PerryWinkles Kids Blog

New York and babies aren’t exactly a match made in heaven but having a baby shouldn’t stop you from going to New York City, as you’ll discover a new side of this fantastic city. 

My first concern when heading there last week with my 10-month-old was transportation.  You would be insane to rent a car in a city that is dominated by aggressive drivers and yellow cabs.  Taking the bus proved a little unwieldy, as you are expected to fold up your stroller to get on the bus, but to my surprise cabs were a lot more laid back about taking babies than I had expected.  Although we ended up walking most of the time, it was a relief to know we had a viable option if needed.

The highlight of this last trip were not the fantastic dining experiences or wandering aimlessly from shop to gallery through the Village but, rather, the playgrounds in Central Park.  I had never noticed this before but there are play grounds every few meters in Central Park.  In fact, there are 21 playgrounds in this one park!  Also, on the Sound end, right by 5th Ave. is a Children’s Zoo.  I just love wandering aimlessly through this park and seeing where I end up after each turn.  I’m still amazed that a place can be so serene and be stuck in the middle of Uptown Manhattan.  The perfect escape from the crowds and the shopping when traveling with a baby.

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Up to now, 9 months after lugging my diaper bag everywhere I go, I have been pretty happy with my Skip Hop diaper bag, a gift from a friend at my baby shower.  It’s handy and fashionable, durable and spacious enough to hold everything I need for the day.  I was very disappointed last week when one of the strap clips cracked.  As you know, a diaper bag that you can’t carry over your shoulder or snap onto your stroller is, simply, useless! 

To my great relief Skip Hop customer support was immediately responsive to my issue; I was told that the store where the bag was purchased would replace it.  Sure enough, the store asked no questions nor needed to see a receipt to replace the damaged  bag with a new one.  Even better - I lucked out with the new model that now has me raving about Skip Hop’s product development.  Basically, they have addressed all the little annoyances that the old model had.

The new model of the Duo Deluxe has magnetic closures, which means no sweaters caught on the velcro; the lining is now a contrasting colour, which makes it easier to find things inside a black bag; the strap now has a shoulder pad; and, my favourite new feature, the new clips mean you don’t have to switch straps when you go from hanging it on your stroller to putting it on your shoulder.  I love the new model!  So, deep down, I’m glad I got a defective bag the first time!

I’m convinced that good customer support is what sets great companies apart.  And I’m definitely checking in frequently with Skip Hop for new models, since they seem to be so in touch with their end users!

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This past weekend a catastrophic cyclone hit Myanmar and, as of the time I write this, took 22,000 lives and 41,000 are still missing.  Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been under military rule since 1962 and is usually in the news regarding human rights violations.  In September 2007 hundreds of monks got organized in anti-government protests but nothing fundamentally changed, other than increasing the outside world’s awareness of the oppression taking place in South East Asia’s largest country.  This time it’s Mother Nature that has taken the world’s eyes to this part of Asia.

I visited Myanmar in 2004 and was touched by the warmth of its people.  How can people living in an oppressive military state be so happy and have such warmth towards outsiders?  While there we visited the stunning palace in Rangoon, bicycled through the mystic ruins of Bagan, saw the sun set over the spectacular U-Bein bridge, meandered in a boat through Inle Lake and its nearby towns, met a buddhist monk in the mountains near Heho, among other adventures.  Everywhere we went, my husband and I were met with big smiles and, inevitably, by the time we parted from a new acquaintance we had been handed a token gift.  In spite of the bad reputation this country has, I never felt threatened while traveling there.

Now in desperate need of emergency relief, the military government is not fully opening the doors to external aid.  You can help by contacting the relief organizations listed here.

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