Buying shoes for many women is like going to toy store. It doesn’t matter what’s going on above the ankle, shoes usually fit. They don’t judge you. The little mirrors are so much more forgiving than say a harsh changing room where unspeakable rear views greet you. For most of us, our ankles hold up over the years.
But I wonder about the toy makers…there’s just no way a woman designed this new platform shoes from Gucci.
Gucci Platform Shoe
Step 2 Cafe Barista
Step 2’s new Cafe Barista is a fun pretend prop that very much reflects our coffee-addicted life style. For so many older toddlers and preschoolers that accompany their parents to Starbucks for their Lattes and Mistos…the loud machines that create these drinks are a part of their lives. The Cafe Barista comes with two large cups and a smaller cup (for the froth of course!). The machine does make a good deal of noise…true to the real thing. Watch our video. Read our full review, www.toyportfolio.com. Our only complaint…the cups have holes in them — so this is strictly a pretend drinking toy. For some folks this is preferred…but for most toddlers…the filling and spilling of water in a real cup is a great deal of fun. The holes are there for safety purposes–we applaud the concern but hope the team at Step2 can fashion a solution that addresses both function and safety.
Anyone who sends me a picture of themselves having a pillow fight is totally cool…
Read the complete interview with the Founder of eeBoo, Mia Galison.
By this time in the toy season, we’re pretty jaded. We’ve seen just about every new toy coming out for this holiday season. So when we say this is the most amazing toy of the year…we really mean it! At $14.99, this is just a magical play experience! The toy’s official name is Doodle-Track Car from Day Dream Toys. For a full review visit, www.toyportfolio.com.
Doodle-Track Car
Here’s what you do…you draw a line with a washable marker and then turn on the little car, put it on the paper with the drawn line–and it will follow the line…really….Each car comes with a little track and a marker, but we took big white paper and made our own track. You can also download customized tracks on their website www.doodletrackcar.com.
Talking Truck dances with Roaring T-Rex….watch the video.
So after I got done video taping these guys, I went back to work in the other room. But it turns out they didn’t need me to keep going…here are two photos taking about 20 minutes apart…they are quite able to entertain themselves…and move about! In the second photo it looks like Monty is leading a Congo line!
While I was shopping yesterday… the store was playing the theme from Knots Landing. I started laughing. The young woman offering to help me asked me if I knew what the song was from…”Yes, but you’re not old enough to!”…. She laughed…I gave the whole background…Knots Landing…spin off…Dallas…
There are more moments like this as we get older—generational markers– where you realize that you’re in a business meeting and that no one knows the reference to the original Batman tv show. Of course we get this with our kids. My boys only knew Paul Newman from salad dressing (sad–and prompted a Paul Newman mini-movie marathon).
In any case, Steiff, best known for producing the first “Teddy” bear…after President Roosevelt – has missed a few generations of kids. As a very young child, I had a Steiff pony…really one of my all time favorite toys. I’ve written about him before–but he was really magical. He had wheels so I would have great adventures with him in our playroom…zooming around. Here he is on the day I got him…(with my brother).
Since we’ve started the toyportfolio–my mother and I would pass the Steiff booth at toy fair. We would always discuss my pony and the little teddy bear that sat near the kitchen window. Sadly –both were destroyed by the fire that took our family home. We would stop and look but not go in–knowing that Steiff was really more about collectors and not something for our testers.
So we were pretty excited to receive a decidedly soft teddy bear from Steiff…it came in a lovely box – complete with the signature metal button in his ear. The company has a renewed commitment to making dolls that are affordable ($28 and up)…so we’re looking forward to seeing the new products. Of course there are still going to be deliciously over the top little treasures like this bunny …complete with a cashmere sweater (yes, she’s pretty price..over $100)…
but still…
Matchbox Rocky the Talking Truck
Decided to introduce Matchbox Rocky the Talking Truck (click here for full review)…to some of our friends in the office. Watch the video.
We just got an amazing collection of new Sassy toys…updated classics and new fun toys. Waiting for the verification forms to come it–but there are several outstanding winners here!
The new Dora the Explorer Dance Around Dora (from Fisher-Price) dances, twirls, dances on her toes and sings. She even encourages kids to dance with her–also fun. I’m usually not a huge fan of Dora dolls…a bit too plastic for us–but she’s such a huge hit with the preschool crowd, we always take a look. When Dora goes up on her toes–her body expands underneath. Now part of my job is to stick my finger where most kids might…so as her body returned to its original size, I put my finger in the space and sure enough, she pinched me! Not horribly–but something to be aware of. Watch the video.
Kai-lan’s heart literally changes color with her different emotions. She’s like one big mood ring! Watch the video.