Happy Holidays!

Wishing happy and safe holidays to you all, from the Jambu designers and marketing team!

Behind the scenes of the Jambu Commercial

The hiking scene shot in Central Park showcasing the Jambu Vermont-Waterproof, was early one pretty cold friday morning.  Shlomotion's Productions arrived with Dunkin Doughnut's in hand, it was a great start to the first day of shooting.  We shot Nancy walking those stairs so much I do believe she got a good work out in during this scene!  It was a beautiful place to shoot, hard to believe its smack in the middle of Manhattan!



Later on that Friday afternoon the second scene was shot in the grocery store featuring Jambu's classic style, the Touring.  The Jambu woman in this scene is Kim, she walked up and down the aisle's of this grocery store in comfort and style.  Shlomo, Rob, Joe hopped in and out of the grocery cart to get the perfect shots.



The office scene featured our metro style, the Allure.  Lori was our amazing Jambu corporate office worker, doing an amazing job of improving a national sales meeting (we were so impressed!) Lori wore those shoes for 5 hours the first day running from scene to scene and 8 hours the second day of the shoot. Lori raved about the comfort and even wore them out for a night on the town after shooting. Thank you to our extras, who were recruited last minute to fill our corporate sales meeting. The crew was down on the floor rolling the camera around on a skateboard trying to get the perfect shot of the Jambu shoes.

One Sunday morning, bright and early we shot our school scene.  This being Jambu Kids first season we were very excited to feature them in the commercial.  I am pleased to introduce the first faces of our Jambu Kids Collection, in the bottom right picture from left to right we have, Orli, Serenity, and Eloise.  They all loved their shoes and had a great time filming with their Jambu "mom's".  Unfortunately, Nancy, from the hiking scene was terribly ill and could not make it to the shoot this day but we still got a lot of great shots in. We had a lot of fun at this scene and the pictures came out great of the girls!  

The opening scene was shot last on the first day, and luckily last minute we had found the perfect place to shoot!  Cafe Lalo was welcoming and happy to let us use their location... for those of you who recognize this location, it was featured in the movie, "You've Got Mail" with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. The crew was trying to get in every creative angle, while the Jambu girls watched the equipment outside.

Overall this commercial was so amazing to see come alive.  From interviewing the models, to have Shlomotions create our script, and scouting locations, it was great to see the entire process of what makes up a 40 second commercial.  Jambu would especially like to thank our Jambu women, Lori, Kim and Nancy- you all did an amazing job.  A big thank you to the Jambu girls and their families for bringing them to our interviews, and the shooting, as a couple came from out of state to work with us.  We were truly honored to have Orli, Eloise, and Serenity as the first faces of Jambu kids.  This video could not have been possible without Shlomotions (Shlomo, Joe and Rob), it turned out awesome!  Also thank you to our make-up artist, Nikki, everyone looked beautiful.

The first Jambu Commercial is Finally here!

Wordless Wednesdays: the Museum Pentheon

Wordless Wednesday: Enjoy the city night view

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesdays

Delicious "After Apple Picking" Recipes

If you ask me, fall is one of the better seasons. The leaves are changing, and the air is finally cool and crisp after a long, hot summer. One of the greatest things about fall is that you never run out of things to do. From Halloween to Thanksgiving, it's just a fun filled family season. If you haven't already done so, it's time to go apple picking. The apples are only good this time of year, so gather your family one Sunday afternoon, and take a trip to the apple orchards. 

We all know the feeling once we've picked all those apples. You come home with a huge bag of apples, and despite the fact that "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away," no one loves force feeding apples just cause you picked them. Below are a couple of delicious recipes that will use up all those apples in no time! 

Old Fashioned Apple Cider

What you'll need:

• About 12 small-medium apples
• 1 small orange
• 1/2-1 cup brown sugar
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 whole nutmeg.
• 1 tbs whole cloves
• water

How to:

1. Once you've washed the apples and oranges, cut them into large slices (dont worry about seeds and peels, they can stay on). 
2. Throw them into a large stock pot, add the sugar and spices, and cover with water.
3. Bring to a boil, and boil uncovered for at least an hour.
4. Cover and reduce to a simmer for at least 2 hours.
5. Uncover and roughly mash contents of the pot. (To further reduce: allow to simmer until cider is dark and spicy)
6. Once the cider is ready, allow to cool and strain. You can use a cheesecloth if you want to get every last drop. 
7. Serve hot or cold, usually makes around 1/2 gallon. 

Dutch Apple Pie With Oatmeal Streusel 

What you'll need:

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 5 cups apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup butter

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Leave crust in freezer.
2. For filling: place sliced apples in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons flour, white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Mix well, and add to apples. Toss until apples are coated.
3. Remove pie shell from freezer. Place apple mixture in shell and dot with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly on top of filling. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. 
4. For topping: In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, and oats. Mix thoroughly, then cut in 1/2 cup butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Remove filling from oven and sprinkle streusel on top.
5. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes, until streusel is browned and apples are tender. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.

What do you do with your extra apples? Post a comment with a delicious recipe! 

Cuddling Cuties!

Today we are dedicating our wordless Wednesday to our favorite feline friends! 

NFL Goes Pink

Last Sunday, I took my husband to see his favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills, play their 4th game of the season against the NY Jets. How could he be a fan of a team who has won 0 out of 5 games this year, you ask?.... beats me.

Football was never my thing. I don't know the rules, and I spend most of the game wondering how badly that last tackle must have hurt that one player. Even though I couldn't really follow the game, and my husbands team lost, it turned out to be an extremely fun experience.

First of all, if any of you know Buffalo NY, you know that it's freezing. I was so glad to be wearing my brown Valencia boots, not just cause they're adorable.. but they provided the heat the my feet needed throughout the game.

As the game was about to start, I noticed the "Jills" (the Bills' cheerleading team) were in pink. I may not know a lot about football, but I do know that the cheerleaders should be wearing the team colors (in this case, red, white, and blue.) It wasn't until my husband reminded me it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that I even made the connection.

So I thought... Oh.. how nice that the females representing the team are wearing pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. I think my jaw actually dropped when the team ran out, and I saw that the men were wearing pink too!

This year, the NFL joined with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness for breast cancer. The players, as well as the coaches and refs will all be sporting (no pun intended) pink game apparel  throughout the month of October. So if you're watching the game with your man, look closely, and you'll see everything from pink sneakers to sweatbands to mouth guards! After the games, the apparel will be auctioned off, and the money will be donated to the ACS.

I think it's so great how a sport as "manly" as football can take the time to come up with a thoughtful and fun way to support breast cancer.

How are you staying aware this month? Do share! 

A Lil Something About Parrots!

There is more to Parrots than just being a talking bird, they can live up to 60-100 years old depending on the species.   These birds live much longer than your dogs and kitties, it becomes a part of your family.  Word has it that Winston Churchill's parrot is still alive, can you believe it?!  If it is true, it will be over 100 years old. So this week our wordless wednesday is dedicated to these lovely birds! :)

My Jambu Adventure

I recently went camping in The Forks, Maine; it was my first time in Maine and over 10 years

since my last camping trip. While packing the only thing on my mind was "what shoes will I be wearing?" A fashionista at heart, for a 4 day camping trip I brought 4 pairs of shoes; the common denominator, (I later realized) they were ALL Jambu! I thought to myself, I'll wear the Cherry for white water rafting, Vermont -Waterproof for hiking, Himalaya for lounging and I'll bring my Allure's just in case we come across a party.. I don't know what type of party in the woods people dress up for but I was prepared.

It rained the day I hiked Mosquito Mountain. My Vermont waterproof proved to be an excellent choice, not only did they provide great traction getting up the mountain but they were also slip resistant getting down and my feet

were kept dry. This was my first hike and I was praising my Jambu shoes for getting me through it.

The first time I'd been whitewater rafting was the last time I'd been camping, so it had been a while but I was so excited about experiencing that thrill again. I signed up to raft the Kennebec River, a level 4 and that day there was going to be a water release of 8000cfs, we're talking huge waves!! I felt so prepared with my Jambu Cherry's in red. I figured I should wear a bright color in case I fall over someone can spot me by my shoes. Because these sandals are fisherman like the water drained easily. We all definitely got wet that day and with water getting in our raft, no need to worry, my shoes were non slip. I jumped in the river several times for a dip, one of the key instructions is to keep your feet up so they don't get caught on anything down under; I received so many compliments on my cool shoes.

The Himalaya's were perfect for everyday walking and lounging and needless to to say that the Allure's were not needed on this trip.

I had an amazing time in The Forks and Jambu made my journey comfortable and definitely adventurous!

Slightly Out of Focus

We really need to see clearly through things in life, but we don't always have to take a clear picture. Try to get your vision slightly out of focus and see what magic is going to happen on your photograph for your wordless Wednesday!

The Perfect Recipe for Fall: Butternut Squash Soup

As the weather gets cooler, and the leaves start falling, I thought I would share one of my favorite fall recipes for Butternut Squash soup. This recipes is so quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious!

What you'll need:

• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 pounds prepared peeled, cubed butternut squash
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 frozen crushed garlic cubes)
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (or 1 teaspoon ginger powder)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

How to:

1. Throw all ingredients into a 6qt pot. Cover, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce to simmer, and cover. Allow to cook for 30-40 min (until butternut squash is soft).
3. Use an potato masher or fork to purée or mash squash and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Let us know how it came out, and don't hesitate to share your favorite fall recipes! :)

Wordless Wednesday... How to create long term exposure photography!

Continuing our Wordless Wednesday's...

Longterm Exposure Photography:

Experiment with with long term exposure with your family, friends, or pets!

-All you need to do is, set your camera on a tripod, deck or any where will make it stable.

-Turn the flash off.

-Next you have to set your camera's exposure time to the longest setting (for example my camera is 8 seconds)

-Turn on the self timer and you are all set! Be creative, it's showtime!

Below are some examples from our intern's personal collection, what a hobby!

Say Goodbye to Those Bad Hair Days

It happens to the best of us.... we wake up in the morning, and our hair is wayy out of whack. Usually, there is no time for blow drying and straightening before you rush the kids out to school and race to work, so we thought we'd share a few easy hair styles that will tame that

wild hair.

1. A Low Ponytail: After you brush out all those knots, and your hair is nice and smooth, simply gather your hair into a low ponytail. You'll be surprised how cute yet professional this look can be!

• How to spice it up: grab a small piece of hair out of the ponytail (about 1/2 inch thick) and wrap it around the ponytail holder you've used. Once it's wrapped, secure it with a bobby pin under the ponytail in an upward direction.

2. A Messy Bun: This style is so

popular, and takes just about no effort :) Quickly brush the top of your hair to make sure there will be no bumps after you make the bun. Grab your hair in one hand and have a ponytail holder ready in the other. Pull the hair through once thro

ugh the band and then mess around with it until it becomes a bun - it's that easy!

• How to spice it up: If you have bangs, pull that back with a bobby pin on top of your head. If you don't another alternative is wearing a headband with this style. Instant style!

3. A Low Side-Braid: This look is so easy. You'll see it all over magazines and TV shows - the celebrities love this style! Brush out your hair until it's manageable. Once it is, pull you hair to the side and plit into three event parts. Braid (right part over middle, then left over middle, then right again...) 3/4 of the way down and secure with a ponytail holder.

• How to spice it up: Tie a ribbon over the ponytail holder. It adds a lot to this already adorable look!

Jambu™ Book Review: "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"

Recently, I found some time to read for pleasure. I honestly forgot how great it is to slow down for a few days and read a great book. When I went to Borders to pick up a book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (the first of a trilogy), by Stieg Larsson, was one of the first I saw. When I read the back cover, I was already interested.

What it's about:

Harriet Vanger disappeared decades ago when she was only 16, and since then, her uncle Henrik Vanger has been on a search to find who he believes is her murderer. Henrik is now a retired industrialist, and decides to hire Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist, to investigate the crime further. Mikael was recently sentenced to prison after losing a libel case, involving damaging allegations about the Swedish billionaire Hans-Erik Wennerström. He takes the freelance job offered by Vanger after Vanger promises him sources that will bring an end to Wennerström. Blomkvist teams up with "the girl with the dragon tattoo" aka Lisbeth Salander. The 24 year old computer hacker and background investigator, sports tattoos and piercings, but don't let the image fool you...

Why You'll Love it:

I, for one, couldn't put the book down! A true page-turner that will keep you at the edge of your seat, this suspenseful thriller has everything in it! Is is well written, and so much more than just another murder mystery. It digs deep into the past of the Vanger family, while developing the stories of the other characters. Lisbeth and Mikael make an interesting team that will make you want to read more. Overall, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a great quick read that will leave you asking for more!

Interesting facts about the author:

• Stieg Larsson died shortly after bringing the manuscripts of the trilogy to the publisher.
• He witnessed the gang rape of a young girl when he was only 15. The author never forgave himself for failing to help the girl, whose name was Lisbeth - like the young heroine of his books, herself a rape victim, which inspired the theme of sexual violence against women in his books.

Lights on windows-the sonata played by dust

The beginning of Wordless Wednesdays...

Dust on windows can sometimes be the perfect media to capture beautiful light. Below is series of 4 pictures taken from morning till night, the dust makes the light feel tangible, like you can reach out and touch it.

Be your OWN Professional Photographer

There is nothing better than taking amazing pictures for your family photo album or your Facebook albums. Sometimes you just want to capture the most amazing moments, but no need to take a class to learn how to shoot like a pro. Below are some tips on how to get great shots of your kids, or you can translate some of these ideas into shooting anyone, or pets even.

Tips for taking your kids’ pictures

1. Try different angle, especially getting down on kids level.

2. Don't only take smiling pictures... try taking pictures when they are serious, sad, crying, angry or surprised, or whatever expression they do best.

3. Don't pose most of your pictures. Try to take more pictures when they are in action. It works better when they do not know your camera is pointed at them. You want to get more natural shots of their raw emotions- you don't want every smile of your kids to come by telling them to say “cheese”.

4. Take pictures from the top, make them look up the camera, or lie down taking their picture when they look down into the lens. Get playful

5. Bring more of their little friends or pets together so you can get them playing in action.

6. Another idea is to dress them in more grow-up style outfits, kids are so cute when they try to imitate adults.

7. Take more than one shot. The more pictures you take the more likely you'll be to get the shot look more natural and vivid. It is amazing the difference just one second can make. So take as many as your memory card can hold!

8. You know your kids better than anyone- its better to take pictures when your children are not hungry, sleepy or have to go potty.

9. Sometimes pictures featuring in their body parts like their little hands or feet, eyes or behind make for cute pictures.

10. Remember to maintain and store those pictures. If they are digital files, back up them frequently in DVDs incase your hard-drive lost memory by accident. If they are film pictures, develop the pictures and store the film in appropriate cases in a dry, cool, clean environment.
    

11. Have fun and take as many photos as you can!

Please feel free to share some of your pictures with us!

*All of the photos above have been taken by our new intern, Ken, just to show that you do not have to be a professional... all you need is a little TLC. :)