4 Fab Finds Every Mom Needs To Know About This Holiday Season

parents magazine editor, parents brands, momtrends event, stylishlystella, jcpenneyOne of the main reasons I love blogging is that it keeps me in touch with the latest and greatest while being able to network with others and make new blogging friends.  So when MomTrends invited me to their Mom’s Night Out with Parents Magazine at Meredith Publications, of course, I said YES!  We had a terrific time mingling with one another and getting to know the brands.  Here’s the lineup and list of brands that you should know too!

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1. JCPenney

We all grew up knowing JCPenney and many of us have nostalgic memories of the store/brand.  Did you know though that they’ve recently launched a new lifestyle brand called Peyton & Parker?  It is exclusive to JCPenney and designed by their in-house team.

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At the event we were able to see, touch and even try on their classic looks, perfect for the whole family.

Think holiday photos, people, you’re gonna want to stock up on holiday plaid, sparkle and red and green colors!  Plus this is the time to think about refreshing your home decor!  They have everything you need to update your mantle or table’s look with Christmas decor.  See below for a setup so beautiful it will have you aching to move on from Halloween and hop, skip, and jump towards the holidays!  Shop all these affordable finds through Peyton and Parker here.  You can also follow them on IG, Twitter and FB @JCPenney

2. Boiron  

Being happy and healthy is top of mind for all of us moms so we were happy to hear about the #1 pediatrician recommended, homeopathic medicine brand!  Best known for their top-selling flu medicine, Oscillococcinum and their line of cough and cold relief medicines including Chestal and ColdCalm, their products work without causing drowsiness.  And we can all appreciate that!

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You can also feel safe giving this to your family knowing you don’t have to worry about unsafe drug interactions.   I’ve already tried ColdCalm which is good for babies as young as 6 months old, and am excited to try their honey syrup for coughs.  Never worry about overdosing!  Visit boironusa.com for more information and/or follow them on social media @BoironUSA.

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What a fun event activation they had!! Their healthy smoothie bar was AH-mazing and included, edible flowers and all the yummiest fruits and toppings!

3.  Culturelle  

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Do you take probiotics?  I recently learned about the importance of them for your gut health and digestion.  So I was happy to find Culturelle at the event given they are the #1 pediatrician recommended kids’ probiotic brand.  (Based on a 2016 survey among pediatricians recommending a kids probiotic brand).  I trust them to be safe and gentle, helping build a strong foundation for a child’s growth and development. They work naturally with your baby’s booty, oops I mean body.  Ok I mean both. lol  *Note these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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At the event, we were challenged to pack a new diaper bag with all the essentials.  Oh boy did this bring back memories! Because although I’ve passed this diaper stage in motherhood, I still semi-freak out making sure my mommy bag is packed with everything Juliet might need on any given day.  My bag (featured above on the left) included their Grow and Thrive which promotes a healthy digestive and immune system, packed with vitamin D for strong bones (along with hand sanitizer, a first aid kit, snacks, wipes and WINE).  Yes, I tried to pack the red wine.  Two in fact.  Cuz you know, the struggle is real! haha  You can follow Culturelle on FB, IG and Twitter.

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4.  VTech Toys

I LOVE a toy that can teach.  And I’m always looking for opportunities to have my child learn something new and believe that kids can learn so much through play.  VTech believes this too with their “play to learn and learn to grow” motto.  And with tech-y toys topping every expert’s must-buy list they are a brand you need to follow.  Their innovative, educational products are enriching, fun and high quality!  I don’t know about you but this unicorn (above) seemed to be calling my name.  “Starshine the Bright Lights Unicorn” is her name!  They said it was for ages 1.5 and above …that includes me, doesn’t it??

Check out their handy holiday gift guide that lets you search the site by age, price range and character theme.  And find them on social media @VTechToys.  Thanks to them, we all received mommy massages.  Wouldn’t it be nice if all playrooms included a massage chair and masseuse?? One can dream can’t they?

Speaking of toys and since we are approaching Halloween, click here for toy-inspired DIY costume ideas!

And that’s the full recap!!  Thank you MomTrends and Parents Magazine for organizing and inviting!  It was a fun, fabulous and festive soiree!momtrends, momtrends events, nyc influencers




This was a sponsored post but as always all opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

 

Afternoon Tea in Chicago’s Peninsula Hotel – Everything You Want To Know

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Time for a tea party!

My minifashionista loves a good tea party.  Whether it is at home with princess playmates and pretend tea set, or to celebrate a birthday, or in London (her first fancy afternoon tea), she (and I) are always up for a little afternoon tea.  So when daddy proposed the grand and impromptu idea to enjoy a little afternoon tea during our stay at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago this summer, we excitedly agreed to it!

The setting

We just love the beautiful restaurant, located in the lobby of the hotel with its dramatic floral arrangements, 20 ft. high, floor-to-ceiling windows, and elegant atmosphere.  It’s certainly the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion or just to celebrate the everyday like we did!

(this picture taken from Peninsula’s website)

The menu

The afternoon tea included a delectable sampling of savory and sweet bites.

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For the adults, sandwiches included the traditional variety: salmon and cream cheese, egg salad, tuna fish, and cucumber.  The middle tray included 2 scones and the top tray featured all the pretty desserts and treats.  As you can imagine, it took all my willpower not to start there first!

For kids

Everything was so perfectly pretty that the tiered tray just begged for a picture.  Juliet enjoyed ordering from the kid’s menu which also featured a decadent afternoon tea with treats including: gummy bears, jello shot, and her own collection of bite-sized pastries and chocolates prepared by the Peninsula’s world-renowned culinary team.  We should note that children’s, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free afternoon tea menus are also available upon request.

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French fries, baby burger, a ham and cheese sandwich shaped like a teddy bear, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich slice rounded out her plate. When she accidentally dropped her PB&J, the waiter jumped to offer her another one.  What service!  But he didn’t just come back with her replacement sandwich.

The surprises

He returned to also magically place the Peninsula bear on her seat without her realizing.  She discovered it moments after he left and was left curious as to how he got there.  When she asked the waiter about it, he playfully guessed that the bear must’ve jumped up onto her chair when she wasn’t looking, hoping to find a new home!  Juliet was ecstatic to find a new friend to enjoy tea with and she quickly introduced him to her pet bunny.  Together we all had a grand old time! The tea selection is vast and impressive ranging from oolong, herbal, green, black teas.  And we found that ordering one afternoon tea set, and one children’s set was enough for the 3 of us to enjoy as a family.

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And what made the afternoon tea even more memorable was the live music that we were treated to!  chicago peninsula hotel tea, chicago peninsula hotel, afternoon tea at peninsula hotel

A cellist and violinist serenaded us!

Location and times

The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago is located at 108 E. Superior St. between N. Michigan Avenue and Rush St.  And afternoon tea times are:
2:30 pm, 4:30 pm (Mon – Sat) and 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm (Sun). $65 for the adult tea order and $39 for the kid’s portion.

We highly recommend this AND the chocolate buffet served Friday and Sundays (7pm-10:30pm)

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We hope you enjoyed this insider’s peek into the Peninsula’s perfect afternoon tea!

Click here to read about how to plan a kids’ tea party – princess style!

Click here to see the teddy bear tea party we planned!

Click here to see the first tea party for toddlers that we hosted at home!

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