Expecting a baby soon… A mother with just too much on your plate, Cricket’s Circle is your new best friend and is seriously going to help organize your life! The online destination to help mothers shop better with carefully curated suggestions! We got downright silly with Cricket’s Circle founder Rachel Blumenthal and her son Griffin. Griffin a keen musician was happy leading an impromptu music jam on the sax …
Rachel, what was your inspiration for starting Cricket’s Circle?
When I was pregnant with my son, Griffin, what I craved more than anything was one master list of what to buy. Instead, I received dozens of spreadsheets and brain-dump emails passed from experienced moms to newbies like me. I felt clueless and couldn’t find a place online (or elsewhere) that told me explicitly what I needed. When I asked a like-minded friend to tell it to me straight, I finally got truthful and clear answers – she spelled out the must-have products as well as what I didn’t need (which was just as helpful). She was my “Cricket.”
Cricket’s Circle is the short-answer on what to buy for baby. We tell you what you need, what you don’t and what’s a “nice to have.” Beyond just the what, we tell you the why. We give you context to understand exactly why you do or don’t need something.
What’s a typical day like for you?
I usually wake up around 7am with Griffin running into my room screaming at the top of his lungs “Mommmmmy wake up!!!!” We spend the next hour snuggling watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, making breakfast and playing catch to get Griffin dressed. I’m lucky if I get out of the house before Griffin wakes up for a yoga or Physique class a day or two during the week.
I work from the Warby Parker offices (my husband Neil is one of the founders). When Warby first launched, the early team worked out of my office (I am the former designer and founder of jewelry line, Rachel Leigh), and they are now repaying the favor. Our small yet mighty team works in a cluster of desks at their headquarters which is an open office layout. We love the energy they bring to our day and of course, the fully stocked kitchen doesn’t hurt either!
My work days usually consists of back to back meetings and an exhaustive stream of incoming emails. I meet throughout the day with my editorial director at Cricket’s Circle to make sure our content stays fresh, and with our engineer to ensure everything on the site is always running smoothly. In between, I often have meetings with brands, other entrepreneurs and anyone I can learn from. Most days, I’m in and out of meetings at the office or in SoHo but I dream about a day I can be chained to my desk to somehow get to the bottom of my inbox! Each day is different, which I love.
My day usually ends somewhere between 11:30pm and 1:30am depending on how many emails I have to catch up on. I typically have a dinner or event commitment every night after work and then when I get home I catch up on emails on our couch in front of the TV. Then it’s my 5-step Somme Institute routine, catching up on Twitter and Instagram in bed and lights out. Phew!
Describe your parenting style in one word:
Relaxed (maybe sometimes too much).
What is your earliest memory of fashion?
I started exploring my sense of style at age six with the greatest white leather, fringe booties a la Sloane Peterson from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
What do you love most about being a mother?
Your child helps you truly appreciate the small, special moments in life. Griffin’s glowing smile when I say “yes” to the unexpected or when he sees how something works for the first time, is something I cherish every time it happens.
What is the best advice your mother has passed down to you?
My mother made me aware of how delicate and sensitive babies are. She instilled the importance of natural and organic ingredients in as much as you can control without making yourself crazy (though sometimes she takes it too far and makes me crazy!).
What was the best piece of parenting advice you ever received?
There’s no “right” way to do something. There are plenty of ways to try, and you should always ask for help and advice.
What is the best lesson you have learned from Griffin?
To be spontaneous. Surprisingly, becoming a Mom has actually made me much more casual. One of my favorite moments was two summers ago at the playground in Union Square. Griffin was a fairly new walker and he was showing interest in the water sprays. Typical me would have run up and moved him away from the water because I didn’t want him to get wet and have to take him home to change. In what was wildly uncharacteristic, I just let him explore. The faces he made as he experienced the feeling of the water drenching him were priceless. The two of us took such joy in that carefree moment of discovery. I’ll never forget it.
Describe your perfect day.
Early morning: Building MagnaTiles towers with Griffin, making smoothies (which he never drinks – he just wants to make them!) or a diner breakfast (I always bring markers to entertain him).
Afternoon: Griffin loves playing with the garden hose and washing the car, so we’d definitely make time for that. While he’s taking a nap, I’d squeeze in a hot yoga class for myself, sometimes a nap and often quiet time with Neil.
Evening: Neil, Griffin and I would head out for dinner – definitely Japanese. We take Griffin to any restaurant we would go to. My proudest moment is when he asks for tamago or “sushi egg” as he calls it. No raw fish for him yet but he loves avocado rolls. Sushi is always followed by ice cream and we are regularly on the hunt for the best ice cream spot. Our latest favorite is Davey’s Ice Cream but our consistent favorite is Four Seas Ice Cream on Cape Cod where I grew up.
Later: Griffin goes to sleep (I read him Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site) and Neil and I get to catch up on Shameless, Game of Thrones, or The Good Wife.
What are some favorite things to do together as a family?
We love to go away together on the weekends to the beach. It’s such a fun and relaxing escape from the city for all of us, and a special place to spend quality time together. We have an open door policy with our friends so everyone either drops by each others’ houses or we all meet up at the beach with the kids. We are big skiers so in the winter, we’re up in Vermont or out west in Utah as much as possible.
What are some of your favorite children’s brands?
For clothing, I love Zara, J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, Nike, Vilebrequin, Carters and Boy + Girl. When it comes to gear, Fisher-Price makes classics and UppaBaby, Oeuf, California Baby, Aden & Anais, Boon and Beauty Counter produce some of the best must-have essentials for new moms and babies.
Favorite designer you wish would come out with a children’s line?
Kelly Wearstler. If she did a children’s line, I might have more kids just to decorate their rooms.
If you had more time for you what would you be doing?
Working out more, spending more time with Griffin, and probably shopping and stressing about the small things too much.
What can you not say no to?
Candy and Cheese-Its! They are my ultimate vices.
Finally…When Griffin grows up he wants to be…
A doorman (he is the welcoming committee in our building and knows everyone’s name), car wash attendant (he would wash our car all day every day if we let him), fireman (he can typically be found in his fireman costume, sans hat), housekeeper (the vacuum has been his favorite toy since he was a year old) and musician (he’s been taking music classes since he was 6 months old and looks up to the teacher. He requested a red guitar with a strap because his teacher had one – and he tells me I owe him “cash money” when he plays for me. I always told my mom I wanted to “make presents” when I grew up – I loved wrapping paper and ribbon (not much has changed!).
Thank you Rachel!!!
Tallulah wears MarMar Copenhagen top and shorts and socks.
