New new newhavenbaby contributors

Be on the look out for posts from a few new 'faces' here at the newhavenbaby.com blog.

Our city-wide search has netted us some new contributors, and we look forward to hearing their stories.

Cheers!

A new coffee hangout: Book Trader Cafe

Newhavenbaby and I have not been to Book Trader Cafe in a while; lately we've been staying within easy (i.e. lazy) strolling distance to home.

But today, I am sitting outside on the patio, tapping in to someone's unsecured wireless connection and drinking an excellent latte with, gasp, whole milk. Newhavenbaby's daddy sent me off today sans newhavenbaby with a $8 book credit, which I will probably spend on a book for newhavenbaby (we've gotten a few of our fave's here: Ten to Tango, Polar bear What do you hear?, Jamberry), so I am enjoying some quiet time while I scope the place out for the inevitable trip back with newhavenbaby in tow. I had forgotten how much we like to come here!

The scoop: indoor and outdoor seating, the patio seems great for a possibly loud and definately curious newhavenbaby---and you can get to it from the sidewalk without having to navigate with the stroller inside, one high chair. Book Trader serves coffee's, muffins, bagels, delicious gingerbread (yum!) and freshly made soups and sandwiches. And although you will have to ditch the stroller to fit through the hallway to the restrooms, there is a changing table waiting for you when you get there.

We have been putting off a trip to one of newhavenbaby's favorite spots nearby: the Yale Art Gallery, because I'm afraid with his new mobility and curiosity he will head right for Duchamp's snow shovel and carry it off an around the gallery. Or try to climb on one of the pillars for a closer look at Caligula's head. Maybe tomorrow...

An added bonus for branching out of my normal stomping grounds is that I got to see some people I don't see very often: Hi Leonardo! (:

Still stuck on blueberries

...and the blueberries will soon be stuck on newhavenbaby, and his clothes, and under his nails and...

We just got our email that the Bishop's Orchard blueberries are ready for picking starting tomorrow (July 19)!!!
The scoop: "Picking hours may change due to availability or weather conditions, so please call our special PYO Info line at 203-458-7425 just before coming.The blueberry season will last until very late August and we expect to be open most days. The price is $1.65 lb when you pick 5 pounds or more. Containers are provided. "

We took newhavenbaby to Lyman Orchards for his birthday last fall to pick apples, and though he wasn't sure about it at the time, he LOVES to look at the pictures from the trip. Maybe this year he will be able to reach the blueberries "all by himself"!

If you are interested, here is a directory of CT PYO farms.

Have fun, and send pictures!

Blues Berries and Jam and Green Beans and Raspberries

Newhavenbaby had a great time yesterday at the Blues Berries and Jam concert and Farmer's Market downtown in Temple Plaza.
We headed that way to find some fresh green beans for our Wednesday mamas and babies dinner for a delicious (and super-easy) recipe we found.
The farmer's market is sponsored by cityseed (same as the Saturday Wooster Square affair). It started at 9am, but by the time we got there at 11:45, the 5 or 6 vendors still had lots of veggies to choose from.
The music started at noon, and newhavenbaby enjoyed sitting in the chairs set up on the lawn, snacking on raspberries, raw green beans and ciabatta bread, and swaying to some excellent blues guitar playing.

Car seats in question

The authors of Freakonomics published an interesting (and thought-provoking) article, "The Seat-Belt Solution," in yesterday's NYT Magazine about the effectiveness of car seats for older toddlers and young children.
Wouldn't it be nice to not have to worry about bringing the darn car seat on vacation. Or moving it to another mama's car to ride together? Seems to good to be true....but wouldn't it be nice.

Thanks to C. for the hot tip!

read the full article

Mom's Clubs

Some one sent me an email asking for more! more! links to Mom's clubs and gatherings. I have listed what I know on the calendar, but I am on the hunt for more.

If anyone has groups they know of or belong to and love, please send me a note or post a comment below and I will publish them all on the site. I know there are mama's out there that would love the chance to get together, myself included! Think of newhavenbaby.com as your own perosnal mama recruiter (smile!).

Here's what I already have in my bookmarks:
Playgroups in CT
CT moms at Babycenter.com
SAHM group
myplaygroups.com

New Web Host!

Fear not...for those of you who have had some trouble with slow-loading (or no-loading) pages on the site this week, your troubles are over. We have switched servers and should be good to go.
Thanks for using our links for your Amazon, Target, Babystyle, and Gap purchases and supporting newhavenbaby.com!!

Hamden Family Fun Summer Concert Series

The Hamden Parks and Recreation Dept sponsors an annual series of family concerts that begins TONIGHT!! The concerts take place on Wednesdays at 6pm at Larry's Playground (Bassett Park) in Hamden.
This year's line-up:
July 6 Wayne from Maine
July 13 Mark Rust
July 20 TBA
July 27 Dr. Ya-ya's Gumbo Party
Aug 3 Les Julian
Aug 10 Blue Trail
Aug 17 TBA

For more information: 287 - 2579. Recorded info (rain locations, etc): 287 - 2588

Thanks to David for the email!

In case you were busy...

Just in case you (were at the park, having lunch, feeding lunch, starting a nap, ending a nap, reading a book, ...) and missed it....


"If you are a new parent you know how difficult it is to travel around with a little one. A new web site has been launched in New Haven to help guide you through the maze of what to do when you are out with your baby. Holly salmon, the proud mother of http://www.newhavenbaby.com/, joined us on News Channel 8 at Noon today."

Newhavenbaby, et al.

Hamdenbabies, Ansoniababies, WestHavenbabies, Cheshirebabies, NorthHavenbabies: tell your mamas and dadas we need you!!

Newhavenbaby is looking for a few hip stay-out-of-the-house mamas and dadas to become contributing editors on the blog.

If....
you love to write
you love to be the know-it-all of the bunch
you love to be out and about

then
you may the perfect contributing editor!

This is a great opportunity for people who are interested in pursuing a writing career as you never know who is looking. All it takes is one person in the media to scoop you up as their next feature writer. And if your contributions lead to advertising on the site, we would be thrilled to send a portion of the proceeds in your direction.

To apply, please email us a short bio about yourself during your next available nap-time. We will choose our new contributing editors in the next few weeks.

Add this to the Monday Night line up:

We really enjoyed seeing Les Julian at the Arts and Ideas Festival last month, and we are excited to see him on the summer line up for the North Haven library's Monday evening Picnic and Performance series.
Here's the scoop:

"Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy a free performance each week on the library lawn.(Performances will be held indoors if the weather is inclement. Seating is limited. No food in the Library.) Mondays 7:00 - 8:00 pm. All ages.
July 11 Les Julian - Singer and Songwriter
July 18 Wayne from Maine - Music for the "Young at Heart"
July 25 Tom Callinan - Songs of Land and Sea
August 1 Bill Shontz - High-energy entertainer

NO Registration required. Sponsored by the Friends of the North Haven Library."

Thanks R. for the info! Hope to see you and the new little one soon.

read the full article

newhavenbaby in the news...

...and on the news.

The pseudo-secret identity of MamaHolly will be revealed this Tuesday!

Set your clocks for 12:40 on Tuesday (July 5) afternoon and tune in to WTNH (ABC-Channel 8). I have been invited to make a guest appearance on News Channel 8 at Noon to talk about newhavenbaby.com. Fame or anonymity?---well, I guess now everyone knows which one I choose.

Newhavenbaby will be staying at home...hopefully taking his ever-elusive nap!!