Well, Waddle Ya Know? Bette Middler’s Children’s Book to Hit Shelves

by Erin LemAugust 13, 2020

Bette Midler can light up a stage and the silver screen, and soon she’ll be able to add children’s book author to her list of accolades. Her new book, The Tale of the Mandarin Duck: A Modern Fable, is set to hit shelves in February 2021. Keep reading for the scoop on this celebrity-penned book.

photo: James White Trunk via Random House

Midler’s new book will be published by Random House Books for Young Readers and will feature photographs from Michiko Kakutani (you might recall she’s the former chief book critic for The New York Times) and illustrations from Joana Avillez. According to the publisher, Midler’s new book is inspired by “the real-life, rainbow-colored mandarin duck that appeared in New York City’s Central Park in 2018, Midler’s modern fable imbues the duck with the magical effect of rousing onlookers to make personal connections with one another over shared experience, which has never been more valued than in this new world of self-isolation and social distancing.”

photo: Random House

Expect a book that will teach the joy about being around others and accepting the unique ducks around us, both human and feathered.

“I am so delighted with the way this project turned out,” says Midler. “I have known Michi Kakutani for years, but I never knew her as a photographer, and when I saw her pictures, I knew there was a story there. It came to me practically overnight: the duck that had enchanted an entire city. The real duck’s visit to New York was a cause for celebration; everyone who saw him fell instantly in love. I wanted to memorialize his visit, and let readers know that the natural world is full of creatures just like him, if we only take the time to raise our eyes and actually see them.”

Preorder your book here.

—Erin Lem

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The North Face Launches Free Virtual Camp Experience

by Jennifer SwartvagherJuly 13, 2020

If you are looking to get your kids up and active this summer your options may lie right in your backyard. The North Face is bringing together its diverse group of global athletes to offer two free weeks of online and offline programming that will safely bring the spirit of the outdoors to kids wherever they are. Families can register now for The North Face Summer Base Camp, which will begin Jul. 20.

The free two week program includes three interactive half day activities per week hosted by members of The North Face athlete team and each will offer a video tutorial and instruction on how to complete the activity, all encouraging campers to explore the outdoors and spark curiosity and courage to embark on adventure.

Week 1

7/20 — Adventure Photography with Jimmy Chin

Campers join photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin for a crash course in snapping epic shots and learning to make their own pinhole cameras.

7/22 — Geometric Designs with Nina WIlliams

Climber Nina Williams teaches campers about natural formed patterns and shares how to create a masterpiece with items found in the backyard

7/24 — Snacks to Pack with Ashima Shiraishi

Who’s up for a snack attack? Campers head to the kitchen with climber Ashima Shiraishi for tips on making healthy (and delicious) trail-friendly treats

Week 2

7/27 — Map Making with Coree Woltering

Ultrarunner Coree Woltering teaches map making and other handy navigational tricks for getting out (without getting lost)

7/29 — Survival Skills with Manoah Ainuu

Campers circle up with climber Manoah Ainuu to learn sic essential skills for surviving in the wilderness

7/31 — Backyard Basecamp with Hilaree Nelson

Ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson shares what it’s like to climb Mt. Everest and teaches campers how to build (and pack for) at-home base camps.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of The North Face

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This “Schitt’s Creek” Cake Smash Will Have You Saying, “Ew, David!”

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 10, 2020

There are so many themes to choose from when planning a cake smash for your baby. Connecticut photographer, Ute-Christin Cowan, was looking for the perfect idea when planning her 10th anniversary shoot. When Cowan’s assistant, Emma, suggested their favorite show, Schitt’s Creek, they set out to find baby doppelgangers of the famous cast members.

Cowan knew she wanted to celebrate the 10th anniversary of her photography business in style. She said, “What better way to celebrate than with another fun celebrity cake smash?” In the past, her most popular themes included, Ellen, Live with Kelly & Ryan, Carpool Karaoke, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Watch What Happens Live.

She put out a casting call among her clients searching for the biggest Schitt’s Creek fans. She looked for kids that would best resemble Dan Levy, Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara and it looks like she hit the jackpot.

This was Cowan’s most involved cake smash yet with two backdrops, many props and even a wig for baby Moira.

Cowan reports that the kids were a riot. “Moira ( Harper, 13 months) was the most energetic; she was smiling at everyone and just had the best time. Johnny (Liam, 12 months) was not fazed by anything. He was the calmest and just observing the chaos. Alexis (Evvi, 13 months) was a very dramatic little one. She had to take a few emotional breaks throughout the shoot. David (Hudson, 10 months) was just his handsome self. He loved eating cupcakes, I think he had about five in total.”

Cowan and her assitant already have tickets for the Schitt’s Creek farewell tour coming to Connecticut in June. Cowan said, “With this homage, we wanted to thank them for all the laughter and the warm fuzzy feelings in the last 5 years!”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Ute-Christin Photography

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Photographer Transforms Moms-to-Be into Disney Princesses

by Jennifer SwartvagherMarch 3, 2020

A maternity photographer from Rio de Janeiro knows how truly magical pregnancy can be. Vanessa Firme started having moms-to-be dress up in princess gowns for their photo shoots. Instead of dancing at the ball, these princesses are heavily pregnant, living their happily ever after with their prince.

Firme, started the themed shoots after a woman approached her about doing a Beauty and the Beast themed shoot to honor her daughter, Bela.

“I thought how magical it would be for her when she saw her own mother dressed as the princess,” Firme told Good Morning America.

Firme said, “People loved it and we decided to make more princesses. These photos tell mothers that they can all be whoever they want to be. It shows what happens after happily ever after.”

She added more princesses to her portfolio and branched out to shoot other characters, such as Maleficent, Wonder Woman, and Fiona from Shrek.

Firme also began incorporating Disney magic into her newborn shoots as well, featuring princess moms and their royal babies.

Visit Firme’s Instagram to see more photos.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Vanessa Firme

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Mattel Debuts 3 New Icons to the Barbie Inspiring Women Series

by Jennifer SwartvagherFebruary 20, 2020

Barbie sparks the unlimited potential of every child that plays with the iconic dolls. There isn’t anything Barbie can’t do. Barbie’s Inspiring Women series is getting three new additions with some of the most inspirational women of all time, Billie Jean King, Ella Fitzgerald and Florence Nightingale.

Billie Jean King Barbie — Photographer Paul Jordan / Stylist Jennifer Hoon

The Inspiring Women series debuted in 2018 on International Women’s Day featuring Barbie dolls based on artist Frida Kahlo, aviator Amelia Earhart and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson. This line is dedicated to honoring modern and historical role models who paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before. Last year, Barbie inspired a new generation of girls with the release of two new dolls, Rosa Parks and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.

Florence Nightengale Barbie — Photographer Jason Tidwell
Stylist Jennifer Hoon

The new dolls are part of Mattel’s mission to close the Dream Gap, a multi-year global initiative to raise awareness around limiting factors that prevent girls from reaching their full potential, by showing girls more role models (historical & present) and telling their stories.

Each doll features authentic clothing and unique accessories, plus educational information about the honoree’s contributions to society, so girls can be inspired by their stories through play.

Ella Fitzgerald Barbie — Photographer Jason Tidwell
Stylist Jennifer Hoon

The dolls are available at Target, Walmart, Amazon and at Barbie. They retail for $29.99.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Mattel

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“Pizza Baby” Celebrates Second Birthday With Pizza, Of Course!

by Jennifer SwartvagherFebruary 14, 2020

Coming up with a unique way to take monthly milestone pictures of your baby can be a challenge. Some parents use letter boards or adorable throws. One Maryland mother came up with a creative and incredibly cheesy way to keep track of her baby’s growth and it went viral.

Dani Giannandrea, a Maryland-area wedding photographer, took the social media world by storm when she posted Lorenzo’s (Enzo) first year calendar pictures. Instead of posing Enzo next to a sign depicting his age, she used slices of pizza to mark his growth.

As each month passed, Giannandrea added one more slice. When asked why she chose pizza, she said, “When brainstorming with my mom, Lorenzo’s Grammy, she said that I really should do something Italian as an ode to his name. I had tossed around a few ideas but ultimately decided if we were going to do this right, we may as well also get dinner out of it each month.”

When Enzo turned two, it was only fitting that they mark his birthday with pizza. Giannandrea jokes that she’s glad Enzo isn’t lactose intolerant since they plan to keep up the photo shoots every year. She said, “It will be cute for a few more years, then awkward, and then hysterical. Already contemplating the purchase of a drone to get him with 18 pizzas.”

Giannadrea adds that Instagram makes motherhood look easy, but she acknowledges how hard it really is. She loves seeing other moms post photos of their completed baby photos projects, from pizza babies to burger babies. One mom even used a dozen eggs!

She said, “ I know the commitment it takes to stick to a project and how complicated it is to get a wiggly baby to sit still for 30 seconds to get just one photo. So it is heartwarming to see moms who stuck it out and now have their own baby next to their favorite food.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Photos courtesy of Dani Leigh Photography

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Boys Can Be Princesses Too & These Adorable Photos Are Proof

by Shahrzad WarkentinJanuary 30, 2020

Dress-up is a creative way to play that allows kids to express themselves and take on different roles, and it shouldn’t have to be limited to specific genders. The Boys Can Be Princesses Too project proves that gowns aren’t just made for girls.

Photographer Kitty Wolf has started an inspiring movement and what started as a simple photo series of boys dressed up as princesses has quickly gained attention online. “My goal was just to show the world that boys like this exist. Boys who like princesses and want to play as them the same way girls do.” Wolf told Red Tricycle, “Society seems to have no problem when girls play as male superheroes, like Thor and Iron Man, but lots of people get offended to their very core if a boy wears a princess dress.”

Wolf was initially inspired to start the photo project thanks to one of her preschool students. “He was playing pretend as a princess and two of his female classmates told him, ‘Boys can’t be princesses; princesses are for girls!’ and I thought, ‘princesses are for everyone!'” Wolf explained. “He was having such a blast playing as a princess, who are any of us to stop him?”

She was also encouraged when she met a boy who loved to dress up as Elsa. At the time, she was running a princess party company and was hired to do a party for him. Wolf said, “Meeting him and seeing that he loved Elsa (and wearing her dress!) the same as any of the girls we visited really hammered in the idea that boys can and do like being princesses too!”

Wolf’s hope is that some day kids won’t be forced into specific gender roles and that they’ll be free to play however they want. While she has faced some backlash for her project, she has also gotten plenty of positive response. “Many comments have been from people that said a project like this would have helped make them feel less alone growing up and THAT is what I hope to accomplish,” Wolf says, “If one child sees these pictures and feels better about themselves, then it’s all been worth it.”

You can learn more about the project on the Boys Can Be Princesses Too site.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

All photos: Courtesy of Kitty Wolf

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This Small Fry Photo Shoot Has an Adorable In-N-Out Burger Theme

by Erica LoopJanuary 22, 2020

Who isn’t all in for a completely cute newborn photo shoot—especially when the subject is In-N-Out Burger? Belly Beautiful Portraits’ Karen Marie recently posted In-N-Out Burger-themed pics on Instagram, and they’re awesomely aww-dorable.

If you’re wondering how this French fry-filled photo shoot happened, the newborn’s parents met while working at the fave burger joint, according to the photographer’s IG post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Belly Beautiful by Karen Marie (@bellybeautifulportraits)

Unlike other newborn photo shoot backdrops, this one didn’t involve a mural-like scene or pink and blue flowers. Instead, the photographer filled the frame with 20 orders of burgers and fries.

When asked how she managed to get through the shoot without sneaking a few of those famous fries, the photographer answered, on IG, “Because my trainer/coach would make me do 30 min more cardio… and I hate cardio lol.”

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Belly Beautiful Portraits via Instagram

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Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s 2019 Christmas Card Is All about Archie

by Erica LoopDecember 26, 2019

While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are spending their holiday in Canada, the royal family’s 2019 Christmas card is getting plenty of attention!

In the days leading up to Christmas, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s e-card popped up just about everywhere on social media. The sweet black and white pic prominently features the couple’s son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor—and he is absolutely adorable.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Janina Gavankar (@janina)

Even though the card couldn’t be cuter, it’s already become the target of Photoshop claims. In response, Markle’s friend and the photographer behind the pic, Janina Gavankar, re-posted the card on Instagram with the caption, “So proud to have taken the Christmas photo for one of my best friends and her family. Here’s the original that was sent out (cropped to fit IG).”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)

While some of the e-card recipients did tweet or Instagram the family photo, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose not to post their 2019 holiday card on social media. Instead, Markle and Prince Harry sent out warm holiday wishes to their fans via Instagram, with a post reading, “Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.”

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Sussex Royal via Instagram

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This Newborn Takes Mean-Mugging to the Next Level

by Jennifer SwartvagherDecember 9, 2019

Baby Luna is a mood. The two-week-old clearly was not impressed with her newborn photo session. While most babies look sleepy and angelic in their first pictures, Luna had her eye on photographer, Justine Tuhy, for the entire shoot.

View this post on Instagram

These might just be the best baby facial expressions I have ever captured! Mom and Dad both said she came out with this same face! I just love it!

A post shared by Justine Tuhy Photography (@justinetuhyphoto) on Dec 3, 2019 at 4:09pm PST

“She’s been mean-mugging since day one,” Luna’s father, Christian Musa, said. “She’s either mean-mugging non-stop, or just unimpressed.”

After Tuhy posted photos of Luna on social media, the baby’s scowl went viral, gracing various memes across the internet. Since then, thousands of people have commented on the post, some sharing their own funny baby photos.

View this post on Instagram

She’s got this staring game on point!

A post shared by Justine Tuhy Photography (@justinetuhyphoto) on Dec 4, 2019 at 3:50pm PST

“These might just be the best baby facial expressions I have ever captured! Tuhy captioned her post. “Mom and Dad both said she came out with this same face! I just love it!”

Tuhy appreciates seeing how much joy Luna’s photos are bringing to so many people.

View this post on Instagram

Two weeks new... Luna!! She wasn’t impressed with this whole newborn photo session thing so she wanted to be awake and watch my every move!

A post shared by Justine Tuhy Photography (@justinetuhyphoto) on Dec 3, 2019 at 4:07am PST

“All I was doing was my job. Miss Luna did all the incredible work with her silly facial expressions,” she said. “I’m super blessed to have captured this special moment for the family that they can cherish forever.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

All photos courtesy of Justine Tuhy Photgraphy via Instagram/Featured image: Martinus via Pexels

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