For Mom With Love

Dazzle Mom with a treat from Highland Park Village's Mother's Day gift guide

Jewels from Market will do the trick.

Photo courtesy of Highland Park Village

Make this Mother’s Day memorable when you celebrate the incredible moms in your life with Highland Park Village’s most beloved boutiques.

From chic clothes and gorgeous accessories to luxurious home and beauty items, Dallas’ premier open-air shopping destination has you covered. Here are some no-fail gift ideas for this Mother's Day:

For the accessory queen
She’s one of a kind, and her boots should be too. The bespoke boot brand Miron Crosby is launching a new style just in time for Mother’s Day: the Natalie Boot. Miron Crosby also offers customization in-studio at its Highland Park Village location. To make her gift an heirloom, bring her boots to the studio after she opens them and treat her to custom ear pulls.

Miron Crosby Natalie bootPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

The Tory Burch Ella Bio Tote features an innovative leather alternative that is durable, luxurious, and fade-resistant. A functional and practical bag for any on-the-go mom, its mint leaf green color is a perfect pastel shade for the spring/summer season. Bonus: The bag utilizes sustainable materials instead of leather.

Tory Burch Ella Bio TotePhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Christian Louboutin’s Ariella Zeppa 130mm Espadrille Sandal will be a summer staple for sure. An audacious twist on the espadrille, the Arielle Zeppa sandal has an elegant appeal with its braided wedge heel in natural rope and black leather for a sophisticated finish.

Christian Louboutin Ariella Zeppa 130mm Espadrille Sandal Christian Louboutin’s Ariella Zeppa 130mm Espadrille SandalPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

A matching moment:
A matching moment from alice + olivia’s Mommy + Me line, this gorgeous Dawn Floral print is perfect for a mom and her daughter. The cotton girls’ dress is complete with a fit and flare silhouette, spaghetti straps, and a smocked bodice. The matching Eloise Button Down for mom helps the look come together.

Alice + Olivia Dawn Floral matching top and dress Photo courtesy of Highland Park Village

Roller Rabbit’s ultra-cozy PJs are perfect for a mama and her mini. Feel the L-O-V-E in these fan-favorite pajamas — the collection has sets available for women, kids, and infants. The Love & Letters collection is launching just in time to celebrate mom, too.

Roller Rabbit's mommy and me pajamasPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Dallas-native and mother Lisa ‘Lele’ Sadoughi designs elevated accessories and jewelry for any age. Made with quality fabrics and unique hand-sewn trims, this Papaya Pebble Cabochon Knotted Headband and its matching kid counterpart, the Papaya Kids Pebble Cabochon Knotted Headband, is a fun accessory for any mom or child this summer.

Lele Sadoughi headbandPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Luxe jewelry
Exclusive to Highland Park Village, Market houses a finely curated selection of sought-after designers and their dazzling jewelry. The EF Collection Diamond ‘Mama’ Nameplate Necklace makes the perfect gift for all moms and mom-like figures. Featuring a horizontal bar pendant with .14 carats of diamond set in block letters spelling out “mama,” this necklace is a sweet, shimmery addition to any layer.

Market Mama diamond bar necklace Mama diamond bar necklacePhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Another beautiful selection from Market are these earrings, which are the perfect addition to any outfit, casual or dressy. The Marlo Laz Southwestern Heart Earrings are decorated with gold embroidery of floral and paisley motifs. The Southwestern Heart Collection is an ode to the enchantment of the American West and trailblazing women.

Market Marlo Laz Southwestern Heart Earrings Marlo Laz Southwestern Heart EarringsPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Representing happiness and delight as well as love and affection, pink diamonds are one of the most extraordinary gifts produced by Mother Nature and are the ideal addition to the season’s palette of pastel hues. This Harry Winston ring is sure to impress this Mother’s Day.

Harry Winston pink diamond ringPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Pamper her with services:
With only four locations in the United States, Dr. Barbara Sturm Boutique & Spa offers well-deserved self-care like a Signature SturmGlow Facial, session in the Spa Wave Bed, or Lymphatic Sculpt & Tone Massage. Afterwards, she can browse the selection of innovative products for every skin type.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Boutique & SpaPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Pamper her with a gift card to Cerón Highland Park, a premier hair and beauty experience in Highland Park Village. Let her choose from an array of incredible services, like a blow out, makeup application, manicure, or pedicure.

Ceron Highland ParkPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Treat Mom to a meal:
Ensure you get the most of your day with mom by treating her to a delicious meal in Highland Park Village. Enjoy incredible dining experiences with tastes of old-school Italian at Fachini, traditional Tex-Mex at Mi Cocina, fresh seafood at Café Pacific, New York City-style bagels at Sadelle’s, and much more at Highland Park Village’s vast selection of restaurants.

Sadelle'sPhoto courtesy of Highland Park Village

Movie Review

Creepy new horror film will make you believe in The Boogeyman

Photo by Patti Perret

Sophie Thatcher in The Boogeyman.

On the surface, calling a horror movie The Boogeyman seems trite and lazy. A generic term for any scary and mysterious being, it has long been used in all kinds of storytelling. But when you see that the film is based on a Stephen King short story and written by the team behind A Quiet Place, more attention must be paid.

After a supremely creepy and disturbing opening scene, the film introduces its main characters: Will Harper (Chris Messina), a therapist, and his two daughters, Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair). The three are grieving the recent death of their wife/mother, with each coping in different ways. Will is now distant, Sadie sees her own therapist while still lashing out, and Sawyer must sleep with many lights on.

A visit to Will by Lester Billings (David Dastmalchian), a very disturbed man, seems to invite in a creature that thrives in darkness. That creature slowly tortures the two daughters psychologically, starting with Sawyer before moving on to Sadie. With Will checked out in general and Sawyer unable to help much due to her age, it’s up to Sadie to figure out what is happening and how to make it stop.

Directed by Rob Savage and written by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, and Mark Heyman, the film takes the less-is-more approach, keeping the monster hidden in the shadows for much of the film. Scary things hiding in the dark is a tried-and-true method of horror films, but it works especially well here, chiefly because that terror is often seen through the eyes of the youngest daughter, Sawyer.

Putting kids 10 or younger in peril is not what most horror films typically do, but the effect of doing so is palpable, especially if you’re a parent. The opening scene sets the tone, and every scene involving Sawyer is as tense as you can get. Most of them involve her keeping a wary eye on her closet door or using a light-up model of the moon to expose dark corners, and her feelings of fear transfer easily to the audience.

The stories of Sadie and Will are a little harder to suss out. Sadie gets the most screentime, with awkward conversations with friends and investigations into the creature deemed the most important plot points. What the family was like before mom’s death is not explored much, so it’s difficult to understand Will’s state of mind, with him seeming to almost completely abandon his kids in their time of need.

Thatcher, who plays a character with a similar demeanor on Showtime’s Yellowjackets, does well in the de facto lead role, although the part is more low-key than your usual horror protagonist. Blair, who played a young Princess Leia on the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi, steals the movie every time she’s on screen; few kids her age could come close to what she accomplishes. Messina is a steady presence, but his character’s personality does him no favors.

By combining familiar elements, a story about a broken family, and some slow burn scares, The Boogeyman rises above its pedestrian title. It maintains its level of dread almost from beginning to end, a lesson that other horror filmmakers would be wise to learn.

Photo by Patti Perret

Sophie Thatcher in The Boogeyman.

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The Boogeyman opens in theaters on June 2.

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