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TRICK OR TREAT
Autumn is here and kids around the globe are waiting with bated breath for
the 31st so they can turn from delightful to positively frightful. Whether the
highlight is dressing your kids like the wild things they are, collecting as many
ghastly goodies as they can (so you can eat them when they finally go to bed)
or turning your dwelling into a shudder-inducing house of spirits, we've got a
little something to get you Tricking and Treating.
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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{ Treat } |
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> Be My Honey Bee
Sweet Costume
Your busy little bee will be the cutest on the block this Halloween. Wings are
made of soft felt and attached to a black body with elastic to slip over arms.
Tutu is made from soft tulle and has an adjustable waist. Hair bows are attached
to a clip and have a cute flower in the center.
{ Costume $35; mumovearls
}
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> Modular Vest
Keep stylishly warm
Just in time for fall, our friends at Periwinklebloom bring us this super cozy
100% organic cotton fleece. Featuring an open neckline and lined in ecru jersey,
it provides a snug fit, perfect for layering in the coming chilly months.
{ Vest $56, Periwinklebloom
}
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> We *Heart* Felt
Add a little felt to your wardrobe (and home)
Seattle-based Satch & Sol partners with a fair trade artisan cooperative in
Mongolia to bring us the most comfy handmade collections of wearable pieces including
slippers, hats and mittens. Made using traditional felting skills, these cute
Maryjanes -- hand-dyed using bark, vegetable and leaf dyes -- are adorned with
three pretty woolen felt flowers and handstitched with a soft suede sole. So soft
and cozy, your kid will want to wear them year round.
WIN IT Subscribe to our newsletter by Oct 31st to win this
pair of slippers (size 8).
{ Maryjane $37, Satch &
Sol }
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> Wee Pumpkins
Handmade from wool felt and quilter's cotton, these vibrant little pumpkins
are ready to help decorate your space for autumn.
{ set of three $15, Urbanpaisley
}
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> Scary Pillow
This White Halloween Pumpkin pillow, stuffed with polyester fiberfil,
is handmade of felt and embellished with vintage buttons and white pom pom trim.
{ Halloween Pillow $8, unseekpillows
}
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> Spooky Charms
Sally Jean
Sally Jean, a self-described girl with "ants in her pants," turned a
love for the discarded, unwanted treasures from long ago into artform. Her collections
of Art Collage Charms are created by hand, using antique photographs from the
artist's private collection along with vintage ephemera from the 1800's. The photos
and papers are torn, layered, painted, smudged, and chalked to create beautifully
whimsical charms, some which feature quotes taken directly from the pages of antique
books. Here are three of our favorites.
{ From $18 for a small knocker to $25 for charmette dots; Sally
Jean }
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> Arggh Pirate Shoes
Sweet skates
Skate and surf inspired soft-soled shoes for your little rascal. Featuring skull
and contrasting x-bones, these slips-ons are bound to become a favorite.
{ Sweet Shoes }
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{ Let It Rain } |
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Don't forget to pack all the essentials for a romantic island getaway this
winter. Raincoat? Check. Hunter Wellies? Check. Sturdy umbrella? Check. A tropical
Caribbean island is not, as you can imagine, what we are suggesting. Forget getting
sunburned. Instead of palm trees and piña coladas we porpose pelting rain,
crashing surf and a blazing fireplace. Indeed, here's to hoping for the worst
possible weather.
While locals of the quaint town of Tofino have been watching and surviving
winter storms for decades, only in recent years has Vancouver Island’s rugged
west coast been attracting a new breed of tourists: storm watchers. Every winter,
ferocious waves roll in from Japan and pound the rocky headlands, hurling themselves
up on the pristine beach with astounding force. It’s the idea of witnessing
this spectacular show by Mother Earth that lures us to the Wickaninnish Inn. (Back
in the mid-nineties “The Wick” became the first resort to come up
with a Storm Watchers package.) After checking in at the inn, which sits within
a UNESCO biosphere reserve on land that has been inhabited by the First Nations
people for thousands of years, bundle up and, donning your raingear, venture out
for a stroll on Chesterman beach, right outside the inn’s back door.
Outside, the sky is probably a mercurial gray and the ocean a scrambled cobalt
blue. With the Pacific gale chilling you to the bone, you may not make it very
far during your swift walk. You will, however, manage to stop for pictures, taking
turns to pose with the crashing waves behind your backs. Back at the inn, stop
to warm up at the Driftwood Coffee Lounge, where some of the cozy furniture is
made from washed-up wood (a weathered tree root supports a glass tabletop in one
corner; stones from the beach hold up books on a shelf). A boot dryer takes care
of your frozen feet and hot cocoa by the crackling fireplace takes care of the
rest.
For dinner, score a table by the window at the Pointe, the inn’s award-winning
restaurant where wrap-around windows offer 240-degree views of the ocean and discreetly
positioned speakers pipe in the sound of the crashing waves. You will be so mesmerized
by the roaring sea that you may hardly know what to order when the waiter comes
to your table—for the second time. Still not sure what to get? Start with
a grilled octopus salad and follow it with a delish seared Pacific halibut with
citrus potato puree.
The next morning after an invigorating yoga session at the spa, you can order
room service and, wrapped in a Hudson’s Bay blanket that you pull out from
the closet, you can sit in your suite’s balcony. The weather report calls
for more rain. And as you sip cappuccinos and watch for eagles and whales in the
distance, it may occur to you that there’s something to this storm watching
phenomenon after all.
Location Vancouver Island, off Canada’s west coast, is
accessible from Vancouver and Seattle by both ferry and airplane. The seaplane
flight from Vancouver to Tofino takes 45 minutes. It’s a two-hour drive
by car from the ferry terminal to The
Wickaninnish Inn .
Money Winter storm season rates start at $280 per
Local Knowledge Tofino has great surf for beginners. Surf Sister
(www.surfsister.com) offers two-hour co-ed lessons that will have you standing
on a board and catching a wave by the end of the day.
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{ Trick } |
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> Lucky Bats Mobile
Hanging Around
Holy hanging mobile, Batman! Made in Denmark of colored cardstock shapes,
this Lucky Bats mobile is just the thing to hang at your front door this month.
The Hanging Mobile Gallery has hundreds of hanging mobiles and kinetic art to
fit any style, mood or occassion.
{ Lucky Bats $26.50, Hanging
Mobile Gallery }
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> Pack Your Lunch
Hold the BPA
With your kid back at school (and taking his lunch every day), it's time to
reconsider the brown bag. Citizenpip has just the thing. Their eco-friendly lunch
kits feature four BPA-free airtight food containers (one sized specifically to
fit his PB&J) and an insulated double-wall stainless steel food jar that keeps
food hot or cold. The insulated bag comes with nametag and carabiner to easily
attach it to a backpack, a stainless steel water bottle, fork and spoon set and
five 100% cotton napkins for every school day. Now, that's clever. Your planet
will thank you! (Your kid might, too.)
{ Soup to Nuts Kit $55, Citizenpip
}
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> Happy Creatures
What is blik?
Wall decal experts Blik team up with T-shirt community Threadless to bring us
great graphics based on some popular tees. Happy Creatures includes our faves
Sad Psycho and Nerd Berd as well as various sized tree pieces and white flight
trails. So spooky cool, you'll keep them up way past the 31st.
{ Wall decal $50, blik
}
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> Chalkboard
Play fetch with a piece of chalk
Designed by Cali-based Josh Jakus, FUZ features simple and
fun accessories for the home, office or nursery. For the kid who loves to draw
with chalk (and the parent who refuses to pain a wall in chalkboard black), Dusty
Girl and Dusty Boy are the answer. Made of non-formaldehyde, 100% recycled wood
core, this chalkboard comes with a dog eraser cut from scrap felt. If chalk is
not your thing, check out the cork noteboard.
WIN IT Subscribe to our newsletter by Oct 31st to win Dusty
Girl.
{Chalkboard with eraser on sale $15, Fuz
}
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> Alphabet Poster
Now I Know My ABC
Add a touch of ghoulish glam to your ABCs. This poster transforms the alphabet
into letters that are truly to die for. You can also customize with child's name
near corresponding letter and choose custom spot color.
{ ABC Poster by starfish:wish $38, Hazel
Wood Children }
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> Spooky Soap
Scare Dirt Away
Who's that spooking up your sink? Is it a horrifying film actor, or a super
scary filmmaker? Or could it be the tell tale heart himself? That's right, its
Edgar Allen Poe! Turn your house into a haunted palace, and you'll smell bad nevermore.
You may even have dreams of your sweet Lenore- let's just hope it doesn't lead
to a premature burial.
{ each soap $4, drybonessoapworks
}
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> Get Organized
Everything in its right place
Perfect for keeping baby's things (or yours) organized in the bathroom, kitchen,
nursery oranywhere else in the house. Boon's new Stash organizer can hans on the
wall or sit on the countertop. Comes in white or black.
{ Stash $24.99, Boon }
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> Numbers & Colors
Hit the Books with DwellStudio
Blue bird, blue bird, what do you see? I see one bird up in a tree. Making
its book debut with Count, DwellStudio gets little ones to learn their
numbers with the help of a little birdie. What Colors? is an accordion
board book with seven panels that features the animals from their kids line. Both
are just the right size for little hands.
{ Count $6.99; What Colors? $8.99, Blue
Books }
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>
Where the Wild Things Are
Opposites
Learn the opposite concepts of "Asleep" and "Awake" while
putting together two of Maurice Sendak's illustrations for the classic Where the
Wild Things Are. Max cavorts with his wild friends in one illustration, and a
Wild Thing sleeps as Max sails home to his own bedroom.
{ 2-in-1 Puzzle $10, Galison
}
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{ Killer Risotto } |
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INGREDIENTS
6 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons tapenade or black olive paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
Serves 6
THE BOOK
Halloween Treats
Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family
By Donata Maggipinto
Photographs by Richard Jung
$14.95
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The spooky color of this dish will delight the children and the flavor will
send shivers down your spine. It's ghoulishly good. For a fanciful finish, use
a cookie cutter or a paring knife to cut out spooky shapes from an orange bell
pepper and arrange them on the risotto before serving. Kids will have fun (as
will you) cutting out the shapes. They can also help with stirring the risotto.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Place the chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat
to low, cover, and keep at a bare simmer.
In a large sauté pan or flameproof casserole over medium heat, warm the
oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring often, until translucent,
about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until coated with the oil, about
2 minutes. Add the red wine and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed, about 2
minutes.
Slowly add 1 cup of the hot broth to the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until
it is almost entirely absorbed by the rice. Add 1/2 cup broth and cook, stirring,
until absorved by the rice. Continue in this manner, adding 1/2 cup broth at a
time and stirring constantly, until all but 1 cup of the broth has been added
to the rice.
Stir in the tapenade and continue cooking, now adding the broth 1/4 cup at a time
and stirring constantly, until the rice is al dente (just tender) and slightly
creamy. The rice should reach this point after about 25 minutes.
Stir in the rosemary, orange zest, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust
the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately—risotto waits for no one! Pass more Parmesan cheese
at the table.
Recipe courtesy of Chronicle
Books
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{ Playtable } |
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Almost as soon as children learn to stand, walk and sit on their own, they want
to play house and be like mom and dad. These kid-sized tables are compact enough
to fit even the smallest toddler room but big enough to give aspiring artists
plenty of space to create their masterpieces or just hang out with their favorite
book.
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> Surfin Kids Project Table
THE LOOK Whether your tot sits, stands or kneels,
this project table will always be the perfect height. After the kids outgrow it,
this can become an occasional table.
SPECS Made with three pieces of 100% formaldehyde-free,
FSC Certified real wood and 100% non-toxic water-based finish. 26.50"W x
26.50"D x 16.75"H
THE GOOD The patented, no-tools assembly method ensures
mom and dad don't get a workout putting it together.
THE BAD Designed specifically for use with the table,
a single stool ($90) is sold separately.
COLORS fire, natural, leaf, cocoa
COST $260, Ecotots
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> Little One's Table and Chairs
THE LOOK Ideal for project based learning, this
all-in-one cleverly compact and stylish design features an ergonomically positioned
built-in seat so your budding artists won't need to struggle with finding or positioning
his chair. The working space is great for paper, books and puzzles.
SPECS Suitable for 2 to 6 years. Made of Fiber Board
with Wood Veneer. 17.75" W x 22.5" L x 20" H. Weighs 16.5 lbs
THE GOOD The seat is an optimal 12 inches high with
a smart storage shelf under the seat.
THE BAD Additional storage (sold separately, $28.50)
fits on built in rails under the desktop to create a handy drawer.
COLORS Orange or white
COST $66.50, P'kolino
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> Mag Table
THE LOOK Made out of a single, continuous piece
of curving wood, Offi's iconic Mag Table feartures a black high pressure laminate
surface that can be doodled on with chalkboard. One side of the table has a convenient
carrying handle -- perfect for creating wherever inspiration takes you.
SPECS Suitable for 2 to 6 years. Made of molded ply
and high pressure laminate.
14d x 25.5w x 16h
THE GOOD Use it as a kids table, storage for magazines,
an extra seat, side table, nightstand, or a laptop stand.
THE BAD The Look-Me chair is sold separately and will
set you back another $199. Ouch!
COLORS Black chalkboard,
black, birch, white, oak, walnut, red
COST $199, Offi
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{ Lexus HS 250h } |
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Lexus has launched a handful
of hybrids that are mere adaptations of existing vehicles: the popular RX 400h
crossover (replaced for 2010 by the RX 450h), the GS 450h sports sedan and the
full-size luxury barge LS 600h. But the HS 250h is the brand’s first dedicated
hybrid, just as the Prius was for its parent company Toyota.
Lexus has always wooed drivers with plenty of luxury, reliability and features
– and with the HS 250h, it delivers in spades. This new five-passenger,
4-door sedan teams a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with a battery-powered electric
motor for 187 hp total, and comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission
(CVT). The HS 250h can run on one or both of its power sources to balance acceleration
and fuel economy—no plug-in charging required.
CABIN & TECH
Leather trim, a moon roof and swathes of insulation, and thicker materials help
reduce the noise, vibration and harshness. Adding to the car’s sophistication
is a sound-deadening inner layer in the windshield, exhaust flow optimized to
cut noise, and even slower, softer-closing power window switches. Electronic gadgetry
galore, the HS is available with features such as Bluetooth connectivity, a heads-up
instrument display, a front-view monitor with a 190-degree angle of view, adaptive
cruise control and keyless access and starting. Its navigation system integrates
real-time traffic and weather and casual-speech voice recognition. The HS features
four drive modes: a normal mode that accelerates with about the same zest as a
Toyota Prius, an ECO mode that decreases throttle inputs and climate control systems
for more thrifty driving, a Power mode that is the opposite of ECO mode, and an
EV mode that moves the vehicle under purely electric power up to 20 mph. Official
EPA mileage is 35 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway.
CONSOLE
An ergonomic dream, the floating center console lifts the climate and audio controls
up to where they can be accessed without reaching. Best of all, mom or dad won’t
need to take their eyes off the road thanks to a flip-up navigation screen that
sits on top of the dash. At the bottom of the console, Lexus' new remote-touch
controller falls naturally into the drivers' hand. A sort of joystick-cum-trackball,
the driver uses fingertips to move the control stick and select options from the
HS' icon-based interface. Haptic-force feedback notifies through touch when an
option has been selected—another great feature that helps keep the driver’s
eyes on the road.
SAFETY
Lexus has also endowed the HS with numerous safety systems, such as radar-guided,
active, cruise control and various levels of stability and traction control. At
any given time, up to five cameras are working to keep the driver safe. Lane Keep
Assist (LKA) uses a camera to detect lane markers and a second camera to detect
the driver's head movements. Intelligent High Beams (IHB) uses a camera to detect
the headlamps and tail lights of oncoming vehicles and adjusts the high beams
accordingly. The wide-view front monitor uses a grill-mounted ultrawide-angle
camera to peek around corners, and mounted on the trunk is a wide-angle camera
for rear-view monitoring. In short, this is exactly the kind of car busy parents
need to get around in style with the knowledge that their brood is as safe (and
comfortable) as possible.
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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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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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