slider Archives

Browsing Tag

slider

Nine Holiday Gift Ideas for Every Family Member

beauty, GEAR By Jill Amery November 29, 2012 Tags: Coach, cybershot camera, educo, fiverr, hexbug, Holiday, holt renfrew, method, missoni, Nine Holiday Gift Ideas for Every Family Member, sifteo, slider, sony, wind, wooden kitchen No Comments

Like most parents, you probably know exactly what to buy for one or two family members this holiday season. But what about the grandparents? The new baby down the street? The pool boy? (Just making sure you’re paying attention). Here are UrbanMommies’ ‘generational picks’ to get you through the busy shopping season. And you can get them all online, so you can spend less time looking for a parking spot and more time basting the turkey.

For Babies

Holt Renfrew has partnered with Missoni to offer these plush bear and elephant toys for babies, crafted out of their iconic prints in support of OrphanAid Africa. It’s definitely one baby item you won’t have to hide when company comes. $50; holtrenfrew.com.

For Toddlers

The Educo Gourmet Chef’s Kitchen is a wooden option to inspire little ones to earn their Michelin stars. The realistic knobs make clicking sounds and kids can check on what is ‘baking’ through the oven window. Be warned: it’s a top seller you’ll want to order early. $140

For Preschoolers

The new Hexbug Warriors Battle Stadium with Battling Robots is a huge hit in my house. It comes with an arena, is available in different designs and colours (all the better to entertain kids for hours) and is reasonably priced. It makes the perfect stocking stuffer. $20; Hexbug

For Tweens

The new Sifteo cubes are the coolest thing to hit tech since the internet. These motion-activated blocks with full-colour touch-sensitive LCD screens communicate wirelessly and respond to the proximity of players’ gestures during gameplay. (Channeling Big Bang Theory right now). Unlike many other games, kids have to use physical and mental intelligence while playing. $130; Sifteo.com

For Teenagers

The word ‘Teenager’ as almost synonomous with ‘Social’. There’s no better gift than technology they can use to keep in touch with friends, family, and (ahem) – Snap.

For Moms

I let the cat out of the bag. I actually told my husband that car detailing would be a better gift than diamonds. Whoops. So you should get mom that (for her stocking, of course). But for the real gift? Something fun. Like a Coach Legacy bag. Or a trip to New Orleans. Or hot sports gear. Not that we find moms easy to shop for or anything. $348, www.coach.com. (Provide links to other articles on UrbanMommies for each option).

For Dads

Finally, it exists! I may have to keep it for myself though. Sony has come out with the Cybershot 18.2MP with 20x Optical Zoom featuring wireless technology that allows you to share photos instantly on Facebook, email and Twitter. The only catch? You’ll have to tell him your Facebook password and you’ll no longer be able to hide those messages from exes. $449

For Grandparents

The ubiquitous photo mug and bottle of scotch are passé. At our house, we get creative and use fiverr.com. With endless options and fun ideas, the dreaded grandparent gift can be acquired with a click . We sent a digital image to one seller that was converted into a watercolour jpeg and purchased another ‘gig’ from an artist who drew the kids in ‘children’s storybook’ format. Add a funky Ikea frame and voila – a gift to cherish that won’t break the bank. $5 fiverr.com

For the Mailman/Pool Boy/Gardener

And you thought we were joking. Ditch the gift cards. This may sound odd, but who wouldn’t want a gorgeous festive Dish Soap? Method changes its designs based on the season, and the holiday designs are stylish and chic (not to mention eco-friendly). We wouldn’t want their hands to get chapped as they do the holiday dishes.. Method

Discalimer: Post sponsored by Wind mobile. As always, opinions are our own.

A day in the life of Canadian soccer star Kaylyn Kyle

LIVE, play By Jill Amery November 28, 2012 Tags: kaylyn kyle, olympics, right to play, slider, vancouver whitecaps 1 Comment

And then she learned the cha cha. Kaylyn Kyle isn’t lacking for much. A bronze medal in soccer for Canada’s National team in the 2012 London Olympic Games. A coveted spot with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The honour of being a Right To Play Athlete Ambassador. The ability to make others smile with her amazing savvy social media interactions. (And of course the long blond hair and being named multiple times as one of the most eligible women in Canada.) Kaylyn is currently learning the cha cha for a Saskatchewan charity gala similar to ‘Dancing With The Stars’.

On being a brand ambassador

grow, LIVE By Jill Amery November 17, 2012 Tags: Ambassador, Gambel, gamble, maam, mcdonalds, P&G, PGMom, Procter and Gamble, proctor, slider 2 Comments

As my readers know, this is a magazine – not a blog. From time to time I (as the publisher) feel the need to pontificate. (Hopefully with wit and good grammar.) Hold your tongue – you readers with hefty English degrees.. This one is ‘on being an ambassador’ (and I’m one for writing like I speak).

I was invited to an overview of P&G products. Having been a McDonald’s All-Access Mom I know what it means to align yourself with a brand. (Insert nail biting here). You must know everything about the company and it’s practices – often more than the employees or executives. You must field questions via social media, be honest on camera and willing to put in 14-hour days. You must be an investigative reporter with discerning questions (without being kicked out of the program entirely – for what good would that do?).

I admit that I hesitated. The McDonald’s experience was more than I had bargained for and yet I discovered a company and culture that were incredible. And then I was asked to be a P&G Mom. Who was I to demerit another ‘huge’ company based on rumour and social media pressure? But the term ‘ambassador’ has certain responsibilities. I agreed to see what they had to say. I knew that given my experience, I was able to ask the right questions. I was willing to take the social media heat.

So I went. And I am so thrilled I did. Of course I’m a ‘Four Season’s girl (they hosted it there) and love trying new products (which many of us have donated and have been sent to Hurricane Sandy victims in New York with the help of Coach USA). But there was more. More good. More positive.

The executives I spoke to about toxicity and environmental responsibility emailed me back the next day (on a Saturday) with specific answers. The PR folks were proactive in addressing my concerns. Other executives from Proctor and Gamble delved into my mind, looked into my eyes over dinner – and they REALLY wanted to know how I felt about… laundry – not just their laundry products. I felt as if I could make an impact. If I am honest, open and transparent – when I bring concerns from my readers to the appropriate people – perhaps I / we can help guide the direction of the company. I really believe this is what P&G had in mind with the program.

On the big day of the conference, P&G hired a moderator to get feedback from real moms on so many of their products. That’s corporate responsibility. That’s smart. (It also gives them a huge savings on big-idea consulting.). When the McDonald’s executives discussed their program over dinner with the 4 moms involved in the All-Access program, I certainly felt as if we had made an impact. The CEO took handwritten notes. He asked a hundred questions. (And only a portion of our feedback was positive. But they didn’t want to hear the positive stuff.) They wanted the moms’ perspective on what needed to be changed to make them a better company. They know what they do well. They want to be better. And as true ‘ambassadors’, we were in a position to tell them.

That’s what an ‘ambassador’ means. You need to know more about the company than most of the employees. And be willing to be smart and mature on social media. You need to think outside the box. To seriously consider negative feedback from social media and take a risk to get the real answers. You need to meet the people behind the company – the chemists and farmers and salespeople. This is why companies are paying attention to Mom ambassadors. That is what will propel the profession and help the public connect with the brands. And that is why any time we agree to the role of ‘ambassador’, it is a big job. A big responsibility.

From what I have heard and read so far, I am very much an ambassador. But I chose to get my BA in theatre and politics – not in chemistry or sales – and I cannot learn all of these arts in a few days. So I invite all of my readers – just as I did as a McDonald’s All-Access Mom – to ask questions. You know more than I do about your own experience as a Mom and a professional – and as an ambassador, I am simply a conduit to extracting honest and relevant answers. We’re all parents. We all want healthy, happy kids. Ask me. I assure you I will get the answers. That’s what an ambassador does.

Cheap Dinner Ideas For Your Family

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery November 16, 2012 Tags: baked potato, budget, cheap dinner ideas, family, family dinner, fish tacos, inexpensive meals, lentils, meal, onion soup, pancit, pizza, slider 2 Comments

Feeding a family can get pretty expensive. If you’re not a great menu planner, here are a few ideas of healthful dinners that won’t break the bank. If you have other cheap dinner ideas to add, please give us suggestions in the comments!

1. A Baked Potato Bar if a great interactive family affair. Each person can choose toppings, including sour cream, chives, bacon, cheese, chili, and baked beans.
2. Pancit is a traditional Filipino dish that helps extend meat portions with the use of noodles and vegetables.
3. Homemade Pizza is fun to make as a team and if you don’t want to make the dough, there are loads of ready-made pizza shells on the market. Spread pizza sauce on the shells and let your little chefs become ‘pizza doctors’.
4. Fish tacos using grilled frozen basa filets are healthy and economical. Much like the baked potto bar, each family member can choose how to assemble their taco. Tomatoes, salsa, cheese, greens and sauces all add spice and depth of flavor (as well as extending the more expensive fish part of the meal)
5. Puff pastry filled with bean/lentil salad is nutritious and great for the family budget.
6. French onion soup isn’t difficult to make. We cook the onions for over an hour in olive oil with a piece of waxed paper covering them at the bottom of the saucepan. Add beef stock, some stale French bread round s and grated cheese. Voila.
7. Crepes filled with hotdogs and tomato sauce for the kids and something a little more interesting for you are great to have on hand.
8. Turkey a la king is simple and extends your holiday dinner leftovers. Served with egg noodles it is a budget-friendly option.
9. Spaghetti bolognaise (make the sauce in bulk when ground beef is on sale and freeze in portions.)
10. Pulled pork sliders – do it in the crock pot for an easy and tasty meal.

Bon appetit!

Are Sport and Play a Luxury?

LIVE, play By Jill Amery November 14, 2012 Tags: level the field, liberia, play, right to play, RTP, slider, Sports No Comments

What is a luxury? Louis Vuitton, of course. And silk pajamas. A suite at the Four Seasons. Truffles are at the top of my list. This is fun. I like this game. But what about less obvious facets of life like health and education? Are sport and play a luxury? Life skills? Are the notions of co-operation, teamwork and fairness luxuries too?

Level The Field with Right To Play

charity, FAM By Jill Amery October 30, 2012 Tags: kaylyn kyle, level the field, liberia, right to play, slider, soccer, Sports, whitecaps 1 Comment

It’s been a rough week. My son is having a hard time with self-esteem and handling stress. He is lashing out and struggling and as his mother, I feel my heart breaking piece by piece.

But today is soccer day. He was up, dressed and ready to get inspired by his coach and teammates. He runs. He plays. He tells the kid who missed the pass that it’s ok. Living in such a privileged community does not fix the growing pains that kids go through, but having abundant resources to help makes everything easier. I have seen first-hand how sport and guidance help children thrive.

I am honoured to be part of a new program with Right To Play called Level The Field. The organization operates to create a healthier and safer world through the power of sport and play to help create a level field and equal opportunities for children everywhere. Teamwork, cooperation and respect are explored in fun ways and community leaders act as coaches to change behaviours. Right To Play’s innovative methodology is grounded in a deep understanding of social learning theory and child development needs. Through sport and activities adapted from local traditional games, mental, physical and psycho-social well-being of the children improve. (And I have a hunch that the parents feel pretty good as they watch their children play and laugh.)

Typically my writing is laced with wit and fluff. But as I write today, tears are close. I read about the children in Liberia and I think about my son’s behavior. What do mothers feel when their children get sick because they haven’t learned that washing hands can prevent disease? If my heart is breaking from watching my son suffer, what would it be like for parents living in disadvantaged areas of the world? We all grow up with our own context and it is difficult to compare hardships, but I can’t help wanting to do everything in my power to help those moms smile as they watch their children thrive and grow.
Right To Play has given me the gift and opportunity to be able to help them raise awareness about the work they do every day, all over the world.. I have been partnered with Kaylyn Kyle, Vancouver Whitecaps soccer goddess and Olympic medalist. Together, we promote how we can help level the field for children through play with a focus on how play can positively impact the health of those in Liberia.

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world with one of the highest incidences of malnutrition, infectious disease and other global health concerns. 85% of people live below the world poverty line*. A massive civil war between 1989-2003 not only modeled violent combat for the children, but it created a lack of trust in people from other communities. After Right To Play started working with local communities in Liberia in 2008, there are more organized sports and activities and people from various communities play together. Children are less likely to reach for weapons and fists to settle conflicts. And 183 local leaders and supervisors have been trained as positive role models. People with disabilities are now included in play, and girls and boys are now playing together more often, in a country with a high incidence of sexual violence and a history of gender inequality.

Level The Field video

I’m embarrassed. Not only did I not know about the work done by Right To Play, but I didn’t have a handle on how bad things are in disadvantaged countries around the world. Did you know that 26,000 children under the age of 5 die every day? Infectious diseases such as HIV, measles and diarrheal disease are largely preventable. I can’t stop shaking at the thought of the mothers watching their toddlers die. We need to help. By voting for our program, or the program you feel most passionately about on Facebook, you can help us raise awareness about Right To Play’s work and also enter for a chance to accompany the team with the most votes on a visit to see a Right To Play program in-action. We need to lessen the number of broken hearts in this world.

*Source: Charitywater.org

13 Year Old Activist Jonny Gray is the Anantara Roving Elephant Reporter

charity, FAM, International, ROAM By Jill Amery October 16, 2012 Tags: activist, anantara, animal, elephant, hua hin, jonny gray, kings cup, polo, reporter, resort, roving, slider, thai, thailand No Comments

What do you think it would be like to have your passions and activism rewarded by being flown across the globe, given VIP access and hosted (along with your Mom) at stunning Thai resorts while you met elephants and reported on polo matches? Cinderella meets Madagascar kind of movie, right? Nope. For 13-year-old elephant lover and polo enthusiast Jonny Gray of London, Ontario, the dream became a reality. Named this year’s Roving Elephant Reporter for the 11th Annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Hua Hin, Thailand Sept. 12-16, 2012, he was given the experience of a lifetime.

As the Roving Elephant Reporter, Jonny became a star of the elephant polo circuit, delivering a television report and enjoying VIP access to all areas of the four-day event, including exclusive interviews with participating players, elephant experts, and celebrities. Jonny and his mother, Jacquelyn Doucette, spent seven-nights stay at Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas Riverside Resort & Spa in Bangkok and Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa in Thailand. UrbanMommies was granted an exclusive interview with Jonny and he shares about his love of animals, activism and his travels.

UM: What first made you like elephants?

JG: My first exposure to elephants was through the African Lion Safari near Cambridge, Ontario where we loved to watch the elephants have a bath. I fell in love with how they interacted with each other like a family and how they seemed so bonded with their trainers. I dreamed about seeing them one day in the wild on a safari but never thought it would be so soon!

UM: When you were selected to become the Roving Elephant Reporter how did you feel? Had to traveled overseas before?

JG: When I first got the news I won I was speechless and then I became scared because I was worried about the responsibility of being a reporter on this charity event. I didn’t know what to expect! Eventually I became excited about traveling to a new part if the world and experiencing all it had to offer. I had traveled to Europe but never to Asia.

UM: What are 5 things you packed for the airplane?

JG: The flight to Thailand was very long. It took us over a day to get there and we stopped in Belgium and India on the way. To keep me busy I packed my iPod for music, a good book, lots of snacks (gummy worms!!) and a travel pillow so that I could sleep.

UM: What would you tell other kids about rescued elephants in Thailand?

JG: There are over 1500 elephants that live in captivity working on the streets in Thailand. Although most are treated as well as possible by their owners they still live a life of poverty without much to eat and poor living circumstances. Many people recognize that this is a big problem in Thailand and are making efforts to help them. My experience is with the elephants which have been rescued by Anantara Resorts. They provide a wonderful life for thirty rescued elephants where they spoiled and doted on. You can visit these elephants and learn to take care of them if oh ever get a chance to visit Thailand!!

The charity polo tournament that I was reporting on helps to support these elephants as well as providing funding for an elephant hospital and ambulance, and even research with elephants.

UM: How would you advise other kids to become animal activists?

JG: I believe that animal activism starts at home. My parents have taught me that animals need our respect and protection. We have always taken care of baby or injured birds, rabbits, chipmunks and mice that we have found on our property. We learned what they needed to eat and how to take care of them from the internet. We have also adopted dogs which needed homes and because we are on a farm we did the same with horses. Awareness that animals need our help, and learning about endangered species, is an important step towards being an animal activist. You can learn about the animal rescues in your community and see if they need volunteers, but even just spreading the word about these foundations helps to raise awareness about the needs of the animals in our communities. I think a great idea is to have a birthday party which ask for donations of pet food or toys instead of gifts to be given to your local animal rescue is a great way for kids to help!!

UM: You stayed at the Anantara Riverside Resort & Spas. What were your favourite things about the hotels?

JG: I had the privilege to stay at Two resorts in Thailand. The first one was the Anantara riverside resort and spa in Bangkok and the second one was their resort in Hua Hin. One thing I loved about the resorts was all the tropical plants that we don’t see in Canada. I felt like I was staying in the rain forest! The food was amazing too! However, by far the best thing about the Anantara chain of resorts was the people. They were so friendly and helpful they made me feel at home eventhough I was half a world away.

UM: Finally – tell me about the other activities you did while you weren’t busy reporting!

JG: I was so busy in Thailand reporting on the tournament that I had to decide between two activities – a Thai cooking class and a trip to Monkey Mountain. Well, I chose Monkey Mountain because I heard it was an incredible experience and I was right! As we drove up the mountain we started to see monkeys occasionally and we were pretty excited because we had never seen monkeys in the wild before. At the top of the mountain, we met a lady who sold peanuts to feed to the monkeys. When we bought a bucket full from her, monkeys started coming from everywhere and suddenly there were hundreds of monkeys surrounding me wanting a peanut. It was crazy! The monkeys were so fast and they climbed everywhere to get a peanut, even on my head. I was really scared at first but after the peanuts were all gone, I got three more buckets just so I could experience it again!!

5 Ways to Green your Halloween

GEAR, toys By Jill Amery October 16, 2012 Tags: compostable toothbrushes, costume swap, eco, eco-friendly, environment, envirosax, face paints, halloweenm hallowe'en, Holiday, slider 1 Comment

Take the spookiness out of Halloween with healthier choices that are easier than you might think. Start with these simple 5 ways to green your halloween – steps to avoid toxins, sugars and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a safer, ‘eek-o’ friendly Halloween with your kids.

1. Non-Toxic Face Paint In its ‘Pretty Scary‘ report on heavy metals in face paints, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found an alarming 10 out of 10 face paints tested contained lead, a neurotoxin. Instead of gravitating towards a pack of face paint or make up from the likes of the dollar store that may or may not contain lead or other nasties, invest in a set of quality non-toxic lead-free face paints that will last well beyond Halloween. Another great option is to wear a reusable mask.

2. Healthier Treats Now more than ever Halloween treats with less sugar and additives than the average rocket or caramel abound. From organic chocolate to fruit bars and apple crisps, the possibilities are endless, you just have to keep an eye out. One to try are Bug Bites from Endangered Species Chocolate. Another alternative is non-food treats that last a little longer like recycled newspaper pencils, recycled crayon sticks, colourful soy rock crayons and if you want to really lead by example, compostable toothbrushes.

3. PVC-Free Treat Bags Avoiding PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and the poisonous chemicals it can off-gass is always a good idea, especially when it comes to items used by kids. Choosing PVC-free bags, backpacks, and toys means nasty dioxins won’t be leaching or off-gassing into the air and causing potential hormone disruption, respiratory issues and more. For Halloween, give the nasties a miss and go for a PVC-free treat bag like this Envirosax pirates bag or this pretty pink sweet treats bag. Both can hold up to 44lbs of goodies!

4. Swap a Costume Save money and reduce your carbon footprint by trading costumes with family and friends. Alternatively, go to National Costume Swap Day Canada and find a costume swap event near you. It’s a great way to change things up without spending a lot and let’s face it, does anyone really want to wear the same costume twice, even if you haven’t outgrown it?

5. Make Reusing Part of Halloween Consider ways to decorate without buying new and you’ll not only save money but help teach your kids about the value of reusing. Here’s a great idea for making spooky eyes in the bushes with toilet paper rolls and for these clever ghost lights use old bleach bottles. Using what you already have around the house also works great for costumes. Make a jet pack out of pop bottles for your little rocket man or transform an old t-shirt into a scary skull for an easy adult costume. After the 31st, be sure to reuse your pumpkin for pie, muffins, scones or any of these 23 Ways to Use Pumpkin Puree. For the more adventurous, try a pumpkin hair mask or pinata from these 10 Fun Things to Do with Pumpkin.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. With just a little thought and planning, it’s easy enjoy a ghoulishly green Halloween!

– Louise Campbell, co-founder eco boutique Lavish & Lime

12 Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Your Family

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery October 10, 2012 Tags: breakfast, chia, egg, family meals, greek yoghurt, green smoothies, ham, hemp heart, homemade, mini quiche, oatmeal, poached egg, scrambled eggs, shaped pancakes, slider, smoked salmon, snack wrap, toast No Comments

Truly the most important meal of the day, breakfast should not be skipped – especially for kids heading off to learn at school. We’ve put together 12 healthy breakfast ideas, some of which can be made in advance and frozen. Moms need to save all the time possible in the morning!

Smoothies are a fabulous option and a great way to add fruit and vegetables to the diet. We like to ‘hide’ spinach in smoothies and disguise it with dark fruit like blueberries.

Mini quiche are great to make in mini muffin tins and an easy place to throw in tiny peppers, cheese, bacon and herbs.

Shaped pancakes are fun to make in huge batches and keep in the freezer. You can pull out a few at a time for the kids and heat.

Breakfast wraps (we call them ‘hand snacks’) are fun with scrambled eggs, cheese and salsa. Wrap the end in tinfoil and they become a great portable breakfast option!

Oatmeal from scratch is easy when you add mil to the oats and finish with with cinnamon and brown sugar.

Homemade muffins are fantastic for hiding pureed or grated veggies such as zucchini and carrot. Here are our zippy zucchini ones.

Whole grain waffles that you can pop in the toaster make a great start to the day. Try to opt of real maple syrup over the artificially flavoured ones..

Poached eggs on whole wheat toast are a favourite in our household. You can skip the hollandaise to save a few calories. And a ton of time!

Granola with a few hidden chocolate chips at the bottom of the bowl helps my kids eat everything. Wink.

Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Salmon on brown toast is a great way to start the day, and packs a ton of lean protein.

Ham and Eggs is a great way to begin a day and the protein boost will help the kids retain the juicy tidbits they learn at school.

Cut up fruit with Greek yoghurt dip is a healthy snack, and you can make fun patterns with different shapes of fruit – a sailboat scene for instance. Sprinkled with chia and hemp seeds, it packs a ton of omega 3’s. Enjoy your breakfast!!

The 2013 Honda Accord Unveiling in Santa Barbara

auto, GEAR, ROAM, USA By Jill Amery October 9, 2012 Tags: accord, bacara resort, honda, honda link, santa barbara, slider, test drives No Comments

At the 2013 Honda Accord Unveiling in Santa Barbara, I realized that I am really not an auto writer. I know. Our readers have known that for ages. But as I was grilled on social media by die-hard car journalists from the LA Times and highly technical publications, I realized that as a mom, my perspective is very unique and valid. I admit, though, that I dropped a few comments like “What is torque again?” (With a valleygirl accent and a hair twirl) just to get their shocked reactions. Snicker.

As a mom I look for vehicles with style and family-friendliness. The 2013 Accord comes in a plug-in hybrid, coupe or sedan versions. I drove them all, and also the manual transmission model. Wow. These things purred. Peppy, spirited and fun to drive, I think I may have to take a look at investing in Honda stock. Here’s what I loved about the new Accord.

1. Honda Link. I could go on and on. Honda Link is a cloud-based system that connects you (safely) to the web. Voice recognition, text messaging, audiobooks, digital music content, hand-picked radio stations, restaurant searches and Facebook audio feeds without having to mess with your mobile phone… perfect for kids and passengers. You really shouldn’t tweet and drive, BTW. And Honda is so safe they won’t even let you set up your Bluetooth or wireless texting sync when the car is moving.

2. The plug-in hybrid. Talk about quiet. And fast. It reminded me of driving my husband’s Jaguar. Seriously. (Except I kept forgetting the car was on and trying to restart). When it comes to recharging, Honda says the Accord plug-in can get a full recharge in an hour from a 240-volt charger.

3. Quiet. The interior is so quiet that you have to blast music so you don’t lull off to sleep. Great for babies. There are lots of reasons for the lack of interior noise – one is that the dashboard is only one piece so not as much wind gets in. The engine is coated in a sound-deafening shield-thingy too.

4. Similarly, there is little drag. The ‘sideburns’ of the car and exterior styling make it look fabulously sporty, but also improve the performance. The coupe is sportiest of all, of course, and offers parents with teens going off to University enough room in the back for visits home while helping them combat the empty-nest state with a huge amount of cool factor.

5. I can honestly say that I have never driven a car with a more responsive steering system. It made me a little dizzy, as I like to ‘bop to the music’ and tend to ‘steer’ to the beat. Another reason the auto writers were gaping at me. (And I was the only one driving in stilettos, of course).

6. Holy trunk room. We were joking that you could fit a couple of bodies in there. The trunk was easy to close with one hand if you had groceries, an infant or multiple Vuitton sachels in the other.

7. Lots of attention was paid to details such as where the stitching on the steering wheel falls as you grip it. The luxury-lover in me was pretty happy with the design elements.

8. The side mirrors could be on the space shuttle they are so technical. Not that a shuttle has side mirrors, but whatever.. To eliminate blind spots, Honda has developed a camera called LaneWatch™ that ‘sees’ into the next lane. The image flashes onto your 8 inch dashboard LCD screen so you are never blind. They’ve kind of fixed every frustration about driving, allowing you to have confidence in your ability and thereby be a safer driver. Pretty smart. If only Honda could make my hair look good when I don’t blowdry. And make all of the mirrors in the world make me look skinny. Ok. I digress.

9. There is an option to turn the Accord’s Lane Departure Warning sensor on or off. Once I figured it out, I was really impressed. And realized that I’m not a very good driver. Driving along I couldn’t figure out what was beeping at me. Every time I got too close to a line on either side without putting on my indicator signal, I thought there were birds in the car. Back to driving school for me. (Or maybe fewer riveting conversations with my drive partner Tanya Gordon).

10. The forward collision warning was incredible. And there is also a turbo-break thing that happens. When the car senses you breaking suddenly, it will put even more force into the brakes, ensuring you stop on a dime. (Which was incredibly fortunate when a distracted mom pulled over in a dangerous spot on the side of a vineyard road and her toddler ran into the street.) My heart is still racing.

11. Talking to the car was a blast. “XM Channel 72” and the sounds of Broadway filled the vehicle. Better still – it only recognizes one voice at a time so my kids wouldn’t be able to change the tunes to the Disney Channel every five minutes!

Technical Stuff:

The 2.4-liter, 185 horsepower four-cylinder engine is rated at 27 MPG in city driving and 36 on the highway. For the V-6 engine, the highway rating is 34 MPG and city rating is 21 MPG. Pretty great – especially for a vehicle that handles beautifully and can go from zero to 60 MPH in a quick 5.6 seconds (Motor Trend).

Our take? Honda enthusiasts, Moms, kids and tech-lovers will snap it up. Fast. And we’d certainly want it as a push present.

Honda Accord

1 … 20 21 22 23 24 25