September 28th, 2009
‘Tis the season to get organized. And if attending a Bar/Bat Mitzvah showcase in your area is something you’re considering to help jumpstart your Mitzvah planning – kudos to you!
Undoubtedly, a showcase can be a very valuable venue to gather a lot of information in one fell swoop. However, a showcase might also feel overwhelming. To help understand how to best navigate a showcase, we decided to catch up with Elyse Davis, one of the co-founders of Celebrate! Party Showcase. Elyse and her business partner Flora Smithline have been in the Mitzvah-planning business for more than 20 years. Here are four simple suggestions Elyse shares with us:
- Have a game plan. “Know what you are looking for and seek out those vendors,” Elyse suggests. If you know what you are looking for – a DJ, a florist, a photographer, entertainment, favors – then you can stay focused and visit those vendors related to what you need.
- Create a budget. “There is nothing wrong with having a working budget in mind before you attend a showcase,” Elyse says. If you budget a certain amount for a DJ, for example, then don’t waste your time talking to one that costs twice what you’re allocating.
- Involve your child. Elyse always reminds parents to let their children be part of the planning process and definitely bring them along with you to the showcase. Let your child weigh in on the different elements that make a Mitzvah what it is. She suggests you even let them understand that a budget is part of the planning process so that they learn what it means to be fiscally responsible.
- Print labels ahead of time. This is by far our favorite tip! Elyse suggests that instead of writing your name, number and email over and over again for each vendor at the showcase, you take along pre-printed labels and hand them to the vendors you are interested in keeping.
Thanks Elyse! So helpful….
September 28th, 2009
We’ve all made it through an evening or two (or a hundred?) with great-looking shoes that, let’s face it, absolutely killed our feet. And while the overwhelming feeling is that we are supposed to “grin and bear it” for the sake of fashion, we feel that our feet deserve better. If only we could spend an evening in a fabulous little black dress and our favorite comfortable sneakers. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Well, ladies, hold tight. It looks like luxury shoe designer Sergio Rossi and sneaker maker extraordinaire Puma are on the job.
Designers at Sergio Rossi have created a “reinterpretation” of Puma’s classic Clyde sneaker which was first released in 1973. The shoe team has made a high-heeled Mary Jane version of the shoe as part of the line. The shoe will come in a variety of colors. It’s a little different than the basic black pump, but our feet are already longing for them. The shoes are scheduled to hit stores in January.
Look for us at the first Mitzvahs of the New Year in our new Rossi/Puma Mary Janes, running laps around the dance floor. Don’t be surprised if you see us hurdling the limbo stick!
September 27th, 2009
We’re not sure about you, but we miss summer. (To our Florida readers: yes, we are jealous of your weather.) If only we could have a taste of summer to get us through these cold winter months.
Enter Maui Wowi.
Maui Wowi adds the spirit of Aloha to your mitzvah with fresh fruit smoothies in a dozen all-natural, non-fat flavors. Both kids and adults flock to the fun and festive tiki bar to enjoy smoothies complete with tiny decorative parasols. These delicious (and healthy – but don’t tell your kids) drinks are whipped up by Hawaiian-shirted servers. Our tastebuds are watering.
Maui Wowi can accommodate any theme (it doesn’t have to be an “island” theme), and they offer delicious espresso beverages, too.
20% Off Maui Wowi
Book Maui Wowi for your Mitzvah and let your guests enjoy their smooth moves!
SPECIAL OFFER: Take $200 off the usual price of $1,000 for a four-hour smoothie bar at a Mitzvah for 150 or fewer guests in the NY/NJ/Conn area. Just mention discount code MITZVAHMOM when you call 516-314-7169 or email myork111@gmail.com. Offer expires 12/31/09.
September 27th, 2009
We all strive to give our child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah a personal touch. From the theme to the invitations to the décor to the favors, we want the event to reflect our child and his/her personality. We also want to have keepsakes from the event.
We recently met a woman who helps families achieve these goals through her handcrafted personalized sign-in books. Susan Cohen of ARTC GIFTS creates unique, custom mosaic memory sign-in books, which can be used at Mitzvahs, weddings, sweet sixteen parties, retirement parties, and any other celebration. For Mitzvah sign-in books, Cohen starts with a silk guest book and adds the child’s invitation. Around the invitation, she uses cut pieces of tile and China to create a mosaic. Every design is one-of-a-kind. We know from personal experience that creating a mosaic is a great amount of work and the end result is always breath-taking. Cohen’s creations are gorgeous and practical – they can be displayed in your home (rather than your garage like some large, foam core sign-in posters do) after the Mitzvah. And with pages that can be added, your child can add photos to the book so that it serves very much like a scrapbook as well as a sign-in book.
Cohen says she started creating mosaic sign-in books and other projects after she searched high and low for a special mirror for her daughter’s room. When she was unable to find what she had in mind, she decided to put her experience as an artist to work and create it herself. She used vintage pieces of China and tile and created a unique mirror. ARTC GIFTS was born.
Thank you, Susan, for sharing your story with us. We hope people will check out your creations. We also hope that your story might inspire others to tap into their creative sides to find ways to give their parties a personal touch.
September 27th, 2009
When you are given your child’s Mitzvah date, you typically make three immediate phone calls: one to each set of grandparents so they are in the loop, and the third to an orthodontist like Dr. Keri Greene of Jericho, NY. We all know braces take a while, so we want the planning to begin to get our child’s smile Mitzvah-ready.
“I would say half of my clients bring up their child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah date during our initial consultation,” Dr. Greene explains. “Planning around that special day is very important.”
Of course the burning question is: Will the braces be off in time for the big event? And the answer to that is: When did they go on?
Dr. Greene gives us Mitzvah Moms some useful information and some very sound advice to help us plan ahead. Here are some considerations:
- Braces (the “garden variety” as Dr. Greene calls them) are typically on for 24 months. These are for correcting an overall mouth.
- A child’s “dental age” not his/her “chronological age” determines when the child is ready for braces. Typically, a child is ready at the age of 10 or 11, but only if the mouth is ready.
- Dr. Greene says that parents can shorten the time braces are on near a child’s Mitzvah date if they consider “interceptive” treatment between the ages of 7 and 9. This treatment will attack a specific, targeted problem such as a severe overbite or crowding. (See sidebar for more details.)
- The child’s teeth need to be in good health before any type of orthodunture work can begin. Dr. Greene suggests you keep up with regular check-ups and cleanings to keep the teeth and gums in good health.
- Braces can be removed for a Mitzvah and replaced after the Mitzvah. Dr. Greene says that for example, she has taken off braces on a Wednesday; the following Tuesday, after the child’s Mitzvah weekend, the braces go back on. There is a cost incurred for this service, but it is an option.
- Dr. Greene says the trend is starting to be that parents want their Mitzvah child’s braces removed for a month instead of a week. This is often due to photos the parents wish to have taken in preparation for the event. Dr. Greene says this is “totally do-able,” but if treatment is interrupted for an entire month, a retainer may need to be created and worn during this time to keep teeth from shifting. There is a cost associated for the removal of the braces as well as the creation of the retainer.
Every child is different, so the best way to find out what your child needs is to consult with an orthodontist. Together, you can come up with the most time-effective and cost-efficient program. But brace yourself; it will suddenly occur to you that your child is really growing up!
Call The Smile Station at 516-433-1422 and set up a consultation to discuss your child’s individual needs. Consultations are free at The Smile Station. When you call, mention the Mitzvah Moms and new families will receive a timely appointment and a 5% discount on services! No expiration date!
September 25th, 2009
Tammy, a Mitzvah Mail reader, sent in some “new” Jewish words and their meanings. They made us laugh out loud, so we thought we’d pass along the giggle. Thanks for writing in, Tammy!
Jewbilation: (n.) Pride in finding out that one’s favorite celebrity is Jewish or that your offspring is marrying a Jewish person.
Torahfied: (n.) Inability to remember one’s lines when called to read frm the Torah at one’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
Hebort: (v.) To forget all the Hebrew one ever learned immediately after one’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
September 25th, 2009
Baseball is upon us! If you are a fan and/or a player and are looking for Mitzvah Project ideas, you could always take your love for baseball and turn it into a Mitzvah Project. We recently heard about an organization called, Gear Up! Foundation that could be a part of your Project.
Gear Up! Foundation was established to provide baseball equipment to underprivileged kids in the NY tri-state area. Many kids never get a chance to play the game many of us love, and they miss out on the experiences associated with playing baseball, because of a lack of resources. By collecting both funds as well as new and used equipment, Gear Up! is trying to change all that! Even better – Gear Up! will arrange to have the equipment you want to donate picked up! Play ball!
