Cutie Missing

We bring you this local news story in a special weekend Hello There Cutie:

Banana Sam, an adorable 17-year-old squirrel monkey, was discovered M.I.A. Friday morning from his home in the San Francisco Zoo. Sadly, there are clear signs of a break-in, with two holes cut into the monkey enclosure. Banana Sam is one foot tall and weighs just two pounds and, at 17, is a senior citizen that requires a special diet and medication. The super scary part: there's a black market for squirrel monkeys as exotic pets and worse, for their body parts and organs.

An anonymous donor has put up a $5,000 reward for Banana Sam's return. Let's all hope for a speedy and safe return (I've seen Sam at the zoo and he is a major Cutie!). xxxo

New Year Cuties

Looks like these little birdie cuties are snuggling together to keep warm in the New Year ahead. Hmmm, I just noticed that they are all coupled off except that one on the far left, who looks like she had a bit too much birdseed in celebrating. I hope she doesn't have a bad birdseed hangover and watches out for falling icicles. And Hello There Cuties!!! xxxo

Deer Me, What Cuties!!!

It's time for a heartwarming Cutemaskah story...

Tom Satre of Alaska was out on his 62-foot fishing vessel when four juvenile black-tailed deer began to swim toward his boat. He quickly realized that the deer had become stranded at sea, possibly having been caught in a current and unable to make it back to shore. Tom opened up the back gate of his boat and helped the typically skittish animals onto the boat. When Tom's boat reached the dock, the first buck that had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back as if to say 'thank you' and disappeared into the forest. After a bit of prodding and assistance the others followed back to their woodland homes. Hello There Cuties and welcome back to land!!! xxxo

thanks for sharing this heartwarming story reader Damo of SF

Hedgehog Cutie

One must be practical with a new year approaching and perhaps having a night-light goes along with that. And if you're going to have one, have a cutie! This wee hedgehog light is from Land of Nod (here) and would wake all with a smile if up in the middle of the night. Hello There Cutie!!! xxxo

Sing-A-Ma-Jig Cuties

This holiday season the hottest toy for the preschooler set were Sing-A-Ma-Jigs. This green one, along with his puppy friend, sing "Bingo" in harmony as well as other tunes separately. Their little mouths show their tiny teeth and tongues while singing happy tunes, and are so adorable they get a big Hello There Cuties!!! xxxo

Happy Boxing Day Cuties!

Today is Boxing Day and as Doug & I love Downton Abbey, we adore it! The name "Boxing Day" comes from the tradition of giving Christmas boxes (gifts) to the poor (especially to household servants) the day after Christmas. Perhaps the original re-gifting? Today is a public holiday in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and countries in the Commonwealth of Nations... here in the US it's a reason to shop after Christmas sales!!! Happy Boxing Day Cuties! xxxo

Merry Xmas Cuties!!!

Merry Xmas Cuties!!! xxxo

-image brought to us by Doug-

Cutemaskah Decorating

I'm doing final cooking, wrapping and decorating for Xmas eve... how about you cuties??? xxxo

A Charuca Cutemaskah!

Look what we found in our Inbox cuties... a card from our friends at Charuca in Spain! These adorable little friends (don't we all wish we had a reindeer pal?) seem to be deep in holiday spirit, and I'm guessing that one of those holidays is Cutemaskah. Now where can we got a reindeer bonnet like the wee baby has...? Hello There Cuties!!! xxxo

Cutemaskah Cub Cutie

Look who is peeking out underneath their mama's chin... it's a Cutemaskah Cutie! This day old white lion (a rare subspecies of the African lion) cub is at Belgrade's Zoo in Serbia. As of day two, this little guy and his 3 siblings are, with good reason, the zoo's biggest attraction. Hello There Cuties!!! xxxo

Cutemaskah at Bergdorf Goodman

We love to give (and yes, receive) here at Hello There Cutie in the tradition of Cutemaskah & it looks like Bergdorf Goodman is embracing the cute this year too! These adorable pups have the run of the store and wow, don't we all wish we coulda been shopping with them that day? And I'm sorry, but you can't but have a moist eye at the end of this video. Hello There Cuties!!! xxxo

Happy Hanukkah Cuties!

Tonite at sundown marks the first evening of Hanukkah. In celebration we bring you a photo of three year old me and my Mommy with a Hanukkah gift of a Jack in the box. Behind my Mom is a stuffed tiger (he was my fave!) along with a styrofoam hanging decoration she had made then blinged with glitter in the shapes of dreidels, menorahs and other holiday objects.

Happy Hanukkah to all and Hello There Cuties to my parents who I wish I could celebrate these holidays with. I love and miss them much. xxxo

A Cutemaskah Scarf

Reader Damien went to New Zealand and brought me back this scarf just in time for Cutemaskah! Between the lambs sweet face, big eyes and yummy (non animal) fuzzy-ness, this scarf gets a big Hello There Cutie!!! xxxo

A Bit of Cutemaskah Silliness

A bit of Cutemaskah silliness for all those who remember (or just like!) the 80s tune "The Safety Dance" but with a Santa twist!!! Have a very cute weekend... xxxo

A Kiwi Cutemaskah Cutie

I read about this yesterday and wow, what a Cutemaskah story!

A baby fur-seal went through the cat-door of a New Zealand home and made himself cozy on the couch to snuggle in for the night. The young pup first had to ease past the households dog and cats in the kitchen before making himself at home then proceeded to catch a few cute winks on the couch. The SPCA was called and, after waking him up, took this little guy back to his home in the bay but hopefully after a big "Hello There Cutie" was exclaimed!!! xxxo

Tree of Cutemaskah

Thinking about the Cutemaskah season brought me to a tree of life, a symbol in many cultures including that of Cute! This tree, done by the illustrator Jill McDonald, has happy critters both interacting (love the bunny on the turtles back!) and hanging out on/around the tree. Reminds me of this holiday season of parties and being with our friends old & new. Hello There Cuties!!! xxxo

Frosty the Cutemaskah Snowman

I was talking to my big brother last pm and he told me how cold it is in LA. Reminded me of a childhood tv show I adored this time of year that made cold seem fun: Frosty the Snowman. In looking it up, I found this Little Golden Book of the story and sorry to say, it looks cuter then the tv show. Hello There Cutie!!! xxxo

A Cutemaskah Greeting

Awww check out this vintage card cuties! It's Santa and his snowman friend wishing us all Seasons Greetings which of course translates to Happt Cutemaskah!!! The smile on the snowman seals the deal for me that this was def made for Cutemaskah... I hope Santa has lots for our stockings too! Hello There Cuties! xxxo

Wrap It Up For Cutemaskah

Like the other holidays this time of year, Cutemaskah of course involves presents to the good girls and boys. And if it's wrapped for this holiday, it best be in cute paper!!! This vintage wrapping paper from the 1960s definitely has that covered, with the toys smiling out at us and bright colors. Seems to be calling out "Hello There Cutie" doesn't it??? xxxo

Cutemaskah Boozy Cutie

So yesterday I went out to the mailbox and look what was waiting for me: an adorable sweater to keep my Maker's Mark warm. Perhaps a reminder that MM makes us warm inside during the holidays? Well I immediately put it on Amelie the bunny (who wanted nothing to do with it) then went into the liquor cabinet: no Maker's so it's keeping my scotch warm instead. Hello There Cutie and thx for keeping us both warm this season!!! xxxo

A Cutemaskah Happy Ending!

Back in September we posted about this ginger seal who had been abandoned by the other seals in his colony due to be different. Well here's a Cutemaskah happy ending, brought to us by reader Joanne of Oakland... The seal has been named Nafanya, after a Soviet-era cartoon character, and is now living in a custom home in Russia. "He has a good appetite and always is in a happy mood" says the head of the aquarium Nafanya is living at. Hello There Cutie and a very happy Cutemaskah to our ginger friend!!!! xxxo

Cutemaskah Singing

The video above is from Brooks Brothers and talk about having the Cutemaskah spirit! These little lambs, bundled with scarves, are singing Jingle Bells with their fuzzy best voices. Oddly, I didn't hear a "baaaa" but am sure they were subliminally background chorusing Hello There Cutie!!! xxxo

thx for the great idea cousin Heather!

Muppet Movie Cuties

Here at Hello There Cutie, we do not promote anything we don't fully endorse on the cute scale and this is no exception: Saturday I saw the Muppet movie. Totally cutie worthy and full of laughs, tears (my friend & I would watch it with our Dad's so reminded us of them) and wonderfully silly moments. Highly recommend and Hello There Cutie muppets!!! xxxo

A Cutemaskah Fieldtrip!

The Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park recently unveiled an all new garden railway display celebrating Playland at the Beach. Playland began as a collection of amusement rides and concessions in the late 19th century and sadly closed in 1972. The Conservatory's tiny tribute to Playland includes Sutro Baths, a replica of the Victorian-era Cliff House and a whole lotta cute. I think this is a Cutemaskah fieldtrip for sure and Hello There Cutie!!! xxxo