Hip Tastes Blog

Baby, Mix me a drink
filed under: Ramblings

No, really: small child, make me a martini, stat.

Why on earth would small children mix cocktails? Because they've read the hip new mommy/kid book, "Baby, Mix me a drink" by Lisa Brown! The tiny tome, which is made from the same heavy cardboard-like unbending pages as all baby books (see if you can tear THESE pages out, tot!), features just five cocktail "spreads," but it's big on visual stimuli. Brown, an illustrator by day and full-time Mom, tells the "story" via images: the opening drink, a martini, is illustrated with a bottle reminiscent of Bombay Sapphire gin, a Vermouth-like bottle, a shaker & olives and a completed martini - all tied together with plus signs and finally an equal sign before the completed drink (i.e. this plus this plus this equals that).

Simple, cute.

And the copy is pleasantly inappropriate, for the enjoyment of overburdened parents. Sample: after running through five drink "recipes" for Mommy (martini), Daddy (margarita), Grandma (Bloody Mary), Grandpa (Old Fashioned) and Nanny (Champagne cocktail), Brown sums it all up with "Thank you Baby! (and please pass the pretzels.)" Tee hee.

I had the opportunity to meet Brown at a book signing the other night at Candystore, an adorable clothing/shoes/accessories boutique in the Mission district run by personable owner Jennifer Jones, who has excellent taste in shoes (see pics!). Back to the book: Brown said the idea for "Baby, Mix me a drink" came to her when she was reading to her 2 year-old from yet another BORING cardboard-like illustrated book. He was, yet again, chewing on it rather than reading it (not that 2 year-olds can read, but you know what I mean). And she thought, hey, if I have to put up with this I'd much rather this book be something I can get into, too.

And so "Baby, Mix me a drink" was born. Because, Brown added, in addition to wanting a baby book she could get into, she also just really wanted a drink at that moment (and probably lots of other moments, as a new mom). She's also published "Baby, Fix my car," "Baby, Make my breakfast," and "Baby, do my banking" as part of her Baby, Be of Use series of cardboard kid books. I particularly like the last title, although it really can't touch the drink tome for sheer hilarity. And I wonder: if maybe, in the spirit of the fab Candystore merch, next she'll do "Baby, do my shoe shopping" and feature illustrations of some of these fly kicks! (I require a suprisingly small kickback for idea generation. ;))

ps love this pic of Lisa holding up a tiny tee w/ martini olive on the front she had made for her kid - who apparently really does mix drinks.

Want to get it?
You can pick it up at Amazon for $9

Lisa's site

Candystore

Posted by Courtney on December 8, 2006 08:32 AM