July 2012 – Beyond the Brochure

Wordless Weekend: Name That L.A. Private Elementary School!

July 28, 2012July 28, 2012 admin 4 Comments

A new Arts and Education building is coming soon to this well-established Valley School (photo: Toluca Times)

Name that school 5 — A mildly religious Hancock Park K-6 school

Name That School 9 — This Preschool-8th has a Montessori-inspired approach in the early years

Name That School 1 — Kids have been known to remain on this school's wait list for 5 years before being accepted

Name that school 2 — This super-popular school has a gorgeous campus and student uniforms

Name that school 3 — This is a Catholic school in Brentwood

Get Ready For Fall: Mommy-Pickup At L.A. Private Schools (a.k.a. The Catwalk)

July 25, 2012January 5, 2015 admin 15 Comments

Depending on the L.A. private elementary school your kid will attend (or currently attends), afternoon pick-up or an evening school event might feel a bit like Fashion Week, Fall/Winter 2012.

At The Willows School, we have several celebrity moms. These trend-setters come to school wearing super-high heels (4 inches minimum), professional hair and make-up and designer clothing (think Prada, Victoria Beckham (hint hint), Marc Jacobs). With all eyes on their luxe glamour, what’s a regular mom to do?

Even some of the Willows moms who aren’t famous have incredible, enviable style. One of my friends just got a big Chanel handbag (splurge!). Also seen around campus: Stella McCartney everything and a few Hermes Birken bags (mega-splurge…or maybe not if you’re mega-rich). In a previous post, we broke down the defining style, school by school.

For me, its all about keeping a low profile these days. Unlike in years past, I won’t be taking on any major volunteer jobs that require me to be at school a lot. Of course, I love fashion, high-end designers and a beautiful handbag (I’m coveting a tan Bottega Veneta tote with an insane pricetag). But, I’ve been a mom at our school long enough to walk in wearing everything from tennis wear (or worse) to a cute outfit.

Here’s what’s going to help remain incognito during mommy-pick up:

My friend Jessica Gottlieb, who writes the quirky, intelligent blog, Jessicagottlieb.com (which happens to be one of the most popular blogs in the country) is an L.A. private school mom too. She recently went on a spending spree at Barneys and Nordstrom and unpacked her bags in this video clip. Oh, and she got a pair of Fendi flats marked way down. And a pair of great Celine sunglasses.

L.A. mom blogger Michelle Chiklis is a mom of two daughters who attend top L.A. private schools (Harvard-Westlake). Michelle definitely keeps her eye on trends. A self-described “volleyball mom” she dresses for the occasion. Take a look at her finds, from a J.Crew hat to cool vintage tees and her favorite McQueen dress (so stunning!).

Celebrity mom Shiva Rose is a parent at the Waldorf School. She loves vintage finds and local designers, as shown here on her blog, The Local Rose.

Is style a big part of an L.A private school mom’s life? That, my friends, all depends on who you are. And, don’t think everything is pricey. I got these Maniera rain boots FREE for participating in aTwitter chat!

Rain boots — Rainboots in the summer! Worn by my daughter. Perfect for stomping around the back yard

A Really Good Surprise!

July 22, 2012July 22, 2012 admin 1 Comment

BTB at Barnes and Noble — On the shelf at Barnes and Noble

We were thrilled to discover Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles is now available at Bookstar-Barnes and Noble in Studio City! We had no idea! Its very unusual for a national bookstore chain to carry a self-published book (via Amazon.com). These are the best kind of surprises.

Of course, we are very grateful to Chevalier’s on Larchmont and Children’s Book World for their continuing support.

Thank you to everyone who has purchased our book and to our blog readers!

Christina, Anne and Porcha

“Beverly Hills Nannies” (and Mannies): A New Show but Mannies Are Familiar Sight at L.A. Private Schools

July 18, 2012July 19, 2012 admin 12 Comments

He works for a Real Housewife of BH. How much you want to be her kids go to private school? (In Touch) I read with great fascination about a new show called “Beverly Hills Nannies.” I haven’t seen the show (the first episode aired July 11 on ABC Family), but I will try to catch at least one episode of this potentially addictive reality TV show. (Whether it can rival my favorite, Real Housewives of New York, is unlikely). “Mansions, private jets and sports cars are the norm for the stars of this new guilty-pleasure reality series…” (Life and Style, July 16, 2012). The reason I’m intrigued by the show is that two of the five nannies are actually “mannies” or male nannies. But, these aren’t just TV reality show creations. You can see these mannies in real-life at many of L.A.’s elite private schools. They are a status symbol. There’s something about a manny pulling up in a Mercedes that shrieks “rich family.” They also function as “house managers” and “estate managers” and various other titles required when a family has a large staff to manage their home. I don’t know for sure, but I can virtually guarantee you that the kids on “Beverly Hills Nannies” attend private schools. When I asked my husband, Barry, about the manny trend, he wanted to know, “Why the sudden appearance of “mannies”? When I was growing up, in a pre-Sandusky world, the appearance of a manny would have brought a visit from the SWAT team.” There are a few families at The Willows who have mannies. And, I’ve seen several at Marlborough Summer School when I pick up my daughter. Porcha Dodson, Beyond The Brochure co-author, pointed out that in her experience at Curtis School, sometimes a manny is hired to handle a particularly difficult child. Similarly, a friend told me about a manny who worked for a very high-net worth family at The Center For Early Education whose kid was extremely challenging and would be escorted into school unwillingly every morning by the manny. So, Its not just on reality-tv where this luxe lifestyle of the manny flourishes. Its at L.A.’s private schools, too. Here’s a previous piece, “I Want My Manny: At Private Schools, Mannies a Status Symbol” by guest blogger Jenny Heitz. It’s laugh-out-loud funny.

Wordless Weekend: New Photos

July 14, 2012July 14, 2012 admin 4 Comments