Thursday, October 14, 2021

Fall Fashion Picks...

I have missed blogging about light-hearted things such as 'Fall Fashion Picks" OR hashing out the best and worst dressed from the Oscars Red Carpet....Lately, we have experienced a couple deaths in our family/friend circle, so I decided to lighten things up with a good-old-fashioned blog post on Fall Fashion πŸ˜‚

My fall fashion picks include faux leather (can be cute, who knew?), the perennial leopard/cheetah trend, the always-fun colorblock, the ponchos/short-sleeved sweaters, and the moto jackets which are perfect for fall weather. Meanwhile, I just can't wrap my head around some other fall trends (i.e. the "shacket"). They certainly look comfy, but remind me of the oversized plaid flannel shirts we used to wear in college Circa 1995? Somehow people manage to make them look cute, but I just keep seeing '1995 grunge' when I have tried them on. But they get an A+ for comfort factor! πŸ˜‚For the faux leather trend, I prefer the styles that are more simplified, since the material is inherently edgy....Wide bold striped or color-blocked sweaters seem to be a big hit...The oh-so-comfy mules and cowboy boots are back in action, thankfully!  While I am never too enthusiastic to kiss our summers good-bye (if you live in Cleveland, you have to embrace the warm weather while it lasts!) I do admit to loving fall pumpkin - most everything! If you are local, I highly recommend the pumpkin cookies at Blackbird Bakery in Lakewood if you have the chance. Happy Fall!
Mulberry and King, Vegan Leather Top, no longer available
(I love the mix of edgy material w classic style)

Tuckernuck Cognac Leather Faye Blouse

Bagatelle Faux Leather & Faux Suede Jacket

Levi's Faux Leather Moto Jacket
(love the cognac color of this)

BB Dakota Up to Speed Faux Leather Moto
(I love how this one has minimal hardware)

BB Dakota Jet Set Moto Jacket
(this lighter color is perfect for both fall and spring!)

Blanc Noir Asym Hooded Moto
(unique sporty style)

THML Faux Leather Blouse

Tuckernuck Marant Shirt Jacket
OK, this is the one “shacket” I love! 

Tuckernuck Marant Shirt Jacket
 OK, this is the one “shacket” I love - another color (also comes in black)! 


LOFT colorblock poncho sweater


Two Tone Raglan Colorblock Sweater

Talbots Colorblock Mockneck Pullover

Vince Camuto Colorblock Sweater (color no longer available at Nordstrom)

Colorblock Drop Shoulder Sweater
(ready for a Browns game!)

J.Crew Factory Button Jacquard Pullover Sweater
J.Crew Colorblock Turtleneck Sweater (Sold Out)

Great Escape Teal Leopard Top
(love the monochromatic shades of blue)

Vineyard Vines Leopard Tiered Dress

Demi Leopard Ruffle Sleeve Top

Vince Camuto Chevron Leopard Scarf

Marnie Leopard Printed Mule

La Fiorentina Faux Fur Infinity Scarf

Tahoe Cable Knit Short Sleeve T.Neck Sweater

H&M Sleeveless Hoodie

LOFT Ombre Turtleneck Sweater
(love the Western vibe of this!)

Free Assembly Women's Barn Jacket w Corduroy Collar
(great bargain find at Walmart!)


Mercy or No Mercy in High School Sports?

Good morning! Today, I read an interesting article about Kingsley High School Board, (Northern Michigan) intending to write a letter of protest to opposing high school, Benzie Central after their 17-0 soccer loss, involving opponent, Kevin Hubbell's record-setting 16-goals.  As a school board member for my children's elementary school, this story caught my attention.  I wondered whether the school board might be overstepping their role in this situation? Or, is their protest warranted? Is this a learning opportunity for the Athletic Directors? Coaches? Players? All of the above? 


Check out the article here...

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2021-10-12/school-concerned-about-sportsmanship-after-new-soccer-record

My immediate reaction was that blame likely falls on the person who scheduled this game in the first place. These two teams obviously should not have been competing against each other at all. I am sure that the process for setting up high school competitions likely varies by state, by county, etc.  Most states have different divisions to accommodate the wide range in program size and competitiveness. Kingsley's superintendent, Keith Smith's states, "Our soccer program is a fledgling program. We only have so many kids." So, you have to wonder why they were playing against this team, as they clearly did not anticipate such a poor matchup?  Or, did the winning Benzie Central coach, Chris Batchelder, anticipate this mismatched game, as a record-breaking opportunity for star player Hubbell? Smith claims, "They set out to do it, and they did it." Batchelder told local news media that "he knew records were possible against the struggling Stags...yet he didn't intend to 'humiliate your players or your program' and apologized for some remarks."  Batchhelder stated, "It was a player getting hot and I got lost in the opportunity the kid had in front of him." Was this opportunity to beat high school records and thus make headlines, as he certainly did? Was this opportunity to attract the attention of college coaches in pursuit of an athletic scholarship?  

So, next question is, should the coaches have stepped in to limit such a substantial goal differential, for the sake of good sportsmanship? At what age/level does the Mercy rule expire? 

On one hand, this is not recreational soccer, and as these young adults compete at higher levels, they need to learn how to win AND lose with class and grace, no matter the outcome.  As kids mature, they have to face the (often) adverse reality that as in LIFE, there is no fairness in sports, nor should there be. Many would argue that particularly if this game had goal differential implications influencing the seeding of teams going into districts championships, etc., then a No Mercy rule would apply.  Additionally, the competitive nature of highly talented athletes such as Hubbell is going to drive him to score goal after goal if he can, despite the potential for hurting the opponents' feelings.  He knows this is high school soccer, not the Boy Scouts (with all due respect to the Boy Scouts πŸ™). 

As a sidebar, this reminded me of this fall, when we attended the USWNT game versus Paraguay in Cleveland. It was so exciting to watch our amazing U.S. Women's National Team play live, and yet, as I watched Carli Lloyd score her record breaking 5th goal, the game sort of made me cringe. I had to wonder, do these women truly find such glory in the beat-down of this clearly sub-bar team?!  In any case, I was so excited that I happened to actually get her record-breaking 5th goal on video...

Caroline with her TCFC Teammates at the USWNT v Paraguay Game 9/16/21 at Browns Stadium

https://www.facebook.com/1061766317/videos/4537551249600337/

You can read about the game here...

https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/09/17/carli-lloyd-records-first-career-four-goal-match-against-paraguay

Sorry for the digression! πŸ˜‚

Getting back to the matter at hand, many athletes have been on both the winning and losing end of such an uneven matchup, and I think we would all agree there is little to be gained on either side.  Obviously, it is no fun to get cremated by a clearly superior team. Yet, there is no glory to beat up on a clearly sub-par team either. As long as the loss isn't soul crushing (as in this case) most teams would acknowledge that they actually grow and develop THROUGH competition against tougher teams. 

I would argue that whether or not you believe the No Mercy rule applies at this age, the coach mis-handled this situation, and missed out on a learning opportunity for greater life lessons, in pursuit of records and glory, even if achieved cheaply.  For the most part, good coaches will shift their strategy, and proceed with countless ways to foster learning and growth without running up the score needlessly.  Coaches can sub in the 2nd string or swap the offense and defense. They can play a man down (or in this case maybe 5 men down)? They can require players to make a minimum of 7, 8, 9, 10 passes before shooting. The options are endless, and the greater message to the players and environment is this: Although we are clearly the stronger team, rather than meaninglessly running up the score, let's challenge ourselves in different ways and extend some class and grace to the clearly less skilled/prepared/stacked team.  Clearly, this is NOT the World Cup, and perhaps the Coach should have had a broader vision than to merely hand this kid a cheaply earned 'record' on a silver platter.

Nevertheless, it is an interesting discussion, and I do see both sides to this No Mercy versus Have Mercy debate. What do you think? Should this coach be apologetic for running up the score, or should we all just accept that there is not always 'fairness' in sports?  What is the responsibility of a coach in this regard? Is running up the score just part of the game or is the coach liable to manage this in pursuit of good sportsmanship? It is certainly an interesting discussion and one that I can see from many points of view.  What is your take?

Saturday, June 6, 2020

A Tear in My Beer for Community Soccer

I am writing this post at the risk of raising a relatively trivial topic, given the harsh reality of our current state of racial injustice and the recent horrific tragedy of George Floyd. So, please bear with me....but I wanted to share thoughts on another topic. And thanks in advance for your patience in reading....I have not written in a while, I’m a bit rusty 🀣

Looking back on this spring, I find it interesting to reflect on different moments of emotional reactions to things missed due to the Coronavirus quarantine. Our entire country has missed out on so much: the final 10-12 weeks of normal schooling, business conferences/events, LIVE religious celebrations, TRAVEL, NBA/NHL/opening day for MLB, NCAA March madness!, youth sports, spring baseball, little league, soccer, track, dance, band, scouts, birthday parties, so many events that just came to a screeching halt in that Jarring Week back March.

I’ve read many articles about how this time away from youth sports is really an eye opener, an opportunity for a 2nd look at the whole system and gauging what aspects we really want to return to when it’s over (i.e. all the messaging from Changing the Game Project, I Love to Watch You Play, etc, in case you follow any of these, you know what I’m taking about).  For those of you who might know me well, you know that I don’t cry easily, as my childhood friends used to tease me about. Throughout this quarantine, there have been many opportunities for shedding a tear in my beer: acknowledging missed school, sports, and extracurricular activities for our 4th, 6th, and 8th graders including normal, in-person school days, spring soccer tournaments, school talent show, middle school trip to Williamsburg, middle school play, our 8th grader’s graduation, annual TDC dance show, band concert, piano recital, the list goes on.  Granted, we don’t have high school or college seniors, (for whom I truly feel heartache) but still their little lives and activities still feel big and important! So, at the risk of sounding insensitive, I’m embarrassed to admit that I only shed a tear once, and the moment was certainly unexpected! One mid-May evening, I was pulling into our garage, and as I realized that my 8th grader’s travel (community) soccer career was over, tears began to flow.

As many kids sometimes do in the sport of soccer, he plays on both a travel (community) team and club (more competitive) team. Of course as Changing the Game Project often points out, there are a million pros/cons and talking points around this strange reality in itself, but that is for another time and discussion. But the fact that his less competitive, community based soccer experience coming to an end SHOOK me, made me realize how important community-based sports programs are for our youth. Make no mistake, he enjoys his club team and with the option to continue through high school, there was no need for this soccer mama to shed tears over the loss of so many days spent waterlogged-on-the-sidelines during tournaments and games. But it really made me give a second thought to the reasons WHY I was suddenly so sentimental about the end of this community experience. My thoughts relate to soccer specifically, but I would imagine the same holds true for many other youth sports. With the drastically different landscape across youth sports now, compared to when we grew up in the 80s, 90s, this is WHY we will miss...

1-Community based gives kids the opportunity to much more easily connect SOCIALLY since teammates are living nearby, which strengthens team bonds and enjoyment for playing with local friends. For young kids, I have really come to recognize something I certainly took for granted growing up...the social aspects of sports. Kids are social creatures by nature, and are 10x more likely to enjoy something if their friends are playing too.

2-Community based is more AFFORDABLE for all, so you do not have this dynamic of only the most privileged participating. It has always bothered me to wander the parking lots of these soccer tourneys and witness row after row of fancy cars, illustrating this inequality.

3-Community based let’s the kids play FOR THE LOVE of the game. Pressure to win is way less, so the kids genuinely get to play without fear of underperforming, which is a vacuum for positive growth and development. AND FUN!

4-Community based allows kids to play seasonally, and achieve the holy grail of today’s sports culture: MULTI-SPORTS. And that’s another topic deserving of its own encyclopedia.

5-Community based generally means less travel, which although I personally don’t mind as much, gives my husband a great deal of distress for lost family time. Let’s be real here. We have had MORE FAMILY DINNERS as a result of the quarantine in the last 10 weeks than we’ve probably had in the last 10 years.

6-Community based is NOT A BUSINESS. And we all know that youth club sports owners (despite their best intentions) often have to make decisions that are not necessarily in line with the best interests of youth players and their development. This is not their fault, but merely a conflict of interests of these opposing dynamics.

7-Comminity based STRENGTHENS communities in many ways, integrating local families and neighborhoods, opportunities for local support and camaraderie, fostering home-town pride, etc. We were reminded of this during the quarantine as well, as we were encouraged to support our local restaurants and businesses who have been generous supporters of youth sports through sponsorship of little league, hosting team fundraisers, etc.

8-Community based though not always ‘professional’ coaches, (but thankfully in our experience still high quality), the coaches are often team parents, so the overall vibe between coaches and parents is open and FRIENDLY.

9- Comminity based is a THROWBACK to our OWN POSITIVE YOUTH sporting experience. Growing up in the 80s  or 90s, tossing other sports aside to play ‘club’ or a higher level was far less common and generally happened at a later age, fostering the benefits of #4 above.

10-Community based allows kids to DEVELOP at their own rate. We have all heard countless tales of the fallacies and dangers of over-identification and valuation of talent at a young age (I.e. the parent or coach who defines their self worth based on their kids’ U10 Or U12 state championships). If you watched the Last Dance, you know Scottie Pippen was an equipment manager as a college freshman, before he got the chance to step in as a reserve player and eventually play in college. We have heard countless stories such as these, the late bloomer athlete who goes on to achieve great things.

Yet, having said all of this, by the time you are my son’s age of thirteen, (and some will argue far earlier) I’m sure most soccer families recognize that you are more likely to grow and develop at a higher level if you play club. This is a blanket generalization and one true for many sports, and of course there are exceptions to this rule. But, typically it’s the reality for youth soccer. Indeed, we absolutely value and appreciate A LOT about his experience with club soccer thus far. He has learned so much and had exceptional technical training, strategy/positional/game development, life lessons, etc. He has had phenomenal coaches and teammates who have taught him so much both on and off the field. He has learned so much about how NOT to behave from the crazy parents and players screaming at the 17-yr old refs.  And last but not least, the wonderful families and friends we have all made along the way. So, this is not a slight against the club experience per se, as he would not have developed as much without it. Just a reflection on some of the true VALUES  of community based programs for youth sports. So, the bigger question is, how to blend the benefits of both models? Particularly if your kid falls in love with a certain sport and wants to pursue it...Is it even feasible? I certainly don’t have the answers. To me, this is the essence of the problem of youth sports today, and the reason so many organizations like Changing the Game Project exists. I am curious, how many of you have reflected back while missing out on spring sports and what insights do you have? What do you miss most? What do you value the most?

This reminds me of the post I wrote last spring  What Is the End Game of Youth Sports?

One final note, as I was exchanging messages w our community soccer coach about summer practice schedules today, I received the following message from his coach from the last few years, which ultimately brought me to tears, yet again! We are so very thankful for being a part of our Rocky River travel soccer program, and we will forever cherish all of the lessons, development, and memories we have enjoyed for the last eight years!.

“Claire, thanks for the heads up. Have fun in HHI. Love it there. I am so excited for Jack and his next adventure at IG. I wish him nothing but the best. I am so lucky I got the opportunity to coach him. He is a fine young man. We will miss him. Have a wonderful summer.”

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Kitchen Hoods with Brass Trim, Cabinetry/Trim, Interesting Backspashes, etc...

I was scouting various inspiration pics of brass hardware in a kitchen, and I discovered some really cool range hoods with brass trim.....Also, some other range hoods that look like a built-out part of the trim, and some cool backsplash ideas....

I prefer a more yellow brass versus this rose gold color....but LOVE this kitchen!


Image result for brass trim hood kitchen
HGTV



ETSY

Image result for brass trim hood kitchen
Jenkins Interiors



Image may contain: indoor
Digs Design Co

Kelsey Lee Interiors - I prefer the brass color versus the bronze-ish color, but I ADORE these indigo blue subway tiles!!!

The following are some cool hood ranges that are more built-out part of the cabinetry/trim.....I love how these look with the rustic brick backsplash....


HomeBunch.com


HGTV Fixer Upper w Chip and Joanna Gaines

And, here are some interesting wood-look backsplash ideas....
http://alluxio.co/wood-backsplash-ideas/


http://alluxio.co/wood-backsplash-ideas/


Thursday, October 24, 2019

London Travel Notes

Next summer, our family friends from the Netherlands are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, and they invited us to celebrate with them in their darling town of Leeuwarden. Now that our kids are a little older, 10, almost 12, and 13, we figured this would be a perfect opportunity to plan a European adventure.  We have decided to add London and possibly Germany to our list.

I have been gathering feedback from various friends and family who have traveled to London with kids...

Possible Itinerary:

London

Day 1

1) AM - Tower of London - get there first thing to get a Beefeater Tour, specifically Yeoman Warder 409 Scott Kelly....Crown Jewels are very cool but visit this first thing since the line progressively gets worse as the day goes on.

Clare McCoy - highly recommended tour guide of Tower (i.e. 9a-1p) (Christine Young)

https://britainsbestguides.org/guides/clare-mccoy/

2) Lunch on the Thames - by boat. Per Rick Steves, can catch boat at Tower Pier
(Dawn Blair suggests Coppa Club - outdoor igloos in winter for dinner, surfer shacks in summer - need reservations WAY ahead)

3) Westminster Abbey - tour

4) Evening - dinner/show

Day 2

1) AM - Double-decker hop on-hop off sightseeing tour, Big Bus Tour? (Christine Young). From Victoria Station or Green Park.
(Dawn Blair used B Bakery bus tour for high tea service on tour)

2) 11am Hop off bus at Buckingham Palace for for the changing of the guard. Guards change at 11:30, alternate days Aug-Apr?, but get there early and stand near palace gates.

3) Walk through St. James Park?

4) Tour Churchill War Rooms - VERY COOL



Day 3 - options:

1) Tour National Gallery?
2) Victoria and Albert Museum - head upstairs to the 'Learning Station' grab a backpack tour, essentially a large scavenger hunt, also has a cool courtyard garden cafe spot for lunch, serves a variety of good food at decent prices...
3) St. Paul Cathedral - WALK UP TO THE DOME, COOLEST VIEW OF CITY (decent walk from the Tower of London)..."the Eye is cool but I think climbing the dome is cooler" (Katie Rummel)
4) London Eye - huge ferris wheel type structure w views of city
5) Tate Modern
6) Natural History Museum (S. Kensington) Free, so go early to avoid long lines...cool dinosaurs, fossils, geology
7) Science Museum (next to History museum) modern and interactive, awesome for kids, aviation, math, science, energy
8) British Museum - place is huge, plan what you want to see ahead, Egypt and Greece, etc...gotta see Rosetta Stone and Mummies (Katie Rummel), Christine Young Dungeon for her boys, fast pass?
9) Kew Gardens
10) Greenwich
11) Hyde Park - horse ride (Lucia arranged this, super fun!)
12) Tube to Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent Street
13) Other fav neighborhoods: Chelsea, Notting Hill, South Kensington (Ciao Bambino)
14) Shopping stops: Hamleys Toy Store, Harrods
15) Harry Potter Studio Tour - many people RAVED about this, but with limited time, we will not do.
16) Haunted bus tour
17) Milk Train ice cream place (Dawn Blair)
18) High Tea at Fortnum & Mason (Nina)
Climb the O2 - great views of the city and fun, active thing to do after day of sightseeing (B. Troy)

Other Travel Tips:

1) USE the underground Tubes for transport!
2) Have each child be in charge of getting the family to diff destinations, they will enjoy the challenge and learn about navigating through a new city
3) Find Airbnb with a kitchenette and possibly laundry (James Wrubel)
4) Take early morning flight to London, arrive evening. Have pub dinner then go to bed. Helps w jetlag (Nina)
5) Have kids take Malatonin to get to sleep when its 10pm local time, but 4pm body time. Wake at normal local time (even if middle-of-the-night body time)...will help reset their clocks right off the bat.
6) Check out Scavenger Hunt Books - makes sightseeing so much more fun for them (Karolyn Blumer) - they used, 'Mission London: A Scavenger Hunt Adventure' - also Kate Westerfield
7) Ciao Bambino - travel site for traveling the world w kids, Amy McMaken's friend from living abroad....
8) Backroads travel agent, pricey but awesome


Day 4 - Outskirts towns:

Day trip to Cambridge: Kings College Chapel, Wren Library
Oxford - Blenheim Palace?
Ringmer

Other tips: Download free app: Visit A City

HOTELS

Waldorf - near theatre district/underground station - saw Lion King (Nina)
Hilton London Bankside - really family friendly, next to Tate Modern where they had a big Lego project
St Ermin's - Christine Young LOVED hotel, great location
Yet to get Hotel suggestion from Barkley's...
Hotel 41 - Annie King Englesmann

To be continued!

Thursday, March 28, 2019

2019 Spring Fashion Picks

As we are slowly inching toward warmer temps, it is always fun to think about spring fashion! These grey dreary winter months have been all about winter boots, head-to-toe down coats, winter hats... cocoon mode! It is so refreshing to pull out spring tops, accessories, and shoes after we have been bundled up for so many months.

Here are a few of my favorite fashion picks I have seen this spring!

LOFT Button V Back Blouse (love this beautiful green color!)
Lisi Lerch Bobbi Brushed Gold
Lisi Lerch Bobbi Brushed Gold

Green Multi Clutch

Madewell The Brady Bootie

LOFT Floral Lace Yoke Ruffle Shell

(Here is a close up of the lace detail, which is so pretty for summer and spring!)
Gibson x Hi Sugarplum! Dress

LOFT Beach Tie Neck Jumpsuit
Saved For Later Tan Bag
Green Fringe Earrings

Adventure Together Tan Purse
Sunday Chic Blue Print Dress

THML Navy Embroidered Top

LOFT Tie Waist Jumpsuit

Boden Odetta Embroidered Kaftan (on sale!)
Anthro Juno Printed Dress
(this is much cuter in person, very travel-friendly fabric, and would be adorable with turquoise statement earrings!)

Rolyn Clutch

Boden Ayla Jersey Top

Steve Madden Bstraw Tote
(Bargain tote alert! I love the straw woven texture, cognac contrast trim, and stud detail....
I cut off the flap part to convert it to an open tote style)
The Lauren Scarf (Emily McCarthy)

Shrimp Cocktail Scarf (Emily McCarthy)
Sail to Sable Periwinkle Top (20% off w code FF2019)
Soludos Coco Pompom Mule



Market Tote (Emily McCarthy)
(what more do you need this spring!?)

Happy spring and hope this finds you some place warm and sunny!
xoxo Claire πŸ™☀️