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RING IN THE NEW YEAR
The Os are over. Here come the, uh, teens. Whatever we end up calling 2010
and the years that follow it, there's no better way to start the decade than with
a few new outfits (Get Dressed), some books, music and
looks for your pad (Fun&Games). For those looking
to buy a new car, check out our review of the coolest car stereos in The
Drive. If you're finally getting rid of that crib? In Good,
Better, Best we help you choose a toddler bed. We also check
in at a sleek hotel in Istanbul. And last but not least, turn your playdate
into a kitchen playdate, go to Food to find out how and read
a recipe.
Don't forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter, delivered straight to your
inbox, and you'll be automatically entered to win one of the items featured in
this issue.
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{ Reinvent Your Look } |
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> Fishy Fish
Glug Collection
Started in 2004 and inspired by art and iconic childhood memories, Glug Collection
offers the kind of kids' clothes you might even wear yourself (if they made them
in your size). The fall/winter collection fuses earthy browns and creams with
colors that will wash away the winter blues: turquoise, fuschia and purple. Glug
is for the kid who has outgrown cutsey cute hearts and bunnies. Instead the Glug
kid finds inspiration in dragonflies, tree frogs, whales and ostriches.
{ Tops and bottoms from $28; Glug
Collection }
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> Kids Wear with Street
Cred
Appaman
Appaman's designer named his hip kids' clothing company after the corduroy monkey
friend he had as a child. Bring some street cred to your child's outfit with cotton
tees, onesies, funky jackets and hipster denim in bright and whimsical designs.
Available in Baby, Toddler and Big Kid sizes.
WIN IT Subscribe to our newsletter by January 15 to win a
t-shirt or onesie.
{ Appaman }
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> Fluffy Footwear
Naturally Australian
A full 100% Australian Sheepskin boot (it naturally wicks away moisture), the
Paddington Lo features a removable contoured sheepskin insole with arch support
and superior double stitched seams for added strength. Great for those long winter
months.
WIN IT Subscribe to our newsletter by January 15 to win this
Emu pair in chocolate brown (size 9).
{ Paddington Lo, Emu
}
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> Family Ties
Jewelry for Mom & Child
The idea behind this unique line of jewelry is to allow mom and child
to wear a bracelet that symbolizes their unbreakable bond. The centerpiece of
each piece is a pendant made from 925 Sterling Silver. One side of the pendant
features your choice of either a heart or a star, and the reverse reveals a delicate
white topaz stone and the "Bebe au Lait" name. The pendant is linked
by an adjustable Italian woven nylon bracelet.
{ Heart Bracelet Set $75, Bebe
au Lait }
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> Stay Hydrated
Say Bu-bye to plastic
From the Swiss folks who brought you the ultimate eco-friendly reusable beverage
bottle comes the Lulu Lemon SIGG bottles. Perfect for running enthusiasts or yoga
fanatics who want to kick the plastic bottle habit and tote their water in style.
Made from pure aluminum and 100% recyclable, SIGG is the ideal alternative to
plastic bottles and does not leach any harmful chemicals such as BPA's, while
alleviating the plastic waste dilemma that plagues our landfills and oceans. The
durable bottles have a baked on, non-porous interior lining that is taste neutral
so you can have lemonade one day and water the next and there won't be any lingering
taste or odor.
{ SIGG }
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> Walking on Sunshine
Rileyroos Shoes
Crafted of soft black leather with offset accent colored stitching in licorice,
these stylish Mary janes are designed to imitate barefoot walking. The flexible
leather sole curls above little toes to provide leverage as little ones make their
natural gravitation from sitting to crawling to walking.
{Mary Jane $32, Rileyroos
}
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{ Check In } |
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The City: Istanbul
The Hotel: Park Hyatt Maçka Palas
Why Go There: If your fantasies are of the once-upon–a-time
variety, the recently opened Park Hyatt Maçka Palas may just be the place
for your next vacation. Set in Istanbul’s fashionable Nis¸antas¸i
district, the 90-room palace-cum-hotel fuses the building’s historic Art
Deco past—intricate architectural details have been painstakingly restored—with
complementing mood lighting and contemporary finishes like classic walnut and
anodized bronze. Rooms are equipped with all a modern prince would ever need,
including iPod docking stations, flat-screen TVs and in-room safes large enough
to fit a laptop. And because being the fairest of them all takes some work, bathrooms
are furnished with refrigerated cosmetic and medicine cabinets to keep lotions
and make-up chilled. For dinner, guests flock to the hotel’s (and the city’s
only) steakhouse, The Prime, where a well-heeled crowd mingles poolside by candlelight
while the court jester, uhm, house DJ keeps things bouncing.
The Website: istanbul.park.hyatt.com
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{ Crazy With the Cheese Whiz } |
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> Robot Loves Modern
Spice up your walls
This is the perfect wall art for your budding modernist. Created by SF duo
Eric Rewitzer and Annie Galvin, the Better Together series of linocuts fuses two
great designs: robots (who doesn't love 'em?) and iconic furniture pieces by masters
like Eames, Nelson and Mies. Each limited edition print is handpulled on 11.25"w
x 10.25"h paper. Get one or collecte them all: Smoking Eames, Lilli Lilli
Barcelona, Chez Giant and Coconut Mike.
{ Individual from $35, Series $110, 3
Fish Studios }
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> Clean and Smooth as a Baby's
Bottom
MD Moms
This new cleansing towelettes travel pouch from MD Moms makes it easy to keep
baby's skin on both sets of cheeks clean and soft on the go.Good enough for the
messiest diaper change and gentle enough to use before baby's umbilical cord detaches
in lieu of a bath. The 2-in-1 formula, created for head to toe use, cleanses and
soothes to keep baby's skin clean and soft. A blend of marine silk, vitamins E
and B5, organic aloe and comfrey provides moisturizing and antioxidant benefits,
while ginger and chamomile soothe and calm irritation.
{ baby silk gentle all over clean $5, MD
Moms }
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> Conversation Pieces
Pillows that inspire
Once a graphic designer, Heather Lins decided to turn off her
computer and get her hands dirty, sort of speak. Her whimsical home accessories
are inspired by the everyday objects: a 3-D Eye chart, numbers and cartoon bubbles.
An ode to the art of conversation, Lins' Conversation Pieces collection will have
your kids thinking clever bits in no time.
WIN IT Subscribe to our newsletter by January 30 to win a
Conversation Piece pillow.
{ Heather Lins Home
}
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> For the Julia Child in the Making
Little Baker
The 11.25 x 8 x 3.5-inch tin suitcases feature whimsical animal designs with bears,
mice and bunnies. Inside the suitcase is everything any little baker needs: apron,
wooden rolling pin and spoon, cookie cutters and 5 scrumptious cookie recipes
(Sugar, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Gingerbread and Snickerdoodle cookies).
This new collection is certain to delight children aged 2 to 8 and makes a wonderful
keepsake box or even lunch box.
{ Little Baker $40, Child
to Cherish }
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> Numbers & Animals
Know Your Stuff
My First Numbers is perfect for kids just learning to count. Colorful
photos, simple questions and popular first words (cat, balloon, boat, shoe, train)
help your little one count to 10. Toddlers will also love Noisy Animals,
a pop-up book featuring ducks, dogs and lions (and the sounds they make) that
leap right off the page.
{ My First Numbers $9.99, Noisy Animals $6.99, DK
Publishing }
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> Make Your Own Someday The Jimmies
New York’s underground rock band for kids The Jimmies spent the last two
years carefully crafting their first DVD, Trying Funny Stuff, which came
out last November. The band's signature blend of sophisticated imagery, laugh-out-loud
humor and subtle lessons (like how to sneeze into your arm, set a tadpole free
and layer in the wintertime) are all over this DVD, which also includes music
videos, six karaoke videos and a deliberately ridiculous, accidentally educational
behind-the-scenes "Film 101 Master Class."
{ The Jimmies }
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{ Kitchen Playdate } |
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THE BOOK
Kitchen Playdates: Easy Ideas for Entertaining that Include the Kids
• 70 Delicious Recipes • Plus Menus, Activities, and 10 Playdates
By Lauren Bank Deen, Tina Rupp
So
what exactly is a KITCHEN PLAYDATE?
"It's a playdate that includes the grown-ups, complete with great food
and if you're up for it, a cooking project with the kids. I realized that many
of the old entertaining rules are outdated and don't reflect the way we really
live now. With such busy weeks, we want to see our friends and our kids. Now Saturday
night includes everyone; we don't send the kids to bed and get a sitter. Granted,
things start a bit earlier, but it's just as much fun. I invite the parents and
their kids over at three so we can all relax and enjoy each other before the young
ones melt down. When you entertain other families, you can have everything prepared
beforehand, or ask friends to pitch in. You can cook with the kids or without.
There are suggestions for tasks that are child appropriate, and the rest is up
to you, depending on your schedule and state of mind and the kids' moods and ages.
These recipes are meant to be mixed and matched, and come with suggestions for
items you can buy ready-made to reduce the workload. Most can be halved easily,
or doubled. The point is to revel in your little imperfect bit of paradise, not
to tend to the party, but attend the party and enjoy your friends and family.
The recipes are simple yet stylish, with easy-to-find ingredients with a global
range that reflect the multiethnic markets, restaurants, and neighborhoods I've
been lucky enough to live near and visit. I've test-driven and adapted these dishes
so they are sophisticated in spirit, yet firmly grounded in the reality that comes
with being a busy parent. You're not sacrificing a thing. It's all about flexibility
and fun, not fuss.
There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow, and you will have plenty of chances
to relax with good food, family, and friends. Ready to schedule your first playdate?"
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THE RECIPE: STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
These stuffed toasts are designed to feed a crowd while keeping things personal
with custom fillings. The kids enjoy creating their own fillings and the assembly
line action of stuffing the sandwiches. Or you can cook a bunch of this savory
dish and its sweet variation ahead of time and rewarm them when your friends arrive.
Be creative. Try goat cheese and tapenade, or cream cheese and smoked salmon with
dill, or, for the sweet version top the mascarpone with peaches or apricots sprinkled
with brown sugar. Serve the sandwiches cut in half so everyone can try a few.
You can easily halve or double the recipe, depending on the size of the crowd.
INGREDIENTS
6 slices brioche or white bread, 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 thin slices sweet soppressata or ham
6 thin slices provolone cheese (see Notes)
6 eggs
11/4 cups milk
Pinch of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola
or grapeseed
Confectioners’ sugar and/or maple syrup (preferably grade B) for serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Starting at the top of the bread slice, make a slit almost to the bottom, but
do not cut all the way through the bread. The piece should look like an open book.
Spread some of the mustard on one side of the bread, tuck a slice of ham and cheese
inside, and close the sandwich. Repeat with the remaining bread.
Combine the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a shallow rectangular baking dish,
about 9 by 13 inches. Whisk to blend.
Place the stuffed breads in the egg mixture and leave for about 1 minute. Turn
and leave in the mixture for another 1 minute.
In a large sauté pan over medium to high heat, combine 1 tablespoon of
the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat the base of the pan.
When the butter is bubbling, add 2 of the stuffed toasts and cook for about 2
minutes until golden brown. Turn and cook for another minute or so until golden.
Remove from the pan and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining
butter, oil, and stuffed breads.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the stuffed breads for 10 minutes,
or until the cheese is melting. Cut in half on the diagonal, and top with a sprinkle
of confectioners’ sugar or a drizzle of syrup.
SERVES 6
Copy & Recipe courtesy of Chronicle
Books
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{ Toddler Bed } |
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Your kid is ready to kiss his crib goodbye but anything other than a toddler bed
might still be too daunting. Will he fall off in the middle of the night? Will
he be able to get in and out by himself? With these questions in mind, we have
chosen three modern toddler beds that are low to the ground and are environmentally
friendly. Sleeping never looked so good!
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> Hiya Bed
THE LOOK The most modern of them all, the shape
of this one might inspire your kid to dream of car races. Choose from Plyboo Bamboo
or FSC certified Birch for the head/foot board to create the best fit for your
child's room.
SPECS It is painted with an eco-friendly non-toxic paint
and constructed with no-formaldehyde added 100% recycled/reclaimed MDF.
53.5" Lx 29.5" W x 16" H
THE GOOD Though not so high, the sides help keep your
child in while sleeping but allows you to sit at the foot of the bed to tuck them
in.
THE BAD We love the look of this one, but 500 bucks
might be a bit much for many parents. Your kid will only be using it for a couple
of years after all.
COLORS White, birch or bamboo.
COST $499, Spot
on Square
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> P'kolino Toddler Bed
THE LOOK Curvy and playfull, this bed converts into
a cozy chair to extend the use (perfect for sleepovers). It comes with side rails
to prevent rolling out and a cozy chair pad to use when in the chair mode.
SPECS Made of fiber board with wood veneer. Suitable
for 2 and up to 60 lbs.
30" W x 52" L x 20" H
THE GOOD Because it takes up so little space when in
chair mode, this one is perfect for keeping at Grandma's house or small bedrooms.
THE BAD No headboard and centered rails means your squirmy
guy might fall off at the top. And you can't sit on it to tuck them in either.
COLORS Orange or white
COST $210, P'kolino
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> Petra Toddler Bed
THE LOOK The Petra toddler Bed has a low profile,
making it safe and easy for parents and children alike to transition from crib
to bed. It can support more than 300 lbs, so parent and child can share a bedtime
story just before drifting off.
SPECS The birch wood contained in this product is harvested
from sustainable managed forests. Also made with toxic-free glues and lacquers.
Suitable from 15 months to 50 lbs.
60" L x 36" W x 20" H
THE GOOD This one offers the highest side rails, which
is perfect for little ones who are all over the place in their sleep. We also
like that there's enough clearance at the bottom to store clothes or toys.
THE BAD Not much wrong with this one, but if we must
be picky we might point out that the the birch wood may vary in color and texture
from one part to the next due to the natural differences found in the wood.
COLORS White, birch, walnut, red maple.
COST $299, Argington
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{ Audio Systems } |
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Remember the days when buying a new set of wheels meant an immediate trip to the
neighborhood Best Buy? An aftermarket audio system was the only way to go if you
wanted to get some thumpin’ sound in the cabin. But in the last few years,
some of the most discerning names in high-end home audio have taken the art of
car audio to a new level. Armed with a fully loaded 40-Gig iPod and a stack of
CDs ranging from Mozart to the Police and Jay-Z, we got behind the wheel of three
cars and cranked up the volume. Along for the ride, we invited Vancouver DJ Chris
Spotzl for his expert opinion. Here, the highs and lows of what we heard.
WHAT WE TESTED: Acura
RDX with the Technology Package
SOUND CONTROL: Developed by Grammy-winning producer Elliot Scheiner,
the Acura ELS Surround 10-speaker premium sound system features 410-watt, 6-channel
digital amplifier, 6-disc in-dash changer. A selectable Dolby Pro Logic II signal
processing creates simulated 5.1-channel surround sound from regular CDs, MP3/WMAs
or other music players through an auxiliary input.
iPOD FRIENDLY: Yes. The auxiliary input is located on the dashboard
below the navigation system. A small compartment right below is easily accessible
and just the right size for storing your MP3 player.
INSIDE TRACK: “It definitely sounds amazing—very
clean and crisp—when you pop in a DVD-Audio. But who really owns a lot of
those? The surround sound is not as warm when you play regular CDs or MP3s. There’s
a just a bit of distortion, I think. The information system is not the most user-friendly
either. Nevertheless, it offers a much cleaner sound system than a lot of cars
out there.”
WHAT IT COSTS: Base MSRP $41,000; RDX as tested, $45,000
WHAT WE TESTED: Mini
Cooper S Convertible, Sidewalk Edition
SOUND CONTROL: A Harman Kardon system with an auxiliary input
and satellite stereo ready. Sound is optimized at every seat position thanks to
six loudspeakers expanded with two more plus a digital amplifier. Choose from
four acoustical modes: Spatial Effect, Festival Effect, Electronic Enhanced Equalization,
and Instrumental. A Driver Optimization mode lets you focus all the sound around
the driver.
iPOD FRIENDLY: Not really. The auxiliary input is inside the
glove compartment, which is fine if you select a playlist and stick with it for
your entire drive. But you’ll need to open the compartment and reach in
for your MP3 player every time you want to navigate your player.
INSIDE TRACK: “Overall it has a clear sound, even with
the top down. The look of the stereo is pretty plain, nothing flashy. But it is
easily controllable from the steering wheel. The speakers are well positioned.
The only problem is that the base rattles a bit when you turn the volume all the
way up.”
WHAT IT COSTS: Base MSRP, $36,600; Sidewalk as tested, $40,500
WHAT WE TESTED: Lincoln
MKX
SOUND CONTROL: THX is the brainchild of audio pioneer Tomlinson
Holman. This THX-II certified surround-sound system features 14 speakers, including
two subwoofers with 600 watts of power. A thick dash pad, laminated windshield
and thick side glass further reduce road noise.
iPOD FRIENDLY: Very. The integrated MP3-audio input jack, as
well as power point, is conveniently concealed in the centre console. A slot mounted
into the console provides access to your neatly organized phone and iPod cords.
INSIDE TRACK: “The sound is super crisp and clean,”
said our expert. “No distortions whatsoever. This is why I like to listen
to music in cars: because it surrounds you. It sounds so good it’s like
listening to music with headphones on. You can’t get better than that. In
fact, I wish more nightclubs had this sound system!”
WHAT IT COSTS: Base MSRP, $44,399; MKX as tested $53,449
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Editor
Celeste Moure
Contributors
Lola Augustine Brown
Catherine DeUgarte, MD
Candida Hadley
Julia Martin
Katharin Robinson
Gabriel Sheffer
Chris Tinselmann
Subscribe to our e-newsletter and you will be automatically entered to win one
of the featured items in this issue. |
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On Tippy Toes is a monthly magazine
dedicated to all things kids and family. We feature a handpicked selection of
baby and kid fashions, products for the home, entertaining and educational toys
and gear for the modern family.
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us know what you think about On Tippy Toes.
About Us
On Tippy Toes is a monthly email magazine, featuring health, travel, and reviews
of the best toys, gadgets and all things for babies, kids and their parents.
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