June 17, 2008

Ultimate Boddler Toy

This past Saturday, we packed up the Bert and headed for my old 'hood, Greenpoint. A feast of grits, rib eye gravy, biscuit and eggs benedict minus the hollandaise was shared by all at Enid's. If you want to get a table at that joint--join the hipster parent crowd at 10am. Otherwise enjoy the coffee and the crazy wait for a table. Of course, I used to avoid the line by cozying up to the bar for a mimosa and making my brunch order there, but oh those days are long gone.

Then post-Enids, we just happened upon the Renegade Craft Fair at the McCarren Pool. Let me tell you it was craftastic and hot. Young Master Bertram was protected by globs of sunscreen. His mother, on the other hand, became burnt toast. I could feel my skin frying, but I just could not pry my peepers away from the aisles and aisles of handmade goods. I almost got sucked in by a skirt featuring a chicken amid several calico squares, but the $100 plus pricetag for what was essentially a skirt with an elastic waistband put a halt to that potential purchase.

On the way back from the craft fair, we stopped at a toy store. We couldn't resist the Melissa & Doug poundy-ball toy and a wooden play sushi set (see photo above).

One thing is for sure. This Melissa & Doug pound-y ball toy is hands down the winner for holding Young Master Bertram's attention. It succeeds on so many levels for him. His favorite activities include:
  1. balls
  2. shape sorting
  3. pounding blocks into a hole
Two days in a row, Bertram might start out playing with blocks or a book, but he then becomes distracted by this toy. He'll spend upwards of twenty minutes with it, which is amazing to watch. I could actually be so brazen as to--brace yourselves, gentle readers--leave the play area.

Thank you, Melissa & Doug. Thank you.

3 comments:

haleagar said...

I was a bit disappointed in the Craft Fair. There was not much totally hand made stuff there. Quite a lot of I added my own touch to this mass produced item. Like silk screen t-shirts.

I guess in a culture where we don't make things, just ideas this is to be expected, but I still crave the more different.

hilary said...

I would like to read the full report on the sushi set, as I heard it was a toy for all ages...

haleagar said...

Sushi set has been plenty fun, Bert loves to wear the green ribbon fake "nori" as bracelets, Super Nori Power Boy we call him.

As for being sushi well I don't think he gets it, but velcro is fun. The chopsticks in particular he loves, thought they are probably dangerous and not what he should be playing with.

I wonder what he will think when we take him to the sushi restaurant and order a bento box.

I wanted to find where to get those sushi boats and get him one of those too, not because of a sushi theme, they just look like nice wood boats.