Ask a Groovy Gal (Lifestyle & Home)

ASK A GROOVY GAL
TFG DEPUTY EDITOR AND BEAUTY DIRECTOR CHELSEA KAPLAN GIVES YOU THE GOODS ON
HOW TO LIVE LARGE

I’m beginning to regret spending nearly $1000 on a Bugaboo stroller because it has no snack tray. Please tell me there’s a snack tray attachment for the Bugaboo. —Dana, Bethesda, MD

You’d think the least the folks at Bugaboo could do when they ask you to fork over all that dough for their (albeit gorgeous) stroller is provide you with a sleek snack tray, right? Unfortunately, there is no snack tray attachment for the Bugaboo—yet. Until Bugaboo decides to make one, check out the Siena or Piccolo snack trays from Carry You. Both fit all Bugaboo models, attaching to the stroller’s safety bar with a Velcro closure. Unlike the shallow, plastic the snack trays that are fixtures on some strollers (like the Peg Perego Pliko P3, for example), the Carry You trays are detachable and made of durable, water-resistant, machine-washable fabric. They are deep enough to hold snacks and a drink box or sippy cup, and the Piccolo, a smaller version of the Siena, features two elastic loops to hold toys. They’re also reasonably priced; the Siena retails for $39.95 and the Piccolo is $29.95. I tested both trays on my Bugaboo (yes, I’m one of those moms, but I gotta say, the darn thing really does handle like a dream), and I think the trays are a must-have. Their black fabric can get a bit dirty—especially if your kid loves smushing his cheerios and crackers like mine does, but after one wash, they’re as good as new. Our other two Bugaboo-driving mom testers loved the Carry You trays as well, and claim that the trays renewed their love for their pricey strollers, much like a good polish or resoling would do for your equally overpriced yet oh-so gorgeous Jimmy Choos. Go to www.carryyou.com to get yours.

My car has been acting funny lately, and after I took it to a mechanic, he says we need over $4000 worth of work done to it, even though it’s barely 3 years old. How can I gage whether or not he’s taking me for a ride? –Shelley, Amarillo, TX

I know nothing about cars either—in fact, your question reminds me that I’m way overdue for an oil change…better make that appointment. Anyway, to help myself out, I grabbed a CarMD, which is an amazing new product that plugs into all 1996 and newer OBD2-certified vehicles and offers an accurate assessment of a car’s “health.” The unit, which resembles a remote control, will examine your car and once its assessment is complete, it will display a green, yellow or red indicator light. A green light means you car is in perfect health and there’s no further action needed. A yellow or red indicator light means there may be some problem, and a diagnostic report should be completed. If you get a red or yellow light reading, you load the CarMD software (which is included when you purchase the device) onto your PC, link your tester to the PC with a USB cable (also provided) and log on to www.CarMD.com to view the probable cause, fix, and cost to return your vehicle to health. At only $89.99, the CarMD is well worth the investment, as it’s sure to save you from agreeing to unnecessary auto repairs.

I have to give my daughter oral vitamin drops daily and she hates the taste of them. It’s always a struggle—any hints?–Francesca, Chapel Hill, NC

Flavorit

Like you, many parents struggle to get their kids to take medicine and vitamins. Luckily, I’ve got a great solution for you: the FLAVORiT Home Flavoring Kit, an at-home version of the medicine flavorings that pharmacies use to help medicines taste good (both the behind-the-counter and at-home versions are made by the same company, FlavoRx). Like many great products, for FLAVORiT, necessity was the mother (or in its case, father) of invention. FLAVORiT creator Kenny Kramm developed the product when his second daughter, Hadley, developed cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder that required her to take medicine four times a day to prevent seizures and to stay alive. The medicine tasted awful and was extremely difficult for Hadley to keep down, resulting in many trips to the hospital emergency room. Luckily, Kenny worked in his family's pharmacy, and he and his father (a pharmacist for 40 years) started to experiment with concentrated flavorings to disguise the taste of her medication. They successfully produced a banana flavor and Hadley was able to swallow her medicine in its entirety. Her condition was stabilized, and both she and her family no longer experienced anxiety and distress at medicine time. This experience led Kenny to realize that making medicine more palatable could be of use to all children (and their parents), and to patients of any age, and his company was born.

The FLAVORiT liquids are doctor-tested and non-allergenic, sugar-free, dye-free and virtually free of alcohol. They are effective in masking any and all bad-tasting medicine and even easing the struggle of getting a child to drink formula, milk or water. To find the flavor that will best mask your daughter’s vitamins’ taste, go to www.flavorx.com, click on FlavoRx 101 and visit the site’s “Wheel of Yuck.” The site also tells you where to purchase this taste-enhancer. The kits sell for $9.99 each.

Chelsea and her son Zach

Click here to read all about Deputy Editor/Beauty Director Chelsea Kaplan's life with child in her blog,
“I'm Somebody's Mother?”