death, heartfelt notes and tributes have poured in from all corners. Here is a link to my father’s [...] This girl is ready for third grade…and maybe a poetry slam. I'm not sure. Zuzu started third grade a few weeks ago and she is feeling very grown-up indeed. Elementary schools all have their cherished hierarchies and rituals and kids take pride in reaching new milestones. This year, for the first time, Zuzu’s classroom is on [...] A healthy snack alternative Does your elementary school aged kid bring a snack to school? Mine does. Since she started full-day school in first grade, Zuzu has brought a snack to school, in addition to her lunch, at the teacher’s request. Depending on when she wakes up, Zuzu can have four or five hours of hard-core learning [...] The bikers get ready to hit the trail. For JR, this summer has been his first summer as a biker. Early last spring I took JR to our favorite bike store, Dan’s Bike Shop in nearby Berwyn, for his first big boy bike. (It was kind of an expensive purchase for no special occasion, but [...] Stylish organization from Blue Sky My children both head back to school in a few weeks. This fall is shaping up to be our busiest one ever. Now that Zuzu is in third grade, her schedule is jam-packed with activities. I don’t think of myself as one of those parents who overschedules her child, but [...] Watching the surfers from Ocean Beach Pier Part 1: San Diego With Kids My parents with their grandkids As many of you have heard, my father is gravely ill at the moment. I don’t want to discuss the details of his illness because my father is a very private person and because it is not my place to do so. But I am compelled to write about the conflict I feel [...] JR is always very firm in his convictions. One of my all-time favorite articles from The New Yorker is a 2002 piece by Adam Gopnik about his daughter Olivia’s imaginary friend, Charlie Ravioli. The funny thing about Charlie Ravioli, aside from his wonderful name, was that he was always too busy to play with Gopnik’s daughter; at dinner, Olivia would [...] Harvard Yard: now known as where Facebook began Over the Fourth of July weekend, my family traveled to Boston, which seems appropriate somehow. We were there to spend some time with my husband’s brother and his wife, who live in Boston, and my husband’s parents, who lived in Boston in the early days of their marriage. [...] Summer is better with sombreros Why is it that summer memories burn a little brighter in our subconscious than other memories? One whiff of Fritos and I am instantly transported back to my childhood pool club; my mom used to pack a Thermos of lemonade and bags of Fritos and Doritos for a forced snack time on the [...] |
 
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