Sites We Love: Parent Faves!

It can be a real challenge to find brilliant childcare products, and big-box stores can often be overwhelming. Having particular criteria can add to the challenge.  Are eco-friendly or organic products on your 'must-have' list?  Trying to support companies dedicated to domestic-manufacturing?  Dedicated to purchasing exclusively educational products?  We have your perfect one-stop shop: Parent Faves!

Parent Faves is a small family owned business; one small enough to care about the products they sell, the children who use them, the environment, and about their customers.  They carry a vast array of new, innovative products, including: eco-friendly and organic products, products manufactured in the USA, and educational products. Parent Faves is proud to feature many products invented by moms, dads, and grandparents to solve a problem, simplify life, or just make a child laugh!

So how do products earn the "Parent Faves" designation?  The family's personal experience as parents, as well as that of friends and family, lots of research, and customer feedback help determine which products make the cut. They are dedicated to selling only products that they would buy for their own families. Best of all, Parent Faves is an authorized retailer for all of their products, which means they have new stock, the latest styles, and full backing by the manufacturer for warranty and product support. 

So next time you're looking for that perfect baby or toddler item, save yourself time and frustration and check out Parent Faves - you'll be glad you did! 

Boutique of the Week: Small Fryz!

Small Fryz of West Hampton, CT, offers shoppers a fantastic online boutique experience!  In business since 1997, they successfully strive to provide the very best in quality products and customer service.  They demonstrate great pride in their company, their commitment to customer service, and the products they sell.  Their adorable online store provides customers with an easily navigable, safe, and secure environment in which to browse their extensive line of merchandise.  Travel-Tot is thrilled to recognize Small Fryz as our Boutique of the Week!

Consignment Shops: Bargains & Travel Tactics!

Recently I was catching up with a friend I grew up with in New Jersey, who now makes her home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  I was teasing her about having to pack cold-weather gear for when they come up to visit her parents for the holidays when she shared a secret with me: consignment shops!  Instead of paying for clothes that her family would get such limited use out of (not to mention the baggage fees associated with packing those bulky fall and winter items), she simply waits until she arrives here in New Jersey, hits her favorite local consignment shop to buy them each cold-weather gear to supplement their wardrobes for the duration of the visit, and then re-consigns the items before she travels back home!  Sheer genius!   

For those who have never shopped in one, a consignment store can seem intimidating at first glance.  But what it generally boils down to is this: for a fee, consignment shops accept items from consigners (people who sign an agreement authorizing the shop to sell their items and split the profit once items have sold) and then sell them at a fraction of their retail cost to customers. How profit sharing is conducted varies from shop to shop; often, the profit due to the consigner upon the sale of an item is paid in cash or in-store credit.  What can be a little tricky is determining what different shops accept for consignment; some stores specialize in high-end, designer label children's clothing, some only take certain sizes, etc. - but any consignment shop will be happy to explain their store policies if you inquire!

Take Two, Denville, NJ

On a related note, I, and everyone at Travel-Tot, wish to congratulate two friends of ours who recently opened a children's consignment boutique called Take Two in downtown Denville, NJ.  Take Two has a bright and inviting storefront and boasts a wide range of gently used, like new, and new children's clothing, shoes, outerwear, gear, and toys (as well as maternity clothes and prom dresses!)!  They feature everything from French designers to discount-store labels in sizes ranging from preemie to 14. 

Take Two Denville, NJ

Take Two is owned and operated by Jen Mahoney and Missy Prunty, dedicated mothers to four and three children, respectively; they understand the importance of making every dollar count in these tough economic times and are dedicated to providing their clients with an enjoyable shopping experience and beautiful, affordable merchandise.

We at Travel-Tot wish them all the best with their new venture and are thrilled to have our Travel Childproofing Kit be one of the many fantastic products on their shelves!  So if you find yourself in northern New Jersey, stop in and check out Take Two - it'll have you doing a double-take! 

Safe and happy travels!

-Destination Mom

Boutique of the Week: My Precious Kid!

This week, Travel-Tot is proud to recognize a truly special boutique; My Precious Kid!  With a bright and inviting storefront located in picturesque Hillsboro, OR, My Precious Kid  is dedicated to child safety!

This spacious store houses hundreds of innovative products and boasts friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive staff. 

My Precious Kid, a sole proprietor company, was founded by Kay Green, who originally developed ID card products to fill a need for home school and adopted kids. Beginning with one product in 2001, her company now carries over 1600 products protecting kids, adults, and pets.

My Precious Kid's mission is to "Make Child Safety Easy."  To that end, the company manufactures its own ID kits and provides a wide variety of merchandise from outside manufacturers as well. Other products include ID cards, DNA and Fingerprint Kits, First Aid Kits, ID Bracelets, Shoe ID Stickers and ID Shoe Tags, Medical Records Book, Child Proofing Products, Cloth Diapers, and Travel products.

Kay Green is also a dedicated mother of four and grandmother of four, but her dedication to keeping children safe doesn't begin and end with her family or her business; Mrs. Green also shares her expertise coaching, mentoring, and working with other business women nationwide to achieve success. In addition, she hosts a blog and an online community through Facebook where parents can discuss a wide variety of topics and share their experience and concerns!

Kay Green and My Precious Kid have garnered several prestigious accolades, including: the Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award and being voted as Most Awesome Baby Boutique in the Portland area. In addition, the company's products have been mentioned on the Today Show, The View, and in numerous magazines, including: Parent Magazine, Woman's Day, Home Business Magazine, Working Mother Magazine, and Moms Business Magazine.

So if you find yourself in the greater Portland area, check out My Precious Kid! You'll instantly understand why they have garnered so much praise and a reputation for excellence!

Safe and happy travels.

-Destination Mom

Boutique of the Week: Twilight Moon!

For all those who have exhausted and frustrated themselves looking for that perfect, unique baby gift - your search is at its end; our pick for Boutique of the Week has got items you won't find anywhere else! Forget surrendering yet again to the siren song of a mega-store gift card and check out Twilite Moon! 

Featuring an extensive line of gear, furniture, toys, books, and baby and maternity apparel, Twilite Moon is the premier provider of everything innovative for "inspiring, nurturing, and celebrating life with baby!" By distilling the world of baby and child merchandise into a fabulous selection of only the best and most unique items available, Twilite Moon has done the shopping legwork for you!  Their easy-to-navigate online shop offers something for every curious visitor: from eco-friendly nursery furniture, organic skincare, bedding and clothing options to the latest and greatest in travel and safety gear (even items just for Dad!). They even offer an online gift registry and a paper catalog by request!

In addition to their fantastic selection of merchandise, Twilite Moon is dedicated to giving back to the community by enriching the lives of children all over the world.  To that end, they offer a line of body suits and tee-shirts by tea collection's Global Fund for Children (GFC); one-hundred percent of proceeds from each GFC sale is donated to the Global Fund for Children whose grants benefit grassroots organizations that advance the dignity of young people around the world through education.  In addition, Twilite Moon also recently donated almost one-quarter of a million dollars in merchandise to the Santa Barbara Birth Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing complete midwifery care to all women with low-risk pregnancies.

For their dedication to the global community of families, their unique and stylish selection of merchandise, and their elegant and easy-to-navigate online storefront, Travel-Tot is proud to recognize Twilite Moon as our Boutique of the Week!  Happy shopping!

- Destination Mom

Boutique of the Week: The Birth Boutique!

Situated in the center of downtown Denville in northeastern NJ is a fantastic boutique for expectant parents!  The Birth Boutique is the brainchild of Shari Criso, certified nurse midwife, board certified lactation consultant, and mother of two. Shari's decision to open her own store sprang from her frustration with the lack of local stores available to provide expectant and new mothers with the products and services needed for pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.  Her dream was to create an oasis for first time mothers; somewhere they would be able to not only shop, but acquire valuable knowledge about parenting and its many facets (from baby gear to newborn care to breastfeeding!).

The Birth Boutique opened in 2001 to rave reviews! Shari attributes much of this success to "amazing support from word-of-mouth client referrals and endorsements from a network of local physicians." And while those may have helped launch The Birth Boutique, what truly made the retailer such a sensation was the fabulous products they offered and the phenomenal job Shari and her staff did making each customer feel special!  From relatively humble beginnings, The Birth Boutique quickly expanded over time to become one of the largest and most unique specialty store and learning centers for new and expectant parents in the country, with all the service and intimacy of a small boutique! Offering an extensive selection of products, medical expertise, a variety of classes, and bra-fitting services along with a knowledgeable staff, Shari quickly amassed scores of loyal customers! 

As their business continued to grow, Shari added a full gift registry service! She also continued to develop innovative parenting classes that quickly became very popular. By 2008, classes were routinely selling out, so the decision was made to have Shari's breastfeeding class professionally filmed to create a DVD program that could reach a wider audience.  The DVD was an instant hit and has been receiving rave reviews from the media, industry experts, and clients!

For all the success The Birth Boutique has brought her, Shari is more than just a successful business woman!  She has become recognized guru on breastfeeding and newborn care!  In addition to her own blog, Shari even has her own live, interactive webcast covering "all baby topics" (the site features a promo of upcoming webcast topics as well as an archive of previously recorded shows)!  Shari is also one of the featured lactation consultants for Breastfeeding.com (fielding questions every other Tuesday from 8pm-10pm!).  She has also been featured in Celebrity Parents online magazine, and on Fox & Friends!

For her expertise, dedication, outreach, and, of course, the amazing storefront that started it all, Travel-Tot is proud to feature Shari Criso and The Birth Boutique as our Boutique of the Week!  Congratulations!

-Destination Mom

Unique of the Week: Orlando Stroller Rental!

Renting baby equipment is becoming increasingly popular among families travelling with young children!  That's why, this week, Travel-Tot is proud to feature one of our favorite stroller rental companies: Orlando Stroller Rentals (OSR)!  Conveniently located in the sunny family vacation Mecca of central Florida, Orlando Stroller Rentals offers its clients the best in convenience, value, safety, and comfort! Boasting the endorsement of the Disney Moms Panel, and rave reviews from their clients, Orlando Stroller Rentals provides stroller-rental service complete with delivery-to and pick-up from Orlando-area hotels!

The company is the brainchild of Shannon Tanner; who cleverly identified the industry niche when her life-long love of Disney inspired her to bring her own school-aged children to experience the Magic Kingdom, only to find that all the walking proved exhausting to the kids.  The next day, they elected to rent a stroller on Disney property; which she concedes "worked well, until we went to exit the park and were required to return the rental; our five year old daughter was very tired and my husband had to carry her back to the Beach Club Resort where we were staying, and our six year old son was not very happy walking back either." After renting a stroller for three more days, Shannon knew there had to be a better alternative for parents like themselves; parents who sought a stroller that could accommodate a high weight capacity, was easy to push, reclined, had a large sun canopy, was easy to fold, and which would be delivered-to and picked-up from Orlando area hotels. And so Orlando Stroller Rentals was born; Shannon left her 12-year elementary teaching career and started up the company!

Orlando Stroller Rentals is a company dedicated to making travel safer, easier and more enjoyable for families. Shannon and everyone at OSR take pride in providing reasonably-priced, high quality, comfortable strollers designed to accommodate one or two passengers. Strollers come standard with large sun canopies, and rain covers are available for a small additional cost.  All OSR rental strollers are carefully cleaned with non-toxic natural cleaning solution before and after each use, and come equipped with theft deterrent features (removable rear wheel). 

But OSR isn't only about strollers!  They also offer the Liberty Special Needs Pushchair, which is cleverly designed to provide stability and a smooth ride, without a medical look or feel; offering children with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy excursions with their families.  Orlando Stroller Rentals has also partnered with Sentry Location Solutions to provide child safety and peace of mind to travelling families with GPS Tracking Rental Units!  Shannon is always looking for opportunities to expand Orlando Stroller Rental's product and service offerings, so be sure to check OSR's website often for the latest updates!

Shannon poses above with one of OSR's double strollers!

For their dedication to providing safe, comfortable, reasonably-priced rental equipment and to making family travel easier and more enjoyable; Travel-Tot is proud to recognize Orlando Stroller Rentals as our choice for Unique of the Week! 

Happy travels!

-Destination Mom

Boutique of the Week: Wild Child!

Located just north-west of Boston proper is a bright, enchanting boutique called Wild Child!  Owned and operated by Lauren Goglak, Wild Child is widely regarded as a premier source for baby gear and baby gear knowledge in the Boston area.  And it's not just their patrons who are singing their praises; they have earned the prestigious Best of Boston award for their children's clothing and been named one of the top 100 coolest children's stores by "Child" magazine!

Self-described as "a kids store designed with parents in mind," Wild Child carries everything from car-seats and clothing to innovative gifts! They pride themselves on carefully selecting and testing each of their products to make sure they meet the needs and standards of today’s parents. From their stroller selection, to their fashionable and functional clothing, they choose only the items and brands that meet their high standards for usability, design, and value. They subscribe to the philosophy that while parenting can have its challenges, shopping and selecting the best for your child shouldn’t be one of them! 

Lauren and her knowledgeable sales staff pride themselves on providing excellent customer service.  They work with each customer personally to find the best stroller, car seat or accessory to suit their needs, with no pressure to buy something they don't need.  With their online store, they are just as eager to make each customer comfortable and satisfied!  They invite their on-line shoppers to contact them for assistance with picking just the right stroller, gift, or gear, if necessary; providing honest, earnest advice without the pressure of a hard sell.

Their website also has a link for registry creation and access for expectant parents and a calendar of their in-store events; including their weekly reading hour each Friday at 1:00pm!  Wild Child has established an even broader reach with their insightful and fun blog, The Wild Side.  Featuring everything from baby gear advice to whimsical gift ideas, The Wild Side is chock full of valuable information!

So if you find yourself in the greater Boston area, don't miss Wild Child; a boutique with a brilliant selection of merchandise, a knowledgeable and helpful sales staff, and a friendly, comfortable atmosphere!  We love them, and we're confident you will too!

- Destination Mom

Boutique of the Week: USA Baby & Child Space!

This week, we're heading down to the Lone Star State for our featured boutique: USA Baby & Child Space, Houston!   With two locations in the greater Houston area, USA Baby & Child Space is a specialty baby and teen furniture store, and so much more!  From nurseries to children's furniture, they offer affordable and elite designer styles that fit any family budget.  But USA Baby & Child Space is more than just a furniture store; it's one-stop super shop!  With a broad range of products, from strollers and car seats to solutions for childproofing and fussy sleepers; they are a parent's dream!

Part of a nationwide chain (with 60 locations throughout the US, Mexico and Puerto Rico), USA Baby & Child Space, Houston is family owned and operated.  As part of a larger organization, they are able to expand their reach by offering a convenient nationwide shower registry and a centralized return policy.  They take great pride in their expertly trained sales team and strive to deliver the kind of customer service that new parents expect; and to be the low price leader with the best choices in products from around the world!

With so many years of experience, such a wide variety of furniture in stock, and so much product knowledge, their sales staff is able to find a solution for almost every need; but they do acknowledge that sometimes ordering delays are beyond their control.  To avoid frustration and headache, they offer the below advice:

1. Start shopping for furniture well in advance.  The more time on your side, the less worries you will have if you need to order pieces.
2. Have a back up plan! Pick a bassinet, cradle or mini-crib to use for the first few weeks. Doing so, may save you time if any problems arise with your furniture order.
3. Consider taking advantage of the furniture available in stock; 80% of the time, USA Baby & Child Space has full collections available for purchase and same day take home.
4. Keep an open mind! There are many different styles of furniture, in a wide variety of colors and prices. One of their expert sale associates will help you find one that matches your décor or style.
5. If you already have some furniture and wish to try and match remaining pieces, bring a drawer or small piece (knob, etc.) to ensure a good color match.

USA Baby & Child Space is open seven days a week, with flexible hours that can accommodate even the most demanding schedule.  What differentiates them most from their competitors, however, is their on-site warehouse, which is also open seven days a week!  They even accept orders via phone!  All this, plus  price matches with local competitors, free six month layaway, and a terrific rewards program makes USA Baby & Child Space a perfect choice for everyone from first-time parents, to growing families!

- Destination Mom

Boutique of the Week: Magic Beans!

With four locations in the greater Boston area, Magic Beans is the brainchild of husband and wife team Eli and Sheri Gurock. The Gurocks visualized a retail experience "designed for kids and optimized for parents... that would balance the fresh and new with the tried and true."  And so in 2004, they founded Magic Beans, a unique boutique offering everything from baby gear and modern nursery furniture to a handpicked selection of toys for all ages!

The Gurocks understand that their customers represent a broad spectrum of parenting philosophies, and tailor their product selection accordingly.  They actively seek out toys that inspire creative interactions and  imagination.  They also put a great deal of thought into their selection of baby gear and nursery furniture, relying on their own experience and the feedback of other parents to determine what products will best meet the needs of their clientele. 

But Magic Beans is more than just a retail store - it's a community touchstone!  Each Magic Beans location boasts a "Playscape" where their youngest customers can relax and sample the store's wares, and many of the stores offer unique in-store events ranging from storytime to crafts activities to Stroller Speed Dating!

Eli and Sheri are proud of their extensive knowledge of the products they carry; from strollers and car seats, to toys and travel gear.  They carry items from a wide variety of companies and endeavor to help their customers make decisions that will best suit their individual needs.  They believe that customer service is of paramount importance and welcome feedback on customer experience at Magic Beans, as well as ideas for how they can do even better!  Indeed, they are so committed to customer service that they offer personal attention via e-mail regarding consumer's experience and feedback.

So, if you find yourself in the greater Boston area, check out Magic Beans at one of their four fabulous locations: Brookline, Cambridge, Hingham, and Wellesley!  You'll instantly understand why they have garnered so much praise and a reputation for excellence!

- Destination Mom