service that uplifts...ideas that inspire
Bright Stars: Inspiration
Baby Art Mart
Granny Pepper!
Pepper's Family when they were young
Dear friends,
It is with tremendous JOY that I introduce you to my long friend who is also exceedingly loving, creative, and talented. Feeling a lot empty once her BIG and very BOISTEROUS family had grown up and her parents passed on, Pepper, actually named Pepper Salter, was indeed in need of some big time cheering up! What did she do? She launched Baby Art Mart! http://www.babyartmart.com. She thought just maybe her vast collection of vintage cookie jars could bring cheer to you, too! Spoiler alert! Be careful! Like Pepper, you, too, could become insatiable collector!
From Pepper:
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"One day I realized that cookie jars could make kids happy, too! But rather than a heavy breakable ceramic jar that could be hurled at a hopeless younger sibling, what about a portrait of a cookie jar on a brightly colored canvas, hung high on a wall! Thus was born Baby Art Mart!"
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Some of my favorites:
Brick Pig
Cal Bear
We love this one - Go Bears! The UC Berkeley Mascot!
Ella Eskimo Girl
Lili Bosse
Interview with Beverly Hills Vice Mayor, Lili Bosse
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As these times demand, we strive to better understand, be more tolerant, more patient. Do have a look see at “my takeaways” from a recent interview of a wise and brave lady who works diligently to lead in exactly this way. She is Beverly Hills Vice Mayor Lili Bosse. She has much to share.
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Nana's Nuggets of Wisdom
Marjorie Cohen
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A new and ongoing column starring the inimitable Marjorie Cohen, a lady with an insatiable appetite for life, quick wit, brilliance, and a lifetime of experience. Secure your "seat-belts", away we go!
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Click here for all of Nana's Nuggets!
Marjorie Cohen
Grief and Discomfort
David Kessler
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Perhaps, like me, you find yourself discussing, much too much, all matter of things relating to the Coronavirus. As David Kessler explains, a world renowned expert on grief, founder of www.grief.com with 5 million visits annually from 167 countries, many of us are experiencing some sort of Grief… as we grapple with conflicting feelings arising from a loss of normalcy and of connection, economic and health uncertainty, fear of safety… And quite unusually, this emotional roller coaster is happening Collectively. We are not accustomed to this kind of collective grief that has gripped our society.
Here is an excellent, very clear, concise and easily digestible article that provides some clarity and understanding. https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief.
I Will Always Write Back
Caitlin Alifrenka & Martin Ganda
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"I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives" - the NYT best selling true story that is sure to capture the interest and heart of any teenagers in your life. It's the unforgettable and very personal story of two teens revealed through an enduring pen pal relationship. One is an All American girl and the other, a young boy from Zimbabwe. We couldn't resist sharing this with you!
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The Science of Happiness
Tia Graham
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Happiness... Aren't we all striving for more? Happiness lifts our spirit and those around us. So what is so elusive about Happiness?
Tia Graham has founded her LA based company Arrive at Happy to delve into the science of happiness. Recently I heard her speak. The audience was in rapt attention as she explored latest findings in her scholarly research into Happiness.
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Salt in My Soul
Mallory Smith
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Salt in My Soul: An Unfinished Life, by Mallory Smith, is her so very inspiring story, edited from her 2500 page journal she kept religiously from the age of 15 to her passing. Just before she was to receive a double lung transplant, she finally gave her mother the password to her computer, and said, “Mom, I know you’ll know what to do with this, just include nothing that could be hurtful.”
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Mallory Smith
Young At Heart
General MacArthur
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Youth is not entirely a time of life, it is a state of mind. It is not wholly a matter of ripe cheeks, red lips or supple knees. It is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a freshness of the deep springs of life. It means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of an appetite for adventure over love of ease.
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Meet Teddy, a completely adored and loved pet!
Marjorie
Margery
That's What My Mother Said
Sissy
When I was growing up who was a girl's #1 teacher? Her Jewish mother, of course. One of my favorite lessons was a dance, mother called the "one step" which through the years has guided me over many a bumpy floor. I've come "round" to calling it the Gospel of the one-step, because what my mother said was "gospel." I'd love to teach you how to do it...
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Mary
A Gift From Mom...
A Mother's Birthday Wish
Robin Keefe
* Thank you Robin Keefe... for sharing your loving letter to your grown children. It so beautifully resonates with the heart of Pazazz.
I would like each of you to seriously explore volunteering for a nonprofit organization with the goal of serving on their board of directors. Consider it the ultimate gift to me and from me to you.
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Bright Stars: Health & Wellness
Feeling Stressed, Rundown? Try Peppermint !!
Tammy Park-Coburn
If you love peppermint, you're not alone.
Peppermint is one of the most popular essential oils & teas for a good reason. It has so many benefits!
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Eat Well.. Live Well.. Be Well
Pamela Salzman
This is the simple philosophy of Pamela Salzman, nutritionist (www.pamelasalzman.com). Below is a summary of some highlights from a recent, healthily informative presentation. Here’s to HEALTH! Perhaps you’ve heard many of these points before, but if you’re anything like us, review is always in order.
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Breathe... Just Breathe
Amy Kahan
Post-partum Doula
Lactation Consultant
Urban Zen Integrated Therapist
Any idea how many breaths you’ve taken today? If you’re an adult, chances are you’re taking about 23,040 breaths per day. Noticed any? If you’re like most of us… probably not. But it’s there, always has been, creating the steady backbeat of your life. It’s also there allowing you to feel more rejuvenated, relaxed and in control…if you know how to let it.
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Windows to the World
Carrie B. Zaslow, M.D.
Ophthamologist
Our eyes are the windows to the world. They help us to see and interpret our surroundings. They allow us to experience joy when we see a beautiful sunset or see the smile on our friend's face when we tell them a joke. They help us to express things like happiness and sadness when we cry.
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The Saving Grace of
Transcendental Meditation for Moms
Janet Hoffman
Transcendental Meditation for Women
Moms need to take care of themselves, probably more than anyone else does. The stakes of our performance are higher than anyone else's. We may try to forego our own needs in order to focus fully on taking care of children, work and home. But children are sensitive to a mother’s stress and reportedly have higher stress themselves when the mother is overworked, exhausted, anxious or depressed. With so little time to spare for self-help, moms need something that is quick, simple and effective.
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The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique is easy to learn and effortless to do. It requires about 20 minutes twice daily (while the little ones are napping). The TM technique is not a philosophy or religious practice and it doesn’t require clearing our mind of thoughts or having to concentrate or focus.
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Bright Stars: Nurturing Loved Ones
Jam with Jamie
Jamie Kolnick
Help! My son’s birthday is fast approaching and I want it to be very fun, but whatever do I do?!
Do as Dylan’s Candy, Facebook, Soho House, A-E Networks, American Express and so many others have done, go straight to Jam with Jamie!
Jam with Jamie is a nationwide children’s music entertainment and education company specializing in customized birthday parties, events, classes and playgroups for children ages 0-10. Currently serving the NYC Tri-State area, LA, Chicago, Nashville, Miami and Dallas.
From Music to Face painting and Balloonists, Photographers and cake specialists - they are truly a one-stop shop for all of your young group needs. Have fun because life’s a jam!
Jamie, the founder of this company, offers the most playful and engaging interactive music experiences for children that I have ever seen (and trust us, we’ve seen a lot of classes!) We were instantly captivated by her playful spirit, warmth and enthusiasm. www.roseandrex.com - Rose and Rex is a toy boutique offering curated content and a selection of elegantly designed toys that promote imaginative play.
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To learn more, visit: https://jamwithjamie.com.
Mention PAZAZZ when booking -15% off!
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The Problem with Praise
Edith A. Buie, M.A., M.F.T.
Any good parent wants to make his/her child feel good about himself, right? We all know the enormous impact strong self-esteem has upon a child. Parents spend a lot of effort trying to build self-esteem in their children, knowing that a belief in yourself and confidence in your own value is so fundamental to achievement, success, and happiness. So when 5 year old Bobby runs up to show you his artistic masterpiece, you are apt to exclaim with PRAISE and tell him “How beautiful! I love it! You might let him know how those squiggles and scribbles are signs of an emerging Picasso or Rembrandt. That might be the case, but let’s face it, you are stretching things a bit in the effort to make Bobby feel good.
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Growing Ethical Little Ones
Parts 1, 2 and 3 (coming)
Greg Richards, Ph. D.
Director, Middle Grades Ethics Project
Part 1: We all desire to raise our kids to be truthful, fair, and honest. Greg Richards's long research provides eight specific insights for you to ponder.
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Part 2: Reflections on Mary Pipher’s The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families (Riverhead Books)
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Tots 2 Seniors
Elisa Schoenfeld
Tots 2 Seniors is a Mommy and Me class unlike any other in Los Angeles, because it brings together two special populations, seniors and children. The joy and smiles children bring to seniors and vice a versa is priceless.
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Short Books For Busy People
Danny Brassell, Ph.D.
Do you have someone who needs a little encouragement to read? Maybe they have a reading disability and find reading to be a chore? Check out The Lazy Readers Book Club, which boasts over 10,000 subscribers!
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About Danny...
Affectionately known as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.,” Dr. Danny Brassell (www.DannyBrassell.com) has held a variety of titles and worked with leaders from a variety of fields and disciplines, but he has always considered himself first and foremost a teacher. He is a best-selling author of 15 books, including Read, Lead & Succeed. Google consistently ranks Danny's online reading club, www.lazyreaders.com, as one of the top sites for cool, short book recommendations.
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Lazyreaders.com
An Attitude of Gratitude...
I am grateful for...
Jennifer Breheny Wallace
“A sense of entitlement seems too prevalent among young people today, but cultivating an attitude of gratitude is so easy and an effective antidote. Gratitude can be taught at any age, simply by regularly counting our blessings.” It’s true! If we were to open our hearts and minds and begin a daily practice of noticing all the little joys that abound and expressing them, we might be amazed at the reward. For example: I am grateful for my friends; my family; my health; the warmth of the sun or even for that fresh steaming cup of coffee. You get the idea!
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We can debate the reasons for this misguided sense of entitlement which diminishes gratitude. Too often, parents are organizing their lives around their kids, which invites the children to grow up expecting it is so with the world.
Researchers have found those who are grateful are happier. With just a little practice, this attitude of gratitude can become a mind-set, a way of seeing the world.
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The evidence is enormous how this easy practice affects mood and enjoyment of life and importantly, those around us. Let’s do it!
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For more... please refer to the Wall Street Journal.
Wallace, Jennifer Breheny. “How to Raise More Grateful Children.” The Wall Street Journal, 23 Feb. 2018.
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'I Wish You Bad Luck,' He Said With Good Intentions
Bob Greene, NY Times
“I wish you bad luck," said the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice John Roberts. Wow! One might say to this statement which headed up Chief Justice Roberts commencement speech to his son’s 9th grade graduating class at the end of 2017.
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By this, he didn’t mean any negativity, rather to express encouragement and optimism. He was saying, only by experiencing some adversity may we really understand reward. To better understand loyalty, experiencing some level of betrayal can be a teaching moment. And so it goes with friendship, luck, sportsmanship, compassion and so on.
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This is a reminder to us parents, to use experiences of pain to better appreciate painlessness. To understand that it is our job to give guidance to our little ones, but not to overprotect. What seems like loving may be crippling.
To read more... Greene, Bob. "'I Wish You Bad Luck,' He Said With Good Intentions." The Wall Street Journal. New York. 21 December 2017.
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Join Danielle as she reads books to her young daughter Elena and then relates those stories to those things that matter most; kindness, attitude, service to others, even holidays and more! We hope these conversations will inspire you to do the same.
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I am a financial advisor at Sanford Bernstein. As someone involved in the world of finance, it was critical to me that my husband and I teach our kids about the value of money, and the significance of delayed gratification and hard work. (Believe me, this is not easy to do when you raise your kids on the privileged Westside of Los Angeles!)
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Hans Tercek, Mei Tercek, Jean Huang, Charlie Tercek
RX to Parents:
Encourage children to play more..
UCLA Vital Signs – Winter 2019 Vol. 81
Pediatricians can provide a simple prescription to parents to increase their child’s social – emotional, cognitive, language and self- regulation skills.. interactive play!
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With so much emphasis on how important the early years are to child development, many parents assume that they need to start emphasizing academics really early on. But in reality, it’s free or guided play that is potentially the most beneficial,” says UCLA pediatrician Carlos F. Lerner, MC.
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“For parents to enter their child’s world and directly interact with that child is more valuable than going through flash cards or investing in educational software or TV programs.” Play that entails active engagement can result in joyful discovery. For much more, please see UCLA Vital Signs.
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This well-known and respected scientist endeavors to deliver the latest, cutting edge science breakthroughs that help us to live a happier, healthier life. He is a most sought after speaker, the world over, for his ability to explain in lay terms the latest information on brain science. His entertaining and engaging style captivates and motivates his audiences.
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