Category: gear

Yum-O! Lunch Program Launches

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I had quite the interesting morning; it was actually a super yummy morning! I’m in the midst of catching up on posts and organizing photos, but I thought I’d share a few photos from my morning with Rachel Ray and Sen. Gillibrand at P.S. 89 / I.S. 289 in Tribeca.

IMG_2141

Together with a few other bloggers, I was asked to attend a media event for the launch of Rachel Ray’s Yum-o! Organization’s new partnership with New York City’s Department of Education, Office of SchoolFood. The Senator and Rachel Ray are both advocates of keeping kids healthy and fighting childhood obesity, and I’ll be sure to share more about what they had to say.

DSC_0437_2IMG_2240

As much as I love awesome kid products, I’m just as passionate about learning and sharing about healthy eating and wellness, in general. I’ve written about healthy eating and the reform of nutrition standards here on NKT, and so, participating in this very informative event and to be able provide exclusive coverage on NKT was such an honor.

There’s much more to come!

Healthier School Lunches Should be a Priority

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The subject of school lunches remains a hot topic in the headlines, and of course, it’s a timely topic for Wellness Wednesday.

In fact, yesterday, a report released by the Institute of Medicine suggested that school-provided lunches and breakfasts need to be improved and updated. I read a number of reports on the topic, but The Checkup on Washpost.com summed things up nicely.

lunch

The IOM, an independent organization (one of the four National Academies) that advise the federal government on health and nutrition matters, issued a report today outlining its recommendations for improving standards for the national school nutrition program, in which virtually every public school and the vast majority of private schools take part. The report comes a few weeks after the Child Nutrition Act expired on September 30; Congress is due to reauthorize it this session.

The new rules would, for the first time, establish an upper limit for calories (650 per lunch for kids in grades K-5, 700 for kids in grades 6-8 and 850 for those in grades 9-12).

Students should be served more fruit, only half of it in juice form; more leafy and orange vegetables but fewer potatoes; only 2 ounces of meat at lunch and 1 ounce in school-provided breakfast; more whole grains, and 1 percent or skim milk instead of whole or 2 percent.

The school lunch program’s current nutrition standards are based on the 1995 Dietary Guidelines for America — which were revised in 2005 and are again under revision, with a new set due next year. The similarly outdated 1989 Recommended Dietary Guidelines have since been supplanted by the IOM’s Dietary Reference Intakes.

Read More

1, 2, 3, 4…

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Probably one of my coolest blogger events to date is today’s destination: Sesame Street. I have butterflies and am filled with so much excitement; it’s almost surreal that, together with several other bloggers, I’ll be touring Sesame Street and learning all about their latest advancements. Best of all, I can’t wait to share everything I learn during my day trip to everyone’s favorite street. The only thing that would make this trip even MORE awesome would be if I could bring my Sesame Street-loving kid along, too! Next time…


For now though, I thought I’d share one of my all-time favorite songs from Sesame Street, Feist singing the Counting Song! This one makes me smile every time!

I’ll be back with the word on the street. Enjoy!

Let’s Get Wild!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

41nUsRyPaJL._SS500_As I’m sure you’ve seen, I’m pretty wild about the Where the Wild Things Are book and movie! As a kid and now adult with a wild imagination, I hold the premise of this beloved classic so close to my heart.

For years, there have been tons of shirts and paraphernalia paying homage to Max and his wild buddies, though I’ve had a hard time finding unique kiddie shirts. I did, however, find a cute shirt that would be great for tween girls. With its pink lettering that reference the book and movie spelling out, “Let’s Get Wild,” it’s still girly and innocent, but I particularly love the beasts running amok among the letters.

This t-shirt is by Junk Food, one of my faves for the kid, so I expect it would have that vintage-y look and feel, meaning that it’s thin and comfy. It comes in sizes S-XL for juniors and retails right around $20 on Amazon.

Where the Wild Things Are Video Game

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

There’s been so much hype for the opening day of one of my most awaited movies, and rightly so!  The movie, Where the Wild Things Are, which is set to release this Friday, is directed by Spike Jones and adapted by Dave Eggers–two of my favorite creative minds. I planned on talking more about this exciting movie later in the week, but in the meantime, I thought I’d mention that the video game is already out.

wildthingsvideogameIn The Where the Wild Things Are video game, players take on Max’s perspective and explore the island, dangerous terrain and battle fierce, er, lovable creatures. The video game follows the same premise as the beloved book, but with a modern twist. The graphics are mysterious, exciting and absolutely incredible. Based on the trailer below, this game looks like something big kids and parents will enjoy.

This video game is rated E10+ and is available for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS.

The Grass is Greener

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

…on the counter top!

The forward-thinking, creative minds over at Boon have done it again with another fantastic idea. They’ve combined a very simple idea and design to create a very cool countertop drying rack that channels a patch of grass.

grass

The Grass Countertop Drying Rack features a two-piece design where baby and kid accoutrements rest on the blades of glass to dry, as water drains into the detachable lower tray. Grass is dishwasher-safe, in addition to being BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free.

Because of our small space, I appreciate kid products that can blend with our modern design, or in this case, add a bit of fun without being too cartoon-y. I love the clean lines, fun design and affordability of this new product ($19.99) from Boon. No word yet on when it’ll be out in stores, but I’m sure it’ll be available very soon!

Sesame Street inspires American Apparel Tees

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

bigbirdGood news for fans of the street synonomous for sunny days:  this fall, American Apparel and Sesame Street are collaborating to offer limited edition classic t-shirts to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street.  Big Bird and other Sesame Street characters will be printed as the original line drawings on American Apparel shirts.

I love the classic homage to the Sesame Street gang, yet vintage feel of this line of shirts. What’s so awesome about these shirts is that not only will the kidlets love them, but so will we.  They come in both adult and kid sizes and will be available this fall.

Forty years garnered a lot of sunny days and big, big fans.  I’m so excited about these and can’t wait to see more!  I’m not only excited about these shirts, but I’m so excited that I’ll be going on a tour of Sesame Street next week!  I’m looking forward to sharing all about that, too!

Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Last night, I attended the Big City Moms Biggest Baby Shower Ever, one of my most favorite events. This time, instead of attending as a new or expectant mama, I attended as press. That’s right, I perused hot strollers and noshed on cupcakes while admiring all the beautiful, glowing and glamorous NYC moms, all in the name of The Next Kid Thing! I remember telling one of my friends there that I certainly don’t remember being nearly as glamorous as many of the stiletto-heeled moms I saw in attendance! Wowza, there were some hot mamas there!

IMG_1389

But that’s the beauty of NYC, everyone is so diverse: there moms that are very fashion forward, some are very knowledgeable about the latest trends in baby gear and then there are those who are just generally in the know. What ever it may be, it seems this is a hotbed for parents with discerning taste and we’re all influenced by one another. And because of that, there’s always a plethora of events showcasing the latest and greatest in kid and baby gear, which is part of the reason for me starting this blog.

Trust me, I’m not the most fashionable or in the know, but as a reporter by trade, innately, I love investigating and revealing these great finds.

IMG_1387
If you’ve been with me since day one, one of my first posts was about the Spring Biggest Baby Shower. The fall event was just as fabulous, but with even more space for moms to spread out and check out the goods. This event once again took place at the American Girl Store on Fifth Ave. in NYC, but unlike the Spring event, this one occupied three whole floors, and it was gorgeous!

I know I haven’t even finished my wrap up of the Holiday Showcase, which is coming…but in the coming days, I will divulge some fabulous finds from the Biggest Baby Shower as well! As I edit and organize photos and media kits, for now, check out these hot products that I eyed at the event!

IMG_1422IMG_1397
IMG_1455IMG_1380

More Time to Play Must-Haves

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Zhu Zhu Pets
51gy5Ogm+SL._SL500_AA280_
I actually never saw the Zhu Zhu Pets at the showcase, and to be quite honest, that may have been on purpose.  Besides cats and dogs, I’m just personally not a fan of small, furry things scurrying around—motorized or not.  But that’s just me.  Zhu Zhu Pets are cute little things and perhaps the next best thing to having a real live hamster around the house.  Zhu Zhu Pets are motorized, interactive (they squeak and chirp among other sounds,) can play in their habitats and can enjoy fun accessories such as a wheel and skateboard.  These are so popular that the Associated Press said that Toys R Us and Wal-Mart can barely keep them on the shelves.  After a quick glance at the TRU website, as of today, it looks like they’re out of stock of the pets themselves but it looks like they still have a 3-count set of pets on pre-order that’s set to ship in early December. The pets, themselves, retail for about $8-10 and the activity sets and accessories are $10 and up.

Dora’s Explorer Girls

IMG_1034

This new line of Dora toys were some of toys that I was most excited about seeing.  I wanted to see for myself what all the controversy was about with her new look.  I have to tell you, she’s still cute and sassy, and still age-appropriate for the range that she’s supposed to target.  The thing about this line of Dora dolls is that she’s growing up with the kids who grew up watching her.  The dancing Dora had on a dress that looked like something that she’d wear to a fancy party or Quincenera.  She did a simple dance and got up on her tippy toes, as seen on the video above. 

The other Dora doll that I checked out was Dora Links, which is a doll that, you guessed it, links to a computer.  You can create and renew her look by just clicking a few buttons on the computer.  I watched Dora go from a brown-eyed girl to a green-eyed girl, and from no lipgloss to all made up (though her lit up red “glossed” lips were a bit strange looking to me).  In addition to being interactive, Dora Links is multilinguaI, diverse and pretty cool; I thought Dora Link’s interactive features was an interesting innovation to a favorite doll and character. I saw so many more techy type toys that were geared for boys that I think Dora Links stood out for me, being geeky and all.


Battle Strikers from MEGA

Battle Strikers

If you read regularly, then you must already know how I feel about Battle Strikers from Mega.  Battle Strikers made the list for good reason.  We dig it!  Oh, and so can you!

Check out my review and giveaway.  I will be upping the ante and adding a second winner!  Though I don’t have another Tournament Set to give away, I have a bunch of Battle Strikers for the second winner.  Comment on the review if you want to win.  As always, I choose the winners at random and will email the winners directly, so make sure you include a valid email!

Time to Play’s Must-Have Holiday Toys

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

At last week’s Time to Play Holiday Showcase, I had the chance to check out, firsthand, the hottest toys of the upcoming holiday season. With all of their insightful predictions and the large range of toy companies represented at the event, it”s really no wonder that Jim Silver, editor in chief TimetoPlayMag.com, and Chris Byrne, content director TimetoPlayMag.com aka The Toy Guy are recognized as experts in the industry.

With all the toys that were showcased, I can only imagine how daunting it was for TimetoPlayMag.com to choose their top 16 must have toys. Having had the chance to check out almost every single toy on the list in person, I can see just why they all made the cut.

And without further ado, here are the first few of Time to Play’s picks for the must have toys for the 2009 holiday season. I’ll break down the list to add my commentary.

1. Barbie Fashionistas
Fashionista Barbie
Barbie’s been a girly favorite for generations, but this new line boasts six distinct fashion personalities, as well as the ability to strike a pose, thanks to its 12 points of articulation.  I personally love the Artsy and Sassy Fashionistas! With their adorable accessories, including trendy outfits and with hot boots or shoes to coordinate, I think Barbie Fashionistas is the most stylish Barbies to date.  Starting at only $11.99, Barbies Fashionistas are just as affordable as they are stylish.

2. Crayola Crayon Town from Wild Planet

Crayon Town
Crayon Town adds a whole new dimension to crayons–quite literally! With Crayon Town, kids can create an entire town, complete with 3D structures to color and build, including a horse ranch, neighborhood, airport, construction site and zoo. Each set includes Crayola crayons, coloring sheets, pop-up buildings and accessories. I love that Crayon Town adds even more imagination and creativity to a crayons, a product that is well known as the arts and crafts standard. The only caveat I see for this toy is the amount of pieces and probability to lose stuff. Other than that, with all the activities included in Crayon Town, this set is bound to be a hit. Starter sets start at $9.99 and deluxe sets are $19.99.

3. Rocky the Robot Trucks from Matchbox


Rocky the Robot Truck is, just as he’s named, a robotic truck. I thought this guy was one of THE coolest toys included on Time to Play’s list, but that also has a lot to do with my truck-loving tot. Rocky the Robot Truck from Matchbox is a dump truck that has a personality of its own. It can stand up, squat, shake, tells jokes and even dance with the help of interactive sensors. Rocky says over 80 quips and hilariously enough, Rocky even urges kids to “shake what your mama gave you!”

Rocky the Robot Truck
You can only do so much to cars, trucks and toys for boys, so I appreciate the fun and technological twist to Rocky the Robot truck. I have a feeling that in a month of so, Rocky will be one of those hard to find holiday toys! Rocky retails for $59.99, but I saw a link for $49.92 on QVC.