ASK A GROOVY GAL
TFG DEPUTY EDITOR AND BEAUTY DIRECTOR CHELSEA KAPLAN OFFERS HER HINTS
FOR EASY LIVING
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| My twin sons love toys that make noise and play music, but so many of them make sounds so jarring I want to throw them out the window. Do musical toys that aren’t annoying actually exist? – Heather, Ann Arbor, MI | ||
| It’s tough to find musical toys for children that don’t make you want to kill the person who bestowed them upon your kid. As I’ve mentioned in my blog, I love the all of the musical toys from Leap Frog. Even though their songs are burned into my memory, I don’t really mind that much because they’re so cute. My personal Leap Frog favorites include the LeapStart Learning Table and the Baby Counting Pal ($31.99 and $15.99, www.leapfrog.com). I also love iPlay toys. Check out their Animal Activity Ark, Fun Time Tractor and Little Roadster for toys your kids will truly love, and you won’t truly hate ($39.99 - $25.99, www.intplay.com). |   |
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| I spend a fortune getting my cashmere sweaters dry cleaned. My mother says I should hand-wash them at home—is that really safe? – Joelle, Princeton Junction, NJ |
 I hate to tell you, Joelle, but your mother’s right. In fact, hand washing is better for a cashmere garment, as the chemicals used in dry cleaning can be hard on cashmere fibers. Repeated dry cleaning will eventually take its toll on your sweaters, causing them to lose their shape. Instead, follow the directions of the co-founders of The Laundress, a high-end line of exemplary fabric care products. They advise pouring room temperature water into a sink or your laundry basin and then adding a capful of a liquid delicates wash like their Wool and Cashmere Shampoo ($18, www.thelaundress.com). Swish the water to dissolve the detergent, then add your sweater swirl it around it the water and allow if to soak for at least 30 minutes. If the garment is stained, use your thumb to penetrate a stain solution into the stained spot and proceed with the aforementioned hand-washing protocol. Pilling, the little balls that often form on sweaters, especially on the underarm area, is a natural occurrence with cashmere because it is a natural fiber. When pilling occurs, pull or carefully cut the pills off with small scissors, but do not use a razor, which can destroy the underlying fibers. |
| We’re traveling with out 16 month-old to a friend’s for a weekend visit. I’m worried about his sleeping because he’s almost too big for our old Pack & Play, but not big enough for a bed. Any ideas? – Tricia, Dearborn, MI | |
My husband and I ran across the same situation when we took our son on an extended trip over the holidays. Luckily, we found the perfect solution: Graco’s Bugs Quilt Totblock Pack ‘N Play ($99.99, www.buybuybaby.com). At 38” X 38”, it’s much larger than a standard-sized Pack ‘N Play, making it perfect for a slightly bigger baby or toddler who isn’t quite big-kid bed ready. It folds nicely into a small little bundle, and is super-simple to set up. Grab one and cross one traveling-with-baby-oriented headache off your list. |
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