carrie*connects

My New England Journal

I made the move from Northern California to New England a few months ago. It was a big move that involved being without furniture for nearly 10 days; horses transported via a FedEx cargo plane; and holing up in a Westport hotel with two cats and two dogs for several days waiting to close on my new place.

Once the movers arrived (with seemingly many more boxes than I'd put on the van in California), my life for weeks became about unpacking, sorting and unpacking. The process was careful at first--cut open the tape, lovingly unwrap and put away the contents. Hundreds of paper cuts and many sore muscles later, this devolved into briskly slicing through cardboard (often slicing through fingers) - upending boxes and literally throwing the contents sans newspaper into the closest drawer, closet, whatever.

Things have somewhat come together over the past few months - people ask how it's progressing and I can only grin and tell them it'll be a while. The house while in good repair had previously been owned by a family who obviously didn't put high value on maintenance, cleanliness, or style. Bats kept up a lively residence in the attic; beetles and prehistorically large spiders dominated the horse barn; caterpillars crept up the many white oaks on the property - multiplying rapidly and chewing their way through the foliage; weird downspouts when it rained appeared from windows, ceilings and chimneys; and the well promptly dried up and quit in the middle of summer.

All this I'm sure makes you wonder why the hell I bought this place right? After all, this was hardly a well plotted out operation.  I came to the idea of moving cross country last year on a walk one day - had never been to Connecticut but thought it sounded nice.  After flying back and forth between coasts several times I finally settled on a small horse farm in the Lower Connecticut River Valley.  Mild weather and reasonable proximity to both NYC and Boston brought me to the area - but the house was chosen almost on a whim (we'll get into that later).

My reasons for leaving Northern California are numerous. The most pressing is that Marin County, where I'm from, has suffered badly over the past decade. Once a pastoral, bohemian haven - it has evolved into Hollywood North. Midwesterners, pilgrim actors from LA, and techno developers have crammed in, sending real estate prices skyrocketing - and the quality of life into free-fall.

The big payoff here in New England is that, for me, time seems to have rewound. The Lower Connecticut River Valley, where I spend much time, is like Northern California 20 years ago - except it's near glorious Manhattan.  Towns like Chester, Essex, and Old Saybrook are breeding grounds for artists, small business, and dreamers. Horses live on farms, and in backyards - just like they did not so long ago in Northern California.

So since I've come here as a pilgrim in a manner of speaking, I discover new things all the time - so I've started a new blog called NE Journal - a log of my experiences, how the east coast compares to the west, what I come across that I think is worth a few words or more - - things that I think will be interesting to others.

Find my NE Journal at http://leberpr.blogs.com/ne_journal/

Now toddlers see the world in 360 degrees too.

Jet-set families have been enjoying the smooth ride, cushy comfort, and advanced safety of the new Orbit Infant System. Now, the most innovative baby transport system in the world will grow with those lucky families.

Available in December 2006, the all-new Orbit Toddler Stroller Seat will dock right onto the existing Orbit Stroller, providing a seamless and easy upgrade for busy metropolitan parents.

With exclusive features such as full 360 degree rotation, one-handed folding, and one-handed recline, this Seat makes Orbit's Stroller system one of the most innovative and most convenient on the market.

The Toddler Stroller Seat will be available in Mocha/Khaki and Black/Slate color combinations. An exclusive double-sided upholstery pad can easily change from aero-mesh to micro-fiber for either Summer or Winter. To add some colors, parents can choose from accessory pads in Slate/Raspberry and Khaki/Lime.

"We've been working hard on designing the best possible Toddler Stroller Seat so that parents can keep using the Orbit Infant System for many years to come," says Vivian Chiang of Orbit Baby. "Our careful planning and design work certainly will be appreciated by parents across the country. There's no other product on the market that offers the ease of use, style, and advanced features of our Orbit Toddler Stroller Seat".

Key elements of the new Toddler Stroller Seat include:

o 360 degree rotation. The Seat rotates and locks in 4 directions so that your child can face forward, rearward, and even sideways. By turning it sideways, you will have a flexible mobile high chair for jaunts to your favorite restaurant (it's also useful for waving to the giraffe on zoo trips!)

o Easy one-handed folding allows the Toddler Stroller Seat and Stroller to fold easily and compactly. One-handed folding allows parents to hold their baby in one arm, and easily fold the stroller with the other.

o Folds compactly on or off the Orbit Stroller.

o Easily undock or rotate the Toddler Stroller Seat by simply pulling the release levers.

o One-handed recline.

o Full Sunshade.

o Summer and winter options on the double-sided upholstery pad ensure that baby is always comfortable. The upholstery pad can be easily changed from aero-mesh to micro-fiber, and can be easily removed for machine-washing.

MRSP for the Orbit Toddler Stroller Seat is $179.95.
The Toddler Stroller Seat is sold as an accessory for infants who started in the Orbit Infant System.

Shine like the stars and plan a treat for your sweetie this Valentines Day.

They're rosy and romantic, and of course the perfect gift for Valentines giving.

The new group being introduced by Illume for Spring 2007 promises to warm the hearts of lovers everywhere. Included in the group are Illume's bestselling Chelsea Collection in Crystal Orchid, Crimson Royale, and the new Violet Rose.

Each fragrance will be offered in a choice of candle sizes and styles. These include gorgeous filled glass packaged in matching boxes ($25); 7 various sized pillars ranging from 2x3 to 3X6 ($8 to $30); and beautifully decorated tins ($10).

The all new Violet Rose scent is a blend of damscenia rose and parma violet accented by fresh freesia and jasmine, while sandalwood and musk create a smooth finish.

"This is a remarkable fragrance that we feel will compliment our very popular floral scented group," says Liz Barrere, of Illume Candles. "Those who are drawn to our Gardenia, Spanish Rose and Freshwater scents will love the new Violet Rose."

Also for Valentine's is a new His and Hers boxed gift set that includes two pillars - one scented with Seduction (His), one with Affection (Hers), and two glass candle plates. The His and Hers Gift Set will retail for approximately $22.

Some secrets to tell....

We know how stunning Jennifer, Angelina and Gwenyth always look on the red carpet. And most of us know that it nearly takes a village of hairstylists, makeup artists, manicurists and wardrobe consultants to ensure that they look that way time and again.

Now beauty writer Nada Manley has culled more than 80 of these beauty gurus for their opinions on getting gorgeous in her new book Secrets of the Beauty Insiders. 

Our client Jennifer Leung of Lavande Nail Spa is featured among the top insiders with tips on keeping nails and hands looking star-licious year round.  Order a copy from amazon.com and save enough for a manicure.

Pharmacopia comforts souls and raises funds with organic gift set.

Pharmacopia, a pioneer in the organic product revolution, is hoping to bring a little warmth and whole lot of comfort to women this fall.
Launching this month, Pharmacopia will donate 10% of sales of their special Autumn Warmth Gift Set to the Breast Cancer Fund's Peak Hike 2007.

The gift set will be available exclusively at pharmacopia.net through the end of 2006 and is a bounty of Pharmacopia's best selling organic ginger products.

Included in the set is a 16 oz can of Ginger Bath Salts; a 1.7 oz Ginger Massage/Body Oil; and a 7 oz Ginger Soy Wax Candle. All Pharmacopia products are paraben-free and organic and natural. Price for the set is $50.

"Ginger is a great tonic herb used for centuries for its healing power," says Lisa Levin of the gift kit. "It's a great product to use to detoxify and warm the body - we thought it was the right product to help promote the message of the Breast Cancer Fund."

The Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization focused on identifying and eliminating the environmental -- and preventable -- causes of the disease. For more info visit www.breastcancerfund.org.

"With a quarter of a million women in the U.S. diagnosed each year with breast cancer, so many of us are deeply affected by the disease." said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., executive director of the Breast Cancer Fund. "We are so pleased to partner with community leaders in the interest of preventing this devastating disease."

Headquartered in Northern California, Pharmacopia Botanicals creates natural, therapeutic, and luxurious beauty products for body, mind and spirit. Founded in 1997 by Lisa Levin, the company's upscale bath and body products are based on traditional healing remedies drawn from herbalism, aromatherapy, Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Pharmacopia is currently available at retail stores throughout the United States; Canada and Paris.

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