Good Stuff Rox

Video Game Review - Imagine: Fashion Stylist

My daughter first became a fan of the Imagine series of games when she received the Imagine: Boutique Owner game for her birthday last September and greatly enjoyed it.  So, we jumped at the chance to review another Imagine game - Imagine: Fashion Stylist.  Petunia, my 10 year-old daughter, likes these Imagine games because the player controls outcomes through making good decisions; the games don't have the same predictable outcomes as standard action games in which a player is guaranteed advancement by, say, completing a level.  In both of the Imagine games we've tried, success in the game depends upon player responsiveness and choices and is cumulative in its rewards over time.  This is one reason why these games are particularly well-suited to kids my daughter's age (versus, say, the younger, immediate-gratification set!).

For Imagine: Fashion Stylist, players become fashion experts, putting together fashion ensembles for customers based on their tastes.  The Stylist (the player) also must keep tabs on fashion trends through magazines.  The more savvy the Stylist is, the better her choices fare with her demanding clientele!  Beyond assembling outfits, the Stylist can run her own mall.  This is the part of the game Petunia loves.  The Stylist can own clothing, accessory, and cosmetic stores in the mall.  The Stylist is responsible for designing the store windows, keeping trendy/hot items in stock, and advertising in the mall.  Progression through the game involves connection to Imagine Town through the game's WiFi connection.  Imagine Town is a virtual world in which players can earn codes to unlock more clothing items.  (Petunia has not used this WiFi capability yet.) 

What Petunia likes about this game is that it involves several different challenges: beyond the challenge of succeeding as a Stylist is the challenge of running a business (the mall) with its related needs, such as marketing and pleasing visitors to the mall.   The Stylist has a demanding boss but is also a boss herself, overseeing a sales girl, hairdressers, and using the services of a fashion consultant.  Like the personal assistant to a celebrity, the Stylist wields a PDA that tracks her to-do list.  Success in the game means achieving the highest star rating for your mall (six stars).  The only way to do this is by successfully picking and promoting brands, which involves a set of informed choices (e.g. listening to the fashion consultant, reading the trends in magazines, and responding to those pesky clients, who, at times, can be quite rude). 

Petunia notes that if she could change one thing about this game, it would be to actually design the clothes for sale.  She feels that if she could morph this Imagine game with Imagine: Fashion Designer, she'd have the perfect game!  Generally, she loves the Imagine series; they're her go-to games these days, especially as she has more limited time to commit to gaming.  These "games" can be played in short spurts of time and can be saved easily for future play, which fits better into our come-and-go lifestyle.  She just received Imagine: Fashion Designer and Imagine: Zookeeper as Christmas gifts, and she is saving her allowance for Imagine: Teacher.  More than anything, her willingness to purchase an Imagine product with her own money is a solid endorsement of this series of games.  

As a mom, I like how this game goes beyonds the limits of fashion design into real business planning.  We had some discussions this afternoon about customer service, as that's presenting some obstacles that she's working hard to overcome (it's a bit hard to "read" an electronic character's tone!), and she also discussed with me what draws her into a store in real life and how that might be applied to the game.  What I'd like to see as a mom are more of these games for boys.  What would draw a boy in?  Imagine: Car Designer?  I bet it'll be forthcoming...

Thanks to Ubisoft and to CleverGirls Collective for the opportunity to review this game.  Not only did we enjoy it; we spent some quality mother-daughter bonding time over fashion that involved lots of giggles and no tears in fitting rooms, so thumbs-up for that!

If you'd are interested in picking up your own copy of Imagine: Fashion Stylist, here's a link to it on Amazon.com.

While Ubisoft provided me with this game to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint.   Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Holiday Gift Guide Wrap-Up

Before I conclude this 2010 gift guide, I have two more installments: gifts for play experiences (toys!), and gifts of experiences reflecting gratitude (teachers, coaches, etc.) ... but since Christmas is um, tomorrow, I'm offering some quick-hit tips on those items, followed by a wrap-up.  Next year, I'm planning a much smaller, simpler gift guide. ; )  For now, here are some last-minute tips on toys and treats:

Gifts for Play Experiences:

• Games are my favorite gifts to give and to receive, both for my kids and for myself.  Click here to read my post devoted solely to games.
• Puzzles are always a winning gift, too, especially if they're high-quality Ravensberger puzzles, which are made in Germany and are surprisingly affordable.  For even higher-end, higher-quality, Artifact Puzzles are made in the USA out of beautiful wood.  I like these as gifts especially for siblings; it's a coming-together activity that my 5- and 10-year old can enjoy together in these years when their play otherwise goes in different directions.
• Do you know a teen who loves gadgets and tinkering?  They might love some tavern puzzles, also made in the USA.  These really are gifts for one (not a party game!); part of the reason I like them is that it's something that's not screen-driven and requires hands-on manipulation to solve -- something to which today's older kids aren't often exposed.
• The Earth Friends dolls made my gift guide last year, and they're on the list again this year because we really, really love them; Petunia saved her allowance for months to buy another one at this year's GreenFest (they can be ordered on-line, too).  I have nothing against American Girl dolls, but these dolls offer a little environmental education in addition to being made in an ecoconscious way; I'll take that anyday over overpriced plastic from China!
• Legos in any form are always an awesome gift, but my new favorite Lego thing are the Lego Brickmaster books.  It's the size of a high school textbook but stores enough Legos to make the patterns (a dozen or so) in the attached guide.  Dash asked for a million Star Wars Legos for Christmas, but he also asked for a million other things -- and voila!  The Lego Star Wars Brickmaster book has patterns in it for all of the kits he asked for ... won't be exactly the same, but it's a heck of a lot more portable.  Legos are great for solo or group play, and nothing inspires my kids' imagination as much as building their own virtual worlds; I love it when they do this with manipulatives instead of on the computer or Wii.

Gifts of gratitude:

• AmEx gift cards: As a room parent this year, I was in charge of our class's holiday gifts for the teacher and her aide.  Because we have further appreciation events coming up (e.g. Staff Appreciation, which is a whole Week at our school and is highly personalized), I conferred with other parents and decided to keep this holiday gift simple: collect money for a gift card and tie it to a plant with a card signed by the class.  Our mall offers no-expiration AmEx gift cards (used to be no fee, too, but now they're $3); so the teachers can use these cards however they want for whatever they want whenever they want it!  Visa also offers cards, but they expire over time ... boo for that.
• Other gift cards: I like to give small-amount gift cards and gift certificates to others who work at the school or who make my kids' days more pleasant.  These I pick up from Amazon, Starbucks, local coffee shops (Philz!), local yogurt/ice cream shops (Fraiche!) -- and I found that, at the end of the year, a lot of these places offered great deals.  For example, if you bought 10 $10 gift cards at Fraiche, you received two free two-topping yogurts.  If you bought a $50 gift card from Philz, you got 20% off.  It's easy to find out where your teachers, coaches, music lesson providers, etc. like to dine out; and what a treat to be able to do that on someone else's dime for a change!
• Classroom Needs:  Back in New Jersey, I once flat-out asked a teacher what she liked to receive as a holiday gift.  She went on a long rant about how many baked goods, chocolates, tote bags, mugs, and ornaments teachers receive, when, really, what they usually want is stuff for their classrooms that aren't part of the school budget.  In this teacher's case, she wanted some subscriptions to literary magazines for use in her classroom (they had a library set, but they couldn't leave the library).  When I was a kid, I remember taking in kleenex, etc. to kick off the year; in our school now, that's provided, but sometimes teachers want things different: Clorox wipes for desk cleaning, for example.  In sum, ask you teacher (whether it's a school one, a Sunday school one, or a music teacher) if they have any teaching needs.  If all else fails, a gift card to Oriental Trading Co. (online) or an office supply store is sure to be well-received.
• Tickets: Our competitive soccer team has a paid coach, a young guy who cobbles together other jobs to make room for his love of soccer.  While our team gifted him with a gift card this year, I was thinking he might've enjoyed tickets to a pro soccer game.  He also might've enjoyed a Live Nation gift certificate to choose a concert to attend.  (This isn't just an appropriate gift of gratitude -- it's a great gift for anyone, especially someone who needs a night out!)
• Donations: A couple of years ago, I gave our teachers "FEED" bags with a treat tucked inside.  Teachers have plenty of tote bags, true; but these bags with a message (fighting hunger) might be an exception to the no-totebag rule.  Think about a cause your teacher, coach, or whoever cares about -- illiteracy, child health, Head Start, music lesson access, etc. -- and there's probably a way to make a donation to a cause and score a memento to gift in the process.

And with that, I'm out of ideas as well as time!  I hope you enjoyed this year's gift guide.  Next year, shorter, sweeter, and earlier for sure...  Meanwhile, if you're celebrating, best wishes for the merriest Christmas ever and a fantastic 2011!

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Holiday Gift Guide, Part Four: Gifts of Gifts of Family Experiences Away from Home

This is the gift guide that never ends.  Next year, I'm doing only one: not parts, not as many options, just my very favorite things, kind of like Oprah but, well, not.

But, this year, I have so much that I want to share with you.  In fact, I wish that I could give away all of these gift-guide things, Oprah-style.  Alas, I cannot, but I can give you some ideas for how to have some good fun that is funny, as Dr. Seuss would say.  So, without further ado, I bring you this installment, subtitled: Stuff your family really wants to do!

Look, we can all shop, and buy stuff, and wrap it, and, perhaps, even love it.  But if I get one more cheap sweatsuit, I just might have to hurt somebody.  I'd much rather have the opportunity to sweat.  (Yes, one's pleasure is another's pain.  Moving on...)  One year, I gave myself the gift of snowboarding lessons.  It gave me back the gift of a bruise in the shape of Africa on my backside that lasted 6+ weeks.  It also gave me the distinct, memorable experience of watching my husband, the Guv, mouth agape, eyes wide, say the words: "In a million years, I never thought I'd ever see you do something like that" (re: the snowboarding, not the bruise, which remains a laughingstock). 

This year, think about giving someone you love the opportunity to bruise something, break a bone, burn a finger... wait, I don't mean that.  Let's rephrase: encourage someone to try something new!  Treat someone to something they can't or won't buy for themselves.  But promise me you'll think outside the spa experience box.  Anyone can buy a year of pedicures; why don't you try one of these things below?

• iFLY indoor skydiving: These iFLY fly vertical wind tunnels are cropping up everywhere!  We saw one in Hollywood last summer; there's now one in the Bay Area, and in Utah, and perhaps in more areas.  In New Hampshire and Colorado, they're run by a company called "Sky Ventures."  Just imagine: the thrill of skydiving minus the plane and hurtling-at-the-ground-I-think-I'm-going-to-die component.  Skydivers train in these wind tunnels; and now they're available to the public to experience the freedom of flight over a (more or less) safe trampoline floor.  Packages (learning, a couple of flights, equipment use) start at around $50 for singles, $200 for families of 5. 

• Kayaking classes: If you're near an ocean or especially near an ocean bay or inlet, discover the magic of kayaking.  The Guv, Petunia and I have taken a couple of classes through L.L. Bean's Outdoor Discovery School, where a 2.5 hour session costs a mere $15 (including equipment).  Kayaking classes are available just about everywhere there's good water for it; in Half Moon Bay, CA, there's the Half Moon Bay Kayak Co., where lessons run about $45.  Where you live, it may be winter, but think spring: this is a gift that'll be anticipated long after the wrapping paper is recycled.  Even better, book the class for yourself and for a friend or family member: it's an experience of learning something new as well as sharing time, the most precious gift of all.

• Trail riding: One of Petunia's gifts next year, probably for Valentine's Day, is going to be a horseback trail ride through Seahorse Ranch at Half Moon Bay, where a 1.5 hour trail/beach ride goes for about $65.  For a girl who loves horses, a guy who always dreamed of being a cowboy, or for a newly-engaged couple to have a romantic experience, this is a great gift!  But if you're not in the Bay Area, this is still a great gift: there used to be stables Central Park that offered these rides as well as stables on Lana'i Hawaii for romantic sunset trips -- and, likely, they're everywhere in between if you google it.  This gift goes well with a bandanna and a cowgirl/cowboy hat!

• Cooking classes: I'm on a health kick, and, because of that, I've hired a 10 y.o sous-chef who has become expert at chopping veggies for stir-fry and salad.  For this reason, I'm thinking of enrolling us in some classes in the coming year to take our skills to a higher level (especially since cooking is a hobby that we both enjoy).  Most Williams-Sonoma stores have both free in-store demos as well as pay-to-go technique and cooking classes.  The same is true at many Sur La Table stores, Whole Foods markets, Draeger's (Bay Area), and high-end cooking and grocery stores.  I think this is a perfect gift for parent-child pairs who are of that age where communication becomes weird (I'm thinking junior high/high school), especially if the child has expressed an interest in being in the kitchen.  Sharing a hobby and meal prep brings about some deep and great conversations in my house.  Think about it: close proximity, different tasks, co-presence without the stare-downs -- that all leads to some great chit-chat and togetherness. 

• Memberships: When a friend of a friend moved to our area of Vermont, our common friend wanted to give her a going-away gift that might be useful in her new area.  My suggestion was the gift of membership to this awesome local kids' science museum, and it was an incredibly well-received gift.  Our family joins a lot of these types of places -- science museums, children's museums, aquariums, natural history museums -- and find that they never grow old and that we always reap rewards in spades.  Especially for young families who might not want to put financial resources into a membership, this is a great way for them to be able to have one and, thus, to get out of the house.  If you want to be Grandparent of the Year, find an amusement park close to where your grandkids live (we're near a Six Flags park), and, with the parents' blessing, get the family a membership.  When your grandkid is half a country away whining that they're bored, Mom'll have an outlet for that!

• Tours: Out here in NorCal, there are a whole lot of fun tours for families: things like the Roaring Camp Railroads through the redwood forest and/or to the beach and the Wine Train come to mind; there's also the Jelly Belly factory and Alcatraz.  I have to confess that I'm appalled at the number of NorCal residents who've never been to Alcatraz; the tour is incredible, and the gardens would amaze some of my green-thumb friends who turn up their noses at "tourist traps."  For a family new to an area, or for one who just hasn't yet been there/done that, a tour is a great gift -- especially if the giver shares in the experience.  I've mentioned ones specific to my region, but, chances are, you live near a tour worth taking: an ice cream factory, a river cruise, a whale-watch, a natural wonder, a national park... think about how to turn one of those tours into the gift of an experience!

• Concerts: When we were newlyweds in Boston, the Guv and I held and greatly enjoyed tickets to the symphony and, occasionally, to the Boston Pops.  These days, memberships are purchasable and giftable; and so are Ticketmaster gift cards -- something as appropriate, in my book, to gift to an 18 or an 80 year-old (well, presuming they can still hear; remember, if it's too loud, you're too old!).  If you know someone who needs a date night, how about a restaurant gift card plus concert tickets?  The same goes for plays, movie theaters, comedy clubs, etc. ... chances are, you know someone who could use a little entertainment.  Give them that experience, and they'll remember that Sting sang "Roxanne" to them because of you.

Next up: Part Five: Gifts for Play Experiences (Toys Parents Won't Hate)

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Holiday Gift Guide, Part Three: Gifts of In-Home Experiences

Pssst: Win a Christmas movie!  Enter here at Good Stuff Rox.

What makes for a good in-home experience -- and how do you turn that into a gift?  In this installment of my holiday gift guide for 2010, I'm going to give you some ideas for how to give a gift that will become an experience, which, if you're lucky, will become a tradition leading to memories that will always come back to you, the giver who launched something special.

Whose best memories don't involve food?  Perhaps it's because my huge, extended family gathered a lot and ate traditional foods that a lot of my memories have a flavor.  Eating my great-grandma's potato soup while playing cards, savoring my grandma's all-homemade (even the noodles!) spaghetti and meatballs on a Sunday after church, experiencing my half-Polish husband's native cuisine at a church in Green Point (pierogi I'll never forget!), and even my lemon wedding cake -- these taste experiences flood me with memories of connectedness, togetherness and happy times. 

Beyond cooking- and eating-related gifts, there are home-related gifts like art and home decor that, if you know your recipient well, will become family treasures fast. 

And lastly, during this economy, there are ways to focus on gifts for in-home experiences so that, instead of hearing "we can't afford to go out," the refrain will be "hooray! a night in!"  That's the point of these ideas, shared below, in a bit different format where the experience, rather than the gift, is labelled.

Ahhh, breakfast in bed.  Nothing says "love" to me like the gift of sleeping in and/or being encouraged to stay in bed.  Unfortunately, this is usually only a twice-a-year gift for me: Mother's Day and my birthday.  This year, inspire more breakfasts in bed with the gift of tools to make it more often.  My favorite breakfast delight discovery this year is ebelskiver, little stuffed Danish pancake balls.  With the right pan, mix, and even a cookbook, this can make for a lot of morning fun!  But be forewarned: if you're a husband giving this to a wife, accompany it with the promise to use it to cook for her (rather than the expectation that she delight you!).  If you're making breakfast in bed for the one you love, bring it in with the newspaper, TV remote, a new book, or a stack of drugstore magazines; then take the kids out of the house and let the recipient enjoy!

Lunch?  Who has time for lunch?  I need a work-out!  I'm super-guilty of missing lunch all too often, so, actually, this gift is about the lunch hour.  Especially on days when I can't hit the gym, lunchtime is when I take my bike for a spin, walk around the neighborhood, or even play Wii Fit Plus to get warmed up -- then I always, always, always use my free weights and do my core exercises.  Now, this is tricky, because if you gift weights and exercise videos to your spouse, it won't be well-received -- unless, like 99.8% of American women, she's declared herself a New Year's dieter.  Make sure you preface your gift with a notice: "In support of your New Year's goal, here are some tools to kick off your new regimen..."  Or, better yet, discuss it first and get the okay.  (The Guv has asked me for the go-ahead to buy himself an elliptical trainer for Christmas, so I know how it goes!)  I use these free weights from WalMart (cheap doesn't matter -- they work!), one of my kids' jump ropes sometimes, and my stairs for tricep dips and push-ups.  I stretch to a Trudie Styler Warrior Yoga video, or do mat pilates on my Gaiam mat.  Want to be a real hero?  Give the gift of a gift card or, if you're brave, actual workout clothing from Lululemon.  The Guv likes my Lulu workout clothes so much that I have an "unlimited" budget there (and he never ever uses words like "unlimited!").

What's for dinner?  This year, I've fallen in love with my crockpot all over again.  With soccer four days a week plus at least once on the weekend, I'm often walking in my front door at 7 pm with two famished kids, and dinner has to be instant.  This cookbook -- Make It Fast, Cook It Slow -- revolutionized my use of the crockpot.  I have an inexpensive model, but even All-Clad makes these amazing devices if you want to go high-end.  Want to funk it up?  A foodie friend just ordered this book of Indian slow cooking.  A cookbook and a crockpot is a perfect gift for just about any friend, from the single working woman who likes to cook and eat well to the soccer mom or single dad. 

And how about some dessert?  I seriously don't know if I could live without my ice cream maker.  Pair this gift with ice cream bowls, the perfect scoop, and an ice cream cookbook, and you have a party waiting to happen!  Want to go retro?  There are ice cream balls and old-fashioned crank machines also.  This is a great gift from grandparents to young families.  The bonus of it -- and why I can't live without mine -- is that I can control the ingredients, fat, and sugar content.  My kids love sorbet from this, whereas they'd never order it in an ice cream shop; making it themselves is a big draw.

Gifts for those who love to cook: I confess, I still use one non-stick pan.  It's my "egg" pan, and I can't seem to give it up.  But recently, I've made the commitment to switching over to cast iron, starting with this Made-in-the-USA Lodge wok as well as a couple of cast-iron skillets.  Perhaps Santa will bring me this cookbook, too, so that I can really get into the spirit!  If you know someone who loves to cook but hasn't gone the cast-iron route yet, gifts of these pans and a cookbook might inspire them to go down that path.  Meanwhile, while I'm figuring out what to do with the new pans, I'm going to focus on recreating a little gem salad I enjoy at new-favorite restaurant Marlowe, which requires shaving fennel, carrots, and several types of radish on a mandoline.  This is one of those tools that home cooks often lack but covet.  I have a million more home kitchen tool/gadget ideas, but let me just encourage you to think along these lines: what, and where, does the gift recipient love to eat?  If s/he has a favorite restaurant, does it have a cookbook you can gift?  Any unique ingredients?  How about gourmet salt or spices?  Anyone can give wine, but you could give the experience of a new ingredient -- how cool is that?!

Tableware that's good for the economy: Worried about the American economy?  How about buying American goods?  Like the Lodge cast-iron cookware mentioned above, Fiesta dinnerware is made in America, right down the street from where I grew up in northern West Virginia.  When you buy Fiesta, you're helping to employ folks in an area that's in need of some serious stimulus; and you're also picking up some classic American dishes that evoke timeless elegance on your table.  No matter what your decor, there's a Fiesta color to match; or, do like many WV natives do and mix-and-match these pieces that never go out of style.

Home decor: I have friends who love art, to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars per painting; and I have friends for whom art is whatever their kids draw and stick to the wall with scotch tape.  For us, it's somewhere in the middle; we're more likely to find a print or another special memento during travels that we can then have framed and hang on the wall, but I also love displaying my kids' drawings.  These kids' art frames are on my wish list this year as a nice-looking, ready-made place in which to display their favorite pieces -- and for me, it's really about their favorite pieces, not what I think looks best.  It's quite an experience for them to have their own "gallery!"  Meanwhile, we're also looking for a canvas to hang over our bed, and I have my eye on this piece called "Reflect" from Modern Digital Canvas.  We have their eye-catching Tokyo piece in our mountain cottage, and it's our most complimented piece of art.  (We have some of these Andy Warhol prints there, too.)  Meanwhile, our favorite art to gift to others are Storypeople prints by Brian Andreas.  We've given a few of these prints as engagement and new home gifts, and we know that they're loved because people have decorated rooms to highlight them!  As with any art, though, you have to know the recipient well; if your friend is into French Country, they may not want to display a Storypeople print.  Most of our friends are into modern decor, into which these fit perfectly.

Monthly deliveries: For the gift recipient who has everything, monthly deliveries of treats might be the way to go.  I've given my parents Peet's "coffee tours" in the past, and they frequently gift my grandparents with Harry and David fruit of the month.  If you're more into the one-hit wonder gifts, try sending a coffee lover a sampling they might not have tried from a first-rate roaster, like Batdorf and Bronson (Dancing Goats), Blue Bottle, or my #1 favorite, Barefoot Roasters.  For older folks, I like to send gift baskets from Wolferman's full of English muffins, breakfast breads, and spreads.  1800baskets.com has some terrific gift baskets; I tasted a lot of their related Popcorn Factory treats at BlogHer this summer and would do just about anything for another popcorn ball right now! 

Next up: Part Four, Gifts of Family Experiences Away from Home (Memberships, Concerts, Tours, Thrills, and More)

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Holiday Gift Guide, Part Two: Gifts of In-Home Entertainment, Part C: Games

Pssst: Win a Christmas movie!  Enter here at Good Stuff Rox.

My very favorite thing to do with my school-aged kids these days is to play card games and board games.  Recently, I taught Petunia a card game called Spite and Malice that I used to play with my great-grandmother and my grandmother.  It warms my heart to share stories with her of how "pulling a great-grandma" means holding an ace in your hand when there's space to play it (which is against the rules), connecting her to a family member who died many years before her birth.  I can almost taste my great-grandma's homemade potato soup as we play these games.

I'd love to hear what your family's favorite games are.  Meanwhile, below, I've listed our family favorite card and board games, followed by a quick mention of some favorite DS and Wii games since we're a Nintendo-loving family. 

But first, I offer a reminder to think about enhancing family game night by packaging these with supplemental gifts to enhance the in-home play experience.  Food gifts, especially, are great for family game night.  We have a s'mores set that often comes out for these nights; fondue, popcorn, hot chocolate, and accessories to go with those are lots of fun!  What goes best with the gift of a game, though, is the gift of your time to play it with the recipient -- something that costs nothing to give but is, indeed, priceless.

Without further ado, here are my suggestions for games your family will love this year:

Card games:

• Set: If you don't have this game yet, you need it.  It's a Mensa game of visual perception that involves everyone playing at once -- no turns -- to deduce and to collect patterns.  I used to play this one for hours with friends in college.  This year, I asked Santa for the newest version of Set, Set Cubed, which combines the usual visual perception game with strategy for an enhanced gaming experience.  The Set card game is appropriate for about ages 8 and up (and adults will love it, too -- it's not just for kids!).

• Scrabble Slam: Petunia and I could play this one for hours.  It's a high-paced four-letter word card game in which players race to change words as they rid their hands of cards.  This game is appropriate for about 3rd grade and up, but, like Set, is great for adults, too.

• Blink: This is a fast game that's easy to learn; it involves each player racing to get rid of his/her cards by discarding matching card patterns.  Dash (age 5) can play this one (though he's slower than Petunia and me, which frustrates him); it's better for more equally-matched opponents, like Petunia and me.

• There's a Moose in the House: This game is billed for ages 8 and up, but Dash has played it with Petunia and me since age 4.  For 2-5 players, it's basically a silly twist on a matching game that's fun for the whole family.

• Slamwich: This is a game where speed wins.  You play to win sandwiches concocted of unlikely sets of ingredients -- somewhat unappetizing at times! -- while stopping thieves and munchers from stealing the game.  This game won a toy award and is billed as being great for reading readiness, as it involves visual discrimination, sequencing, and anticipation.  I can see it, so I gift it to a lot of kinder-aged families; I think it's probably best for 5-10 years or so, though parents can certainly join in the fun (and be defeated by smaller, faster hands!).

Board games:

• Qwirkle: Last spring, I heard Po Bronson talk about his latest tome, NurtureShock; and, in his talk, he mentioned that games like Set and Qwirkle, both already favorites on our shelves, are proven to increase children's IQ.  Score!  Petunia and I could play Qwirkle for hours.  Like Set, it's a visual perception game, but it combines that with elements of strategy as well as domino-type interweaving of tiles.  It's addictive!  Dash is starting to learn to play, so I'd say this game is great for about 1st grade and up; adults will enjoy it too.

• Chocolate Fix: This is a single-player game in which the player follows clues on a card to place pieces in the proper pattern.  Also mentioned by Po Bronson (as were the Rush Hour games), this game reminds me of timeless paper-and-pencil logic puzzles.  Petunia and I love it; Dash is a little young for it yet, so I'd say this is appropriate for about 3rd grade and up.

• Square Up: Dash received this is a 5th birthday gift, which is about the right age to start playing it.  It's a one- or two-player game in which players shake a cube of blocks (kind of like one side of a Rubik's cube), then compete with giant "slide puzzles" to get their pieces in the right order.  Petunia has taken it out to play with friends, and I've even challenged the Guv to a couple of races.  The game comes with two cubes to shake and two slide puzzles; it's a competition to finish whichever puzzle you shake, not a head-to-head battle, but it's fun enough that our family's picking up another set so that we can all four race the clock together.

• Clue Harry Potter: It's hard to improve on a classic, awesome game like the original Clue, but here, the Parker Brothers game company has delivered in spades.  The board is bigger and involves more rooms than the original plus has the added twist of wheels, spun on most turns, that open and close doors and invoke dark magic.  It's difficult to explain, but, basically, you should know that this game adds a couple of layers of complexity and takes more time than the orginal Clue; it also requires more players (at least 3).  Petunia at age 10 is barely old enough to have the patience for it but enjoys it a lot when we do play. 

• Blokus: Dash and I are Blokus addicts.  While the pieces are shaped like Tetris ones, the point of this game isn't to interconnect them but, rather, is to have them barely touch (corner-to-corner only) as you attempt to cover enough of the board that your opponent can't use his/her pieces.  For up to four players, it's harder with more people playing.  I love how it pushes Dash to think about spatial relations, and he can even beat me sometimes when he's quite focused.  This is a great sit-still-and-think game for ages 5 and up.

Nintendo DS Games:

• Anything from UbiSoft's Imagine series: Petunia right now is addicted to the Imagine games; she's added 4 to her Santa list already!  She has the boutique owner one and another fashion-related one (if I could find them in her room, I'd say which ... ahem, Santa is watching!).  The premise of these games is that the player is the teacher, zookeeper, fashion designer, babysitter, etc., designing and enacting experiences, keeping tabs on trends and unlocking codes to higher levels.  Most of these games are girl-oriented and probably best for about 3rd grade and up.

• Brain Age: Petunia received this game as a gift, and I thought she'd be unexcited about it; it's a "school" game in which math, reading, logic, and other puzzles are used to "train" one's brain through exercising it.  How wrong I was!  Petunia likes competing against herself to better her Brain Age, and she plays this game just as much as she plays her Mario ones.  Go figure!  This is a great holiday gift, keeping those math skills fresh over a long break. ; )

• Anything Mario: Whether New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64, or anything else Mario, these are the games that I play on Petunia's DS.  I love me some Mario!  The endless worlds, hidden areas, spectacular challenges, and fun just never stops with these games.   A Mario game is a must-buy with a child's first DS.

Nintendo Wii games:

• Animal Crossing: City Folk: A couple of years ago, Petunia and I attended a media event sponsored by Nintendo and tested this game; on the way home from the event, we stopped at Best Buy to purchase it, and we've loved it ever since.  This game never gets old.  It's a lot like a Sim City game in which you're building your own community, managing your own house, health, and wealth, and interacting with others.  Dash has been able to enjoy it since age 3, and the Guv enjoys the "turnip trade" ... This is by far our favorite family Wii game, as it has something for everyone.

• Playground: Our other most-played Wii game is Playground; paper airplanes and darts, especially, are mad-competitive around here.  These games are shorter and easier to keep Dash's attention.

• Rayman Raving Rabbids: This game is a whole lot of silly fun.  Gladiator dome?  Check!  Bunnies on the potty?  Check!  Flinging a cow through the air?  Got it!  OMG, we laugh so hard when we're playing this game!  I'm dying to pick up its newest version, Raving Rabbids Travel in Time, to see what crazy silliness is next on deck!

•  Wii Sports Resort: This game requires the new motion plus remote accessory, but boy, is it worth it.  We each have our favorites: Dash, swordfighting; the Guv, table tennis; Petunia, air sports; and me, wakeboarding.  Often, two of us will play real ping-pong while the other two take turns with this game -- an active, family-play evening!

• Wii Fit Plus: This game requires a balance board, which is tricky for Dash to use.  That said, Petunia, especially, gets a kick out of a lot of its games, especially kung fu, and I like that she gets some measurable exercise while she plays.  (Okay, it's not much -- but she's not sitting on the couch as she plays, either, which counts for something!)  I like the ski games quite a bit.

Next up: Part Three: Gifts of In-home Experiences (Cooking, Gift Clubs, Home Decor and More)

This is cross-posted on Rox and Roll.

Holiday Gift Guide, Part Two: Gifts of In-Home Entertainment, Part B: Movies, including a giveaway!

Pssst: At the end of this post, I'm giving away three copies of a new Christmas movie!  See details below.

Movies are one of my favorite gifts to give and to receive, especially if they're good and can be watched over and over and over again.  I've been fortunate to review a host of movies this year for various companies, and that's always a fun task.  Oftentimes, on Friday nights, I pop a big bowl of popcorn, and the whole family snuggles up on the couch to watch (and to review) a movie.  It's a nice way to end a week of running around.  Below is my list of picks for this year's holidays.  When I've reviewed a movie or it's been suggested for inclusion in the guide, I've noted a disclaimer; I've also added in some of my all-time favorites.

Before I give you this year's gift picks, though, I offer the general suggestion of pairing your movie thoughtfully with a movie-inspired gift.  For example, if you're gifting Slumdog Millionaire (one of my favorites, mentioned below), think about pairing it with chai and chai cups, and Indian cookbook, or takeout.  Remember Lucy's chocolate factory scene?  How about pairing the Lucy series with a big box of chocolates?  The movie "Date Night" (also referenced below) is an awesome gift paired with a date-night kit: Baker's chocolate fondue (in the supermarket baking aisle - ready to go, just microwave!), candles, wine... Think about the movie you're gifting and what might go well with it to create a special gift of in-home entertainment this year.

Without further ado, here are my suggested movie gifts this year:

Adult films and TV series:

• Date Night: Over the summer, I reviewed this movie for Fox, and, though far-fetched, it's pretty darned funny -- how could it not be with Tina Fey and Steve Carell?!  It's the story of some "old marrieds" trying to break the mold and how far afield their attempt at "something different" went.  This is the perfect movie to give to some "old marrieds" along with a "rekindling" gift basket.

• Slumdog Millionaire: It's a movie from 2008, but it's on racks at the "big box" stores for around $5 this year and is one of my favorite films.  I picked up a copy to watch again and to lend to friends who haven't seen it.  About a kid from the slums who competes on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and the life that surrounds him, its a story of hope, and love, and loss that sticks with you for a long, long time. 

• Modern Family: The Guv and I are having a blast reviewing the Modern Family TV series, which I recently gave away on this blog.  It's a fantastic comedy show about a family that puts the "fun" in "dysfunctional."  I don't think it's a show for kids (maybe teens and up), but it's great to curl up on the couch and watch with your spouse.  Season One is out on DVD, and Season Two is airing now on ABC.

Family films and TV series:

• Avatar: I reviewed this movie for Fox early in the summer, and it's one of my all-time favorites; it's a prolific commentary on the environment and on how we treat those different from us.  It is not appropriate for very young children but is probably fine for about 4th grade and up.  Petunia cites it as her favorite movie, as it would be for any extremely empathetic, environmentally-engaged person. The extended collector's edition just came out last month on DVD and Blu-ray.

• Marmaduke: Our family reviewed Marmaduke for Fox this fall, and it's another of Petunia's favorite movies -- so much so that she chose to air it at her 10th birthday sleepover.  It's a great tale of how dogs (and people) can struggle but still overcome obstacles to end up in a happy place.  It's appropriate for all ages.  Other favorite dog movies: The Beethoven Pooch Pack, The Adventures of Milo & Otis, and Santa Buddies (and so many more...).

• The Garfield Show: Odie-Oh!*: Petunia's my dog lover, and Dash is my cat lover; sadly for him, cat allergies run in my extended family, so, while we have a dog, Dash's cats have to be on DVD or in books or stuffed animal form!  We received a copy of The Garfield Show for review, and he didn't watch anything else for weeks -- just watched it over and over again, laughing non-stop at Garfield's, Odie's, and John Arbuckle's antics.  This show is currently airing on the Cartoon Network, and, surely, it'll never get old.  It started as a cartoon strip in 1978 and just keeps getting better in its new incarnations!  This is appropriate for all ages, especially for families where the parents grew up with Garfield, like I did.  Other favorite cat movies: The Adventures of Milo & Otis and The Cat in the Hat TV series.

• The Sound of Music 45th Anniversary Edition*: I've owned the original 1965 Sound of Music movie for years, so I was excited to review the updated anniversary edition for Fox to see how it might be made better -- and all I can say is "wow."  The way both picture and music have been updated (sounding fantastic through my surround-sound) is incredible!  There are sing-along and interactivity options that enhance the viewing experience -- fun for the whole family, especially for those of us who grew up with the movie and know all of the words to all of the songs to teach our kids!  In addition to the DVD, there is a whole collection available (I found it online at Costco) that includes a music box, a scrapbook, souvenir program, and more -- a great gift for the Julie Andrews fan in your life!

• Harriet the Spy: The Blog Wars*: Petunia reviewed this movie for me, and I'll be watching it with her over the holiday break.  She says that I'll love it because it's about two kinds of competition: a mean-girls' style popularity contest and a blogging contest.  She really enjoyed it, and, now, she wants to launch her own blog.  I like that it connected her with one of my favorite childhood characters, Harriet the Spy, and like that the movie updated Harriet for the modern age.  This is a great gift for a girl in 4th grade through middle school.

• The Andy Griffith Show 50th Anniversary: Best of Mayberry Collection*: (Not yet released: Coming 12/21)  One of my favorite songs these days is "Mayberry" by Rascal Flatts, hearkening back to the times when we all knew how to slow down, knew our neighbors and appreciated small-town life.  I'm now in a more urban setting, far from my roots in the West Virginian countryside -- and now, more than ever, I want to watch shows like Andy Griffith, especially with my kids, so that they can get a taste of what life in fictitious (but real to me) Mayberry might've been like.  Plus, this show is funny!  I think this is a great gift both for grandparents who watched the show way-back-when and also for any family who seeks an alternative to modern shows like iCarly ... about as far removed from Mayberry as one can get.

• Toy Story 3: Frankly, it feels silly to recommend this movie; everyone knows of the success of the Toy Story franchise.  This movie, like the first two, is simply great.  My kids have watched the first two about a hundred times a piece -- and even Petunia, who's 10, isn't tired of it.  If you haven't gone down the Toy Story path yet, pick up the trio and some of the classic toys from the movie (Potato Head, slinky dog, and more!). 

Holiday-themed films and TV shows:

• The Original Television Christmas Classics: From 1969, this DVD set includes Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, Frosty the Snowman, Frosty Returns, and the Little Drummer Boy.  I bought it a few years ago for my kids, and we all watch it over and over as the holidays approach.  Since I don't let them sit around and flip through channels, there's little chance of us catching these when they air on TV, so it's nice to have them handy.

• Christmas Treats*: This DVD included eight holiday-themed TV episodes from Happy Days, Cheers, the Lucy Show, the Beverley Hillbillies, and more.  I think it'd be great fun to have on hand for family viewing, especially as many of us will remember the episodes from different times in our lives.  This would make a great gift for grandparents!

• Christmas in Canaan*: This Hallmark Channel original movie, starring Billy Ray Cyrus, starts in 1964, where a conflict in Texas between two boys of different races launches a beautiful tale of how to find happiness and peace in life no matter what cards you're dealt.  We received a copy of this movie to review, and, though I was skeptical at first, our whole family (even the Guv!) agreed that this movie is a very special one, a reminder of "the reason for the season," so to speak.  We've watched it a couple of times since and enjoy it quite a bit.  For this reason, I'm sharing it with you! 

GIVEAWAY:

Viviendi Entertainment and RHI Entertainment have provided me with three copies of Christmas in Canaan to give away to my readers.  To enter, please leave a comment below.  You'll get a bonus entry for sharing your favorite holiday movie, and another entry if you tweet this contest using the hashtag #goodstuffrox.  The deadline to enter is next Tuesday, December 7 at midnight PST; winners will be drawn and notified by noon the following day and must respond by end of day on Thursday, December 9 to claim their movies, else other winners will be chosen.  Good luck!

* All movies marked with an asterik (*) were suggested by companies for inclusion in my gift guide.  While I accepted the suggestion, I've only received review copies where noted; and I've included them of my own free will because I do believe they'd make good gifts.  I have not been compensated otherwise for their inclusion in my list.  Most of my reviews come about through my relationship with Bender/Helper Impact.  I'm grateful to them for the opportunities they send my way!

P.S. As always, I promote Blog With Integrity.

Next up: Holiday Gift Guide, Part Two: Gifts of In-Home Entertainment, Part C: Games.

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Holiday Gift Guide, Part Two: Gifts of In-Home Entertainment, Part A: Books

In this gift guide "In-Home Entertainment" entry, I'm covering books, from my favorite adult reads to cookbooks and kids' books, plus some extra "gifts for readers" at the end.  I've been an active participant in the (now-defunct) Silicon Valley Moms Blog book club, many members from which are, like me, now participating in the From Left to Write book club and, through that, have been fortunate to be exposed to some fantastic reads that we might not otherwise choose.  I'm also a member of an offline book club, where discussing books among friends in real life never gets old.  (Yes, I'm a bookaholic!)  This list below includes some books from and some beyond the purview of my blogging "work."  It's all noted with disclaimers where appropriate.  I've also added a parenthetical note with suggested gift ideas to pair with the book.  Enjoy!

Adult Fiction:

• Girl in Translation by Jeanne Kwok (reviewed for Silicon Valley Moms Group book club): One of the best fiction books I've ever read, this book is practically the author's memoir, even though she bills it as fiction -- a coming-of-age immigrant tale exposing the lives of sweatshop workers and, in the case of this book, their first-generation American children. (Gift idea: Support the end of sweatshops in America by purchasing some items from American Apparel: gloves, scarves, hats, etc.)

• Following Polly by Karen Bergreen (reviewed for From Left to Write book club): This is a debut mystery novel by a former lawyer and stand-up comic, and, as such, it's refreshingly funny and quite different from my usual mystery reads; I look forward to Bergreen's next work!  (Gift idea: a whoopie cushion?!  I'm only half-kidding ... this is a tough one to pair, so how about reading snacks, a book light, tea, vodka?)

• The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard: My (offline) book group chose this book to read this month, and I whipped through it in two days because it was that gripping.  A story of two girls born on the same day in the same New Hampshire hospital, the intertwining of the two families' lives and the way those lives are chronicled over a large expanse of time makes you feel like you're part of their lives by the end of the magnificent tale.  I'm planning to read some of Maynard's other works soon.  (Gift idea: This one has a lot to do with farming, especially goat cheese and strawberries ... add some crackers and some apple cider for a fantastic seasonal treat!)

• A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore: My dad, a retired college English professor, suggested that I read this book, and I'm quite glad that he did.  It's the story of a midwestern college student who works as a nanny for a toddler, and the twists that this book takes are mind-boggling.  What will keep me reading Moore's stories is her unbelievable writing style: witty, wry, and descriptive in both light and dark ways.  Like "The Good Daughters," above, you'll think about this book months after you've read it. (Gift idea: soup and crackers... it's a book that calls for comfort food!)

Adult NonFiction:

• The Price of Privilege by Madeline Levine PhD: The subtitle of this book is "How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids" -- and I feel that's almost all that needs to be said about the book.  Every single parent I know, especially here in Silicon Valley, needs to read this book.  Every. Single. One.  (Gift idea: Pair this with something to encourage a family to spend time together: something like an Apples-to-Apples game, or an American Girl family quiz book.)

• the possibility of everything by Hope Edelman (reviewed for the Silicon Valley Moms Blog book club) - This book is just plain lovely; it's a lovely travelogue of Belize, and it's a lovely tale of natural medicine and parental love.  It's very unlike anything I've read to date.  (Gift idea: a trip to Belize?!  I wish!  Tropical fruit, perhaps...)

Cookbooks:

• The Earthbound Cook by Myra Goodman (reviewed for the From Left to Write book club): By the co-founder of Earthbound Farm, this cookbook raises your environmental consciousness with its focus on sustainable agriculture -- and marries those concerns with fantastic recipes that are good for you.  The granola clusters are addictive!  (Gift idea: bake granola clusters and gift them with the book.)

• The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam: I purchased this cookbook because I'm wheat-allergic and am always searching for good baking alternatives.  I've found the answer in almond flour.  While I have some other alternative cookbooks, like babycakes by Erin McKenna, the recipes involving alternate flours are often high-maintenance and involve a precarious balance of chemistry.  Not so with almond flour!  In fact, I find it easier to work with than wheat -- and its health benefits far exceed any other flour.  Gluten-free or not, this is a can't-miss cookbook.  (Gift idea: almond flour, to get the baker started.)

• Fanny at Chez Panisse by Alice Waters: Oh, how I love this kids' cookbook!  Written from the perspective of Alice Waters' daughter Fanny at age 7, it's divided in a most peculiar way (you'll see when you pick it up!), and the tales interwoven with the recipes are as delicious as the suggested menus.  I love the Moosewood cookbooks for children, but, as far as the interweaving of recipes with stories, this one really takes the cake.  It's great for kids from about ages 8-13, especially girls who'll identify with Fanny.

Kids' books:

• Redwoods by Jason Chin: This book is appropriate for the elementary school-aged set and is primarily a primer on redwoods, experienced through a young boy's eyes after his discovery of a book on these magnificent trees.  A lot of people will be receiving this one from me as a baby gift!  (Gift idea: a donation to plant a tree through the Save the Redwoods League.)

• The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars by David Reynolds: When Petunia was 5, she went through a Star Wars phase, dressing as Princess Leia for Halloween; now that Dash is five, he dresseed as a Clone Wars ARF trooper for Halloween, and we're back on Tattoine/Endor/the Death Star.  Dash is getting this book for Christmas because it's everything about everything in movies 4-6, the most young-kid friendly of the six movies. (Gift idea: a Jedi robe)

•  the Magic Tree House series of books by Mary Pope Osborne: I read these with Petunia, and now Dash and I are reading them together -- and the tales never get old!  The brother and sister pair, Jack and Annie, go on fantastic adventures with books via a magic tree house, and, though fiction, the tales expose the characters and the "real" children reading them to some fantastic historically-based tales.  My kids have learned about Egypt, tornadoes, dinosaurs, and a whole host of other things from these books -- and any fiction that piques their curiosity to to further exploring of subject matter is a big WIN to this mom!

• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart: This book, appropriate for kids about 9-13 or so, is one of the best I've ever read, and Petunia agrees.  It's a tale of mystery and adventure that rivals Harry Potter, sans the dementors and spells.  There are two (maybe more by now) subsequent books in this burgeoning series, all as fantastic as the first, per Petunia, who says it's perfect for both boys and girls. 

Gifts for Readers:

• A Kindle or any kind of e-reader: Whether a Kindle, a Nook, an iPad, or whatever, these devices are an answer to an avid reader's prayer.  My parents bought me a Kindle a couple of years ago, and I'm not sure how I'd live without it now.  I love that I can download just one issue of a New Yorker at a discounted price (usually when my dad calls me and suggests an issue I'd like), as I can't keep up with a whole subscription; and I also love that I no longer need or want to leaf through People magazines at the doctor's office because I have something better that I want to read in my purse at all times.  You rarely see me without my Kindle being within arm's reach.  Living in Silicon Valley, I'm hoping that this is the year in which my library figures out a way to let me e-check out books on it ... probably not yet, but hey: the classic book downloads are mostly free while I'm waiting!

• A subscription to a writer's magazine: I don't know many avid readers who haven't thought of penning their own tome.  Why not get their creative juices flowing with a subscription to something like Writer's Digest?

• A book rest: Different from a lap desk, this pyramid book rest is a perfect gift for someone who enjoys reading in bed, whether on a Kindle or from a "real" book.  I don't read in bed when the Guv's around, but, when he's travelling for work, I retire when the kids do to cuddle up with my book -- my treat to myself after a long day of single-parenting!  Now if only this pillow had a holder for my wine glass...

• Flowering tea: I know few bookaholics who don't enjoy a good cup of tea with their tomes, and this flowering tea gift set from Numi is a very special cuppa indeed ... with its glass teapot and spectacular display as it brews, it's one of those things that you'd probably never buy for yourself but greatly enjoy as a special treat.  I gave this set to one of my BFFs this year for her birthday.

 P.S. Here are the books I'm asking Santa for this year:

• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen: I read and enjoyed his book The Corrections, so I'm looking forward to another of Franzen's dysfunctional family tales.

• Tepper Isn't Going Out by Calvin Trillin: I learned of this novel during a holiday book swap (which included sampling three varieties of soup -- a great idea for a party!), and it's supposed to be very funny -- a thin novel built around the quest to secure an urban parking space.  I love me some good New York comedy!

• Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo: Yeah, so I like novels ... anyway, in the same book swap, I learned of this book, a "spiritual road-trip" (as well as a real one) in which the protagonist's New Age sister introduces him to her guru.  It seems like it might be a Kerouac knock-off, but it had me at "Buddha" in the title ... so I'll check it out.

Next up: Holiday Gift Guide, Part Two: Gifts of In-Home Entertainment, Part B: Movies -- with a giveaway, times three!

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Holiday Gift Guide, Part One: Gifts for a Cause

In keeping with my theme this year, I'm encouraging gifts of experiences and charitably-focused gifts both for my own family and for yours this holiday season.  Hunger in the U.S. is at record high, and, with high unemployment this year, too, it's hard to find that extra bit to help someone in need -- and the fact of the matter is that that someone in need may be your own neighbor.  There are tales in my town left and right of folks who lived high on the hog during the dot-com boom losing their homes right now.  As in every year, but especially this year, when those Toys for Tots, Food Drive, and other solicitations come home from work, school, church, or wherever, I'm going to be giving until it feels good. 

If you're looking for charitable giving ideas, here are some you might want to consider:

For Food:

• Office gifts for any food cause: Instead of gifting each person that works for or with you, think about adopting a local food pantry, like Second Harvest Food Bank if you're in Silicon Valley; Second Harvest states on their site that they need "food, funds, and time."  How about collecting food in-office, then having your holiday party there, sorting it?  If you want to do something in-office as well that includes a personal holiday gift, you can hang stockings outside of offices/cubes and do a low-limit secret-Santa or host a Yankee swap or a White Elephant gift exchange with a cookies-and-milk party on a Friday afternoon.  Maybe your holiday party is usually a free-flowing booze happy hour with passed hors d'oeuvres, but ask yourself: is this the year for that?  Sorting food at the food bank together will create much better memories than what John from the copy room did after his fourth double-Scotch!

• Local food banks: Check CharityNavigator.Org to find a good one near you, and find out how you might give a donation in honor of a family.  When I checked the site, I learned that California Emergency Foodlink in Sacramento received their highest rating for a Food Bank.  It's not close to me, but, if it were, I'd love to give some of my time, effort, food, and money there, for I know that it's been thoroughly screened and proven to be a well-managed charity.

• Farm Aid: Farm aid's goal is to keep family farmers on their land.  Having grown up on a family farm, I am deeply grateful for their work; and, as a purchaser of produce provided by family farms at my local farmer's market, supporting Farm Aid (as well as the farms directly) is a way to make sure that I'll still be shopping there a decade from now.  A copy of the Food, Inc. movie and/or an earth-friendly cookbook, like The Earthbound Cook, along with a Farm Aid tee is a great gift for a friend or family member who values good produce. 

For Health:

• Christmas Seals from the American Lung Association: This year, I'll be sealing my holiday cards with these seals, as I have been fighting a lung illness for quite some time and, last week, received a diagnosis of a disease that falls under the American Lung Association's purview.  If you know someone with lung issues, there's an online store that supports the lifesaving work of the ALA.  If you're not comfortable donating money outright to a charitable cause, buying something from a cause's store is a subtle way to say, "I know, and I care."

• Gear from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure store: When I reviewed Hanes tees during breast cancer awareness month, I had no idea there was a whole on-line store devoted to fundraising for the fight against breast cancer.  Knowing so many women touched by cancer either directly or through their mothers, sisters, friends, there are a whole lot of ways to show support for these folks -- but it can be awkward.  It's tactless and tasteless to say, "Hey, I heard your sister's a cancer survivor, so here's a pink ribbon pen."  But if you're looking for gifts for your office and don't want to give everyone yet another box of See's chocolates, what about designing a custom tee as a gift for everyone, giving money to the cause of breast cancer awareness, and organizing or attending a walk to fundraise for Susan G. Komen?  I also love this "I Am the Cure" gear based on a rallying cry from the Race for the Cure; they're great gifts for ladies I know who run in those races every year.

• Office gifts for any health cause: Get your office fit and healthy by outfitting everyone with pedometers.  (There are a bajillion at REI alone.)  Have everyone name his/her favorite cause, and put it on a tracking white board (or just a peace of paper near the water cooler).  If you're the boss, kick off the kitty with some money, and have a jar available for loose change.  Donate each week or each month to the winner's cause -- the cause chosen by the person with the most steps.  Or, choose a cause together, maybe a cause in support of an illness someone close to a coworker is fighting, and decide to make a donation when everyone has achieved a million steps.  The pedometer's the gift, but there's an added bonus of health benefits and money for a cause.  If you want to be the world's best boss, offer extra time at lunch on Fridays to buddy-walk!

For Shelter:

• Habitat for Humanity: If your church group, office, knitting circle or other group hasn't done a Habitat outing yet, I can't encourage it enough.  I participated in one a decade ago, and its memories linger.  It's one thing to e-mail each other quarterlies or to sit in a pew and listen to teachings; it's another to swing a hammer and make someone's dream of home ownership come true.  There are lots of ways to support Habitat, including an on-line store and resale outlets.  Just think: if you're gifting someone who just bought a home, how about giving them some of these cool soup mugs with a note: "now that your dream of home ownership has come true, I'm honoring that by helping others achieve that goal through donating to Habitat in your name."

• The National Alliance to End Homelessness: Once, I was walking down the street with a friend's kid, and the kid complained about the odor and very presence of a homeless man on a bench nearby.  This led to a great discussion about what we owe others as fellow human beings, including treating them without disdain.  Homelessness is a growing issue in our town; if it is in yours, think about a donation for an "End Homelessness" tee, and read about some of the advocacy this top-rated (per Charity Navigator) group undertakes.

To be continued...

I wanted to get some ideas out there before Black Fridays doorbusters, as I think there are so many ways to gift this year without buying stuff that you can get on special at WalMart.  It's important to shop to support the hurting economy, but it's also important to think about how we all might reallocate some of our shopping to offset the hurt: pets are often the greatest victims of recessions and of natural disasters, as are parks, wildlife conservation groups, and the arts.  For more ideas, click here for Charity Navigator's Holiday Giving Guide, listing the best-rated (and the worst ... let's avoid those) around the world. 

Wishing you festive holiday shopping, however you choose to do it.  Next up: Part Two: Gifts of In-home Entertainment (Books, Movies, and Games)!

Disclaimer: While I received a complimentary Hanes tee as well as a copy of The Earthbound Cook for past reviews, the inclusion of these items in my gift guide is my choice and was not requested by the companies providing me with the items. 

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Video Game Review: Style Lab Fashion Design

Thanks to a partnership between Ubisoft and CleverGirls Collective, my daughter Petunia and I received a review copy of Style Lab: Fashion Design for her Nintendo DS.  To a girl who has asked Santa for a sewing machine and fabric, this game promised a cyber-version of some of what she's hoping to do in real life!

Petunia delved into the game instantly, picking an avatar and spending mere moments finding her way around the software.  For ease of use, this game gets an A grade.  The items available for custom design are various shirts and hoodies, hats, and bags.  One sets up the game with an avatar (that can be changed) then commences to build a wardrobe of saved designs.  Saving is another feature that received an A grade from Petunia; not only is it easy to save and to scroll through designs, but, also, when your little brother accidentally/on-purpose slams your DS shut after you've spent half an hour on a design, guess what?  SAVED.  (So was his skin -- thanks, Ubisoft!)  Petunia has built up quite a wardrobe now, and she's having a blast toying with color, patterns, layout and overall outfit coordination.  You can see her avatar sporting her creations along with the game's menu at the right.

I played the game a little, too, and agree with Petunia's assessments.  Generally, both of us found the game easy to play, fun, and loved that quick-save feature.  However, both of us wondered why the game is limited only to tops, bags and hats.  We especially wondered this because, having forgone instructions and media materials to dive right into the game, we hadn't figured out that these designs can actually be ordered on-line through Zazzle -- a cool, exciting partnership that we'll explore further in the coming days.  I suspect that the limited fashion choices are, in part, because everything drawn on the DS can actually be created and bought; but, that said, little girls like mine need their dresses and skirts -- especially skirts that can be layered with leggings and cool tops.  The absence of those items is significant to my kid, who really could care less about the hat designs and wants to complete the look with some stylish bottoms.

So, would I recommend this game?  Sure.  It's going to make my holiday gift guide this year because of its multi-purpose use: fashion design and production.  And I'm going to tell my kid that she can use the sewing machine that Santa will bring to solve her "bottoms" problem, for I hear that plain A-line skirts are pretty easy to sew.  (I wouldn't know.  My own fashion this month involves whichever jeans are the least dirty, tee and hoodie combinations that may or may not match, and some Uggs.  My daughter is frustrated by me.) 

It was a real pleasure to review this game, and I look forward to toying with the custom ordering feature some more this weekend.  It may take us some time to figure out, as Petunia has the oldest DS model, so I'm not even sure it has wifi... but we'll figure it out, and, once she's produced one of her items, I'll display it on here.

Thanks to Ubisoft and to CleverGirls Collective for the opportunity to review this game.  Not only did we enjoy it; we spent some quality mother-daughter bonding time over fashion that involved lots of giggles and no tears in fitting rooms, so thumbs-up for that!

If you'd are interested in picking up your own copy of Style Lab: Fashion Design, here's a link to it on Amazon.com.

While Ubisoft provided me with this game to review, the opinions I've expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint. Ubisoft, Clever Girls Collective and I promote Blog With Integrity.

Giveaway! Modern Family, Season One on DVD

When Fox/ABC asked me to review Modern Family, I hesitated a bit.  The Guv and I are really into crime TV shows: the CSIs, Law and Orders, The Good Wife.  Except for the Guv's love of Glee, we don't foray much into other types of TV these days, though we were once big fans of hits like Seinfeld and Friends.

Having heard from friends that Modern Family is a laugh riot, we opted to give it a try, and we are enjoying it quite a bit, especially as the parent relationship in one of the families featured mirrors ours.  My favorite part, so far, is from the first episode: the kids are back to school, and the mom is so excited to have some free time after a kid-full summer.  She settles down to read a book, only to find that her husband took the day off, assuming she'd have a hard time with the first day of empty nesting.  He proceeds to annoy her all day.  The show does a fantastic job of capturing those Mars/Venus moments!

As a blogger, one of my favorite things to do on my main "mommy" blog, Rox and Roll, is to capture the funny things in everyday life: the things kids say, the Guv's antics, etc.  This show is a lot like your favorite funny blogs brought to life: issues with a teen daughter's dress and first boyfriend, stepparent-child relationships, cultural differences, and more.  One of the families involves a gay male couple who've adopted a baby girl, and, at first, I thought it was pushing the boundaries of what's "PC" and what's not, but their foray into first-time parenthood is frought with the same nerve-wracking issues as any first-timers.  And first-time parenting is funny -- as long as it's not you!

Will we keep watching Modern Family?  Probably.  It's a welcome laugh break from the more-serious crime shows we usually watch.  It's refreshing, and that's why I've agreed to share a copy with you!

If you'd like to win your own copy of Modern Family's first season, leave a comment below by Sunday, November 28 (by midnight PST); I'll draw the winner sometime Monday morning.  Tweet out the giveaway, and you'll earn a second entry.  Good luck!

Disclaimer: My family received a free copy of "Modern Family" from Fox.  I did not commit to reviewing this TV show positively and have not been compensated otherwise for this review.  I'm grateful to Fox for providing me the opportunity to give "Modern Family" away to one of my lucky readers -- thanks!